11 Sep 2013

CR IP TI ON BS SU

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

UN reveals Asia-Pacific rape crisis

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THULQADA 5, 1434 AH

Filipino rebels dig in, take more hostages

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Pyramids are quiet: Visiting Egypt in crisis

Nadal’s lost years, Djokovic’s lost opportunities

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Syria accepts weapons plan, bombs Damascus Rebels dismayed; Russian initiative backed by China, Iran

BHUBANESWAR: International sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik gives the final touches to his sand sculpture on the issue of Syria with a message “Let peace Prevail” at Puri beach yesterday. — AFP

Child bride dies of internal bleeding 8-year-old marries 40-year-old SANAA: An eight-year-old Yemeni girl died of internal bleeding on her wedding night after marrying a man five times her age, a social activist and two local residents said, in a case that has caused an outcry in the media and revived debate about child brides. Arwa Othman, head of Yemen House of Folklore and a leading rights campaigner, said the girl, identified only as Rawan, was married to a 40-year-old man late last week in the town of Meedi in Hajjah province in northwestern Yemen.

“On the wedding night and after intercourse, she suffered from bleeding and uterine rupture which caused her death,” Othman said. “They took her to a clinic but the medics couldn’t save her life.” Othman said authorities had not taken any action against the girl’s family or her husband. A local security official in the provincial town of Haradh denied any such incident had taken place. He did not want to be identi-

fied because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

But two Meedi residents contacted by Reuters confirmed the incident and said that local tribal chiefs had tried to cover up the incident when news first broke, warning a local journalist against covering the story. Many poor families in Yemen marry off young daughters to save on the costs of bringing up a child and earn extra money from the dowry given to the girl.

A UN report released in January revealed the extent of the country’s poverty, saying that 10.5 million of Yemen’s 24 million people lacked sufficient food supplies, and 13 million had no access to safe water and basic sanitation. Human Rights Watch urged Yemen’s government in December 2011 to ban marriages of girls under the age of 18, warning it deprived child brides of education and harmed their health. —Reuters

Europe questions US leadership will

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Jordan MP opens fire in parliament AMMAN: A Jordanian lawmaker is accused of chasing a fellow deputy through the halls of parliament yesterday, firing at him with an automatic rifle before being overpowered, officials said. No one was hurt in the fracas, which reportedly erupted as a result of a personal dispute between the two men, but prosecutors in the capital Amman have charged alleged shooter Talal Sharif with attempted murder, an official said.

Both men, like many in the 180-seat chamber, were prominent members of the traditional Bedouin tribes with no particular ideological agenda. Jordan’s parliamentary debates can often turn rowdy, with lawmakers hurling shoes or bottled water at each other. Over the summer, a deputy tried to point his gun at another lawmaker during a televised debate but was overpowered by colleagues.

This is the first time however that a firearm has actually been discharged. Yesterday’s shooting angered Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who instructed parliament speaker Saad Hayel Srour to hand over Sharif to police custody, according to a royal palace statement.

Amman prosecutor Abdullah Abol-Ghanam charged Sharif with attempted murder, possession of a firearm without a license, resisting police arrest and disturbing public order, according to an official in his office who could not be named because it was an ongoing case. If convicted, he faces 15 years in jail. The official said Qusai Al-Dmeisi, the other deputy who was the target of the shooting, had lodged a complaint with the prosecutor earlier in the day. He said Sharif was detained for 15 days, pending questioning. — AP

Max 44º Min 24º High Tide 02:05 & 15:01 Low Tide 08:55 & 21:03

PARIS: Syria accepted a Russian proposal yesterday to give up chemical weapons and win a reprieve from US strikes, while its warplanes bombed rebel positions in Damascus for the first time since the West threatened military action.

The Russian diplomatic initiative, which apparently emerged from off-the-cuff remarks by the US secretary of state, marks a sudden reversal after weeks in which the West appeared finally headed towards intervention in a two-and-a-half year old war.

France said it would put forward a UN Security Council draft resolution for Syria to give up its stockpiles of chemical arms, threatening “extremely serious” consequences if Syria violates its conditions. Syria’s rebels reacted with deep dismay to the proposal, which would halt Western military action to punish President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces for a poison John Kerry gas attack that killed hundreds of people in a Damascus suburb last month. US President Barack Obama, for whom the proposal provides a way out of ordering unpopular strikes days before contentious Congressional votes, said it could be a “breakthrough”. Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moualem, visiting Moscow, as saying Damascus had agreed to the Russian initiative because it would “remove the grounds for American Continued on Page 15

Iran replaces hardline top security secretary TEHRAN: President Hassan Rowhani yesterday appointed decorated admiral and exdefense minister Ali Shamkhani to replace hardline Saeed Jalili as secretary of the key Supreme National Security Council, media reported. The SNSC is responsible for dictating defense and security policies under guidelines set out by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and for marshalling the country’s resources to confront domestic and foreign threats.

Until now, it has been heavily involved in Iran’s showdown with world powers over the country’s nuclear ambitions, particularly under Rowhani’s predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. It is expected that the SNSC’s direct involvement will be reduced but not eliminated after Rowhani last week tasked the foreign ministry with taking lead on future nuclear talks. Jalili, who lost to Rowhani in the June 14 presidential election, acted as the SNSC’s secretary since 2007 in a period talks between Iran and so-called P5+1 group of world powers failed to produce a breakthrough. His performance in the talks

and inability to make concession was criticized during the presidential campaign.

While being replaced as SNSC secretary, Jalili is not expected to leave the council, as he, along with Rowhani, are both special representatives of Khamenei to the council.

Shamkhani, an ethnic Arab, was reformist expresident Mohammad Khatami’s defense minister for two four-year terms until 2005.

His record also includes serving as head of the now-abolished ministry for the Revolutionary Guards under then premier Mir Hossein Mousavi in the 1980s and commanding Iran’s naval forces in the 1990s.

His appointment comes as Rowhani, who took office last month, has expressed a desire to improve strained ties with the Arab world, particularly tarnished over Tehran’s support for the regime of Syrian President Bashar AlAssad. In 2000, Shamkhani was awarded the Abdelaziz Second Grade Medal by Saudi Arabia-whose relationship with Tehran has been tense in recent years-for his role in “fostering the Saudi-Iranian ties” during the Khatami presidency. — AFP

Gulf losing billions to insurance fraud

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

LOCAL

Official credits crackdowns for drop in traffic deaths KUWAIT: “My office is open to people who want to complain against injustice, but it is closed to those who want to mediate or influence for other people,” said Maj Gen Abdulfattah Al-Ali at the beginning of an interview with Al-Qabas daily which is expected to publish the full transcript in today’s issue.

In highlights from the conversation published yesterday, the Undersecretary Assistant for Traffic Affairs insisted that law is “our only choice to get rid of the traffic dilemma that Kuwait has been going through for years”.

And while he identified law as “the approach, the measuring tool, the means and the end”, the senior Interior Ministry official reiterated the importance of cooperation between state depar tments “because one hand cannot clap, and therefore remains unable to end the crisis alone”.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Seif Palace yesterday Kuwaiti medical students from the National Union of Kuwait Students -Ireland who are planning to join the Doctors Without Borders’ mission in India.

Sheikh Nawaf lauded the efforts put on by the Kuwaiti youths, stressing that the Kuwaiti leadership and people were proud of the medical students and their decision to help others. The meeting was attended by Undersecretaries at the Crown Prince’s Diwan Sheikh Mubarak AlHumoud Al-Salman Al-Sabah and Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah Al-Salem Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah.

Minister discusses health provisions in Twitter Plan to maintain prices of medicines

By A Saleh KUWAIT: Health Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah reiterated the Kuwaiti government’s reassurances with regards to “the health sector’s readiness to deal with potential military struggles in the region”, adding that the ministry has a “plan to maintain the prices of medicines” in case of shortage. The senior government official made these comments during a ‘question and answer ’ session on Twitter on Monday night. Al-Sabah, who is also the state’s Minister of Cabinet Affairs, announced that the Health Ministry works as per an “integrated plan to guarantee patients’ comfort and improvement of primary medical care”.

“Public hospitals currently have nearly 9,000 beds’ capacity in total, whereas 6,900 more are expected to be added once expansions projects are finished”, he posted.

On medications’ prices, Al-Sabah said that while the ministry ‘works hard’ to control the prices, he indicated that “there are specific factors found in Kuwait which contribute to increase” in prices of some medications. The minister also answered an inquiry about medical errors which he said “are found in every medical system around the world”, but noted that the ministry is willing to receive complaints at local medical facilities or on the 24hour hotline at 151.

The minister also indicated that the ministry’s Private Medical Affairs Department “continues to supervise private medical facilities” in response to inquiries about the mechanism by which the ministry assesses the quality of medical services at private hospitals and clinics.

Minister Al-Sabah was also asked about the ministry’s plans with regard to allocating morning shifts at outpatient clinics for Kuwaiti patients. “This project has been started at Jahra

Hospital where morning appointments at outpatient clinics are given exclusively to citizens with the exception of emergency cases,” he said, adding that the project is still “an experiment”. The minister also answered inquiries about a proposal to allow medical staff at polyclinics to perform small procedures like childbirth, especially at recently renovated and expanded centers. “The proposal is currently under consideration and could eventually be implemented at newly-established clinics or renovated ones like Bayan Polyclinic where emergency rooms were established”, he said.

On allegations about the spread of contagious diseases among expatriate labor forces, minister Al-Sabah insisted that the Health Ministry carries out necessary tests for every worker before they arrive in Kuwait and even after they enter the country. “However, bad living conditions often aid in the spread of contagious diseases among workers”, he added.

Maj Gen Al-Ali revealed several statistics during the interview, including withdrawal of 4,000 driving licenses obtained by illegal means, as well as reducing monthly rate of issuing licenses from 7,000 to 1,200.

Furthermore, the official credited extensive traffic campaigns for reducing the average road deaths from 50 to 19 per month.

The General Traffic Department in the Interior Ministry launched extensive campaigns last April which have so far resulted in thousands of traffic tickets issued, millions of Kuwaiti dinars collected in fines, as well as thousands of expatriate drivers deported in addition to firmer penalties against Kuwaiti offenders.

No timetable is set for the end of campaigns whereas Maj Gen Al-Ali has repeatedly indicated that crackdowns will continue as part of the department’s efforts to reduce traffic jams, curb the number of road fatalities and fight traffic offenses.

VIVA equips 21 walkways in Kuwait with benches KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing and most developed telecom operator, announced that it has donated 210 VIVA branded benches in 21 walkways across Kuwait. All the bench visuals include images of young Kuwaitis, a concept that came about to encourage and inspire area residents to adopt a healthy living lifestyle.

The company’s donation represents not only VIVA’s promise to add value in the Kuwaiti community, but its commitment to building the nation not only in economic terms, but through contributing in ways that enhance the social amenities for its citizens, and improving and promoting overall healthy living.

VIVA installed 10 benches in each of the 21 walkways, which are located in: Rumaithiya, Jabriya, Salmiya, Surra, Khaldiya, Dasma, Adeliya, Yarmouk, Sabahiya, Ali Sabah Al Salem, Reqqa, Abdullah Al Mubarak 1, Qusoor, Adan, Mishref, Sabah Al Salem 1, Nassim, Mubarak Al-Jaber, Andallus, Sulaibikhat, and Quirawan parks.

VIVA’s donation is part of its social

responsibility program to help generate more interest and awareness among the public regarding the importance of sports and healthy living.

VIVA is the fastest-growing telecom operator in Kuwait. Launched in December 2008, VIVA makes things Possible for its customers by transforming communication, information and entertainment experiences. The company has rapidly established an unrivalled position in the market through its customer centric approach.

VIVA’s quest is to be the mobile brand of choice in Kuwait by being transparent, engaging, energetic and fulfilling.

VIVA continues to take a considerable share of the market by offering an innovative range of best value products, services and content propositions; a state of the art, nationwide network and world-class service. VIVA offers internet speeds of more than 100 Mbps, due to the implementation of the most advanced fourth generation (4G LTE) network in Kuwait resulting in superior coverage, performance and reliability.

UAE ranked happiest Arab country DUBAI: The UAE has been ranked the happiest Arab country in the world in a recent United Nations report, and 14th happiest overall.

The study comes one week after a poll by Ipsos Mori named Abu Dhabi as the fourth most popular city in the world.

The World Happiness Report, conducted by Columbia University’s Earth Institute, found that “the world has become a slightly happier and more generous place over the past five years”.

Named the 14th happiest country in the world, the UAE ranked higher than the United States (17), the United Kingdom (22), Germany (26), Kuwait (32), Japan (43), Russia (68) and

China (93). The study, which looks at nations’ happiness by studying peoples’ mood and overall life satisfaction, found six factors affect wellbeing, including: per capita GDP, life expectancy, having someone to count on, freedom to make life choices, generosity and freedom from corruption. A report from state news agency WAM quoted HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE, as saying: “Our goal is to achieve the happiness of our people, and their satisfaction is the gauge of our success.

“All development plans that we approved, all initiatives that we launched and all the govern-

ment policies and laws, have one common goal achieving the happiness of our people.

“Countries can only be built with happy and satisfied people. Happiness of individuals is only the start for a stable, productive and safe society.” Denmark was named the happiest country in the world with Nor way, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Sweden making up the top five. Rwanda, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Benin and Togo were the least happiest countries.

Egypt had the biggest fall in happiness levels, dropping from a rating of 5.4 in 2007 (out of 10) to 4.3 in 2012. — Gulf News

Envoy hails US-Kuwait relations KUWAIT: United States Ambassador to Kuwait Matthew Tueller described the scheduled meeting between HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Sabah and US President Barack Obama next Friday as something taking place at “a very important time in order to shed light on the strong bilateral relationships and friendship between people of both countries”.

In his statements to Al-Rai published yester-

day, Ambassador Tueller reiterated the strength of the US-Kuwaiti relations “in line with the strategic joint interests between the two countries”, adding that “President Obama looks forward to discuss during the meeting with HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah the vital interests and latest developments in the Gulf and Middle East”.

Al-Qabas daily had reported Sunday that the

Syrian issue is set to top the meeting’s agenda, according to diplomatic sources who were quoted anonymously.

They further indicated that Kuwait is expected to “reiterate its support to Egypt” during the meeting as well as renew demands for the release or fair trial of two Kuwaiti nationals who have been held at the Guantanamo Bay prison for 12 years.

Gulf salaries predicted to rise KUWAIT: Companies across the UAE are predicting an average salary increase of five percent in 2014, according to latest figures released by Aon Hewitt.

The company said in a statement that the figure is in line with forecasts made for 2013 and 2012, which were 5.1 percent and 5.2 percent respectively.

Aon Hewitt said the wage rises indicated “economic stability and a continued confidence in the country’s business environment amongst organisations in the UAE”. Across the GCC, companies are predicting an average salary increase of 5.5 percent for 2014, with Saudi Arabia-based companies giving the highest salar y

increase projection of six percent.

Kuwait and Oman firms estimated a 5.6 percent salary growth, similar to the 2013 predictions, while companies in Bahrain forecasted 5.2 percent - an increase on last year’s 4.7 percent projection.

Based on data from more than 500 organisations across the Middle East, including 180 in the UAE, the report showed there was a clear correlation between performance and salary increases.

Figures showed that a 7.2 percent salary increase was given for those ‘far exceeding expectations’ compared to a 0.1 percent salary increase for employees that ‘did not meet expectations’.

Kuwait MPs want to know govt preparations for regional events

KUWAIT: Jahra hospital marked the World Physical Therapy Day with a series of activities to raise awareness about physical fitness and physical therapy. —Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

KUWAIT: National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim said Monday MPs were closely watching the government’s preparations for regional developments.

The MPs are keen on knowing if the government is meeting citizens’ needs, achieving food security and is prepared for any emergency, Al-Ghanim said in his weekly news conference.

The US announced intention to launch a military strike against Syria for the latter’s

alleged use of chemical weapons against civilians on Aug 21, but is awaiting Congress’ authorization.

Al-Ghanim said Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled AlSabah informed him he would call for a meeting with the foreign affairs committee, when the minister returned from the US. He said he would explain next week the final results of the opinion poll regarding priorities of citizens. —KUNA

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

LOCAL

KUWAIT: The scientific seminar, within the meeting of Prince Nayef Bin Abdelaziz Security Research Prize was held yesterday under the patronage of Deputy Premier, Interior MinIster Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, who asked ministry undersecretary Lt General Ghazi Al-Omar to represent him. —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

GCC welcomes transfer of Kuwaiti prisoners’ file Fruit of positive development of relations JEDDAH: GCC foreign ministers welcomed UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution 2107 which referred the file of missing Kuwaiti and thirdcountry nationals and Kuwaiti properties under UNAMI’s responsibility. Resolution 2107, adopted on July 24, extended mandate of UN Assistance Mission for Iraq until July 31 2014, “acknowledging” its responsibility in future to handle the missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and the Kuwaiti property, mainly the national archive.

This change formally transferred the two Kuwait files to UNAMI, under Chapter VI, instead of Chapter VII, and put an end to the post of the High-Level Coordinator which was created in 1999. The UNSC resolution is the “fruit of positive development of relations between the State of Kuwait and Iraq, and the exchange of visits between officials of the two countries, and the outcome of these visits of the signing of important agreements over bilateral issues and international obligations,” the foreign ministers said in a statement following their one-day meeting.

They affirmed that the “issue of prisoners and missing and returning of Kuwaiti properties are purely humane issues.” They hoped the Iraqi government continue its cooperation with the State of Kuwait and the international community over these matters.

The foreign ministers also welcomed Iraq’s cooperation through compliance with relevant UN resolutions, particularly maintenance of border signs in line with UN resolution 833 of 1993,

as well as Iraq’s signing of an MoU over maintenance of borders with the State of Kuwait.

They welcomed Iraq’s agreement with the UN over the receiving of compensations for Iraqi farmers as per UN resolution 899 of 1994.

The ministers called on Iraq to stop Iraqi parties from interferring in the internal affairs of the GCC countries.

GCC foreign ministers yesterday declared support for “international measures” against the Syrian regime, held it responsible for continuation of humanitarian tragedies in Syria noting its rejection of international efforts to resolve the crisis. The ministers, in a statement issued at end of their 128th meeting, expressed concern and frustration for the Damascus regime policy of procrastination and aborting of the peace efforts, while pursuing acts of oppression and violence against its people.

The GCC Ministerial Council declared support for international measures for deterring the regime and preventing it from killing the “brotherly Syrian people,” expressing concern at escalation of the Syrian crisis, its repercussions on regional security and stability as well as the dangerous breaches of the Syrian people human rights, with employment of diverse types of weapons against them.

Continuing usage of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), the regime perpetrated a “horrific atrocity in the Damascus (suburban) region of Ghouta using internationally banned chemical weapons,” said the statement, issued

by the GCC foreign ministers at the conclusion of their conference in the Saudi port city of Jeddah.

They condemned continuing participation of “foreign forces namely the Hezbollah militia in the war of the Syrian regime, killing the Syrian people and destroying their properties,” and called on the international community to act urgently to offer protection for the Syrian people and enable them defend themselves as well as give aid for the civilians who have been relocated due to the violence.

The council welcomed the election of Ahmad Al-Jarba as Chairman of the (opposition) National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces.

On Egypt, the ministers expressed confidence in options of the people, their keenness on safeguarding the country stability and potentials, affirming rejection of external intervention in the nation domestic affairs. They re-affirmed support for the country’s and its people, expressing confidence the country would restore its historic and pioneering role, noting its pivotal weight for the Arab and Muslim nations. As to the ties with Iran, the ministerial council expressed hope that election of Dr. Hasan Rohani as president of the Islamic Republic would contribute to cementing the cooperation between Tehran and the GCC on the basis of good neighborliness ties, non-intervention in the local affairs of the regional states, respect for sovereignty of the Gulf countries and abstention from using force or making threats to use it. —KUNA

Lawmaker slams Defense Minister

By A Saleh KUWAIT: Member of Parliament criticized the statement of Defence Minister Sheikh Khalid AlJarrah during which he said the ministry will relinquish land in favor of the housing authority in exchange for allocating some lots for military personnel. Al-Hashem said the statement of the defence minister is unconstitutional and he was wrong to announce his agreement to allocate some lands provided military men can get a part of them. She said, “I still say that the prime minister will be held responsible and not Minister of Housing Salem Al-Athaina, because the issue of lands is due to negligence and procrastination of your government, your highness the premier and you are responsible for it.”

KHARAFI-BARRAK TRIAL The criminal court postponed the ruling of former speaker Jassim Al-Kharafi against former MP Musallam Al-Barrak until September 24. The case is based on insults by Al-Barrak during a gathering at Al-Irada Square accusing him of benefiting without presenting evidence.

NATIONAL ISLAMIC ALLIANCE Members of the National Islamic Alliance MPs Adnan Abdelsamad and Khalil Abul presented a proposed law to naturalize 4,000 bedoons in 2014 and they also proposed the naturalization of Kuwaiti women’s children. They demanded the employment of bedoons in the government, and to send bedoon cancer patients abroad if treatment is not available in Kuwait.

Syria: The face of freedom

By Yuri Kirillov

W

hile the world is silently waiting for the White House to “punish” Syria for the alleged use of chemical weapons against the civilians, the Syrian rebels are a busy crowd.

Initially, the “opposition” as they like to call themselves, including the National Coalition, was supporting the Western claims that it was the Assad regime that used chemical weapons. Later on, they became keen supporters of Western intervention in Syria. They wanted the air strike to be launched as fast as now.

After the speech delivered by President Obama, the head of the National coalition has set out on a trip across Europe, demanding from every country that he has visited to launch an attack against Syria. To make his demands look even more legitimate, the rebels once again engaged in the fights with the regular troops. The leaders of the “opposition” can’t help but wait to see the American missiles and bombs to rain on innocent heads. They found themselves unable to break the Assad regime, so the last source of hope for them is the Western allies. They believe that foreign intervention will be the decisive blow that will turn the tides in their favor.

At the same time, anyone who advocates air strikes against their own compatriots is bound to lose any relevance and trust in the eyes of the common Syrian people. For this reason, the political and the information coordinator of the rebels has been providing the Western allies with a list of the possible targets for them to strike.

The observers are trying to guess what the foreign air strikes can bring to the table and what advantage it can bring to the “free fighters”. One of the Syrian opposition commanders says that he has no information on the possible targets of those strikes and therefore, they aren’t co-operating.

As the war goes on, even more opposition fighters find themselves bewildered and confused since they don’t know what to except. As the tension rises, the Islamists, especially those connected with Al-Qaeda, don’t expect anything good from the strikes.

Many of those had already been targets of their “dear allies” earlier in other different parts of the Middle East. They fear that their vehicles can possibly be bugged.

The Syrian crisis is not resolving and maybe it can be suppressed with brute force but the inner conflicts aren’t going anywhere. The West is going to teach Assad a lesson; one which was already learnt by the citizens of Afghanistan, Libya and Iraq. The outcome is always the teacher’s responsibility.

(Yuri Kirillov is an expert on the Middle East and North Africa at the Center for Arabic and Islami Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences).

SALARY FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL MP Mohammad Tana Al-Enezi said Defence Minister Lt General Sheikh Khalid Al-Jarrah AlSabah agreed to cancel the salary ceiling for military men to obtain a house in Taima and Sulaibiya. He said “I met Minister Al-Jarrah and the salary ceiling was discussed, and the minister agreed to cancel it”.

GOVERNMENT HOUSING ISSUE MP Sultan Al-Lughaisim called upon the government to put the housing issue on top of its priorities and find possible solutions to hasten its solution especially to liberate the lands, as it has become a problem considering there are more than 12,000 housing applications.

Call for ending Syrian regime’s killing of people JEDDAH: Bahrain’s foreign minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa said GCC countries were keen on unity, stability and territorial safety of Syria, but called for ending of “violations and genocides committed by Bashar Al-Assad’s regime against the Syrian people.”

Sheikh Khaled, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), condemned anew the ugly crime that was “committed by the Syrian regime by using internationally-banned chemical weapons in Ghouta in Damascus on August 21.”

The attack, which claimed lives of hundreds of civilian Syrians, “is placing the whole world before a big challenge and compel the UN and ... the Security Council to live up to their responsibilities in line with the organization’s (UN) Charter and international law,” Sheikh Khaled said at the GCC foreign ministers’ meeting Tuesday. The Bahraini foreign minister said the international community must take all necessary measures to punish perpetrators of the Ghouta attack. On Egypt, Sheikh Khaled hoped the international community would realize the message of the Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz regarding the support of the Egyptian people, and keenness on the security and stability of Egypt.

The GCC, he affirmed, was supporting Egypt until it overcome all difficulties through the implementation of the roadmap set by the interim leadership. Sheikh Khaled, on the Arab-Israeli conflict, expressed appreciation to US President Barack Obama and secretary of state John Kerry for their commitment to achieving just peace based on the two-state solution to ultimately establish the independent Palestinian state on the June 4 1967 borders. He hoped the US efforts and commitment would be “a positive indication towards a comprehensive solution for the Arab-Israeli conflict ... .” On Iran, Sheikh Khaled called on President Hassan Rohani to open a new page of relations with GCC countries based on good neighborliness, resolution of disputes via peaceful means and abstaining from the use of force and threat. Sheikh Khaled hoped the Iranian nuclear file would be addressed diplomatically, urging Tehran to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog and join the nuclear safety agreement.

As to Yemen, Sheikh Khaled said the GCC was supporting the national dialogue which was held in line with the GCC initiative.

Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah is participating. — KUNA

MEW plans restructuring KUWAIT: Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) is reintroducing the project to restructure the ministry sectors by forming a committee to prepare a study to implement the project, and prepare the implementation rules within two months to present to the council of ministers.

The sources said MEW Minister Abdelaziz Al-Ibrahim asked the undersecretary to form a committee for this project, at the council of ministers’ wish, and because it is included in the state’s development plan, adding that it will not affect employees’ rights, and that they will benefit from restructuring.

Leaders Group announces 2014 HORECA Kuwait KUWAIT: Leaders Group for Consulting & Development organizes the 2014 HORECA Kuwait exhibition from January 27-29, 2014 at the Jumairah Hotel in cooperation with Hospitality Services of Lebanon, the group announced in a statement yesterday.

Next year’s event takes place for the third straight year “following huge success achieved in the past two installment that featured large participation of catering companies and experts in food and hospitality businesses”, the statement reads. The Leaders Group also recognized the exhibition as “a major player in the improvement of the hospitality and food industries fields in Kuwait”, as well as “an opportunity for participants to present integrated visions

for future projects in food industries as well as the catering business for hotels and restaurants”. The Leaders Group promised to offer the exhibition as a platform for businessmen in the field “to share experiences and discuss ways of expanding their businesses in parallel with the continuous growth in the hospitality sector as the number of restaurants in Kuwait exceeds 5,000 with an average of 670 person per restaurant”. The 2014 HORECA Kuwait takes place simultaneously with the 24th annual HORECA Lebanon and 2nd annual HORECA Saudi Arabia events “which further boosts cooperation towards improving the hotels and catering businesses in the Middle East”, the statement read.

Kuwait Petroleum to spend $38 KUWAIT: In December 2008, just a few months after the global financial collapse, Petrochemical Industries Co., a subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corp., pulled out of a $17.4 billion contract with K-Dow Petrochemicals, citing the poor global economy as the reason.

The deal between the two companies was considered politically sensitive, and this led to Dow Chemicals suing Kuwait Petroleum Corp., in 2012 eventually being awarded $2.2 billion in damages, after having been found guilty of violating the agreement.

After a few more rough years, Kuwait Petroleum Corp. (KPC) decided in May, to sack the heads of its eight subsidiary companies, the company’s largest ever shakeup, and a move that they hoped would lead to better management and response strategies during difficult times in the future.

Meanwhile, in an attempt to avoid any such mistakes in the future, Kuwait Petroleum has now signed a $38 million training contract for the new heads of its subsidiaries, designed to improve their competence.

KPC announced that it signed the five year training deal with National Technologies Enterprises Company, an organisation mandated by the Kuwait Council of Ministers with the intent of improving and developing the application of new technologies ion government and private sectors.

Nizar Al-Adsani, the Vice President and CEO of KPC, explained that the new contract will help with Kuwait’s policy to improve the skills of leading figures in the oil industry, in order to prepare them for future oil and petroleum projects that are planned as a part of the county’s development strategy.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

LOCAL in my view

kuwait digest

No need for arrogance

The govt and online media

By Khalid Al-Tarrah

By Aziza Al-Mufarej

S

O

ment Govern

Financial worth decleration law

From Al-Anbaa

ocial networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter in addition to news websites are seeing a growing presence in the media field, and have already grown to becoming a major challenge to many countries that still live in the shadows of traditional state media. These means of communication and reporting have come to be known as the ‘new electronic space’ or as some people describe them, the fifth authority. This new space is distinguished by the fact that it cannot be easily controlled.

And since those tools have their own realm and can never be controlled by any means, it is wiser to just ‘swim with the current’ instead of against it.

Dealing with the new media requires improved legal and political vision to what is being discussed in this space in order to understand its nature and motives. It is also important to realize that there are social and political movements that played a significant role in the birth of social network and the emergence of a wide space that embraces the tools of communication that we have today and perhaps more advanced ones in the future. After all, creating an account or opening a news website is only a few clicks away compared to licensing procedures required to launch a newspaper or broadcast channel. In fact, the Internet has provided a vehicle to establish radio stations without the need for large resources or capabilities. For example, a new radio station was recently launched in Egypt called ‘Hurriyaty’ (my freedom) by young volunteers who describe their goals as “providing a place for young people who can’t find opportunities to express their views in traditional media outlets”. The goal behind these initiatives is not to create chaos in the media field, but only to allow all social categories to express their opinions freely and equally.

There is no doubt that any attempt to put limitations on the use of social networks will not be in the benefit of any government. Instead, governments are required to handle the issue with wisdom and understanding because if they fail to do so, then social networks always find a way out to reveal information including those classified as critical or confidential. In that regard, Wikileaks comes to mind as a website that tasted success since it started in 2006 under the slogan of transparency, and after leaking large numbers of documents that contained military, diplomatic, media and political secrets.

In Kuwait, I believe that placing restrictions on the activity of online activists will hamper efforts to promote freedoms as well as young people’s positive initiatives and creativities. It is also important to notice that blocking a website or Twitter account does not mean that they have disappeared forever. There are many companies around the world that offer to host blocked websites and accounts for small fees and with additional technical support. The challenge in this case would become more unpredictable and the risk would increase too.

I hope that the ideas mentioned above would be kept in mind by the Information Ministry and the government in general as they entertain the idea of reintroducing the unified media law. —Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

War is no picnic

By Dr Bader al-Dailhani

T

he possible US strike on Syria might further complicate domestic situations in Syria, which will help the regime and worsen the sufferings of the Syrian people who are demanding freedom, dignity, decent living conditions and a secular democratic state which has place for all Syrian sects.

The situation in Syria is very complicated. Apart from a tyrant oppressing regime that is responsible for what is happening, there are extreme radical and sectarian powers like Al-Qaeda and its ‘subsidiaries’ who joined the public revolt and managed to mix and scatter all cards, which helped the repressive regime in its constant attempts to deform the revolution before local and international media. There is also a regional and an international conflict going on which is driven by economic and political interests of major powers.

This requires relentless efforts to preserve areas of influence in the Middle East as expressed by the US president when he said: “Striking Syria is for the interest of the US national security”. This reminds us of the new American policy towards the ‘New Middle East’ project known as ‘Constructive Chaos’, which was promoted by the US Secretary of State in 2005 Condoleezza Rice. The project involved destroying the economic infrastructure of the countries in the region, dividing them into smaller fighting states then socially dividing them by creating domestic sectarian focal points of conflict like the situation in Iraq.

The possible military strike against Syria lacks an international cover (Security Council permission) and nobody can predict the casualties and damage it will cause within Syria and other surrounding countries. War is not a picnic; it involves killing innocent people

and causing permanent human disabilities, chronic psychological diseases and terrible destruction.

The Syrian people have been experiencing tragic situations for over two years and still losing more innocent victims killed daily by the tyrant regime’s military and security forces, on the one hand and by extremist militia on the other. Though, according to the UN’s High Commission for Refugee Affairs’ statistics, over 1.5 million people have been displaced, the US is not acting to protect them but is only protecting its interests and areas of influence. America is not interested in dictator, fascist or racial regimes’ possession of nuclear, chemical or biological warfare weapons as claimed by some media.

Otherwise, we would have seen some action taken against Israel that had refused to sign a treaty to ban nuclear weapons. In fact, Israel is the only Middle East state that has a huge arsenal of WMDs provided by American factories and yet, the US veto protects it from being condemnation by the security council for oppressing the Palestinian people. The thing is that the possible US strike might further complicate domestic situations in Syria, which will help the regime and worsen the sufferings of the Syrian people who are demanding freedom, dignity, decent living conditions and a secular democratic state that has place for all Syrian sects.

Therefore, more human solidarity with the Syrians is required to prevent war and foreign interference then urge the international community and the Arab League act to immediately to cease fire and spread international peace-keeping forces on the ground and, eventually, find political solutions to protect innocent lives without ‘Iraqizing’ Syria! —Al-Jarida

kuwait digest

Egypt-Turkey disagreement

By Dr Shamlan Y Al-Essa

T

he continued tension between Egypt and Turkey is not justified and has no meaning, especially when preparations are being made to strike Syria

by Western allies which requires unity between the two states. Turkey took the initiative by returning its ambassador to Cairo after calling him back, but Cairo announced that it will not return its ambassador to Ankara now. Egypt said that adversary statements and Turkey’s interference in Egyptian affairs should be stopped.

The dispute between the two countries came to light after the removal of former President Mohammad Morsi, and the Turkish prime minister criticized Egyptian leadership including Sheikh Al-Azhar. One of the strange ironies is that Turkey was among the first countries that called for the armed forces higher council in Egypt to hand over power to an elected civil government, resulting from free elections. Turkey supported the legitimate demands of the Egyptian people that called for achieving democracy and freedom.

The Turkish justice and development party was hoping to take the Turkish model in democratic transformation to Egypt because they thought that their model is what should be followed in Egypt and other Arab countries ruled by Muslim Brotherhood following the Arab spring revolutions. The Turkish leadership forgot that the secular Turkish model cannot be transferred to Egypt during the transitional period because it requires a secular constitution, and a strong army to protect secularism. The Turkish secular experiment was hard in its first stage, and its success was helped by the historical experience of Turkey, Atatark’s personality and the army’s protection of secularism. Besides the nature of Islam in Turkey is influenced by forgiving, moderate and centrist Sufism.

The justice and development party in Turkey won the elections, not only because it is Islamic, but because Erdogan and his followers succeeded in liberating the Turkish economic and allowing conservative businessmen to surface. The Muslim model in Turkey is more civil than the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the Turkish model does not aim at establishing Islamic shariah to change the constitution.

The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and their followers in the Arab world keep repeating the saying that they reached power through elections and they forgot that democracy is not reduced to ballot boxes only, and this is the problem with the Egyptian case.

There is no realistic justification for the media escalation between the two countries. Turkish interests in the area are varied and many. The Arab GCC countries must take the initiative to repair relations between the two countries because Turkey plays a major role in hosting Syrian refugees and it also plays an outstanding role in supporting the Palestinian cause. It also has a key role to play in confronting Iranian ambitions in the region. —Al-Watan

n Thursday Aug 15, 2013 we heard a loud voice breaking the silence in the ward at a local hospital and disturbing the patients, and waking them up. The voice was that of an angry doctor who was screaming at an Indian nurse, as he was admonishing and insulting her, while the poor nurse was not able to answer him, not even with one word. Do not go too far and think that the nurse committed an error or ignored the doctor’s orders; no that was not it. The doctor was upset because the poor nurse called him on the phone and asked him to come to the ward and disrupted his siesta, making him forget that the government owns the hospital, not his father. The incident took place in Adan hospital, Ward 18 between 11:30 am and 12:15 pm; this is for the Ministry of Health if they want to investigate the incident against doctors who want to flex their muscles and scare nurses, especially Asian nurses, who are too scared to complain about it.

There are two wards on the fourth floor of Adan hospital, 17 and 18, where 32 orthopedics are assigned: One Kuwaiti, two Asians and the rest belong to one Arab nationality. This large number means that doctors enjoy a maximum degree of comfort, and receive high salaries which cannot be compared with what they get in their countries, then why this ruckus? And why do they flex their muscles on simple weak nurses? I witnessed that incident myself, and saw that the doctor looked like a cross between Tawfiq Al-Deken, a well-known actor and people who pump up on steroids. If it were left to me, I would have terminated his contract, and sent him back to his country on the first flight, or at least I would not renew his contract no matter how much wasta he had because this “doctor” was treating his workplace like a fish market.

Nurses, especially Indian ones, are keen on performing their job honestly, while nurses of both genders are the ones who do a lot of work. In reality, doctors have lesser work compared to them, with all due respect to the good ones. Nurses follow up with patients, administer drips and injections, take blood pressure and sugar readings, and clean up after the patients. You see them like active bees in the wards. So, when a person insults and abuses a nurse for no reason, it makes us angry and upset.

We tell this doctor: Fear Allah the Almighty, and there is no need for arrogance over nothing. To the Health Ministry, we say: Select the doctors well because we have seen their quality in Kuwait’s hospitals. —Al-Watan

letters to Muna

Use public transport Hello Ms Muna, Your article in Kuwait Times on Aug 29 about expats and driving license was thought-provoking. It is quite right to say no country can tolerate any kind of compromises with driving licenses since it puts everyone on the road at risk. We should also think about who indeed needs a driving license. This is over and above engineers, doctors, teachers and managers. This will inevitably shoot up traffic on Kuwait’s roads. Yet another point to be borne in mind is that new mega projects are in the offing in Kuwait and it is expected that the number of workers at different levels from helpers to managers will shoot up multifold over the next couple of years adding to already crippled, choked and cramped road. The blame will come on expatriates as though they are crowding the streets. Only innovative thinking of dealing with traffic rush and hurdles can lead to solutions since the projects are yet to start. There is a strong need for expatriate workers to increase exponentially though temporarily. As you rightly said, increasing public transport should be actively and seriously pursued to reach a feasible solution.

Thank you.

Bala Dear Muna, I just read your article called ‘Should we worry? The article is very educative and it really portrays your patriotism for your beloved country which has done a lot and is still helping poor countries. Though I am not living in the Middle East, I am worried. Why? Because according to people I have met and discussed with, all of them said that if America attacks Syria, all the countries in the Middle East will be affected. This is something I do not want. According to my investigation, the upcoming war is nothing but a pretext to break the axis of resistance against Israel. Unfortunately, many people do not know that. Syria is targeted just because it has good links with Iran. Russia has vowed to defend Syria.

China, Iran and other countries will surely intervene and take Syria’s side including Hezbollah. There will be chaos then. I do not want such a thing to happen. People should live in peace and harmony. You say the Americans will launch a limited strike on Syria. No, Muna. It will be a full-fledged war which will involve Iran, too. War is not good. It can cause destruction on all sides. Rather than wishing for security measures, you should pray for peace. The Arabs have suffered a lot. Iraq was attacked under false pretense. No weapon of mass destruction was found. Libya was attacked under false pretense, too. And now, another Arab country wants to undergo the same fate. This is bad. Millions of people worldwide are calling for peace. With Russia on its side, surely enough the Third World War is coming. All countries will be affected, especially those in the Middle East.

As a Muslim, it is my duty to pray for peace among all nations. You should remember that Syria stood by you when Saddam Hussein invaded your country. This was the unpardonable crime which Saddam committed. He has no right to invade your country. He has suffered for that. Now the Americans have planned war which is currently being orchestrated against Syria though it hasn’t started yet and many people doubt if America will indeed carry out its threat because of retaliation from Russia and China including Iran and this is nothing but to distance Syria, being Arab, from Iran. The Syrian problem has no military solution. Diplomacy is the best tool to solve the issue. You should join us for peace. Let us pray for peace and say no to war which brings nothing but destruction to people. As Muslims, we should pray for peace. Even the Pope has urged America not to attack Syria. It is for the innocent people I am thinking about, people who have nothing to do with politics.

Long live the Islamic Ummah, ordained by the only Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) sent to mankind. Again, peace for all nations.

With salaams and best wishes, Yours sincerely Abou Cissé Muna@kuwaittimes.net

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

LOCAL

Zain honors authorized dealers in its quality control program KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, recently held its quarterly ceremony honoring its dealers at Hotel Missoni, and recognized a number of them for their exceptional performances during the second quarter of 2013. In particular, Zain applauded those agents that successfully and effectively abided by the terms of its Quality Control Program, which directly impacts on customers’ satisfaction levels and contributes to the strengthening of Zain’s market positioning.

This quarterly event was initiated to further motivate retail agents to perform at their very

best as well as to create a sense of competition that helps foster a strong customer orientation. Zain undertakes a professional process to asses which dealers are the top performers by evaluating each candidate’s activities according to specific criteria set by the company’s quality control corporate strategy.

Ahmad Al-Kandari, Zain’s Executive Director of Sales commented: “The implementation of our distributors’ quality control program works on creating fair competition both internally and externally with the help of our dealers and partners. This unique program does not only strength-

en the work flow mechanism but works to provide more for Zain customers. The company believes in the tremendous potential of its

$23 billion for infrastructure, construction projects KUWAIT: The total cost of Infrastructure and construction projects, to be signed in 2014, will reach $23.2 billion, a report by KFH-Research said here yesterday.

Oil treatment will cost $9.3 billion, and oil production will cost $8.4 billion, said the KFH-Research, adding that projects in the fields of housing, health, transportation, and education are expected to be executed. The report also touched on government and private sector cooperation and said that “If the government is successful in pushing ahead with public-private partnership schemes, Kuwait’s projects market could be one of the region’s most lucrative in 2013.” By the beginning of March, some $2.96 billion-worth of contracts had already been signed. Further deals could be tendered soon as part of the PTB’s $28 billion public-private partnership (PPP) programme.

Kuwait is today the region’s fourthlargest projects market, after Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. Since 2005, the country’s projects market has averaged just over $7.2 billion in contract awards a year.

Its most productive recent year for awards came in 2010, when more than $14.3 billion of contracts was signed, although this is still less than 10 percent of the total GCC projects market.

Moving forward, Kuwait projects market is expected to grow stronger in 2014, although it could face political obstacles on the way. As much as $13.7 billion worth of contracts are scheduled to be signed in the 1Q 2014, followed by another $9.5 billion

before the end of the year, taking the total to $23.2 billion. Oil processing will form the bulk of the awards at $9.3 billion followed closely by upstream production with $8.4 billion. Pipelines add another $5 billion.

The processing contracts form the backbone of two of Kuwait’s most important and ambitious schemes, the Clean Fuels Project and New Refinery Project, both in the downstream sector and with budgets in excess of $15 billion each. —KUNA

Fake companies KUWAIT: An informed source at the Commerce and Industr y M inistr y accounted for 60 non-operating companies, or what is known as ‘bogus companies’ during the first half of 2013.The source said the ministry accounted for over 1,900 operating companies during the same period in the fields of services, brokerage, industry, investment, holding, real estate, contracting, food, commercial sector, power, petroleum, banks and insurance. He said there are 471 operating companies that did not present financial data for 2012, including 132 companies in the services sector and 145 companies in the holding companies sector.The source said the number of companies that did not present financial data since their establishment until now is 116, including 50 in the services sector, 28 in the holding sector, 11 in industry and 11 in real estate.

of the 2015 UN Development Goals, which includes eradicating poverty and hunger through making economic structures more adaptive.”

However, he stressed importance of considering “environmental boundaries in account, which could lead to catastrophes due to misuse of technology.

“It is illogical to provide food for humans in one hand and kill them with chemicals and destroying the environment on the other. Sustainable development should be in line with nature.”

In his speech before the ECOSOC, Sheikh Dr Mohammad said, “Man cannot live only on bread. A development inconsiderate to human integrity, rights and good governance is meaningless.”

On his part, Head of the State of

we are keen to reward and support our partners, distributors, and providers of our services who all work hand-in-hand to provide

Three-member gang tries to rob policeman Skeleton found in Jahra desert KUWAIT: Investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest three suspects who left a police detective injured and escaped after a failed robbery. According to the policeman’s accounts, the incident happened early on Monday morning when he was stopped on his way back home by three people who seemed to be intoxicated. The suspects reportedly tried to rob the officer but failed when he put up a fight. They eventually escaped after attacking him with a knife that left a six-centimeter-long wound on his left hand. After receiving treatment at the Jahra Hospital, the officer brought a medical report and filed a case at the Jahra police station.

Meanwhile, two people were arrested in Mangaf for resisting arrest af ter police stopped them while they were under the influence of alcohol. The arrests were made after the suspects stopped at a roadblock after they were chased when they refused to pull over. The two Kuwaiti men were also charged with property damage after they hit a patrol vehicle during the car chase.

Skeleton found Human remains were found in Jahra desert and preliminary examinations indicated that the person must have died a long time ago. Police and crime scene investiga-

Sustainable development plan ‘ambitious’ UNITED NATIONS: The sustainable development plan is an “ambitious strategy” on a global scale, with its significance relying on three indispensable tracks; economic, social and humanitarian, Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah said.

“It is disgraceful that a human being could die of starvation in the 21st century,” Sheikh Dr Mohammad said in his capacity as member of the Board of the UN High-level Advisory Committee, after a meeting with members of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) at the UN Headquarters on Monday.

“The sustainable development plan is inclusive and universal for the 21st century,” he said.

Sheikh Dr Mohammad, also former foreign minister of the State of Kuwait, said “the economic track is foundation

dealers, and therefore trusts that investing in such programs is a benefit to Zain.”

Al-Kandari continued: “At Zain,

the best for our loyal customers.

There is no doubt that our dealers are an integral part of Zain and a significant element of success that has helped us to achieve our leadership position today.”

Zain will continue to implement programs that ensure the highest level of ser vices and products are offered to customers within Kuwait’s competitive mobile communications sector. Thus, innovation remains an essential part of Zain’s strategy as the company looks to ensure that the latest technology is provided to its customers at the best prices possible.

Kuwait’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi commended the UNGA President, Vuk Jeremic, on holding the meeting, hoping at the same time for the official plan to be adopted by the Assembly in order to contribute in achieving the 2015 MDGs. The world’s economic, social and environmental challenges are ECOSOC’s concern. A founding UN Charter body established in 1946, the Council is the place where such issues are discussed and debated, and policy recommendations issued.

As such, ECOSOC has broad responsibility for some 70 percent of the human and financial resources of the entire UN system, including 14 specialized agencies, nine ‘functional’ commissions, and five regional commissions. —KUNA

GCC audit chiefs meet in Manama MANAMA: The new advances in technologies of information and communications pose added challenges to GCC state audit bureaus in their functions as guardians of state public funds, said Bahraini state audit bureau chief Hassan al-Jalahma, in a speech he delivered yesterday at the opening here of the 12th meeting of the GCC audit bureaus chiefs. He said the audit bureaus needed to upgrade their efficiencies and capabilities in order to resonate positively with the public who seek to know that public funds are in good hands.

He further said that due to the escalation in regional and international events, it has become an imperative to innovate new methodologies of carrying out auditing duties in an objective and transparent manner commensurate with these events.

In a similar speech at the meeting, assistant secretary general for legal affairs at the GCC General Secretariat Hamad al-Marri noted that the job of the audit bureaus at this juncture should transcend that of accounting and monitoring to working on streamlining these functions and setting down a culture of unassailable transparency amenable with the expectations of the public. —KUNA

tors rushed to Al-Khuwaisat area near Jahra Road where a shepherd reported finding what appeared to be a skeleton which was half buried in the sand. Investigators confirmed that the bones were in fact human remains and likely belonged to a woman judging by the clothes on it. Investigations are ongoing to identify the victim and reveal the circumstances behind the death.

Employee attacked A man needed 10 stitches to fix a deep gash after a person hit him with an ashtray on his head at a car insurance office in Jahra on Monday. According to preliminary investigations, the incident took place when an Egyptian employee told a Kuwaiti customer to wait in line, after which the customer grabbed an ashtray and hit it on the employee’s head. The attacker escaped after the employee fell on the ground bleeding profusely. An ambulance arrived at the scene shortly afterwards and rushed the victim to Jahra Hospital. Attempted murder charges were pressed at the Taima police station after doctors ordered further examination on suspicions that the attack might have left the employee with a skull fracture.

Missing bullets A case was opened at the Jleeb Al-

Shuyoukh police station to reveal the mystery behind the disappearance of 50 bullets which were suspected to have been stolen.

According to a source, Brigadier General Mohammad Al-Enizy, Assistant Director of the Farwaniya Security Department ordered for the investigation after 50 rounds were discovered to be missing. The Public Prosecution was notified simultaneously with orders to launch investigations.

Neglect suspected Senior Health Ministry officials ordered an extensive probe into the death of a woman at a hospital on Monday night amid suspicions of neglect. According to a source, the 41-year-old Indian national came to the hospital three days before she died, complaining of severe toothache, and a diagnosis revealed that she suffered from abscess as a result of an infection. The doctor said that she required surgery since the abscess had spread to her neck but she was asked to wait for her turn to be operated upon. Eventually her case worsened and she went into a coma, after which she was declared brain dead. According to the sources, Ministry of Health Undersecretary Dr Khalid Al-Sehlawi ordered an investigation into the circumstances behind the woman’s death as soon as he was notified about the incident.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

LOCAL

US, Kuwait share ‘very special relationship’ Amir to visit Washington WASHINGTON: The relationship between the US and Kuwait “goes back a long way” and the two countries “have been through a lot together” making it “a very special relationship,” President and CEO of the National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce David Hamod said. “It will be a very exciting, very busy, very significant week in Washington D.C,” he said. He shed light on the significance of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s visit to Washington D.C., saying that the Amir “will be here in such a critical period in US-Arab relations.”

US President Barack Obama will meet His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah at the White House on Friday and a “wide range of critical interests and important developments in the Gulf region and broader Middle East” are expected to be discussed.

“Historically, we have placed a lot of energy into the political, security, and military relations,” between the US and Kuwait.”From my perspective the next step now is to move more aggressively into the commercial relationship.”

Hamod affirmed that “Kuwait has excellent potential from the perspective of American traders and investors. The economy and the liquidity are strong. It is growing as a market for US business people.”

He added the Chamber “plans to be leading some delegations there in the future,” and that he will also be heading to Kuwait later this

month to participate in the US department of Commerce’s trade delegation to Kuwait.

He indicated that during his recent trip earlier this year to Kuwait, he sensed that there is “a new vision, a growing excitement about some of these mega-projects that Kuwait is trying to implement ... that would make Kuwait more of a hub for the region.”

“If these projects come to fruition, it would be game changer for Kuwait,” he remarked.

According to research by the Chamber, Kuwait is “moving steadily up the list of US export destinations for goods and services.”

Hamod noted that “one of the reasons why Kuwait has such great potential is that it has energy, so it can invest in upstream and downstream enterprises which immediately make Kuwait a good contender for exports going out of Kuwait.”

The country is also “attractive from an American point of view because the Kuwaiti people like American products, universities, and health care (products and services), so the consumers in Kuwait are potentially very large consumers of American goods and services,” he added.

Hamod went further on the expected popularity aspect, saying “this generation of young Kuwaitis are the most switched-on, the most connected Kuwaitis to the US we have ever met ... and I believe there will be a whole new realm of cooperative ventures that help to con-

nect young Kuwaitis to the US with a special focus on education.”

On the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Hamod stressed “we have a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) in place which is really the first step towards promoting a full trade agreement.”

“I believe good progress is being made, but it takes time,” he commented further.

