22nd Oct 2013

CR IP TI ON BS SU

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

Anbaa visits Kutupalong Rohingya Muslim camp

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THULHIJA 17, 1434 AH

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12‘Anti-free 7 speech’ 10 article 20 to be reviewed by court Amir backs resolving housing problem: Ghanem

Max 30º Min 15º High Tide 00:44 & 14:35 Low Tide 08:07 & 20:01

By B Izzak

Municipal Council gets to work KUWAIT: Minister of State for Housing Affairs and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs Salem AlOthaina yesterday called on the newly elected Municipal Council to continue with the march of achievements and accomplishments. He also urged the new members of the council to give a top priority to public and national interests, rather than personal and narrow ones.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 11th session of the Municipal Council, the minister emphasized that the new council is required to speed up the implementation of the country’s national development drive. He also stressed the necessity of analyzing and assessing previous experiments in order to make use of their positive points and to avert their negative aspects. The minister called for fulfilling the expectations and hopes of citizens, ensuring national development, promoting national social characteristics and culture and wiping out obstacles and impediments blocking the development process. Meanwhile, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a cable of congratulations to the newlyelected President of the Municipal Council Mohalhel Al-Khaled, wishing him success in fulfilling his duties.

Continued on Page 15

Ambassador: No quick release of Gitmo Kuwaitis

By A Saleh

KUWAIT: Councilors get down to business after the Municipal Council opened yesterday. —KUNA

Kuwait to host Syria donors meet in Jan State gives Egypt 5 yrs to repay $2bn

KUWAIT: Even as Kuwait and Washington continue discussions to determine the fate of two Kuwaitis still detained at the Guantanamo Bay prison, a possible release is not expected to happen anytime soon, said the ambassador of the United States to Kuwait Matthew Tueller.

The ambassador made this statement yesterday as he explained that talks have been ongoing to “follow up with what has been discussed during a meeting between His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and President Barack Obama in September”.

“The two sides are working on preparing the circumstances for the detainees’ return, but I believe that this is something that is not going to happen soon,” he said.

Mosque in UAE boots Rihanna

Rihanna

DUBAI: Pop star Rihanna was asked to leave Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque complex for posing for “inappropriate” pictures outside one of the world’s largest Muslim places of worship. Authorities said they had taken action before the Barbadian diva entered the mosque itself, which is not offlimits to non-Muslims and has become a major tourist attraction in the United Arab Emirates capital. The 25-year-old, who Continued on Page 15

KUWAIT/CAIRO: Kuwait said yesterday it will host in January a second donor’s conference to raise aid for Syrian refugees at the request of the UN secretary general. “Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah is happy to host the conference in January due to the dramatic situation facing the brother-

ly Syrian people, to ease their sufferings and ensure humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees,” said the government. The statement was carried by the official KUNA news agency, which did not provide an exact date for the conference.

Earlier this month KUNA said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

had asked Kuwait to hold a second donors conference to raise aid for Syrian refugees after it hosted one in January this year. At that time participating nations pledged $1.5 billion for Syrian refugees. In June the UN launched a record $5.2-billion aid appeal to fund operations Continued on Page 15

KUWAIT: The constitutional court accepted yesterday to review petitions challenging that article 25 of the penal code, which deals with crimes of insulting HH the Amir or undermining his status, is not in line with the Kuwaiti constitution. The controversial article stipulates a jail term of up to five years for insulting the Amir or undermining his status and authority in public and also considers these acts as state security crimes. The petitions committee of the constitutional court yesterday ruled that two petitions submitted by lawyers challenging article 25 “are serious enough to be reviewed by the constitutional court” and set Oct 31 for the court to start the hearing, which may take months.

Based on the article, several opposition youth activists have been sentenced to various jail terms on charges of writing remarks on Twitter deemed offensive to the Amir by the courts. In addition, a number of other activists and at least four former opposition MPs, including Mussallam Al-Barrak, are still on trial over similar charges and their cases could be affected by the expected verdict of the constitutional court. Article 25 of the penal code has been repeatedly criticized by human rights activists as violating the freedom of speech which is guaranteed by the constitution.

International human rights bodies have also criticized the article several times and demanded abolishing it.

In a related matter, MP Saadoun Hammad and two candidates for the National Assembly elections Meshari Al-Hussaini and Saud Al-Subaie yesterday denied in court accusations that they were involved in acts of vote-buying. The interior ministry announced during the July election that it had busted cases of vote-buying by the three candidates. Only Hammad won a seat while the other two failed. If convicted, they could be handed several years in jail.

In other business, National Assembly Speaker Marzouk Al-Ghanem said yesterday that His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah has given his total support for resolving the housing problem which MPs have selected to be the top issue in the next term opening Oct 29. Ghanem said that the Assembly is expected to hold a special session to discuss the housing crisis in Kuwait and all concerned ministers are expected to attend to review the issue from all dimensions.

In a poll conducted by the Assembly in summer, a majority of Kuwaitis polled said housing was their top concern and as a result, the Assembly decided to accord the issue their utmost attention. Ghanem also said Continued on Page 15

Riyadh under fire at UN over rights GENEVA: Saudi Arabia came under fire again yesterday over human rights abuses, including the death penalty and discrimination against women, days after refusing a seat on the United Nations Security Council. Diplomats at a UN review of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record condemned the oil-rich kingdom’s failure to abolish a system requiring women to seek permission from male relatives to do basic things such as leave the country, and also criticised a continued ban on driving for women.

Saudi Arabia should “put an end to the system of male guardianship for adult women,” the representative for Switzerland said, echoing a recommendation made by many of the 104 states that took part in the Universal Periodic Review of the country before the UN

Human Rights Council. Britain also called for abolition of the Saudi system of male guardianship for women and was joined by the United States in raising cases of forced labour imposed on migrant workers. The US delegation also voiced concern at Saudi restrictions on freedoms of religion and of association, while Germany called for a moratorium on its use of the death penalty. The review came days after Saudi Arabia rejected a seat on the UN Security Council, saying the diplomatic body had failed in its responsibility towards the Arab world.

Bandar bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, who heads Saudi Arabia’s Human Rights Commission and led the country’s delegation in Geneva, said the country had made progress since its first such review Continued on Page 15

JEDDAH: Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud welcomes King Abdullah II of Jordan (left) in this Red Sea resort yesterday. King Abdullah II of Jordan will hold talks with his Saudi counterpart King Abdullah on latest developments in the Middle East. — AFP

News

in brief

Undisclosed ‘issue’ foils Facebook updates

Bahrain cuts jail term for cop who killed protester

Iranian who survived hanging goes in coma

15-yr sentence against maverick poet upheld

WASHINGTON: Facebook suffered an undisclosed “issue” yesterday that prevented some of its 1.15 billion worldwide members from posting status updates and other material on the social media website. “Earlier this morning, while performing some network maintenance, we experienced an issue that prevented some users from posting to Facebook for a brief period of time,” a Facebook spokesman told AFP by email. “We resolved the issue quickly, and we are now back to 100 percent. We’re sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused.” Users who tried to post on Facebook had been met with an error message that stated: “There was a problem updating your status. Please try again in a few minutes.” Tech website Mashable.com reported: “Facebook status update issues are not uncommon, but this one seems global - we’ve tested it from several IPs and received the same message.”

DUBAI: A Bahraini court yesterday cut a jail term handed to a policeman for killing a protester during a Shiite Muslim-led uprising in 2011 from seven to three years, a judicial source said. The policeman, who appeared in court, had been convicted of shooting dead protester Ali Musheime in Feb 2011 with birdshot, but the court said Monday that the killing was not premeditated murder. Three policemen who witnessed the incident had said during investigations their colleague acted in self-defence after Musheime tried to attack members of their patrol in the Shiite village of Dia, lawyers said. Musheime was the first fatality of month-long protests that erupted in midFeb 2011. A number of policemen are being investigated or standing trial for allegedly killing and torturing detainees after hundreds of Shiites were rounded up when security forces crushed the protests in mid-March 2011. Some have been acquitted or received reduced sentences as Bahraini courts slapped Shiite protesters with lengthy jail terms.

TEHRAN: A convicted Iranian drug trafficker who survived a botched hanging has fallen into a coma, the IRNA news agency reported yesterday. “His level of consciousness is around six percent and the possibility of brain death will increase if the situation does not improve,” IRNA quoted what it called an informed source as saying. “The doctors cannot perform any surgery or other treatment while he is in a coma,” said the source. The prisoner, identified only as Alireza M, 37, was pronounced dead earlier this month by the attending doctor after hanging for 12 minutes from a noose suspended from a crane at a jail in northeastern Iran. But the next day, staff at the mortuary in the city of Bojnourd where his shrouded body was taken discovered he was still breathing. The incident led to a heated debate between jurists, with some saying he should be hanged again and others arguing he had faced his punishment and should be spared. Two Grand Ayatollahs published a fawta, or religious decree, saying the convict should not be hanged again.

DOHA: Qatar’s top court upheld a 15-year jail sentence yesterday against a poet convicted of incitement against the regime, despite the emirate’s support for uprisings elsewhere in the Arab world. “The Court of Cassation sentenced Mohammed Al-Ajami to 15 years in prison,” confirming the sentence given to the poet by an appeals court in February, Nejib Al-Naimi told AFP. He described yesterday’s court ruling as “a political and not a judicial decision”. Ajami’s sole recourse now is to appeal to Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for clemency. Kuwaiti political analyst Ayed Manae described the sentence against Ajami as “harsh” and “unfortunate and regrettable for a poet”. “This poet must be treated as a Qatari citizen expressing an opinion,” Manae told AFP. “Authorities in the Gulf monarchies must in general show more tolerance towards intellectuals who criticise policies or corruption matters,” he said. Ajami was arrested in Nov 2011 after the publication of his “Jasmine poem”, which criticised governments across the Gulf region in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

LOCAL

Cabinet briefed on UN aspiration to hold Syria conference in Kuwait

KUWAIT: The 11th Municipal Council held its first session yesterday by electing Mohalhel Al-Khaled as president by acclamation. Member Mishaal Al-Juwaisri won the Council’s vice president position after the session’s commencement by Minister of State for Housing Affairs and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs, Salem Al-Otheina.

—Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Fake medicines trickle in despite strict inspections Pharmacies inspections continue

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: A local daily published yesterday a report about confiscating fake and smuggled medicines from various pharmacies and herbal shops. Both the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Commerce are responsible for the inspection and controlling of these places. Customers who bought such medicines can complain to the Consumer Protection Department of the Ministry of Commerce. According to an inspector from this department, they hold inspections both randomly and based on a complaint.

“Sometimes our inspectors go on random inspections but in the majority of cas-

es, we conduct inspections at pharmacies after a customer files a complaint at our department, especially since pharmacies are inspected by the Ministry of Health,” the inspector told the Kuwait Times.

He agreed that there were few cases of fake medicines found in pharmacies and the number was not big. “Nevertheless, imported medicines and other consumables go through checking by the customs department at different ports and mail, yet some individuals succeed in smuggling banned or fake medicines into the country in different ways. So we work to eliminate this phenomena,” added the inspector.

Michel, a pharmacist, denied knowledge about such fake medicines. “I haven’t

heard about any pharmacies selling fake medicines and haven’t received any offers for such medicines. All medicines sold in the pharmacy should be authorized by the Ministry of Health. We don’t accept any new products or medicines unless we check the official license given by the ministry for this product. If any patient comes to us and asks for forbidden or fake medicines, we just say it’s not available at the pharmacy,” he pointed out.

“Inspectors from the Ministry of Health, Ministr y of Commerce and the Municipality come frequently for inspections at the pharmacy. They check the medicines if they are licensed and approved, the expiry date, and other issues

related to their work. In case of any violation, the pharmacist or the owner of the license will be penalized and it may reach a point where the pharmacy may be closed,” stressed Michel.

According to a report published by the World Health Organization, sales from fake medicines globally in the past two years were $75 billion per year, with a 90 percent increase compared to 2005. And according to the report, one million people die every year around the world as a result of consuming these fake medicines. The report also mentioned that most of the fake medicines that have biggest sales are for weight loss, sexual dysfunction, antibiotics, and painkillers.

KUWAIT: The Cabinet at its weekly regular session held yesterday examined a message from the UN chief affirming desire to see Kuwait hosting the second senior-level conference on Syria, blessing business accords with Jamaica and the Mauritius and thanking Saudi Arabia for great efforts during pilgrimage. Following the session, convened at Al-Seif Palace, under chairmanship of HH Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Minister of Health Sheikh Mohammad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah stated that that the ministers were briefed about contents of a message, addressed from Turkish President Abdullah Gul, in his capacity as Chairman of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Standing Commercial and Economic Committee (COMSEC), including an invitation to Kuwait to take part in COMESEC’S 29th session, due in Istanbul on November 18-21.

They were also briefed about a message, HH the Amir had received from UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon, noting his aspiration to see Kuwait host the second high-level conference for securing humanitarian aid for Syria. HH Sheikh Sabah had already expressed readiness to host the convention in January.

“HH the Amir has demonstrated readiness to host the conference, sensing the tragic conditions experienced by the brotherly Syrian people, with aim to alleviate their hardships and secure humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees and those affected with the humanitarian catastrophe, in followup to the relentless efforts exerted by the State of Kuwait in this respect,” Sheikh Mohammad noted in the official statement. The Cabinet endorsed two bills stipulating accords for encouraging and protecting investments with Jamaica and the Mauritius. They were referred to HH the Amir, pending submission to the National Assembly.

The ministers examined a message to HH the Amir from the president of Benin, thanking His Highness for his invitation for participation in the third Arab-Afro Summit, due in Kuwait in November. He accepted the invitation.

The Kuwaiti Government expressed deep gratitude to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin AbdulAziz and the Saudi Government for the great efforts, full preparations and care, accorded to the pilgrims during the Hajj. These extraordinary efforts secured easy performance of the rituals, the cabinet statement noted.

At the local level, Minister of State for Housing Affairs and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs Salem Al-Utheina informed the members about the uncontested election of Mohalhel Al-Khaled as Chairman of the Municipal Council and Mishaal Al-Juwaisri as his deputy. The executives expressed wishes for them in the service. — KUNA

Kuwait takes part in East Med health ministers’ meeting KUWAIT: Kuwait’s health ministry will take part in the 60th meeting of the WHO’s East Mediterranean Region committee (EMRO) due to be held in Muscat from October 27-30, said informed sources.

The sources added that Health Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammed Al-Abdullah would head Kuwait’s delegation to the meeting that includes health ministers of 22 regional countries as well as international bodies, organizations, UN agencies and NGOs. The sources stressed that the meeting’s agenda would include the consequences of the Syrian crisis on surrounding countries’ health systems. Kuwait will also present an award for fighting cancer, cardiac and vascular diseases and diabetes in the region.

In addition, the meeting is scheduled to discuss several reports on road safety as well as WHO reform.

Kuwait records large deposit rate KUWAIT: Kuwait enjoys the largest number of deposit accounts compared to three other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, a local daily reported yesterday quoting International Monetary Fund statistics.

According to the statistics, there is an average of 1,500 accounts for every 1,000 adult in Kuwait, which means that there are Kuwaitis and expatriates who own more than one bank account to deposit their money. In comparison, the statistics show that there are 1,100 accounts for ever y 1,000 adults in Oman, 938 for every 1,000 adults in Saudi Arabia and 852 for every 1,000 adults in the United Arab Emirates. The IMF explained that they could not obtain sufficient information from Qatar and Bahrain on that regard.

On that regard, banking sector sources agreed that people in Kuwait save more money compared to their peers in the Gulf despite increased spending and purchasing power especially among Kuwaitis. They mentioned Central Bank statistics which indicated that savings have jumped by more than 89 percent between August 2008 and August 2013, while time deposits rose by 36.7 percent during the same period.

And while indicating that a large

part of these savings return to the companies sector, the sources indicated that the general image reflects ‘moving towards saving’ despite the notable decrease in interest rates.

Among reasons they mentioned behind the strong growth in saving volumes at local banks are the relatively high salaries that Kuwaitis receive compared to nearby countries, coupled with lack of investment opportunities which led to increased liquidity in banks instead of funding projects. The sources also mentioned ‘competitiveness’ and offers made by local banks and encourage people to open deposit accounts, as well as the decision of many high-paid expatriates “who prefer to deposit their money in local banks given the circumstances of banks in their home countries”.

Furthermore, the sources said that the lack of other saving methods such as insurance policies as well as the government ’s guarantee to banking deposits also help saving rates.

Despite the positive sides of increased liquidity in local banks, the sources noted that this issue also exposes the fact that private sector stimulation efforts and divers i f i c a t i o n o f n a t i o n a l economy remain substandard.

Hunt on for Salmiya gang

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: The police is currently in pursuit of an unidentified gang who entered the women prayer area in a Salmiya mosque and burnt some copies of the holy Quran, as reported by the mosque’s Imam.

Ship accident Health ministry rescue boats yesterday rescued a sailor who fell from height while working onboard a ship carrying automobiles that was docked in national waters, said security sources noting that on receiving a rescue message, the boat rushed to the ship “Leader Dorado’. The sources added that the man sustained various fractures and internal bleeding and that he was evacuated to a hospital on the mainland.

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait sponsored a summer program organized by Loyac and focused on improving young people’s skills, as part of the ‘integrated social responsibility concept’ that the bank adopts.

Gulf investment continues in London LONDON: Real estate prices in London increased this month as a result of a government initiative and purchases by foreigners, including Gulf Arabs, which are working to drive up prices in the capital.

Asking prices in London soared 10.2 percent in October, pushing typical asking prices in the capital to £544,232, up from £493,748 the previous month, according to a recently released report by Righmove, a company specializing in monitoring real estate activity in Britain.

Broker and General-Director of Overseas Link International Mustapha al-Moussawi told Al Arabiya that foreign investors are buying up property in London.

According to Moussawi, most of those interested in investing in the British capital are either Gulf citizens, Malaysians or Russians. The Times newspaper recently reported that Kuwait is readying to buy a commercial center which includes the offices of London’s mayor.

Such foreign demand works to drive real estate prices up.

However, according to Rightmove, a program introduced by David Cameron’s government is also working to increase prices. The government initiative aims to help British citizens purchase property and although most of those who benefit from this program plan to buy houses in the next 12 months, they have already begun to pay the 10 percent down payment, according to Rightmove.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

LOCAL

KUWAIT: Spanish Ambassador to Kuwait Angel Losada and his spouse are pictured cutting the cake together with Khaled Jarallah, Undersecretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry during the reception hosted by Losada on the occasion of Spain’s National day. The event was held at the Regency Hotel on Sunday evening.

(From left) Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan, Editor-in-Chief Kuwait Times newspaper, Losada, Jarallah and the spouse of the Spanish Ambassador are seen during the function.

(From left) Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Angel Losada, Undersecretary Jarallah, Senegalese Ambassador Abdulahad Embaki and Iraqi Ambassador Mohammad Bahar Al-Aloum are pictured during the reception.

Kuwait shares Saudi frustration over UNSC’s failure to act Spanish Embassy celebrates National Day KUWAIT: The state of Kuwait shares Saudi Arabia’s “frustration and pain” over UN Security Council’s failure to live up to its responsibility to preserving international peace and security, a senior official said yesterday. “We appreciate and respect the view of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is a founding member of the UN and has a leading and effective role in our international and regional causes,” Foreign Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah told reporters on sidelines of a reception held by the Spanish Embassy on occasion of the national day.

He said UNSC “did not do anything” for long years regarding the Palestinian cause and suffering of the Palestinian people and the bloody conflict in Syria “where we see the Security Council unable to offer any-

thing to stop the bloodbath in Syria.”

Saudi Arabia’s not accepting the non-permanent UNSC membership is a message to the world “and it ... succeeded in conveying the message,” said Al-Jarallah.

He said Kuwait and Arab ambassadors in New York are trying to convince Saudi Arabia to reverse its decision.

Al-Jarallah hoped Saudi Arabia would accept the UNSC membership “because it is an influential country and will have a concrete role in the Security Council for the next two years.” Asked about the time of the second donors’ conference for Syria, Al-Jarallah said the meeting would be held early next year and the UN hoped to see pledges amounting to USD four billion. On the visit of UN-Arab League special representative to Syria Lakhdar

A group photo of spouses of foreign ambassadors to Kuwait.

Brahimi to Kuwait, Al-Jarallah said “he will hear the view of the State of Kuwait during his meeting with His Highness the Amir.”

Al-Jarallah, meanwhile, said there was “big progress” regarding talks between Kuwait and the US over the Kuwaiti prisoners in Guantanamo. The foreign undersecretary, on the other hand, praised the “distinguished” relations between Kuwait and Spain.

Meanwhile in Geneva, The State of Kuwait yesterday praised Saudi Arabia’s report, presented at the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, regarding its human rights record. Kuwait’s Permanent Delegate at the UN, Ambassador Jamal Al-Ghunaim, said in a statement at a council session the Saudi report reflected Riyadh’s sub-

Ambassadors to the state of Kuwait are pictured with guests during the reception on Sunday. —Photos by Joseph Shagra

stantial interest in boosting human rights, and that it was based on information provided by government authorities, grass-root associations and human rights experts.

The report illustrated the Kingdom achievements in realms of human rights since the first regular round for comprehensive review in 2010, he said, noting the Kingdom endorsement of the UN conventions related to child trade and child participation in wars as well as its joining, last May, in the International Labor Organization treaty that set minimum age for employment.

Moreover, the Kingdom has signed a memorandum of understanding with the UNHCHR to enhance resources of human rights experts serving in the Kingdom and organize relevant training programs. — KUNA

Losada and Jarallah are seen touring the exhibition of Spanish companies that was held as part of the celebration.

E-Government Forum ‘at the right place, at the right time’

Dr Thalaya Al-Fozan

KUWAIT: Dr Thalaya Al-Fozan, Head of the Scientific Committee mandated with carrying out the technical and scientific arrangements of the “E-Government Forum: Recent Trends, Security Risks & Implementation Challenges” announced that the EGOV Forum attracted many companies to demonstrate their e-Government solutions and services.

“The Forum”, said Dr. Al-Fozan “will be held during the period of Nov 11 to 13 — Arraya Ballroom — Marriott Courtyard under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the Prime Minister of Kuwait”.

Dr Al-Fozan added that “many global companies decided to come to Kuwait for the first time as the Forum will be held at the right place, at the right time. Firstly, The Forum is held by the Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT) that is mandated with developing the e-government program of Kuwait.

Also, the Forum comes at a time where CAIT launched the second phase of the Kuwait Government Online (KGO) project. KGO represents the official portal of the State of

Gulf homosexual ban ‘just a proposal’ KUWAIT: A senior Kuwaiti official said that the decision to bar homosexual and transgender foreigners from working in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has not yet been adopted. “It is a mere proposal that Kuwait will present to fellow GCC members in order to look into the possibility of amending the medical checkup rules for foreigners wishing to work and live in the GCC,” Khalid Al-Jarallah, the foreign ministry undersecretary, said. “The proposal will be debated and it may or may not be accepted. The debate will reflect the keen interest of the GCC countries in human rights taking into consideration the teachings of our religion and international agreements,” he said, quoted by local daily Al Rai on Sunday.

The proposal is due to be discussed by the GCC states Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - in November.

The Kuwaiti official added that the foreign ministry had not received any official communication related to the statement

by Belgium’s foreign ministry about the European Union’s decision to discuss the proposal to bar homosexual and transgender foreigners from working in the GCC countries. Didier Reynders, Belgium’s foreign minister, on Friday told Al Rai that the European Union would take up the GCC decision to bar homosexual and transgender foreigners “because it is a matter that cannot be ignored since there is a form of discrimination.” “The European Union will make the right decision on this issue in order to reinforce human rights,” he was quoted as saying. Reynders told the daily that he would gather further details on the ban proposal from his country’s diplomatic missions in Kuwait and the Gulf.

“Belgium is a pioneer in protecting and reinforcing the fundamental rights of homosexuals, and therefore it cannot ignore any decision or law that fight this category or creates any form of discrimination against them on the basis of sexual orientations,” he said. In their comments, some bloggers insisted that neither the European Union nor any other entity had the right to impose its perspectives on other countries.

“Europe had its views on hijab (the veil) and behaved as it wished,” Tamam posted on Al-Rai site. “They should not tell the rest of the world how to behave.”

Amal said that there should be no hesitation to bar “deviant” people. However, a blogger calling himself “Softy” said that there should be no laws or decisions against homosexuals. “Why should you punish a person who does not feel or act virile? Is it a crime? We are human beings and only God can judge us,” he said.

Kuwait and this new phase shall witness the development of integrated e-services, which set Kuwait at par with advanced countries in the e-government readiness index.

Delivery of integrated e-services, in short, requires the integration of various e-services from different government agencies”.

Commenting on the topics of the Forum, Dr Al-Fozan said that the Scientific Committee has put in place a comprehensive program to discuss all technical, implementation, legislative, project management, specialized solutions, and information security aspects of the e-government program. Dr Al-Fozan added “we are looking forward to come up with a strong scientific and technical base that benefits the implementation of the e-government program of Kuwait. Moreover, we shall focus on the recent technology trends that are shaping the future IT landscape. First, cloud computing for what it promises of great savings in the way data centers are constructed, operated, and supported. We hope that CAIT will be able to reduce the capital and operational costs of government data centers by delivering shared data center services based on cloud computing.

Secondly, Big Data that offers strong analytical capabilities, benefiting decision makers in various leadership levels.

Third, mobility and BYOD are changing the ways in which people and businesses are using and accessing technology assets. We believe we should be ready to embrace such technologies in a safe and efficient way. Lastly, we need to focus on social networking with all the promises and challenges it brings. No doubt, social networking is an important means through which we can hear and know the views of e-government beneficiaries, the people.”

Dr. Al-Fozan concluded his statement by thanking all the participating sponsoring companies and organizations for their cooperative spirit during all Forum preparation phases. He also expressed his gratitude towards Mr. Abdullateef Suraie Al-Suraie, the Director General of the Central Agency for Information Technology and the Head of the Supreme Organizing Committee, for his continued support. Finally, he thanked NoufEXPO who are efficiently carrying out the Forum’s logistics and stated that the Scientific Committee may be reached by +965 22469921 or emailed at info@noufexpo.com.kw.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

LOCAL kuwait digest

In my view

Saudi can’t be cheerleader

False democracies

By Abdulrahman Al-Zuhayyan

By Nasser Al-Eidan

B

Al-Anbaa

I

always ask myself - do we have a complete democracy? What exactly is missing? Our parliament is elected by the people, and our government is approved by the parliament. Ballot boxes are not subjected to forgery, while the media and press enjoy a good margin of freedom. What else is missing? Why then is corruption found in state departments? Where are our allies who are supposed to point out our democratic mistakes for us (if any)? Is democracy considered good as long as their pockets are full, and bad when we compare our democracy to theirs regarding justice?

Since the United States’ invasion of Afghanistan, the volume of corruption rose to become double as much as Afghanistan’s national income.

Afghanistan has a maiden democracy compared to our own which started over half a century ago, or compared to the democracies of some Arab Spring countries that suffer security setbacks today. With the term of Afghanistan’s president nearing its end, he wants to hand over power to his brother, paving the way for the Karzai dynasty to ‘inherit’ democratic rule!

The same scenario happened in Azerbaijan which is currently ruled by the son of its former president after he won 90 percent of people’s votes. In the meantime, the country’s oil wealth is being drained in the name of democracy. Voting is not everything, and democracy is not necessarily a sign of integrity. The worst crimes of administrative and financial corruption often happen under the shadows of the ‘state of institutions’. The most lawbreaking democracies are ‘false’ ones created by the United States of America.

While the US applies democracy correctly at home, it exports a fake form of democracy to its allies. You are tied with a rope and thrown in the well of corruption, and then you are warned with repercussions if you get wet. False democracies are not the solution to our problems. The only solution is awareness, and knowing how to create a competitive way instead of boasting about our democracy. And in order to avoid being ‘fools’ democratically as Dubai sees us, we need to realize an undeniable fact which is this - our democratic foolishness equals more wealth to America!

— Al-Rai

kuwait digest

The love and hatred policy

By Tha’ar Al-Rasheedi

T

here is neither policy in love nor love in policy, a simple rule according to which each politician should realize the fact that policy is governed by reason not passion. They should know for sure that those praising them today will hate them tomorrow and then become enchanted with them once more the day after. This is politics where attitudes change according to figures and interests. This is exactly what is going on as we see some political blocs clearly shifting attitudes.

A government-affiliated MP says: “I was better off with the previous opposition when the government was keen on pleasing us and whenever we asked to meet a minister, we used to get an appointment the very following day, but now with the absence of real opposition, the government no longer needs us and stopped seeking to please us.

Whenever we ask for an appointment with a minister, we get one after a week or ten days. Oh, I long for the good old days of the majority opposition”. Such a state-

ment clearly indicates that the government officially declares that it has the upper hand and that it fears nobody anymore.

When, out of her humane beliefs, Mariam Al-Kharafi launched a project to protect and take care of stray dogs, many people criticized her and started listing government mistakes and shortcomings regarding housing and loans, for instance on grounds that there are more important things to care for.

Those criticizers forget that charities integrate and that her campaign does not contradict with any other fundraising or with any political campaign. It’s all about charity. Why, then, did they start criticizing her forgetting that what this Kuwaiti girl is doing originates from a basic Islamic rule and reflects profound humane values?

I do wish to point the attention those criticizing Kharafi to that fact that charity and benevolence have many forms and benevolent people can choose which channel to use according to their own views. — Al-Jarida

kuwait digest

Corruption in public sector

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

C

orruption was the last topic I discussed before the state went into the Eid Al-Adha holiday, and I talked in specific about the ‘corrupt Kuwaiti citizen’ who is transformed into a tool to steal and squander national wealth. Ironically, the lengthy holiday which came before I could define the faces, mechanisms and components of corruption is in fact one of corruption’s most clear images.

Holidays in civilized and productive countries last for a day or two, and in most cases would not be enjoyed by all state employees. Even those who take the holiday are often asked to ‘pay’ a price, or in other words they are not paid for the days they take off work. The situation here is different as we have different types of holidays. Firstly, there is a permanent holiday taken by many people whose social, sectarian or tribal position helps them gain profit without making effort. Secondly, there is a partial holiday used by people who report to work but with zero productivity, and then there are seasonal holi-

days similar to the latest Eid holiday taken by the majority of public sector employees.

The official holiday lasted for nine days, while many employees added some extra days for travel purposes. It has become common to see a worker take a day off right before an official holiday and return a few days after the break. Of course, no one of the ‘fortunate Kuwaitis’ is complaining or is held accountable.

The long vacation and work stoppage not only affects the public sector, but can lead to paralysis of the private sector and mass exodus of Kuwaiti employees to seek government jobs. It is natural to see a Kuwaiti national refuse to work in the private sector while he or she sees their siblings and friends enjoy lengthy periods of rest that they cannot enjoy. How can they accept staying in Kuwait’s climatically and socially poisoned atmosphere while their peers are having the times of their lives abroad?

Corrupting the Kuwaiti employees in the public sector through holidays affects more than just private sector employees. Technicians and workers in the public sector whose jobs require their constant presence also find themselves deprived from privileges enjoyed by those who are less qualified and under-ranked. Workers in the electricity field, communications and even hospitals do not have chances to be absent from work similar to those that the majority of desk-job employees in the public sector have. The nature of their jobs require their regular presence throughout the year.

Corruption of public sector employees affects the entire workforce in the society. It even affects the society as a whole by holding it hostage of the continuous and repeated great escape operation.

Productive or not, senior official or lower-ranked worker, public or private sector employee, it does not matter. Everyone is affected and the entire nation is harmed. — Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

Does our govt want sports?

kuwait digest

State’s future or sheikhs’ agenda?!

By Mohammad A Al-Matar

D

espite the large number of Kuwaitis who do not follow local sports, especially football, some of those follow final and important matches especially those between Al-Arabi, Al-Qadisiya and Al-Kuwait. And yet another large group that does not have high ambitions still follows local football with all its activities (and I am one of them). I follow talk shows on Kuwaiti channels and sometimes others who are interested in local football, and have been listening to former and current football stars along with some analysts for years. I find them talking about the same concerns and difficulties, and this is repeated many times. The sad part is that these are well-known stars as well as sports symbols who are top professionals and competent.

I want to ask an important and frank question here does the Kuwait government want sports in Kuwait and its development or not? Are they slacking towards this matter and have an inner wish not to work for it? What I see is that the government does not want local sport to develop, rather maybe it hates it and hates those involved in it.

How can we explain the lack of response to sports problems for years although they are known and being talked about weekly over the most known and popular sports programs on state television and other channels? Is it realistic for the government not to know these problems and does not follow the media and does not meet with sports personalities?! Of course they know this, and reality proved to us that they hate sports to develop, and I do not know the reason for this, but this the truth we are living, and I do not see any justification to change this belief.

Kuwait was held as an example on sports and its advancement in the Gulf and Asia in taking care of athletes and clubs, besides providing all the necessary technical

requirements that help the team and athlete forward.

During that golden era, Kuwait made most of its achievements, and Kuwaitis were in love of sports and its stars, and stadiums were getting full with fans and local forums used to talk about and evaluate sports.

We are still talking about the existence of problems in sports facilities, as some are old and others have delays in construction. Athletes still suffer from the lack of honor and appreciation specially at the time of retirement, so he goes to beg from businessmen and personalities to sponsor his retirement. The athlete is still suffering from a partial professionalism system, that is very bad and primitive, and we still suffer from weak fan attendance. But we can solve this problem like other countries that attract fans with prizes and advertisements.

We still suffer from very poor broadcasting of sports events, and you know about the latest problem which caused the lack of broadcasting of some soccer league matches. We need new transmission equipment and technology like some Gulf stations that moved to be global, and also when an athlete needs treatment, we find him morose while looking for someone to send him for treatment. It is not our problem that the citizen is now interested in international sports more than the local ones, and this is not true, because the Saudi, Qatari and UAE citizen for example is interested in international and local sports at the same time. Our problems are many, and the struggles of our sports figures continues, and wasta in sports continues, and taking up positions by those not qualified still exists, and all this has been going on for years with the government’s knowledge, and here we repeat: Does our government wants sport and its advancement?! Say no, rather they hate it. — Al-Rai

elieving in the collective work of the United Nations, Saudi Arabia had been vying for a Security Council seat as a non-permanent member to help the world body resolve longstanding issues in the region. To this end, the Foreign Ministry had been making arrangements for the past three years to prepare its ace diplomats for assignments at the UN. During these years, however, the Security Council proved to be ineffective in addressing vital issues threatening peace and security in the world.

The issues such as the Palestinian-Israeli dispute, nuclear proliferation in the region and recently the Syrian crisis have continued to linger on as the UN took no action to resolve them. Instead, the Security Council during these years became a platform for its permanent members - with veto powers - who manipulated the world body to advance their own interests, while the rest of the world represented by the non-permanent members of the council kept watching helplessly. This double standard and failure to safeguard world peace and security eroded Riyadh’s confidence in the Security Council.

As a non-permanent member has no veto power, its presence in the council is only to give an impression that the decisions taken by members with veto powers carry international consensus, meaning a non-permanent member is considered to be part of a unanimous decision taken by the UN. The Syrian crisis is a living example of the UN’s indifference.

The objective of establishing the world body was to protect the international community from crimes and atrocities committed by dictators and tyrants and to help resolve disputes that endanger peace and security. The UN has identified acts of genocide, use of chemical weapons and attacks against civilians as crimes that violate international law, which warrant Security Council action to prevent and stop their occurrences.

The Syrian regime of Bashar Assad has committed genocide, used chemical weapons against its own people and systematically and indiscriminately murdered them, which are crimes that demand immediate action by the Security Council. But the council remained indifferent to the plight of the Syrian people. The council could have intervened by either authorizing military action, imposing sanctions or launching peacekeeping operations, but it did nothing. These valid Saudi concerns were noted

by France that said, “We share their frustration after the paralysis of the Security Council.”

All of a sudden, these grave issues have been turned into an issue of dismantling the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons, while the killings of Syrian civilians continue unabated. The inaction of the Security Council prompted Riyadh to believe that its participation in the collective work of the Security Council in the hope of making it meaningful would only be a waste of time and efforts, and most importantly damage its reputation in the world. Saudi Arabia deserves a better position than playing a role of a cheerleader at the Security Council.

Given these facts, Riyadh decided to turn down the offer of a non-permanent seat at the Security Council so that it does not participate in the legitimization process of acts described by the UN and international criminal and humanitarian laws as illegitimate. According to a Foreign Ministry statement, “Saudi Arabia ... is refraining from taking membership of the UN Security Council until it has reformed so it can effectively and practically perform its duties and discharge its responsibilities in maintaining international security and peace.”

An honorable and sound role at the Security Council can only be possible by reforming the system of the Security Council to make it more effective in addressing vital issues that threaten world peace and security. This council would be viewed respectfully by the people of the world if it upholds the international law and acts against its violation. A true international consensus on the decisions of the Security Council can only be achieved by giving veto power to non-permanent members of the world body. Saudi Arabia cannot be a cheerleader at the Security Council.

By Hassan Al-Essa

W

hat’s new about the statements by MP Abdullah Al-Turaiji to Al-Jarida newspaper about a parliamentary agenda to overthrow both the PM and speaker in which he stressed that some sheikhs (ruling family members) were behind such agendas represented in the numerous grilling motions filed nowadays by loyal MPs?! There is nothing new about this!

For many years, the press - suppressed by publication laws and restrictions, loyalty to some ruling family members and commercial interests with them - has been shyly, implicitly and rhetorically speaking (that includes me) without pointing to the real ailment represented in the disputes amongst the ruling family members or how such authoritarian conflicts were reflected in deteriorating development, ill management of public facilities such as education and health services (the most important of all) in addition to other services postponed until further notice!

Naturally speaking and out of our sheikhs’ habits, they always had an excuse for repeated failures by blaming the opposition for them because of hindering development projects proposed by previous governments in parliament and being so meticulous about corruption suspicions and investigating them that would eventually end up killing the government’s ambitions in achieving its fantasies and illusionary projects and promoting them to the public. The government has always used some writers as ‘claws’ against the opposition most of the time. On some other occasions, we’d find some of them secretly or

openly working for this or that sheikh who might be dissatisfied with the government sheikhs. So, such an opposing sheikh (he once used to be in the lead) would start striking his cousins below belt using the soft gloves of lawmakers, writers, superficial media and those forming the ‘claws’ party.

Such a saddening image helps marginalize both the state and the people for the sake of a ‘full cream’ sheikhdom where legal bureaucracy judging different disputes would give way to sheikhs leaving them to ambush one another in a fault-finding manner to remove him from office and replace him, while we, the forgotten people, have nothing to do but stand by and watch, putting our daily life concerns such as education, health and housing away till the dust disperses because the sheikhs ‘know better’!

What is and what has been happening to us in Kuwait over the past few decades cannot be isolated from what Christopher Davidson wrote in the Foreign Affairs periodical that was quoted and translated in some GCC blogs.

The writer stressed that unlike what some people say about Iranian threats to GCC states, the most dangerous thing lies in palace rulers interferences and disputes. This makes us wonder if we are entitled to live in countries with history and identity or merely live in emirates and sheikhdoms where states are summarized into sheikhs’ diwans where only loyalty rituals of shoulder and head kissing are practiced. Will such states have a place in future oil-less lands?! — Al-Jarida

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

LOCAL

Kuwaiti appointed ICJ panel chief

Zain welcomes Kuwait’s jet ski team KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, yesterday announced that it has welcomed Kuwait’s National Jet Ski Team Champions in Kuwait Airport after the team won the World Jet Ski Championship in Arizona, as the company is the main sponsor of the team for the third consecutive year.

Zain’s Corporate Communications and Relations team participated in welcoming the national team in Kuwait Airport’s Honoring Hall where many of the team’s sponsors and supporting organizations attended. The company emphasized that its sponsorship of the team for three years fell under its corporate social responsibility strategy 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 internation-

ally 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: “Zain congratulates Kuwait’s Jet Ski Team’s champions on this international achievement. The National Jet Ski team deserves all the support and attention for their previous and current 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.

Kuwaitis safe in NSW KUALA LUMPUR: Kuwait’s Embassy in Australia and New Zealand confirmed that all Kuwaitis, including students at the universities in New South Wales are safe and sound after a wave of forest fires had swept through different areas of the state.

“Over 100 fires were ignited by the burning forests in the state of New South Wales, including 30 fires that were too difficult to control,” Charge D’affaires, Rashed Al-Saleh said over the phone.

These fires resulted in the death of a

number of people, as well as major losses in homes and property, he added.

He said Kuwait’s Embassy is following up with the Kuwaiti nationals, as it designated an around-the -clock hotline (0457407677) for emergency to all the Kuwaitis in Australia.

He stressed that there are no Kuwaiti students residing near any of the affected areas. Al-Saleh also confirmed the safety of the embassy’s headquarters in Canberra, which is 300 km away from the fire areas. — KUNA

BRUSSELS: Tareq Yousef Al-Shumaimry from Kuwait, was recently appointed as the President of the Financial and Administrative Committee at the permanent headquarters of the International Court of Justice at The Hague. Al-Shumaimry was also appointed as the Executive Committee and Budget Supervisor at the headquarters, making Kuwait the first Arab and Asian country to hold such a post. Kuwait was selected last year for the first time through its representative, AlShumaimry, as Financial and Administrative Committee member.

“This is such a great success to Kuwait’s foreign affairs policies,” Kuwait’s Ambassador to The Hague Hafeez Al-Ajmi told KUNA in praise, yesterday, and congratulated Al-Shumaimry for securing this prestigious post.

On his selection as President of the committee, Al-Shumaimry said, “it is an honor for Kuwait to be the first Arab and Asian country to hold this position in the International

Court,” especially in view of the fact that “in the past, only members from Europe and the USA held them, since the court was established over a hundred years ago in 1899.”

Al-Shumaimry expressed thanks to Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah AlKhalid Al-Sabah and Minister of Justice Sharida Al-Mouasharji, the Ambassador at the Hague Hafeez Al-Ajmi, and all embassy staff for their full support to Kuwait’s next generation of leaders to hold such international posts, which reflects positively on Kuwait’s image and role internationally.

“This achievement for Kuwait compliments the vision of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of making Kuwait a trade and financial centre,” he added.

