22 Sep 2013

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

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As 2016 looms, Clinton keeps up with supporters

Southampton end Liverpool’s unbeaten start

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Gunmen storm mall, execute 25 shoppers Kenya’s worst attack since 1998 Qaeda bombing

NAIROBI: The body of a man lies on the ground as armed policemen try to get entry into the Westgate yesterday after masked gunmen stormed an upmarket mall and sprayed gunfire on shoppers and staff, killing at least 20. — AFP

MPs prepare to grill Minister of Planning

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Max 43 º Min 25º High Tide 01:05 & 13:55 Low Tide 07:46 & 21:59

NAIROBI: Militant gunmen stormed a shopping mall in Nairobi yesterday killing at least 25 people, including children, and sending scores fleeing into shops, a cinema and onto the streets in search of safety. Shooting continued hours after the initial assault as troops surrounded the Westgate mall and police and soldiers combed the building, hunting down the attackers shop by shop.

A police officer inside the building said the gunmen were barricaded inside the Nakumatt supermarket, one of Kenya’s biggest chains. “We got three bodies from this shop,” he said, standing a dozen meters from the supermarket entrance and pointing to a children’s shoe shop, where blood lay in pools. He turned to a nearby hamburger bar where music still played and food lay abandoned in a similar bloody scene.

A shop manager who managed to escape said at one point “it seemed that the shooters had taken control of all the mall”. “They spoke something that seemed like Arabic or Somali,” said a man who escaped the mall and gave his name only as Jay. “I saw people being executed after being asked to say something,” he added.

The Westgate mall attack was the single biggest since Al-Qaeda’s east Africa cell bombed the US embassy in Nairobi, in 1998 killing more than two hundred people. In 2002, the same militant cell attacked an Israeli-owned hotel and tried to shoot down an Israeli jet in a coordinated attack. Two plainclothes policemen lay on the floor with guns trained on the Nakumatt supermarket entrance.

Tiles were smeared with blood, bullet casings were strewn on the floor and shop windows were shattered.

A police man dragged the corpse of a young girl across the floor and lay her on a stretcher. Some local television stations reported hostages had been taken, but there was no official confirmation.

The Somali militant group Al Shabaab, which Kenya blames for shootings, bombings and grenade attacks against churches and the security forces, had threatened to strike the Westgate mall, popular with the city’s Continued on Page 13

Indian man accused of killing roommate

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100 killed in Mexico landslides

Saudi targets a MERS-free Haj RIYADH: Saudi authorities are optimistic that October’s Haj pilgrimage to the kingdom, one of the world’s annual largest gatherings, will pass without outbreaks of the deadly MERS coronavirus, the health minister said yesterday. The virus, which appeared first in the kingdom last year, has killed 58 people worldwide, 49 of them in Saudi Arabia, according to official Saudi figures and the World Health Organization (WHO).

But “we are optimistic we can achieve yet another success as the Haj pilgrimage season nears” after the minor pilgrimage season during the fasting month of Ramadan “succeeded despite health challenges such as the coronavirus,” said Abdullah Al-Rabia. No MERS outbreaks were recorded at last year’s Haj, nor during the Umrah season in July and August of this year.

Saudi Arabia has “longstanding experience” dealing with health challenges brought by the large numbers of people who come to the kingdom-home to Islam’s holiest sites. Around two million people are expected at this year’s Haj, which begins on October 13 and lasts five days.

Authorities have urged the elderly and chronically ill to avoid the event and have reduced the number of people they will allow to perform come. The WHO said it had been informed of 132 lab-confirmed cases of MERS, including the deaths.

With the exception of a cluster of cases in the eastern town of Al-Ihsa, the focal point of the outbreak has been the capital, scientists said yesterday in an online report published on The Lancet. Experts are struggling to understand MERS, for which there is still no vaccine. It is considered a cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. Like SARS, MERS is thought to have jumped from animals to humans, and it shares the former’s flu-like symptoms-but differs by also causing kidney failure. — AFP

ACAPULCO: More than 100 people have been killed and scores are missing in landslides and flooding caused by heavy rain in Mexico, a senior government official said late Friday. Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong delivered the grim news from the resort town of Acapulco, in one of the worst-affected regions, with President Enrique Pena Nieto by his side.

The death toll stood at 101, with 68 people missing following a massive mudslide that swallowed half of the village of La Pintada, in Guerrero state, Osorio Chong said. Mexico was hammered by the one-two punch of tropical storms Ingrid and Manuel, which left a trail of destruction that damaged tens of thousands of homes, flooded cities and washed out roads.

After regenerating into a hurricane and hitting the northwestern state of Sinaloa late Thursday, affecting 100,000 people and killing three, Manuel finally dissipated over the mountains. The state of Guerrero was the hardest hit, with at least 65 deaths and its Pacific resort of Acapulco left isolated after the two roads

to Mexico City were covered in landslides.

Osorio Chong also said that authorities are searching for a police helicopter that had been evacuating people from La Pintada when it disappeared Thursday. Only crew members were apparently missing. Rescuers have abandoned the search by air because of heavy fog, but have continued to search by land, Osorio Chong said. “We are really worried,” the minister earlier told Radio Formula. “They risked their lives all the time, because it was important to evacuate people.”

Thousands of tourists trapped in flood-stricken Acapulco for almost a week packed into cars and buses on Friday after authorities reopened the road link to Mexico City following the storms. Traffic piled up as police allowed cars to leave in groups of 50 to avoid huge backups on the “Sun Highway.” The highway department warned travelers that the trip north, which usually takes around four hours, would last nine to 10 hours, with only a single lane open Continued on Page 13

AZAZ: A Free Syrian Army fighter takes cover during fighting with the Syrian Army in Azaz, Syria. — AP

Syria rebels fume over chemical weapon deal Oppn gradually losing West

ACAPULCO: An old woman resident of a rural zone of Acapulco called Agua Caliente walks amid the rubble of her home, in Guerrero state, Mexico. — AFP

AMMAN: The Syrian opposition feels badly let down by Washington’s decision to do a deal with Moscow to eliminate Bashar Al-Assad’s chemical weapons but diplomats are warning the Syrian National Coalition that it risks losing Western support if it cannot adapt to new realities. The rift that has alienated the Syrian opposition from the United States threatens to derail international efforts to end the two and a half year civil war, diplomatic and opposition sources said.

It comes as the war has turned into a something of a stalemate on the battlefield and the rebels had been looking to the United States to tilt the balance in their favor by intervening militarily to punish Assad for using chemical weapons. The behind the scenes dispute, in which Saudi Arabia and Turkey

appear to be siding with the opposition, developed last week as the United States and Russia made their deal to destroy Assad’s chemical arsenal following a nerve gas attack on rebel areas of Damascus that killed hundreds, the sources said.

The agreement, from which the United States hopes a wider political settlement can emerge, has reduced the likelihood of a US strike on Assad’s forces that the opposition had hoped would weaken him militarily and force him to attend a planned new peace conference.

The opposition is therefore furious that Washington suddenly and without its knowledge changed course a week after informing leaders of the main Syrian National Coalition that a strike was imminent, according to coalition members.

Continued on Page 13

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

LOCAL

Jobs, housing, health top Cabinet priorities List to be presented to NA soon KUWAIT: The Cabinet eyes unemployment, housing shortage and deteriorating medical services as the top three priorities which also include improving Kuwaitis’ standard of living by focusing on increasing the family income, a local daily reported yesterday quoting a Cabinet source.

Speaking to Al-Jarida on the condition of anonymity, the source said that Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah instructed the Supreme Council of Planning to focus on “making sure that Kuwaiti families live in luxury, and enjoy improved living standards”.

The list of priorities which the source said “have been finished” will be presented to the parliament when the latter resumes sessions on

October 29. The source added that the list is set to be approved during the Cabinet’s weekly meeting tomorrow, before it is discussed with the relevant parliamentary committee.

In addition to the topics mentioned above, the source revealed that the Cabinet’s list includes “vast economic reforms” that include draft laws for financial disclosure, privatization, competition protection, consumer protection, value added tax and increase in public service fees. They also include draft laws to protect children from violence and abuse, mental health and social security.

The source also indicated that the government eyes topics that deal with future planning such as electronic transactions law, a law to

establish a public authority for telecommunications and a law to reduce procedures while improve transparency at the Central Tenders Committee. The list does not include bank loans or the stateless residents’ issue, the source added. Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim is expected meanwhile to meet MPs on Tuesday in order to discuss the results of the national poll announced last Monday which listed housing, health and education as the top three topics that the public seeks to be given priority to in parliamentary discussions. MP Ali Al-Omair called for setting up a ‘work team’ to list the priorities in order of importance, provide analytical studies, and select topics that match the Cabinet’s list.

BRUSSELS: Members of the Kuwaiti ports delegation pictured in Brussels yesterday.

Ports Authority delegation visits Netherlands BRUSSELS: A delegation of Kuwaiti state marine port officials, currently on a visit to the Netherlands, were met by Kuwaiti Ambassador Hafedh Al-Ajmi, the embassy said yesterday.

The delegation had briefed the ambassador on the program and purpose of their visit, according to a press release from the Kuwaiti embassy at The Hague.

The delegation said they had visited the Port of Rotterdam - the second largest in the world - where they were briefed on the system and management of the Dutch port, totally managed by the private sector.

They also paid a visit to the headquarters of the company which manages the port, and were shown the port’s container terminal in order to get a firsthand view of the latest technology in the field of port management.

Other visits were made to the C TS Marine College, which provides services to students and trainees in all parts of the world, to discuss coordination with Kuwait, which heads the Arab Ports and Maritime College, on holding a joint workshop at the next meeting of the Arab Federation of Ports.

The Dutch side had also expressed its keenness in hosting an exhibition and conference to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Hafedh Al-Ajmi hosted a luncheon in the honour of the visiting Kuwaiti delegation in the presence of the president and representatives of the Dutch-Gulf Chamber of Commerce.

He praised the support of Dr. Sheikh Sabah Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah, head of the Arab Sea Ports Federation and General Manager of Kuwait Ports Authority, for his support of the country’s ports sector.

The ambassador also said he was delighted over the developing relations between Kuwait and the Netherlands and the opening up of new horizons for joint cooperation through the exchange of expertise between the two countries’ ports.

The Kuwait Ports Authority delegation includes Jaman Al-Azmi, Chairman of the Training Committee, Ali Al-Sakouni, Deputy Chairman of the Training Committee, Hamad Al-Ajmi, Task Team Leader, Nasser Al-Ajmi, Maryam Al-Mutairi, Siddique Abdali and Kamel Haddad. — KUNA

Kuwaiti society distributes aid to Syrian children in Jordan ZAATARI CAMP, Jordan: Kuwait’s NEST group started yesterday to hand in school supplies worth $163,000 to Syrian refugee children at the Zaatari camp north of Jordan.

The donation ceremony was attended by Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan

Dr Hamad Al-Duaij. NEST Coordinator Noor Budai said that NEST volunteers distributed the goods in cooperation with Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) and the Kuwaiti Embassy. She indicated that the group’s mission was to provide

Zain offers discount on SMS, calls to Saudi KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, has announced that it will offer a 50% discount on all SMS messages and 20% discount on International calls tomorrow to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in celebration of the National Day on Sept 23.

Zain expressed its congratulations on this occasion to the people of Saudi Arabia, represented in its leadership, the embassy, and the Saudi citizens residing in Kuwait. The company stressed that Zain is a global company which is always keen to participate in the celebrations of nations.

Zain added that the offer is extended to all SMS & International calls sent to KSA only on Monday Sept 23 for both post-paid and prepaid customers.

Syrian children with necessities that would help them during the current school-year. On his part, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan thanked NEST and those contributing to the campaign for their generous offers and donations, affirming that

Kuwaitis were no strangers to giving and supporting.

According to Jordanian statistics, there are around 1.2 million Syrian refugees in Jordan since the war began in their country in March in 2011. —KUNA

Kuwaitis in Mexico safe, unharmed NEW YORK: All Kuwaiti travelers and mission personnel in Mexico are safe and unharmed, the Kuwaiti embassy said yesterday, as two ongoing hurricanes have so far left dozens dead and missing in the country.

Hurricanes Manuel and Igrid, which have hit the Central American nation on its eastern and western coasts, “have led to the death of 105 people, so far, and over 1.4 million people have been affected. This has forced authorities to announce a state of emergency across most states,” said Ambassador to Mexico Samih Jawhar Hayat in a statement yesterday.

The ambassador said that the embassy has been keeping a watchful eye over developments since the hurricanes started hitting the country on Thursday.

Earlier on Friday, a Kuwaiti tourist was discharged from hospital after being completely healed of wounds, and the embassy is closely following up on his condition, added the ambassador.

The Kuwaiti embassy is in close contact with the Mexican foreign ministry, and daily reports are being compiled on the ongoing situation.

The dual hurricanes have also led to heavy rains and floods which have caused the destruction of many homes, farmland

and businesses nationwide, mostly seaside cities and towns.

Several nations and organizations have begun to offer assistance to Mexico in its attempt to rescue survivors and address the needs of those displaced as a result of the natural disaster.

These include the US, which upon providing $250,000 to the Mexican Red Cross has said it would be providing more relief as soon as the exact urgent needs of the people on ground are revealed by Mexican authorities.

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development have also donated $400,000 to the Mexican Red Cross aimed at relief efforts.

Meanwhile, UN chief Ban Ki-moon also expressed sorrow over the huge loss of life due to the dual hurricanes.

“The Secretary-General extends his sincere condolences to the Mexican Government and people, particularly the families of those who have been killed, “ his spokesperson said in a statement. “He extends his solidarity to all those affected in this disaster.” He also vowed that the UN would assist in efforts to respond to the humanitarian needs resulting from the disaster and to mobilize any international support needed. —KUNA

Complete security preparations for school reopening: Al-Hashash KUWAIT: Col Adel Ahmed Al-Hashash, MoI’s PR and Moral Guidance Manager and Acting Security Media Manager, said that all MoI departments have completed their preparations for the new school year (201314) starting today in various stages.

Al-Hashash added that the traffic sector, in particular, has deployed its patrols at all intersections, and surveillance cameras are

used to monitor all roads and traffic light timings have been readjusted to achieve easy traffic flow. He added that within a special campaign titled ‘I follow your steps for my safety’, programs for TV and radio, billboards and posters have been designed and distributed at various schools in a bid to boost traffic awareness and help reduce traffic congestion.

KUWAIT: A military man was pronounced dead early Friday morning after he reportedly drowned near Kubbar Island. Search operations were underway after friends of the victim made an emergency call at 11:57 pm on Thursday night reporting that the Kuwaiti man went missing. Body of the victim, a Major in the Kuwaiti Army, was found at 4:32 am Friday morning and sent to the forensic department for an autopsy. A case was filed for investigations.

—Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

Asbestos landfill revives Jahra ecological concerns KUWAIT: Environmental concerns were raised in Jahra after the Kuwait municipality approved a decision to allocate a one square kilometer landfill in Abraq to be used to bury asbestos waste despite the Municipal Council rejecting this project earlier. This was reported by Al-Rai yesterday which revived concerns that were calmed down after the government promised to put plans to build chemical factories within the Jahra governorate on hold.

Al-Rai’s report quotes letters exchanged between the Kuwait municipality and the Environment Public Authority (EPA) who reportedly gave the green light to use the location that the municipality recommended. The EPA had first contacted the municipality to find a suitable location to be used as a landfill for asbestos waste that should be located near border areas and away from any future housing plans.

EPA Acting General Director

Mohammad Al-Enizy reassured the public that the location chosen will not have environmental impact on construction “for 50 years to come”. He further explained that the dangers of asbestos are multiplied when the carcinogenic material is exposed to air, adding that the risk is reduced to zero when the substances are buried underground. Al-Enizy also confirmed that “large amounts of asbestos disposed at the government’s landfills including the Abdullah Port landfill will be moved to the new location once finished”.

Despite assurances which also include guaranteeing safe transportation for the asbestos waste, the news garnered strong reactions from activists and politicians including former Municipal Council Abdullah Fahad who gave a statement to Al-Rai in which he listed “environmental violations” in Al-Jahra that include a massive used tire disposal square in Erhaiyya.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

LOCAL

Three MPs prepare to grill planning minister Conflicting opinions on GCC security agreement

By A Saleh KUWAIT: Preparations are underway for a grilling motion to be filed against Minister of Planning and Development Dr Rola Dashti as early as the first week after the parliament resumes sessions on Oct 29, according to sources familiar with the subject. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the sources said that MPs Safa Al-Hashem and Yousuf Al-Zalzalah hope that their grilling is debated in November, and expect a third lawmaker to join as a presenter with the likely candidate being MP Maasouma Al-Mubarak. Meanwhile, the sources indicated that the debate will likely end with a request for a vote of confidence, noting that “17 MPs so far agree with Dashti’s grilling plans”.

In other news, sources revealed that ‘conflicting opinions’ among members of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee could delay preparing the final report regarding the Gulf Cooperation Council security agreement which is set to be discussed next Wednesday. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the sources indicated that MPs Hamdan Al-Azmi and Sultan AlShemmary want to approve the agreement before the beginning of the upcoming parliamentary term following meetings with Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, whereas MPs Saleh Ashour and Maasouma Al-Mubarak prefer to the agreement to be studied further. The panel is currently studying the treaty to verify whether it violates articles in the Kuwaiti Constitution or not.

Meanwhile, the parliament’s financial committee will meet today in order to discuss proposed amendments to the Kuwait Airways privatization law and the buy-operate-transfer (BOT) law, as members prepare to view the technical

opinion released by a joint cabinet-parliament committee formed in that regard.

In the meantime, a source revealed that financial committee members remain undecided regarding a draft law to amend the Family Fund law. They explained that the conflict lies between an opinion supporting an ‘overhaul’ that practically resembles the issuance of a new debt relief program, and another which believes that the current fund has been effective in resolving the defaulters’ problem.

Separately, educational committee member MP Osama Al-Tahous announced that the answers that Minister of Education Dr Nayef AlHajraf provides during the panel’s meeting today will determine whether or not to go ahead with his plan to file a grilling motion against the minister. The meeting is set to discuss the government policies to grant students paid scholarships inside and outside Kuwait, as well as the recent wave of resignations of senior officials at the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training in the wake of errors found in the new students’ enrollment lists.

In another subject, sources revealed that the Cabinet has already rejected MPs’ proposals to increase salaries of public sector employees and improve servicemen’s allowances, as part of efforts to cut spending in light of concerns about Kuwait potentially facing budget deficit by 2018 as mentioned by a team from the International Monetary Fund recently. Other sources said meanwhile that the Cabinet plans to go ahead and construct the North Zoor Power Plant despite MPs’ demands to put the mega project on hold due to concerns of profiteering.

The sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity indicated that the Cabinet is convinced that MPs’ allegations are “baseless”, and feels comfortable that a majority of lawmakers

realize the importance of the project for the government’s energy distribution plans.

The Cabinet’s meeting takes place tomorrow and is expected to be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, since Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah is currently in New York to attend the United Nations’ meeting with a team that also includes Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah.

In other news, government sources indicated that the Cabinet received results of a governmental study which recommended establishing separate municipality councils to represent each constituency as a replacement for the Municipal Council. The Cabinet can adopt the recommendations and present a draft law in that regard to the parliament, who has the capacity to pass it after which the upcoming Municipal Council which is set to be elected on September 28 could be the last in Kuwait’s history.

Separately, MP Faisal Al-Kandari urged the Public Authority for Housing Welfare and Kuwait Municipality to “carry out necessary steps to address the housing issue as soon as possible” after the Defense Ministry’s recent decision to free lands for housing projects. Also yesterday, MP Yaqoub Al-Sane released a statement criticizing colleague’s reported plans of forming blocs early during the parliament’s term “because hasty decisions create weak bloc that can easily fall apart”. Meanwhile, MP Hamdan Al-Azmi released a statement claiming that the Ministry of Public Works hired a person as assistant undersecretary in 2012 - 10 years after he allegedly resigned from the same ministry. The lawmaker indicated that this practice violates regulations that give priority to promotion from within state departments.

Illegal residents employed in govt bodies up by 1,145 KUWAIT: Illegal residents occupying jobs provided by the state in the public sector have increased by 1,145 up to the end of August, said an official here yesterday.

The exact numbers and state institutions employing the community were quoted by Assistant Undersecretary for Technical and Information Affairs at the Central Apparatus for Illegal Residents’ Affairs Waleed Al-Asfour in a statement.

“Around 643 illegal residents have been employed in the healthcare sector followed by 315 in the Ministry of Education, 53 in the

Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic affairs, 25 in the Ministry of Labor and 20 in the Ministry of Electricity and Water,” he said.

Al-Asfour said that the recent numbers are added to the previous number by the thousands already working in the military and defense sectors. He said that the employment of illegal residents was going smoothly since the apparatus launched its employment program back in March 26, 2012 in cooperation with the state Civil Service Commission (CSC).

In regards to the employment requirements, the official said that illegal residents must be

part of the 1965 census in addition to posessing a diploma or any other higher education certificates.

Individuals with nursing education as well as children of Kuwaiti mothers and army personnel who took part in military operations for Kuwait are excluded from the requirements, said AlAsfour. The apparatus is also currently holding discussions with the federation of cooperation societies and the private sector to open up job opportunities for illegal residents who were part of 1965 census and have a high-school degree, he concluded. —KUNA

KUWAIT: A fire recently broke in Isbiliya at a house which was under construction, said security sources, noting that firefighters from Farwaniya and Jleeb rushed to the scene immediately on receiving a call at 5:30 am. No casualties were reported.

— By Hanan Al-Saadoun

MPs support labor demands KUWAIT: Several MPs voiced support for at least two labor unions’ plans to stage labor strikes in the near future in protest against alleged governmental disregard to their demands. The labor union at the Oil Sector Services Company reportedly agreed to stage a strike against the board’s decision to dissolve the company without consulting employees or providing guarantees to workers.

“Mismanagement at the oil sector is a result of corruption in the government which affected all parts of the state”, said MP Husain Al-Quwai’an in a statement in which he announced support to the union’s demands. He further expressed concern over “the spread of corruption towards a vital section to the national

Egypt church chief hails Kuwait support CAIRO: Pope Tawadros II, the pope of Alexandria and head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt, yesterday thanked the Kuwaiti leadership and people for supporting Egypt at this time.

Meeting a visiting Kuwaiti delegation, the

pope said: ìIt’s a suitable chance to voice much thanks and appreciation to His Highness the Amir and Kuwaiti people for their aid to Egypt and its people.’

Hailing deep relations between Egypt and Kuwait, he said: ‘We highly appreciate their

position and support for Egypt and its people. Kuwait usually helps us at critical times.’

Tawadros, in the meantime, lauded the atmosphere of democracy and freedom of press and expression and religious tolerance. —KUNA

Health care fastest growing industry

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Public Transportation Company is prepared to transport public school students at the beginning of 2014 using new buses acquired as per a contract signed with the Ministry of Education. KPTC General Manager Dr Essa Al-Hubail said that their preparations are a part of the “vital role” the company plays in contributing to state efforts to reduce traffic jams. He added that bus drivers have undergone extensive training courses as part of the preparations and special teams are available to supervise drivers and maintain high safety standards on the buses.

KUWAIT: Health care is the fastest growing industry in Kuwait because of increasing demand for up-to-date treatment coupled with growing average of age of people, a specialized report said yesterday.

Kuwait health ministry is the administrator, organizer and financer of almost all health care services in Kuwait in addition to purchase of medications and medical equipment, the report by Kuwait Finance House (KFH) said.

Kuwait spends 2.8 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health care compared with 3.4 percent in Saudi Arabia and 8.9 percent in Jordan, noted the report.

Kuwait medicine market grew by 9.9 percent last year to reach KD 301 million, said the report and anticipated the market to grow to KD 421 million by the year 2017.

KFH predicted that health care in Kuwait to be subjected to major reforms amidst plans to establish a new company that would build health insurance hospitals.

This company, added the report, was part of the development plan of Kuwait with the objective of providing quality medical services for expatriates. The company, it went on, planned to build three hospitals in Al-Jahra, Farwaniya and Ahmadi governorates in addition to 15 clinics in different parts of Kuwait.

This huge project, said the report, would create jobs for 1,400 doctors, 4, 000 nurses and technicians as well as providing 1,600 beds. — KUNA

economy as the oil sector”.

MP Madhi Al-Hajri criticized the board’s decision to dissolve the company, saying that it “closes the door to creating new job opportunities in the oil sector”, whereas MP Dr Mohammad Al-Huwailah said that a similar decision must be paralleled with steps to guarantee employees’ rights.

Meanwhile, MP Abdullah Al-Tamimi warned of a scheme to “cut the number of oil companies in Kuwait from 10 to four within the next few years”. On a separate note, head of the labor union at the Customs General Department warned of reviving strikes that took place last year, claiming that the government is yet to pay allowances approved by the Civil Service Council as a condition to end the strikes.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

LOCAL

Anghami App ‘the future of digital music’

KUWAIT: Yemen’s Minister of Oil and Minerals Ahmad Abdullah Dares visited the Kuwait Oil Company as part of his current official visit to the country. KOC CEO Hashem Hashem led the reception team for Minister Dares and his accompanying delegation who were taken to the KOC Exhibition and in a field tour to the Burgan Bank. Minister Dares described his visit to Kuwait as “fruitful” and that he discussed boosting means of cooperation in petroleum exploration and investment.

KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, announced yesterday that it has made “Anghami” app; the top regional mobile streaming application which provides unlimited music on-the-go in the Middle East and North Africa, available for customers to download and subscribe easily.

Zain highlighted that “Anghami” app features licensed content from leading Arabic labels such as Rotana, Platinum Records, Mazzika, Melody and many others. Anghami also features music from the major International labels such as Universal, Sony, EMI, and Warner. Anghami lately inked an exclusive strategic partnership with MBC Group, providing audiences the most complete music experience in the market.

The company stated that the app gives prepaid and postpaid customers the access to Arabic and International music to stream and download. Zain explained that allowing customers to subscribe using their postpaid bill or prepaid credit ensures a quick and easy way to enjoy millions of songs to search from, stream, download and share, ultimately making the customer music experience more enjoyable.

Customers wishing to subscribe to “Anghami’s premium music streaming service, “Anghami +” can do so for a minimal fee of KD 2 per month by sending “ANG ON” to 99995 to receive the promo code and then inserting the promo code into the app.

Anghami + is available for customers to stream music online or offline, anywhere they go, across devices and geographies as well as the advantage of playing back all their favorite hits with high audio quality (320 Kbps).

The company further explained that Anghami is today’s number one music venture in the region, allowing users to listen to the most recent hit music singles and albums by some of the world’s famous artists such as Adele, Armin Van Buuren and Tiesto.

As a leading telecommunications company, Zain is continuously expanding its portfolio of digital services to enhance the customers’ lifestyle. By presenting this service, Zain is certain that customers will be entering a new era of digital entertainment.

Indian man held for roommate’s murder Serviceman drowns near Kubbar island KUWAIT: A man in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh was charged with killing his roommate and attempting to murder another in a crime reported early Friday morning.

According to the police report, the incident took place around 2:30 am when the Indian man furiously stormed his apartment with a knife in hand, and immediately stabbed his roommate five times before stabbing the other and escaping.

Police rushed to the scene shortly afterwards and found the suspect hiding between water tanks on the building’s roof. The first roommate, a 42-year-old man, was pronounced dead on the scene while the other was rushed to the hospital for treatment. The killer was referred to the proper authorities to face charges following his arrest. Investigations are ongoing to reveal the murderer’s motives.

Road accident A National Guard recruit died in a traffic accident reported late Thursday night at the Nuwaiseeb Road. Police and paramedics arrived to the scene shortly after the incident was reported, and the victim was pronounced dead soon afterwards.

The man was identified as a 19-year-old National Guard officer who was continuing his studies at the King Khalid Military

store near her employer’s house. She added that the suspect drove to the desert where he assaulted her physically and sexually before she managed to escape. The woman who was brought to the police station by her employer described the vehicle but failed to remember its license plate number.

Academy in Riyadh. The Kuwaiti man was reportedly making his way back home during a school break. The body was taken to the forensic department after criminal investigations examined the scene. A case was filed for investigations to determine the circumstances behind the accident.

Fatal crash A man died in an accident reported on Thursday night at the King Fahad Highway and an investigation was started in the case. Paramedics and police rushed to the location where the accident was reported, but the Arab man had already died by the time they arrived. Criminal investigators were called to the scene and they transported the body to the forensic department after examining it. Investigations are ongoing to determine what caused the car to lose balance and overturn.

Brutal assault Police are looking to identify and arrest five suspec ts who brutally assaulted a man during a fight that reportedly broke over a girl. According to the police report, the incident took place in Qadsiya where two men confronted each other as they were trying to win the affection of a girl they came across at the same time. One of the men was soon joined by four others and they launched a 5- on-1 attack which the victim barely managed to escape by running between nearby homes. The suspects reportedly followed the man in their cars and then escaped before police arrived to the scene. The assaulted man pressed attempted murder and battery charges against his attackers at the area’s police station.

Search for rapist Investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest a suspect accused of raping a domestic worker he kidnapped in Jahra. In her statements to police, the Indian woman said that the suspect forced her into his car at knifepoint while she was on her way to a grocery

Kuwait-Egyptian ties as solid as ever KUWAIT: The State of Kuwait reaffirmed yesterday keenness on supporting the Egyptian people until they overcome “critical circumstances” in their country, at a time the Egyptian president praised the Gulf country’s support of the “will of the Egyptian people.”

Kuwait ’s charge d’affaires in Cairo counselor Mohammad Al-Mohammad reiterated his country’s relentless support for the Egyptian people at this critical juncture.

Al-Mohammad voiced hope Egypt could overcome current difficult stage, with the Egyptian people’s expectations for security and stability to be fulfilled in line with a previously announced governmental roadmap.

He hailed Egyptian presidential remarks late Thursday appreciating Kuwait’s governmental and popular help to the Egyptian people.

In this context, the Kuwaiti diplomat underlined the depth of historic and dis-

tinguished relations between Kuwait and Egypt, welcoming the coming visit by Egypt’s interim president Adly Mansour to Kuwait. Mansour is expected to make a Gulf tour including Kuwait soon in order to voice appreciation for Gulf countries’ position which reflected their deep relations with Egypt.

Mansour’s spokesman Ihab Badawi commended Kuwait’s support for the will and expectations of the Egyptian people at this critical time.

“The State of Kuwait, upon directives from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, wasted no time to support the ambitions of the Egyptians at this critical time of Egypt’s contemporary history,” Badawi said in news remarks.

For his part, Egyptian ambassador in Kuwait Abdulkarim Suleiman dismissed remarks allegedly attributed to president Mansour regarding Kuwait’s support of the interim government in Egypt as

reported by an Egyptian satellite TV station.

The ambassador valued the speed by the Kuwaiti government in offering support and succor to the Egyptian people and interim government as the latter maneuvered its way through a new stage of governing that country. Terming the statement by the station on this matter as “completely false,” the ambassador noted that the Egyptian government and people were highly cognizant of the enormous support — both morally and materially — they were getting from the government of Kuwait under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

“Kuwait was not tardy in extending help and support to the Egyptian people and was fully aware and in complete re cognition of the aspirations of Egyptians for a brighter future as they traverse newer grounds at the current juncture,” said the ambassador. —KUNA

NBK volunteers cleaning the beach

NBK holds beach clean-up campaign KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) concluded its environmental awareness campaign that aims to help keep Kuwait’s beaches clean during the summer season. This cleanup initiative comes as part of NBK’s corporate responsibility that is carried on throughout the year.

The campaign covered different beaches areas in Kuwait. During this summer, NBK’s volunteers spent time cleaning these beaches and informing the visitors about the importance of keeping their areas clean.

“The Beach Cleanup Campaign is one of several environmental awareness events carried out

by NBK throughout this year.” said Yaqoub AlBaqer, NBK Public Relations officer. “This initiative is another manifestation of NBK’s deep commitment to the community.”

“The environment is one of our most precious resources and NBK appreciates all the support and positive feedback from the community towards protecting it. We were delighted with the high numbers of volunteers and the support we received via social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.” Al-Baqer added.

Al-Baqer noted that this year NBK’s social media network took an active part in this campaign and posted photos through NBK Official Page on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram covering this initiative.

Yaqoub Al-Baqer NBK is an environment-friendly bank and has launched a range of initiatives in its continuous efforts to build awareness on the growing environment challenges being faced by Kuwait.

These initiatives include: Electricity Conservation and Paper Recycling- aimed at promoting environmental awareness.

Kuwait represents Arab group in global anti-doping convention PARIS: Kuwait has been re-elected to represent the Arab group in the International Convention Against Dopting in Sport in its new term that will extend until 2015, Kuwait’s top sport official said yesterday.

“The election of the representative of Kuwait for a two-year second term in the committee of the anti-doping fund is a great honor,” Faisal Al-Jazzaf, Board Chairman and Director General of the Public Authority for Youth and Sport (PAYS), said at the conclusion of deliberations of the Convention.

He commended the Arab group for their overwhelming support for the State of Kuwait to keep its seat in the committee.

This support, added Al-Jazzaf, reflected Kuwait’s regional and international weight in this domain as well as its anti-doping

contributions.

He explained that the committee of the anti-doping fund consisted of Finland, Russia, Mexico, Japan, Zambia and Kuwait.

Representatives from 115 countries discussed over two days the projects carried out by the committee and approved appropriations for the next two years, he said.

UNESCO thanked all countries contributing to the anti- doping fund, he said.

Kuwait contributes KD 20,000 to the fund every year.

Participants, said Al-Jazzaf, called for increasing coordination among anti-doping regional organizations as well as increasing awareness programs among athletes and youth.

They also called for the activation of the

International Convention Against Doping in Sports, called for coordination between UNESCO and the European sport council to exchange expertise against deliberate fixing of results in sports.

Al-Jazzaf said PAYS was keen on establishing a national anti-doping committee in compliance with the international conventions.

PAYS, he added, would host the 11th meeting of the Anti-Doping Regional Organization on October 25-28.

The meetings were held at the UNESCO headquarters. The biannual conference, held for the fourth time, is aimed at overseeing implementation and monitoring of the convention, whereby signatories will be presenting their internal procedures taken on the matter. — KUNA

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

LOCAL

A window for Iranian-Gulf relations?

DUBAI: What if Washington and Tehran became closer?

How will that influence the security of the Gulf nations?

This question could be considered of timely importance due to the various positive communiques between President Obama and his Iranian counterpart Rowhani that have been taking place since the election of the latter. But even without those communiques going back and forth, Gulf citizens should be seriously engaging in public discussion about the meaning of normalization of relations between Tehran and Washington.

All signs point to the inevitability of such an outcome.

America knows that - in Reagan’s words - “without Iran’s concurrence, there can be no enduring peace in the Middle East.” And he was not only speaking of the IranIraq war. Also, as China seeks to find a place in the Gulf, its only access will be through an alliance with Iran.

Something the Americans - and Russians - may not welcome. Thus, one may expect America to make efforts and pull Iran back from getting too close to China than it already is. Iran also knows that its strategic interests - economic and security - are with better relations with America.

So it is only a matter of time, the main question here would be: Is this a threat for us?

In principle one can say that the security of the Gulf States, the stability of the region, oil flows and economic development are much better served by normal relations with Iran. But the Gulf states know that they cannot fully normalize with Iran, unless the United States also takes steps towards such normalization. Thus, such news should sound favorable to Gulf ears and they should welcome such a step and not consider it a threat, rather a condition for more stability and security. The six Gulf states perceive the security threat from Iran differently, thus the response to a potential normalization of relations between Iran and the US would also be different in each Gulf state; and the difference is mainly related to the degree a Gulf state has security interests in the region.

Since his election, Rowhani has insisted on the need for improving relations with all the Gulf states.

The more a country’s security can be threatened by

Projected drop in Kuwait crime rate KUWAIT: Crime rates in Kuwait are expected to drop by the end of this year, and then feature a slight increase over the next three years, parallel to population growth, a local daily reported yesterday quoting official estimations.

The statistics were released by the research and studies center at the Interior Ministry’s statistics department, and were published by Al-Qabas yesterday. They contain future estimations for crime rates which are expected to drop to a total of 25,238 by the end of 2013 compared to 26,440 a year earlier.

Meanwhile, the estimations indicate that crime rates are expected to increase to 26,202 by next year’s end, 26,560 by 2015’s end and 26,881 by the end of 2016.

And while not identifying popularity growth as a definite reason for the projected crimes increase, the statistics listed it as a primary reason based on which the estimations were made.

The statistics also project a drop in the average number of people committing crimes to 19,388 in 2013 compared to 20,625 in 2012, then continue to drop to 19,311 in 2014, 19,239 in 2015 and 19,173 in 2016.

Estimations released by the Interior Ministry’s research and studies center reportedly have an accuracy rate of 95 percent, Al-Qabas reported.

Kuwait keen on backing UN goals NEW YORK: State of Kuwait is keen on supporting UN’s activities and efforts in order to help it achieve its “noble objectives,” representative of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad AlSabah said yesterday.

“The State of Kuwait since joining the UN has been keen on backing its efforts and activities in order to achieve its noble objectives, foremost enforcing principles of international cooperation in line with UN Charter,” Sheikh Jaber said in a statement shortly after arrival in John F. Kennedy International (JFK) Airport.

Sheikh Jaber, leading a ranking official delegation, is representing His Highness the Amir to the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) 68th session.

He commended cooperation between Kuwait and the UN, asserting his country’s rapid response to the UN appeals to helping countries and peoples in their ordeals. Sheikh Jaber also commended UN’s role in achieving international peace and security.

Sheikh Jaber voiced content for attending UNGA meetings which would coincide with the 50th anniversary of Kuwait’s UN membership.

The Kuwaiti prime minister said his country was playing a key international role through its contributions to UN to address challenges and difficulties facing many peoples.

He called on countries around the globe to back the UN to achieve peace and stability worldwide.

Sheikh Jaber said he highly appreciated endeavors of the UN and its agencies to supporting development and well-being of people, as well as addressing diseases, epidemics and natural disasters.

He said Kuwait’s speech before the UNGA would touch upon many regional and international issues, as well as proposals to tackle global challenges.

Sheikh Jaber was received at the airport by Director of His Highness the Amir’s Office Ahmad Fahad AlFahad, Amiri Diwan Director of Protocol Sheikh Khaled Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, Amiri Diwan Advisor Dr Rasha AlSabah, Kuwait’s Ambassador to the US Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s permanent representative to the UN Mansour Ayyad Al-Otaibi and members of Kuwait’s UN mission. — KUNA

interventions in other countries, the more Iran poses a threat. Thus, it will assess US-Iranian relations differently.

When we consider a country as Oman, we see that it will be the least influenced by US-Iranian rapprochement because of the limited spread of Oman’s security interests. On the other hand, a country like Saudi Arabia that has security interests in different countries of the region would be more influenced. Even Bahrain, whose foreign policy is almost focused on keeping Iran away, would be less influenced than the Saudis precisely because Bahrain has no security interests in other countries the way the Saudis have. Qatar had relatively good relations with Iran and only soured when they clashed in Syria.

The UAE has excellent economic relations with Iran despite the territorial dispute between them. In other words, Gulf states do not worry about Iran in their oneon-one security issues. The security agreements with the United States deter Iran in that regard. The main issue between Gulf states and Iran are mainly issues that exist outside their borders.

Since his election, Rowhani has insisted on the need for improving relations with all the Gulf states. And he mentioned them separately and collectively in various occasions. The Gulf states have, for their part, echoed this desire explicitly. That this happens at a time when the Americans are also seeking normal relations is significant.

What makes it even more significant is that the power structure of the region permits such an outcome.

Skeptics are quick to point out that such statements are mere courtesy and that Iran is controlled by radicals who still believe in exporting the revolution in one form or another. Skeptics also remind us of the Khatami era and how his moderate stances were made obsolete due to the control of the radials on Iranian foreign policy.

But this way of approaching the matter over simplifies the way Iran acts in the international arena. It also overlooks important events indicative of possibilities for the future. So let’s go back to the 1990s for a moment; and to simplify the matter let’s focus on Saudi Arabia and Iran.

But it is not only a matter of simplification. Saudi Arabia is the country with most security interests in other coun-

tries, making its clash with Iran more frequent. Thus if Saudi Arabia can benefit from US-Iranian rapprochement, then this can apply to all of the other Gulf states.

From opposition without polarization to opposition with polarization When one looks at the improvement of relations between the Saudis and the Iranians, starting from the early 1990s, he can see two countries which were almost waging a war against each other during the 1980s, yet were able to overlook that and start a steady process of trust building culminating in the domestic security agreement of the late 1990s. This proves beyond doubt the possibility and desirability of positive relations despite recent animosity between the two countries. This also tells us that sectarianism is not a factor in the relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. But most importantly, this tells us that radical elements in the Iranian government do not shape its foreign policy; rather they are brought forward or withdrawn depending on the regional situation. The radicals were present and powerful during the 1990s, but the regional politics demanded a more conciliatory approach to foreign relations so they stepped back.

In the 1990s, the regional balance of power and network of alliances was shaken due to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. This allowed the Saudis and the Iranians to initiate good relations. But there was a limit to where they could reach due to two barriers: the United States and Iranian regional interference. The United States is pivotal to Saudi security and thus the Saudis cannot go too far with a country that is hostile to the United States. They can however create amiable relations as long as the opposition to the United States is not polarizing. On the other side Iranian security vis-‡-vis the United States depends on its control of pockets of influence in the weak countries of the region such as Lebanon, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen; which in turn has been a threat to regional stability and Saudi security. In other words Iran’s quest for security depended on activities which threatened the security of Saudi Arabia creating a second barrier for Saudi-Iranian normalization.

After the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 the balance of power of the 1990s - which allowed for relatively better Saudi-Iranian relations - radically changed leading to worsening relations. Some analysts say that it was mainly due to the competition between the Saudis and the Iranians in Iraq. While I agree with that; I think that the American invasion of Iraq was more fundamental. It created an American military presence in the Gulf, leading to a severe polarization of positions. It was no longer possible for an ally of the United States to be close to its rivals. Here we had a situation of opposition with polarization. It was even expected that allies of the United States go against Iran and actively seek to damage its interests regionally and globally. For example the US had demanded that the Saudis use their leverage to disrupt relations between China and Iran.

Iran subsequently increased its regional activity, which consequently threatened Saudi security, creating a vicious circle.

So, if the antagonism between the US and Iran had created conditions for a certain kind of Iranian security policy which was not in the interest of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, then positive steps between the US and Iran will create new conditions leading towards a different sort of Iranian behavior. It may even be inducive to an Arab-Israeli peace treaty, something all the Gulf states want to see happening.

Today, we are back in a situation which resembles the 1990s. There is readiness on all sides for better relations.

This does not mean that it will happen quickly. There are too many issues that need to be solved: too much insecurity to be managed, a lot of mistrust to be tackled and many potential risks that need to be understood. In 1998, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright called on Iran “to join the United States in drawing up a road map leading to normal relations,” that call wasn’t heeded then, maybe now, 15 years later, the call should also include the Gulf states. The call should be for a road map leading to regional stability, drawn by the United States, the Gulf states and Iran.

— Al-Arabiya

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

LOCAL kuwait digest

In my view

New health initiatives

Smile, you are in Kuwait! mile, you are in Kuwait!’ A beautiful phrase that I think should be posted at Kuwait’s airport and land border checkpoints. Why not? It is a slogan worthy of a land gifted with enough natural and human resources to guarantee a decent living for its people and everybody staying here. From a logical standpoint, we can find no reason that prevents any Kuwaiti nationals from living a happy life in their home country. But if you make that claim publically, many would argue that citizens do not really have many things to smile about at home. Instead, their hearts are filled with pain and worry from crises and frustrations that happen again and again. Traffic jams are the first thing you encounter the moment you exit your house each morning, and it continues to be a nerve-wrecking experience that wastes a lot of your time throughout the day. Thousands of tons of spoiled food products continue to enter Kuwait as the law is only applied against the poor. Deteriorating education, wornout streets, bad health service, unemployment rates that kill young citizens’ ambitions and many other crises that give us absolutely no reason to smile. But despite all of that, many people think that we enjoy a level of wealth, safety and security that many people around the world wished they could have. In their opinion, those are enough reasons for us to smile. This leaves us with a dilemma of trying to stay positive while we experience problems that continue to get worse with every passing day.

The strange thing is that we always see the smile on the faces of Cabinet members and senior government officials. I do not understand what is the reason behind their smiles. Do they see something that we don’t? Well, actually, I believe they do. After all, they are not exposed to the spoiled food that we eat, do not use the same airport that we use for travel, do not board the same worn-out planes that we fly on, and do not have to go through a lot of trouble to finalize transactions at state departments - instead they can finalize each others’ transactions directly without getting stuck in the frustrating work routine.

The Global Competitiveness Report that was released recently was very shocking to all Kuwaitis who became aware of the bitter truth that goes against the empty promises of ‘development’ they got used to from their government officials. Not only did Kuwait rank low among 148 countries at the 2013-14 rankings, but was also the last among the six Gulf Cooperation Council states. Kuwait ranked 93rd in the quality of primary education, 106 in higher education, and 114 in quality of scientific research institutions. After this, government officials tell us about development? And while government officials continue to entertain the dream of turning Kuwait into an global financial hub, the report lists the country at the 129th spot in procedures to start a business, 144 in foreign investment, and 145 in burden of government regulations. Furthermore, the report ranks Kuwait’s ports at the 74th spot, and ranked the country at the 66th spot in keeping innovations, which indicates that the country has become an unfriendly place for competencies. Furthermore, the report ranks Kuwait in the 102nd place in government spending, 100th in the effect of corruption in government decisions, and 54th in the spread of bribery. Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid AlMaktoum met with senior officials after the report was released and asked them to work on improving his country’s status to become among the top countries in the index. I am not asking local officials to do the same, because we are out of that league whether we admit it or not. All I am asking the government for is to keep this report within their reach as they read the miserable reality that the majority of citizens live through. I am asking them to think thoroughly about the future of our children, and about the responsibility they accepted to bear on their shoulders.

The situation is so bad that the International Monetary Fund warned us recently about the risk of falling into state budget deficit by 2018. What more do state officials need to wake up? —Al-Qabas

By Labeed Abdal

Development projects

Al-Anbaa

‘S

By Nabila Al-Anjari

local@kuwaittimes.net

T

he Ministry of Health has issued a statement outlining its plans to reform the provision of public health services in Kuwait. All hospitals will now have access to a shared database, ensuring that a patient’s medical records are immediately available to medical staff, who will therefore be able to establish the treatment that the patient needs.

With a population now of around 3,250,000 according to the latest estimates, Kuwait’s health services are under

kuwait digest

What’s in a name?

M

any countries in the world immor talize their pioneers and outstanding scientists and political leaders by naming public f a c i l i t i e s a f te r t h e m , i n a p p re c i a t i o n o f t h e i r achievements and services, in addition to portraying their reputation and character as the ideal one to be imbibed by ever yone. If such names are accepted by schools, hospitals or educational institutes, it is not acceptable to name streets that depend on postal addresses and numbers which show its location.

I was surprised like others by the change of street names without seeking the opinion of residents. My postal address was the same for 30 years and understandably, I was confused when the name was changed as foreign universities and research centers had my old address. When I asked about the person after whom my street was named and the reason for choosing him, they told me that he is a good man and built a mosque! As I moved to this street before him, and believe that I am not any less of a good man than him and I built a mosque in an African country, it is my right then to have a street named after me like our friend - though I do not wish to have an honor that I do not deserve.

By Dr Salah Al-Aeeqi

It became clear that naming has no basis for achievements or distinguished status. As soon as you get to know members of the municipal council or the council of ministers, then you submit a request along with some wasta, and then ensure your immoralization! There is no doubt that there are those who are deser ving among original Kuwaitis, but many do not deserve this honoring as they did not give anything to the country and some of them have dual nationality, or trespass on state property. There are those who became filthy rich but did not lay even a single brick to build the country and despite this, were honored.

The increased demand for names lead to the division of the street to four consecutive names to satisfy the influential person, sheikh, or the person who is able to reach decision-makers. For all these reasons, I submitted to the previous council a proposal to rename those streets with street and avenue only like the rest of the world, to stop the confusion and the unjustified requests, but this proposal was not discussed, and if it is not adopted, then all of us should demand that Kuwait’s streets be named after us to achieve justice and equality as mentioned in the Constitution’s Article 7. —Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

Marching towards bankruptcy?

T

Many public medical facilities are situated in premises dating from the 1980s or before which are simply not fit for purpose in the world of 21st century medicine. greater pressure than ever. In order to support increasing demand, the country must do more to encourage private and international investment, which would supplement services offered by the public sector.

Many public medical facilities are situated in premises dating from the 1980s or before which are simply not fit for purpose in the world of 21st century medicine.

The new database has been welcomed by both the public and medical professionals. However, many have rightly voiced the concern that health is far from the only sector in need of serious investment. It is my hope that this latest development will be followed by similar initiatives in the transport and, most urgently, our ailing education sector.

kuwait digest

Our ancestors

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By Ahmad Al-Sarraf

hen we feel sick, our faith in the advancements made in medicine and science lets us trust doctors and allow them to cut open our bodies if necessary with total trust. We board planes and trains built by the West with no fear as we trust that these vehicles are safer than riding horses or camels. Sometimes under certain circumstances we find ourselves forced to put our hands, necks or even our entire bodies inside machines for scans, but we’re still reassured that they are

By Dr Hassan Abdallah Jouhar

he warnings of the International Monetary Fund with regard to the expected deficit in our annual budget during the next five years are important and convincing at the same time, not only because this international establishment has vast technical experience and has seen the experience of many countries with various economic levels but also because their findings are based on facts and financial data.