The US and Kuwait signed a TIFA in February 2004, which is seen as the first step towards negotiating an FTA. On delay in progress towards the aspired FTA, he noted, “I would say a major part of the problem has been on the US side. The economic climate has not lent itself to promoting additional free trade agreements over the past few years, particularly during the onset of the recession as only a few additional free trade agreements were able to squeak through Congress.”

“The economic conditions between the two countries have to be right, and, at the same time, the political conditions make a difference as well,” he remarked. “We need to visit each other regularly to continue to build the relationship.”

US goods and services exports to Kuwait are expected to grow to $10.38 billion by the year 2016, making Kuwait the fifth largest destination in the Arab world for US goods and services, according to projections by the National USArab Chamber of Commerce. —KUNA

Kuwait renews support to AALCO, urges stronger interaction NEW DELHI: Stressing its continued support of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO), Kuwait said the organization has a large role to play amid current international state of affairs, and urged stronger interaction and contribution by member states.

Addressing the 52nd Annual Session, set for Sept 9 to 12, Third Secretary at the Kuwaiti Embassy Abdullah Ahmad Al-Fahad said the country “supported the organization since joining in 1970, out of belief in the need to coordinate and adjust joint regional and international

effort and to promote such work through tabling such legal issues of common interest as the deportation of Palestinians and Israeli violations and acts that constitute breach of International Law.” Another issue of interest is “Challenges in Combating Corruption: The Role of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption,”along with“Law of the Sea” and “Environment and Sustainable Development,”he recalled, all to be discussed by the delegates.

“Kuwait sought to be an active member since signing the United Nations Convention on the Law of

the Sea in 1986.” The secretary stressed Kuwait continues to back the international effort to enable developing and least developed nations to realize sustainable development through contributions by Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), established in 1961. Al-Fahad noted electing Kuwait for membership in the UN Economic and Social Council for the period 2013-2015 is recognition of its contributions in the field of development and its support of the Palestinian People’s right to self-determination and an independent state

with Al-Quds as its capital.

The Kuwaiti representative expressed gratitude for the care the AALCO awards these issues and hailed its efforts across Asia and Africa as it provides legal counsel, holds seminars, offers workshops, and organizes training programs, in addition to conducting studies and research. The organization was successful in its mission since establishment in 1956, he said, and managed to keep up with accelerating developments across the world and the changing priorities of the member states. —KUNA

KHARTOUM: Kuwaiti relief plane carrying food and humanitarian aid to Sudan, to help people affected by floods that battered the country recently, arrived here yesterday. The aircraft is part of the relief supplies dispatched by the Kuwaiti leadership to the Sudanese people.

Ambassador delivers funding to Albanian society KUWAIT: Kuwaiti Ambassador to Albania Najeeb Al-Bader met with President of Al-Irfan Society Abdulsamad Sheeho, at the embassy’s headquarters in Tirana, and delivered a financial contribution to the society on behalf of Kuwaiti Islamic Heritage Revival Society to be channeled to projects catering to the needs of orphans in the Muslim country.

Ambassador Al-Bader said the sum of euro 145,000 comes within continued Kuwaiti support to charitable work in Albania, on both public and private sector levels.

The envoy hailed the strong bonds between the two nations in all field, noting that such contributions aim to help meet the orphans’ physical, social, psychological, and health needs. This in turn, he stressed, helps expand the horizons

for cultural and social cooperation between the two countries.

For his part, Sheeho expressed gratitude on behalf of the Albanian people for the contributions made in support of their country’s cultural and development projects, which indicates the leading role the State of Kuwait assumes on the global charity work scene. He particularly praised support and contributions by Islamic Heritage Revival Society to many projects across Albania.

The Kuwaiti society provides care to some 2,500 orphans in Albania and makes regular contributions to that end. It offers contributions along with other Kuwaiti entities including Zakat House, the Ministry of Awqaf, and other civil society institutions, all sponsoring projects in different sectors, both developmental and social. —KUNA

Kuwait behind G-20 11-nation statement KUWAIT: “The State of Kuwait supports the recently announced position of a group of 11 countries of the G-20, and most particularly that inaction regarding the use of chemical weapons would mean increased threat of further proliferation and use of such weapons,” said a statement by the Foreign Ministry, Tuesday, quoting an authoriatative source.

Kuwait also supports the call for unambiguous international response that sends a clear message that such act shall not go unanswered and constitutes a grave violation of International Law and the Chemical Weapons Convention, the source said, adding that those responsible should be held accountable for such crime.

The source said the state also agrees with the sentiment in the 11nations statement regarding the need to continue to work for a peaceful political solution through complete implementation of the Geneva 2012 Communique on Syria. He also stressed Kuwait’s keenness on a political solution for a united, inclusive, and free Syria. The 11-nation statement was signed by the leaders and representatives of Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, Britain, and the United States.

“We call for a strong international response to this grave violation of the world’s rules and conscience that will send a clear message that this kind of atrocity can never be repeated. Those who perpetrated these crimes must be held accountable,” it said.

It added, “Signatories have consistently supported a strong UN Security Council Resolution, given the Security Council’s responsibilities to lead the international response, but recognize that the Council remains paralyzed as it has been for two and a half years.

“The world cannot wait for endless failed processes that can only lead to increased suffering in Syria and regional instability. We support efforts undertaken by the United States and other countries to reinforce the prohibition on the use of chemical weapons,” it said.

The statement, however, stopped short of calling for “military response”. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait offered a financial contribution to the Sulaibikhat and Doha Co-operative Society management in order to help fund an Omra trip planned for shareholders later this year.

Gulf losing billions to medical insurance fraud DUBAI: On a recent trip to a local clinic, seeking treatment for a summer flu and upset stomach, I was put on a drip, given a number of blood tests, an ear waxing treatment and returned home laden with four different types of drugs. ”Do you want anything stronger?” the doctor asked as I left. I politely declined.

Upon telling my story to a neighbour, she recounted how a dentist had asked her if she only wanted the standard clean, or wanted to use up the maximum cover on her insurance to go for something else. Seventeen fillings later and my neighbour looks like she has joined the new celebrity trend and got herself a fashionable grill.

This a la carte approach to healthcare may seem innocent enough, but the bill ultimately has to be paid somewhere down the line. At a time when competition among insurance providers is increasing and margins are being squeezed, the industry is calling for a clampdown on systemic abuse and more regulation of claims that are clearly fraudulent in nature.

The zeros certainly begin to add up.

Figures quoted by the Health Insurance Counter Fraud Group (HICFG) show that fraudulent medical insurance claims cost the US government up to $175billion a year, while cash-strapped providers in Europe are being hit with a bill of anywhere between $40bn and $132billion a year.

In the Gulf, statistics are difficult to come by, but a report by consultancy

group Booz Allen Hamilton estimated that the UAE was losing more than AED3.67billion ($1billion) on health insurance abuse or fraud.

The results of a survey published earlier this year by 999 magazine - the official English-language monthly of the UAE Ministry of Interior - found that 28 percent of the 450 participants surveyed said they have been advised to undergo unnecessary tests or procedures that were clearly designed to simply inflate the bill the provider would submit to the insurance company.

Around half of those surveyed also said they knew someone who had submitted a fake sick note. In most cases, not only is the industry being hit, but productivity is also affected.

Earlier this summer, official figures from Kuwait’s Civil Service Commission found that public-sector employees claimed more than 120,000 sick days during the holy month of Ramadan and in the four days immediately after the Eid Al Fitr holiday, leaving the Gulf state with a bill of over $11million in lost productivity.

Kuwait is already struggling to clamp down on the number of sick days claimed by its more than 435,000 government employees and despite a new database being put in place to monitor sick notes, and those claiming them, there have been allegations of employees taking sick days illegally or having them signed off by unscrupulous medical doctors. —Arabianbusiness.com

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

Spate of attacks kill 18 across Iraq

Pakistan militants behead anti-Taleban militiamen Page 11

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NEW DELHI: Indian youth protest outside the Saket Court complex in New Delhi yesterday. An Indian court convicted four men of the gang rape and murder of a physiotherapy student on board a moving bus in a crime that sickened the nation. — AFP (See Page 11)

UN survey reveals Asia-Pacific rape crisis Nearly a quarter of men admit to committing rape BANGKOK: Nearly a quarter of men surveyed in six AsiaPacific countries admit to committing rape, often against their own partners, according to a UN report published yesterday that exposes widespread violence against women. Based on anonymous interviews with more than 10,000 men aged between 18 and 49-years-old in Bangladesh, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea, the study is the first of its scale in the region.

“Violence against women is a harsh reality for many,” Roberta Clarke, regional director of UN Women, said at the launch of the report in Bangkok. “We must change the culture that enables men to enact power and control over women.” The prevalence of rape varied widely between locations, the UN said, explaining that its sample areas were not representative of whole countries. Using a definition of non-consensual, penetrative sex as a benchmark, the study said 11 percent of respondents reported having raped a woman who was not their partner.

News

in brief Bus collision kills 44

TEHRAN: A collision between two buses in Iran killed 44 people and injured 39 others, the ISNA news agency reported yesterday, in the country’s most serious road accident in years. The accident took place late on Monday along the highway between Qom and Tehran. “The driver of a bus travelling from Isfahan lost control of his vehicle after one of his tyres burst. He hit a car before finding himself in the oncoming lane, where he hit another bus.

The two vehicles caught fire immediately,” said Colonel Ardeshir Jamshidi-rad, the head of traffic police in the province of Qom. Iran’s roads were among the most dangerous in the world a few years ago. In the 1990s, there were around 28,000 deaths per year for the country’s four million cars. During the past two years, however, the number of road deaths has dropped to around 20,000 every year as the number of cars on the roads has risen to 17 million.

Britons ‘less religious’ LONDON: The number of Britons who are religious has declined significantly in the last 30 years and the number of adherents to the established Church of England has halved, a survey revealed yesterday. Just 52 percent of people said they belong to a religion, down from 68 percent in 1983, according to the latest British Social Attitudes survey, which has been conducted every year for the last three decades. The percentage of people who class themselves as “Church of England/Anglican” has meanwhile fallen from 40 percent in 1983 to just 20 percent last year, the poll of more than 3,000 people found. The Church of England remains the state religion in England, headed by Queen Elizabeth II. Adherence to Catholicism has remained broadly stable at nine percent, while the percentage of non-Christians has tripled from two to six percent.

43 dead in bus crash GUATEMALA CITY: A bus carrying scores of passengers plunged off a steep cliff in western Guatemala Monday, leaving at least 43 people dead-including newborn babies-and injuring 40 others, officials said. President Otto Perez declared three days of official mourning for the tragedy, one of the deadliest in the Central American nation in years. The red bus fell 100 meters down the canyon, crashing next to a river in the municipality of San Martin Jilotepeque, 64 kilometers west of the capital, Guatemala City.

Rescue workers installed cables between the banks of the river to move the bodies on stretchers above the water, their grim task becoming more difficult as it started raining.

This rose to nearly a quarter - 24 percent-when their partner was included in the question. Of those men who said they had committed rape, just under half (45 percent) said they had raped more than one woman. Alarmingly, of those who admitted rape, half were teenagers and 12 percent were younger than 15-years-old, while the majority of men surveyed said they had not faced any legal consequences for their actions.

The highest prevalence (more than 62 percent) of rape was found in Bougainville, in Papua New Guinea, where a decade of war ravaged the island until 1998 and community justice is often favored over legal process. In the restive neighboring Indonesian province of Papua the rates were at nearly 49 percent, while 26 percent of respondents in Jakarta admitted to the crime. Rates in the one Chinese area surveyed reached 22 percent while those in Cambodia-the most comprehensively studied with respondents drawn from five districts-were at 20 percent, the report found.

The probe is not intended to be an authoritative statistical overview of rape in these six countries or of the AsiaPacific region, say the authors. “Violence is pervasive but it is also preventable,” according to report researcher Emma Fulu of Partners for Prevention. “The factors we found associated with violence are changeable,” she said, citing high rates of child abuse, recent conflicts shredding social structures and poor law enforcement. In addition, men who had witnessed violence against their mothers or frequently paid for sex were more likely to continue the cycle of violence, she added.

To break the pattern young people should be engaged with issues “around what consent means... understanding sexuality and masculinity” within relationships, Fulu added.

The study was released on the same day that a court in India found four men guilty of gang-raping and murdering a student on a bus last December. Her shocking death turned a spotlight on sexual violence, raising questions about what can prompt some men to accept rape or per-

petrate it themselves.

Until now, such research has depended mainly on crime reports, which may be sketchy or skewed, or on accounts by women rather than by men. Taking a new approach, trained male researchers held lengthy one-to-one interviews with men in cities and the countryside, with the respondents gaining a guarantee of anonymity.

The respondents were not asked directly whether they had committed rape, but instead were asked questions such as “Have you ever forced a woman who was not your wife or girlfriend at the time to have sex?” or “Have you ever had sex with a woman who was too drugged or drunk to indicate whether she wanted it?” They were also asked why they had done so. Nearly three-quarters of respondents indicated reasons of sexual entitlement, saying for example, “I wanted her” or “I wanted to have sex.”

Fifty-nine percent did it for entertainment, while more than a third - 38 percent-said they had raped a woman to punish her. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

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

Obama grabs a Russian lifeline on Syria WASHINGTON: After a passage of wild Syria diplomacy, President Barack Obama was yesterday sizing up a political lifeline offered by the most unusual of suspects-his chilly rival Russia. Moscow’s sudden call for its ally Damascus to put its chemical arms under international supervision had immediate reverberations in tense and divided Washington.

The odds still seem long that President Bashar Al-Assad will agree to a deal to neuter the chemical arsenal he may see as an insurance policy in an existential battle with rebels. And any eventual agreement would be fraught with obstacles-not least in implementation and verification. The White House also fears the plan may be a ruse to buy time with prowling US warships poised to loose off cruise missiles at Syrian targets.

Plus, suspicion runs high here over Russia’s motives, with relations as tense as at any time since the Cold War. But the speed with which Obama embraced the idea hinted at the depth of his political isolation-as support fast ebbs for military action in Congress, and with his credibility as a world statesman in doubt. In television interviews Monday, Obama hailed the nascent Russian plan as a “potentially positive” development.

“It’s possible, if it’s real,” the president told CNN. Obama had planned to use a national prime time address yesterday to beseech skeptical Americans to embrace his plan for air strikes to punish a chemical

weapons attack in Syria on August 21 which Washington said killed 1,400 people. But the idea of another US venture into the Middle East cauldron is a tough sell to a public weary of war-and for many of their leaders on Capitol Hill, who see the White House plan as foggy and undefined.

But now, when Obama strolls in to the East Room of the White House at 0100 GMT, he can at least, however improbably, claim direction for a policy that had seemed in disarray. The new White House spin is that Obama’s lonely call for military action was the catalyst for the emerging Russian plan. Hopes of a breakthrough came on a day when Obama’s political peril deepened as more lawmakers, including a number of Democrats came out against military action.

Last week, the White House had seemed confident the Senate would line up behind the president. But the venerable chamber seems infected by strong anti-war feeling in the House of Representatives. Democratic Senate Majority leader Harry Reid-given cover by the Russian plan-decided to put off a Senate test vote expected for Wednesday-sparing the White House a cliffhanger.

Hopes of a breakthrough or not, Obama still faces an almost impossible political task in selling possible new military action in the Middle East yesterday. He has after all publicly argued against a US role in Syria for two years, and made no secret of his desire

to disengage from the Middle East. A CNN poll found Monday that six in ten Americans were against launching military strikes-a political reality that has lawmakers deserting Obama in droves.

In an age when a president’s power to dictate a narrative is challenged by a fractured media environment-Obama is struggling to turn the tide. Professor Thomas Baldino, an expert in the presidency at Wilkes University, said set-piece presidential speeches are rarely decisive. “In my lifetime, I cannot think of a single speech that materially changed public opinion,” Baldino said.

“There have been speeches that have been uplifting but once public opinion is on a track, it is really difficult to reverse that momentum.”

Obama has made a fervent moral case for punishing Assad warning a dictator must not be allowed to gas women and children with impunity. He also warns Iran is watching how Washington responds to the infringement of international norms.

But he admits, his effort may be futile. “I’m not sure we are ever going to get a majority of the American people,” Obama told PBS television.

But he pledged to clear up confusion on his goals in Syria-partly sown by inconsistent White House messaging. “This isn’t like Iraq, it’s not like Afghanistan,” he said, promising only limited military action. Obama said he will also stress the humanitarian dimension. “Any parent who sees those

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State John Kerry testifies before the House Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill yesterday. — AFP videos of those children being gassed, I ently throwaway remark in London. The think understands what a human tragedy it State Department denied it was a serious is.” But rarely in his presidency-perhaps only proposal but Russian Foreign Minister after mass shootings in Connecticut and Sergei Lavrov took the remarks at face valArizona, has Obama approached the kind of ue, and the idea quickly gained support in emotional connection with his country that Europe. Then the White House picked up the ball-and Obama soon was even claimhe would need to reverse public opinion.

A possible opening in the Syria crisis ing partial ownership, saying he had disemerged after Secretary of State John Kerry cussed the notion with Putin last year in gave voice to the possible plan in an appar- Mexico and last week in Russia.— AFP

Spate of attacks kill 18 Iraq closes airport in second largest city

ALEPPO: A man walks through a destroyed residential area of the Syrian city of Saraqib, southwest of Aleppo yesterday, following repeated airstrikes by government forces’ fighter jets. —AFP

Dismantling Syrian chemical arsenal would be tough task WASHINGTON: Any deal with Syria to hand over its chemical weapons in the middle of a chaotic civil war would be difficult for inspectors to enforce and destroying them would likely take years, US officials and experts caution. Syria’s strongest backer, Russia, proposed on Monday that Damascus save itself from a US military strike over its alleged use of chemical weapons by putting its stockpiles under international control. The proposal was welcomed by Syria and seized upon by the secretary-general of the United Nations.

US President Barack Obama said the offer was a potential breakthrough but had to be handled with skepticism.

Syria has never signed a global treaty banning the storage of chemical weapons and is believed to have large stocks of sarin, mustard gas and VX nerve agents. The actual use of chemical weapons is banned by a 1925 treaty to which Damascus is a signatory.

Accounting for Syria’s chemical arms cache believed to be spread over dozens of locations - would be difficult, as would be shielding arms inspectors from violence. “This is a nice idea but tough to achieve,” said one US official speaking on condition of anonymity.

“You’re in the middle of a brutal civil war where the Syrian regime is massacring its own people. Does anyone think they’re going to suddenly stop the killing to allow inspectors to secure and destroy all the chemical weapons?” the official said. Amy Smithson, an expert on nuclear, biological and chemical weapons at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Washington, said a lack of hard data on Syria’s chemical weapons inventory would complicate verification.

She pointed to years of cat-and-mouse maneuvering between UN weapons inspectors and then-president Saddam Hussein in neighboring Iraq as an example of what could happen in Syria. “ The Iraqis lied through their teeth. They did everything they could to hide these ultra-secret weapons programs,” Smithson said. “Libya also did not come completely clean when it forfeited their weapons of mass destruction program.”

Syria’s Scientific Studies and Research Center, oversees chemical weapons facilities in Dumayr, Khan Abou, Shamat, and Firaqlus, according to the US Center for Strategic and International Studies. Brigadier General Mustafa al-Sheikh, a Syrian army defector, told Reuters this summer that most of the chemical weapons have been transported to Alawite areas in Latakia and near the coast.

Some chemical munitions remain in bases around Damascus, he said.

The United States has been watching Syria move around its chemical weapons since last year. General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress last week he thinks Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces are doing that to keep them secure. But the Syrian government’s motives are unclear and US officials privately acknowledge those movements complicate identification of chemical weapons sites. “While Assad controls the chemical stockpiles, they’ve been moved over time,” a second US official said, also speaking on condition he not be named.

“Security and relocation of those weapons with a very fluid situation on the ground with the opposition forces (fighting) could pose challenges.” Experts say it would take months to locate and secure Syria’s chemical weapons and years to destroy them - and there is always the possibility some are left over.

“You’re always going to have the problem of the bomb in the basement,” said Joseph Cirincione of the Ploughshares Fund group, which opposes the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. “It’s possible that the regime would hold some back that you wouldn’t know about But there’s ways of getting at that,” he added, pointing to past efforts to cross-check stockpiles against production records. For Obama, who is waging an uphill battle to win domestic support for military action, a UN deal could prevent a potentially devastating defeat in Congress.

But even as he described Russia’s proposal as potentially positive in a NBC television interview, Obama said: “I think you have to take it with a grain of salt initially.” — Reuters

Rowhani talks tough on Iran nuclear rights TEHRAN: Iran’s new President Hassan Rowhani said yesterday that Tehran will not give up “one iota” of its nuclear rights, echoing his hardline predecessor, after the UN nuclear watchdog urged improved cooperation. The comments come ahead of meeting later this month between his Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on restarting negotiations on the Islamic republic’s controversial nuclear ambitions. “Our government will not give up one iota of its absolute rights” on the nuclear issue, said Rowhani, a reputed moderate, repeating a mantra frequently used by his predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Soon after his election as president in June, Rowhani said he wanted “serious” talks with world powers to resolve Western suspicions that Iran’s nuclear drive is cover to build

a bomb despite repeated denials by Tehran.

The two sides have failed to achieve a breakthrough in years of talks, with Iran-during Ahmadinejad’s two-term presidency-refusing to make any concessions on sensitive activities in the nuclear program, notably enrichment.

That has led to several rounds of international sanctions being slapped on the Islamic republic, crucially targeting its financial and oil sectors, choking the economy and stoking a raging inflation. The last round of talks between Iran and the so-called P5+1 of world powers ended in Almaty in April with an impasse. In parallel diplomatic efforts, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is urging Iran to provide necessary cooperation to remove suspicions it seeks a nuclear weapons capability. —AFP

BAGHDAD: Attacks in central Iraq killed 18 people yesterday, including six shot dead when gunmen stormed a house where a corpse was being ritually washed ahead of a funeral. The violence, in restive Diyala province and an area known as the “Triangle of Death”, is the latest in a surge in unrest that has left more than 4,000 people dead so far this year. Authorities have sought to tackle the country’s worst unrest since 2008 with wide-ranging operations targeting militants as well as tight traffic measures in the capital, but attacks have continued to rock many cities. In yesterday’s deadliest attack, gunmen stormed a house in the town of Yusufiyah and killed six people, including two women, as they were ritually cleansing the body of a Sunni Arab man ahead of his funeral, a police officer and a doctor at a nearby hospital said.

Also among the victims was the dead man’s son. Two more people were killed and seven others were wounded in the nearby town of Latifiyah by a roadside bomb near a cafÈ Yusufiyah and Latifiyah lie within a confessionally-mixed region south of Baghdad known as the “Triangle of Death” for the brutal violence in the area at the peak of Iraq’s sectarian war. Latifiyah in particular has seen a spike in bloodletting in recent weeks, including separate early morning attacks by gunmen on two families.

Elsewhere yesterday, three separate car bombs near Baquba, north of Baghdad and capital of restive Diyala province, left eight people dead and dozens wounded, security and medical officials said. Baquba, as well as the surrounding province, is mostly populated by Sunni Arabs, albeit with substantial Shiite Muslim and Kurdish minorities. The province remains one of Iraq’s least stable. Violence has surged in Iraq, with more than 4,000 people killed since the beginning of 2013,

BAGHDAD: Iraqi men inspect the site of an explosion that took place in Baghdad.— AFP according to an AFP tally.

The spike in bloodletting has sparked concerns Iraq is slipping back towards the all-out sectarian war that engulfed it in 2006 and 2007. Officials have vowed to press on with a campaign targeting militants they say has led to the capture of hundreds of fighters and the killing of dozens more. But the government has faced criticism for not doing more to defuse anger in the Sunni Arab community over alleged ill treatment at the hands of the Shiite-led authorities.

In another development, Iraq closed the international airport in its second largest city Mosul yesterday, grounding all flights without giving any explanation, air industry and security sources said. The clo-

sure affects flights to and from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, as well as daily internal flights between the northern city and the capital. “Security forces closed Mosul airport without giving any reason. All flights are canceled,” said a source at the airport on condition of anonymity.

Mosul International Airport was used as a base by US forces during the 2003 invasion to topple Saddam Hussein and the city was a focal point of the insurgency that ensued. Security has improved, attracting some investment, although the city remains one of Iraq’s most dangerous. Militant groups including al Qaeda still have a foothold there. “To begin with they (the authorities) said there was

information about a highjacked plane, and then they said it was closed for maintenance purposes, but there are no maintenance works,” a senior security source in Mosul told Reuters.

The security source said Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki had ordered the airport closed, though no one was immediately available for comment from the premier’s office.

Maliki has been at loggerheads with Mosul governor Atheel Al-Nujaifi on several fronts in recent years, including over Nujaifi’s support for protests by Iraq’s Sunni Muslim minority against the Shiite-led government. “We reject the closure of the airport which is the lungs of the city and connects it with other countries,” Nujaifi said. —Agencies

Smallest victims punctuate US debate on Syria strike WASHINGTON: In the video, a child’s arm violently twitches, an image that left the US Senate Democratic leader struggling to comprehend a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria that left an estimated 426 children dead. “Pictures taken following the dropping of those horrible weapons, I will never get that out of my mind,” Senator Harry Reid said Monday after viewing a 13-minute video of Syrian victims. “Little baby boys and girls dressed in little colorful play clothes.

Boys and girls, some who looked like teenagers, retching in spasm,” he said. “These poisons kill the kids first. Their little bodies can’t take this as well as older folks.”

As the US political debate heats up over a possible military retaliation against Syria for the Aug 21 attack, President Barack Obama as well as Reid and other government officials backing limited strikes - point to the smallest victims in making their case. For Reid, images of children - part of a compilation of videos put together by the CIA that was made public over the weekend - were convincing evidence that the United States should respond to an attack by Syrian President Bashar alAssad’s forces.

“Without question his (Assad’s) brutality demands a response,” Reid said. Obama, in a series of Monday television interviews that aired even as the Senate delayed action on a Syria resolution, cited child victims as one

reason the US must ensure that Assad’s forces do not use chemical weapons. “Any parent who sees those videos of those children being gassed I think understands what a human tragedy it is,” Obama said in an interview on “CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley.”

He also cited the youngest victims on Aug 31 when announcing his conclusion that military action was warranted and that he would seek congressional approval. “What message will we send if a dictator can gas hundreds of children to death in plain sight and pay no price?” Obama said. A preliminary calculation offered by US intelligence agencies counted 426 child victims out of a total 1,429 deaths, an estimate made more vivid by real-time postings of images on YouTube and other social media.

SOCIAL MEDIA GUARANTEE EXPOSURE The explosion of social media postings, including an early photo of a dying child, brought the attacks to public attention in a way that did not exist in 1988, when Iraqi President Saddam Hussein used mustard and nerve agents on the Kurdish town of Halabja during the war with Iran, killing up to 5,000 people, mostly civilians.

“Because of the prevalence of social media, it’s impossible to hide - particularly something on the scale of this attack - these kinds of things anymore,” said Mona

Yacoubian, a Middle East exper t at the Stimson Center. Human rights groups say several factors explain the high toll of children. The attack occurred in the pre-dawn hours when families were sleeping and in populated neighborhoods, including some where escape routes are blocked by proAssad forces. The US estimate of nearly onethird of the deaths being children is also in line with the demographics of the country that show about 34 percent of Syria’s population is age 14 or younger, according to the CIA’s “ World Factbook.” The Senate Intelligence Committee over the weekend posted on its website a compilation of mainly YouTube videos from pro-Syrian opposition sources that can be seen here: http:// www.intelli gence.senate.gov/syriavideo.html “All of us are appalled at the gassing of children. But I am also appalled that many other children have died. A hundred thousand Syrians have been killed in this conflict so far. More than 2 million have been made into refugees,” Republican Senator Susan Collins said last week. Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East division, said the child deaths only underscore the horrific nature of chemical weapons. “This is one of the reasons this is such a horrible weapon is because, unlike shelling, you simply can’t protect yourself from it,” he said.—Reuters

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

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

Nordic anger over immigration fuels populist vote Concerns over Islam, asylum, migration fuel populists NY narrow down contenders to replace Mayor Bloomberg NEW YORK: New Yorkers will pick a Republican and a Democratic candidate who will battle it out in November to replace billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The Big Apple has been under the bold and brash leadership of its richest man for 12 years and, amid much soul-searching over Bloomberg’s legacy, the man leading the polls is the one who is least like him.

The city is overwhelmingly Democraticeven though it has not elected a mayor from that party in two decades-and left-leaning Bill de Blasio, 52, has been firmly in the lead since mid-August. He has progressively muscled out gay city council speaker Christine Quinn and sexting-scandal-tainted former congressman Anthony Weiner who both briefly held the top spot.

A Quinnipiac University poll on Monday said De Blasio would win with 39 percent if the primary election were held now. Former city comptroller and the sole African American candidate Bill Thompson, is coming in second with 25 percent, ahead of Quinn with 18 percent. New revelations about sexual messages Weiner sent to young women have obliterated his support to an estimated six percent of votes. However the pollsters noted that a significant number of undecided voters could still change the figures.

“This is a vote where tiny changes on the final day really could make a difference. Will De Blasio avoid a runoff or will we have a Battle of the Bills? Flip a coin,” read the Quinnipiac press release. Seen as the antiBloomberg candidate, the city’s six-foot-five, greying public advocate De Blasio has hinged his campaign on inequality, describing New York as “a tale of two cities,” the rich and the poor. He has honed in on the highly emotional debate over stop-and-frisk, a police tactic loathed by black and Hispanic communities who see themselves as unfairly targeted.

All the main Democratic candidates have campaigned on the need for some sort of reform to stop-and-frisk, even more so since a federal judge ruled the tactic unconstitutional two weeks ago. In an unusual twist, de Blasio is polling as more popular among black New Yorkers than Thompson. Rhetoric has heated up in recent days, with outrage over an exit interview given by Bloomberg to New York

magazine, in which he accuses De Blasio of running a racist campaign.

Bloomberg praised Quinn-endorsed by the New York Times and Daily News-as deserving “a lot of credit for what’s gone on in the city in the last seven-and-a-half years.”

But he attacked De Blasio’s campaign as “class-warfare and racist” for his use of his black wife and bi-racial son in promotional videos. He then back-tracked saying: “I do not think he himself is racist...You tailor messages to your audience.” “Tearing people apart with his ‘two cities’ thing doesn’t make any sense to me. It’s a destructive strategy for those you want to help most.”

De Blasio’s boldest proposal is a tax on those who earn over $500,000 to pay for after-school care for young children. “He is a very populist, very left-wing guy, but this city is not two groups, and if to some extent it is, it’s one group paying for the services of the other,” said Bloomberg. Bloomberg, who scored a third term after cajoling City Council into lifting a two-term limit in 2009, has presided over a falling murder rate and aggressively pushed sweeping public health policies.

However he has been accused of governing for the rich, a charge he strongly rejects, saying the average income in New York was 20 percent higher than almost every other city in America. Bloomberg also got under the skin of many with his comments that the poor in America were not really that poor.

“When we grew up we didn’t have air-conditioning. Air conditioning in the schools, the subways. Are you crazy? “Now by most of the world’s standards, you ain’t poor. I am not being cavalier about it, but most places in the world our poor are wealthy.”

He also defended the stop-and-frisk campaign, seen by many as key to bringing crime down in the once violence-wracked city. “We have not racial profiled, we’ve gone where the crime is,” he said. Voters will get their chance to stick with or break with the Bloomberg era in the mayoral election on November 5. The capacity of each candidate to mobilize voters will be key in a city where turnout is typically extremely low. Of three Republican candidates, former public transport chief Joe Lhota is seen as the frontrunner. —AFP

Berlusconi allies step up threats ROME: Allies of Silvio Berlusconi stepped up warnings yesterday that they would bring down Italy’s unstable ruling coalition if centreleft lawmakers refuse to delay a hearing over expelling the billionaire former prime minister from parliament. A cross-party Senate committee, which is deciding whether Berlusconi should be stripped of his seat in the upper house following a conviction for tax fraud last month, resumes talks at 8.00 pm after an initial meeting on Monday.

But already tensions have flared, with Francesco Nitto Palma, a senator from Berlusconi’s People of Freedom party (PDL), accusing centre-left members of the committee of “an act of war” by insisting on moving ahead swiftly with the hearings. Whether the threats go beyond simple brinkmanship remains unclear but the wrangling around the hearings has underlined how entwined Italy’s political stability remains with the personal fate of Berlusconi, 20 years after he first entered politics.

With Italy still straining to contain its 2 trillion euro public debt, the Berlusconi imbroglio has also hobbled Prime Minister Enrico Letta’s efforts to reform the euro zone’s third largest economy, causing worries that extend well beyond Italy’s own borders. Even before the committee meeting had properly begun, arguments broke out between the main partners in Letta’s coalition, with PDL members proposing an immediate delay until an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights can be heard.

They were rebuffed by the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), which has the largest number of members on the 23-member committee, and which accused the centre-right of delaying tactics which could put off any decision for several months. Renato Brunetta, floor leader of the PDL in the lower house, said that if the PD and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement led by comic Beppe Grillo maintained their opposition, the fragile coalition formed in the wake of last February’s deadlocked parliamentary elections would fall apart. “If the Democratic Party and Grillo’s people decide this evening to vote against the proposals, the Democratic Party will bring down the Letta government,” he told RAI state radio.

Berlusconi, convicted by Italy’s top court last month of being at the centre of a vast tax fraud conspiracy at his Mediaset television empire, could not be expelled

without a full vote on the floor of the upper house. But he in any case faces banishment from frontline politics for at least a year after the court sentenced him to a fouryear jail term that was then commuted to one year under house arrest or in community service.

BANK OF ITALY WARNING Whether a government crisis would necessarily lead to new elec-

tions is unclear, given President Giorgio Napolitano’s stated reluctance to send Italy back to the polls less than a year after the inconclusive February election. If the PDL makes good on its threat, Napolitano could try to oversee the creation of a new government formed around the PD with the support of dissidents from the centre-right or Grillo’s 5-Star Movement.

—Reuters

STOCKHOLM: From spats over halal meat in Danish schools to asylum seekers in Sweden, anger about immigration has fuelled the march of populist parties across Nordic countries, leading one such group to the brink of government in prosperous Norway.

The anti-tax and anti-immigration Progress Party, which once had among its members mass killer Anders Behring Breivik, won 16 percent of votes on Monday and could be kingmaker in a new centre-right coalition after eight years of centreleft rule.

Its strength reflects both worries about an influx into the Nordics of asylum seekers from countries like Syria and economic migrants from Spain, as well as disenchantment with mainstream parties that have dominated the political landscape for decades. “We’ll ensure a solid footprint in a new government,” Progress leader Siv Jensen said. “We have reason to celebrate.” Even without entering government, right-wing populists have managed to toughen public policies ranging from immigration to euro zone bailouts, drag political debate to the right and become a permanent feature of the parliamentary landscape.

The backlash has surfaced even though Nordic economies have outperformed languishing southern European countries. Their success has attracted thousands of “euro refugees”, vying for scarce jobs as their home states endure grinding austerity.

Economic conditions may be different, but many voters around Europe share the same perception that the established parties are out of touch with ordinary people and their concerns.

From Greece to France and the Netherlands, unemployment and economic grievances have combined with suspicion of European integration, Islam and multiculturalism, to propel both the far right and far left. In Italy, the grassroots 5-Star Movement, born of disgust at the entire political establishment, surged to prominence in a general election in February.

Britain’s UK Independence Party has gained ground and spooked mainstream politicians by harnessing an anti-EU platform with hostility to immigration.

BACK FROM THE SIDELINES Breivik’s killing of 77 people in Norway in 2011 initially set back hard right parties in the Nordics. But the Danish People’s Party now has the support of nearly one in six voters. The anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats have almost doubled their support since the last general election to touch 10 percent, and Finland’s opposition Finns party stands second in opinion polls with 19 percent support.

Populist groups are nowhere near winning an election and the majority of Nordic voters still express tolerance to immigrants. But any of these par-

ties could secure the balance of power and hold a coalition government hostage on issues like immigration.

Consensus around the post-war Nordic model of high taxes and generous welfare was long sustained by a homogenous society. But immigration, global competition and fear for jobs have put that ideal of equality based on civic trust under strain.

“There exist groups that don’t feel this trust,” said Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. “These people as voters are more easily seduced by populist forces seeking short-sighted answers and which often are more or less hostile to immigrants.”

Rising immigration has been coupled with economic troubles that

tional Danish food including pork dishes be served.

The construction of a mosque in Copenhagen sparked accusations from the Danish People’s Party that it was being used for radical Islamist groups. In Sweden, immigration has become part of the mainstream debate in a country where 15 percent of people are foreign-born, the highest rate in the Nordics. Riots in poor immigrant suburbs of Stockholm in May led to further debate about how Sweden was integrating its immigrants.

“Immigration is questioned by pretty considerable portions of the populace,” said Folke Johansson, a professor of political science at

These parties have benefited from media-savvy leaders. The Sweden Democrats’ Jimmie Akesson, whose aim is to reduce immigration by 90 percent, wears a suit and as a lawmaker has changed the party’s former image of street ruffians. Populists are expected to poll strongly in many countries in European Parliament elections next May, surfing a wave of Euroscepticism due to the financial and economic crisis.

But analysts say these Nordic parties may have hit a ceiling in national elections and are facing greater pushback even as they complicate coalition politics around the region.

Hundreds of Swedish women posted photographs of themselves with

OSLO: (Left to right) Norway’s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (Labor Party), Norwegian leader of the opposition Hoyre party or the centre-right Conservatives, Erna Solberg and Siv Jensen, leader of Norway’s Fremskrittspartiet (Progress party) attend the television debate during the Election Night event on September 9, 2013 in Oslo, Norway. Norway’s right wing yesterday hailed “a historic election victory” after gaining a majority of seats in parliament in a national poll. —AFP have seen iconic Nordic companies such as Ericsson and Nokia shed jobs.

Worries about the affordability of welfare have put the once taboo subject of immigration high on the agenda.

The nightmare for mainstream Nordic parties would be the experience of Denmark’s last government, when an anti-immigrant party held the balance of power and pushed for tighter border controls that fuelled tension with European neighbors.

Under Denmark’s current centreleft government, immigration had faded as an issue until controversy surfaced when it was discovered that halal meat, slaughtered under Muslim dietary laws, was being served routinely at schools and hospitals - raising protests by anti-Islam groups. Danish Prime Minister Helle ThorningSchmidt waded into the debate earning the nickname “meatball Helle’ after calling for voluntary labelling of halal meat but also urging that tradi-

Sweden’s Gothenburg University. “It’s largely been taboo to discuss these issues, and therefore other mainstream parties haven’t been able to discuss it. It was really an open goal once they (anti-immigration parties) arrived on the scene.”

In Finland, the Finns party, whose anti-euro rhetoric struck a chord with voters in 2011, when they finished a close third in parliamentary elections, aims to join the next government.

Formerly known as True Finns, The Finns leapt to prominence during the euro zone debt crisis by opposing bailouts for troubled countries. They effectively forced the government to demand collateral in exchange for helping Greece and Spain. Calling themselves a “nationalistic and centreleft working class party”, the Finns would curb immigration by trimming immigrant social benefits and adjusting refugee quotas to Finland’s financial situation.

headscarves across social media this year to protest an attack on a Muslim woman in Stockholm who was wearing a veil. Community leaders worry about aggressive rhetoric against migrants, and there have been other attacks. But violent incidents in Nordic countries have been isolated compared with, for example, far right attacks on migrants in Greece.

Reinfeldt’s government recently made headlines by giving Syrians an automatic right of residence.

Support for Norway’s Progress is actually down from 22 percent at the last election four years ago, although the parliamentary arithmetic gives it more leverage. “The way Progress communicates is somewhat old fashioned and a bit cheesy,” said Daniel Gaim, 37, a teacher. “But when it comes to real policy, they don’t differ much from other parties. I’m not very concerned about giving them a bigger influence.” —Reuters

WEDNESSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

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

Greens dream of power fading as election nears German voters turned off by ‘ecological dictatorship’

NSUKKA: Palm wine tapper Anthony Ozioko climbs a 50-foot palm tree to tap palm wine at Eha-Alumona town, Nsukka district of southeastern Nigeria.

Nigerians have been drinking the sap from Raffia trees, a species of palm, since long before the country existed. — AFP

Nigerian palm wine tappers face tough climb to success NSUKKA: The pay is low and the work involves scaling a 50-foot tree multiple times a day with no safety net, so it is not surprising that Nigerian palm wine tappers are struggling to find fresh recruits.

“No newcomers,” said Anthony Ozioko, a slight 63-year-old, visibly drained after a mid-morning climb up a palm tree in the southeastern town of Nsukka. Nigerians have been drinking the sap from raffia trees, a species of palm, since long before the country existed.

Palm wine was once the region’s main social drink, an almost mandatory offer at events like weddings and concerts, although the proliferation of beer and foreign liquor has in part curbed the demand for the more traditional drink.

Consumed straight from the tree, palm wine is a non-alcoholic drink and said by some to have medicinal qualities, especially for the digestive system.

When fermented and distilled, palm sap produces a drink that recalls a bottle of Sprite, but with much less sugar and about as boozy as a standard bottle of beer. Experts say the consumer demand for palm wine is strong, but production is struggling amid a decades long agriculture sector decline in Nigeria, where the oil industry, Africa’s largest, has become excessively dominant.

Attempts to develop the palm wine sector have mostly floundered and the business largely remains as rudimentary as ever: tappers climb the tree, process the sap and deliver it directly to a customer, typically someone who lives nearby. For young Nigerians the work seems to have little appeal. “I don’t want (my son) to be a tapper. I want him to be a pilot,” said Sabimus Nwudo as his neighbor Ozioko described the grueling work and marginal profits.

When a tree is ready to be harvested, the first task is “to make the road” by using a machete to cut divots up the trunk, which serve as slots for both feet and a locally made climbing aid that resembles a harness, Ozioko explained.

His climb looked daunting but he moved quickly, wedging his harness and feet in the pre-cut divots, eventually securing himself at the top of the trunk, where he collected the sap that had dripped overnight into a bottle attached to the trunk. Ozioko’s expert movements made the work look deceptively safe but serious injuries and some deaths have occurred, locals said. Put simply, “if you don’t know how to climb it, you’ll fall”, said the tapper, resting on a chair after removing a few bees from his latest haul and gulping down a cup.

The industry is still “in its cradle” and has so far failed to attract any meaningful investment, said Isona Gold of the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR).

Gold said he sees huge opportunities for growth but his vision for better organization and higher profits for tappers has stalled. The plan calls for the formation of clusters of 10 tappers, each harvesting 150 litres of palm wine per day, with a series of local processing plants selling a bottled product-alcoholic or not-to vendors.

The NIFOR plan estimates each tapper earning 120,000 naira ($750, 570 euros) per month. If successful, “the young generation may want to go in”, Gold said. The key is private sector involvement, he added, but so far investors “have not indicated much interest”. As a niche product, and one that arguably involves an acquired taste, palm wine’s appeal to prospective investors is limited. —AFP

Anti-immigrant Norway party lays claim to government role OSLO: An anti-immigrant populist party laid claim to a major role in oil-rich Norway’s government for the first time yesterday after a centre-right alliance won a landslide general election victory to oust a Labor administration. The Progress party, which once had among its members Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in 2011 in a gun and bomb attack targeting Labor, came third in Monday’s poll, giving it a kingmaker role in coalition building.

The Conservatives, led by Erna Solberg, who won the most seats cannot form a majority government without Progress and may have to make concessions to the rightists on spending, taxes and immigration without alienating two smaller centrist parties. “We will ensure a solid footprint in a new government and if we are going to have good solutions, all four parties must have a place, all must be visible,” Progress leader Siv Jensen said.

Progress wants to spend more of Norway’s oil wealth and curb immigration.

Although it has toned down its rhetoric to court respectability, some still see it as too radical for government. With a bumper budget surplus of 12 percent of gross domestic product thanks to hydrocarbon revenues, the new government has room to increase spending and lower the tax burden.

Solberg, a former girl scout leader who overcame dyslexia, promised to cut taxes, shrink government and improve health care but acknowledged she would have to make policy concessions. “We will all have to give and take to get a policy stance that has a firm direction and will last over time,” Solberg, 52, said after results showed a landslide victory over Labor Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.

“All three (other parties) will be tough negotiators in issues close to their hearts,” she said. Solberg will become Norway’s second female prime minister after Gro Harlem Brundtland, still considered the “mother of the nation”, and the first Conservative prime minister since 1990. At

least the top two cabinet posts - and possibly the top three - are likely to go to women.

With nearly all of the vote counted, the Conservatives, the Progress Party and two centrist parties collected 96 seats in parliament, 11 more than needed for the majority. Progress’ share of the vote actually fell. It picked up 29 seats, 12 fewer than four years ago, losing votes to more centrist parties as Norwegians shunned the extremes of the left and right. Stoltenberg and his allies gained just 72 seats and the prime minister announced he would step down after eight years and two straight terms in office.

Norway has enjoyed rare economic success during the past decade, escaping Europe’s economic crisis with little more than a scratch, as its booming offshore oil sector lifted per capita GDP to $100,000 and a huge public sector insulated the economy. But growth is now slowing, competitiveness is stagnating, and the government’s record on critical social services is mixed. Voters have accused outgoing Stoltenberg of wasting a once-in-a-lifetime economic boom.

The trickiest task for Solberg, who will become prime minister on her third attempt, will be to tame Progress, and woo at least one of the two centrist parties that are not keen on working with Progress. The Christian Democrats and Liberals, one of whom will be needed for a majority, would not commit to joining cabinet but said they would ensure the centre-right came to power. “The centre will play a key role,” Christian Democrat leader Knut Arild Hareide said. “We and (Liberal party chief) Trine Skei Grande have got a key role for the next four years. We are ready to put a new government in place.” Analysts said the price of gaining the small parties’ support could include giving up plans to drill for oil in Lofoten, a picturesque archipelago in the Arctic. Energy firms have argued for the need to drill and all the big parties support their quest while the smaller parties oppose it.— Reuters

BERLIN: Sven Suska looked like a typical Greens voter as he sat in his sandals and shorts in the Berlin sun eating a fruit salad, but the computer programmer is abandoning the party he says is now too much part of the establishment. Like other Germans once attracted to the world’s most successful proenvironment party, Suska is now turned off by the Greens-and his defection helps explain a sudden drop in support before Germany’s Sept 22 election. “The Greens have this ‘ecological dictatorship’ feeling about them now,” says Suska, 45. “I used to always vote Greens.

But not anymore. No one likes to be told what to do. It feels like the Greens are going to make everything more expensive.”

Support for the Greens, which traces its roots to the peace movement of the 1970s, hit a high of 23 percent in 2011 after the Fukushima disaster in Japan boosted the appeal of its anti-nuclear message. Within weeks of the tragedy, the Greens stunned Chancellor Angela Merkel by winning control of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, long a conservative stronghold. As recently as July, the party was polling a robust 15 percent, well above its 2009 result of 10.7 percent.

But over the past two months, the Greens have seen their support crumble to 10 percent, a four-year low. The collapse, in the most crucial phase of the campaign, appears to have doomed what faint hopes the party had of returning to power with the Social Democrats (SPD), with whom it ruled from 1998 to 2005. That government, which included charismatic Greens leader and foreign minister Joschka Fischer, wrote laws to turn off nuclear power by 2020 and made Germany a world leader in renewable energy.

Despite their fondness for fast cars,

Germans have long had a green streak and a deeper attachment to their trees and forests than many other Europeans. Green issues featured in German election campaigns long before the Greens party was established in 1980. Their strength forced other parties to adopt green policies as well. Much of the party’s fall in popularity can be traced to a series of self-inflicted wounds.

VEGGIE DAY One big problem is the lingering suspicion the Greens want to tell people what to do: drive more slowly, take the bus, turn off lights, turn down the heat, ban large livestock farming. Their light-hearted idea for a “Veggie Day”, where Germans would skip meat once a week, has been mocked in the media and by other parties. The rival Free Democrats (FDP) went so far as to organize a barbecue to annoy the Greens.

Proposals to cut city speed limits and put an upper limit on motorways have also alienated some supporters. “Germans don’t have a sense of humor when it comes to cars and meat,” said Yvonne Seiler, a secretary and Greens backer. Gero Neugebauer, a political scientist at Berlin’s Free University, said: “The Greens scare away a lot of voters and their ideas just don’t excite people anymore.

People don’t understand their message.”

The party has also been hurt by its vow to raise taxes on people earning over 80,000 euros ($106,000) annually-a plan that would hit many of its own, increasingly affluent, supporters. Compounding the problems has been a public discussion over its tolerance of paedophilia in the “free love” early days of the party. The Greens have long since distanced themselves from this dark chapter in their

past, but the stigma remains. “It’s not just the ‘Veggie Day’,” says Manfred Guellner, managing director of the Forsa polling institute.

In an interview with Reuters this week Katrin Goering-Eckardt, co-leader of the Greens, tried to play down the late poll slide. “We’ve often slipped in polls before elections and then risen back up. So I’m not very worried about this drop right now,” she said. But she admitted that the “Veggie Day” backlash had taken a toll because, she said, other parties had twisted the idea. “Some people are insinuating that we want to ban meat eating on Thursdays - that’s not the case at all,” she said.

BLACK-GREEN Goering-Eckardt, 47, is seen as a moderate within a party that was long divided between more radical “Fundis” and pragmatic “Realos”.

She grew up as a Lutheran in East Germany.

When the party chose her, along with veteran Juergen Trittin, to spearhead their election campaign last November, some believed this might help pave the way for an unprecedented federal coalition with Merkel’s conservatives, once seen as mortal enemies of the Greens.

But opposition to a so-called “Black-Green” partnership runs deep in both camps and talk of it has faded as the election nears. “There isn’t enough common ground to form a responsible government with the conservatives,” Goering-Eckardt told Reuters at Greens party headquarters. “We’d definitely like to be in government. But I don’t think it’s likely that we could do that with them.” Instead, the Greens best hope may be to top their record 2009 result of 10.7 percent. But even if they do so, they seem destined for four more years in opposition.— Reuters

Boy’s death sparks debate on Bucharest’s stray dogs BUCHAREST: They roam the streets of Bucharest, sad-eyed, scraggly mongrels that shelter in demolition sites, rifle through garbage - and increasingly attack humans. The capital’s massive stray dog population, a legacy of communism and its aftermath, can have lethal consequences: In recent years, a Bucharest woman was killed by a pack of strays, and a Japanese tourist died after a stray severed an artery in his leg.

Now, after a 4-year-old boy was fatally mauled last week, the city wants to take action.

The controversial plan that has divided Bucharest? To capture and kill Bucharest’s tens of thousands of strays, blamed for dozens of attacks every day that need medical treatment.

Animal lovers and dog-wary citizens are at such loggerheads that the city has called a referendum next month on whether to go forward. “We will do what Bucharest’s people want, exactly what they want,” Mayor Sorin Oprescu said last week in announcing the Oct 6 referendum.

The stray dog population of this city of 2 million rose rapidly as the city expanded into once rural areas after communism ended in 1989. The Matei Bals hospital which handles infectious diseases has treated 9,760 people for dog bites in the first eight months of the year, of which a quarter were children, according to spokesman Catalin Apostolescu. It was the death of the 4year-old boy playing with his older brother in a park that sparked a new impassioned debate over putting down strays.