Kuwait joined the International Court of Justice in 2003. The court is an affiliate to the United Nations and one of the most important judicial institutions in the world with 120 members. — KUNA

Tareq Yousef Al-Shumaimry

Attempted murder suspect arrested in an ambush Search for police attackers KUWAIT: Sabah Al-Salem police arrested a man who left a stateless resident in a critical condition during a fight two weeks ago. The search for the Kuwaiti man had been ongoing ever since he stabbed his foe in the chest and abdomen ‘to settle old disputes’ according to the victim, who said that the fight happened after they ran into each other accidently in Sabah Al-Salem. Police arrested the man Saturday night in an ambush outside his house in the area. He was referred to the authorities to face charges.

Serviceman dies An army man died at Sabah Hospital shortly after he collapsed at his workplace in the Ministry of Defense Sunday. The 53-year-old stateless resident had been suffering from heart disease for years and was waiting for a visa to head to France on a government-paid treatment trip. The man’s body was taken to the forensic department after he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Kidnap and rape Hawally police are looking to arrest a man for questioning on kidnap and rape charges pressed recently at the Maidan Hawally police station. The case was filed by a stateless resident who explained that she went out with the Kuwaiti man after they met outside a leisure

park, and they went to an apartment in the area where she said he sexually assaulted her before he returned her to the same spot they had met. The woman added that she had a phone conversation afterwards with the man who categorically refused her marriage demands, after which she was left with little choice but to report the case. Investigations are ongoing.

In another incident, a 25-year-old woman filed a case at the Adan police station and accused her friend of kidnap and rape. In her statement to police, the woman said that the incident happened Saturday night at the suspect’s house where she headed to hand him documents he had requested to help her find a job. The woman accused the man of physical and sexual assault at gunpoint, adding that she was held against her will before being released on Sunday. Investigations are ongoing to arrest and question the suspect on the charges.

Fugitive nabbed Kuwait City police arrested a man wanted for defaulting on a KD 55,000 payment. Patrol officers pulled the Kuwaiti man over after they noticed that he was driving aimlessly near a government building.

They performed an identity check after noticing that the man was nervous, and found

out that he is wanted for a civil case. The man was taken to the authorities for further action.

Police attackers Investigations are ongoing to arrest suspects who intimidated a police officer who tried to arrest a fugitive in Saad Al-Abdullah on Sunday. According to the police report, the officer went in pursuit of a white sports utility vehicle following a collision between the two cars in Amghara. The chase ended in Saad AlAbdullah but while the officer was preparing to put the fugitive under arrest, he was attacked by a group of knife-wielding youngsters who inflicted further damage to the patrol vehicle and helped the fugitive escape. The officer went back to the police station and filed a case for investigations.

Suicide attempt A domestic worker was hospitalized in a critical condition following a suicide attempt reported Sunday in Saad Al-Abdullah. The Asian woman was found unconscious inside her employer’s house in the area before an ambulance was called. She was taken to the Jahra Hospital where she was diagnosed with poisoning and admitted in the intensive care unit. Preliminary investigations indicate that the woman consumed cleaning bleach from a bottle found near her in a bid to end her life.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

LOCAL

Lebanon honors Sheikh Ahmad BEIRUT: Lebanese President Michel Suleiman yesterday honored Chairman of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah with the National Order of the Cedar with the rank of Officer in appreciation for his contributions to sports.

The president, according to a statement released by the presidential palace information bureau, hailed after a meeting with Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad and the accompanying delegation the relations bounding Kuwait and Lebanon and Kuwait’s continuous support for the country. He also singled out the achievements made by ANOC under Sheikh Ahmad’s chairmanship.

The meeting was attended by the Kuwaiti ambassador to Lebanon Abdul Al-Aal Al-Ginaee, Director-General of Olympic Council of Asia Hussein Al-Mislem, Director of Asian Games Department of the Olympic Council of Asia Haider Farman.

Present on the Lebanese side were Sports Minister of the caretaker government, Faisal Karami, Chairman of the Lebanese football Association Hashem Haidar and other eminent sports figures. Emerging from a meeting with Minister Karami, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad indicated that the president awarding prompted him to sense greater responsibilities toward Lebanon and praised Karami for playing a pivotal role of sparing Lebanon international sports curbs.

He also thanked the Director General of the Youth and Sports Ministry, Zaid Khiami, for masterminding issuance of local laws, compatible with the Olympic charters. Minister Karami praised Kuwait’s pivotal role of maintaining Lebanon’s unity and stability and underlined Sheikh Ahmad’s role in sparing the Lebanese such sanctions. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Center for Autism hosted Zainab Al-Qattan from the Kuwait Red Crescent Society who gave first aid training lessons and explained how to deal with emergency cases until paramedics’ arrival. The course is an annual activity in which the Kuwait Center for Autism seeks to teach students and staff how to deal with emergency cases such as falling, drowning and seizures.

Coordination continues ahead of Oct 29 session Ministers to be questioned for irregularities

Media cooperation discussed KUWAIT: Director General and Board Chairman of Kuwait News Agency Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij AlIbrahim Al-Sabah received yesterday, separately, the country’s ambassadors to Libya, Mubarak Al-Adwani, and to Thailand, Abdullah Al-Sharhan, and discussed means to boost cooperation between KUNA and embassies abroad to better serve the homeland’s media strategy.

The officials also stressed such media cooperation would also support Kuwaiti diplomacy.

KUNA’s chairman said the agency realizes fully the importance of communication with embassies abroad and the weight of the Foreign Ministry’s diplomatic efforts which aim to secure a proud standing for the homeland on the world map. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem met Minister of Planning and Minister of State for Parliament Affairs Rola Dashti in order to discuss the mechanisms that the executive and legislative authorities plan to use to focus on joint work when the National Assembly resumes sessions next week. This was reported by Al-Rai yesterday quoting sources who indicated that the meeting focused on a list of topics that will be discussed in the order of priority, and is set to be followed by another meeting this week “in which the two sides prepare to agree on common priorities”.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the sources further revealed that Dashti held a ‘lengthy meeting’ with rapporteur of the financial committee MP Faisal Al-Kandari to discuss proposed amendments to the buy-operatetransfer (BOT) and Kuwait Airways privatization laws.

Despite promises of cooperation made by members of both authorities, several MPs reiterated plans to begin the new parliamentary term by questioning ministers for ‘irreg-

ularities’ in their respective departments. In that regard, sources close to MP Husain Al-Quwaian revealed that the lawmaker has already finalized the grilling motion he plans to file against Health Minister Sheikh Mohammad AlAbdullah Al-Sabah. Al-Quwaian announced in a press conference Sunday that he plans to file the grilling ten days after Oct 29 session and added that it will be highlighted by a ministry decision to cancel projects to expand four public hospitals.

Meanwhile, MP Saadoun Al-Otaibi reiterated demand for a Cabinet reshuffle that eliminates a number of ministers, naming in specific the Minister of Electricity and Water and Minister of Public Works Abdul-Aziz Al-Ibrahim, who he blamed of “stalling the hospitals’ expansion project and the Jaber Causeway project”.

On his part, Ibrahim urged MPs in a statement Sunday to “contact ministers and inquire about issues of debate before spreading accusations that can create confusion”.

And while acknowledging MPs’ right to file grilling

motions, he indicated that this right can only be exercised if a lawmaker does not find cooperation from the targeted minister. “As long as a minister stands on solid ground, he or she will be able to provide answers to all inquiries because they know very well the nature of their performance and repercussions of their actions,” he said.

In the meantime, sources close to MP Safa Al-Hashem revealed that the outspoken lawmaker has launched preparations to file a grilling motion against Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah in December.

Speaking to Al-Watan daily on the condition of anonymity, the sources said that the grilling will consist of ‘six main topics’ and “will be supported by strong arguments” in which the government is accused of incompetency.

In other news, Al-Anbaa daily reported yesterday that a growing number of MPs are showing support to a draft law proposed recently that calls for creating a link between increasing public sector salaries and the annual inflation rate.

NBK launches Advanced Academy for High Fliers KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) launched the Advanced Academy for High Fliers. This initiative is tailored to provide NBK’s future leaders with cross functional exposure to various departments within the bank, as part of NBK’s strategy to invest in its human capital.

The Advanced Academy for High Fliers is part of a continuing process to develop and grow young talents. The initiative provides the High Fliers with the right environment in which they have the opportunity to increase their understanding on the theoretical, technical and practical functionalities of various Major Banking Units.

Risk Management, Corporate Banking, Wealth Management,

International Banking & Treasury are just some of cross functions exposure the High Fliers drive through. This unique NBK Talent development initiative is an ongoing one throughout the year.

This new initiative comes as a continuation to the High Fliers Leadership Program that has been designed in partnership with AUB. This program commenced in May 2009, covering topics such as Financial and Risk Management, Change and Innovation Management, Future Proofing, Effective Communication and Leadership development through in class discussions, case studies and assignments.

Paris hosts talks on Mideast peace process PARIS: Kuwait Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad AlSabah arrived here Sunday evening to attend a meeting on Monday of Arab League Follow-Up Committee as part of Arab Peace Initiative and ongoing efforts to find a just settlement to Israel-Palestine conflict, diplomatic sources said.

The Deputy Prime Minister was accompanied to Paris by his Office Director, Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Mohammad Al-Sabah, Kuwait Ambassador to the Arab League Aziz Al-Daihani and other staff members.

Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled will be meeting

with around nine of his Arab counterparts to review the status of the difficult peace talks and to discuss the ongoing input of the major Arab nations into the peace process.

Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled will also be taking part in a meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers with US Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East peace process.

The Deputy Prime Minister was welcomed on arrival in the French capital by Kuwaiti Ambassador to France Ali Sulaiman Al-Saeed and embassy staff. —- KUNA

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

Pakistan’s women police fight criminals, militants and scorn Page 11

French notorious serial killer dies Page 10

Gunmen on shooting spree; 4 killed Egypt hunts for killers in church wedding attack 15% of US youth out of school and work WASHINGTON: Almost 6 million young people are neither in school nor working, according to a study released yesterday. That’s almost 15 percent of those aged 16 to 24 who have neither desk nor job, according to The Opportunity Nation coalition, which wrote the report. Other studies have shown that idle young adults are missing out on a window to build skills they will need later in life or use the knowledge they acquired in college. Without those experiences, they are less likely to command higher salaries and more likely to be an economic drain on their communities.

“This is not a group that we can write off. They just need a chance,” said Mark Edwards, executive director of the coalition of businesses, advocacy groups, policy experts and nonprofit organizations dedicated to increasing economic mobility. “The tendency is to see them as lost souls and see them as unsavable. They are not.” But changing the dynamic is not going to be easy.

The coalition also finds that 49 states have seen an increase in the number of families living in poverty and 45 states have seen household median incomes fall in the last year. The dour report underscores the challenges young adults face now and foretell challenges they are likely to face as they get older. A young person’s community is often closely tied to his or her success. The Opportunity Nation report tracked 16 factors - Internet access, college graduation rates, income inequality and public safety among them - and identified states that were doing well for its young people.

Topping the list of supportive states are Vermont, Minnesota and North Dakota. At the bottom? Nevada, Mississippi and New Mexico. “Their destiny is too often determined by their ZIP code,” said Charlie Mangiardi, who works with Year Up, a nonprofit that trains young adults for careers and helps them find jobs. “We have the supply. We don’t have a lack of young people who need this opportunity,” Mangiardi added. —AP

CAIRO: Police were hunting yesterday for attackers who killed four Copts in a shooting spree at a church wedding, in the first assault targeting Christians in Cairo since the ouster of Egypt’s Islamist president. An eight-year-old girl was among those shot dead at the Church of the Virgin in Cairo’s working class neighborhood of Al-Warrak, while 17 others were wounded in

of the attack to grieve. One worshipper Ayman Moussa said there had been no security at the church since June, despite several attacks against Copts around the country in the wake of president Mohamed Morsi’s July 3 ouster by the army. The community was left reeling by the attack. “We as Copts are paying the price of Morsi’s ouster. We are targeted. We no

CAIRO: An Egyptian relative of one of the victims of a shooting spree targeting a wedding at a Cairo Coptic Church is comforted as she mourns at a morgue in the capital yesterday. — AFP the late Sunday attack, officials said. Witnesses recounted how longer feel safe anywhere,” said Iman Girguis, 40.

The interior ministry listed two attackers but some witnesscelebrations quickly turned to horror as the attackers sped towards the wedding party on a motorbike, sprayed the crowd es spoke of three. “Three masked men on a motorbike with bullets and fled. “It’s unfair. This isn’t acceptable in any reli- approached us. Two opened fire on us and then everything gion,” cried Layla Ezzat, one of many who returned to the scene turned to blood and chaos,” said Moawad Wagih, 40, speaking

outside the morgue where the bodies had been taken. Ahmed al-Ansari, the head of ambulance services, said four people were killed and 17 were wounded, updating an earlier toll. A morgue official said those killed were all Copts.

Prime Minister Hazem Beblawi condemned the attack in a cabinet statement, calling it a “despicable criminal act,” and said security forces were searching for the assailants. “Such terrible acts will not succeed in dividing Muslims and Christians,” he said. Beblawi said police were investigating the circumstances of the attack and that he had asked authorities to provide emergency medical services to the wounded.

COPTS UNDER ATTACK Egyptian Christians, the majority of whom are Copts, have been targeted since Morsi was swept out of power by the army amid mass protests against his year-long rule, and in particular since an August 14 crackdown by security forces on two Cairo camps of Morsi supporters. Islamists were enraged by the deadly crackdown and accused Coptic Christians of backing the coup that toppled Morsi, who hails from the Muslim Brotherhood and was Egypt’s first democratically elected president. This perception was fuelled by the appearance of Coptic Pope Tawadros II alongside army chief General Abdel Fattah AlSisi when he announced on television Morsi’s removal from office.

Muslim leaders and other politicians were also present.

Rights groups say that Copts, who account for six to 10 percent of Egypt’s 85 million people, have come under attack mainly in the provinces of Minya and Assiut in central Egypt. Earlier this month London-based Amnesty International said that more than 200 Christian-owned properties were attacked and 43 churches seriously damaged across the country since the August 14 crackdown.

In its report Amnesty International blamed Egyptian security forces for failing to stop “revenge attacks” against Coptic Christians after the violent dispersal of the pro-Morsi camps.

The Muslim Brotherhood has deplored Sunday’s attack and blamed it in part on the military-installed authorities.

“The military-backed authorities continue to turn a blind eye to deliberate acts of arson, vandalism and murder,” it said in a statement. Egypt’s Copts have long complained of discrimination and marginalization, particularly under Morsi’s one-year rule. —AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

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

DR Congo peace talks suspended again KINSHASA: Peace talks between the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels were suspended again yesterday even after the United Nations pressed for progress in the troubled negotiations. Both sides announced a halt in the talks taking place in the Ugandan capital Kampala, just hours after UN envoys warned about the dangers if a deal was not agreed soon to end fighting in the volatile east of the country.

Congolese government spokesman Lambert Mende said the talks had been suspended because of disagreement over the extent of an amnesty for the M23 rebels and their integration into the national army, the FARDC. M23 delegate Roger Lumbala said there was a “blockage” but insisted the rebels were ready to go back to the table at any time.

A government official had earlier warned that the negotiations, which resumed in September under pressure from regional African leaders, were “heading slowly but surely towards failure”. The UN special envoys issued a statement yesterday voicing concern over the lack of a comprehensive deal that would lead to the demobilization of

M23 rebels fighting in the mineral-rich but chronically unstable east.

“The envoys are concerned at the volatility in the region and hope that additional progress on the significant remaining issues can be made in the coming days,” they said in a statement.

“The envoys further warn against any acts of provocation and urge the parties to exert maximum restraint on the ground in order for the dialogue to conclude.” M23 consists of ethnic Tutsi former rebels who were taken into FARDC ranks under a peace pact in 2009, then mutinied in April 2012 and turned their guns on their fellow soldiers, accusing Kinshasa of failing to keep the deal.

The UN envoys “strongly urge the M23 to cease immediately all forms of violence and destabilizing activities and that its members immediately and permanently disband and lay down their arms in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2098,” the statement said.

The M23 controls an area of around 700 square kilometers in the eastern North Kivu province of the DRC that borders on Rwanda and Uganda. On November 20 last year, the rebels seized the key provincial capital of Goma, a city of one

million people, but withdrew in early in December.

The region became a key battleground in successive wars between 1996 and 2003 as rival armies scrambled for control of its rich mineral resources, including gold and coltan, which is a prized component of electronic technology such as mobile phones. Since a 2003 peace agreement, both North and South Kivu provinces have remained highly unstable because a multitude of rebel movements, tribal militias, army deserters and military units are fighting for control of territory and resources.

The United Nations and Kinshasa regularly accuse Rwanda and Uganda of supporting M23, something both countries deny. Yesterday’s UN statement commended “good faith efforts” by the Kinshasa government to reach a peace deal. A heavily armed 3,000-strong UN intervention brigade joined 17,000 peacekeepers already deployed with a mission to carry out offensive operations against the rebel fighters, who are accused of human rights abuses including rape, murder and recruiting child soldiers.

Lumbala said the Congolese govern-

ment had refused to accept him as a member of the rebel military delegation to the peace talks, accusing him of “insulting” President Joseph Kabila.

Lumbala said he backed Kabila’s veteran

political rival, Etienne Tshisekedi, who rejected the outcome of presidential and parliamentary elections in November 2011 that were won by Kabila and his supporters. — AFP

WALIKALE: A soldier of the Congolese Defense Forces (FARDC) watches as UN helicopter from the MONUSCO takes off from Walikale in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo. — AFP

Students challenge the Egyptian army Wedding attack raises fears among Christians

SIRTE: Image captured off a cellular phone camera shows the arrest of Libya’s strongman Muammar Gaddafi in his hometown Sirte where he was captured. October 20, 2013, marks the second anniversary of the capture and killing of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in his hometown of Sirte after an eight-month revolt against his four-decade rule backed by NATO air strikes. — AFP

Gaddafi widow demands return of dictator’s body TRIPOLI: The widow of ousted Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi has urged the United Nations and the European Union to help her recover the remains of her husband and their son Mutassim. In a letter published on the website of Voice of Russia radio on Sunday, Safia Farkash also called on the African Union to investigate the deaths of the two men.

Gaddafi and his son were captured and killed by rebel fighters on October 20, 2011 during the uprising that toppled the long-ruling strongman. Their bodies were displayed in the port of Misrata and then buried in a secret location. “All the members of the UN Security Council, the European Union and everyone who has direct or indirect connection with this murder must tell where the remains of these martyrs are and allow their relatives to bury them in a proper way,” Farkash wrote in the letter marking the second anniversary of Gaddafi’s death.

Farkash also demanded that the African Union launch an investigation into the killings,

and appealed to the international community to help her contact her son Saif Al-Islam, who was captured by rebels in November 2011 in southern Libya. “I demand that the world community should help me to come in touch with my son Saif Al-Islam, who has been isolated from all members of our family from the moment of his arrest,” she wrote.

Saif has been held by a group of former rebels in the western town of Zintan since his capture, and is awaiting trial over his alleged role in trying to suppress the 2011 uprising.

Safia and three of the former dictator’s children-Aisha, Hannibal and Mohamed-fled to Algeria in August 2011 as rebel forces seized Tripoli, before part of the family was granted asylum in Oman this year. Another of Gaddafi’s sons, Saadi, fled to Niger in September 2011. Mutassim and another two of Gaddafi’s sons were killed in the 2011 conflict Saif Al-Arab died in a NATO air strike, and Khamis was killed in fighting in August that year. — AFP

Lebanese say Syria captors tormented them with lies BEIRUT: Lebanese ex-hostage Ali Termos says his Syrian rebel captors moved him 13 times during his 17-month ordeal, constantly stringing him along with the lie that freedom was hours away.

“My nerves were wrecked. I counted that we were moved 13 times, maybe more,” he said in his living room, hours after his release and return home late Saturday via Turkey.

“They told us we would be freed 100 times.

But they were lying, they would move us and then there was no release. It tormented our morale,” he said. Termos was among 11 Shiite men abducted by rebel fighters in northern Syria in May 2012 as they were returning from a pilgrimage to a Shiite sacred site in Iran along with female relatives. They had travelled by bus through Turkey and were heading home when rebels fighting to oust the Syrian regime seized them just a short distance away from the border crossing into Lebanon.

The gunmen ordered all 11 Shiite male pilgrims off the buses but let the women continue on their journey. Two men were subsequently freed. The nine others returned home at the weekend thanks to a deal mediated by Qatar and Turkey, which also led to the freedom of two Turkish pilots who had been seized in Beirut in August in a tit-for-tat abduction. Back home in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a bastion of Lebanon’s powerful Shiite movement Hezbollah, Ali is surrounded by his wife, his three children and a sea of well-wishers.

They have come in waves to congratulate him on his safe return from Syria, flooding his house all day on Sunday. The house is decked in yellow balloons and relatives offer coffee and platters of sticky-sweet cakes to express their gratitude for such compassion and Termos’ return. Termos recalled how they were moved to various rebel positions near the Turkish border, including a tent under scorching heat and a room with bare essentials. The men only had the

clothes on their backs which they washed and put out to dry, he said.

COOKING ORDEAL “For a while they brought us ready-made food, but the rest of the time they brought us foodstuff and we had to cook. Sometimes we had to cook in a bathroom. “One of our captors asked me ‘What will you say about us after you are released?’ I did not answer. “What can I say about someone who abducted me and deprived me of my wife and my children? That he was feeding me?”

‘THEY ARE NOT HUMANS’ Ali Abbas had harsher words for his captors.

“They are not Sunnis, or Shiites, or Christians or humans either,” said the young man who also returned home on Saturday after 17 months in captivity. Well-wishers have also thronged his family home and his parents are greeting them and offering juice and cake to mark the occasion.

Flowers and multi-colored balloons festooned the house. “You know psychological and moral abuse and undermining people’s dignity is worse than physical abuse,” he said. “Our worst fear was fear itself,” Abbas added. “Eleven of the sites they took us to were totally destroyed in bombardment and blasts and many times we thought the would kill us,” he added. But both Termos and Abbas said they were not beaten or tortured by their captors. Abbas said their fate changed on Thursday when their captors forced them to don bags over their heads and drove them to an unknown destination. They were taken into a room where a man awaited them, saying “‘You are safe inside Turkish territory,’” said Abbas. “It was a wonderful moment. I cannot describe it, but those words changed everything.” Lebanese officials have said the men were freed on Friday and taken to Turkey the following day before their return to Lebanon.— AFP

CAIRO: Thousands of students from Egypt’s AlAzhar University staged a third day of protests yesterday, security sources said, in one of the boldest challenges to the army since it toppled Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July. The demonstrations demanding Morsi’s reinstatement are a delicate matter for the authorities because the administration at Al-Azhar, the ancient seat of Sunni Muslim learning, has historically toed the government line.

In another sign of Egypt’s struggle to impose stability since Morsi’s ouster, the prime minister yesterday threatened tough measures against anyone who attempts to divide Egypt after gunmen killed four people in an attack on a church in Cairo. The protests at Al-Azhar campuses in Cairo and other cities are smaller than previous rallies against the army-backed government.

Security sources said a total about 4,000 students were involved, of whom 44 had been arrested.

The unrest suggests Morsi supporters may have shifted tactics, focusing on sensitive sites rather than huge street protests which often lead to strong action by security forces. Some clerics, officials and professors at Al-Azhar are known to be supporters of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood. It is not clear whether the protests reflect serious splits between them and their opponents at AlAzhar, or whether a group of students is simply trying to pressure the government.

Authorities have been cracking down hard on the Brotherhood, which has won every vote since a popular uprising toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011, but is now outlawed again.

Security forces have killed hundreds of people in protests. Brotherhood leaders, including Morsi, Egypt’s first freely elected president, have been jailed on charges of inciting violence - allegations they deny. The student demonstrations erupted as a debate grows over a draft law that would severely restrict protests. Human rights group say the law would only bring more bloodshed to Egypt, a US ally which lies at the heart of the Middle East and controls the Suez Canal, a global trade route.

CONTROVERSIAL ANTI-PROTEST LAW “As well as placing restrictions on the right to freedom of assembly the proposed law would give security forces a free rein to use excessive and lethal force against demonstrators - including supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

After toppling Morsi in July, army chief General Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi appeared on state television to announce a political roadmap that would lead to free and fair elections. In an assertion of sectarian harmony, Sisi was flanked by a senior Muslim cleric and the Coptic Christian pope, but a bloody security crackdown on Morsi supporters on Aug. 14 was followed by Egypt’s worst attacks on churches and Christian property in years, most of them occurring outside Cairo.

The authorities have accused the Brotherhood of being behind the violence, a charge it rejects. Minority Coptic Christians fear an Islamist backlash against their community which is widely seen as backing Morsi’s ouster.

On Sunday, gunmen on a motorcycle fired on wedding guests outside a Coptic church in a Cairo suburb. An eight-year-old child was among the four people killed. Six were wounded.

“Christians are the target,” said one church official, who asked not to be named. “Low security around churches has always been an issue...Still we know we are a target for Islamists.”

Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi said in a statement that such “heinous acts” would not succeed in dividing Egyptians and that the government would watch out for attempts to sow discord. Coptic Christians make up 10 percent of Egypt’s 85 million people, and have generally coexisted peacefully with majority Sunni Muslims for centuries, despite bouts of sectarian tension. — Reuters

CAIRO: Egyptian students of the Al-Azhar University run for cover from tear gas canisters fired by riot police during clashes outside their university camps in Cairo, during an anti-army protest. — AFP

Sahrawis, police clash RABAT: Bloody clashes erupted between police and pro-independence protesters in Western Sahara, a human rights group said yesterday, as the UN envoy wrapped up his latest visit to the disputed territory.

Dozens of civilians required hospital treatment, including women and children, after police moved to break up a “peaceful protest” in the territory’s main city Laayoune on Saturday, the Moroccan Human Rights Association (AMDH) said. “The police violently dispersed the gathering and surrounded the residential Maatalla district, breaking into people’s houses and causing a lot of damage,” the independent rights group’s Laayoune representative Hamoud Iguilid said.

Local authorities, cited by the official MAP news agency, contradicted the AMDH’s version of events, saying five members of the security forces were wounded in “acts of vandalism and violence.” Some 400 people gathered “without permission” and began throwing stones and petrol bombs, according to the authorities, who made no mention of civilian casualties and strongly denied that police had broken into people’s houses.

Morocco annexed the former Spanish colony in 1975 in a move never recognized by the international community, while its neighbor Algeria backs the pro-independence Polisario Front. The clashes took place a day after UN special envoy Christopher Ross

arrived in Laayoune on a new bid to push for a peaceful resolution to the decades-old conflict.

During his visit, which also took him to the town of Smara in the territory’s desert interior, Ross met local Moroccan officials, tribal chiefs and civil society representatives, both for and against independence.

The former US diplomat, who has already visited Rabat and Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria on his latest tour, was expected to leave Laayoune yesterday morning. He has made no public comments during the tour. A spokesman for the UN peacekeeping force in Western Sahara, known as MINURSO, reported a “massive” police presence in Laayoune at the weekend, but was unable to comment on or confirm clashes between police and protesters. Morocco has proposed broad autonomy for the territory under its sovereignty, an initiative rejected by the Polisario Front, which has campaigned for independence since 1973 and which fought Moroccan troops for a decade and half until the United Nations negotiated a ceasefire in 1991. The Polisario, which still controls a small strip of territory in the desert interior, insists on the Sahrawis’ right to determine their own future in a UN-monitored referendum. Ross’s efforts to bring the two sides together for direct talks have faltered amid some acrimony, with the Moroccan government briefly demanding last year that UN chief Ban Kimoon replace the envoy.—AFP

Besieged Syrian town pleads ‘Save us from death’ in letter BEIRUT: Residents of a Syrian town besieged by President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces appealed to the world to “save us from death” in an open letter describing desperate conditions and suffering.

Hundreds of men, women and children in Mouadamiya had died and thousands had been wounded, they said. Mouadamiya, on the southwest outskirts of the capital Damascus, was occupied by anti-Assad rebels last year and the government has been trying to win it back since then.

“For nearly one year, the city of Mouadamiya has been under siege with no access to food, electricity, medicine, communications, and fuel,” said the letter, distributed by the opposition Syrian National Council yesterday. “We have been hit by rockets, artillery shells, napalm, white phosphorous, and chemical weapons,” it said. The writers, who did not give their names, said they had managed to find enough power to run a computer and connect to the internet to send the letter.

The SNC said nearly 12,000 people face starvation and death in Mouadamiya. About 90 percent of Mouadamiya has been destroyed, few doctors

remained, and residents were eating “leaves of trees”. Reuters cannot confirm reports from the besieged town due to government restrictions.

The government says the residents of Mouadamiya are being “held hostage” by terrorists, the term it uses for armed opposition groups.

It denies using chemical weapons.

United Nations humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said last week that despite the government evacuating 3,000 people this month, thousands more remain trapped inside Mouadamiya. She said that United Nations teams had been denied access. Local doctors have told Reuters that hunger has become severe in recent months.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring organization said yesterday that rebels and government forces clashed on the edges of Mouadamiya overnight and the army bombed the town. “We appeal to your sense of humanity not to forget us,” the residents’ letter said. “We implore you to deliver our message to the whole world.

“Save us from death. Save us from the hell of Assad’s killing machine.” —Reuters

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

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

Luxembourg PM leads polls but loses ground Juncker - Europe’s longest-serving leader

LUXEMBOURG: Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker waves to supporters at the Alvisse Hotel in Luxembourg yesterday. — AFP

UK Prince George gets a low-key christening LONDON: Britain’s Prince George, the son of Prince William and his wife Catherine, is to be christened tomorrow in a private family ceremony far removed from the global media circus that surrounded his birth. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the head of the world’s Anglicans, will perform the christening at the Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace in London, Kensington Palace said.

George-who as third in line to the British throne is a future Supreme Governor of the Church of England and “Defender of the Faith”-was born on July 22 to the royal couple with the title of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Guests are expected to include Queen Elizabeth II, the young prince’s great-grandmother, and William’s father Prince Charles, although royal officials have only said that “close members of both families” will attend the baptism.

The choice of the Chapel Royal reflects William and Kate’s attempts to keep a low profile, as most senior British royals in recent history have been christened at Buckingham Palace, the queen’s official residence. Kensington Palace, the couple’s official residence, said it was a “personal decision” to use the chapel for the service.

Kate’s parents Michael and Carole Middleton, who have played a key role in supporting the young parents, and her siblings Pippa and James are also expected to be there.

The royal family has said that photographs will be released after the service which will reportedly show the queen with three future monarchs: Princes Charles, William and George. The names of godparents will be released nearer the ceremony although it is rumored that William’s brother Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton will be among them. There has also been speculation that William’s close friends Hugh van Cutsem and Thomas van Straubenzee are in the running.

STAYING OUT OF LIMELIGHT William, Kate and George have largely stayed out of the limelight since their only public appearance together, when they faced hundreds of reporters as they left a London hospital following the boy’s birth.

They spent two weeks with the Middletons at their home in a village west of London, and William and Kate have made only a handful of public appearances since then.

The only sighting of George has been in a picture of him with William, Kate and the couple’s dog Lupo which Michael Middleton took in the family’s back garden.

The choice of christening venue is in keeping with their desire to stay low-key.

William’s cousin Princess Beatrice is the last well known royal baby to be christened at St James’s Palace, in December 1988.

William, Charles and the queen were all christened at Buckingham Palace.

The Chapel Royal was also where the coffin of William’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales, lay before the funeral following her death in a car crash in Paris in 1997 while being chased by paparazzi. George will be christened in a replica of the lace and satin christening gown made for Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Victoria, the Princess Royal, in 1841. The first royal baby to wear the replica was James, the son of the queen’s youngest son Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, at his christening in 2008.

British photographer Jason Bell, who has previously taken portraits of celebrities including former Beatle Paul McCartney, actor Johnny Depp and footballer David Beckham, was set to take the picture of the christening, The Sunday Times newspaper reported. A picture of the queen with Charles, William and George would echo the one taken in 1894 during the christening of the future Edward VIII, showing the royal baby with his father, later George V, grandfather, the future Edward VII, and great grandmother, Queen Victoria.

The christening is an essential ceremony for the young prince, as all British monarchs must be full confirmed members of the Church of England, the mother church of the world’s nearly 80 million Anglicans.

Christenings, or baptisms, are a Christian rite of admission to the religion. A Christening in the Church of England involves a new baby having holy water poured on its head-the baby is not fully immersed. It is then signed with the cross and godparents and parents make promises on behalf of the child.— AFP

LUXEMBOURG: Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker says he will try to form a new government after his party took a clear lead in snap elections, but support for Europe’s longestserving leader has slipped. Official results from Sunday’s polls showed that his conservative Christian Social People’s Party (CSV) led the field with 33.7 percent of the vote-against 38 percent four years ago.

The CSV looked set to lose three of its 26 seats in the tiny country’s 60-member parliament, according to the official figures that were almost complete.

“We claim priority to form the next government,” Juncker said in a brief statement at the headquarters of the centre-right party, which has won every election bar one since it was established in 1944 “We are the largest party,” he said, calling their showing “impressive”. The election in the European Union’s richest state per capita had been brought forward by seven months after the discovery of misconduct in the secret services, which the prime minister oversees. Juncker’s former coalition with the Socialist party splintered over misdemeanors by the SREL spy agency, from illegal phone tapping to dodgy dealing in luxury cars.

The 58-year-old premier came under fire for concentrating too much on his role as head of the euro-zone finance ministers during the Eurogroup’s debt crisis and taking his eye off domestic issues.

Official figures showed the Socialists in second place at 20.3 percent, just ahead of the opposition Liberals at 18.2 percent, who made a sharp gain of 3.2 percentage points. That would give each party 13 seats in parliament. Juncker saluted the Liberals “for their score” in the polls. But at the same time, he told AFP he did not “rule out” the possibility that a coalition could be formed against him.

While voters deem Juncker competent to continue to steer the state, surveys show a younger generation of politicians increasingly picking up support, notably 40-year-old Liberal Party chief Xavier Bettel.”We have won the day,” Bettel said on election night. The voters have “clearly given us a mandate to go back into government, or to form a government.”

Also expected to make gains was Greens newcomer Francois Bausch, who for the past three years has run the Luxembourg town hall with Bettel. However, estimates showed the Greens losing one of seven seats. Bettel and Bausch have made no secret of their hopes of forming a coalition government without Juncker’s conservatives.

But they would need backing from the Socialists, who withdrew their support from Juncker amid the spy scandal.

Socialist leader Etienne Schneider said it was “time for change” on his Facebook page. “If it’s possible to carry out... real reforms aimed at moderniz-

French FN sues black minister in race row PARIS: France’s far-right National Front (FN) is taking legal action against the country’s most prominent black politician over disparaging comments she made in response to being compared to a monkey. The row began last week when a prospective FN candidate for municipal elections next year said on television that she would prefer to see Justice Minister Christiane Taubira “in a tree swinging from the branches rather than in government.”

The party immediately dropped the candidate, but Taubira, who is from French Guiana, on Saturday responded with a fierce salvo against the “deadly and murderous thought” of the FN. “It’s blacks in tree branches, Arabs in the sea, homosexuals in the Seine (river), Jews in the oven and so on,” she said. The FN, an antiimmigration, eurosceptic party, in turn responded by saying it would take legal action against Taubira to “uphold the rules of democratic and republican debate and the honor of millions of French who vote for the party.” In a statement, it also asked whether Taubira could stay on as minister.

The CRAN-a French umbrella group of associations that fight discrimination against black people-reacted to the row on Monday by saying “the world has turned upside down.” “Christiane Taubira is insulted by an FN candidate, and in the end it’s the minister who is taken to court by the National Front,” Louis-Georges Tin, head of the organization, said in a statement. The FN has been seeking a makeover to broaden its voter appeal and dispel its xenophobic image, and appears to be succeeding. It recently won a key local by-election and is tipped to be the leading French party in European elections also due next year. The party’s image has long been linked to the personality of its founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen-the father of current party leader Marine Le Pen-who has been repeatedly convicted of racial hatred and Holocaust denial.—AFP

ing the state and giving it a new impetus, then yes, I’m in favor of a three-way coalition,” added Schneider, who has made no secret of wanting to become prime minister. “Today I really want to become prime minister to give a new dynamic to the country and reform it from top to bottom,” said the 42-year-old outgoing economy minister.

According to partial results, the Liberals, Greens and Socialists would have just enough seats to form a majority, with an estimated 32 seats. On the campaign trail, Juncker hammered home the message that a three-party coalition-which would be the first of its kind for Luxembourg-would under-

mine the nation. He has nevertheless said he would be prepared to govern in a two-way coalition with the Socialists, Greens or Liberals.

The CSV campaigned on Juncker’s experiencehe has spent nearly half his life in government-and a need for stability in the tiny Grand Duchy wedged between Belgium, France and Germany.

Although the small nation is comparatively wealthy, unemployment has edged up to nearly seven percent and debt has trebled in the past 15 years. Nine parties in all were running in the elections, from the extreme leftwing Dei Lenk to populist rightwing group ADR.— AFP

Roma couple due in Greek court over ‘abducted’ girl ATHENS: A Roma couple will appear in a Greek court yesterday over the suspected abduction of a young girl whose discovery has prompted thousands of calls from parents with missing children. Police found the blonde-haired, green-eyed girl named Maria in a Roma camp in the central town of Farsala on Wednesday, and the couple was arrested after DNA testing showed they were not related.

While police believe the girl-dubbed the “blonde angel” by Greek media was abducted at birth, the couple claims she was given up by her biological mother because she could not raise her. “We’re talking about a woman who could not raise this child and who gave it to the couple in 2009 through a third party shortly after her birth,” a lawyer for the couple, Marietta Palavra, told AFP over the weekend.

“There has been no kidnapping, no robbery, no trafficking,” insisted her colleague Konstantinos Katsavos, who also represents the 40-year-old woman and her 39-year-old husband. “They did not buy the child,” he said.

According to the couple’s lawyers, the biological mother does not have Greek citizenship.

Greek charity Smile of the Child, who have been looking after Maria, say they have been inundated with calls and emails. “Until Sunday evening, we had received more than 8,000 calls and thousands of emails,” charity spokesman Panagiotis Pardalis said.

He said the organization’s site had received more than 200,000 visits and its Facebook page about half a million. “It is either families (of missing children) or even unrelated per-

sons (who contact us from abroad), sending us photographs and other information. We forward all the information to the police,” he said. Maria is described as a four-year old, but local media have reported she could be a couple of years older. “Anything is possible.

(Medical) experts will examine her and will try to determine her age and possibly her origin,” Pardalis added.

“This case has caused a huge international interest. It has brought to the surface the subject of child trafficking and has given hope to so many parents whose children are missing,” he said. Maria’s case has even given a glimmer of hope to the parents of British girl Madeleine McCann who have been searching for their daughter since May 2007 when she vanished from their holiday apartment in Portugal. Greek authorities are working with Interpol to trace Maria’s biological parents in a Europe-wide search, according to a police source.

The state-run Athens News Agency reported Sunday police were investigating hospitals and childcare agencies for possible child trafficking, suspecting a ring operating between Bulgaria and Greece. “The police are investigating every possible angle,” a spokeswoman at the local Larissa police station said. In January 2011, police had arrested more than a dozen people in the two neighboring Balkan countries, for the trafficking of newborn babies to Greece. The ring arranged for pregnant Bulgarian women, primarily of Roma origin, to give birth in Greece with their babies then sold off in illegal adoption procedures.— AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

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

News

in brief

Militants dig tunnel into Israel GAZA: The military wing of Gaza’s ruling Hamas said yesterday that it masterminded what Israel called a “terror tunnel” from Gaza into the Jewish state, meant to kidnap Israeli soldiers. “This tunnel was made by the hand of the fighters of (Izzadine) Al-Qassam and they will not sleep in their efforts to hit the occupation and kidnap soldiers,” the group’s spokesman Abu Obeida told Hamas’s AlAqsa radio. “We are working on the ground and under the ground to release the prisoners (held by Israel),” he said. “Kidnapping soldiers is the only way to succeed against the (Israeli) occupation.”

Israeli officials last Sunday said troops had uncovered a tunnel running from Gaza 450 meters into Israel and allegedly intended as a springboard for attacks. In June 2006 a group of Hamas and other militants snuck into Israel through a cross-border tunnel, seized Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and took their prisoner back to Gaza the same way. He was released on October 18, 2011 in exchange for 1,027 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

Blast kills 6 in south Russia MOSCOW: Six people were killed and several others injured yesterday when a blast tore through a passenger bus in the southern Russian city of Volgograd, officials said. “The toll has risen to six killed and seven injured,” a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB, ex-KGB) spokesman said by telephone. A regional emergencies ministry spokeswoman separately told AFP that 17 people were injured by the blast. Officials said the blast occurred at around 2:00 pm in the city on the Volga River, located about 900 kilometers southeast of Moscow. “There were around 40 people on board,” said the FSB official, adding that investigators could not yet pinpoint the cause of the explosion. The state-run Rossiya 24 rolling news channel said investigators were probing whether the blast may have been caused by a leaking gas canister used by some city transport vehicles as a source of fuel. “According to preliminary information, the gas equipment (on the bus) blew up,” a Volgograd police department spokesman separately told the state ITAR-TASS news agency.

Ex-informant suing US WASHINGTON: A former confidential informant working for the United States in Colombia claims in a lawsuit that the US government abandoned her when she got into legal trouble for her undercover operations, and she wound up spending three years in a Colombian jail. Astrid Hurtado is seeking $15 million in damages. Hurtado, 52, first worked as an informant for the US tax agency in 1997-1998, then for the “El Dorado Task Force,” a premier US government unit established by the then-US Customs Service to investigate money laundering. Her job was to impersonate a money launderer in Colombia and provide information to the US. In return, she received a percentage of money seized by the United States. Hurtado told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that she was paid around $120,000 for her work over a roughly 18-month period from 1998 to 2000.

US Republicans renew focus on ‘Obamacare’ Obama pushes immigration reform, Republicans still wary WASHINGTON: “Obamacare” escaped unharmed from the government shutdown Republicans hoped would stop it, but just as quickly they have opened a new line of attack one handed to them by the administration itself. While Congress was arguing, President Barack Obama’s plan to expand coverage for the uninsured suffered a self-inflicted wound. A computer system seemingly designed by gremlins gummed up the first open enrollment season. After nearly three weeks, it’s still not fixed.

Republicans hope to ride that and other defects they see in the law into the 2014 congressional elections. Four Democratic senators are facing re-election for the first time since they voted for the Affordable Care Act, and their defeat is critical to GOP aspirations for a Senate majority.