This is not the only international establishment that has warned us against the grave defects in the public

Despite that, the IMF did not reveal any of the state’s secrets, but without a doubt, it confirmed local fears that it will be warning bells soon. Kuwait’s budget is very easy and its structure can be understood even by an elementary school student, as it is selling oil on one side and spending its revenues on the other - exactly like a regular citizen who receives his monthly salary and then he spends it on his needs and his family’s and then puts himself in an embarrassing situation by the end of the month. funds and economic policy. The international bank also warned that Kuwaiti is marching towards bankruptcy shortly.

Such international financial establishments, do not normally come to evaluate the economic situation to appease us. They come because of undertakings and bilateral agreements and in exchange for large fees and subscriptions we pay every year.

Despite that, the IMF did not reveal any of the state’s secrets, but without a doubt, it confirmed local fears that it will be warning bells soon. Kuwait’s budget is very easy and its structure can be understood even by an elementary school student, as it is selling oil on one side and spending its revenues on the other - exactly like a regular citizen who receives his monthly salary and then he spends it on his needs and his family’s and then puts himself in an embarrassing situation by the end of the month.

The bet, in the Kuwaiti case, is on the continued flow of oil and though this may last for a long time, prices and the size of revenues are at the mercy of international economy fluctuations and political developments. This is what has stopped us from thinking seriously about money management or adopting operational budgets and diversifying our sources of income. — Aljarida

Science, the same discipline that we accept to transport us in a metal object flying over 40,000 feet above the ground at a velocity close to the speed of sound, reveals in a recent research that almost every man alive today can trace his origins to one man who lived approximately 135,000 years ago, and the same goes for women whose origins can be traced to one woman that lived approximately during the same time as the ‘original male human’.

The study published recently in the Science Journal states that comprehensive studies for the male chromosome revealed that ‘a period of time’ separated the emergence of the first man and woman. safe and have been designed by people who know what’s best for us. However, it is strange that when the same people behind these discoveries and inventions are doubted by us when they claim something that goes against our beliefs. We don’t welcome arguments that question or doubt our faith and what we trust to be the truth.

Science, the same discipline that we accept to transport us in a metal object flying over 40,000 feet above the ground at a velocity close to the speed of sound, reveals in a recent research that almost every man alive today can trace his origins to one man who lived approximately 135,000 years ago, and the same goes for women whose origins can be traced to one woman that lived approximately during the same time as the ‘original male human’.

The study published recently in the Science Journal states that comprehensive studies for the male chromosome revealed that ‘a period of time’ separated the emergence of the first man and woman. This means that they were likely not present at the same time, leave alone having met or reproduced until after a while.

Recent research explains that the origin of men can be traced through the Y chromosome which is passed down identically from father to son. Meanwhile, tracing back a common ancestor of all women can be done through the DNA from mitochondria, the energy centre of a cell, which is carried inside a female’s egg, so only women pass it on to their children. —Al-Qabas

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

Demand for US-born imams up in American mosques

Iraq’s Kurds vote amid rows, regional tensions

Page 9

Page 8

Typhoon hits Taiwan, Philippines China’s Meteorological Center announces red alert TAIPEI: The most powerful typhoon of the year swept through the Luzon Strait separating the Philippines and Taiwan yesterday, battering island communities with heavy rains and strong winds as it headed straight for Hong Kong.

Typhoon Usagi weakened from a super typhoon - those with sustained winds of at least 241 kilometers (150 miles) per hour and veered westward during the day, likely sparing southern Taiwan from the most destructive winds near its eye. At least two people were killed in the Philippines, and two others were missing.

By yesterday evening, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 173 kph (108 mph) and gusts of up to 209 kph (131 mph), and was 150 kilometers (94 miles) southwest of Taiwan’s southernmost point, the Central Weather Bureau said.

But gusts exceeding 230 kph (144 mph) were recorded on the Taiwanese island of Lanyu, with dangerous winds buffeting the holiday resort of Kending on the Hengchun peninsula as the storm made its closest approach to the area.

The Hong Kong Observatory said late Saturday night that Usagi was about 530 kilometers (329 miles) east-southeast of the city. It said the storm’s maximum sustained winds would weaken to 165 kph (103 mph) as it approaches Hong Kong today afternoon before making landfall overnight.

The observatory issued a No. 3 Standby Signal and warned that the storm posed a “severe threat” to the city.

Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair said flights Saturday were unaffected except for one canceled flight, but both airlines said flights to and from Hong Kong International Airport would be canceled

from 6 p.m. Sunday and resume Monday if conditions permit.

China’s National Meteorological Center announced a red alert, its highest level, as the storm maintained its track toward the manufacturing heartland of the Pearl River Delta. The observatory warned Usagi would impact coastal areas of Guangdong, Zhejiang and Fujian provinces.

In Taiwan, more than 3,000 people were evacuated from flood-prone areas and mountainous regions as the government deployed military personnel into potential disaster zones. The storm system dumped up to 520 millimeters (20 inches) of rain along the eastern and southern coasts in a 20 -hour period, with officials warning that more than 1,000 millimeters (39 inches) could drop before the storm leaves today.

Local officials closed mountain highways blocked by landslides and suspended train services connecting the east and west coasts as power outages and rising floodwaters affected thousands of homes.

Rivers swollen with fast-moving water and debris thrown down from steep and unstable mountain catchment areas threatened bridges on both sides of the island.

In the Philippines, a 50-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman drowned when a passenger boat capsized in rough waters off northeastern Aurora province, the Office of Civil Defense said Saturday. Two other people were missing, while the nine other passengers and crew were rescued from the boat, which capsized Friday.

The typhoon blew out of the country late yesterday after triggering landslides and floods, uprooting trees, and damaging houses, roads and bridges in parts of the northern and central Philippines. — AP

TAIPEI: A woman and her child hold their umbrellas tight against powerful gusts of wind as typhoon Usagi approaches in Taipei, Taiwan, yesterday. The most powerful typhoon of the year swept through the Luzon Strait separating the Philippines and Taiwan yesterday, battering island communities and dumping rain as it eyes landfall in Hong Kong. — AP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

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

EU member states fear Syrian refugee influx BRUSSELS: European Union governments are bracing for a surge in Syrian refugees that threatens to become a flood as hopes fade for a quick end to the bloody civil war.

Some two million Syrians have fled to neighbouring countries so far, with four million internally displaced as the death toll mounts to more than 110,000.

Thousands are seeking a new life in the EU, especially in the bloc’s wealthier member states, with Italy among the worst affected. The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, has warned to be ready for a massive influx, especially if there are US military action against forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, one EU official said.

“For the moment, the number of those arriving is manageable,” the official said, adding: “The vast majority do not want to leave because they still hope they will be

able to return home.” However, as those hopes fade, the trickle of refugees seeking a new life in the EU is beginning to grow.

Italy is among the worst affected, with some 3,000 refugees arriving in August alone, according to UN refugee agency data. The total number of Syrians seeking refuge there have risen to 4,600 so far this year, up from just 369 in 2012, the UNHCR said.

UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards said most were families who had crossed the Mediterranean from Egypt. “Fundamentally, the outflow is a symptom of the conflict inside Syria on the one hand and the strains on asylum in the surrounding region,” Edwards said.

Refugee influx reach ‘emergency’ level Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta has said he expects the problem to worsen while Interior Minister Angelino Alfano

described the situation as an “emergency” in Sicily, in the south where many refugees land. Alfano said Italy was tripling bed spaces in refugee centres to 16,000 in expectation of more arrivals and would push for a change in European asylum rules to facilitate family reunions which would make it easier for Syrians to leave Italy for northern Europe.

Under current EU rules asylum seekers are handled by the country they arrive in but several countries, as in Italy and Greece, are unhappy at bearing the brunt of the exodus while others such as Germany have long claimed the system is open to abuse.

Bulgaria has asked the EU for help, with its facilities overwhelmed by the arrival of some 4,000 asylum seekers so far this year, nearly half of them Syrian.

“We are working to minimise the risks

not only for Bulgaria but for the European Union also,” Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetlin Yovchev told AFP. “Bulgaria’s capacities are limited and we are nearing the point when we will no longer be able to manage these risks.”

Bulgaria, which shares a border with non-EU Turkey, fears that up to 10,000 more refugees, mostly from Syria, could arrive in coming months, Yovchev said.

Britain, Belgium, France, Germany and Sweden have insisted that there can be no easing of asylum rules. Between them, the five states accounted for 70 percent of the 330,000 asylum requests submitted in the EU last year and feel they are already contributing more than their fair share.

So far in 2013, of 13,000 asylum requests by Syrians, some 4,700 have been made in Sweden, 4,500 in Germany and 700 in France, according to EU figures.

Sweden is the only EU country to promise blanket asylum to all Syrian citizens but they must apply in Stockholm, and not at Swedish embassies abroad.

The UNHCR has called on EU countries to take in 10,000 Syrian refugees but only Germany with 5,000, Austria 500 and Finland 500 have agreed to do so.

Britain says it has no plans to host Syrian refugees, offering financial help instead, while France has been silent on the issue.

In Brussels, budget cuts have left the EU short on funds and Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso had to scrape the barrel in June to get 400 million euros for the UNHCR. Germany meanwhile has called for a conference on Syrian refugees, with EU interior ministers scheduled to tackle the problem early next month. —AFP

Iraq’s Kurds vote amid rows, regional tensions Around 2.8 million Kurds vote across region ARBIL: Iraq’s Kurds voted yesterday in their first election in four years as their autonomous region grapples with disputes with Baghdad while fellow Kurds fight bloody battles in neighbouring Syria.

The election for the region’s parliament comes as turmoil roiling the Middle East has raised renewed questions about the political future of the Kurdish nation as a whole.

The Kurds are spread across a number of neighbouring states, where they have long faced hostile governments but have found increasing space to pursue their aspirations to run their own affairs.

About 2.8 million Kurds are eligible to vote across the three-province region of northern Iraq, and queues had already formed when polls opened.

Some voters wore the traditional garb that is often reserved for special occasions, while many women wore full-length black abaya robes. Polls were due to close at 5:00 pm (1400 GMT), although some reports indicated election officials were considering extending voting hours. Preliminary results are due in the coming days.

Observers and diplomats who visited multiple polling centres across the regional capital Arbil told AFP that

they had seen no irregularities and that the election appeared to be proceeding well.

The campaign centred on calls for more to be done to fight corruption and improve the delivery of basic services, as well as on how the energyrich region’s oil revenues should be spent.

“The main problem ... is economic,” said Mohammed Saleh. “The cost of living now is high, and the people need more money. The new parliament needs to organise a programme for solving this.” The 54-year-old architect added: “For 20 years, our government has been trying to make services good for the cities, towns and even for the villages.

“But our country was ruined, it was destroyed-it needs reconstruction,” he said, referring to the years of conflict the region suffered under the rule of now-executed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

The election, the first since July 2009, sees three main parties jostling for position in the 111-seat Kurdish parliament, with implications beyond Iraq. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of regional president Massud Barzani is widely expected to win the largest number of seats, although it is unlikely to obtain a majority on its

own. “We have taken another step in the region to consolidate democracy,” regional prime minister Nechirvan Barzani, the president’s nephew, said after casting his ballot. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which is in government with the KDP, however faces a challenge from the Goran movement in its Sulaimaniyah province stronghold.

The challenge has been heightened by leadership questions as the party’s veteran chief, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, recuperates in Germany from a stroke.

Internationally, the focus is likely to be on the region’s drive for greater economic independence from the federal government, with which it is locked in multiple disputes.

Arbil has sought to establish a pipeline that would give it access to international energy markets, sent crude across the border to neighbouring Turkey, and signed deals with foreign energy firms.

It has also capitalised on its reputation for greater safety and stability, as well as a faster-growing economy than the rest of Iraq, to solicit investment independent of the federal government.

All this has drawn the ire of Baghdad, and the two sides are also

locked in a protracted dispute over the Kurds’ longstanding demands for the incorporation of other traditionally Kurdish-majority areas into their autonomous region. The region has also become increasingly embroiled in the 30-month-old conflict in neighbouring Syria.

Clashes last month between Kurdish forces and jihadists seeking to secure a land corridor connecting them to Iraq pushed tens of thousands of Syrian Kurds across the border, seeking refuge in Iraq’s Kurdish region.

Barzani has threatened to intervene in the Syrian conflict to protect Kurdish civilians, although officials have since backtracked on those remarks. Iraqi Kurdistan enjoys a high level of autonomy from Baghdad, and the regional parliament has passed laws on a wide range of issues.

Kurdistan also operates its own security forces and visa regime and has control over an array of other responsibilities. The Kurdish authorities boast that the region enjoys greater freedom than the rest of Iraq, but their human rights record has still come in for criticism. Ahead of the polls, attacks on Goran supporters left one person dead and several wounded. —AFP

BAGHDAD: Nechirvan Barzani, prime minister of Iraq’s Kurdistan regional government, left, and wife Nabila Barzani cast their ballots during a regional election in Irbil, 350 kilometers (217 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, yesterday. —AP

Tunisia talks end in stalemate TUNIS: The Tunisian political crisis prompted by the assassination of a leading opposition figure deepened yesterday after the main labor union said talks with the Islamist-led government had failed, casting doubt on the country’s ability to emerge from more than two years of turmoil.

Houcine Abassi, leader of the UGTT labor union representing 500,000 workers, said the government was stalling in response to demands that it resign and make way for an interim, non-partisan replacement. The union, opposition, lawyers and human rights advocates say the government’s inability to ensure security led to the killings of two opposition figures in July and February.

The death of Mohammed Brahmi, who was gunned down in front of his family on July 25, plunged Tunisia into its current crisis, as dozens of

opposition lawmakers quit, freezing efforts to write a new constitution. Street protests and political paralysis have crippled the country.

Tunisia’s protesters, inspired by the self-immolation of a fruit seller, overthrew their decades old authoritarian government in January 2011. Those protests spread through the Arab world, including to Egypt, Syria and neighboring Libya.

Tunisia has so far fared better than those countries, setting an example for political cooperation when a coalition was formed between the Islamist Ennahda Party and two secular parties.

But the troubled coalition government has failed to restore the economy or control religious extremists, which it blames for the two assassinations of opposition figures killed by the same gun.

The killers remain at large. —AP

Israeli soldier abducted, killed by Palestinian JERUSALEM: A Palestinian lured an Israeli soldier to a village in the West Bank and killed him with the intention of trading the body for his jailed brother, Israel’s intelligence agency said yesterday. The Palestinian man was arrested and confessed to the killing, the Shin Bet intelligence agency said.

The killing could deal a new blow to US-led Mideast peace efforts, which resumed in July after a nearly five-year break in Israel-Palestinian talks. The deaths of several Palestinians in Israeli arrest raids in the West Bank intended to detain militants involved in attacks have further soured the atmosphere between the two sides.

The soldier was reported missing late Friday and Israeli forces began looking for him. The search led the troops to Nidal Amar, a 42-year-old Palestinian from Beit Amin a village

near the city of Qalqiliya in the northern West Bank.

Amar told the Shin Bet that he had killed the soldier, whom he knew because he worked together with him at a restaurant in the coastal city of Bat Yam in central Israel, the agency said.According to Shin Bet, the Palestinian recounted how he had picked up the soldier in a taxi on Friday after convincing him to accept a ride.

After talking the soldier into joining him, Amar took the Israeli to an open field, killed him and hid his body in a well, the agency said.

Israeli forces raided Amar’s home early yesterday based on intelligence information, and interrogated Amar and his brother.

Shin Bet said Amar had confessed to intending to trade the soldier’s body for another brother, in an Israeli

jail since 2003 for his role in several terror attacks. Amar showed the Israeli forces where the body was hidden after his arrest. It is not the first case of Palestinians abducting Israeli soldiers, sometimes killing them afterward. The military has a long standing campaign warning soldiers not to accept rides from strangers.

It’s still unknown how Amar convinced the soldier to join him on the ride Friday. In 2001 a Palestinian woman lured an Israeli teenage boy over the Internet to the West Bank where he was murdered by waiting Palestinian militants.

The woman, Amna Muna, was released along with over a thousand other Palestinian prisoners in exchange for a single Israeli soldier held captive in Gaza by Hamas-allied militants in 2011. —AP

CAIRO: A picture taken on May 22, 2013 shows Egyptian Defence Minister Abdelfatah Al-Sissi (L) speaking with Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim at Almaza military Airbase in Cairo. Will he present himself as a candidate for Egypt’s 2014 presidential election? This is the question on everybody’s lips, but General Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, the country’s new strongman, is silent. —AFP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

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

Russian Muslim clerics warn of unrest over ban of Quran Court rules translation of Quran should be outlawed

THESSALONIKI: Police officers escort a suspect member of the ultranationalist Golden Dawn party as they arrive at the prosecutor’s office in the northern city of Thessaloniki, Greece, yesterday. Greece’s government moved Thursday to crack down on the ultra nationalist Golden Dawn party after the fatal stabbing of an anti-fascist rapper, as Europeís top human rights official warned in an interview that Greece was the most worrying example of a wider European drift toward radicalization. The death of 34-year-old Pavlos Fyssas early Wednesday shocked the country and led to widespread condemnation from across the Greek political spectrum and abroad. — AP

Alleged Greek neo-Nazi killer charged, hundreds demonstrate ATHENS: The suspected neo-Nazi killer of an anti-fascist musician in Greece was yesterday charged with manslaughter over the killing, which has been fuelling protests and raising social tensions in the debt-wracked country.

Truck driver George Roupakias, 45, who has allegedly confessed his affiliation to the neoNazi party Golden Dawn, was charged as he appeared before an investigating judge in Piraeus. Roupakias has been charged with voluntary manslaughter and illegal possession of a weapon and pleaded self-defence over the killing, said a judicial source who asked to remain anonymous.

He arrived at the court wearing a bulletproof vest and under heavy security, with police and special forces surrounding the court.

After a three-hour hearing, the magistrate ordered that he remain in custody.

Shouting “Stop the fascists,” some 2,000 protesters, according to an AFP journalist, carried banners and flags condemning fascism as they marched peacefully in the western Athens district of Nikea, close to the area where 34-yearold hip hop artist Pavlos Fyssas was fatally stabbed early on Wednesday.

“We want to kick the fascists out of our neighbourhoods. All these years they terrorise, they beat people and even reached the point of murder,” Thanassis Diavolakis, municipal councillor in Piraeus near Athens, told AFP. “Today we are sending one more message to Golden Dawn fascists that they are unwanted in our neighbourhood,” added protester Katerina Doridou. Fyssas, who wrote music under the nickname Killah P, was fatally

stabbed in the working-class Athens district of Keratsini early on Wednesday.

Police have said the victim pointed Roupakias out as his attacker before dying.

Golden Dawn quickly denied links with the alleged killer, but pictures soon surfaced of Roupakias participating in party activities and members of his family reportedly worked for the organisation.

The authorities are now bringing the full force of the law against the party and on Wednesday Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said he would not allow Golden Dawn to “poison” society and “undermine” democracy.

On Friday, Citizen’s Protection Minister Nikos Dendias handed the investigation of alleged Golden Dawn crimes to the nation’s elite antiterrorism squad. Capitalising on rising social tensions in crisis-hit Greece, Golden Dawn was first elected to parliament in 2012 with nearly seven percent of the vote, winning 18 seats out of an overall 300.

The party has sent black-clad squads to smash the stalls of migrant peddlers, held torch-lit rallies condemning political opponents as ‘traitors’ and ‘thieves’ and organised food donations for Greeks only.

The organisation has also been accused of carrying out a series of brutal attacks on migrants and political opponents, though it denies any responsibility and says it is the victim of slander.

Thousands took to the streets this week to protest against far-right extremism, while police clashed with protesters in cities across the country late on Wednesday. — AFP

Demand for US-born imams up in American mosques ANAHEIM: Mustafa Umar, an imam in Southern California, is popular with the Muslim teenagers who attend his mosque.

They pepper him with questions about sensitive topics like marijuana use, dating and pornography. Umar, 31, is a serious Islamic scholar who has studied the Quran in the Middle East, Europe and India - but he’s also a native Californian, who is well-versed in social media and pop culture, and can connect with teens on their own terms.

That pedigree is rare - 85 percent of fulltime, paid imams in the US are foreign-born - but the demand for people like him is growing as American Muslim leaders look for ways to keep the religion relevant for young people in a secular country that cherishes freedom of expression.

“That’s all you hear in every mosque around the country now: ‘We need someone who can connect with the youth.’ And everyone is waiting for that person, like he’s a superhero who can come and save the day,” said Umar, who started his job nine months ago. With a foot in both traditional Islam and US pop culture, leaders like Umar are trying to help young Muslims embrace their American experience without letting go of Islamic traditions. It’s part of a broader trend toward a more American style of congregational worship that includes everything from vibrant youth groups to health clinics to community service projects.

“The demand for American-born imams is an articulation of something much deeper,” said Timur Yuskaev, director of the Islamic chaplaincy program at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut, which educates Islamic faith leaders.

“It’s a realization that assimilation is happening and it’s going to happen. Now, how do we control it, how do we channel it?” he said. “These congregations, if they do not provide the services that the congregants expect, then they will not survive.”

For Umar, part of the strategy means confronting things like pre-marital sex, drugs and porn head-on - taboos in Islam but temptations that abound in America.

Umar, a huge soccer fan, also bonds with his young charges over sports before gently steering the conversation back to faith.

“He was just like us. He played sports, he studied for school just like us,” said 17-yearold Tarek Soubra, recalling the day he met Umar. “It was, like, ‘Oh, he’s just like our friend.’ It was really cool.” This informal approach is controversial with some Muslims, but those objections overlook the inevitable assimilation that’s rapidly taking place, said Philip Clayton, provost at Claremont Lincoln University, which recently started a program for American Islamic leaders.

Mosques that remain insular, focus on ethnic identity and don’t engage with the realities of being Muslim in America won’t

survive, he said. And the more engaged imams and mosques become, the less likely confused youth are to turn to radicalized forms of Islam, the way the Boston marathon bombing suspects did.

“I would say either American imams will learn how to be spiritual leaders of these young people or Islam will not flourish in the United States,” Clayton said. Still, young Islamic leaders in the US are clear that things like the five daily prayers, modest interaction between men and women, and bans on alcohol and pre-marital sex are inseparable from being Muslim. But in America, the application of those rules can look different.

Teens go on co-ed field trips, for example, but chaperones are present. Mosques put on girls-only dances during high school prom season. And Islamic seminars for young adults take part in auditoriums divided down the middle by gender, said Nouman Ali Khan, 35, who founded Bayyinah, an Arabic institute in Dallas.

“There are some guidelines in Islam that are there and they’re not going to be compromised,” he said. “But these things are unfairly assumed to mean that we’re not social people and that we’re not going to be successful in society.”

AbdelRahman Murphy, a 25-year-old assistant imam in Knoxville, Tenn., is striking that balance with his newly founded Muslim youth group called Roots. Kids play sports, battle it out in video-game playing contests or strut in a girls’ Muslim fashion show with the tongue-in-cheek title “Cover Girl.” Murphy, the son of an Egyptian immigrant mother and an Irish-American convert, was kicked out of a private Islamic middle school and strayed from the faith in high school - an experience he always keeps in mind.

“We can’t change what’s inside the package, but we can repackage it,” said Murphy, who tweets about college basketball and his faith. Umar’s mosque, the Islamic Institute of Orange County, recently started monthly meetings that follow a game-show format, with two imams answering questions that teens text to an anonymous hotline. The organizers were shocked when there were questions about masturbation, drugs, porn, dating and drinking.

The sessions opened a much-needed dialogue about how to be successful as a Muslim and an American, said Samina Mohammad, who oversees the youth program. Mohammad, 28, recently told a youth group how she secretly removed her head scarf on the way to school for two years because she loved her hair. Then, she attended a session for teens where, instead of lecturing about the importance of the head scarf, the imam compared a covered Muslim woman to a beautiful pearl hidden within an oyster.—AP

MOSCOW: Russia’s senior Islamic clerics warned the country’s leaders unrest could erupt in Muslim communities in Russia and beyond if a court decision ordering the destruction of a interpretive translation of Quran is not overturned.

Tuesday’s ruling by a court in Novorossiysk, a city in southern Russia, ordered the widely read text outlawed under a Russian anti-extremism law that rights activists say has been abused by local officials out of prejudice or to persecute groups frowned upon by the dominant Russian Orthodox Church.

Rights campaigners said that the decision, which will apply nationwide unless it is overturned on appeal, comes dangerously close to banning the Quran itself. Russia’s Council of Muftis sounded the alarm in an open letter on Friday to President Vladimir Putin, who has frequently called for unity among the leading faiths and warned that ethnic tension could tear Russia apart.

“Russian Muslims are very strongly indignant over such an outrageous decision,” Rushan Abbyasov, the deputy head of the council, which has close ties with the Kremlin, told Reuters. If the ruling is acted on, the cleric warned: “There will be unrest ... not only in Russia but all over the world, we are talking about the destruction of the Quran.”

In the letter to Putin, the council drew a parallel with violence in the Middle East and Afghanistan over the actions of an American pastor, Terry Jones, who threatened to burn the Quran on Sept. 11, 2010.

“Is it necessary to discuss how the destruction of books, especially sacred religious books, has been received in Russia in the past?” it said. “We recall how the burning of just a few copies of the Holy Quran by a crazy American pastor elicited a firm protest not just from Russian Muslims but from our entire society, in solidarity with the stormy and longlasting anger of the global Muslim community and all people of goodwill,” it said.

A lawyer representing the text’s author, Azeri theologian Elmir Kuliyev, said he will appeal the ruling, which calls for the text to be banned and copies of it “destroyed”. “This is pure idiocy. Some local prosecutor sent this material to a local court and they together decided to ban a holy book,” lawyer Murat Musayev, who has one month to appeal the ruling, told Reuters.

“On the one hand there is freedom of religion in Russia, on the other they are banning fundamental religious texts.” Experts say the more than decade-old

translation by Kuliyev is a respected scholarly work, one of four translations of the Quran into Russian.

“This is one step away from banning the Quran,” said Akhmed Yarlikapov, an expert on Islam with the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“This is a very high quality translation,” he said. “The banning of Kuliyev’s translation is utterly unprofessional, you could ban the Bible just as easily because it also has passages that talk about the spilling of blood.”

Putin has championed the dominant Russian Orthodox Church as a moral compass but has also called for a multicultural Russian identity and emphasised the need to avoid religious strife in a country with a Muslim minoroty estimated at about 15 percent. The government is fighting against a persistent Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus, spawned by separatist wars in Chechnya, and tension between ethnic Russians and Muslim minorities have led to outbursts of violence across the country.

Since Russia’s anti-extremism law was passed in 2002, with the purpose of curbing potential militant threats, over 2,000 publications have been placed on a blacklist posted on the Justice Ministry’s website.

The inclusion of some texts, such as the Russian

edition of the diaries of Nazi Germany’s propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels and Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf”, has won praise from human rights campaigners. But critics say too many innocuous works have been added, threatening the rights of minority groups. Analysts say the abuse stems from vague wording in the law and procedures that empowering local official in a flawed justice system.

Once a court anywhere in Russia judges a text extremist, it is automatically added to the nationwide blacklist. Among the controversial materials included are the books of Turkish theologian Said Nursi, another of Kuliyev’s works, a hadith collection of the sayings of the prophet Muhammad and Jehovah’s Witnesses’ basic texts. “The way that the extremism law works is this kind of unstoppable mechanism that allows very junior courts to ban what they like,” said Geraldine Fagan, an expert and author of a book on Russian religious policy. “This is quite a momentous case. It could be the case that turns everything around and triggers a reversal of the general tendency, although that would surprise me,” Fagan said. “There doesn’t seem to be any political will whatsoever to stop this from happening despite very high level criticism.” — Reuters

US, Venezuela in overflight spat CARACAS: US officials said Friday that they had initially refused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro permission to fly over a segment of US airspace on his way to China because his government made the request on short notice. But Venezuela complained that the United States had also put up logistical obstacles to complicate its delegation’s preparations for attending the UN General Assembly in New York later this month.

Washington issued its explanation on the overflight issue after Maduro and his foreign ministry complained vociferously Thursday evening.

Maduro announced via Twitter his departure for China late Thursday, but didn’t say whether the commercial Cuban plane he was traveling in had altered its route.

The U.S. Embassy in Caracas said in a Friday statement that Venezuela had requested diplomatic clearance to fly over Puerto Rico en route to

China with one day’s notice. Such clearances usually require three days’ notice, it said. There was also confusion because the aircraft did not actually require diplomatic clearance because it was a commercial Cubana de Aviacion jet on loan, said the embassy’s acting chief of mission, Gregory M. Adams. He said that while he didn’t have the details, his impression was that U.S. officials were “caught short” and initially denied overflight permission. Venezuela’s top diplomat in Washington, Calixto Ortega, said the U.S. had reversed itself following “intense conversations.”

Ortega told state TV that the US government had approved a similar overflight route for the same plane a few months ago without question and that Venezuela was concerned because Maduro planned to arrive in New York on the same plane on Sept. 24 or 25 for the UN General Assembly. — AP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

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

China activist still seeks democracy after 50-year fight JINAN: When Chinese police beat elderly former professor Sun Wenguang so badly they broke four ribs, it was just part of the price he has paid for a lifetime defying authority.

The white-haired, soft-spoken Sun first went to prison nearly 50 years ago and is now one of China’s oldest activists, admired by the younger generation for his doggedness.

He turns 80 next month but still persists in simple acts of protest, dodging minders in a risky game of cat and mouse. “I am, in their view, a bas... who just won’t stop,” he says, chuckling in his study late one night after his monitors had left.

“If my rights are infringed then I have to fight back. I can’t just give up my rights.” Sun is kept under regular surveillance by Chinese authorities, with a round-the-clock guard posted at his apartment at sensitive times.

During the trial of former politician Bo Xilai in his home town of Jinan last month, a minder planted himself directly outside the door to prevent it even opening. It was the sufferings

caused by the Mao Zedong’s disastrous 1958-61 Great Leap Forward and 1966-76 Cultural Revolution that turned Sun, then a university teacher of physics and economics, against the Communist party.

Like many he was branded a “counter-revolutionary” and locked in makeshift campus jails. But he refused to admit wrongdoing and posted signs at the university entrance defending himself and others being punished. When one was torn down he would post another, sending him to detention twice more for three years total. “Whenever I was let out I would write,” he says. “They used to say about me afterwards, whoever is down, Sun defends.”

For seven years from 1974 Sun was detained in labour camp and prison after he was convicted of being a counter-revolutionary-giving him more time to ponder the country’s problems.

“How could society be improved, the situation be changed, to avoid producing so much suffering in the

future? I couldn’t stop thinking about this,” he says.

“If the nation and society have such huge problems and you only try to solve your own, it won’t work.” When Sun was released in 1981 China had begun to open up, only to crack down on Tiananmen Square democracy protestors in 1989. Every year Sun tries to outwit his minders to mark the June 4 Tiananmen anniversary, and the death of former leader Zhao Ziyang who was ousted after sympathising with the demonstrators.

It was his attempt to honour Zhao in 2009 that provoked the vicious beating. He sneaked past guards swarming his building and made it to a park before being dragged aside and thrashed.

“Even with lots of people around that didn’t stop them,” he says.

Undeterred, Sun escaped his guards ahead of the Tiananmen anniversary this year by going out for a swim every day until they stopped bothering to follow him. That freed him to meet friends on an agreed date and quickly

unfurl a banner in public.

“Seeing this of the older generation of activists is a huge encouragement,” says Hu Jia, a prominent Beijing-based dissident. “Professor Sun-for both his thinking and his actions-is an icon for Chinese dissidents.”

Sun has poured his political views into books criticising Communist party rule and advocating free elections.

His first in 2002 collected essays he scribbled in jail, some on toilet paper with a reed plucked from his straw bedding and dipped in soy sauce.

After his second book came out in Hong Kong two years later, he was banned from travelling outside the mainland. He has yet to see his latest work-about his attempts to run for office after a friend had a copy confiscated while bringing it into the mainland. In 2007 and 2011 Sun tried to win a seat on the local legislature, fully aware that the rubberstamp body was not holding genuine elections.

Police tore down his posters and, the second time, banned him from campaigning at his former campus.

Instead he crept in at odd hours to make speeches to whatever students he could find.

Sun belongs to the older school of Chinese activists who directly provoke the authorities with calls for democracy, whereas the less-confrontational newer generation tries to uphold existing laws, says Maya Wang, an Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“He is respected for his long years of activism and the fact that he has persisted in the face of both harassment and physical threats as well as house arrest,” she says.

“From his generation it’s very rare to have somebody who continues to do this.” Sun believes that if more Chinese also press for change, the party will eventually have to bow to democracy-treacherous words in the tightly controlled state.

“Political reform is necessary for the Communist party... If they don’t do it right then they may not survive,” he says. “The way forward will ultimately be decided not by the party but by the people.” —AFP

Pakistan releases senior Taleban commander Release welcomed by Afghanistan’s High Peace Council

JAFFNA: Sri Lankan ethnic Tamils wait in line to cast their votes at a polling station during the northern provincial council election in Jaffna, 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of the capital Colombo yesterday. —AFP

S Lanka’s Tamils vote after decades of war JAFFNA: Sri Lanka’s minority Tamils voted yesterday in a landmark election in the country’s north they hope will give them a chance at self-rule after decades of ethnic conflict that claimed more than 100,000 lives. The vote to elect members of a provincial council in the ex-Tamil rebel stronghold has been promoted by the UN Human Rights Council as a step towards ethnic reconciliation after decades of fighting that ended when Sri Lankan troops crushed Tamil Tiger separatists in 2009.

The poll in Northern Province was held amid international pressure on the Sinhalese-dominated national government to share power with the Tamil minority and against the backdrop of claims security forces were trying to scare voters away from the ballot box.

“Even though this is a local election, there is more interest in it locally and internationally,” S. Arumainayaham, the top civil administrator in the provincial capital Jaffna, told reporters.

Printing press worker Anandan Kumaraswamy, 57, was among the first to vote near Jaffna’s landmark Nallur Hindu temple. He said he was “praying for change”.

The Northern Provincial Council was set up in 1987 but elections were never held and its functioning was controlled directly

by the Sri Lankan president. With just a few hours left of polling, over 50 percent of eligible voters in the battle-scarred and Tamildominated Northern Province had cast ballots to elect the council, which locals hope will be allowed to exercise semiautonomous powers, officials said.

Retired Supreme Court judge K. Wigneswaran, expected to be elected the region’s chief minister, said he wants to work with Colombo on pushing his Tamil National Alliance (TNA) manifesto, which calls for “self-government” for Tamils.

Wigneswaran’s priorities are payment of war reparations, securing an army pull-out from the former combat zone and taking back land the military still occupies four years after defeating Tamil Tiger rebels who fought for outright independence.“I will try to work with the (Colombo) government,” Wigneswaran told AFP, but vowed to go to the international community if the government fails to cooperate. Police guarded polling booths in and around Jaffna city, which lies 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of Colombo, but the TNA said there was intimidation of voters in remote areas.

In rural areas, “the military is asking voters not to cast their ballots”, TNA candidate Dharmalingam Sithadthan told AFP. “There is also a big smear campaign against the TNA.”—AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan released its most senior Afghan Taleban detainee Abdul Ghani Baradar yesterday, a senior official told AFP, a move welcomed by Kabul which hopes it will encourage peace talks with the insurgents.

Baradar, a one-time military chief often described as the militants’ former second-incommand, was the most high profile Taleban commander detained in Pakistan. “Yes Baradar has been released,” Omar Hamid, a spokesman for Pakistan’s interior ministry told AFP, without elaborating on the circumstances of the release.

The release was welcomed by Afghanistan’s High Peace Council (HPC), the body nominated

by President Hamid Karzai to try to talk to the militants, who have waged a bloody insurgency since being ousted from power by a US-led invasion in 2001. “We thank the government of Pakistan that showed goodwill and answered positively to the request of Afghanistan government,” Mohammad Esmail Qasimyar, senior member of HPC, told AFP. “Baradar is someone who has always been eager to join peace negotiations, and we hope he joins peace talks soon. We are optimistic about it, he is still an influential figure, and the Taleban still respect him.” Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Friday said that Baradar’s release would facilitate Afghanistan’s reconciliation process with the Taleban as a NATO combat mission there winds down. The Taleban opened an office in Doha in June as a precursor to possible talks but it was quickly shut down after Karzai reacted furiously when they put up a flag and plaque as if they were a government-in-exile.

The Taleban’s spokesman in Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahid, said they could not yet confirm Baradar had been freed. “We only heard through the media that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar will be released. We have not received any official confirmation about his release,” Mujahid told AFP in Kabul.

Baradar’s release brings to 34 the number of

Taleban detainees that Pakistan has freed since last year, in what Afghan officials hope will encourage peace talks with the insurgents.

Karzai had asked Pakistan to help open direct dialogue between his government and the Taleban, who consider Karzai an “American puppet” and have refused to hold discussions with his government.

But Sartaj Aziz, the main adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on national security

KANDAHAR: This March 4, 2001, file photo shows Taleban’s then-Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Muttawakil, who hailed Pakistan’s release of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. — AP and foreign affairs had said that Baradar would not be handed over to Kabul, and many believe his release will have little impact on talks.

Indeed, there is scant evidence that the release of any of the Taleban detainees has had a positive effect on peace efforts, and several are

understood to have returned to the battlefield.

Political analyst Talat Masood said the announcement was a “sort of a confidencebuilding measure between Pakistan and Afghanistan”. “However, this release is not likely to make any significant difference in the negotiating process,” he said.

A Taleban source agreed, telling AFP Baradar had lost influence after so long away and would now be kept as “a simple guy in the network” with no chance of rejoining the Quetta Shura ruling council. The details of where Baradar will go after being freed are unclear. There has been speculation he could head to Turkey or Saudi Arabia, but the Taleban source said he would probably stay in Karachi, where his family lives.

Washington gave a muted response to news that Baradar was about to be released, with a State Department spokeswoman on Friday refusing to say whether the US had asked Pakistan to keep tabs on Baradar.

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, in an operation that was described as a huge blow to the Taleban, who ruled Afghanistan until a US-led invasion in 2001. At the time of his detention Baradar was reported to have been the Taleban’s second-incommand, the right hand man of the supreme commander Mullah Omar. He was the most senior member of the Taleban held after US-led troops invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, bringing down the Islamist regime.

Born in 1968 in the southern province of Uruzgan, Abdul Ghani Baradar fought the occupying Soviet forces in the late 1980s before becoming one of the founding members of the Taleban movement. — AFP

US general sees problems, progress in Afghan air force NATIONAL HARBOR: The US-led effort to train the Afghan air force faces big challenges ranging from security threats to possible repercussions from a new review of infrastructure and equipment projects, the US general in charge said.

“This is a hard deal. We’re far from 100-percent guaranteed on delivery,” said Air Force Brigadier General John Michel, who leads NATO Air Training Command Afghanistan, which is due to complete its training of the Afghan air force by Dec. 31, 2017

- three years after most US forces leave Afghanistan.

The one-star general cited progress in training and planning for Afghanistan to assume control over the air force but said many factors were outside his control. Michel spoke to Reuters this week during the annual Air Force Association conference here.

He said the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force was re-examining all infrastruc-

ture projects after a report that one $37 million aviation facility may have been used to store opium and other concerns raised by Congress. A group of US lawmakers this week called on US Attorney General Eric Holder to use all available resources to back up the Pentagon’s criminal investigation into potentially improper payments made by an Army aviation unit that awarded contracts to Russian and US firms to maintain and overhaul Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters. —Reuters

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

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

Probe after Qantas planes spark collision alert SYDNEY: Australian authorities were yesterday investigating how two Qantas passenger planes got so close that it triggered a collision warning alert, forcing them to take evasive action.

The incident happened over southern Australia on Friday and involved two Airbus A330s travelling in opposite directions between Sydney and Perth. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which is investigating, said early reports

were that the eastbound plane was cruising at 39,000 feet when the westbound plane was given permission to climb from 38,000 feet to 40,000 feet, triggering one of the plane’s traffic collision avoidance systems.

“One of the aircraft, the lower one, asked for clearance to climb; the air traffic controller gave that clearance,” Richard Woodward, vice-president of the Australian and International Pilots

Association, told the ABC. “And as they started the climb, they got a collision warning alert from the aircraft and they took evasive action.”

Woodward, a Qantas pilot, said the incident was worrying because the collision warning system was “sort of the last line of defence”.

“At that altitude and that speed it’s very difficult for the crews to see and take avoiding action. The aircraft’s doing a

kilometre every two seconds or so when they’re closing on each other like that,” he said. Qantas said that a “loss of separation”, the technical term when planes breach the distance they are required to maintain between each other, happened near Adelaide. “Indications are that the loss of separation occurred when one of the Qantas aircraft received clearance to climb from air traffic control,” the airline said in a statement on Friday.

“Our pilots followed standard operating procedures in re-establishing the required separation distance following the alert from the onboard notification system. There was no impact to passengers.” One passenger told the ABC after arriving in Perth: “I saw a plane going underneath us to the left, somewhere in South Australia I’d suggest. “I don’t think anybody knew, I saw it and didn’t care.

They know what they’re doing.” — AFP

North Korea postpones war-torn family unions Seoul condemns Pyongyang’s postponement as ‘inhumane’

PHNOM PENH: Cambodian supporters of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) lay flowers on barbed wire during a protest near the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh yesterday as protesters requested Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni to delay the first parliament meeting scheduled on September 23. — AFP

Cambodian opposition asks king to delay parliament PHNOM PENH: Cambodian opposition supporters gathered at the royal palace yesterday and delivered a petition to the king calling on him to postpone the opening of parliament until the country’s political deadlock is resolved.

Hundreds of riot police guarded the palace, outnumbering supporters of the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party. The peaceful gathering ended after four representatives were allowed past a barricade to hand palace aides the petition, which organizers said was thumb-printed by about 30,000 supporters.

The opposition says it will boycott parliament’s opening session Monday unless the government agrees to an independent probe of the July 28 election results. The CNRP says it was cheated out of a victory because of electoral fraud.

The government has rejected the demand of an independent probe, and Prime Minister Hun Sen says he will continue his 28 years in power. Official results gave Hun Sen’s party 68 seats, compared to 55 for the opposition.

“We hope the king will read the documents from the people and agree to delay or postpone the meeting at the National Assembly,” said Norn Ly, 25, one of the petitioners. King Norodom Sihamoni did not immediately reply to the petition, but he has already asked the opposition to take its seats at the National Assembly’s scheduled opening, pointing to a constitutional stipulation that the assembly must be convened within 60 days of the election.

The petition drive came a day after opposition leader Sam Rainsy also urged the king to postpone parliament. In a separate incident Friday night, more than 100 military police pressured Prince Sisowath Thomico, a member of both the royal family and the opposition party, to leave a park in Phnom Penh, the capital, where he had launched a hunger strike earlier that day, according to the prince and human rights activists. The prince said that he agreed to abandon his hunger strike because he didn’t want trouble and that he would find other ways to show support for the opposition. —AP

SEOUL: North Korea indefinitely postponed yesterday reunions for families separated since the Korean war, just days before they were to resume, leaving relatives “disappointed beyond description”.

The highly symbolic and emotional meetings of selected families from the North and South, separated for six decades by the 1950-53 Korean War, would have been the first reunions in three years.

The North’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted the government as saying Seoul’s “hostile” policy was to blame for the last-minute cancellation, singling out the South’s military exercises with the United States and a recent crackdown on allegedly pro-Pyongyang leftists.

Analysts believe the move is designed to place pressure on the South to resume cross-border tours to a scenic resort that is an important source of revenue for the North’s cash-strapped communist regime. “We postpone the impending reunions of separated families until a normal atmosphere is created for talks and negotiations to be able to move forward,” the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said.

“As long as the South’s conservatives deal (with) inter-Korean relations (with) hostility and abuse... such a basic humanitarian issue as family reunions cannot be resolved.” Millions of Koreans were left separated by the Korean War, which sealed the peninsula’s division. Most have died without having the chance to reunite with family members last seen six decades ago. The two sides had agreed to hold six days of reunions at the North’s Mount Kumgang resort from September 25 to 30.

Kang Neung-Hwan, 92, who desperately hoped to see his son, who lives in the North, told Yonhap news agency: “I am greatly disappointed. It’s increasingly painful for me to wait to see my son.”

Koh Jeong-Sam said his 95-yearold mother had already purchased

SEOUL: In this Aug. 24, 2013 file photo, South Korean applicants for the reunions wait for the announcements of the names of South Korean candidates who could meet their North Korean relatives in upcoming family reunions at the headquarters of Korea Red Cross in Seoul, South Korea. North Korea has indefinitely postponed reunions of families separated by the Korean War that had been set to start Wednesday, Sept 25, 2013. —AP presents she wanted to give to her sisters in the North.

“My mother was disappointed beyond description,” he said.

The South’s Unification Ministry expressed “deep regret” at the “unilateral” and “inhumane” action, which it said could not be justified under any circumstances. “ The breach of a hard-won agreement by the North would bring inter-Korean relations back to confrontation. There will be nothing for the North to gain,” the ministry said in a statement.

The final list of relatives who would have benefited carried the names of 96 South Koreans and 100 North Koreans, although the actual numbers were expected to be higher because each selected candidate could take a number of relatives.

The reunion programme had been suspended after the North’s

shelling of a South Korean border island in November 2010.

About 72,000 South Koreansnearly half of them aged over 80 — are still alive and wait-listed for a chance to join the highly soughtafter reunion events, which select only up to a few hundred participants each time.

Professor Yang Moo-Jin of the University of North Korean Studies told AFP that Pyongyang was using the reunions as a ploy to put pressure on Seoul to resume tours to Kumgang.

The South suspended the tours to the mountainous resort in 2008 after a North Korean soldier shot dead a tourist who strayed into a restricted zone.

Seoul says it won’t restart the tours to Kumgang, a cash cow for the North as it develops nuclear weapons and missiles, unless Pyongyang apologises explicitly

over the killing of the Southern tourist.

At the emotional, often tearful reunions, North and South Koreans typically meet in the North for two or three days before the South Koreans head home again.

The first reunions in 1985 coincided with a short-lived thaw in North-South relations but they were discontinued for the next 15 years. A historic inter-Korean summit in 2000 saw the programme start again in earnest and an estimated 17,000 people have been reunited since then.

The last such meeting took place in late 2010, before the North’s shelling of Yeonpyeong island.

Inter-Korean relations have showed signs of improving recently after months of heightened military tensions that followed the North’s nuclear test in February. —AFP

Bo Xilai: Rise and fall of a political star in China

KLUALA LUMPUR: Members of Malaysian Special Service Group demonstrate their tactics for a hostage rescue operation during the 80th Malaysian Army Day celebrations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday. — AP

Malaysia PM gets party nod to stay in power KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak faced down a threat to his leadership after nominations closed yesterday without anybody contesting his presidency of the ruling party, officials said.

His government suffered its worst performance ever in May elections, prompting speculation that former leader Mahathir Mohamad, who continues to be highly influential in Najib’s party, would back a challenger for the presidency of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).

Ahmad Maslan, UMNO information chief, said on Twitter: “Congratulations to UMNO president Najib and deputy president Muhyiddin (Yassin) who won without contest at 5pm this evening.”

Najib, who will get at least another three years in the top job, said in a televised interview with CNBC Friday: “All indications are that the party is solidly behind me. They believe that the policies are indeed going to be good for the country.” The UMNO dominates the rul-

ing coalition which has governed since the Malay Muslim-majority countr y gained independence in 1957.

Najib came to power in 2009 after his predecessor, under heavy pressure from Mahathir, was forced to step down following UMNO’s unprecedented loss of five state governments and its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority the previous year.

Although Najib reclaimed two states this year, the government’s majority in parliament was slashed further and for the first time in history the opposition gained the popular majority of the multiethnic electorate.

Najib announced last week fresh measures to benefit the country’s Muslim Malay and indigenous groups, collectively known as “bumiputra” or “sons of the soil”, who make up 68 percent of the country’s 28 million people. “If we do not bring up the economic participation of the bumiputras, the country will not be able to achieve developed nation status by 2020,” Najib said.— AFP

BEIJING: With a suave demeanour, well-cut suits and an easy smile, Bo Xilai presented, in his heyday, a stark contrast to the usual ranks of stiff, buttoned-up Chinese politicians.

But his open ambition and lobbying for promotion, coupled with his “princeling” status as the son of a hero of China’s revolution, irritated some of his colleagues in the upper echelons of the ruling Communist Party.

His revival of “red” culture, sending officials to work in the countryside and pushing workers to sing revolutionary songs, also raised eyebrows.

The ousted political star is awaiting a verdict and sentence, due Sunday, for alleged bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power in the country’s highest-profile trial for decades.

During the five-day proceedings last month, Bo reinforced his larger-than-life persona with an unapologetic defence and grilling of witnesses. Enjoying a rare chance as a Chinese defendant to speak out, he dismissed his wife as “insane” and a close aide as secretly being in love with her. He admitted to having affairs himself, though he insisted on his modesty by saying his underwear was 50 years old.