A day after the fatal attack, President Traian Basescu, a vocal supporter of stray dog euthanasia, called on the government of Prime Minister Victor Ponta to pass a law that would allow for stray dogs to be killed. “Humans are above dogs,” Ponta said. Hundreds have demonstrated both for and against the measure and have vowed to continue rallying in coming days. The current law only allows the killing of stray dogs that are sick. Animal welfare group Vier Pfoten says the city has 40,000 stray dogs, while City Hall claims there are 64,000 strays. No figures are available for the end of the communist era, but Bucharest residents remember the stray population exploding after the Soviet collapse. Burgeoning stray dog populations plague other countries in the former Eastern Bloc - sometimes leading to extreme measures. In Ukraine, authorities in the capital, Kiev, were accused of resorting to poisoning strays as they prepared to host the Euro

BUCHAREST: In this file picture, a stray dog passes by a military band during a Guinness World Record ceremony for the world’s largest flag at the Clinceni Airfield, south of Bucharest, Romania. The stray dog population of the Romanian capital is around 64 thousand according to city hall sources. —AP 2012 soccer championships. And in the Kosovar capital of Pristina, officials gunned down nearly 200 strays over the course of three weeks as part of a culling campaign.

Many Bucharest residents simply fear they are being overrun by street mongrels. “We want a civilized capital, we don’t want a jungle,” said Adina Suiu, a 27-year-old hairdresser. “I will vote for them to be euthanized. I drive a car most of the time, but when I walk around my neighborhood, I am always looking over my shoulder. If we don’t stop them now, we will be taken over by dogs.”

Vier Pfoten counters that the solution isn’t killing strays but sterilizing them. The group has sterilized 10,400 dogs in Bucharest since 2001 but says the problem needs to be tackled on a mass scale that is beyond the capacity of animal welfare groups. “We sterilize one, and five more are born in the same time,” said Livia Campoeru, a spokeswoman for the organization. “We need mass sterilizations.” Basescu, who says he is an animal lover, has adopted three stray dogs - and urges others to do the same. But he says that

strays that aren’t taken in should be put down.

Authorities argue that mass sterilizations aren’t a solution because of cost and logistics and that euthanizing eliminates the threat of attacks. The controversy has reached such a fever pitch that Brigitte Bardot, the French screen siren-turned-outspoken animal rights activist, has stepped into the debate. “I am extremely shocked to find that revenge, which has no place here, will be taken on all the dogs in Romania, even the gentle ones,” Bardot said in an open letter to Basescu, published on her foundation’s site.

Bucharest has historically had a thriving stray dog population. The problem became acute in the communist era when former Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu razed large swaths of the city and residents were forcibly moved into high-rise apartment buildings. “When the great demolitions came, many houses were knocked down and owners moved to apartments and could not take dogs with them,” Campoeru said.

“People are irresponsible, they abandon their dogs, and there is a natural multiplication.”— AP

Kenyan deputy president pleads not guilty at international court THE HAGUE: Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto pleaded not guilty to crimes against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court yesterday, while back home Kenyans feared the case could reignite political violence they have struggled to overcome. Ruto and codefendant Joshua arap Sang are charged with orchestrating a post-election bloodbath five years ago, working with other conspirators to murder, deport and persecute supporters of rival political parties in Kenya’s Rift Valley region.

Ruto’s lawyer accused prosecutors of conducting a flawed and prejudicial investigation using tainted evidence and raised the possibility - not yet confirmed by judges or prosecutors that this week’s hearings would be adjourned because witnesses for the prosecution could not attend court. Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, in her opening speech, insisted the charges against the two men would stand. “The crimes of which

Mr Ruto and Mr Sang are charged were not just random and spontaneous acts of brutality,” said Bensouda. “This was a carefully planned and executed plan of violence ... Ruto’s ultimate goal was to seize political power for himself and his party in the event he could not do so via the ballot box.”

It is the first time such a senior serving politician has appeared in court to face international justice. Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta, Ruto’s former rival and now his political ally, will also face trial on similar charges of crimes against humanity, beginning in November. The court’s public gallery was packed with dozens of Kenyan lawmakers and members of Ruto’s family who had travelled to The Hague in a show of solidarity. The cases have split public opinion, and witness testimonies of the violence in 200708 that killed more than a thousand people could re-open old wounds.

They are also a major test for prosecutors at the decade-old ICC, who have had a low success rate and face accusations of focusing on African countries, while avoiding war crimes in other global hotspots. “One day there will need to be an inquiry ... into how on earth it happened that somebody not just not guilty but innocent came before the court to answer charges that have been shown to be patently false,” said Karim Khan, Ruto’s lead counsel.

Earlier, as the parties took their places in the courtroom, Ruto had appeared relaxed, laughing and smiling with his lawyers, while Sang gave the thumbs-up to a reporter. Bensouda looked on impassively as Ruto’s lawyer listed what he said were shortcomings in the prosecution’s case. Contrary to the prosecution’s claim that Ruto, a Kalenjin, hated people of the Kikuyu tribe, his sisters were both married to Kikuyus, Khan said.—Reuters

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

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

Delhi rape broke wall of silence but no let-up in attacks NEW DELHI: The fatal gang rape of an Indian student sparked mass protests, tougher sex laws and police reforms but the tide of violence against women shows little sign of abating. Activists say the collective outrage over the attack on the 23-year-old has helped persuade some victims to break their silence and end a longstanding cultural taboo surrounding any discussion of rape.

But a string of other multiple sex assaults, including of foreign tourists and of a photojournalist on assignment in Mumbai last month, has highlighted the continuing dangers facing women. And campaigners say that for all the welcome changes introduced since the student’s killing, too many people in authority have yet to take on board the lessons learned. “The people have woken up to rape but in many ways the authorities still haven’t,” said Ranjana Kumari, director of the non-profit Centre for Social Research.

Kumari said other victims had been inspired to speak out by the 23-year-old’s courageous fight for life, which ended when she suffered multiple organ failure nearly a fortnight after the December 16

attack. “People would never even utter the word rape earlier, but the silence is ending now,” she said.

Kumari cited a recent case when widely broadcast reports of the gang rape of a photojournalist in Mumbai last month spurred another woman to testify for the first time that she too had been attacked in July by some of the same suspects.

However Kumari said the legal system still betrayed a “deep lethargy”. While the four convicted yesterday of the student’s murder and rape had their cases dealt with in a fast-track court, the defense team was still able to spin out the trial for more than eight months. Other rape trials however are still waiting to be heard years after the alleged attacks while campaigners say that the mindset of judges needs to be changed as well.

A Delhi judge who cleared a defendant last month of sexually assaulting his maid upset campaigners when he rued the “unprecedented surge in filing of false rape cases” after the December gang rape. The attack had created a climate in which “the mere statement of a lady that she has been raped, came to be taken as gospel truth”, the Press Trust of

India quoted judge Virender Bhat as saying. Police in Delhi, which has been dubbed the rape capital of India, registered more than 800 rapes during the first six months of 2013, more than double the number recorded during the same period the previous year.

Suman Nalwa, deputy commissioner of Delhi Police’s special unit for women and children, said the rise reflected a greater confidence among victims to come forward. “The numbers are high because there’s more reporting of crime, which reflects increased confidence among complainants,” Nalwa said. The public outcry over the handling of sexual assault cases pushed officials in Delhi to revive a “gender sensitization” program for all police personnel that originally ran from 2008-2011.

It also set up more telephone helplines for victims and established a 24-hour helpdesk for women at every police station in Delhi, Nalwa said. “Earlier, gender violence would have to take a backseat, compared with other crimes, but now it is seen as high priority,” she said. “We monitor these cases at the highest levels of the force.” Campaigners acknowledge that the government, stung by outrage over

the December 16 attack, has taken an important step forward by strengthening anti-rape legislation, which was approved by parliament in March.

The new law means that sex offenders can now face the death penalty if a victim dies and it includes provisions to punish police officials who fail to register assault or harassment cases. Kavita Krishnan, an activist for the All India Progressive Women’s Association, said such changes were a vindication of the protests. “I think the rest of the world also has a lot to learn from the struggle in India and how a struggle against sexual violence can be a mass movement,” she said. But other activists like Kumari say deeper changes are needed if Indian authorities are serious about tackling sexual violence. Victims rarely get sufficient assistance from authorities to cope with the traumatic aftermath of sexual assault, with many officials continuing to treat rape survivors insensitively.

“It’s a comprehensive law with a stringent punishment framework, but it’s not enough,” said Kumari of the new legislation. “We have tens of thousands of rape cases pending and very few convictions, which doesn’t send a strong message at all.” — AFP

Four face death sentence for ‘cold-blooded’ murder 4 convicted of bus gang rape that sickened India

QUETTA: Pakistani paramilitary soldiers and rescuers stand in front of casualties as they examine the bomb blast site in Quetta. — AFP

Pakistan militants behead 3 anti-Taleban militiamen PESHAWAR: Militants beheaded three members of an anti-Taleban militia in northwestern Pakistan and kidnapped three others, a government official said yesterday. Dozens of militants took part in the attack Monday in the Khyber tribal area, said Iqbal Khan, a government administrator in the nearby city of Peshawar. Authorities are investigating which militant group was involved in the attack, which took place in the Bara area of Khyber, said Khan. The Pakistani government has long encouraged local tribesmen to set up militias to fight against the Taleban and other militant groups, but many militiamen have been killed in attacks. The attack in Bara took place as Pakistan’s major political parties passed a resolution in support of holding peace talks with local militants as the best way to tamp down an insurgency that has killed thousands of people in recent years.

But there are many skeptics of negotiations in the country. The government has struck multiple peace deals with militants in Pakistan in recent years, and nearly all of them have fallen apart. Critics believe the deals simply gave the militants time to regroup and continue their fight against the state. The military has launched scores of operations against the Pakistani Taleban and their allies in the country’s northwest, but the militants have proved resilient and continue to carry out regular attacks.

As politicians were debating peace talks in Islamabad on Monday, militants fought with police outside a court in the northwest city of Kohat, said police official Fazal Naeem. One policeman and two militants were killed in the fighting, while 13 other people were wounded, he said. One militant escaped. The two militants who were killed were wearing suicide vests and aimed to detonate their explosives in the court, said Naeem.

Meanwhile, Pakistan will release its most senior Afghan Taleban detainee, Abdul Ghani Baradar, a former military chief often described as the insurgents’ ex-second in command, officials said yesterday. The Afghan government has long demanded that Islamabad free Baradar, whose arrest in January 2010 saw Pakistan accused of sabotaging initiatives to bring peace in war-torn Afghanistan.

He was arrested in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi reportedly in a secret raid by CIA and Pakistani agents, an operation that was described as a huge blow to the group.

His release would bring to 34 the number of

Taleban detainees that Pakistan has released since last year in what Afghan officials hope can encourage peace talks with the insurgents. “Pakistan has decided in principle to release Mullah Baradar,” Sartaj Aziz, advisor to the prime minister on national security and foreign affairs said.

Aziz said Baradar would not be handed over to the government in Afghanistan, but was “likely to be released this month”.

Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry confirmed to AFP that the decision had been taken to release Baradar “at an appropriate time”. The announcement came two weeks after Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited Pakistan for talks with new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at which Baradar’s release was again requested.

Afghan officials believe prisoner releases can encourage former detainees to talk to the Kabul government, although observers say there is little evidence those hopes have been realized. Several prisoners are also understood to have returned to the battlefield. Analysts say that Pakistan may be able to facilitate Taleban peace talks and help with logistics, but it cannot force the insurgents to the negotiating table against their will.

The Taleban brand Karzai and his government puppets of the United States and have publicly snubbed any prospect of talks. Born in the southern Afghan province of Uruzgan, Baradar fought in the war covertly backed by the United States and Pakistan-to expel Soviet troops from Afghanistan in the 1980s. When the Taleban rose to power in 1996, Baradar’s friendship with supreme leader Mullah Omar made him deputy defense minister. After the Taleban government was toppled by the USled invasion in 2001, hundreds of Taleban hardliners are believed to have fled over the border to Pakistan.

Although little is known about Baradar’s more recent activity, Interpol has said that Baradar had been a member of the Taleban’s so-called Quetta Shura leadership since May 2007. At the time of his arrest, Baradar was reported to have been second or third-incommand of the Quetta Shura. The New York Times-which broke the story of Baradar’s arrest-said the commander was a close associate of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden before the September 11 attacks. In early 2010, the Afghan government and the former UN envoy to Afghanistan said his detention had adversely affected efforts to talk to the insurgents. — Agencies

NEW DELHI: Four men were convicted yesterday of the “cold-blooded” murder of a woman who was raped and tortured on a bus in New Delhi, a crime that shook India and forced the country to confront sexual violence in a society undergoing wrenching change.

The four - a bus cleaner, gym instructor, fruit seller and an unemployed man - face hanging, the maximum penalty for murder. The trial judge will hear prosecution and defense arguments on sentencing today, when he could deliver his ruling.

The minimum sentence the men could get is life imprisonment, two defense lawyers said. “She has got justice today. We are very happy,” said the father of the 23-year-old trainee physiotherapist who was attacked on Dec. 16. “We are very confident that all of them will be hanged.” Judge Yogesh Khanna said he had relied in part on the dying declaration of the victim in finding the men guilty.

As he read the verdict, the mother of the victim sat with tears in her eyes, just a few feet from the four men who stood flanked by policemen against a wall in the court. The victim, who came from a lower-middle class family and worked in a call centre while she studied, can not be named for legal reasons, but Indian media have dubbed her Nirbhaya, a Hindi word meaning fearless. She became a symbol of the daily dangers women face in a country where a rape is reported on average every 21 minutes and acid attacks and incidents of molestation are common.

The case has resonated with thousands of urban Indians who took to the streets in fury after the attack.

The victim’s path through education onto the first rungs of middle-class life seemed to epitomize the aspirations of millions of young women in a society where many men believe women should stay at home. Bus cleaner Akshay Kumar Singh, gym instructor Vinay Sharma, fruit-seller Pawan Gupta, and unemployed Mukesh Singh lured the woman and a male friend onto the bus as the pair returned home from watching a movie at a shopping mall.

As the bus drove through the streets of the capital, the men repeatedly raped and tortured the victim with a metal bar before dumping her and her friend, naked and semi-conscious, on the road. She died in a Singapore hospital two weeks later of internal injuries.

In his 240-page judgment, Judge Khanna slammed the “inconsistent” defense. Three of the men said they were never on the bus, and another said he was driving and knew nothing of the crime, despite DNA evidence and bite marks on the women’s body that placed them at the scene.

Khanna said the attackers pulled the woman’s intestines from her body with metal rods and their bare hands. He accused the men of cold-bloodedly killing their “helpless victim”.

NOT LIKE NORMAL Police constable Naresh Chand, who led the four men away from the court after the verdict, said they were subdued. “It was not like normal today. They are usually whispering among themselves, even smiling.

Today they were quiet.” The verdict capped a sevenmonth trial, often held behind closed doors, that was punctuated dramatically by a fifth defendant hanging himself in his jail cell. A sixth, who was under 18 at the time of the attack, was earlier sentenced to three years detention, the maximum allowed under juvenile law. After the verdict, Mukesh Singh’s mother, a frail woman in a peach and pink sari, fell to the floor crying outside the court and clutched the feet of his lawyer, VK Anand.

Gupta’s lawyer said his client was tearful as the verdict was read out, while Sharma’s mother said her son was innocent. The lawyers representing Mukesh Singh, Akshay Kumar Singh and Vinay Sharma said they would appeal. In the narrow-laned slum where the men met to drink alcohol and eat chicken before setting off in the bus to find the victim on the night of the attack, neighbors and relatives were glued to television sets awaiting the ruling. —Reuters

NEW DELHI: Indian youth protest outside the Saket Court complex in New Delhi yesterday. — AFP

The gang of rapists who outraged India NEW DELHI: The four men convicted yesterday over the December 16 New Delhi gang rape were economic migrants on the bottom-rung of the capital’s social ladder, drawn to the city to escape grinding rural poverty. All the rapists lived in and around Ram Dass Camp, an unauthorized slum in the south of the city favored by hundreds of laborers whose homes are mostly without toilets or running water. Residents there complain of the ignominy of being associated with the men, particularly the ringleaders whom they remember as heavy-drinking troublemakers known for their abusive language and disregard for neighbors.

Ram Singh, the regular driver of the bus used for the attack and one of the main instigators of the crime, was found hanging in his prison cell in maximum-security Tihar jail on March 12 in a suspected suicide. The 32-year-old had confessed privately to his role, according to his parents, but during the trial he had denied the long list of charges including murder, rape and kidnapping.

Here are profiles of the four men convicted, as well as the fifth under-age suspect who was sentenced to three years in a correctional facility on August 31.

MUKESH SINGH The brother of Ram Singh who migrated to New Delhi from his ancestral village in the western desert state of Rajasthan. He frequently worked with his brother on the bus and also tried getting a job with a construction company in Delhi. During court proceedings in April, the unmarried labourer, who has a tattoo of two swords signifying “bravery” on his left arm, told AFP he was a “very hard working man” and wanted to “lead a simple life”. Aged 29 at the time of the crime, he denied the charges against him and told the court that he “respected women”.

VINAY SHARMA Aged 20 at the time of the crime, he denied

being on the bus. He earned $100 a month as a helper at a local gym and lived in the same neighborhood as Mukesh and Ram Singh. He had completed his schooling, unlike the other convicts who are school dropouts, and during the trial said he wanted to appear for a recruitment test for a job with the Indian Air Force.

Sharma submitted an application to the judge to be moved out of Tihar jail after being assaulted by inmates. He suffered a fractured left hand while in custody.

PAWAN GUPTA The youngest of the rapists, aged 19, Gupta was a fruitseller who also worked as labourer on roads and construction sites for a couple of dollars a day. During wedding season, he would work with a catering company. He was arrested at the Ram Dass Camp where he lived with his cousin and was known as a friend of Ram Singh.

AKSHAY THAKUR A married father of a two-year-old son, Thakur also worked as a helper with Ram Singh and had earlier been employed in a local liquor factory and in a brick kiln. Aged 28 at the time of the crime, he fled from Delhi on December 17, but was arrested at his father-in-law’s home in the eastern state of Bihar. His wife, Punita Devi, told the police, that if her husband is found guilty then he should be “shot dead”.

UNDER-AGE SUSPECT A 17-year-old at the time of the attack, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is a run-away who fled his home in impoverished Uttar Pradesh state at the age of 11. His mother told the police that he was the eldest of her six children and that she had no contact with him during his time in the capital where he had no fixed job or address and often slept rough. He cleaned Ram Singh’s bus and in winter slept inside the vehicle. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

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

Dozens of bushfires flare in Australia SYDNEY: Dozens of bushfires erupted in Australia yesterday with six firefighters injured battling fierce infernos in western Sydney that destroyed two homes and which officials said could signal a difficult summer. Some 60 fires flared in the country’s most populous state of New South Wales, aided by temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius and gusting winds, with water-bombing helicopters being used to tackle the danger.

“Currently 40 fires burning in NSW not contained. Fire behavior very erratic.

People need to keep monitoring situation rapidly changing,” tweeted NSW Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers. Several blazes on Sydney’s western fringes prompted emergency warnings in the early afternoon with news footage showing black smoke billowing over homes and at least three vehicles going up in flames.

“It’s scary... knowing it could go any minute now is making me really emotional,” Melinda Millard told reporters as she rushed to a property in the Sydney suburb of Castlereagh to help rescue some horses from one of the biggest blazes. A cool change late yesterday brought some relief, allowing officials to downgrade all but one of the four emer-

gency warning areas, with a fire at Winmalee at the base of the Blue Mountains of most concern.

But by then one home had been destroyed at Winmalee and another at Marsden Park and several firefighters injured. “Six have suffered smoke inhalation. One taken to hospital for observation,” the NSW Rural Fire Service said.

Another firefighter was later taken to hospital after complaining of chest pains. The fire services assistant commissioner Steve York said it would probably be several days before the Winmalee fire was downgraded.

“But with the easing weather conditions over this evening and hopefully tomorrow, that will give firefighters an opportunity to do a lot of containment work that we need to do to get these fires under control,” he said. York said the cause of all the blazes, as yet unknown, would be investigated but he said the lack of rainfall in Sydney for several weeks, combined with the high temperature and strong winds, had impacted on the fire behavior.

NSW Police and Emergency Services Minister Mike Gallacher suggested some of the fires may have been deliberately lit. “Three (fires) are on a particular part

of north-western Sydney, and there’s a question about those fires, and they’ll be investigated tomorrow,” he told the ABC. “We won’t know, of course, and the experts won’t know until they can get in there to have a bit of a look.”

State Premier Barry O’Farrell told parliament more than 500 firefighters were responding to the blazes, which follow 27 dry days in Sydney and mark a very early start to the bushfire season, only 10 days after the official end of winter.

Australia has just experienced its warmest 12 months on record, with the last summer witnessing an unprecedented heatwave, as well as bushfires and floods, seeing a government commission dub it an “Angry Summer”.

Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott, who won power in national polls on Saturday and is a volunteer firefighter, tweeted his concerns. “Bushfire situation in NSW a real worry. My thoughts are with local communities impacted and fellow RFS personnel on the frontline,” he said. By late yesterday some 200 firefighters were still battling a 980-hectare fire around Castlereagh and Londonderry north west of Sydney although there was no direct threat to property.

At Windsor a grass fire was burning

SYDNEY: Residents look at the flames from a bushfire that erupted in Sydney’s western suburb of Castlereagh, New South Wales yesterday. — AFP under strong northerly winds and there was potential for it to impact on homes, while at Marsden Park more than 70 fire personnel were working to contain a 10hectare grass fire. “It’s important that people do use this opportunity to focus

their minds on the impending fire season, which is not months away, it is with us now,” said Gallacher. “These fires aren’t in rural areas, these are in fairly urbanized areas in northwestern Sydney, there are a lot of homes.”— AFP

Philippines militants dig in, take more hostages Muslim rebels hold hostages as human shields

GUANGZHOU: Firemen work at the site of an explosion that destroyed a warehouse in Baiyun district in Guangzhou in southern China’s Guangdong province yesterday.

Police say four people were killed and 14 injured in the second deadly explosion to strike southern China in two days.— AP

Egypt govt bans mosque preachers in crackdown Militancy; rights abuses on the rise CAIRO: Egyptian authorities will bar 55,000 unlicensed clerics from preaching in mosques in the latest move against sympathizers of deposed Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, the minister of religious endowments said yesterday. Egyptian authorities have been cracking down on Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood since the army toppled him on July 3 following mass protests against his rule.

Minister of Endowments Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa said the clerics lack licenses to preach and were considered to be fundamentalist and a threat to the Egypt’s security. The ban will mainly target small unlicensed mosques or random praying areas. The idea is to spread a moderate message of Islam and keep Egyptians away from radical ideas. “The decision is only meant to legalize the preaching process during Fridays’ mass prayers and make only those authorized to do it, do it, Gomaa told Reuters.

Authorities moved to crush the Brotherhood following the overthrow of Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically leader.

More than 2,000 Islamist activists have been arrested and most of the Brotherhood’s leaders, including Morsi, jailed on charges of inciting or taking part in violence. Some have also been accused of terrorism or murder. Over the same period, more than 1,000 people have been killed in political violence. Most were protesters killed by security forces breaking up pro-Morsi camps in Cairo. About 100 were members of the security forces.

Islamist attacks, mainly targeting security forces, have risen sharply in Egypt since Morsi’s overthrow. A suicide car bomber

blew himself up next to Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim’s convoy last Thursday in a daylight attack in Cairo that killed a passer-by and an unidentified person and wounded 20. The military-led authorities consider the Brotherhood a terrorist group and discussions are underway on the possibility of banning it.

Previous secular governments tried to move against fundamentalist preachers and their mosques but failed to clamp down on them because of the wide influence of Islamists. The army and security forces now have backing from a large section of the public which was critical of Morsi’s decision to give himself sweeping powers and his management of the fragile economy.

In Geneva, Amnesty International called yesterday for an independent investigation into killings by the security forces as well as torture and violations of the rights to free speech and assembly.

The militar y ’s overthrow of Morsi unleashed an “extreme level of political violence”, the London-based group told the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. “Between 14 and 18 August, at least 1,089 people were killed, many due to the use of excessive, grossly disproportionate and unwarranted lethal force by security forces,” said Peter Splinter, Amnesty representative in Geneva. A impartial investigation was urgently needed into human rights violations, he said. On Monday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay reiterated her call for an independent inquiry into the killings, as well as her request to send a team to Egypt to assess the situation.—Reuters

Tourism, Portugal’s cure for the crisis LISBON: The famous number 28 tram, winding its way through the narrow streets of the Portuguese capital, is packed. Foreign tourists are flocking to Lisbon, as well as the southern coastal Algarve region-and that’s just the shot in the arm that the crisis-hit country needs. “In the past few months tourism in Portugal has seen its biggest growth in recent years,” said Economy Minister Antonio Pires de Lima of the nearly 10-percent increase.

In the first half of the year alone, the income generated by foreign tourists grew 8.2 percent to 3.7 billion euros ($4.9 billion).

There were 3.8 percent fewer visitors from neighboring Spain, which has also been hardhit by the economic crisis. More than making up for that however was the growing number of Americans, Germans and French visitors (up 16.8, 14.0 and 10.8 percent respectively).

Christian Fievre, a retired craftsman from the French city of Orleans, strolled with his wife Maryse down the capital’s magnificent Avenida da Liberdade, a wide boulevard divided by a pedestrian pavement with gardens. “We hesitated between Barcelona,

Rome and Athens, but Greece is struggling,” he said. “Here, you don’t get the feeling of being in a country in crisis. “They are going to get through it, these are hard-working people who never complain,” he added. “Travelling here is a way of helping them.”

Tourism, accounting for 9.2 percent of GDP, “is the sector that has most contributed to getting Portugal out of the crisis,” said Adolfo Mesquita Nunes, a junior economics minister in charge of tourism. After two and a half years of recession that has wiped about 5.0 percent off GDP, Portugal moved back into growth in the second quarter with an expansion of 1.1 percent. The flow of tourists into the country gave a boost to the national airline TAP, which in August carried 1.11 million passengers, the highest monthly figure they have registered.

Things are also looking up in the hotel industry. “We registered between five and 10 percent more clients than last year, mainly from the United States, France and Germany,” said Carlos Jesus, co-manager of the Albergaria Senhora do Monte hotel, perched on one of the seven hills of Lisbon. —AFP

ZAMBOANGA: Muslim rebels seized scores more hostages and traded gunfire with Philippines troops yesterday, in the second day of a stand-off after mounting a deadly attack on a southern city, officials said. Gunshots rang out at dawn on the coastal outskirts of Zamboanga, in the confrontation between the government and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) gunmen aimed at derailing peace talks.

The rebels seized 20 hostages at the star t of the crisis, but Zamboanga Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco Salazar said they were now holding 170 people in six villages where they are holed up.

The initial attack killed four people and left 14 injured, the mayor told reporters yesterday, reducing the toll from Monday when she said there were six dead and 24 wounded, and giving no explanation for the revision. “What we are seeing is that they are being used as human shields,” Salazar said in an interview with ABS-CBN television.

“We are working for the release of the hostages and a peaceful resolution of this problem.”

Military spokesman LieutenantColonel Ramon Zagala estimated they were facing about 180 gunmen armed with rifles and mortars, revising down an earlier estimate of 200-300. About 1,500 elite troops backed by a smaller number of police have blocked off the area to hold the gunmen in place and prevent the arrival of potential rebel reinforcements, he told AFP. MNLF spokesman Emmanuel Fontanilla told DZMM radio that the rebels were prepared to dig in. “Our forces will stay where they are. They are on a defensive posture,” he said in an interview.

At one of the villages yesterday, soldiers positioned behind an armored troop transport traded fire with snipers hidden among the houses, a local reporter said. “At the moment,

MINDANAO: Smoke billows from a burning house during the standoff between Muslim gunmen and army troops in Zamboanga City, on the southern island of Mindanao yesterday. —AFP

our priority is the safety and security of the hostages and the city,” Zagala said, adding that yesterday’s firefight had died down and there were no further casualties. “If the time comes to change the mission, we will adjust accordingly,” he said without elaborating.

The gunmen, followers of MNLF founder Nur Misuari, poured into the fishing villages from the sea on Monday before mounting an assault on Zamboanga, causing panic in the city of nearly one million people. Misuari, who could not be reached for comment by AFP, has declared “independence” for the Muslim southern regions of the mainly Catholic Philippines and called on his followers to besiege government installations. ABS-CBN footage showed hundreds of residents, including old women and children, spending the night sleeping on the

floor of crowded gyms af ter being forced to flee the fighting. Negotiators were now trying to convince the gunmen to release the hostages, said Muktar Muarip, a local Muslim community leader in talks with the rebels.

He said the gunmen had released four women and a child in the early hours of yesterday, but that they were holding dozens of others inside mosques. “They forced us to go with them last night, saying they did not know the way,” one of the released women, Merceditas Asinon, told reporters after she was freed unharmed before dawn.

Misuari has criticized a preliminary peace deal signed last year by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which split from the MNLF in 1978. He alleged the agreement marginalized his group and a peace treaty that it signed in 1996. MNLF spokesman Fontanilla said that

instead of sending the military to fight the gunmen, the government should follow the terms of the 1996 treaty-by bringing the rebels’ grievances to a mediation committee chaired by the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

The gunmen launched their attack as the government prepared to resume peace talks with the MILF, aimed at ending a 42year-old rebellion that has claimed 150,000 lives. It was the second such attack on Zamboanga since 2001, when Misuari’s men men also took dozens of hostages and left many more dead. The hostages were all freed after several days in exchange for the gunmen’s safe passage out of the city. Misuari fled to Malaysia, where he was arrested and deported, and was kept in police prisons in Manila until the government dropped all charges against him in 2008.— AFP

China flotilla in Japan dispute island waters TOKYO: Eight Chinese ships were in waters around islands at the centre of a bitter dispute with Japan yesterday, as Tokyo said it had not ruled out stationing officials there.

The moves came the day before the first anniversary of Tokyo’s nationalization of part of the chain. The Chinese coastguard flotilla was the biggest seen in waters around the Tokyo-administered Senkakus since eight government ships were tracked there in April, a spokesman for the Japanese coastguard said.

Official media in China, citing the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), said it was the 59th “patrol” of the area since September 2012, when Tokyo took the islands into public ownership. Beijing claims the archipelago as its own and calls the islands the Diaoyus. The report by Xinhua said China’s vessels had gone as close to the islands as 0.28 nautical miles during the past 12 months, but did not specify when.

Japan’s coastguard said seven vessels had entered Japanese territorial waters around

10:30 am (0130 GMT) and another joined the flotilla a few hours later. They had all left the waters around seven hours later. The Japanese foreign ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador to Japan, Cheng Yonghua, to formally register its displeasure at the move. “We will protect territorial land, air and water at any cost,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference. “We will never compromise on the issue of sovereignty.”

But Cheng told reporters that he had conveyed China’s position to the Japanese government, laying the blame for soured ties at Tokyo’s door. “Japan’s purchase of the islands confused the relationship between Japan and China,” he said. Asked if Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet will station officials on the islands, Suga said the government was “considering it as an option”, but did not elaborate. The incident came almost a year to the day since the long-running dispute over the ownership of the islands flared into a bitter row that continues to dog relations.

The islands-believed to harbor natural resources below their seabed-are seen as a potential flashpoint that some observers fear could lead to armed conflict between the Asian giants. On Monday, Japan scrambled fighter jets after an unidentified drone flew near the islands. The drone did not enter Japanese airspace. On Sunday, Japan tracked Chinese bombers that flew in international airspace between two islands in the Okinawa chain. Tokyo said it was the first time they had used that route to get to the Pacific.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Beijing appeared to be doing more ahead of September 11. “Tomorrow marks one year since the Japanese government nationalized the Senkaku islands,” he said. “I am aware that today many Chinese ships have entered our territorial waters ... I have the impression that (China is) becoming more active.” Asked about any preparation for today’s anniversary, he said: “We will continue taking necessary precautionary measures as we have been doing.”—AFP

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

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Focus

Competing US rallies highlight Syria divide

By Andy Sullivan

W

ith a list of names, a stack of letters and a “Free Syria” pin on his lapel, Asaad Aref wandered the halls of Congress on Monday, trying to turn the tide in a debate that was not moving in his favor.

President Barack Obama’s request to authorize a military strike against Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad appeared to be losing traction in Congress, and the Obama administration seemed to be reconsidering the idea. Public opinion firmly opposed military action, and even Aref’s fellow Syrian Americans were divided.

On top of that, it’s easy for newcomers like Aref to get lost on Capitol Hill, where one marble corridor looks much like the other and a “suspicious package” can shut down a building for hours. As the afternoon wore on, hope was giving way to punchy humor. “Did you get a receipt? Go ask for a receipt,” Aref told a young woman in his group of about eight after she dropped off a letter urging military action at the office of Representative Michael Grimm, a New York Republican.

“Maybe we should come back in 10 minutes and look in their trash can,” he added. As lawmakers return to Washington after a month-long break, they face what could be one of the most defining foreign-policy votes since Congress backed Republican President George W Bush’s invasion of Iraq more than a decade ago. Obama says Congress should authorize limited military strikes to punish Assad for an apparent chemical attack last month that killed 1,400 people.

But public opinion polls show that Americans have little appetite for further military action after costly and inconclusive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama faces a particularly tough sell in the House of Representatives, where antiwar Democrats and anti-Obama Republicans could join forces to defeat the measure. Still, most lawmakers remain undecided at this point, according to tallies by several news organizations, giving advocates on both sides of the issue a sense that they might be able to sway the debate in their direction.

The liberal grassroots group MoveOn.org planned 160 protests across the country on Monday evening and said its members have placed at least 22,000 calls to lawmakers urging a “no” vote on the resolution. On the other side, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel organization regarded as one of the most powerful interest groups in Washington, plans to send 250 of its members to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to help make the case for a strike.

COMPETING RALLIES Monday saw dozens of Syrian flags waving on the Capitol grounds as rival Syrian American groups staged competing rallies outside the Capitol. Police ensured the two groups did not come face to face. Clutching a portrait of Bashar Al-Assad, Naife Khalouf of Allentown, Pennsylvania said she supported the Syrian strongman because he had protected her fellow Orthodox Christians from persecution in the Muslim-majority country. “He’s wonderful, I believe in him,” Khalouf, 64, said quietly as several hundred antiwar protesters waved Syrian flags and chanted “Hands off Syria.”

Several others at the rally said they did not believe that Assad was responsible for the chemical attack and warned that a military strike would only deliver the country into the hands of al Qaeda-affiliated rebel groups. Khalouf, 64, and others who had made the trip from Allentown appear to already have accomplished their mission: Their representative in Congress, Republican Charlie Dent, has said publicly that he opposes military intervention.

On the other side of the issue, Aref has not had similar success. While his congressman, Democrat Bill Pascrell of New Jersey, is officially undecided, friends have told him he is unlikely to back military action. Aref said he wouldn’t try to change his mind. “It’s a waste of breath,” Aref said.

“Some pro-Bashar people got to him.” Aref said that before he immigrated to the United States in 1988, he had been locked up for a month by the Syrian government for questioning the leadership of Assad’s father while visiting Turkey. He has returned to Syria several times since the conflict started 2-1/2 years ago.

Aref said he was frustrated that Americans were first indifferent to a conflict that has taken more than 100,000 lives and now oppose action even after an atrocity that appears to have gotten their attention. Waiting for a stoplight, Aref engaged in a high-volume argument with an anti-war protester wearing desert camouflage. He said he appreciated the ability to engage in the debate. “Would you dare to do something like that in the Middle East?

You’d be shot,” he said. —Reuters

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.

How Kerry’s off-hand remark put a deal on Syria

By Matt Spetalnick and Arshad Mohammed

W

hether deft diplomacy or a rhetorical stumble, US Secretary of State John Kerry has managed to crack open the door to a possible solution to the Syrian crisis that could get President Barack Obama and US lawmakers out of a bind, save Syria from a bombing and cast Russia as peacemaker. Kerry’s seemingly off-hand suggestion on Monday that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad might avert a US military strike if he surrendered all of his chemical weapons offered a potential escape hatch that no one had seriously proposed before - and that could end up leading nowhere.

But in a sign of how desperate the United States, Russia, Syria and the United Nations are to defuse the international standoff over Assad’s alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria’s civil war last month, momentum for Kerry’s suggestion seemed to build instantly.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov seized upon the idea, issuing a proposal for putting Syria’s chemical stockpile under international control.

Positive to lukewarm reaction flowed in from the White House, Assad’s government and the United Nations. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers in both parties expressed hope that a diplomatic solution would help them avoid a vote to either attack Syria - a plan most Americans oppose - or go against Obama’s plea for authorization to attack. By late afternoon, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2016 - was speaking out on the Syrian conflict for the first time, saying that a plan to rid Assad of his stock of chemical weapons had potential.

Even as Obama used a half-dozen interviews with television networks to continue pressing his case for military action in Syria and made plans for a nationally broadcast speech to Americans on Tuesday night, the sudden prospect of a deal with Russia dominated the conversation in Washington. During an interview with NBC, Obama signaled that he might have to adjust his approach because of the Russian proposal. He told NBC that the proposal was “potentially positive,” but said that “we have to be skeptical,” a reflection of the many questions surrounding the plan.

A ‘WELCOME WRENCH’ Obama and several lawmakers said it was important for Congress to move forward with its debate over authorizing US military force in Syria. By all appearances, Obama has been losing that debate. Vote count estimates by The Washington Post and The New York Times, among others, indicate that far more members of Congress oppose military action in Syria than support it - a reflection of Americans’ wariness of engagement in another conflict in the Middle East.

The ongoing debate over military force could give the United States some leverage in any discussions of a deal with Russia, according to Obama and key lawmakers such as Arizona Senator John McCain.

However, Middle East analysts said that the idea of sequestering Assad’s chemical weapons almost certainly would complicate Obama’s efforts to win Congress’ approval for military force. “It basically throws a bit of a wrench into the administration’s approach, but it may be a welcome wrench,” said Robert Danin, a Middle East specialist and senior fellow at the

Council on Foreign Relations.

A ‘FANTASY’ PROPOSAL? Monday’s drama began when Kerry, after a meeting with British Foreign Secretary William Hague, was asked by a reporter how military strikes on Syria might be averted. Kerry said that Assad “could turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community in the next week. But he isn’t about to do it, and it can’t be done.” Perhaps not. But by merely floating the idea in what the State Department said was just an attempt to make a rhetorical point, America’s top diplomat suddenly gave it credence.

After Lavrov responded with his proposal, Kerry called him and said that US officials were “not going to play games,” but that if the Russian proposal was serious, “we will take a look,” a senior State Department official said. White House officials also expressed doubts about Assad’s credibility in such a deal, but acknowledged that the idea was in play.

Clinton - who had met with Obama earlier in the day - then used a speech on wildlife preservation to suggest that the United States was interested in a solution that would rid Syria of chemical weapons.

To some analysts, it all sounded far-fetched.

A senior European security official deemed it a “fantasy” and said it would be “impossible to verify” whether Syria would give up its chemical weapons. A former senior US intelligence expert said there was no full accounting of Assad’s stockpile and where it is stored.

NO MASTER PLAN BY KERRY For Obama, however, a deal brokered by Russia could mean at least a temporary

way out of a crisis that he helped to create.

Last year, Obama declared that Assad would cross a “red line” for US action if the Syrian president used chemical weapons in a civil war that now has gone on for 2 1/2 years and killed an estimated 100,000 people. For Assad, such a deal could be a chance to delay or prevent a US-led missile strike that could weaken Assad’s loyalists in their fight against rebel forces. Assad would, however, be under extreme pressure to make good on any pledge to identify and relinquish his chemical weapons.

And even though its Syrian ally is accused of using chemical weapons, Russia would have a chance to be seen as a peaceenabler while continuing to shield Syria from US retribution for last month’s gas attack. If Russia’s proposal leads to a deal, Kerry’s utterance that inspired the proposal could become a historic moment in US diplomacy - and an ironic symbol of how his spontaneous comments sometimes have complicated the Obama administration’s efforts to sell the notion that military action in Syria is necessary.

Kerry, a former senator who joined the administration in February and became its most forceful voice for tougher action against Assad, faced criticism last week for initially refusing to rule out American “boots on the ground” in Syria before backtracking and accepting that restriction. A senior US official said that Kerry’s remarks Monday about Assad giving up chemical weapons were not part of some carefully crafted diplomatic strategy aimed at finding a way out of the Syria impasse. Kerry, the official said, was simply emphasizing what he saw as the unlikely possibility that Assad would give up such weapons. “Then,” the official said, “it kind of took off.” —Reuters

The ‘fearless’ student whose gang rape shook India

F

eted in death as India’s ‘Braveheart’, the 23-year-old whose gang rape rocked a nation is remembered by family and friends as a fearless and inspirational student with a fierce determination. The story of a young woman whose father had moved from the countryside to the city and sold his ancestral land to help fund her studies, resonated with the dreams of millions of Indians her age.

She enrolled four years ago on a physiotherapy course in Dehradun, a city in the foothills of the Himalayas, and was doing an internship at a Delhi hospital when she was fatally attacked on board a bus in December last year. Her father, a baggage handler at the capital’s airport who earned $200 a month, had sold plots of land in the old family home in Uttar Pradesh to pay for her course in the hope of producing the family’s first professional.

To help with the costs and give her financial independence-for clothes, eating out and the fateful cinema trip that would lead to her death-she worked nights at an outsourcing firm and gave private tuition to school children. “She slept for three hours and we felt that she would faint in the classroom but she refused to rest,” said Sheen Kaur, one of her roommates at the Sai Institute of Paramedical and Allied

Sciences in Dehradun.

In a cruel twist, the marks from her final exams were published shortly after her death in a Singapore hospital on December 29, showing she had achieved firstclass exam results. MC Mishra, a surgeon who treated her in Delhi after the attack before she was flown to the Singapore hospital where she died, recalled how her ambition never wavered even at the last. “She was really strong and she really was determined to recover... she said ‘I will finish my course’. You could see how determined she was,” he told the local CNN-IBN news channel.

Originally from Balia village in the impoverished northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the girl’s familyincluding two younger brotherslive in a downtrodden part of the capital inhabited mostly by laborers. During her course, friends say she transformed from a shy teenager to an active participant in college, helping to organize social events and choreograph dances. In New Delhi, she would often meet up with the male IT worker five years her senior with whom she went to the cinema on the night of the December 16 attack that shook India.

Some friends say they planned to marry, but he has largely declined to speak about the relationship, stating that he “liked her

and enjoyed being with her”. The victim’s father has denied suggestions the couple were set to wed.

The companion witnessed the brutal gang rape after being beaten by the attackers, later helping to identify the culprits in a police line-up and testifying against them in court.

He said he admired his dead friend’s courage and ability to smile even in the worst situations. “She had the magic to make everyone happy. Even when she was in the hospital, she asked me to wear a new shirt and said I looked very smart,” he told AFP in an interview.

Despite the attention and relentless media coverage of the case, journalists in India have refrained from naming the dead woman in accordance with the law, using the pseudonym “Nirbhaya” (meaning ‘Fearless’ or ‘Braveheart’) instead.

“My daughter is dead but she fought till the very end. She is an inspiration for millions of other women who are fighting against sex crimes,” her mother said at the family house. In March, the US posthumously honored her with the International Women of Courage award. “Her bravery inspired millions of men and women to come together with a simple message: ‘No more’,” US Secretary of State John Kerry told a ceremony in Washington. —AFP

NEW DELHI: In this file photograph, Indian protesters hold placards as they shout slogans during a protest demanding better security for women in New Delhi, as Indian leaders appealed for calm fearing fresh outbursts of protests after the death of a gang-rape student victim. —AFP

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 2013

Syria accepts weapons plan...

Continued from Page 1

DEIR EZZOR: A picture shows a firetruck left amid heavily damaged buildings in the Syria’s eastern town of Deir Ezzor yesterday. — AFP

Syria prompts Europeans to question US leadership will Obama hesitations cause problems in London, Paris PARIS: The United States’ uncertainty over how to respond to a deadly chemical weapons attack in Syria has left close European allies wondering whether Washington remains ready to play the world leadership role it has long assumed. Yet while the hesitations are creating political headaches for governments in Britain and France that advocated strikes, less interventionist capitals including Berlin are relieved to be dealing with a less hawkish US administration than those which pushed the case for war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

After the Aug 21 chemical weapons attack that Washington blames on Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad’s forces, US President Barack Obama has veered from calling for urgent retaliation to agreeing to seek authorization from a skeptical Congress with no real clear time frame attached.

Prospects of quick action receded still further on Monday when Obama welcomed a Russian proposal to put its ally Syria’s chemical arsenal under international control.While some officials argued that this showed the threat of military action had forced Russia and Assad to offer a genuine olive branch to the West, France quickly showed its doubts by announcing it would push for a tough UN resolution aimed at ensuring the Russian proposal would have real teeth. “Fifteen years ago, it was our American partners who used to lecture us,” said a Washington-based European diplomat. “Today, they are petrified with uncertainty and doubt. That uncer-

tainty gives us a card to play to influence policy and play a major role.”

MAKING A BREAK European officials have long noted that Obama is keen to make a break with divisive overseas campaigns launched by his predecessor, George W Bush, in Iraq and Afghanistan. That was already evident in 2011 when France and Britain took the lead in the Libyan conflict. Only after intense negotiations did the United Stated agree to form part of a coalition to oust Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

In Mali this year, France intervened alone against Al-Qaeda-backed Islamists threatening the capital Bamako, only later receiving logistical support from Washington. “What we have seen in the past weeks from the Obama administration ... largely confirms the perception that many European leaders have had about President Obama on his position vis-a-vis using weapons in going to other countries,” said Fredrik Erixon of the Brusselsbased European Centre For International Political Economy.

“The hesitation on the part of the United States is eroding its capacity to act as a world leader. No doubt about it. And if this is a good thing or a bad thing it is difficult to say.”

While France has long seen itself as a counterweight to the US superpower, leading world opposition to the Iraq war in 2003, Obama’s hesitations this time around have been a headache for his counterpart Francois

Hollande. While under the French constitution Hollande has no need to consult the French parliament to go to war, Obama’s decision to go to Congress emboldened antiwar voices in France who insisted Hollande should follow suit in the event of planned action. Britain’s David Cameron was similarly caught out.

As Obama last month jacked up the strike rhetoric, Cameron cut short his holiday to recall lawmakers for what he thought was going to be swift, joint action on Syria - only to lose the vote after a rebellion by some of his coalition deputies. “Yes, it’s true we’ve had to work hard to make sure we’re always on the same page (as Washington). There have been some unexpected developments and we’ve had to respond to those,” said a British government source. “It’s been better than people might think, certainly not chaotic,” the sourced added.

A ‘DIMINISHED WEST’ Analyst Francois Heisbourg of France’s Foundation for Strategic Research disagreed, arguing Obama not only risked making himself a lame-duck president but was also jeopardizing vital strategic partnerships. “The fact they create a precedent by going to parliament to act diminishes the American president and probably diminishes France and Britain who had never felt compelled to go to the legislature to carry out that type of operation. There is a diminishing of the West,” he said. —Reuters

aggression”. While the diplomatic wrangling was under way in far-flung capitals, Assad’s warplanes bombed rebellious districts of Damascus yesterday for the first time since the Aug 21 poison gas attacks. Rebels said the air strikes were a demonstration that the government now believed the West had lost its nerve. “By sending the planes back, the regime is sending the message that it no longer feels international pressure,” activist Wasim Al-Ahmad said from Mouadamiya, one of the districts of the capital hit by the chemical attack.

The war has already killed more than 100,000 people and driven millions from their homes, and threatens to spread violence across the Middle East. The Russian proposal “is a cheap trick to buy time for the regime to kill more and more people,” said Sami, a member of the local opposition coordinating committee in the Damascus suburb of Erbin, also hit by last month’s chemical attack.

French officials said their draft resolution was designed to make sure the Russian proposal would have teeth, by allowing military action if Assad is uncooperative. “It was extremely well played by the Russians, but we didn’t want someone else to go to the UN with a resolution that was weak. This is on our terms and the principles are established. It puts Russia in a situation where they can’t take a step back after putting a step forward,” said a French diplomatic source.

The Russian proposal makes it easier for members of the US Congress to vote to authorize action as part of a diplomatic initiative, without it leading directly to missile strikes. Republican Senator John McCain, a leading hawk, said lawmakers were working on new wording of a Congressional resolution to ensure “strict timelines and guidelines that would have to be met” for Assad to give up chemical arms Russia’s proposal apparently began life as an off-the-cuff remark by US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday, although both Moscow and Washington later said President Vladimir Putin had discussed the idea in principle with Obama in the past. Putin’s spokesman said it came up at a summit last week. With veto-wielding China also backing it, it would be the rare Syria initiative to unite global powers whose divisions have so far blocked Security Council action.

Assad’s main regional backer Iran has also signaled support, as has UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Washington and Paris have threatened to carry out strikes to punish Assad for the Aug 21 poison gas attack on Damascus suburbs, which they say Syrian government forces carried out. But after 12 years of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Obama has had a hard time winning over the public or members of Congress. Britain quit the coalition threatening force after Prime Minister David Cameron lost a vote in parliament.

Moscow unveiled its proposal on Monday after Kerry, speaking in London, said the only way to halt strikes would be for Assad to give up his chemical arsenal. The State Department said his remarks were rhetorical and not meant as a serious proposal. But hours later Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for Assad’s government to do just that.

Responding to the Russian initiative, Obama

told CNN: “It’s possible that we can get a breakthrough,” although he said there was a risk that it was a further stalling tactic by Assad. “We’re going to run this to ground,” he said. “John Kerry and the rest of my national security team will engage with the Russians and the international community to see, can we arrive at something that is enforceable and serious.”

Robert Danin, a Middle East specialist and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the initiative spoils Obama’s strategy, but Washington was likely to be relieved. “It basically throws a bit of a wrench into the administration’s plans, but it may be a welcome wrench.” The wavering from the West was a blow for the Syrian opposition, which had thought it had finally secured military intervention after pleading for two and a half years for help from Western leaders that vocally opposed Assad.

The Russian proposal “fails to hold the Assad regime responsible for the killing of innocents,” the Syrian National Coalition said, calling it “a political maneuver which will lead to pointless procrastination and will cause more death and destruction to the people of Syria, and further threats to the countries and people of the region.”

Assad’s forces - which had been withdrawing from fixed positions and bracing for expected Western strikes - appear to have responded to the hesitation by redoubling an offensive to clear fighters from Damascus suburbs. Troops and proAssad militiamen tried to seize the northern district of Barzeh and the eastern suburb of Deir Salman near Damascus airport, working-class Sunni Muslim areas where opposition activists and residents reported street fighting.

Fighter jets bombed Barzeh three times and pro-Assad militia backed by army tank fire made a push into the area. Air raids were also reported on the Western outskirts near Mouadamiya. Syria is not a party to international treaties which ban the stockpiling of chemical weapons, but it signed the Geneva conventions that forbid using them in warfare. Syria has tried to avoid confirming whether it possesses poison gas, while denying it has used it.

Western countries believe Syria has a vast undeclared arsenal of chemical arms. Sending inspectors to destroy it would be difficult even in peacetime and extraordinarily complicated in the midst of a war.

The two main precedents are ominous: UN inspectors dismantled the chemical arsenal of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in the 1990s but left enough doubt that suspicion he still had such weapons was the basis for a US-led invasion in 2003. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was rehabilitated by the West after agreeing to give up his banned weapons, only to be overthrown with NATO help in 2011.

Assad’s government says the chemical attack was the work of rebels trying to win Western military support, a scenario that Washington and its allies say is not credible. Human Rights Watch, the New York-based watchdog, said evidence strongly suggested Syrian government forces were behind the attack. It said in a report that the type of rockets and launchers used in the attacks suggested weapon systems in the possession only of government forces. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

S P ORTS Egypt star reaches milestone

Iraq sacks Serbian coach

Messi tax case delayed

JOHANNESBURG: Midfielder Mohamed Abou Trika became the ninth Egyptian footballer to reach the 100-cap milestone when he lined up against Guinea yesterday in a World Cup qualifier.