Democrats say that’s just more wishful thinking, if not obsession.

Although Obama’s law remains divisive, only 29 percent of the public favors its complete repeal, according to a recent Gallup poll. The business-oriented wing of the Republican party wants to move on to other issues.

Americans may be growing weary of the health care fight.

“This is the law of the land at this point,” said Michael Weaver, a self-employed photographer from rural southern Illinois who’s been uninsured for about a year. “We need to stop the arguing and move forward to make it work.”

It took him about a week and half, but Weaver kept going back to the healthcare.gov website until he was able to open an account and apply for a tax credit that will reduce his premiums. He’s not completely finished because he hasn’t selected an insurance plan, but he’s been able to browse options. It beats providing page after page of personal health information to insurance companies, Weaver said.

Under the new law, insurers have to accept people with health problems. Weaver is in his mid-50s, with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, but otherwise in good health. He says those common conditions made it hard for him to get coverage before. Although Weaver seems to have gotten past the major website obstacles, he’s still finding shortcomings. There’s no place to type in his medications and find out what plans cover them.

“I wish there was more detail, so you could really figure it out,” he said. Such a nuanced critique appears to be lost on congressional Republicans. “#TrainWreck: Skyrocketing Prices, Blank Screens, & Error Messages,” screamed the headline on a press release Friday from House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. A House hearing on the “botched Obamacare rollout” is scheduled for this coming week.

GOP lawmakers want Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to resign.

Administration officials, in their most detailed accounting yet of the early rollout, said Saturday that about 476,000 health insurance applications have been filed through federal and state exchanges. But the officials continue to refuse say how many people have enrolled in the insurance markets. Without enrollment figures, it’s unclear whether the program is on track to reach the 7 million people projecting by the Congressional Budget Office to gain coverage during the six-month sign-up period.

The president was expected to address the problems on Monday during a health care event at the White House.

The administration has yet to fully explain what has gone wrong with the online signup system. “To our Democratic friends: You own ‘Obamacare’ and it’s going to be the political gift that keeps on giving,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, RSC. “Irresponsible obsession,” scoffs Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan, ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee, which oversees much of the health law.

Democratic pollster Celinda Lake says she doesn’t see how going after the health law rollout will help Republicans by the time of next year’s election.

“Americans are technology optimists,” said Lake. “You tell them the website has problems today, and they’ll assume it will be better tomorrow. I mean, we’re Americans. We can fix a website.” There may be a method to the GOP’s single-mindedness. Republicans are intent on making the health law an uncomfortable anchor around the neck of four Democratic senators seeking re-election in GOP-leaning states, weighing them down as they try to unseat them. Republicans need to gain six seats to seize the majority in the Senate, and any formula for control includes flipping the four seats.

Sens Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Mark Begich of Alaska and Kay Hagan of North Carolina will be facing voters for the first time since they were among the 60 Democrats who voted for the health law in 2009. More than a year before the election, Republican Rep. Tom Cotton is airing an ad that criticizes Pryor for his vote, telling Arkansans that Pryor “cast the deciding vote to make you live under Obamacare.” The commercial’s final image shows Pryor with Obama, who took a drubbing in Arkansas last year.

With the budget crisis barely resolved, US President

Barack Obama is already urging Congress to complete a stalled immigration overhaul-and his Republican rivals don’t share his enthusiasm. “We should finish the job of fixing our broken immigration system,” Obama said Thursday.

“Let’s start the negotiations. But let’s not leave this problem to keep festering for another year, or two years, or three years. This can and should get done by the end of this year.” An overhaul was in the works earlier this year.

In June, the Senate, dominated by Obama’s Democratic allies, passed a historic reform package that would create a pathway to legal status and eventual citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants. The Senate plan, crafted and approved with Republican support, would strengthen the border with Mexico and reorganize the visa system to give priority to high-demand fields, including engineers and farm workers.

But in the House of Representatives, Republicans hold the majority, and they are more hostile toward so-called “amnesty” for the millions of foreigners living illegally in the United States. According to Democrats, immigration reform provides a chance to improve the image of conservatives, whose popularity sank after being blamed for the recent political paralysis in Washington.

“We have here a golden opportunity,” said Democratic political consultant Maria Cardona. “We have a window of opportunity of one or two months, when the House can vote the reform.” Democratic Congressman Luis Gutierrez was more cautious. “It is hard to be optimistic about the prospects for anything happening in a bipartisan manner on Capitol Hill these days,” he said, though predicting immigration reform could be taken up “before the end of the year.” — Agencies

French notorious serial killer dies PARIS: Emile Louis, an ostensibly harmless bus driver who became one of the most notorious serial killers in French history, has died at the age of 79. Louis, who was convicted in 2004 of killing seven mentally impaired young women in the late 1970s, died on Sunday morning in a secure hospital in Nancy in eastern France, his lawyer Alain Fraitag said. He was serving parallel life sentences for the murders and for the rape and torture of his second wife, and the sexual assault of her daughter.

His death marks the latest but not necessarily the final chapter in a tragic saga of extraordinary cruelty and judicial bungling. Exactly why it took nearly a quarter of a century for Louis to be brought to justice has yet to be explained, and mystery still surrounds the 1997 death of the police officer who first identified him as a suspect. All seven murder victims, aged between 15 and 25, were under the care of social services in the Yonne district of northern Burgundy, for whom Louis worked as a bus driver. Witnesses at his various trials described him as a jovial, polite man who was friendly and thoughtful in his dealings with the vulnerable young women he came into contact with through work.

But in reality, he was a sadistic predator who derived enormous pleasure from the domination of others. One psychiatrist described him as “a unique serial killer capa-

ble of inflicting extreme levels of cruelty, perversion and suffering.” Others suggested Louis suffered from a severe split personality born of the emotional abuse that he himself had suffered at the hands of his adoptive parents.

Louis first came on to the radar of French police in 1981 during an investigation into the death of Sylviane Lesage.

Investigators quickly established that Lesage had been having an illicit sexual relationship with Louis, and that he had also sexually abused three girls being looked after by his partner at the time. Louis was convicted in 1983 of indecent assaults on minors, but a charge of murder in the Lesage case was dropped in 1984. That in turn led to the investigation into the six other murders of young women that had occurred in the area between 1975 and 1979 being shelved without anyone being charged.

Christian Jambert, a gendarme who had identified Louis as a prime suspect, was found shot dead in 1997.

The death, from two bullets to the head, was officially classified as a suicide but many experts on the case suspect Jambert was murdered to cover up Louis’s links to other people involved in the abuse of young women in care. After serving his first prison sentence, Louis moved to Frejus in the south of France, where he was convicted in 1989 of sexually assaulting his neighbors’ children on the camp site where he had taken up residence.—AFP

French President under fire for ‘emotional’ response to Roma girl

FORT MEAD: A file photo shows the National Security Agency (NSA) in Fort Meade, Maryland. France and Mexico have angrily demanded prompt explanations from Washington following fresh, ‘shocking’ spying allegations leaked by former US security contractor Edward Snowden. — AFP

France, Mexico seek answers after ‘shocking’ US spy claims PARIS: France and Mexico have angrily demanded prompt explanations from the United States following “shocking” new spying allegations leaked by former US security contractor Edward Snowden. The reports published in French daily Le Monde and German weekly Der Spiegel reveal that the US National Security Agency secretly monitored tens of millions of phone calls in France and hacked into former Mexican President Felipe Calderon’s email account.

They come on top of revelations also leaked by Snowden and published in June that the US had a vast, secret program called PRISM to monitor Internet users. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, on a trip to Luxembourg for a meeting with his EU counterparts, said the US ambassador had “immediately” been summoned to his ministry for a meeting yesterday morning. “These kinds of practices between partners that harm privacy are totally unacceptable. We have to rapidly make sure that they are no longer implemented in any circumstance,” he told reporters. French Interior Minister Manuel Valls, meanwhile, described the revelations as “shocking”, in an interview with Europe 1 radio. The spy agency monitored 70.3 million phone calls in France over a 30-day period between December 10 and January 8 this year, Le Monde reported in its online version, citing documents from Snowden.

According to the paper, the NSA automatically picked up communications from certain phone numbers in France and recorded certain text messages under a program code-named “US-985D.” Le Monde said the documents gave grounds to believe that the NSA targeted not only people suspected of being involved in terrorism but also high-profile individuals

from the world of business or politics.

Valls said France would demand “precise explanations by US authorities in the coming hours.” US authorities declined comment to the French daily on the “classified” documents.

The Le Monde article followed revelations by Der Spiegel-also based on documents provided by Snowden-that US agents had hacked into the Mexican presidency’s network, gaining access to Calderon’s account. According to the report, the NSA said this contained “diplomatic, economic and leadership communications which continue to provide insight into Mexico’s political system and internal stability.”

The agency reportedly said the president’s office was now “a lucrative source.” Mexican authorities said they would be seeking answers from US officials “as soon as possible” following the allegations. “The Mexican government reiterates its categorical condemnation of the violation of privacy of institutional communications and Mexican citizens,” Mexico’s foreign ministry said in a statement Sunday. “This practice is unacceptable, illegitimate and contrary to Mexican law and international law,” the statement read.

Snowden, who has taken refuge in Russia, is wanted in the United States for espionage and other charges after leaking details of the NSA’s worldwide snooping activities that were published in June. The fugitive had been in hiding in Hong Kong since May and flew to Moscow on June 23, where he stayed in the transit area for more than a month before being given temporary asylum and leaving the airport for a safe location. US President Barack Obama has since proposed reforms of US surveillance programs in the wake of the furor. — AFP

PARIS: French President Francois Hollande has been attacked from all sides for offering a deported Roma schoolgirl the chance to return to France without her family, ceding ever more ground to his ambitious Interior Minister Manuel Valls. Hollande’s offer to let Leonarda Dibrani, 15, come back to the country-which she declined, saying she would not leave behind her parents and five siblings in Kosovo-has been met with incomprehension and vitriol, leaving the president accused of misusing his position and acting “emotionally”.

French media on Sunday let rip at Hollande, with the website of the leftwing Liberation newspaper describing the move as “the most improbable of all scenarios”, and the weekly Journal du Dimanche calling it “as bizarre as it is incomprehensible”. Politician Francois Bayrou, a centrist heavyweight who backed Hollande in the second round of presidential elections in 2012, weighed in to say a head of state “should not confuse emotion and the duty of government.”

The Roma teenager immediately turned down Hollande’s offer from the town of Mitrovica in Kosovo, where she has been living with her family since their October 9 deportation. “I’m not the only one who has to go to school, there are also my brothers and sisters,” she said. The family were assaulted on Sunday in what local authorities described as a private dispute with another family that was unrelated to their deportation from France. The girl’s mother was briefly hospitalized and released as her injuries were not serious, police said, adding that four people have been detained.

Leonarda’s arrest by French police during a school trip and the subsequent deportation of her family has aroused soul-searching by France’s left and brought thousands of high-school students to the streets in protest. The results of a formal investigation published Saturday found that the deportation was lawful but that police could have used better judgment in the way they handled it. However, the case was further complicated by revelations that Leonarda’s father had lied about

his family’s origins to have a better chance at obtaining asylum.

SUPPORT FOR VALLS As an advocate of the rigorous enforcement of immigration laws, Socialist Interior Minister Valls was put in a difficult position when his boss made the grand gesture. Initially praising an “act of generosity” in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche, Valls went on to say that the family’s deportation was justified by seven prior asylum rejections and the “fraudulent documents” they provided in sup-

should be sent back to their countries of origin. But a survey by polling firm BVA published on Saturday in the Le Parisien daily showed that 74 percent of the French approved Valls’s position on the Dibrani controversy.

Hollande’s own approval ratings are dismal, slumping to a new low of just 23 percent, according to a poll published Sunday in the JDD. “We are in a period where public opinion is supportive of the forces of law and order, of discipline,” political commentator Roland Cayrol said. Hollande was also accused of “cartoonish indecisiveness”

MITROVICA: Leonarda Dibrani, the 15 year-old Roma schoolgirl whose deportation from France sparked a huge outcry, sits outside her temporary home in Mitrovica. — AFP

port. But in a deft maneuver seemingly designed to distance himself from the president, Valls said “emotion cannot be the guide (in deciding) a policy.” He then paid tribute to France as a “land of immigration”, but nonetheless stressed the need to “control the flow” of foreigners entering the country.

“Foreigners, even families, even those with school-age children, as soon as they no longer have the right to remain, must leave the country,” he said, countering this hard line once again by arguing France must fight to protect the asylum system “to the last breath”. Last month, Spanish-born Valls triggered an outcry when he said most of the 20,000 Roma in France had no intention of integrating and

by Francois Fillon, former prime minister under Nicolas Sarkozy and a preeminent figure in the centre-right UMP party-not the first time the accusation has been leveled at the Socialist president.

According to commentator Jerome Fourquet, Hollande’s behavior remains in keeping with his diplomatic style when he was head of the Socialist Party, during which he was “the man who brought together different factions.” But for many, the president’s quest for balance comes at the risk of shrinking from difficult choices, just months ahead of municipal and European elections set to be overshadowed by the recent surge of the far-right National Front. — AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

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

Storm caused radioactive leaks at Fukushima TOKYO: Heavy rain at the Fukushima nuclear plant caused a leak of radioactive water containing a cancer-causing isotope, possibly into the sea, its operator said yesterday, as a typhoon approaching Japan threatened further downpours. The leak is the latest in a long line of setbacks at the site, and further undermines agreements between operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) and the government which limit the level of radioactive contamination in water that goes outside the plant.

TEPCO said a barrier intended to contain radioactive overflow was breached in one spot by water contaminated with strontium-90 at 70 times the legal limit for safe disposal. Strontium-90 is produced during nuclear reactions. It accumulates in bones and remains potent for many years, and causes several types of cancer in humans. The admission came as a team of experts from the UN’s nuclear watchdog ended their review of Japan’s progress in cleaning up the wider environment after the tsunami-sparked meltdowns of March 2011 created the worst atomic disaster in a generation.

TEPCO has poured thousands of tons of water onto badly-damaged reactors at

Fukushima to keep them cool and prevent repeat meltdowns. This huge volume of water must be stored in large tanks until it is cleaned of the radioactive substances it picks up in the cooling process. Rain worsens the problem because as it hits polluted surfaces, it becomes contaminated, meaning TEPCO needs to scoop it all up for storage and treatment.

While the storage tanks all appeared to have survived the battering from heavy rain on Sunday, the concrete overflow barriers around them were not high enough to contain the rainwater runoff in several places. Meteorologists say a typhoon that is likely to bring further heavy rain is churning its way slowly towards Japan. Forecasters expect it will hit later in the week. In August, 300 tons of badly-polluted water leaked from a tank. It is now believed to have mixed with groundwater that is on its way to the sea.

Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), whose experts have been in Japan, sounded a largely positive note on progress in dealing with the mess around the Fukushima plant.

The mission, which came at Tokyo’s

request, is a follow-up to an IAEA visit last year. Japan must review its communication strategies to improve public confidence in the process, the team said in its interim report.

“Japan has done an enormous amount to reduce people’s radiation exposure in the affected areas, to work towards enabling evacuees to go back to their homes and to support local communities in overcoming economic and social disruption,” team leader Juan Carlos Lentijo said in a prepared statement. The report said that “food safety measures (have) protected consumers and improved consumer confidence in farm produce”. Existing screening programs ensure that whatever is shipped to the market place “is safe for consumers,” he told a press conference. “We ate fish” during the mission in Fukushima, he told reporters.

The Japanese government must better inform the public to reduce uncertainty as well as explain the costs and benefits of public programs, Lentijo said.

But he hailed what Japan has done so far, at least outside of the Fukushima plant. Despite official endorsements like this, the Japanese public and interna-

tional consumers continue to be sceptical about the safety of food from the area. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has

repeatedly insisted the situation is under control, has said he eats Fukushimagrown rice daily. — AFP

OKUMA: In this file photo, debris covers the No 3 nuclear reactor at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture. — AP

Pakistan’s women police fight criminals, militants and scorn ‘Fighting a war in the workplace’

MOUNT VICTORIA: A burnt out car sits in front of a destroyed house at Mount Victoria in the Blue Mountains yesterday, as volunteer fire brigades race to tame an enormous blaze with officials warning it could merge with others to create a ‘mega-fire’ if weather conditions worsen. — AFP

Australian firefighters battle to tame wildfires MOUNT VICTORIA: Firefighters were battling an enormous blaze in southeastern Australia yesterday, with officials warning it could merge with another to create a “mega-fire” if weather conditions worsen. Crews have been fighting fires that flared in high winds and searing heat across the state of New South Wales last week with more than 200 homes destroyed so far and many others damaged.

While dozens of blazes have been contained, 63 were still alight and 17 of them were out of control, enveloping Sydney in a thick white smoke haze that prompted warnings for people to stay indoors and avoid exercise. The main concern yesterday was near the town of Lithgow west of Sydney, where a huge fire-with a perimeter of 300 kilometers - has already burned more than 42,000 hectares (103,000 acres) and was threatening the communities of Bilpin, Bell, Clarence and Dargan.

Officials fear intensifying heat and winds today and tomorrow could push it into another blaze at nearby Mount Victoria in the Blue Mountains and then move towards the populated areas of Katoomba and Leura. “I don’t think I’ve ever used the word mega-fire,” said New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons. “But the reality is that the modeling indicates that there’s every likelihood that in the forecast weather conditions that these two fires, particularly up in the back end of the mountains, will merge at some point.”

Firefighters spent the night and much of yesterday building containment lines to try to prevent such an event, before a predicted worsening of weather conditions. Another major fire

around the Springwood area of the Blue Mountains, where almost 200 houses were razed last week, escalated to the emergency declaration level-along with another in Wilton southwest of Sydney, which was later downgraded. “The fire grounds remain dynamic and challenging for firefighters and are particularly susceptible to the wind and the elevated temperatures that we are experiencing,” Fitzsimmons said.

But the fire chief played down earlier suggestions that all communities in the Blue Mountains, where 76,000 people live, could be evacuated. “We are not planning a mass evacuation of the Blue Mountains community,” he said.

Instead authorities were taking “a very targeted approach to securing and protecting all the communities”. An emergency warning was issued for the Blue Mountains village of Bell, where residents were urged to evacuate. Other township residents were told to shelter in their homes or warned that they faced several days of isolation without electricity.

This included people in the village of Mount Wilson, which was used as the backdrop for scenes in the recent Hollywood blockbuster “The Great Gatsby” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Amid the worst fire disaster in the state for nearly 50 years, New South Wales Sunday declared a state of emergency which gives firefighters the power to forcibly evacuate people, with penalties for refusing. State Emergency Services Minister Mike Gallacher said every possible resource was being used, including firefighters drafted in from other states, with the option that the military could be deployed.—AFP

Life sentence sought for Khmer Rouge ex-leaders PHNOM PENH: Prosecutors at Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge court yesterday demanded the maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment for two former top regime leaders on trial for crimes against humanity. “Brother Number Two” Nuon Chea, 87, and ex-head of state Khieu Samphan, 82, are accused of playing a leading role in the “Killing Fields” atrocities in the late 1970s that left up to two million people dead.

Prosecutor Chea Leang said life in prison was “the only punishment that they deserve”.

“On behalf of the Cambodian people and the international community we ask you for justice-justice for the victims who perished and justice for the victims who survived today who had to live through such a vicious and cruel regime under the leadership of these two accused and other leaders,” she added. The two defendants, the most senior surviving Khmer Rouge cadres, were both in court to hear the requested sentence.

Led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the communist regime wiped out a quarter of Cambodia’s population through starvation, overwork and execution between 1975-79 in a bid to forge an agrarian utopia. The kingdom’s UN-backed court is moving closer to a verdict in the complex trial, which has been split into a series of smaller trials. Life imprisonment is the maximum sentence it can deliver. There is no death penalty.

The first trial has focused on the forced evacuation of people into rural labor camps

and the related charges of crimes against humanity. The evacuation of Phnom Penh in April 1975 was one of the largest forced migrations in modern history. More than two million people were expelled from the capital at gunpoint and marched to rural labor camps. “It’s a crime against humanity to send millions of people out into the hot countryside, to walk for days, weeks, sometimes months without any organized transportation or any provision of food, water or medical assistance,” said co-prosecutor William Smith.

The Khmer Rouge leaders “implemented their criminal program with utter brutality”, he said. “They decided on who lived and who died. They decided where and how their slaves lived.” The trial, which began hearing evidence in late 2011, is widely seen as a landmark in the nation’s quest for justice. Survivors of the regime welcomed the plea for a harsh sentence. “I’m very happy. Justice is now near. The court must agree to this life imprisonment request because I lost 29 relatives under the Khmer Rouge,” said Chin Meth, 55, who watched the court proceedings.

Closing statements are scheduled to be completed by the end of the month, with a verdict expected in the first half of next year. Other charges of genocide and war crimes are due to be heard in later hearings although no date has yet been set. The defendants deny the accusations, saying they were not aware of the atrocities committed under the regime-a claim rejected by prosecutors.—AFP

ABBOTTABAD: When Shazadi Gillani, the highest ranking female police officer in Pakistan’s most conservative province, wanted to join the force she had to defy her father, forego marriage and pay for her own basic training. During the next 19 years, Inspector Gillani and her faithful sidekick Rizwana Zafar - brought up as a boy after becoming her frustrated father’s ninth daughter - have battled bandits, earthquakes and militants.

The Taleban are so pervasive in Gillani’s northern Khyber Pakhunkhwa province that she wears a burqa, a head-to-toe robe with a small mesh window for the eyes, when she travels.

Zafar dons a fake moustache to escort her. But the women’s biggest challenge is helping new female police recruits. Women make up just 560 of the province’s 60,000-strong force. Police chiefs hope to double that within a year, but tough working conditions make recruitment hard.

There have been small victories. Germany funded female dormitories at three training colleges. Women recruits no longer wait years for basic training. This summer, the province opened women’s complaint desks in 60 malerun police stations. Many Pakistani women face horrifying violence and officials hope more abused women will report attacks. Tradition forbids them from speaking to male officers. The province opened two women-only police stations in 1994. But they have long been starved of resources and responsibility. “We are fighting a war in the workplace,” said Zafar, whose uniform sports a karate patch. “We are supporting our juniors. There was no one to support us.”

FROM SCHOOLGIRLS TO COPS As a schoolgirl, Gillani wanted to join the army like her father. They were not recruiting, so she proposed the police instead. Her father and seven brothers were horrified. “They said police disrespected women,” she said, auburn hair peeping out from her cap. “I had a lot of opposition.” After a week of refusing to eat - and lobbying by her college lecturer mother - Gillani’s father gave in. He had three conditions: Be brave. Marry your job. Bring a friend.

So Gillani recruited her school friend Zafar.

Zafar cut her hair short and dressed like a boy.

She taught herself to ride motorbikes, use computers and fix engines. She is Gillani’s bodyguard, assistant and friend. “I don’t cook. I don’t have a dress. I’m not scared of anyone except God,” Zafar said. “We protect each other, we guard each other. When one is sleeping, the other is awake.”

When a colleague tried to force his way into their tent after an earthquake leveled their town, Zafar and Gillani fought him off together.

Women police were not respected when Gillani joined, but the military was. Her army major father shoehorned them into courses and footed the bill. Gillani’s training cost $2,000. The money was returned eight years later. Not everyone had a powerful father. Rozia Altaf joined 16 years ago and waited six years and submitted more than 50 applications to get her basic training.

Now head of the women-only station in the provincial capital of Peshawar, she says things have changed - a little. “We were neglected,” she said, waving a dismissive hand. “But now I make sure my junior officers get training and promotions on time.” The Peshawar women-only station gets about 50 complaints a year, far less than a male-run station. The last crime reported at the Abbottabad women-only station was in 2005. Station head Samina Zafar sits at a bare desk in an empty room lit by a single naked bulb. “We are not given good facilities,” she said.

“I want this place to be like a man’s police station.”

ATTACKERS RARELY PROSECUTED Women do prefer to confide in female officers, says professor Mangai Natarajan, who studied women police stations. She says domestic violence accounted for two-thirds of cases reported to women’s stations in India’s Tamil Nadu state. Police mediation reduced violence for half the complainants. The women’s desks in

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa receive a complaint every few days, mostly domestic violence. The attacker is usually simply rebuked. Victims fear a formal case will bring further violence.

But some policemen still say no woman willing to join the police is worth having. “Women who join the force don’t care for their reputations or have nowhere else to go,” said one senior officer. Gillani and Zafar are infuriated by

such talk. “If people see women police doing their jobs well, they will change their minds,” said Gillani, supervising the fingerprinting of a tearful accused kidnapper. While she must wear a burqa to head home, she refuses to do so in the station. “If we are doing the job of a man, why should we not show our faces?” she asked.

“Change is a challenge for all of society, not just police.”— Reuters

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Christian minority leader J Salik (center) holds a placard with the posters of the US President Barack Obama and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, during a protest in Islamabad yesterday, against US drone attacks in the Pakistani tribal region. — AFP

Malaysia’s Najib entrenches power as reform drive fades KUALA LUMPUR: Internal voting for top posts in Malaysia’s ruling party at the weekend has proved Prime Minister Najib Razak to be a canny survivor - five months after a poor showing at national elections - but at a cost to his reform agenda. In May, Najib seemed dead in the water to some observers after presiding over the longruling Barisan National (BN) coalition’s worst election result. The internal United Malays National Organization (UMNO) elections, however, confirmed Najib had seen off challenges from rival factions - including the son of influential former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Mukhriz Mahathir, 48, fell just short of snaring one of three vice president positions, all of which went to incumbents backed by Najib.

Najib’s allies also retained their dominance of the 25-member UMNO Supreme Council. Since coming to power in 2009, Najib had eased draconian security laws, and pledged to phase out privileges for majority ethnic Malays that have hurt Malaysia’s competitiveness. Malaysia’s large ethnic Chinese minority and most urban voters largely rejected the UMNO-dominated BN coalition at the election and Najib has since reversed both policies under pressure from traditionalists.

Despite that, he has not appeased all of his conservative rivals, signaling he will remain under pressure to rein in any reformist instincts.

On Friday, Mahathir, 88, launched an outspoken attacks on what he called Najib’s “bad performance”. Among other barbs, Mahathir said maintaining the status quo in the UMNO hierarchy would hasten the party’s demise after 56 years in power. He also blamed Najib for adding to Malaysia’s debt burden with pre-election handouts, and criticized his economic development programs for lacking credibility.

“The party finds it unable to reject him simply because there are really no other candidates ... the result is they continue to support him despite his poor performance,” Mahathir told Reuters in an exclusive interview. Najib will present his government’s budget for 2014 on Friday, under pressure from ratings agencies and investors to rein in Malaysia’s high fiscal deficit and debt.

TILTING BACK TO REFORM? Mahathir, who argues that UMNO has become too insular and needs to promote new talent, also accused Najib’s government of pandering to the opposition with liberal social reforms before the election and not making good on his latest pledges. “Most people don’t think he is doing enough. A lot of people comment when he announces things, it is nothing new,” said Mahathir, whose often authoritarian rule spanned 1981 to 2003. May’s election was the second straight poll in which the BN coalition saw its parliamentary majority shrink and the first in which it lost the popular vote to the opposition, led by former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The result exacerbated racial tensions in the Southeast Asian country as UMNO-backed media blamed “ungrateful” Chinese voters for the setback.

Saturday’s election of the three incumbent vice presidents, all of them older than 50, will intensify criticism that UMNO is out of touch with young and urban voters. Najib had tried to broaden the BN’s appeal to different races, handing out cash payments to low-income Malaysians among other policies.

In September he reversed course by announcing a raft of new measures to benefit ethnic Malays, bolstering a decades-old affirmative action policy, in a move seen as crucial to ward off any challenge for his UMNO presidency. Last month, his government pushed through a bill that brings back detention without trial, over strong criticism by civil society groups. Najib likely isn’t “in the pocket” of conservatives and could now tilt back to a more liberal, reformist agenda having balanced the different wings of the party, said Shaun Levine, a senior Washington-based analyst with Eurasia Group. “He has to appease the conservative base but he must also ensure that foreign investors in particular are certain that Malaysia is not going over the edge economically,” Levine said. The UMNO internal elections were the first under a new system introduced by Najib who has popular grassroots support - that broadened the voting base in a bid to make the process more democratic and less beholden to powerful party “warlords”. — Reuters

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

Special Report

Al-Anbaa visits Kutupalong Rohingya Muslim camp

Adnan Al-Rashed and the administrative attache at Kuwait Embassy Nasser Al-Enaizi and their companions to Kutupalong camp.

Children of Rohingya Muslims during class.

By Adnan Al-Rashed COX’S BAZAAR: Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar are subject to the most brutal oppression and violence for decades starting with the ethnic cleansing operations that took place during the 70s of the last century by the Mag Buddhists who forms the majority of Myanmar’s population which is over 55 million with Muslims making more than 20 percent and the rest Mag Buddhists and other sects.

The state is made up of more than 140 ethnicities, most important of which are the Burman followed by Muslims, yet Muslims make up more than 70 percent of the Arakan region’s population and were subjected to all forms of oppression such as killings, forced immigration, hunger and confiscation of lands following the military coup of General Ne Win in 1962 with backing from the communists in China and the former Soviet Union, and conducted the harshest operations against Muslims in 1978 called the “Dragon King” operation.

The second ethnic cleansing operation Rohingya Muslims faced at the start of the 90s of the last century is considered the most heinous as it lead to the killing and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Muslims as their blood, money and honor in Arakan became fair play by hardline gangs among

of the last two remaining camps out of 20 that were established to give Myanmar refugees a safe haven during their influx in 1992. The camp lies 37 km from Cox’s Bazaar city, and the second lies 48 km farther from this camp and is established on the lands of Rajapalong Union only 500 m away from Myanmar’s borders.

Escaping from death Refugees crossed the borders from Myanmar (Burma) into Bangladesh between November 1991 and June 1992 and found a safe haven there. They are the residents of Rakhine “Arakan” State that lies in the western part of Myanmar. They are known as Rohingya which is derived from Rahang/Roshang which is the old name of Arakan. They escaped oppression and death in Burma at the hands of the Buddhists there, to a point that he United Nations considers them the most oppressed minority in the world.

Lack of facilities Despite the difficulties, problems and moderate capabilities Bangladesh has, it received those refugees, though it received much criticism to a point where some people accused it of not helping them, while some accused Bangladesh of collaborating with Burmese authorities using the evidence that

A sewing workshop where female refugees work. extremist Buddhists with complete silence by the world and support from the Burmese government in order to displace them from their homeland to preserve their Buddhist majority in the region. The great majority of the displaced headed to neighboring Bangladesh which received more than 350,000 Rohingya Muslims refugees, some of them having Bangladeshi passports. The government there established two camps, one with 19,000 refugees while Kutupalong camp has more than 10,000 refugees.

Visit to the camp Al-Anbaa visited the Kutupalong camp in Bangladesh to see firsthand the conditions of Rohingya Muslims there. Following a flight from Dhaka to Chittagong and from there to Cox’s Bazaar by road that took nearly five hours driving, we headed to the camp which is around an hour and a half farther by road.

Kutupalong refugee camp is considered one

On the way to the camp.

Bangladesh government did not allow charity organizations to give aid to Burmese Muslims because that may encourage Rohingya Muslims to escape from Burma to Bangladesh, while Bangladeshi authorities and many of its officials confirmed that they extend all what they can to serve those refugees.

But Bangladesh started to suffer from social, economic and security repercussions due to the presence of those large numbers of refugees and weak facilities, as the rescue and humanitarian aid of all types to the refugees is little and do not cover the daily requirements to secure dignified living such as healthcare, medicine, education and its requirements.

They also spoke about providing foodstuff, clothes and suitable housing to protect them from the forces of nature. The majority of the Bangladeshi population of 180 million suffer from poverty and unemployment. The difficult economic situation and natural disasters such as cyclones, floods and others besides the

large increase in population are all matters that burden the Bangladeshi government.

The government believes that allowing refugees to remain encourages others in Myanmar to seek refuge here and increase their numbers in Bangladesh which is already suffering from dense population, and the Myanmar government is responsible for solving the problem by preventing racial and religious discrimination and granting the Rohingya Muslims full citizenship and their rights. Bangladesh demanded that all countries around the world and humanitarian and international organizations play a positive role to urge the Myanmar government to solve this problem in a way that does not deprive those people from their citizenship. Even if Bangladesh is helping them out of brotherly and Islamic links, this aid constitutes a burden on its economy which cannot bear the expenses of receiving this large number of refugees.

Tour of the camp During our tour of the camp, we found out that all activities of the government, non-government, international and UN agencies were all under the supervision, monitoring and coordination by the office of the person responsible for the camp and he is the government’s representative in the camp and responsible for implementing its policies and decisions related to refugees. The camp is under the supervision and coordination of the office of Rescuing and Repatriating Refugees Commissioner in Cox’s Bazaar. This commissioner is the joint secretary of the Bangladesh government.

The camp covers an area of 3 sq km and divided into 7 parts. It was established on Feb 2, 1992 and has 1,219 refugee families representing 10,805 persons distributed in 453 tents. It has 12 schools for children and the total number of students are 3,431 with 1,668 male and 1,763 females taught by 95 teachers - 48 Bangladeshi and 47 refugee. There are 14 mosques in the camp, a social center, two women’s centers and a soap factory where refugees are trained to make soap and work in it too. There are 134 small water wells equipped with manual pumps, 635 toilets and 270 bathrooms. There are 35 garbage containers and 6 incinerators in addition to a medical incinerator.

The responsible office When we asked about the duties of the office responsible for the camp, they explained to us that they carry out the following duties general administration of the camp, coordinate the duties of all agencies, maintain law, build and maintain tents and other infrastructure.

They also keep refugee statistics and other statistics and supervise voluntary return of refugees. They also conduct field bilateral discussions with Myanmar about registration and repatriation of refugees and maintain links and relations with the general representatives and the district administration.

Health Services There is a health unit in the camp that provides medical and rescue services and even food services for the refugees. It is divided into several departments including outpatient clinics, inpatient clinics, vaccination program and family organization in addition to patient refugee transfers. We also saw the role of the Bangladesh Red Crescent in transporting, storing and distributing food to refugees and supervising the storing and distributing of

Training women on using computer.

A large number of those living in the camp raised banners appealing to international and humanitarian organizations along with world governments to interfere and rescue them, and pay attention to their issue that is getting more complicated and longer day by day.

ing camp authorities in all rescue fields and voluntary returns. The World Food Program plays a distinguished role in presenting food material to distribute to refugees and distribute meals based on the School Students Feeding Program and supervise food distributing activities. The World Health Organization supervises a vaccination program to prevent the spread of diseases especially among children and newborns. The UN Population Fund lends technical and administrative support for reproductive care and post birth visits. It also supervises the birth unit and its needs and arranges family organization programs.

Appeal to the world A large number of those living in the camp raised banners appealing to international and humanitarian organizations along with world governments to interfere and rescue them, and pay attention to their issue that is getting more complicated and longer day by day. They asked the UN and all governments to pressure the Myanmar government to stop ethnic cleansing operations being launched by Buddhist extremists against Rohingya Muslims in Arakan and other Burmese provinces. They also asked for halting massacres that are being committed under the eyes of the free world without anyone caring for their suffering. They asked for allowing them to return to their homeland with guarantees of their right to citizenship and dignified living and for them to enjoy all the advantages enjoyed by others.

Women working in clothes stitching.

nonfood materials that are given by the UN Refugee Commission and the World Food Program. This is in addition to distributing material presented by the Bangladesh government such as rice, cereals, soybean oil, salt, sugar and mixed foods twice a week. There are other materials too such as washing detergents, bath soaps, kerosene, blankets, mattresses among others. The camp has a police center to maintain security inside it and solve disputes and differences when they arise.

Role of the UN The United Nations is available in the camp through several agencies, most important of which is the Refugees Commission which protects and distributes non-food items to refugees. It chairs the joint sessions to exchange information, manage voluntary returns with the participation of the Bangladesh government in addition to help-

Children being trained in an electricity workshop.

We noticed their determination to hold on to their right and keenness to return whenever safety and security are guaranteed and the Burmese government treats them as citizens who have duties and rights.

Poverty and misery... and a smile of hope for a better tomorrow.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

Special Report

Starting the tour in Kutupalong Camp with the camp official and his assistants.

A gathering by camp residents demanding the international organizations and the world to pay attention to their cause.

A saga of oppression Kuwait was among the first countries that extended aid and help from several bodies headed by the Joint Kuwaiti Relief Committee, Social Reform Society, Abdallah Al-Noun Society, Sheikh Fahd Al-Ahmad Charity Society, Kuwait Arakan Committee, Kuwait Red Crescent and personal efforts of Kuwaiti activists.

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ohingya Muslims were forced out of their country under the oppression of the Buddhist majority that is supported by the regime in Myanmar. More than 24 camps were erected around the Arakan province’s capital under the supervision of the UN High Commission for Refugees, which coordinates the services such as water supplies and health services according to humanitarian standards and the principles of protection and fair distribution of aid in the camps and ensuring their safety

to displaced Rohingya Muslims, be them in Burma or Bangladesh or anywhere else in neighboring countries that welcomed these refugees.

There was also the initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz when he presented $50 million to Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, as well as what is being presented by Nadwa and Zamzam Charity societies, and donations from many charitable Saudis to meet the needs of the refugees and to

and Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan Humanitarian Society. Because Dubai is considered the hub for storing the emergency reserves of the UN High Commission for refugees, more than 500 tents were sent from the commissions stores, in addition to 700 tents donated by the Korean Agency for International Cooperation in 2012 after the horrific massacres Rohingya Muslims faced in Arakan last year. The Turkish Relief Authority distributed various aid including foodstuff, detergent and toys to Arakan

a suitable manner as far as discussions and study are concerned, and support the creation of education chances for Rohingya Muslim children and present scholarships and allocate university seats for them.

Travel and marriage ban Rohingya Muslims do not have passports, because they are not allowed to travel or leave Arakan Province to other areas of Myanmar. They are not allowed to marry without permission, in addition to setting

Bangladesh, who did not spare any effort since the start of the visit’s idea which included meeting Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid and former prime minister Begum Khalida Zia, as well as Foreign Minister Dipu Moni. Thanks also to the director of central and western Asia office at Bangladesh Foreign Ministry Mohammad Nazeer Al-Islam and the administrative attachÈ in our embassy in Bangladesh Nasser Al-Enaizi who accompanied us during our tour. Thanks also to the public relations official at Kuwait Embassy Javid Haidar Kareem, bearing in mind that Al-Anbaa gained exceptional government approval from the foreign ministry in Bangladesh to visit Kutupalong Camp in Cox’s Bazaar with efforts of our ambassador there.

Abu Muhannad: The pioneer We proudly mention the efforts or our colleague Yousuf Abdelrahman “Abu Muhannad” who was the first to visit the camps of Rohinya camps in Bangladesh 20 years ago, particularly in May 1993 to deliver the aid of the joint Kuwaiti Relief Committee, and published the reports of his visit in Al-Anbaa.

A lecture for women on family awareness.

Chair making at the carpenter workshop.

Children listening to their teacher.

and trains officials on managing it. It also helped host countries to enable them meet their needs and ever-increasing demands.

Many countries offered help to these refugees and contributed to their upkeep and provided means of dignified living for them.

Kuwait was among the first countries that extended aid and help from several bodies headed by the Joint Kuwaiti Relief Committee, Social Reform Society, Abdallah Al-Noun Society, Sheikh Fahd Al-Ahmad Charity Society, Kuwait Arakan Committee, Kuwait Red Crescent and personal efforts of Kuwaiti activists who gave a lot in support

Observing children during a lesson.

The population and language The population of Myanmar (Burma) is more than 55 million, and the percentage of Muslims among them is no less than 15 percent, half of them in Arakan which has a Muslim majority. Burma people are made of many ethnicities that reach more than 140 using several languages. Most people there speak the Burman language and they are called Burmans. They are Chinese tribes that descended from the Tibet area and came to Burma during the sixteenth century. They are known for being ferocious and adopted Buddhism. They controlled the country at the end of the 18 century and ruled it.

Rice distribution.

alleviate the suffering they are subjected to, such as ethnic cleansing, murder and displacement. Qatar, on its part, contributed by presenting relief aid to Rohingya Muslims and signed a cooperation and partnership agreement with the high commissionfor refugees affairs to help Myanmar Muslims in Arakan province, according to which the society donates $2 million along with Sheik Eid Charity Establishment, Qatar Red Crescent and other aid from Qataris.

UAE presented emergency aid to Myanmar Muslims at the instructions of the head of state Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed AlNahayan and through the UAE Red Crescent

refugees. Meanwhile the European Union promised to present Ä200,000 in humanitarian aid for refugees in Thailand, who were stuck while attempting to reach Malaysia when they escaped from Myanmar at the beginning of this year. The EU expressed fear towards the fate of Rohingya Refugees inside and outside Muyanmar, and as for Malaysia, it is exerting efforts to help refugees and ease matters for them.

Deserved demands Rohingya Muslims in Burma are asking world leaders in general and Muslims leaders in particular to pay attention to their cause in

Distributing oil

periods during which marriage is not allowed that may last years to limit reproduction and change the demographic structure of the region.

Efforts that contributed to the visit’s success Al-Anbaa thanks Deputy Premier, Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid, Ministry Undersecretary Khalid Al-Jarallah and Director of Undersecretary’s Office Minister Plenipotentiary Hany Ayham Al-Omar for their efforts to facilitate the visit. We also thank ambassador Ali Al-Thafiri for coordinating with the foreign ministry in

Adnan Al-Rashed encourages children.

Arakan groups Among the groups that make up Burma are Arakan and Kasheen groups where Islam is widespread among them and live in the southern part of Arakan heights which has a large Muslim population density, representing 70 percent of the region’s population, even as the official government statistics do not justify them. Islam reached Arakan during the reign of Abbasid Caliph Haroun Al-Rasheed during the seventh century through Arab travelers. It was ruled by 49 Muslims kings consecutively for more than 350 years between 1430 and 1748 AD. Islam was spread all over Burma and there are magnificent Islamic ruins including schools and mosques.

The Burmese authorities worked on destroying all that is related to the civilized and human heritage of Rohingya Muslims, demolished mosques, schools and historic buildings and prevented their refurbishment or rebuilding them. It does not even recognize or authenticate the certificates of graduates from Muslim schools in an attempt to melt down Muslims in the Buddhist society by force to end Muslim culture in a racist manner far away from the minimums of humanitarian dealings.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

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Focus

Two years after Gaddafi’s death, militias haunt Libya

By Imed Lamloum

wo years after the killing of dictator Muammar Gaddafi, a chaotic Libya is haunted by the spectre of civil war, with heavily armed former rebels transformed into increasingly unruly militias.