Born in 1949 — the year the Party took power in China-Bo embraced his leftist streak despite tragedy suffered by his family during the 196676 Cultural Revolution, a decade of deadly chaos launched by then-leader Mao Zedong in which youths tormented their elders and officials were purged. His father, revolutionary general Bo Yibo, was jailed and tortured and his mother was beaten to death, while Bo Xilai himself spent time in a labour camp.

But after Mao died and reformist leader Deng Xiaoping took over, Bo Yibo was rehabilitated and became one of the most powerful men in China, a party “immortal” who retained influence over state affairs through the 1990s.

The father’s outsized stature bestowed on the son an impeccable pedigree that long protected him-and may have also facilitated his rise through the ranks.

Bo studied history at Peking University and took a master’s degree in journalism from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences-an educational background that stands out in the crowd of engineers and scientists who make up China’s political elite. For nearly two decades from 1985, he was based in China’s northeastern rustbelt,

first as mayor of Dalian, a decaying port city that he is credited with transforming into a modern investment hub.

He brought glamour and attention to the city with flashy signature projects, including a mounted female police squad, international fashion show and successful football team.

There, he left his first wife, with whom he had one son, for Gu Kailai-another privileged child of a renowned general, herself an accomplished lawyer who also studied at Peking University.

Bo was promoted to governor of Liaoning province, and in 2004 entered the Beijing limelight as China’s commerce minister, dazzling foreign counterparts with his modern, can-do attitude. During that time, he hosted many foreign visitors, including EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, with whom he appeared to be on genuinely friendly terms. Outside observers who said his move to the megacity of Chongqing in the southwest in 2007 would push him out of the limelight found themselves proved wrong.

Yet those who had praised Bo as relatively liberal grew disillusioned, particularly with his ruth-

less corruption crackdown, which saw scores of officials detained-some executed-and has since been criticised as a flouting of the law.

An early critic, journalist Jiang Weiping, was jailed for five years in 2000 and later moved to Canada after accusing Bo and Gu of corruption in Dalian as early as the 1990s.

During his trial, the prosecution accused Bo of illegally obtaining 26.8 million yuan ($4.38 million), and painted a picture of a high-flying family with piles of cash at home and a villa in France. The couple’s son Bo Guagua jetted across Europe and Africa, and treated 40 classmates to an expenses-paid trip to China, they said. He also attended elite universities, including Oxford and Harvard. But the family’s gilded existence fell apart after British businessman Neil Heywood was killed in a Chongqing hotel room in 2011.

Gu was convicted of his murder and given a suspended death sentence, normally commuted to life imprisonment in China. Now Bo, the ambitious princeling who sought power, is instead facing the prospect of decades behind bars. — AFP

YANGON: An activist shouts slogan as he takes part in a march to mark the International Day of Peace in Yangon yesterday. Activists praised Myanmar authorities yesterday for allowing a peace march through Yangon calling for an end to the nation’s civil conflicts, after several people were charged for rallying without permission last year. — AFP

NEWS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

Christian hostel has own view of the Syrian rebels

BRYN MAWR: In this file photo, Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with international delegates at the Women in Public Service Project leadership symposium, at Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, Pa. — AP

As 2016 looms, Clinton keeps up with supporters CHICAGO: Whether she runs for president or not in 2016, Hillary Rodham Clinton is making sure she stays connected to important Democratic constituencies, from college students and black women to the gay and lesbian community.

Clinton has spoken to a women’s institute in Pennsylvania, a prominent black women’s sorority in the nation’s capital, the American Jewish University in Los Angeles and an organization called Chicago House that helps people with HIV and AIDS. Her fall itinerary includes speeches before college students at three universities in New York, which she represented in the Senate, an award from the Elton John AIDS Foundation, a speech at a Minneapolis synagogue and an event involving a Mexican-American initiative at the University of Southern California. For all the talk that the former secretary of state intended to slow down after two decades in national political life, Clinton is keeping a busy schedule that amounts to a training camp for a second presidential campaign, if there is one.

In many of her speeches, Clinton talks about America’s role in the world and weighs in on national issues on her own terms. Her words often seem to be aimed at maintaining a connection to the party’s base of women, black and Hispanic voters, young people and gays and lesbians.

While her speeches avoid partisan politics, they put her before admiring audiences that relish the notion of a woman leading the country. “We broke the great race barrier with President Obama but it’s time that we also really ask ourselves deep down what it’s going to take to elect a woman president,” Clinton said Thursday in response to a question during a Miami address to travel agents. “And I will certainly do what I can when that time comes to elect somebody - whoever that somebody might be.”

Clinton’s advisers note that she has avoided the circuit of Democratic dinners and events in early voting states such as Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, and focused on issues about which she long has been passionate - the status of women and girls around the globe, early childhood education and the trafficking of wildlife in Africa. She is expected to limit her in-person political activity this year to fundraisers and events for Terry McAuliffe, a friend who’s running for Virginia governor.

The former first lady regularly deflects questions about her future, telling audiences there is plenty of time for those considerations. But the significance of a female president is never far from the surface. In a speech Wednesday to Chicago House, for example, nearly 2,000 attendees stood and cheered for a full 40 seconds after Clinton, who narrowly lost the nomination to Barack Obama in the 2008, was asked whether she would try again for the White House.

Clinton’s speeches are showing many of her admirers a side they craved to see in 2008 and one they hope will be on display should she run in 2016. In one of her first public acts after leaving government, Clinton endorsed gay marriage, putting her in line with members of her own party. In July, Clinton told about 14,000 members of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, the nation’s oldest black college sorority, that the not guilty verdict in the death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin had brought “deep, painful heartache” for many families.

Her speech to the Delta convention and a separate address to the American Bar Association in San Francisco focused on her critique of the Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate parts of the Voting Rights Act, a decision that

angered many liberals. Clinton said the ruling could make it more difficult for the poor and elderly to vote, words that were embraced with shouts of “Run, Hillary, Run,” at the end of her speech.

“She’s doing all the right things to become a candidate, certainly, she’s done nothing antithetical to that,” said former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who rejected the notion that Clinton should avoid speaking about policy issues for fear of alienating potential voters. “She’s solidifying the enthusiasm of people in the Democratic base who are looking for strong leadership. So I think she’s on the right track.”

Clinton most recently backed Obama’s threats to use force in response to the use of chemical weapons in Syria and has said it was the reason Russia urged Syria to get rid of its stockpile. In Chicago, Clinton echoed her husband’s recent speech in support of Obama’s health care law, saying the overhaul should be implemented and improved where necessary. “Nobody has a better idea,” she said. She also expressed hope that Congress would avoid defaulting on the nation’s debt. “I just hope they realize this could be a terrible self-inflicted wound that would have implications for everything we care about,” she said.

Clinton’s travels also help burnish her centrist credentials. During a June address at the Economic Club of Grand Rapids, Mich., she talked about the characteristics of leadership and sat next to Richard and Helen DeVos, both longtime Republican financial donors and activists. Her private, paid speeches have put her before industry groups that represent financial interests, housing developers and the tourist industry. Earlier this month, Clinton received the Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

The group’s chairman, former Gov Jeb Bush, R-Fla, credited Clinton’s “lifelong career in public service.” Famous friends and supporters, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and tennis star Billie Jean King, praised her in video testimonials. Her childhood development initiative with the Clinton Foundation, called Too Small to Fail, features a leadership council that includes former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and Cindy McCain, the wife of Arizona Sen John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee.

Her travel can often resemble a victory lap, filled with awards and acclaim. In addition to speeches at three New York universities, in the heart of where she built her first campaign for Senate, Clinton will be honored by Yale Law School, where she earned her law degree, and the Children’s Defense Fund, where she started her work in the 1970s as an advocate for women and children. Clinton is fielding offers to teach at universities, including Yale, Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and New York University, where her daughter, Chelsea, is cofounder of a multifaith center.

Hillary Clinton is writing a book, due out next spring, about her time as the nation’s top diplomat, and will discuss her work on health and economic issues related to women and children during this coming week’s Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York. But some of the events show a lighter side. During a question-and-answer session, Chicago journalist David Viggiano wrapped up his interview by asking Clinton “five frivolous questions,” including a request that she pose with him for a “selfie” on stage. — AP

Gunmen storm mall, execute 25 shoppers Continued from Page 1 expatriate community. The chain of attacks follows action by Kenyan forces against Al-Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia two years ago.

Though apparently a militant operation rather than a criminal act, it was not clear whether the attackers were religious militants. One woman leaving the building told a journalist that one of the attackers had told all Muslims to leave the premises; but there was no claim of responsibility. Police helicopters circled above shortly after the initial assault as armed police shouted “get out! get out!” and scores of shoppers fled the sand-colored stone building. Smoke poured out of one entrance and witnesses said they heard grenade blasts.

Others said they saw about five armed assailants storm the mall and that the incident appeared to be an attack rather than an armed robbery. The mall includes a number of Israeli-owned businesses, though it was not immediately clear if these were the target of the attack. At least four Israeli nationals escaped the assault, one with light wounds.

“As of now this appears to be an internal Kenyan incident, that is, a terrorist attack but not one that specifically targeted Israelis,” a spokeswoman at Israel’s Foreign Ministry said. Kenya’s Ministry of Interior said: “It is a possibility that it is an attack by terrorists, so we are treating the matter very seriously.”

One eyewitness who identified himself as Taha said he heard the screech of brakes followed moments later by an explosion and then sustained gun fire from the ground floor. Another survivor said he was shot by a man who looked Somali. Some shoppers ran up stairs

and escalators and hid around the mall’s cinema complex. Police found another terrified group hiding in a toilet on the first floor.

Some wounded were wheeled out on stretchers and shopping trolleys. Many of the victims had multiple light wounds, apparently from flying debris. Other walked out, some with bloodied clothing wrapped around wounds. Dozens of wounded were ferried away by ambulance. “I have counted twenty five dead, and that is just from the mall alone,” said Kenyan Red Cross Secretary General Abbas Guled.

“The attackers are still inside the Nakumatt supermarket and we have not entered there, so we expect more wounded and dead. Then we have those wounded taken to the hospitals, the death toll could be high.”

Al Shabaab have previously threatened to launch strikes on Nairobi’s tower blocks and soft targets including nightclubs and hotels known to be popular with Westerners in the capital. But they have so far failed to carry out such an attack.

“I personally touched the eyes of four people and they were dead. One of them was a child,” said one former British soldier at the scene. “It’s carnage up there.”

Asked if the attack was a robbery, one paramilitary officer said: “No, terrorist”. There has, though, been no official statement from the police regarding the attackers’ motive. Police cordoned off the roads surrounding the mall in central Nairobi’s Westlands neighborhood.

Satpal Singh, who was in another cafe on the mall’s top floor said he ran downstairs when he heard the gunfire and was shot at near the mall’s main exit. “A Somali guy shot at me. The guy who shot me was carrying a rifle, an AK-47,” 36-year-old Singh said. — Agencies

ALEPPO: As social media abound with horror stories of jihadists murdering minorities in Syria, a group of elderly Christians in Aleppo and the rebels who care for them portray a different reality. They object to attempts, including by President Bashar AlAssad, to portray everyone fighting to overthrow the regime as jihadists seeking to eradicate anyone who is not an ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim.

Once Syria’s commercial capital, the northern city of Aleppo is said to have had a Christian community of 20-30 percent, well over double the nationwide figure. Today, only a small number remains, as people have fled the brutal fighting which has engulfed the city for more than a year. Six of them live in Mar Elias House, a church hostel for the indigent in the Old City that was founded in 1863, exposed daily to the sounds of fighting only metres away as government forces seek to dislodge rebels who control the area.

Theirs are memories of a time in Syria when Christians and Muslims lived peacefully side by side, and they refuse to believe they are doomed to fall victim to sectarian violence. The rebels protecting them, devout Muslims to the man, feel the same way. “A lot of people hear news about how the Islamists are all from AlQaeda and are pursuing Christians or Alawites,” an offshoot of Shiite Islam to which Assad belongs, said one hostel resident, Georgette Juri, aged 71. Not so, she protests.

The hostel is under the protection of the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) and a brigade of Islamist fighters, Liwa Al-Tawid. Michael Oberi, another resident, said: “Every morning the men of (Tawid commander) Abu Ammar bring us bags of bread, and every fortnight they bring us flour, salt, rice and pasta.

“Thanks to them, we can move freely around the Old City without fear of radical Islamists, who have a strong presence in this part of Aleppo.” Juri is

ALEPPO: Syrian Christian women sit on a bench in the courtyard of Mar Elias House - a church hostel for the indigent in the old City of Aleppo. — AFP even more to the point. “Abu Ammar and his men... watch over us. If they are the ones who kill Christians, why would they protect us?”

A few blocks away from Mar Elias, named after the Hebrew Prophet Elijah who is highly revered in Aleppo, is a Liwa Al-Tawid command post.

There, Abu Ammar said: “Christians are not our enemies. The Prophet (Mohammed) respected Christians, and so do we. We did so before the war, and we will afterwards.” Indeed, he says that when the brigade seized the Old City, Liwa Al-Tawid chief Haji Mara ordered his men to protect Mar Elias House. “He knew it from before, because he lived in this part of the city, and he wanted us to treat them as if they were our own family.” Seij Abu Mohammed is a Sunni cleric who acts as a sort of a chaplain to the fighters.

He says any fear among the Christians is the fault of the regime, which many blame for exaggerating stories of atrocities against them to undermine support for the uprising. “We would never do anything to a Christian. We are all brothers,” Abu Mohammed said.

While acknowledging that there are jihadist militias who have murdered Christians, he expressed frustration with what he feels are misconceptions in the West. “They think that just because we have long beards and pray we are all religious fanatics. They should learn that Islam preaches peace and respect.” Looking to the future, the residents of Mar Elias House are steadfast but wary. Oberi’s wife, Sarb Magarian, said she hopes that “Syria doesn’t turn into another Iraq, where hatred becomes the norm,” with large numbers of Christians fleeing religious persecution.

“We won’t accept Islamists coming from abroad to impose their ideologies and doctrines on us. Before the revolution, all communities lived in peace and harmony, and that should continue after the war.” But if push comes to shove, her husband is adamant. “I will not leave my home for any reason. If Al-Qaeda comes to this house and threatens to kill me, they ’d better keep their word, because only as a dead man will I go out that door.” — AFP

Syria rebels fume over chemical weapon...

Continued from Page 1 In the opposition’s view, the deal with Russia contains a de facto admission of the legitimacy of the Assad government, undermining the goal of Syrian uprising and the likelihood that any peace talks will result in Assad’s removal. US President Barack Obama said this week that while it was still his goal to “transition” Assad out of power, dealing with his chemical weapons would come first.

Diplomats who monitored a major opposition meeting in Istanbul at the weekend said a lack of flexibility by the coalition in the way it deals with the changing diplomatic priorities, as spelled out by Obama, could rob the opposition of Western support.

MOUNTING CHAOS The Arab- and Western-backed Free Syrian Army needs what friends it can get as it struggles to deal with mounting chaos in rebel areas. Al-Qaeda-linked groups, ostensibly opposed to the Assad government, are also fighting against the mainstream Syrian rebels and have even defeated FSA units. The worsening outlook for the opposition, and the rift with Washington, became clear at its meeting in Istanbul, when US diplomats did not show up.

Western diplomats who were there criticized the opposition’s clumsily negative reaction to the chemical weapons deal, which has been largely supported by the international community. “The coalition just has to make the right noises and realize that there is a big powers game going on,” one diplomat said. “They cannot ignore that the removal of Assad’s chemical weapons is a good thing and the people in Ghouta are probably sleeping better now,” the diplomat said, referring to the site of the Aug 21 chemical attack.

“Otherwise our parliaments will not keep giving us the mandate to support the Syrian opposition forever. We’re already having to convince lawmakers that not every other Syrian is an Al-Qaeda member.” A senior opposition official acknowledged that the coalition’s meeting, which concluded on Monday, did not come up with any new strategy. The opposition was still reeling from the USRussian deal, which he described as “slap in the face” for the coalition.

“The Americans did not even bother to send a single diplomat to inform us what they were doing with the Russians,” the opposition official said. “The Gulf States cannot say it openly but there is a tendency developing to ignore the Americans and a big gap now between the Americans on one side and the Saudis, the Turks and the Emiratis. Even Qatar is not pleased with the deal, as if the problem was chemical weapons, not the Assad regime,” he added.

Gulf countries have been the main financial backers of the opposition, providing weapons to rebel brigades via Turkey. In a further sign of difficulties with Washington, the coalition elected moderate Islamist Ahmad Tumeh as provisional prime minister, shortly after US Secretary of State John Kerry called coalition president Ahmad Jarba and asked him not to pursue the issue for now, coalition sources said.

HUMAN RIGHTS Under Tumeh, a 48-year-old dentist who has served time in Assad’s jails for defending human rights, a provisional government set up by the opposition would clash with the big powers’ plans for a transitional administration. On Sunday, the coalition issued a declaration all but denouncing the Russian-US deal, saying it had already encouraged Assad to order massive bombing of rebel areas. The deal undermined the proposed Geneva peace talks because it “gave the regime an opportunity to regroup militarily”, the statement said.

With the opposition increasingly reluctant to go to Geneva, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it was time to force them to attend. But senior coalition member Anas Al-Abdah said the opposition cannot go to Geneva without Assad honoring an earlier plan brokered by former UN envoy Kofi Annan. This includes releasing political prisoners, withdrawing heavy weapons from cities and allowing peaceful protests-conditions diplomats say could bring down Assad.

In early sign of difficulties ahead, Assad’s foreign minister, Walid Moualem, said in June the authorities were ready to form a government of national unity but would not “head to Geneva to hand over power to another side”, in an indication that Assad was not planning to give up control. Western diplomats based in the Middle East said while the West shared the opposition’s concern that Assad was not serious about a political settlement, the coalition could not ignore the United States and just depend on the Gulf for support.

“The opposition needs to realize that the United States is ready to strike at the first sign of Assad reneging. They need to develop a strategy. They cannot just think they are the only game in town and the United States cannot move without them,” a Western official said.

Fawaz Tello, a veteran opposition campaigner, said that if it is to be credible, the opposition needs to answer the big questions: What would a Syria without Assad look like, how should it handle the humanitarian crisis, and how can it unite the military struggle against Assad.

“The opposition is behaving like a husband reacting to being cheated on by his wife. This is not strategy,” Tello said. — Reuters

100 killed in Mexico landslides Continued from Page 1 in some stretches and a diversion to another road.

“Thank God we’re leaving, even if there is traffic,” said Imelda Cuellar Ramirez, a Mexican holidaymaker who was driving out with eight relatives. More than 40,000 tourists, mostly Mexicans seeking sun during a threeday holiday weekend, were left stranded when the storms struck five days ago. Half the city was flooded, while rising waters brought out crocodiles.

Around 24,000 tourists left in airlifts organized by the military and commercial carriers, but tempers flared as they stood in long lines to get one of the precious seats.

Thousands of frustrated tourists sheltered at the convention center blocked an avenue for half an hour late Thursday in protest against the slow pace of the airlift.

Waiting to board a bus, Alejandro Tubias, a Mexico City resident, said it was high time to leave after his wife contracted a stomach bug that they blamed on the lack of drinking water. “We are more than happy. We are in a hurry to go because my wife is sick and because we

don’t have any money to pay the hotel room,” he said.

More than 4,000 tourists left on 105 buses on Friday, officials said.

While tourists drove out of Acapulco, hundreds of troops and civil protection workers dug with shovels and pickaxes in La Pintada, the coffee-growing village west of Acapulco swamped by a massive mudslide.

Officially, 68 people are missing in the village and two people were killed their bodies were pulled out of the debris-but villagers fear that scores have perished. “I think there’s a lot of dead. A lot of my relatives died, they’re buried and we can’t do anything,” said farmer Diego Zeron. The mud collapsed on the village of 400 people during Independence Day celebrations last Monday, swallowing homes, a school and church before crashing into the river. The soldiers and civil protection workers, many wearing surgical masks, removed pieces of broken homes and chopped up fallen trees with machetes. Helicopters evacuated more than 330 villagers to Acapulco, but a few families decided to stay back, waiting for news on the missing. — AFP

14

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

ANALYSIS

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Issues

Syria jihadist, rebel tensions explode

By Serene Assir new front is emerging in Syria’s war, as mainstream rebels come to blows with jihadists, endangering their common goal of ousting Bashar Al-Assad’s regime. Ever since Al-Qaeda front group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) appeared on the battlefield, tensions between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and jihadists have soared, sparking firefights, kidnappings and assassinations.

On Friday, after ISIS seized the northern border town of Azaz, the opposition National Coalition for the first time publicly condemned attacks by jihadists. “The Coalition condemns the aggressions against the forces of the Syrian revolution and the repeated disregard for the lives of Syrians, and considers that this behaviour runs contrary to the Syrian revolution and the principles it is striving to achieve,” it said.

The statement came after ISIS seized Azaz on the border with Turkey from FSA hands. Problems between the FSA and ISIS are not only over control, but also about vision. While the FSA is fighting to establish a democratic state in Syria, the aim of ISIS is to create and rule over an Islamic state.

A

FEARSOME REPUTATION On some front lines, they have fought side by side against Assad’s forces but in other areas they have earned a fearsome reputation. Although ISIS has some local support, its opponents blame its influence on Western countries that support the revolt, but which have stopped short of providing them with military aid. ISIS, in turn, also fears that some rebel groups have been paid off by the West to confront them.

The West has repeatedly expressed fears that the rebel ranks are too divided, and that any weapons supplied to the FSA may end up in the hands of Al-Qaeda. While tensions between fighters have been mostly localized, the Azaz fighting was the latest in a string of armed confrontations since ISIS surfaced earlier this year.

“There has been a gradual suggestion in recent weeks that some core moderates are beginning to feel aggrieved by (ISIS’s) increasing influence, and recent clashes underline this,” according to Charles Lister, an analyst at IHS Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Centre. “A series of clashes in several northern and eastern provinces between jihadists and moderates in recent days suggests that these tensions are coming out into the open,” he added.

While Al-Qaeda supporters accuse the FSA of “heresy” and subordination to its Western backers, locals call the jihadists “collaborators” who play into Assad’s hands.

Activists say that public executions and kidnappings of civil activists by ISIS have raised resentment among the very same people whose support it needs most. “ISIS is infiltrated by Assad’s secret services, which have a history of dealing with Al-Qaeda,” said Ibrahim Al-Idelbi, spokesman for the Ahfad Al-Rasul rebel brigade.

Activists have frequently accused the regime of setting free detainees held on terrorism charges at the start of the anti-Assad revolt, in order to sow chaos. “ISIS has a blacklist of high-ranking (rebel) officials and revolutionary leaders they want to assassinate,” Idelbi told AFP via Skype. Last month, Ahfad Al-Rasul openly clashed with ISIS in the northern city of Raqa, Syria’s only provincial capital to have been lost by the regime.

Earlier in the summer, clashes between local rebels and ISIS fighters erupted in the northwestern province of Idlib.

And in coastal Latakia, ISIS was accused of murdering Abu Baseer, a popular rebel leader. Speaking to AFP in the northern city of Aleppo, a local cleric said ISIS was getting stronger only because the West has failed to adequately help the rebels. “We didn’t invite them to come to Syria...

But if the United States and the West don’t help us against Bashar, we will have to accept help from anyone who shares our goal,” said Abu Mohammed.

“Al-Qaeda don’t help the Syrians, they also kill us,” he added, echoing the fear of many Syrians in rebel-held territory of the dangers posed by ISIS. Fear of ISIS, coupled with the FSA’s poor funding, has led some rebels to take even more radical steps to protect themselves against ISIS advances. “There’s no more FSA (here). We are all Al-Qaeda now,” said one rebel leader in Raqa whose men have joined Al-Nusra Front. Although Al-Nusra shares a jihadist philosophy and ties to Al-Qaeda, it split from ISIS in spring.

“Al-Nusra is fighting to bring down the regime, while ISIS fights to bring down the FSA,” one Al-Nusra new recruit said via the Internet. ISIS “are not coming to fight the regime. They are here to kill anything that moves”. A highranking security source meanwhile said the in-fighting was “positive” for Assad’s regime. “The fighting will increase in the coming days,” he predicted. “Conflict among the Syrian people’s enemies means terrorism will end sooner,” he added, using the standard regime term for the anti-Assad rebellion. — AFP

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.

West targets Hezbollah financing, ties in Africa he United States and its allies are clamping down on suspected Hezbollah activity in West Africa, which Washington says is a major source of cash for the Lebanese group as its patron Iran feels the pinch of sanctions. The push coincides with Hezbollah’s deepening role in Syria, where it has dispatched thousands of fighters to back President Bashar Al-Assad.

It also comes in the wake of attacks outside Lebanon linked to Hezbollah that Western experts say are part of global campaign that could soon include Africa. Critics, however, argue that Washington and its allies may be exaggerating the threat and failing to distinguish between different forms of support for various elements of the Shiite Islamist guerrilla and political movement, which was founded with Iran’s help after Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982.

US officials say that while most Lebanese in West Africa have few links to the group, Washington’s financial sanctions have reduced an annual flow of millions of dollars which Hezbollah receives from people and businesses in the region. Iran remains the main sponsor and armourer of a group which fought Israel with missiles in a month-long war in 2006.

But Western sanctions imposed on Tehran over its nuclear plans add significance to Hezbollah’s other income, US officials say. “(West Africa) is more important in the sense that what they’re getting from Iran is squeezed. Iran’s capacity to fund Hezbollah has been impaired,” said David Cohen, US treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. “There’s reason to think Hezbollah is not just collecting money but it is also using these outposts as places where they can plan and conduct activities,” he added.

Nigeria, with support from Israel, says it has uncovered a Hezbollah cell and arms cache and arrested has locals it accuses of spying for Iran. A resource-rich but poorly policed part of the world, which already sees Al-Qaeda-linked activity, could see future Hezbollah attacks, some Western experts say. While there are disputes over the scale of the support Hezbollah receives from West Africa, there is little doubt over how important Lebanese businesses are to the region.

With interests ranging from mobile phones, import-export and heavy industry to street stalls and fast-food joints, Lebanese-owned businesses are present at every level of the economy. But Western security officials and Lebanese businessmen say common use of cash and informal transfers by such enterprises makes it hard to detect whether any engage in money laundering. Businesses move money across borders through friends and family rather than banks. Some may even send cash by the suitcase load.

Individuals targeted in the most recent wave of US sanctions have denied the accusations and complain Washington is penalizing charity and family ties with Shiite areas of Lebanon where Hezbollah plays a major social and political role. Rudy Atallah, a former Africa Counterterrorism Director in the US Defense Department said the United States viewed Hezbollah as “the linchpin in all sort of activities - money laundering, drug trafficking and weapons”.

“They feel if they can clamp down on them in West Africa it would have some sort of impact on them back home,” added Atallah, who now is now a private security consultant.

Representatives of Hezbollah in Beirut did not respond to requests for comment. The group gives no detail on its financial arrangements. It has elected members in parliament but its leadership, facing a permanent threat of Israeli attack, generally stays undercover and limits public comment.

T

MONEY TRAIL West Africa has for a century or more been home to Lebanese communities built around trade. Many also retain close ties to Lebanon and especially to the Shiite heartlands of the south. Senegal alone has some 30,000 Lebanese. Their businesses account for 70 percent of domestic industry, according Abdul

Monem El Zein, the senior figure in the Shiite community, which he says make up around 90 percent of all Lebanese in Senegal.

Washington fears that some funds generated in these weak and often unregulated economies are channeled back to Hezbollah.

Magnus Ranstorp, a Hezbollah expert at the Swedish National Defense College, said West Africa’s lack of regulations had offered the group a “free run”, but Washington was catching up. “There is a greater activity in listing individuals and getting at the financial assets,” he said of US efforts to clamp down on those it saw as organizing funding for Hezbollah.

US investigations led to a 2011 criminal case in New York accusing Hezbollah of involvement in a money laundering network that funneled hundreds of millions of dollars to Lebanon through a web of banks, used car businesses and drug traffickers in the United States, Latin America, West Africa and Lebanon. Cohen said the network was not run by Hezbollah but was a web that the group was able to tap into. He declined to say how much Hezbollah received but called it “not insubstantial”.

In June this year, the Beirut-based Lebanese Canadian Bank agreed to pay $102 million to

in Africa.

Gambia accused Husayn, a major food importer, of profiteering. But Cohen said he believed the expulsion of Tajideen was linked to US sanctions. The governments of Angola and Nigeria have also investigated the brothers, he added. The Tajideens could not be reached for comment. Cohen said pressure on the network had reduced their annual contributions to Hezbollah to below $10 million, down from tens of millions of dollars before.

DENIALS The European Union put Hezbollah’s “military wing” on its terrorism blacklist in July due to concerns over its involvement in Syria, where EU governments back rebels against Assad, and a bus bombing in Bulgaria last year that killed Israeli tourists. Other elements of the movement are not under EU sanctions. The United States and Israel make no such distinction between parts of Hezbollah, arguing that its welfare services and elected political role in the government of Lebanon are part and parcel of a project to destroy the Jewish state. Ranstorp in Stockholm said such divisions were artificial.

“The terrorism unit is controlled entirely by the

those raising cash for Hezbollah and many Lebanese sending money to communities at home using the same informal money networks. “If a person is found to have given one dollar to a designated terrorist, the entire sum is poisoned,” Norton, a professor at Boston University who has written extensively on Hezbollah, said of the US legal view of sanctioned funds.

NEW FRONT? Along with dispatching fighters to the frontline in Syria, Hezbollah has been linked to plots to attack Israelis in Thailand and Cyprus as well as in the Bulgarian city of Burgas. Matthew Levitt, a former US counter-terrorism official who has written a book on Hezbollah, says this is a sign that Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) are embarking on a new wave of violence targeting the interests of Israel, the United States and other Western states. US attacks on Syria, or on Iran’s nuclear sites, could trigger further Hezbollah action abroad, Levitt believes.

Other security experts question the extent of a threat in Africa, though Nigeria this year said it uncovered a Hezbollah cell in the north-

RIYADH: Deputy Interior Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) attend a meeting of GCC on September 15, 2013 in Riyadh. The meeting of senior officials of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council aims to find a way to apply sanctions against members of Lebanon’s Hezbollah living in GCC states. — AFP settle the case. Hezbollah members in Lebanon top,” he said. “All these three dimensions are pis- ern city of Kano and charged two Nigerians have said the movement does not promote tons in an engine.” Individuals complain this with helping Iranians plan attacks on Israeli targets. Western governments fear their enemies activities contrary to Islamic teaching, like drugs means they are wrongly targeted.

Ali Ibrahim Al-Watfa, one of the four have found a haven and security sources say and money laundering. Some observers say the movement may not run such crime gangs but Lebanese in West Africa barred by Washington Israel is countering efforts by Hezbollah to build may use its power within Lebanon to help in June from access to US dollars and the US contacts with impoverished West African govenable some activities and it may accept pay- banking system, denied having any role for the ernments by offering its own security training group in Sierra Leone, where the United States and equipment. ments from criminals.

“It is very easy to operate in Africa. Money The US Treasury accuses some African accused him of being a permanent liaison and Lebanese of actively raising funds for Hezbollah. coordinator of cash transfers. “This is a big sur- can buy anything,” said a diplomat in the region, It imposed sanctions in June this year on four prise to me,” he told Reuters at his home on a adding that the Kano seizure indicated that Lebanese citizens, living in Senegal, Gambia, busy market street in the capital, Freetown. Hezbollah was in a position to carry out attacks Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, accusing them of Ibrahim, secretary general of the local Lebanese in Nigeria. “They will wait for the right moment.” being involved in operations to raise money community organization, suggested that he Few Lebanese discuss openly with outsiders and recruit members in the region. The main had been set up: “Maybe there is someone who any support for Hezbollah. A quick glance at Facebook profiles of some living in the region thrust of such sanctions is to deny their targets doesn’t like me, who put this on me?”

In Senegal, El Zein, for 30 years the leading reveals many images of its yellow, Kalashnikovaccess to US banks, effectively blacklisting them throughout much of the global financial system Shiite figure in the country, said the US charges emblazoned flag and of Sayyed Hassan due to the central role the US dollar plays in all had no foundation: “I have never heard of there Nasrallah, its leader.

But El Zein said Lebanese in Senegal see being a Hezbollah group here in Senegal,” he international banking transactions.

Money that is found can also be frozen or said at his Islamic Social Institution, which runs a Hezbollah, as it portrays itself, as a humanitarian seized. While some effects can be mitigated - for mosque, health clinics and a network of reli- organization and opponent of US and Israeli example, by having transactions handled by gious schools. A retired Israeli intelligence offi- policy; they do not consider that charitable givassociates - financial sanctions have hit income cial who has access to current assessments also ing to the movement is funding aggressive and trade for governments including Hezbollah played down the importance of African cash to guerrilla warfare. “There may be ten, a hundred, allies Iran and Syria. Also in June, Gambia Hezbollah, calling diaspora contributions “negli- even a thousand people in these communities who support orphanages in Lebanon - orphanexpelled Husayn Tajideen, one of three gible”.

The official estimated Iran accounted for 70- ages for children whose parents were killed by Lebanese brothers who control large stakes in the local economy and, through interests reach- 90 percent of an annual Hezbollah income of weapons the West gave Israel,” El Zein said. “But ing as far as Angola and Democratic Republic of $800 million to $1 billion. The US approach is to think that the community in Senegal can buy Congo, were accused in a previous US investiga- questioned by academics like Augustus Richard weapons and send money back to Hezbollah is tion of being among Hezbollah’s top financiers Norton. He says that the reality is muddied by crazy.” — Reuters

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

S P ORTS Umpire Rauf charged in IPL betting scandal

Juventus drop Buffon for Verona game

Haye postpones Fury fight after cut in sparring

MUMBAI: Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf and the son-in-law of the Indian cricket board’s (BCCI) president were charged by Mumbai Police yesterday in a betting scandal surrounding the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament.

Gurunath Meiyappan, son-in-law of BCCI president N. Srinivasan, was arrested in May after being quizzed by police probing illegal betting on the Twenty20 league. A total of 22 people have been charged for gambling, cheating and fraud, the police said. “The charge sheet runs into 11,609 pages and was submitted in the honorable court this afternoon,” Himanshu Roy, joint commissioner of Mumbai Police, told reporters in Mumbai. The 57-year-old Rauf, who has officiated 48 tests and 98 one-day internationals, was removed from the Champions Trophy panel in May by the International Cricket Council following reports of his involvement in the scandal. The BCCI last week banned former India fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and another player for life on spot-fixing charges.

BCCI chief Srinivasan has distanced himself from Meiyappan, who was a top official with the IPL’s Chennai franchise. “This is a matter for Mr Gurunath Meiyappan to deal with. If he is chargesheeted, the law will take it own course,” Srinivasan told reporters in Chennai. “It is up to him to defend his position, it has got nothing to do with me.”—Reuters

ROME: Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon has been dropped for the Serie A champions’ match against Hellas Verona today, manager Antonio Conte said yesterday.

“I can confirm that Marco Storari will start (in place of Buffon). It’s a normal rotation that we also did last year,” Conte told a news conference.

“Buffon is coming from international duty and we have another four games in quick succession ahead of us, so together with him and the fitness coaches we decided to rest him.”

Conte also hit out a criticism of his handling of striker Fernando Llorente who Juventus signed from Athletic Bilbao. Llorente was sidelined by Bilbao manager Marcello Bielsa after refusing to sign a deal with the Basque club and was mostly used as a substitute.

He agreed to join Juve in January but has hardly played this season, leading to speculation that he will leave. “He’s not played for a year and he’s needed more time to rediscover his best form, the necessary intensity and on field aggression, both his and that of the opposition. When you don’t play for a year you lose these things,” said Conte. “It could be that he plays tomorrow, or that he plays Wednesday, or next Sunday.” —Reuters

LONDON: Former world heavyweight champion David Haye has had to postpone a Sept. 28 bout with fellow-Briton Tyson Fury in Manchester after suffering a cut over his left eyebrow in training.

Haye, who lost his WBA belt in July 2011 to Ukrainian Vladimir Klitschko, was sparring with Croatian Filip Hrgovic on Friday when he suffered the wound that needed six stitches.

Promoters Hayemaker Boxing said in a statement that the stitches would have to remain in place for between five and seven days. No date was set for any rescheduled fight. “Even when everything seems to be right on track, sometimes life throws you a curveball,” said the 32-year-old Haye. “I will somehow have to try and make the best of this horrible situation. But, right now, I’m in bits about what has happened.”

Haye’s previous planned fight, against Germany’s Manuel Charr, was cancelled in June when the Briton suffered a hand injury. He has not fought since July 2012, when he beat compatriot Dereck Chisora. Fury is a former British and Commonwealth champion. —Reuters

Fever roll past Sky

Stenson surges four ahead at East Lake ATLANTA: In-form Swede Henrik Stenson piled up four birdies in his first nine holes, then held steady after the turn to forge four shots clear in Friday’s second round of the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship.

With the FedExCup playoff title and its bonus jackpot of $10 million also on the line at East Lake Golf Club this week, Stenson tightened his grip on all those honours as he fired a four-under-par 66 on a glorious, sun-splashed day. The Swede, ranked second in the FedExCup points standings coming into this week, offset a bogey at the 10th with a

ATLANTA: Henrik Stenson of Sweden watches his tee shot on the fifth hole during the third round of the Tour Championship. —AFP birdie at the 16th to post a 10-under total of 130 in the fourth and final playoff event. “It might seem like a large lead, but four shots during two rounds is not that much,” Stenson told reporters, having played with only 13 clubs in his bag after seeing that the face of his four-wood was caved in during his warm-up.

“I’m pretty cool about that. I’m just going to go out and try to do the best I can for the next two days, and hopefully that’s good enough.

“I have won a lot of tournaments from a good position like this, and, I hope I can do it again,” added the Swede, who has recorded five top-threes in his last seven starts, including victory at the Deutsche Bank Championship earlier this month Stenson’s playing partner,

Masters champion Adam Scott, was alone in second, after carding a 69, with PGA Tour rookie sensation Jordan Spieth a further stroke back at five under, after a 67.

“I’m fairly pleased,” Scott said after mixing three birdies with two bogeys. “I didn’t play my best golf out there today. Not that I got in a lot of trouble but when you’re out of position, it’s really hard to have a good score around here.

“I scrambled well on a few holes, and I didn’t get much to go down when I had opportunities. At least it’s only one guy four in front, so four (shots back) is not so many at this point.”

World number one and FedExCup points leader Tiger Woods, hunting his sixth victory of the season, made an early charge up the leaderboard as he rebounded from an opening 73 but spectacularly collapsed over his last five holes to card a 71.

That left him at four-over 144, a distant 14 strokes off the pace. “I put everything I had into that start and didn’t have much at the end,” Woods, who had declined to speak to reporters the previous day after opening with a 73, said of his round.

“Just ran out of gas. I’m tired.” Once again, though, it was Stenson who commanded the spotlight as he continued his bid for a second PGA Tour victory this season.

One stroke in front of the chasing pack overnight, the Swede made a sizzling birdie-birdie start on another sun-drenched day at East Lake.

Stenson, whose ball-striking has been superb this week, rolled in an eight-footer at the par-four first, and holed out from a similar distance at the par-three second to move four shots clear, Scott having bogeyed there.

Though Australian Scott briefly trimmed the deficit with a birdie at the third, the Swede regained a four-stroke advantage when he drained a 28-footer at the par-four fourth.

Stenson picked up his fourth shot of the round at the par-five ninth, where he was just short of the green in two before chipping up to four feet, to maintain control of the fourth and final FedExCup playoff event. Though Stenson bogeyed the 10th after finding a greenside bunker with his approach and missing a par putt from four feet, he rolled in a 22-foot birdie putt at the 16th then parred the last two holes to remain four strokes in front.

For the moment, Stenson has the FedExCup title in his control. At the start of the week, he and the other members of the top five in the standings - Woods, Scott, Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar - knew they would automatically secure the playoff trophy with victory on Sunday.

US Open champion Justin Rose of England (68) and Americans Dustin Johnson (68) and Billy Horschel (70) were tied for fourth at four under. —Reuters

Shavonte Zellous

ROSEMONT: Shavonte Zellous scored 20 points to lead the defending-champion Indiana Fever in an 85-72 victory over the Chicago Sky in the opener of their WNBA Eastern Conference semifinal series Friday. In the Western Conference, the Minnesota Lynx defeated the Seattle Storm 80-64 in the opening game of their semifinal series.

Briann January and Karima Christmas had 16 points each, Erlana Larkins added 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Tamika Catchings scored 11 points for the Fever.

Elena Delle Donne scored 20 points to lead Chicago after receiving the league’s Rookie of the Year award before the game. Epiphanny Prince had 19 points and Sylvia Fowles, selected as the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, added 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Indiana, the only playoff team with a losing record in the regular season, was in control for most of the night against the conference’s top seed.

It was a disappointing start to Chicago’s first playoff appearance. In their eighth season, the Sky had a team-record 24 wins and led the East by seven games. However, they lost to Indiana for the fourth time in five meetings this year.

In Minneapolis, Seimone Augustus scored 19 points, Rebekkah Brunson had 18 and Maya Moore added 17 to lead the Lynx past the Storm.

The Lynx led by 14 after three quarters and pulled away in the fourth to improve their home playoff record to 10-1 over the last three years. Temeka Johnson led the Storm with 14 points, and Tanisha Wright finished with 13.—AP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

S P ORT S

Cavendish takes stage as Wiggins eyes Tour win LONDON: Mark Cavendish beat Italy’s Elia Viviani who won the penultimate stage of the Tour of Britain yesterday. The British national champion just did enough to hold off the fastfinishing Viviani in Guildford, south of London, in a 155km stage that started Saturday at Epsom racecourse.

Britain’s Bradley Wiggins, the 2012 Olympic and Tour de France champion, finished in the pack to retain his overall lead heading into today’s final stage in London.

Wiggins, seeking a first victory in his home tour, is 26 seconds ahead of Swiss rider Martin Elmiger, with Britain’s Simon Yates third, 66 seconds back, following his victory on Dartmoor on Friday.

Cavendish won in Guildford last year but said the experience almost proved more of a hindrance than a help yesterday. “I just mis-timed it a little bit,” the Isle of Man rider told ITV4.

“I was maybe over-confident. I remembered last year kicking out on the cobbles and I thought I’d do the same but maybe I didn’t get it right.”I saw (Viviani) coming and just moved across to put him on the rough part of the road.

“The second kick really takes so much out of me so we’ll have to see about tomorrow (Sunday)”, Cavendish added.

Meanwhile, Brian Cookson, the International Cycling Union (UCI) presidential hopeful, has vowed if he is elected to offer cyclists an amnesty should they come clean about doping.

British Cycling president Cookson is challenging incumbent UCI head Pat McQuaid for the presidency in next week’s elections in Florence, during the World Championships.

McQuaid has come under fire recently after a leaked dossier alleged he and his predecessor as UCI president, Hein Verbruggen, accepted bribes and covered up failed dope tests, notably by former Tour de France winners Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador.

Irishman McQuaid has described the allegations against him as “a complete fabrication” and accused his rival of indulging in “gangster politics”.

However, since a number of American cyclists turned whistle-blowers and lifted the lid on the doping culture in the US Postal team, which led to Armstrong’s downfall, there have been growing calls for a truth and reconciliation commission aimed at giving riders the chance to reveal all the dirty details about what really went on in the peloton.

“We need to define exactly what we mean by (truth and reconciliation) and certainly as part of that we need to have more of an incentive for people to come forward and tell the truth, so I guess there will have to be some sort of amnesty or reduction in sanction,” said Cookson in a conference call attended by AFP. “Let’s not forget that doping in sport is actually against the law and illegal in some countries now, so (we need) to be clear about what level of amnesty and what level of offers we can make to people before we encourage them to tell the truth.—AFP

Francois Van Coppenhagen

KUWAIT: Francois Van Coppenhagen poses here with Ramy Haykal, General Manager, Crowne Plaza Kuwait and Anuradha Kavi, Marketing & PR on Thursday. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

Crowne Plaza Kuwait sponsors pro golfer Van Coppenhagen

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Francois Van Coppenhagen, a professional golf player from South Africa, will represent Kuwait in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) golf tournament this year. Crowne Plaza Kuwait announced their association with Coppenhagen during a press conference held last Thursday. Crowne Plaza Kuwait will be sponsoring Francois’s stay at various Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts during his entire MENA Golf tour across seven locations this year. Ramy Haykal, General Manager, Crowne Plaza Kuwait was excited about this association and said “Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts have always welcomed guests who are traveling for their success. Our facilities and services ensure that they are able to accomplish a lot and be the best in their mission, be it professionals like Coppenhagen from sports or regular business travelers.

He also added, “We will be his partner in his journey in his

personal and professional growth and wish him all the best in the upcoming golf tournament,” he said.

Francois Van Coppenhagen, a 23-year old qualified PGA Professional will be playing at the various Crowne Plaza Hotel properties during his tour starting from Dubai Creek Golf Club and will be travelling to different locations across the region including Saudi, Morocco, and Dubai etc. Coppenhagen has been training locals (Kuwaitis) for about three years now. “I have 15 Kuwaiti golf students right now, and they are very interested to learn golf in the best possible way. You know, golf is not very famous in Kuwait but I think people here have been showing great interest in the sport, so perhaps in another year or two, Kuwait can produce the best players,” he mentioned.

Coppenhagen won last year’s golf tournament in Oman. “I will be playing the same tournament this year in Oman and defending my title. I have a tournament to

attend in Dubai as well,” he added. Coppenhagen’s passion for golf has already taken him to various places around the world and now he dreams of playing along with his golf hero, Tiger Woods. “Playing golf is my passion and I been doing it to the best of my ability. My challenge is to play more in international tournaments and I hope I’m lucky enough. In January, I’ll be playing in the Asian tour which will see more than a thousand players participating. If you win there, you’ll probably carve a place for yourself in the golf world,” he admitted. At this golf challenge which he will participate in, he is also eagerly looking forward to his stay at Crowne Plaza and is confident that he will have a very comfortable stay after a long tiring day at the greens.

Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts help ensure that guests have a productive and successful stay and they train their staff to create and maintain a restful environment, apart from providing innovative products and services.

A win and a gift keep Oracle alive in America’s Cup race

Zain sponsors Kuwait’s National Jet Ski team for the third year running KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, announced its sponsorship of the Kuwait National Jet Ski team for the third consecutive year. The company’s sponsorship comes in line with its commitment of supporting all kinds of sports and youth activities which directly reflects a positive image of Kuwait high potentials in those sectors. Zain will be providing all the support to the Kuwaiti National Jet Ski team throughout their scheduled tournaments as well as at the World Jet Ski Championship in Arizona, United States of America.

Zain explained in a press statement that its sponsorship falls under its corporate social responsibility umbrella of its dedication towards the youth and sports sectors as well as Kuwaiti athletes. The company continues to encourage athletes to represent Kuwait in the various internationally renowned championships, which in turn is a motivation for them to reach out for their dreams.

Waleed Al Khashti, Zain’s Corporate Communications

and Relations Manager said: “The Kuwaiti National Jet Ski team deserves all the support and attention for their previous international achievements. Our commitment towards them resembles the company’s endless confidence of the competencies of these young men and their capabilities in excelling in different fields.”

Al Khashti went on to highlight that as a leading telecommunications company, Zain has forever been committed to supporting events that will create a great impact on the advancement of our youths’ sports skills, and eventually shine them internationally.

“Zain will continue putting all Kuwaiti National teams at the forefront of its priorities and pledges to continue motivating them to achieve all the recognition they deserve.”

Added Al Khashti. For more information about Zain’s sponsorships and initiatives customers are advised to visit the company’s website on www.kw.zain.com, or visit the company’s social media channels.

SAN FRANCISCO: Oracle Team USA again staved off elimination in the America’s Cup on Friday, catching a huge break when the day’s first race was abandoned for exceeding the time limit with Emirates Team New Zealand far ahead, and then coming back to win a second race in stronger breezes.

Friday’s competition featured drastically different conditions than previous matches, with very light winds and fog wafting in through the Golden Gate.

In the first race, Oracle won the start as the two boats appeared to drift to the first mark, but New Zealand made a better maneuver to capture what little wind there was and quickly opened up a huge lead. But it was all for naught as the time limit wound down, and the race was called with New Zealand just a few hundred yards from the finish line.

New Zealand had the jump in the second race, winning a thrilling start that saw the two boats maneuver within feet of one another. Oracle overtook them on the downwind leg, taking better advantage of the erratic wind conditions. New Zealand was penalized for forcing Oracle to alter its course as the two boats converged at high speed and the U.S. team then capitalized on a Kiwi tactical error as the boats turned upwind. “It was a frustrating day. It was a really solid first race,” said New Zealand skipper Dean Barker. “It’s disappointing to be that close but so far away.”

New Zealand now leads the best-of-17 series 8-3, with two more races scheduled for late yesterday. Until Friday the regatta had been dogged by winds that

often exceeded the limits set by the organizers, which were lowered for safety reasons after a fatal training accident in May. The wind limit rule had led to five race cancellations since the America’s Cup finals began two weeks ago, and the two teams bickered about raising the limit after Thursday’s postponement.

Friday’s light air created a different set of problems as the Kiwis failed to reach the finish line within the allotted 40 minutes.