Although one of the greatest footballers produced by Africa, the 34-year has never played for a European club, preferring seven-time African champions Al-Ahly for most of his career.

An attacking midfielder in the twilight of a career that has brought many individual and team honours, Abou Trika still dreams of a first appearance at the World Cup tournament. Egypt have already won Group G with five consecutive victories, giving them an unassailable five-point lead over Guinea ahead of the final mini-league fixture at Red Sea resort ElGouna. The Pharaohs are set to face Ivory Coast, Ghana, Algeria, Nigeria or Cape Verde in a two-leg play-off during October and November, and the winners qualify for Brazil. Abou Trika has been voted CAF Africa-based Footballer of the Year three times and was a key figure when Egypt won the 2006 and 2008 Cup of Nations titles. A man with strong views, he was yellow carded during the 2008 Africa Cup for lifting his shirt and displaying “Sympathise with Gaza”.on his t-shirt.—AFP

BAGHDAD: Iraq’s football association fired the national team’s Serbian head coach yesterday, blaming a string of “bad results”, after the squad failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

“The association unanimously decided to relieve the coach of his duties and to appoint Hakeem Shakir as the national team coach,” Iraqi Football Association Vice President Abdulkhaliq Massud told AFP. Vladimir Petrovic lasted just five months in the job, and will be replaced by the national youth team’s head coach.

Petrovic had signed a one-year contract for $800,000 when he was hired. Shakir takes over as the Iraqi national squad tries to qualify for the 2015 Asian Cup, with a match against Saudi Arabia scheduled for October 15.

FIFA in July barred Iraq from hosting international football friendlies due to a surge in violence, reversing a decision to allow the country to host matches three months earlier.

Iraq’s national team has struggled to replicate their stunning success in the 2007 Asia Cup when they emerged triumphant, giving the country a rare national symbol as it was grappling with a brutal Sunni-Shiite sectarian war.—AFP

MADRID: The case involving Barcelona star Lionel Messi and his father on tax evasion charges has been delayed until September 27, a court statement confirmed yesterday. Messi was due to appear in court in the coastal town of Gava near Barcelona on September 17, the day before Barcelona start their Champions League campaign against Ajax.

However, the Argentine’s lawyers had asked for that date to be changed due to commitments on another case on the same day. Messi and his father Jorge Horacio Messi are accused of trying to deceive the Spanish taxman to the tune of four million euros ($5 million, £3.4 million) by ceding the player’s image rights to companies based in tax havens such as Belize and Uruguay. They are alleged to have drawn up deals in Britain and Switzerland to ensure that the income passed straight into the tax havens without passing through Spain. However, Messi’s lawyers have claimed the 26-year-old has scrupulously complied with Spanish legislation and will pay any amount he is found to owe. Last week a judge’s ruling confirmed that Jorge Horacio Messi paid 5.02 million euros to the tax authorities as a corrective payment in August for the four million euros due in tax plus interest.—AFP

Braves snap losing streak MIAMI: Evan Gattis drove in two runs to highlight Atlanta’s highest-scoring inning in more than a month as the Braves snapped a four-game slide by beating Miami 5-2 on Monday.

Justin Upton, Freddie Freeman and Gattis all doubled to lead off what became a five-run fourth, Atlanta’s biggest inning since a five-run fifth against Philadelphia on Aug. 2. Kris Medlen (13-12) was the beneficiary that night against the Phillies and again on Monday, getting the win after allowing six hits and two runs in 6 1-3 innings.

Atlanta (86-57) passed idle Boston (87-58) for baseball’s best record. Chris Coghlan tied a career high with four hits for Miami, which lost for the 24th time in its last 34 games. Ed Lucas added a two-run double in the seventh for the Marlins. Marlins starter Henderson Alvarez (3-4) gave up no hits in the first three innings, before Atlanta got to him in the fourth. Craig Kimbrel worked the ninth for his 45th save in 48 tries.

Atlanta has not lost more than four straight at any point this season.

CUBS 2, REDS 0 In Cincinnati, Travis Wood beat Cincinnati for the first time in his career, repeatedly pitching out of threats for seven innings.

Wood (9-11) finally beat the team that traded him after the 2011 season. He was 0-4 in his career, including three losses this season. He allowed six hits and fanned seven. Kevin Gregg gave up a double in the ninth while earning his 31st save in 35 chances. Ryan Sweeney and Luis Valbuena homered off Bronson Arroyo (13-11), who had won his last four starts against the Cubs. Arroyo allowed seven hits over seven innings, striking out six.

The Reds were coming off a week when they got six wins in seven games against St. Louis and the NL West-leading Dodgers.

Cincinnati is 13-4 against the Cubs this season.

Overall, Cincinnati has won 12 of its last 15 and 22 of its last 27 against Chicago.

BALTIMORE: Ichiro Suzuki No. 31 of the New York Yankees flies out to left field in the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park. —AFP

Orioles and Indians roll BALTIMORE: Chris Tillman took a three-hitter into the eighth inning and the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 4-2 on Monday in a game that featured an on-field confrontation between the teams’ managers.

With the victory, the Orioles moved within 1 1/2 games of idle Tampa Bay for the second AL wild card. The Yankees fell three games behind Tampa Bay. Tillman (16-5) allowed two runs and four hits in seven-plus innings. He walked none and struck out nine, matching his career high. Both dugouts emptied briefly after the first inning, when Orioles manager Buck Showalter angrily exchanged words with Joe Girardi after the Yankees manager apparently said something to Baltimore third base coach Bobby Dickerson.

Showalter had to be restrained by home plate umpire Ed Hickox. Alex Rodriguez hit his 652nd homer.

INDIANS 4, ROYALS 3 In Cleveland, Ubaldo Jimenez struck out 10 in seven innings and Asdrubal Cabrera, Yan Gomes and Carlos Santana each hit solo homers, leading the Indians to a win over the Royals in a matchup between two teams in the thick of the AL wild-card chase. The Indians, who won despite having only five hits, stayed even with Baltimore, 11/2 games back of Tampa Bay for the second wild-card spot. The Royals dropped to four games behind the Rays.

Jimenez (11-9) allowed one unearned run and didn’t walk a batter. The right-hander left with a 4-1 lead after throwing 99 pitches, but Alex Gordon hit a two-run homer off Cody Allen in the eighth. Royals starter Ervin Santana (8-9) gave up the three homers.

TWINS 6, ANGELS 3 In Minneapolis, Trevor Plouffe had two hits and drove in the tying and go-ahead runs as the Minnesota Twins snapped a 10game home losing streak with a victory over the Angels.

Plouffe’s two-run, two-out double in the fifth inning tied the game 3-all, and his bases-loaded sacrifice fly off Cory Rasmus (0-1) in the seventh put the Twins ahead as the Twins won at home for the first time since Aug. 15, avoiding the longest home losing streak since the franchise started in Washington in 1901.

The home skid was the Twins’ longest since moving from Washington in 1961.

The Senators lost 10 straight home games in 1957. Casey Fien (4-2) earned the victory

with a scoreless seventh.

WHITE SOX 5, TIGERS 1 In Chicago, Chris Sale gave up a run and four hits in eight innnigs, denying Max Scherzer his 20th win, and Miguel Cabrera was ejected in the first inning as the White Sox beat the Tigers. Sale (11-12) won for the fifth time in six decisions.

Scherzer (19-3) gave up five runs and six hits in four innings as he lost consecutive starts for the first time this season after Boston beat him Sept. 3.

It was Detroit’s fifth loss in six games, dropping the Tigers’ lead in the AL Central to 41/2 games over Cleveland. Cabrera was ejected after arguing that he was hit by a pitch.

NATIONALS 9, METS 0 In New York, Gio Gonzalez was inches from a no-hitter as Washington hit five home runs in the rout. Gonzalez (10-6) held the overmatched Mets hitless into the seventh before pinch-hitter Zach Lutz broke up the bid with a soft single for New York’s only hit. Lutz swung at the first pitch of the inning and hit a looper that landed on the first base line, taking out a chunk of chalk well behind the bag. The left-hander struck out eight and walked two for his second career shutout and fourth complete game, improving to 5-0 in his last six starts against the Mets.

Denard Span and Ryan Zimmerman hit back-toback homers to start the game. Jayson Werth and Tyler Moore also connected off Carlos Torres (3-4), roughed up by Washington for the second time in six weeks. Wilson Ramos added a three-run shot off reliever Greg Burke. The Nationals won their third straight and fifth in six games.

GIANTS 3, ROCKIES 2 In San Francisco, Brandon Belt’s RBI single with one out in the bottom of the 10th gave San Francisco its second straight walkoff win.

The defending World Series champions, however, were eliminated from contention in the NL West

MIAMI: First baseman Freddie Freeman No 5 of the Atlanta Braves attempts to pick off Chris Coghlan No. 8 of the Miami Marlins. —AFP earlier in the evening when the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Angel Pagan hit a one-out single off reliever Adam Ottavino (1-3) and took third on Marco Scutaro’s single. Belt, who doubled in the tying run in the eighth, hit a 1-2 pitch over the head of left fielder Charlie Culberson for his second game-ending hit this season.

DJ LeMahieu singled and doubled to extend his career-high hitting streak to 11 games, and Nolan Arenado scored from second base on an infield groundout for the Rockies. Buster Posey hit his 15th home run of the season for San Francisco.

DODGERS 8, DIAMONDBACKS 1 In Los Angeles, Juan Uribe homered in each of his first three trips to the plate as Los Angeles connected six times in all in reducing its magic number

MLB results/standings Baltimore 4, NY Yankees 2; Cleveland 4, Kansas City 3; Chicago Cubs 2, Cincinnati 0; Washington 9, NY Mets 0; Atlanta 5, Miami 2; Minnesota 6, LA Angels 3; Pittsburgh 1, Texas 0; Chicago White Sox 5, Detroit 1; Houston 6, Seattle 4; LA Dodgers 8, Arizona 1; San Francisco 3, Colorado 2 (10 innings).

American League National League Eastern Division Eastern Division W L PCT GB Atlanta 86 57 .601 Boston 87 58 .600 Washington 74 69 .517 12 Tampa Bay 78 64 .549 7.5 Philadelphia 66 77 .462 20 Baltimore 77 66 .538 9 NY Mets 64 78 .451 21.5 NY Yankees 76 68 .528 10.5 Miami 53 89 .373 32.5 Toronto 67 76 .469 19 Entral Division Central Division St. Louis 83 60 .580 Detroit 82 62 .569 Pittsburgh 82 61 .573 1 Cleveland 77 66 .538 4.5 Cincinnati 82 63 .566 2 Kansas City 75 69 .521 7 Milwaukee 62 80 .437 20.5 Minnesota 62 80 .437 19 Chicago Cubs 61 82 .427 22 Chicago White Sox 58 85 .406 23.5 Western Division Western Division LA Dodgers 84 59 .587 Oakland 83 60 .580 Arizona 72 71 .503 12 Texas 81 62 .566 2 San Diego 65 77 .458 18.5 LA Angels 67 76 .469 16 Colorado 66 79 .455 19 Seattle 65 79 .451 18.5 San Francisco 65 79 .451 19.5 Houston 48 96 .333 35.5

ASTROS 6, MARINERS 4 In Seattle, Jonathan Villar’s two-run single highlighted a four-run ninth inning as the Astros rallied to beat the Mariners in front of the smallest crowd in Safeco Field history.

Abraham Almonte hit his first major league homer, a two-run shot in the seventh inning, to give the Mariners a 3-2 lead.

Seattle reliever Charlie Furbush got out of a jam in the eighth, but in the ninth the Astros broke through.

Danny Farquhar (0-3) walked Marc Krauss and Carlos Corporan with one out, and Jimmy Paredes’ run-scoring single tied the game at 3. Villar then gave Houston a two-run lead with his hit to center. Kevin Chapman (1-1) pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the win.

INTERLEAGUE PIRATES 1, RANGERS 0 In Arlington, clinching their first winning season since 1992, rookie right-hander Gerrit Cole had a career-high nine strikeouts over seven innings to outpitch Yu Darvish and lead the Pirates to a victory over the Rangers.

The Pirates (82-61) didn’t get a runner to second base against Darvish (12-8) until Marlon Byrd’s two-out double in the seventh. He came home when Pedro Alvarez followed with a double.

Pittsburgh had lost a season-high four games in a row since getting their 81st victory last Tuesday at Milwaukee to guarantee their first non-losing season in more than two decades.

Darvish is 0-3 his last five starts, all Rangers losses. The Japanese right-hander struck out six while allowing one run and four hits over seven innings.—AP

for clinching the NL West title to eight.

Adrian Gonzalez, Andre Ethier and Hanley Ramirez also went deep in the Dodgers’ biggest power display in almost seven years.

Ricky Nolasco (13-9) won his seventh straight decision over eight starts. Uribe beat out an infield single to third base in the seventh against Heath Bell to drive in the Dodgers’ final run, capping his first four-hit game since April 23, 2001, against Atlanta. It was the first time the Dodgers hit as many as six home runs in a game since Sept. 18, 2006, when they hit seven.

Uribe was the eighth player in the majors this season to hit three homers, and the first Dodger to do it since Ethier on June 26, 2009, against Seattle.

It was Uribe’s first three-homer game. Los Angeles’ first four homers came off Randall Delgado (4-6), who threw 70 pitches over 2 2-3 innings. —AP

South Korea lifters leave for Pyongyang

Kuwaiti Mohammad Al Attar competes at Red Bull Art of Motion in Santorini Island

T

he world’s best exponents of the art of free running will come together in Santorini, Greece for Red Bull Art of Motion. The event, which had its inaugural staging in Vienna, Austria back in 2007, will see 18 athletes each performing against the stunning backdrop of the idyllic Greek island.

Red Bull athlete Mohammed Attar will represent Kuwait hoping to achieve a leading position in the championship. “Two years back I gained extensive experience from my first participation in the Red Bull Art of Motion that took place in Failaka and

with my continuous training I hope I can achieve a leading position in this prestigious event. “ On September 14 the world’s elite will be ready to impress the crowd with their tricks, runs and drops. The traditional paved narrow streets, terraces and domes will be the playground for the athletes, including the top eight of Red Bull Art of Motion 2012. Six more athletes will join the competition through the online qualifier.

Freerunners from all parts of the globe have the unique chance to apply with a video to qualify.

SEOUL: A delegation of South Korean weightlifters left for Pyongyang yesterday to take part in a regional competition that could see the South’s flag raised and national anthem played officially for the first time on North Korean soil. The two Koreas have only resumed dialogue in recent weeks after months of tensions earlier this year appeared to take their frayed ties to the brink of war as Pyongyang threatened missile and nuclear attacks against the South and its ally the United States.

The visit was approved by Seoul’s Unification Ministry last week after Pyongyang promised to guarantee the safety of the South Korean delegation, the ministry said.

The North also agreed to allow the South Korean flag to be raised if one of their lifters gets on the podium, and will play the South’s anthem if one of their athlete’s wins gold.

Kim Ki-dong, vice president of Korea Weightlifting Federation, said he hoped the visit would boost relations between the two neighbors.

“No matter what the results (of the competition) will be, I hope our visit to Pyongyang at this point in time, when the South and North are divided, would develop a good momentum to boost sports exchanges,” he said ahead of the team’s departure.

The delegation of 22 lifters and 19 officials from the federation flew to Beijing from Gimpo International Airport in Seoul. They were then to board a connecting flight to Pyongyang. The lifters were invited to compete in the 2013 Asian Cup and Interclub Weightlifting Championship from Sept. 11-17 in the North Korean capital.

Lifter Cheon Jung-pyung was well aware of the significance of the visit. “We’re going into North Korea, which is a big issue in history,” he said. “I’ll make sure to sing the South Korean national anthem there.” The last time South Korean athletes competed in North Korea was in 2003 for an inter-Korean basketball and soccer event.

In July, the North Korean women’s national football team received a warm welcome in the South when they competed in the East Asian Cup.—Reuters

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

S P ORTS

Race 4 victory saves Oracle’s Cup chances SAN FRANCISCO: Oracle Team USA’s heart-stopping victory in Race 4 of the America’s Cup may have saved the event as well as the syndicate’s chances to retain the oldest trophy in international sports.

Skipper Jimmy Spithill aggressively sailed Oracle’s 72-foot catamaran to an 8second victory against Emirates Team New Zealand in the fog, wind and salt spray on San Francisco Bay on Sunday.

Oracle Team USA, owned by software billionaire Larry Ellison, hopes the victory helps swing the momentum and allows it to learn a thing or two about what it’s going to take to defeat a strong Kiwi team.

One of those things is home-water advantage.

The finish line of the five-leg course is just a few hundred yards off America’s Cup Park on Pier 27-29 on the Embarcadero.

The end of the pier is packed with fans on race days, many of them waving New Zealand and American flags. On Saturday, police closed off access to the area when the crowd reached about 3,500.

Spithill wants the fans to know that the sailors can hear them cheering as the races end and the boats fly across the line on hydrofoils.

“There’s something about the home court advantage, and it’s very hard to put a value on, but it makes a difference,” said Spithill, an Australian who lives in San Diego with his American wife and their

two young boys.

“The more people we can get behind us, the more good energy they can send our way. It affects the guys on board and it lifts them. We want to keep the Cup here.

We want to keep it on the bay. These guys don’t,” he said, referring to skipper Dean Barker and the rest of the New Zealand team. “They want to take it all the way down to New Zealand, which is a long way away. So we need to use that advantage.

We need all the people from San Francisco and the U.S. to get behind us.”

The Race 4 victory came after Oracle which has only two Americans on its 11man crew - let the Kiwis come from behind to win Race 3.

Oracle trails the best-of-17 series 3 to minus-1. The syndicate was docked two points in the biggest cheating scandal in the regatta’s history.

That means Oracle needs to win 10 more races to keep the Auld Mug. Team New Zealand needs to win six more to sweep the trophy away to the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, which held it from 1995-2003. Races 5 and 6 are scheduled for late yesterday.

On Monday, an attorney for banished Oracle wing sail trimmer Dirk de Ridder filed an appeal with the review board of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) seeking to have his client reinstated. An international jury banned de Ridder from

the America’s Cup for his role in illegally modifying boats in warmup regattas last year and earlier this year.

Attorney Terry Anderlini, a former commodore of the St. Francis Yacht Club, said he believes the ISAF constitution trumps the America’s Cup protocol, which forbids appeals of jury decisions.

“The rights of these sailors are more impor tant than the America’s Cup,” Anderlini said. “You can’t just rush this thing along because you’ve got an event going on and you want a decision before the gun goes off. You just can’t take their livelihood away like this without justice and fairness.”

Monday was a lay day. Oracle was out on the bay working on improving its performance upwind, where Team New Zealand has shown better boat speed.

“It was good to get out there and work on a couple of things,” said Oracle Team USA CEO Russell Coutts, who won the first two of his four America’s Cups as skipper of Team New Zealand in 1995 and 2000.

“We’ve got to improve our upwind performance. We were out there working on a bit of that and our tacking. We made some progress.”

The Kiwis showed better speed upwind in winning Saturday ’s first two races.

Oracle sailed better upwind in Race 4, in part by engaging Team New Zealand less and protecting the favored side.

One of the keys so far has been being the first cat to round the first mark in a sprint across the wind just inside the Golden Gate Bridge. That helps it control the race from there.

Team New Zealand got there first in both races Saturday and Oracle got their first in both races Sunday. The fourth race result “doesn’t change anything for us,” Barker said. “We certainly knew coming into this event that it was going to be very, very close. To predict that you’d make it through either way to zero, I think, would be a bit cold. We know that we’ve got to be on our game to keep winning races. We’ve got to win a lot more points.

There are certainly things we need to do better.”

Being winless in four races would have been a massive setback for Oracle. This regatta has already been blemished by the death of British sailor Andrew Simpson in Artemis Racing’s capsize on May 9, only three teams being entered in the challenger series and the cheating scandal in which Oracle was caught illegally modifying boats in warmup regattas last year and earlier this year.

The win in Race 4 was “huge,” Spithill said. “A lesser team probably would have crumbled in the fourth race,” he said. “This team is very, very good under pressure and they will just fight the whole way to the end.”—AP

SAN FRANCISCO: Emirates Team New Zealand skippered Dean Barker (left) and Oracle Team USA skippered James Spithill (right) in action during race three of the Americaís Cup finals. —AFP

Zimbabwe stumble against Pakistan

Graeme Smith

Smith back for Pakistan series CAPE TOWN: Graeme Smith has been included in South Africa’s touring party for the series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates starting next month, but must still confirm his full recovery from an ankle injury that has kept him out since May. Smith is pencilled in to captain the 15man test squad for the two-match series and has also been named in the one-day selection, though Proteas convener of selectors Andrew Hudson said they would take a cautious approach with the 32-yearold.

“We should have a definite picture on the status of Graeme’s recovery from surgery within the next two weeks,” Hudson said in CSA statement released yesterday. “ We will obviously be monitoring Graeme’s condition very carefully and do not want to overload him too much during the early stages of his return.”

Smith was at Adidas headquarters in Germany last week, where he was fitted for custom made boots that it is hoped will relieve the stress on his ankles and poten-

tially prolong his career.

There were no new caps in the test squad, though middle-order batsman JP Duminy returns for the first time since picking up an Achilles injury in the away series against Australia last November.

Vernon Philander has been included in the one-day selection having made known his desire to play limited-overs cricket.

The South African selectors have been hesitant to pick the swing bowler in the past, preferring he concentrate on the longer version of the game.

“We want to give Vernon the chance to show us what he can do,” Hudson said. “He and Wayne (Parnell) are both good lowerorder all-rounders and have the ability to contribute significantly in the batting department as well.”

The first test against Pakistan will start in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 14, while there will also be three one-dayers and two Twenty20 internationals. The squad for the latter will be announced after the Twenty20 Champions League in India that starts next week.—Reuters

Giles says Vaughan wrong to write off England side BIRMINGHAM: Ashley Giles believes his former England captain Michael Vaughan was too quick in suggesting fans who’d bought tickets for the one-day series with Australia deserved a refund.

Before the series started, England named a one-day squad without several rested senior players in regular captain Alastair Cook, batsman Ian Bell and frontline bowlers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann from the ongoing oneday series against arch-rivals Australia.

Their argument was they could all do with a break before the return Ashes series in Australia starting in November. Vaughan though told his Twitter followers: “I would have only rested Captain Cook.. Plenty of time to rest from Sept 16th - Nov 21st!!!?

Can’t sell tickets then rest 5 star names!!!!

No problems resting players but I think supporters who have paid good money to watch the best should get a small refund...”

However, England limited-overs coach Giles, who played under Vaughan when England regained the Ashes in 2005, said Tuesday: “It’s harsh, I think it was said in haste by Michael.

“But you look at the side it’s an exciting side to come and watch,” added Giles at Edgbaston, where a near capacity 22,000 crowd is expected for the third ODI on Wednesday. “Kevin Pietersen, Michael Carberry is an exciting batsman at the top of the order. Then you go Jonathan Trott, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara, Steven Finn, there are some good names to watch.

Then you have the youngsters.

“I’d hope the cricketing public would want us to bring through some of our young cricketers and expose them to what is the almost the harshest of environments, which is playing Australia.”

In the absence of the senior quintet and the injured Tim Bresnan, a new-look England side suffered an 88-run thrashing

in the second ODI at Old Trafford on Sunday, with Australia captain Michael Clarke scoring a superb hundred as the tourists went 1-0 up with three to play following Friday’s washout in Leeds.

“When you have inexperience you are going to have to suffer some pain to get some gain,” former England left-arm spinner Giles said of a match where 22-year-old all-rounder Ben Stokes’s 10 wicketless overs cost 66 runs.

“Saying that there is no reason why this team can’t win these games of cricket. It was an exceptional batting performance by Australia the other day.

“Michael Clarke is one of the best players in the world, so he’s going to hurt you occasionally.” The Ashes have long been considered the pinnacle by all those involved in England cricket. As a result, Giles said he’d no problem being without senior players for the current one-day campaign. “We’ve got to get through these two Ashes series, we want to win both series, and of course once we get into the new year we move that focus more towards the World Cup. “While it’s always frustrating to any coach that you can’t have your best side in the middle, the reasoning’s absolutely spoton. “We’ve got to look after our best players while looking at the next generation coming through. “Obviously we want to win the series outright but there are other successes to be had.

“With an inexperienced bowling attack and someone like Carberry at the top of the order, we’ve had an opportunity to look at some young players.

“If we came through the series and they had some success and they’d moved on and improved, it gives us a much greater pool of players to look at down the line with the 2015 World Cup (in Australia and New Zealand) in mind.”—AFP

HARARE: Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor shared a century partnership before Zimbabwe suffered a collapse on the first day of the second Test against Pakistan at Harare Sports Club yesterday.

Zimbabwe were 237 for eight at the close of play. Masakadza (75) and Taylor (51) put on 110 for the third wicket but the rest of the batting crumbled on a pitch which had cracks that caused several deliveries to keep low.

Masakadza’s dismissal, caught at slip off a Saeed Ajmal ‘doosra’, was the first of six wickets that fell for 94 runs before the close of play.

Masakadza and Taylor came together after Zimbabwe lost their first two wickets for 31 runs.

Tina Mawoyo was caught behind off Junaid Khan without scoring off the second ball of the match after Taylor won the toss and decided to bat. Vusi Sibanda battled to 14 off 44 balls before dragging an attempted pull against Rahat Ali onto his stumps.

Masakadza, who captained the team in the first Test when Taylor withdrew because of the birth of his first child, batted solidly as he reached a half-century off 98 balls, taking advantage of any loose deliveries to hit eight fours and a six. Taylor, by contrast, looked out of touch early in his innings and was given a torrid time by left-arm pace bowler Junaid. He scored only seven runs as the partnership became worth 50 but he played with more fluency to contribute 32 of the next 50. He faced 128 balls and hit six fours.

Junaid was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers and was unlucky not to have a better return than his three for 55. Fellow left-arm opening bowler Rahat Ali took two for 48 and left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman two for 37.

One of Rehman’s victims was Elton Chigumbura, who was

HARARE: Zimbabwe batsman Hamilton Masakadza ducks a short delivery during the first day of the second Test match between Pakistan and hosts Zimbabwe. —AFP bowled by a delivery which barely rose off the tur f after hitting a crack.

Pakistan won the first Test by 221 runs. With the second and final

match of the series being played at the same venue as part of a costcutting exercise by Zimbabwe Cricket, there was concern that pitch preparation might have been

affected. There were only two nonplaying days between Tests, and Taylor said at the toss that he did not want to bat last after having had a look at the pitch.—AFP

SCOREBOARD HARARE: Close of play scores on the first day of the second Test between Zimbabwe and Pakistan at Harare Sports Club yesterday: Zimbabwe, first innings Tina Mawoyo c Adnan Akmal b Junaid Khan 0 Vusi Sibanda b Rahat Ali 14 Hamilton Masakadza c Mohammad Hafeez b Saeed Ajmal75 Brendan Taylor lbw b Abdur Rehman 51 Malcolm Waller c Adnan Akmal b Junaid Khan 23 Elton Chigumbura b Abdur Rehman 15 Richmond Mutumbami c Adnan Akmal b Junaid Khan8 Prosper Utseya not out 14 Tinashe Panyangara b Rahat Ali 24 Tendai Chatara not out 0 Extras (b4, lb 8, w1) 13 Total (8 wkts, 90 overs) 237

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Mawoyo), 2-31 (Sibanda), 3-141 (Masakadza), 4-172 ( Waller), 5-176 ( Taylor), 6-187 (Mutumbami), 7-203 (Chigumbura), 8-234 (Panyangara) Bowling: Junaid Khan 25-10-55-3 (1w), Rahat Ali 19-7-48-2, Younis Khan 3-0-7-0, Saeed Ajmal 20-5-71-1, Abdur Rehman 21-6-37-2, Mohammad Hafeez 2-0-7-0 To bat: Brian Vitori Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Khurram Manzoor, Younis Khan, Azhar Ali, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal (wkt), Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Rahat Ali. Match situation: Zimbabwe are 237 for eight in the first innings

Ferrari silent on Raikkonen rumors LONDON: Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo shunned questions about Kimi Raikkonen yesterday amid mounting speculation that the 2007 Formula One champion could be back at Maranello next season. “We won’t talk about Formula One today,” the Italian told reporters at the Frankfurt motor show. “I am trying to convince a driver to come back and am speaking to Schumacher tomorrow,” he joked.

Seven-times champion Michael Schumacher, now 44 and fully retired after his comeback with Mercedes ended last year, is most definitely not in the running. Raikkonen, the 33-year-old with the glacial gaze and ‘Iceman’ tattooed on his forearm, certainly is. Paddock whispers after last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza spoke of a done deal, although Lotus were still hoping to keep their man and Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali said no decision had been taken. Raikkonen has plenty of supporters among the passionate Ferrari ‘tifosi’

as the team’s first champion of the postSchumacher era, and last to date, and his return would a break with Ferrari tradition as much as a blast from the past.

Assuming Alonso does not produce any bombshell of his own and that it is Felipe Massa who is replaced, Ferrari would have a former world number one on both sides of the garage next season for the first time since most fans can remember. In the 1950s, team founder Enzo Ferrari had Italian champions Alberto Ascari and Giuseppe Farina racing in his cars together but Montezemolo has spoken out in the past against having “two roosters in the same henhouse”.

Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell were there together in 1990 but the Briton would have to wait until 1992 with Williams before he became a champion. Since the arrival of Michael Schumacher in 1996, Ferrari has preferred to be a team with one driver clearly ranked ahead of the other.

ITALY: Lotus F1 Team’s Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen drives at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in this file photo. —AFP

The German notched up five of his seven titles with Ferrari, taking all but 19 of his 91 wins with the Italian team in the decade between 1996 and 2006. Britain’s Eddie Irvine and Brazilians Rubens Barrichello and Massa managed just 15 wins between them as his team mates over that period.

While speculation about Massa’s future has been a regular occurrence of recent seasons, this time it seems the Brazilian has run out of road.

He has not won since 2008, when he was overall runner-up, and been on the podium just once this year. “Between the improbable confirmation of Massa and the probable arrival of Raikkonen, it’s not difficult to imagine what Alonso would prefer,” said Tuesday’s Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

Raikkonen is a man who refuses to be anything other than himself, an often taciturn soul who would happily skip most media engagements and likes to let his driving do the talking. Not much fazes him, least of all paddock mind games. When the Finn left Ferrari in 2009 to make way for Fernando Alonso, he went without burning any bridges. When he came back, after two years in rallying, it was like he had never been away. Alonso, who endured a fiery 2007 season with Lewis Hamilton at McLaren, would undoubtedly prefer a more subservient partner.

“I have a lot of respect for Felipe. We’ve been working very hard and close for four years to give Ferrari the maximum,” Alonso said in a response to fans on Twitter on Monday. “Whatever decision the team will take will be good for me and we will keep working to give Ferrari the best results possible.”

A Ferrari vacancy, the seat every aspiring racing driver dreams of, is a rare occurrence - leaving aside the occasional stand-in role - and the arrival of a champion even rarer. “We are putting on the table all the elements,” Domenicali told reporters after the race on Sunday. “We want to put all the consideration before taking the right decision and we will announce and say something on that as soon as we have finalised our discussion, because it is for sure not an easy decision for us.”—Reuters

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

S P ORTS

Fukushima far from solved, say Abe’s Games critics TOKYO: Japan’s efforts to clean up its nuclear disaster face intense global scrutiny ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, observers say, but despite government promises that Fukushima is “under control” the crisis will not be over by 2020.

Speaking to Olympic chiefs in Buenos Aires just ahead of their weekend decision to award the Games to Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said there was nothing to worry about at the plant. “Let me assure you, the situation is under control,” he said in a speech lauded by Japanese media as key to Tokyo’s success.

“It has never done and will never do any damage to Tokyo.” “Contaminated water has been contained in a 0.3 square-kilometre area of the harbour,” he added in a question-andanswer session. “There have been no health problems and nor will there be. I will be taking responsibility for all the programmes with regard to the plant and the leaks.”

Critics at home and abroad say Abe’s gloss on the disaster at Fukushima, where a tsunami swamped cooling systems and sent reactors into meltdown, is bordering on the dishonest.

“I was flabbergasted by Abe’s speech,” said Hiroaki Koide, an associate professor at Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute.

“The problem of contaminated water is far from being solved. This problem has been going on all the time since the reactors were destroyed. Contaminated water has been leaking into the ocean ever since.” Late Monday, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power reported spiking levels of radiation in groundwater and said it was “likely” leaks from tanks storing highly polluted water had made their way into subterranean water, further complicating efforts to stem pollution. Groundwater flows out to sea, taking along anything it has picked up and dumping it in the ocean.

Tomoo Watanabe, director of the Research Center for Fisheries Oceanography and Marine Ecosystems, said his understanding of the situation at Fukushima is not that it is “contained” in the way Abe explained it.

But he said he agreed with the prime minister that it is necessary to look behind the alarming headlines to see the the truth.

“You may have a definite impression that the ocean is much more contaminated after TEPCO admitted to the water leak, but we have not seen any signs of that pollution

spreading to fish,” he told AFP. Around 300 tonnes of mildly contaminated groundwater is entering the ocean every day, TEPCO says, having passed under the reactors.

Watanabe said fish caught offshore-outside the harbour-have shown a gradually decreasing level of caeseum contamination, more markedly so in waters 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the plant.

But, he added, the pollution inside the harbour is high and fish living there should not be allowed to escape into the ocean, where they would enter the food chain.

After weeks of bad news from Fukushima and amid a rising clamour of international criticism, Japan’s government stepped in last week with a half-billion dollar plan aimed at stemming the flow of polluted water reaching the sea.

Critics point out that so far, much of the work done at Fukushima to stabilise the plant has been temporary-the tanks storing highly radioactive water used to cool overheating reactors were never intended to be a permanent solution.

TEPCO’s own estimates suggest the full decommissioning of the site could take up to four decades and that much of the trickier work is yet to be done-notably the removal of reactor cores that have probably melted beyond recognition.

According to the utility’s own plan, these reactor cores-which are feared to have seeped into the containment vessels and possibly even eaten through thick concrete-will be removed around summer 2020, just as thousands of athletes descend on Tokyo.

Hiroshi Miyano, a nuclear plant expert and visiting professor at Hosei University in Tokyo, said despite the niceties in Buenos Aires, the clean-up was still a tall order.

“The Olympic success may give positive momentum and speed up the roadmap, but I’m afraid it will still take at least two decades to decommission Fukushima at best.”

In an editorial published yesterday, the left-leaning Asahi Shimbun said the fact of Shinzo Abe’s having stood on an international stage and promised to resolve the Fukushima crisis was a welcome move.

“This is an official pledge made to the world,” it said. “Abe must take action so that he won’t be seen at home and abroad to have just stretched the truth to bring the Olympic Games to Tokyo. His ability to address this issue is now being watched.”—AFP

Trinidad & Tobago clinches third place RIYADH: In what was an exciting match, Trinidad & Tobago clinched third place with a 3-1 win over Saudi Arabia at the OSN Cup 2013. Organised by OSN, the region’s leading pay-TV network and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), the runner-up match saw skilled gameplay by both contenders.

Juan RamÛn LÛpez Caro, Head Coach of the Saudi Arabia National football team said: “I would like to congratulate Trinidad & Tobago on their win - the match showed strong performance from both teams. The Trinidadian & Tobago team played extremely well, and they have pushed us as a team to train harder.

“OSN Cup served as a great platform for

the Saudi team to identify gaps in our performance, and work towards strengthening our game,” he added.

The runners-up match will be followed by the highly anticipated OSN Cup finale, where UAE and New Zealand, will vie for the coveted honour of being named the ‘OSN Cup 2013 Champions.’

OSN Cup underlines OSN’s efforts to unite fans across the Middle East and the world, through their love for football. OSN Cup, set to become an annual OSN initiative, is part of the network’s wider plans to roll out several new activities across the Arab world that promote youth engagement and bring the family together for premium entertainment experiences.

Pakistanis threaten protest over field hockey slump KARACHI: Retired Pakistani stars yesterday threatened to burn their medals and protest publicly unless the government steps in to reverse a spectacular decline in the national game, field hockey. Pakistan, four-times world champions with three Olympic golds, failed to win the Asia Cup earlier this month and so failed to qualify for next year’s World Cup to be held in The Netherlands.

The failure sparked a nation-wide protest by fans and a group of Olympians demanded that the prime minister remove incumbent officials at the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). “Prime minister Nawaz Sharif is the patron of the PHF and he must take some time out of his busy schedule to address the serious and fatal slump in our national sport,” former captain and coach Islahuddin Siddiqui told a news conference.

“The current federation has failed to pro-

duce results in the last five years and we now have nothing left in our hockey, this federation must go or else we will protest,” demanded Islah. Another Olympian, Ayaz Mahmood, threatened to burn his medals. “For us hockey is our pride, life and everything and if nothing is done to improve our hockey, I will burn my Olympic gold medal,” said Mahmood, a member of Pakistan’s last Olympic gold winning team in 1984.

Pakistan’s nose-dive slump saw them finish last in the 2010 World Cup in India. They finished seventh in the 2012 London Olympics and eighth in Beijing four years earlier-their worst ever placing.

The current PHF chairman is Qasim Zia, an Olympian and a member of the Pakistan People’s Party tipped to be sacked after his party lost May elections to Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N.—AFP

Photo of the day

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

Nadal crown brilliant year with US title NEW YORK: Rafa Nadal crowned his brilliant year by defeating world number one Novak Djokovic to win the US Open title at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday and earn his 13th grand slam singles crown. The Spaniard earned his second major championship this season following his French Open triumph, sealing the 6-2 3-6 6-4 6-1 win when Djokovic dumped a forehand into the net, sending Nadal down onto his back before rolling face down and sobbing in joy. Nadal’s career total of 13 grand slam wins moves him one ahead of Australian Roy Emerson and into third on the alltime list behind Roger Federer (17) and Pete Sampras (14).

Nadal, who won the 2010 U.S. Open in a final against Djokovic and then lost their finals rematch in 2011, improved his hard court record to a spotless 22-0 this year and his overall match record to a sensational 60-3.

“I never thought something like this could happen,” said the 27-yearold, who watched last year’s US Open on television at home during a sevenmonth absence from the Tour due to a knee injury.

“I feel very lucky about what happened since I came back.” Luck has accounted for a very small sliver of his remarkable season.

Since rejoining the Tour in February, Nadal has reached the finals in 12 of his 13 tournaments, winning 10 of them. The Spaniard said beating Djokovic made this victory even more meaningful.

“Playing against Novak is a very special feeling,” he said at the trophy ceremony. “Probably no one brings my game to the level that Novak does.” The match was a Tour-record setting 37th meeting between the two rivals, eclipsing the 36 clashes between John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl. Nadal improved his lead in their series to 22-15.

The left-hander from Mallorca collected prize money of $2.6 million.

Nadal also pocketed an extra $1 million for having topped the standings in the US Open run-up series of events, matching the $3.6 million haul of women’s winner Serena Williams.

“He was too good,” said Australian Open champion Djokovic. “He definitely deserved to win this match and this trophy. “Obviously it’s disappoint-

NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, and Rafael Nadal, of Spain, pose for photos after Nadal won the men’s singles final of the 2013 US Open tennis tournament. —AP ing to lose a match like this. But it’s an honor and privilege to be fighting for this trophy.”

The duo have staged some of the most memorable matches in recent seasons, with Djokovic winning a sixhour tilt in the 2012 Australian Open final, and Nadal claiming a classic semi-finals win this year at Roland Garros by 9-7 in the fifth set. The quality of tennis rose throughout Monday’s match, translating into long rallies, brilliant defense and booming winners that had the centre court on their feet roaring their appreciation.

Among the host of celebrities and public figures watching the game, Queen Sofia of Spain was on hand to cheer on Nadal.

Nadal rewarded his fans with a meticulous opening set, winning with relative ease with a pair of service breaks. The Spaniard, dashing around the court with speed and ease, handled the windy conditions easily, making just four unforced errors to 14

by Djokovic in the first set. Djokovic turned up the intensity and outslugged Nadal to win the second set.

The top-seeded Serb claimed a rare

service break off Nadal in the sixth game, taking a 4-2 lead by winning an exhausting 54-stroke rally when he handcuffed Nadal with a backhand to his feet.

Djokovic raised both arms above his head and shook them in triumph to cheers from the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. The Spaniard had held serve in 81 of 82 games on his way to the final. But that feeling of exultation for Djokovic was shortlived as Nadal broke right back to bring the set back on serve at 4-3.

Djokovic again showed his determination by seizing the advantage in the next game, breaking Nadal with a sizzling backhand crosscourt winner and then ending the set on serve in the next game with a backhand winner down the line.

Djokovic made it three breaks in a row against the formidable Nadal in the opening game of the third set, setting the Spaniard down at love.

Nadal leveled the set in the sixth game, foiling the Serb’s serve to make it 3-3. The match might have turned three games later. Facing triple break point at 0-40, the Spaniard fought

back ferociously, scrambling for every ball to thwart Djokovic, snuffing out the third break point with his first ace of the match on a 125-mph bullet and held after the second deuce.

That seemed to take some of the fight out of the Serb, who was broken in the next game when Nadal blasted a forehand winner up the line to move one set from victory.

“It’s all my fault,” said Djokovic. “I made some unforced errors in the crucial moments with forehands and dropped the serve twice when I should not have.

“Then he started playing much, much better after that, and I obviously could not recover.” Sensing victory, Nadal was not to be denied.

The Spaniard broke the 26-yearold Serb with a booming forehand to take a 2-0 lead, and with Djokovic wilting against Nadal’s powerful groundstrokes the world number two broke him again to make it 5-1 before serving out the victory.

“It means a lot for me to have t h i s t r o p h y,” N a d a l s a i d l a t e r, admiring the shining silver cup.

“It’s just amazing.” —Reuters

Fans overjoyed as UAE wins against NZ in OSN Cup final RIYADH: Football fever engulfed the region last night as football fans cheered UAE to victory in what was a thrilling OSN Cup final. Organised by OSN, the region’s leading pay-TV network, and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), OSN Cup kicked off on September 05 with four nations - Saudi Arabia, the UAE, New Zealand and Trinidad & Tobago competing for the trophy.

UAE scored a 2-0 win against New Zealand in a dramatic final where Ahmad Khalil and Ali Ahmad struck

the winning goals. Trinidad & Tobago secured third place with a 3-1 win against Saudi Arabia yesterday at the King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh. Ahmed Eid Al-Harbi, President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, presented Ali Khasif, Captain of the UAE team with the coveted trophy. OSN’s Maaz Sheikh, Chief Sales and Operations Officer, Hamad Malik, Chief Marketing Officer and Abdul Mohsen Al Joyan, GM for OSN KSA awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award to UAE’s star play-

er, Omar Abdel Rahman, for his game-changing performance during the tournament.

Ali Khasif, captain of the triumphant UAE team said: “We trained hard for this tournament and I am extremely glad with the way we performed. This win gives us more confidence to play international tournaments and teams and I thank the organisers, OSN and SAFF for giving us this fantastic opportunity.” David Butorac, OSN CEO added: “It was an exciting two days of world class foot-

ball action. There was great team spirit and I am sure football fans across the region enjoyed the games.

OSN Cup is a testament to OSN’s commitment to bring the best sporting action - live to its viewers across the region. I would once again like to thank SAFF for their continued support and I look forward to bringing premium experiences to Saudi Arabia and further strengthening the region’s strong sporting talent.”

Ahmed Eid Al-Harbi said: “This initiative has proven Saudi Arabia’s credentials as a world-class sporting destination, bringing together emerging and established talent from the world over, to revel in the joy of football. We would like to congratulate UAE on their victory, and look forward to further strengthening the Kingdom’s football talent pool.”

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

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

S P ORT S

In Egypt, even football struggles to unite CAIRO: In football-crazy Egypt, Ahmed Khawaga is one of the national team’s most devoted fans. But today even he feels the beautiful game is struggling to unite a deeply divided country.

Late yesterday, Egypt meets Guinea in the final round of qualifiers for the World Cup to be held in Brazil next year, and the Pharaohs have a chance of making it to the tournament for the first time since 1990. A week ago, Egypt secured a place in the FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time in two decades. But despite the exciting prospects for the country’s national sports teams, few Egyptians are paying attention. These days the traditionally football-mad nation is more focused on politics after two and a half years of turmoil that has left the country bitterly divided and dispirited.

Egypt’s national team has long cemented a sense of national unity, bringing together even the fiercest of rivals-fans of Cairo’s top football clubs Al-Ahly and Zamalek.

But today, it would take much more than a football tournament to band Egyptians together after a

deadly crackdown on Islamists that followed the military’s ouster of president Mohamed Morsi on July 3.

The current “war on terrorism” launched by the army-installed authorities has dominated the headlines, amid security related problems in Cairo.

Khawaga-as he is known by supporters of Zamalek of which he is an active member-believes that “today, it’s impossible to regroup Egyptians behind their national team”. In a turbulent two-anda-half years, Egyptians have endured a revolution that ousted longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak, 16 months of rocky rule by a military junta, and the overthrow of an elected Islamist leader.

Each phase was marred by clashes and deadly crackdowns that have left thousands of people dead. “Sport doesn’t interest anyone anymore; people only care about politics now,” says Khawaga.

The manager of one Cairo cafe can hardly believe the new reality. His clients, all sports fans, are now glued to the news and political talk shows.

“In the past, you couldn’t put anything on the television that wasn’t football,” he says. Crowds used to

celebrate every Pharaohs victory. But Egypt, who have clinched seven Africa Cup of Nations titles, failed to qualify for the two latest finals tournaments. All the festivities now seem far away.

“How can I focus on football when my friends are being killed on the streets,” says Amr Lotfi, a sales assistant in the capital. Zaki Abdel Fattah, the Pharaohs goalkeeping coach and deputy to American manager Bob Bradley, says the political conditions are “obvious”. But he remains hopeful. “To qualify for the World Cup would be a moment of joy that would reunite all Egyptians,” he says.

So far, events on the ground have frequently disrupted the Egyptian league schedule, and international matches in Egypt are played with no spectators, draining the game of its spirit and causing enthusiasm to wane. Under Bradley’s watch, the Pharaohs will be playing out of the spotlight again yesterday. For security reasons, the match against Guinea will be played without any spectators at ElGouna, a resort on the Red Sea almost 500 kilometres (300 miles) south of Cairo. Sports pages in

Egypt’s newspapers have been shrinking each day to make space for political news as events continue to shake the country.

Sometimes, politics and football become intertwined. In February, in several Suez canal cities, thousands took to the streets defying night-time curfews imposed by Morsi after death sentences were handed down to locals for their involvement in a deadly football stadium riot in 2012 in which 74 people were killed.

Since 2011, hardcore football fans known as the “ultras” had used their training and organisation to lead protests against the military council that ruled Egypt after Mubarak and before Morsi was elected with large turnouts and shock slogans.

Recently, popular Egyptian striker Mohammed Aboutrika was slammed by many for going against the popular current and taking a stand against the military’s crackdown on Islamists.

But if he were to qualify with the national team for the World Cup, the winds may once again blow in his favor. — AFP

Lights out for Uzbeks as Jordan wins shoot-out

EGYPT: Egypt’s Mohamed Aboutrika (left) vies with Guinea’s Habib Balde during their FIFA 2014 World Cup qualifying football match at Al-Gouna stadium. —AFP

Egypt see off Guinea JOHANNESBURG: Egypt midfielder Mohamed Abou Trika celebrated his 100th cap by scoring one goal and creating three in a 4-2 World Cup qualifying win over 10-man Guinea yesterday.

The result of the Group H dead rubber maintained the 100 percent record of the ‘Pharaohs’ as they chase a first World Cup appearance since the 1990 finals in Italy.

Abou Trika is the ninth Egyptian footballer to reach the 100-cap milestone and retired compatriot Ahmed Hassan holds the world record with 184 national team appearances.

Egypt finished with 18 points, Guinea 10, Mozambique three and Zimbabwe two in a mini-league dominated from start to finish by the seven-time African champions.

Fears of crowd trouble in politically turbulent and security sensitive Egypt meant the game was staged in El-Gouna-far from popular football venues Cairo and Alexandria.

It was the first time the Pharaohs have played at the Red Sea watersports resort, 450 kilometres north-east of capital city Cairo. The rudimentary 12,000-seat stadium has also been used recently for African club fixtures by Cairo powerhouses Al-Ahly and Zamalek.

Egypt made a disastrous start, falling behind after only four minutes when Adam El Abd from English second-tier outfit Brighton conceded an own goal.

A mix-up between El Abd and goalkeeper

Sherif Ekrami led to the early bonus for Guinea as they sought to avenge a 3-2 home loss last year.

The home side gradually took control and almost levelled midway through the half when goalkeeper Naby Yattara clawed away a ‘Shikabala’ free-kick.

Ibrahima Bangoura had a half-chance at the other end five minutes later, but his tame effort trickled into the hands of Ekrami. Egypt equalised seven minutes before the break when Hossam Ghaly volleyed into the net after an Abou Trika free-kick was not cleared.

Early second-half drama saw Guinea captain Kamil Zayatte red carded for handling a goal-bound shot and Abou Trika converted the resulting penalty.

But 10-man Guinea hit back just six minutes later when Seydouba Soumah beat El Abd to the ball and raced clear to net.

Yattara saved superbly from ‘Shikabala’ and Guinea substitute Mohamed Yattara was spared embarrassment by being ruled offside after missing a sitter.

Egypt nudged in front again with seven minute left and Abou Trika was involved once more, back-flicking the ball to Mohamed Salah, who rounded the goalkeeper and scored. There was no stopping Abou Trika as he put Amr Zaki through on goal and a drive from the substitute landed in the net off Mohamed Sakho. — AFP

Europe’s clubs wary of winter 2022 World Cup GENEVA: Europe’s football clubs on Tuesday flagged concerns about plans to shift the 2022 World Cup to the winter to avoid host Qatar’s stifling summer heat, amid fears of havoc in their leagues.

Bayern Munich boss Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, head of the European Club Association, said there was major disquiet among its 214 member teams about the idea, floated by FIFA and backed by UEFA. “We would like to be involved in the decision-making process on a serious and high level. Because it is of course impacting our business, so we want to have the guarantee that we will be involved in the decision-making process,” the former Germany star told reporters as the ECA’s general assembly wrapped up in Geneva.

Sepp Blatter, president of global football’s governing body FIFA, has insisted that shifting the World Cup from its traditional months of June and July makes sense for 2022. Summer temperatures in the Gulf can hit a blistering 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), but cool to the mid-20s in the winter. This week, Blatter upped the ante by saying it was not responsible to play in Qatar in the summer, even though technology exists to cool venues. European

nations, in particular England, have cried foul at the idea of holding the globe’s mostwatched sporting event in January and February, however. They underline that Qatar bid to host the tournament during Europe’s June-July close season, and that a change would disrupt their domestic leagues.

Rummenigge said heat was part and parcel of football, recalling the stifling weather when he played in the 1986 World Cup final in Mexico. Northern hemisphere summer dates have been stuck to in the past even when the World Cup was staged in the southern hemisphere-the weather at the 2010 edition in South Africa was often chilly, for example. But Blatter argues that June and July are never set in stone, and that rescheduling would reflect football’s global appeal by showing that anyone can host the World Cup. The 2022 edition will be the first in the Arab world. Asked whether choosing Qatar was wrongheaded, Rummenigge responded: “I believe everybody was a bit surprised.” “But I don’t know if it was a mistake, because the policy of FIFA was always to bring the World Cup to different continents,” he noted. He said European football understood fully that it was not alone on the planet. —AFP

TASHKENT: Jordan endured a floodlights failure and won a marathon penalty shoot-out 9-8 against Uzbekistan to reach an intercontinental play-off for next year’s World Cup in dramatic fashion yesterday. The nerveless visitors came back after conceding an early goal, leaving the scores at 1-1 at full-time, and then held firm despite an 18-minute delay when the lights went at Pakhtakor Stadium.