When the rebels announced the “liberation” of Libya on October 23, 2011, ending Gaddafi’s heavyhanded 40-year reign, Libyans hoped another Dubai would emerge from their sparsely populated but petroleum-rich country. Instead, the comparisons gravitate towards Somalia and Iraq, as the militants once hailed as heroes and backed by a NATO air campaign are increasingly seen as the source of all the country’s ills.

“We voluntarily contributed to the chaos that reigns in the country by taking up arms,” laments Muftah al-Bedri, a former rebel in his 50s who now works as a driver. “We just have to resign ourselves to the situation and stay inside with our families, waiting for better days.” On Oct 20, 2011 victorious rebels pulled Gaddafi from a drainpipe near the town of Sirte and executed him. They later put his body on display before burying it in an unidentified location.

Libya held its first free elections in July 2012, but as in other countries swept up in the Arab Spring the new authorities have struggled to impose order as long-suppressed extremists creep from the shadows. Fred Abrahams, a special advisor to Human Rights Watch, argues that the lawlessness of the Libyan regime’s final days, when rebels allegedly massacred dozens of Gaddafi supporters, explains much of what has come since. The failure to investigate “systematic executions” carried out by the rebels, including the killing of Gaddafi and his son Mutassim, “helped set the stage for the militia lawlessness in Libya today,” he wrote in a blog post.

“Impunity for those and subsequent crimes sent the message that Libya’s armed groups stand above the law,” he wrote, adding that some militias behind today’s chaos emerged after Gaddafi’s fall.

The state’s limited power was on vivid display earlier this month, when armed men seized Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and held him for several hours before releasing him. On Sunday the head of an interior ministry anti-crime unit boasted that he was behind the “arrest” and that he was “proud” of it. “We are swimming against the current,” Zeidan said Sunday, citing “several forces that hinder the construction of a security apparatus for the state.”

Charged with securing the country’s strategic installations and borders after the collapse of Gaddafi’s regime, former rebels have dipped into the deceased strongman’s vast stockpile of weapons and formed a loose patchwork of militias that act as army and police.

Some groups are autonomous and were formed on the basis of tribal or regional allegiances, while others have adopted ideological goals, with hardline groups like Ansar al-Sharia demanding an Islamic state.

The government has bought peace by paying millions of dollars to the militias in what increasingly looks like mafia-style protection money - when the payoffs have been cut the militias have not hesitated to attack state institutions, kidnap officials or besiege oil facilities.

Most of the heavily armed groups are officially affiliated with the defence or interior ministries, but in reality they obey their own commanders, many of whom scoff at Libya’s elected government. The eastern city of Benghazi, cradle of the eight-month rebellion that overthrew Gaddafi, has grown increasingly chaotic since then, offering a grim picture of what might await the rest of the country.

The city has seen clashes between rival militias, scores of attacks on security forces and assaults on foreign missions, including the attack on the US consulate on September 12, 2012 that killed the ambassador and three other Americans. “The situation could degenerate in the coming months,” one of the few remaining diplomats in Benghazi said on condition of anonymity, warning that the violence could spread to the rest of the country. — AFP

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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.

Pentagon dollars flow into Africa

By Shashank Bengali he Pentagon has begun a burst of spending in Africa, expanding its main base on the continent and investing in air facilities, flight services, telecommunications and electrical upgrades as the US military deepens its involvement in a region with a rising threat of Islamist terrorism. Hundreds of millions of dollars in expenditures, detailed in unclassified federal documents, demonstrate Africa’s increasing importance to US military and counterterrorism operations as the war in Iraq has ended and American troops withdraw from Afghanistan.

By far the most significant expansion is occurring at Camp Lemonnier in the deeply impoverished nation of Djibouti, a sleepy backwater on the coast of the Gulf of Aden, just north of Somalia. The sprawling base, built out of a onetime outpost of the French Foreign Legion, has been the Pentagon’s primary facility in Africa for a decade. Defense officials last month awarded $200 million in contracts to revamp the base’s power plants and build a multistory operations center, aircraft hangar, living quarters, gym and other facilities on a sun-scorched 20-acre site next to the tiny country’s only international airport (with which it shares a runway).

The projects are part of $1.2 billion in planned improvements over the next 25 years that will accelerate Camp Lemonnier’s transformation from a makeshift installation where a few hundred Marines once slept in tents into an enduring 600-acre base that now houses about 4,000 US military personnel and civilian contractors. “Africa is front and center now for the Pentagon, so that means Lemonnier is front and center,” said Rudolph Atallah, former counterterrorism director for Africa at the Defense Department and now chief executive of White Mountain Research, a security consulting company.

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The changes come as US officials grapple with the threat posed by Al-Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia, Yemen and North Africa’s impoverished Sahel region. The US commando raids last month that nabbed a longsought terrorism suspect in Libya and tried but failed to capture a senior figure in Somalia’s Shabab militant organization underscore the Pentagon’s growing focus on Africa, including an increasing reliance on elite special operations forces. Though most of the troops at Camp Lemonnier are conventional forces specializing in training African militaries, several hundred special operations troops also are based there, occupying a compound with its own security perimeter.

Officials declined to say whether Djiboutibased troops were involved in either raid last month, but the base has quietly evolved into what Pentagon planning documents call “the backbone” of covert missions across Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and is one of the military’s most important bases for drone missions in Somalia and Yemen.

Military officials declined to elaborate on the role of the special forces, citing security, but their numbers at Camp Lemonnier are likely to grow. Late last year, the first special operations rapid-response team was established at the base, made up of Green Berets from the Army’s 10th Special Forces Group.

When the US diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, was attacked in Sept 2012, leaving four Americans dead, lawmakers criticized Pentagon officials for a lack of crisis-response capacity in Africa. But there hasn’t always been consensus on the role of Camp Lemonnier, which US troops began using in 2002 primarily as a base for civil affairs and humanitarian missions.

Now Pentagon planners see the base as the center of a constellation of US military sites across Africa, including small facilities in Manda Bay, Kenya; Entebbe, Uganda; and the

West African nation of Burkina Faso. In September, the Pentagon awarded Houstonbased Kellogg, Brown & Root a contract for support services at Manda Bay. Navy engineers recently extended the runway there on a mangrove-covered island near Somalia to allow it to handle larger aircraft, such as C130 cargo planes.

In July, a Texas company won a $49 million contract to provide air support, including medevacs, cargo flights and air drops, across a vast territory comprising 19 countries, including those where a small team of US advisers is helping in the hunt for Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army militia. The aircraft will be based in Burkina Faso, according to contract documents, which say the flights could run through June 2017.

Officials rarely discuss the smaller sites publicly, but in testimony prepared for Congress last year retired Army Gen Carter Ham, former head of the US military’s Africa Command, said, “We have strategic locations that provide a hub-and-spoke operational reach that covers the continent.”

Ham described Camp Lemonnier as “a key location for national security and power projection.” In addition to the 20-acre site to be occupied by conventional units, the Navy is building a $228 million special operations compound at the center of the base, near the site of a new aircraft logistics area. The elite units currently operate out of temporary facilities that “lack sufficient capability and capacity to meet growing requirements and increased staff,” according to planning documents provided to Congress.

The new compound, which includes a two-storey operations building, a three-story barracks and a hangar to house two aircraft, will hold 700 personnel at capacity, the plans say. Starting in 2006, when neighboring Somalia was taken over by Islamist clerics who were believed to be sheltering Al-Qaeda

militants, lawmakers and Pentagon leaders increasingly saw the utility of a forward base in Djibouti. “The idea was a small footprint, but that has dramatically changed over time,” Atallah said.

The growth of US operations has sometimes rankled those sharing the sole runway at Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport. US F-15 fighter jets, C-130 transport planes and refueling aircraft compete for space with commercial airliners from Europe and East Africa, French military planes and Japanese aircraft conducting counter-piracy patrols off the Somali coast.

In December, after a US drone had a hard landing on the runway, Djiboutian officials demanded a halt to drone flights from the airport because they “interrupted business and made the Air Frances of the world nervous,” said a congressional source familiar with the incident. The US military temporarily moved a growing fleet of Predator and Reaper drones to a former French Foreign Legion airstrip at Chabelley, about eight miles southeast of Camp Lemonnier.

According to documents provided to Congress, the military has spent at least $13 million to upgrade the Chabelley airfield, including building a storage area for munitions to carry out “kinetic operations” - meaning drone strikes. The Pentagon now pays $38 million annually to lease the base from Djibouti, a former French colony with barely 1 million inhabitants.

Privately, some military officials and lawmakers grumble about the cost, but even amid calls for tightening the Pentagon’s budget, Congress has largely recognized the base’s strategic value. In a report accompanying the 2014 Pentagon budget, the House Armed Services Committee said it “believes that the national security interests of the United States are supported by the enduring presence at Camp Lemonnier”. — MCT

Publishers need to know readers to survive

By Kirsti Knolle ublishers need to get to know their readers and find out what they want if they are to halt the loss of market share to online powerhouses such as Amazon , industry figures say. Until a few years ago, publishers wielded power over readers’ selection of books though instore promotions and newspaper reviews.

Now readers increasingly order their books online or download them onto electronic reading devices, write their own reviews and get ideas for what to read next from peers online. “With the shift to digital, publishers are confronted with an entirely new way of dealing with content and stories,” said Sebastian Posth, chief executive of Berlin-based Publishing Data Networks, which offers analytics to the industry.

Amazon and Apple have used terabytes of data on their customers’ reading and other habits to gain control of the market, leaving traditional publishers scrambling to find a way to get through to their readers.

Data analysis has become a necessary means for publishers to deal with the new digital era, Posth said. “The publishing industry needs to learn this lesson if it wants to survive,” he said.

The music, television and film industries have already gone digital with software and platforms that tap into consumers’ demand for on-the-go media content for mobile devices and customise content based on users’ habits and preferences. “Most folks in the editorial and content production areas of mainstream publishers are unable to give even the most basic metrics on who their actual customers are,” said Kristen McLean, Miamibased founder and chief executive of start-up Bookigee, speaking at the just-

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ended Frankfurt Book Fair.

The publishing industry has been “super resistant” to the idea that it should let audience insights drive content development, McLean said. “Big retailers know our customers better than we do,” said Nathan Hull, digital development director at British media group Pearson’s Penguin

Britain, the picture is pretty much the same. Amazon offers not just a virtual book shop but has expanded into many services traditionally provided by publishers, such as translating and marketing, and has a fast-growing self-publishing business.

According to estimates by Austrian

business.

A hurdle that publishers must overcome in building a relationship with customers is the market dominance of Amazon and Apple. In the United States, 44 percent of books - paperback or electronic - was purchased online in 2012, up from 39 percent in 2011, according to data from service provider Bowker. In

industry consultant Ruediger Wischenbart, Amazon has a 65 percent share of the US market for e-books, bolstered by its Kindle device. Apple, which has integrated books into its iTunes platform, has 20 percent. A number of initiatives have sprung up around the world to launch competitor products to the Kindle, such as the Tolino, born from a collabora-

tion of several German retail book chains and telecoms company Deutsche Telekom. Europe is expected to be the largest e-book market by 2017, worth $19 billion, according to Forrester Research.

Wischenbart said the battle against Amazon is not yet lost. “Look at what happened to Microsoft,” Wischenbart says.

“About a decade ago they practically had a monopoly in software platforms. This is very different now.”

One tool publishers have started using is “social reading”, which refers to readingfocused social networking sites such as Goodreads, recently acquired by Amazon.

Goodreads has 20 million members and works with publishers to create marketing campaigns that reach readers based on their reading preferences.

Random House has introduced its own reader’s circle with Scribd, a documenthosting site with around 80 million users.

These sites are “global and give publishers a one-stop opportunity to reach markets beyond their natural national audiences,” said US publishing consultant Mike Shatzkin, CEO of The Idea Logical Company.

At the Frankfurt Book Fair, a German reader community called “flipintu” was launched, which applies the concept of online music streaming services such as Spotify to the book market.

To battle the status quo, Penguin and Random House merged this year to gain an upper hand in the digital book market, but so far CEO Markus Dohle has kept a low profile. “We’re doing our homework, our research and development with different business models and we are doing it cautiously,” he said at the book fair. “We will take our time, we want quality over speed and there is no rush. We are building a company for the next 100 years and not for 100 days.” — Reuters

NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

Mosque in UAE boots Rihanna Continued from Page 1

performed live in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, posted the pictures on online photo-sharing site Instagram. She posed in a black jumpsuit in the courtyard of the mosque, wearing crimson lipstick and nail polish. She wore a headscarf in all of the photographs but the poses could be regarded as suggestive. In one of the pictures, she is seen lying down on her back in the courtyard of the mosque, while in another she sits on the ground with her arms crossed on her chest. In a statement posted on its website, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre said: “The singer entered on a private visit without introducing herself and without prior coordination with the administration. “She was asked to leave before entering the mosque after she

posed in ways that do not match the sacred status” of the complex, the statement said. The centre said it worked to ensure that no visitor “fails to meet the standards of decency required to enter the mosque, such as by posing for inappropriate photographs or by sitting in disrespectful positions.”

The pictures sparked controversy among fans on Rihanna’s Instagram account. “She thinks she’s sunbathing on a beach in Miami!” said one Arabic-language comment.

“It’s the fault of those who allowed her into the mosque,” said another. But others praised her. “Thanks for your respect to our religion... you take your time to wear the traditional dress... And the pictures are beautiful not insulting,” read one comment. “I’m Muslim... and do not find it disrespectful at all. Love you Rihanna,” read another. — AFP

Riyadh under fire at UN over rights...

Continued from Page 1

in 2009. He said Saudi Arabia had for instance allocated a minimum of 20 percent of seats on its Shura Council - an advisory body that can propose law changes to the king - to women. “Tangible progress has been achieved on a daily basis,” he said.

But rights activists disagreed. “Many countries have problematic records, but Saudi Arabia stands out for its extraordinary high levels of repression and its failure to carry out its promises to the Human Rights Council,” Joe Stork, Human Rights Watch deputy director for the Middle East, said in a statement. “Saudi Arabia’s previous promises to the UN have been proven to be nothing but hot air,” said Philip Luther of Amnesty International, condemning an increase in the arbitrary detention of activists.

Diplomats hailed some progress, including Saudi Arabia’s decision to join several international human rights conventions and steps to combat corruption, but expressed deep concern over Saudi Arabia’s continued use of the death penalty, including for crimes committed by minors. The country needs to “end the practice of executing children”, the Norwegian representative insisted, as others demanded a moratorium and eventual abolition of all death sentences. The kingdom has executed 69 people so far this year, according to an AFP count.

Diplomats also urged Saudi Arabia to do more to protect migrant workers. Because of a system barring them from switching employers without permission, migrants often find themselves vulnerable to abuses including forced labour. Saudi Arabia, which hosts 9 million foreign workers out of a total population of 28 million, was taking all steps needed to protect their rights and provide appropriate conditions, said Aiban. They included a ban on outdoor work in the heat between mid-day and 3 pm from June to August, when temperatures are usually higher than 40 degrees Celsius and can soar to 50 degrees. “With regard to women’s rights, the Islamic Sharia (law) guarantees fair gender equality and the state’s legislative enactments do not differentiate between men and women,” he said. Saudi women were full citizens able to dispose of their property and manage their affairs without seeking permission from anyone, he said.

A report based on yesterday’s review is scheduled to be published tomorrow and adopted Friday. The review comes just over three weeks before Saudi Arabia’s bid to secure a seat on the 47-member rotating UN Human Rights Council. “Saudi Arabia’s record of repression and of breaking its promises to improve its human rights

practices raise serious questions about its fitness for membership in the Human Rights Council,” said Stork of Human Rights Watch.

London-based watchdog Amnesty International also said Saudi Arabia had failure to act on UN recommendations and “ratcheted up the repression” since 2009, with the arbitrary detention and torture of activists. “Saudi Arabia’s previous promises to the UN have been proven to be nothing but hot air,” said Amnesty’s MENA director Philip Luther, accusing the kingdom of relying “on its political and economic clout to deter the international community from criticising its dire human rights record.”

In its report titled “Saudi Arabia: Unfulfilled Promises,” Amnesty criticised “an ongoing crackdown including arbitrary arrests and detention, unfair trials, torture and other ill-treatment over the past four years” in the kingdom. “Not only have the authorities failed to act, but they have ratcheted up the repression” since 2009, said Luther. “For all the peaceful activists that have been arbitrary detained, tortured or imprisoned in Saudi Arabia since, the international community has a duty to hold the authorities to account,” he said.

Amnesty renewed calls for Saudi authorities to release two prominent rights activists handed heavy jailed terms in March. Mohammed Al-Gahtani and Abdullah Al-Hamed were sentenced to 11 and 10 years imprisonment respectively for violating a law on cybercrime by using Twitter to denounce various aspects of political and social life in the ultra-conservative kingdom. They are co-founders of the independent Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA).

“These men are prisoners of conscience who should be released immediately and unconditionally,” said Luther. “Their peaceful activism against human rights violations deserves praise not punishment. The only guilty party here is the government,” he added.

Amnesty documented other rights violations it said are committed by Saudi authorities such as “systemic discrimination of women in both law and practise” and “abuse of migrant workers”.

It also accused the Sunni-ruled kingdom of “discrimination against minority groups,” including Shiites concentrated in the Eastern Province who occasionally protest to demand more rights. Amnesty also faulted the kingdom for “executions based on summary trials and ‘confessions’ extracted under torture”. The kingdom has executed 69 people so far this year, according to an AFP count. Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under the Gulf state’s strict version of sharia, or Islamic law. — Agencies

A Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) darts along a stone wall in Kielder Forest in northeastern England yesterday after collecting food. Kielder Forest is England’s largest forest at 400 sq km and is home to the largest remaining red squirrel population in England. — AP

Municipal Council gets to work Continued from Page 1 The Amir also sent a cable to the Council’s Vice President Mishaal Al-Juwaisri, wishing all the members success in the service of their country. Their Highnesses the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah sent similar cables to Khaled and Juwaisri. In the inaugural session, Ali AlMoussa, Ahmad Fadhala, Hassan Kamal, Manour Khrainej, Yousef Al-Ghareeb were elected to the Structural Planning Follow-up Committee. Kamal was elected as spokesman of the committee while Khrainej was elected head of the committee.

Ali Al-Moussa, Mohammad Al-Mawjel, Abdullah Kandari, Meshary Al-Methotah and Ghareeb were elected as members of the Development and Reform Committee where Kandari was elected as president and Mawjel as spokesperson.

Members of the Municipal Council elected Kamal as head and Moussa as spokesperson of the Capital Governorate Committee which includes Ossama Al-Otaibi, Fahad Al-Sanae and Khrainej as members.

It is worth mentioning that the duration of membership in the six governorate committees starts from the first session and continues for four years. It is not allowed for a member to join more than two committees. — KUNA

Kuwait to host Syria donors meet in Jan Continued from Page 1

Syria and neighbouring countries, warning the number of Syrians needing help because of the conflict could rise to more than 10 million by the end of 2013.

The aid is for food, which accounts for one-fifth of the sum, clean water, medical care and schooling, as well as to build refugee camps. The UN appeal aims to raise $3.8 billion for refugees and $1.4 billion for operations in Syria. More than 115,000 people have been killed and over 2.1 million forced to flee to neighbouring countries - Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt since the conflict erupted after a crackdown on protests that began in March 2011 against President Bashar AlAssad. The United Nations says the total number of refugees is expected to swell to 3.5 million by the end of the year, while close to seven million people are forecast to need aid inside Syria this year.

Separately. Kuwait will allow Egypt to repay a $2 billion central bank deposit over five years instead of the current one-year timeframe, Egypt’s interim prime minister said yesterday. Kuwait agreed to give Egypt the extended repayment period for the deposit, Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi said in an interview aired late Sunday night on a private television channel.

Egypt’s central bank received the $2 billion deposit from Kuwait on Sept 26. It was part of a $4 billion aid package pledged by Kuwait after the Egyptian army overthrew Islamist President Mohamed Morsi on July 3.

Egyptian officials had asked Kuwait for the five-year repayment period, consistent with the terms of the recent aid packages from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Kuwait had matched pledges by the other two nations, showing Gulf Arab approval of the Egyptian army’s ousting of Mursi. The total promised aid to Egypt is worth $12 billion.

‘Anti-free speech’ article to be reviewed...

Continued from Page 1

a committee has been formed to prepare the Assembly’s priorities during the next term and it plans to meet with the government for coordination.

In another issue, Finance Minister Sheikh Salem Abdulaziz Al-Sabah denied yesterday that he said that

the government planned to stop subsidies on a number of commodities and services.

The minister said that what he said was that a study is underway to assess subsidies and rationalize some of them so subsidies should go to those who require it. He insisted that any measure will not undermine low-paid Kuwaitis.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

S P ORTS

Younis shocked at ODI axe DUBAI: Pakistan batsman Younis Khan was surprised yesterday after selectors dropped him for the five-match one-day series against South Africa.

The 35-year-old Khan said he’s fitter than he was at 24 and was not happy about being left off the team for the 50-over format of the game. “It was shocking news for me,” Khan said. Khan is a veteran of 253 one-day internationals and has scored 7,014 runs, but was also ignored for the last ODI series against Zimbabwe. He retired from the shortest format of cricket in 2009 after leading Pakistan to victory at the World Twenty20 in England.

“These kinds of things have not happened to me for the first time,” Khan said. “I am happy that someone has replaced me and if he performs ... I will be the first happy person.” Khan said age had never been on his mind and said there were other former captains like Imran Khan and present captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who performed despite being on the wrong side of 30s. “The day I feel I can’t play I will be an honest man to leave, but not like this to get dropped,” Khan said. “People feel that I don’t want to play ... but it’s not like that, I will leave with a bang and Inshallah (god willing) on a top level.” Khan could score only one in Pakistan’s healthy total of 442 in the first innings of the first test last week as Pakistan went 1-0 up with a seven-wicket victory over South Africa. —Reuters

FA’s ‘Founding Fathers’ to attend Wembley ceremony LONDON: Sixteen descendants of the English FA’s ‘Founding Fathers’, from as far afield as New Zealand and the United States, will attend the unveiling of a plaque at Wembley Stadium yesterday as part of the association’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

The world’s first football association was formed on Oct. 26, 1863 and a gala dinner will be held in London on Saturday to mark the actual date of its establishment.

In March, the FA launched a search to find living descendants of the eight men who formed it and managed to uncover relatives in Britain as well as in the United States and New Zealand.

Surprisingly little was known about Ebenezer Cobb Morley, Arthur Pember, Charles William Alcock, Francis Maule Campbell, John Forster Alcock, Herbert Thomas Steward, George Twizell Wawn and James Turner - the men that gathered to form the FA and draft the original 13 laws of association football. Jane Clayton from the International Football Institute, University of Central Lancashire, said: “For the search to have been so successful is incredibly pleasing as, from a historical perspective, we now know a lot more about a number of the men that created the most popular sport in the world one hundred and fifty years ago.—Reuters

Azarenka deals with new fame ISTANBUL: Tennis star Victoria Azarenka says that watching her boyfriend Redfoo, the singer, dancer and rapper, has helped her deal with the fame she has acquired over the last two years.

Azarenka, who has a developing rivalry with Serena Williams after conceding the world number one ranking to the American earlier this year, used to find it diffident to cope with the limelight of publicity.

But Redfoo has offered the Belarussian insights into how to deal with it. “It’s funny, because he’s a funny dude. I watched him on X Factor and stuff and we talked about it,” Azarenka said.

“It’s actually fun because I know him from one side and then I see him on TV from another side. It’s exciting. “It shows you have always to be really just you. It doesn’t matter who you are. It’s the best way to be more personal with anyone - supporter or press or anyone - you have to be open and honest. “Of course they may still not like you that much!”

Another difficulty for Azarenka is that she is trying to get the better of a rival pushing to be recognised as the greatest woman player of all time.

Williams is seeded to meet Azarenka in the final of the WTA Championships, the women’s tour’s season-end event, next Sunday.—AFP

Ducks bring down Stars

Serena Williams celebrates in this file photo.

Serena aims to end 2013 season on high in Istanbul ISTANBUL: Serena Williams’ verdict that she is “a bit disappointed” with her 2013 season indicates her urgency to overtake the 18 Grand Slam titles of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert and to get on with chasing Steffi Graf’s Open era record of 22.

Whether the 32-year-old still has time to achieve that may be suggested by her performances at the season-ending climax, the WTA Championships which starts today.

It was an extraordinarily critical selfjudgement by Williams on a season in which she has won another two Grand Slam titles and taken her total to 17 — perhaps caused by a fear that time is short.

More than that, Williams has lost only four matches, taken her career earnings past $50 million, and become the oldest woman to hold the world number one ranking.

She claims not to be mindful of such records, but nevertheless volunteered that: “I’m excited about the possibilities.”

Retaining the title this week will be a great momentum builder for her off-season work-increasingly important as Williams gets older-just as it was, she says, when she regained the title at the 2012 WTA Championships.

Williams is probably a stronger favorite now than then, partly because of the absence of Maria Sharapova, who is rehabilitating her vulnerable shoulder.

The player most capable of upsetting her is Victoria Azarenka who has no doubt over where the American stands in the history of the sport.

“She can be the greatest of all time,” Azarenka reckoned after losing to Williams in the longest US Open women’s singles final in 30 years last

month. “Serena’s still not done.”

The Belarusian also suggested that the American now focuses more intensely, and raises her level more dangerously when it really matters.

Judging from the Grand Slam wins in Paris and New York, that level is sometimes higher than ever. On the evidence of setbacks at Melbourne and Wimbledon it can also be variable.

Williams has lost twice to Azarenka this year-in Doha in February the day after having regained the number one ranking from her rival-and in Cincinnati in August after leading for most of the match. Azarenka, at her best, has a chance of repeating these successes, because she has a big game and the boldness to try to impose it.

“Against her you have to take risks,” Azarenka says, “because she will (do that), and she will do that really well.” But Azarenka will need to recover from a disappointing build-up to the W TA Championships. The world number two lost in the second round in Tokyo, where she had been feeling unwell, and in the first round in Beijing, where she served 15 double faults.

The other six qualifiers in an eightplayer field are Agnieszka Radwanska, the former Wimbledon finalist from Poland, Li Na, the Chinese pioneer who reached her third Grand Slam final in Melbourne this year and Petra Kvitova, the 2011 WTA Championships winner.

The field is made up of Sara Errani, the Italian who also tops the world rankings in doubles, Jelena Jankovic, the former world number one from Serbia, and Angelique Kerber, the German who won her first title of the year immediately after becoming the last player to qualify.—AFP

Ferrer faces tough road to fourth title in Valencia MADRID: World number three David Ferrer faces a tricky opening round clash with Gael Monfils as he goes in search of his fourth Valencia Open title this week.

Ferrer failed to claim his third title of the season on Sunday as he was beaten

by Grigor Dimitrov in the final of the Stockholm Open.

And the defending champion will need to be close to his best to beat an inform Monfils, who pushed Novak Djokovic all the way in the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters in his last outing.

Indeed, the mercurial Frenchman has a 3-1 lifetime record against Ferrer, although the Spaniard did emerge victorious from their last meeting in Auckland earlier this year.

The draw doesnít let up for Ferrer even if he should beat the world number 31 with big-serving fifth seed Jerzy Janowicz his potential quarter-final opponent and number three seed Nicolas Almagro also in his half of the draw.

Ferrer has at least sealed his place in the season ending ATP World Tour Finals

in London, and second seed Tommy Haas is still in contention to join him. The 35year-old German continued his fine year with a second title of the season in Vienna on Sunday.

Victory moved Haas to within 700 ranking points of Richard Gasquet in the fight to make it to London and with 500 points on offer in Valencia, he is hoping to move even closer to the Frenchman ahead of the Paris Masters next week.

‘I have to give my best tennis, nothing is impossible. I want to play good tennis for the rest of the season,’ said Haas after downing Robin Haase to claim his second title in Vienna.

‘I still have a small chance, but I have to play extremely well.’ Haas also faces a tricky opener against compatriot and world number 24 Philipp Kohlschreiber today.

In the other standout ties of the first round, number four seed John Isner takes on world number 26 Ernests Gulbis and Mikhail Youznhy and Bernard Tomic square off for the right to play the winner of the clash between Haas and Kohlschreiber in the last-16. —AFP

ANAHEIM: Emerson Etem got his first career short-handed goal late in the second period after Corey Perr y scored twice to level the game, helping the Anaheim Ducks extend the best start in the club’s history with a 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday.

The defending Pacific Division champions have won seven straight following a 6-1 loss at Colorado on opening night, equaling the longest streak in club history. Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and three assists, and 43-year-old Teemu Selanne extended his goal streak to three games.

Ryan Garbutt, Brenden Dillon and Shawn Horcoff scored during the final 10 minutes of the first period for Dallas. Jack Campbell made 41 saves in his NHL debut.

Anaheim goalie Frederik Andersen also made his NHL debut in net, replacing Jonas Hiller at the start of the second with a 3-1 deficit. Andersen stopped all 24 shots he faced, two days after he was promoted from Norfolk of the AHL because of Viktor Fasth’s lowerbody injury.

BLUE JACKETS 3, CANUCKS 1 RJ Umberger scored his first goal of the season with 8:46 left and Columbus ended a four-game losing streak with a victor y over Vancouver.

Curtis McElhinney, making his first appearance for the Blue Jackets in place of Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky, had 37 saves. Bobrovsky was given the night off. Marian Gaborik and Ryan Johansen also scored for the Blue Jackets, who won for the first time at home this season after losing their first two. Henrik Sedin had the goal for the Canucks. Eddie Lack stopped 26 shots in place of Roberto Luongo, rested on the second night of back-to-back games for Vancouver. Umberger and Johansen each had an assist.

PREDATORS 3, JETS 1 Carter Hutton made 37 saves for his first NHL win to lead Nashville past Winnipeg. Eric Nystrom, Patric Hornqvist and Matt Cullen scored for Nashville. The 27-year-old Hutton was given his second career start when Predators coach Barry Trotz chose to rest Pekka Rinne

Emerson Etem in action in this file photo after the team’s victory Saturday night in Montreal.

Evander Kane had the lone goal for Winnipeg. The Predators had

only seven shots in the second period, but made three of them count as they took control of the game.

The win extended Nashville’s point

streak to five games. Nystrom opened the scoring 20 seconds into the second period with a shorthanded effort.—AP

NHL results/standings Columbus 3, Vancouver 1; Nashville 3, Winnipeg 1; Anaheim 6, Dallas 3.

San Jose Anaheim Phoenix Los Angeles Vancouver Calgary Edmonton Colorado Chicago St. Louis Nashville Minnesota Winnipeg Dallas Detroit

Western Conference Pacific Division W L OTL GF 7 0 1 39 7 1 0 30 5 2 2 27 6 3 0 24 5 4 1 27 3 2 2 23 2 6 1 26 Central Division 7 1 0 27 5 1 2 23 5 1 1 27 5 3 1 19 3 3 3 19 4 5 0 22 3 5 0 20 Eastern Conference Atlantic Division 6 3 0 24

GA 16 19 26 22 29 26 36

PTS 15 14 12 12 11 8 5

12 19 19 22 22 25 28

14 12 11 11 9 8 6

23

12

Toronto Boston Montreal Tampa Bay Ottawa Florida Buffalo

6 3 0 30 22 12 5 2 0 20 10 10 5 3 0 26 15 10 5 3 0 26 21 10 3 3 2 21 24 8 3 6 0 20 32 6 1 8 1 13 28 3 Metropolitan Division Pittsburgh 7 1 0 31 19 14 Carolina 4 2 3 22 26 11 NY Islanders 3 3 2 25 23 8 Columbus 3 5 0 19 22 6 Washington 3 5 0 21 25 6 New Jersey 1 4 3 17 26 5 NY Rangers 2 5 0 11 29 4 Philadelphia 1 7 0 11 24 2 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

Sochi casts wide net with anti-migrant drive SOCHI: Lawyer Alexander Popkov facing an officer guarding the way into a district police station in Russia’s Winter Olympics host city of Sochi, turned on his phone camera and launched into a tirade.

“I’d like to report a crime,” he told the stoney-faced policeman. “You have dozens of people detained illegally in your courtyard.”

Popkov has been trying to help people detained in a city-wide roundup of illegal migrants ahead of the Games in February-many of whom are employed to build infrastructure for the event.

“It’s a wide sweep, they detain everyone, and then start figuring out what to do with them,” said Popkov, who offers his services pro-bono to a consultation centre set up by one of Russia’s most prominent rights

groups, Memorial.

“We work with migrant workers, but now we are forced to help all Sochi visitors, even Russian tourists”, who have also been targeted, he said.

The raids started in September, when the governor of Krasnodar region, Alexander Tkachev, approved 60 “mobile squads” designed to rout illegal migrants. “Not one illegal migrant should remain in Sochi two months from now,” he told them.

Tkachev is a loyalist to President Vladimir Putin who has dipped into nationalist rhetoric on many occasions.

He has dispatched Cossacks-a conservative community in the region that traditionally formed its own militias and was employed by the Tsarist regime on Russia’s border with the Caucasus-to team up with migration

SOCHI: A picture taken in Russia’s Winter Olympics host city of Sochi on September 24, 2013, shows people detained during in a city-wide round-up of illegal migrants walking in single file from a bus toward a district police station. —AFP

officials and police in checking every Sochi apartment where migrants might hide.

In one recent visit to the central Sochi police station, Cossacks in traditional garb flanked by men in migration service jackets along with police officers brought in two busloads of men, presumed to be migrants, over the course of just one hour.

Waiting ‘like hawks’ Workers are rounded up in their homes, in the street, or just outside construction sites, and often spend at least a night in detention, disrupting work, said a representative of one construction company who came looking for a vanished Uzbek worker.

Large numbers of migrants from inside Russia and ex-Soviet republics are being employed by construction firms racing to finish Olympic-related building works on time.

“Anti-migrant groups wait by our site like hawks, and then detain workers as they leave,” the company representative told AFP, who did not want to give her name. “ Two hundred workers would leave for the night, and in the morning 150 would show up at work.

Where did 50 workers go? Nobody knows.” The Uzbek worker, who had all his papers in order, was returned to his employer after spending almost three days in the police station courtyard, where people have to go without food or a place to sleep.

The campaign has even affected Russian citizens on vacation in Sochi.

Squads have kept them for several hours without explanation just because of their “ethnic” looks, one such detainee said.

“We showed them our bus tickets, our Russian passports, but they took us to the station anyway,” said Zair Isayev, who was detained along with two friends one of whom spent nearly 24 hours at the station-and nearly 300 other people crowded in the rain with no shelter.

“We were just in Sochi for three days of vacation, how can they treat tourists like that?” said Isayev, who lives in the southern Astrakhan region. “I’ll never go to Sochi again, even to the Olympics. The Olympics can go to hell.”

By law, the police can detain an individual for a maximum of three hours. After that, they must process documents recording the person’s name and the reason for their detention. But the sweep is conducted extra judicially, said Popkov.”It starts on a small scale. Now they are treating migrants this way, but later they will treat everyone in this manner,” he said. Several Sochi locals confirmed to AFP that door-to-door checks are conducted by a group that includes a policeman, a Cossack, a municipal official and a migration officer.

Squads take down the passport numbers and employment details of adults living at each Sochi address, and even the IMEI number of everyone’s mobile phone-a unique identifier that can be used to track down a phone even when it is turned off.

‘Outrageous’ detentions Rights group Human Rights Watch this month warned the International Olympic Committee of the “outrageous” arbitrary detentions and deportations of workers, some of whom have not been paid in full.—AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

S P ORTS Photo of the day

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s captain Mushfiqur Rahim plays a shot on the first day of the second cricket Test match against New Zealand. —AP

Tamim misses ton as Kiwis halt Bangladesh DHAKA: Tamim Iqbal missed out on a century as New Zealand restricted Bangladesh to 228-5 on the first day of the second Test in Dhaka yesterday, before rain ended play early.

The dismissals of Tamim for 95 and Shakib Al Hasan for 20 just before the tea break put the Black Caps on top, with bad weather preventing play in the final session.

“Yes, the momentum was with us, but we can’t control the weather,” said New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor. “[The match] is probably still pretty evenly poised and the rain has given our fast bowlers an extra break. “ When we do come out tomorrow hopefully, weather permitting, we can strike early and get them seven, if not eight, down before the second new ball,” he said. Tamim edged Neil Wagner to Kane Williamson at slip, before leg-spinner Ish Sodhi trapped Shakib Al Hasan leg-before.

Before the twin blows, Bangladesh had made steady progress after skipper Mushfiqur Rahim won the toss and elected to bat in overcast conditions at the Sher-eBangla National Stadium.

Tamim, who smashed 17 fours in his entertaining 153-ball knock, put on 76 with Mominul Haque (47) for the third wicket

and 67 with Marshall Ayub (41) for the second.

Trent Boult gave New Zealand their first wicket when Anamul Haque (seven) miscued a pull shot and Williamson took the catch.

Ayub looked solid until Wagner, who replaced left-arm spinner Bruce Martin in New Zealand’s line-up from the drawn first Test, bowled him.

The right-handed Ayub struck six boundaries in his 62-ball innings. “It would have been better if I was still at the crease,” Ayub told reporters after play. “Runs were there for the taking.

“We were scoring freely. They were attacking us with deliveries bowled in the trajectory of the off-stump,” he said. Corey Anderson ended Mominul’s innings by having him caught behind.

Tamim prospered after surviving two dropped catches at the start of his innings.

Wicketkeeper Bradley-John Watling dropped the left-hander on five before skipper Brendon McCullum let him off at second slip at 10. Doug Bracewell was the unlucky bowler on both occasions.

Bangladesh made one change to their team that drew the first Test in Chittagong, bringing in uncapped paceman Al Amin Hossain for injured Robiul Islam. —AFP

SCOREBOARD DHAKA: Scores at stumps on the first day of the second Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Monday Bangladesh first innings Tamim Iqbal c Williamson b Wagner Anamul Haque c Williamson b Boult Marshall Ayub b Wagner Mominul Haque c Watling b Anderson Shakib Al Hasan lbw b Sodhi Mushfiqur Rahim not out Extras (b2,lb1, w1)

95 7 41 47 20 14 4

Total (for five wickets, 54.4 overs) 228 Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Anamul), 2-90 (Marshall), 3-166 (Mominul) 4-208 ( Tamim), 5-228 ( Shakib) Bowling: Boult 13-1-50-1, Bracewell 10-0-51-0 (w1), Wagner 13-3-42-2, Sodhi 11.4-2-38-1, Williamson 4-0-30-0, Anderson 3-0-14-1.

De Villiers wary of Pakistan seamers DUBAI: The Pakistan seamers damaged South Africa’s top order batting in the first Test, according to batsman AB de Villiers, and the Proteas have to adapt quickly for the second and final Test starting tomorrow. “They (seamers) got some really big wickets in the first and second innings and we have to work on it,” de Villiers said Monday after his team’s net session at the ICC Academy in Dubai.

Lanky pacer Mohammad Irfan and Junaid Khan had reduced South Africa to 43-3 and then removed Alviro Petersen and Jacques Kallis cheaply in the second innings as Pakistan went 1-0 up in the series with a seven-wicket victory last week.

South Africa has not lost an away test series since 2006 when it was beaten by Sri Lanka 2-0, but the task to protect their sevenyear unbeaten run will be tougher with another slow wicket expected to welcome them.

“It’s a must-win game for us and we’re going in there with that attitude to win that game,” de Villiers said. “We’re still the No. 1 team in the world and we are going to play like it.”

While Pakistan seamers got rid of the top order, South Africa had only watched some video footage of 34-year-old leftarm spinner Zulfiqar Babar before the test match as the left-armer impressed with five wickets on his debut.

“We haven’t faced him (Babar) before, maybe that factor played into the hands and they used it quite well,” de Villiers said.

While Pakistan fast bowlers pitched up to the Proteas batsmen, South Africa’s plot of shaking the opponents with short deliveries didn’t work. They will be looking to bowl to fuller lengths like they showed briefly when Pakistan stuttered to 7-3 in their small runchase of 40 at Abu Dhabi.

“It’s important for us to go with fresh

AB de Villiers

mindsets, win this test match and not lose the series,” de Villiers said. “We haven’t lost a series in a very long time ... to go in there and try to adapt to the conditions as quickly as possible and get momentum on our side.”

But to get that momentum back, South Africa might not have the luxury of star batsman Hashim Amla, who has returned home to be with his expecting wife. Amla gave South Africa some respectability in the first innings with his superb 118, but he might not be in time for the second test.

In Amla’s place, lefthanded Dean Elgar, who has scored 192 runs in six test matches, is expected to be drafted in to fill the big shoes of world’s top-ranked test batsman.

“It’s definitely a big test for him (Elgar),” de Villiers said. “He hasn’t played a test match for a while so ... that’s probably the area where he will feel a little bit doubt.”

De Villiers said ideally it would have suited South Africa to play a test series before coming to the United Arab Emirates as its last series was in February when it routed Pakistan 3-0 at home. The Proteas also had only one three-day warm-up game against Pakistan “A” where against the second string bowlers Jacques Kallis, de Villiers, Petersen and Amla all scored half centuries.

“We would have loved a series before this or a few more warm-up games,” de Villiers said. “It just wasn’t possible and that’s where the best teams in the world normally believe that they are ready no matter what.

“But we couldn’t get right this time around and it’s disappointing. We wanted to play more cricket beforehand but it was just not possible, going into the second test match hopefully we will play better.” De Villiers rated South Africa’s performance very low on scale of 10 keeping in mind that the Proteas had not lost its previous 15 test matches before losing in Abu Dhabi.—AP

Filip Polc perfoms at the Red Bull Mountain Rage at Akbulak in Almaty, Kazakhstan .—www.redbull.com

Simpson wins first Las Vegas jackpot LAS VEGAS: Former US Open champion Webb Simpson hit the jackpot in Las Vegas on Sunday, cruising to his fourth career victory on the PGA Tour by a commanding six shots at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Four ahead of the chasing pack at the start of play, Simpson did not allow his challengers to get any closer than three strokes before tightening his grip on the title with three birdies in the last six holes at the TPC Summerlin.

On another calm and sunny day of ideal scoring conditions in the high Nevada desert, Simpson closed with a five-under-par 66 to post a 24-under total of 260 in the second event of the PGA Tour’s 2013-14 season.