At the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club in Wellington, the crowd collapsed into a collective groan when time was called. Fans spent much of the race glancing down at their watches while watching the race on video screens, having realized early on that New Zealand was racing more against the clock than Oracle.

The Kiwis dominated the early matches of the finals series and appeared poised to easily reclaim the Cup they lost in 2003. But Oracle has succeeded in shifting the momentum with boat changes and improved tacking, and the two teams now appear remarkably even.

Ellison’s team won the America’s Cup in Valencia, Spain in 2010 and with it the right to set the rules for this year’s competition, including choosing to race on the AC72s and to hold the regatta on windy San Francisco Bay. The Kiwis first won the America’s Cup in 1995 and successfully defended it in 2000 before losing the trophy three years later to Swiss biotechnology billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli’s Alinghi in a disastrous campaign that left the team in shambles. — Reuters

F1 team bosses want brakes put on rising costs SINGAPORE: Formula One team bosses say the escalating costs of doing business - set to climb even higher next season - mean there is something “fundamentally wrong” with the sport. The switch to V6 turbo engines next season, along with the re-introduction of in-season testing, will put even more of a squeeze on already financially stretched teams. Talks on cost-cutting measures brought no agreement between the smaller teams and the big four of Formula One. Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes were resistant to any restrictions.

“When I came into Formula One, people talked to me about cost coming down, but I don’t think there’s been a single year it’s come down,” Caterham team founder and Air Asia chief Tony Fernandes said. “Next year will be the highest year, so there’s something fundamentally wrong.

“The teams lost out an opportunity to get costs under control. Self-interest overrode the sport and we are as much to blame for this problem as a (new) engine. We screwed it up. It’s as simple as that.”

Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost voted against the reintroduction of in-season testing, which was originally dropped as a cost-saving measure but brought back in 2014 at the behest of the big teams.

“The teams are stupid enough to do tests during the season,” Tost said. “On the one hand, they’re complaining they don’t have money. On the other hand, they throw it

through the window. And who wants the tests? The rich teams. As usual.” Lotus team principal Eric Boullier said costs had come down significantly since the manufacturer era of last decade when the likes of Renault, BMW, Toyota and Honda had their own teams.

He urged more talks involving the teams, the FIA governing body and the commercial rights holder led by Bernie Ecclestone. Bob Fearnley, deputy principal of Force India, said regulation needs to be imposed from the top.

He contends there is too much competition among the teams for an agreement to be reached.

“The teams have demonstrated that they are not capable of being able to agree a cost control, so the answer is to take it outside of the teams’ control. It’s up to the FIA to decide a formula, bring that in and implement it.” Aside from cost reduction, another means of sustaining the teams is for more of the money earned by the commercial rights holder to be passed on to the teams. “We may have missed an opportunity to just sit down with the commercial rights holder and renegotiate something which could have been more in favor of the teams, but we failed,” Boullier said. Tost said getting more money flowing from TV rights and sponsorships to funnel down to the teams was not the answer. “It’s easy to say we should get more money, but give the engineers one million and they ask for two. Give them four million and they ask for eight.”—AP

SAN FRANCISCO: Oracle Team USA sails past San Francisco as they prepare to race against Emirates Team New Zealnad during the 34th America’s Cup. — AFP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

S P ORTS Photo of the day

PITTSBURGH: Brandon Phillips No. 4 of the Cincinnati Reds attempts to turn a double play in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates. —AFP

Atlanta and Reds advance CHICAGO: Chris Johnson went 3 for 4 with a home run as Atlanta beat Chicago 9-5 on Friday to reduce its magic number to clinch the NL East division to one.

The Braves broke open a tie game in the top of the ninth with four runs - all with two outs. Brian McCann and Johnson had RBI singles, and Andrelton Simmons followed with a two-run double.

Freddie Freeman earlier hit a three-run homer for Atlanta. David Carpenter (4-1) pitched a scoreless eighth to get the win.

Kevin Gregg (2-5) took the loss for the Cubs, who wasted three home runs.

Atlanta starter Paul Maholm, twice staked to a four-run lead, allowed eight hits and four runs in 5 1-3 innings. Chicago’s Scott Baker allowed five runs and four hits in four innings.

REDS 6, PIRATES 5 In Pittsburgh, Joey Votto homered off Kyle Farnsworth in the 10th inning for Cincinnati, which got three unearned runs in the ninth to tie the game and pulled even with Pittsburgh for the top wild-card playoff spot in the National League.

Cincinnati pushed across the three runs off closer Mark Melancon to tie it and Votto won it an inning later with his 24th homer. JJ Hoover (5-5) earned the win for the Reds, who have won four straight. Aroldis Chapman worked the 10th for his 38th save. Farnsworth (1-1) retired Brandon Phillips to start the 10th but left fielder Starling Marte couldn’t quite grab Votto’s shot down the line.

Francisco Liriano overwhelmed the Reds, allowing two runs and three hits, walking three and striking out seven. The left-hander needed only 94 pitches to record 24 outs, but was pulled in the ninth for Melancon, who was coming off a blown save in a 3-2 loss to San Diego on Wednesday.

NATIONALS 8, MARLINS 0 In Washington, Jordan Zimmermann pitched a two-hitter and picked up his NLleading 19th win for Washington.

Zimmermann (19-8) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, struck out nine and faced only three batters above the minimum. He passed the 200-inning mark for the season and lowered his ERA to 3.18 for the Nationals, who have essentially hit must-win mode in their late push for the playoffs.

The Nationals trail Cincinnati and Pittsburgh by five games with nine to play for the NL’s second wild card berth. After hovering near .500 for most of the season, the defending NL East division champs have won 12 of 14 and 29 of 40. Zimmermann had a one-hitter this season, on April 26 in a 1-0 win over the Reds. The Nationals sent 11 batters to the plate in a seven-run sixth against Marlins starter Jacob Turner (3-8) and reliever Chris Hatcher.

METS 6, PHILLIES 4 In Philadelphia, David Wright homered in his return to New York’s lineup, Daniel Murphy

had three hits and Daisuke Matsuzaka earned his second straight victory. Eric Young Jr. singled, doubled and drove in a run for the Mets, who have won four of seven. LaTroy Hawkins pitched a scoreless ninth for his 11th save in 14 opportunities. Wright’s homer moved him past Mike Piazza into second on the club’s career list with 221 homers. Darryl Strawberry is No. 1 with 252. Matsuzaka (2-3) pitched six innings, allowing four runs and four hits with six strikeouts and three walks.

CARDINALS 7, BREWERS 6 In Milwaukee, Carlos Beltran’s 10th-inning sacrifice fly kept St. Louis in sole possession of first place in the NL Central division. The Cardinals hold a two-game lead over Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. The Reds downed the Pirates 6-5 in 10 innings to move into a tie for second place.

Former Brewers closer John Axford (7-7) picked up the win, while Carlos Martinez got his first save of the year for the Cardinals.

Beltran’s fly ball to deep right field off Michael Blazek (0-1) scored Kolten Wong, who led off the 10th with a walk.

Matt Adams smacked a towering two-run homer in the ninth to give the Cardinals a 6-4 lead, but the Brewers rallied for two runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game.

Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run home run for the Brewers while Norichika Aoki had four hits, a walk and three runs.

ROCKIES 9, DIAMONDBACKS 4 In Denver, Colorado’s Jhoulys Chacin tossed six shaky innings and helped himself with his first career home run. Troy Tulowitzki, Charlie Blackmon and Corey Dickerson also went deep for the Rockies.

Paul Goldschmidt hit his NL-leading 35th homer and drove in two runs and A.J. Pollock homered for Arizona. Blackmon greeted reliever Tony Sipp (3-2) with his fifth home run to lead off the sixth. Josh Rutledge singled and Dickerson hit his fourth homer to make it 5-2.

Goldschmidt homered off Mitchell Boggs in the seventh to make it 6-3. Chacin (14-9) worked out of trouble all game in part because of five walks. He only allowed two runs and was able to pitch his way out of jams to earn his first win in three weeks.

PADRES 2, DODGERS 0 In San Diego, Robbie Erlin allowed four hits over 7 2-3 innings and fellow rookie Jedd Gyorko hit his 20th homer to lead San Diego over the NL West division champion Dodgers.

The Dodgers, fresh from clinching the division title on Thursday at Arizona, let their backups get the playing time. No Dodgers regulars were in the starting lineup. Erlin (3-3) matched his career-high with seven strikeouts as only three Dodgers reached second base against him.

Gyorko homered in the fifth inning, becoming the fifth rookie second baseman ever to reach 20 homers in a season. —AP

SINGAPORE: Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany speeds up during the qualifying round of the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix.—AFP

Vettel storms to pole position SINGAPORE: Sebastian Vettel continued his imperious march towards a fourth consecutive Formula One world championship by storming to pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix yesterday after dominating the two days of practice.

The Red Bull driver, who is 53 points ahead of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso with seven races remaining, clocked a fastest lap of one minute 42:841 seconds around the floodlit Marina Bay Street Circuit. The German will be joined on the front row by compatriot Nico Rosberg for Mercedes, who was just 0.091 seconds behind.

The second row for Formula One’s only night race will be occupied by Lotus’s Romain Grosjean and Vettel’s Australian team mate Mark Webber.

“Pole is the best position to start from as it is tricky to pass on this track but it’s such a long race, so there are plenty of opportunities for all of us... we usually get a safety car in this race, too,” Vettel told reporters. Lewis Hamilton will start in fifth place in the second Mercedes while Alonso languished in seventh, outqualified by Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa.

Vettel has looked unstoppable since the second practice session on Friday and although he set the quickest time ever

around the demanding 23-turn circuit early in the final qualifying round, he had a nervous wait to be sure of pole after gambling that the time would suffice.

“It’s a weird feeling to stand in garage with two minutes to go, it’s much worse when you watch the others and there’s nothing you can do,” the champion told reporters after Rosberg just missed out. “I was watching the sectors times closely. Mark started with a purple (fastest) sector and Nico and Romain then had a purple sector, but fortunately my last sector was strong enough. “It was a great feeing, I’m very happy with the result. The car has been phenomenal all weekend.”

The pole position was the 41st of Vettel’s career and fifth of the season and with Alonso so far back on a circuit that is notoriously difficult for overtaking, only a tropical downpour or a series of safety car periods looks like preventing the German from extending his lead today. Rosberg was disappointed not to have overhauled the triple world champion on his final flying lap but still delighted with his overall performance. “It was very close and it was a pity because one tenth more it would have been possible, but second is still a good result and gives us a good position to start the race tomorrow,” the German said. —Reuters

Competitor performs at Red Bull Ger Get It in Kazbegi mountain area,.—Georgia www.redbull.com

Red Sox clinch AL East title BOSTON: The Boston Red Sox clinched the AL East title on Friday, getting seven strong innings from Jon Lester to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 and eliminate Tampa Bay from the division race.

One night after securing their first playoff appearance since 2009, the Red Sox added their first division title since ‘07. Boston entered the night with a magic number of one - meaning the next Red Sox win or Rays loss would clinch the division.

Lester (15-8) allowed one run on five hits and two walks, striking out eight to win for the seventh time in nine decisions. It was his 100th career victory.

Toronto pinch-hitter Adam Lind hit a two-run homer off Junichi Tazawa in the eighth to make it 5-3 before Koji Uehara got five outs for his 20th save.

Dustin Pedroia had three hits for the Red Sox, who have won 19 of their last 25.

Toronto starter Esmil Rogers (5-8) did not make it out of the third inning, allowing two runs on three hits and five walks and striking out two while getting only seven outs.

RAYS 5, ORIOLES 4 In St. Petersburg, David DeJesus ended a nearly seven-hour game with a one-out RBI single in the 18th inning as Tampa Bay took sole possession of the top AL wild-card spot by beating Baltimore.

Tampa Bay started its game at 7:05 p.m. tied with Texas atop a crowded race for two wild cards. By the time it ended 6 hours, 54 minutes later - a record in time for both teams - the Rays were a half-game ahead of Cleveland, which beat Houston 2-1 in a rain-shortened game. The Rangers lost to Kansas City 2-1. Baltimore is 21/2 games back.

Desmond Jennings had a one-out double in the 18th off Bud Norris (10-12) - the Orioles’ 10th pitcher and one of a big league record 21 used in the game.

TIGERS 12, WHITE SOX 5 In Detroit, Max Scherzer became baseball’s first 20-game winner, pitching through a rainy six innings to help Detroit defeat Chicago.

Scherzer (20-3) was making his fifth attempt to win No. 20. He had two losses and two nodecisions in his previous four starts. Torii Hunter had four hits for Detroit, and Victor Martinez homered.

Dylan Axelrod (4-10) allowed seven runs in 2 2-3 innings. The AL Central division-leading Tigers lowered their magic number to eliminate second-place Cleveland to three.

INDIANS 2, ASTROS 1 In Cleveland, Zach McAllister lasted five innings and the Cleveland Indians got two gift runs from Houston in a 2-1, rain-shortened victory over the Astros on Friday night to remain near the top of the AL wild-card playoff standings.

The game was delayed for over an hour before the umpires decided to call it after 6 1-2 innings.

The Indians, who entered the night trailing both Tampa Bay and Texas by one-half game for a wild-card playoff spot, scored an unearned run in the second and fourth innings off Brett Oberholtzer (4-4).

McAllister (9-9) allowed just one run and got a key double play in the fifth. Bryan Shaw went 1 1-3 innings for his first save.

ROYALS 2, RANGERS 1 In Kansas City, Neftali Feliz walked Alcides Escobar on four pitches with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth inning, giving Kansas City a victory over Texas in the opener of an important three-game series between teams in the playoff race.

Texas dropped a half-game behind the Indians for the second AL wild-card spot with the loss. The Royals were three games behind Tampa Bay. The Rangers and Royals scored matching runs in the second inning before two stingy

BOSTON: Will Middlebrooks No. 16 of the Boston Red Sox scores as JP Arencibia No. 9 of the Toronto Blue Jays awaits the throw at Fenway Park. —AFP pitching staffs started throwing up zeros.

The Royals finally broke through when Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas hit consecutive two-out singles off the Rangers’ Jason Frasor (4-3) in the eighth. Pinch-hitter David Lough drew a walk on a full-count pitch to load the bases, and Rangers manager Ron Washington brought in Feliz.

ANGELS 3, MARINERS 2 In Anaheim, Chris Iannetta drove in Kole Calhoun with a two-out hit in the 11th inning as Los Angeles rallied past Seattle for its eighth victory in 10 games.

Matt Shoemaker pitched five scoreless innings of two-hit ball in his major league debut for the Angels, who came back from a late tworun deficit and several missed opportunities to win the opener of the final homestand in their disappointing season.

After Calhoun’s one-out hit off rookie Bobby LaFromboise (0-1), Iannetta put a long single into deepest left-center. Calhoun slid home to give Iannetta his fifth career game-ending hit.

Nick Franklin had three hits for the Mariners, who have lost 10 of 12 to fall 20 games below .500. Cory Rasmus (1-1) pitched the 11th to earn his first major league victory.

ATHLETICS 11, TWINS 0 In Oakland, Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Donaldson homered, Alberto Callaspo had two hits and drove in two runs, and Bartolo Colon pitched six shutout innings as Oakland trimmed its magic number to two by beating Minnesota.

Josh Reddick had two hits and also drove in a

run for the A’s, who won for the eighth time in 10 games. The A’s can clinch their second consecutive AL West division title with a win Saturday combined with a Texas Rangers loss.

Colon (17-6) won his third straight start, giving up five hits, walking one and striking out eight, one off his season high.

Andrew Albers (2-4) lost his fourth straight decision after giving up eight runs - three earned - on eight hits over 4 2-3 innings. He walked one and struck out two.

Josh Willingham and Eduardo Escobar each had two hits for the Twins, who have lost four of five.

INTERLEGEAGUE YANKEES 5, GIANTS 1 In New York, Alex Rodriguez set a Major League Baseball record with his 24th career grand slam, passing Lou Gehrig with a tiebreaking shot in the seventh inning that sent New York Yankees to victory over San Francisco.

Rodriguez’s slam helped CC Sabathia (14-13) beat Tim Lincecum in a matchup of former Cy Young Award-winners having subpar seasons.

More importantly for the Yankees, it led them to their second win in seven games as they cling to faint playoff hopes. New York began the day 31/2 games behind Tampa Bay and Texas for the second AL wild card, with three other teams in between.

Alfonso Soriano also homered and New York opened its final homestand of the season with a much-needed victory, hours after pitcher Andy Pettitte announced his plans to retire - again following this season.—AP

MLB results/standings Atlanta 9, Chicago Cubs 5; Cleveland 2, Houston 1 (7 innings); NY Yankees 5, San Francisco 1; Washington 8, Miami 0; NY Mets 6, Philadelphia 4; Cincinnati 6, Pittsburgh 5 (10 innings); Detroit 12, Chicago White Sox 5; Boston 6, Toronto 3; Tampa Bay 5, Baltimore 4 (18 innings); Kansas City 2, Texas 1; St. Louis 7, Milwaukee 6 (10 innings); Colorado 9, Arizona 4; LA Angels 3, Seattle 2; Oakland 11, Minnesota 0; San Diego 2, LA Dodgers 0.

American League Eastern Division W L Boston 94 61 Tampa Bay 84 69 Baltimore 81 72 NY Yankees 81 73 Toronto 70 83 Central Division Detroit 90 64 Cleveland 84 70 Kansas City 81 72 Minnesota 65 88 Chicago White Sox 60 93 Western Division Oakland 91 63 Texas 83 70 LA Angels 75 78 Seattle 67 87 Houston 51 103

PCT .606 .549 .529 .526 .458

GB 9 12 12.5 23

.584 .545 .529 .425 .392

6 8.5 24.5 29.5

St. Louis Cincinnati Pittsburgh Milwaukee Chicago Cubs

.591 .542 .490 .435 .331

7.5 15.5 24 40

LA Dodgers Arizona San Diego San Francisco Colorado

Atlanta Washington Philadelphia NY Mets Miami

National League Eastern Division 91 62 83 71 71 82 69 84 56 98 Central Division 90 64 88 66 88 66 68 85 64 90 Western Division 88 66 77 76 72 81 71 83 71 84

.595 .539 .464 .451 .364

8.5 20 22 35.5

.584 .571 .571 .444 .416

2 2 21.5 26

.571 .503 .471 .461 .458

10.5 15.5 17 17.5

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

S P ORTS

Dortmund held, Bayern win

MANCHESTER: A combination of pictures shows Manchester United’s Scottish manager David Moyes (left) and Manchester City’s Chilean manager Manuel Pellegrini . —AFP

Momentum at stake as Manchester giants clash LONDON: Manchester United and Manchester City approach today’s 166th city derby knowing defeat for either side would leave them in danger of being cut adrift in the Premier League title race.

The new season is only four games old, but both sides have already squandered points-United drawing at home to Chelsea and losing at Liverpool, City drawing at Stoke City and going down at Cardiff City.

The pair already trail leaders Liverpool by three points and should Brendan Rodgers’s men prevail at home to Southampton yesterday, if either side loses the derby, they will find themselves six points off the pace.

Both United manager David Moyes and his City counterpart Manuel Pellegrini will be experiencing the Manchester derby for the first time, but Moyes can at least draw on an impressive recent record against City.

In his last six seasons as Everton manager, the Scot led his side to victory over City in nine out of 12 games, including four consecutive successes between 2009 and 2011.

Moyes can also draw solace from the fact that the trip to the Etihad Stadium marks the end of a fiendish opening run of fixtures that he complained about at the beginning of the campaign.

“We’ve had the hardest start of all the top clubs in the Premier League so we had to make sure after these games we had a decent points total,” said Moyes.

“After the City game we’ll have played two or three of our biggest rivals and they’ll probably have each other to play at different times.”

United produced perhaps their most impressive display of Moyes’s short tenure in mid-week, beating Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 at Old Trafford to take control of Champions League Group A. Moyes has challenged Wayne Rooney to “keep getting better”, after he became only the fourth player to score 200 goals for United with a brace against Leverkusen. He also admitted he was thrilled to be working again with a player

who he first blooded as a teenager during the early days of his Everton reign.

“Have I missed him?” Moyes asked. “At the time when he left (2004) I wasn’t too sure, but now I am with him I certainly have, because he is some player.

“If I had had him at Everton, on several occasions at different times, undoubtedly we would have finished in a much higher position.”

With Danny Welbeck struggling with a knee injury, Shinji Kagawa will hope to hold onto his place on United’s left flank, while defenders Phil Jones (ankle) and Rafael da Silva (hamstring) remain sidelined. City saw captain Vincent Kompany emerge unscathed from Tuesday’s 3-0 win away to Viktoria Pilsen in the Champions League, in the Belgian centre-back’s first game since overcoming a groin injury.

Pellegrini also hopes to be able to call upon defender Micah Richards and Spanish playmaker David Silva, after both players returned to full training following spells on the sidelines.

“Richards is working normally with the whole squad, same thing for David Silva, and (Gael) Clichy starts now,” said the City manager.

“Maybe he will not be ready for next Sunday, but all the other players, except (Martin) Demichelis, are fit, no problems.”

The Etihad Stadium fixture has proved pivotal in the last two seasons, with a goal from Kompany setting City en route to the title in 2012 before Robin van Persie’s injury-time free-kick tipped the balance of the title race in United’s favour last season.

The teams go into today’s game level on points, but Pellegrini says he has not paid too much attention to United’s early-season form.

“It’s not my duty to analyse how they start. It is a very good team and David Moyes is a very good manager,” said the Chilean.

“I think they have a lot of great players. Rooney of course is one of them, but we must not only attend to Rooney but all the big players they have.”—AFP

BERLIN: Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund dropped their first points of the season yesterday with a 1-1 draw at Nuremberg, while Bayern Munich earned a 4-0 win at Schalke.

Pep Guardiola’s Bayern remain second in the table, but are now level with Dortmund on both goal difference and points after their win in Gelsenkirchen.

Despite making a bright start, Jens Keller’s Schalke undid all their good work as first Munich vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, then striker Mario Mandzukic were left unmarked in the area to head home. Schweinsteiger, back in the starting side after straining ankle ligaments last month, smashed home Arjen Robben’s corner on 21 minutes and 60 seconds later, Mandzukic converted David Alaba’s cross. France winger Franck Ribery and then replacement striker Claudio Pizarro added late goals as Schalke’s four-match winning run came to an abrupt halt.

Bayern have now gone 31 games without losing a Bundesliga match and have recorded 26 league wins and five draws since losing 2-1 loss to Leverkusen in October 2012.

Having won their first five league games, Dortmund stumbled as left-back Marcel Schmelzer’s first-half free-kick was cancelled out by Nuremberg centre-back Per Nilsson’s second-half strike.

Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp brought a weakened team with centre-back Mats Hummels missing with a back injur y. Star striker Robert Lewandowski and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan started on the bench and were rested after Borussia’s 2-1 Champions League defeat at Napoli on Wednesday.

“We wanted to play a little better, but we can live with the point,” said Klopp before revealing both

GERMANY: Nuremberg’s Austrian defender Emanuel Pogatetz and Dortmund’s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski vie for the ball during the German First Division Bundesliga football match. —AFP attacking midfielder Marco Reus and Schmelzer picked up injuries.

“Marcel has a hardening of his left thigh, we have to wait on him, while Marco has a heavily bruised thigh, which is extremely painful.

It’ll be close as to whether they play on Tuesday,” Klopp added ahead of Dortmund’s German Cup secondround clash at second division 1860 Munich.

Bayer Leverkusen are third after their 4-1 win at Mainz 05 as Australia star Robbie Kruse scored two first-half goals, his first Bundesliga goals for Leverkusen since joining from Fortuna Duesseldorf.

The 24-year-old drilled home a pass from Germany winger Sidney Sam after 19 minutes, set up Sven Bender for Leverkusen’s second,

then converted a pass from captain Simon Rolfes for Bayer’s third just before half-time.

The league’s joint top-scorer Stefan Kiessling then scored his fifth goal of the season when he headed home unmarked early in the second half, before Mainz midfielder Yunus Malli netted a late consolation.

Hanover 96 stay fourth after a 21 win at home to Ausgburg with Hungary midfielder Szabolcs Huszti netting an 89th-minute penalty.

After sacking coach Thorsten Fink last week in the wake of their 6-2 drubbing at Dortmund, Hamburg slumped to their fourth defeat of the season at home to neighbours Werder Bremen.

Ex-Bayern Munich striker Nils Petersen scored both of Bremen’s

Marseille drop points PARIS: Marseille’s disappointing week ended in a 0-0 draw at Bastia yesterday which put them two points behind leaders Monaco who take on Paris SaintGermain today.

Following a 2-1 reverse against Arsenal in their Champions League group opener in midweek, Elie Baup’s men ran into a frustrating Corsican side who stifled their attack.

“We played 48 hours after an intense match against Arsenal which sapped us of a lot of energy,” explained Baup. “We had a lot of possession in the second half and it’s a pity we couldn’t convert that into a goal.

“We need to remain solid and congratulate the squad after four away matches in six games. Even when we were in trouble, we showed strong mental strength,” he added.

OM ‘keeper Steve Mandanda was called into action during a frantic first-half that saw him halt Sebastien Squillaci as well as diverting shots from Tunisian Wahbi Khazri and Romanian striker Claudiu Keseru.

“These kind of matches, when we had three good chances, and if you put one of them away is the key to victory,” said Bastia coach Frederic Hantz.

“We’re happy with the point. At the end of the match, when you look at Marseille who were coming off a series of important matches, it didn’t surprise me that they took control.

“There is a certain amount of satisfaction to hold one of the best teams in France and we feel like we’re advancing which is positive,” he added.

“We’re a bit disappointed not to win especially after our first half but we’re happy with our progress and to hold a big team in the championship.”

During the second half, Marseille took control but failed to convert their chances, notably from French international winger Mathieu Valbuena and Florian Thauvin which could have made the difference.

Second-placed Saint-Etienne’s 2-1 home defeat against Toulouse on Friday kept them on 12 points while Marseille move into fourth, behind PSG on goal difference. Bastia retain their place in the upper half of Ligue 1 on eight points, five behind Claudio Ranieri’s Cote d’Azur outfit.

Four games are scheduled for later yesterday including Evian at home to 2012 champions Montpellier, Guingamp on the road at Reims, fifth placed Rennes set to host winless Ajaccio and Sochaux who await Lille.—AFP

Wenger warns against Ozil’s Arsenal overload LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has attempted to play down the expectations surrounding Mesut Ozil ahead of the Germany international’s eagerly anticipated home debut against Stoke City today.

The deadline day arrival of Ozil from Real Madrid for a club record £43 million ($69 million) provided a huge lift to the north London side.

And the playmaker made an immediate impact, taking just 11 minutes to set up Olivier Giroud’s opening goal in the 3-1 victory at Sunderland last time out.

Ozil’s first appearance suggested he’ll slot into his new surroundings easily, but Wenger insisted it takes time to adjust to the Premier League.

“I think he is not at the top physically yet,” Wenger said. “Overall we are very pleased to have him with us, but he will demand a bit of time to adjust to the vigorous body challenges he will face in the Premier League. Once he has done that, he will be even stronger.”

Victory at the Stadium of Light made it six wins in a row for the Gunners since their opening day home defeat by Aston Villa-a run that has seen them qualify for the Champions League and taken them towards the head of the domestic championship.

And while Ozil’s arrival has dominated events at the Emirates Stadium, the form of Giroud has been one of the main factors in Arsenal’s progress.

The France international has scored five times already and after a pre-season in which the club was repeatedly linked with a new forward, Wenger believes Giroud deserves credit for his response. “Every day when you opened a newspaper he saw another striker coming here but he didn’t say anything,” Wenger explained.

“For me that’s the best answer you can give when you’re a football player. Don’t talk too much, play and show how good

you are. Many people forget that sometimes but that’s the core of your job.”

Meanwhile Stoke manager Mark Hughes has saluted fellow Welshman Aaron Ramsey for his stunning start to the season at Arsenal.

It was Potters captain Ryan Shawcross’s challenge on the Arsenal player three years ago which left Ramsey with a broken leg.

However the midfielder has finally looked to have put the incident behind him this term, having already found the net seven times for club and country.

“I’m really pleased for him,” said Hughes, a former Wales manager. “He’s an outstanding player and is playing really well. He has added goals to his game and turned it round.

“I probably watched Arsenal last year more than most and he was struggling for a bit of form and the crowd sometimes lost patience with him. For him to show the courage to get his performance levels high, full credit to him.

“The business with Ryan Shawcross was a long time ago and everyone acknowledges it was unfortunate that a player was badly injured. It was not intentional,” Hughes insisted.

“It’s unfortunate the matter gets brought up every time Stoke play Arsenal.

Thankfully, the boy has been able to get back to an even higher level.” Hughes has also backed Kenwyne Jones to improve his team’s scoring record, which stands at just three league goals despite Stoke claiming an impressive seven points from their opening four matches.

“Kenwyne is doing really well and giving me good presence at the top end of the pitch,” Hughes said. “All that’s lacking is goals in the Premier League.

“If we continue to create chances, he will take some because he’s one of those players who scores one and then scores more.

I’m sure he will score goals for me.”—AFP

goals either side of half-time to compound their north German neighbours’ misery in a 2-0 defeat.

Before the game Hamburg’s director of sport Oliver Kreuzer confirmed ex-Holland coach Bert van Marwijk has been approached to replace Fink.

Wolfsburg moved up to sixth with a 2-1 win at home to Hoffenheim as Croatia’s ex-Bayern striker Ivica Olic scored both Wolves goals.

Hoffenheim took the lead when French striker Anthony Modeste pounced on a mistake in the Wolves defence and fired home with a quarter of an hour gone.

Wolfsburg came back with two goals in four minutes either side of half-time as Olic fired home from close range for both.—AFP

Matches on TV (Local Timings) English Premier League Crystal Palace v Swansea 15:30 Aljazeera Sport +5 Aljazeera Sport 4 HD Arsenal v Stoke City 15:30 Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Aljazeera Sport +9 Cardiff City v Tottenham 18:00 Aljazeera Sport +5 Aljazeera Sport 4 HD Man City v Man United 18:00 Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Aljazeera Sport +9 Italian Calcio League Sassuolo v Internazionale 13:30 Aljazeera Sport +5 Aljazeera Sport 4 HD Bologna v Torino 16:00 Aljazeera Sport +4 Atalanta v Fiorentina 16:00 Aljazeera Sport +1 Juventus v Hellas Verona 16:00 Aljazeera Sport +8 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD AS Roma v SS Lazio 16:00 Aljazeera Sport +7 Aljazeera Sport 3 HD AC Milan v Napoli 21:45 Aljazeera Sport +7 Aljazeera Sport 3 HD Spanish League Real Betis v Granada Aljazeera Sport +8 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD Celta de Vigo v Villarreal Aljazeera Sport +4 Reak Madrid v Getafe Aljazeera Sport +8 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD Valencia v Sevilla Aljazeera Sport +8 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD

13:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

German Bundesliga Feiiburg v Hertha Berlin 16:30 Dubai Sport Stuttgart v Eintracht 18:30 Dubai Sport

FRANCE: Bastia’s Tunisian midfielder Wahbi Khazri vies with Marseille’s French midfielder Florian Thauvin (L) during the French League football match. —AFP

French League Lorient v Bordeaux Aljazeera Sport +6 Aljazeera Sport 5 HD Lyonnais v Nantes Aljazeera Sport +6 Aljazeera Sport 5 HD Nice v Valenciennes Aljazeera Sport +1 Saint-German v Monaco Aljazeera Sport +5 Aljazeera Sport +6

15:00 18:00 18:00 22:00

Dawson confident of title charge LONDON: Michael Dawson believes Tottenham can handle the demands of combining European football with a Premier League challenge this season.

Spurs travel to face promoted Cardiff City today, 72 hours after an impressive 3-0 victory over Tromso in their opening Europa League group game.

Dawson, the Tottenham captain, accepts that, after a number of injuries, the trip to south Wales will test the depth of Andre Villas-Boas’s squad.

The effects of competing both at home and in Europe last season were highlighted as one of the reasons why Spurs failed to beat north London rivals Arsenal in the battle for a top-four spot.

But after being joined by a number of new faces in the dressing room, Dawson believes the club have the resources to cope with fighting on two fronts. “The squad will certainly be tested,

certainly after picking up some injuries,” centreback Dawson said.

“That’s why you have a big squad, because playing today at Cardiff then Tuesday at Aston Villa, the squad’s going to be tested. “It’s a busy schedule but as players we love playing football and we’ve got to prepare right, look after ourselves and go out there and perform.”

Christian Eriksen is hoping to build on his first goal for his new club after scoring the third against Tromso on his second Spurs appearance.

The Dane admits he is still settling in, but is aware of the threat posed by a Cardiff side who have already beaten Manchester City and drawn with Everton at home this season. “I’m really excited to be here, it’s a great club, nice teammates and everything is going well. “I read all about Cardiff because there is a Danish player, Andreas Cornelius, there.

“Unfortunately, he’s injured at the moment,

but they have a lot of new players and they want to build something to stay in the Premier League, so it’s a tough place to play.”

Tottenham have made an impressive start, suffering just one defeat, by Arsenal, despite the loss of Gareth Bale in a world record £85 million ($136 million) move to Real Madrid.

Etienne Capoue and Aaron Lennon will definitely miss the trip to Wales while Danny Rose, Moussa Dembele, Younes Kaboul and Nacer Chadli are all doubtful.

“We have started well in the league,” said Tottenham manager Villas-Boas. “It will be extremely important for us to get a win out of the game against Cardiff, understanding they beat Man City and over there (in Wales) they’re very, very strong.”

Cardiff manager Malky Mackay believes his team will face a Spurs side that is even stronger than last season, despite the loss of Bale.—AFP

19

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

SPORTS Soccer results/standings English Premier League results Chelsea 2 (Oscar 52, Mikel 84) Fulham 0; Liverpool 0 Southampton 1 (Lovren 53); Newcastle 2 (Remy 10, 44) Hull 3 (Brady 26, Elmohamady 48, Aluko 76); Norwich 0 Aston Villa 1 (Kozak 30); West Brom 3 (Sessegnon 20, Ridgewell 76, Amalfitano 90) Sunderland 0; West Ham 2 (Morrison 31, Noble 76-pen) Everton 3 (Baines 62, 83, Lukaku 85).

Playing today Arsenal v Stoke, Cardiff v Tottenham, Crystal Palace v Swansea, Manchester City v Manchester Utd. English Football League results Championship Barnsley 1 Watford 5; Birmingham 4 Sheffield Wednesday 1; Blackburn 0 Huddersfield 0; Blackpool 2 Leicester 2; Brighton 3 Bolton 1; Charlton 0 Millwall 1; Derby 1 Reading 3; Doncaster 2 Nottingham Forest 2; Leeds 1 Burnley 2; Middlesbrough 3 Bournemouth 3; Yeovil 0 QPR 1.

Playing today Wigan v Ipswich Division One Colchester 1 Crawley 1; Gillingham 0 Bradford 1; Notts County 2 Tranmere 0; Oldham 1 Crewe 1; Peterborough 2 Milton Keynes Dons 1; Port Vale 3 Coventry 2; Sheffield Utd 0 Preston 1; Shrewsbury 0 Wolves 1; Stevenage 1 Carlisle 3; Swindon 3 Bristol City 2; Walsall 1 Rotherham 1.

Division Two Accrington 1 Rochdale 2; AFC Wimbledon 3 Burton 1; Bristol Rovers 2 Hartlepool 2; Bury 1 Southend 1; Exeter 0 Newport 2; Mansfield 3 Northampton 0; Morecambe 2 Dagenham and Redbridge 2; Oxford Utd 0 Chesterfield 1; Portsmouth 0 Fleetwood 1; Scunthorpe 1 Plymouth 0; Torquay 4 Cheltenham 2; Wycombe 1 York 1.

Scottish Premier League results Aberdeen 1 (Vernon 81) Inverness CT 0; Celtic

2 (Pukki 11, Mulgrew 26) St Johnstone 1 (Caddis 81); Hibernian 2 (Collins 10, Heffernan 61) St Mirren 0; Partick 1 (Muirhead 11-pen) Kilmarnock 1 (Boyd 48); Ross County 2 (De Leeuw 89, Brittain 90) Hearts 1 (Paterson 24).

Playing today Dundee Utd v Motherwell Scottish Football League results Championship Dumbarton 1 Livingston 2; Falkirk 3 Dundee 1; Hamilton 1 Cowdenbeath 0; Morton 0 Queen of the South 2; Raith 4 Alloa 2.

Division One Arbroath 3 Stenhousemuir 4; Ayr 2 Brechin 2; Dunfermline 2 Airdrie 1; Stranraer 2 East Fife 0.

Playing today Forfar v Rangers Division Two Annan Athletic 1 Clyde 2; Berwick 1 Stirling 1; East Stirling 1 Albion 4; Montrose 2 Peterhead 1; Queen’s Park 3 Elgin 3.

German league results Hanover 2 (Sobiech 60, Huszti 89-pen) Augsburg 1 (Verhaegh 51-pen); Wolfsburg 2 (Olic 44, 48) Hoffenheim 1 (Modeste 15); Nuremberg 1 (Nilsson 50) Borussia Dortmund 1 (Schmelzer 37); Mainz 05 1 (Malli 82) Bayer Leverkusen 4 (Kruse 19, 45+1, Kiessling 59, Bender 38); Hamburg 0 Werder Bremen 2 (Petersen 32, 90+4); Schalke 04 0 Bayern Munich 4 (Schweinsteiger 21, Mandzukic 22, Ribery 75, Pizarro 84).

Playing today Freiburg v Hertha Berlin, Stuttgart v Eintracht Frankfurt.

Italian Serie A results Cagliari 2 (Ekdahl 26, Conti 90+1) Sampdoria 2 (Gabbiadini 89, De Silvestri 90+3); Chievo 2 (Pellissier 13, Rigoni 40) Udinese 1 (Maicosuel 1).

Playing today Sassuolo v Inter Milan, Atalanta v Fiorentina, Bologna v Torino, Roma v Lazio, Catania v Parma, Juventus v Verona, AC Milan v Napoli.

English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Chelsea 5 3 1 1 6 2 10 Liverpool 5 3 1 1 5 3 10 Arsenal 4 3 0 1 8 5 9 Spurs 4 3 0 1 4 1 9 Everton 5 2 3 0 6 4 9 Southampton 5 2 2 1 3 2 8 Man City 4 2 1 1 8 3 7 Man Utd 4 2 1 1 6 2 7 Stoke 4 2 1 1 3 2 7 Hull 5 2 1 2 5 7 7 Newcastle 5 2 1 2 5 8 7 Aston Villa 5 2 0 3 6 6 6 West Brom 5 1 2 2 4 4 5 West Ham 5 1 2 2 4 4 5 Cardiff 4 1 2 1 4 5 5 Swansea 4 1 1 2 5 7 4 Norwich 5 1 1 3 3 6 4 Fulham 5 1 1 3 3 7 4 Crystal Palace 4 1 0 3 4 6 3 Sunderland 5 0 1 4 3 11 1 English Football League tables Championship QPR 8 6 2 0 8 2 20 Burnley 8 5 2 1 14 6 17 Leicester 8 5 2 1 13 8 17 Blackpool 8 5 2 1 12 8 17 Watford 8 4 3 1 19 9 15 Nottingham 8 4 3 1 14 9 15 Reading 8 4 3 1 11 7 15 Bournemouth 8 4 1 3 11 17 13 Huddersfield 8 3 3 2 10 6 12 Brighton 8 3 3 2 9 6 12 Derby 8 3 2 3 14 12 11 Leeds 8 3 2 3 7 7 11 Ipswich 7 3 1 3 11 8 10 Blackburn 8 2 3 3 12 10 9 Wigan 6 2 2 2 10 8 8 Middlesbrough 8 1 5 2 12 14 8 Millwall 8 2 2 4 8 14 8 Birmingham 8 2 1 5 8 11 7 Doncaster 7 1 3 3 8 10 6 Charlton 7 1 2 4 7 10 5 Sheffield 7 0 4 3 8 13 4 Yeovil 8 1 1 6 3 11 4 Barnsley 8 1 1 6 9 22 4 Bolton 8 0 3 5 6 16 3 Division One Leyton Orient 7 7 0 0 21 5 21 Peterborough 8 6 1 1 19 8 19 Wolves 8 6 1 1 15 6 19 Preston 8 4 4 0 15 7 16 Rotherham 8 4 4 0 15 10 16 Bradford 8 4 3 1 17 7 15 Walsall 8 4 2 2 10 7 14 Milton 8 3 4 1 11 8 13 Crawley Town 8 3 3 2 15 13 12 Brentford 7 3 3 1 10 10 12 Swindon 8 3 2 3 14 11 11 Colchester 8 2 4 2 8 9 10 Port Vale 8 3 1 4 11 14 10 Shrewsbury 8 1 5 2 7 9 8 Carlisle 8 2 2 4 6 16 8 Oldham 8 2 1 5 12 14 7 Crewe 8 1 3 4 8 18 6 Stevenage 8 1 2 5 6 13 5 Tranmere 8 1 2 5 9 19 5 Coventry 8 4 2 2 22 16 4 Bristol City 8 0 4 4 13 19 4 Sheffield Utd 8 1 1 6 5 13 4 Notts County 8 1 1 6 8 17 4 Gillingham 8 0 3 5 7 15 3 Coventry deducted 10 points for entering administration Division Two Chesterfield 8 7 1 0 14 3 22 Fleetwood 8 6 0 2 15 8 18 AFC Wimbledon 8 5 1 2 12 8 16 Oxford Utd 8 4 3 1 16 9 15 Mansfield 8 4 3 1 12 6 15 Wycombe 8 4 2 2 11 7 14 Rochdale 8 4 2 2 10 6 14 Morecambe 8 4 2 2 13 11 14 Exeter 8 4 2 2 9 8 14 Scunthorpe 8 3 4 1 9 6 13 Newport 8 3 3 2 13 10 12 Burton Albion 8 3 2 3 11 13 11 Dagenham 8 2 4 2 10 11 10 Southend 8 3 1 4 8 9 10 Portsmouth 8 2 3 3 12 14 9 Torquay 8 2 3 3 10 13 9 Plymouth 8 3 0 5 6 10 9 Bury 8 2 2 4 12 11 8 Bristol Rovers 8 2 2 4 7 10 8 Hartlepool 8 1 3 4 5 10 6

Cheltenham 8 1 3 4 11 19 6 York 8 1 2 5 6 12 5 Northampton 8 1 1 6 6 13 4 Accrington 8 0 1 7 5 16 1 Scottish Premier League table Inverness CT 7 5 1 1 12 4 16 Celtic 6 5 1 0 12 5 16 Aberdeen 7 4 1 2 10 6 13 Motherwell 6 4 0 2 6 6 12 Hibernian 7 3 2 2 7 5 11 Partick 7 2 3 2 7 8 9 Dundee Utd 6 2 2 2 9 5 8 St Johnstone 7 2 2 3 7 8 8 Ross County 7 2 1 4 9 14 7 Kilmarnock 7 0 3 4 6 10 3 St Mirren 6 0 1 5 2 12 1 Hearts 7 2 1 4 6 10 -8 Note: Hearts deducted 15 points for entering administration Scottish Football League tables Championship Hamilton 6 5 1 0 10 2 16 Raith 6 3 2 1 10 7 11 Falkirk 6 3 1 2 11 6 10 Dundee 6 2 2 2 8 7 8 Queen of South 6 2 2 2 9 9 8 Alloa 6 2 1 3 7 8 7 Dumbarton 6 2 1 3 10 12 7 Cowdenbeath 6 2 0 4 8 12 6 Morton 6 1 2 3 7 11 5 Livingston 6 1 2 3 7 13 5 Division One Rangers 5 5 0 0 23 2 15 Dunfermline 6 4 1 1 14 10 13 Stenhousemuir 6 4 1 1 13 10 13 Ayr 6 2 4 0 11 6 10 Brechin 6 2 2 2 9 10 8 Arbroath 6 2 0 4 10 17 6 Airdrie 6 1 2 3 9 16 5 Forfar 5 1 1 3 8 10 4 Stranraer 6 1 1 4 6 11 4 East Fife 6 1 0 5 3 14 3 Division Two East Stirling 6 4 0 2 13 11 12 Berwick 6 3 2 1 12 5 11 Albion 6 3 1 2 10 7 10 Stirling 6 3 1 2 8 7 10 Clyde 6 3 0 3 7 7 9 Peterhead 6 2 2 2 11 10 8 Montrose 6 2 2 2 10 9 8 Annan Athletic 6 2 2 2 10 10 8 Elgin 6 1 3 2 10 13 6 Queen’s Park 6 0 1 5 5 17 1 Italian league table Napoli 3 3 0 0 9 2 9 Roma 3 3 0 0 8 1 9 Inter Milan 3 2 1 0 6 1 7 Juventus 3 2 1 0 6 2 7 Fiorentina 3 2 1 0 8 4 7 Lazio 3 2 0 1 6 5 6 Livorno 3 2 0 1 6 3 6 Verona 3 2 0 1 4 4 6 Cagliari 4 1 2 1 6 7 5 Chievo 4 1 1 2 4 8 4 AC Milan 3 1 1 1 6 5 4 Torino 3 1 1 1 4 4 4 Udinese 4 1 1 2 6 6 4 Atalanta 3 1 0 2 3 4 3 Genoa 3 1 0 2 5 7 3 Bologna 3 0 2 1 3 6 2 Sampdoria 4 0 2 2 4 8 2 Parma 3 0 1 2 2 6 1 Catania 3 0 0 3 1 7 0 Sassuolo 3 0 0 3 1 8 0 German Bundesliga table Borussia 6 5 1 0 16 5 16 Bayern Munich 6 5 1 0 13 2 16 Leverkusen 6 5 0 1 15 7 15 Hanover 6 4 0 2 10 8 12 Borussia 6 3 0 3 15 11 9 VfL Wolfsburg 6 3 0 3 9 8 9 Mainz 6 3 0 3 9 12 9 Augsburg 6 3 0 3 6 9 9 Werder Bremen 6 3 0 3 5 8 9 Hoffenheim 6 2 2 2 15 15 8 Hertha Berlin 5 2 1 2 9 6 7 Schalke 6 2 1 3 7 13 7 VfB Stuttgart 5 2 0 3 10 8 6 Eintracht 5 2 0 3 7 9 6 Nuremberg 6 0 4 2 6 9 4 Hamburg 6 1 1 4 10 17 4 Freiburg 5 0 2 3 7 11 2 Braunschweig 6 0 1 5 3 14 1

Villa roll past Norwich Norwich 0

Aston Villa 1

NORWICH: Czech striker Libor Kozak came off the bench and scored his first goal in the Premier League to give Aston Villa a 1-0 win at Norwich City yesterday.

A £7 million ($11.2 million, 8.3 million euros) signing from Lazio, Kozak settled the game with a 30th-minute tap-in at Carrow Road only two minutes after coming on for the injured Christian Benteke.

Villa manager Paul Lambert, returning to his former club, was also indebted to goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who saved an early Robert Snodgrass penalty and produced a stunning late stop to deny Norwich debutant Gary Hooper. Victory ended a run of three straight defeats for Villa, while Norwich have won just once in five games.

Ciaran Clark replaced the injured Jores Okore at centre-back for Villa in one of three changes made by Lambert, while Russell Martin and Jonny Howson were brought into the Norwich line-up by manager Chris Hughton. The game exploded into life with Villa forward Andreas Weimann going close twice in the first three minutes.

The Austrian forced John Ruddy to save after a matter of seconds with an effort from outside the box and then curled a shot against the right-hand post.

Norwich should have taken the lead in the sixth minute, however, but after Clark was harshly penalised for handball, Guzan plunged to his left to parry Snodgrass’s spotkick. Record Norwich signing Ricky van

LONDON: Norwich City’s Leroy Fer (left) and Aston Villa’s Karim El Ahmadi (right) battle for the ball during the Premier League match at Carrow Road. —AFP Wolfswinkel then chested a Nathan Redmond cross over the bar from point-blank range before Benteke and Ron Vlaar each went close within the space of a minute at the other end.

It was to be Benteke’s last contribution as he was forced off by an apparent groin injury, but not before Van Wolfswinkel had clipped a half-volley inches wide from Martin’s cross.

Kozak came on for Benteke and made an immediate impact, guiding home a cutback from Gabriel Agbonlahor to put Villa ahead after an initial attempt had been pushed out

by Ruddy.

The hosts then lost Sebastien Bassong to

an apparent hamstring injury but came close to an equaliser in the 59th minute when Guzan had to react sharply to prevent Leandro Bacuna scoring an own goal.

Hughton introduced striker Hooper for his first appearance since a £5 million move from Celtic but the hosts could not find a way through.

Clark sliced an attempted clearance across the face of his own goal and Van Wolfswinkel saw a shot deflected inches wide, before Guzan met a close-range effort from Hooper with a magnificent flying save in the 88th minute. —AFP

Celtic hold off St Johnstone rally

LONDON: Sunderland’s Greek midfielder Charis Mavrias (left) vies with West Bromwich Albion’s French midfielder Morgan Amalfitano during the English Premier League football match. —AFP

West Brom pick up first win West Brom 3

Sunderland 0

LONDON: West Bromwich Albion picked up their first win of the season as they built on their recent draw at Fulham with a convincing 3-0 home win over Paulo Di Canio’s Sunderland yesterday.