And in a gripping shoot-out they were able to celebrate a scarcely believable triumph when Anzur Ismailov failed to convert the decisive spot-kick.

Jordan, who were held 1-1 at home in last week’s first leg, now go into a two-legged tie against the South America’s fifth placed qualifiers-currently Uruguay-for their first ever World Cup spot. But the result meant further heartbreak for Uzbekistan, who also went out after a chaotic game in Tashkent when they last reached this stage eight years ago.

The evening had started promisingly for the hosts when they took full advantage of a freekick for an infringement on the edge of the box on just five minutes.

Two-time Asian player of the year Server Djeparov’s curling delivery was parried into the path of Ismailov, who buried the rebound on the far post.

The White Wolves were in the ascendancy for most of the first half but Jordan fired a warning when Ahmed Saleh grazed the netting with a snap shot on 40 minutes.

And just two minutes later, Saeed Murjan levelled the tie when he ran onto to a loose clearance and rammed a scorching half-volley past Murotjon Zukhurov in the Uzbek goal.

With the stakes sky-high, the game remained surprisingly open and both sides threw on attacking players in the early stages of the second half.

Uzbek substitute Sanjar Tursunov needed only to choose his spot when he was picked out

by Jasur Khasanov near the hour-mark, but he blazed over wastefully from inside the box.

Djeparov, his crewcut embellished with lightning-shaped tramlines, remained a handful and

TASHKENT: Uzbekistan’s Odi Ahmedov (top) and Jordan’s Ahmed Saleh fight for the ball during their World Cup Asia qualifying playoff soccer match. — AP Uzbekistan nearly struck again when one of his free-kicks found the head of debutant Igor Sergeev. Jordan appeared content to play for extra-time and there was no surprise when the game went to an additional 30 minutes, with penalties looming. A Djeparov free-kick felled Jordan’s Adnan Suleiman when it caught him in the face and Uzbekistan’s Ivan Nagaev was booked for diving when he tumbled in the box.

But there were farcical scenes when, 10 minutes into the first extra period, the floodlights failed at the venerable venue, prompting loud jeers and a delay of 18 minutes.

Both teams were forced to leave the field for an interruption that was so long that players and officials were seen doing warm-up stretches before the game restarted.

The incident sucked any remaining urgency from the game and, with little attacking threat from either side, there was no surprise when it went to a penalties.

Uzbekistan missed their first two spot-kicks before hauling themselves back into the shootout. But as the teams traded successful kicks Ismailov, scorer of Uzbekistan’s goal in normal play, turned fall guy as his failed attempt put Jordan through. Uzbekistan also suffered a bitter defeat in the Asian play-offs in 2005, when they had a successful penalty against Bahrain chalked off for encroachment.

Their eventual 1-0 win in Tashkent was then surprisingly annulled over the refereeing error, and Bahrain drew the replay 1-1 edging the tie on away goals. — AFP

Bunk beds and dreams of glory: Life in the Afghan Premier League KABUL: Being signed by a premiership club was a dream come true for 19-year-old striker Emal Mangal, even if top-level football in Afghanistan means being paid $9 (7 euros) a day and living in the same house as 143 other players.

Mangal is a key member of De Abasin Sape, one of eight teams in the highly-competitive second season of the Afghan Premier League (APL) in Kabul. Matches are played over seven weeks in a new stadium, and players from regional teams across the country are provided with free accommodation and food at a sprawling mansion in the suburbs. Such communal living is a far cry from the lifestyle of professional footballers in Europe, where 24-year-old Gareth Bale from Wales last week signed with Real Madrid for a pay packet reported to be worth more than $60,000 a day.

“We are here all together, eating and living and sleeping in the same place. It is great fun,” said Mangal, a third-year medical student standing outside his dormitory after morning training.

“Everyone is friends in the house, but when we get on the pitch, that finishes and we are big rivals.”

Between six and eight teammates share each bedroom, sleeping in bunk beds and surrounded by piles of football shirts, socks, suitcases, and mobile phones blasting out Indian pop music.

They stack personal belongings and pots of green tea along window sills, hang sheets around beds to get some privacy and share one bathroom between about 10, as well as do all their own laundry. But, under the beady eye of a supervisor, sweaty kit and bags of footballs are kept outside the bedrooms, and the house is surprisingly orderly considering its large community of young male residents. “After two-hours practice every day, we are so tired that we just relax afterwards, talking or watching football from Spain or England on the television,” said Mangal, who scored in his team’s opening game on Friday (30).

“We miss our families, so we call them by telephone often. My dad is so excited because the matches are on the television and he can see me play.” The league is split into eight teams covering the whole country to give all Afghans a side to support, and it hopes to promote better ethnic ties after decades of warfare and conflict.

De Abasin Sape-”Father of Rivers” as the Indus river is known-is made up of the volatile southeastern provinces of Ghazni, Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Logar and Wardak.

Kandahar and Helmand provinces, the heartland of a 12-year Taliban insurgency, are represented by De Maiwand Atalan-the “Heroes of Maiwand”,

KABUL: Afghan footballers participate in a training session at the Kabul stadium. Some 144 Afghan footballers, who represent eight regional teams in the Afghan Premier League (APL), are accommodated in a sprawling house in the Afghan capital where they live, eat and sleep. — AFP named after the 1880 Afghan battlefield victory over the British.

“We are all Pashtuns in our squad but we are friendly with the Tajik players from Herat, with Harzaras, with everyone,” said Mohammad Mohammadzai, 22, a primary school teacher from Kandahar who plays for Maiwand Atalan.

“I have taken special leave without pay to play, and we get 500 Afghanis ($9) a day for being in the league. “It is a very good tournament but I am away from home for two months which is too long.”

Mohammadzai-known to his friends as Zidane after the retired French star Zinedine Zidane-said that playing football offered a welcome distraction from the bombings and violence that are part of life in Afghanistan.

“Football as a job is not possible in this country, so this is a very good time for us,” he said. “Outside Kandahar city is still very dangerous for everyone.

We have to hope for a better future.”

The APL, sponsored by mobile phone company Roshan, has attracted crowds of a few thousand to each match, and Tolo TV claimed an audience of 12 million for Afghanistan’s recent home victory over Pakistan. All games take place in the 6,000-capacity

Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) stadium, an artificial pitch funded by the FIFA world governing body.

But training is held at the Ghazi stadium where matches during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime featured half-time public executions with murderers shot, criminals hung from goalposts and thieves’ hands cut off. Now, each morning, the Ghazi pitch instead echoes to the shouts of APL coaches as they drill their teams through complex practice routines and gruelling fitness tests.

Back at the house, the high-spirited Oqaban Hindukush (“Hindu Kush Eagles”) break out into a dance, clapping and shouting to kill time before lunch is served outside on metal trays under a colorful awning. On the floor above, team logos stuck onto doors show the way to rooms for the Heratbased Toofan Harirod, where players hone their skills on a PlayStation console game pitting Chelsea against Barcelona.

“We won the APL last year and hope to win again as we have the best players and the most experience,” said Mohammed Naqib Azadany, 24.

“Of course, we all want to go on to play for the national team.” —AFP

Zimbabwe stumble against Pakistan

17

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

Lights out for Uzbeks as Jordan wins shoot-out

19

In Egypt, even football struggles to unite

Page 19

KIEV: England’s goalkeeper Joe Hart punches the ball away during the World Cup Group H qualifier soccer match between England and Ukraine at the Olympiyskiy national stadium. — AP

England on track despite Ukraine ordeal Italy overcome scare to stamp World Cup ticket KIEV: England inched closer to qualifying for next year’s World Cup after surviving a number of scares to record a potentially crucial 0-0 draw against Ukraine in Kiev yesterday. Ukraine had an early penalty appeal waved away and gave the visitors several nervous moments on a tense night at the Olympic Stadium, but Roy Hodgson’s men held on to move a point clear in European qualifying Group H. Victories over Montenegro and Poland in their final two home games next month will give England a place in Brazil, but they will hope for improved performances after a muddled display in the Ukrainian capital. The point means Ukraine remain within a point of England-although they are now in second place, above Montenegro on goal difference-and with games against Poland and San Marino to come, they are ready to pounce if the leaders stumble.

As expected, England manager Hodgson awarded a 100th cap to Frank Lampard and replaced the suspended Danny Welbeck with James Milner in the only alteration to the team that beat Moldova 4-0 on Friday. There were four changes to the Ukraine side that had thrashed San Marino 9-0, with captain Anatoliy Tymoshchuk among the players dropping out, but as England captain Steven Gerrard had predicted, they flew out of the blocks. The hosts might have been awarded a penalty within seconds, after Roman Zozulya tumbled under a challenge from England goalkeeper Joe Hart, but referee Pedro Proenca diplomatically awarded a corner. In response, Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov fielded a 30-yard effort from Gerrard and saved at the feet of Theo Walcott, while Gary Cahill had a goal-bound header blocked by Artem Fedetskiy.

3-1 victory over Israel in their 2014 World Cup qualifier and top spot in Group F yesterday.

Defender Vasiliy Berezutsky opened the scoring from inside the box in the 50th minute. Striker Aleksandr Kokorin doubled the lead two minutes later and Denis Glushakov snapped up the rebound after Roman Shirokov hit the post with a penalty kick in the 74th.

Eran Zahavi headed in a consolation goal for the visitors in injury time. Russia leads the standings with 18 points from eight games. Portugal, which did not play on Tuesday, is one point behind. Israel is third with 12 points. Northern Ireland was playing with Luxembourg in a later game.

Denmark 1 Armenia 0 In Yerevan, captain Daniel Agger scored a second-half penalty as Denmark kept alive their slim World Cup hopes with a 1-0 win over Armenia in their Group B qualifying match in Yerevan yesterday. Agger converted from the spot in the 73rd minute after Denmark forward Viktor Fischer, who had been on the field for only six minutes, was brought down in the area by a two-footed challenge from Varazdat Haroyan. Denmark had struggled to create any chances in the first hour and almost fell behind midway through the second half when an Armenia corner bounced awkwardly off Christian Eriksen before rebounding off the Danish crossbar.

The win lifted Denmark to second in Group B with 12 points.

They could find themselves back outside the top two later in the day, however, with group leaders Italy hosting Czech Republic and Bulgaria, currently third with 10 points, away at bottom-placed Malta.

Sweden 1 Kazakhstan 0 In Astana, Zlatan Ibrahimovic netted after just 27 seconds as he led his side to a 1-0 win over Kazakhstan in a World Cup qualifier to consolidate second place in Group C. Captain Ibrahimovic notched up Sweden’s fastest goal since Hjalmar Lorichs scored 12 seconds into a friendly against Finland in 1912.

Kazakhstan attacked down the flanks but failed to trouble Swedish keeper Andreas Isaksson. Ibrahimovic had several opportunities to put the game out of reach but the PSG striker wasted several chances from free kicks around the penalty area. “We didn’t play quite as we wanted but I honestly don’t care about that now,” Sweden coach told TV station Kanal 5 after the game.

With Austria due to host Ireland and Germany playing the Faroe Islands later on Tuesday, the result strengthened Sweden’s grip on second place in the standing with 17 points.

Bulgaria 2 Malta 1 In Ta’ Qali, defender Radoslav Dimitrov scored his first international goal as Bulgaria kept a firm grip on second place in their World Cup qualifying group with a 2-1 win over Malta yesterday.

Italy top Group B with 17 points from seven matches, followed by Bulgaria with 13 points from eight games.

Denmark, who beat Armenia 1-0 earlier on Tuesday, are third with 12 points.

Malta, who are bottom with three points from eight matches, started brightly as Andrei Agius headed just over

Netherlands 2 Andorra 0 In Netherlands, forward Robin van Persie scored twice as the Netherlands qualified for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil with a 2-0 away win over Andorra in Group D yesterday. Van Persie’s stinging shot from outside the area in the 49th minute opened the scoring for the Dutch - the first team from Europe to book a place at next year’s finals - and four minutes later he scored with a tap-in after a defensive blunder. The win in Andorra-la-Velle against a defensive home side put the Netherlands on 22 points and beyond the reach of their group rivals after Romania earlier lost 2-0 at home to Turkey. It is the 10th time the Netherlands have qualified for the World Cup finals. They were runners-up in 1974, 1978 and at the last tournament in South Africa in 2010.

Switzerland 2 Norway 0 In Oslo, Switzerland took a big step toward reaching the World Cup in Brazil, winning 2-0 at its closest challenger Norway in a qualifying match yesterday.

Fabian Schaer scored twice with headers from free kicks delivered by Gokhan Inler to extend an excellent run of results away from home for the unbeaten Swiss.

The Basel defender struck in the 12th and 51st minutes, after also scoring last Friday against Iceland in a 4-4 draw at home. Switzerland provisionally leads Group E by seven points ahead of two later matches — Iceland vs. Albania and Cyprus vs. Slovenia. Iceland or Albania can close to five points with victory in Reykjavik.

Russia 3 Israel 1 In Moscow, a flurry of second-half goals earned Russia a

TURIN: Italy’s forward Mario Balotelli (third left) celebrates after scoring a penalty kick during the FIFA World Cup Qualifying group match against Czech Republic. — AFP

the bar from Andre Schembri’s precise cross in the fourth minute. However, the visitors took the lead only five minutes later when right back Dimitrov fired in a cross from the right, which keeper Justin Haber attempted to clear but ended up flicking into his own net.

Bosnia 2 Slovakia 1 In Zilina, goals from unlikely sources steered Bosnia to a comeback 2-1 win over Slovakia in a rip-roaring World Cup Group G qualifier yesterday and kept them on course to reach their first major tournament as an independent nation.The result left the Bosnians top of their section with 19 points from eight games, three more than Greece who were hosting Latvia later in the day. Third-placed Slovakia have 12 points.

Defender Ermin Bicakcic and second-half substitute Izet Hajrovic delighted several thousand visiting Bosnian fans in a packed Zilina stadium after Marek Hamsik had given the hosts a 42nd-minute lead. Both sides missed a hatful of good chances, with Slovakia keeper Jan Mucha producing a string of superb saves before midfielder Hamsik got on the end of an Adam Nemec pass and beat Asmir Begovic with a crisp left-footed shot from 10 metres.

Austria 1 Ireland 0 In Vienna, David Alaba kept Austria’s World Cup qualifying hopes alive by firing an 84th minute goal to give them a 1-0 win over Ireland yesterday.

The 21-year-old collected the ball and rifled into the roof of the net with his weaker right foot from 12 metres after the Ireland defence failed to clear a cross, effectively ending the visitors’ hopes of qualifying. The goal was just reward for the hosts who burst into life after a scrappy opening hour.

Austria, who last qualified for the World Cup in 1998, stayed third in European Group C with 14 points, three behind second-placed Sweden who they visit next month.

Ireland have 11.

Ireland had two good chances in the first half as Robbie Keane got clear of his marker and shot across the face of the goal on the turn before Anthony Pilkington shot into the side-netting after Austria lost possession in the penalty area.Austria repeatedly tried to chip passes over the Ireland defence for Andreas Weimann and Martin Harnik to run on to, but with little success.

Germany 3 Faroe Islands 0 In Faroe Islands, Germany are now just one win away from securing their Brazil 2014 berth after a 3-0 win at 10-man minnows the Faroe Islands in yesterday’s World Cup qualifier.

Germany stay five points clear at the top of Group C, but Sweden’s 1-0 win over Kazakhstan earlier in the day means that, despite dropping two points in eight games, the Germans must beat the Republic of Ireland in Cologne next month to confirm automatic qualification.

A single first-half strike by Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker was all Germany had to show for 74 minutes of endeavor until his Gunners’ team-mate Mesut Ozil netted a late penalty. Bayern Munich’s Thomas Mueller then added a third in the dying stages. The hosts from the remote northwest Atlantic archipelago, ranked 175th in the world compared to the second-placed Germans, succumbed to their eighth straight defeat in the group, but produced some dogged resistance. —AFP

Business WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

Thai govt approves 21.2bn baht subsidy for farmers Page 24 Global International continues to record growth rate of 10% Page 25

India’s exports jump as investors turn optimistic

Page 25

Japan urges LNG price cut and end to ‘Asian premium’ Page 23

FRANKFURT: A model poses in an Audi Nanuk Quattro concept car during the media day of the IAA (Internationale Automobil Ausstellung) international motor show in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, yesterday. According to the organiser, more than 1,000 exhibitors from 35 countries will present their products during the show running from tomorrow till September 22, 2013. — AFP

Automakers scent recovery at IAA show Merkel to officially open auto show today FRANKFURT: The world’s auto industry said it believes it can smell the whiff of recovery in Europe as carmakers converged on Frankfurt yesterday for this year’s IAA auto show.

“I have the feeling that for our company and for the automobile sector as a whole, the worst is behind us” in Europe, head of French car maker PSA Peugeot Citroen, Philippe Varin, told reporters as the IAA prepared to open its doors to visitors tomorrow.

After contracting by 7.0 percent in the first half of this year, the drop in the market will be shallower in the second half, Varin said. Norbert Reithofer, chief executive of the German premium car maker BMW, said he did not expect any upturn in Europe before the second half of next year. “We’ll be dealing with the crisis for the next three to five years,” he said. “If I’m optimistic, we could see a slight upturn in the second half (of 2014). But it could be longer.” And Stephen Odell, president of Ford Europe, told reporters there were “plenty of indicators that we’re running along what looks like the bottom.” Asked whether the industry would ever be able to return to the peaks of sales of around 18 million vehicles seen in Europe before the crisis, Odell said: “‘Ever is a long time. I think it will be difficult to see in this decade the industry running at the 18 million level.”

Vehicle sales in Europe are currently running at about 13.5 million units a year, well below the 18 million unit sales rate in 2007. The IAA is held in Frankfur t every two years in alternation with the Paris Motor Show.

And German Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to officially open the show tomorrow. It will run until September 22. Experts, too, believe that after years of decline, automobile sales are stabilising and may even begin to rise again from next year.

The European market has “bottomed out and is stabilising”, said Christoph Stuermer, analyst at IHS Automotive.

Stabilising sales “are a positive sign”, agreed Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive Management at

the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch-Gladbach.

“But the recovery will be slow,” he cautioned. “It will be years yet, if at all, before we can return to the levels seen in 2007”. In the seven months to July, a total 7.19 million new cars were registered in Europe.

Industry experts differ over the extent and magnitude of the upturn that is expec ted to materialise in western Europe. While analysts at PwC are pencilling in a rise from 12.1 million cars in 2013 to 14.9 million in 2019, AlixPartners are much more pessimistic and are predicting stagnant sales in the region right through until 2019.

In addition to burgeoning sentiment in Europe, sales in China and the United States are robust, auguring well for the global car market, which is expected to grow by 3.2 percent in 2013 and 4.8 percent in 2014, according to analysts at Moody ’s rating agenc y. As a result, “automakers should be sending out slightly more positive signals at the IAA”, said Euler Hermes analyst Yann Lacroix. “I believe the mood among automakers will be rather good at the IAA,” said Stuermer at IHS. For the IAA’s 65th edition, carmakers, especially German ones, will be unveiling electric or hybrid models, with BMW to unveil its first fully electric car, the i3, as well as a rechargeable hydrid i8 sports car.

Volkswagen will show off its zeroemission e-Up! and the e-Golf. French manufacturers will be there with the concept car Citroen Cactus, the new Peugeot 308 and the Dacia Duster redesigned by Renault. And Italy’s Fiat will present the new seven-seater version of its 500.

Sports car enthusiasts will be able to gasp in awe at the Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Squadra Corse, a limited series with 570 horsepower, or the Porsche 918 Spyder with close to 900 horsepower under its bonnet.

Another focus at this year’s show will be the connected car, which is capable of communicating with other cars and with the outside world. —AFP

Spain walks tax reform tightrope MADRID: Spain’s government has bowed to pressure at home and abroad by committing to tax reforms it hopes will boost public revenues without choking off a fragile economic recovery before parliamentary elections in 2015.

But it faces a series of politically unpalatable options for raising one of Europe’s lowest tax takes, suggesting it will divide up the increased fiscal burden among a recession-weary public with one eye on its chances of staying in power.

Spain’s tax take has fallen almost 50 billion euros ($66 billion) since the downturn started six years ago, putting total revenue at 36.4 percent of gross domestic product in 2012, nearly ten percentage points below the European Union average.

“Our tax system simply does not work,” president of tax inspectors organization IHE Ranses Perez Boga said. “It doesn’t bring the state the resources it needs, especially in times of economic crisis when the cost of subsidies rises.”

Sources close to the Treasury, accountants and inspectors say that, rather than raising tax rates, the ruling People’s Party whose voter support has halved since it took office in 2011 on a no-tax-hikes pledge - is likely to focus on widening its fiscal base. That may involve scrapping exemptions on income or corporation tax, they said, citing complex taxation rules for smaller businesses and tax breaks for homeowners as two areas that look ripe for change. In reforms that are set to be implemented in 2015, the government might also be forced into ending hefty sales tax discounts on some basic goods, a move that would hit Spain’s poorest citizens hard. The drop in the tax take is particularly damaging for a country that, even after waves of public spending cuts, is struggling with one of the euro zone’s highest public deficits.

Structural shortfalls were laid bare after the tide of tax revenue related to a decadelong property boom dried up around five

years ago, leaving the government scrabbling to pay rising pensions and record jobless benefit bills. The International Monetary Fund and the European Commission have urged Spain in recent months to step up reforms to its tax system, focusing on the need to widen the tax base. “The tax take is not being done very efficiently. The balance between the rate of tax and the amount of tax is not very good,” James Daniel, the head of the Fund mission to Spain, said in June.

A treasury ministry source said the government planned “a very generalized revision” of the whole tax system.

Think tank Fedea estimates that loopholes allowed corporations to sidestep 2.6 billion euros in potential tax payments in 2012, while income tax incentives were worth 10.3 billion. “Tax rates in Spain are already relatively high (but)... revenue is low. This is due to a large number of tax breaks which must be eliminated,” Ignacio Conde-Ruiz, economist at Fedea, said.

But that is easier said than done. While company tax rates are higher than in most developed nations at 30 percent, intake is 1.9 percent of GDP compared to the EU average of 2.7 percent, bringing in just 10 percent of public revenue.

Corporate tax take has fallen 21.5 percent since boom turned to bust in 2008 and profits tumbled.

Spain’s big companies have also upped the pace of their expansion abroad and medium-sized companies have followed, booking more of their taxable profits overseas. A Reuters analysis of Spain’s top 35 companies shows that the number of offshore units registered in countries with low tax regimes almost doubled to 517 in 2012 from 273 in 2009 - a process tax officials note is perfectly legal.

“There’s a global trend for corporate tax to make up a lower proportion of revenue,” said one Madrid-based tax expert at an international accountant. “Tax revenue from corporations in Spain is unlikely ever

to hit its boom years peak again.”

The collection of income tax has been hit by an unemployment rate of more than 26 percent and tipped to remain high for years. It accounted for 7.4 percent of GDP in 2011, midway up the rankings for the European Union, according to Eurostat.

Here the government might choose to reduce the number of tax brackets, though Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has already promised to reverse temporary income tax hikes by 2015 and even cut rates for lowerend earners.

A third option is to boost sales tax (VAT) which, as the second largest revenue generator after income tax, accounts for just under a third of state income and, in terms of GDP, is the lowest in the 27-country European Union.

Brussels complains Spain’s system allows for too many items in its “superreduced” tax category with a rate of 4 percent that includes basics such as eggs, bread, milk and schoolbooks.

Three years of sliding retail sales, along with a thriving underground economy estimated at around 200 billion euros or a fifth of the country’s GDP, have also hit the VAT take. Levying the general sales rate of 21 percent on more goods would be politically risky, especially after a 3-percentagepoint rise last year - and a humiliating climbdown for Rajoy who had pledged not to touch VAT further. The government has already started with some revenue-raising measures including temporary tax hikes and said in June it would scrap some corporate tax benefits. High-profile tax avoidance crackdowns involving Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi - who paid 5 million euros to authorities in September - and Michelin-starred chef Sergi Arola have also generated headlines.

But the number of tax inspectors will shrink as spending cuts have led to a freeze on hiring, and those retiring are not being replaced, says tax inspectors union Gestha.— Reuters

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

BUSINESS

Qatar central bank says money market still liquid despite Syria DOHA: Qatar’s central bank will continue draining the same amount from the money market through monthly Treasury bill auctions despite a recent drop in demand for them, its governor said yesterday.

Geopolitical tensions over Syria and the possibility of a US military strike against Damascus have caused onshore liquidity in Qatar to tighten in the last several weeks, and the last two T-bill offers were barely subscribed.

But asked by reporters yesterdsy whether the central bank would keep draining 4 billion riyals ($1.1 billion) a month, Sheikh Abdullah bin Saud alThani said: “It is maintaining.”

Last week’s auction drew bids of just 4.5 billion riyals, roughly half of demand seen at auctions earlier this year. The yield on 182-day T-bills came in at 1.15 percent, the highest level since October 2012; the yield on 91-day bills rose to a four-month high of 0.87 percent.

The central bank has conducted monthly auctions of 91-, 182-and 273day T-bills since 2011, consistently draining the same amount. In April this year, Sheikh Abdullah told Reuters that the central bank would if needed flexibly adjust the amounts of riyal bonds and Tbills which it offered.

Sheikh Abdullah also said yesterday that the day’s auction of riyal government bonds had been fully subscribed.

“I just got a message to say it is over-

subscribed, which is good news that liquidity is still going on,” he said on the sidelines of a banking conference in Qatar’s capital, without giving details.

The central bank offered a total 4 billion riyals in three-and five-year local currency government bonds and sukuk yesterday in a quarterly issue which it allocates directly to banks.

One-year Qatari riyal currency forwards, which have been pushed up by the Syrian crisis, continued to climb yes-

terday, reaching 180.01 points bid, the highest level since March 2010. They closed at 160 bid on Monday.

The rise implied a 0.5 percent weakening of the riyal from its peg of 3.64 to the US dollar over a one-year period.

Traders said the forwards had been rising over the past few weeks as some foreign investors reduced their exposure to the Gulf Arab region because of Syria; this tightened liquidity in Qatar’s small money market. —Reuters

Gulf stocks soar on Syria plan Russia launch $7bn four-tranche dollar, euro bond LONDON: Gulf stocks soared yesterday as a Russian plan reduced the threat of a US-led strike on Syria and broader emerging stocks hit three-month highs on the latest in a stream of upbeat Chinese data.

Assets in Turkey and India, which have suffered investor flight on worries about their current account deficits, rallied but the rand fell on news of a wider-than-expected deficit.

Geopolitical risks eased on hopes that Russia’s offer to work with Syria on putting its chemical weapons under international control could give US President Barack Obama a facesaving way to avoid military action.

Chinese stocks rose to a fresh three-month high after better-than-expected August factory output figures yesterday followed recent positive data on exports and inflation.

“Chinese data has been stronger across the board, that’s why equities are going up, and there is a willingness on the part of the US to consider this proposal from Russia,” said Murat

Toprak, emerging markets strategist at HSBC. The MSCI emerging equities index rose 1 percent to its highest since early June and has soared 5 percent in the last four trading sessions, helped by the positive news on Syria and on the Chinese economy. Stocks in Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai leapt between 4 and 6 percent.

But emerging stocks, which have sold off heavily on concern about a withdrawal of the US monetary stimulus which fuelled demand for risky assets, remained down 9 percent from highs set in early May. Emerging sovereign debt spreads tightened by two basis points to 355 bps over US Treasuries. Taking advantage of a relative stabilisation in yield spreads ahead of the Federal Reserve’s September meeting, Russia launched a $7 billion four-tranche dollar and euro bond and South Africa launched a $2 billion 12-year bond, both on Monday.

“We expect credit spreads to be under pressure in the coming weeks as other emerging

market countries may follow the path of Russia and tap the international bond market before US Treasur y yields rise further,” said Societe Generale analysts in a client note.

Weaker-than-expected US employment data last week has tempered fears of a large-scale reduction in the US bond-buying programme, easing pressure on markets highly dependent on foreign investor flows such as Turkey and India. The rupee rose 1.5 percent, retreating from recent record lows, and Indian stocks gained 3 percent following a holiday on Monday. Indian markets were supported also by a drop in the price of oil on the Syria news and by hopes for more market-friendly measures from new central bank chief Raghuram Rajan. Turkish debt insurance costs fell 7 basis points to 225 bps in the five-year credit default swap market, according to Markit, retreating from recent 14-month highs. Turkey’s GDP grew an above-forecast 4.4 percent year-on-year in the second quarter, data showed yesterday. — Reuters

Burgan Bank offers 20% discount to Premier clients KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday that it is offering its Premier clients a 20% discount at Artecasa.

This new offer from Burgan Bank will further build on the extensive added value promotions that aim at providing greater convenience for Burgan Bank’s customers. The bank is committed to enhancing customers’ banking experience by ensuring the continuous use of their cards, as well as taking advantage of great discounts and offers from various outlets.

Burgan Bank’s Premier Banking Service was introduced in 2007 as part of its comprehensive retail banking strategy. It offers a number of personalized services and products that have been delicately tailored to match the unique and prestigious lifestyle of its customers. Customers can enjoy priority banking service through a dedicated personal banking executive, access to exclusive premier lounges in branches, as well as entitlement to the very best in life-style related offers, discounts and promotions. Burgan Bank aims to continuously offer its Premier Banking customers a range of innovative and different banking solutions and products.

To find out more about Burgan Bank’s services as well as its latest promotions, customers are required to visit their nearest Burgan Bank branch or contact the call center on 1804080. For more information, customers can log on to the bank’s website www.burgan.com

ATHENS: Administrative employees of the Greek universities march towards the Ministry of Administrative reform in Athens, during their 48-hours strike against the redeployment scheme and layoffs yestetday. The banner reads ‘no to layoffs’, stable and permanent jobs’. Greece has agreed to redeploy a total of 25,000 civil servants and axe 4,000 state jobs by the end of the year, as part of cuts to public spending. — AFP

PARIS: French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici, left, delivers his speech as Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde, right, looks on, during the conference “Designing a European fiscal union” at Bercy Ministry in Paris, France, yesterday. — AP

Weaker oil, strong equities clip gold prices SINGAPORE: Gold tracked oil lower yesterday after Russia offered to work with Damascus to put Syria’s chemical weapons under international control, while firmer equities also dented the precious metal’s appeal.

Bullion, which has slipped nearly 18 percent this year, is also under pressure from expectations the US Federal Reserve will opt to taper its monetary stimulus programme after the Fed’s Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on Sept. 17-18. Gold fell $8.74 an ounce to $1,378.20 by 0636 GMT, well below an all-time high around $1,920 struck in September 2011. The Fed’s stimulus, known as quantitative easing or QE, has been a key driver in gold’s rally in recent years. “People are waiting for the next FOMC meeting to see whether they are going to end the QE or reduce buying debts. Sentiment is not that bullish,” said Ronald Leung, chief dealer at Lee Cheong Gold Dealers in Hong Kong.

“I think $1,400 will be capped for the time being. Physical demand is very weak in Hong Kong.” Premiums for gold bars were little changed from last week at $2 to $2.50 an ounce in Hong Kong to spot London prices, reflecting a lack of activity in the physical market.

Spot gold may have completed a rebound from the Sept 6 low of $1,362.55 per ounce and is expected to revisit that low, says Wang Tao, a Reuters market analyst for commodities and energy technicals. US gold was at

$1,378.70 an ounce, down $8.00. Brent crude futures fell to a one-week low below $113 a barrel yesterday after Russia’s proposal to avert a possible US strike against Syria.

Investors shifted some of their money to equities after stocks in Asia hit threemonth highs as investors wagered upcoming Chinese data would add to signs the global economy is stabilising.

The Nikkei closed at a 5-1/2-week high as companies expected to benefit from the 2020 Summer Olympics kept drawing retail investors, while positive leads from global markets and China data boosted sentiment.

A weaker yen and recent gains in the yen denominated Tokyo gold futures spurred selling in the physical market in Japan. Gold premiums were on par to 25 cents below the spot London prices.

“We were quoting gold bars at zero premiums last week, but the yen is getting weaker, so the general public is selling gold to us at this moment,” said a physical dealer in Tokyo.

Premiums in Singapore were steady from last week at $1 to $1.50 an ounce.

“Physical demand has picked up but it’s not great. Indonesian clients are still selling gold because of a weak rupiah,” said a dealer in Singapore.

SPDR Gold Trust, the world’s largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, said its holdings fell 0.23 percent to 917.13 tonnes on Monday from 919.23 tonnes on Friday. —Reuters

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 4.383 2.721 2.141 2.738 224.590 36.806 3.664 6.417 8.817 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES 76.150 78.463 741.720 758.470 77.769

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 41.650 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.920 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 378.220 Sterling Pound 448.440 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 273.000 133.000 69.000

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 265.33 276.98 306.57 377.70 285.35 448.23 2.92 3.681 4.316 2.141 2.741 2.725 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

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 Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

Selling Rate 285.850 278.145 448.925 378.620 305.935 754.145 77.530 78.190 76.825 401.545 41.260 2.140 4.440 2.715 3.662 6.337 698.750 3.855 9.190 4.070 3.895 86.660

Bahrain Exchange Company CURRENCY Europe British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Scottish Pound Swedish Krona Swiss Franc

BUY

SELL

0.4399348 0.0067358 0.0466050 0.3725410 0.0434000 0.4372420 0.0394199 0.3004780

0.4489348 0.0187358 0.0516050 0.3800410 0.0486000 0.4447420 0.0444199 0.3074780

Australasia Australian Dollar 0.2540654 0.2660654 New Zealand Dollar 0.2212264 0.2312264 Uganda Shilling 0.0001129 0.0001129

Canadian Dollar Colombian Peso US Dollars

America 0.2679154 0.2769154 0.0001449 0.0001629 0.2827500 0.2849000

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 Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar

0.0036226 0.0031604 0.0464000 0.0164600 0.0000442 0.0341849 0.0043658 0.0000201 0.0028459 0.0027783 0.0031931 0.0822393 0.0026211 0.0026910 0.0060284 0.0000728 0.2207333

Sri Lankan Rupee Thai Baht

0.0021000 0.0085014

0.0021420 0.0091014

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 0.7492766 0.0392474 0.0126380 0.1448562 0.0000792 0.0001841 0.3962631 1.0000000 0.0001747 0.0221692 0.0012104 0.7289892 0.0775997 0.0754400 0.0463230 0.0019414 0.1709450 0.0761404 0.0012852

0.7577766 0.0412324 0.0191380 0.1466462 0.0000797 0.0002441 0.4037631 1.0000000 0.0001947 0.0462692 0.0018454 0.7399892 0.0783827 0.0760800 0.0468730 0.0021614 0.1769540 0.0775904 0.0013852

Asia 0.0036776 0.0033904 0.0514000 0.0195600 0.0000502 0.0372849 0.0044308 0.0000252 0.0038459 0.0029583 0.0034231 0.0892393 0.0028211 0.0027310 0.0064984 0.0000758 0.2267333

Al Mulla Exchange Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 284.800 Euro 376.900 Pound Sterling 447.000 Canadian Dollar 274.050 Indian Rupee 4.370 Egyptian Pound 41.240 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.140 Bangladesh Taka 3.658 Philippines Peso 6.410 Pakistan Rupee 2.720 Bahraini Dinar 758.600 UAE Dirham 77.600 Saudi Riyal 76.050 *Rates are subject to change

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

BUSINESS

Boom times for the ‘Detroit of Southeast Asia’ BANGKOK: At a high-tech factory in the world’s fastest growing auto production hub, industrial robots and white-suited workers put the finishing touches to hundreds of cars rolling off the assembly line each day.

It could be a scene from Toyota City or Detroit, but this is Thailand, a country better known around the world for its beaches and rice paddies. With major car makers hit by a global economic downturn, the Southeast Asian nation has emerged as a rare bright spot in recent years.

Thailand’s auto production surged 70 percent in 2012 from the previous year, to 2.48 million vehicles, according to the Paris-based International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers.

In contrast, China and India saw only single digit gains. Thanks to major investment by Japanese producers as well as US giant Ford, Thailand is Southeast Asia’s most prolific car maker, streets ahead of nearest-rival Indonesia.

Last year it exported about one million vehicles. Domestic sales also continued to surge in the first six months of 2013, although they have since slowed as the number of first time buyers lured into the market by tax breaks tails off.

It is a general growth trend mirrored across much of the region as people switch to cars from motorcycles. Despite worries about Thailand’s wider economic fortunes, car makers remain bullish about the kingdom’s long-term prospects and have pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into high-tech new plants to prove it.

“There might be black clouds and there might be problems, but overall the car industry is driven by people... people with two wheels who want to get four wheels,” says Uli Kaiser, president of industry analysts the Automotive Focus Group Thailand.

“I don’t see that desire to stop, and I see Southeast Asia as the strongest growth territory in the world.”

As the battle for market share intensifies, big car makers-many from Japan-are ploughing cash into new plants determined to sell more vehicles to Thailand’s burgeoning consumer classes and take advantage of its location in the heart of Southeast Asia’s export markets.

At a Honda factory on the outskirts of Bangkok, it takes three days to fully assemble a new car. Over 1,100 drive off the production line every day.

The Japanese maker is aiming to churn out 420,000 vehicles a year in Thailand by 2015, when a new $644 million car plant is expected to open outside Bangkok.

It is a far cry from 2011 when floods swamped much of the country and shuttered the industry for weeks, raising fears automaking behemoths could shift their operations.

“We were severely affected... if we were a small company we would have gone bankrupt,” Pitak Pruittisarikorn, executive vice president of Honda

Automobile Thailand, told AFP. “But from the company that was affected most, we came back to be the company that has the highest growth.

Now Thailand is the biggest Honda production base in the region (Asia) and will be in three or five years from now.”

Last month rival Toyota started production at a sprawling $340 million assembly plant, its fifth in a country where it sold more than half a million vehicles last year.

The company says it will eventually make 770,000 vehicles-from passenger cars to vans-on Thai soil each year. The group, which employs 13,500 people in Thailand and whose pickup trucks are ever-present on its motorways, is determined to stay in pole position.

“We have to keep our market share... we can keep between 35 and 40 percent,” said Kyoichi Tanada, president of Toyota Motor Thailand, outlining his belief that Thai consumers will continue to buy around 1.2 million vehicle each

year. Nissan meanwhile has pledged to open a second factory costing $360 million next year, which will eventually produce 150,000 vehicles annually.

Thailand’s car boom has been in part steered by the nation’s government which gave the sector a shot-in-the-arm after the floods with its “first car” policy, garnering around 1.25 million orders for new cars qualifying for a tax rebate of up to $2,500.

The “Golden Year” of 2012, was followed by a record first half, but sales have since waned as fears over household debt mount and banks tighten credit lines, prompting many orders under the scheme to be cancelled.

Even so analysts see a bright future for the Thai car market, predicting 10 percent annual growth in the coming years.

It is a projection that will delight car manufacturers, but promises more frustration for Bangkok’s traffic-wear y motorists. — AFP

Asian stocks extend gains, boosted by Syria hopes Buying sentiment boosted by a rally on Wall St

LONDON: A sample of the proposed new British banknotes made of a polymer, with ten pound notes arranged for a photograph during a news conference at the Bank of England in London, yesterday. Bank of England Deputy Governor Charlie Bean, said: “Polymer banknotes are cleaner, more secure and more durable than paper money”, but the bank said yesterday it will hold public consultations to consider the change. — AP

CIMB Islamic eyes moderate growth, focus on core markets KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s CIMB Islamic Bank Bhd, part of Southeast Asia’s fifthlargest lender by assets, expects moderate levels of domestic growth as it plans to focus on core markets to maintain profitability, its chief executive told Reuters.

The modest growth expectations at CIMB Islamic, part of CIMB Group Holdings Bhd and one of the most established names in Islamic finance, highlights the broader trend in an industry that is grappling with global economic conditions that are dampening growth prospects and profitability. The Islamic lender saw gross financing assets increase by 13.2 percent year-on-year compared to 23.8 percent for the same period last year, according to June financials.

“This year we see our growth moderating even further, not just because we have a bigger base but it’s a different market altogether,” chief executive Badlisyah Abdul Ghani said in an interview at the bank’s Kuala Lumpur headquarters. “Our focus is to deepen our penetration in the existing market, making sure that we focus on customer segmentation. We want to focus on our current business activities through organic growth.” CIMB Islamic held 50.9 billion ringgit ($15.3 billion) in assets and has an overseas presence that includes Bahrain, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore.

Its consumer banking business is focused on Malaysia and Indonesia, with Indonesia in particular expected to help buoy the bank’s growth if its economy expands in line with forecasts.

“In Malaysia you will not see a high growth rate like the 20 percent, but overall we will still be over 20 percent,” he said.

CIMB Islamic now represents 15 percent of the group’s balance sheet and 30 percent of domestic operations. It now offers a wide range of banking services, having started as a unit focused on investment banking. “Islamic business across the group is still predominantly Malaysia-centric. Our overseas contribution for Islamic business is less than 10 percent and has been that for the last 11 years, and we do not foresee that increasing substantially.”

The bank is also preparing to transition some mudaraba-based deposit accounts into investment accounts to align itself with the new Islamic Financial Services Act (IFSA) that came into effect in June.

Mudaraba is a form of investment partnership that is common in Islamic finance, which follows religious principles such as a ban on interest and gambling.

“Currently we have a lot of mudarababased products that are deemed or operated as a deposit. Under IFSA they will be considered as an investment account, so that remains a deposit until five years down the road.” The bank is taking steps to make the transition but there would be no immediate impact as IFSA gives a five-year moratorium to fall in line with the rules, Abdul Ghani said. The bank’s mudaraba-based savings, demand and term deposits amounted to 5.3 billion ringgit or 15 percent of all customer deposits, according to June financials. — Reuter

HONG KONG: Asian markets extended gains yesterday, with investors buoyed by a string of upbeat global economic data as well as signs that a US-led strike on Syria could be averted.

Buying sentiment was also boosted by a rally on Wall Street, while Japanese traders were still on a high after Tokyo’s successful bid to host the Olympic Games in 2020.

Tokyo was up 1.54 percent, or 218.13 points, at 14,423.36, adding to its 2.48 percent rise on Monday as Olympic-related firms enjoyed further buying.

Sydney advanced 0.38 percent, or 19.7 points, to close at 5,201.2, while Seoul added 0.98 percent, or 19.39 points, to 1,994.06. Shanghai rose 1.15 percent, or 25.47 points, to 2,237.98, boosted by news that industrial production in China had expanded in August at its fastest rate in more than a year. Hong Kong climbed 0.99 percent, or 226.00 points to 22,976.65.

The gains follow strong trade figures Monday and add to recent results pointing to a pick-up in the world’s number two economy and key driver of global growth.

Also Monday Japan said its economy expanded at a faster pace in the April-June quarter than originally estimated, fuelling hopes that years of anaemic growth could be coming to an end.

The positive numbers follow last week’s figures on manufacturing from China, Europe and the United States that all pointed to an increase in activity. “Prospects for a global economic rebound have allowed for more confidence in

equities markets, which has made the upside direction clearer,” SMBC Nikko Securities general manager of equities Hiroichi Nishi told Dow Jones Newswires.

Investors also welcomed a possible breakthrough in the Syria crisis after Russia proposed a plan to avert a US-led strike on Damascus by securing a deal for the regime to destroy its chemical weapons.

US President Barack Obama said the move could be a “significant breakthrough”, easing concerns of an attack that many analysts fear could lead to a wider conflict in the Middle East.

Wall Street welcomed the latest events. The Dow rose 0.94 percent, the S&P 500 increased 1.00 percent and the Nasdaq climbed 1.26 percent. Oil prices retreated as supply worries softened. New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate for delivery in October, fell $1.02 to $108.50 in afternoon trade, while Brent North Sea crude for October was 80 cents lower at $112.92. In currency trade the dollar bought 100.05 yen, compared with 99.69 yen in New York on Monday.

The euro fetched 132.54 yen compared with 132.10 yen while it was at $1.3247 from $1.3254.

There were also advances in emerging markets as a weaker-than-expected US jobs report on Friday tempered expectations the Federal Reserve will start to wind down its stimulus programme this month.

Mumbai, which was closed for a public holiday Monday, closed 3.77 percent higher, Jakarta

added 3.98 percent and Manila ended up 1.54 percent, or 92.68 points, at 6,089.72.

Developing nations around the world slumped last month on fears of an end to the Fed’s bond-buying, which has been credited with fuelling an investment splurge in their economies since over the past year. Gold cost $1,372.04 an ounce at 1100 GMT compared with $1,385.42 late Monday.

In other markets: Bangkok added 0.64 percent, or 8.86 points, to 1,393.17. Department store operator Central Pattana jumped 5.77 percent to 41.25 baht, while coal producer Banpu dropped 4.49 percent to 298 baht.

Kuala Lumpur rose 1.03 percent, or 17.92 points, to 1764.95. Property developer UEM Sunrise, which rose 6.3 percent to 2.52 ringgit, and SapuraKencana Petroleum, which climbed 2.8 percent to 3.70 ringgit.

Singapore closed up 1.16 percent, or 35.69 points, at 3,123.89. Singapore Telecom rose 1.13 percent to Sg$3.59 and real estate developer Capitaland gained 0.66 percent to Sg$3.04.

Taipei rose 0.20 percent, or 16.66 points, to 8,208.77. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. was 1.46 percent higher at Tw$104.5 while smartphone maker HTC surged 5.16 percent to Tw$132.5. Wellington rose 0.30 percent, or 13.74 points, to 4,627.75. Telecom added 1.36 percent to NZ$2.23 and Fletcher Building advanced 1.18 percent to NZ$9.42.— AFP

Lloyds shares hit 3-yr high, state considers stake sale LONDON: Shares in Lloyds Banking Group hit a 3-year high yesterday as expectations mounted that the British government could start selling off its 39 percent shareholding this month.

Three sources with knowledge of the government’s thinking said it was considering selling around a quarter of its 39 percent stake - worth about 5 billion pounds if it could do so above 73.6 pence a share, the average price at which it bought them.

One of the sources said a sale could come in the next 7 to 10 days. Britain’s Conservative-led coalition government considers such a sale as a milestone in Britain’s recovery from the 2008 financial crisis, during which taxpayers pumped a combined 66 billion pounds into Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland.

Shares in Lloyds, which have more than doubled in value over the last 12 months, were trading at 78.6 pence at 1310 GMT, up 2.2 percent.

“From the level of noise, it’s imminent,” said one senior UK equities fund manager specialising in financial stocks. “Index demand should take around a quarter of the offer and I’d expect it will be well supported by institutional investors.”

The shares will be sold via a placing to pension funds and insurers after the Treasury turned down private equity and sovereign wealth funds, according to the sources close to government.

The sources said the sale would be made at a “narrow discount” to the current share price and take the form of an “accelerated book build” over a period of 24 hours. The government would ideally like to follow the example of Deutsche Bank, which raised 3 billion euros overnight in

April by placing new shares at the previous day’s close. UK Financial Investments, which manages the government’s stakes in Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland, is reviewing the situation daily, sources have said, and will make a recommendation to Britain’s finance ministry when to commence a sale. The final decision will be made by UK Finance Minister George Osborne.

“The government has consistently said we have no set timetable or target share price for beginning the return of Lloyds to the private sector, and ensuring value for money for the taxpayer will continue to be the overriding consideration for any sale,” the Treasury said on Tuesday.

Osborne may look to make the sale before the Conservative’s annual party conference begins on Sept 29, one of the sources said. Any sale needs to be made by mid-to-late October, another source said, before Lloyds enters a closed period ahead of its third-quarter results on Oct. 29.

Another factor being considered is how the shares will perform after the government has sold its stake. One source close to the government said it was wary about pressing the button on a sale when the shares could have further to rise.

“The stock has traded well but a lot of people still see some upside too,” the source said. Morgan Stanley and Bernstein last week upgraded their target prices on the stock to 100 pence per share. The government had been expected to sell the shares in four tranches, leaving a year’s gap between each sale, but the process could be accelerated should interest be keen. The U.S. offloaded $32 billion worth of shares in Citigroup in 2010. —Reuters

TOKYO: Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshimitsu Motegi (R) chats with Qatari Energy and Industry Minister Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada (2R), International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Maria van der Hoeven (2L) of The Netherlands and South Korean Vice Trade and Energy Minister Han Jinhyun (L) before starting a photo session for the second LNG Producer-Consumer Conference in Tokyo yesterday. — AFP

Japan urges LNG price cut and end to ‘Asian premium’ TOKYO: Japan called yesterday for a reduction in the price of liquefied natural gas and a rebalancing of the global market. At an LNG producer-consumer conference in Tokyo, the world’s largest importer of the fuel, industr y minister Toshimitsu Motegi complained about a so-called “Asian premium”.

“There is strong concern among the public over the surging demand and soaring prices for LNG,” Motegi said in his keynote speech at an event bringing together more than 1,000 officials and business people from about 50 economies.

“Increases in fuel procurement costs impose a heavy burden on

the Japanese economy,” he added.

Japan and some of its fellow Asian neighbours have long paid more for LNG than nations in Europe and in North America.

The LNG price for Japan stands currently at about $16.3 per million BTU (British thermal unit), against $3.8 per million BTU in the US, Motegi said. That is because the region’s contracts are often longterm and linked to oil prices, Japanese officials say. The trend has remained despite increasing global production of LNG, particularly in light of the US shale gas revolution, Japanese officials said.

The high energy cost squeezes the bottom line of Japan Inc.,

Motegi said, exacerbating the trend of companies moving abroad.

Hefty prices for LNG have also hit Japanese utilities, which are now nearly entirely without working nuclear reactors because of a public backlash in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster.

LNG-powered thermal plants used to provide about a third of Japan’s electricity before the 2011 tsunami-sparked atomic crisis.

Now they account for about a half of Japan’s electricity needs, while nuclear power, which used to provide a third of the nation’s power needs, has shrunk to just three percent. Tokyo Electric Power, operator of the crippled Fukushima

plant, said nearly half of its total costs are from fuel. Naomi Hirose, TEPCO president, complained that his firm enjoys no price advantage even though it is a high volume LNG buyer. “I don’t understand this phenomenon,” he told the conference. Hirose added that the vast utility was diversifying its energy sources in order to reduce costs.

But officials from gas-producing nations said Japan and other energy importers needed to shoulder some of the high costs of LNG production. Mohammed Bin Saleh AlSada, minister of energy and industry in Qatar, said LNG required large investments and long-term consumer commitment. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

BUSINESS

Economic powerhouse Germany grapples with global role BERLIN: Chancellor Angela Merkel has been thrust into leading Europe back from the financial brink, but Germany remains reluctant to take on global clout to match its economic prowess.

Beyond crisis efforts to save the euro, Europe’s top economy and export powerhouse remains unable or unwilling to pull its weight on major international crises, analysts say.

Its foreign policy is still defined by “caution, pragmatism, a reluctance to strike out new paths”, said Constanze Stelzenmueller of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Josef Joffe, writing in influential weekly Die Zeit, summed up German engagement abroad in a commentary headlined “Nothing but words”, charging that “Germany follows the crises in the world according to the motto ‘hurt no-one, least of all one-

self’”. Germany, shamed by its World War II aggression, stepped lightly on the world stage for decades after, refusing to send troops abroad and avoiding muscular diplomacy.