“It means the world,” Simpson told Golf Channel after sinking a curling 25-footer for par at the last to earn the winner’s cheque for $1,080,000 and his first victory on the US circuit since the 2012 US Open. “This year, I feel like I have gotten better, I just hadn’t gotten the win. I was close at Hilton Head but we were working hard and it’s just nice to finish the year off with a ‘W’.” Simpson, who was embraced by his wife Dowd as he walked off the 18th green, lost out in a playoff with Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell for the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head in April.

Fellow American Jason Bohn bogeyed the last for a 66 to share second place at 18 under with Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa (65), with another American, Charley Hoffman, a further stroke back in fourth after firing a joint best-ofthe-day 64.

But it was Simpson who once again commanded the spotlight, having led the tournament since Friday’s second round.

In pursuit of his first PGA Tour

LAS VEGAS: Webb Simpson holds up the championship trophy after winning in the final round of the STPC Summerlin tournament. —AP victory since June last year, he made a fast start with two early birdies, draining a 16-footer at the par-four second and a 15-footer at the par-four third to stretch his lead to six shots. Though Luke Guthrie briefly trimmed that advantage to five with his seventh birdie of the day at the 15th, Simpson coolly sank a 14-foot birdie putt at the par-five ninth to reach the turn at 22 under, six ahead.

Simpson had played rock-solid golf since starting the round and it came as something of a surprise when he three-putted from long

range to bogey the par-four 12th for his lead to be briefly cut to three shots over Bohn.

However, he immediately rebounded with a birdie at the parfive 13th, where he sank an eightfooter, to regain a four-stroke cushion. “I was playing good, solid golf,” Simpson said of his form on Sunday before his unexpected slipup at the 12th. “I didn’t look at the leaderboards all day but the course was drying out and I knew it was playing tough.

“That three-putt there kind of set me back a little bit but it was

nice to birdie 13, and then made a couple more birdies coming in, which was a good feeling.”

Simpson struck a brilliant tee shot to just four feet at the parthree 14th but lipped out with his birdie attempt before picking up another shot at the par-four 15th where he pitched to within two feet of the cup from in front of the green. Another birdie followed at the par-five 16th, where he reached the green in two and comfortably two-putted, and he parred the last two holes to wrap up a commanding win. —Reuters

Ethiopia’s first marathon draws crowds to the ‘land of runners’ HAWASSA: The sun had barely risen but the cool morning air was buzzing with excitement: 350 participants had gathered in Ethiopia, the land of runners, for the country’s first international marathon organised by athletics legend Haile Gebrselassie.

Sunday’s race, which drew 150 elite Ethiopian athletes and about 150 foreign “fun runners”, promises to boost professionalism in a country that has produced scores of world-class runners, many of whom started running barefoot along dusty country roads.

“Believe me, we can produce more big names, we can produce more marathon runners, more Olympic champions, world champion and world record holders,” said Gebrselassie, twotime marathon record-breaker and 10,000 Olympic champion.

Race organisers sought to draw Ethiopia’s top athletes to the race in Hawassa, 275 kilometres (170 miles) south of Ethiopia’s capital, by offering the largest cash prize in Ethiopian racing historyclose to $5,300 (3,855 euros) each for the top man and woman competitors.

The marathon is part of an overall boost to Ethiopian athletics, which in the past two years has been bolstered by new world-class training centres and a series of competitive races that have drawn crowds from around the world.

“Two years ago there was nothing here, athletes they wanted to come to Ethiopia to train there was no facility,” said Gebrselassie, who

hosts several runs throughout the year, including the annual Great Ethiopian Run, which last year drew close to 40,000 people.

Today he has his own training centre, Yaya Village, on the outskirts of Addis Ababa and last year, 5,000 and 10,000 world record holder Kenenisa Bekele opened a running centre with one of the country’s only professional-rate running tracks.

With its high altitude and consis ently sunny weather-the country is often dubbed the land of “13 months of sunshine”-Ethiopia has long been heralded as one of the best places in Africa for long distance training, rivalled only by neighboring Kenya.

Sunday ’s marathon winner, Gudissa Shentema,said the race was a historical victory for him as he had never run a competitive marathon on home soil, and that it has encouraged him to train harder.

“I’ve been competing in different countries but this one gives me a lot of motivation to continue,” he said, forehead glistening with sweat after his 42 kilometre-run.

Gebrselassie said he hopes to draw casual runners from abroad too, in order to promote a running culture and give foreigners a chance to tour Ethiopia.

“It’s a very good opportunity to bring tourists to see Ethiopia,” he said, adding that the international exposure is crucial for changing Ethiopia’s image.

Annie Delp, 38, who came from the US to run the half-marathon following a ten-day tour of northern Ethiopia, said the event is a chance to open foreign eyes to Ethiopia, a country betterknown as a nation plagued with famine and unrest in the 1980s.

“It would change everything because people don’t know how beautiful Ethiopia is, how sweet the people are and how awesome the food is, there’s just so much,” said Delp, who came first in the women’s half marathon.

For some, the race was also a chance to run alongside Ethiopia’s future long distance stars and meet Gebrselassie, a global running hero.

Simon Newton, 35, did a “running tour” of Ethiopia before doing Sunday’s marathon, which he described as “fantastic.” Second-placed Newton has run around 40 marathons before but said the Haile Gebrselassie race was the “most enjoyable” he has run.

As he tired around 35 kilometres, a group of children ran alongside him for motivation and at one point he had to dodge a monkey sitting on the road.

Gebrselassie said that while this year’s race drew only modest crowds, he hopes the event will grow in the future, perhaps to gain global standing and rival the New York or London marathon. “Of course, you cannot predict what will be in the future... now with this marathon, if people know about it, you never know,” he said with his characteristic wide grin. —AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

S P ORTS

Only ‘perfect’ Milan will beat Barca, says Allegri

LONDON: Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker, Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla (from left) take part in a training session at the club’s facilities in London Colney. Arsenal are due to play Borussia Dortmund in a Champions League Group F soccer match today. —AP

Euphoric Arsenal wary of Dortmund reality check LONDON: Arsenal are turning the toughest looking Champions League group into a walk in the park so far and they would take a huge stride towards their customary place in the last 16 with victory over Borussia Dortmund today.

A dazzling 4-1 victory over Norwich City at the weekend, in which Mesut Ozil scored twice, kept Arsenal on top of the Premier League and had fans and commentators alike drooling over the quality of their display. Early days it may be, but with 10 wins and two draws from their last 12 matches in all competitions, including Champions League triumphs over Marseille and Napoli in Group F, there is talk of something special brewing in north London.

Recent seasons have seen mediocre starts for Arsenal but this time, after an opening day defeat, they have raced out of the blocks with the signing of Ozil seemingly the catalyst for some breathtaking performances. With record signing Ozil fitting into the Arsenal midfield like a silk glove, Aaron Ramsey unable to stop scoring, Jack Wilshere at his best and Santi Cazorla back from injury, manager Arsene Wenger has the look of the cat that got all the cream.

Last season’s runners-up Dortmund pose a considerable threat to the feeling of euphoria sweeping the Emirates stadium but victory would be a huge psychological boost, according to Mikel Arteta, another of Arsenal’s midfield gems.

“We have two very difficult games coming up against Dortmund,” Arteta told Arsenal’s website (www.arsenal.com). “After that, we will know exactly where we are in the group. They are a very good side and they are doing well in their own league.

Winning the first two games makes a difference and now we have a massive game at home. “If we win that one we are almost there. I think this is going to be a crucial one.”

Despite reaching the last 16 for a 13th

successive time last season, Arsenal paid the penalty for finishing behind Schalke in their group, getting drawn against eventual champions Bayern Munich in the first knockout round.

Schalke and Bayern both won at the Emirates stadium last season and Dortmund, who are tucked in behind Bayern in second spot in the Bundesliga after a 1-0 win against Hanover, will be confident of following their lead.

Juergen Klopp’s side suffered an opening day defeat in the Champions League against Napoli when Klopp was sent to the stands after a furious outburst at an official.

Klopp, who will serve the second game of his two-match touchline ban on Tuesday, is highly regarded across the continent and his two Bundesliga titles and a run to the Champions League final attracted plenty of interest from Premier League clubs, according to the 46-year-old.

However, he says he has unfinished business in Dortmund. “There were some England clubs that called and wanted to speak with me,” he was quoted as saying in the Daily Mirror newspaper. “But there was no reason to talk.

“In life you have to be at the right place at the right moment. I am in Dortmund with all I have. Definitely for the next couple of years.”

Midfielder Marco Reus and defender Marcel Schmelzer both returned to action against Hanover after injuries - a boost for Klopp whose side have three points from their opening two games in Group F after a win against Marseille.

“With a view today, the Hanover win was a game that pushed us forward,” Klopp told reporters. “Especially for those players who had only trained twice before Hanover. So we will be a further step forward when we face Arsenal.” Dortmund will be without long-term injured Lukasz Pszczek, captain Sebastian Kehl and playmaker Ilkay Guendogan.—Reuters

GLASGOW: Celtic’s Dutch player Virgil Van Dijk (right) takes part in a training session at Lennoxtown Training facility ahead of their UEFA Champions League Group H football match against Ajax. —AFP

Celtic face make-or-break Champions League clash GLASGOW: Neil Lennon says Celtic’s Group H clash with Ajax today is pivotal to his side’s Champions League ambitions. Celtic host the Dutch champions having failed to pick up any points from their opening fixtures against AC Milan and Barcelona, in what is one of the toughest groups in the competition. The Glasgow giants reached the last 16 last year and Lennon knows his side need to get some points on the board soon if they are to emulate that achievement.

“We can’t lose it, put it that way,” said the Celtic manager on whether the match was a must-win or not. “We are four points worse off in the group than we were at this stage last season. We have a bit of work to do. Home form is important to us, but Ajax are a very good side.

“They will give us plenty to think about, plenty of problems. But we are at home and I think we will be confident enough to take the game to them.”

Celtic sit bottom of Group H but have been unlucky not to collect any points so far, losing to two late goals in Milan and a solitary Cesc Fabregas strike for Barcelona in Glasgow. “There is a frustration that we haven’t taken anything from our two games,” Lennon admitted.

“But that is significant in itself, given that we played Milan away and Barcelona at home. When you are disappointed after that, you obviously have a good team. And we think we have a good team.

“As I said when the draw was made, we are not the runts of litter. We have been pretty competitive. “Did we deserve better?

Probably. Did we get it? No. There is a lot of emphasis on this game and if we can win it, brilliant. If we get a point, it means we have to go to Amsterdam and win. I think we are capable of doing that.”

Ajax were on the wrong side of a 4-0 defeat by Barcelona on match day one before coming close to claiming all three points against AC Milan in Amsterdam with only a last minute penalty denying them the win. Frank De Boer lost a host of top team stars in the summer, including Derk Boerrighter to Celtic, but Lennon, whose side is also depleted following the departures of Victor Wanyama and Gary Hooper, knows they will still pose a serious threat to his side in Glasgow.

“Siem de Jong is a threat from midfield,” said Lennon. “ Viktor Fischer, a young winger they got from Alkmaar, is very dynamic and comes in on his right foot.

Kolbeinn Sigthorsson is a striker but he played wide when I saw them against PSV. They are a typical Ajax team, they move it quickly and have good pace in wide areas.

They’re definitely a threat going forward.”

Celtic will be without captain Scott Brown who is suspended after his red card for kicking out at Neymar in the loss to Barcelona while Kris Commons is a major doubt after picking up a hamstring injury in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Hibernian. —AFP

MILAN: Only a “perfect” AC Milan will allow the depleted Serie A giants to emerge with an “important” result from their Champions League Group H clash with Barcelona, says coach Massimiliano Allegri.

Barcelona visit the San Siro today and are widely expected to capitalise on the Rossoneri’s domestic woes to secure their third successive win in the group having already beaten Ajax (4-0) and Celtic (1-0). In what may be construed as a boost for the hosts, the Spanish giants were held to a scoreless draw by Osasuna on Saturday-the first time Barcelona had failed to score in the league since January 2012. But in spite of welcoming Brazilian playmaker Kaka back from a month on the injury sidelines, Milan are far from being able to field their strongest side against the Catalans.

Barcelona will make their fourth visit to the San Siro in as many seasons, having accounted for the Italians in the group stages in 2011, in the quarter-finals in 2012 and in last season’s last 16 knockout phase. Having seen his side routed 4-0 in the second leg at the Nou Camp last March, Allegri admitted it would require a perfect performance to score an upset against Gerardo Martino’s team.

“It will be a very difficult match.

We need to be perfect if we are to get an important result,” said the Italian coach after Milan’s 1-0 home win over Udinese.

Despite a dominant performance on Saturday, when impressive Slovenian Valter Birsa provided a superb match-winner on 22 minutes, Milan could not be hosting Barca at a worst time.

Striker Mario Balotelli, who won and scored a late penalty against Ajax to secure a draw last time out,

CARNAGO: AC Milan’s Brazilian forward Kaka (center) takes part in a training session with teammates on the eve of the Champions League football match between AC Milan and Barcelona today at the San Siro Stadium. —AFP and number one ‘keeper Christian Abbiati are among six players missing through injury.

Milan had hoped for Balotelli to return in time for Udinese following a three-game league ban but he was diagnosed with a thigh problem shortly after Italy’s final World Cup qualifier against Armenia.

“According to our medical staff, it will be difficult for Balotelli and Abbiati to be ready in time for Tuesday,” club vice -president Adriano Galliani was quoted as saying by Sky Spor t Italia earlier Sunday.

Abbiati will be replaced by number two goalkeeper Marco

Amelia, who was rested on Saturday when third-choice Brazilian Gabriel, not included in Allegri’s Champions League squad, won plaudits for his performance.

Four other first-team regulars are unavailable, including versatile defender Mattia De Sciglio.

Although Kaka believes “the team is getting stronger and stronger”, he knows the impor tance of a strong collective performance having re-joined Milan on a free transfer from Real Madrid.

“We need to be a solid group if we’re to win.... as individuals we can’t do it,” said Kaka, who is expected to start on the bench having come on late in the second

half against Udinese.

Martino, meanwhile, made light of Saturday’s slight setback by his side. “I would be worried if I saw a deterioration in the performance of the team, but I didn’t see that,” said “It is obviously a big week with firstly Milan then Madrid (next weekend), but I am not annoyed because I am happy with the performance of the team.”

Tu e s d ay ’s re fe re e fo r t h e match will be Felix Br ych, the German official who awarded the ‘ghost goal’ of Stefan Kiessling in Fr i d ay ’s B u n d e s l i g a m a tc h between Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim. —AFP

Atletico look to bounce back VIENNA: Atletico Madrid will be looking to regain their winning ways today when they face Champions League rookies Austria Vienna who are still chasing their first group stage goal.

After 10 wins in 10 games in all competitions this season, Diego Simeone’s Atletico suffered their first defeat on Saturday, going down 1-0 at Espanyol.

But they travel to Vienna with a comfortable lead in Group G and should face little danger from a team that is still in awe of making it this far, let alone confident of winning a game.

“The fact we could have become leaders (of La Liga) is just an anecdote,” Atletico captain Gabi said after Saturday’s loss. “We will go to Vienna with the winning mentality we have, because if we win if could be decisive for qualification from the group.”

Brazilian centre-back Miranda is a doubt for the game due to a muscular strain and striker Leo Baptistao, who scored against Zenit St Petersburg on matchday one, is also out with an ankle injury.

But Atletico will be strengthened by the return up front of Diego Costa, following a four-match European ban he picked up last season.

La Liga’s top goalscorer with 10 goals in nine games, putting him ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the Brazilian-born player has also been linked with a call up to the Spanish national side.

Austria Vienna, last season’s domestic champions, but now trailing in mid-table, might have the home advantage today but will be facing their most difficult challenge yet.

The Violets, led by Croatian coach Nenad Bjelica, secured their passage to the group stage with a sensational 4-3 aggregate win against Dinamo Zagreb.

But they just scraped a 0-0 draw against 10man Zenit St. Petersburg last time out, after losing 1-0 to FC Porto. “Atletico is the toughest opponent in this group... we can expect a team that is in extraordinary form,” said midfielder Daniel Royer.

“Still, we will try and work something out, we want to perform like we did against Porto and Zenit and irritate our opponent. It will certainly be our toughest challenge yet.”

Marko Stankovic, the team’s most prolific striker this season with six goals in nine league appearances, is hoping to return in time for Tuesday after a muscle injury.

This will be the third time only that Atletico and Austria Vienna meet, after two first-round encounters in the European Cup in 1970. The Spanish side won both games.

Vienna’s Ernst-Happel Stadium, the site of Spain’s Euro 2008 triumph, will also no doubt bring back memories for Atletico striker David Villa, who scored there in the quarter-final penalty shoot-out but missed the final through injury. —AFP

GERMANY: Schalke head coach Jens Keller (center) talks to his team during a training session prior the Champions League Group E soccer match against Chelsea today. —AP

Schalke rely on Boateng, youth against Chelsea BERLIN: Schalke 04 are hoping new signing Kevin-Prince Boateng as well as teenagers Leon Goretzka and Max Meyer can power the Germans past Chelsea today as they look for their third win in three games in their Champions League group.

With half a dozen players missing through injury, Schalke coach Jens Keller hinted that he would use a makeshift lineup today. “We have to show a different face against Chelsea,” said Keller after their narrow 3-2 win over promoted Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday.

While he did not know “what kind of team” he would use, he promised there would be “many young players”. Goretzka and Meyer, both 18 years old and among Germany’s biggest talents, were on target against Braunschweig, filling up on much-needed confidence before the match against Chelsea’s big names.

Ghana international Boateng, who has almost single-handedly jump-started Schalke’s campaign to climb back up the table since joining in September, was ruled out with a knee injury on Saturday but is expected to return to training on Monday and Schalke hope he will be fit for Tuesday.

Schalke, top of Group E on six points, are aiming to get at least a draw against Chelsea to stay top of the table.

“Obviously Chelsea are the favourites to win the group,” said Schalke sports director Horst Heldt. Schalke have a string of injuries, with top striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, central defender Kyriakos Papapdopoulos and midfielder Marco Hoeger out. They also had Jefferson Farfan ruled out for some four weeks earlier this month.

“We have six points on the table and Chelsea have only three. They are still the favourites but it is them who are under pressure after losing on matchday one,” said Heldt.

Chelsea’s Samuel Eto’o scored his first goal since joining the London club in Saturday ’s 4-1 win over Cardiff. “It’s always difficult when you change clubs but to change countries and leagues as well increases that,” assistant manager Steve Holland told reporters.

“He’s scored goals at the top level throughout Europe all through his career but I’m sure he’ll still be feeling happier to have that first one under his belt and be off the mark. “It’s something the staff

and players have seen on many days in training. Physically you can change as your life moves on but quality is permanent and we’ve seen that finishing in training for a good few weeks now and it was good that the supporters got to see it in a game today,” said Holland.

“All strikers like to be scoring goals, it’s what helps make them tick, and to get off the mark is something I’m sure he’ll be happy about and hopefully we get the benefits of that immediately.”

Coach Jose Mourinho was not available in the news conference after he was banned from the touchline for berating officials during the game. Left back Ashley Cole is a doubt for the match after missing this weekend’s league game and England’s final two World Cup qualifiers this month with a rib injury, while Andre Schurrle also missed the Cardiff match because of a leg muscle injury. —Reuters

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

UEFA Champions League Steaua v Basel Aljazeera Sport +2 Schalke v Chelsea Aljazeera Sport +7 Aljazeera Sport 3 HD Arsenal v Dortmund Aljazeera Sport +8 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD Marseille v Napoli Aljazeera Sport +6 Aljazeera Sport 5 HD Porto v Zenit Aljazeera Sport +4 Wien v Atletico Aljazeera Sport +5 Aljazeera Sport 4 HD Celtic v Ajax Aljazeera Sport +3 AC Milan v Barcelona Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Aljazeera Sport +9

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

S P ORTS

Wenger’s Arsenal harvest finally bears fruit LONDON: After eight fallow years without silverware, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has seen his side reap a spectacular harvest in the first month of the English autumn.

Saturday ’s stylish 4-1 win over Norwich City sent the north London club two points clear at the Premier League summit and extended their unbeaten run to 12 games in all competitions ahead of today’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund.

Such a sequence seemed a remote possibility in the aftermath of a shock defeat at home to Aston Villa on the season’s opening day, but Arsenal were revitalised by the club-record £42.4 million ($66 million, 50 million euros) acquisition of Mesut Ozil on transfer deadline day.

The German playmaker, who scored twice against Norwich, has illuminated

Arsenal’s play with his vision and deftness of touch, and his artistry appears to have rubbed off on the players around him.

Jack Wilshere was initially exiled to the left wing following Ozil’s arrival from Real Madrid, but he demonstrated his worth in a central role by breaking the deadlock against Nor wich with a breath-taking goal that Wenger described as “one of the best” of his 17year tenure.

Having started the move deep in his own half, Wilshere was involved in a razor-sharp passing exchange on the edge of the Norwich area that went Cazorla, Wilshere, Cazorla, Giroud, Wilshere, Giroud, Wilshere, culminating in the England midfielder volleying past goalkeeper John Ruddy from 10 yards. It was the first time that Ozil, Wilshere and Santi Cazorla had started a league game

together and their association already promises much, but no-one symbolises the Arsenal revival more strongly than Aaron Ramsey.

The Welsh midfielder ’s career seemed to be stuck in second gear after he sustained a double leg break in a challenge by Stoke City ’s Ryan Shawcross in February 2010, but he is now playing with arresting self-assurance. His sharply taken goal against Nor wich, after a slalom past two defenders, took his tally to nine in 12 games and a roulette turn shown in slow-motion on popular BBC highlights programme Match of the Day moved the pundits to liken him to Zinedine Zidane. The adroit Olivier Giroud, meanwhile, now appears the perfect foil for the busy cluster of attacking midfielders operating behind him, who thrive on his precise lay-offs and penetrative flicks.

Although much of the media’s attention has focused on the signing of Ozil, Giroud believes it was also vitally important that Arsenal did not lose any of their major players during the close season. “We kept our best players and it’s something that Arsenal hadn’t done for a few years because they lost four or five of their best players,” the France striker told AFP. “The club has shown its intentions.

You feel stronger next to players like Ozil. He’s the player who we needed.”

While the scarcity of strikers in the squad means that Giroud is assured of his starting place, Wenger has a wealth of options in midfield, with Ozil, Wilshere, Ramsey, Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and the injured trio of Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain jostling for only four places. Wenger’s real masterstroke,

however, may have been his decision to bring French holding midfielder Mathieu Flamini back to the club on a free transfer after a four-year exile at AC Milan. His return was decried by some fans as a sign of a lack of ambition, but his tigerish attitude and dogged determination have given Arsenal a bite in central midfield that they have not had for several seasons.

“Mathieu Flamini is just as valuable to his team right now as Mesut Ozil,” wrote former Arsenal striker Alan Smith in a column for The Daily Telegraph.

Giroud says that his countryman “balances everything”. Arsenal’s fans have not had a trophy to celebrate since the 2005 FA Cup, but after years of managerial patience, financial restraint and the loss of a succession of cherished players, the Gunners finally seem ready to fire again. —AFP

World Cup playoffs

Portugal get Sweden test as France take on Ukraine

Alejandro Donatti

Rosario dent Newell’s second title charge BUENOS AIRES: Newell’s Old Boys’ charge towards a second successive Argentine league title was interrupted by promoted arch-rivals Rosario Central who beat them 2-1 in the Rosario derby on Sunday. Arsenal failed to profit when they lost 2-1 at Tigre and remained on 23 points, three behind Newell’s and level with San Lorenzo.

All three goals at the Gigante de Arroyito came during a pulsating first half in the first Rosario “clasico” in three and a half years following Central’s relegation in 2010.

The victory took Central’s unbeaten run to five while ending Newell’s five-match winning streak. Defender Alejandro Donatti headed home side Central into the lead from a free kick in the 12th minute.

Newell’s responded with a fine lob from Pablo Perez that was just wide before Maxi Rodriguez equalised in the 16th.

The winger came into the box from the left, nudged the ball towards the net but

goalkeeper Mauricio Caranta got a touch and it came back off his left-hand post only for Rodriguez to steal in and touch it home.

It was Rodriguez’s seventh goal in six successive matches including Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay on Tuesday when he scored two.

Central scored the winner just before the half hour thanks to a poor kick out of his box by goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman.

The ball fell to the unmarked Antonio Medina, who steered a low pass back into the box where striker Carlos Luna stumbled but managed to head it towards the right where Hernan Encina raced in to score.

Newell’s striker Victor Figueroa missed a chance for another equaliser when his shot hit the post on the stroke of halftime.

San Lorenzo recovered from losing 3-0 to Arsenal in the final of the Copa Argentina knockout competition on Wednesday with a 3-0 home victory over All Boys on Saturday.—Reuters

Bradley hopes for dignified end to World Cup campaign CAIRO: With Egypt still reeling from a 6-1 loss to Ghana in a World Cup playoff, the team’s American coach is hoping to restore some pride to the bruised national side.

It’s unclear, however, if Bob Bradley will even get the chance to do that. “Our team has worked very, very hard to try and make a dream, an important dream for all Egyptians,” Bradley said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I am sad that we’ve put ourselves in a position right now where that dream is at risk. “It’s going to be difficult, but we still have 90 more minutes.”

Bradley spoke to the AP ahead of a meeting of the Egyptian Football Association’s board of directors yesterday that will discuss the Ghana match. Bradley’s immediate future is also likely to be on the agenda amid reports that he will be asked to step aside for second leg of the two-match playoff.

Egypt is set to host the return leg in Cairo on Nov. 19. But it’s the first leg, held last week in the Ghanaian town of Kumasi, that is still causing fury in Egypt. Much of the blame for a surprisingly one-sided defeat has been pinned on Bradley, putting the future of the former United States coach in doubt and raising speculation that he might not be with his team for the second match because of fears over his safety. The final decision on his role in the Ghana match and whether the return match will be played in the Egyptian capital was “out of my hands,” Bradley said.

“If it is left to me I would be with the team because we had been together throughout this period with a dream,” Bradley said. “It’s important that we can stand together one more time.”

The Ghana Football Association has asked FIFA to move the return leg to a neutral venue, citing security concerns. Football’s governing body has given Egypt a deadline of Oct. 28 to provide “comprehensive security assurances.”

Bradley was doubtful of Ghana’s motivation for the request. “I can’t speak to whether or not this was out of real security concerns or whether or not they were also trying to work things in their favor,” Bradley said. Egypt’s upheavals that have resulted in the fall of two presidents in as many years have often turned violent. Political unrest has also spilled into football, killing dozens in a deadly stadium riot last year that traumatized the nation.

Through it all, football-crazed Egyptians were banking on the Pharaohs to earn a spot at next year’s World Cup in Brazil, hoping that qualifying for the tournament for the first time

in decades will restore some national pride and help bridge deep political and social divisions.

Egypt had only begun to hope for a recovery from the 2011 uprising that forced longterm president Hosni Mubarak from office when Bradley arrived to the country that year to revive a team that missed out on the 2010 World Cup and then the African Cup of Nations for the first time in 33 years.

Managing the team amid political chaos has been Bradley’s main challenge, particularly after violence consumed the game following the deaths of 74 people in a stadium riot in Port Said last year.

More violence erupted earlier this year, when seven police officers were acquitted in a trial over the melee while death sentences against 21 alleged rioters were confirmed.

Angry fans rampaged through the heart of Cairo, storming the Egyptian football federation’s headquarters before setting it ablaze.

Then in July, Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mohammed Morsi, was ousted in a military coup, prompting his supporters to stage near-weekly protests for his reinstatement and their rivals to demonstrate in support of the military-backed leadership.

“When we went on the field in Kumasi last week, these were some of the things that the players were carrying on their shoulders,” Bradley said. “It’s a lot to ask of the players in a football match.”

Bradley shrugged off criticism that ranges from accusations that he made bad lineup choices ahead of the Ghana match and failed to make tactical decisions and fortify Egypt’s defense as his side was being hammered. The fans back home said the coach’s mistakes humiliated the team.

“I am strong in these situations,” Bradley said. “As a national coach you have some people on your side and some who are against you,” he said. “I understand the disappointment. I see it when I see people in the street.”

But sometimes, the American said, people also come up to him and say: “Thank you for giving everything at the time when the country is going through so much trouble, so much turmoil.”

Short of a “miracle” in second leg, the American is aware that his time in Egypt is coming to an end. “If we don’t manage to make a miracle, then I’ll be finished,” Bradley said. “I will leave feeling sad for everyone but also knowing that we gave everything we had to try and make it happen.” —AP

ZURICH: Continental giants Portugal and Sweden were drawn together in the pick of the World Cup qualifying play-offs in Europe made by football’s governing body FIFA yesterday.

Former champions France were given a favorable pairing as they travel to Ukraine for the first leg on November 15 while Greece will host Romania and Croatia play their first leg in Iceland.

The second round of the twolegged ties will be played on November 19. Former World Cup semi-finalists Portugal and Sweden were the first two countries pulled out of the hat as Cristiano Ronaldo will defy Zlatan Ibrahimovic in what will be a battle of star-studded line-ups.

“We have been drawn against a team against whom we will be playing two complicated matches, two relatively balanced matches,” explained Portugal coach Paulo Bento. “Besides having one of the best strikers in the world (Ibrahimovic), the quality of their team (Sweden), is their collective spirit. “They finished second in a group that had one of the best European teams and potential winners Germany.

“However regardless of the opponent, we will be playing these two matches with the aim of playing at the World Cup,” continued Bento. Ibrahimovic believes Sweden are the underdogs.

“Portugal are favorites, but they are going to be two fantastic matches,” said the Paris Saint Germain star. “ We’re playing against a good team with many good players. Play-off matches are like two finals, it’s completely different from group matches. “I think we have to reduce our errors and the team who makes the most will miss the World Cup.” Didier Deschamps’ French side, who were narrowly beaten to top spot in their pool by defending champions Spain, travel to the

ZURICH: A screen shows the matches to be played during the draw for the 2014 FIFA World Cup European zone play-off matches yesterday, at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich.—AP Euro 2012 co-hosts where they defeated Ukraine 2-0 in group play.

“We were not seeded and could have played Portugal or Croatia who have a long histor y, but Ukraine is not a simple draw either,” Deschamps told Eurosport tv. “ They are on a run of seven matches without defeat and they concede very few goals as well as a long trip over there,” he continued.

“It’s good to have the return leg at home but one team will qualify and the other will be staying home for the World Cup.” added the 1998 World Cup winning captain.

Ukraine’s key player Ar tem Fedetsky of Dnepropetrovsk believes in his side’s chances despite a tough draw. “ We’ve already been buried after the poor start in the qualifying campaign.

“However, we managed to come back and reach the play-off

stage. After that ever y single match for us was like the final, like a do-or-die mission.

“Now we have serious experience of playing the most important matches. We are a cohesive team now and, I believe, we have a fair chance to go through,” he added.

Romania are bidding to return to the final stages for the first time since 1998 and will fancy their chances against goal-shy Greece, who were beaten to top spot in their pool by Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Greece coach Fernando Santos feels the 2004 European champions can fulfil their dream and called on their fans to get behind the team.

“No matter who the opponent, the level of all the teams are very strong. The Romanians are of great quality and dangerous and difficult

opponents. “I would have preferred the first match to be away, but again, it does not matter. The message I send to the Greek fans is to believe in this team, to support us, to fill the stadium to push the team and help us,” he concluded.

Finally, Iceland look to qualify for the first time in their history against a Croatia side coming off back to back defeats against Scotland and in the midst of a managerial change.

The four winners will qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil from June 12 to July 13. Nine teams have already qualified from Europe - Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, England, Russia and Bosnia.

The draw for the eight groups of four that will feature in the first round of the tournament will take place on December 6 in Bahia,

Henry, Pires lined up for India tournament

Thierry Henry

MUMBAI: Former football superstars Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Hernan Crespo are being lined up to play in a new Indian tournament aimed at cashing in on growing domestic interest in the sport, organisers said yesterday.

Fredrik Ljungberg, Dwight Yorke and Louis Saha are among other foreign players in the fray for the franchise-based event organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its commercial partners IMG-Reliance.

The Indian Super League is scheduled to be held between January and March across India and feature eight city teams whose squads will comprise nine foreign and 13 Indian players.

“The idea of the league is to revolutionise Indian football,” said a spokesman for IMG-Reliance, a joint venture between global events management group IMG and Indian conglomerate Reliance.

“The Indian youth follows a lot of European football. So we definitely want to bring in their expertise, experience and fan following,” the spokesman told AFP. Yorke, Saha, Ljungberg, Pires and Crespo had been confirmed to play, the spokesman said, adding that Henry “could be a potential”.

The format will steal extensively from India’s top limited-overs cricket tournament, which has been copied in other sports including badminton and hockey.

Top businessmen have been invited to buy the new football clubs and take part in players’ auctions which will be held next month.

Among the nine cities in line to grab the eight teams are Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Kochi, Guwahati, Goa, Bangalore and Pune.

The made-for-television event, to be broadcast by the Rupert Murdoch-owned Star TV network, has already run into trouble over fierce opposition from India’s top clubs.

The clubs have declined to release their players for the tournament, saying it will threaten their existence and ruin the national ILeague domestic competition.

Last year a similar idea by football officials in West Bengal state for a franchise-based league featuring fading stars like Crespo and Fabio Cannavaro foundered.

India, ranked a lowly 154th in the world and 28th in Asia, has seen a surge in football’s popularity due to live television coverage of matches played around the globe.

Star TV, which also beams English Premier League (EPL) matches in to the country, roped in India’s cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to promote football for its sports channel.

It also launched Hindi-language commentary on EPL games to ensure wider viewership in smaller towns where English is spoken less commonly.—AFP

Simpson wins first Las Vegas jackpot

17

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

Only ‘perfect’ Milan will beat Barca, says Allegri

18

Portugal get Sweden test in World Cup playoffs

Page 19

KANSAS CITY: Chiefs inside linebacker Derrick Johnson (56) recovers a fumble over Houston Texans tackle Derek Newton (75) during the second half of an NFL football game at Arrowhead Stadium. —AP

Colts storm past unbeaten Broncos INDIANAPOLIS: Andrew Luck threw for three touchdowns and ran for another Sunday night, outplaying predecessor Peyton Manning in a 39-33 victory over the previously unbeaten Denver Broncos.

The victory ended the Broncos’ 17-game regular-season winning streak in the first game Manning played against his former team since being released in March 2012.

Manning finished 29 of 49 for 386 yards with three TDs and one interception. He was sacked four times and tried desperately to rally the Broncos late. But the Colts took advantage of his and Denver’s uncharacteristic mistakes.

Luck converted an early fumble into a TD pass. Indy got nine points out of a secondquarter strip sack, and Luck scored on a 10yard run in the third quarter, a drive helped by a series of defensive penalties. When the Broncos (6-1) finally had a chance to tie it, Manning was intercepted. Indianapolis has not lost consecutive games under Luck.

CHIEFS 17, TEXANS 16 Jamaal Charles ran for 86 yards and a touchdown and Alex Smith also ran for a score as the scrappy Chiefs held off the banged-up Houston to remain unbeaten.

The Chiefs were forced to punt the ball to Houston with 1:46 left in the game. But after Case Keenum threw an incompletion on first down, the young quarterback was stripped by linebacker Tamba Hali at his 2. Derrick Johnson recovered the fumble for the Chiefs.

Smith simply kneeled from there as time ran out, allowing Kansas City (7-0) to extend the second-best start in franchise history. The 2003 team began the season 9-0.

Keenum, making his first NFL start in place of the injured Matt Schaub, threw for 271 yards and a touchdown for the Texans (2-5).

But he didn’t get much help from his run game after Arian Foster left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return.

REDSKINS 45, BEARS 41 Roy Helu’s third touchdown, a 3-yard run with 45 seconds to play, lifted the Redskins.

Robert Griffin III completed 18 of 29 passes for 298 yards with two touchdowns and one interception for the Redskins (2-4), who have both of their wins against backup quarterbacks. This time it was Josh McCown, who entered in the second quarter after Jay Cutler left with a groin injury.

Griffin also ran 11 times for a season-high 84 yards against a defense depleted by injuries, but the breakout performance came from rook ie tight end Jordan Reed, who caught nine passes for 134 yards and one touchdown.

McCown, playing in a regular-season game for the first time since the 2011 season, com-

pleted 14 of 20 passes for 204 yards with one touchdown. Matt Forte rushed for three touchdowns, Alshon Jeffrey had 105 yards receiving, and Devin Hester tied Deion Sanders’ NFL record for return touchdowns with an 81-yard put runback for the Bears (4-3).

within range to win it. Running back Le’Veon Bell ran for a season-high 93 yards on 19 carries. Joe Flacco passed for 215 yards and a touchdown, but couldn’t stop the defending Super Bowl champions (3-4) from losing for the third time in their last four games.

JETS 30, PATRIOTS 27 Nick Folk kicked a 42-yard field goal with 5:07 left in overtime. Folk got a second chance after he missed a 56-yarder moments earlier.

But Chris Jones was called for unsportsmanlike conduct for pushing a teammate forward to try to block the kick, a new NFL rule.

New York, given new life, ran the ball three times to set up Folk’s winner. Geno Smith threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score as the Jets (4-3) topped Tom Brady and the Patriots (5-2). New England tied it at 27 with 16 seconds left in regulation on Stephen Gostkowski’s 44-yard field goal.

New England had defeated New York in six straight regular-season meetings, and saw its 12-game winning streak against the AFC East end.

PACKERS 31, BROWNS 13 Aaron Rodgers guided an undermanned offense with 260 yards and three touchdowns, and Eddie Lacy ran for another score.

Lacy finished with 82 yards, while tight end Jermichael Finley had a 10 yard touchdown catch in the first quarter before leaving with a neck injury. The team said he had movement in his extremities.

Green Bay (4-2) won its third straight game.

Rodgers finished 25 for 36 in methodically carving up Cleveland (3-4) despite already being without two of his top targets in injured receivers James Jones and Randall Cobb.

The defense took care of the rest against struggling quarterback Brandon Weeden, who was 17 for 42 for 149 yards. The Browns’ Jordan Cameron caught a 2-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

STEELERS 19, RAVENS 16 Shaun Suisham drilled a 42-yard field goal with no time remaining. Suisham’s fourth field goal of the day pushed the Steelers (2-4) to their second straight win.

Ben Roethlisberger completed 17 of 23 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. He hit Antonio Brown for a pair of big gains on Pittsburgh’s final drive, putting Suisham well

49ERS 31, TITANS 17 Colin Kaepernick threw for 199 yards and ran for 68 and a touchdown. The 49ers (5-2) won their fourth straight before heading to London for a game with winless Jacksonville by jumping out to a 17-0 halftime lead. Frank Gore also ran for a pair of 1-yard TDs as San Francisco cruised.

NFL results/standings Atlanta 31, Tampa Bay 23; Washington 45, Chicago 41; Dallas 17, Philadelphia 3; NY Jets 30, New England 27 (OT); Buffalo 23, Miami 21; Carolina 30, St. Louis 15; Cincinnati 27, Detroit 24; San Diego 24, Jacksonville 6; San Francisco 31, Tennessee 17; Green Bay 31, Cleveland 13; Pittsburgh 19, Baltimore 16; Kansas City 17, Houston 16; Indianapolis 39, Denver 33.

American Football Conference AFC East W L T OTL PF PA PCT New England 5 2 0 1 152 127 .714 NY Jets 4 3 0 0 134 162 .571 Miami 3 3 0 0 135 140 .500 Buffalo 3 4 0 1 159 178 .429 AFC North Cincinnati 5 2 0 0 148 135 .714 Baltimore 3 4 0 0 150 148 .429 Cleveland 3 4 0 0 131 156 .429 Pittsburgh 2 4 0 0 107 132 .333 AFC South Indianapolis 5 2 0 0 187 131 .714 Tennessee 3 4 0 1 145 146 .429 Houston 2 5 0 1 122 194 .286 Jacksonville 0 7 0 0 76 222 0 AFC West Kansas City 7 0 0 0 169 81 1.000 Denver 6 1 0 0 298 197 .857 San Diego 4 3 0 0 168 144 .571 Oakland 2 4 0 0 105 132 .333

National Football Conferenc NFC East Dallas 4 3 0 0 200 155 Philadelphia 3 4 0 0 169 196 Washington 2 4 0 0 152 184 NY Giants 0 6 0 0 103 209 NFC North Green Bay 4 2 0 0 168 127 Detroit 4 3 0 0 186 167 Chicago 4 3 0 0 213 206 Minnesota 1 4 0 0 125 158 NFC South New Orleans 5 1 0 0 161 103 Carolina 3 3 0 0 139 83 Atlanta 2 4 0 0 153 157 Tampa Bay 0 6 0 0 87 132 NFC West Seattle 6 1 0 0 191 116 San Francisco 5 2 0 0 176 135 St. Louis 3 4 0 0 156 184 Arizona 3 4 0 0 133 161

.571 .429 .333 0 .667 .571 .571 .200 .833 .500 .333 0 .857 .714 .429 .429

Tramaine Brock also intercepted a pass, Justin Smith had two of the 49ers’ three sacks and Kassim Osgood recovered a muffed punt for a TD. The Titans (3-4) lost their third straight even with Jake Locker starting after missing two games with a sprained right hip and knee.

Locker threw for 326 yards with two TD passes in a fourth-quarter spurt that came up short.

BENGALS 27, LIONS 24 Mike Nugent’s 54-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Bengals. The AFC Northleading Bengals (5-2) won a game for the second straight week by the same score thanks to Nugent’s right foot. He made an overtime kick to give Cincinnati a win after it blew a 14point, fourth-quarter lead at Buffalo The Lions (4-3) looked like they did enough to send the game to OT, but rook ie Sam Martin shanked a punt just 28 yards to midfield in the final minute. Andy Dalton, who threw three touchdown passes, took advantage with two short passes to set up the winning field goal. Detroit’s Matthew Stafford connected with Calvin Johnson on two of his three TD passes.

COWBOYS 17, EAGLES 3 Tony Romo threw for 317 yards and one touchdown and the Cowboys overcame a sluggish start to take sole possession of first place in the NFC East.

Two teams that averaged a combined 58 points per game and allowed a combined 55 totaled 13 punts in a first half that ended with Dallas (4-3) leading 3-0. It was more two inept offenses than two dominant defenses.

The Eagles (3-4) have lost a franchise-worst nine straight games at home. Their last win at the Linc was over the New York Giants on Sept. 30, 2012.