Former Sunderland striker Stephane Sessegnon did the damage with a right foot strike in the 20th minute before Liam Ridgewell added the second 14 minutes from time to ease Steve Clarke’s men away from the relegation zone.

Morgan Amalfitano then scored in

injury-time to wrap up an excellent afternoon’s work for Clarke’s men.

Sunderland remain bottom of the table with just one point from five outings and two behind Crystal Palace, who host Swansea today, and a further point behind Norwich, who slumped to a 1-0 home defeat against Aston Villa.

West Brom’s record signing Sessegnon did the early damage after good work from Nicolas Anelka which allowed the Benin international to follow up and prod home after some sloppy goalkeeping from Keiren Westwood.

Ridgewell then made the result safe with 14 minutes remaining when he finished off a good move from on-loan Marseille midfielder Amalfitano and smashed home a loose ball.The 28-yearold Nice native Amalfitano then grabbed his first goal for West Brom with an injury-time strike.—AFP

GLASGOW: Celtic held off a late St Johnstone rally to claim a 2-1 win at Parkhead yesterday that moves them level on points with Inverness Caledonian Thistle at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Anthony Stokes set up Teemu Pukki to fire Celtic in front in the 10th minute as the Finn marked his home debut with a goal.

Charlie Mulgrew then drilled a long range strike past ‘keeper Alan Mannus in the 26th minute as Celtic dominated. Celtic dropped eight points in league matches following Champions League matches last season but never looked in any danger of taking anything but three points from St Johnstone in a match that was more one-sided than the score suggests until a late surge from Tommy Wright’s side.

Chris Miller saw his effort blocked by Fraser Forster before Liam Caddis prodded home in the 82nd minute to pull one back for St Johnstone.

Substitute Stevie May hit the post with a header in stoppage time before Forster made a superb save to deny Dave MacKay as St Johnstone came close to stealing a point.

“There was a mental and physical fatigue in the last few minutes which was understandable,” Celtic manager Neil Lennon said.

“I’m not going to let the last 10 minutes detract from what was a top performance. I thought the first half was the best we have played this season and certainly the best we have played after a midweek Champions League match.”

His St Johnstone counterpart Tommy Wright was pleased with his side’s second-half showing. “I don’t think we did enough first half. We came here with a plan to deny Celtic space but we didn’t work hard enough,” Wright said.

“In the second half I thought we did much better.

We showed a bit more desire and we worked hard to stop Celtic and truth be told we could have grabbed a draw at the end.” Celtic made just two changes following Wednesday night’s European exertions against AC Milan with Derk Boerrigter and Pukki replacing Georgios Samaras and Mikel Lustig.

It took Pukki just 10 minutes to mark his home debut with a goal. Stokes controlled an Adam Matthews throw-in before playing a reverse pass into the path of the Finn who drilled it past Mannus, beating the ‘keeper at his near post.—AFP

Lukaku, Baines inspire Everton fight back WestHam 2

Everton 3

LONDON: Romelu Lukaku marked his Everton debut with a dramatic late winner after Leighton Baines produced two brilliant strikes in a 3-2 victory at West Ham yesterday.

Roberto Martinez’s team looked set for their first Premier League defeat of the season when Mark Noble gave West Ham a 2-1 lead with a second half penalty.

But Baines, who had already produced one superb free-kick to cancel out Ravel Morrison’s opener, conjured up another stunning setpiece to equalise with seven minutes remaining after Noble was sent off for a second booking.

And that set the stage for Belgian striker Lukaku, on loan from Chelsea, to head in the winner two minutes later. Everton’s second league win of the campaign extended their unbeaten run to

five matches, while West Ham slip to 14th place following their fourth successive league game without a victory. The visitors went close after six minutes when Kevin Mirallas tested Jussi Jaaskelainen and Steven Naismith was inches away from a second attempt when the ball sailed past.

But West Ham, missing injured trio Andy Carroll, Joe Cole and Stewart Downing, ended their 314minute scoring drought when Morrison fired them ahead in the 31st minute.

Matt Jarvis threaded his way infield and teed up Morrison and the former Manchester United midfielder drilled the ball home via a deflection off Naismith.

However, Lukaku came on for the second half in place of the injured Nikica Jelavic and the powerful forward transformed the match. His clever early touch was taken on by compatriot Mirallas, who raced to the byline and crossed only for West Ham to recover by getting numbers back.

Everton maintained the pressure and in the 62nd minute the equaliser arrived, Baines steering a terrific 20-yard free-kick beyond

Jaaskelainen into the top left corner.

Noble flashed a corner wide of the left post and Baines forced a save from close range as the match opened up. Sam Allardyce’s team moved in front when Noble drove home from the penalty spot after being hacked down by James McCarthy in the 76th minute.

But the West Ham midfielder was sent off by referee Lee Mason

in the 82nd minute for bringing down Ross Barkley when he was already on a booking.

And Everton took advantage of their numerical superiority in a thrilling finale. Baines delivered the equaliser with another brilliant free-kick in the 83rd minute and Lukaku capped his inspirational display with the headed winner from a Mirallas cross with five minutes left.—AFP

LONDON: West Ham’s Mohamed Diame (left) fights for the ball with Everton’s Leighton Baines during their English Premier League soccer match at Upton Park stadium. —AFP

Dortmund held, Bayern win

Vettel storms to pole position

18

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

Momentum at stake as Manchester giants clash

Page 18

LONDON: Chelsea’s Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard (right) vies for the ball with Fulham’s English midfielder Steve Sidwell (left) during their English Premier League football match. —AFP

Mikel helps Chelsea to the summit Chelsea 2

Fulham 0

LONDON: John Mikel Obi’s first Premier League goal helped end Chelsea’s run of four winless games as they beat west London rivals Fulham 2-0 yesterday.

Mikel struck six minutes from fulltime against Fulham with a close-range

half-volley after Oscar had opened the scoring early in the second half at Stamford Bridge.

The three points took Jose Mourinho’s team to the top of the table, after a testing period in which they lost to Bayern Munich in the European Super Cup final and were beaten by Everton and Basel.

Mourinho made a big statement with his team selection, with Juan Mata and David Luiz left out of the match-day squad altogether.

It meant Chelsea had more than £40 million ($64 million, 47 million euros) of talent sitting behind the bench and not

involved in the game. Fulham, with three ex-Chelsea players in their midfield-Scott Parker, Damien Duff and Steve Sidwell-had the best of the early chances.

Duff made ground on the right flank and when the ball broke to Alex Kacaniklic, he crossed for Sidwell to head just over the crossbar.

Darren Bent had a clearer opportunity when Pajtim Kasami played him clean through on goal, but his tame shot enabled goalkeeper Petr Cech to make a comfortable save.

Chelsea had an early chance through Samuel Eto’o, who volleyed over from

close range as he stretched for Branislav Ivanovic’s cross. The Cameroon striker also had an effort deflected wide.

Eden Hazard had a penalty appeal waved away when he went down under a challenge from behind by Sascha Riether, with Chelsea growing into the game and starting to take control. Just before the interval, Hazard’s pass found Ivanovic unmarked and his shot was saved by David Stockdale and rebounded to safety off Kieran Richardson.

Oscar’s scrappy opener arrived seven minutes after the break. Stockdale parried from Andre Schurrle and then Eto’o, before Oscar turned the ball in from

close range for his second goal of the week. Sidwell should have equalised when he was found in the box from a free-kick, but the ball had only just cleared the head of team-mate Brede Hangeland and Sidwell looked shocked as the ball hit him and spooned wide.

Mourinho took off Eto’o for Fernando Torres, while Fulham tried to change their fortunes in attack by bringing on Adel Taarabt and youngster Buomesca Tue Na Bangna, another one of their former Chelsea players.

Torres forced a fantastic save from Stockdale when his header from a corner was acrobatically tipped over the

Hull edge Newcastle

Lovren header sinks lacklustre Liverpool Liverpool 0

Southampton 1

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool lost their unbeaten Premier League record after Dejan Lovren scored the only goal of the game to give Southampton a surprise 1-0 victory at Anfield yesterday.

The Croatia international headed in from a corner in the 53rd minute and contributed with a solid display at the back as Liverpool were unable to break down a determined Southampton back line. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard twice threatened with free-kicks, but that was the closest the hosts went in a frustrating game for manager Brendan Rodgers after his side’s impressive start to the season. Rodgers made three changes from the Liverpool side that drew 2-2 at Swansea City, as Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho was ruled out with a shoulder injury and replaced by Iago Aspas.

Rodgers also rejigged his defence to include four centre-backs as Daniel Agger and Kolo Toure came in for Andre Wisdom and Jose Enrique, who both dropped to the bench.

Southampton were unchanged from their goalless draw against West Ham

United last weekend, meaning Rickie Lambert and Dani Osvaldo led the line with support from Adam Lallana and Jay Rodriguez. Liverpool started positively, Daniel Sturridge teeing up Jordan Henderson on the edge of the penalty area, but the Reds midfielder put his shot straight at Southampton goalkeeper Artur Boruc.

Rodgers was incensed with referee Nigel Swarbrick after an early challenge on winger Victor Moses from Saints rightback Nathaniel Clyne went unpunished.

Liverpool were presented with a freekick in a dangerous position on the edge of the penalty area when Jose Fonte fouled Aspas in the 20th minute.

Gerrard curled the a shot over the wall from the set-piece, only for Boruc to scramble across goal and produce a diving one-handed save.

Sturridge felt aggrieved shortly afterwards when he went to ground inside the penalty area under a challenge from Lovren, but Swarbrick waved away the penalty appeals.

Moses was at the heart of Liverpool’s attacking intent and he created a goalscoring opportunity out of nothing on the half hour when he broke through the Southampton defence, but failed to lift the ball over Boruc.

Rodgers withdrew Aspas, who had struggled to make much of an impact, at half-time and introduced England winger Raheem Sterling to give the home side more impetus in the final third.

But Liverpool’s defence were almost punished early in the second period

bar by the Fulham goalkeeper.

Mikel’s rare strike also came from a corner, with John Terry heading the ball down for the Nigeria international to hook home his first Premier League goal in his 185th appearance.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, pictured in the stands, smiled as he celebrated the goal, having looked less than amused when caught on television earlier in the game.

Both sides are in action in the League Cup third round on Tuesday, with Chelsea visiting third-tier Swindon Town and Fulham hosting top-flight rivals Everton.—AFP

Newcastle 2

Hull 3

LONDON: Southampton’s Kenyan midfielder Victor Wanyama (right) challenges Liverpool’s Spanish striker Lago Aspas during the English Premier League football match. —AFP when Lallana intercepted a pass from Agger and sent Lambert clear, only for the Saints striker to be denied by Simon Mignolet.

Despite their obvious height advantage at the back, Liverpool conceded from a Lallana corner eight minutes into the second half.

Lovren outmuscled Agger as the pair challenged for a high ball to the back post and the Southampton defender saw his downward header cross the line despite Henderson’s last-ditch attempt to clear. The Reds were almost punished again moments later when Osvaldo found space on the edge of the area, but Mignolet reacted did well to save his low

drive. Gerrard continued to look Liverpool’s mostly likely source of a goal and Boruc beat away a stinging free-kick from the Reds skipper on the hour-mark.

Southampton should have increased their advantage seven minutes later when Mignolet was forced to make a double save after left-back Luke Shaw had burst into the box. Rodgers threw on Luis Alberto and Jose Enrique in a bid to get the hosts back in the game.

But despite long spells of pressure in the remainder of the contest, they were unable to find a way through as Southampton packed men behind the ball and held on to claim a deserved victory.—AFP

NEWCASTLE: Sone Aluko netted a sublime match-winning volley as promoted Hull City twice came from behind to win 3-2 at Newcastle United in the Premier League yesterday.

The home side, who were looking for a third consecutive victory, twice took the lead through striker Loic Remy, who was making his first start at St James’ Park since signing on loan from Queens Park Rangers.

However, Robbie Brady cancelled out the Frenchman’s first goal and then teed up Ahmed Elmohamady for a second equaliser before Aluko applied the coup de grace with 14 minutes to play.

Victory lifted Steve Bruce’s side level on points with Newcastle in mid-table, but they lead the club from the northeast on goal difference. Newcastle manager Alan Pardew made no changes to the team that won 2-1 at Aston Villa last weekend, meaning Yohan Cabaye made his first home start since refusing to play for the club in a bid to force through a move to Arsenal.

Bruce, meanwhile, brought Liam

Rosenior and Stephen Quinn into his team in place of injured captain Robert Koren and defender Maynor Figueroa, who has been granted compassionate leave.

Writing in his programme notes, Newcastle director of football Joe Kinnear defended the club’s lack of activity during the transfer window, saying their failure to sign more players was “not for the lack of effort”. However, it was a Kinnear loan signing who made the breakthrough in the 10th minute, as Remy headed Papiss Cisse’s mishit volley past Allan McGregor to claim his first Newcastle goal.

The lead was to last only 16 minutes, with Brady gathering a pass from Aluko before drilling a low shot between the legs of Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul.

Remy restored the hosts’ advantage a minute before half-time, reacting smartly when Cabaye had a shot blocked by James Chester to curl home his second goal.

But Hull refused to lie down and equalised for the second time in the game early in the second period when Elmohamady converted Brady’s free-kick with a glancing header.

Worse was to follow for the home side with just under 15 minutes remaining, as Nigeria international Aluko met George Boyd’s left-wing centre with an 18-yard volley that clanged against the right-hand post before falling into the net.—AFP

Business SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

EU official: Ireland must stick to austerity target Page 22 Kuwait consumer spending strong on borrowing Page 23

flydubai expands its Ukrainian network Page 26

Zain attends EFG Hermes MENA Conference in London Page 25

KANSAS CITY: President Barack Obama speaking at the Ford Kansas City Stamping Plant in Liberty on Friday. Obama traveled to the Kansas City area to visit the Ford automotive plant as he continues to highlight the progress in the economy since the 2008 financial crisis. —AP

US budget vote triggers showdown Congress has 9 days to avert govt shutdown WASHINGTON: House Republicans turned up the political heat by passing a spending plan that defunds President Barack Obama’s healthcare law, a ploy that pushes government toward shutdown and possible default. Congress now has just nine days to breach a bitter ideological divide and approve a short-term federal budget before several government agencies and programs shutter at the beginning of fiscal year 2014 on October 1.

Lawmakers voted Friday along party lines 230-189 to fund government operations at current levels through December 15, setting up a showdown with the Democratic-led Senate, which will considerand almost certainly reject the measure next week. The Republican bill includes a provision that strips funding for the health care law, which its critics have nicknamed “Obamacare” and which the GOP has fought to repeal since its passage more than three years ago.

Speaker John Boehner, whom Democrats accuse of caving in to extremists in his caucus, insisted the vote reflected Americans’ frustration with ill effects of the health law.

“Our message to the United States Senate is real simple: the American people don’t want the government shut down, and they don’t want Obamacare,” Boehner said, to loud cheers from his Republican members.

But with both sides insisting they will not blink in the face-off, the nation careened into fiscal whitewater. “We really have no idea-no idea-how this is going to play out yet,” a Republican congressional aide said.

Obama looked beyond the shutdown threat to a more portentous battle next month-the need to raise the US borrowing limit, which Republicans have also vowed to try and block unless the health care law can be delayed by a year. The president, visiting a car plant in Missouri, accused Republicans of risking a “tailspin” for the still recovering US economy by putting partisan zeal ahead

of the good of the nation. “If we don’t raise the debt ceiling-we are deadbeats,” Obama warned in a fiery speech, saying it was “the height of irresponsibility ” for House Republicans to threaten a government default unless they get their way. Later, he telephoned Boehner to urge the House leader to fulfill Congress’s role in paying the nation’s bills, but Obama also said he “wouldn’t negotiate with him on the debt limit,” according to a Boehner aide.

“The speaker was disappointed but told the president that the two chambers of Congress will chart the path ahead,” the aide added. “It was a brief call.”

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised defeat of the measure in his chamber, saying Republicans faced a stark choice: “pass a clean bill to fund the government, or force a shutdown.” All but one House Republican voted for the bill, which earned the support of just two Democrats from relatively conservative dis-

Ranbaxy taking ‘stringent steps’ to end US FDA ban NEW DELHI: India’s biggest drugmaker by sales, Ranbaxy Laboratories, has assured shareholders it is taking “stringent steps” to resolve a US ban on imports of medicines made at its newly renovated showcase plant. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned imports last week from Ranbaxy’s “ultra modern” Mohali plant, whose renovation was supposed to mark a turning point for the generics giant after years of run-ins with US regulators.

But now Mohali-along with two other Ranbaxy plants placed under FDA bans earlier-are unable to ship to the company’s key US market due to for failing to meet “good manufacturing practices”.

“Ranbaxy would like to assure all stakeholders we are taking stringent steps to address all (the FDA’s) concerns,” Ranbaxy chief executive Arun Sawhney told shareholders in a letter posted late yesterday on the company’s website.

Ranbaxy is more than 60 percent owned by Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo, which bought the firm in 2008 believing its dominance in cheaper generic medicines and developing markets would help the Japanese firm grow sales as Daiichi’s drugs came off patent. It outbid rivals to buy Ranbaxy for $4.6 billion. But its foray into the high-growth copycat drugs arena has brought the Japanese drugmaker only financial pain as the Indian firm has come under fire over a string of safety problems.

New Delhi-based Ranbaxy’s shares were trading Friday at 334 rupees-less than half the 737 rupees Daiichi paid in 2008.

The latest FDA ban came just four months after Ranbaxy pleaded guilty to US felony charges of selling adulterated antibiotic, epilepsy and other drugs from the Dewas and Paonta Sahib plants-which are still unable to supply the US market-and paid a record $500 million fine.

The fraud involving the two Indian plants was exposed by an ex-employee who said the 52-year-old company had created “a complicated trail of falsified records and dangerous manufacturing practices”.

Announcement of the ban on Mohali’s US exports wiped nearly $1 billion off Ranbaxy’s share value earlier in the week as a slew of brokerages downgraded the company’s earnings prospects. “We appreciate more is expected from Ranbaxy and will continue to work together with the FDA for an early resolution of their concerns”, not only with Mohali but with the other two plants, Sawhney said.

The Mohali plant was gearing up to produce off-patent copies of two blockbuster drugs-Novartis AG’s blood-pressure pill Diovan and AstraZeneca Plc’s stomach ulcer medicine Nexium. — AFP

NEW DELHI: Ranbaxy-manufactured drugs are seen at an Indian chemist shop in New Delhi. — AFP

tricts. The Senate will likely approve a shortterm budget with no Obamacare provision and send it back to the House, putting the Republican leadership under intense pressure to pass it-or revisit the health care debate and risk a potentially devastating shutdown. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi has warned that the GOP’s Tea Party faction is “playing with fire,” and on Friday she said it was time to “get our House in order” and avoid another fiscal crisis. “What is brought to the floor here today is, without a doubt, a measure designed to shut down government. It could have no other intent,” she fumed.

As lawmakers bickered, freshman Democrat Eric Swalwell took to the House floor to berate the “radical right wing effort to walk our economy off a cliff.” Republicans, he added colorfully, should “wake up from this radical, ideological wet dream.” The US government is expected to run out of money by around October 15 — a scenario that

could send stock markets tumbling and shockwaves coursing through the global economy. While several Senate Republicans have publicly urged their House colleagues to back off their threat to create a fiscal nightmare if they don’t get Obamacare defunded or delayed, some insisted there was no better time to press their case.

Senator Ted Cruz, a favorite of the rightwing Tea Party movement, said “I will do everything necessary and anything possible to defund Obamacare,” including a filibuster aimed at blocking legislation from progressing through the Senate. House conservatives swatted away concerns that it was the wrong time to dwell on health care, given the precarious fiscal challenges in the immediate future.

“We are criticized for voting to repeal Obamacare 35 times when it didn’t matter,” congressman Marlin Stutzman told AFP. “If we don’t vote to defund it when it matters, then we might as well all go home.” — AFP

BlackBerry co-founder in talks about joint bid NEW YORK: One of BlackBerry’s co-founders has held talks with private equity firms about making a joint bid for the struggling Canadian smartphone maker, The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday.

Former Blackberry co-CEO Mike Lazaridis has talked to firms including Blackstone Group LP and Carlyle Group LP, the paper said. It quoted people familiar with the matter.

The report came just a day after Blackberry said it would cut 4,500 jobs, or 40 percent of its workforce, in the face of hefty losses and weak sales of its new handsets. Lazaridis and cofounder Jim Balsillie handed over the reins of the company in January 2012 under pressure from shareholders unhappy with the company’s performance. News of the layoffs show BlackBerry’s efforts at reviving its fortunes are a stunning failure and push the once high-flying firm one step closer to extinction, analysts said. BlackBerry said it expects a loss of $950 to $995 million (700 million to 735 million euros) in the second quarter mostly due to writedowns linked to poor sales of its Z10 smartphone, the device aimed at competing against Apple and Android devices.

The company’s highly-publicized launch of the BlackBerry 10 platform earlier this year failed to ignite sales.

The company has said it is examining “strategic alternatives,” including a possible sale of the company.

The company, which has struggled to claw back market share from the likes of Apple Inc’s iPhone and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd’s Galaxy phones, said it expects to report a net operating loss of between $950 million and $995 million in the quarter ended Aug. 31, due to writedowns and other factors. The results will put more pressure on

ORLANDO: Thorsten Heins, president and CEO at BlackBerry, speaks at a conference in Orlando, Florida.

BlackBerry on Friday said that it will lay off 4,500 employees, or 40 percent of its global workforce. —AP BlackBerry to find a buyer for either some parts of the company, or for all of it. It said last month it is weighing its options, including an outright sale, in the face of persistently lackluster sales of its new smartphones, which run on the BlackBerry 10 operating system. “The company has sailed off a cliff,” said BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis. “What do you expect when you announce you’re up for sale? Who wants to commit to a platform that could possibly be shut down?” BlackBerry’s Toronto-listed shares fell as much as 23.7 percent to C$8.25 on Friday, their lowest this year, before closing down 16 percent at C$9.08. The company’s Nasdaq-listed shares ended 17 percent lower at $8.73, after falling as low as $8.01. — Agencies

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

BUSINESS

Tawasul Telecom sponsors ‘Capacity Eurasia 2013’ KUWAIT: Tawasul Telecom, the leading provider of MPLS Networking System in the GCC and Middle East sponsored “Capacity Eurasia 2013” which was held in Istanbul at Grand Hyatt Hotel on the 10th & 11th of September, alongside leading telecom services providers.

Tawasul Telecom’s participation at the event was marked with great success. Its leading position topped up with a track record of success in bridging the communication between the GCC region and the world while providing an international standard of data communication services for business sector, have driven a countless number of telecom companies and

carriers from Asia and Europe to visit Tawasul Telecom’s stand at the exhibition, looking to have an insight on its state-ofthe-art services and exclusive expertise in reinforcing and developing the telecom infrastructure.

In his statement for the occasion, Salem Al-Mulaifi - Business Development Director at Tawasul Telecom said: “Tawasul Telecom has greatly achieved the target of our participation at Capacity Eurasia which was an excellent opportunity to communicate with our current clients and provided a convenient business platform to bridge up relations with potential partners in Turkey and Eastern Europe rein-

The art of negotiating your salary at a job interview Bayt.com weekly report

By Lama Ataya

“W

hat’s your expected salary?”

This interview question although an opportunity for professionals to get a fair compensation to the value they’re willing to add - is inevitable and more often than not, leave the most seasoned professional at a loss to answer adequately. In answering a question about your salary expectations, don’t make an irreversible mistake by quoting a number without knowing your true value or what the interviewer has in mind.

The hiring experts at Bayt.com, the Middle East’s leading job site, share six tips to master the art of negotiating your salary during a job interview: 1. Know your worth Before you start talking pay with a prospective employer, you need to find out the value of your work. A valuable resource in this case is Bayt.com Salaries, which has thousands of salaries listed for each job role across several industries. Bayt.com Salaries will help you find salary information for your current job as well as positions you’re interested in. The more information you have, the better prepared you’ll be to negotiate your salary.

2.Start the negotiation When interviewing for a new position, do your best not to bring up compensation until the employer makes you an offer. If you’re asked about your salary expectations, take the cue from there and quote your range. If you have previous work experience, a good rule of thumb is to ask for a 20 percent increment over your last salary figure as the minimum expected salary. Another option is to give the employer a salary range based upon the salary research you’ve done up front (see tip #1).

3.Don’t say ‘Yes’ too soon Accepting the offer put forward right away is not advisable. Usually fresh graduates and job seekers who are relocating to a different geographical location make this mistake. Weighing the salary offered against your actual worth is important. Do not say ‘yes’ unless you feel that the offer is reflective of the value you will offer to the firm. Not speaking up might lead you to feel underpaid, and receive lower increments and a slower salary growth as you move up the career ladder, leaving you stressed and lacking motivation. Feeling underpaid might also be your reason to quit later on. According to

the Bayt.com ‘Employee Retention in the MENA Workplace’ poll, February 2013, 45.2 percent of professionals in the region left their last job because of bad pay.

4.Do consider other benefits To look at salary alone and ignore other benefits is also a common error while negotiating salaries. Other factors should be considered like medical insurance coverage, flexible work timings, maternity and paternity leave, paid vacation days, etc. These factors have monetary value attached to them and should be grossed up with the salary figure to measure the value of your package. A better pay and benefits is the third thing professionals in MENA look for in their next job (16 percent); a good work environment comes in second place (19 percent); while 20 percent of professionals look for learning, training and development opportunities. ( The Bayt.com ‘Workplace Dynamics in the MENA’ poll, June 2013). According to the Bayt.com MENA Salary Survey, May 2013, performance-based incentives and training and development courses are the two most sought out benefits that professionals in the MENA would like to see in their package apart from their salary.

5.Don’t lose your cool Take salary negotiation as a fine game of chess. Being too eager to make a move, or playing the field with a hot head will only lead to results that are not in your favor.

When negotiating, ask for the compensation based on what you can offer the company, and don’t make it a requirement of your employment. Show your employer that you’re reasonable and understand what the company offers you as a whole, and that salary is only one consideration.

6.Be prepared for a ‘No’ As long as you ask in a non-confrontational manner, and at a good time, the worst you can hear is “no.” Be prepared for it, and keep your emotions in check about it. Remember that a “no” isn’t forever. You might accept the offer and follow up later. A “no” now can be a solid “yes” later. And you’ll have laid important groundwork. Salary negotiations are tough under any circumstances. It’s difficult to know what to expect as a salary when you receive a job offer, and it’s even harder to negotiate more than you have been offered.

In a very competitive job market, salary negotiations can be even more complicated.

We hope that these salary negotiation tips will help you know how to negotiate a fair compensation package.

forcing our position in this strategic region”.

Whereas Tawasul Telecom enjoys a rich business portfolio and has previously sealed several deals with major Eastern European leading carriers and Internet services providers in Europe and Asia. He said that these partnerships were the results of the consistent efforts exerted by Tawasul Telecom in continuously enhancing its network infrastructure as well as boosting its services in strategic markets.

Al-Mulaifi added: “Choosing Turkey, the gateway linking Asia to Europe, as the host country for Capacity Eurasia has effectively contributed in further

strengthening relations amongst carriers and telecom services providers from both continents”. He concluded that since its inception, Tawasul Telecom has been keen to maximize its efforts in sponsoring and participating at the industry’s major strategic events. The company is driven by its commitment to embrace convenient opportunities to communicate with its customers hence strengthen further more the relations while building up new business partnerships.

Tawasul Telecom has successfully pioneered the provisioning of IP based services across multiple borders in the GCC and the Middle East. The company has

successfully engaged with regional carriers and international Tier 1 operators, and has established a unique pan-gulf, next generation IP network.

Tawasul Telecom provides its partners with a one-stop-shop for a fully-redundant highly-available end-to-end solution, which empowers them to tackle the any-to-any challenge faced by their clients today. Tawasul Telecom’s unique offerings are the preferred choice among its regional and international partners.

From its supplier-neutral stance, Tawasul Telecom provides a non-stop, reach-anywhere dimension covering the region and beyond.

EU official: Ireland must stick to austerity target ESM not retroactively recapitalizing banks DUBLIN: Ireland should not ease up on austerity in its annual budget next month but stick to a target of 3.1 billion euros ($4.2 billion) worth of spending cuts and tax hikes, European Central Bank Executive Board member Joerg Asmussen said yesterday.

Ireland has beaten several targets under its bailout, leading to calls by government ministers for a more modest fiscal adjustment for next year than agreed with lenders the European Union, International Monetar y Fund and European Central Bank. “I would really suggest to stick to the budget plan for the next year and to stick to the figure of 3.1 billion” euros, Asmussen said in an interview with Irish state broadcaster RTE. “It is crucial the authorities stick to the pro-

gram’s objectives as they have done to ensure the country remains on a sustainable path,” he said. Asmussen’s comments echo those by the International Monetary Fund in July when it called on the government to stick to the target.

Credit Ratings agency Moody’s on Friday said the country risked a ratings downgrade if its fiscal consolidation faltered. Members of parliament have suggested cutting the fiscal adjustment to between 2.5 and 2.8 billion euros, but the government says no decision has been made.

Asmussen was upbeat about I reland ’s growth prospects, saying recent data supported expectations of a gradual recovery in economic activity in the second half that would help ensure the country exits its bailout on

target by the end of the year.

He said the risk of additional recapitalization of Irish banks due to mortgage arrears was not a particular concern. But he also said he did not expect the government to be successful in its bid to use the euro zone bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), to retroactively recapitalize the country’s banks, possibly by buying shares. Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said the government plans to submit proposals to its European partners before the end of the year on the use of the ESM to ease the burden of Ireland’s bank recapitalization.

“As I observe the situation as it stands currently, I would not see a majority for the retroactive use of the ESM for direct bank recapitalization,” Asmussen said. —Reuters

Greece heads for new EU-IMF audit ATHENS: A new EU-IMF audit of Greek fiscal performance and reforms begins today, with the debtladen country hoping progress in reining in spending will unlock further bailout loans. The mission chiefs of the so-called troika of creditorsthe EU, IMF and the European Central Bank-will begin the inspection with a meeting with Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras.

Expected to end in October, the audit will determine the release of a scheduled loan instalment of 1.0 billion euros ($1.33 billion) from Greece’s ongoing EU-IMF bailout. In contrast with prior troika visits, Greece has made fiscal progress and recently announced a tentative primary surplus in the budget. This could enable the Greek government to claim additional help for its recession-help economy from its European peers later this year.

A primary surplus is a state budget surplus excluding the cost of servicing debts. The recession also seems to be easing, and there was a slight dip in unemployment rate due to seasonal tourism industry hirings. “The signs of recovery are becoming clear,” Stournaras told a conference this past week.

“No other country has achieved such a large (fiscal) adjustment in peacetime,” he said. The inspection comes during a period of heightened labor unrest and political ten-

sion after the murder of an anti-fascist musician by an alleged member of the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn this past week.

The country is also grappling with an ongoing wave of strikes against a sweeping redeployment

indefinite strike over the measure, state-employed doctors have also mobilized and civil servants staged a two-day walkout, later pledging to maintain resistance to the redeployment scheme. Greece is due to move or temporarily cut the salaries

ATHENS: A giant banner which reads “Strikes, No to the Demolition of Universities” hangs on the front of of Athens’ University building on Friday. School teachers are on their fifth day of strikes against the planned job cuts in the public sector. — AP scheme in the civil service which the government says will maximize efficiency. The unions counter that the move is merely designed to meet layoff quotas imposed by the international creditors.

Greek school teachers are on

of a total of 25,000 civil servants and axe 4,000 state jobs by the end of the year.

The auditors will also scrutinize efforts to privatize three ailing companies-miner LARKO, truck manufacturer ELVO and defense contrac-

tor EAS-and the drafting of a new property tax.

The audit is expected to break for the IMF’s three-day annual meetings on October 11-13 and a Eurogroup meeting on October 13 and then resume. After a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Tuesday, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said that there was “light at the end of the tunnel,” with twicebailed out Greece set to return to growth next year.

Greece has received two EU-IMF aid packages worth 240 billion euros since 2010 in a bailout plan that will wind down next year. But there is now widespread acceptance that it will need a third rescue package, probably amounting to 10 billion euros ($13.3 billion).

The IMF has forecast that Greece will need 4.4 billion euros in 2014 and another 6.5 billion in 2015.

Asked about widespread speculation Athens will need a third rescue, Barroso said “it is no secret we have to look again at Greece’s financial needs,” estimated by the IMF at another 11 billion euros in 2014 and 2015. Conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who heads a fragile coalition with the socialists, earlier this week said the Greek economy is likely to need another six years to return to precrisis levels. — AFP

EXCHANGE RATES Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal Irani Riyal

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

ASIAN COUNTRIES 2.857 4.563 2.680 2.143 2.857 227.510 36.595 3.642 6.593 8.169 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES 75.684 77.982 737.170 753.820 77.292

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 41.100 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.701 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.324 Tunisian Dinar 174.320 Jordanian Dinar 400.710 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.904 Syrian Lier 3.083 Morocco Dirham 34.895 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 283.700 Euro 386.970 Sterling Pound 458.180 Canadian dollar 278.140 Turkish lira 146.120 Swiss Franc 312.620 Australian Dollar 268.380 US Dollar Buying 282.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

GOLD 250.000 127.000 66.000

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY SELL DRAFT Australian Dollar 265.33 Canadian Dollar 276.98 Swiss Franc 306.57 Euro 377.70 US Dollar 285.35 Sterling Pound 448.23 Japanese Yen 2.92 Bangladesh Taka 3.681 Indian Rupee 4.316 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.141 Nepali Rupee 2.741 Pakistani Rupee 2.725 UAE Dirhams 77.62 Bahraini Dinar 758.15 Egyptian Pound 41.24 Jordanian Dinar 405.40 Omani Riyal 740.79 Qatari Riyal 78.66 Saudi Riyal 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

Bahrain Exchange Company CURRENCY Europe Belgian Franc British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Romanian Leu Slovakia Swedish Krona Swiss Franc Turkish Lira

Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar

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 285.000 278.290 448.020 378.675 304.795 754.545 77.570 78.230 76.865 401.755 41.281 2.143 4.463 2.716 3.664 6.493 699.120 3.830 9.195 4.070 3.900 86.710

Canadian Dollar US Dollars US Dollars Mint

Bangladesh Taka Chinese Yuan Hong Kong Dollar Indian Rupee Indonesian Rupiah Japanese Yen Kenyan Shilling Korean Won Malaysian Ringgit Nepalese Rupee Pakistan Rupee Philippine Peso Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar South African Rand Sri Lankan Rupee

BUY

SELL

0.007375 0.447708 0.006663 0.047455 0.378182 0.043966 0.081861 0.008138 0.040708 0.305502 0.142628

0.008375 0.458706 0.018663 0.052455 0.385682 0.049166 0.81661 0.018138 0.045708 0.315002 0.149628

Australasia 0.258586 0.231720

0.270086 0.241220

America 0.270158 0.279600 0.280100

0.278658 0.283950 0.283950

Asia 0.003108 0.045008 0.034504 0.004398 0.000020 0.002771 0.003323 0.000253 0.085841 0.002940 0.002543 0.006408 0.000069 0.224767 0.022789 0.001888

0.003708 0.048508 0.037254 0.004799 0.000026 0.002951 0.003323 0.000268 0.091841 0.003110 0.002823 0.006688 0.000075 0.230767 0.031289 0.002468

Taiwan Thai Baht

Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Iranian Riyal Iraqi Dinar Jordanian Dinar Kuwaiti Dinar Lebanese Pound Moroccan Dirhams Nigerian Naira Omani Riyal Qatar Riyal Saudi Riyal Syrian Pound Tunisian Dinar Turkish Lira UAE Dirhams Yemeni Riyal

0.009493 0.008741

0.009673 0.009191

Arab 0.746064 0.038119 0.000078 0.000183 0.395926 1.0000000 0.000139 0.022724 0.001202 0.730851 0.077215 0.075017 0.001931 0.169691 0.142628 0.076259 0.001289

0.754064 0.041219 0.000080 0.000243 0.403426 1.0000000 0.000239 0.048724 0.001837 0.736531 0.078428 0.075717 0.002151 0.177691 0.149628 0.077408 0.001369

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

US Dollar

284.200

Euro

382.300

Pound Sterling

454.050

Canadian Dollar

277.600

Indian Rupee

4.507

Egyptian Pound

41.195

Sri Lankan Rupee

2.148

Bangladesh Taka

3.652

Philippines Peso

6.498

Pakistan Rupee

2.705

Bahraini Dinar

756.600

UAE Dirham

77.375

Saudi Riyal

75.900

*Rates are subject to change

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

BUSINESS

Kuwait consumer spending strong on borrowing Non-oil GDP growth to support private sector job creation in 2014 KUWAIT: The consumer sector remained strong thus far in 2013, though there are some signs that rapid growth is beginning to moderate. Household debt maintained solid but steady growth through June and point-of-sale spending growth was still in the double-digits in the first half of this year. Employment growth was relatively steady, in particular among Kuwaiti nationals and skilled expats. The latter two groups are crucial to the consumption sector as they comprise higher income households.

Consumer spending growth has remained healthy, supported by the strength in consumer borrowing.

Consumers’ point of sale transactions (POS) recorded a value of KD 3.25 billion during the first half of 2013 (1H13), up 17.9 percent from a year ago. Spending has also received support from steady employment growth, especially among Kuwaiti civilians. Higher salaries for Kuwaitis in the public and private sectors were also an important factor, having taken effect largely during the second half of 2012, and continued to have an impact on year-on-year (y/y) growth.

Consumer and installment debt growth recorded a healthy pace through June, with outstanding debt reaching a mid-year figure of KD 7.6 billion. Growth against a year ago eased slightly to 18.3 percent compared to March’s 19.3 percent, but remained surprisingly resilient.

The net increase in loans averaged a monthly KD 103 million during 2Q13, up from KD 78 million during the first

NBK ECONOMIC REPORT quarter and KD 93 million in 2012 as a whole.

Growth in total wages of Kuwaiti civilian employees is estimated to have accelerated to 15 percent by 1Q13. This rise in aggregate wage income, which captures growth in both salaries and employment, has benefited from a package of wage hikes implemented last year both for public employees and the private sector. With no new hikes in 2013, this growth is expected to taper off towards the end of 2013. However, continued healthy growth in employment should keep income growth running at a relatively solid pace into 2014.

Consumer confidence picked up towards the end of 2012 and has largely maintained elevated levels thus far in 2013, reflecting solid consumer sentiment. Though the Araa consumer confidence index slipped slightly to 117 in July compared to the 126 level registered in December 2012, it remains relatively healthy.

Consumers’ improved sentiment was most obvious when it came to employment prospects. The employment component of the index rose 18 percent from a year ago. Consumers were also more optimistic about the performance of the general economy than they were

a year ago. Consumers were not much more optimistic about the prospects of seeing growth in their household income than last year, though even this component saw an improvement.

Employment growth among Kuwaiti nationals has seen a slight pickup in 2013 following a moderating trend last year. Aggregate Kuwaiti employment saw yearon-year growth accelerate slightly to 3.3 percent from 2.8 percent at the end of 2012. Total working Kuwaitis rose to 394,000 by the end of June, including civilians and military positions. The net increase in the number of working Kuwaitis below the age of 40 during the last 12months was nearly 18,700, compared to 19,300 added the year before.

Labor participation rates have remained relatively stable and even improved in some cases, indicating that unemployment has remained in check. Among men, the rate has been unchanged at 90 percent for the last two years. Meanwhile, Kuwaiti women’s participation rates has maintained a rising trend, with 82 percent of the 25-40 year age group in employment at the end of June 2013, compared to 81 percent a year ago and 80 percent in 2011.

In addition, the data also indicates that women are now retiring later.

Private sector hiring of Kuwaitis was stronger in 2013.

Over 5,100 of the net increase in employment was in the private sector, compared to 3,500 a year ago. Private sector hiring appeared to hit a low during the first half of last year, when the number of net new jobs fell to 1,150. It has since picked up, with net job creation in 1H13 standing at more than double the size of the year before at 2,900.

Skilled expat job growth was also stronger during the first half of 2013 following a flat 2H12. However, an initial recovery seen in late 2011 and early 2012, which saw growth accelerate to 2.2 percent in the wake of the 2009 recession, appears to have moderated as growth (y/y) slowed to 0.7 percent. Employed non-Kuwaitis with at least a secondary education rose by around 3,100 during the first half of 2013. Total skilled employment stood at 350,000 at the end of June 2013.

Strength in consumer spending is expected to be sustained through 2013, as employment growth remains solid and consumer confidence high. Household credit growth will continue to provide strong support though we can expect the pace of growth to moderate somewhat by the end of 2013. As for 2014, we can expect stronger non-oil GDP growth to further support private sector job creation, both among Kuwaiti nationals and skilled expats, the two pillars of consumer spending in Kuwait.

Tata-SIA tie-up reaffirming India’s aviation potential

NEW YORK: Penguins from SeaWorld are escorted by their handlers on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during the company’s IPO, in New York. In 2013 there have been 140 initial public offerings, up 46 percent from September last year, according to Renaissance Capital. — AP

US stocks needn’t fret about govt shutdown Wall Street Weekly Outlook NEW YORK: Investors may be tempted to shy away from stocks in the next week or two as the latest version of the fiscal follies plays out in Washington. It’s understandable. The prospect of a government shutdown or, worse, default on the federal debt, rekindles memories of 2011 when Washington’s infighting prompted the loss of the United States’ triple-A credit rating and was a primary driver behind the stock market’s last full-on correction.

The sense from Wall Street analysts this time, however, is that the current drama is likely to feature more bluster than bravado and contains overblown threats.”Looking back at the pattern that has emerged since the debt ceiling fiasco back in 2011, the Republican leadership got the message that if there is a government shutdown, most likely their party is going to get blamed,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief portfolio strategist at Wells Fargo Funds Management in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.

“They’re going to be very sensitive to that public sentiment as we get closer to a midterm election year” in 2014, Jacobsen said. “In spite of all the brinkmanship being talked about ... there will be a deal and then we will move on,” said Stephen Massocca, managing director at Wedbush Equity Management in San Francisco. This autumn’s standoff comes with two separate but related deadlines.

First, failure to come up with a budget deal by the end of the month risks a federal government shutdown starting Oct 1. Then, by midOctober lawmakers must vote to raise the federal debt ceiling to prevent a default. The posturing has been under way for weeks. In the latest move, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed legislation on Friday to fund federal agencies through midDecember but also inserted a provision killing President Barack Obama’s landmark healthcare overhaul.

Democrats, who control the Senate, have said they will strip out that provision when the bill comes before the Senate, most likely next week. Wall Street players are sanguine about events unfolding in Washington.

Empty threat “Uncertainty will probably rise ahead of these events, but we think this is likely to be short-lived and probably less severe than some other recent episodes,” said a Goldman Sachs research note. In fact, the current episode could prove to be an empty threat, like the so-called “fiscal cliff,” last December.

After weeks of dire predictions of big tax hikes and draconian spending cuts if no deal was reached, lawmakers came to a lastminute accord, and the market kicked into high gear for 2013. The S&P 500 is up more than 22 percent year to date on a total return basis, including re-invested dividends.

“While we could get a pullback on worries about the debt ceiling and the continuing resolution, my guess is it will go the same way as the fiscal cliff went - a bunch of sound and fury signifying nothing,” said Jeffrey Saut, chief investment strategist at Raymond James Financial in St Petersburg, Florida.

“If the market pulls back on (Washington) worries, I think it’s a buy,” said Saut. As the budget battle heats up, the lack of angst among investors was reflected in a fall in the CBOE Volatility Index , Wall Street’s favorite measure of fear. It ticked down to 13.12 on Friday and has posted three straight weeks of losses for a total drop in that period of 23 percent. Next week on Wall Street, the widely followed Dow Jones industrial average will open Monday with three new components as Goldman Sachs, Visa and Nike replace Bank of America, Hewlett-Packard and Alcoa.

—Reuters

NEW DELHI: A new Indian airline planned by the giant Tata Group and Singapore Airlines reaffirms the nation’s long-term potential as an aviation market, despite the sector’s current financial turbulence, analysts say.

Tata Sons, the holding company of tea-tosoftware conglomerate Tata Group, and SIA said this week they were setting up a full-service airline after two failed joint bids to take to Indian skies. “This investment affirms India’s reputation as a lucrative aviation market in the long-run,” Amber Dubey, aerospace head at global consultancy KPMG said.

The $100-billion Tata Group in 1932 pioneered air travel airline in India with Tata Airlines, later taken over by the government and rebranded Air India. It will hold a majority 51-percent stake in the full-service carrier while SIA will hold 49 percent as they seek to exploit one of the fastest-growing aviation markets globally.

“The proposed airline has applied for Foreign Investment Promotion Board approval,” a Tata spokesman said. However, the joint venture needs a slew of other regulatory approvals and it could be another year before it starts flying, analysts say.

Also, while India’s air passenger traffic has doubled over the last seven years, plans for the carrier comes as the sector is flying through rough weather.

All but one of the five main airlines is lossmaking even though an increasing number of India’s population of 1.2 billion are flying. India’s airlines are contending with the region’s costliest fuel, a falling currency, cut-throat fare rivalry and rundown infrastructure. Still, SIA said it was investing in the carrier as “the Indian aviation industry is projected to experience future high growth rates”.

KPMG’s Dubey said, however, the new airline could prompt more consolidation in the Indian market, without naming carriers which could fall by the wayside. “With growing competition, only four strong pan-India airlines may survive in two years,” he said, adding, “Others may operate in small niche markets and collaborate with the pan-India players.” India’s two full-service carriers, Jet Airways and Air India, are seen as being hit hardest by competition from the new airline, analysts said.

Budget airlines account for 70 percent of passenger traffic. India’s other full-service airline, Kingfisher, controlled by liquor baron Vijay Mallya, has been idle since last year after running out of cash.

Still with India’s vastly under-penetrated air market, Sharat Dhall, who heads one of India’s biggest online travel agencies, Yatra.com, called the new airline “a welcome development... the market has tremendous potential for growth”. Air travel penetration is just 0.04 air trips per capita a year, far behind developed countries such as the US with over two air trips per capita a year, according to government figures.

This marks the third foreign direct investment in the aviation sector since the government said last year foreign airlines could buy as much as 49 percent in local carriers. The decision, overturning a 10-year ban, was part of a wider drive to draw more investment from abroad.

Earlier this year, the Tatas also announced a partnership with Malaysia’s AirAsia for a low-cost carrier in India in which it will own 30 percent.

That airline, to be based in the southern Indian city of Chennai, is awaiting government final clearance to take off.

Now the Tatas will be attacking India’s airline market from two sides-full-service and budget.

Analysts suggested that the Tatas dancing with two partners may cause friction with AirAsia. SIA and AirAsia are keen regional rivals.

But Tata officials ruled out conflict-of-interest

between its two airline operations, telling the Times of India the Malaysian carrier “was in the loop about the new venture”.

The second foreign investment in the sector came In April when Abu Dhabi’s Etihad said it would buy a 24 percent stake in Jet. In the 1990s, SIA and Tata sought to start an airline but the plan got shelved by government policy changes.

In 2000, Tata and SIA partnered again to buy 40 percent of Air India but that proposal collapsed.

“The wheel has come full circle now” for Tata and SIA, said Dubey. — AFP

MUMBAI: An aircraft takes off from Mumbai on Friday. A new Indian airline planned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines could reaffirm the nation’s potential as an aviation market, say analysts. —AFP

Gulf Bank announces winners of Al-Danah daily draws KUWAIT: Gulf Bank held its Al-Danah daily draws on September 15, 2013, announcing the names of its winners for the week of September 8th to September 12. The Al-Danah daily draws include draws each working day for two prizes of KD1,000 per winner.

The winners were: (Sunday 8/9): Abeer Saleh Abdulaziz Al-Shumameri, Reyad Dauod Sulaiman Al-Oun (Monday 9/9): Khadeeja Marhoun Yousef AlMarhoun, Abdulmajeed Ali Haidar Bin Haidar ( Tuesday 10/9): Shehab Ahmad Shehab Salman, Aminah Yaser Adel Kheraibet (Wednesday 11/9): Abdullah Ali Abdullah AlYahia, Ahlam Sayed Hussain Sayed Mahdi Sayed Ali ( Thursday 12/9): Abdullah Jassem Mohammed Al-Hamar, Bushra Mohammed Salem Al-Amir Gulf Bank’s Al Danah 2013 draw lineup includes daily draws (2 winners per working day each receive KD1000), as well as three draw prizes per quarter. Al Danah’s 3rd Quarterly draw will be held on - 26 September (KD500,000,

KD125,000, and KD25,000) and the final draw will be held on 9 January, 2014 announcing winners of KD50,000, KD250,000 and the Al-Danah Millionaire.

Gulf Bank’s Al-Danah allows customers to win cash prizes and simultaneously encourages them to save money. Chances increase the more money is deposited and the longer it is kept in the account.

Al-Danah also offers a number of unique services including the Al Danah Deposit Only ATM card which helps account holders deposit their money at their convenience; as well as the Al Danah calculator to help customers calculate their chances of becoming an Al Danah winner.