It has since joined interventions in Kosovo and Afghanistan, where it has the third-biggest foreign contingent. But it disappointed NATO allies again in 2011 by refusing to back the Libya campaign, abstaining alongside Russia and China.

Merkel’s erstwhile political mentor, ex-chancellor Helmut Kohl who oversaw German reunification, at the time complained that Germany lacked “a compass” in foreign policy and was “no longer a reliable force, internally or externally”.

Merkel’s former defence minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg recently criticised Germany’s “culture of reluctance” in foreign

and security matters in a joint New York Times editorial.

Leaders across Germany’s political spectrum still believed the nation’s economic might helped compensate for its failure to pull its weight in NATO and elsewhere, wrote zu Guttenberg, who resigned in 2011 over a plagiarism scandal.

He also argued that “‘chequebook diplomacy’ by the biggest European Union member is not a viable substitute for contributing military assets to the joint defence of our common values and interests”. The new flare-up in the Syrian crisis-just weeks before Germany’s September 22 elections-again put Merkel on the spot, as she seeks to reassure allies that Germany is a reliable partner without spooking a history-scarred and mostly anti-war electorate.

Berlin ruled out joining any US-led military strike but stressed the need for a united international response to an alleged chemical attack by the Damascus regime.

Spiegel Online said Merkel “has to dispense her views on an American attack in such a way that they are seen as criticism in Germany and support in the United States.

“It’s a method Merkel has, to a certain degree, perfected.”

Although Merkel conspicuously refrained from joining the United States and other allies among the G20 in urging a “strong” response on Syria last week, a day later Germany said it had signed on after EU foreign ministers forged a united position that also backed a strong reaction but stopped short of endorsing military action. —AFP

Puerto Rico’s economy wobbles SAN JUAN: For generations, Puerto Ricans have been migrating to the mainland United States in search of a better life. But the Caribbean island’s long recession has turned a steady flow into a torrent, stripping the territory of its young and educated population and pushing its economy into a deeper rut.

The effects are evident in the capital city of San Juan, where vacant offices dot its Golden Mile banking strip and blocks of empty condominiums have become eyesores marring its tropical beach front.

As U.S. citizens, Puerto Ricans are free to move to the mainland without legal restrictions, an option that tens of thousands of people - many of them young and well-educated - are now choosing.

In 2011 alone, the island lost a net 54,000 people, or nearly 1.5 percent of its population, as the economy weathered a sixth year of a recession that only ended in 2012.

“This is a worrisome picture for Puerto Rico,” said Deepak Lamba-Nieves, research director at San Juan’s Center for the New Economy think tank, who added that Puerto Rico’s economy has shrunk by nearly 14 percent since 2006, and its labor force participation is among the lowest in the world.

Some economists estimate the outward flow has reduced the island’s gross domestic product, now at $101 billion a year, by some $3 billion in the last decade, in part because of an increase in skilled Puerto Ricans leaving the island.

Its unemployment rate is worse than any U.S. state at 13.5 percent, U.S. Department of Labor data shows, and it’s been stuck at 10 percent or higher for at least a decade.

“And you have all these other problems like crime,” Lamba-Nieves said, “you are bound to see people looking for opportunities elsewhere.”

Maria Luisa Monserrate can’t put her finger on a single reason for her decision to leave the island for a new life on the mainland with her teenage son and toddler daughter.

“Long term, I know the job market is pretty hard,” said the 35-year-old single mother, who is preparing to leave her job as an organizational development trainer and join a brother and sister settled in Minneapolis.

“The public safety issue is a big factor. I always have to look over my shoulder,” she said. “There are better educational opportunities than I can afford here.”

The island’s murder rate runs six times that of the mainland, according to Michigan State University. Much of the violence is tied to illegal drug-trafficking, and Police Superintendent Hector Pesquera has said that the level of violence in Puerto Rico would spark an emergency declaration if it occurred elsewhere in the United States.

Statistics suggest young professionals are leaving the island in droves. The number of doctors and teachers getting on planes quadrupled in 2011, according a study entitled “Profile of the Migrant” by Puerto Rico’s Institute of Statistics. At the same time, the median age of returnees is steadily rising.

“The graying of society occurs at an alarming rate in Puerto Rico,” said Vincente Feliciano, an economist at Advantage Business Consulting. “The migration is up and down the socioeconomic scales, from neurosurgeons to house maids. The con-

stant is that the migrants tend to be younger.”

Puerto Rico’s 1,500 public schools expect 415,000 to 420,000 children to enroll this school year, down from 441,000 students last year and more than 500,000 a decade ago, in part because birth rates are declining.

Puerto Rico’s brain drain and its shrinking population have become fodder for headlines on the island.

Recent news that the family of a child actor featured in an economic development ad had moved to Florida brought an ironic twist to the worrisome trend.

The family later said the move is not permanent because the father, an engineer, has a temporary employment contract in Florida and keeps his home on the island.

The migratory wave shows few signs of letting up, with the US Census Bureau projecting the population will drop to 2.3 million in 2050, compared with 3.7 million at present.

The 4.9 million Puerto Ricans living in the continental United States as of 2011 outnumbered those on the island by more than 1 million, according to the US Census Bureau.

The effects are showing up in a wide range of statistics, including construction, housing, school enrollments and retail sales, according to economists and government data.

Government officials last month reported that sales-and-use taxes, generated largely by consumers, shrank to $553 million in fiscal 2013, down from $797 million five years earlier.

Sales of gasoline, electricity and cement dropped in July from a year earlier, according to government data released Aug. 30. Non-farm payroll employment that month dropped 3.7 percent to 889,400 from a year earlier, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics said.

To be sure, funds sent home by more emigrants might help support the Puerto Rico’s wobbly economy. But data on remittances by Puerto Ricans is not made available by the World Bank, which provides numbers for other countries. Local studies, however, have shown Puerto Ricans tend to send relatively low remittances back home, compared with emigrants from other countries in the region.

Regardless, depopulation has made it more difficult for the territory to reverse its economic decline and pay off debts of about $70 billion, which are far higher on a per capita basis than any mainland state government.

It is a situation that echoes the economic troubles that caused the financial crises of Detroit and Stockton, California, though, unlike those jurisdictions, Puerto Rico is ineligible for Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy protection because any debt overhaul would have to be treated as a foreign obligation, analysts say.

Still, the outflow has stirred fears in the U.S. municipal bond market that a smaller, more impoverished population will have to repay Puerto Rico’s massive debt.

Reflecting the perceived risk, the island pays interest rates far higher than any state government. Yields of some Puerto Rico bonds spiked above 10 percent on Monday. “We are seeing occur what occurred in Detroit. But it is not as severe a case as Detroit,” said Dan Heckman, fixed income strategist at US Bank Wealth Management. —Reuters

Thai govt approves 21.2bn baht subsidy for farmers BANGKOK: Thailand’s government doubled its offer of subsidy to help rubber farmers yesterday but protesting growers insisted it should meet other demands before they consider cancelling demonstrations planned for the weekend.

Tens of thousands of rubber farmers, angered by steep falls in prices, have taken to the streets for two weeks, blocking roads and railways, in one of the biggest challenges faced by the populist government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The most influential farmers’ group, which had sought a higher price than that proposed by the state, agreed in principle to the offer after a meeting yesterday but its leaders sought further concessions including the freeing of detained demonstrators.

“We accept the price offered but the government must agree to our other demands,” said Amnuay Yutitham, leader of a group representing farmers from 16 southern provinces, where most Thai rubber is produced. “If the government agrees and signs a deal in writing by Friday, we will call off the

protest planned for this weekend.”

He said the group wanted the release of people accused of law breaking during last week’s protests, financial assistance for those who had been injured and for the government to pay all rubber farmers including those lacking full documentation.

Yingluck has been under pressure to end a dispute that has led to delay in thousands of tonnes of shipments, as protesters shut down roads and clashed with police in southern provinces.

The subsidy of 21.2 billion baht ($659 million) approved by the cabinet will be paid to farmers based on the amount of land they hold, rather than used to buy rubber.

An earlier scheme based on purchases, as well as a similar rice buying plan have led to the build-up of stockpiles that the government has struggled to sell.

Analysts said the move away from stockpiling means there should be no impact on global rubber prices, as no supply will be taken off the market. —Reuters

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

BUSINESS

Indian car sales jump 15% but sector still seen in decline NEW DELHI: India’s car industry sales rebounded by 15 percent in August on a monthly basis, data showed yesterday, but the industry still expects to contract in 2013/14 for the second year in a row.

Carmakers sold 133,486 cars in India in August, up by 15.4 percent from the same month in 2012, snapping a record nine months of declining sales, the Society of Indian Automobile

Manufacturers (SIAM) said.

But the increase came off a low base due to weak output in the same month in 2012 caused by the temporary shutdown of a key car manufacturing plant.

“This is not a turnaround, it’s going to be another year of negative growth in car sales,” SIAM Deputy Director General Sugato Sen told AFP. “That rise in the car sales headline figure is an illusion-it does

not reflect market realities.”

“We are still stuck in a tough market ... the mood of consumers remains bad,” Sen said. India’s car market has been hit by a triple whammy of high interest rates, a sharp economic slowdown and rising fuel costs.

That figure contrasted with a sharp rebound in China’s monthly passengervehicle sales, as the world’s second-

biggest economy recovers from a twoquarter slowdown.

Last August’s car sales were depressed by the shutdown of India’s largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki for around a month following a riot by workers in which one manager was killed.

Last year, domestic passenger car sales fell by 6.7 percent to 1.89 million from a year earlier-the first contrac-

tion in a decade.

SIAM initially expected sales to grow by one to three percent this year to March 2014.

“There is no way we are looking at daylight anywhere. Things are pretty bad with sales down around 8.5 percent for the January to August period,” independent auto analyst Deepesh Rathore said. —AFP

Global International continues to record average growth rate of 10%

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: A trading company providing industrial supplies to refineries in Kuwait continues to record an average growth rate of 10 percent annually.

Speaking with the Kuwait Times, Global International General Trading and Contracting Company, Co. W.L.L., owner-partner Jose R. Erinjeri said, from 2010-2012, Global International average growth rate was at 10-15 per-

confidence of the Kuwaiti market and from then onwards we were able to satisfy our customers with our products and services. There were some ups and downs because of some economic uncertainties from 2008, yet we were able to manage and grow steadily,” he said. With a paid up capital of one million Kuwaiti Dinars, Global International General Trading & Contracting, continues to enjoy customer’s trust. “We started from a very

lion US dollars.

Few years back we opened branches outside Kuwait, we have two now; one in Ras Al-Khaimah and another in Abu-Dhabi,” he asserted.

“We cannot deny the fact the economic slowdown in 2008-2010, affected the world economy, but it was very minimal. Now, we are back on track and the company has been growing rapidly just as we wanted it,” he added.

He even admitted that growth in the

KUWAIT: Indian Ambassador Satish C Mehta and Jose Erinjeri seen inaugurating a cultural show organized by Global International recently. cent. He said, his company’s growth can be attributed to the style and leadership shown by his management team and people behind his company as they progressed since its establishment in 1993. “The upward trend started only in 1998 because during the first few years, it was establishing our name in the market. Slowly we were able to capture the trust and

small showroom of 90 square meters and now to 900 square meter facilities at Ahmadi Industrial area along with showrooms and various warehouses which are strategically located near the major industries. While our finances are growing, our physical facilities are growing as well. Now, we are renting 12,000 sqm facilities for our stocks. It is worth around 10 mil-

past years could be more than 15 percent if some of the projects in Kuwait materialized. Erinjeri said because of the domestic politics, some of the government projects were put on hold. “If the projects which were put on hold pushes through, our company will greatly benefit,” he admitted.

Ministry and some private company projects were halted due to some

domestic political scenario, although there were some industrial projects which push through slowly. His company supplies products and services to projects in the refineries, petrochemical, power stations, desalination and drilling facilities. Over the last 20 years, through dedicated service, Global International has become a huge name in supply business, thus won the approval & appreciation of all major government & private sector clients. “We have achieved our success by assuring customers the quality of our products, prompt service at all times. You know, even on holidays, if needed we open just to serve our clients,” he added. Asked whether they are affected by the rumors of war in Syria: “Yes, but war rumors continue, people are afraid but, business must continue, while they are afraid, we continue to do our regular business with clients and so, it must be business as usual. We just pray that the war will not escalate. No one likes war, we all want peace, but at the end of the day we are still human and we just pray that peace will reign,” he said.

Global International Co. employs around 150 people. The company is also into contracting business which undertakes various electro mechanical & civil contracts. Turnkey jobs in industrial sector. Global contracting has team of qualified professionals, and technical manpower undertaking quality jobs to meet the construction needs. “Our aim is to understand the needs of our customers and to provide them the right materials, the best quality products at the lowest price in the shortest possible delivery time,” he said. The company procures & stocks quality products from the best available in the world market, representing leading and reputed manufacturers from all around the globe, including AB Sandvik-Sweden, BMT (Superlok)Korea, Peppers Cable Glands LTD-UK, Viraj Profiles LTD - India, Nuhas Oman Oman, Bebitz Germany. All these manufacturers are appraised and approved by major clients.

Cinema chain owner is China’s richest person SHANGHAI: A multi-billionaire who bought US cinema chain AMC Entertainment and has just acquired a luxury British yacht builder has taken top spot as China’s richest man, according to Forbes magazine.

Wang Jianlin, head of conglomerate Wanda Group-a private firm with interests ranging from proper ty to retailing-had estimated wealth of $14 billion, the magazine said on its website.

His fortune soared from $8 billion last year, when he was in third place, putting him now $3 billion ahead of former title -holder Zong Qinghou, a beverage tycoon, it said.

A recover y in China’s proper ty market helped swell Wang’s wealth, Forbes Shanghai bureau chief Russell Flannery told AFP yesterday. “Urbanisation is going to boost demand for real estate in important Chinese cities for a long time,” said Flannery, who compiles the

This picture taken on July 17, 2013 shows the president of Chinese food and beverage company Wahaha, Zong Qinghou, attending a press conference in Beijing. Zong, who was previously China’s richest person, is now China’s second richest person with a wealth of 11 billion USD after Wang Jianlin, head of conglomerate Wanda Group — a private firm with interests ranging from property to retailing — who has an estimated wealth of 14 billion USD, according to Forbes magazine on September 10, 2013. —AFP

magazine’s annual ranking of China’s richest people. “That has fuelled wealth creation not only in China but all across Asia.” Wang’s wealth comes mainly from commercial real estate, which has been less affected by a Chinese government crackdown on surging home prices.

China has sought for more than three years to control residential property prices, but the government has recently signalled it might not take further tightening steps.

Beijing is encouraging Chinese companies to “go out” and buy up assets around the globe, and Wanda Group acquired AMC Entertainment last year for $2.6 billion. The company’s acquisition of British yacht builder Sunseeker-whose powerboats have featured in James Bond filmscompleted last month, and Chinese media also said in June that Wanda plans to build London’s tallest residential towers.

The $14 billion figure would have put Wang in 63rd place, just ahead of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, in Forbes last global billionaires list, published in March.

But China’s hyper-rich are still only worth a fraction of the world’s wealthiest individuals.

Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim topped the rankings with an estimated fortune of $73 billion, while Microsoft chairman Bill Gates was second with $67 billion.

Wanda was founded in 1988 and has total assets of 300 billion yuan ($49 billion). Its net profit topped 10 billion yuan last year, which the company aims to double by 2015, according to its website.

Zong, who heads soft- drink producer Wahaha and was previously China’s richest person, now has wealth of $11 billion, Forbes said, up from $10 billion last year. Forbes’ complete “China Rich List” is due to be released soon, Flannery said. —AFP

EU targets radical shake-up in telecoms sector BRUSSELS: The EU presents a radical shake-up of the telecoms sector today, aiming to enforce a single telecoms market and remove unpopular mobile phone roaming charges it claims are unjustified.

Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso will unveil the plans to the European Parliament in his last annual ‘State of the Union’address before elections in May for a new executive and legislature.

EU Digital Agenda Commissioner Nellie Kroes has insisted for months that it is essential the EU act now or risk losing out on the economic benefits that a fully liberalised telecoms sector could offer in a single market of 500 million people.

Last month, a Kroes report showed that the cost of making mobile phone calls in the EU was like a lottery, with huge discrepancies across the 28 member states.

A call in Italy cost 6.9 euro cents to place, rising to 8.8 cents in the EU’s biggest country, Germany, then 9.7 cents in Britain while France charged an average 12.7 cents and Spain 13.3 cents.

The average cost per minute for national mobile calls in 2011 varied from 1.9 euro cents (2.5 US cents) in Lithuania to 14.7 cents in The Netherlands.

“As these numbers clearly show, the 28 national telecoms markets in Europe today are not benefiting consumers like a single market” should, Kroes said, lamenting how far it was from being a “truly connected continent.” The long-anticipated reform package will accordingly range widely-regulation is likely to be simplified to set up a ‘one-stop’shop for operators.

Connectivity will be improved by better coordination of access to frequencies, con-

trolled by governments, so as to better develop next generation 4G services.

4G operates five times faster than the current 3G network and allows users to download large e-mail attachments quickly, watch live television without buffering, make high-quality video calls and play live games on the go. It is seen as the next essential step in the telecommunications revolution and Kroes has repeatedly lambasted EU countries for lagging behind.

At the same time, the Internet will be maintained as a fully ‘open system,’preventing operators from barring or limiting access to rival content. In July, EU anti-trust officials launched probes of several firms suspected of abusing their positions in Internet services, including Orange, Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica.

The centrepiece Wednesday is expect-

ed to be plans to end roaming charges, the sometimes prohibitive extra costs incurred when customers use their mobile phones or portable devices while abroad.

Kroes has repeatedly railed against such charges and has pushed through considerable reductions but her plan to get rid of them in 2014 is countered by companies claiming they are crucial for profitability and so to their investment plans.

The Commission in response is set to phase out all roaming charges by 2016, pushing operators to offer better deals in the name of free competition.

To do this, it will put the emphasis on packages covering many countries, with the companies encouraged to form alliances on the lines of service-sharing tieups developed by airlines to cut costs and boost income. —AFP

FRANKFURT: A Jaguar C-X 17 is presented during the first press day of the 65th Frankfurt Auto Show in Frankfurt, Germany, yesterday. More than 1,000 exhibitors will show their products to the public from Sept. 12 through Sept 22, 2013. —AP

Jaguar breaks with tradition, eyes mass market SUVs, sedans LONDON: Luxury carmaker Jaguar said it would invest $2.4 billion in a new range of lightweight aluminium sports sedans and crossover SUVs aimed at the mass market, creating 1,700 jobs in a British economy showing signs of resilience.

The spending is part of a move to launch more affordable models from 2015 to emulate the success of lower cost luxury vehicles made by its sister company Land Rover, and will better position it to compete with its larger German rivals.

Jaguar, part of the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) group owned by India’s Tata Motors, said the investment could create a further 24,000 in supply chain jobs.

“The creation of 1,700 new jobs and £1.5bn investment by Jaguar Land Rover is a great vote of confidence in the UK economy,” British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter.

British car sales rose by 11 percent in August, the 18th consecutive month of growth, in contrast to Germany, France, Italy and Spain, which all suffered sales declines.

Britain’s finance minister, George Osborne, said on Monday that the UK had turned the corner and that an accelerating economy vindicated his austerity programme. JLR has roared to health in the four years since Tata Motors bought the group from Ford for $2.3 billion.

It has escaped the cycle of plant shutdowns and falling production at many European automakers by tapping into growing demand for luxury cars in emerging markets.

Despite falling sales at home amid a sluggish Indian economy, shares in Tata Motors surged as much as 10 percent to a record high yesterday, outperforming a broader market that was up more than 3 percent.

Also yesterday, Jaguar Land Rover said

August sales rose 28 percent from a year earlier to 27,852 vehicles.

Carmakers around the world are expanding into so-called premium “crossover ” vehicles, seeking to tap demand for models that combine the functionality of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) with the comfort and performance of luxury cars.

Nearly one in every four premium vehicles sold last year in Europe was a crossover or SUV, and the category continues to grow, despite concerns about size and fuel consumption, according to UK-based consultancy LMC Automotive.

Jaguar ’s new models will compete directly with the likes of Germany’s BMW and Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz which dominate the market for entry-level luxury vehicles.

Jaguar said cash would be spent to design systems to help it introduce new one-piece “aluminium vehicle architecture”.

The new models will be built on production lines previously used to make Land Rover vehicles at JLR’s plant in Solihull, central England, where some 1,700 new jobs will be created.

A Jaguar sports sedan, due to be launched in 2015, will be the first to feature the new technology. It will also be the first car to use engines from JLR’s new engine plant in nearby Wolverhampton.

Next up will be Jaguar’s first ever sports crossover vehicle, called the C-X17, also featuring an aluminium frame, which is being showcased at the Frankfurt car show this week.

“The inherent flexibility of this all-new technology will enable the Jaguar Land Rover business to not only enter but aggressively compete in exciting new segments, creating new markets for both brands,” JLR’s Chief Executive Ralf Speth said. —Reuters

India’s exports jump as investors turn optimistic NEW DELHI: Indian exports climbed by nearly 13 percent in August on a 12month basis in a sign the falling rupee is starting to help Asia’s third-largest economy, data showed yesterday.

I n other positive news, shares climbed by nearly four percent and the currency continued to gain in value against the dollar after hitting a string of record lows in recent months.

The trade deficit in August fell to $10.9 billion from $14.17 billion in the same month a year earlier, according to commerce minis tr y fig u res.

Merchandise exports climbed by 12.97 percent in August to $26.14 billion from a year earlier while imports fell by 0.68 percent year-on-year to $37.05 billion.

“Exports are on a firm, positive terrain now. I remain optimistic about expor ts being in positive territor y,” Trade Minister Anand Sharma said as he released the figures.

The rupee slid to a lifetime low of 68.85 against the dollar last month on concern about India’s capacity to fund a record current account deficit-the broadest measure of trade. But the currency began rallying last week after the appointment of a new central bank governor, Raghuram Rajan, a former I nternational Monetar y Fund chief economist.

Rajan sought to reassure markets, saying India faced tough challenges but its economy was “fundamentally sound” despite growing at five percent last year-its slowest pace in a decade due to high inflation and borrowing costs as well as weak business confi-

dence.

India’s currency jumped 1.5 percent Tuesday from the previous trading day to 64.28 rupees to the dollar and is now down around 15 percent this calendar year. The rupee has also been lifted by weak US jobs data that has eased worries that the US Federal Reserve may start rolling back economic stimulus that has fuelled investor fund flows to emerging markets.

Shares leapt nearly four percent, or 728.58 points, to 19,998.64 points.

Separately, India’s car industry sales rebounded by 15 percent in August on an annual basis, but the industry said the reprieve was temporary and that the sector was expected to contract for a second straight year.

Carmakers sold 133,486 cars in India in August, up 15.4 percent from the same month in 2012, snapping a record nine months of declining sales, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

But the increase came off a low base due to weak output in the same month in 2012 caused by the temporary shutdown of a key car manufacturing plant.

“This is not a turnaround, it’s going to be another year of negative growth in car sales,” SIAM Deput y Direc tor General Sugato Sen told AFP. “That rise in the car sales headline figure is an illusion-it does not reflect market realities,” Sen said. “We are still stuck in a tough market... the mood of consumers remains bad,” he added. Last year, domestic passenger car sales fell by 6.7 percent to 1.89 million from a year earlier-the first contraction in a decade. —AFP

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

BUSINESS

Most GCC real estate markets witness high demand, low supply Markaz Economic Report KUWAIT: Kuwait Financial Centre “Markaz” recently published the executive summary of its report on GCC Residential Real Estate. The report examines the current and potential, demand & supply dynamics of the GCC residential real estate market.

The report also sheds the light on the key challenges, constraints and pricing trends of the GCC residential real estate market.

Over the past decade, GCC region has witnessed rapid economic development and demographic changes. High economic growth of the region resulted in influx of expatriates, which in turn increased the total population of GCC region. High population growth coupled with rise in per capita income fuelled the demand for residential units in GCC region. Even though the onset of global financial crisis in 2008 plummeted the real estate activity in the

GCC region, housing markets have rebounded to stable state due to efforts of governments. In fact, there is a shortfall of supply in major markets of GCC viz., Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain. While housing market in Oman faces concerns of oversupply post financial crisis, Qatar is moving towards oversupply crisis with large addition of housing units.

Supply shortage and increasing demand for housing units is driving the house prices and rental rates in Saudi Arabia. New housing projects planned under social welfare schemes and introduction of mortgage finance by Saudi government will drive the growth of residential real estate market. Aggregate demand for housing units in Saudi Arabia is estimated to be 2.4 million units over 2010-20.

Rebound in the UAE residential sector is the result of the government’s efforts taken to stabilize the market and promote foreign investments. Liberal laws of foreign freehold property ownership will continue to drive the demand for residential properties among expatriates in Dubai.

Kuwait residential market is characterized by undersupply of housing units and increasing demand for investment housing units due to influx of expatriates.

Limited mortgage financing options and long waiting list for land allotment hindered the construction activity and widened demand-supply gap. Total housing demand in Kuwait is expected to reach 890,000 units in 2020.

Bahrain residential property market showed signs of stabilization in 2012, after

witnessing decline in rental rates for a period of two years. Low mortgage rates stimulated a surge in demand for housing units. Political unrest in the Bahrain has triggered the shift of focus from high-end villa and apartment developments to the affordable social housing units.

Qatar residential market performed well in the year 2012. The strong economic conditions in the country and continuous improvement in the standard of living in the state contributed to the increasing demand in the residential sector. The waiting list for housing loans has been cleared in Qatar by infusion of capital. Increase in expat population due to major infrastructure projects and preparations planned for upcoming FIFA 2022 World Cup will increase demand for residential rental properties in the coming years.

Zain Group CEO gives in-depth interview with CNBC Arabia Customer experience is key focus as competition intensifies KUWAIT: Zain Group CEO, Scott Gegenheimer, has given a wideranging interview with leading Arabic TV business channel CNBC Arabiya in which he outlined the mobile operator’s strategy and confirmed Zain Group’s efforts to grow its business further by enhancing customer experience, ramping up mobile digital services as well as exploring new vertical market opportunities.

With respect to mergers and acquisitions activity, Gegenheimer confirmed that Zain Group is reviewing opportunities as they arise, and the main geographic region of interest is the Middle East and North Africa.

Gegenheimer also stated that it would be unlikely the company would consider an opportunity in which it would become the third or fourth entrant in a market, as this reduces the attractiveness of the business, but instead would continue to invest in diversifying its activities base to include adjacent undertakings including fiber optics and other broadband technologies to become an integrated services provider. “Zain has a considered and pragmatic view to investments and acquisitions,” Gegenheimer said. “Potential opportunities must fit into our on-going activities and geographic region, and of course have to be at the right price. For instance, we recently applied for the management contract for one of the mobile operators in Libya, though unfortunately the award process was suspended. We shall continue to explore that opportunity when the process is re-established,” he said.

Operationally, Gegenheimer said Zain continues to make steady progress, though in his first year of leadership of the company, he plans to achieve even more radical changes. A great amount of his time has been taken in establishing a stronger management team in the Group and for the operating companies, with Zain Group announcing recently that it had appointed seasoned telecom executive Hassan Kabbani as CEO of Zain Saudi Arabia, for example.

Gegenheimer commented: “I am working on developing a strong leadership team for our operations

so that all operations will be able to perform at the highest possible levels. There are some areas of our business that we need to focus on a little more than others, and by so doing we will be able to reap greater benefits.”

Gegenheimer also described how customer focus must remain Zain’s guiding philosophy given the strong competitive dynamics at play within each of its markets.

“One of our core strategic pillars is customer experience. We’ are kicking off key initiatives that will continue to shape how we work together internally to better service our customer.”

Furthermore he said, “We contin-

months of 2013, with data now representing 13% of our overall service revenues. This is without the inclusion of SMS and VAS, otherwise data would account for 22% of revenues.” Offering a brief summary of the activities in individual markets, Gegenheimer described the Kuwait business as remaining the cornerstone of Zain Group’s operations given its profitable nature and its nationwide 4 G LTE network, while every effort is being made to set the operation in Saudi Arabia on the path to financial and operational success.

In regard to Saudi Arabia, he highlighted three recent financial milestones, namely the favorable

Zain Group CEO Scott Gegenheimer ue to invest a lot of time and resources in the digital, non-voice space as we believe this area will be the main source of industry growth going forward, and we are upgrading our networks and building an IP network, that will allow for us to cater for better data related services.”

Zain has already launched stateof-the-art fast speed LTE 4G networks in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain, as well as 3G, 3.5G and 3.9G hi-speed services in all other countries where the company operates except Iraq. In regard to Iraq, the network has been upgraded with a Single-Ran and is ready to offer 3G services once it receives the necessary license and spectrum to offer such. He noted, “The importance of digital to Zain is evident as data revenues increased by 19% year-on-year during the first six

refinancing terms of a $2.3 billion Murabaha facility and a $600 million junior debt, as well as the Saudi Ministry of Finance approving the deferring of due payments for 7 years. “These three financial developments ensure Zain Saudi Arabia’s viability going forward, improving cash flow and liquidity and creating flexibility to support the further expansion and development of its network.”

In Sudan, Gegenheimer said the company is performing well in local currency terms showing revenue growth of 23%, though when translated to US dollar terms, its financial results have been adversely affected by negative currency fluctuations to the tune of $338 million, which have in turn greatly impacted the overall Group results.

“Nevertheless, there has been a

welcome change in the telecom tax law in Sudan which removed the 30 per cent corporate tax rate for the next three years but added a 2.5 per cent revenue share. This will be positive for us,” said the CEO. He added, “In Bahrain we have had strong customer growth of 36% over the last 12 months and launched super-fast 4G LTE and we expect impressive data growth. We are also planning to undertake an IPO, in accordance with our licence conditions, that will see an additional 15 per cent of shares offered to institutions and the general public from the Gulf region.

In Iraq, Zain Group looks to list its operation publicly in 2014, and is already at an advanced stage in preparations to that end, having recently formed an Iraq domiciled joint stock company. “Zain Iraq is a critical part of the Group representing 40% of our revenues and 31% of our customer base, it’s a promising country where we expect to grow further as we expand our network to the northern regions and expect to attain a 3G license there soon. We have invested over US$4.5 billion to date in the country and we expect the IPO proceeds to exceed US$1 billion.”

In regard to the non-equity marketing partnership with Vodafone, Gegenheimer noted that Zain is actively extracting several best practice, PR and commercial benefits. For example, in March, Zain Group gained access to the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 racing team, which saw the cars branded Zain, and viewed by a global audience. “Our agreement with Vodafone is also bearing fruit with the launch of the Vodafone-related products in both KSA and Kuwait and we’re looking to continue to launch these in other markets. Plans are in the pipeline to launch enterprise services initiatives with Vodafone as well.”

Gegenheimer, who has been CEO of Zain Group since December 2012, also commented on his pride of leading an organization that possesses so many talented people. “I am honored to leading this great brand and its people. Our brand and human capital are important assets to us, and we look to develop them further.”

Gulf Bank and Lina’s & Dina’s Diet Centre offer exclusive discounts KUWAIT: Gulf Bank has partnered with Lina’s & Dina’s Diet Centre to offer debit cardholders exclusive discounts on diet programs. This promotion was designed to provide Gulf Bank’s debit cardholders the chance of acquiring a healthy lifestyle at a discounted price.

The offer is valid from 1 September 2013 until 31 December 2013, allowing debit cardholders to take advantage of a 12% discount on

eight diet programs exclusively available at Lina’s & Dina’s Diet Centre. To avail the discount, customers are requested to use their Gulf Bank debit cards upon purchase.

Lina’s & Dina’s is a specialized diet centre aimed to help individuals and families to value their well being with a consultative approach, providing the right food and helping them to achieve more. Gulf Bank will continue looking

for innovative ways to reward its entire customer database through promotions, offers, and discounts all year round.

Customers who are wishing to subscribe to any of the eight diet programs should call the diet centre on 25747086/96 or 60908090, or contact Gulf Bank’s Customer Contact Center on 1805805 for more information or to book an appointment.

Ford Europe aims to be profitable by 2015 FRANKFURT: US auto giant Ford sees stable losses in Europe this year but aims to be profitable in the region by 2015, the head of its European operations Stephen Odell said yesterday.

“Our guidance, as I am sure you are aware, is our losses will be ver y similar to last year which was 1.8 billion euros,” Odell told repor ters on the sidelines of the IAA auto show, which opens this week.

“Obviously we’re in a lower market and we’ve got higher restructuring costs as we start to pay for closures of some of the facilities and accelerated depreciation, but despite that... we’re able to hold the losses ...

at last year’s level,” he said.

Odell said Ford was sticking to its forecast that its European operations return to the black in 2015.

“In 2015 we’re on track to be profitable for Ford Europe,” at a pre-tax level, he said.

Look ing at the overall European market as a whole, Odell said Ford was assuming industry-wide growth “in the order of about 20 percent through the next five years or so.” “I can’t tell you how it will look, it won’t be linear. There’ll be peaks and troughs,” he said.

“There are plenty of indicators that we’re running along what looks like the bottom.

Asked whether the industry

would ever be able to return to the peaks of sales of around 18 million vehicles seen before the crisis, Odell said: “‘Ever is a long time. I think it will be difficult to see in this decade the industry running at the 18 million level.”

Vehicle sales in Europe are currently running at about 13.5 million units a year, well below the 18 million unit sales rate in 2007.

The US automaker has also had to grapple with fierce competition, including extensive discounting and from German luxury makers crowding into marget segments, such as midsized vehicles, in which it has traditionally done well. —AFP

Residential real estate market in Oman suffers from excessive supply that entered market in the aftermath of highs of 2008.

A total of USD 107 million is infused into the housing funds in 2012 and the corpus fund for housing raised to USD 260 million will increase the demand for housing units in Oman. Large infrastructure projects planned as part of the Eight Development plan would bring in large number of expatriates into the country and thus increase demand for residential units.

Increasing land prices, lack of construction finance and availability of land remain key constraints in supply of housing units across GCC region. Pent up demand caused by exceptionally long waiting list for social housing in GCC countries is widening demand-supply gap in housing market.

X-cite by Alghanim Electronics launches best Back to School offers KUWAIT: X-cite by Alghanim Electronics’ launch of one of the strongest promotional campaigns to date is rooted in the highlight of the early fall period: the back to school season. With thousands of students returning to school and university, X-cite’s one-of-a-kind promotions and diverse range of low-priced electronics position the electronic retail giant as the ultimate spot for smart buys for students of all ages who are looking for a new device or electronic gadget to either aid them in their homework or simply occupy their poststudy hours. The special promotion has started on August 20 and will end on September 15, 2013.

The offer comprises a variety of gadgets and devices that not only suit students but their teachers and professors as well. The offer includes a vast amount of the latest electronic devices that benefit everyone in the field of academia as all the promoted items are practical, high quality electronic tools that come with a highly sought after price tag.

The offer includes the HP Envy 6 and Sleekbook Student Bundles that include a laptop along with a student tablet or hard disk and a valuable X-cite voucher. The 4th Generation Intel Haswell Processors in J055 models are also available at reduced prices. The latest, touchsavvy Aspire R7 has also been added to the limited time offer. The Aspire R7 is the prime choice for individuals who are fond of an interactive experience. Another featured device is the new convertible Acer Aspire P3 Ultrabook, a new type of personal computing system that is thin and light, making it ideal for people who work on the move.

Samsung has recently introduced the Tab3 lineup that comes in three different sizes: the 7, 8 and 10-inch. Slimmer and easy to handle and hold, the Samsung lineup arrives

with the latest technology and unlimited enter tainment options for its user.

Another Samsung innovation is the new Note 8.0, a technology that has been created for the creative dreamers, deep thinkers and the movers and shakers in town. Users can enjoy the freedom of scribbling down their thoughts, sketching out a concept and organize their creatively expressed ideas in a functional and inspiring manner.

Out of all the brands in the world, Apple is the most dominant and successful one in the global market. If you are a student or teacher interested in Apple and its creative

range of products, drop by the nearest X-cite showroom to benefit from the 12% discount on Mac laptops as well as getting your hands on the latest Apple accessories.

The promotion also includes offers for executives, mobile pros and individuals who seek functionality and portability, style as well as supreme technological performance. This is where Toshiba’s Z10 Series comes in, specifically the Portege.

Now available with Windows 8 on select models, Portege devices range from ultra-thin, super-light, durable and reliable Ultrabooks to laptops with a long battery life. Trust introduces attractive and affordable products that follow the latest trends and technological developments in digital accessories for PCs, laptops and tablets.

Al Hilal Bank rated A1

by Moody’s & A+ by Fitch DUBAI: Al Hilal Bank has announced that it has been awarded an A1 rating by Moody’s and an A+ by Fitch, the highest ratings awarded to an Islamic Bank in the UAE. Moody’s extended Al Hilal Bank an A1 rating with a stable outlook, citing the Bank’s robust franchise growth, strength of its asset quality, advanced technology infrastructure and government support as the rationale for the positive rating outcome.

Fitch Ratings extended the Bank an A+ rating with a stable outlook. Fitch noted improving profitability, healthy asset quality, robust reserve coverage, satisfactory capitalization as well as government support as key rating factors.

“The ratings mark a significant milestone in Al Hilal Bank’s history and stand testimony to the Bank’s philosophy of

responsible growth. The outcome emphasizes the Bank’s stance towards robust risk management, continuous infrastructure enhancement as well as relentless focus on innovation and excellence”, said Mohamed Jamil Berro, Chief Executive Officer, Al Hilal Bank.

Al Hilal Bank is one of the fastest growing banks in the UAE, with a total revenue of AED 1.8 billion and a net profit of AED 310 million. Since its inception in 2008 it has been the recipient of various local and international industry recognitions, including multiple honors for excellence in regional retail banking by distinguished award-giving bodies such as the Islamic Business & Finance Awards. Al Hilal Bank currently operates 25 branches and 116 ATMs in the UAE as well as three overseas branches in Kazakhstan.

Attractive offer with Qatar Airways DOHA: Qatar Airways is offering customers in United Arab Emirates, Iran, Oman, Kuwait, Bangladesh, Iraq, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Yemen with savings up to 25% to a wide variety of destinations (with some exclusions) during its Four-day sale.

The 96-hour marathon sale, which started at 0000 hrs (10 Sep, local time in each market) and ends at 2359 hrs on Sep 13 (local time in each market) offers customers the opportunity to travel to a variety of destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas at very attractive fares.

To make a booking or for more information, visit qatarairways.com/septembersale

The travel window is between 16 September to 11 December 2013. Seats are limited and subject to availability.

The special fares are applicable to a wide verity of destinations across Qatar Airways’ network worldwide.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “The success of our pervious promotional campaigns have encouraged us to bring this exciting offer for passengers who are planning to travel for leisure or business. The Four-day sale provides customers an excellent opportunity to visit popular destinations and discover newly-introduced routes available on our rapidly expanding network.

“Qatar Airways’ success is largely due to the support of our customers.

The Regional Sale is our way of thanking our loyal passengers for their continued support, and provides the opportunity to welcome new travellers and give them a great travel experience onboard the world’s best airline.”

Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 16 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of 129 aircraft to 130 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and The Americas.

Over the next few months, the network will expand with the addition of further destinations Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (September 18), Clark International Airport Philippines (October 27), Taif. Saudi Arabia (October 2) and Philadelphia, USA (2 April 2014).

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

technology

Microsoft launches Xbox Music on Web for free NEW YORK: Microsoft is making its Xbox Music streaming service available for free on the Web even to those who don’t use Windows 8. The expansion beyond Windows 8 devices and Xbox game consoles starting Monday is intended to bring new customers into the software giant’s ecosystem of devices and services and could help it compete with other digital music offerings like Pandora, Spotify and iTunes. It’s also an acknowledgement that the music service hasn’t done much to drive sales of the Windows 8 operating system.

The move represents another step toward Microsoft’s goal of becoming a company that sells devices and services, rather than primarily software, said Michael Turits, an analyst with financial advisory firm Raymond James. It comes on the heels of

Microsoft announcing it would buy the mobile phone handset manufacturing business of Nokia Corp for $7.2 billion and that CEO Steve Ballmer would step down within 12 months. “They’ve said they’re going to be a devices and services company.

We know they want to be a device company since they’re buying the Nokia phone division,” he said.

“This kind of thing gives more credibility to the idea they’ll be more of a services company as well.”

Most buyers of the new Windows 8 operating system discovered Xbox Music because it’s the default player for music files that people have imported from elsewhere, according to Xbox Music general manager Jerry Johnson. Opening it up to the broader public would give more people a chance to see the benefits of having multiple devices linked to

Microsoft’s platform. Its music service, for example, will save favorites and playlists across PCs, Windows Phones and Xbox game consoles.

“To actually build that ecosystem, we need to bring people into it,” Johnson said. Xbox Music allows people to choose from 30 million tracks and stream them for free with ads. The service sells downloadable tracks that have been kept off streaming services by artists or labels. A radio service on Xbox Music also generates song playlists automatically along genres or similar artists.

The thinking is if new consumers enjoy the free experience online, some might upgrade to pay $10 a month for the Xbox Music Pass, which allows playback on mobile phones and Microsoft’s game console, Xbox 360, and its upcoming version, Xbox One.

Microsoft is also launching apps for iPhones and Android devices that will allow paying subscribers to access Xbox Music. Previously, you had to have a device running the Windows Phone 8 operating system to access the plan on the go.

The decision to allow Xbox Music to run on competitors’ phone platforms is in line with Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft Corp’s move in June to release app versions of its Office software on Apple’s iPhone. Microsoft is also updating its Xbox Music interface by reducing the size of cover art but adding tabs to make it easier to create and manage playlists.

Starting with its release Nov 22, Xbox One users will also be able to play games while listening to Xbox Music simultaneously, a feature that isn’t offered on the Xbox 360. — AP

Apple’s next big thing may be a lower-priced iPhone Upgraded iPhone to have fingerprint lock

MOUNTAIN VIEW: Mark Maggi of Wind River Systems participates in a “cyber readiness challenge” held by Symantec, at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. — MCT

Companies launch cyber ‘war games’ to prepare for hackers

C

lusters of corporate techies hunched over their laptops one recent evening in Mountain View, Calif., feverishly trying to figure out how RK Industries hacked into and stole critical information from its rival, EntraDyn. It’s a common occurrence, but in this case the firms were fictitious, and the event - a simulated exercise put on by security firm Symantec - featured rock music, a buffet and an open bar for the participants. Even so, it had a serious purpose: Increasingly under Internet attack, more and more businesses are using “cyberwar games” to learn how to spot and counter the tricky tactics used by hackers.

“It keeps you on your toes,” said Michael Scheck, an information security investigations manager at Cisco Systems, which hosts its own war games and takes part in others. In the fast-evolving combat with computer-savvy antagonists, he said, “you have to play cat and mouse.” Getting bested by the bad guys can be expensive. A study sponsored by Hewlett-Packard last year concluded the average cost of a cyberattack on a US company was $591,780 and rising. In response, companies are sending their employees to so-called cyber-ranges and other venues to engage in make-believe hacking scenarios.

In a survey of about 1,400 businesses last year, management consultant McKinsey & Co. said it found that 3 percent of them had conducted “cyberwar games to help ensure they are ready to manage a cyberattack.” McKinsey wouldn’t identify the respondents, but noted that “most were in high tech and financial services.”

Although several of those attending Symantec’s event at the Computer History Museum didn’t want their employers identified, companies represented there included Intel Corp. subsidiar y Wind River Systems, Tesla Motors Inc. and Google Inc. Many firms also routinely test their ability to withstand attacks, including utility Pacific Gas & Electric. Using employees he calls “my ninjas” who periodically attempt to hack into the utility, James Sample, its chief information security officer, said “we do mock-up scenarios” to assess the company’s vulnerability to cyberattacks. Firms find the war games especially helpful, where they compete against other companies to see who can best respond to hypothetical cyber incursions.

Mountain View-based Symantec, which sells widely used Norton antivirus software, puts on these “cyber readiness challenges” worldwide. It contends the games help participants think like hackers, so they can better recognize and respond to their corpora-

tions’ vulnerabilities.

“Every day you hear about new attacks,” said Samir Kapuria, Symantec’s vice president of business strategy and security intelligence. “What we try to do is take that knowledge of what’s happening to companies and organizations around the world, and weave that into the scenarios.” That way, he added, they can “hone their skills so the first time they are up against something, it’s actually something they’ve practiced.”

In Symantec’s virtual contest, which was akin to a video game, participants were given hints that helped them hack into the fictional RK Industries and figure out what RK stole from EntraDyn. “Think of it as a giant scavenger hunt, where you are given a riddle or clue about how to find something,” said Josh Chin, executive director of Southern California-based Net Force, who placed third in the competition. Besides teaching him how to better guard his client’s data, he said, such exercises offer a way to “show how good you are” when pitted against other security experts.

During an earlier challenge Symantec hosted for its own employees, one grandstanding prankster even surreptitiously hacked into the game’s scoreboard, according to spokeswoman Pamela Reese. She said she wasn’t sure what the person was up to, but figured it was “either to improve their score or mess around with players’ names.”

Cisco’s Scheck said his company also has taken part in war games put on by the US Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies, some of which had the businesses work together to blunt cyberattacks. That’s been helpful, he said, because to counter sophisticated and organized hackers, “corporations are realizing they need to share more information with each other to make life more difficult for their adversaries.”

Finding skilled workers for that fight is another priority. In March, Cisco, Workday, McAfee, PG&E and other companies sponsored a cyberwar game in Pomona for college students, during which several of the firms recruited the players for their security departments, according to Daniel Manson, a computer information systems professor who helped organize the event. Given the shortage of employees skilled in dealing with cyberattacks, he viewed the effort to hire the students as indicative of a major shift in corporate thinking. Although many businesses failed to take cybersecurity seriously in the past, with so many of them getting hacked these days, he added, “it’s a risk I think they are starting to appreciate.” — MCT

BERLIN: A giant 3D-presentation is seen through 3D glasses at the LG Electronics booth at IFA, one of the world’s largest trade fairs for consumer electronics and electrical home appliances. IFA will take place on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds from Sept 6 to 11, 2013.— AP

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple’s much-anticipated update to its line-up of iPhones may leave the impression that the technology pioneer’s focus has shifted to making more affordable products than engineering innovative breakthroughs. In keeping with its tight-lipped ways, Apple Inc hasn’t disclosed what’s on the agenda for the coming-out party scheduled at its Cupertino, California, headquarters. But this is the time of year that Apple typically shows off the latest generation of its iPhone, a device that has reshaped the way people use computers since its debut in 2007. Apple took the wraps off the iPhone 5, the current model, last September. The company has never waited longer than a year to update the iPhone, which has generated $88 billion in revenue during the past year.

Apple’s timetable for rolling out products has vexed many investors who have watched the company’s growth slow and profit margins decrease. Meanwhile, a bevy of smartphone makers, most of whom rely on Google Inc.’s free Android software, release wave after wave of devices that cost less than the iPhone. Those concerns are reflected in Apple’s stock price, which has declined nearly 30 percent since peaking at $705.07 at about the same time the iPhone 5 went on sale last year. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index has risen about 14 percent during the same stretch.

Even though Apple’s market value of roughly $460 billion is more than any other company in the world, the deterioration in its stock price is escalating the pressure on CEO Tim Cook to prove he’s the right leader to carry on the legacy of co-founder Steve Jobs. Since Cook became CEO two years ago, Apple has only pushed out new versions of products developed under Jobs, raising questions about whether the company’s technological vision has become blurred under the new regime.

In public appearances, Cook has repeatedly said Apple is working on some exciting breakthroughs, but he hasn’t revealed details. The company is believed to be working on a socalled “smartwatch” that would work like a wristbound smartphone. Samsung Electronics, one of Apple’s biggest rivals, introduced its own $300

smartwatch called Gear last week, as did Sony and Qualcomm Inc. It’s unclear whether a smartwatch will be on Apple’s Tuesday agenda.

The company isn’t expected to reveal the latest model of its tablet computer, the iPad, until later in the fall. Apple introduced a smaller, less expensive version of the iPad last year in response to the success of more compact and cheaper tablets running on the Android system.

This year’s refresh of the iPhone line may address the growing popularity of cheaper Android phones. Based on leaks from suppliers, it appears Apple is poised to release a less elaborate and less expensive version of the iPhone in an attempt to appeal to consumers too frugal or too poor to pay for the high-end model that sells for more than $600 without a wireless contract.

If reports published in technology blogs and newspapers pan out, the stripped-down iPhone will be called the “5C” and be housed in plastic casing that will be offered in a variety of colors instead of an aluminum casing. Apple declined to comment, but an invitation for Tuesday’s event fed the multi-hued speculation swirling around the less expensive iPhone. The invitation was filled with colored bubbles and predicted, “This should brighten everyone’s day.” If it introduces a cheaper iPhone, Apple might end production of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S that were released in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Those models have been sold at a discount to the iPhone 5, a factor that has lowered the average price Apple has fetched for its phones.

A new version of the high-end iPhone also is expected to be revealed Tuesday. The top-of-theline model, expected to be dubbed the “5S,” will be the first to be sold with Apple’s revamped mobile software, iOS 7, already installed. The new system, which will automatically update apps installed on the device, can be downloaded on the iPhone 4 and later models, as well as on the tablets beginning with the iPad 2.

The redesigned software announced in June relies on simple graphical elements in neon and pastel colors. Gone is the effort to make the icons look like three-dimensional, embossed objects a tactic known as “skeuomorphism,” that was favored by Jobs. This will be the second iPhone

Kaspersky Lab signs regional distribution deal with Aptec DUBAI: Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of secure content and threat management solutions, has announced a new distribution partnership with Aptec, an Ingram Micro company. As part of this agreement, Aptec will undertake the effective distribution of Kaspersky Lab’s leading portfolio of B2B solutions including Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business comprehensive platform.

Aptec, an Ingram Micro company, is the Middle East, Africa, Near East and Turkey’s largest technology Value-Added distributor spanning over 30 years. The partnership will see Kaspersky Lab leverage Aptec’s strong reseller network spanning over 70 countries. As the authorized distributor for Kaspersky Lab corporate security solutions, Aptec will extend its sales, marketing and logistics expertise to expand the company’s reach across key markets in the GCC, Levant and North East Africa in addition to West Asia.

The companies will work together to leverage increasing cyber security spending across the Middle East and Africa region, as enterprises continue to counter the challenges of advanced security threats driven by increasing global connectivity. According to the recently released “Gulf States Security Software Market 2012-2016 Forecast and 2011 Vendor Shares” study from IDC, spending on IT security in the GCC continues to grow as the region witnesses an increasing number of targeted cyber-attacks causing companies to re-evaluate their security strategies, fuelling security spending in 2013 and 2014. As such, the Gulf States security software market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.3% over the next five years.

In its role, Aptec will further strengthen the company’s outreach across the emerging markets by combining a complete portfolio of award winning corporate security technologies with a range of pre sales, post sales and logistics support to better service the complex security needs of enterprises today. In addition, to the above, Aptec will also work with Kasperky Lab to offer unique channel enablement opportunities to company’s network of resellers, particularly focusing on training and education to help resellers identify and understand unique customer requirements and position the right solution to meet these needs.

Khalid Abu Baker, Managing Director, Kaspersky Lab Middle East said, “The appointment of Aptec is part of Kaspersky Lab’s global strategy to combine a complete range of award winning B2B technologies with the right channel expertise to offer customers an effective and reliable portfolio of solutions and services. We are confident that Aptec, will not only see us develop more effective routes to market our solutions but will also strengthen our channel offerings by engaging partners through dedicated training and education in addition to introducing the right support initiatives to boost business opportunities.”