A Cowboys defensive line missing three of its projected starters pressured and harassed Nick Foles before sending him to the sideline with a head injury on the last play of the third quarter.

FALCONS 31, BUCCANEERS 23 Matt Ryan threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns, including t wo to Jacquizz Rodgers, and the Falcons snapped their threegame losing streak.

Harry Douglas had seven receptions for a career-best 149 yards, including a 37-yard touchdown catch, for the Falcons (2-4).

Douglas flourished as Ryan’s No. 1 receiver with Julio Jones out for the season and Roddy White inactive for the first time in his nineyear career due to hamstring and ank le injuries.

Falcons safety William Moore sacked Mike Glennon to force a fumble on Tampa Bay’s first possession. Safety Thomas DeCoud returned

the fumble recovery 30 yards for a touchdown. The Buccaneers (0-6) controlled the ball in the fourth quarter, but managed only two field goals by Rian Lindell.

BILLS 23, DOLPHINS 21 Mario Williams forced a fumble when he sacked Ryan Tannehill with less than three minutes left, setting up the winning field goal.

Dan Carpenter, released in August after five seasons with the Dolphins, beat his former team by making a 31-yarder with 33 seconds to go. Rookie Nickell Robey returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown on the third play of the game to help the Bills build an early 14-0 lead, but they had to rally af ter Brandon Gibson caught his second touchdown pass of the game to put Miami ahead.

The injur y-plagued Bills (3-4) ended a streak of six consecutive road losses, including two this season, while Miami (3-3) lost its third game in a row.

PANTHERS 30, RAMS 15 Cam Newton completed 15 of 17 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown in a heated game.

The Rams (3-4) lost their cool with several personal foul penalties - and then lost quarterback Sam Bradford to an apparent left knee injury late in the fourth quarter. The extent of the injury was unknown and Bradford will undergo an MRI exam.

Bradford was running toward the sideline when he was pushed out of bounds by safety Mike Mitchell and came up holding his left knee. He was carted to the locker room.

Panthers quarterback Captain Munnerlyn intercepted Bradford on the game’s first play and returned it 45 yards for a score. Bradford had a long TD pass called back on a penalty.

The Rams were flagged for five personal fouls and Chris Long was ejected for throwing a punch.

CHARGERS 24, JAGUARS 6 Philip Rivers threw for 285 yards and a touchdown, Ryan Mathews ran for 110 yards and a score, and the surging Chargers (4-3) showed little, if any, issues with a short week, a cross-country flight and an early start time.

And they played nothing like a team looking ahead to its bye week.

Then again, the Jaguars have made everyone look good. Jacksonville (0-7) has lost ever y game this season by double digits, becoming the first team since the 1984 Houston Oilers to garner that dubious distinction. The Oilers lost their first 10 games that season by at least 10 points.

Rivers completed his first 14 passes, picking apart Jacksonville’s defense with short throws and clock-eating drives. He finished 22 of 26. Mathews topped the century mark for the second consecutive week. —AP

Business

New-look Philips lights up profits, buys back shares Page 22 Britain approves first nuke plant in a generation Page 23

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

Gold steadies as post-US shutdown rally peters out

Japan posts record string of trade deficits Page 25 Page 24

WALPOLE: In this Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013, file photo, a “For Sale” sign hangs in front of a house in Walpole, Mass. Americans bought fewer existing homes in September than the previous month, held back by higher mortgage rates and rising prices, the National Association of Realtors said yesterday. — AP

US existing-home sales drop 1.9% First-time buyers unable to enter the market WASHINGTON: Americans bought fewer existing homes in September than the previous month, held back by higher mortgage rates and rising prices. The National Association of Realtors said yesterday that sales of re-sold homes fell 1.9 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.29 million. That’s down from a pace of 5.39 million in August, which was revised lower.

The sales pace in August equaled July’s pace. Both were the highest in four years and are consistent with a healthy market. Mortgage rates rose sharply over the summer from their historic lows, threatening to slow a housing recovery that began last year and has helped drive modest economic growth.

But many economists expect home sales will remain healthy, especially now that rates have stabilized and remain near historically low levels. Final sales in September

reflected contracts signed in July and August, when rates were about a percentage point higher than in May. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage was 4.28 percent last week, down from a two-year high of 4.58 percent in August. That’s also far below the 30-year average of 7 percent, according to Bankrate.com.

Sales of existing homes have risen at a healthy 10.7 percent in the past 12 months. Still, that’s the slowest yearover-year increase in five months. And the median home price has risen 11.7 percent in the past year, the Realtors said. That’s also the slowest annual gain in the past five months. Price increases may be slowing because more homes are finally coming on the market. The supply of available homes rose 1.8 percent from a year ago to 2.21 million, the first year-over-year increase in 2 1/2 years.

The limited number of homes for sale is a key reason

prices have risen so fast in the last year. The economy is growing modestly and employers are adding jobs at a slow but steady job pace. That’s helped a growing number of Americans buy homes.

Still, many first-time buyers have been unable to enter the market. They made up just 28 percent of purchases in September, down from 32 percent a year ago. In healthier housing markets, they typically make up at least 40 percent of buyers.

First-time buyers are having trouble qualifying for loans because many banks have adopted tougher lending restrictions and higher down payment requirements since the housing bubble burst. . In their place, investors and Americans willing to pay cash are playing an outsize role in sales. Cash purchases made up 33 percent of September’s sales, up from 28 percent a year ago.

Borrowing rates began to rise in May after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke suggested that the Fed could start to slow its monthly bond purchases by the end of the year. The purchases are intended to keep interest rates low and stimulate the economy.

But the Fed decided against slowing its purchases at its September meeting, citing weak economic data and looming budget battles in Washington. The budget fights led to a partial government shutdown Oct. 1. The nation’s borrowing limit was increased but only at the last minute.

Economists have cut their forecasts for growth in the October-December quarter by about a half-percentage point because of the shutdown and debt limit fight.

As a result, many economists think the Fed won’t slow its bond purchases until January or even later. That’s likely to keep mortgage rates low well into the new year. — AP

Dubai’s World Expo bid may fuel boom, pose challenge DUBAI: An international meeting in Paris next month may trigger billions of dollars of fresh investment in Dubai - and, if plans are not handled carefully, contribute to the kind of boom-and-bust cycle which nearly bankrupted the emirate four years ago.

Dubai is competing with Izmir in Turkey, Sao Paulo in Brazil and Yekaterinburg in Russia for the right to host the 2020 World Expo. A vote of the 167 member states of the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions is expected to choose between them at an assembly on Nov. 26-27.

Holding the world’s fair would be a defining moment for Dubai, marking the transformation of the emirate of 2.2 million people into a top global centre for tourism, trade and finance. But it would carry a risk. Anticipation of a spike in demand due to the World Expo could cause property developers to build too many residential and commercial projects, and investors to pour too much money into them, inflating a speculative bubble that would eventually burst.

Such a bubble popped in 2008-2010, when the global financial crisis caused Dubai property prices to crash by more than 50 percent, shaking financial markets around the world. “If Dubai wins the World Expo 2020 bid, we will witness another boom in the property market,” said Khalid Kalban, chief executive of Dubai-listed property developer Union Properties , whose share price is up 142 percent so far this year.

“Hopefully this will be a planned boom rather than a speculative one, which we saw before,” he said.

Thanks to its status as an international business hub, as well as a slick public relations campaign, Dubai may be the front-runner in the competition to host the Expo although it could face stiff competition from Izmir, which

lost its bid for Expo 2015 to Milan by 86 votes to 65.

Signalling Dubai’s determination, the logo for its Expo bid adorns government vehicles, buildings and emails.

Because of Dubai’s small population, the Expo could have more of an impact on its economy than most host locations. The government cites a report by consultancy Oxford Economics which estimates the event would attract 25 million visitors over six months and create about 277,000 jobs.

Many property developers have expressed interest in projects around the proposed 438-hectare Expo site in Jebel Ali, near Dubai’s new airport and the third busiest port in the world. “Dubai’s real estate growth will be in this area,” said Craig Plumb, regional head of research at consultants Jones Lang LaSalle. In particular, “there’s a need for more hotels close to the Expo site.”

Some 45,000 new hotel rooms would need to be added, based on the government’s calculation that 70 percent of the visitors would come from outside the United Arab Emirates, HSBC analysts Patrick Gaffney and Aybek Islamov said.

A huge exhibition centre would need to be built.

Dubai’s transport authority said in June that it would expedite plans for a 5 billion dirham ($1.4 billion) extension to its metro rail line if the emirate won the Expo.

As a result, total spending related to the Expo, including private sector projects, could reach $18.3 billion, HSBC estimated. That would still be dwarfed by China’s spending on the 2010 Shanghai Expo, which totalled some $58 billion according to Chinese media reports.

The Dubai government is expected to provide a total of about $6.8 billion of capital spending for the Expo, while the fair would cost around $1.6 billion to operate, Bank of America Merrill Lynch said in a report.

Such figures, spread over seven years, look manageable for Dubai’s $90 billion economy, even though it is still recovering from the last crisis; the International Monetary Fund estimates that about $64 billion of debt held by the government and related enterprises will come due between 2014 and 2016.

Direct economic benefits from hosting the Expo might be modest. The government estimates it would generate an additional $23 billion in spending by the hosts, participants and visitors between 2015 and 2021.

Many of the jobs created would be for relatively low-paid construction workers from abroad, who remit much of their earnings back to their home countries.

Bank of America predicted the Expo could lift Dubai’s gross domestic product growth by around 0.5 percentage point annually in 2016-2019 and about 2 percentage points in 2020/21.

It is not certain that a Dubai Expo would make a profit; Shanghai’s event enjoyed an operating profit of over 1 billion yuan ($164 million), but Germany’s 2000 Expo in Hanover lost $1 billion or more after attendance fell short of forecasts.

For proponents of the project, however, the immediate economic impact is secondary to the benefits of burnishing Dubai’s reputation and introducing it to millions more visitors from around the world. Much of the emirate’s success has been built on distinguishing itself through aggressive marketing from competing centres such as Qatar and Bahrain.

“I can tell you now, the benefit will outweigh the cost of hosting the event,” Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed alMaktoum, head of Dubai’s supreme fiscal council and its Expo committee, told reporters last month.

Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-

Maktoum, described his approach in a book which he published last month: “To take a risk and fail is not a failure. The real failure is the fear of taking any risk...If we had waited for regional stability to be restored before launching our large projects, where would we stand today?”

One risk for Dubai lies in the fact that its Expo bid is being made at a time when the property market is already rebounding strongly from the crash and developers have already announced tens of billions of dollars of projects this year.

Apartment prices have jumped over 20 percent in the past 12 months; the stock market is up 79 percent this year. In this climate, winning the Expo could attract a fresh surge of money that overheats the property sector, some analysts worry.

“We think that the property market dynamics are increasingly being driven by investor demand rather than end-user demand,” said Farouk Soussa, Citigroup’s chief economist for the region.

“The implementation of large-scale projects risks exacerbating existing supply overhang issues and could fuel a future boom-bust property cycle in the emirate.”

The IMF issued a similar warning in July, saying Dubai might need to intervene in its property market to prevent another bubble from forming. There are many signs that authorities are aware of the risk and are taking steps to counter it. This month Dubai doubled, to 4 percent, the registration fee charged on land transactions; the UAE central bank plans rules to restrict mortgage lending and limit banks’ lending exposure to big state firms. But such steps cannot guarantee stability in the real estate market - especially if Dubai cannot find new occupants for its projects once the Expo crowds have gone home. — Reuters

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

BUSINESS

New-look Philips lights up profits, buys back shares Dubai to instal LED lighting systems

NICOSCIA: People walk past a closed and empty branch of the Bank of Cyprus in Nicosia, Cyprus, yesterday. Cyprus’ finance minister says the budget deficit next year is forecast to beat the target outlined in the terms of the country’s bailout. Cyprus was granted in March a 10 billion-euro ($13.68 billion) loan to avoid bankruptcy, but forced uninsured savers in the country’s two biggest banks to take major losses on their savings.

Authorities also imposed controls on the flow of capital to prevent a bank run. — AP

Cyprus banks to endure further losses in 2014 NICOSIA: Debt-ridden Cyprus banks are in for a rough ride next year as a sharp recession stoked by international bailout terms hits consumers and businesses, the central bank governor said yesterday.

“As for the prospects of the banking sector in 2014, the sector will suffer further losses due to expected further deterioration in the macroeconomic environment,” Panicos Demetriades told a parliament committee.

“This is down to higher provisions (for bad debt), increased non-performing loans, rising unemployment, falling household incomes, lower company sales and profits,” he said.

Demetriades said high unemployment and commercial bankruptcies will compound an already bad situation with people unable to service their mortgages and bank loans.

But he said bank restructuring and recapitalisation would enable the banking sector to weather the crisis and recover. And, he predicted the recession-hit economy would contract by less in 2013 than the 8.7 percent forecast by the island’s international lenders.

“Nevertheless, the impact of the economy on ordinary people is unprecedented,” Demetriades said. He was addressing a parliamentary committee examining the government’s austerity budget for 2014, which provides for spending cuts of 10 percent to ensure Cyprus meets adjustment targets agreed with international creditors.

Cyprus has already passed its first review by the European Central Bank, the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund, but representatives of the so-called troika are due back in Nicosia within weeks to carry out a second inspection.

In return for a 10 billion-euro bailout ($13 billion), international creditors demanded the winding up of the island’s second largest

banker Laiki and a haircut on deposits over 100,000 euros in its largest lender Bank of Cyprus. The unprecedented eurozone “haircut” on deposits forced the government to close all the island’s banks for nearly two weeks in March and impose draconian controls when they reopened.

The government is looking to shave 626 million euros off the budget compared to the one for 2013, but it needs to be approved by parliament before the end of the year.

Net expenditure, minus interest payments, is set at 5.59 billion euros compared to 6.22 billion provided for in the 2013 budget. Finance Minister Haris Georgiades told the committee the budget deficit next year will be 7 percent of GDP-comfortably within the 8.2 percent limit set by the troika.

Although budget projections see GDP shrinking by 3.9 percent in 2014, a reduction on this year, Georgiades agreed with the central bank governor that it would be the “hardest year” for ordinary people as problems created by the crisis, such as youth unemployment, peak.

International lenders do not expect Cyprus, which is suffering from record 17 percent unemployment and a credit squeeze, to exit recession before 2015. Cypriots have had to endure tough austerity measures, which have seen wages and benefits slashed, while consumer and property taxes have increased.

Cyprus says it fully committed to honouring the bailout terms despite their harshness on bank depositors and the enforced regime of capital controls, unprecedented for the eurozone. Under the bailout agreement, the government must establish a balanced budget and generate a primary surplus by the end of 2016, when the adjustment programme expires. — AFP

PARIS: Picture taken yesterday shows the headquarters of French media group Lagardere Active in Levallois-Perret, a suburb of Paris. France’s media giant Lagardere Active said last week it was selling a third of its magazines roster to focus on key titles such as the popular Elle glossy, as it struggles in the digital age. — AFP

THE HAGUE: Dutch group Philips, which has transformed itself away from some of its traditional businesses, reported an almost three-fold surge in third-quarter net profit yesterday.

The company also announced that later in the day it would begin to buy back its own shares under a programme totalling 1.5 billion euros ($2.0 billion).

Philips has experienced great difficulties in recent years and has responded with a restructuring which has involved reducing and refocusing its lighting, and phasing out its television businesses.

Chief executive Frans van Houten said in a statement that “this was another solid quarter for Philips, especially in light of the challenging global economic environment.”

The Eindhoven-based company specifically is a market leader in LED lighting technology. This business said grew by 33.0 percent and now accounted for 30.0 percent of its lighting sales.

Philips announced that it had been selected

by Dubai’s municipality to instal environmentally-friendly LED lighting systems, which it said would lead to a 50.0-percent saving in energy.

In New Zealand, the company was installing a

similar energy-efficient LED system in a brand of local fuel filling stations.

The group has diversified into medical equipment and healthcare which offer higher margins. A highlight included a deal in with Singapore’s largest health and beauty chain to screen citizens across the Asian country for obstructive sleep apnea(OSA).

OSA is a sleeping disorder which causes breathing to stop for short periods at night and can lead to severe drowsiness during the day, among other symptoms. The group’s traditional household appliances activities had come under strong pressure from competitors, notably in Asia.

However, the latest results showed that the part of the business which grew the fastest was the household appliance division where sales on a comparable basis surged by 9.0 percent, and mainly in emerging markets where sales rose by 10.0 percent.

In Japan, Philips recently introduced an airbased fryer which cuts out the use of cooking oil, while in Latin America, it launched an instant soup maker that combines a cooker and a blender in one.

Philips said earlier this year that an all-in-one male electronic shaver and kit was driving sales in North America and has now introduced the world’s first laser-guided beard trimmer.

Net group profit for the quarter was 282 million euros from 104 million euros in the same period last year, an increase of 171.0 percent.

The improvement reflected a better operating outcome and reduced restructuring charges.

Group sales fell by 3.0 percent to 5.62 billion euros, but on a comparable asset base they rose by 3.0 percent. Philips, emerging from two years of radical restructuring, also said that in the third quarter it had reduced its costs by 183 million euros.

In April 2012 the group sold its troubled television branch to TPV technology, and in January this year it announced it was selling its entertainment business to long-term partner Funai.

The group employs slightly more than 114,000 people worldwide, or nearly 5,000 fewer than 12 months earlier. The restructuring, called the “Accelerate!” programme, is intended to generate cost savings of 1.1 billion euros by the end of 2014, mainly be means of shedding a total of 6,700 jobs. — AFP

US govt, JPMorgan reach tentative deal WASHINGTON: JPMorgan Chase & Co. has tentatively agreed to pay $13 billion to settle allegations surrounding the quality of mortgagebacked securities it sold in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis, a person familiar with the negotiations between the bank and the federal government said.

If the agreement is finalized it would be the government’s highest-profile enforcement action related to the financial meltdown that plunged the economy into the deepest recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been finalized, said Attorney General Eric Holder, Associate Attorney General Tony West, J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon and the bank’s general counsel, Stephen Cutler, negotiated the tentative settlement in a Friday night phone call.

The person said the tentative agreement does not resolve a criminal investigation of the bank’s conduct. It is being handled by federal prosecutors in Sacramento, Calif. On Friday night, Holder told the bank that a non-prosecution agreement was a non-starter - meaning that the Justice Department will continue to conduct the criminal investigation of the financial institution, said the person. As part of the deal, the Justice Department expects JPMorgan to cooperate with the continuing criminal probe of the bank’s issuance of mortgage-backed securities between 2005 and 2007, the person said.

JPMorgan spokesman Brian Marchiony and Justice Department spokesman Brian Fallon declined to comment. Of the $13 billion, $9 billion is fines or penalties and $4 billion will go to consumer relief for struggling homeowners, the person said.

When the housing bubble burst in 2007, bundles of mortgages sold as securities soured and the investors who bought them lost billions. In the aftermath, public outrage boiled over that no high-level Wall Street executives had been sent to jail. Some lawmakers and other critics demanded that the big bailed-out banks and senior executives be held accountable.

In response, the government in January 2012 set up a task force of federal and state law enforcement officials to pursue wrongdoing with regard to mortgage securities. In September, JPMorgan agreed to pay $920 million and admit that it failed to oversee trading that led to a $6 billion loss last year in its London operation. That combined amount, in settlements with three US and one British regulator, is one of the largest

fines ever levied against a financial institution. In another case, the company agreed to pay a $100 million penalty and admitted that its traders acted “recklessly” with the London trades.

In August, the Justice Department accused Bank of America Corp., the second-largest US bank, of civil fraud in failing to disclose risks and misleading investors in its sale of $850 million in mortgage bonds in 2008. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a related lawsuit. The government estimates that investors lost more than $100 million on the deal. Bank of America disputes the allegations.

The latest action against the beleaguered JPMorgan brought the weight of the Obama administration against the bank, which has enjoyed a reputation for managing risk better than its Wall Street competitors. JPMorgan came through the financial crisis in better shape than most of its rivals and Dimon, its CEO, charmed lawmakers and commanded the attention of regulators in Washington.

A number of big banks, including JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, previously have been accused of abuses in sales of securities linked to mortgages in the years leading up to the crisis. Together they have paid hundreds of millions in penalties to settle civil charges brought by the SEC, which accused them of deceiving investors about the quality of the bonds they sold.

JPMorgan settled SEC charges in June 2011 by agreeing to pay $153.6 million and reached another such agreement for $296.9 million last November. The banks in all the SEC cases were allowed to neither admit nor deny wrongdoing a practice that brought criticism of the agency from judges and investor advocates.

But in a first for a major company, JPMorgan admitted in the agreement with the SEC over the $6 billion trading loss in its London operation that it failed in its oversight. The admission could leave the bank vulnerable to millions of dollars in lawsuits. JPMorgan also reached settlements over the trading loss with the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority.

The Justice Department is still pursuing a criminal investigation of the trading loss and a possible cover-up at the bank. Two of the bank’s former traders in London are facing criminal charges. The SEC also is investigating individuals involved in the trading loss. Mounting legal costs from government proceedings pushed JPMorgan to a rare loss in the third quarter, the first under Dimon’s leadership. The bank reported Oct. 11 that it set aside $9.2 billion in the JulySeptember quarter to cover a string of litigation stemming from the financial crisis and its “London Whale” trading debacle. JPMorgan said it has placed a total of $23 billion in reserve to cover potential legal costs. — AP

BASSAURI: Employees of the Spanish appliance maker, Fagor-Edesa Electrodomesticos, protest as one of them plays a horn, second right, in Basauri northern Spain yesterday. Fagor, which claims to be Europe’s fifth-largest appliance maker and has nearly 6,000 employees, has filed for bankruptcy protection after years of economic crisis caused a dramatic drop in sales. — AP

EXCHANGE RATES Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

ASIAN COUNTRIES Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal Irani Riyal

2.878 4.647 2.672 2.163 2.924 231.500 36.585 3.642 6.574 9.072 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

75.684 77.982 737.170 753.820 77.292

COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

SELL DRAFT 271.01 278.70 318.39 388.05 282.80 458.26 2.98 3.639 4.578 2.158 2.868 2.666 77.06 752.70 41.03 402.49 735.46 78.09 75.54

SELL CASH 272.000 279.000 318.000 390.000 285.500 462.000 3.000 3.700 4.820 2.500 3.300 2.760 77.400 753.500 41.100 407.500 741.500 78.500 75.800

Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

3.000 10.015 3.065 3.860 89.290

Bahrain Exchange Company CURRENCY

BUY

SELL

Europe Belgian Franc British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Romanian Leu Slovakia Swedish Krona Swiss Franc Turkish Lira

0.007366 0.448723 0.006648 0.047494 0.379246 0.043353 0.081774 0.008124 0.039966 0.306721 0.140278

0.008366 0.457723 0.018648 0.052494 0.386746 0.048553 0.81774 0.018124 40.044966 0.316921 0.147278

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal/for 1000 Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira/for 1000 Syrian Lira Morocco Dirham

42.900 40.717 1.324 173.730 400.790 1.904 3.083 35.025

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer Euro Sterling Pound Canadian dollar Turkish lira Swiss Franc Australian Dollar US Dollar Buying

283.700 390.000 458.350 279.510 143.090 317.870 274.050 282.500 GOLD

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

248.000 125.000 65.000

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

Selling Rate 283.150 276.220 456.285 385.340 312.980 747.655 77.070 78.620 76.375 399.145 41.040 2.155 4.553 2.669 3.640 6.551 695.475

Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar

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

Australasia 0.259152 0.229085

0.270652 0.238565

America 0.268140 0.279300 0.279800

0.276640 0.283650 0.283650

Asia 0.003260 0.044844 0.034466 0.004365 0.000020 0.002825 0.003408 0.000253 0.085039 0.002937 0.002526

0.003860 0.048344 0.037216 0.004766 0.000026 0.003005 0.003408 0.000268 0.091039 0.003107 0.002806

Philippine Peso Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar South African Rand Sri Lankan Rupee Taiwan Thai Baht

0.006415 0.000069 0.223432 0.022498 0.001827 0.009525 0.008703 Arab 0.745268 0.038500 0.000078 0.000183 0.395501 1.0000000 0.000139 0.022687 0.001200 0.730072 0.077133 0.074937 0.001929 0.168969 0.140278 0.076178

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

0.006695 0.000075 0.229432 0.030998 0.002407 0.009705 0.009253

0.753268 0.041600 0.000080 0.000243 0.403001 1.0000000 0.000239 0.046687 0.001835 0.735752 0.078346 0.075637 0.002149 0.176969 0.147278 0.077327

Al Mulla Exchange Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 283.150 387.000 455.450 275.600 4.625 41.075 2.161 3.640 6.565 2.670 754.150 77.150 75.650

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

BUSINESS

UK’s Co-op to cede control of bank to bondholders LONDON: Britain’s mutually-owned Co-operative Group will hand control of its banking arm to bondholders in order to secure their support for a rescue of the bank, three sources with knowledge of the plan told Reuters yesterday. Any change in ownership of the Co-operative Bank could affect its image with its 4.7 million customers, many of which bank with it because of its perceived ethical focus.

The Co-op Group, which also runs supermarkets, a travel agency and funeral services, said in a statement many elements of a plan it announced in June to plug a 1.5 billion pound ($2.4 billion) capital shortfall at the bank were likely to change.

It declined to provide further details, while adding it remained committed to preserving the bank’s ethical focus. “The plan continues to evolve through the process of consultation and negotiation with bondholders,” it said.

The Co-op Bank hit trouble after racking up big losses on commercial property. In June, the Co-op Group unveiled a plan to raise money from asset sales, bank loans and slicing the value of bonds, but that ran into opposition from creditors, including hedge funds. Any transfer in ownership would represent a climbdown by Co-op Group chief executive Euan Sutherland, who had previously insisted there

was “no plan B” and that the only alternative to his rescue plan was a formal resolution process which would have seen the bank’s assets seized by the Bank of England.

Under the original proposals, bondholders would have seen their debt wiped out and replaced with new bonds and shares in the bank which would have been floated on the stock exchange later in the year. The Co-op Group, Britain’s biggest customer-owned business, would have retained a majority stake and control of the bank.

Bondholders, advised by Moelis Group, submitted an alternative plan giving them majority owner-

ship of the bank. Sources said the new plan would protect the Co-op bank’s 15,000 retail bondholders, many of whom are pensioners who had relied on coupons from their investments. They are likely to receive a new income bearing bond rather than having their debt converted into shares.

“The group is focused on making sure retail bondholders get a deal,” said a source with knowledge of the discussions. The Co-op Group said constructive engagement with bondholders was continuing and it was confident a proposal to recapitalise the bank could be agreed and put to bondholders. — Reuters

Britain approves first nuke plant in a generation Govt signs £16bn deal with French energy giant EDF

RIO DE JANEIRO: Activists demonstrate in front of the hotel where Brazil’s National Petroleum Agency (ANP) will auction drilling rights to one of the world’s largest offshore oil discoveries, in Barra de Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil yesterday. Bidding on the coveted Libra oil field - which contains an estimated eight to 12 billion barrels of recoverable crude — opened yesterday with 11 firms vying for a share of production. —AFP

Brazil auctions oil production licenses RIO DE JANEIRO: Amid clashes between union workers and police, Brazil prepared yesterday to auction oil production licenses in its giant Libra offshore field.

More than 1,000 police were drafted to ward off protests outside the Rio hotel hosting the auction as 11 companiesincluding two Chinese giants-bid to bag a slice of a multibillion dollar cake.

Analysts say the field holds potential reserves of up to 12 billion barrels, or nearly a million barrels a day for five years, according to Brazil’s National Petroleum Agency. To put that into context, Brazil currently has 15.3 billion barrels of proven reserves, the second-largest in South America after Venezuela.

A further spinoff could come in the form of a doubling of Brazilian gas reserves, currently 459.3 billion cubic meters. The reserves are what are known as pre-salt — that is, they lie beneath a layer of salt deep below the Atlantic Ocean.

With Libra hosting the equivalent of around three years worth of ever rising Chinese consumption, China’s state firms are seeking to work alongside Brazilian state giant Petrobras. China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the world’s second biggest oil company by market capitalization, and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) are at the forefront of the battle.

Also in the hunt, which was due to get under way from 1600 GMT, are fellow bighitters Anglo-Dutch Shell, France’s Total and Spain’s Repsol. US giants are sitting the sale out. Completing the line up were Petronas of Malaysia, Japan’s Mitsui & Co, Portugal’s Petrogal, Colombia’s Ecopetrol and ONGC Videsh of India.

Buried under layers of salt, the deposits cover 149,000 square kilometers (58,000 square miles) and Libra lies 183 kilometers (112 miles) off the coast. Currently, Brazil produces two million barrels a day but hopes to boost output to 4.3 million a day by 2020, thanks in large part to the pre-salt reserves.

But US majors have stayed away for fears that myriad state strings attached will hit potential returns from the field, covering 1,548 square kilometers (597.3 square miles).

That equates to around ten percent of

Brazil’s overall pre-salt deposits. A further concern is the creation of a new state company, PPSA to oversee offshore exploration, while Petrobras has sole operator status. The state behemoth is guaranteed a 30 percent stake under a 2010 law. The winner of the auction will be the firm or consortium which offers the Brazilian state the most oil-at least 41.6 percent-and hence the best return. The 2010 law, passed by former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, provides for oil revenues being poured into education and health.

But unions fear the auction constitutes a sell off of national assets and last week Petrobras workers went on strike in protest.

Adding his voice to the protests last week was former Petrobras director Ildo Sauer, who said he believed it was “not in the country’s interests” to bring in foreign firms.

Even so, analysts estimate the deal could boost employment and raise Brazilian GDP by $1.7 trillion over 30 years, O Globo daily Sunday quoted the Getulio Vargas Foundation as saying.

Energy Minister Edison Lobao says he will grant the winning consortium “the largest oil exploitation zone in the world.”

Experts see the auction for an operation set to bring in an estimated $180 billion of investment over three decades as a test case for pre-salt reserves.

“Markets expect Asian companies will be the stars of these auctions as the US majors are not at the table and will merely sit back,” Carlos Assis, head of Ernst&Young’s Americas oil and gas unit, told AFP last week.

As the clock wound down, Brazil’s Federation of Oil Workers called for protests to counter “risks to sovereignty and the losses the Brazilian nation will suffer if multinational oil firms expropriate Libra”.

Some 200 protesters attempted to force their way through a police cordon but were met with tear gas and rubber bullets after gathering mid-morning outside the auction venue. Lobao strongly rejects the labor union’s thesis.

“We are not privatising pre-salt oil. On the contrary, we are harnessing these immense riches lying undersea and in the ground,” Lobao said Saturday. — AFP

LONDON: Britain agreed yesterday the construction of its first nuclear plant in 20 years to a consortium of state-backed French and Chinese firms, underlining its controversial commitment to atomic power.

The govenment has signed a £16-billion ($26-billion, 18.9-billion-euro) deal with French energy giant EDF to build two reactors at Hinkley Point C, southwestern England.

Also involved in the contract are French group Areva-the world’s leading nuclear power company-and Chinese nuclear firms CGNPC and CNNC. Britain has placed nuclear at the heart of its low-carbon energy policy in stark contrast to Europe’s biggest economy Germany, which has vowed to phase out nuclear power in the wake of Japan’s 2011 Fukushima disaster.

The British deal could meanwhile potentially push domestic energy prices up even higher according to experts, and risks stoking a political row over soaring living costs in Britain. The project is aimed at providing Britain with secure and reliable low-carbon electricity, and will create thousands of jobs.

“Today we have a deal for the first nuclear power station in a generation to be built in Britain,” said Prime Minister David Cameron, who heads a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government. “ This also marks the next generation of nuclear power in Britain, which has an important part to play in contributing to our future energy needs and our longer-term security of supply.”

EDF Group will have a 45-50 percent stake, while China General Nuclear Corporation (CGN) and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) will together take a 30-40 percent stake. Areva will take a 10-percent stake in the project.

In reaction to the deal, Areva shares jumped by more than 5.0 percent in midday Paris trade.

The French presidency hailed the agreement as a “historic investment”, after a telephone conversation between Francois Hollande and Cameron.

A statement from the Elysee Palace said that both leaders “welcomed the success of talks between EDF and British authorities on the project to build two... nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point”.

The statement said that “this historic investment, which illustrates the vitality of bialterial French-British cooperation, will boost employment in the two countries” and it will “strengthen our industries and our skills in engineering, manufacturing and construction in the French sector”.

The accord guarantees an agreed price for the electricity at £92.50 per megawatt hourwhich is about double the prevailing market rate in Britain-for 35 years. This price could fall to £89.50 per megawatt hour, if EDF’s plans for two nuclear reactors in Sizewell, on the eastern English coast in Suffolk, get the green light.

Crucially, however, the government will pay the difference if the market price for electricity falls underneath this guaranteed level-and the money will be funded by levies on domestic energy bills.

Opposition to deal amid nuclear debate British anti-nuclear campaigners slammed the deal and urged the government to focus on renewable sources like wind and solar power.

“Instead of subsidising nuclear energy production, the government should be investing more in safe, clean and affordable renewable energy,” said Kate Hudson, general secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).

Safety has been a huge concern for Japan’s nuclear industry since a massive earthquake and tsunami ravaged the country’s northeast coast and triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in March 2011.

Britain chas 16 nuclear reactors which pro-

vide about 20 percent of the country’s energy needs. At full capacity, the two new reactors will be able to produce seven percent of Britain’s electricity, enough to power five million homes.

A new power station plans to be operational by 2023.

In a separate development yesterday, npower, a unit of German power giant RWE, became

the third major energy supplier to hike domestic prices in Britain. In recent weeks, SSE and British Gas also raised their prices ahead of the winter, when energy demand hits a peak.

Ed Miliband, leader of the opposition Labour party, has vowed to freeze domestic energy prices for 20 months if he wins the next general election in 2015. — AFP

HINKLEY POINT: (L-R) British Conservative MP Ian Liddell-Grainger, Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson Managing Director of Nuclear New Build at British Energy Group, Nigel Cann site director of Hinkley Point C, British Secretary for Energy and Climate Change Ed Davey, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Vincent de Rivaz, Chief Executive of EDF (Electricite de France) and Henri Proglio, CEO and Chairman of EDF, examine site plans for Hinkly C nuclear power station at Hinkley Point on the west coast of England yesteday.— AFP

Markets flat-footed ahead of run of economic data LONDON: Financial markets were flat-footed yesterday ahead of a run of economic data and corporate earnings statements, particularly out of the US Oil was the standout mover as the benchmark rate fell below $100 a barrel for the first time since early July.

Now that a deal to raise the US debt ceiling has been agreed, investors can move on and focus on other matters, such as the underlying health of the global economy and when the Federal Reserve will start reducing its monetary stimulus.

During the partial US government shutdown of recent weeks, much of the US economic data was postponed. With the government now functioning fully, many of those data reports will be released over the coming days, including September’s nonfarm payrolls figures. That’s due on Tuesday and could provide investors a steer as to when the Fed will start reducing its $85 billion-worth of monthly asset purchases.

Until the US debt crisis this month, most investors thought the Fed’s so-called “tapering” of its stimulus program would start by December. Many now think it won’t start until Janet Yellen takes the chair in early 2013.

In addition, investors will be monitoring the next batch of earnings, particularly out of the US. On tap yesterday are quarterly updates from the likes of Halliburton, McDonald’s and Netflix. “In total this week will see almost 30 percent of the S&P 500 reporting figures, more than enough to keep traders busy,” said Alastair McCaig,

market analyst at IG. In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was up 0.2 percent at 6,637 while Germany’s DAX fell 0.1 percent to 8,853. The CAC-40 in France was 0.3 percent lower at 4,273.

Wall Street was poised for a flat opening, with both Dow futures and the broader S&P 500 futures 0.1 percent higher. Earlier, Asian markets were fairly buoyant after Friday’s solid session in the U.S., where stocks were boosted by unexpectedly strong profits from General Electric Co., Morgan Stanley and other companies. Google surged nearly 14 percent, topping $1,000 a share for the first time.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rose 0.9 percent to 14,693.57 while China’s benchmark Shanghai Composite Index added 1.6 percent to 2,229.24. Hong Kong, Seoul and Sydney also rose.

Elsewhere, trading was lackluster. In the currency markets, the euro was down 0.1 percent at $1.3677 - on Friday, the euro rose above $1.37 for the first time since February, largely because of the dollar’s weakness in the wake of the debt ceiling crisis.

In the oil markets, a barrel of benchmark New York crude was down 94 cents at $99.87 a barrel.

“The ample and rising supply of oil, combined with weaker demand growth prospects, point towards lower prices in the months ahead,” said Fawad Razaqzada, a technical analyst at GFT Global Markets. — AP

Hasbro Q3 results climb, helped by tax adjustment PAW TUCKET: Hasbro’s third- quar ter net income rose 17 percent, buoyed by a favorable tax adjustment and higher sales. Its adjusted results and revenue topped analysts’ estimates.

Sales were strongest in the girls’ category led by My Little Pony products and showed an increase in games, while sales in the boys’ category fell and preschool sales slipped. Its stock edged up in premarket trading yesterday.

The quarterly results come as toy makers gear up for the holiday season, which can account for up to half their annual revenue. The No. 2 toy maker earned $193 million, or $1.46 per share, for the three months ended Sept. 29.

That compares with $164.9 million, or $1.24 per share, a year earlier.

Excluding 18 cents per share for the tax adjustment and restructuring and pension charges of 3 cents per share, earnings were $1.31 per share. Analysts polled by FactSet expected adjusted earnings of $1.30 per share, on average.

Revenue for the Pawtucket, R.I., company

rose 2 percent to $1.37 billion on strong sales overseas and in its girls category and entertainment and licensing segment. Wall Street was calling for revenue of $1.35 billion.

Shares of Hasbro added 44 cents to $47.68 in premarket trading about 90 minutes ahead of the market open. By category, Hasbro reported its strongest sales in the girls category which was up 29 percent on the successful debut of My Little Pony Equestria Girls as well as the debut of Nerf Rebelle and increased sales of Furby and other My Little Pony products.

Sales of games rose 6 percent, its fourth straight quarterly increase. This was helped by higher sales of Jenga, the Elefun & Friends collection, Magic: The Gathering and the launch of the new Telepods game platform that includes the Angry Birds Star Wars II game. In the boys category, sales dropped 17 percent as the Marvel and Beyblade brands faced tough yearago comparisons. There were increased sales of Transformers and Star Wars products.

Preschool sales dipped 2 percent, but there were higher sales of the Play-Doh, Sesame Street and Transformers Rescue Bots products.

International sales increased 11 percent, helped by favorable foreign exchange rates and better sales in Europe, Latin America and the Asia Pacific region. Hasbro said that sales in the games, girls and preschool categories climbed overseas.

President and CEO Brian Goldner said in a statement that Hasbro Inc.’s business continues to improve in emerging markets, with growth of 22 percent in the quarter. Sales for the entertainment and licensing unit rose 13 percent as it benefited from the addition of Backflip Studios. Sales for the U.S. and Canada fell 5 percent, stung by lower sales in the boys and preschool categories. Sales for the girls category climbed in the region, while the games category reported flat sales.

Last week Mattel Inc. reported its quarterly profit and revenue improved on increased sales of Barbie and Monster High dolls. — AP

NEW YORK: In this Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, file photo, Hasbro’s My Little Pony Feature Princess Twilight Sparkle pony is displayed at the American International Toy Fair in New York. Hasbro’s third-quarter net income rose 17 percent, buoyed by a favorable tax adjustment and higher sales, and its adjusted results and revenue topped analysts’ estimates, according to reports, yesterday. — AP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

BUSINESS

Bahrain brings leading talent to Dubai’s GITEX technology week MANAMA: The Kingdom of Bahrain has braught bring a delegation of leading Bahraini technology companies to this year’s GITEX Technology Week,comprising a key part of the Bahrain Pavilion.

Alongside Bahrain EDB and Bahrain’s eGovernment Authority, Tamkeen which is responsible for enterprise development and skills enhancement, is also present in the Bahrain pavilion alongside a number of SMEs, seeking to raise awareness and gain access to the many industry leaders who will be present at the event.

Bahrain’s progress in the ICT industry is demonstrated by the 2012 UN eGovernment Readiness Survey placing the Kingdom 2nd in the MENA region. The Survey placed Bahrain 36th of 192 countries worldwide in its application of ICT to provide access and inclusion for its citizens. In the Survey, Bahrain outperformed the world average across eReadiness, Web Measure, Infrastructure, Human Capital and e-Participation.

Recent reports indicated that ICT sector spending in the Middle East will reach $192 billion,while ICT sector in the Kingdom is expected to contribute around $372 million in 2013 due to the growing ICT businesses, in 2012 the total turnover

of the ICT sector was over $1 billion and it employs over 3000 Bahrainis.

Vivian Jamal, Executive Director,Bahrain EDB, said:”We are proud to sponsor this year’s GITEX Technology Week and look forward to hosting a delegation of some of the most exciting ICT Companies in the Kingdom at the event’s Bahrain Pavilion.

“The Kingdom has long been regarded as the Gulf’s technological pioneer. With its open and forward-thinking approach, Bahrain has proven to be an ideal testing ground for the introduction of new technologies to the region, and the Kingdom has experienced a fast rate of innovation.

“We aim to be on the map of this $3 trillion industry as the ICT market in Bahrain is expected to grow, and is being driven by the high demand for IT products and services from both the public and private sectors. The growing need for robust IT solutions is also being driven by sizeable eGovernment and eCommerce initiatives, which are aimed at achieving economic diversification.”

Running under the theme of “Lets Create, Disrupt and Re-imagine Together”, this edition of GITEX Technology Week is the 33rd edition of the event and runs from October 20-24.

BEIJING: A Chinese hawker sells sweet potatoes beside a roll of new telecommunications cabling in Beijing yesteday. China’s economy expanded 7.8 percent year-on-year in JulySeptember, data showed, snapping two quarters of slowing growth, but analysts questioned whether the improvement was sustainable. — AFP

Thai floods force closure of 17 factories in industrial zone BANGKOK: Seventeen factories were temporarily shut yesterday in a major Thai industrial zone dominated by foreign companies, after flood waters blocked nearby roads, a senior official said.

But the official did not identify the stricken plants at the Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate, a sprawling manufacturing zone home to more than 500 factories, located 114 km (71 miles) east of the capital, Bangkok.