To be part of the Al-Danah draws, customers can visit one of Gulf Bank’s 56 branches, transfer on line, or call the Customer Contact Center on 1805805 for assistance and guidance. Customers can also log on to www.egulfbank.com/aldanahwinners, to find out more about Al-Danah and who the winners are.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

BUSINESS

Kuwait bourse remains buoyant BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last week in the green zone. The price index closed at 7,848.27 points, up by 3.44 percent from the week before closing, the weighted index increased by 1.73 percent after closing at 462.34 points, whereas the KSX-15 index closed at 1,086.87 points up by 1.73 percent. Furthermore, last week’s average daily turnover increased by 47.34 percent, compared to the preceding week, reaching KD56.44 million, whereas trading volume average was 682.03 million shares, recording increase of 61.30 percent.

Kuwait Stock Market continued its positive performance witnessed during this period, supported by the purchasing power on many large-cap and small-cap stocks, in addition to the active speculative operations focused on many small-cap stocks, especially in Financial Services and Real Estate sectors, which contributed to a sustainable gains of the stock market three indices and was able to realize some good gains for the second consecutive week, where the Price Index in particular got close to the 8,000 point level, which was dropped below by the end of the last month.

In addition, the stock market received support during last week from the noticeable activity of the investment groups, which witnessed strong purchasing operations to lever the prices of its companies’ stocks before the end of the third quarter period of the current year, which in turn will be reflected on the financial results of such

companies.

On the contrary, the selling pressures were not absent from affecting the trading activity last week, as it caused a sharp fluctuation to the stock market indices in some sessions, where the market witnessed quick profit collection operations included many stocks and concentrated specially on bluechip and large -cap stocks, to limit the indices gains in one occasion, and decrease it on the other. However, such operations were logical and expected especially after the big increases realized by many stock prices during the previous period.

For the annual performance, the price index ended last week recording 32.25 percent annual gain compared to its closing in 2012, while the weighted index increased by 10.70 percent, and the KSX-15 recorded 7.71 percent increase.

was the least growing as its index closed at 1,130.17 points with a 0.85 percent increase.

Sectors’ Activity The Real Estate sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 1.27 billion shares changing hands, representing 37.38 percent of

the total market trading volume. The Financial Services sector was second in terms of trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 35.98 percent of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 1.23 million shares.

On the other hand, the Financial Services sector’s stocks were the highest traded in terms of

value; with a turnover of KD 87.51 million or 31.01 percent of last week’s total market trading value.

The Real Estate sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover was KD 77.89 million represented 27.60 percent of the total market trading value. — Prepared by the Studies & Research Department, Bayan Investment Co.

Sectors’ Indices All of KSE’s sectors ended last week in the green zone except the Health Care sector’s index closed with no change from the week before. Last week’s highest gainer was the Financial Services sector, achieving 6.82 percent growth rate as its index closed at 1,135.38 points. Whereas, in the second place, the Telecommunications sector’s index closed at 868.08 points recording 6.32 percent increase. The Technology sector came in third place as its index achieved 5.40 percent growth, ending the week at 1,083.70 points. The Basic Materials sector

A complacent group without table pounders Blackstone Market Commentary

By Byron Wien

E

very August for the past several decades I have organized a series of lunches for serious financial professionals. Participants include a reasonably diverse group and include hedge fund managers, private equity people, activists, buyout specialists and venture capitalists. This year I included some younger people who provided a fresh perspective to the discussions. Last year the tone of the lunches was correctly positive about the rest of 2012 and 2013 this far, so I was particularly curious about how they viewed the outlook from here.

The mood of the lunches reflected that the market had treated all the attendants well during the past 21 months, in spite of meager Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, Europe’s recession, a slowing in China and other emerging markets, instability in the Middle East, legislative intransigence in Washington and the prospect of less monetary easing by the Federal Reserve. Everyone knew that the Fed’s accommodative policy contributed to the performance of the stock market, but there was some debate about how important it was. There was agreement that whatever “tapering” did take place would put some pressure on equities, but, offsetting this, the economy was expected to pick up its momentum in the second half of 2013 and 2014, helping earnings.

Nobody expected the Fed to stop its bond buying program. As long as the Fed was easing, Congress could feel it was “off the hook” in providing fiscal stimulus even though the United States budget deficit has declined from

10 percent of GDP in 2010 to 4 percent this year and is expected to trend lower over the next two years. While it is true that US stocks have been strong since November 2012, the multiple on 2014 earnings was very moderate by historical standards at about 14x. Individuals have yet to invest in the stock market in any serious way and that should be a positive going forward.

Most agreed that economic conditions in Europe were improving and that there would be some growth in 2014 led by Germany and France. While the continent continued to “muddle through,” there was disappointment in the lack of progress toward structural improvement, but it looked like the European

Union and the euro were here to stay. The Greek restructuring of debt didn’t go far enough and the failure to reach agreement on either a banking union or some form of fiscal convergence underscored the reality that politics is standing in the way of progress. A plan to forgive some or all of the sovereign debt of the weaker countries was viewed as necessary to a long-term solution, but would be politically unpopular. With overall unemployment in Europe at 12 percent and youth unemployment much higher, the potential for social unrest is a serious concern. In the United Kingdom there is evidence of more political flexibility, but growth is slow there as well.

Europe is not expected to be a negative for US equity performance but it is not likely to be much of a positive factor for earnings or overall world growth. There was agreement, however, that there were a lot of cheap stocks in Europe.

In contrast to previous years there was little interest in the developing markets. Brazil was thought to be uncompetitive, India dysfunctional, Russia dangerous unless you can operate in a remote area away from government attention. Some frontier markets are attractive, like Vietnam and Colombia. Many liked Mexico in spite of its poor equity market performance this year.

On commodities, the unsettled conditions in the Middle East had driven oil prices higher, but reduced demand and increased supply might bring West Texas Intermediate oil down to $90 a barrel over time. Marginal production (fracking) is high-cost, perhaps $75-$80 a barrel, and the half-life of fracking wells is short

and that will keep prices from falling further.

Demand from China and India will offset the reduced consumption in Europe and the United States resulting from conservation and slow economic growth. Low pricing for natural gas in the United States compared to the rest of the world was an important positive, especially for the chemical industry. There was not much enthusiasm for gold even at these levels.

Following his remarks, a technology expert commented on the entrepreneurial zeal of young people. They don’t see themselves building a long career over time with a big corporation. They want to get some experience and then start something of their own like a small business, a hedge fund or an Internet company. One of their goals is clearly to achieve financial success at an early age, but another aspiration is to have a more flexible lifestyle. These changes are bound to have an impact on consumer spending.

Almost everyone agreed that education was the most serious problem in the United States but it had proven almost impossible to fix. Charter schools had helped, but our public school system, particularly in large urban areas, was not performing well. Graduation rates were low and many of those who did graduate could not do serious college work.

The teachers union was part of the problem, but probably more serious was the breakdown of the family unit which created circumstances at home that made it difficult for the child in school. Middle class education was still good, however, and we still had outstanding institu-

tions of higher education, so there was hope for our ability to maintain innovative leadership in a competitive world, but the gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” was likely to widen.

I always try to devote some time to a discussion of “cosmic issues.” The violence in Egypt and Syria was on everyone’s mind. The root of this is youth unemployment, which was one of the key triggers for the inception of the Arab Spring in North Africa. If a good part of the Muslim world continues to live in desperate economic circumstances while Europe and the United States enjoy a high standard of living and moderate growth, tensions are likely to grow. Where China, India and Saudi Arabia fit into this is an open question, but it is clear that the world has pockets of instability that have investment implications.

My conclusion, reflecting on the four lunches, was that there were some significant tail risks lurking out there. The unintended consequences of sending missiles into Syria or not sending missiles into Syria may be one of them. The inability of Europe to make the structural changes necessary to ensure the long-term survival of the European Union and the euro could be another. Iran’s nuclear threat might be a third. The major long-term problems had not held equities back over the past two years and most of the attendees thought the downside risks were overshadowed by the upside opportunities. A dull market rather than a difficult one was more likely.

Greater-than-expected downside risks could be the non-consensus surprise.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

BUSINESS

Zain attends EFG Hermes MENA Conference in London Executives outline company’s future strategy, growth opportunities KUWAIT/LONDON: Zain Group, the leading telecommunications provider in eight countries across the Middle East and Africa, has successfully participated in the EFG Hermes London MENA Conference, which attracted leading global investors with aggregate assets under management in excess of $5 trillion. The event is the largest MENA investor conference in the United Kingdom.

This year’s event was held in collaboration with the London Stock Exchange, and saw 162 fund managers from 91 institutions in Europe, the United States, the Middle East, and North Africa interacting in face-to-face with senior management from 53 of the largest and most actively traded companies in the Middle East and North Africa, including the Zain Group.

Zain was represented at the two-day event by Group CEO, Scott Gegenheimer; Group Chief Financial Officer, Ossama Matta and the company’s Director of Investor Relations and Communications, Mohammad Abdal.

In his conversations with financial institutions and investors, Gegenheimer outlined Zain’s many competitive advantages and future strategy, detailing the Group’s focus on broadband as a strong growth area now and into the future, as well as the development of non-voice digital services.

Gegenheimer detailed how Zain’s customer base grew at seven per cent

over the past 12 months to now stand at 44.4 million, reflecting a leading customer market share in six of the eight markets it operates in. Also he highlighted how the company has a marketleading share of revenue in four of them. Additionally he noted that Zain has one of the most recognizable brands in the region with a brand valua-

works in Jordan, Sudan and South Sudan. Even in countries such as Iraq, where the company has not introduced the latest mobile broadband networks, Gegenheimer identified that demand for digital ser vices in all markets remains enormous and continues to grow, boding well for Zain’sfuture growth opportunities.

Zain Group CEO Scott Gegenheimer tion of $1.2 billion, voted the No.1 Arab brand in an online poll across 54 countries in 2013.

Furthermore the Group CEO elaborated on how Zain has been investing heavily in mobile broadband networks, having launched commercially 4G LTE networks in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain as well as advanced 3G net-

Regarding new businesses opportunities, Gegenheimer explained that Zain is seeking such on two fronts: strengthening Zain’s presence within the enterprise domain through establishment of or acquisition of ISPs, data centre, fibre plays, cross-border international connectivity companies and digital services.

Also he noted that Zain is pursuing

adjacent opportunities in the M2M space, mobile money and strategic partnerships with OTT players.

Gegenheimer highlighted the positive growth trend in digital services as a revenue stream is clear given Zain Group reported that revenue from nonvoice data services (excluding SMS) rose 19 percent during the first six-months of this year, while non-voice revenues now represent 13 percent of the Group’s total revenues. If the revenue figure was to include those generated through valueadded services and SMS, digital services revenues would represent 21 percent of Zain Group’s overall revenue.Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are the major drivers of this data growth, given their data offerings on their 4G LTE networks.

Answering enquiries on the Vodafone par tnership agreement, Gegenheimer said Zain is extracting several best practices in the commercial, technology and strategy domains from the partnership. 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. He noted the launch of the Vodafone-related roaming services for both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait customers with plan to launch similar services in other markets. Plans are in the pipeline to launch enterprise services initiatives with Vodafone as well.

Gegenheimer regularly advised

investors that: “Zain’s goal over the next 3-5 years is to build a strong and sustainable telecommunications business focusing on approaches to protect our core business, to identify new business opportunities and to inspire our people focusing on a number of key strategic pillars including customer experience, enterprise services and operational excellence.”

Ossama Matta, Zain Group CFO said: “Our strong financial position, relatively low debt-to-equity ratio of 47 percent, an efficient EBITDA margin of 43 percent and the unceasing support of the shareholders and Board of Directors encourages us to pursue and invest in new projects that create value. We operate in hyper-competitive markets, and the best way to maintain and grow our business is to constantly invest in innovation.” During the meetings, both the CEO and CFO were frequently asked on the status of the Zain Iraq IPO and Zain Bahrain IPO, to which they jointly noted that both operations with the support of key Group personnel are working effortlessly on fulfilling these license requirements, expecting both IPOs to be held in the near future. They also expressed their confidence in the future potential of both operations, highlighting many key market growth opportunities and advising that proceeds from the IPO would be used for network upgrades, infrastructure expansion and other general corporate needs.

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How economy has fared during Fed bond buying WASHINGTON: Now that the Federal Reserve has decided not to slow its bond purchases, a debate over whether its purchases have helped the economy will rage on. The Fed announced on Sept. 13, 2012, that it would start buying $85 billion a month in Treasury and mortgage bonds.

The idea was to lower longer-term borrowing rates. Lower loan rates, Fed officials hoped, would encourage more borrowing and spending and accelerate economic growth.

Is it working? It depends where you look and how you interpret the economy ’s shifts. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke suggested Wednesday that the bond purchases have helped offset the impact of higher taxes and government spending cuts that took effect this year. Here are some key measures of the economy’s health and how they’ve changed in the past year: UNEMPLOYMENT The unemployment rate has declined from 7.8 percent in September 2012 to 7.3 percent now. But even that modest drop hasn’t always been for the right reasons.

Unemployment has declined partly because more Americans have retired, remained in school or given up looking for work - not because many employers have started hiring aggressively. The government counts people as unemployed only if they’re looking for a job. Chairman Ben Bernanke acknowledged all this in July when he said the unemployment rate, “if anything, overstates the health” of the job market. On Wednesday, Bernanke attributed most of the drop in the rate in the past year to greater hiring.

JOB GROWTH Hiring has picked up since last September - just not by very much. In the six months that ended in September 2012, employers added an average of 130,000 jobs a month. That average jumped to 208,000 in the six months that followed the Fed’s announcement. But over the longer term, the improvement is more modest: Employers added an average of 178,000 jobs in the 12 months before the Fed’s bond buying began. That inched up to just 188,000 in the 11 months that ended in August, the latest period for which figures are available.

MORTGAGE RATES Lowering mortgage and other interest rates was the central goal of the Fed when it launched its bond purchases. In November, the average on a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 3.31 percent - its lowest point on records dating to 1971, according to Freddie Mac. That was down from a much higher 4.12 percent in the week before the Fed’s announcement. Rates remained low until Bernanke signaled in late May that the Fed could end its purchases this year. Since then, long-term

mortgage rates have risen sharply. The 30year mortgage rate averaged 4.57 percent last week.

HOME SALES Lower borrowing rates encouraged more Americans to buy homes. Sales of previously owned homes jumped to an annual rate of 5.39 million in July from 4.78 million last September. That’s a 13 percent jump in 10 months. In a similar period before the bond purchases began, home sales rose nearly 9 percent. Mortgage rates were already historically low before the bond-buying program began. In part, that’s because the Fed has held a shortterm rate it controls at a record low near zero since December 2008.

ECONOMIC GROWTH Lower rates have boosted home sales and construction, but the housing recovery was largely under way by the time the bond purchases began. That’s one reason economic growth hasn’t accelerated. The economy expanded at a 2.5 percent annual rate from April to June. That was actually slightly below the 2.8 percent growth reached in the July-September quarter of 2012, when the bond purchases began.

INFLATION Many of the Fed’s critics have worried that its ultra-low-rate policies would ignite inflation. The Fed, after all, buys Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities by creating new money. That new money gets pumped into the financial system when the Fed buys the bonds from banks. More money chasing fewer goods can push prices up.

Yet so far, there’s no such sign: Consumer prices rose just 1.5 percent in the 12 months that ended in August. When the Fed launched its purchases, the annual inflation rate was a bit higher: 2 percent.

THE STOCK MARKET: Stock prices have risen, as the Fed hoped. The idea was to draw investors out of extremely low-yielding bonds and into stocks. The Dow Jones industrial average closed at just over 13,333 the day before the Fed’s announcement. On Tuesday, it closed at nearly 15,530 - 16 percent higher.

THE BOND MARKET: Many factors affect the returns that investors earn on Treasurys. This makes it hard to gauge the Fed’s impact. The return, or yield, on the 10-year Treasury note was 1.76 percent the day before the program was announced, though it had already fallen in anticipation of the Fed’s move. It fell to 1.57 percent in mid-November, the lowest since August. Bernanke’s comments May 22 sent the yield back above 2 percent, and it closed at 2.87 percent Monday.

Other developments, such as Europe’s financial crisis, have also occasionally pushed rates down. — AP

he emblematic Mégane performance models are taking on the new Renault design identity. Alongside the new design features, Mégane R S has gained the RS Replay function, available on RS Monitor 2.0. The GT trim is now available with the 2.0T Renault Sport 220 engine.

“A nod to Renault’s success in Formula 1” Topping the Mégane range, the R.S. version was designed to deliver maximum driving pleasure. With its 2.0 16V 265 engine, limited slip differential, front suspension with an independent steering axis and a choice between two chassis types (Sport or Cup), Mégane R S groups a range of technologies illustrating the complete expertise of Renault Sport.

The styling of Mégane RS gains even more character with the brand’s new design identity. The new bonnet features a larger Renault logo set off by a gloss black background. The new headlights, contributing to the appeal of the new line, gain gloss black ‘eyelids’.

Featuring a lens and white comma design, these headlights amplify the light beam for excellent lighting at night. As a nod to Renault’s success in Formula 1, the new front bumper features an F1 splitter, a styling feature found across the Renault Sport range.

New Mégane RS now comes with features based on those introduced with the limited series Mégane RS Red Bull Racing RB8: • Recaro seats with dual-fabric leather-cloth upholstery and Renault Sport embroidery on the head restraints, • the Renault R-Link connected multimedia tablet, with version 2.0 of the R.S. Monitor 2.0 data acquisition system compatible with the new R.S. Replay function, • Optional 19’’ black wheels with grey striping , mated with Bridgestone high-per formance tires as used by Mégane Trophy for its front-wheel-drive lap record at Nurburgring.

Reserved for fans of exclusive design, the optional R.S. Design pack includes exterior features painted red: F1 splitter, lower door protectors and rear spoiler.

The 2.0T Renault Sport 220 engine available on Mégane GT New Mégane GT and GT-Line are distinctive vehicles that add excitement to everyday driving. Their styling reflects their sporting her-

itage and “GT Renault Sport” signature. Although the bumper skin is shared with other models in the Renault range, the lower grille and white headlamp guides are specific.

The black headlight surround is also specific to these versions.

Depending on the countr y, Mégane GT is also available with the 2.0T Renault Sport 220 gasoline engine, based on the 2.0 16V 265 seen on Mégane RS. This efficient, responsive engine - launched with the Mégane Estate GT 220 limited series - develops 220 hp for maximum torque of 340 Nm with Stop and Start technology. Fuel consumption is kept under control at 7.3l/100 km for emissions of 169 g of CO2/km. The emissions/power ratio is therefore highly favorable.

Mégane GT and GT-Line are available in hatchback, coupé and estate versions (depending on the country) with a wide range of gasoline and diesel engines.

New energy F1-2014 power unit Revealed in its racing configuration in June at the Le Bourget Air Show, the Renault Energy F1-2014 Power Unit illustrates the technological breakthrough set to take place in Formula 1 next season.

Associated with highly sophisticated systems for energy recovery and

reuse, the direct-injection turbocharged V6 1.6L will deliver more power than the existing V8 engines while cutting fuel consumption by one-third! A pioneer in energy efficiency with its Energy engine range, Renault will be able to take advantage of the benefits of motorsport to go even further in this field.

“From 2014, we will bring engines back to the forefront and restore the balance in F1. The engine is the heart of the car, and next year it will return to the heart of our sport.”

Alain Prost - Renault ambassador and quadruple Formula 1 world champion Formula 1 rules for 2014 mark one of the most dramatic changes in its history. As the first manufacturer to unveil its Power Unit, Renault is demonstrating its position as leader in this high-tech revolution. Renault’s adventures in Formula 1 since 1977 could be summed up in an avalanche of statistics, featuring a whole string of records. If we had to quote just a few key figures, they would no doubt include the 11 Constructors’ titles, the 10 Drivers’ titles, the 155 wins and the 205 pole positions.

From the V6 turbo of its begin-

nings to the V8 still in use this season, via the V10 line of the 1990s, Renault has always placed the emphasis on technological innovation in F1 racing.

Even though the definition of the existing V8 engines is based on specifications that were frozen after the Japanese Grand Prix in 2006, the Viry-Chatillon team has never ceased to upgrade this engine, which has an output of over 700 hp. Through its continuous efforts to improve reliability, fuel consumption, drivability and team operating procedures, Renault has remained at the forefront of the event, as witnessed by the three consecutive titles claimed by Red Bull Racing and Sebastian Vettel.

At the same time, Renault Sport F1 began advanced studies on its Power Unit 2014 back in July 2011.

Following tests on a single-cylinder unit then on a complete V6, the energy recovery systems were tested in February 2013. The team ran the first Power Unit in a racing configuration on the test bench in June, a few days before its official presentation at the Le Bourget Air Show. The development of the Power Unit Energy F1-2014 is now gathering pace with a view to fitting it in the cars in early 2014.

India agrees to 600,000 T soymeal export deals MUMBAI: India has signed deals for 600,000 tons of soymeal exports to ship between October and December, with good demand seen and Iran among the buyers, the head of India’s biggest soybean processor said yesterday. India is Asia’s top soymeal exporter and its shipments compete for markets in Asia with South American supplies. Demand from Iran has risen as the country tries to balance its oil trade with India and reduce the impact of Western sanctions. India’s overall exports in the year from October 1 will be flat at 4.1 million tons, Paul Bloemendal, commercial director at Ruchi Soya, told reporters at a conference. The deals were signed for new season supplies in a wide price band of $465 to $530 per ton as the rupee currency was fluctuating sharply in the last month. “There is good demand for soymeal. We have already booked more than

10 percent of total exports,” Bloemendal said.

Iran is buying soymeal actively from India along with Thailand and other Asian countries, he said. India is paying Iran in rupees for its oil imports and is trying to boost exports of goods, including food, allowed by the sanctions that aim to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, in order to redress the imbalance. The country’s soymeal exports have fallen 9 percent in the period from October 2012 to August 2013, to 3.3 million tons, hit by lower demand from Vietnam and Indonesia, data compiled by industr y body the Soybean Processors Association of India shows.

Soybean output in India during 2013/14 was likely to be 11 million tons, flat from 2012/13, even though farmers increased the acreage planted with the crop. “Monsoon rains were more aggressive in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. It hurt soybean,” said

Dinesh Shahra, the managing director of Ruchi Soya.

Central Madhya Pradesh and western Maharashtra, the country’s top two producing states, have received higher rainfall than normal in the last few weeks, which hurt maturing crops.

B l o e m e n d a l s a i d I n d i a’s e d i b l e o i l impor ts in the 2013/14 marketing year starting from Nov. 1 would be 10.8 million tons, up from 10.3 million the previous year, with palm oil’s share rising to 8.8 million from about 8.5 million this year. Imports of refined palm oil in 2013/14 could halve to 1.1 million tons if India decides to increase the import duty, he added. India will consider an increase to protect its domestic refiners from cheap imports from Indonesia and M a l ays i a . I n d i a i s t h e wo r l d ’s b i g g e s t importer of palm oil. — Reuters

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

BUSINESS

KIEV: flydubai’s CEO Ghaith Al-Ghaith arrives at Kiev Zhyulyany International Airport.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony

Ukrainian officials welcome flydubai’s delegation

flydubai expands its Ukrainian network Airline launches flights to Zhulyany International Airport, Kiev KUWAIT: Dubai-based flydubai’s inaugural flight FZ727 to Zhulyany International Airport in Kiev landed yesterday and was welcomed with a water cannon salute. flydubai’s Chief Executive Officer, Ghaith AlGhaith, was greeted by airport officials including Denis Kostorzhevskiy, Head of the Board of Directors of International Airport Kiev (Zhulyany) and AlexyYakovec, General Director of Master Avia. The aircraft was configured with Business Class which went on sale earlier this month and is now being trialled on select flights. flydubai is also commencing operations to the southern city of Odessa, with flights twice a week. The airline now operates to four destinations in Ukraine and 66 destinations across its network.

Commenting on the launch, Ghaith AlGhaith said: “flydubai remains committed to the Ukrainian market. We have been flying here since 2011 and we now offer 28 flights a week to Dubai. In October, we are delighted to announce that the first commercial flight equipped with our new Business Class service will land in Kiev.”

Travel to Dubai from Ukraine has grown considerably, with a 46 percent growth in passenger numbers in the last 12 months. flydubai has made travel more convenient and Ukrainian passengers have made extensive use of the airline’s network, with 23 percent of them in the last year continuing their journey to popular destinations including Colombo in Sri Lanka and MalÈ in the Maldives. Visiting

Dubai’s efficient aviation hub allows passengers to connect onwards to over 200 destinations.

Commenting on the launch of the new service, Denis Kostorzhevskiy, said:”We are delighted to welcome flydubai to Zhulyany International Airport.These new flights will help to improve the connectivity of Kiev and contribute to the growth of our airport’s operations.We hope that this new route will increase both tourist and business travellers to the capital.”

With the start of flights to Zhulyany International Airport together with flydubai’s existing daily service to Boryspil International Airport passengers will now have the choice of a double daily service to Dubai.

Flight Details Flight FZ727 leaves daily from Dubai International Airport Terminal 2 at 0920hrs, arriving at Zhulyany International Airport at local time 1350hrs. The return flight, FZ728, departs daily from Zhulyany International Airport at 1435hrs, landing in Dubai at local time 2025hrs.

Flights between Zhulyany International Airport and Dubai will operate daily. Return fares start from KD 135. A seat with extra legroom costs KD8. Once on board, passengers can choose from a range of optional extras, including in-flight entertainment packages priced from KD1.5 and select from the varied menu of refreshments and Duty Free items.

Business Class flights between Zhulyany

International Airport and Dubai will commence on 28 October. Return fares start from KD334. Business Class fares include a comfortable spacious seat, a generous checked baggage allowance, flydubai’s award winning in-flight entertainment system and a choice of internationally- inspired menus and refreshments.

Flights can be purchased from flydubai’s website (flydubai.com), its Call Centre (+9714 231 1000), flydubai Travel Shops or through travel partners. Bookings in Kiev can be made by calling (+380 44 4659365).

Visa facilitation services can be obtained from flydubai Travel Shops and travel partners. Further information and details of the carrier’s car rental and travel services can also be found on flydubai.com.

NBK ‘Best Foreign Exchange Provider in Kuwait, Mideast’ Global Finance recognizes NBK as ‘Best Trade Finance Bank’ KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) was recognized as the “Best Foreign Exchange Provider in Kuwait and the Middle East 2013” and “the Best Trade Finance Bank in Kuwait in 2013” by Global Finance, the renowned international finance magazine.

The rewards were presented at an award ceremony held as part of The Sibos Conference in Dubai. The rankings, compiled by international finance magazine, Global Finance, are based on input from industry analysts, corporate executives and technology experts. Criteria for choosing the winners included transaction volume, market share, scope of global coverage, customer service, competitive pricing and innovative technologies.

NBK is enlisted among the World’s Best

Foreign Exchange Providers along with major international financial institutions. NBK continues to collectively enjoy the highest ratings among all banks in the Middle East from the three international rating agencies; Moody’s,

Fitch Ratings and Standard and Poor’s. The Bank’s ratings are supported by its high capitalization, prudent lending policies, and its disciplined approach to risk management, in addition to its highly recognized and very stable management team. In 2013, NBK was also named among Global Finance’s list of the 50 safest banks in the world for the eighth consecutive time.

NBK has the widest banking presence with more than 170 branches worldwide. NBK’s international presence spans many of the world’s leading financial centers including London, Paris, Geneva, New York and Singapore, as well as China (Shanghai). Meanwhile, regional coverage extends to Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Turkey.

Hilal Cement, Al-Mahaliya RMC Group revolutionize Kuwaiti cement market KUWAIT: Today Italcementi Group, the parent Company of Hilal Cement and the three ready mix companies (Mahaliya Ready Mix, Kuwait-German Ready Mix and Gulf Ready Mix) launch its i.nova system, the innovative product offer system running in all the subsidiaries around the world. The entire range of products developed by the fifth world cement producer, leader in innovation in the construction material sector, is now available on the market with a portfolio focused on the concept of Performance. It is a user-friendly and easy to read approach. The customer is the hub of a strategy which is no longer founded on the simple supply of a single product, but clearly focused on the ability to offer suitable solutions to satisfy the different requests with different products that guarantee a specific performance.

This is the first time, at a worldwide level, that a company operat-

ing in the building materials sector revolutionizes its supply system, making product classification quick and easy using a language that is readily recognized and commonly used at an international level. Each type of cement or concrete is, in fact, grouped according to its performance; this becomes the instrument that guides consumers and helps them choose the best product to suit their individual needs.

The new i.nova system will be presented in Kuwait next Monday at the Crown Plaza Hotel by Matteo Rozzanigo,Country Manager of Hilal Cement and Al Mahaliyya RMC Group, Ghaleb Khalil, General Manager of Hilal Cement, and Antonio D’Alessandro, General Manager of Al Mahaliyya RMC Group, who will highlight the strategic aspects of the project presented by the entire Group worldwide.

Commenting on the launch of the new branding system, Rozzanigo

said: “The new branding system inova is a new strategic tool to address the challenges of the market with determination and innovation. i.nova revolutionizes the selection process that leads to the purchase of building materials. Those looking for a product by Italcementi Group are presented with a wide, articulated and complete range that covers all Group sectors, from cement to concrete, from lime to mortar, among which the customer can choose in a simple and intuitive way. The performance as the Group’s unique selling proposition (USP) hence becomes the core choice criteria. To purchase an Italcementi Group product, you no longer have to know the name of the product, but simply identify the desired performance.Not just products, but performance to create a new way of building, rich in alternatives compared to traditional products.”

The new branding system i.nova will enhance the perception

of the added value that more than ten years of research and innovation have generated in the Italcementi Group products portfolio, among which cements that absorb carbon dioxide, drain water or let light through.

The new i.nova branding system has totally redesigned the structure of Hilal Cement and RMC’s product portfolio by dividing products into families of performance. Therefore, within the next months i.nova’s identity will be realized on all Hilal Cement and RMC packaging, marketing tools and invoices. With regards to the products currently available in Kuwait, Hilal Cement and RMC have organized their products in four main families: i.work (classic cement and concrete), i.tech (ultrahigh performance cement and concrete), i.design (white cement, high decorative and aesthetic ranges) and i.pro (concrete for specific uses).

Ford, Lincoln post strongest retail sales during Ramadan DUBAI: Ford and Lincoln vehicles recorded the best ever retail sales during the Ramadan period (July and August) this year, with nearly 15 per cent increase over the same period last year. The sales boost was largely owed to the growing popularity and show of confidence from consumers on both brands’ name plates. Year to date August sales for both Ford and Lincoln grew by about 20 per cent.

“It’s quite a feat to achieve our best-ever retail sales during this year’s Ramadan season,” said Thierry Sabbagh, Ford Middle East’s regional Sales director. “With such overwhelming confidence from customers around the region, Ford and Lincoln brands are sure to stay on track in achieving continued growth and capturing market share, thanks to our world-class lineup featuring class-exclusive technologies and innovations you wouldn’t normally expect.”

Ford Explorer, a consistent favourite among customers in the region, recorded the highest increase with a total 67 per cent versus the previous year. Ford Edge was the second best-seller in the GCC and Levant markets with 41 per cent higher sales. Ford Taurus showed what it takes to be the flagship sedan with a 72 per cent uptick in sales over the same period last year.

As for Lincoln, Ford Motor Company’s luxury brand sales have grown by 25 per cent during the July-August period, reiterating the growing demand for its latest models such as the MKS full-size sedan as well as the MKX compact crossover. And with the upcoming launch of the all-new Lincoln MKZ, Lincoln promises to delight its

customers as it presents the new generation of the brand, reinvented in every way, from design, to technologies and sporty performance. “ With such dynamic momentum achieved so far and our upcoming new model launches over the next few months, both the Ford and Lincoln lineups continue to grow and offer compelling models that suit every customers’ needs and budgets,” added Sabbagh. “We are well on track to achieve yet another successful year, and are eager to offer our latest models such as the all-new Ford Ecosport compact SUV and the Lincoln MKZ luxury sedan to our customers.”

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 177,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company.

Home Centre launches third season of ‘Room Makeover’ competition Giving away transformations worth AED250,000 KUWAIT: Home Centre has announced the third edition of its annual ‘Room Makeover’ contest. Featuring a creative twist, this year’s contest will give away transformations worth KD 1000 each. The competition began from 17 September across five GCC countries including Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman.

Unlike the earlier editions when participants were asked to showcase their poorly made rooms and justify their need for a makeover, this year the entries will be invited to challenge Home Centre to transform their personal spaces to reflect the contestants’ unique personalities.

The contest will select 25 winners from across the region that will each be given dramatic room makeovers worth AED10,000 in the UAE, KD1,000 in Kuwait, OMR1,000 in Oman, SAR10,000 in Saudi Arabia, and QAR10,000 in Qatar.

Aarti Jagtiani, General Manager, Home Centre, said: “With every passing year, we wish to make the Home Centre Room Makeover competition bigger and better.

This year, the contest will give away a larger number of makeovers and add a creative twist to make the activity even more exciting.

“Our brand is all about people and how each home is unique. This year, it is up to the participants to challenge Home Centre to recreate a room in a style that reflects their distinctive personalities. This refreshing change in the contest mechanics will help us connect with our customers across the region to closely understand their varied and evolving choices.

Once again, we are eagerly looking forward to this annual activity that offers us the opportunity to give back to the community.”

Participants are invited to participate on

Home Centre’s website (www.homecentrestores.com) and the brand’s Facebook page - (www.facebook.com/homecentrestores).

A simple, personality-based, multiplechoice questionnaire has to be answered for a chance to win a unique room

makeover. Following the collation of entries, the shortlisted participants will be requested to upload pictures of the room they wish to makeover. These entries will go through an exciting phase of voting and sharing. Three of the top voted entries will win instant room makeovers. An additional 50 most deserving entries will be shortlist-

ed and reviewed by experts from Home Centre to select the rest of the 22 winners.

The competition has garnered vast interest since its launch in 2011, which is reflected in the milestones that Home Centre has achieved. In 2012, Home Centre’s ‘Room Makeover’ contest drew over 3,500 entries from the GCC. In addition to providing home dÈcor expertise, the Home Centre design team made a distinct visual impact by matching colours, lighting, palettes and textures to reflect the needs and personalities of the winners. Home Centre offered all products including furniture, painting and accessories for refurbishing the rooms.

Each room makeover is completed in a single day, changing and touching the lives of many. : Since 1995 Home Centre has been in the business of transforming ‘houses’ into ‘homes’. What started with a single store

in Sharjah, UAE, is today the region’s preferred home shopping destination committed to delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and exceptional customer experience.

A leading home retailer in the MENA region and India, Home Centre offers an extensive and impressive range of furniture, furnishings, home accessories, bed & bath range, kitchenware and gifting ideas to a wide spectrum of audience. Evolving over the years, in 2010 Home Centre unveiled a reinvented brand identity with a new logo and more contemporary shopping experience. With a wide network of over 80 stores Home Centre occupies more than 3 million sq. ft. of retail space. In 2013-14 the business is foraying into newer markets in the Levant region, North Africa and CIS countries. The brand is also planning to open 10 to 12 new stores, within the same period.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

technology

First ‘ethical smartphone’ takes a big risk LONDON: A device billed as the world’s first ethically sourced smartphone was unveiled in London this week, but despite thousands of pre-orders its designer says the project remains a huge gamble.

The Dutchman behind the Fairphone says it avoids sourcing materials from conflict zones or using factories with poor labour practices, taking as its model the coffee and banana “fair-trade” industry.

More than 15,000 people have already ordered the new handset, which sells for 325 euros ($440) and is due to start shipping in December, but designer Bas van Abel said ethical business was far from easy. “The responsibility is enormous,” he told AFP at the unveiling of the Fairphone’s prototype at the London Design Festival.

“These 15,000 people trust me. If the factory which makes the devices is engulfed by an earthquake, I am going to have to refund them one-byone. “When I think about it I can’t even sleep or eat.”

The Fairphone prototype looks much like its competitors, Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy, but the designers say there is a world of difference.

Fairphone describes itself as a “social enterprise” that has essentially crowd-sourced its funding from the thousands of people who have ordered the

device without ever actually seeing one. Van Abel, a 36-year-old father-of three, had initially focused on finding a way to ethically obtain coltan, a mineral which is vital for mobile phones whose extraction in the Democratic Republic of Congo feeds one of the deadliest conflicts since World War II. Realising that cobalt was also used extensively to make handsets, Van Abel quickly broadened his ambition to building a smartphone embodying social and environmental values all along the production chain.

The Fairphone is also designed to be less energy-hungry and more easily recyclable than current smartphones. It is still manufactured in China, like the iPhone whose maker Apple has faced pressure to better oversee often-poor manufacturing conditions in China since 13 workers for one of its suppliers committed suicide in 2010 But Van Abel says that he is trying to “change the system where it is at its worst”.

“If we (take production) to Australia we feel like we’re avoiding the real issue,” he argued, adding that locating in such a country could also affect the price of the handset. Fairphone is in talks with several operators including Vodafone and Dutch group

Blog crackdown chills China’s political debate BEIJING: A government-backed campaign to assert greater control over social media has lead to increased self-censorship by some of China’s most influential bloggers, chilling political discourse in the country. Chinese microblogs similar to Twitter have become key drivers of public opinion in recent years, with bloggers drawing attention to official corruption, pollution and other issues that challenge China’s ruling Communist par t y. But in recent months influential government critics have been paraded on state television, pledging to avoid posts that could create a “negative” social influence, while hundreds have been detained for spreading “rumours” online.

“I t ’s creating pressure, and an atmosphere of fear,” said Xie Wen, a veteran of China’s Internet industry who worked as a senior manager for Yahoo! China. “It’s about making people speak less.” The rising influence of microblogs has been accompanied by the emergence of celebrit y users with verified accounts, known as “Big Vs”. With over 13 million followers, real-estate mogul Pan Shiyi became one of the most celebrated “Big V” bloggers, driving public opinion on pollution by posting details of Beijing’s dirty air levels, which at the time were not officially released.

At a meeting in mid-August, one of China’s top officials responsible for Internet censorship told Pan and other well-known bloggers to be “more positive and constructive” in their online comments, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Pan was later shown in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV, where he appeared contrite and warned of the dangers of “casual” online posts.

Tensions increased with the August arrest of Chinese-American investor Charles Xue, who gathered more than 12 million followers to his microblog with a steady drumbeat of criticism aimed at China’s government, on charges of soliciting prostitutes. State-media insisted that his arrest has no connection with his online commentar y, but government-run broadcaster CCTV showed him in prison clothes while under detention, confessing that he had used microblogging to “gratify my vanity”.

Prior to the crackdown, Chinese microblogs were subject to tight censorship, with posts critical of top Communist leaders or calling for street protests subjec t to the strictest censorship. But the latest campaign has led to increased selfcensorship, with posts from users with more than 50,000 followers on China’s most popular microblog, Sina Weibo, declining by 20 percent from

January to August, according to figures provided to Dow Jones Newswires. “ The people leading the movement hope that (social critics) will shut up,” Xie said. “A lot of people are changing their topics, talking about light issues and not anything serious.” Beijing-based Internet analyst Jeremy Goldkorn said: “It’s certainly had a chilling effect, it’s made people nervous.”

Several high-profile microblog users contacted by AFP said they had been avoiding sensitive political topics in recent weeks. “I feel the pressure, I am more careful about posting about any kind of topic,” said Wang Xiaoshan, a movie ac tor whose microblog has over one million followers. “There have always been limits, but now it’s more serious, you could end up in jail,” he added.

Zhou Ze, an outspoken lawyer who has about 160,000 followers, said: “If it’s about serious issues like official corruption, I’ve given up posting, there are more worries.” “I have more worries about posts relating to officials, especially state-security officials, because it’s them making the arrests,” he added.

The campaign appears to be part of a concerted effort by China’s new leadership under President Xi Jinping to re-assert control over all forms of the media. Xi last month called on propaganda officials to “build a strong army... to seize the ground of new media”, while China’s press regulator has ordered journalists to undergo “Marxist” training classes, state media reported. “The Internet is full of negative news of all kinds and critical voices saying the government only does bad things,” a Communist Party journal named Seeking Truth wrote this month in an article calling for stricter online controls. Alongside celebrities, police nationwide have detained hundreds for posting information online judged to contain “rumours”, according to official reports. The campaign received a legal boost this month when China’s Supreme court said Internet users could face three years in jail if “slanderous” information spread online is viewed more than 5,000 times or forwarded more than 500 times.

China’s ruling party, which has provided more room for public debate in recent decades, has long been engaged in a cat-and mouse game with Internet users, tightening restrictions in periodic crackdowns, before new forums emerge to challenge such restraints. Some expect that the recent campaign will fade away like previous ones. “It’s a short term movement, they won’t have enough space to detain people at this rate,” Zhou said. —AFP

KPN, but is reluctant to give away the handsets cheaply or for free as part of a network deal. “We understand that this represents a lot of money but giving away a phone for free removes all of its value and people don’t hesitate to throw it away as soon as there is a slight problem,” said Tessa Wernink, Fairphone’s director of communications.

Making the handsets easily disposable would defeat Van Abel’s hopes of creating a new business model. “An outsider might see Fairphone as a group of activists claiming the whole industry is rotten, but it is not that at all,” he argued. “We want to be part of the system, not to fight against it, but to change it from the inside.”

Apple and Samsung are giants in need of a shake up, he believes. “Samsung, Apple and all the big players have made so many innovations in the last years that they actually made the existence of Fairphone a possibility,” he stressed. “Fundamentally the big companies are stuck,” he explained. “It’s not fun for them to read in the newspapers that another Chinese worker has committed suicide in one of your factories. “They would do something, but the system prohibits them,” he stated. “This is why we want to change it.” — AFP

LONDON: A picture shows a prototype of a Fairphone smartphone during its unveiling. — AFP

‘Grand Theft Auto V’ sales race past $1bn ‘Grand Theft Auto is a cultural phenomenon’ SAN FRANCISCO: “Grand Theft Auto V” raked in more than a billion dollars in a record-shattering first three days on the streets for the unabashedly violent videogame, the publisher announced on Friday. Take-Two Interactive Software said it believed that the blistering pace of GTA V sales “marks the fastest (of ) any entertainment property, including video games and feature films.” “Grand Theft Auto is a cultural phenomenon, and Rockstar Games continues to redefine what can be achieved in interactive entertainment,” said Take-Two chief executive Strauss Zelnick.

Take-Two’s unit Rockstar Games spent five years crafting the title, with a rumored production budget of $270 million, and the time has paid off for gamers, according to a slew of reviews giving it top marks. The GTA franchise has won legions of fans and cadres of critics with gameplay in which triumph depends on acts such as carjacking, gambling and killing.

Play in Grand Theft Auto games has included simulated intercourse with prostitutes and drunken driving. The latest version is said by reviewers to be rife with more of the same, along with profanity-packed dialogue.

The fifth installment in the GTA series is set in a fictional city of Los Santos based on realworld Los Angeles and its nearby hills and beaches. It is billed by the New York Citybased videogame publisher as the “largest and most ambitious” title in a franchise that has sold more than 114 million copies since its debut in 1997.

Versions of GTA V for play on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 videogame consoles or personal computers powered by Windows software launched worldwide Tuesday. Sales of the game are expected to be boosted with upcoming launches of the title in Japan and Brazil. The estimates by Take-Two blow away the prior sales record set last year by Activision Blizzard’s “Call of Duty: Black Ops 2”-which topped a billion dollars in sales after 15 days on the market in 2012 and boasted an opening day more profitable than any Hollywood film debut at the time.

Take-Two noted that the 2012 blockbuster

CHIBA: Visitors queue to play the new Rockstar Games videogame “Grand Theft Auto V”, which will be released in Japan next month, at the Tokyo Game Show in Chiba, suburban Tokyo on September 19, 2013. — AFP

“The Avengers” took 12 days to bring in $1 billion, beating the previous record of 19 days set by “Avatar” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.” Fans say GTA appeals with captivating story lines and an openworld format that lets players go wherever they wish in game worlds, noting that players can rob banks, take a yoga lesson or fly a

Apple’s Tim Cook joins Twitter NEW YORK CITY: Apple chief executive Tim Cook joined Twitter on Friday, as huge crowds formed around the world to buy up the California giant’s two new iPhones. In his first tweet, Cook described his visit to customers waiting for iPhones near the company’s headquarters. “Visited Retail Stores in Palo Alto today. Seeing so many happy customers reminds us of why we do what we do,” he wrote.

The account, featuring a photographic portrait of Cook against a black background, bore the one-to-many microblogging service’s standard blue check mark meaning it has been officially confirmed by Twitter. Cook identified himself as “CEO

Apple” and a “Fan of Auburn football and Duke basketball” from Cupertino, California. And he snapped up a huge following very quickly. Within just hours of joining the service, Cook had already scored more than 92,000 followers.

And the company also launched the Twitter account @iTunes this week as it unveiled iOS 7, the operating system for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Apple is releasing the iPhone 5S, and the lower price 5C this week. While customers in the United States can get the iPhone 5C for $100 with a carrier contract, the unsubsidized price is $549 in the US and higher elsewhere. — AFP

Tech-backed coalition makes transparency push global

GLENDALE: Two men display their four new iPhone 5S outside the Apple Store at the Americana at Brand shopping complex in Glendale, California, September 20, 2013. — AFP

WASHINGTON: An Internet freedom coalition backed by US technology giants asked Thursday for 21 countries to release information on national security and law enforcement data requests. The Global Network Initiative, which includes Google, Facebook, Yahoo and Microsoft, asked the countries to “report on the requests they make for electronic communications surveillance and to make it legally possible for companies to report regularly to the public on the government requests that they receive from law enforcement as well as national security authorities.”

Letters were sent to senior government officials responsible for foreign affairs, justice, and security, with copies to data protection authorities, the group said. Copies were sent to representatives at the United Nations offices in Geneva, in advance of discussions on human rights and communications surveillance at the 24th session of the Human Rights Council, the organiza-

tion said.

The move comes with US tech firms in a battle with the US government to release more information on the role of companies in surveillance programs revealed in recent months by intelligence leaker Edward Snowden. The tech firms say they are not allowed to reveal number of national security requests, and that more transparency would boost the confidence of their users.

The Global Network Initiative, which seeks to promote freedom of expression and privacy in the digital age, sent the requests to the 21 countries in the Freedom Online Coalition, which have committed to collaborating to advance Internet freedom. The countries are Austria, Canada, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Latvia, the Republic of Maldives, Mexico, Mongolia, The Netherlands, Sweden, Tunisia, Britain and the United States. — AFP

plane, as well as play with or against one another online.

Rockstar said that GTA V “focuses on the pursuit of the almighty dollar” in a re-imagined Southern California. Grand Theft Auto IV blew away videogame and Hollywood records by raking in an unprecedented $500 million in the week after its release in 2008. —AFP

Google releases digital wallet App for iPhones SAN FRANCISCO: Google is bringing its digital wallet to the iPhone in its latest attempt to upstage Apple on its own popular device. Thursday’s release of the Google Wallet app represents a challenge to the Passbook program that Apple has built into the iPhone’s operating system. Both Google Wallet and Passbook allow iPhone users to store loyalty cards from some merchants and scan coupons offering discounts. Google Wallet also allows its users to send money and make purchases on some mobile websites by storing a debit or credit card account on the app. Payment information can also be stored in Passbook.

The arrival of Google Wallet on the iPhone comes a few days after a similar version was released to smartphones running on Google’s Android software.

Google gives away Android for free, a factor that has helped siphon sales away from the iPhone by enabling other smartphone makers to sell their devices at cheaper prices. About three out of every four smartphones sold during the first half of this year ran on Android software, according to the research firm Gartner Inc. In comparison, the iPhone had a 16 percent share of the worldwide market.

The higher-priced iPhones tend to attract more affluent consumers who are more likely to spend money through their devices, one of the reasons that Google is eager to connect with Apple customers.

Google has previously sought to outshine Apple’s built-in iPhone apps with its digital maps and a mobile version of its Chrome browser. By getting people to use its services on as many devices as possible, Google hopes to make more money by selling more digital advertising. — AP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Angioplasty, stenting safe even in smaller hospitals All standards must be met NEW YORK: Even when it’s not an emergency, it’s okay to have heart catheterization in hospitals not equipped for heart surgery. When you’re having a heart attack, the best hospital is the closest hospital-even if you live in a rural area and the closest hospital isn’t equipped for heart surgery.

Most of these hospitals can perform emergency balloon angioplasty and stenting to restore blood flow to the heart as safely as hospitals fully prepared for cardiac surgery.

But what if it’s not an emergency? Suppose your doctor suspects you have one of the possibly serious conditions best diagnosed by cardiac catheterization, in which a thin wire and plastic tube (catheter) are inserted into a blood vessel in the neck, leg, or arm and gently maneuvered into a coronary artery. Wouldn’t it be necessary to have a heart surgeon standing by ready to operate if something went wrong?

The surprising answer is no-as long as the doctor performing the procedure and the hospital in which it’s performed have plenty of experience with cardiac catheterization for both diagnosis and treatment, usually involving angioplasty plus stent placement. Doctors often use the term percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), which is generally understood to mean angioplasty performed as a treatment but sometimes includes all coronary catheterization procedures.

“Over time PCI has become much safer, and it is pretty rare to need surgery-on average less than 1% of the time, and in elective procedures it may be even less than that,” says Dr. Laura Mauri, associate professor at Harvard Medical School

and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “Now we need to think about whether it is necessary to have a surgeon on hand all the time.”