Commenting on the partnership Ali Baghdadi, President, Ingram Micro - Middle East, Africa & Turkey, said, “We are proud to have partnered with a trusted and leading provider of security solutions. We look forward to this exciting new journey as we leverage state-of-the-art technology solutions and a visionary outlook in the field of IT security and cyber warfare. Aptec will continue to build on its internal resources and expertise to successfully expand Kaspersky Lab’s channel, reach and scope to drive mutually beneficial growth opportunities for both companies while offering customers and partners the best in security software and services.”

model that Apple has released since Jobs’ death in October 2011.

Besides running on iOS 7, the upgraded iPhone may include technology that enables its owner to unlock the device with a fingerprint instead of a four-digit code. There is also speculation that the high-end iPhone will be sold in a golden color to supplement the product line’s more prosaic choice of black or white. “One of the big questions is whether Apple is going to push the envelope on the iPhone or do they feel they have pretty much gone as far as they can go on the smartphone side of things?” said Gartner Inc. analyst Carolina Milanesi.

If there is a gold iPhone, it would be the latest sign of Apple’s intensifying focus on China - a market where hundreds of millions of Internetconnected devices are expected to eventually to be sold as the standard of living improves in the world’s most populous country. The color gold is considered to be a sign of good fortune in China.

A less expensive iPhone would also help Apple boost sales in China and other less-developed countries where people don’t have as much disposable income as in the US and Europe. In an unusual move, Apple has invited media to another event in Beijing that will be held a few hours after the gathering at its headquarters is scheduled to adjourn. The Beijing event has fed speculation that Apple has lined up a deal to sell its new iPhones through China Mobile, the country’s largest wireless carrier. It is an alliance that Cook has been openly courting.

The Wall Street Journal last week cited anonymous people who said Apple is preparing to ship iPhones to China Mobile. Although Apple still touts the iPhone as the best of its breed, the device has been losing some of its panache among consumers. In the three months ending in June, Apple sold 31 million iPhones worldwide compared to 187 million Android phones made by the likes of Samsung, HTC and LG Electronics, according to the research firm International Data Corp. That left the iPhone with 13 percent of the global market, down from 17 percent at the same time last year. Android phones held a 79 percent share, up from 69 percent last year, according to IDC. — AP

Facebook, Yahoo want to disclose FISA orders data WASHINGTON: Facebook and Yahoo asked a secret court Monday to allow them to disclose data on national security orders the companies have received under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The two tech companies filed separate, similar motions Monday with the secret court that oversees that law. Two other companies, Google and Microsoft, have similar motions pending with the court.

All four companies were among several US Internet businesses identified as giving the National Security Agency access to customer data under the program known as PRISM. Facebook and Yahoo say they want to correct false claims and reports about what they provide to the government. They argue they have a freespeech right to publish aggregate data on national security orders. Revelations about the program by former NSA contractor Ed Snowden have prompted a broader debate about government monitoring and the privacy of Americans’ communications.

Both Facebook and Yahoo said that they had released information on combined law enforcement and national security requests from the government, but have been prohibited from specifying the number of national security orders. “In light of Facebook’s over one billion active users and the generalized information included in the aggregate data, disclosure could not lead any user to infer that he or she is or has been the target of an order or directive,” Facebook wrote in its filing.In its own filing, Yahoo noted that Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper announced last month that he’ll now release figures every year on how many new top secret court orders and national security letters are issued and how many people are targeted because of them. The company argued that the government release “undermines any argument that prohibiting Yahoo from publicly disclosing the same data would harm national security.”

Yahoo spokeswoman Suzanne Philion said in an e-mail that although Yahoo and Facebook filed independent lawsuits, “these actions stem from a common interest in ensuring that we can provide the most accurate information to the public about the national security requests we receive from the US government.”

In a blog post Monday, Facebook general counsel Colin Stretch wrote, “today we are joining others in the industry” in petitioning the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to let it disclose more information about national security-related orders. Also Monday, Google filed an amended version of its original motion, reporting that negotiations with the government had reached an impasse. The company also asked that the court hold open arguments on its motion. The Justice Department declined to comment on the filings. —AP

Yahoo News names new Editor-in-Chief LOS ANGELES: Megan Liberman, the New York Times’ deputy news editor, began her new job as Yahoo News’ editor-in-chief on Monday, the company announced.

Liberman, who created the NYT’s ‘Motherlode’ parenting blog, will replace Hillary Frey, who left the job to become NBCNews.com’s editorial director in March after less than a year in the position. She will help the site focus on more original reporting, live-events coverage and social news as it undergoes a ‘major expansion,’ the site wrote on its Tumblr account. Tumblr, of course, marks another of Yahoo’s expansion attempts - it bought the blogging platform for over $1 billion in May. Vice president of Yahoo News and Finance Robertson Barrett praised Liberman in a statement, saying: ‘As deputy news editor at the New York Times she drove some of the most successful digital initiatives, from its blog network to Nate Silver’s multiplatform presence to live streamed coverage of the 2012 elections. She is a natural fit to lead editorial for the world’s largest news site, and she will help us take Yahoo News to the next level.’ Liberman was not quoted in the statement but did tweet that she’s working on a new Twitter handle. Her old one? @megannyt. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Hungary struggles to stem flow of emigrating doctors BUDAPEST: Already dogged by corruption, low wages and poor working conditions, Hungarian hospitals face another grave threat-an exodus of doctors. The lure of working abroad for many young doctors in the former communist country is proving irresistible, especially during a period of economic unrest at home. On average a junior doctor in

money fuelling the decision to leave for many doctors. “I work 60-90 hours a week, but the atmosphere is stimulating and open-minded and there are enormous opportunities for learning and development,” Daniel Gero, a 27-year-old Hungarian surgeon who left to work in a clinic in Lausanne, Switzerland, told AFP. “There are always interesting cas-

Istvan Eger, president of the Hungarian Doctors Association (MOK).

“An older doctor often won’t let a younger one carry out an operation as he would be missing out on money from patients,” he told AFP. Young graduates hence face a difficult future if they stay in Hungary. “The staff are exhausted and demotivat-

BUDAPEST: A photo taken on April 05, 2013 shows Istvan Eger, Chairman of the Hungarian Medical Chamber MOK, being interviewed in front of a map of Hungary in his office. —AFP Hungary takes home around 140,000 forints (420 euros, $555) per month-at least five times less than their colleagues in Britain, Germany or Scandinavia-all favored destinations for Hungarian doctors, according to Emese Batizan, head of the Budapest branch of the A-Team Medical Recruitment agency.

“Hungarian doctors are sought after in the West due to their good clinical skills and strong work ethic,” she told AFP. For a young Hungarian however, there is more than just

es to work on and we use the most modern treatments and practices here,” he said. In contrast, back home the health service is chronically underfunded: spending per capita is around half the OECD average according to the organisation’s latest statistics. The health service is also dogged by deeply embedded corruption: most patients pay doctors an agreed cash sum in an envelope-untaxed “gratitude money” for services rendered. This hinders the training of younger doctors, said

ed, professional development is very difficult and the technical conditions are deplorable,” said Eger. Exactly how many doctors have left is unknown but according to statistics from the National Health Fund (OEP), a record 1,600 doctorsaround two-thirds of them under 40 — applied for permits to work abroad in 2012, up from around 1,400 in 2011.

These figures would imply the crisis is growing. Eger estimated that around 5,000 doctors have sought

work abroad since Hungary joined the European Union in 2004. The exodus has gathered pace after the economic crisis hit in 2008, he added. Since then Hungary has twice fallen into recession, with growth returning only in recent months. This departure of young doctors has only added to the problems of the already beleaguered health service. Tellingly, since 2008, the number of those seeking permits to work abroad has exceeded the number of new graduates.

Staying home Despite all this, many decide to stay despite the paltry pay and conditions. Bela Koves, a 32-year-old urologist, did an internship in Sweden but opted to stay for work in his native Hungary with his wife, also a doctor. “Once you’ve left, it’s very difficult to come back, and we don’t want to live outside Hungary forever,” he said. “I find the corruption disgusting for both the doctor and the patient,” he told AFP. “But it won’t disappear without a significant increase in our ridiculous salaries.” Earlier this year, the government introduced a scholarship system to bolster the basic salary of young starters, in return for a contractual commitment never to accept “gratitude money”. In July, the Human Resources Ministry said the number of doctors applying for permits to work abroad had fallen to 454 in the first half of 2013, down from 542 during the same period last year.

Hungary must drastically increase salaries however, despite the struggling economy, said Istvan Eger. “Other similarly cash-strapped economies manage to spend much more on their hospitals and doctors than we do,” he noted. He also urged a ban on cash payments, with stiff punishments for those who infringe. But change will take time.

“Even in the best case, it will take at least 10-15 years to repair this system,” he said. —AFP

New US Medicaid enrollees likely to be younger, healthier CHICAGO: US states that opt to expand Medicaid under President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) can expect to enroll new patients who are younger, thinner, healthier, less depressed and more likely to be white than those now covered by Medicaid, US researchers said on Monday. The latest findings add to a growing picture of the incoming class of Medicaid enrollees under the ACA, which gives states the option to expand their Medicaid rolls to include previously ineligible low-income adults.

Medicaid expansion is expected to add more than 10 million people to the program, which has traditionally covered poor children, the elderly, pregnant women, the disabled and some parents. Under Obama’s signature healthcare law, the federal government will cover 100 percent of the cost of Medicaid expansion for the first three years and 90 percent after that, but many states have decided against expansion, often citing the cost of covering these new, previously uninsured individuals.

“There has been a lot of debate about how expensive the Medicaid expansion would be, and until now, it hadn’t been clear which Americans had the potential to benefit from the added healthcare coverage in states that participate,” said Dr Tammy Chang of the University of Michigan Medical School, whose study appears in the Annals of Family Medicine.

As of Aug 1, 23 states and Washington had accepted the expansion, while 21 states had turned it down, according to consultants Avalere Health. A 2012 US Supreme Court ruling allowed

states to opt out. Chang said a major concern for policy makers has been that new Medicaid enrollees would be “just as sick or even sicker” than the current Medicaid population. “What we found is, that is not likely to be true,” Chang said.

In her study, Chang and her colleagues used the latest nationally representative data from a federal study called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which was done between 2007 and 2010. They used the data from an estimated 13.8 million adult Medicaid beneficiaries and 13.6 million adults who are potentially eligible for such coverage under ACA. The team compared characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, education and various health measures, measured body mass index, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, depression, tobacco and alcohol use and other information gathered from a questionnaire.

According to the study, people who gain coverage under Medicaid expansion will have an average age of 36 versus 38 for the current Medicaid population.

Some 49 percent will be male, versus 33 percent of the current population, and 60 percent will be white, compared with 50 percent now. New enrollees also will be at least as healthy as, if not healthier than, the current Medicaid population, having fewer chronic diseases such as obesity and depression. Alcohol and smoking are the two biggest risk factors among the new Medicaid class - nearly half are current smokers and more than a third are moderate to heavy drinkers, far more than the current Medicaid pool.

The conclusions dovetail with a study published in June by Sandra Decker of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which found that low-income uninsured adults who become eligible for Medicaid under the ACA are less likely to have chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

That study, also based on NHANES data, found that when compared with those enrolled in Medicaid, uninsured adults reported better overall health, were less likely to be obese and less likely to report a physical, mental or emotional limitation. They were also much less likely to have multiple health problems. But because this group is uninsured, people with chronic conditions such as diabetes or high cholesterol are less likely to have them under control, suggesting that once they do get coverage they are likely to need treatment.

Sara Rosenbaum, a professor in the school of public health at George Washington University in Washington, DC, who was not involved in either study, said the findings suggest states that expand Medicaid do not have to fear they will be “burdened with the sickest, most costly, most disabled people in the state.” “There will be some of them,” she said. “But most very disabled people who are poor already are on Medicaid because they are classified as disabled.” The ACA expands Medicaid coverage to otherwise ineligible individuals and families who earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty line, or about $15,856 for a single adult and $32,500 for a family of four this year. —Reuters

Routine changes tied to kids’ weight loss: Study NEW YORK: Encouraging and counseling minority families to adopt healthier household routines led to a small decrease in children’s weight, in a new study.

Researchers found encouraging families to eat meals together, limit TV time and get better sleep was linked to about a one-pound drop in kids’ weight relative to children in homes that didn’t receive the encouragement and counseling. “I can tell a family, ‘You really need to get more physical activity’ and the conversation can end there,” Dr Elsie Taveras, the study’s senior author from Massachusetts General Hospital for Children in Boston, said.

But, she added, “I think that ability to go deeper and talk about their routines is key.”

Previous research has found certain household routines - such as eating meals as a family and only spending a couple of hours in front of a TV each day - are linked to a reduced risk of children being obese. It’s also known that chil-

dren in minority and low-income families are more likely to be overweight and obese than white children from wealthier families.

For the new study, Taveras and her colleagues randomly assigned 121 families with children between age two and five, who were predominantly black and Latino, to receive usual care or the counseling program. The 62 families assigned to the counseling group received four home visits and four phone calls from health educators, educational materials mailed to the home and weekly text messages about adopting healthy household routines. None of the counseling, however, specifically mentioned obesity or reducing children’s weight.

The 59 families randomized to the usual care group received educational materials, such as coloring books, in the mail. The materials didn’t address the household routines, but focused on children reaching certain developmental milestones. After

six months, the researchers found children in the counseling group were sleeping almost an hour longer than children assigned to the usual care group. Kids in the counseling group also reduced their TV viewing by about one hour per day during the weekend.

There was no change in the number of meals the children shared with their families, but Taveras said many of the children were already eating family meals at the beginning of the study. The researchers did find that kids in the usual care group had a small increase in body mass index (BMI) a measurement of weight in relation to height - and those in the counseling group had a slight decrease in BMI. The difference was equivalent to about one pound.

“Relative to the control group it was a small decrease, but not insignificant in a six-month period in growing children,” Taveras said.

Despite the study’s limitations such as the small change in BMI, uncertainty about whether the

change will last and the small number of families that participated - Indiana University School of Medicine’s Dr Aaron Carroll writes in an editorial accompanying it in JAMA Pediatrics that the approach is feasible and successful.

“I’m encouraged anytime we find something that takes what we know, shows it works and that it’s feasible,” Dr Shari Barkin, director of pediatric obesity research at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, told Reuters Health. “It’s not that each of these things are new. What’s different is trying to come up with the intervention that reaches out to families in the context of the home,” Barkin, who was not involved with the study, said. Taveras told Reuters Health her team plans on looking at the costs of the program and hopes to develop a longer study in the future. Barkin said it is important to know whether the change in BMI among the counseling group is sustainable over time. —AP

Younger women may benefit from mammograms: Study NEW YORK: Although recommendations differ on when women should start getting screened for breast cancer, a new study suggests women in their 40s may benefit from yearly mammograms. Researchers who reviewed 609 breast cancer deaths found about half occurred among women who were diagnosed when they were under 50 years old, and most of those women had never had a mammogram.

“You should be (screening) about every year in the 40s,” Dr Blake Cady, a professor emeritus of surgery at Harvard Medical School in Boston who worked on the study, told Reuters Health. That recommendation echoes screening guidelines from the American Cancer Society, which calls for yearly mammograms starting at age 40 for “as long as a woman is in good health.”

The government-backed US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), however, recommends women at average risk for breast cancer get screened every other year starting at 50 years old and says younger women should make their own decision on whether to be screened. “For women 40 to 49 (years old) we know there is some benefit,” said Dr. Virginia Moyer, who chairs the USPSTF and was not involved in the new study.

“The benefit is relatively modest and whenever there is modest benefit you really have to look at the downside,” said Moyer, who is also the vice president for maintenance of certification and quality at the American Board of Pediatrics in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In the case of breast cancer screening, the downsides include false positives, which can put women through emotional and physical stress and lead to additional invasive tests.

Most screening recommendations are based on analyses of several randomized controlled trials, which are considered the gold standard of medical research and follow groups of screened and unscreened people over long periods of time. Cady and his colleagues write in the journal Cancer that those analyses may downplay the actual benefit of screening, because - for example - people in the groups who are told not to get screening may get screened anyway.

For their study, the researchers did a so-

called failure analysis on data from the medical records of 609 women who died of breast cancer. The women were diagnosed between 1990 and 1999 at one of two Boston hospitals, and they died by 2007. A failure analysis, according to Cady, is similar to what aviation officials do when evaluating a plane’s black box to determine what went wrong before a crash.

The researchers found that of the 609 breast cancer deaths, 29 percent occurred among women who had a mammogram within two years of their diagnosis and 71 percent were among women who were not screened. Only about 13 percent of deaths occurred among women who were more than 70 years old when they were diagnosed. About half occurred among women younger than 50 at diagnosis.

Of all the deaths, 30 percent happened in women who were diagnosed between 40 and 49 years old, and 20 percent happened in women diagnosed before age 40, Cady said. Previous research has found that about 30 of every 1,000 40-year-olds will die from the disease in the absence of screening.

In an interview with Reuters Health in 2011, Dr Michael LeFevre of the University of Missouri, who co-chairs the USPSTF, said that if screening is started at 50 and done every two years until the women hit 75, seven of those deaths would be prevented.

Starting at age 40 instead would prevent one additional death, he said. The new findings “are somewhat unsurprising that in essentially if you look backwards in a highly selected population you can find a lot of things and knowing how to interpret them is nearly impossible,” Moyer said. Just under 2 percent of 30-year-old women will develop breast cancer by age 50, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cady said the controversy over when to begin screening for breast cancer will not be solved by the new study, “but at least it provides some points of reference.”

“Women should discuss the issue with their doctors. They should consider the variety of recommendations that are made... there are all sorts of points in this controversy and discussion that are legitimate points of arguments,” he said. —Reuters

Study reassures on safety of inhaled lung treatment LONDON: A major study on the safety of a mist inhaler used to treat chronic lung disease has found it does not increase the risk of patients dying early, in contrast to an earlier analysis published two years ago. The reassuring result with a formulation of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Spiriva delivered through its new Respimat device is good news for the German drugmaker and potentially for others developing rival products containing socalled LAMA drugs.

Data from the 17,135-patient study, comparing the safety and efficacy of Spiriva Respimat against a formulation of the drug given via the older HandiHaler device, were unveiled at the European Respiratory Society congress in Barcelona on Sunday. Competitors in the field include GlaxoSmithKline, whose experimental product Anoro combining a LAMA drug with a different kind of treatment called a LABA will be assessed by a US Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on September 10.

The encouraging safety message on Spiriva Respimat may lower the regulatory hurdle for such new LAMA-containing products, industry analysts believe. Several drugmakers are betting that LABA/LAMA inhalers will become the first choice for chronic

obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which causes debilitating breathlessness and affects more than 200 million people worldwide.

Other companies working on long-acting beta-2-agonist (LABA) and long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) combinations include Novartis, which has an alliance with Vectura; AstraZeneca, following its recent acquisition of Pearl Therapeutics; and a partnership of Almirall and Forest Laboratories.

Boehringer itself also has a LABA/LAMA drug in development. Current market-leading drugs for COPD include Spiriva and GSK’s Advair. Spiriva has been on the market since 2002 but concerns about its safety were aroused in 2011 when a study based on a pooled analysis of previous trials suggested patients taking it via the Respimat device increased their risk of dying by 52 percent compared to those on placebo.

Boehringer and its marketing partner Pfizer disputed the findings at the time. The new three-year clinical trial found Respimat was just as safe as the older HandiHaler inhaler and that COPD patients enjoyed a median 756 days without a sustained worsening of symptoms against 719 days among those using the HandiHaler. The new trial did not include a placebo group. —Reuters

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

NORTH CAROLINA: This photo taken Aug 27, 2013 shows Bev Veals, left, undergoing chemotherapy treatment, accompanied by her husband Scott at Duke Cancer Center in Durham. —AP photos

NORTH CAROLINA: File photo shows a basket of medical supplies await storage.

Patient’s bill soars as health law program falters WASHINGTON: Coping with advanced cancer, Bev Veals was in the hospital for chemo this summer when she got a call that her health plan was shutting down. Then, the substitute insurance she was offered wanted her to pay up to $3,125, on top of premiums. It sounds like one of those insurance horror stories President Barack Obama told to sell his health overhaul to Congress, but Veals wasn’t in the clutches of a profit-driven company. Instead, she’s covered by Obama’s law - one of about 100,000 people with serious medical issues in a financially troubled government program.

Raw political divisions over health care have clouded chances of a fix for the PreExisting Condition Insurance Plan, leaving families like Veals and her husband Scott to juggle the consequences. That’s not a good omen for solving other problems that could surface with “Obamacare.” “You don’t advertise one thing and then give the customer another thing,” said Veals, 49, who lives near Wilmington, NC “I finally felt for the first time going through this cancer that I had something dependable, and somebody pulled the plug.”

In a statement, the federal Health and Human Services department said the program “continues to provide excellent coverage.” But the department said it was unable to provide current enrollment numbers, which might

reflect the impact of belt-tightening this summer that led North Carolina and 16 other states to turn their programs over to federal officials.

Known as PCIP, the program was intended as a temporary lifeline for people denied insurance because of medical problems. It’s supposed to provide coverage at premiums that healthy people would typically pay. PCIP will end Jan 1, when Veals and other enrollees will be able to transition to new insurance marketplaces where they may be able to find lowercost plans. Jan. 1 is also when Obama’s law will forbid insurers from turning away people in poor health. At the same time, virtually all Americans will be required to have coverage.

Many who are currently uninsured will be able to get tax credits to help pay premiums.

Part of the problem with PCIP stems from a decision by the president and Congress more than three years ago to cap funding at $5 billion. Some experts warned that might not be enough to last through the end of 2013. Veals is a breast cancer survivor now battling colorectal cancer. A runner, she has participated in more than 125 fundraising races for cancer research. Her husband Scott is self-employed, a slow-motion replay operator for televised sporting events.

Bev Veals had been uninsured for 27 months before she was able to get on the

NORTH CAROLINA: A nurse prepares to administer chemotherapy treatment to Bev Veals.

North Carolina PCIP plan early in 2011. She considers herself a strong supporter of Obama’s law. But even with insurance, deductibles and copays for cancer care strain the budgets of most families. And that doesn’t count lost wages and expenses not covered by insurance. “It starts as a hand-packed snowball that someone starts pushing down the hill,”

said Veals. “It gains momentum and speed, it gets bigger and bigger, and swallows everything in its path.” The more than $3,000 extra the Veals will have to pay this year “is not discretionary money,” she explained. “This is heatthe-house-in-the-winter money.”

When her home health nurse called her at Duke Cancer Center about the health plan

changes, Veals was on a chemotherapy pump.

Her first thought was they missed a payment.

Then she remembered her premium was set for automatic payment and wondered if their account was low. Her mind racing, she worried somebody had hacked their finances.

Scott Veals called the North Carolina PCIP plan and learned it was being turned back over to the federal government on July 1 because of financing problems. After more digging, he found out their premiums would go down somewhat in the federal plan, to $420 a month. But there was a catch: They had already met their deductible in the North Carolina plan, and also reached their annual out-of-pocket maximum of $6,250.

With the federal plan, they would have another deductible of $1,000 for the rest of 2013, and a total of $3,125 in out-of-pocket costs before reaching that plan’s catastrophic limit. Deductibles and copayments shift some financial responsibility to patients. “We are paying 18 months of deductibles and out-of-pocket cost for one year’s worth of coverage to two insurance companies,” said Scott Veals.

The problems with PCIP bubbled up in February, when federal officials unexpectedly announced an enrollment freeze. Although fewer people had signed up than originally expected, very costly cases were draining its

budget. A few months later, federal officials gave states running their own PCIP plans an ultimatum: take on some financial risk or turn the programs back to Washington at midyear.

In those 17 states, Washington put in new costsharing requirements to help keep the program financially viable through the end of the year. If the administration saw problems coming, Obama’s budget did not reflect it. The president did not request any new funds for PCIP. The No. 2 House Republican did make an attempt to pump more money in, but it was fraught with politics. Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia proposed to divert funds from elsewhere in the health care law, unacceptable to Democrats. His idea also failed to get Republican support.

“Our elected officials, some of whom have been impacted by cancer, must come together to identify a bipartisan solution to fund this program for the remainder of 2013,” said Emily Shetty, who handles federal policy and lobbying for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Veals and her husband say they are looking forward to full implementation of the health care law next year. But getting through the next few months will be a struggle. “We both knew there would be bumps along the road but we never thought there would be this kind of bump,” she said. —AP

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

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hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! Let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

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omu Mathew hands over financial support to popular cine actor VD Rajappan collected by Kottayam Association, Kuwait. Seen also are Giju Chacko, Director Joshy Mathew, and R. Sankar foundation Kottayam Dt President M G Sasidharan.

Announcements NSS Onam celebrations on Sept 27

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he harvest festival of Kerala ìOnamî will be celebrated by Nair Service Society (NSS) Kuwait on September 27 (Friday), at Carmel School, Khaitan from 9:30 am. Nair Service Society (NSS) Kuwait is one of the largest Socio-Cultural Organization in Kuwait formed in the year 2001 and now has more than 4000 Indians as members. On September 27, a full day variety entertainment program depicting the rich heritage and art forms of Kerala has been planned and the major attractions are musical drama ìNavarasa in Krishnarasaî a unique art form and ìChendamelamî, organizing by NSS Vanitha Samajam. Sri. M R Raveendran Nair, President of Nair Service Society (NSS), Kuwait will preside over the function and will be inaugurated by embassy officials. The renowned Master of the Kitchen, Kaviyoor Parmeswaran Namoodiri, Tiruvalla, Kerala, and his team, who has the fame of serving food for more than 25000 people in the youth festivals, will be supervising NSS Kuwaitís Onam Sadhya kitchen.

A photowalk in Kuwait on Oct 5th photowalk is more like a social photography event where photographers gather in a spot, take photos for an hour or two then maybe meet up at a restaurant after that. Scott Kelby’s worldwide photowalk never took place in Kuwait until now. Kuwait’s photowalk will be held on October 5th at Souk Al-Mubarakiya at 10am. There are some prizes to be won like a Canon 70D and Adobe Creative Cloud Membership. So far there are 700 registered photowalks with 8700+ photographers. The prizes are for the worldwide event, not just Kuwait. Kuwait Mapping Meet-Up will be held on September 2 at 5:30 pm in Coffee Bean (Mahboula, Coastal Road). The event is for anyone interested in maps, spatial analysis or surveying in Kuwait. For more information, contact Wil at 97225615.

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Enjoy the taste of true Espresso at Vergnano Cafe at Olympia Complex

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he superior quality of the blends comes from the meticulous selection of the best raw materials available, and from an extraordinary production process. Cafe Vergnano is the first to introduce an innovation that brings all the passion and pleasure of the perfect

espresso to everyday life at home.

Espresso is now available in Kuwait, through Al-Sanabel Al-Thahabiya Est. Tel: 22413795/98. Espresso Vergnano can be ordered through www.taw9eel.com Espresso Vergnano capsules are compatible with other espresso machines.

KDNA Academic Committee toppers

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ozhikode District NRI Association (KDNA) has decided to honour the children of its members who have come out in flying colors in the examination of standard 10th and 12th from Kuwait and India. Sana Zubair secured toppest marks for Class 12 and Ritwik Keshav Premkumar in Class 10. They will be entitled for the Certificate and Cash award.

Amrita Ben Mani Pappu & Raniya Rahman is the others students who have secured above 80% marks and are entitled for the proficiency prizes. Awards will be distributed to the winners during the upcoming Mega Event Malabar Mahotsavam 2013 at Indian Central School premises on 15 November 2013.

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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ASEAN Day 2013 attended by diplomats in Kuwait ASEAN Day 2013 was held on August 28 at Embassy Of Brunei Darussalam and was attended by ASEAN ambassador and ASEAN diplomats In Kuwait.

Indian Embassy sets up helpline he Indian Embassy in Kuwait has set up helpline in order to assist Indian expatriates in registering any complaint regarding the government’s ongoing campaign to stamp out illegal residents from the country. The embassy said in press release yesterday that it amended its previous statement and stated if there is any complaint, the same could be conveyed at the following (as amended): Operations Department, Ministry of Interior, Kuwait.

Fax: 22435580, Tel: 24768146/25200334. It said the embassy has been in regular contact with local authorities regarding the ongoing checking of expatriates. The embassy has also conveyed to them the concerns, fears and apprehensions of the community in this regard. The authorities in Kuwait have conveyed that strict instructions have been issued to ensure that there is no harassment or improper treatment of expatriates by those undertaking checking.

“The embassy would like to request Indian expatriates to ensure that they abide by all local laws, rules and regulations regarding residency, traffic and other matters,” the release read. It would be prudent to always carry the Civil ID and other relevant documents such as driving license, etc. In case an Indian expatriate encounters any improper treatment during checking, it may be conveyed immediately with full details and contact particulars to the embassy at the following phone number 67623639. These contact details are exclusively for the above-mentioned purpose only.

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Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

Artist Johnarts Kalabhavan presents caricatures of Indian singer Sayanora and musician Balabhaskar during a recent function in Mangaf.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 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

All new Ruby Tuesday reopens in Salmiya, Laila Gallery Mall, Salem Al-Mubarak Street

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uby Tuesday Kuwait Salmiya branch underwent a complete new look adapting itself to its international brand image. On September 6, the all new Ruby Tuesday was inaugurated by the Ambassador of United States to Kuwait, Matthew H Tueller. Ruby Tuesday Kuwait is managed by the National Arabic Company for Restaurant Management owned by the Bukhamseen Group Holdings.

Vice President at NAC Bill Robinson said, “At Ruby Tuesday, we’re fully committed to preparing and serving food of uncompromising freshness and quality with signature choices like our premium handcrafted burgers and our bountiful, Fresh Garden Bar - and

we’re grateful that our restaurants are made possible by passionate employees who make it their business to delight each and every guest with an excellent dining experience. We invite everyone to try out the new ambiance and remodeled look and join us for a great dining experience at Ruby Tuesday Salmiya”.

The Ambassador of the United States Matthew H Tueller congratulated the National Arabic Company on the “beautiful remodeling,” saying that, “Ruby Tuesday is an iconic name in American dining.” Ambassador Tueller said that he is proud of American companies that bring great value to the market here in Kuwait, noting that they help build a relationship between the

Kuwaiti and the American people that goes beyond education and security ties.

The guests were then treated to food tasting of the signature dishes and then to a photo shoot by the media. Ruby Tuesday Salmiya was first opened in 2005 and was closed during the holy month of Ramadan for remodeling. Ruby Tuesday is driven by uncompromising freshness and quality, gracious hospitality. Ruby Tuesday first opened in Kuwait in 2003 with its first location in Sharq, expanding their franchisees over the Middle East with 11 locations covering Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

—Photos by Joseph Shagra

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.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:30 Hillbilly Handfishin’ 01:20 Top Hooker 02:10 River Monsters: Untold Stories 03:00 Mythbusters 03:50 Border Security 04:15 Auction Hunters 04:40 Auction Kings 05:05 How Do They Do It? 05:30 How It’s Made 06:00 Sons Of Guns 07:00 Mythbusters 07:50 Yukon Men 08:40 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 09:30 Border Security 09:55 Auction Hunters 10:20 Auction Kings 10:45 How Do They Do It? 11:10 How It’s Made 11:35 Hillbilly Handfishin’ 12:25 Top Hooker 13:15 River Monsters: Untold Stories 14:05 Border Security 14:30 Auction Hunters 14:55 Auction Kings 15:20 Finding Bigfoot 16:10 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 17:00 Ultimate Survival 17:50 Dirty Jobs 18:40 Mythbusters 19:30 Sons Of Guns 20:20 Auction Hunters 20:45 Auction Kings 21:10 How Do They Do It?

00:05 How Tech Works 00:30 Food Factory 01:00 Moon Machines 01:50 Scrapheap Challenge 03:35 Junk Men 04:25 Mighty Ships 05:15 The Gadget Show 05:40 How Tech Works 06:05 Moon Machines 07:00 Alien Mysteries 07:50 Stephen Hawking’s Grand Design 08:40 The Gadget Show 09:05 How Tech Works 09:30 Sci-Trek 10:20 X-Machines 11:15 Scrapheap Challenge 12:05 How The Universe Works 13:00 Stephen Hawking’s Grand Design 13:50 Food Factory 14:20 The Gadget Show 14:45 How Tech Works 15:10 Alien Mysteries 16:00 Ecopolis 16:55 Mighty Ships 17:45 Scrapheap Challenge 18:35 Moon Machines 19:30 Alien Mysteries 20:20 Stephen Hawking’s Grand Design 21:10 The Gadget Show 21:35 How Tech Works 22:00 Alien Mysteries 22:50 Stephen Hawking’s Grand Design 23:40 The Gadget Show

00:30 01:20 02:10 03:00 03:45 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:05 09:30 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:50

Dr G: Medical Examiner Psychic Witness Dates From Hell Deadly Women I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner Psychic Witness Nightmare Next Door Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth...

On The Case With Paula Zahn Solved Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol

13:15 13:40 14:30 15:20 15:45 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:15 23:40

00:00 00:45 01:30 02:15 03:00 03:20 03:45 04:05 04:30 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:45 07:10 07:35 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:05 Pirates 09:30 09:55 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:25 11:50 12:15 12:35 13:00 13:25 13:45 14:10 15:30 15:50 16:10 17:00 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:30 18:55 19:20 20:05 20:30 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:10

Street Patrol Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth...

Disappeared Solved Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Dr G: Medical Examiner Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill LA: City Of Demons I Was Murdered I Was Murdered I Almost Got Away With It

Hannah Montana Brandy & Mr Whiskers Emperor’s New School The Replacements Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School The Replacements The Replacements Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Austin And Ally Suite Life On Deck Shake It Up A.N.T. Farm Jessie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Doc McStuffins Jake And The Neverland A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Jessie Jessie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up Shake It Up Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Girl vs Monster Gravity Falls Jessie Violetta A.N.T. Farm Austin And Ally Gravity Falls Shake It Up That’s So Raven A.N.T. Farm Violetta Jessie My Babysitter’s A Vampire Austin And Ally Austin And Ally That’s So Raven Jessie A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place

06:00 Kid vs Kat 06:10 Iron Man Armored Adventures 06:35 Kickin’ It 07:00 Max Steel 07:25 Phineas And Ferb 07:35 Phineas And Ferb 07:50 Slugterra 08:15 Pair Of Kings 08:40 Kickin It 09:05 Kickin It 09:30 Lab Rats 09:55 Lab Rats 10:20 Pair Of Kings 10:45 Kick Buttowski 11:10 Mr. Young 11:35 Slugterra 12:00 Kickin It 12:25 Max Steel 12:50 I’m In The Band 13:15 Lab Rats 13:40 Almost Naked Animals

14:05 Phineas And Ferb 14:30 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 14:55 Lab Rats 15:20 Phineas And Ferb 15:45 Kickin It 16:10 Pair Of Kings 16:35 Crash & Bernstein 17:00 Lab Rats 17:30 Kickin It 18:00 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 18:10 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 18:25 Phineas And Ferb 19:15 Slugterra 19:40 Crash & Bernstein 20:05 Ultimate Spider-Man 20:30 Max Steel 20:55 Pair Of Kings 21:20 Rated A For Awesome 21:45 Kick Buttowski 22:10 Mr. Young 22:35 Scaredy Squirrel 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am

00:30 01:20 02:10 02:35 03:00 03:45 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 09:30 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:50 13:15 13:40 14:30 15:20 15:45 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:15 23:40

Dr G: Medical Examiner Psychic Witness Dates From Hell Dates From Hell Deadly Women I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner Psychic Witness Nightmare Next Door Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth...

On The Case With Paula Zahn Solved Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth...

Disappeared Solved Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Dr G: Medical Examiner Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill LA: City Of Demons I Was Murdered I Was Murdered I Almost Got Away With It

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 Leno 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:35 11:00 Leno 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:35 16:00 16:30 17:00

The Daily Show The Colbert Report The Big C South Park Weeds Two And A Half Men Raising Hope Seinfeld The Tonight Show With Jay All Of Us The War At Home Malibu Country Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Seinfeld All Of Us Family Tools Two And A Half Men Arrested Development Malibu Country The Tonight Show With Jay The War At Home Seinfeld All Of Us Malibu Country Raising Hope Two And A Half Men Arrested Development The Daily Show The Colbert Report The War At Home Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 Leno 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 23:30

Family Tools Seinfeld Modern Family Happy Endings The Tonight Show With Jay The Daily Show The Colbert Report The Big C South Park Weeds Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

24 Top Gear Specials Breaking Bad Smash 24 Switched At Birth Necessary Roughness Top Gear Specials Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Necessary Roughness 24 Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Necessary Roughness Warehouse 13 Bones Castle Justified Smash

00:00 01:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Homeland Good Morning America American Idol American Horror Story Good Morning America Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Awake Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show C.S.I. Miami Homeland Live Good Morning America C.S.I. Miami Awake Homeland C.S.I. Miami Awake Homeland American Horror Story American Idol

00:00 Death Race: Inferno 02:00 Killer Elite 04:00 Falls The Shadow 05:45 Courageous 08:00 The Tourist 10:00 Captain America: The First Avenger 12:15 Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome 14:00 Killer Mountain 16:00 Captain America: The First Avenger 18:15 Ultraviolet 20:00 Killer Mountain 22:00 Imago Mortis

00:00 Killer Elite-18 02:00 Falls The Shadow-PG15 03:45 Courageous-PG15 06:00 The Tourist-PG15 08:00 Captain America: The First Avenger-PG15 10:15 Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome-PG15 12:00 Killer Mountain-PG15 14:00 Captain America: The First Avenger-PG15 16:15 Ultraviolet-PG15 18:00 Killer Mountain-PG15 20:00 Imago Mortis-PG15 22:00 End Of Days-18

00:00 Casino Jack-18 02:00 Friends With Benefits-18 04:00 The Decoy Bride-PG15 06:00 Mr. Destiny-PG 08:00 My Dog’s Christmas MiraclePG15 10:00 Ernest Goes To Jail-PG 12:00 The Decoy Bride-PG15 14:00 A Kiss For Jed Wood-PG15 16:00 Ernest Goes To Jail-PG 18:00 Smooch-PG15 20:00 Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star-18 22:00 Casino Jack-18

KILLER ELITE ON OSN MOVIES ACTION 02:45 The Avengers-PG15 05:15 American Girl: McKenna Shoots For The Stars-PG 07:00 Underground: The Julian Assange Story-PG15 09:00 The Iron Lady-PG15 10:45 Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close-PG 13:00 Tinker Bell And The Secret Of The Wings-FAM 15:00 The Odd Life Of Timothy Green-PG 17:00 The Iron Lady-PG15 18:45 Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close-PG

01:00 MIA And The Migoo 02:45 Olentzero And The Magic Log 04:30 The Fantastic Adventure Of The Ugly Duckling 06:00 Crab Island 08:00 Blue Elephant 2 10:00 Ice Age: Continental Drift 11:30 Alvin And The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked 13:00 Jingle All The Way 14:30 Madeline: Lost In Paris 16:00 D’Fenders 18:00 Ice Age: Continental Drift 20:00 Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups 22:00 Madeline: Lost In Paris 23:30 Blue Elephant 2

00:30 WWE This Week 01:00 WWE Bottom Line 02:00 AFL Premiership 04:30 Top 14 06:30 NRL Full Time 07:00 Rugby Union Currie Cup 09:00 AFL Premiership 11:30 ICC Cricket 360 12:00 Rugby Union Currie Cup 14:00 Ladies European Tour Highlights 15:00 Super League 17:00 OSN Cup 19:00 ICC Cricket 360 19:30 NRL Full Time 20:00 Futbol Mundial 20:30 AFL Premiership 23:00 PGA European Tour Weekly 23:30 Inside The PGA Tour

00:00 AFL Premiership 02:30 Top 14 Highlights 03:00 NRL Full Time 03:30 Futbol Mundial 04:00 World Cup of Pool 06:00 Golfing World 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 Trans World Sport 09:00 World Cup of Pool 11:00 Sailing America’s Cup Highlights 12:00 Sydney Darts Masters 16:00 Top 14 Highlights 16:30 Golfing World 17:30 World Cup of Pool 18:30 World Cup of Pool 19:30 ITU World Triathlon Series 22:00 Top 14 Highlights 22:30 The Rugby Championship

00:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 21:00

UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed UIM Powerboat Champs Ping Pong World US Bass Fishing Triahlon UK WWE Vintage Collection WWE NXT Ping Pong World US Bass Fishing Mass Participation Mass Participation WWE SmackDown European Le Mans Series European Le Mans Series European Le Mans Series WWE Vintage Collection UFC Prelims UFC

Leah Remini says Scientology split was family decision

00:00 The Three Stooges-PG15 02:00 The Makeover-PG15 04:00 Arrietty-FAM 06:00 Here Comes The Boom-PG15 08:00 Alpha And Omega-PG 10:00 Winx-FAM 12:00 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Dog Days-PG 14:00 A Thousand Words-PG15 16:00 Alpha And Omega-PG 18:00 Thunderstruck-PG 20:00 Jeff, Who Lives At HomePG15 22:00 The Samaritan-18

Chris Brown 01:00 Henry’s Crime-PG15 03:00 No Surrender-PG15 04:30 Lorenzo’s Oil-PG15 07:00 Henry’s Crime-PG15 09:00 No Surrender-PG15 10:45 We Bought A Zoo-PG 13:00 Web Of Lies-PG15 15:00 World Trade Center-PG15 17:15 StreetDance 2-PG15 19:00 Drew Peterson: Untouchable-PG15 21:00 Lawless-18 23:00 After Life-18

00:45 02:30 04:30 06:30 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:15 PG15 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

THE DECOY BRIDE ON OSN MOVIES COMEDY HD

Tricks Of A Woman-PG15 Reign Over Me-PG15 Neds-PG15 War Horse-PG15 Matching Jack-PG15 Wuthering Heights-PG15 Thorne: Sleepyhead-PG15 Too Late To Say GoodbyeReign Over Me-PG15 Broken-PG15 Surveillance-PG15 Casino-18

01:00 Phil Spector-PG15

01:00 Trans World Sport 02:00 NRL Full Time 02:30 Futbol Mundial 03:00 Rugby Union Currie Cup 05:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 06:00 AFL Premiership Highlights 07:00 Trans World Sport 08:00 Sailing America’s Cup Highlights 09:00 European Senior Tour Highlights 10:00 Ladies European Tour Highlights 11:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 12:00 AFL Premiership Highlights 13:00 NRL Premiership 15:00 Futbol Mundial 15:30 Sailing America’s Cup Highlights 16:30 The Rugby Championship 18:30 European Senior Tour Highlights 19:30 Ladies European Tour Highlights 20:00 PGA European Tour Weekly 20:30 Inside The PGA Tour 21:00 Trans World Sport 22:00 NRL Full Time 22:30 Futbol Mundial

A

ctress Leah Remini, one of the most prominent celebrities to leave the Church of Scientology, said on Monday that her family felt they could no longer belong to the church and had lost many friends because of the decision.

“Over time my eyes opened and I just could no longer be affiliated with the organization, and my family felt the same, so we left,” Remini told daytime talk show host Ellen DeGeneres on “Ellen,” offering a view into her rationale for leaving.

The 43-year-old actress best known for her role in the CBS television sitcom “ The King of Queens” did not elaborate on why she broke from the church after some four decades. “It was hard and we’ve lost friends that can no longer talk to us who are still in the organization,” added Remini, who will take part in the upcoming season of ABC’s celebrity reality competition “Dancing with the Stars.”

Remini is also planning to write a memoir about her life in which she was brought into the church as a child by her family. In July, representatives

for Remini confirmed that she had left the church founded by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard in 1954. The church counts actors like John Travolta and Tom Cruise among its members.

Followers of Scientology believe humans are immortal beings whose experience extends beyond one lifetime. Critics of the church describe it as a cult that harasses people who try and quit, a criticism the movement rejects. The New York Post said in July that Remini left the church after coming under special scrutiny when she asked about the whereabouts of church leader David Miscavige’s wife in 2006.

The actress had also filed a missing person report with Los Angeles police for Shelly Miscavige, but authorities closed their inquiry in August, saying it had been “unfounded.”

The church has called allegations that Shelly Miscavige is missing “harassment” and a “publicity stunt cooked up by a small band of unemployed fanatics who live on the fringe of the Internet.” — Reuters

Classifieds WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 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

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

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

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:30 PM

SHARQIA-3 RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

MUHALAB-1 RIDDICK (DIG) TOOFAN (DIG) (TELUGU) FRI & SAT RIDDICK (DIG) NO FRI & SAT RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG)

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 4:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM

MUHALAB-2 2 GUNS (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG)

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM

MUHALAB-3 TURBO (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC)

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM

FANAR-1 RIDDICK (DIG) 1:30 PM PARANOIA (DIG) 3:45 PM ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) 6:00 PM

CHANGE OF NAME I, Shaik Shanwaz holder of Indian Passport No. E7171807 hereby correct my name to Shaikh Shanawaz. ( C 4504) 9-9-2013

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (05/09/2013 TO 11/09/2013) RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

FANAR-2 WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) 2:00 PM 2 GUNS (DIG) 4:15 PM WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) 6:30 PM YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) 8:45 PM YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) 10:45 PM WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) 12:45 AM NO SUN+TUE+WED 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

THE CONJURING (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 AM

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

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:15 AM

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

2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

AVENUES-3 YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) 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

1:15 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:15 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

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

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

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:30 PM

AVENUES-4 2 GUNS (DIG) TOM & JIMMY (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) TOM & JIMMY (DIG) TOM & JIMMY (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 1:00 AM

MARINA-2 RIDDICK (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 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

MARINA-3 TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC)

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

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM

360º- 2 WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG)

name to Shaik Ali Haider.

(C 4501) 8-9-2013 I, Mohammed Shakeel Abdul Kalam holder of Indian Passport No. E5417852 hereby change my name to Mohammad Shakeel Abdul Kalam

FOR SALE

SITUATION VACANT

1:15 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM

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

Cook needed from India or Srilanka for a Kuwaiti doctor family. Salary KD 120, must know Kuwaiti food, baking (bread), speak and write English, transferable visa. Call: 98863412 or send CV on: bambiblue73@gmail.com (C 4505) 11-9-2013 Looking for a part time maid for an American family. 12 - 4 pm. 5 days a week. KD. 100/per month. Call 96942874.

9-9-2013

Car for sale, Subaru Forrester, model 2003, 4 wheel driver, good condition. Contact: 66532871.

(C 4503) 08-9-2013 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

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Airlines QTR KAC JZR JZR FDB THY ETH GFA UAE ETD LZB THY RJA FDB UAE MSR OMA THY MSR QTR DHX FDB BAW NIA KAC KAC KAC JZR JZR JZR IRM KAC KAC KAC KAC JZR FDB UAE FDB QTR IRA ETD QTR UAE TGZ GFA MEA IAW JZR MSC IRM TMA KNE UAE MSR THY CLX KNE IYE KAC QTR FDB KAC IRC MSR SVA JAV

Arrival Flights on Wednesday 11/9/2013 Flt Route 148 DOHA 504 BEIRUT 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 8063 DUBAI 764 SABIHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI-INTL 7779 BOURGAS 768 ISTANBUL 642 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 67 DUBAI 3857 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 643 MUSCAT 770 ISTANBUL 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 170 BAHRAIN 69 DUBAI 157 LONDON 255 ALEXANDRIA 206 ISLAMABAD 382 DELHI 412 MANILA/BANGKOK 555 ALEXANDRIA 529 ASYUT 1541 CAIRO 1186 TEHRAN 352 COCHIN 344 CHENNAI 302 MUMBAI 284 DHAKA 1543 CAIRO 53 DUBAI 855 DUBAI 55 DUBAI 132 DOHA 603 SHIRAZ 301 ABU DHABI-INTL 6130 DOHA 4987 DUBAI 1553 BATUMI 213 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 157 BAGHDAD/NAJAF 165 DUBAI 403 ASYUT 1188 MASHAD 213 BEIRUT 470 JEDDAH 871 DUBAI 610 CAIRO 766 ISTANBUL 792 LUXEMBOURG 480 TAIF 826 SANAA/RIYAN MUKALLA 672 DUBAI 140 DOHA 57 DUBAI 790 MEDINAH 6692 MASHAD 575 SHARM EL SHEIKH 500 JEDDAH 621 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA

Time 00:05 00:15 00:20 00:40 01:10 01:40 01:45 01:55 02:25 02:30 02:35 02:50 03:10 03:10 03:00 03:15 03:20 04:35 03:15 03:30 05:10 05:50 06:30 06:00 07:25 07:30 06:15 06:20 06:40 6:25 7:55 8:05 8:20 07:50 08:15 08:20 07:45 08:25 09:15 09:25 09:25 09:30 09:45 10:05 10:35 10:40 10:55 11:00 11:35 11:35 11:45 12:00 12:15 12:45 13:00 13:10 13:15 13:20 13:30 13:40 13:45 13:50 13:55 14:00 14:15 14:30 15:10

RJA QTR ETD UAE ABY UAL GFA SVA KAC KNE NIA QTR KAC KAC RBG FDB GFA MSC MSR JAI ETD MEA KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC GFA MSC MSR JAI FDB OMA ABY ETD JZR MEA JZR JZR AXB KLM ALK UAE QTR ETD GFA UAE QTR ETD FDB AIC UAL THY KAC JZR JZR JZR JAI FDB KAC JZR JZR UAL JZR DLH JAI MSR THY

640 134 303 857 127 982 215 510 502 462 251 144 166 542 553 63 219 405 606 572 933 402 538 618 102 774 674 219 405 606 572 61 647 129 933 189 402 481 189 489 417 229 859 136 307 217 859 136 307 59 975 981 772 154 239 185 135 576 59 154 239 185 981 135 636 574 614 772

AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DOHA ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI SHARJAH WASHINGTON DC DULLES BAHRAIN RIYADH BEIRUT MEDINAH ALEXANDRIA DOHA PARIS/ROME CAIRO ALEXANDRIA DUBAI BAHRAIN SOHAG LUXOR MUMBAI ABU DHABI-INTL BEIRUT SHARM EL SHEIKH/SOHAG DOHA NEW YORK/LONDON RIYADH DUBAI BAHRAIN SOHAG LUXOR MUMBAI DUBAI MUSCAT SHARJAH ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI BEIRUT SABIHA DUBAI COCHIN/MANGALORE AMSTERDAM COLOMBO DUBAI DOHA ABU DHABI-INTL BAHRAIN DUBAI DOHA ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI CHENNAI/GOA BAHRAIN ISTANBUL SABIHA/SARAJEVO AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DUBAI BAHRAIN COCHIN/ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI SABIHA/SARAJEVO AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN FRANKFURT MUMBAI CAIRO ISTANBUL

15:55 16:15 16:35 16:55 17:10 17:15 17:20 17:20 17:25 17:45 18:00 18:25 18:40 18:15 18:30 18:55 19:05 19:15 19:30 19:35 20:05 20:15 15:50 19:10 19:35 19:25 19:25 19:05 19:15 19:30 19:35 20:00 20:00 20:05 20:05 20:10 20:15 20:10 20:10 20:35 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:30 21:45 21:15 21:30 21:30 22:20 22:25 22:40 23:45 22:20 22:30 22:40 23:00 22:05 22:20 22:20 22:30 22:40 22:40 23:00 23:10 23:20 23:30 23:45

Airlines AIC JAI UAL DLH MSR JZR FDB THY THY ETH LZB THY UAE FDB MSR OMA ETD QTR RJA UAE QTR JZR FDB GFA THY JZR KAC BAW FDB JZR IRM JZR KAC KAC ABY KAC KAC UAE FDB KAC ETD KAC QTR IRA UAE NIA QTR GFA KAC TGZ MEA AW KAC JZR KAC JZR MSC JZR KAC KNE IRM JZR TMA MSR

Departure Flights on Wednesday 11/9/2013 Flt Route Time 982 AHMEDABAD/HYDERABAD/CHENNAI 00:05 573 MUMBAI 00:20 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 00:25 637 FRANKFURT 00:30 615 CAIRO 00:30 1542 CAIRO 01:20 8064 DUBAI 01:55 773 ISTANBUL 02:20 765 SABIHA 02:40 621 ADDIS ABABA 02:45 7780 BOURGAS 03:25 769 ISTANBUL 03:40 854 DUBAI 03:45 68 DUBAI 03:50 613 CAIRO 04:15 644 MUSCAT 04:20 306 ABU DHABI-INTL 04:20 139 DOHA 04:25 643 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 04:30 3858 DUBAI 04:55 149 DOHA 05:15 560 SOHAG 05:35 70 DUBAI 06:30 212 BAHRAIN 07:00 771 ISTANBUL 07:10 164 DUBAI 07:25 537 SHARM EL SHEIKH/SOHAG 08:00 156 LONDON 08:25 54 DUBAI 08:25 256 BEIRUT 08:50 1187 TEHRAN 08:55 534 CAIRO 09:10 789 MEDINAH 09:15 671 DUBAI 09:25 126 SHARJAH 09:30 787 JEDDAH 09:35 501 BEIRUT 09:45 856 DUBAI 09:50 56 DUBAI 09:55 117 NEW YORK 10:00 302 ABU DHABI-INTL 10:15 153 SABIHA/SARAJEVO 10:15 133 DOHA 10:25 602 SHIRAZ 10:25 4987 BEIRUT/DUBAI 10:50 256 ALEXANDRIA 11:00 6131 DOHA 11:15 214 BAHRAIN 11:25 541 CAIRO 11:30 1554 BATUMI 11:35 405 BEIRUT 11:55 158 NAJAF/BAGHDAD 12:00 175 FRANKFURT/GENEVA 12:10 776 JEDDAH 12:25 103 LONDON 12:30 480 SABIHA 12:30 406 SOHAG 12:35 786 RIYADH 12:50 785 JEDDAH 13:00 461 MEDINAH 13:10 1189 MASHAD 13:10 176 DUBAI 13:20 223 DUBAI/BEIRUT 13:45 611 CAIRO 14:00

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

THY KNE THY KNE UAE IYE FDB CLX QTR IRC MSR KAC KAC SVA KAC JZR JAV RJA JZR QTR ETD JZR ABY UAE GFA SVA UAL JZR KNE JZR NIA RBG QTR FDB GFA JZR MSC KAC MSC MSR JAI FDB ABY KAC KAC OMA KAC MEA DHX ETD KLM ETD ALK UAE KAC KAC QTR GFA KAC FDB KAC JAI JZR JZR KAC JZR

767 481 767 481 872 827 58 792 141 6693 576 673 617 503 773 188 622 641 238 135 304 538 128 858 216 511 982 184 471 266 252 554 145 64 220 134 404 283 404 619 571 62 120 331 361 648 351 403 171 934 417 308 230 860 381 301 137 218 205 60 205 575 554 1540 415 528

ISTANBUL TAIF ISTANBUL TAIF DUBAI RIYAN MUKALLA/SANAA DUBAI VIETNAM DOHA MASHAD SHARM EL SHEIKH DUBAI DOHA MEDINAH/JEDDAH RIYADH DUBAI AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DOHA ABU DHABI-INTL CAIRO SHARJAH DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI JEDDAH BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN ASYUT DHAKA ASYUT ALEXANDRIA MUMBAI DUBAI SHARJAH TRIVANDRUM COLOMBO MUSCAT COCHIN BEIRUT BAHRAIN SHARJAH DAMMAM/AMSTERDAM ABU DHABI-INTL COLOMBO DUBAI DELHI MUMBAI DOHA BAHRAIN ISLAMABAD DUBAI ISLAMABAD ABU DHABI-INTL/COCHIN ALEXANDRIA CAIRO KUALA LUMPUR/JAKARTA ASYUT

14:10 14:10 14:10 14:10 14:15 14:30 14:30 14:45 14:55 15:00 15:00 15:05 15:45 15:45 16:00 16:00 16:30 16:55 17:05 17:20 17:20 17:40 17:50 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:30 18:30 18:40 18:40 19:00 19:10 19:25 19:35 19:50 20:05 20:15 20:15 20:15 20:30 20:35 20:40 20:45 20:50 20:50 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:50 22:05 22:05 22:15 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:40 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:00 23:05 23:20 23:25 23:50 23:55

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 307

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) ARIES You could be most persuasive with others and eloquent in speech and communication. If you are in the sales profession you will find a lucrative business day.