The 17 factories were shut after the workers proved unable to reach them and the navy has been asked to help pump out the water, Wibun Krommadit, Amata’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement.

“There is flood water outside the premises and on some surrounding roads, blocking entry for workers who are unable to easily get to work,” Wibun said. Nearly half the factories in the industrial estate are operated by Japanese firms.

Floods have spread across more than half of Thailand’s provinces this year, but the government has ruled out any repeat of the devastating floods of late 2011.

Those floods were the worst in half a century and caused massive disruption to indus-

try and global supply chains, slashing economic growth to just 0.1 percent in 2011.

Some facilities at Amata Nakorn, spread over 3,020 hectares (7,450 acres), produce parts for major Japanese automakers.

Besides auto parts, Thailand is the world’s largest producer of hard-disk drives and a key maker of electronic components.

The estate was using more than 100 water pumps to speed drainage and the situation had improved from the weekend, with levels in many areas dropping by 15 to 20 cm (6 inches), Wibun added.

Flood waters have receded in much of Thailand over the past week but some remain trapped in parts of the eastern industrial belt. Authorities were confident the situation was under control.

“If there’s no more heavy rain, we expect the flooding situation to ease considerably within the next two days,” said Khomsan Ekachai, governor of Chonburi province, where the Amata Nakorn estate is located.

Floods this year have hit 47 of Thailand’s 77 provinces, killing 76 people, disaster prevention officials say. More than 3 million people have been affected by flooding since July. — Reuters

Gold steadies as post-US shutdown rally peters out LONDON: Gold steadied yesterday, struggling to build on its biggest weekly rise in two months, as a rally sparked by expectations that the Federal Reserve will postpone tapering its monetary stimulus programme ran out of steam.

Gold climbed nearly 4 percent last week on expectations the Fed would have to maintain stimulus measures after a twoweek government shutdown hurt growth expectations. But strong gains in other assets have dampened gold’s appeal to investors, while physical demand remains lacklustre.

Spot gold was flat at $1,315.30 an ounce at 1015 GMT, while US gold futures for December delivery were up 20 cents an ounce at $1,314.80. Spot prices hit their highest in 1-1/2 weeks on Friday after rebounding from a three-month low at $1,251.66.

“The move last week was largely driven by short covering and renewed dollar weakness,” VTB Capital analyst Andrey Kryuchenkov said, adding “Buying had already dried up with little follow-through investment.”

“There’s no significant physical demand; investors have lost interest; the underlying macro tidings are not as bad as at the start

of the year; and safe-haven or inflation hedging is irrelevant at this point.”

European shares hit five-year highs yesterday and the dollar held near an eightmonth low on growing expectations the Fed will have to delay scaling back stimulus after a 16-day government shutdown. Gold had fallen by more than a fifth this year on expectations the Fed’s $85 billion monthly bond-buying scheme, which has driven gold higher by pressuring long-term interest rates and fuelling fears over inflation, is coming to an end.

Gold importers in India, the world’s biggest buyer of the metal, struggled to get supplies on Monday, paying record premiums just ahead of the peak festival season next month. Demand tends to peak around the five-day Diwali festival of lights, which this year falls in the first week of November.

Indian sellers have struggled to source supplies for domestic use for almost three months, since the central bank introduced a rule that required 20 percent of all imports be re-exported. Holdings of the world’s largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, New York’s SPDR Gold Shares, held near 41/2 year lows yesterday, having posted a seventh consecutive weekly outflow last week. —Reuters

Heralding new future for the luxury brand

Lincoln launches the all-new MKZ at GITEX DUBAI: The all-new Lincoln MKZ made its Middle East debut today at a special reveal event hosted at the Lincoln stand at GITEX Technology Week 2013. This launch marks a key milestone in the Lincoln brand’s reinvention in the region. The first vehicle from the dedicated Lincoln Design Studio, the MKZ signifies the introduction of the reinvented Lincoln brand, which will focus on attracting a new body of premium automotive customers.

“The all-new Lincoln MKZ represents the future of Lincoln in both style and substance, featuring stunning design wrapped around intuitive, purposeful technology,” said Paul Anderson, Marketing director of Ford Middle East. “It is proof of our commitment to deliver a new breed of Lincolns for a new generation of Lincoln clients - vehicles that are distinctive, elegant, full of technology and a delight to own.”

The all-new Lincoln MKZ, the 2013 GITEX Technology Week Official Car of the Show, enters the midsize luxury segment with new offerings: • It is the first Lincoln created by a dedicated team in its new Lincoln Design Studio • With a sweeping profile, MKZ incorporates one of the world’s widest-opening retractable glass roofs • Lincoln Drive Control is an intelligent system that delivers a refined ride and engaging driving dynamics. Standard Lincoln Drive Control intuitively integrates multiple systems (engine, transmission, body and chassis) to deliver totally new Lincoln driving quality • MKZ innovations include a distinct Push Button Shift gear selector that enables flowing and architectural center console design • A quiet, well-appointed interior is enhanced by standard Active Noise Control, genuine wood trim, full LCD instrumentation, and SYNC(r) with MyLincoln Touch • Class-exclusive available inflatable rear safety belts supplement eight standard airbags DRIVER TECHNOLOGY Camera- and Radar-Based Driving Aids The new Lincoln MKZ offers the Lane Keeping System, a suite of advanced driving aids that helps drivers avoid drifting from their lane due to distraction or fatigue. Consisting of Lane Keeping Aid, Lane Keeping Alert and Driver Assist, the Lane Keeping System utilizes a mono-vision camera integrated into the rearview mirror to read the lane markers ahead.

Available radar-based (ultrasonic) driving aids further enhance the driving experience. Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Warning with Brake Support each use a long-range radar system that scans in front of the vehicle, automatically adjusting to traffic speed and providing a visual and audible alert when a potential front-end collision is detected.

Active park assist and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS(r)) with cross-traffic alert use multiple short-range wide-angle radar sensors. Each function provides a distinct benefit, ranging from making parallel parking easier to warning of oncoming vehicles while backing out of a parking space.

SYNC with MyLincoln Touch SYNC with MyLincoln Touch is standard in the new MKZ. The combined system makes it easier to use the entertainment, climate and available navigation features as well as devices brought into the car (e.g., phones, PDA, MP3 players). Twin five-way controls on the steering wheel manage essential systems, and many functions can be voice-activated via SYNC. ENGINEERING MKZ Dynamic Driving Technologies The new MKZ offers Lincoln Drive Control as standard. Lincoln Drive Control is an automatic system that delivers an ideal balance of a smooth ride with confident handling as it intuitively responds to driver commands and the road, making the 2013 model the most refined and engaging MKZ ever.

Always on, Lincoln Drive Control orchestrates

the performance of the Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) adjustable suspension, electric power-assisted steering (EPAS), engine, transmission, Active Noise Control (ANC), traction control and stability control systems.

The result is an unsurpassed combination of refined ride and engaging driving dynamics. CCD offers three modes (Sport/Normal/Comfort) that are accessible using MyLincoln Touch. Selecting “Sport” on the Push Button Shift gear selector enables a decidedly more sporty driving experience.

CCD contributes to Lincoln Drive Control’s transparent action by monitoring the car’s suspension settings up to 500 times per second. The real-time system adjusts the suspension up to 50 times per second to deliver more controlled handling with a smoother ride. CCD augments a highly developed chassis that includes a refined strut front suspension and an all new integral link rear suspension.

The new MKZ is the only sedan in its class to include Continuously Controlled Damping and Active Noise Control as standard equipment.

MKZ Engines, Transmissions and Drive Systems The all-new Lincoln MKZ comes with a 3.7liter V6 that produces significantly more power than the previous model while improving fuel economy approximately 5 percent. MKZ also utilizes a six-speed automatic transmission.

Standard paddle shifters mounted behind the steering wheel add to the performance driving experience.

A 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost(r) engine (late availability) will deliver the performance of a traditional V6 along with outstanding fuel economy, delivering a projected 20-percent increase in highway fuel economy versus the previous MKZ. Improving grip on slippery roads, the available all-wheel-drive (AWD) system anticipates and adjusts the power delivery to the front and rear axles in as little as 16 milliseconds, faster than the blink of an eye.

OPEN-ROOF MOTORING Retractable Panoramic Roof The Retractable Panoramic Roof is a new signature feature for Lincoln. The 15.2-square-foot glass panel offers one of the largest openings available on any current sedan. The design maintains the structural strength of a steel-roof vehicle.

DESIGN The all-new Lincoln MKZ embodies a design language that is subtly distinctive.

“We call it elegant simplicity,” said Max Wolff, Lincoln Design director. “We wanted the new MKZ to be inviting and approachable. We moved away from traditional luxury cues and complex designs. We came up with something warm that is rich, yet still intentionally restrained.”

MKZ Exterior A sweeping roofline defines the new luxury

sedan’s profile. The steeply raked windshield and lengthened backlight make for a sleeker and more flowing appearance that is 10 percent more aerodynamic than the model it replaces.

“The MKZ shape is a vision completed with just a few strokes,” said Wolff.

Although strikingly modern, the design retains classic Lincoln design elements including a more refined interpretation of the split-wing grille, first seen on the 1938 Lincoln-Zephyr.

Rearview mirrors stand on door-mounted, sculpted pedestals. This fitment enables the front door glass to extend farther forward to improve visibility and to allow even more light into the interior.

The crafted headlamp assemblies include bright, energy-efficient LED lighting. The front headlights turn in sync with the steering wheel, providing enhanced visibility. At the rear, LED technology enabled a thin, distinctive full-width taillamp graphic.

MKZ Interior Design teams created an inviting interior fea-

turing bold architectural elements, rich natural materials and fine details.

“The exterior’s front graphic is repeated in the dramatic sweep of the new instrument panel, helping tie the interior to the exterior in a harmonious manner. These flowing forms - along with the open center console - create a comfortable and functional interior that particularly appeals to younger, more diverse drivers we believe will now consider Lincoln,” said Wolff.

Innovation and technology abound inside the new MKZ. Replacing the traditional mechanical transmission shift lever is a contemporary five-button interface. The individual buttons of Push Button Shift engage Park, Neutral, Reverse, and forward gears in two modes, Drive and Sport.

Push Button Shift gave designers freedom to create a sculptural multi-level center console with more functional storage areas.

Positioned ahead of the driver, the full-color 10.1-inch LCD instrument cluster operates with the latest version of SYNC with MyLincoln Touch.

The all-new design combines dimensional indicator rings framing a brilliant and reconfigurable Thin Film Transistor (TFT) LCD. An equally critical component of MyLincoln Touch is the nearly flush-mounted center 8-inch LCD touch screen that displays information clearly in easy-to-reference color-keyed quadrants.

Premium-grade, supple leather covers all seating surfaces. Responsibly harvested wood and metal-toned surfaces create a luxurious and comfortable interior space.

Standard luxury amenities include an 11speaker audiophile entertainment system and cabin air filtration, plus heated front seats (with the driver’s featuring 10-way power controls), remote start capabilities and Active Noise Control.

To make the MKZ exceptionally quiet, ANC electronically targets frequencies and reduces their intensity. To improve the refinement of the driving experience, other frequencies are subtly enhanced.

The available THX(r) II Certified Car Audio System is a Lincoln-exclusive that features 700 watts, 14 channels and 14 speakers. THX audio engineers spent more than 200 hours custom tuning the THX-certified equipment to the new MKZ’s interior. The result delivers home-theater surround sound to the road.

The new MKZ is the only sedan in its class to offer inflatable second-row outboard seat belts. Rear-seat passengers - often children or mature passengers - can be more vulnerable to head, chest and neck injuries. The available inflatable second-row, outboard seat belts spread impact forces across more than five times the area of conventional belts, reducing pressure on the chest while helping to control head and neck motion and helping reduce the risk of injuries.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

BUSINESS

Vietnam airlines plan fleet boom as roads and rail fail HANOI: Vietnam’s fledgling airline industry is poised for a boom as local competition heats up with fleet expansions, new routes and planned share offers that are set to make it one of the world’s three fastest growing markets.

Even as the local economy chugs along at about 5 percent growth, its slowest pace in 13 years, demand for domestic air travel is growing by double digits. That is translating into a surprisingly robust new source of business for Boeing Co, Airbus and regional aircraft makers such as Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp, Bombardier Inc and Embraer SA. The International Air Transport Association expects Vietnam to become the world’s third-fastest growing market for international passengers and freight next year, and second-fastest for domestic passengers. Vietnam’s Aviation Department expects 15 percent growth in domestic passengers this year, more than double last year’s 7 percent rise.

Though starting from a low base, Vietnam’s carriers will boost their fleets in the next few years, double or tripling them to serve a domestic market of 90 million people and tourist arrivals growing on

average 20 percent annually.

VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Co, Vietnam’s first private airline, agreed last month to a provisional order for up to 92 Airbus jets worth $9 billion at list prices. The low-cost carrier is aiming for a stock market listing in either Hong Kong or Singapore in 2015 to fund the expansion, which would start with flights to Tokyo, Beijing, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and South Korea, then eventually, China, Russia and Australia and beyond, Managing Director Luu Duc Khanh said.

“Further it could be the United States, where 4 million people of Vietnamese origin live. They’re waiting for VietJet anxiously,” he told Reuters in an interview. VietJet plans to double its fleet by 2015 to 20 jets, and is speeding up work to get three joint ventures in the air, including one with an undisclosed carrier in Myanmar and another agreed with Thailand’s KanAir, to operate in early 2014.

VietJet’s bold expansion after less than two years in business could raise the stakes not only at home but in Southeast Asia’s fast-growing low-cost market, dominated by Malaysia’s AirAsia Bhd and

GCC and Asia: A strategic alliance that will define the first half of this century

T

he world’s economy is undergoing deep structural changes. Two of the factors that have been driving global investment and trade flows over the last twenty years will disappear in the next decade: the first one is the US energy dependence on Middle East oil; the second is the current account surplus in China.

The outcome of these changes will be a stronger interdependence between Asia and the GCC, particularly between India and China on one side, and Saudi, Kuwait, Qatar and UAE. The United States, currently the world’s leading oil importer, is moving towards energy independence due to improvements in the exploitation of shale gas and oil resources. The impact in the Gulf is already being felt. The US, which used to import between 20 and 25% of Saudi’s oil a decade ago, buys now only 13.5%. Energy-hungry Asia however is stuck with oil. Today China imports over 6 million barrels per day (“bpd”), and more than a third comes from GCC suppliers. Future growth in Asia cannot be sustained without a steady supply of GCC’s oil.

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that China’s oil imports will rise to 8.7 million bpd by 2020 from today’s 6 million. US oil imports, meanwhile,will fall to 6.8 million bpd from a peak of 13.5 million bpd in 2005. Until 2040 oil consumption is projected to rise 2% per year in China, 2.6% in India, and 1.8% in the rest of Asia, compared to 0.8% on a global level. From the GCC’s standpoint, the expansion of Asia’s demand represents a virtual insurance policy against America’s falling needs. From the Asian perspective, the potential for a greater availability of oil due to lower US demand presents an opportunity to grow in less a price elastic market.

The second key factor is the transformation of the growth model in China.

As trade balances turn negative in Asia, external funding will be needed to fuel growth. Up until recently, Asia was able to generate the savings needed to fund growth via exports. Today India and South East Asian countries are already running current account deficits which will probably increase as their economies focus more on their domestic markets. China has lost more than half of the surplus level reached in 2008 and will probably run into a deficit in a few years. These deficits will need to be

funded externally, with portfolio investments or direct investment. Unlike Asia,Gulf countries will continue to generate surpluses. These imbalances should result in a rebalancing in the allocation of investments.Middle East sovereign funds, overexposed to western economies, will play a key role on this adjustment. 62% of the operations completed by these funds took place in Europe and North America, and 16.5% in the Middle East, according to a Harvard Business School study analyzing the 20 years prior to the 2008 crisis.

During this same period, only 17% of their operations took place in Asia. This share is below Asia’s weight in global GDP, currently at around 21.5%, and expected to reach 31.6% by 2020. The US, Europe and Japan’s weight in the world is expected to shrink from 53% to 45.5% in the same period. A preference for investments in developing Asia should emerge. According to the SWF Institute the top five GCC sovereign wealth funds manage approximately S1,900 billion. If allocations were to follow GDP weights, $85 billion would be reallocated immediately from developed economies to developing Asia. By 2020 an additional $190 billion should be invested to reach a level of investment in Asia on par with the size of its economy.

That being said, even if only half of these dollars migrate, the amount would still be significant. As a reference, KIA’s current level of investment in China and Hong Kong is estimated to be at around $20 billion. Some funds have already expressed their plans in this sense: Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) aims to have 8?12% of its over USD 500 billion invested in emerging market stocks, with Asia as a key destination. Asia’s capacity to absorb further investment remains high. As an example, according to the chairman of the Chinese Securities Regulatory Commission, Chinese current level of inward foreign investment can be increased 10 times because it now only represents 1.5% of the country’s A-share market. Enormous opportunities will arise for local and foreign companies able to capitalize on these new flows of funds, particularly those catering to Asian consumers in need of infrastructure, health care, education, consumer goods, financial services and leisure activities.

Whether they want it or not, Asia and the GCC are now starting to create the strategic economic alliances that will define the first half of this century.

length, its biggest cities and tourist resorts are far apart and it has poor road and rail infrastructure.

It is also within a few hours of Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand and China and tourist arrivals are on the up, with 5.5 million in the first nine months of the year, a 10 percent rise from the same period in 2012. Khanh said expansion would be gradual as the carrier takes delivery of five to 10 Airbus jets each year until 2022.

“It’s insufficient,” Khanh said. VietJet’s joint-venture plans were therefore a smart move, said Timothy Ross, an air transport analyst at Credit Suisse in Singapore. “I can’t imagine they have much on their balance sheet... so in terms of building a new business it’s far better to give away some of the potential upside and invest less,” he said.

JetStar had not been profitable and was likely to struggle as competition increased, Ross said, while VNA had not done itself any favours delaying privatisation. “We should have seen the Vietnam Airlines IPO 3-5 years ago, but it sat on its hands,” he said. “Competition in the airline industr y is inevitable.” — Reuters

Asian markets rise after Wall Street rally

OPED

BY FRANCISCO QUINTANA Senior Economist at Asiya Investments

Indonesia’s Lion Air. Those ambitious plans may have shaken staterun flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (VNA) into expediting its long-awaited initial public offering and fleet expansion. VNA dominates the local market and will increase its fleet by 28 percent to 101 aircraft by 2015. It has been preparing for an IPO in the second quarter of 2014. “The project is right on schedule,” said its spokesman, Le Truong Giang.

Its fleet includes both Airbus and Boeing jets and it has ordered the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350. According to Boeing, VNA has existing orders for eight 787s and 11 more through leasing companies.

The airline also has its hand in the low-cost market through a stake in JetStar Pacific, a joint venture with Australia’s Qantas Airways. JetStar plans to more than triple its fleet of five Airbus A320s to 16 in the next few years, a spokesman said.

The airlines and industry experts say the growth potential comes mainly from Vietnam’s topography and what Khanh of VietJet called a “fortune location”. Vietnam is 1,650 kilometres (1,025 miles) in

Investors take a positive lead from NY HONG KONG: Asian markets mostly rose yesterday, with sentiment buoyed by last week’s deal in Washington to avert a default as well as a record close on Wall Street.

The yen slipped against the dollar and euro in afternoon trading after data showed Japan logged a record 15th consecutive monthly trade deficit. Tokyo rose 0.91 percent, or 132.03 points, to 14,693.57; Seoul was flat, edging up 0.61 points to 2,053.01; and Sydney advanced 0.57 percent, or 30.3 points, to 5,351.8.

Shanghai jumped 1.62 percent, or 35.46 points, to 2,229.24 and Hong Kong added 0.42 percent, or 98.05 points, to close at 23,438.15.

With the US shutdown and default crisis out of the way for the time being, investors are now eyeing the delayed release of US non-farm payrolls data on Tuesday. The figures, delayed because of the shutdown, will give investors a better idea of the state of the US economy and could have a bearing on when the Federal Reserve winds down its stimulus.

Asian investors took a positive lead from New York Friday, where the S&P 500 surged 0.65 percent to another record, while the Dow put on 0.18 percent. The Nasdaq jumped 1.32 percent to highs not seen since September 2000 thanks to a surge in Google shares, which topped $1,000 after the Internet giant posted a 36 percent rise

in third-quarter net profit.

In forex trade the yen eased after Tokyo announced its trade deficit had expanded 64.1 percent in September to $9.5 billion as energy import costs balloon owing to a weaker currency and the ongoing shutdown of nuclear power stations.

However, there was some good news in the data, which showed exports rose 11.5 percent, helped by a surge in shipments to China as relations thaw despite a territorial dispute with Beijing. The dollar bought 98.10 yen in afternoon trade against 97.72 yen in New York Friday, while the euro was at $1.3678 and 134.12 yen, compared with $1.3682 and 133.75.

In oil trade New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate for delivery in November, dipped 39 cents to $100.42 a barrel in afternoon trade. Brent North Sea crude for December was down 34 cents at $109.61. Gold cost $1,315.41 at 1020 GMT compared with $1,321.80 on Friday.

In other markets: Bangkok lost 2.44 percent, or 36.18 points, to 1,448.54. Airports of Thailand dropped 5.07 percent to 206.00 baht, while telecoms company True Corporation fell 6.60 percent to 9.20 baht.

Jakarta gained 0.70 percent, or 31.61 points, to 4,578.18. Retailer Hero Supermarket jumped

9.09 percent to 3,900 rupiah, while Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper fell 1.36 percent to 1,450 rupiah.

Kuala Lumpur climbed 0.17 percent, or 3.02 points, to 1,802.61. AMMB rose 0.54 percent to 7.50 ringgit, Malayan Banking added 0.60 percent to 9.99 while Telekom Malaysia lost 0.19 percent to 5.14 ringgit. Manila fell 0.16 percent down, or 10.27 points, to 6,597.56. Metropolitan Bank and Trust fell 2.8 percent to 89.40 pesos and Ayala Land dropped 0.77 percent to 2,834 pesos.

Mumbai edged up 0.05 percent, or 11.0 points, to 20,893.89. Private Federal Bank jumped 9.88 percent to 78.40 rupees while engineering giant Larsen and Toubro rose 6.5 percent to 925.15 rupees. Singapore rose 0.09 percent, or 2.86 points, to 3,195.76. United Overseas Bank gained 0.44 percent at Sg$20.79 and agribusiness company Wilmar International rose 0.91 percent to Sg$3.34.

Taipei dropped 0.26 percent, or 21.87 points, to 8,419.32. Chip design house MediaTek fell 0.89 percent to Tw$391.5 while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. was unchanged at Tw$110.0.

Wellington added 0.92 percent, or 43.97 points, to 4,802.56. Telecoms firm Chorus climbed 2.0 percent to NZ$2.50, Fletcher Building rose 0.1 percent to NZ$9.51 and Telecom was steady at NZ$2.28. — AFP

Al Sayer congratulates winners of ‘raining gold’ KUWAIT: Mohamad Naser Al Sayer & Sons Automotive Co. held an electronic draw of its promotion campaign “Raining Gold” the grand draw that took place at Parts Center - Canada dry street- Shuwaikh, on the 17th 2013 at 6.00pm. The Promotion started on 12th June until 11th September 2013. The electronic draw, attended by a representatives from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry - Consumer protection affairs Mr. Abdul Aziz Ishkenani, and Mohamed Ali- Hilal, Business Director Parts & Accessories from Al Sayer.

The first grand prize winner Mohamad Afdal coupon number 199958 won 20 gold coins of 22

Carat each weighing 7.2 grams. Other prizes were, Samsung LCD, LED TV’s and Canon cameras. A total of 90 gold coins were given away.

Mohamed Ali- Hilal, Business Director Parts & Accessories handed over the 1st prize winner with 20 gold coins. He commented: “ The main reasons behind the remarkable success of these promotions over a period of time were “Quality of Genuine spare parts and prompt service to the customers” The Toyota genuine parts promotion “It’s Raining Gold” started on 12th June until 11th September 2013, which enables the customers a chance to enter the draw for every KD5/- spent

at any Toyota Al Sayer Spare parts or Service outlets.

Al - Sayer Group would like to thank each and every customer for their continuous support in making this Summer Promotion a grand success.

At this juncture Al-Sayer group celebrating its 60th anniversary with Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan in 2014, has paved in providing the best after-sales service to all its valuable customers throughout the years of successful journey.

Japan posts record string of trade deficits TOKYO: Japan posted a record 15th consecutive monthly trade deficit in September, as data yesterday showed the country’s energy bill soaring, but exports to China rebounded after a territorial row last year hurt demand for Japanese goods.

While the yen’s sharp decline is generally seen as a plus for Japan’s export picture, the overall volume of shipments turned down last month as an uncertain US economic recovery held back growth. Sky-high energy bills from imports of pricey fossil fuels-made more expensive by the weak currency-also weighed on the nation’s trade balance. Energy imports surged after the 2011 Fukushima crisis forced the shutdown of Japan’s nuclear reactors, which once supplied a third of the nation’s power. There is little public appetite to turn the reactors back on although Japan’s conservative government has said a restart was all but certain once safety is assured.

“Japan will continue to rely on energy imports, and any boost to exports from the weaker yen won’t be enough to turn around the trade deficit,” said RBS Securities chief economist Junko Nishioka.

The dollar was at 98.12 yen in afternoon Tokyo forex trading, up from 97.72 yen in New

York Friday afternoon, which helped the Nikkei 225 stock index to end 0.91 percent higher. The finance ministry said Monday that Japan

recorded a deficit of 932.1 billion yen ($9.5 billion), 64.1 percent higher than a 568.2 billion yen deficit a year earlier. It also marked the

TOKYO: Shipping containers are unloaded from an international freighter while another cargo ship (R) arrives at the international cargo terminal in Tokyo yesterday. Japan logged a record run of monthly trade deficits data showed after the country’s energy bill soared in September, but exports to China were buoyant after a territorial dispute a year earlier hammered demand for Japanese goods. — AFP

15th straight month of deficit, the longest spell since comparable data started in 1979. The value of exports rose 11.5 percent to 5.97 trillion yen, helped by shipments to China-Japan’s largest trading partner-which rose 11.4 percent from a year earlier.

The improving figures come after a territorial dispute over a set of islands in the East China Sea set off protests in China and a consumer boycott of Japan-branded goods. The unrest last year forced Japanese businesses to temporarily shutter operations in China, while the Asian neighbours’ trading relationship took a huge hit. “Exports to China are on a gradual recovery path,” Masahiko Hashimoto, economist at Daiwa Institute of Research, told AFP. Shipments to the key US market were up 18.8 percent on year, but analysts said growth appeared to be stalling, after a two-week government shutdown threatened to send the US into a debt default.

“US consumer sentiment isn’t great because of the government shutdown,” Junichi Makino, chief economist at SMBC Nikko Securities, told Dow Jones Newswires. Demand for Japanese goods from emerging Asian economies, which then sell to the United States, was also lacklustre, Makino said. “Exports to Asian emerging

economies such as South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, India and Thailand won’t recover unless the US economy improves further,” he added. Overall, imports jumped 16.5 percent to 6.90 trillion yen owing to the higher energy costs and rising demand for some electronic equipment and smartphones such as Apple’s iPhone.

Japan’s mixed trade picture is largely a result of the weak yen, which boosts the costs of imports but also inflates the value of exports. The yen has declined by about a quarter against the dollar in the past year, boosting exporters’ competitiveness overseas and their bottom line.

The currency has been under pressure since Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who took office late last year, launched a policy blitz that meshed government spending with a central bank monetary easing plan unveiled in April.

The moves are aimed at rebooting the world’s third-largest economy, which has suffered from growth-sapping deflation for years. Abe’s efforts have started to bear fruit with the economy growing at an annualised rate of 3.8 percent in the first half of the year, far outpacing other G7 economies, while business confidence hit a five-year high. —AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

BUSINESS

McDonald’s Q3 profit rises, revenue misses Street OAK BROOK: McDonald’s third-quarter profit rose 5 percent, as the world’s biggest hamburger chain benefited from a Monopoly promotion in the US and strength in the UK and Russia. But revenue missed analyst expectations and shares slid more than 2 percent in premarket trading.

After outperforming rivals for years, McDonald’s has struggled recently as it faces heightened competition, shifting eating habits and tough economic conditions around the world. Late last year, its monthly sales at stores open at least a year fell for nearly the first time in a decade.

“Our results reflect McDonald’s ability to grow amid the broad-based challenges of the current environment by focusing on those areas of the business within our control,” said CEO Don Thompson.

For the three months ended Sept. 30, net income rose to $1.52 billion, or $1.52 per share. That compared with $1.46 billion, or $1.43 per share, last year. Analysts expected $1.51 per share, according to FactSet. Revenue rose 2 percent to $7.32 billion from $7.15 billion last year. Analysts expected $7.33 billion. McDonald’s, based in Oak Brook, Ill., said sales in stores open at least 13 months rose 0.9 percent,

including a 0.7 percent rise in the U.S. and a 0.2 percent rise in Europe. The measure, considered important because it gauges growth at continuing locations after stripping out recently opened and closed stores, fell 1.4 percent in the Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions.

US results benefited from its Monopoly game and the introduction of Mighty Wings as a national limited time offer. Looking forward, McDonald’s expects fourth quarter sales in stores open at least 13 months will be on par with the third quarter’s 0.9 percent rise.”While we are focused on strengthening our near-term performance, the cur-

rent environment continues to pressure results,” Thompson said.

To push up sales, the company has been taking a two-pronged approach. On the one end, it’s playing up its Dollar Menu and other affordable options to draw in customers who may be watching their spending more carefully. The strategy has forced rivals Burger King and Wendy’s to more aggressively push deals and promotions as well. Some analysts have worried that the strategy could eat into profit margins and indeed, McDonald’s said margin percentages are expected to continue to decline in the fourth quarter.

At the same time, McDonald’s is also trying to adjust its image and menu to better reflect shifting eating habits. In the US, for example, the company recently rolled out chicken wraps and the option to substitute egg whites in any of its breakfast sandwiches. Early next year, it also said it will start giving customers the option to pick a salad instead of fries with their value meals.

McDonald’s has more than 34,000 locations around the world. Shares fell $2, or 2.1 percent, to $93.20 in premarket trading. The stock closed Friday at $95.20, up about 8 percent since the start of the year. — AP

Y A Alghanim & Sons Automotive launches exciting promotion for Camaro lovers Magnificence, faster than light

HEIDELBERG: The Jan 29, 2008 file photo shows the headquarters of German software company SAP, photographed in Walldorf near Heidelberg, Germany. Business management software company SAP AG said yestersday net profit rose 23 percent in the third quarter as its cloud computing business grew rapidly and the company kept down costs by holding down hiring of new employees. — AP

Arabtec Holding increases ownership of EFECO to 100% ABU DHABI: Arabtec Holding PJSC, a leading engineering and construction Group specialising in complex projects in the Middle East and North Africa region, announced today that its subsidiary, Arabtec Construction, has completed the acquisition of a 45% share in the Emirates Falcon Electromechanical Company “EFECO”, which has raised Arabtec’s ownership of EFFECO to a 100%.

EFECO was established in 2001 to offer electro mechanical services to the construction industry in the Middle East through its operations in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The company provides design, procurement, installation, testing and commissioning services for electrical, air conditioning, plumbing, sanitary works, instrumentations, telecommunication and fire-fighting systems in residential and commercial developments.

The company also provides expertise in the infrastructure sector, including road works, paving, sewage, drainage, irriga-

tion and landscaping works.

Hasan Abdullah Ismaik, Managing Director and CEO of Arabtec Holding, commented: “The acquisition of EFECO consolidates Arabtec’s position as a market leading provider of an integrated set of specialised engineering and construction services. Now that EFECO is a fullyfledged member of the Arabtec Group, we are in a far better position to enhance its growth and ensure it maintains its position as a market leader in electromechanical services. EFECO will remain a major cornerstone for Arabtec’s unique offering.”

Ismaik added: “ With the current upswing in the construction industry, EFECO has high potential for growth, lending indispensable support to our growing business as well as to a versatile base of clients in the UAE and the Middle East. The move is perfectly in line with our strategy of diversifying our sources of income and optimizing our revenue-generating business.”

Global leaders to speak at the Global Islamic economy summit DUBAI: The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry,in partnership with Thomson Reuters, is bringing the world’s most innovative leaders of the public and private sector to Dubai to join the discussion at the Global Islamic Economy Summit which will be held on 25th - 26th November, 2013 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE. The summit is in line with the ‘Dubai: Capital of Islamic Economy’ strategy led by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and is held under his patronage. Dubai’s strategy to become the capital of the Islamic economy centred on seven key pillars and 46 separate initiatives.

Abdul Rahman Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman, Dubai Chamber, will lead GIES’ opening ceremony. He commented: “This Summit is an ideal platform for the exchange of expertise and knowledge as Dubai is known for attracting leading policy-makers who will discuss opportunities and challenges as well as suggest the means for the adoption of Islamic economy as a pioneering economic model for the future. He added that the participation of important Islamic personalities will enrich the Summit and enhance Dubai’s status as a capital of Islamic Economy while bringing us closer to our strategic objective of becoming a leading Islamic Economy as soon as possible.

Sultan Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, will lead a panel of global ministers in a discussion on the role of the Islamic Economy in the evolving global economy.

This panel will provide attendees with insight into the leaders of the Islamic world and their vision for the future and the key priorities that will shape the development of the Islamic world.

Al Mansouri said: “The UAE has the potential to lead the development of the Global Islamic Economy and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, is focused on ensuring we do just that. This will require close collaboration with our peers across the Muslim world and I look forward to having that dialogue with them at the Summit.”

This panel will be complemented by the view from the private sector in the form of a keynote speech from Mark Mobius, Ph.D., executive chairman of Templeton Emerging Markets Group. Dr. Mobius will share his views on the future of the global economy and the role of the Islamic world in shaping the future.

Regarding his role in the conference, Dr. Mobius stated, “The developed world has

entered a sustained period of economic stagnation. Increasingly, frontier and emerging markets are playing a significant role in shaping the role of the future world we live in.

Islamic economies will play a key role in this new economic paradigm, and their relevance to the broader economy cannot be underestimated.”

One of the world’s preeminent economists, Nouriel Roubini, Co-founder and Chairman of Roubini Global Economics, will also be speaking at the Summit. He will address the future of the Islamic world, the challenges it will face and the potential role of the Islamic economy sectors to facilitate greater investment flows into the Islamic world.

“The Islamic economy sectors represent an interesting consumption-based opportunity that may be able to replace the outflow of US and European investments retreating in the face of increased risk and lower financing appetites,” said Dr Roubini. “The Islamic economy could facilitate indigenous development of struggling Islamic countries.

Efforts such as the Global Islamic Economy Summit will be critical to drive the conversation forward and focus the leaders of the Islamic Economy on the task at hand.”

The final panel at the conference will be moderated by Khaled Al Aboodi, CEO, Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, Islamic Development Bank.

He will lead a group of senior international ministers in a discussion on the role of governments andthe private sector to facilitate the development of the IslamicEconomic sectors.

He commented: “ The Global Islamic Economy Summit is an important catalyst to create strong and sustainable economies among the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. This initiative can stimulate intra-OIC trade, especially in the areas of Islamic Finance and Halal food production. Collaboration between the wealthy importing nations of the GCC and the poorer agricultural economies can create a new arena for investment and cooperation.”

Russell Haworth, Managing Director, Middle East and North Africa, Thomson Reuters, said: “This very high calibre set of speakers - from different walks of business - demonstrates the broad range of opportunities arising from the Islamic community. The Islamic Economy reaches many people and businesses outside of the global Muslim community making it an important driver of the macro economy.The insights offered by these speakers will help to inform the Summit and spark debate.”

KUWAIT: Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive is fully aware of the legendary magnificence the sporty and youthful Camaro brings to the awestruck youth in Kuwait whose prime wish is to own and drive a sleek, smooth and stylish Camaro. Because of its fans’ growing enthusiasm, Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive has launched a brand new exciting promotion for Camaro lovers by providing them with unbeatable prices on their favorite drive.

The Camaro is equipped with a powerful V6 engine that generates 323 hp, the Camaro has a high and more rigorous performance on the road. Camaro’s standard engine is not just any V6. It is a dual overhead cam 3.6L V6 engine that combines Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing to deliver the power drivers hunger for without all the thirst.

And the result? Drivers get the rush of 323 horsepower with the freedom of a 7.841 per 100 kilometer highway fuel consumption rating.

Apart from the modernized, powerful and fuel efficient engine, the Camaro also allures passersby with its standard 20-inch wheels,Chevrolet MyLink which is the brand-new and sophisticated infotainment system, which brings smartphone capabilities into the vehicle, aggregates content from a smartphone onto the seven-inch, high resolution, full color touchscreen display. The Chevrolet Camaro is also equipped with the remote engine starter as well as powerful LED and HID headlamps.

The Camaro’s beauty is completed with Pirelli PZeroTM tires that are known for their excellent performance that is further enriched with the Camaro’s splendor and raw power.

If unbridled power is what you are after, the aluminum Camaro SS 6.2L V8 engine available with auto-

matic and manual transmission, offers 428 horsepower and 569 Nm of torque befitting the aggressive reputation. The SS Performancetuned suspension has a load of upgraded features including reengineered stabilizer bars , shock absorbers and completely redeveloped dampers for an outstanding ride, balanced transitions, and excellent steering and handling.

Pair it with the standard 20’’ wheels with Pirelli PZeroTM ultra-high performance tires and BremboTM brakes for the ultimate in performance and control. The MyLink infotainment system, remote engine starter, power ful LED and HID headlamps and head up display further enhance the Camaro SS’s value and leading market presence.

With supercar levels of performance and technology, the 580horsepower Camaro ZL1 is the fastest Camaro to ever be built.

Once you get over the rush of the all-aluminum 6.2L supercharged V8 engine and its 580 horsepower and 556 lb.-ft. of torque with manual and automatic transmission, you will realize that this Camaro goes beyond raw power.

The Camaro’s performance and precision continues with Magnetic Ride Control, world-class braking and 4-wheel independent suspension. The Camaro ZL1 is the kind of vehicle that engineers dream of designing and speed lovers crave to drive. The Camaro ZL1 steals the spotlight with its revolutionizing design that exudes a powerful and sleek exterior, an element that decreases friction so as to augment the level of intense pressure that firmly and solidly fixes the car’s wheels to the ground, amplifying the driver ’s experience at top speeds. Although the Camaro ZL1 is one of the fastest rides on earth, it is equipped with a fuel-efficient engine that brings the comfort of

convenience to every driver. The Camaro ZL1’s stunning features makes it more of a piece of art that thrills the youth and allows them to explore the infinite realm of enticing freedom.

If you are a Camaro fan, visit the nearest Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive’s showroom today to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime offer that brings you the car of your dreams at the price you want. The Camaro is available in all of Yusuf Ahmed

Alghanim & Sons Automotive’s showrooms with a variety that suits everyone’s taste ranging from astonishing V6 engines to powerful V8 engines. Yusuf A. Alghanim & Sons Automotive adds the finishing touch to the ownership experience with high-quality after-sales services. With the world’s largest and most advanced automotive service center, customers need not worry about their car’s service and maintenance needs.

Top Indian properties to be showcased in Kuwait KUWAIT: Indus India Property Exhibition 2013, one of the largest realty exhibitions in Kuwait, will be held in Kuwait on October 25 and 26, 2013 at the Ramada Hotel, Al Riggae.

People looking to invest in Indian real-estate will have access to firsthand information at the show, including on upcoming and current real estate projects in India. A range of property options, from residential apartments, plots and bungalows, to commercial properties will be on display during the two-day event.

More than 100 projects across various metros, tier I and tier II cities will be showcased during the exhibitions. Reputed and leading developers and builders across India are participating in the exhibition and offering a wide range of properties for people in Kuwait to choose.

NRIs in Kuwait have a very big advantage if they make a smart move now in investing in Indian real estate market, as the Kuwait dinar is very strong against Indian rupee.

Among the especially attractive destinations for realty investments is Mumbai - the financial capital of India and preferred destination for

corporate sector - as it is witnessing a record rise in property prices.

The reason behind this steady price rise is the interest from NRI property investors, who appreciate the city’s favorable location and high investment returns. Moreover, in Mumbai, there is a high demand for housing and commercial space from the city’s growing population.

With the dollar appreciating in value to the rupee, more NRIs are seeking the advantage of investing in real estate and since Mumbai is a booming realty market, NRIs have always considered the city a safe bet to invest.

Many of Mumbai’s leading and reputed builders will be in Kuwait and will be offering a wide range of residential projects for NRIs in Kuwait during the Indus exhibition The Indus India Property Exhibition is brought to you by Indus Group that has created wonderful platforms for NRIs worldwide by organizing India Property Exhibitions and India Education Exhibitions. The exhibition is held in association with Response Events & Exhibitions, and Co sponsored by L & T Realty and Dewa Projects.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

technology

Satellite’s gravity-mapping mission is over PARIS: A satellite measuring Earth’s gravity since 2009 ran out of fuel yesterday and will reenter the atmosphere within three weeks, when it will mostly disintegrate, the European Space Agency said.

Experts have said there will be little risk to humans when about 40 to 50 surviving fragments of the Gravity Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite hit our planet, though where and when this will happen is not yet known.

“The GOCE satellite has run out of fuel and the end of mission has been declared,” said an ESA statement.

The one-tonne satellite’s stock of 41 kilograms (90 pounds) of fuel finally ran out at about 0320 GMT, GOCE mission manager Rune Floberghagen

said. “We think it will take no less than two weeks, and no more than three weeks” for the satellite to reenter Earth’s atmosphere.

GOCE was launched into orbit in March 2009 at an altitude of 260 km — later lowered to 224 kmthe lowest ever for a research satellite.

The 350-million-euro ($465-million) mission has lasted twice as long as its initially-scheduled 20 months.

Having now run out of fuel to keep it in orbit, the satellite will lose altitude and become unstable.

Its main gravity-mapping instrument has stopped working, but other gauges will continue gathering data for about two more weeks, according to Floberghagen.

Most of the 5.3-metre-long (17.2-foot) spacecraft will break up at an altitude of about 80 kilometres (50 miles), ESA spacecraft operations manager Christoph Steiger said last week.

But about a quarter of its mass, some 250 kilogrammes (550 pounds), will survive-hitting the Earths’ surface in a trail of fragments over an area of a few hundred kilometres. Whether this will be on land or sea is not yet known.