Mauri’s research team recently conducted a randomized trial showing that Massachusetts residents who undergo coronary catheterization do equally well at hospitals that do and do not offer cardiac surgery. The findings support an earlier study done on a national scale.

There’s an obvious benefit to having coronary catheterization performed at a hospital with cardiac surgeons standing by in case something goes wrong. But there are benefits to having the procedure done close to home, too.

“The advantage is you are with your own cardiologist, who may know you or be within your primary care practice environment. And you may be closer to your family and social support network,” Dr. Mauri says. “The downside is the risks may be significant if you have a problem and there is a delay in getting emergency surgery.

But that is a rare occurrence.”

The answers to the following questions should be ‘yes’ if you’re planning to have your procedure at a hospital not offering cardiac surgery: l Are you board certified in interventional cardiology? l Does the hospital do 400 or more diagnostic catheterizations a year? l Does it do at least 36 angioplasties a year? l In case of an emergency, does the hospital have a relationship with a hospital that offers cardiac surgery?

l Does the hospital have full-time PCI resources? l Does it participate in a patient-outcome registry?

How to know if your hospital meets PCI safety standards Current guidelines recommend that doctors who perform fewer than 50 coronary catheterizations a year should offer the service only at hospitals that perform 400 or more per year.

Hospitals that perform fewer than 200 per year, unless geographically isolated, are advised to consider discontinuing coronary catheterization.

“It can be done safely given certain circumstances. And the circumstances really are that the hospital has to have a sufficient volume of procedures and be participating in quality evaluation, and the physicians performing the procedures must have a certain volume per year,” Dr Mauri says. “If all those standards are in place, it is quite reasonable for a person to have PCI performed in a local hospital even without surgical backup.”

A recent survey found that 12.4% of all diagnostic and treatment-related catheterizations are performed in hospitals without on-site surgery.

Nearly 90% of those hospitals performed fewer than 400 such procedures per year-less than the optimal number according to current guidelines.

So if your doctor has scheduled you to have a cardiac catheterization at a small hospital, ask if it has on-site surgery. If it doesn’t, ask if it does at least 400 procedures per year. If not, ask your doctor if your catheterization might be better performed at a larger hospital. —MCT

Getting your protein from plants

KATHMANDU: A file picture shows Mount Everest seen from the Kalapattar Plateau some 140km northeast of Kathmandu. Starting on Sept 27, 2013, six years after their last diagnosis on global warming, climate experts of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will present their new state of affairs: an increasingly alarming wakeup call in preparation of the 2015 expected climate agreement. —AFP

Growing certainties on global warming, human role PARIS: Over the past 23 years, UN scientists have issued progressively stronger assertions about climate change.

They have moved from a sketchy warning that heat-trapping carbon gases emitted by fossil fuels will cause a “greenhouse” effect to the conviction that this effect is now having an impact on Earth’s climate. Following are extracts from the Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change’s assessment reports, the latest of which will be published from Friday.

First Assessment Report (1990) “... emissions resulting from human activities are substantially increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases...

“These increases will enhance the greenhouse effect, resulting on average in an additional warming of the Earth’s surface.”

Second Assessment Report (1995) “Most of these studies have detected a significant change and show that the observed warming trend is unlikely to be entirely natural in origin... “... the balance of evidence suggests that there is a discernible human influence on global climate. “... the average rate of warming [in projections for the 21st century] would probably be greater than any seen in the last 10,000 years, but the actual annual to decadal changes would include considerable natural variability.”

Third Assessment Report (2001) “There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities. “... the projected rate of warming is much larger than the observed changes during the 20th century and is very likely to be without precedent during at least the last 10,000 years, based on paleoclimate data.”

The report said the global average temperature had risen by 0.6 degrees Celsius (1.08 degrees Fahrenheit) between 1901 and 2000.

Human activity was “likely” to be the cause of warming, a term meaning a probability of more than 66 percent.

Fourth Assessment Report (2007) “Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of

increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level.

“Most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic [man-made] greenhouse gas concentrations.”

The report said that warming over the previous 100 years was 0.74 C (1.33 F), and 11 of the previous 12 years had been the warmest on record. Human activity was “very likely” the cause of warming, meaning a probability of more than 90 percent.

Fifth Assessment Report (draft version seen

by AFP) “In the northern hemisphere, the period 1983-2012 was very likely the warmest 30-year period of the last 800 years and likely the warmest period of the last 1,400 years. “....Greenhouse gases contributed a global mean surface warming likely to be in the range of 0.5-1.3 C [0.9-2.3 F] over the period 19512010.” “...There is high confidence that this has warmed the ocean, melted snow and ice, raised global mean sea level and changed some climate extremes in the second half of the 20th century.”

Human activity was “extremely likely” to be the cause of this warming, meaning between 95 and 100 percent probability.

The draft attributes an observed slowing in warming from 1998 to 2012 — a phenomenon cited by skeptics as evidence that warming is not man-made-to a temporary cooling cycle in the weather system and lower-than-expected solar activity.

Temperatures since 1901 have risen by 0.89 C (1.6 F), it says.

Additional warming this century is estimated to range from 1.0 to 3.7 C (1.8-6.6 F), and sea level rise from 40 to 62 centimetres (16-24.8 inches), according to four projections based on how much carbon is emitted.

As in past reports, these estimates are an average. Each projection gives a wide margin of variation either side of the figure. —AFP

WASHINGTON: It’s an easy way to increase your fiber, vitamins, and minerals. When it comes to getting protein in your diet, meat isn’t the only option. Mounting evidence shows that reducing meat and increasing plantbased proteins is a healthier way to go. “A diet with any type of meat raises the risk of heart disease and cancer, when compared with a vegetarian diet,” says cardiologist Dr Deepak Bhatt, a Harvard Medical School professor and editor in chief of the Harvard Heart Letter.

There are plenty of ways to get protein from plants.

Whole grains are a good source, and they’re complex carbohydrates as well. Try quinoa, barley, bulgur wheat, amaranth, millet, and brown and wild rice. Nuts, nut butters, and seeds are another source of protein, and they are rich in healthy unsaturated fat. There are many to choose from: almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts; almond butter and cashew butter; and pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.

The richest source of plant-based protein is the legume family: lentils, split peas, black-eyed peas, and beansblack, kidney, garbanzo, lima, navy, pinto, white, and kidney. The soybean, another legume, is the source of tofu and tempeh, which are rich in protein. However, we can’t be sure how much dietary soy is safe, so stick to two to four servings per week.

You don’t have to replace all of the meat in your diet with plant-based protein; switching out even one serving of red meat per day can make a big difference. “You can reduce your risk of heart attack significantly by substituting half a cup of beans or an ounce of nuts for one serving of red meat per day,” says Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition for Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. McManus recommends a gradual shift toward more plant-based protein over a six-month period. Stop making meat the “star” of the plate and instead enjoy the combinations of a variety of plant-based proteins.

Get creative when adding plant-based protein to your menu. “An easy way is soup,” says McManus. “Use beans and whole grains in broth.” She recommends beans and nuts in stir-fries, salads, pasta dishes, and sauces. Add cooked whole grains to a leafy salad. If dairy is allowed in your diet, mix low-fat plain Greek yogurt with cooked quinoa and fruit for a breakfast parfait. Pop tofu chunks into salads and pastas, or have a tofu burger.

Snack on whole-grain crackers with bean salsa or hummus. The point is to enjoy your meal and get the protein you need while cutting down on the saturated fat and cholesterol found in meat. The results will be healthy and delicious.

We need protein (made of amino acids) to build strong muscles, bones, and skin. But not all proteins you eat are created equal.

Complete proteins provide the essential amino acids that our bodies need to build new proteins. They’re found in most animal-based proteins such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, and cheese.

Incompleteproteins, such as vegetables, grains, and nuts, are lower in essential amino acids. But you can combine them to create complementary proteins that do provide enough essential amino acids.

It’s not necessary to eat these incomplete proteins at the same time, just within the same day. “Just eat a variety. You don’t have to worry about mixing proteins unless all animal products are off the menu,” says Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition for Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. How much protein you need each day depends on your age, gender, and level of physical activity. The average person needs 50 to 65 grams of protein per day. If that sounds complicated, McManus reminds us healthy diet recommendations include a wide range of protein-anywhere from 10% to 30% of your daily diet. —AP

JALALABAD: An Afghan man runs after throwing expired medicine onto a fire on the outskirts of Jalalabad yesterday. Afghanistan Health ministry officials set alight expired medicines which were collected from different hospitals and pharmacies in Nangarhar province. —AFP

Myanmar Muslim Free hospital offers hope in troubled times YANGON: From political activists freed after years in Myanmar’s jails to stricken and impoverished families, all are welcome at Yangon’s Muslim Free Hospital-a symbol of unity in a country riven by religious unrest.

There is barely a space left unoccupied in the bustling medical centre. From the sootsmeared front steps, through dusty stairwells and into sweltering wards, people wait for treatments that would be beyond their reach elsewhere in Myanmar’s desperately underfunded health system.

The throngs of people-the hospital sees up to 500 outpatients a day-are a testament to the diversity of the Buddhist-majority country’s main city, with flashes of colour from Myanmar skirt-like longyis and Muslim headscarves.

“I am a surgeon so my responsibility is to cure suffering patients,” Tin Myo Win said before setting out on a tour of the wards.

“The policy of this hospital is not to discriminate. It does not matter whether people are rich or poor, or what religion they are,” he said.

The doctor, a well-known former political prisoner who has for years been the personal physician for opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, said he had treated “many monks” during 21 years at the hospital.

The facility is a rare beacon of communal harmony in a country reeling from recent religious violence that has exposed deepening national fractures as it emerges from the shadows of military rule.

Around 250 people have been killed and more than 140,000 left homeless in several outbreaks of violence since June 2012, mainly minority Muslims who have been the target of riots and a nationalistic campaign led by some radical monks.

While the spread of religious unrest has stoked tension in the country, people visiting the hospital in a multicultural quarter of downtown Yangon said differences should be put aside.

“I don’t think about it. I have done business with Muslims many times in the past. I have a good friendship with them,” said Tin Tin Khaing, a Buddhist, whose 57-year-old father travelled from the Irrawaddy Delta region to have a hernia operation.

The hospital started life as the result of a campaign by young local Muslims as a small dispensary in 1937, when Myanmar was called Burma and run as an outpost of British India under colonial rule.

It now has departments specialising in surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, eyes, and psychiatry. Treatments are free to those deemed too poor to contribute, while a small fee is charged to those able to pay.

All services are desperately needed in a country where the previous junta neglected the health system as it focused on military spending. Some international aid agencies provide limited assistance in certain areas, and there are a scattering of clinics run by the Buddhist clergy and Aung San Suu Kyi’s oppo-

sition party.

But huge swathes of the impoverished population are effectively cut off from even the most basic medical help.

Chronically-underfunded government hospitals operate on a cost sharing basis, with patients charged for everything from the medicines needed to the equipment used.

According to World Health Organization data, total spending on healthcare in Myanmar was $27.9 per person in 2011.

The government accounted for just $2.9 of that-the lowest contribution in the world. But this was actually an improvement from 2005, when the state spent just 50 US cents per capita.

Tin Myo Win, the only Buddhist department head at the hospital, said the Muslim practice of donating 10 percent of their income to charitable causes was an important source of income for the hospital, as well as paid-for treatments and international donations.

He said the hospital had long stood as a local symbol of tolerance and a refuge for those with nowhere else to go.

Under decades of junta rule, which ended two years ago, Myanmar authorities swept up hundreds of activists into the country’s notorious jails, particularly those involved in mass anti-government protests in 1988 and 2007.

Political prisoners were often subjected to dire conditions, held far away from their families, treated with brutality and given no access to proper healthcare.

Many left jail in an extremely poor physical and mental state but were unable to afford treatment in state hospitals, which were also seen as hostile to the released campaigners, said Tin Myo Win. The doctor spent three years in prison after taking part in a failed 1988 student-led uprising that also saw the rise of Suu Kyi’s opposition. He has spent the two decades since his release working at the Muslim Hospital, which welcomed the detained activists.

“They don’t just come here because of financial problems. It is also maybe because they believe in me. We understand each other very well. Only those who stayed in jail know how we suffered inside for food and health.

The situation inside was terrible,” he said.

Political reforms that have swept the country since a new quasi-civilian government took power in 2011 mean that former detainees are no longer shunned by state hospitals. But old loyalties remain firm.

“The doctor is like my family member. We trust him, so we went to the hospital after we were released,” said Kyaw Soe Naing, a fivetime political prisoner who is now a close aide to Suu Kyi. The 44-year-old said he hoped the Muslim Hospital would continue to grow and that more medical centres could follow its example.

“Whatever religion people believe in, they must receive treatment when they are sick. I want many such hospitals,” he said. —AFP

PYONGYANG: North Korean children play in a small wading pool that North Korean officials say was built as a day care facility for the families of workers at a food processing plant in Pyongyang yesterday. —AP

When to seek genetic testing for heart disease NEW YORK: If genetic heart disease strikes a family, testing offers options.

Many kinds of heart disease run in families. Most of these, such as coronary artery disease, are influenced by multiple genes that interact in complicated ways. Thus, genetic testing has not yet proved particularly useful for these conditions. Heart problems caused by only one or a few genes are a different story.

For these conditions, genetic testing

“is family testing,” says Dr Carolyn Y. Ho, medical director of the cardiovascular genetics center at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “It is really for the benefit of the family at large to understand what is causing disease and to help identify those at risk.” A number of heart conditions result from only one or a few genes that have powerful disease-causing effects. Examples include arrhythmogenic right ventricu-

lar dysplasia, Brugada syndrome, familial amyloidosis, familial dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Loeys-Dietz syndrome, long QT syndrome and marfan syndrome.

Most of these diseases are passed from one generation to the next by way of dominant genes. This means that a person who inherits this gene from either parent will also have the diseaseand that his or her siblings and children

have a 50-50 chance of having it, too. A person carrying the genes for these lifethreatening diseases may need to make major lifestyle changes and perhaps begin heart medications or even get an implanted device.

Often an apparently healthy person will seek testing for a genetic heart disease after a family member has died of the disease. But that’s not the way it should happen. The first

person in a family who should be tested is the person with the most serious manifestation of the disease.

At Dr. Ho’s hospital, this “index” person would get comprehensive genetic testing. At present, this usually would not mean sequencing all the person’s genes, which would be very expensive ($9,000 to $10,000, Dr. Ho estimates). Instead, for less than half that cost ($1,000 to $5,000) the test

would look only at a panel of specific genes known to be linked to the person’s disease.

The reason for looking at the most affected person is to identify genes with the most powerful disease-causing effects. It’s possible that testing other family members may miss these important genes while identifying only those that make less significant contributions. —MCT

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

Recurrent misuse, overuse of antibiotics “We are physicians from different specialties with a specific interest in public health advocacy and promotion. We, also, aim to increase awareness among the Kuwaiti public regarding a variety of diseases and conditions and to rectify the misconceptions they may have.

Since our group consists of multiple physicians we decided to write under the pen name of L’homme en Blanc.”

KUWAIT: Antibiotics are a scientific miracle of the twentieth century that we have Alexander Fleming to thank for. The question is, however, have we been misusing them and would Sir Fleming be proud of the point we have reached today? I think not. The recurrent misuse and overuse of antibiotics has lead to the emergence of resistant organisms, or “super bugs” that cannot be killed off by the current antibiotics we have today. So what should we use antibiotics for? Firstly, to better understand their use we need to know exactly what they are.

An antibiotic is an antibacterial

agent, which means that it kills off bacteria and not other organisms like viruses or fungi. For that reason the first rule of antibiotic use is to try to not use them, and specifically, to use them for their intended purpose, which means that all basic viral infections like the common cold and flu, or viral gastroenteritis (the runs) do not need any antibiotic treatment and tend to subside on their own. Breaking of the aforementioned rule is the main cause of emergence of resistant antibiotics; other causes include self prescription by patients and over-prescription of antibiotics by treating

physicians.

A recent review by the CDC (centre for disease control) found that 23,000 people die each year from untreatable bacterial infections due to antibiotic resistance in the US alone. That number is substantial and should wake the medical and local communities to the degree of this threat. The first step in trying to rectify this emerging problem is patient education. In a recent study on respiratory tract infections, it was found that physicians tended to prescribe antibiotics to patients who appeared to expect them even if it may not be indicated, for that reason

public knowledge regarding this subject is imperative.

We as public health advocates think it is very important for the community in Kuwait to be aware of a number of facts regarding antibiotics.

Firstly, antibiotics are not a miracle cure that is required for every disease and should only be prescribed to you by a treating physician if you have proof of a bacterial infection.

Secondly, antibiotics, like all other medicaments, have side effects and their consumption is only indicated once their benefit exceeds their risk; in addition, unnecessary use will not

benefit a patient’s condition in any way. Thirdly, as previously mentioned, viral illnesses like the common cold should not be treated with antibacterial agents and their treatment with these agents will in no way shorten the duration of the disease or alleviate its symptoms.

We urge you all to rethink when requesting an unnecessary antibiotic from your physician in order to allow the invention that started with Alexander Fleming to continue to be beneficial for us and for future generations to come. Stay healthy Kuwait!

L’ Homme en Blanc

Links between dental, heart diseases CAMBRIDGE: Some people with heart valve disease need special dental care. For nearly 100 years, researchers have been exploring possible links between dental disease and heart disease. It is well established that dental procedures can lead to infection in certain types of heart valve disease, an uncommon occurrence.

In more recent years, researchers have also speculated that periodontal disease (inflammation of the gums and soft tissues that support the teeth) may also increase the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD)-the most common type of serious heart disease. Periodontal disease and CAD share some of the same risk factors, and people with bad teeth and gums often have bad hearts.

Periodontal disease is caused by more than 500 different microorganisms that live in a hard-toremove biofilm called dental plaque. Adults have more than a billion bacteria living in their mouths.

Most of these bacteria are found in the shallow space around the outside of the tooth. Deeper and deeper pockets develop as periodontal disease progresses. The risk of dental disease-overgrowth of bacteria and other bugs penetrating deeper and deeper into the gums and teeth-increases with age.

However, there’s no convincing evidence that periodontal disease leads to CAD, an expert panel convened by the American Heart Association (AHA) concluded last year. The panel had the tough job of reviewing conflicting evidence from observational studies, which can’t determine cause and effect,

and the very few clinical trials that provide harder data on causation. “So far the studies that have shown an association between heart disease and dental problems do not show that periodontal disease causes heart disease,” says Dr. John Da Silva, a clinical associate at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

That doesn’t mean studies of the association between dental disease and heart disease have stopped. A recent study published in the journal Stroke, based on Taiwan’s national insurance database, found that people treated for periodontal disease had a somewhat lower risk of stroke over a 10year period than those whose dental disease went untreated. The researchers concluded that regular dental care prevents stroke, even though the study could not rule out other explanations for the findings (for example, that people who get regular dental care also get better overall health care).

Even if there is an associationbetween heart disease and dental disease, claims that dental care preventsheart disease are “unwarranted,” says the AHA. The American Heart Association and American Dental Association once recommended that people take antibiotics before having dental procedures during which gums or teeth are poked, prodded, or pulled, or in which the gums or skin of the mouth might be broken. But they changed that in 2007. The worry is that bleeding during dental work can flush microbes into the bloodstream. On rare occasions, that can lead to bacterial endocardi-

tis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart, says Dr. Da Silva. It can damage heart valves and lead to other serious problems. Although the condition isn’t common, it can be difficult to eradicate and can sometimes be deadly. Today, the heart and dental associations recommend taking antibiotics before dental work only for individuals who: • have an artificial heart valve (biological or mechanical) • have had bacterial endocarditis before • have a congenital heart disease that has not yet been repaired, that was fixed with a device or artificial material, or that was fixed but still causes some problems • have received a heart transplant and have developed a valve problem.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: what you can do Early diagnosis can prevent sudden deaths.

Finding out whether you’re among the one in 500 people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy could save your life-and could prevent the sudden death of someone you love.

Despite its long name, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) often makes headlines. It’s the most common reason why young, apparently healthy athletes collapse and die. Some of these deaths might have been avoided had the individuals known they had a close relative with the same condition, says Dr. Christine Seidman, professor of medicine and genetics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. —-MCT

RIYADH: Saudi and foreign medical experts attend a three-day-international conference on mass gathering medicine yesterday in Riyadh. The conference, attended by international health experts from some 20 countries, aims at discussing the potential for the spread of diseases as a result of crowd density and population movement, notably ahead of the annual Haj pilgrimage. — AFP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

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hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! Let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

Announcements A photowalk in Kuwait on Oct 5th photowalk is more like a social photography event where photographers gather in a spot, take photos for an hour or two then maybe meet up at a restaurant after that. Scott Kelby’s worldwide photowalk never took place in Kuwait until now. Kuwait’s photowalk will be held on October 5th at Souk Al-Mubarakiya at 10am.

There are some prizes to be won like a Canon 70D and Adobe Creative Cloud Membership. So far there are 700 registered photowalks with 8700+ photographers. The prizes are for the worldwide event, not just Kuwait. Kuwait Mapping Meet-Up will be held on September 2 at 5:30 pm in Coffee Bean (Mahboula, Coastal Road). The event is for anyone interested in maps, spatial analysis or surveying in Kuwait. For more information, contact Wil at 9722-5615.

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Issue of online visa

by Indian embassy oreigners requiring visas for India need to apply it online from 16th June 2013.

Applicants may log on to the Public portal at www.indianvisaonline.gov.in. After successful online submission, the hard copy, so generated, has to be signed by the applicant and submitted with supporting documents in accordance with the type of visa along with the applicable fee in cash at any of the two outsource centres at Sharq or Fahaheel. It is essential that applicants fill in their personal details as exactly available in their passports. Mismatch of any of the personal details would lead to non-acceptance of the application.

Fees once paid are non-refundable. All children would have to obtain separate visa on their respective passports.

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Indian Embassy sets up helpline he Indian Embassy in Kuwait has set up helpline in order to assist Indian expatriates in registering any complaint regarding the government’s ongoing campaign to stamp out illegal residents from the country. The embassy said in press release yesterday that it amended its previous statement and stated if there is any complaint, the same could be conveyed at the following (as amended): Operations Department, Ministry of Interior, Kuwait. Fax: 22435580, Tel: 24768146/25200334. It said the embassy has been in regular contact with local authorities regarding the ongoing checking of expatriates. The embassy has also conveyed to them the concerns, fears and apprehensions of the community in this regard.

The authorities in Kuwait have conveyed that strict instructions have been issued to ensure that there is no harassment or improper treatment of expatriates by those undertaking checking. “The embassy would like to request Indian expatriates to ensure that they abide by all local laws, rules and regulations regarding residency, traffic and other matters,” the release read. It would be prudent to always carry the Civil ID and other relevant documents such as driving license, etc. In case an Indian expatriate encounters any improper treatment during checking, it may be conveyed immediately with full details and contact particulars to the embassy at the following phone number 67623639. These contact details are exclusively for the above-mentioned purpose only.

Premier Basketball Academy launches new season

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he Premier Basketball Academy launches the new season this week with the opening of fabulous new facilities at the Bayan Sports Arena, located in Bayan Block 7, next to Abdullah Al-Rujaib High School. With a full size court now located in the indoor sports hall, alongside the outdoor courts, players can look forward to an exciting and action packed programme during the year ahead. New coaches Alex and Lesley will be putting the players through their paces with technical development and game play appropriate to the various age groups. Players aged 6 to 16 years are welcome to attend the introductory sessions held on Wednesday at 5 pm, Friday at 9:30 am and Saturday at 4 pm.

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8th Expo Pakistan to commence in September he 8th Expo Pakistan will be held from September 26 to 29 in Karachi. Held annually, Expo Pakistan is the biggest trade fair in the country showcasing the largest collection of Pakistan’s export merchandise and services.

Foreign Exhibitors also use the event to launch their products. Expo Pakistan 2012 was visited by delegates from 52 countries and generated a business of over $ 518 million. A 16 member delegation from Kuwait including reputable companies like Al-Yasra Foods also took part in the last exhibition.

Expo Pakistan 2013 is being held under the auspices of the Trade Development Authority Pakistan. Details about the event can be viewed www.expopakisan.gov.pk. Further information and details of sponsorship can be obtained from the office of Commercial Secretary, Pakistan Embassy, Jabriya (25356594) during office hours.

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Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

KSNA Kuwait forms sub-committees

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erala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi (KSNA) Kuwait Chapter has constituted five sub-committees for the smooth conduct of the Pravasi Amateur Drama Festival slated to be held on February 25, 26, 27, 2014 in Kuwait. The Chapter has also invited entries from amateur theatre groups in Kuwait to participate in the drama festival. The drama festival has been organized in order to identify the best pravasi theatre artistes in the Gulf and recognize them by conferring on them Kerala state government awards. The Kuwait chapter has requested pravasi theatre groups to register their troupes for competition by contacting KSNA Program Committee by email ksnakuwait@gmail.com on or

before September 30, 2013.

Following are the members of the five sub-committees constituted for conducting Pravasi Amateur Drama Competition. Progam Committee: Vijay Karayil (Ad-Hoc Committee), B S Pillai (Ad-Hoc Committee), K P Balakrishnan, Rajan Menon, Saji Janardhanan, Sajitha Scaria, Subbaraman A R, Prasad K Mathew and Ramdas Nair.

Finance committee: Pancily Varkey (Chairman, AdHoc committee), Sunil P Antony (Ad-Hoc Committee), Babu Chakola, Raghunathan Nair, Anil Raj, Dileep Naderi, Bobby Sebastian, George Thomas and Siju Sadasivan. Stage and venue: Babuji Bathery (Ad-Hoc

Committee), Johney Kunnil (Ad-Hoc Committee), Chessil Ramapuram, Manoj Mavelikkara, Hassan Koya, Aboobakkar K, Sajeesh Kumar, Scaria John and Krishnakumar.

Reception and food: Nixon George (Ad-Hoc committee), Shemejkumar K K (Ad-Hoc committee), R Naganathan, Praveen Aduthila, Deepak L B Nair, Ashraf Kalathodu, Shabla Rassal, Shyju Pallipuram and Sanjay Cherian.

Media and publicity: Thomas Mathew Kadavil (Ad Hoc Committee),Sajeev K Peter (Coordinator, Ad-Hoc committee), Anil P Alex, Sathar Kunnil, Regi Bhaskar, Girish Ottapalam, Reji Mathew and Ismayeel Payyoli.

NAFO Onam on October 4

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ational Forum Kuwait (NAFO Kuwait), a non-political, non-profit global organization (www.nafoglobal.org) registered with the Indian Embassy will be celebrating Onam on Friday, October 4 2013, at the Indian Community School (Senior), Salmiya, from 10:00 am onwards. Final preparations are underway. Indian Ambassador, Satish Mehta, has been invited to be the chief guest on this happy occasion.

Distinguished Kuwaiti nationals and eminent personalities from among all sections of Indian community will also grace the event with their benevolent presence.

A variety of cultural programs depicting the good old memories of a golden era of prosperity under the reign of King Mahabali, will be staged by the talented men, women and children of NAFO family.

This year’s celebrations will be unique with a rare treat for music connoisseurs.

First time in Kuwait, NAFO introduces Kerala’s ritual musical legacy - “Ashtapathi Concert” by accomplished sopana sangeetham singer Eloor Biju.

Mohiniyattam, Thiruvathirakkali, folk dance, fusion dance, group songs, solo songs, instrumental music, and skits will also be the true highlights of the whole day celebration.

A sumptuous meal, the traditional “Onasadya” will be served to all the guests

and attendees. Festival coupon was officially released in a function held on September 13, by Dr T A Ramesh (Country Head, Gulf Mart & Geant market chain) handing over to NAFO Patron Vijay Karayil.

The program committee has informed that all NAFO members may kindly collect

their Onasadya coupons well in advance.

Program Committee apprised that all members would be contacted by designated representatives of NAFO Executive Committee to facilitate smooth distribution of coupons, and urged the members to extend their sincere support and active participation to make the event a mega

success. Through collective hard work by numerous dedicated individuals, NAFO has now become one of the leading, prestigious and honored associations in Kuwait. These achievements inspire the association to further strengthen and accelerate its socio-cultural services, officials added.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 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

Najla Al-Naqqi Forum hosts representatives from the Taipei Economy and Trade Office

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he Najla Al-Naqqi Forum hosted representatives from the Taipei Economy and Trade Office in Kuwait who were accompanied by students visiting the country in a cultural visit. Several Kuwaiti social activists attended the event. —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

Dr Ayed Al-Hamdan presents the Taipei Economy and Trade Office’s representative with a copy of his book as Najla Al-Naqqi (right) and Ibrahim Al-Baghli (left) look on.

EMBASSY OF VATICAN The Apostolic Nunciature Embassy of the Holy See, Vatican in Kuwait has moved to a new location in Kuwait City. Please find below the new address: Yarmouk, Block 1, Street 2, Villa No: 1. P.O.Box 29724, Safat 13158, Kuwait. Tel: 965 25337767, Fax: 965 25342066.

Email: nuntiuskuwait@gmail.com.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:05 World’s Scariest 00:55 Forbidden 01:45 Body Bizarre 02:35 How It’s Made 03:00 How It’s Made 03:25 How It’s Made 03:50 How It’s Made 04:15 How It’s Made 04:40 How Do They Do It? 05:05 How Do They Do It? 05:30 How Do They Do It? 06:00 How Do They Do It? 06:30 How Do They Do It? 07:00 Fast N’ Loud 07:50 Fantom Works 08:40 Wheeler Dealers: Trading Up 09:30 River Monsters 10:20 Deadliest Catch 11:10 Deadliest Catch 12:00 Aircrash Confidential 12:50 Destroyed In Seconds 13:15 Destroyed In Seconds 13:40 How It’s Made 14:05 How It’s Made 14:30 How It’s Made 14:55 How It’s Made 15:20 How It’s Made 15:45 Auction Hunters 16:10 Auction Hunters 16:35 Auction Hunters 17:00 Auction Hunters 17:25 Auction Hunters 17:50 Border Security 18:15 Border Security 18:40 Border Security 19:05 Border Security 19:30 Border Security 19:55 Mythbusters 20:45 The Big Brain Theory 21:35 Dynamo: Magician Impossible 22:25 The Unexplained Files 23:15 Alien Mysteries

00:05 How Tech Works 00:30 Sci-Fi Science 01:00 Scrapheap Challenge 01:50 Scrapheap Challenge 02:45 Scrapheap Challenge 03:35 Scrapheap Challenge 04:25 Scrapheap Challenge 05:15 The Gadget Show 05:40 How Tech Works 06:05 James May’s Man Lab 07:00 Superhuman Showdown 07:50 Human Body: Ultimate Machine 08:40 The Gadget Show 09:05 How Tech Works 09:30 Moon Machines 10:20 NASA’s Greatest Missions 11:15 NASA’s Greatest Missions 12:05 NASA’s Greatest Missions 13:00 NASA’s Greatest Missions 13:50 Sci-Fi Science 14:20 The Gadget Show 14:45 How Tech Works 15:10 Superhuman Showdown 16:00 Nyc: Inside Out 16:55 Junk Men 17:20 Junk Men 17:45 Stephen Hawking’s Grand Design 18:35 Bang Goes The Theory 19:05 Bang Goes The Theory 19:30 Human Nature 20:20 Plastic Fantastic Brain 21:10 The Gadget Show 21:35 How Tech Works 22:00 Human Nature 22:50 Plastic Fantastic Brain 23:40 The Gadget Show

00:30 01:20 02:10 03:00 03:25 03:45 04:30 05:20

Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Dr G: Medical Examiner Deadly Devotion Stalked: Someone’s Watching Stalked: Someone’s Watching Blood Relatives Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Dr G: Medical Examiner

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 22:25 22:50 23:40

00:00 00:20 00:45 01:05 01:30 01:50 02:15 02:35 03:00 03:20 03:45 04:05 04:30 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:30 Pirates 06:45 07:10 07:35 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:15 10:40 12:15 12:35 13:00 13:25 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:10 16:35 17:00 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:30 18:55 19:20 19:40 20:05 20:30 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:10 23:35

06:00 06:10 06:35 07:00 07:20 07:45

Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

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 Did I Marry?

Disappeared Solved Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Dr G: Medical Examiner Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill Dates From Hell Dates From Hell On The Case With Paula Zahn LA: City Of Demons

Stitch!

Stitch!

A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School The Replacements The Replacements A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School The Replacements The Replacements A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic Doc McStuffins Doc McStuffins Jake And The Neverland Sofia The First A.N.T. Farm Shake It Up That’s So Raven That’s So Raven Dog With A Blog Gravity Falls Jessie Wolfblood Shake It Up Teen Beach Movie Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie A.N.T. Farm Jessie That’s So Raven That’s So Raven Dog With A Blog Austin And Ally Gravity Falls Jessie Dog With A Blog A.N.T. Farm That’s So Raven That’s So Raven That’s So Raven A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Dog With A Blog Shake It Up Austin And Ally A.N.T. Farm That’s So Raven Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up A.N.T. Farm Austin And Ally Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place

Kid vs Kat American Dragon Kickin It Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Lab Rats

08:10 Lab Rats 08:35 Phineas And Ferb 08:45 Phineas And Ferb 09:00 Camp Lakebottom 09:30 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 09:55 Slugterra 10:20 Ultimate Spider-Man 10:45 Ultimate Spider-Man 11:10 Lab Rats 11:35 Pair Of Kings 12:00 Phineas And Ferb 12:30 Camp Lakebottom 13:00 Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior 14:35 Phineas And Ferb 14:45 Phineas And Ferb 15:00 Phineas And Ferb 15:10 Phineas And Ferb 15:25 Camp Lakebottom 15:50 Slugterra 16:15 Max Steel 16:40 Kickin’ It 17:05 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 17:30 Crash & Bernstein 17:55 Camp Lakebottom 18:20 Lab Rats 18:45 Phineas And Ferb 18:55 Phineas And Ferb 19:10 Slugterra 19:35 Crash & Bernstein 20:00 Ultimate Spider-Man 20:25 Zeke & Luther 20:50 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 21:15 Phineas And Ferb 21:25 Phineas And Ferb 21:40 Almost Naked Animals 22:05 Rekkit Rabbit 22:35 Scaredy Squirrel 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am KSA

00:30 01:20 02:10 03:00 03:25 03:45 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 09:30 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 22:25 22:50 23:40

Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Dr G: Medical Examiner Deadly Devotion Stalked: Someone’s Watching Stalked: Someone’s Watching Blood Relatives Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Dr G: Medical Examiner Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

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 Did I Marry?

Disappeared Solved Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Dr G: Medical Examiner Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill Dates From Hell Dates From Hell On The Case With Paula Zahn LA: City Of Demons

00:30 01:00 01:30 You 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 Leno 05:30 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 Leno

The Daily Show The Colbert Report George Lopez: It’s Not Me It’s Weeds Two And A Half Men Ben And Kate Seinfeld The Tonight Show With Jay All Of Us The War At Home Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Seinfeld All Of Us Ben And Kate Hot In Cleveland The Tonight Show With Jay

12:00 The War At Home 12:30 Seinfeld 13:00 All Of Us 14:00 Ben And Kate 15:00 Hot In Cleveland 15:30 The Daily Show 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 The War At Home 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 The Simpsons 18:30 The Mindy Project 19:00 The Mindy Project 19:30 Hot In Cleveland 20:00 Parks And Recreation 20:30 Wilfred 21:00 The Daily Show 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Veep 22:30 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 23:00 The League 23:30 Parks And Recreation

00:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

24 Hatfields And McCoys The Americans The Mob Doctor C.S.I. New York 24 Switched At Birth Fairly Legal C.S.I. New York The Mob Doctor Emmerdale Coronation Street Fairly Legal 24 Emmerdale Coronation Street Fairly Legal Psych Top Gear (UK) C.S.I. Defiance The Americans

00:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 09:00 10:00 10:30 12:00 13:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

House Of Cards Good Morning America Nip/Tuck Treme Good Morning America Emmerdale Coronation Street Awake Emmerdale Coronation Street Drop Dead Diva House Of Cards Live Good Morning America Drop Dead Diva Awake House Of Cards Drop Dead Diva Body Of Proof House Of Cards Treme Nip/Tuck

00:00 The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift 02:00 Hell 04:00 Mafia 06:00 The Adventures Of Tintin 08:00 The Speed Of Thought 10:00 Sins Expiation 12:00 Last Man Standing 14:00 The Blood Bond 16:00 Sins Expiation 18:00 Big Trouble In Little China 20:00 The Blood Bond 22:00 5 Days Of War

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 PG15 18:00 20:00 22:00

Hell-18 Mafia-PG15 The Adventures Of Tintin-PG The Speed Of Thought-PG15 Sins Expiation-PG15 Last Man Standing-PG15 The Blood Bond-PG15 Sins Expiation-PG15 Big Trouble In Little ChinaThe Blood Bond-PG15 5 Days Of War-PG15 Amphibious-18

00:00 Caddyshack-18 02:00 Analyze That-PG15 04:00 Ernest Goes To Jail-PG 06:00 Chasing Liberty-PG15 08:00 Police Academy 7: Mission To Moscow-PG15 10:00 Mr. Destiny-PG 12:00 Ernest Goes To Jail-PG 14:00 The Great Outdoors-PG15 16:00 Mr. Destiny-PG 18:00 Sorority Wars-PG15 20:00 Dazed And Confused-18 22:00 Caddyshack-18

00:30 StreetDance 2-PG15 02:30 Gandhi-PG 05:45 Of Two Minds-PG15 07:30 Too Late To Say GoodbyePG15 09:00 StreetDance 2-PG15 11:00 Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close-PG 13:15 The Wishing Well-PG15 15:00 Love Takes Wing-PG15 16:45 The Tree Of Life-PG15 19:00 Return-PG15 21:00 Coriolanus-PG15 23:00 The Disappearance Of Alice Creed-18

5 DAYS OF WAR ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

01:00 A Very Long Engagement-18 03:15 Circle Of Lies-PG15 05:00 The Preacher’s Wife-PG15 07:00 The Inkwell-PG15 09:00 Here On Earth-PG15 11:00 My Kid Could Paint ThatPG15 13:00 Love And Other Impossible Pursuits-PG15 15:00 A Better Life-PG15 17:00 My Kid Could Paint ThatPG15 19:00 Columbus Circle-PG15

THE GREAT OUTDOORS ON OSN MOVIES COMEDY HD 20:45 In The Land Of Blood And Honey-R 23:00 Summer Of Sam-18

00:00 The Big Bang-18 02:00 My Week With Marilyn-PG15 04:00 I Don’t Know How She Does It-PG15 05:29 Web Of Lies-PG15 07:00 Playdate-PG15 09:00 I Don’t Know How She Does It-PG15 11:00 Underground: The Julian Assange Story-PG15 13:00 Arrietty-FAM 15:00 Three Inches-PG15 17:00 I Don’t Know How She Does It-PG15 19:00 Like Crazy-PG15 21:00 Ruby Sparks-18 23:00 The Rum Diary-18

01:00 Rainbow Valley Heroes 02:45 Eleanor’s Secret 04:15 The Muppets 06:00 Rainbow Valley Heroes 08:00 The Elf Who Stole Christmas 10:00 Wheelers 11:15 Jumanji 13:00 Eleanor’s Secret 14:30 The Three Bears: Dreadful Dangers 16:00 Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax 18:00 Tinker Bell And The Secret Of The Wings 20:00 Over The Hedge 22:00 The Three Bears: Dreadful Dangers 23:30 Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax

00:00 Shark Night-PG15 01:30 Batman: Year One-PG15 02:45 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part One-PG15 04:15 Here Comes The Boom-PG15 06:00 Shark Night-PG15 08:00 Wreck-It Ralph-PG 10:00 The Big Year-PG 12:00 Wrath Of The Titans-PG15 14:00 Just Crazy Enough-PG15 16:00 Wreck-It Ralph-PG 18:00 Premium Rush-PG15 20:00 Leaves Of Grass-PG15 22:00 Small Apartments-PG15

00:00 NRL Premiership 02:00 Rugby Union Currie Cup 04:00 Rugby Union Currie Cup 06:00 Trans World Sport 07:00 Champions Tour 09:00 Sailing America’s Cup Highlights 10:00 NRL Premiership 12:00 Trans World Sport 13:00 ICC Cricket 360 13:30 Live Cricket Champions League Twenty20 16:30 Rugby Union Currie Cup 18:30 Live PGA Tour

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 05:00 08:00 09:00

WWE Bottom Line UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Countdown Live UFC 165 Prelims Live UFC 165 Main Event Trans World Sport Cricket Champions League

Twenty20 12:00 Top 14 14:00 PGA European Tour Weekly 14:30 Live PGA European Tour 18:30 Sailing America’s Cup Highlights 19:30 NFL Gameday 20:00 Live NFL 23:00 Live NFL

02:00 06:30 07:00 07:30

PGA European Tour Total Rugby ICC Cricket 360 Futbol Mundial

08:00 Live Asian Tour Golf 12:00 NRL Premiership 14:00 Pro 12 16:00 Trans World Sport 17:00 ICC Cricket 360 17:30 Live Cricket Champions League Twenty20 20:30 Futbol Mundial 21:00 Total Rugby 21:30 AFL Premiership

00:00 ITU World Triathlon Series 02:30 WWE SmackDown 04:30 WWE Bottom Line

05:30 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 13:00 13:30 15:30 16:30 17:00 18:00 20:00 23:00

Mobil 1 The Grid UIM Powerboat Champs WWE Bottom Line WWE NXT WWE Experience WWE This Week ITU World Triathlon Series Mobil 1 The Grid WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line WWE This Week UFC Countdown UFC Prelims UFC WWE Experience

Rapper Common speaks about the violence that has plagued his hometown during an interview with The Associated Press in Chicago. — AP

Hip Hop: Rappers can help reduce violence

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rammy-award winning hip hop artist Common, who has openly worried about the violence in Chicago, was in his hometown Friday to help celebrate the city’s music scene when he was confronted with a brutal reminder of what he’s been talking about: a story about a hail of gunfire that wounded 13 people. “It makes me think I got to do more; we got to do more,” he said in an interview with The Associated Press after giving a speech as the keynote speaker at the Chicago Music Summit, a conference to help local musicians and music professionals with their careers.

Police say Thursday night’s shooting appears to be gang related. For the 41-yearold Common, that underscores concerns that the edgy rap music of the generation of rappers that came behind him is not only providing the soundtrack for gangs, but might just be helping to fuel the fire of gang violence. “To decide to take someone’s life, I don’t think they let a rap song determine that,” he said, adding that rap artists simply reflect of the violence of the streets, and don’t cause it.

At the same time, he said, fans of young rappers, whose music provides a window into a violent lifestyle, are “influenced by that energy and take it the wrong way.”

Common has thought about it enough to once suggest a “peace summit” with Chief Keef, a younger Chicago rapper whose music includes references to weapons and who was arrested after pointing a gun at police officers and after a video showed

him firing a semi-automatic rifle at a gun range.

In fact, rap music made its way into Thursday’s shooting. A relative of a 3-yearold boy who was shot in the face said the child’s uncle was an aspiring rapper who was fatally shot in Chicago this month. Such a link is not surprising to Grammy-winning rap artist, Che “Rhymefest” Smith. He said he believes that at the very least aspiring rappers who are living in poor neighborhoods see the display of a violent gang lifestyle as their route to riches and fame.

“What you get with a lot of young artists is if they gang bang on YouTube, pull guns and threaten someone else, this will give them a million YouTube views or 80,000 Twitter followers overnight,” said Rhymefest, a Chicago resident who once ran for a seat on the City Council. “They see it as a check, a way to get paid and this way out of poverty.”

Common said the key to ending the cycle of violence that rap music has been linked to for years is more educational programs and other initiatives, and that rap artists should help those programs in any way they can.

At the same time, Common, who has his own foundation that exposes disadvantaged young people to the creative arts, said that while he still believes a “peace summit” would be effective, it is only a first step. “There has to be a consistent follow through,” he said. “Young people ... some of them may not be in a place where they can say, ‘OK, I’m going to stop (violent behavior)’” he said. “It may be a process. You have to deal with that.”— AP

Classifieds SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

Kuwait SHARQIA-1 PRISONERS (DIG) PRISONERS (DIG) PRISONERS (DIG) PRISONERS (DIG) GETAWAY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED SHARQIA-2 PLANES (DIG-3D) BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG-3D) PLANES (DIG-3D) BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG-3D) GETAWAY (DIG) GETAWAY (DIG) SHARQIA-3 MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) THE COLONY (DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 4:00 PM 7:00 PM 10:00 PM 1:00 AM

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:30 PM 1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

MUHALAB-1 MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) THE COLONY (DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG)

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:30 PM

MUHALAB-2 BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG) PRISONERS (DIG) PRISONERS (DIG) PRISONERS (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 6:15 PM 9:15 PM

MUHALAB-3 PLANES (DIG-3D) PLANES (DIG) BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG-3D) GETAWAY (DIG) GETAWAY (DIG) FANAR-1 BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG) BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

FANAR-2 PRISONERS (DIG) PRISONERS (DIG) PRISONERS (DIG) PRISONERS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 5:15 PM 8:15 PM 11:15 PM

FANAR-3 2 GUNS (DIG) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) THE COLONY (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) 2 GUNS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (19/09/2013 TO 25/09/2013) MARINA-1 PRISONERS (DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) THE COLONY (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:05 AM

MARINA-2 PRISONERS (DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) PRISONERS (DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) PRISONERS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 4:45 PM 7:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

MARINA-3 BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG-3D) PLANES (DIG-3D) PLANES (DIG-3D) BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG-3D) GETAWAY (DIG) GETAWAY (DIG) GETAWAY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

CHANGE OF NAME AVENUES-1 THE COLONY (DIG) THE COLONY (DIG) THE COLONY (DIG) WISH YOU WERE HERE (DIG) THE COLONY (DIG) THE COLONY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED AVENUES-2 2 GUNS (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 9:00 PM 11:15 PM

AVENUES-3 BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG-3D) BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG-3D) BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG) BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG-3D) BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG-3D) BATTLE OF THE YEAR (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED 360º- 1 MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) MALAVITA (THE FAMILY)(DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED 360º- 2 THE COLONY (DIG) THE COLONY (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) THE COLONY (DIG) THE COLONY (DIG) THE COLONY (DIG)

1:15 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:15 AM

MATRIMONIAL

I, Ameer Shahib Hassip Sheriph S/O Amir Sharif, date of brith 15.06.1969, Passport No: H0114576, hereby change my name to Asif Sharif Amir Sharif.

(C 4512) 22-9-2013

Proposals are invited for a Christian, 28 years old, 154cm, fair, B.Sc nurse, working in Kerala from parents of suitable boys. Contact: anitkoshy@gmail.com (C 4510)

I, Subramaniyan S/O Kaathan, holder of Indian Passport No: G9654545 converted to Islam do hereby change my name to Ahmed Omar Hashem.

(C 4511) 21-9-2013

Inviting marriage proposals for RCSC girl, 27 years old, B.E. working in Kuwait as Engineer, invites proposals from RCSC boys, Engineers/C.A. working in Kuwait/GCC are preferred.