This is also a great time to be with others and to work together. You have new ideas and the knowledge that goes with the ability to make your ideas known will lead to success.

You may have been thinking about involving yourself in some humanitarian group, perhaps greenpeace. Now is a good time to pursue those avenues and exert your emotions along some humanitarian or world ecological improvement. Some of your friends may have had those same desires and in your communications today, you may gain some focus along this line. This is a good day—much can be accomplished.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You could be seen by others as just the person to be put in charge of some project requiring a conservative mind. Consider passing some of your mundane chores on to others, in order to free up some time. You will help another person learn and give yourself time for some well-deserved rest. You will gain the rewards for your hard work, whether it is from some speculation or from the time you put in on some past project.

You may, however, have to be assertive and claim those gains. Beating the odds through cleverness is appealing and this may lead to an interest in all kinds of financial speculation. Don’t be afraid to project your ideas at every opportunity in order to make your dreams a reality. There are opportunities to be with your friends this evening.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. The rate at which words are produced (as in speaking or typing).

4. Sect of Orthodox Jews who follow the Mosaic Law strictly.

12. An overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration.

15. A period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event.

16. Small East Indian shrubby mint.

17. An anxiety disorder characterized by chronic free-floating anxiety and such symptoms as tension or sweating or trembling of light-headedness or irritability etc that has lasted for more than six months.

18. A member of a Caddo people formerly living in north central Texas.

20. (Sumerian) God of the air and king of the Sumerian gods.

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

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

23. A light touch or stroke.

25. Small creatures resembling pieces of fuzzy rope.

27. A republic in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea.

28. Swelling from excessive accumulation of serous fluid in tissue.

29. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

32. Type genus of the Anatidae.

36. Inhabitant of the island of Cebu.

39. A wound made by cutting.

41. One thousandth of a second.

43. A public promotion of some product or service.

44. A metallic tapping sound.

46. The sodium salt of amobarbital that is used as a barbiturate.

47. A member of a Mayan people of southwestern Guatemala.

49. Conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence.

51. A tiny or scarcely detectable amount.

52. An airplane with an external propeller that is driven by a turbojet engine.

55. A ductile gray metallic element of the lanthanide series.

56. Surrealist Spanish painter (1904-1989).

57. A republic in the Asian subcontinent in southern Asia.

58. Very dark black.

60. (Norse mythology) God of war and strife and son of Odin.

61. A metrical unit with unstressed-stressed syllables.

63. Make less visible or unclear.

66. A ray of moonlight.

70. The capital and largest city of Bangladesh.

74. An Eskimo hut.

75. Done or occurring in a brief period of time.

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

80. An acute febrile highly contagious viral disease.

81. A cut of pork ribs with much of the meat trimmed off.

84. Government agency created in 1974 to license and regulate nuclear power plants.

85. A city in north central Morocco.

86. The value of a coordinate on the horizontal axis.

87. A federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment.

DOWN 1. Flightless New Zealand rail of thievish disposition having short wings each with a spur used in fighting.

2. A person regarded as arrogant and annoying.

3. Austrian physicist and philosopher who introduced the Mach number and who founded logical positivism (1838-1916).

4. An accountant certified by the state.

5. A member of a seafaring group of North American Indians who lived on the Pacific coast of British Columbia and southwestern Alaska.

6. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

7. An entire system.

8. An electrically charged particle.

9. The quality of being slow to understand.

10. A Greek epic poem (attributed to Homer) describing the siege of Troy.

11. English writer of stories for children (18821956).

12. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World.

13. Gully or streambed in North Africa and the Middle East that remains dry except during rainy season.

14. Tropical starchy tuberous root.

19. An obsolete firearm with a long barrel.

24. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods.

26. Extinct tiny nocturnal lower primates that fed on fruit and insects.

30. Consisting of or made of cedar.

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

33. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

34. With neatness.

35. Oblong cream puff.

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

38. A state in southeastern United States.

40. Exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health.

42. The ermine in its brown summer coat with black-tipped tail.

45. Plaything consisting of a light frame covered with tissue paper.

48. The central conical bony pillar of the cochlea.

50. An inflammatory disease involving the sebaceous glands of the skin.

53. Used chiefly as a direction or description in music.

54. Tropical tree of the East Indies cultivated for its edible fruit.

59. A Russian river.

62. A light strong brittle gray toxic bivalent metallic element.

64. A doctor's degree in optometry.

65. Light informal conversation for social occasions.

67. Look at with amorous intentions.

68. A river that rises in northeastern Turkey (near the source of the Euphrates) and flows generally eastward through Armenia to the Caspian Sea. 69. Made from residue of grapes or apples after pressing.

71. A stick that people can lean on to help them walk.

72. The lean flesh of a fish that is often farmed.

73. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

76. United States architect (born in China in 1917).

77. The bureau of the Treasury Department responsible for tax collections.

78. God of the underworld.

82. A soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element.

83. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

This is not a good day to ask requests of authority figures. However, you and a partner or co-worker will be on the same wavelength and can communicate well when you search for the answers you need. Thinking in more practical terms takes on a special importance now. Taking care of life—health, work, et cetera—becomes a greater preoccupation. You are in good health and you perform at your best. Sorting things out and getting them organized to the utmost efficiency will keep you busy. Expect a sense of support and goodwill from those around you. You may be motivated to express your appreciation for this good day and your satisfaction in your life and those around you. Keep within your budget; you could be tempted to purchase unneeded items.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Improved powers of concentration insure that you will get a lot accomplished, especially at work. Your intuition is strong and can guide you accurately in making forecasts or decisions. Your sensitivity makes you recoil from aggressive types.

Circumstances can throw you into positions where you must use your mind and deal with communications, service or enclosed hidden interests. You may deal with education, psychology, spiritual enlightenment or teaching principles and techniques. Your dreams and ideals are the ideal components for action in your chart. This evening is a good time for surrounding yourself with friends and young people and for having a good time. It may be time to purchase a new pet: puppy, bird or duck.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Compromise and negotiations may require some new thinking today. It does not matter if you are good at negotiation or not; there are new projects that could require some changes in your work habits. You are willing and able to take on new experiences in the workplace and have been known to enjoy an adventure. This may mean you agree to take a class apart from work in order to learn more about some new techniques that you may have to take on soon. There is an opportunity for growth as well as a raise in pay. Being prepared for anything is one of the things you like to take on in your life and you may find yourself helping others do the same thing. This is a good time to plan or enjoy get-togethers with friends or neighbors.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You may be in a quandary over a co-worker’s story. It would be better for you to move past the “storytelling,” and tend to the business of the moment. Becoming distracted from your work may not be helpful for the future of your profession, so do not be afraid to excuse yourself and return to whatever work is your responsibility. When you exercise your common sense you lead others in matters of importance. This afternoon, you may find yourself being put to good use by your friends, or it could be that circumstances force you to reorganize and be more conservative. All of this should go rather smoothly. You radiate eagerness and knowledge and have to just accept that people like to feel your warmth. Enjoy some relaxation time this evening.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) Budgeting, investments and all that brings profit are on your mind during this workday. You seem to shine when it comes to practical matters or those involving work. You enjoy your work and look for ways to move up the corporate ladder. Expand your thinking and show off your talents to those that can help your career move forward. If you need dental work done—now is a time to have that work done. A good friend is hard to find but you seem to magnetically attract people and they seem to enjoy staying in your life for a very long time, if not always. You are a busy person and you love catching up on the activities of your friends and this may be just what you do this evening; talk and visit with friends. A busy person is a healthy and happy person.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You are at your mental best with sharp ideas and clear thoughts. This is an excellent time to make decisions and take care of mental work. Your fine verbal skills and a natural sense of justice make legal work a distinct possibility. Working with laws, natural or manmade, amounts to a real talent. You are able to guide superiors through some sensitive situations today. You also have a great interest in ideas, the truer the better. You may discover the feelings of another this evening. This leaves you free to move forward. This is a full day with much communication in the workplace and in the home. You enjoy working with your mind and can usually find solutions quickly. Tonight you have a fun time with family members.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) This is a time to be patient and let someone else take the lead. You surpass all who go before you but it may be difficult to follow your lead. Help others to learn and advance as you do. You should soon be receiving the rewards of your hard efforts. Your discipline has been very strong in the past and through discipline you will be able to finish a project that you have left undone for too long. Work now to help others advance and complete unfinished business. After work today, you may decide to shop for a special item to compliment a dinner this evening. You and your loved one may be talking about taking a fun class together. Perhaps you will both learn how to cook special recipes, or learn couple’s exercises. Whatever the case, you can enjoy it together!

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You set your sights high and today there are opportunities to move into directions that will help you realize your goals. New ideas and new ways to express these ideas play a major role in your day. New technology can change things forever—make sure you develop your highest potential in these areas. In-depth thinking brings you success. Your positivism lets you get right to the point and you have plenty of enthusiasm and warm up to things and people quickly. You have an inner self-confidence that burns with its own light. There is a lot of eagerness behind what you say and think.

You communicate with feeling and strength. This is a good day to pace yourself in all of your activities. What fun is it to run a race and not really enjoy it as you move along?

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You are ready for work and there is much to do today. There is a push to accomplish what you set out to do and to complete any job at hand. You may find it exasperating when interruptions happen. If there is a job, you can do it! You pour yourself into any task with absolute determination. Family talks are favored tonight. This is a favorable time for making domestic and financial decisions. Take care not to go overboard in spending on the home. Make sure all persons are allowed their opinions on whatever changes they want to see happen. You are quite disciplined, perhaps too sober, especially with family members. Sprinkle your conversations with your very own special sense of humor.

Loved ones will respond in like form.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) There is a natural instinct to be powerful and in control. Be careful that you do not become too pushy right now—things may not happen on your time schedule. You will find that you are valued for your feelings or your ability to act and get things done.

Someone understands how you feel and is sympathetic. Your time spent toward making things work instead of worrying about past mistakes, is well spent. You keep your mind on your work and stay at the top of your field in what you do. You could teach others the methods of your work so as to create more business, whether you are in business for yourself or working for others. Concentrate on achieving a balance between work, play and interaction with family and friends and exercise.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

Al-Madeena

22418714

Al-Shuhada

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Al-Jahra

25610011

Khaldiya

24848075

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Omariya

24719048

N Khaitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

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Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

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Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

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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

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Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

36

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

LIFESTYLE M o v i e s

&

M u s i c

Indonesian minister ‘shocked’ at Harrison Ford climate interview

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ndonesia’s forestry minister has accused Hollywood legend Harrison Ford of subjecting him to a rude interview on climate change that left him “shocked”, an official said yesterday. The “Indiana Jones” and “Star

be deported-although he was due to leave Indonesia later Tuesday anyway.

Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan told reporters that he had been angered by Ford’s approach during the interview in the capital Jakarta. “His emotions

In this photograph taken on September 9, 2013, US actor Harrison Ford arrives at the forest ministry building in Jakarta to interview Indonesia’s Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan. —AFP Wars” actor, who is making part of an environmental documentary in Indonesia, attacked the minister with questions during the encounter on Monday, said presidential advisor Andi Arief. The advisor accused Ford and his crew of “harassing state institutions” and said the 71-year-old could even

were running very high,” the minister was quoted as saying by the state-run Antara news agency. “I understand the American man just came here to see Tesso Nilo (a national park on Sumatra island) and wanted violators to be caught the same day.” The minister added he was not given the chance to

explain the challenges of catching people who break the law in Indonesia’s sprawling rainforests, where illegal logging is rampant.

“I was only given the opportunity to say one or two sentences during the interview,” he said. Arief said the minister thought there would have been some time to discuss the interview before it began. But in the event he was “shocked that as soon as his (Ford’s) crew came in, they started filming and interviewing him... and attacking him with questions”. “There’s no privilege for him although he is a great actor,” he said. “His crew and those who were helping him in Indonesia must be questioned to find out their motives for harassing a state institution.”

“If necessary, we will deport him,” he added. Ford, who has supported numerous environmental causes in recent years, has travelled to several places in Indonesia to make part of a series on climate change called “Years of Living Dangerously” for US television network Showtime. He also met with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono yesterday. As Southeast Asia’s largest economy grows rapidly, swathes of biodiverse forests across the archipelago of 17,000 islands have been cleared to make way for paper and palm oil plantations, as well as for mining and agriculture. —AFP

US judge drops bosses from Jackson death lawsuit

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he judge in Michael Jackson’s family’s lawsuit against promoters AEG Live dismissed Monday claims against two two executives accused over the 2009 death, leaving their firm as sole defendant. Judge Yvette Palazuelos ruled that Jackson lawyers have not proved claims that AEG Live chief executives Randy Phillips and Paul Gongaware could be held responsible for the singer’s death. The trial, in which the late pop icon’s mother Katherine Jackson accuses AEG Live of negligently hiring the doctor convicted over his death, started in April, and could wrap up later this month.

Phillips and Gongaware were named as defendants, along with AEG Live as a company. Both have faced grillings earlier in the trial at the Los Angeles Superior Court. Monday’s decision streamlines the case before the jury, leaving the 12-strong panel to decide only if they thought AEG Live had negligently hired Conrad Murray and failed to supervise him properly. Murray was jailed for four years in 2011 after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for administering the surgical anesthetic propofol to help Jackson, 50, cope with chronic insomnia.

The self-styled King of Pop died on June 25, 2009 at his rented Holmby Hills mansion, where he was living

Director Jason Reitman, actors Gattlin Griffith, Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin of ‘Labor Day’ pose at the Guess Portrait Studio during 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. —AFP

Josh Brolin makes a great pie, says Kate Winslet

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osh Brolin, known for villainous roles, makes a great pie both on and off screen, Kate Winslet, costar of his latest film, said Saturday, softening his tough guy image. The American actor-who has played loathsome characters in such films as “Milk,” “American Gangster,” “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” and the Coen brothers’ Academy Award-winning “No Country for Old Men”-perfected his baking skills for a scene in director Jason Reitman’s “Labor Day.” The film, based on a Joyce Maynard novel, premiered this week at the Toronto film festival. In it, Brolin plays an escaped convict taken in by a reclusive single mother, portrayed by Winslet.

“Josh got into his character and, I can say, is an excellent cook of pies,” Winslet told a news conference. “I don’t know about his ability to make

chili or anything else, but he certainly is an excellent pie baker.” Reitman concurred, and according to Brolin, the crew on the set were also very pleased with his flaky crusts. But the actor may have taken preparing for the scene a tad too far, according to Winslet. “He got a little bit obsessive with making pies,” she said. “He would get up at four in the morning and he would come to work with a box and say, ‘I’ve baked you a pie.’”

Brolin would also email pictures of his pies to friends and others. Five weeks and many, many pies later, Winslet and the rest of the cast and crew had had their fill. Reitman, for one, said his fridge was full. “Josh is a picture of masculinity, but you’d show up at his cottage and he’d be so excited to tell you about the crust he achieved that day or the juices that

were coming out of the pie,” said Reitman. “He’d give pies to everyone and it really was exciting at first, but later on you’d see a pie and go running.”

Still, the pies kept coming throughout the nine-week film shootfor Winslet, for Reitman, for the crew and even the hair and makeup department. “We lived on pie,” said Winslet. Brolin confessed that it all started out of “abject fear” of not being able to do the pie scene with Winslet, described in the script as “the greatest pie making scene in cinema history.” He said he burned the top of the pie on his first attempt while the bottom was uncooked. The reason?

He had accidentally turned the oven to broil. —AFP

Elton John to Honor Liberace at Emmys In this March 5, 2009 file photo, US singer Michael Jackson announces that he is set to play a series of comeback concerts at the London O2 Arena in July, which he announced at a press conference at the London O2 Arena. —AP while rehearsing for the doomed “This is It” series of concerts in London, which was set to be followed by a world tour. Lawyers for Katherine Jackson, who brought the lawsuit in her name and those of her son’s three children, have argued that AEG Live ignored a series of warning signs about the singer’s alarmingly failing

health. AEG Live insists that Jackson himself hired Murray as his personal physician, and was therefore responsible for his own medical care. —AFP

E

lton John will perform at the Emmy Awards for the first time to honor Liberace in recognition of the pianist’s HBO biopic, “Behind the Candelabra.” John’s performance comes as the Stephen Soderbergh film is nominated for 15 Emmys. It will accompany the previously announced appearances by presenters Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, who are both nominated in Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie category. John’s upcoming album, “The Diving Board,” his first studio album in seven years, will be released on Sept 24, two days after the Emmys. Executive produced by Ken Ehrlich, the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards will be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, who is also a producer of the telecast. —Reuters

Elton John

Firth tackles story of torture, forgiveness in ‘Railway Man’

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Leah Remini says Scientology split was family decision

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ctress Leah Remini, one of the most prominent celebrities to leave the Church of Scientology, said on Monday that her family felt they could no longer belong to the church and had lost many friends because of the decision. “Over time my eyes opened and I just could no longer be affiliated with the organization, and my family felt the same, so we left,” Remini told daytime talk show host Ellen DeGeneres on “Ellen,” offering a view into her rationale for leaving.

The 43-year-old actress best known for her role in the CBS television sitcom “The King of Queens” did not elaborate on why she broke from the church after some four decades. “It was hard and we’ve lost friends that can no longer talk to us who are still in the organization,” added Remini, who will take part in the upcoming season of ABC’s celebrity reality competition “Dancing with the Stars.”

Remini is also planning to write a memoir about her life in which she was brought into the church as a child by her family. In

July, representatives for Remini confirmed that she had left the church founded by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard in 1954.

The church counts actors like John Travolta and Tom Cruise among its members.

Followers of Scientology believe humans are immortal beings whose experience extends beyond one lifetime. Critics of the church describe it as a cult that harasses people who try and quit, a criticism the movement rejects. The New York Post said in July that Remini left the church after coming under special scrutiny when she asked about the whereabouts of church leader David Miscavige’s wife in 2006.

The actress had also filed a missing person report with Los Angeles police for Shelly Miscavige, but authorities closed their inquiry in August, saying it had been “unfounded.” The church has called allegations that Shelly Miscavige is missing “harassment” and a “publicity stunt cooked up by a small band of unemployed fanatics who live on the fringe of the Internet.” —Reuters

ctor Colin Firth said on Saturday he felt a special sense of obligation portraying the true story of a British soldier who was tortured and then suffered for decades before finding the strength to forgive his captors. In “The Railway Man,” which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, Firth portrays World War Two veteran Eric Lomax, who was captured by the Japanese and spent years as a prisoner of war.

“You just want to be absolutely sure that you don’t drop the baton that you don’t compromise how well this story has been told up to now, despite your limitations. Such care has been taken to get the truth out there,” Firth, who won an Oscar in 2011 for his performance in “The King’s Speech,” told reporters in Toronto.

The film begins in the later decades of Lomax’s life, when he meets and falls in love with his future wife Patti, played by Nicole Kidman.

Their marriage was tested by his nightmares and breakdowns, a legacy of the beatings and other torture he suffered.

Lomax is forced to confront his past when he learns that Takashi Nagase, the young English-speaking officer who participated in his brutal interrogations, is still alive.

Screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce said that sadly, while the film is historical, topics like the trauma of torture victims and returning soldiers are as relevant as ever. “The way that Eric was tortured was water-boarding. When we first started working on this film, that seemed like a kind of antique, remote thing. And now it’s part of how we do business in the West,” he

Actors Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth speak at “The Railway Man” Premiere during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall. —AFP told reporters.

“These are very alive issues. It’s not just about a forgotten moment in history. But the filmmakers drew inspiration from the outcome of Lomax’s story. After confronting Nagase, he was able to forgive his former captor, and the two became friends. Lomax eventually recounted the events in a memoir, also called “The Railway Man.” The film drew a standing ovation following its premiere in Toronto on Friday, though reviews were mixed. Variety and The

Hollywood Reporter both commended the performances of Firth and Kidman, but were critical of the structure and direction. Still, the production team won praise from the real Patti Lomax, who acted as an adviser. “There’s another point to this film, and that’s no matter how bleak life might be, there’s always a way forward if you’re open to see it,” she told reporters in Toronto. “You have to let these things go one way or another. And I think really, that is the legacy that my husband has left more than anything else.” —Reuters

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

LIFESTYLE M U S I C

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M O V I E S

Taylor Swift, Kacey Musgraves lead CMA nominees aylor Swift and Kacey Musgraves are the top nominees for the Country Music Association Awards, signaling something of a left turn for the usually traditional organization. Swift will be going for her third entertainer of the year award and was nominated for album and female vocalist of the year as well for the Nov. 6 awards in Nashville. Newcomer Musgraves also is up for awards in the album and female vocalist categories. Reigning entertainer of the year Blake Shelton is next with five nominations. His wife, Miranda Lambert, also has five nominations - three solo and two with her trio Pistol Annies.

And Keith Urban and Florida Georgia Line have four apiece.

Shelton and Swift are up for top honor entertainer of the year with Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and surprise nominee George Strait, a two-time winner in the category who’s being feted by CMA voters as he retires from touring. The nominations were announced Tuesday morning in New York on “Good Morning America” and in a later news conference by Sheryl Crow and FGL. Swift’s load of nominations isn’t that surprising. She’s now up to 21 career CMA nominations and has two entertainer of the year awards among her seven wins, tying her with Barbara Mandrell as the lead female winner of the association’s top honor.

Musgraves’ rapid ascendance, though, comes as something of a shock. This is the first year the talented, left-of-center newcomer has been nominated, and the number of trophies she and Swift are up for signals something of an admission that the once deeply conservative format is opening up to new sounds and ideas in the 21st Century. The 25-year-old Texas-born singer-songwriter takes on divisive topics

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In this May 11, 2013 file photo, Taylor Swift performs onstage during her Red Tour at the Verizon Center in Washington DC.

like homosexuality on her critically acclaimed album “Same Trailer Different Park” and other issues not often heard on country radio, yet still managed to generate hits because of her smart songwriting.

She’s also nominated in the new artist of the year category, as a songwriter on her own hit “Merry Go ‘Round” and Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart.” The CMA’s open-armed welcome for Musgraves wasn’t the only nontraditional entry among nominations. Bob Dylan earns a nod with Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show as the songwriters of “ Wagon Wheel,” the Dylan song sketch that Secor updated and Darius Rucker turned into a country hit. The song also is up for single of the year.

Folk duo The Civil Wars, officially on hia-

In this March 3, 2013 file photo, country music artist Kacey Musgraves performs at the American Music Theatre in.

Musician Taylor Swift arrives at the ‘One Chance’ Premiere during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at Winter Garden Theatre on September 9, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. — AFP

tus, earned a nomination for vocal duo of the year. Rapper Nelly is up for musical event on his “Cruise” mashup with Florida Georgia Line. And pop star and recent Nashville transplant Kelly Clarkson returns as female vocalist nominee. It should also be noted Swift and Urban wouldn’t be among lead nominees without a little help from Tim McGraw. Each got three nominations apiece for their collaboration on McGraw’s “Highway Don’t Care” - single, musical event and video of the year. Carrie Underwood, McGraw, Aldean, Bryan and Little Big Town are up for three awards apiece. In another sign he’s arrived, Bryan was nominated for entertainer of the year for the first time, five months after winning the same award from the rival Academy of Country Music. Underwood’s “Blown Away,” Shelton’s “Based on a True Story” and Little Big Town’s “Tornado” are up for album of the year with Swift’s “Red” and Musgraves’ “Same Trailer.” — AP

Harvey Weinstein proud of his Sandy benefit film

s autumn draws near and awards season looms, movie mogul Harvey Weinstein says he has one thing on his mind: that the Knicks go all the way. “I’m a die-hard Knicks fan and hoping Jim will let me into the garden,” Weinstein said, referring to James Dolan, who was sitting next to him at the Weinstein Company offices in Toronto on Monday. Dolan is the head of Cablevision and New York’s Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks play.

“Thanks. No pressure,” Dolan jokes. While basketball was a hot topic, Weinstein had more pressing business at the Toronto International Film Festival. His company’s newest film, “August: Osage County,” based on the Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning play, was having its world premiere in a few hours. Before that, Weinstein sat down with the Associated Press for an exclusive interview. He was more interested in talking about the Sunday premiere of the Superstorm Sandy benefit film, “12-12-12,” than anything else. The storm devastated the Northeast last fall, and Weinstein, along with Dolan and Clear Channel president John Sykes, decided to put on a benefit concert at Madison Square Garden. They gathered a superstar lineup that included the Rolling Stones, The Who, Bruce Springsteen, Kanye West, Billy Joel and others for a nearly six-hour show. The event raised $65 million dollars for the Robin Hood Foundation to benefit victims of the storm.

Weinstein says they’re proud of their effort, but

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John Legend on music, wedding, Kanye, Syria ohn Legend has one more thing to do before launching his fall tour: get married. The 34-year-old R&B singer is engaged to 27-year-old model Chrissy Teigen, the subject of most of the romantic songs that make up his new album, “Love in the Future,” released last week.

The wedding will be some time before he kicks off his tour Oct 20 in Mashantucket, Conn., and marks a turning point for the piano-playing crooner, who since 2004’s “Get Lifted” has been crafting songs about hook-ups, cheating and heartbreak as well as long-term commitment.

Appropriately, the nine-time Grammy winner’s latest takes an overall more optimistic perspective on affairs of the heart, so much so that he says he’s already considering how married life will affect his writing: “My fans probably don’t want to listen to everything being awesome all the time.” Legend reconnected with longtime collaborator Kanye West for his fourth solo album, which includes hiphop drum patterns and moments of humor the singer credits to West. “I finally got to take the night off, so we can make some little tax write-offs,” he sings in “Caught Up.” Legend recently sat down with The Associated Press to talk about fame, stability, wedding plans and international policy.

AP: Your fiancee is very witty on Twitter, and you slide some jokes into many of your songs. How important is humor to you?

Legend: Chrissy is hilarious and I’m a big comedy fan. We go to comedy clubs ... I wish I was funnier myself ... I surround myself with people who are different from me. Obviously, people always ask me, ‘How are you and Chrissy together?”

And then people also ask me, ‘How are you and Kanye working together for so many years because you’re so different?’

But I think I gravitate toward people that are a little more outrageous than I am.

And we complement each other well.

AP: Do you want Kanye-level fame?

Legend: I want Kanye-level success. I don’t think I’m craving any more fame.

But success and being recognized for making great work all around the world, I think it’s a great thing. And I’m already not far from there. But Kanye has been a really singular artist that’s made a unique contribution to pop culture, and I respect that and I wouldn’t mind being known for that as well.

AP: What’s your vision for your wedding? What do you want from it?

Legend: I’m excited to get married,

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but I look at it as just a fun party where I want my friends to have a great time. ... I guess we should look good, too, so the pictures come out nice. But other than that, I feel like it’s no pressure.

AP: Are you going to sing?

Legend: We’ve got a DJ and most of the night, it’ll be a DJ. But we do have a piano set up at dinner. So I’ll probably sing a song or two. And who knows who else will jump on the piano?

AP: Some songwriters make their best music when they’re not in a stable relationship. It can also go the other way. Is that something you’ve thought about?

Legend: I’ve written some of my better songs about the ups and downs of relationships. ... I’ve thought about, you know, what am I going to do two years from now? ... But I imagine that we’ll have some ups and downs too, so I’ll tell those stories, too.

AP: You’re a supporter of President Barack Obama, but covered several anti-war songs from the 1960s and 1970s on the 2010 album you created with The Roots called “Wake Up!” Are you worried about US military intervention in Syria?

Legend: I am not anti-war in general. I am just anti-wars that I think are not a good idea. I didn’t think the Iraq war was a good idea. ... I do understand the impulse to want to punish countries for using chemical weapons. I do understand the humanitarian impulse when you see 100,000 people getting slaughtered ... but we have to be very cautious about getting into another long conflict in the Middle East. ... We know that al-Qaida’s infiltrated the rebel forces in Syria. We know that either way, no matter who wins, there are significant groups within each side that might not be pro-America. So I think it’s a very difficult decision to involve ourselves militarily in Syria.

AP: After doing “Wake Up,” do you wish there was more political pop music today?

Legend: Looking at the radio right now, you just hear nothing that’s the least bit socially conscious or aware, and I think artists are doing that because they don’t feel like the fans want to hear it. So what we have to ask ourselves (is), ‘Why don’t the fans want to hear it?’ ... It’s not like there’s nothing going on. We had the war in Iraq, which you could parallel to the war in Vietnam. Perhaps the biggest difference is there’s no draft - because when there was a draft, everyone felt the war. — AP

he also feels they made a powerful documentary that shows a perspective that fans didn’t get to see. “That’s the only reason to make it,” he said.

Back in December, Weinstein dressed in street clothes to work behind the scenes of the concert.

He speaks of the special moments that he saw and remembers “the coolest one.” “Having Paul McCartney walk out of his dressing room and singing ‘Hey, Hey we’re the Monkees,’ and doing it for a minute and half,” he said.

Dolan and Sykes agree that the documentary captures something special. “There was a sense a sense of sarcasm that only New Yorkers can have looking straight in the eye of a tragedy that this movie really reflects,” Sykes says. He cites Adam Sandler’s poignant parody of the Leonard Cohen song, “Hallelujah,” and Billy Joel rehearsing his own take of “We Are the World,” as “We Are New York,” sung in a whiny, New York accent. One of the criticisms of the benefit concert was the disparity between music genres. Kanye West was the only hip-hop artist in a primarily classic rock-based lineup. But Sykes defends that point. “It was about making money for the victims. We were less concerned making a perfectly balanced show, and more focused on what artists could bring in people with the most money,” Sykes said. As for a release date of the documentary, Weinstein said they will probably memorialize the day of the storm, Oct 29, and have a New York premiere.

Weinstein said he relies on Dolan and Sykes for

Harvey Weinstein arrives at the premiere of ‘August: Osage County’ on day 5 of the Toronto International Film Festival at the Roy Thomson Hall on Monday in Toronto. — AP other advice, citing their help with his highly regarded film, “Lee Daniel’s The Butler.” It’s been mentioned as an Oscar favorite, but after Monday, so was his other film, “August: Osage County,” making it an interesting awards season. — AP

Lance Armstrong’s lies revealed in new film film about Lance Armstrong’s cycling comeback, shot in 2009 but shelved when his doping denials began to unravel, had its own revival Monday, offering fresh perspective on his lies. Academy Award-winning director Alex Gibney was granted unprecedented access to Armstrong and his entourage for an entirely different sort of film, prior to the cyclist’s fall from grace. By the time the planned film was finished in 2010 it was “no longer relevant,” Gibney said, in a turn of events that may have been fortuitous.

Taking a fresh look at the footage late last year, Gibney and producer Frank Marshall recognized that they had captured the incredible truth that had been “hiding in plain sight,” he said. “We realized that we had all of this stuff that we didn’t know was so important then, but was now important,” said Marshall. The film, minus Matt Damon who narrated the original film but was cut in the rejig, premiered at the Toronto film festival. After years of denials, Armstrong, a cancer survivor who won seven Tour de France titles, finally cracked in January 2013 and admitted to Oprah Winfrey in a television interview that he had used performance-enhancing drugs.

It was a devastating and public mea culpa for his fans and the cycling world, but his confession was also decried by critics for barely scratching the surface of one of the most shocking scandals in sports history. Gibney’s documentary, “The Armstrong Lie,” looks to set that right. “In this film, you see a portrait of an elaborate lie... and you see the mechanism of it, you see the anatomy of a lie,” he said. “Particularly in film, when someone is lying to you... looking at the faces, looking at the way people talk, looking at the way all of this was reckoned with, it has a power... and (this film) goes in after the noise to be able to look at the quieter moments to see what we might have missed.

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“One of the interesting things about the 2009 comeback was that Lance’s team and his group in all of their arrogance figured that there was nothing to be discovered and so they gave me access to certain people who’d almost not talked to anybody, like the famous Dr Michele Ferrari who became known as Lance’s doping doctor,” he added. In addition to the original footage, Gibney shot and added a bunch of new interviews, including with Armstrong himself, his former cycling teammate Jonathan Vaughters and Betsy Andreu, the wife of another former Armstrong teammate and early outspoken critic of Armstrong.

The film also raises troubling questions about

doping regulations and spreads the blame, pointing to many people’s “wilful denial” that Armstrong could possibly be doping. “You have the governing body, as Alex showed, so complicit, telling Lance how to get away with a positive so that it will pass muster, you have the US cycling federation, shame on them, you have the sponsors, you have the doctors, you have the fans, and you have the majority of people in the media which were complicit, they didn’t care,” said Andreu. Vaughters added “that without the need for so many people to believe in this superhero, without the complicity of the governing body that oversaw the sport,” it might all never have happened. — AFP

Director Alex Gibney, from left, Betsy Andreu, Bill Strickland, Jonathan Vaughters and Frank Marshall pose for a picture in a photo call for documentary ‘The Armstrong Lie’ at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Monday. — AP

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

lifestyle F A S H I O N

TOMMY HILFIGER

Celebrities turn low key at

NY Fashion

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ethereal gowns featuring geometric motifs enhanced by the layering of fabrics, which gave them the appearance of constant movement. The inspiration? Kinetic art, or art in motion. “It’s the reaction of two layers - I find that this is totally kinetic,” Herrera said in a post-show interview, as well-wishers crushed around her.

“It creates its own movement.”

ashion insiders love to dress celebrities for big splashy Hollywood events, but they don’t necessarily want them at their own big splashy event: New York Fashion Week. As spring previews slid into their fifth day, there has been some departure from the approach of putting boldface names in the coveted front row seats - and letting them steal some of the thunder from designers.

Oscar de la Renta limited his guest list, telling Women’s Wear Daily he was focusing on the people who had a real reason to be there, not “20 million people with zero connection to the clothes.” Tommy Hilfiger, once a celebrity magnet, said Monday that he wanted to return the focus to fashion. “I don’t like the drama in the fashion world. I like to do our thing without the drama,” he said backstage before his show. There were still plenty of tabloid favorites - Kanye West, Justin Bieber and Lindsay Lohan have all made appearances - but they are more of a rarity than in years past, when they were invited en masse and thrown in front of paparazzi. How many people were really focused on the Herve Leger dresses on the runway Saturday when Nicki Minaj was right in front of them? (At least designer Max Azria was smart enough to put her in a new look from the spring collection.)

For the celebrities-turned-designers, it’s an even more careful dance. Katie Holmes, Victoria Beckham, and MaryKate and Ashley Olsen have all made long-term commitments to their fashion brands, slowly and delicately courting editors, stylists and retailers, instead of the paparazzi.

The Olsen twins moved their show from the Upper East Side to Soho downtown, far from the Lincoln Center tents, for their intimate unveiling. Holmes and her partner, Jeanne Yang, invited no photographers - sav

HOLMES & YANG Holmes and Yang said their spring collection is about wearable elegance. The mix they offered included a black silk V-neck gown with leather trim and a khaki camp-style shirtdress with a lace-up V at the neck. The duo said they wanted to start their business quietly, grow slowly and do it right.

DONNA KARAN The best of Karan’s spring collection was classic Karan, day-to-night stretch dresses (especially a oneshouldered, blockprint number), coats that you wouldn’t want to take off, a man-tailored shirt definitively cut for a woman. There were rich colors of tobacco and terra-cotta, and it seemed navy was Karan’s new black. She opened the show with a series of indigo-colored viscose dresses. There also were beaded, wrap miniskirts with silk tunics barely tucked into the waistband. But the key piece was the scarf skirt, which was light and had a lot of life. “It was all about a search for a scarf. I think as signature to what Donna Karan is about is a bodysuit and a scarf and the tailoring,” Karan said. She had spied a scarf she fell in love with and it took her on a journey to India and she came back with a suitcase full of new ones. “If somebody would say to me, ‘What’s the most important item to own?’ It’s a scarf ... because it covers up what you don’t want to show, and it shows what you want to show, and it just flows with the body.”

TOMMY HILFIGER Hilfiger filled a hangarlike venue on the West Side with sand and built his own boardwalk for surf-inspired styles.

“It’s really from the inspiration of Melrose to Malibu, and we brought Malibu to New York,” he said. “It’s about surfing and skating, sporty lifestyles, about color and the modern cool woman.” There were colorblocked neoprene pieces one of the biggest trends emerging from these seasonal previews - shown alongside denim and olive surplus styles.

Top model Joan Smalls had on a leather basketball jersey (No. 1, of course) paired with denim track pants.

THE ROW The Olsens draped their gallery space with gauzy fabric for a look at clothes that seemed what a woman of means, but one who shuns the spotlight or fuss, would take on safari. Wonder if the twins are planning a trip? Two years ago, they won the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s top prize in womenswear and continue with the aesthetic that got them there. Shapes are long, lean and worn in lots of layers. Some of the clothes were purposely crinkled or with unfinished edges.

CAROLINA HERRERA Herrera was among the exceptions to that low-key celebrity thing. Her guests included Uma Thurman, Christina Ricci, the R&B singer Ne-Yo, “Mad Men” actress Christina Hendricks and “Downton Abbey” star Michelle Dockery. The packed crowd was regaled with elegant,

CAROLINA HERRERA

3.1 PHILLIP LIM Lim said he was inspired to explore “different terrains, landscapes and rocks” in search of “something stable, sturdy and elementary to stand on.” What helped? Salt crystals that crunch underfoot at his 3.1 Phillip Lim show. The designer proved better than many in expressing his theme clearly and forcefully, best of all in the embroidery that evoked intricate and colorful rock formations. It’s been a busy few months for Lim. In June, he won a Council of Fashion Designers of America award for his accessories.

And on Sept. 15 he debuts his new line for Target - what he calls a “modern-day wardrobe for citizens on the go.”

ZAC POSEN Zac Posen started draping his collection almost three months ago, and he was still doing it right up until the first look appeared on the runway. It wasn’t a last-minute rush in fact, everything seemed incredibly quiet just before his show on Sunday night. It simply takes that long to handpleat chiffon and hand-paint organza. “Given the intensity of this collection, it has all been very calm,” he said. Posen even took a nap for almost an hour after the final sound and lighting checks, and before receiving a pep talk by phone from friend Naomi Campbell. Models are important to Posen: Their loyalty and enthusiasm launched his career.

Coco Rocha wore the first look on the catwalk, a pale-pink chiffon cape dress. Lindsey Wixson wore an ivory colored bustier gown and go-to Posen muse Crystal Renn wore a lemon-colored frock with a wisteria print and fluttery short sleeves.

ZAC POSEN

DEREK LAM Derek Lam’s clothes always have a pronounced urban

edge. For spring, he wanted to be playful, too. His show had some unexpected nuances such as sparks of bright yellow, breaking up his usual crisp color palette of black, white and navy.

An elegant yellow crepe strapless gown came in sharp contrast to the series of bold plaids, in black and white or blue and white, that began the show. “My work has always been rooted in American sportswear. So I’m just loosening it up, relaxing a bit,” Lam said.

EDUN There was more than big, bold graphics on display at Edun, the label founded by rocker Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson. There was also the debut of a new designer - Danielle Sherman - and a front row where Bono and Hewson were joined by Trudie Styler, Gina Gershon and Christy Turlington Burns. The collection was heavy on black-and-white pieces in bold geometric prints: skirts, coats, roomy pants and short tanks over longer, flowing tops. There were also some large, soft gray sweaters, sportswear in bright orange and leather pieces in white, black and a rich cayenne color. Edun was founded in 2005

by Bono and Hewson to promote change through a trading relationship with Africa. Many of its garments are traditionally produced in Africa or made from fabrics sourced there.

BAND OF OUTSIDERS Los Angeles-based designer Scott Sternberg really, really likes “The House of the Rising Sun.” The song played many times both before and during his show. But the collection was inspired by much more than a 1960s vibe, Sternberg said afterward. “Hollywood noir, sirens, bohemia, and Robert Altman’s ‘The Long Goodbye,’” he said, listing the themes that guided him. “All mixed with something super-sporty, fresh and pure.” Translated into clothes, that meant a lot of very comfortable, sporty yet urban looks which would fit right in in Los Angeles - indeed, the Hollywood sign, or actually the back of it, figured prominently into Sternberg’s stylish visuals. But they’d work for a young customer pretty much anywhere else, too, in these informal days. — AP

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

lifestyle F A S H I O N

DONNA KARAN

ZAC POSEN

Armani Jeans:

Designs supporting nature aving always been attentive to modern issues and problems, Armani Jeans continues on its search for innovative treatments with a low environmental impact. A cryogenic discoloration treatment process based on dry ice was introduced last season and offers numerous advantages: it’s antibacterial, has a low water consumption, is devoid of chemical agents and has a low environmental impact as it does not contain processing scraps.

Equally innovative is the laser treatment. Creating the used effect on the indigo takes place directly on mannequins, in replacing sandpaper with a laser beam. For the ozone treatment, the stonewashed effect is obtained by using a natural antioxidant, which allows for a nearly 70% reduction in water in addition to the removal of stones and other chemical pollutants.

They are completely “Made in Italy” processes that demonstrate how aesthetic research and environmental friendliness can come together in design innovation.

BAND OF OUTSIDERS

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Celebrities turn low key at NY Fashion Week

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

A gallery worker poses with a painted portrait of Malala Yousafzai, the teenage Pakistani advocate for girls education who was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012, by Jonathan Yeo at the National Portrait Gallery in central London yesterday. The portrait will be unveiled to the public alongside a selection of other works by the artist as part of the ‘Jonathan Yeo Portraits’ exhibition, running from September 11, 2013 to January 5, 2014. — AFP

Visiting Egypt in crisis: The pyramids are quiet T

he lone tourist bus curved through the desert past the limestone-topped Pyramid of Khafre, leaving the camel handlers and postcard sellers trudging through its dust. It rounded one last turn, then settled atop a plateau overlooking the pyramid and its two mammoth siblings. The bus door flapped open, unleashing a dozen Chinese tourists into the empty parking lot. They strolled toward the plateau’s edge, cameras and parasols in hand, just ahead of the vendors scrambling at the prospect of a few paying customers. For a moment, the scene was per fect - the solitary caravan approaching from the desert, the heat shimmering off the stone blocks, the majestic desolation.

It helped that we were mostly alone that hot, late-August morning in the heart of one of the world’s best-known tourist destinations. I was in town to help cover the troubles that had seized Egypt over the past two months and had found a calm morning to make it out to the Cairo suburbs, where the pyramids mark the start of the vast

brown desert. I didn’t expect to find the usual crowds there, but still the emptiness and quiet were a surprise.

Closer to the pyramids, the crowds weren’t much thicker: a British family, a scattering of Arab couples, Somali women posing for pictures in flowing headscarves, everyone easy and unhurried. Years ago, before the 2011 revolution that started Egypt’s political roller coaster, visiting the pyramids could quickly become a two-hour flight through clouds of tour groups. Visitors, guides and vendors jostled in front of the ancient marvels, as a steady line of buses emerged from the brown blocks of the city. Now, after a summer of coup, protests and massacres, the flocks have flown to other spots, abandoning such draws as the Egyptian Museum, the ancient ruins of Luxor farther down the Nile and, of course, the pyramids of Giza. In mid-August, arrivals at Egyptian airports dropped by more than 40 percent after the military brutally cleared two sit-in camps protesting the July ouster of President Mohammed Morsi, of the Muslim

Brotherhood. That has devastated the country’s all-important tourism industry, which makes up more than a tenth of all economic activity. But it’s proved a boon for travelers willing to defy official warnings from the US and other countries against coming to Egypt.

Hotel and restaurant prices have dropped, sometimes by half, as has the Egyptian pound, making the already affordable country even more so. Once at the sights, travelers find themselves usually alone with some of the world’s greatest treasures, be they gold death masks of pharaohs or the sublime cen-

business has driven already predatory vendors and guides into a frenzy, with the US Embassy in Egypt even issuing an alert in June about “over-aggressive vendors.” Visitors had come across “angry groups of individuals surrounding and pounding on the vehicles,” the embassy reported, “and in some cases attempting to open the vehicle’s doors.”

On my pyramid trip, one young guide jumped onto the back of our car and clung to the rear window, while our driver abruptly braked and zoomed ahead and wove from lane to lane to

A headdress adorns a mannequin in the Khan El-Khalili market, normally a popular tourist destination, in Cairo, Egypt. — AP photos

Bono, designers to raise AIDS funds at auction An Egyptian vendor reads a newspaper as he waits for customers in the Khan El-Khalili market, normally a popular tourist destination.

Souvenirs are displayed for sale on a vendor’s bench at the historical site of the Giza Pyramids, near Cairo.

Egyptians walk in the Khan El-Khalili market, normally a popular tourist destination.

A tourist guide sits close to his camel as a vendor waits for tourists to offer souvenirs for sale at the historical site of the Giza Pyramids, near Cairo. turies-old mosques soaring above old Cairo. Tourist sites have become forlorn, even serene - more befitting these dignified survivors of the millennia.

Australian Mary Hill said she had been traveling across Europe with a friend over this summer and hadn’t kept up on the news from Egypt.

However, they had already booked a visit, and were set on going, even after they heard about the bloodshed. “We were at a stage in our trip where we had to take a chance,” Hill said as she stepped out of the child pharaoh Tutankhamen’s exhibit at the Egyptian Museum. “And in the end, it’s been positive.” “From the country’s perspective, of course, it’s not good.” The dearth of

try to shake him off. Only a block later did the driver convince the guide’s friends to keep the young man off the bumper. Then came the vendors inside the pyramid complex, who tried out their usual pitches before moving onto more desperate Plan Bs. “There’s no business here, there are no more tourists,” one camel rider said, the ache in his voice sounding genuine. “I have a family. We need to eat.”

In the winding alleys of the Khan elKhalili bazaar in old Cairo, merchants tried to physically stop what rare visitors they spotted walking through as they hocked limestone miniature pyramids and bright cotton fabrics.

Shop owner Mohamed Hafez said his sales had fallen by “100 percent” since Egyptians first took to the streets 2 1/2 years ago. “There used to be a lot of tourists, a lot of nationalities,” Hafez said, while cooling down in the air-conditioned inner sanctum of his souvenir shop. “Now, it’s nothing. We just want safety, no more revolutions.”

Wooing back those visitors has become a top priority, even with all the military vehicles and checkpoints in the streets. Dallas-based college student Deniz Mustafa had, in fact, flown into Cairo as part of a volunteer project inviting youth from around the world to visit and tout Egypt’s top tourist sites. —AP

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he design and music worlds are coming together to help fight AIDS in Africa. Apple Inc chief designer Jonathan Ive and industrial designer Marc Newson are collaborating with rocker Bono. They’re producing 40 original designs to benefit The Global Fund.

The event is called the (RED) auction.

It’s scheduled for Nov 23 at Sotheby’s New York. The highlights include a Leica digital rangefinder camera and a Neal Feay Studios aluminum desk. Other items include a customized white and red Steinway parlor grand piano and a 2012 Range Rover. There’s also a one-of-a kind pair of Apple EarPods in solid rose gold. Sotheby’s will exhibit the items from Nov 18-22. Bono founded the (RED) charity in 2006 to raise funds to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. —AP

This undated photo provided

by Sotheby’s shows a custom red cooler designed to hold a magnum of juice.

This undated photo provided by Sotheby’s shows a customized white and red Steinway parlor grand piano. —AP photos

This undated photo provided

by Sotheby’s shows a one-of-a kind pair of Apple EarPods in solid rose gold.