Email: sunnythengummoottil@gmail.com (C 4513) 22-9-2013

No: 15936

Prayer timings Fajr: Shorook Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

04:17 05:37 11:41 15:08 17:45 19:02

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is

1889988

112 Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Airlines BBC QTR JZR JZR FDB SAI THY ETH GFA UAE ETD THY FDB MSR QTR DHX THY QTR DHX FDB JZR JZR JZR BAW FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE IRA KAC KAC KAC IZG ABY IRA FDB QTR ETD SYR GFA KAC MEA JZR JZR JZR MSC UAE MRJ MSR MSR JZR JZR JZR JZR JZR JZR THY KNE

Arrival Flights on Sunday 22/9/2013 Flt Route 43 DHAKA 148 DOHA 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 8063 DUBAI 441 LAHORE 764 SABIHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI-INTL 768 ISTANBUL 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 870 BAHRAIN 770 ISTANBUL 6130 DOHA 170 BAHRAIN 69 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 529 ASYUT 503 LUXOR 157 LONDON 53 DUBAI 382 DELHI 206 ISLAMABAD 302 MUMBAI 284 DHAKA 855 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 362 COLOMBO 332 TRIVANDRUM 352 COCHIN 4161 MASHAD 125 SHARJAH 617 AHWAZ 55 DUBAI 132 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI-INTL 341 DAMASCUS 213 BAHRAIN 412 MANILA 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 561 SOHAG 241 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 403 ASYUT 871 DUBAI 4813 MASHAD 610 CAIRO 579 SOHAG 777 JEDDAH 535 CAIRO 177 DUBAI 787 RIYADH 125 BAHRAIN 269 BEIRUT 766 ISTANBUL 480 TAIF

Time 00:05 00:05 00:20 00:40 01:10 01:30 01:40 01:45 01:55 02:25 02:30 02:50 03:10 03:15 03:30 04:30 04:35 04:50 05:10 05:50 06:20 06:40 07:40 06:30 07:45 07:30 07:25 07:50 08:15 08:25 08:40 08:45 07:55 08:05 08:45 08:50 09:10 09:15 09:25 09:30 10:10 10:40 10:45 10:55 11:35 12:20 12:35 12:40 12:45 12:55 13:00 13:05 17:50 16:10 17:30 16:15 16:25 19:15 13:10 13:20

QTR FDB KAC KAC ABY SVA KNE OMA KNE NIA RJA QTR ETD UAE ABY UAL GFA SVA TAR QTR FDB GFA AXB JAI FDB OMA ABY JZR MEA AFG MSC MSR MSC SYR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC JZR JZR JZR ALK UAE ETD QTR GFA JAI FDB THY AIC UAL DLH JAI MSR KLM THY

140 57 546 562 121 500 472 645 470 251 640 134 303 857 127 982 215 510 327 144 63 219 393 572 61 647 129 189 402 415 405 618 401 1381 674 176 104 542 118 786 774 788 618 614 502 239 185 513 229 859 307 136 217 576 59 6512 981 981 636 574 614 411 772

DOHA DUBAI ALEXANDRIA AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA SHARJAH JEDDAH JEDDAH MUSCAT JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DOHA ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI SHARJAH WASHINGTON DC DULLES BAHRAIN RIYADH TUNIS DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN KOZHIKODE MUMBAI DUBAI MUSCAT SHARJAH DUBAI BEIRUT KABUL SOHAG ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA DAMASCUS DUBAI GENEVA LONDON CAIRO NEW YORK JEDDAH RIYADH JEDDAH DOHA BAHRAIN BEIRUT AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DUBAI SHARM EL SHEIKH COLOMBO DUBAI ABU DHABI-INTL DOHA BAHRAIN COCHIN DUBAI ISTANBUL CHENNAI BAHRAIN FRANKFURT MUMBAI CAIRO AMSTERDAM ISTANBUL

13:45 13:50 14:15 14:40 14:25 14:30 14:35 14:40 15:05 15:50 15:55 16:15 16:35 16:55 17:10 17:15 17:20 17:20 18:00 18:25 18:55 19:05 19:15 19:35 20:00 20:00 20:05 20:10 20:15 20:20 20:25 20:30 21:00 19:55 19:25 17:45 18:45 18:15 16:00 18:30 19:25 15:00 19:10 19:35 18:50 22:30 22:40 23:20 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:30 21:45 22:05 22:20 22:20 22:25 22:40 23:10 23:20 23:30 23:40 23:45

Airlines AIC AXB JAI MSR DLH JZR BBC FDB THY SAI THY ETH THY UAE FDB MSR ETD QTR QTR JZR DHX QTR FDB GFA THY JZR KAC JZR BAW FDB JZR KAC ABY KAC IRA IZG UAE KAC FDB IRA ETD QTR KAC KAC SYR GFA KAC KAC MEA JZR JZR KAC JZR JZR JZR MSC MSR MSR MRJ THY

Departure Flights on Sunday 22/9/2013 Flt Route 976 GOA 490 MANGALORE 573 MUMBAI 615 CAIRO 637 FRANKFURT 502 LUXOR 44 DHAKA 8064 DUBAI 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 442 LAHORE 765 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 621 ADDIS ABABA 769 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 521 BAGRAM 6131 BEIRUT 70 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 240 AMMAN 545 ALEXANDRIA 164 DUBAI 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 534 CAIRO 561 AMMAN 126 SHARJAH 787 JEDDAH 606 MASHHAD 4162 MASHHAD 856 DUBAI 153 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 56 DUBAI 616 AHWAZ 302 ABU DHABI 133 DOHA 101 LONDON 501 BEIRUT 342 DAMASCUS 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 405 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 786 RIYADH 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 124 BAHRAIN 268 BEIRUT 406 SOHAG 580 SOHAG 611 CAIRO 4812 MASHHAD 767 ISTANBUL-ATATURK

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Time 00:05 00:15 00:20 00:30 00:30 01:30 01:30 01:55 02:20 02:30 02:40 02:45 03:40 03:45 03:50 04:15 04:20 04:25 05:15 05:55 06:00 06:20 06:30 07:00 07:10 07:10 07:20 07:25 08:25 08:25 09:10 09:25 09:30 09:35 09:40 09:45 09:50 09:50 09:55 10:10 10:15 10:25 10:25 11:10 11:10 11:25 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:25 12:50 13:00 13:20 13:30 13:35 13:40 13:50 14:00 14:05 14:10

KNE UAE FDB QTR ABY KAC KNE OMA KAC KAC KNE SVA JZR KAC NIA RJA JZR JZR QTR ETD JZR ABY UAE GFA SVA UAL JZR JZR TAR QTR FDB GFA AXB KAC JAI FDB ABY KAC OMA KAC SYR KAC MEA AFG MSC MSR KAC DHX MSC ETD ALK UAE QTR KAC GFA FDB KAC JAI JZR KAC KAC JZR

481 872 58 141 122 673 473 646 617 773 471 505 188 613 252 641 238 512 135 304 538 128 858 216 511 982 184 266 328 145 64 220 394 283 571 62 120 331 648 343 1382 351 403 415 404 619 543 171 402 308 230 860 137 301 218 60 205 575 554 411 415 528

TAIF DUBAI DUBAI DOHA SHARJAH DUBAI JEDDAH MUSCAT DOHA RIYADH JEDDAH JEDDAH DUBAI BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA AMMAN AMMAN SHARM EL SHEIKH DOHA ABU DHABI CAIRO SHARJAH DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT TUNIS DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN KOZHIKODE DHAKA MUMBAI DUBAI SHARJAH TRIVANDRUM MUSCAT CHENNAI DAMASCUS KOCHI BEIRUT JEDDAH ASYUT ALEXANDRIA CAIRO BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA ABU DHABI COLOMBO DUBAI DOHA MUMBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI ISLAMABAD ABU DHABI ALEXANDRIA BANGKOK KUALA LUMPUR ASYUT

14:10 14:15 14:30 14:55 15:05 15:05 15:30 15:40 15:45 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:35 16:50 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:20 17:20 17:40 17:50 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:30 18:30 18:40 18:50 19:25 19:35 19:50 20:15 20:15 20:35 20:40 20:45 20:50 20:55 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:30 21:50 22:00 22:15 22:20 22:25 22:40 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:05 23:20 23:40 23:50 23:55

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 318

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) Go out of your way to be gentle as you communicate with others. You have much power and others respect your views. Important issues take careful thought when teaching young people. With your insights, you will find some problems of the past can be easily worked through. Do not take chances or risks just now; be satisfied with the ordinary. At heart, you have a deep sense of responsibility and this seriousness is genuine and felt by others. You seem to gravitate to those things that last and hold true.

Law, religion and philosophy are subjects of the most determined kind and hold your interest. There are many conversations around these subjects today. This evening reveals a pleasant surprise. Something new and fun is about to enter your life.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You may appear very relaxed today. Everything seems to be working together and you may find yourself enjoying the interaction between loved ones, young and old.

Keep your attitude positive and you can create some very sensitive moments. This may be a time of sudden insight into some of the most vulnerable areas of yourself and others.

There are breakthroughs regarding inner growth and transformation—stay positive. You teach positive thinking and you teach others about appreciating the simple things in life.

Hard work is good but time with friends and family is what the hard work is all about.

Enough of this serious stuff, tonight you are ready to talk the family into an old fashioned miniature golf game, roller rink event or a movie and a hot dog.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. East Indian tree bearing a profusion of intense vermilion velvet-textured blooms and yielding a yellow dye.

4. Having uncoordinated muscular movements, symptomatic of a CNS disorder.

12. A gradual decline (in size or strength or power or number).

15. A sweetened beverage of diluted fruit juice.

16. Primly out of date.

17. United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters.

18. Covered patchily.

20. An organism (especially a bacterium) that does not require air or free oxygen to live.

22. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else.

23. A federal agency established to regulate the release of new foods and health-related products.

25. A tub in which clothes or linens can be washed.

26. A small cake leavened with yeast.

28. An electrical device used to introduce reactance into a circuit.

30. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

32. Light informal conversation for social occasions.

33. The rate at which red blood cells settle out in a tube of blood under standardized conditions.

34. African tree with edible yellow fruit resembling mangos.

37. The capital and largest city of Jordan.

40. Marine crustaceans with feathery foodcatching appendages.

43. A toilet in England.

46. (Babylonian) The sky god.

47. Half the width of an em.

48. A large fleet.

51. The biblical name for ancient Syria.

53. The arch of bone beneath the eye that forms the prominence of the cheek.

55. African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey bread.

56. The capital of Western Samoa.

57. Made warm or hot.

58. In addition.

59. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

64. A metrical unit with unstressed-stressed syllables.

65. A very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk.

70. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali metal group.

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

76. A telegram sent abroad.

78. A serve that strikes the net before falling into the receiver's court.

79. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).

81. A sudden short attack.

82. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.

83. A state in the southeastern United States on the Gulf of Mexico.

84. God of love and erotic desire.

DOWN 1. An informal term for a father.

2. (Old Testament) In Judeo-Christian mythology.

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

4. A federation of North American labor unions that merged with the Congress of Industrial Organizations in 1955.

5. Manufactured in standard sizes to be shipped and assembled elsewhere.

6. European freshwater fish resembling the roach.

7. Before noon.

8. An accountant certified by the state.

9. Articles of commerce made of tin plate.

10. (Old Testament) The second patriarch.

11. The part of the human body between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates.

12. Act in a way that attracts attention.

13. Used as a Hindi courtesy title.

14. (pathology) An elevation of the skin filled with serous fluid.

19. God of wealth and love.

21. A white hard metallic element that is one of the platinum group and is found in platinum ores.

24. A unit of surface area equal to 100 square meters.

27. A decree that prohibits something.

29. A steep artificial slope in front of a fortification.

31. Without moral standards or principles.

35. Having a ridge or shaped like a ridge or the keel of a ship.

36. (biology) Of unlike parts or organs.

38. God of blame and mockery.

39. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

41. Avatar of Vishnu.

42. A radioactive gaseous element formed by the disintegration of radium.

44. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

45. A flat-bottomed volcanic crater that was formed by an explosion.

49. The address where a person lives.

50. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

52. An anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions.

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

60. Type genus of the Alaudidae.

61. Made from residue of grapes or apples after pressing.

62. Go on board.

63. A case or sheath especially a pollen sac or moss capsule.

66. In bed.

67. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

68. A unit of weight used in east Asia approximately equal to 1.3 ounces.

69. Baby bed with high sides.

71. Being of delicate or slender build.

72. English monk and scholar (672-735).

74. A health resort near a spring or at the seaside.

75. A rapid escape (as by criminals).

77. The cry made by sheep.

80. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

Your taste in art and appreciation in general are heightened. The weekend is an enjoyable place in time and you enjoy spending it with friends. You may decide to take up a new art or finish an old project around the house. A trip to the gym is reasonable but you might prefer a lecture on African violets or orchids. Tending plants, boxing for exercise, building crafts and sewing are many of the activities that keep you busy, or interested. Perhaps tomorrow you will spend more of your time with friends and or family. A convention or an art show is tempting and you may even be involved in the presentation. This could all culminate in future shows and you may put a lot of meaning behind what is sold and what is not. It would be best to just enjoy the event.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You may be sought after for your advice and guidance today. You are able to cut through the red tape and get at what is the truth or problem very quickly. This may mean anything from children bickering or some item broken to the understanding of how to sail a boat. Your friends know that although your outer personality may look tough and self-centered, you are more sensitive to the needs and feelings of others than you appear. 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. A new hobby or completing an old project around the house may be quite satisfying this evening.

Leo (July 23-August 22) You may find yourself most persuasive while speaking to a group today. The situation is a natural for self-expression and lends itself to your particular ideas. Your surroundings, circumstances and support system make up the crucial spot, a key link in the chain of your life. When things get hectic, it is in these areas that you can expect the greatest activity. A new cycle begins that points to a greater than usual interest in relationships, social connections and the arts—on a more intellectual level than in the past. Seeing both sides of an issue and figuring out resolutions to opposing views take on more importance.

This is a good day to build on your love relationship.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Let yourself dream today. These days do not come too often—do not ignore this opportunity to let your imagination loose. Perhaps a good book to read or a thrilling movie will take on that more-than-real dimension. Your dreams and ideals are the number-one component for action in your chart. Your imagination is crucial to your functioning. Consider the stars. This is a very lucky day for making future plans with regard to holidays or weekend trips during the beautiful fall months. You know there is always room for growth with regard to investments. Today is a great time to reflect and understand your own situation with regard to finances. It may be time to pull in a little money by renting a booth at a flea market and selling some of your nick-knacks.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) You actively support your community today and have much passion for improving your surroundings or life situations. You are very motivated to improve and help others improve. However, there could be some hard feelings from young people if you become too aggressive. Take time to become involved in some similar interests of these young people. You can demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the needs of others. You are in a good position to communicate concerning groups. Law, politics, education, travel or religion may come into play. You find it easy to solve the problems that present themselves and others benefit from this ability of yours. Politics are a focus this evening.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) This is a good time for surrounding yourself with friends and young people and for having a good time. You appreciate your particular situation and enjoy support from those around you. This is a good time to do a bit of redecorating or landscaping. Information that you have been examining and thinking about will now begin to take shape and prove useful to you. This next period is one of action and embarking on new projects. You will feel more and more confident and outgoing with a sense of confidence that grows stronger with each passing day. You may enjoy a good movie or book or feel like escaping from day-to-day realities for a while. Tonight you enjoy catching up with your reading, perhaps about new mechanical or technical discoveries.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) This is an easy, calm day that should find everything running in a smooth manner. Your in-laws may voice surprising new ideas. New neighbors appear and familiar neighbors leave. You may be moved to appreciate and discover the beauty in your life and in those around you. At the same time, everything could take on added value. Be careful that you do not overspend or indulge too much for now; you will see enticing things. Enjoy. There is the possibility of new visions or sudden insights. This is a time when others will listen and you can gain respect for your point of view. There are breakthroughs in compassion and communion. The evening may present moody, even dreamy types of energy. It is easy for you to find the motivation for your dreams.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Love and appreciation surrounds you. Clothing selected now will be beautiful and serviceable. Physical comfort is important and you may realize that in order to have a body that will serve you well, you must feed and nourish and exercise it.

Today you might decide to talk a friend into coming with you to begin a new exercise routine. Someone may want you to sit with children or help with groups of children this afternoon. You have more than just the gift of gab as you are a great storyteller and if you run out of activities to amuse the children, just start reading to one child; the others will follow.

Your imagination and sense of what connects all of life is felt in your speech and in the way you communicate. You will enjoy helping a friend this evening.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) This is one of those mornings that you can begin slowly, with music perhaps. You are motivated to spread cheer and assignments. Everything points to your taking the initiative. There is aid, support and encouragement for whatever you decide to accomplish, with or without others. You will find yourself torn between an environment that is very comfortable and supportive versus a real need to grow, progress and push out on your own—you design a plan. Acceptance of those who have conflicting attitudes and priorities is a necessity. The focus may be on animals and the outdoors. There could be repairs to be made or, perhaps, new items to be bought so that animals wild or tame will be more comfortable in the changing weather.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) If you do not have a steady partner, you could find the phone ringing off the wall, so to speak. You could be most influential in talking with others. You may find yourself more than a little acquisitive—your current appreciation for just about everything may lead you to overspend or indulge too much. It is good to expand your thinking—greater self-expression and heightened self-awareness. Well-educated people and travel opportunities are positive elements in your life just now. It is a marvelous time for writing, public speaking, reading or enrollment in classes. You may find yourself involved in competitive sports with friends and should enjoy the winning edge. Alert and alive, your mind also relishes a challenge this afternoon—a game!

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

Al-Madeena

22418714

Al-Shuhada

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Al-Jahra

25610011

Khaldiya

24848075

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

lifestyle G o s s i p

Kendrick Lamar causes a frenzy at iTunes Festival

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Jessica Simpson

plans a small wedding

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Robert Pattinson signed for classes to meet girls

he ‘Twilight Saga’ actor - who played Edward Cullen in the vampire franchise admits he was “horribly shy” as a youngster, but his father convinced him to train as an actor to overcome his nerves and meet a potential girlfriend. He said: “I was horribly shy.

One day in a restaurant, my dad overheard a group of pretty girls talking about their acting

classes. “He told me, ‘Sign up, you might meet someone!’ I did it ... and it worked pretty well!”

Despite starring in one of the biggest film franchises of all time, the 27-year-old hunk - who was previously in a relationship with his ‘Twilight’ co-star Kristen Stewart - admits he still has to fight for the roles he wants and he cannot rely on his reputation. He added to

French magazine Madam Figaro: “I still have to do castings to convince some directors that I’m the man for the job. Even six months ago, I was rejected. “For ‘The Rover’, I had to fight to land the role. I hope it’ll be a success because I loved filming it.

lovebirds have now decided on having the ceremony closer to home, with Hawaii being touted as a potential honeymoon destination instead. Another source told National Enquirer magazine: “Jessica has always loved the Bacara Resort and Spa in Santa Barbara, and it’s also a pretty convenient location for most of their guests. She just wants something classic and beautiful that takes your breath away.”

to become grandpa

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he singer and her fiance Eric Johnson - who are parents to 16-month-old daughter Maxwell and threemonth-old son Ace Knute - are limiting the guest list for their upcoming nuptials to include only close pals and family members so their big day feels more intimate. A source said: “There will probably only be 75 to 100 guests.

Jessica will definitely not invite more if she can help it. She wants to have only really close family and friends - the kind of people she speaks to a regular basis.” The couple had originally planned to tie the knot in Hawaii at a beach ceremony over the Christmas holiday period in 2012, but postponed their nuptials after Jessica got pregnant again. The

he legendary rocker will get the title in 2014 when his daughter Jade’s eldest girl Assisi is expected to give birth to her first child, and he has said to have joked the future baby could have one of their own before he retires. An insider told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “She and Alex are thrilled and broke the news to their immediate families last week. “Jade was a little taken aback at first, not least because it means she will be a grandmother by the age of 42. She’s expecting some ribbing from her showbiz pals. “Mick is delighted and has no qualms about being a great grandfather.

He’s been joking about becoming a great, great, grandad and still performing!” The Rolling Stones singer could be set for a busy year if he assumes a hands-on role in the child’s life as it was previously reported he is looking to create his own music festival in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. A source had said: “Mick has put some feelers out in Brazil to put on a big show.

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right here, am I right?” After performing hits such as ‘B***h Don’t Kill My Vibe’ and ‘Poetic Justice’, Kendrick - who will on Kanye West’s ‘Yeezus’ tour in October - declared his love for London as he left the stage. He said: “No matter how big I get, no matter how small I get, I’ll always come back to you.”

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he Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer says Harper is a budding fashionista and always ready to give her opinion on the dresses her mother wears when she is going out. Victoria said: “Harper definitely has a point of view. If I’m going out for the night and come down the stairs, she’ll say, ‘Ooh, nice dress mummy,’ or, ‘Nice handbag mummy.’ She’s very girly, but at the same time loves to run around in football boots and a football shirt.”

Harper gets her tomboy traits from her three older brothers, Brooklyn, 14, Romeo, 10, Cruz, eight, and retired soccer star dad David Beckham. Although Victoria, 39, is very dedicated to her eponymous fashion line - especially when she has to attend the various fashion weeks across the globe - and David, 38, to his new career pursuits, she always makes sure she devotes as much time as possible as she can to her kids.

Sir Mick Jagger

gets fashion advice from 2-year-old daughter

Victoria Beckham

he ‘Swimming Pools’ rapper delivered a stellar show in London but female fans were left scrambling for safety, after a mosh pit erupted with people shoving each other aggressively to the Compton rapper’s hard-hitting hip hop tracks. Despite the commotion, Kendrick made sure to praise his loyal fans who have supported his rise to fame over the past 12 months on the back of his breakthrough album ‘Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.’ The 26-yearold told the crowd: “Everyone here knows I couldn’t do this without my day one fans. Some of my most dedicated fans

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

lifestyle G o s s i p

Kim Kardashian wants to reinvent herself T he reality TV star is reportedly keen to become known for something other than simply “being famous” and she wants to emulate the ‘Sex and the City’ star. A publicist told NaughtyButNiceRob.com: “Kim wants to be seen as sophisticated, as high-end fashion, not the girl who made a sex tape and is famous for being famous. “She is trying to buy her reinvention by employing SJP’s team.” It is said Sarah finds the development “a little creepy” and would advise the ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ star to start acting lessons and work for the admiration. The source added: “Sarah thinks the whole thing is flattering but a little creepy. “If Kim wants

to be Sarah, her advice would be to go to acting classes.

Learn a craft and become admired for the work you do, not just the way you look.” This follows recent reports Kim hired the actress’ representative Ina Treciokas - along with her stylist, hairdresser and make-up artist. It would mark a change for the star, as it has also been claimed she is willing to give partner Kanye West more control over her career.

Chris Brown says still faces ‘blatant racism’

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he outspoken rapper explained he has sympathy for African American teenager Trayvon Martin - who was fatally shot in February 2012 by neighborhood watch coordinator George Zimmerman - and he insisted racial discrimination has become “normal”.

He told the October issue of Jet magazine: “I identify with Trayvon 100 percent as far as living in 2013 and still dealing with blatant racism. “This generation is so used to racism that it’s normal; we don’t care. We aren’t on drugs or catching AIDS, but they still look at us as n****s.” The ‘Don’t Wake Me Up’ hitmaker - who assaulted his then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009 - also insisted he is learning to overcome his anger issues, while insisting he has been the victim of his “fair share of lashings.” He added: “You have to go through the struggle before you can get to the good part. “I don’t try to lash out at people, or be as mad or impulsive as I used to be ... I got to the point where it’s only so much you can take from the master, you feel me? I’ve taken my fair share of lashings.”

Simon Cowell, Silverman argue about trust issues

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he couple - who are expecting their first son - had been spotted having what seemed to be an argument in their SVU on Thursday and it is said it stemmed from the media mogul having a jealous side. A source told RadarOnline.com: “I heard Lauren say, ‘Trust issues...You’re talking about trust issues?!” It follows reports the US socialite has been growing tired of Simon staying close to his ex-girlfriends including Mezhgan Hussainy, Sinitta, Jackie St Clair and Terri Seymour - and the situation is said to be a “dilemma” for the ‘X Factor’ boss. An insider previously said: “Lauren’s told him she wants to be in a normal relationship, without the other women hanging around. “She also thinks that Mezhgan has been making more of an effort with her appearance lately and Lauren’s told him he’s got to get her off the scene. “It’s a big dilemma for Simon as he doesn’t like being told what to do and loves Mezhgan’s company, but he’s serious about wanting to make a go

Bon Jovi to headline

of things with Lauren and the baby.” Damian Lewis is respectful to the husbands of actresses he shares love scenes with. The ‘Homeland’ star doesn’t let his on-screen romance with Claire Danes become awkward and he explained he even spoke to her partner Hugh Dancy beforehand. He told the October issue of Men’s Journal magazine: “I take it very seriously if someone’s husband is coming into a situation where his wife is doing intimate work with another man. “I go out of my way to make friends and to reassure [Dancy] he has nothing to worry about. That just seems to me like a good common courtesy.”

Rock in Rio event

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he Rock in Rio festival resumed late yesterday with US rock band Bon Jovi to get star billing but without drummer Tico Torres, who awaited surgery. The rock group is kicking off its “Because We Can” concert tour in Latin America to promote its chart-topping new album “What About Now.” But the 59-year-old Torres was due to have bladder surgery and will be replaced by Rich Scannella. Last week, Torres underwent emergency appendectomy in Mexico City, forcing Bon Jovi to postpone scheduled concert dates in Mexico, Argentina and Chile. “I am very disappointed not to be able to play, but our friend Rich Scannella will replace me. You are in good hands,” the popular drummer said in a statement addressed to his fans. Bon Jovi

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is scheduled to perform in Sao Paulo yesterday. In Rio de Janeiro, die-hard Bon Jovi fans arrived early to stake out good spots in front of the World stage, where their idols were to perform shortly after midnight. “I have been a fan of the band since the beginning and today my daughters adore them,” said 42-year-old Michelline Alves, flanked by her daughters, Natalia, 18, Lorena, 17, and Nicole, 14. US diva Beyonce and French DJ David Guetta opened Rock in Rio, one of the world’s largest music festivals, last Saturday. Justin Timberlake, Metallica and Alice in Chains were also among a long list of domestic and international stars that performed.

Will.i.am and Pharrell locked in lawsuit battle

he former Black Eyed Peas star originally issued a cease and desist letter which demanded his Interscope Records label mate stopped using the phrase ‘I AM’ in relation to his ‘ I AM OTHER’ YouTube channel. According to TMZ, Pharrell hit back with a lawsuit in an attempt to protect his right to use the moniker - before will.i.am counter sued and claimed he has a copycat history.

The gossip site reports that the ‘Scream & Shout’ hitmaker has cited the producer’s record label ‘Star Trak Entertainment’, and that he also faces legal

action from Marvin Gaye’s family for allegedly ripping off ‘Got to Give it Up’ for ‘Blurred Lines’, his hit with Robin Thicke. In his case, will.i.am also claimed Pharrell tried to register the trademark ‘Pink Slime’, which he insists is too similar to ‘Slime’, owned by toy manufacturers Mattel. Robin Thicke - who cowrote ‘Blurred Lines’ previous took legal action against Marvin Gaye’s family and insisted in his case that the tracks bore “no similarities” to each other.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

lifestyle

Emmy celebrations under way with multiple parties

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Elisabeth Moss arrives at the 2013 Entertainment Weekly Pre-Emmy Party.

Aubrey Plaza arrives at the 2013 Entertainment Weekly Pre-Emmy Party, presented by L’Oreal Paris and bebe at Fig & Olive in Los Angeles. — AP photos

ven the Emmy host needs to blow of some steam before the big show. Neil Patrick Harris sipped a cocktail and bantered with friends at Entertainment Weekly’s pre-Emmy party, one of several events in Tinseltown Friday celebrating Emmy nominees. The sophomore Emmy host made an early exit from the gathering at Fig & Olive, which drew scores of stars and a small group of fans who were forced to stand across the street and crane for a celebrity sighting.

Kristen Chenoweth, Kaley Cuoco, Amber Riley, Aasif Mandvi, Jason Mraz and Ashlee Simpson were among the party guests, along with Raquel Welch, who held court at the back of the restaurant in a form-fitting leopard-print dress and gold stiletto cage sandals.

Just around the corner, the TV academy held its annual reception for nominated performers at the Pacific Design Center. A ballroom became a quirky library setting, with books and old knick-knacks dotting antique bookshelves. A full dinner spread of steak, salmon and an array of salads covered two large buffet tables inside, and there was more food outside on the heated patio.

The patio also held a small stage, where the nominees accepted certificates and posed for a group photo. Some actors used the opportunity to geek out on their favorite stars. As soon as Michelle Dockery of “Downton Abbey” came up, Anna Chlumsky leaned in and introduced herself, saying, “I’m a big, big fan of yours.”

Lily Tomlin, who helps lead the acting branch of the TV academy, praised her colleagues on stage. “I’m so awed to look at you guys,” she said. “You have such great hair and

everything else.” Alfre Woodard, Scott Baklula, Elizabeth Moss and “Modern Family” stars Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen were among the night’s party-hoppers (show sponsor Audi provided car service to make it easier).

Women in Film also held a nominees’ gathering, while “Mad Men” had its own affair at Chateau Marmont. The Emmy Awards will be presented Sunday at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theater and broadcast on CBS. — AP

(From left) Padma Lakshmi, Nigel Lythgoe, and Kristen Chenoweth arrive at the 2013 Entertainment Weekly Pre-Emmy Party.

Burning questions to ponder before watching the Emmys

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oday’s night will bring one of the biggest television events of the year - a hotly-awaited broadcast that defines the best of TV and will find avid viewers glued to their screens and lighting up the blogosphere, the Twitterverse and every other domain where pop-culture devotees congregate and mouth off. We’re talking about the penultimate episode of “Breaking Bad,” of course. And, oh yeah, the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards are also taking place that night.

It may be the misfortune of this year’s Emmys to coincide with the second-to-last episode of “Breaking Bad,” which is dominating TV-related conversation as its six-year, five-season run nears its grand finale on Sept. 29. But the Emmys could also join the “Breaking Bad” juggernaut, giving Vince Gilligan’s show its first Outstanding Drama Series Emmy at the same time that the series is going out on a critical and commercial peak.

That’s one of the key storylines that will play out today night at the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Others include the Outstanding Comedy Series category, where “Modern Family” doesn’t seem as automatic a winner as it has the last three years; the fate of “Behind the Candelabra,” which could break the record for the most Emmys ever won by a TV movie; and the outlook for Netflix’s “House of Cards,” the first streamed, not broadcast, show to be in the running for top awards. The plots to watch: WILL ‘BAD’ GET THE BREAKS? Over its first five seasons, “Breaking Bad” has fared well at the Emmys. Bryan Cranston won the award for lead actor in a drama for a record-tying three consecutive years before having to sit out a year because a change in the series’ schedule made the show ineligible in 2011. Aaron Paul, meanwhile, was named outstanding supporting actor twice, making him the first actor to win twice in that category in 16 years, and only the fourth alltime.

The show was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series after its second, third and fourth seasons, and is now up again for the first half of its two-part fifth season. But it has never won, losing three times to “Mad Men” and last year to “Homeland.” If Emmy voters want to honor the series at the end of its run, that’ll happen a year from now, when the final eight episodes currently airing will be eligible. But by August 2014, those episodes may be a distant memory in voters’ minds - meaning that the show’s best bet is to ride its current heat to a victory this year, and then hope it can use that momentum to win again next year with a body of voters who like to rerun their awards.

But the voters’ inclination to repeat themselves also helps reigning champion “Homeland,” a formidable competitor in the category. And it’s worth nothing that Emmy ballots were due on

(From left) Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade at Entertainment Weekly Pre-Emmy Party.

Aug. 30, before the current burst of attention for “Breaking Bad” really reached critical mass.

1 + 1 = WIN Since 2000, no series has ever won the top award without being nominated for writing or directing, and 11 of the 13 winners have been nominated for both. That’s bad news for “Mad Men,” which was shockingly shut out of both categories. “House of Cards,” meanwhile, was nominated for directing but not for writing, while “Game of Thrones” won a nod for writing but not directing. That leaves three drama-series contenders - “Breaking Bad,” “Downton Abbey” and “Homeland” - with nominations in the two crucial categories, which presumably gives them a leg up. “Downton” and “Homeland” (left) have one nomination in each category, while “Breaking Bad” has one directing nom and two of the five writing nods.

THE COMEDY WARS Emmy voters’ fondness for streaks may be tested in the Outstanding Comedy Series category, where “Modern Family” is currently tied with “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “All in the Family,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Taxi” and “30 Rock” as a winner in three consecutive years. Only “Frasier” has more, with five in a row between 1994 and 1998. Because voters are traditionally creatures of habit, and because “Modern Family” is still a hit and still one of the most respected network sitcoms, the ABC comedy could easily win a fourth straight award.

But even members of the TV Academy must eventually get tired of seeing the same folks on the podium, and this year’s broadcast-network competition includes three-time winner “30 Rock” in its final season, and the well-liked “Big Bang Theory,” which can hope that the third time’s a charm in the category.

But the biggest challenge to another “Modern Family” win may come from the freshest of the nominees, HBO’s “Girls” and “Veep” and especially FX’s “Louie.” Star/creator Louis CK has won several Emmys in non-program categories and may have come far enough to break through and win the big one. CK was nominated in nine different categories this year; he won at last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys for writing his variety special, while Melissa Leo won a guest-actress Emmy for appearing on his show.

THE MOST FABULOUS EVER? Steven Soderbergh’s “Behind the Candelabra,” about the relationship between the flamboyant but closeted Liberace and his chauffeur/companion Scott Thorson, won eight of the nine awards for which it was nominated at the Creative Arts Emmys last Sunday. “Candelabra” is up for six more awards on Sunday,

Blair Underwood and Garcelle Beauvais

and it is the decided favorite in most of those categories. If it wins four Emmys, it will become the most-honored made-fortelevision movie ever, breaking the record set by “Eleanor and Franklin” in 1976; if it wins five, it will tie “John Adams” for the most wins for a miniseries or movie. And if it wins all six, it will hold that record outright.

But there’s a catch. Two of the “Behind the Candelabra” nominations are in the same category, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie, where the film’s two stars, Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, are competing against each other. It would take an unlikely tie in the category - where Douglas is a prohibitive favorite - for the film to go six-for-six.

Five-for-six, on the other hand, is unlikely but doable: “Candelabra” is certainly a runaway favorite in the Outstanding Miniseries or Movie category, and a likely winner for directing and writing as well. Barring upsets in those categories - or divine intercession on the part of “The Bible” - it may come down to the Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie category, where “Behind the Candelabra” costar Scott Bakula faces a tough battle with James Cromwell and Zachary Quinto (“American Horror Story: Asylum”), Peter Mullan (“Top of the Lake”) and John Benjamin Hickey (“The Big C: Hereafter”).

NOT THEM AGAIN Dwarfing the paltry three-in-a-row for “Modern Family” are a couple of shows in other categories. “The Amazing Race” has won nine times in the 10 years the Outstanding RealityCompetition Program category has existed. “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” has been named Outstanding Variety Series for 10 consecutive years, the longest winning streak for any show in Emmy history.

And every year, the same question is asked as the Emmys approach: Will somebody else win for a change? Emmy observers have figured that “The Colbert Report” is gaining momentum and will eventually dethrone its Comedy Central colleague. And that one of the performance-based reality shows will beat yet another race around the world. But let’s face it: Emmy voters love Jon Stewart in a way they don’t love Stephen Colbert. (Is that irony thing too tricky?) And they give “The Amazing Race” degree-of-difficulty points as it goes up against programs that rarely leave a single soundstage. So yeah, we could see new winners in one or both categories. But don’t bet the farm on it.—Reuters

Karina Smirnoff (left) and Amber Riley

World watches US TV - illegally

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un TV fact: “Desperate Housewives” is a cult hit in North Korea. Slightly less surprisingly, shows like “Breaking Bad” and “House” are watched everywhere, from Latin America to China to France. But, as America’s TV stars and bosses gather in Los Angeles this weekend for the Emmys, the massive success of US shows abroad also highlights a clear problem-a huge proportion of viewers are watching their products illegally. “It’s definitely a big problem,” said Tim Westcott, senior TV analyst at international media consultancy IHS Screen Digest.

“People outside the US can download pirate copies of a new US show only minutes after it’s aired in the US via various file sharing sites,” the London-based expert told AFP. Beth Braen of the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) added: “Piracy is as big an issue for the TV industry as it is for their film counterparts.”

Worldwide popularity Of course, American TV series have long been popular around the world-”Baywatch,” “Starsky and Hutch” and “Dallas” were staples of television decades before the latest crop of hit shows. “House of Cards,” “Breaking Bad” and “Game of Thrones” are among those vying for glory-and increased riches boosted by awards success-at the Emmys today. But they are popular way beyond America’s shores.

And the growth potential is enormous: global pay TV revenue last year jumped by nearly 30 percent to over $184 billion, according to a recent study cited by the Hollywood Reporter.

For example, in France-long proud of its “exception culturelle” that protects its own film, television and music producers-American TV shows now dominate TV schedules. The most popular include “House”-”Dr House” in French-and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (“Les Experts”).

The biggest hit, “The Mentalist,” regularly gets over seven million viewers per episode on France’s biggest private channel TF1.In China, US television shows are hugely popular, even if there is little opportunity for viewers to watch them on the giant nation’s state-controlled television stations.

HBO dramas are particularly a hit with Chinese viewers, and are available mainly through illicit online streaming, usually the day after they have been aired in the United States, with subtitled versions following soon after. In Japan, US TV shows are popular, with even long-running hits such as “Columbo” still garnering viewers. Public broadcaster NHK’s expansion into satellite television saw it offer a greater variety of series, with recent examples including “Glee” and “Desperate Housewives.” Fantasy drama “Once Upon A Time” began its run this month.—AFP

Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen at the 2013 Entertainment Weekly Pre-Emmy Party.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

lifestyle

A model presents a creation for fashion house Roberto Cavalli.

A model presents a creation for fashion house Ermanno Scervino.

A model presents a creation for fashion house Ermanno Scervino.

A model presents a creation for fashion house Roberto Cavalli.

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Models wear creations of Stella Jean’s women’s Spring-Summer 2014 collection.

A model presents a creation for fashion house Roberto Cavalli as part of the spring/summer 2014 ready-to-wear collections during the fashion week in Milan yesterday. — AP / AFP photos

ight-fitting dresses hung with chains at Versace and rippling skirts worn over loose trousers at Emporio Armani turned heads at Milan fashion week on Friday, as designers offered up a host of contrasting styles. Chain mail worked its way into black Tshirts with biker logos and evening dresses in the spring-summer 2014 collection by Italian fashion house Versace, alongside flippy skirts over high platform sandals.

Emporio Armani’s silky party dresses and voluminous trousers cut just above the ankle used fabrics that were “soft, with a certain light transparency”, Italian designer Giorgio Armani told Reuters after the show, which was themed on water lilies. Franca Sozzani, editor of the Italian edition of fashion magazine Vogue, said there was no such thing as trends any more. “What is good in fashion is the freedom,” Sozzani told Reuters, otherwise, “we’d be slaves of the trends.”

Contrasting visions of flora and fauna have been a recurring theme of the collections shown so far in Milan this week, where Italian fashion house Blugirl offered demure shift dresses emblazoned with large flowers and Italian brand JustCavalli dressed models in a mixture of floral and animal prints. “For me, every girl is a butterfly that should fly,” designer Roberto Cavalli told Reuters TV before the JustCavalli show, which included patterned bras exposed under plunging necklines.

Asked about the collection, Cavalli said: “I think that I put all my fantasy, all my love of the natural, because for me nature is colors.” Blugirl designer Anna Molinari said the best-selling accessory in her range was a canvas bag embroidered with three-dimensional flowers, adding that the brand’s strongest markets are in Asia, Russia and France. Flower prints at Versace created a grungy effect, appearing on black T-shirts worn with skintight shorts.

Designer Donatella Versace sported one of the black biker T-shirts for her customary appearance at the end of the show, after models strutted down the runway to the track “Versace” by US rappers Migos featuring Drake.

Versace Chief Executive Gian Giacomo Ferraris told Reuters before the show that the company plans to have chosen a short list of potential buyers for a minority stake by mid-October. Milan-based trade body Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana estimates that around 15,000 people come to the city for fashion week, which finishes on Sept 23 after hosting 74 official shows. — Reuters

Excitement builds ahead of Spikes Asia Awards

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he final day of Spikes Asia is now underway as well as preparations for tonight’s awards, which will see the 2013 winners unveiled and honored.

The final shortlists have today been released revealing that 68 have been shortlisted in Film Craft, 77 in Print & Poster Craft, 7 in Creative Effectiveness and 12 in Integrated. The 10 juries have now whittled down 4,832 entries to arrive at a total of 833 shortlisted entries.

Today’s programme will see Formula One Champion Sir Jackie Stewart taking to the stage later, when he discusses with Ogilvy & Mather’s Fergus Hay his personal creativity and influence on the way F1 racing has developed. This morning has seen the jury presidents take to the stage in a series of President’s Addresses which have tackled topics such as connective campaigns that engineer social change and the role that creativity has played in shaping our world.

In other content streams, the newly launched TechTalk sessions have been taking place throughout the Festival with today’s itinerary including ‘Bringing the Showroom Experience into Consumer’s Hands with 3D Mobile Ads’, led by Amobee, and ‘Using Consumer Behaviour Milestones for Effective Marketing’, which is being discussed by Accuen’s General Manager of APAC, Matt Harty. TechTalk sessions have been brought to Spikes to offer delegates a deeper understanding of innovation at the intersection of technology and creativity.

Across three days Festival delegates have been able to view the new and inspiring work that has come out of the Asia Pacific region with exhibitions and screenings of the shortlisted work. Other areas within the Festival venue have included the new Production Zone which has seen production companies showcasing the latest production and post-production solutions as well as studio equip-

ment, whilst Innovasia, Spikes Asia’s technology zone, has been bustling with attendees learning and interacting with the products that are transforming the advertising and communications industry.

Today has seen the end of the Young Spikes competitions and the beginning of the judging processes. 62 competitors have taken part across four competitions and now wait to see which team’s work has been judged the best and who will return to their agencies with a winning gold medal.

The winners will be honored on stage at tonight’s awards and their entry showcased to the audience of over 1000 industry members. The winner of the new Student Creative Award for Print will also be revealed during the ceremony, from 120 entries a shortlist of 8 is now being exhibited at the Festival ahead of tonight, when the winning student will collect their award. All of the shortlists are now available to view online and later this evening, as the awards draw to a close, the 2013 winners will also be present on www.spikes.asia.

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A model presents a creation for fashion house Versace.

onatella Versace mixes street wear with sophisticated styles for her new summer collection, dubbing the flashy result “urban luxury.” Tough harness tops are paired with demure flared skirts, denim jackets are worn over a delicate floral sheath, and a chiffon dress is held together by fetching metal hooks.

“When you talk about luxury everybody thinks of evening gowns, but it’s also about basic items like a pair of jeans, a shirt or a Tshirt,” the designer said ahead of Friday night’s show in the courtyard of the Versace palazzo in downtown Milan.

On hand to take in the new look was teenage idol Selena Gomez, a US pop singer and actress best known for her role in the TV series “Wizards of Waverly Place.”

Donatella also puts a lot of effort in the materials. She continues the techno research started by her late brother Gianni who was the first Italian designer to use chain metal, now one of the label’s trademarks. This round Donatella came up with a ballerina skirt made of raffia, but enriched by delicate strands of silk. The skirt which appeared throughout the show either monochromatic or in a pastel print, was paired with matching blouses or bra tops.

Biker T-shirts and leather belts with a buckle in the shape of the Versace Medusa logo, heavy metal necklaces, and chain metal pouches and bandanas talk tough, especially when matched with the latest Versace footwear: a high-heeled platform sandal held together by elastic bands. The soft touch comes in the evening gowns in pastel chiffon, truly ethereal were it not for

the metal hardware which holds them together. The summer bag is very ladylike, a leather clutch in delicate summer shades, which can unravel to become a practical shopper.— AP

Russian model Sasha Luss presents a creation for fashion house Versace as part of the spring/summer 2014 ready-to-wear collections. — AFP photos

Emmy celebrations under way with multiple parties

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

38

Luxury river cruise opens up mysteries of

Myanmar

Ancient temples stand in Bagan, central Myanmar.

Golden spires of Massein monastery are seen on the banks of Myanmar’s upper Chindwin river. As the country emerges from decades of isolation, these are among the sights being discovered for the first time by foreign tourists traveling aboard the luxury Orcaella cruise ship. — AP photos

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fter closing its doors to the West for half a century, Myanmar has reopened, inviting all to come and discover its treasures, ancient palaces of kings long gone, legends and mysteries told in stone. And the world is expected to come.

These are the early days, perhaps the best, and with ill-equipped roads and railways, there is no better way to explore than by river.

Public ferries crisscross through glistening green paddies; old teak fishing boats can be rented by the day. And now, there is the luxury riverboat cruise. In late July, the Orcaella made its maiden voyage on a 1,600-kilometer journey deep into Myanmar’s interior, almost to the border of India. It is operated by the Orient Express, the group that runs luxury hotels, trains and boats globally.

It’s not a handsome ship from the outside. As the cruise’s first 30 travelers board in Mandalay, it seems squat and square and a bit worn out. But once we step over the gangplank and enter the roomy lounge, our impression changes completely.

Totally remodeled from the hull up and gracefully furnished, it is a space where all of us immediately felt relaxed.

Buddhist monks and villagers watch television during a ferry boat journey close to Buthidaung in Rakhine state, Myanmar.

Over the next 12 days we will tour sights rarely seen by foreign tourists: villages left back in time, gilded pagodas filled with Buddhist statues, thousands of them long neglected. My cabin is spacious, with hardwood floors, fresh flowers and a walk-in closet. Best of all are the glass sliding doors facing the wide river, where one can lie in bed and watch the world glide by. We travel first for six hours along the mighty Irrawaddy River, more than 400 meters wide. The shores are almost level with the land, the brush low with a few large trees.

Every hut or fishing boat we pass generates loud greetings. Groups of children wave and call. Water taxis carry passengers from one riverside village to the next, and huge, heavy boats laden with teak head downstream. When we reach the confluence with the Chindwin River, we meet our first obstacle.

The captain slows our 25-cabin ship to a nearstandstill and struggles to navigate around a small

whirlpool. The shifting sandbanks make it difficult to read the riverbed.

Eventually we pass, continuing north on the Chindwin along the melted waters of the Himalayas. We slice through sandstone cliffs and patches of forest, but this is rare. For long stretches, sometimes days at a time, the view is more monotonous than I would have imagined. The first village of a decent size we come across is Monywa, where the people appear as fascinated by us as we are by them. As we walk down their dusty roads, we must look like clumsy giants. Their own bodies look so delicate, women walking gracefully even when carrying baskets of bricks on their heads.

The small, beautiful children stare in wonder. A teenage traveler snaps pictures of a little girl from the village and her 4-year-old older brother, then gives the boy a turn at the camera. Every day, we stop to visit one or more of the many pagodas, old and new. We have seen golden Buddhas towering over us, and a traditional ceremony for young, freshly shaven monks. After a few days, we reach Sittaung, a few kilometers (miles) from the Indian border. It has 35 very solid, large teak houses, all without doors and elevated on stilts. Green rice paddies are on either side. The river is only a few meters away and floods a frequent occurrence.

An old, frail woman stood by the gate, leaning with both hands on her cane, her eyes fixed upon us. She was prepared for our arrival, dressed in her finest blouse and longyi, a traditional wrap-around sarong tied firmly in a knot at the waist. I will not forget her, and our conversation in friendly gestures. I don’t think she’ll forget me, wondering, most probably, why a woman of 86 years would travel so far to see her. Her rugged village is full of welcoming smiles, along with disdainful looks from yellow dogs and water buffalo when we expected them to move.

Here we turn around. It took eight days to get here, but we will return in less than half the time, heading with the current toward our home harbor and the temples of Bagan, the first kingdom of Myanmar, also known as Burma. On our final night on the ship, elephant dancers - men in a full-sized pachyderm costume - are brought in from a nearby village. The bejeweled beast appears with its leader and begins a dainty dance that soon becomes more boisterous.

We are amazed when it stands up on his front legs, then on his back. It crosses a plank stretched between two barrels and takes a bow under enthusiastic applause, encouraged by the free flowing champagne. We politely overlook the two pairs of nicely polished shoes that poke out from under the beast’s feet. As the show wraps up, I stand up to get a better look at the lovely young singer among the musicians. Her mother, seeing my delight, smiles and beckons me to sit with her. — AP

US singer Selena Gomez cancels Russia concerts

US

pop singer Selena Gomez has scrapped two concerts in Russia after falling foul of new visa rules which critics say can be used to keep out Western artists who promote gay rights. The concert organizers said the “Come and Get It” singer pulled out of the planned performances in St Petersburg and Moscow next week when it became clear she would not be able to secure a visa in time. They blamed the delay on the new rules, which they said were prompted by official concern over two concerts in Russia at which Madonna and Lady Gaga defended gay rights, and a gig in neighboring Ukraine where the lead singer of US group Bloodhound Gang stuffed a Russian flag down his trousers.

“The situation is a result of the scandals over the Madonna, Lady Gaga and Bloodhound Gang concerts, after which the Russian authorities changed procedures for issuing visas to foreign musical and artistic groups,” said the promoters, the Russian Entertainment Academy. A representative for Gomez, 21, confirmed the Russia concerts were cancelled but declined further comment. Gomez, who has not taken a public stance on gay rights, has also come under pressure to denounce Russia’s law prohibiting gay propaganda to minors. A US petition started on the Change.org website has gained about 14,000 signatures.

Foreign artists can no longer receive visas by invitation from the Culture Ministry under the aegis of cultural links if they come to Russia to conduct commercial activity, according to staterun news agency RIA. It said the procedures were changed following complaints from Vitaly Milonov, a St Petersburg legislator who criticized Madonna and Lady Gaga and has campaigned against gay rights. Performing in St Petersburg last year in black lingerie with the words “No Fear” scrawled on her back, Madonna attacked a city

law promoted by Milonov that imposed fines for spreading homosexual “propaganda”.

Lady Gaga also denounced the law on stage in St Petersburg last year, declaring: “Tonight, this is my house Russia. You can be gay in my house.” A Russian state news agency quoted the head of PMI, which organized Madonna’s concert in St Petersburg, as saying the new rules could be used by the Russian authorities to keep out performers not to their liking. “Not a single person is going to visit us if the Prosecutor General’s Office starts disputing something or looking for guilty parties,” Yevgeny Finkelshtein was quoted as saying last month.

Russia has courted controversy since the ban on anti-gay propaganda among minors went into force nationwide this year, as part of a drive by President Vladimir Putin to win over conservative voters after protests against his long rule. Human rights campaigners say the law is discriminatory and it has prompted calls for a boycott of the Winter Olympics being hosted by the Russian resort city of Sochi next February.

US singer Cher turned down an opportunity to perform at the Winter Games in Sochi because of the anti-gay propaganda, saying the decision was a “no brainer”. Madonna even faced a court battle against anti-gay activists who tried - but failed to press a $10-million compensation claim against her because they said she had hurt their feelings by promoting homosexuality at her St Petersburg concert. Putin defended the law on Thursday, saying: “Any minority’s right to be different must be respected, but the right of the majority must not be questioned.” — Reuters

US singer Selena Gomez