“A few hours before, we will be able to tell with... a few thousand kilometres of precision” where the fragments are likely to impact, said Steiger insisting the chances of a human being hit were about 65,000 times lower than getting struck by lightning.

In 50 years of spaceflight, there have been no casualties from manmade space debris, despite about 20-40 tonnes impacting somewhere on Earth each year, said Steiger.

Scientists say GOCE has returned the most accurate data yet on Earth’s gravity field and ocean circulation. It was designed and built before 2008, when international recommendations were adopted that a scientific satellite must be able to execute a controlled reentry, or burn up completely after its mission.

Steiger said a global space debris coordinating committee was monitoring the satellite to predict its point of reentry, “and we are passing on the information to national authorities. — AFP

New Surface tablets great for productivity Function over fashion

Top six candidates through to design stage DOHA: Science and technology edutainment reality TV program Stars of Science on MBC4, initiated by the Qatar Foundation, revealed the six candidates selected to showcase their innovations in the Design phase of the competition.

Mohammed Doumir from Algeria In last week’s Engineering program, 10 candidates demonstrated the functionality of their product and six were selected to go through to the Design phase. At this stage the six candidates will be assessed on the integration of their product’s function, interface and aesthetics, design enhancement for commercial potential, their resourcefulness and attitude.

Battling it out for a place in the final is: Anwar Almojarkesh from Syria whose innovation, Assistive Pillow For Hearing Impaired, wowed the jurors with its clever

Sherif Yahia from Egypt

smart phone programming; Tunisian Mohamed Amine Besbes who has developed a Virtual 3D Drawing Pen made up of a unique, intelligent software; Mohammed Doumir from Algeria who has designed Camel Racing Diagnostic Boots; Mohammed Al Kuwairi from Qatar who has created an Automated Verdict in Disputed Football Scoring; Sherif Yahia from Egypt with the Speech Synthesizer for the Language Impaired that facilitates communication for the hearing impaired; and Waleed Jan from KSA whose innovation, the Mechanical Braille Editor, facilitates the editing process for blind people.

The Design phase selection will be assessed by Stars of Science’s prestigious design experts, who have been on the judging panel for three consecutive seasons, Mr. James Law, Chairman and Chief Cybertect at James Law Cybertecture International(r) and Dean Allyson Vanstone, Dean of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts in Qatar.

Mr. James Law, Chairman and Chief Cybertect at James Law Cybertecture International(r), commented: “As a designer, it is incredibly empowering to participate in Stars of Science because you see young people given the opportunity to pursue their dreams through design and technology. This season, contestants chose their products smartly. They based their innovations on their core competency - deriving products based on their knowledge and experience which will certainly add an edge to their field of study.”

He continued: “So far, candidates have worked really hard to set and meet their weekly objectives. They are very lucky to be in an era where they have opportunities to innovate the fabric of mankind. They’re living in a place that has resources and support for them to work hard and focus their talents and develop their dreams - whatever they create out of that can truly innovate mankind.”

At the end of the Design stage, five candidates will proceed to the semi-finals, or the Business phase, during which they will be assessed on the innovation’s business model, market analysis and understanding as well as communication and pitch.

Hosted by Khaled Al Jumaily, Stars of Science Season Five consists of eight prime-time episodes plus the live finale, where the public will be invited to vote alongside the Jury. The program began on Sept 13, with daily updates airing from Saturday to Thursday at 4.30 pm KSA on MBC4.

NEW YORK: Whether or not you like Microsoft ’s updated Sur face tablets will depend on your needs. On one hand, the tablets can be great for working on the go, especially if you spring for a $130 keyboard cover. On the flip side, the new versions still lack the elegance and fun that iPads are known for and many Android-based tablets now offer.

People used to the hundreds of thousands of apps on those devices will be disappointed.

Both new tablets go on sale Tuesday. The Surface 2 starts at $449 and runs a lightweight version of Windows 8.1 called RT, meaning it works only with apps designed specifically for it. The Surface Pro 2 starts at $899 and runs a full version of Windows 8.1, so it also works with programs designed for traditional desktops and laptops, including Photoshop and Quicken personal-finance software. Microsoft also will continue to sell last year’s Surface RT model for $349.

Microsoft takes a lot of pride in the new devices’ redesigned kickstand. Previous models felt wobbly, while the new ones have a steady leg to stand on. The inclusion of a second kickstand position makes typing on your lap as comfortable as typing at your desk.

Like other RT tablets, the Surface 2 comes with a free version of Microsoft’s Office, giving you access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. The Surface Pro 2 has a more powerful processor and is designed for heavy work or gaming use, but you need to pay for Office separately or have a $100-a-year subscription. But at least you can get it. Microsoft doesn’t make Office for the iPad or Android tablets.

Another feature that distinguishes the new Surfaces and other Windows tablets is their ability to run multiple programs side by side.

Want to pull up a Microsoft Word document alongside a work email so you can reference it?

No problem. Samsung devices do offer a similar feature, but it doesn’t work with all apps. You’re out of luck entirely with the iPad. With the Surface Pro 2, Microsoft isn’t just aiming to replace your tablet. It wants you to dump your laptop, too. To help with this, it will start selling a docking station early next year.

The $200 accessory offers additional USB ports,

which can connect to external monitors, printers and more. It’s similar to docking stations available for many laptops and could help make the transition from the field to the office more seamless. Even without the docking station, there’s one USB port, something rare in a tablet.

The use of Microsoft’s SkyDrive online storage service also helps. You can access your files from just about anywhere with an Internet connection. It also could come in handy if your tablet happens to be run over by a truck, as you can download everything back. Both new Surfaces come with 200 gigabytes on SkyDrive for two years, on top of the usual 7 gigabytes.

While the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 may excel in productivity, they don’t have the style and fun of their competitors. The construction is rugged, which makes me less paranoid about letting my preschooler play with it. But they also seem bulkier and heavier than other tablets. Surprisingly, the Surface 2 weighs just a pound and half, the same as the year-old iPad, while the Surface Pro 2 is about a half pound heavier. See if Apple will announce lighter iPads Tuesday.

And while Microsoft Office might be great for someone who wants to write a dissertation or create a PowerPoint presentation on a train, the dueling touch screen and desktop functions of Windows 8.1 might seem maddening to people who just want to play “Angry Birds,” watch a movie or surf the Internet in bed. In addition, Microsoft’s app store doesn’t have as much to offer yet as its Apple and Android counterparts. Facebook, Netflix and ESPN are there, but not the multitude of games and other apps that Apple and Android users take for granted.

On the upside, the new Surface models let you play Xbox games. In addition, the Pro 2 was designed with not just business people, but also gamers, in mind. The Pro 2 features speed and battery improvements over the previous versions. That extended battery life should come in hand for movies, too. Microsoft won’t say how long the Surface Pro 2’s battery lasts, but says it’s a 75 percent improvement over the previous version. The Surface 2’s battery offers

China mobile users opt for apps BEIJING: China Mobile Ltd missed expectations yesterday with a nearly 9 percent drop in third-quarter net profit as social messaging applications ate into the company’s traditional revenue streams.

The applications send messages using a subscriber’s data plan, thus depriving telecom operators of the ability to charge for SMS messages.

Third-quarter net profit fell to 28.37 billion yuan ($4.65 billion) from 31.1 billion yuan in the same period last year, below analyst estimates of 30.72 billion yuan.

The company blamed its “severe difficulties and challenges” on a tougher competitive environment and also blamed so-called “Over The Top (OTT) products” like Tencent Holdings’ WeChat social messaging app and those from other mobile carriers.

OTT products like WeChat, which has 236 million active users, are disrupting the traditional business model of network carriers as smartphone penetration rapidly increases. China currently has more than 460 million mobile Internet users, more than 370 million of whom are on 3G contracts.

China Mobile is betting its future growth on rolling out an expanded 4G network to reinvigorate its business after its slow, domestically-developed 3G standard compared unfavourably to faster offerings from China Unicom Hong Kong and China Telecom Corp.

The company said in March it is investing 41.7 billion yuan ($6.84 billion) to upgrade its homegrown 4G network, the licenses for which China’s government is expected to give out by the end of the year along with those for the other 4G standards used by China Unicom Hong Kong and China Telecom Corp.

China Mobile is also expected to soon reach a deal with Apple Inc to distribute the new iPhone 5S and 5C handsets on its 4G network. This could help attract China Mobile customers into upgrading to 4G, and also provide a boost for Apple as it gets access to 750 million of China’s 1.2 billion mobile subscribers.

China Mobile’s net profit for the first nine months of the year was 91.5 billion yuan, down by 1.9 percent versus January-to-September last year.

China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile carrier by subscribers increased its 3G subscribers by 7.13 percent from September to August, but it has struggled to attract 3G users, who only accounting for roughly one-fifth of its total subscribers. In August 40 percent of China Unicom Hong Kong’s subscribers were on 3G and China Telecom Corp had 52 percent as 3G users.

The firm’s January-to-September average revenue per user (ARPU), a standard industry measure of performance, fell to 66 yuan from 67 yuan a year earlier.—Reuters

10 hours of video playback, which is more than enough power to let you binge-watch the entire seven-episode first season of “Breaking Bad.” When it comes to watching TV, both Surfaces have high-definition displays, measuring 10.6 inches diagonally. That’s larger than the iPad’s 9.7 inches, but smaller than the typical laptop.

The Surface screens also aren’t as sharp as that on the iPad. Both Surfaces offer 208 pixels per inch compared with the iPad’s 264.

Do you long for an almost laptop-like typing experience and access to Microsoft Office? Or would you rather use a simple platform that opens the door to hundreds of thousands of apps all viewed on a crystal-clear screen?

While the Surface 2 is probably most fairly compared to an iPad or high-end Android tablet, the Surface Pro 2’s processing power makes it more like a laptop.

The optional Type Cover 2 - which comes in four colors - is essential if you want to get the most out of either new Surface. Anyone who has tried to type on a tablet’s touch screen can attest that you need a proper keyboard if you’re writing more than a few sentences. Spend the $130 for the Type Cover 2, as the $120 Touch Cover 2 doesn’t have keys that move, making typing awkward. That brings the tablets’ prices to $579 for the Surface 2 and $1,029 for the Pro 2.

By contrast, an 11-inch MacBook Air starts at $999 and weighs just 2.4 pounds. If you need Windows, there are plenty of ultrabooks available for a few hundred dollars more. Those are slim and light, just like the Surface.

I’m curious to see if the Surface 2 will be able to do the same work that my old, much heavier, laptop computer did when it comes to reporting from the field. Its paired-down nature probably won’t let me run a lot of the same programs that I did on my laptop. I’m not sure if I’d be willing to pay more than $1,000 for the Surface 2 Pro with the keyboard cover, even if it does let me run those programs. I think I’d have to shop around and take a good look at some MacBooks and ultrabooks, too.

Meanwhile, when it comes to watching Netflix and wasting time on silly games, I’m not ready to give up my iPad just yet. — AP

Love is in the air and on the Web NEW YORK: Online dating is shedding its stigma among Americans as a refuge for the desperate, but people who use sites such as Match.com and eHarmony are still in the minority.

Thirty-eight percent of Americans who are “single and looking” say they’ve used an online dating site or mobile dating app, according to a new study.

The report due out Monday from the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project suggests that attitudes toward online dating “have progressed in a clearly positive direction.” In fact, 59 percent of Internet users agree that online dating is a good way to meet people. That’s up from 44 percent in 2005.

As Americans shop, socialize and entertain themselves online, a growing number are turning to the Internet to find dates.

Some 11 percent of people who started a long-term relationship in the past decade say they met their partner online. Even so, only 10 percent of Americans say they’ve tried online dating.

Online dating is most popular among men and women ages 25 to 34. Nearly a quarter of them have used online dating sites, compared with just 10 percent of people in the 18 to 24 age group. For ages 35 to 44, it’s 17 percent and then the numbers fall to the single digits. Three percent of those over 65 have dabbled in online dating.

Whites are slightly more likely to use dating sites than other ethnicities - 11 percent compared with 7 percent for blacks and 5 percent of Hispanics, according to the survey. People without a high school diploma were the least likely to use the Internet to find a date, while those who have completed “some college” were the most likely.

While a relatively small fraction of people use online dating sites, forty-two percent of Americans say they know someone who has, up from 31 in 2005. Among those 65 or older, the number grew to 24 percent from 13 percent.

Once upon a time, couples who found each other online felt compelled to spin alternate “how we met” tales, but that’s no

longer the case. Perhaps it’s the result of changing attitudes. In 2005, 29 percent of Internet users agreed that people on online dating sites were “desperate.” In Pew’s most recent study, that number fell to 21 percent.

But online dating isn’t all chocolate hearts and red roses. More than half of online daters say they believe someone else “seriously misrepresented themselves” in an online dating profile. More than a quarter have felt uncomfortable or harassed by someone who contacted them.

The results of Pew’s recent study aren’t directly comparable to its 2005 report because the way surveyors count the “online dating population” has changed.

There were no dating apps eight years ago.

That said, the percentage of Americans who say they have used an online dating website grew from 3 percent in 2008 to 6 percent in 2009, and 9 percent this year.

Among Pew’s other findings: Don’t call it stalking: One-third of Americans who use social networking sites use the sites to check up on somebody they once dated. The same is true for nearly half of those ages 18 to 29.

• Match.com is the most popular dating site, according to the 2013 survey, just as it was in 2005. No. 2 this year is eHarmony.

Yahoo Personals was in second place in 2005, but it no longer exists. Searching for it online will take you to Match.com.

Twenty-nine percent of respondents say they know someone who has been in a long-term relationship or married someone they met online, compared with 15 percent in 2005.

• Forty-six percent of people who use online dating sites say finding someone long-term is a major reason they use the sites. A quarter, on the other hand, “just want to have fun without being in a serious relationship.” The 2013 telephone survey was conducted from April 17 to May 19 among a sample of 2,252 US adults, including people who don’t own a landline. It has a margin of error of 2.3 percentage points. — AP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Dutch forced to volunteer so ageing relatives get care NETHERLANDS: “Cup of coffee, Mrs Lubbers?”Henk Hom asks a 92-year-old pensioner at the provincial Dutch retirement home where he volunteers so his own father can have a room. Here, just outside the central city of Gouda, the “society of participation” is slowly replacing the “classic welfare state”, part of a social revolution heralded by King WillemAlexander in the name of the Liberal government last month. While the Netherlands is still considered one of the best places in the world to be elderly, with most care paid for by mandatory insurance, the generous Dutch welfare state of the late 20th century is definitely on its way out.

Instead, people are increasingly called on to provide a service in exchange for society’s benefits, along the lines of the “Big Society” concept championed by Britain’s conservative-liberal coalition. And in a historically Calvinist country like the Netherlands, a “moral obligation” carries a lot of weight. When the Wilhogen retirement home first floated the project of trading volunteer work for care with relatives of their elderly clients, most were enthusiastic about the idea. Some needed a “talking to”, but only one family decided to take their relative elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Mrs Lubbers is happy to accept the offer of coffee as she sits peacefully in her electric wheelchair in the living room of the retirement home in the village of Stolwijk. “Nice and black please, Henk,” she said. Henk, 45, is an agricultural supply wholesaler. In order for his father, 80, also called Henk, to have a room here among the flat green fields, the son must work here for four hours a month. Henk’s work is social rather than medical.

“Speaking to people, listening to the people here,” he told AFP. “There’s a woman who’s mad about music, certain singers, so I put music on and she’s happy.”

“It’s the little things, which aren’t difficult and only require a small effort, and that makes people happy,” said a jovial Henk. So Henk also spends some time each month sweeping the floor or cooking for the home’s eight pensioners. “The volunteers don’t replace trained personnel,” said nurse Rik Remmerswaal, 33. “We have enough professionals for the healthcare, but we don’t always have enough time for the other tasks, like reading, going for walks, reading the papers,” he said.

‘Forcing people isn’t the way to do it’ The retirement home’s management carried out

a test phase before launching the program of “moral obligation”, which it insists is not about saving money. “The aim really is to improve the pensioners’ well-being, to offer care that’s a little more human,” said the home’s director, Sylvia Oudenes. The move was nevertheless controversial because although there’s no legal obligation, family members are “very strongly encouraged” to take part. Mezzo is an association that has for years defended the rights of volunteer workers, of which there are already 2.6 million in this country of 17 million. “This moral obligation can lead to overwork,” Mezzo said in a statement in response to the new project.

“Only if the volunteers are really voluntary can they keep doing it intensively and in the long-term,” Mezzo director Liesbeth Hoogendijk said. “Forcing people isn’t the right way to do it.”

Health undersecretary Martin van Rijn, whose health service is being radically overhauled as part of Dutch government austerity measures, said the initiative was “encouraging” and fitted in with his plans.”The volunteers play a role in these people’s happiness,” Van Rijn said. “I see them and the professionals as partners, they’re complementary,” he wrote to parliament after questions were asked

about the “obligation.”

Van Rijn also wants to force the elderly themselves to volunteer, as long as they’re able, to “give back to society” in return for the care they receive.

They could for instance help children do their homework, or those who are behind at school. By 2015 many health responsibilities pass from central government to local authorities, which will receive 11.3 billion euros and allow central government to save 2 billion euros a year. “It’s asked of all those who can, to take responsibility for their own lives and those around you,” King Willem-Alexander said in his speech about the end of the welfare state, written by Liberal Prime Minister Mark Rutte to mark the opening of the Dutch parliament last month.

While retirement homes get government subsidies, they are only for healthcare and housing, not for pensioners’ “well-being”. As a result it is up to the homes to decide on what services they want to provide, beyond the most basic.

For Henk, it’s not really a chore to come and look after his father and other pensioners. “It’s not really work, you come to visit anyway, don’t you?” he said.

“This is my father, after all.” —AFP

Chinese city blanketed in heavy pollution

MANILA: World Health Organization (WHO) Director for the Western Pacific Region Dr Shin Young-soo gestures during a press conference at the WHO headquarters yesterday. — AFP

‘Lifestyle diseases’ are new threat to Asia: WHO MANILA: Asia-Pacific countries face serious challenges from “lifestyle” diseases and ageing populations even as they overcome more traditional illnesses, the World Health Organisation’s regional director said yesterday. Western Pacific WHO director Shin Young-soo said such ailments, often arising from a change in diets and less exercise, were sharply rising in Asian nations. He said recent studies showed that as many as 12 percent of Chinese adults had diabetes, while as many as 50 percent had a “pre-diabetes” condition, meaning they were on the borderline of developing the illness.

This was a huge jump from the estimated 3-4 percent diabetics in China’s adult population in the 1990s. About 10 percent of adults in countries like South Korea, Japan and even Vietnam also had diabetes, Shin told reporters at a WHO regional meeting in the Philippine capital. “It is because of the big change in our diets in the last 30-40 years’ time. There is also a very interesting observation that Asian

people... tend to have more diabetes than Western people,” he said.

“We must have behavior change. The whole society must tackle the issue,” Shin said. Other non-communicable ailments like hypertension and high cholesterol were also on the increase despite the fact that they could all be prevented, he said.

Shin said countries such as some Pacific island nations were experiencing diabetes among 40 percent of adults while 75 to 80 percent were suffering from obesity. “Over many years, this will lead to huge health care costs. Societies will lose this productive labor power,” he warned.

Shin also said ageing populations in some Asia-Pacific countries like Australia, Japan and China would force these nation to spend more on caring for the elderly.

Other problems facing the region like relatively high rates of blindness and the spread of drug-resistant diseases will also be discussed at the WHO meeting being held in Manila this week. — AFP

Cholera kills 50 in northern Nigeria in a week KANO: Cholera has killed 50 people in northwest Nigeria in the past week, health officials said yesterday, in the latest outbreak of the disease which has claimed thousands of lives across the country since 2010. The latest infections struck Zamfara state where residents began drinking water directly from streams and untreated wells after a main water pipeline was forced to shut. “We have recorded an outbreak of cholera in the past one week in six local government areas of the state which has resulted in the death of 50 people while several others have been hospitalized,” Zamfara state health commissioner Kabiru Janyau told AFP. Road construction around state capital Gusau forced officials to close a main pump leading to water shortages in several parts of the state, Janyau said.

“People have turned to streams and open wells for drinking water which led to the outbreak,” he said. Cholera, a highly contagious intestinal infection, is transmitted by water soiled by human waste.

The disease leads to diarrhoea, dehydration and death if untreated. Nigeria suffered cholera epidemics during the rainy seasons of 2010 and 2011, with nearly 2,000 people killed over two years.

While 2012 saw few reported infections, health officials warn that Nigeria remains vulnerable to further outbreaks because of its high population density and poor sanitation in many areas.

Outbreaks are most common during the rainy season, which roughly runs from April to October. Eight people died and ten others were hospitalized from cholera infections in southern Oyo state last month. — AFP

Think twice before buying breast milk online NEW YORK: Most of the breast milk sold over the Internet is contaminated with bacteria, a new study suggests. Researchers tested 101 milk samples they bought on milk sharing websites. They found that almost three quarters probably weren’t safe for babies, especially preemies.

Those sites have thousands of ads from people selling breast milk, often new mothers who make more than their baby needs. The milk typically sells for $1 or $2 per ounce. “If you buy milk on the Internet, you have no idea what you’re getting,” said Sarah Keim. She led the study at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. “A buyer would just have no way of being able to know with the information they have whether that milk is safe.” Keim said she and her colleagues had noticed milk sharing websites popping up over the past few years.

For the new study, they responded to 495 ads placed on two of those sites and ended up purchasing and analyzing 101 batches of milk.

Seventy-four percent of the samples either had disease-causing bacteria like E. coli or harmful levels of bacteria such as Streptococci.

In either of those instances, “You just

shouldn’t feed that raw to a baby,” Keim said.

The study did not determine whether all the contaminated milk would make babies sick.

But the researchers said it could be risky, particularly for preemies and other infants with higher than average risks for medical problems. The US Food and Drug Administration recommends against feeding babies milk bought over the Internet, but doesn’t regulate its sale. Researchers said human milk always contains some bacteria, even before it comes out of the breast. “It’s totally normal for milk to have bacteria in it, and there are bacteria in milk that are extremely important for babies to build their immune and digestive systems,” Keim told Reuters Health.

“Those are not the bacteria that we looked at.” Milk samples that spent more time in transit were more likely to contain potentially harmful bacteria. But sellers’ claims that they were healthy or their milk was safe did not predict which samples actually had potentially harmful bacteria. None of the shipped breast milk tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. But one in five samples had traces of cytomegalovirus, which can cause disease in babies with weak immune systems. —Reuters

BEIJING: Choking clouds of pollution blanketed a Chinese city famed for its annual ice festival yesterday, slashing visibility to a few meters, shutting schools and halting transport in scenes that underscored the nation’s environmental challenges. Footage from Harbin on state broadcaster CCTV showed a screen full of charcoalbrown smog, with faint shapes and colors beneath hinting at roads, cars and traffic signals.

Elementary and middle schools were ordered to cancel class and operations were halted for public buses, long-distance coaches and the airport, reports said. Highways were also shut, although multiple-car crashes were still reported.

Drivers who jumped red lights because they could not see them “will not be penalized”, the state news agency Xinhua quoted local traffic official Xue Yuqing as saying. Visibility in the city centre would drop to less than 50 meters (160 feet), it added. “How scary! It’s the apocalypse!” one Internet user in China wrote about the air quality in Harbin, which was a hotly-discussed topic online. Some users compared images of the pollution to scenes from a horror movie.

Figures from monitoring stations in central Harbin showed concentrations of PM2.5 — tiny airborne particles considered the most harmful to health-reached 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter, 40 times the World Health Organisation’s recommended standard. They began to fall in the early evening but the overall air quality index, a different measure, was still being given as 500, the maximum level on the Chinese scale, and described as “beyond index”.

The smog in Harbin, a city of more than 10 million people in far northeastern China, came as it activated its public heating system ahead of the frigid winter, the Beijing Times said. A toplevel red alert for “thick smog or fog” was also issued for the entire province of Heilongjiang, which has Harbin as its capital, along with nearby Jilin and Liaoning, Xinhua said. It came days after the government in Beijing announced that it plans to reinstate an odd-even car ban for days when the city’s air pollution reaches red-alert levels.

Under the plan, which China’s capital city employed during the 2008 Olympics and again in 2011, cars will only be allowed to drive on alternating days when severe air pollution persists for three or more days. Pollution from rapid development and heavy coal use plagues wide swathes of China, prompting public criticism and pledges from the country’s new leadership to make improvements. A thick smog that covered the capital Beijing earlier this year-with sim-

CHINA: Local residents dance on a square under heavy smog in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang province yesterday. — AFP photos

CHINA: Residents with masks on their faces are seen under heavy smog in Harbin. ilar PM2.5 levels as Harbin yesterday-made glob- would hold local officials accountable for al headlines. At the time Harbin escaped the improving air quality.

Air pollution contributed to 1.2 million prevery worst of the pollution, but huge swathes of northern China have been blanketed by smog at mature deaths and 25 million healthy years of various times this year. The State Council, or cab- life lost in China in 2010, the US-based Health inet, said in June that among other measures it Effects Institute said in March. — AFP

Clock ticks for Madagascar’s lemurs MADAGASCAR: Immortalized in the hit cartoon “Madagascar”, real-life lemurs face extinction within 20 years short of drastic action to tackle the poverty driving islanders to poach the primates and destroy their habitat. Each year that passes hastens the decline of the saucer-eyed primates, as the Indian Ocean island’s people struggle for survival amid a drawn-out political crisis. “As long as there is poverty, we can’t expect to prevent the lemurs’ extinction,” said primatologist Jonah Ratsimbazafy from the University of Antananarivo. Cast as a lovable bunch in the “Madagascar” movies, lemurs occur in the wild only on the island, having evolved separately from their cousins the African ape over millions of years.

Madagascar is home to 105 different species of lemur, accounting for 20 percent of the world’s species of primate, in an area spanning less than one percent of the global habitat of all primates. But crop burnings and wild fires destroy 200,000 hectares of Madagascar’s forest a year. And the 13 percent of its natural forest that remains may disappear within a generation, according to Ratsimbazafy. “If this rate of deforestation continues you could say that within 20 to 25 years there won’t be any forest left, so no lemurs either,” he said. Ninety-three of the 105 known lemur species are on the endangered list.

Woodcutters hunt them for food An estimated 92 percent of Madagascar’s people live on less than a $2 a day, and social conditions have worsened on the island since its leader Andry Rajoelina seized power in 2009 with the help of the army. Most foreign aid was suspended, bringing the economy to its knees and putting the country at risk of a food crisis-a situation exacerbated by a locust plague this year. The broke state has scheduled a presidential election for later this month aimed at ending the fouryear political crisis.

The island’s blossoming tourist industry also suffered a blow this month following the mob lynching of two Europeans and a local man accused of killing a boy on the Madagascan tourist island of Nosy Be. The deadly riots sparked

travel warnings from several countries including France and the United States. Meanwhile locals eke out a living where they can-including by looting precious woods, minerals and lemurs from the forest around them.

Small-scale woodcutters also hunt the animals for food while searching for rosewood, according to Tovonanahary Rasolofoharivelo, another primate expert. “Often they don’t bring enough to eat and woodcutting is hard work, so they eat lemur meat because the animals are easier to catch than birds.”

Gold-diggers are pushing into the forest too, chipping away at the lemur’s habitat. Rangers have to travel far, often camping on the way, to track the diggers, said a guide from the Ranomafana National Park in the southeast of the island. “There are many gold prospectors in the park. You can earn up to 100,000 ariary ($46, 35 euros) per gram of gold,” said the guide, who

asked not to be named. And all the while, crop fields are steadily encroaching on the forest, a little more each year. “In tropical countries like Madagascar the soil is very, very poor,” explained Ratsimbazafy. “One year a farmer plants here, next year he moves, again, and again, and afterwards you have deforestation, the desert.” A coalition of conservationist groups have launched an international campaign to raise around $8 million, in a do-or-die effort to reverse the trend. The threeyear program aims to help provide alternative livelihoods for the local population, in addition to tourism and agricultural programs that have been running for a few years. “We try to finance moneygenerating activities like planting beans, and pig, chicken or fish farming, so that people in the countryside stop destroying the forest,” said Benjamin Andriamihaja, local representative of the US-based Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments (ICTE). —AFP

MADAGASCAR: In this file photo taken on September 17, 2008 a male Indri Indri Lemur looking from a tree as he feeds on leaves in a Primary forest of a nature reserve in Andasibe. —AFP

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Spanking tied to later aggression among kids NEW YORK: Think spanking will help teach an out of control child to stay in line? A new study suggests the opposite may be true.

Researchers found kids who were spanked as five-year-olds were slightly more likely to be aggressive and break rules later in elementary school. Those results are in keeping with past research, said Elizabeth Gershoff. She studies parental discipline and its effects at the University of Texas at Austin.

“There’s just no evidence that spanking is good for kids,” she told Reuters Health.

“Spanking models aggression as a way of solving problems, that you can hit people and get what you want,” Gershoff, who wasn’t involved in the new study, said. “When (children) want another kid’s toy, the parents haven’t taught them how to use their words or how to negotiate.”

Despite mounting evidence on the harms tied to spanking, it is “still a very typical experience” for US children, the study’s lead author said. “Most kids experience spanking at least some point in time,” Michael MacKenzie, from Columbia University in New York, said. “So there’s this disconnect.” His team used data from a long-term study of children born in one of 20 US cities between 1998 and 2000. The new report includes about 1,900 kids.

Researchers surveyed parents when children were three and five years old about whether and how often they spanked their child.

Then they asked mothers about their kid’s behavior problems and gave the children a vocabulary test at age nine. A total of

57 percent of mothers and 40 percent of fathers said they spanked children when they were three years old. That fell slightly to 52 percent of mothers and 33 percent of fathers who spanked at age five. Children acted out more and were more aggressive when they had been spanked by their mothers as five-year-olds, whether regularly or occasionally.

Spanking by mothers at least twice a week was tied to a two-point increase on a 70-point scale of problem behavior. That was after the researchers took into account children’s behavior at younger ages and other family characteristics. There was no link between spanking by parents at age three and children’s later behavior, however.

Kids also tended to score lower on vocabulary tests when they had been regularly spanked by their fathers at age five, MacKenzie and his colleagues write in Pediatrics. The average vocabulary score for all nine-year-olds in the study was 93, slightly below the test-wide standard score of 100. Frequent spanking by fathers was linked to a four-point lower score. But the researchers couldn’t be sure that small difference wasn’t due to chance.

Gershoff said the finding is a bit hard to interpret. “I don’t think that spanking makes kids stupider,” she said. It’s possible that parents who are spanking are not talking to their children as often, Gershoff said. Or kids who are spanked and act out could be more distracted in the classroom. When it comes to disciplining children, she said there’s more evidence on what doesn’t work longterm than what does. —Reuters

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

Man’s weight loss is wife’s gain: Soon, a kidney AUSTRALIA: When Dominique Duhme dives into a river canal among the thousands of starters at the Noosa Triathlon, he’ll achieve the first of two lifechanging goals he set for himself when he decided to shed a significant amount of weight. The second won’t come until early next year when he’s able to donate one of his two healthy kidneys to his wife, Karina, who been undergoing three five-hour dialysis sessions a week since an organ donated by her sister began to fail. It was a big leap of faith: the Basel, Switzerland-born Duhme began training intensely at a Brisbane gym knowing that he had to drop the weight just to make him eligible to give one of his bloodcleansing organs to his wife. After two years, the couple is on the verge of turning their “one-in-a-million chance” into reality.

Duhme had no idea whether he’d even be compatible when he and his wife first consulted doctors about the transplant, and that there would be a large risk of the kidney being rejected even if the surgery could take place. Duhme recalls the doctors telling him: “‘If you want to give her your kidney, you’ve got to lose 30 kilograms (66 pounds).

Otherwise the surgeon won’t even look at you.’”

“And that basically did the trick for me,” he said.

A computer company consultant and co-owner in a catering business with his wife, Duhme has made time to fit training around a busy life and a strict diet. The 40-year-old Duhme, as he prepares for his first triathlon at the Olympic distance on the first weekend of November, is far fitter and healthier than when this particular journey began. And after competing in what he called several “baby tris (triathlons)” - swimming, cycling and running at shorter distances than the 1,500-meter swim, 40kilometer cycle and 10-kilometer run - he’s looking forward to competing in one of Australia’s most

popular multi-sport events and over the same distance that elite Olympians do.

Mark Vann, Duhme’s personal trainer, predicts his student will do well. “He is dedicated, highlymotivated and highly-driven,” says Vann. Duhme stepped up his training a year ago when he and

AUSTRALIA: In this Friday, Oct 18, 2013 photo, Dominique Duhme poses for a photo at Noosa Heads. — AP Karina, originally from Blackmore, England, got the best possible news: after extensive testing, it was determined he was not only an eligible donor, but just about ideal.

“It’s a million-to-one shot, and Karina never

thought I’d be a perfect match,” Duhme said. “I went through the preliminary tests, we went through the cross-matching, then we had to wait four weeks. We got the email yesterday in November of last year and it turned out I was even a better match than her sister was.

“My wife was floored. She was just sitting there, it was just like winning Lotto. To get a better match than a sibling, that’s very, very rare.” Karina Duhme, 45, became ill with a strep throat when she was 20 and still living in England. Complications shut down both her kidneys, and her younger sister donated one of hers. Donated kidneys can often last up to seven or eight years, Karina says, but she had her sister’s for double that amount of time before it began to fail, necessitating the search for a new donor and forcing Karina to be on dialysis for the last nine months.

“We got a Christmas card not long after we got the good news, and the person said ‘We always knew you two were a perfect match’,” Karina says.

“Exactly. So how wonderful is all this?” If everything goes to plan, the couple, who met playing tennis and have been married for eight years, will go into a Brisbane hospital early in the new year, Dominique to lose a kidney, Karina to get a new one. A sublime example of one person’s loss turning out to be another person’s gain. And their next goal is to both run next year’s Noosa Triathlon. “I was on dialysis the other day - you have plenty of time to think sitting there for five hours at a time and thought it would be a nice finish to all of this,” says Karina. “For me to get fit after the operation, to exercise together ... Dom is so passionate about it.

It would be his dream for us to run it together.” Her husband concurs. “A bit of a pilgrimage for the two of us,” he adds. —AP

W H AT ’ S O N

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

Navaratri celebrations at Bhavan Kendra 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

Greetings

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oday is a very special day, because it is the day when we first saw our angel. May you never grow up for us! Have a lovely Happy Birthday Ammu! May all your dreams come true!

Greetings from Acha, Amma and Malu.

You are cordially invited to a health awareness seminar titled “United Against Cancer” Hosted by American Women’s League on Saturday 26th October 2013, 5:00 - 8:30 pm at the Regency Hotel in Maha Ballroom. Chief guest H.E. Matthew Tueller, Ambassador of United States of America to Kuwait. Speakers: Dr Shafikha Al Awadhi - Ass. Professor Med., Consultant Medical Oncologist, Head Breast Cancer Unit, KCCC Dr Susanne Samir - Msc. Clinical Oncology, Breast, Colorectal and Anal Canal unit of the Radiation Oncology Department, KCCC Dr Rachid El Yousef - Consultant General, Vascular & Breast Surger y (American Board Certified) Mowasat Hospital.

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ndian Educational School, Kuwait, and its cultural wing Rythmscapes jointly celebrated Navaratri festivals with a variety of cultural programs at the IES premises from 5th to 14th October with boundless piety and heartfelt devotion. The 9-day celebration assuaged stress and strain of the souls of many, and satiated the feelings and frequencies of relentless devotees. The divine festivity was inaugurated by the principal T Premkumar.

All the nine sacred eventide, many Bhavanites, their

parents, well-wishers, teachers, and the parents of the students of other Indian Schools in Kuwait graced the gracious occasions with their artistic fortes like classical and semi classical dances, bhajans, classical singing, and playing the musical instruments. The kids elated the audience with their exuberant rendering of enigmatic dances and soulful music.

The ninth day celebration was marked by the outstanding performance of an idakka artist, one of the well-wishers of Bhavan family and its charismatic

rhythm and pitch took the entire audienceto a higher level of blissand urged them to be one with the macrocosm. On 14th October, the day of climatic finale, many children had their Vidyarambam, the first holy and auspicious step into the world of letters. The Vijayadashami day witnessed the induction of many boys, girls and women into the spheres of the classical dance and music with the blessings of the preceptors of Rythmscapes.

Karnataka CM launches Malabar Gold CSR Initiatives

Announcements Pakistan women’s forum akistan women’s forum Kuwait - non profit organization will be holding its general meeting and election soon. All Pakistani ladies are invited. The next meeting will be on Friday 25 October 2013 (3 pm to 5 pm) at Pak house in Hateen

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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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KDNA to conduct henna designing competition ozhikode District NRI Association (KDNA) will conduct a Henna Designing competition for women contestants in Kuwait on the occasion of ‘Malabar Mahotsava 2013’ on November 15th†2013 at 10 am at Indian Central School, Abbassiya. Fabulous prizes will be given to the best designers. The winners will be eligible for 1st, 2nd†and 3rd†prizes sponsored by Malabar Gold & Diamonds. Interested contestants may please contact 97797680. There will be a special stall with Henna & other accessories required for the competition at Malabar Mahotsava “Mananchira Squareî.

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Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

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elebrating 20 golden years in business, Malabar Gold & Diamonds, announced a series of CSR activities across India in areas of education, women empowerment, healthcare, housing & environment. As a part of this, the gem and jewelry retailer proposed to provide scholarships worth Rs 2 crore to 5,000 deserving students across the entire Karnataka.

Besides, the company will be providing financial aid for constructing homes to 100 homeless people in the State. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah formally flagged off the retailer’s ambitious initiatives, on October 17, Thursday, in city.

Besides Siddaramiah, Home minister K J George, Shantinagar MLA N A Haris, Malabar Group Chairman M P Ahammed, Co-Chairman P A Ibrahim Haji, and Executive Director O. Asher, were present. Stating that this was just a beginning of the group’s CSR initiatives across Karnataka as it toasts its 20 years of business, Chairman M P Ahammed said similar initiatives are planned in other regions of the country and GCC as well, where the retailer has a major presence.

“Over the last two decades, the retailer, as part of its CSR activities has contributed substantially to the welfare of the society,” the chairman said. “So far around 4,35,000 people across India have received life saving drugs as a part of healthcare initiatives and round 7,500 homeless financial aid for constructing homes.

Educational scholarships are being awarded to thousands of deserving students in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh,” the chairman added.

Realising teachers are true agents for systemic change in the education system - “Gurukul for Gurus” a training program was launched in association with IIM, Kozhikode, to promote excellence in school education

by providing integrated training for school teachers. As part of ‘Green India’ initiative Malabar Group launched “Zero Waste=100 Marks” campaign that aimed at promoting environmental awareness among the school children. “MaalinyamukthaKeralam, Clean Mangalore,

Clean Mysore” were other campaigns initiated by the group aimed at creating a ‘Plastic & Litter Free” world, M P Ahammed added.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Cucina donates 10% revenue to the charity

Embassy Information

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otel Missoni Kuwait announces that (for the month of October) Cucina, the Italian restaurant will be donating 10% of its revenue to the charity of Abdulwahab Al Qatami for breast cancer. Alfio Bernardini, the general manager said “As part of our responsible business activities, we as a hotel are always looking for ways to participate in bettering the community. For October, breast cancer awareness month, the hotel decided to donate 10% of the restaurant’s income to help benefit the breast cancer society.” The restaurant Cucina has recently underwent a process of remodeling and modernization, adding a charming decor interior with a stunning view of the Arabian Gulf. The restaurant offers more than just a beautiful setting, it also has a new menu revamped by Cucina’s new restaurant executive chef Mirco Nocchetti. Cucina re-opens on the 8th of October.

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

‘Divine Feast 2013’

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.

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ev Fr Geevarghese Vallikkattil from Kandanad East Diocese, Board Member and Administrator of Sukhada Ministries, Kolanchery arrived in Kuwait for a short visit. Rev Fr Reji C Varghese, Associate Vicar of St Gregorios Indian Orthodox Maha Edavaka, John P Joseph, IOMF Officials and IOMF family members received him at Kuwait Airport. Fr Geevarghese Vallikkattil will lead “Divine Feast 2013” organized by Indian Orthodox Mercy Fellowship (IOMF) - a spiritual and charitable organization under St Gregorios Indian Orthodox Maha Edavaka, Kuwait. The program is scheduled to be on Thursday October 24th by 7 pm and Friday October 25th by 10 am at United Indian School, Abbassiya. During his stay in Kuwait, Achen will also lead other programs organized by St Gregorios Indian Orthodox Maha Edavaka and will be available in Kuwait till October 27, 2013.

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EMBASSY OF GREECE

Kuwait National English School celebrates Yellow Day

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

T

he young children of Kuwait National English School recently celebrated the color Yellow. In the meaning of colors, yellow inspires original thought and inquisitiveness. It also stimulates creativi-

ty and hope. The Early Years children actively discovered, shared thoughts and enjoyed the exploration of the color and it’s every day resonance in our world.

The children found that a simple focus can expand the

mind in more ways than can be thought of! The Early Years Children of Kuwait National English School would like to wish everyone a hopeful and cheerful color day, every day!

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.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

03:15 Too Cute!

04:05 America’s Cutest Pets 04:55 Predator’s Prey 05:20 Cheetah Kingdom 05:45 ER Vets 06:10 ER Vets 06:35 Call Of The Wildman 07:00 Monkey Life 07:25 The Magic Of The Big Blue 08:15 The Most Extreme 09:10 Breed All About It 09:35 Breed All About It 10:05 Roaring With Pride 11:00 Animal Cops Houston 11:55 Predator’s Prey 12:20 Call Of The Wildman 12:50 Roaring With Pride 13:45 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 14:40 Roaring With Pride 15:30 Cheetah Kingdom 16:00 Monkey Life 16:30 The Most Extreme 17:25 Too Cute!

18:20 Too Cute!

19:15 Monkey Life 19:40 Call Of The Wildman 20:10 Predator’s Prey 20:35 Cheetah Kingdom 21:05 Roaring With Pride 22:00 Bondi Vet 22:55 ER Vets 23:25 ER Vets 23:50 Animal Cops Houston 00:45 Swimming With Monsters: Steve Backshall 01:35 Untamed & Uncut 02:25 Roaring With Pride

03:30 Roger & Val Have Just Got In 04:00 Little Britain 04:30 My Family 05:00 Mr Bloom’s Nursery 05:20 Teletubbies 05:45 3rd & Bird 05:55 Nuzzle & Scratch: Frock n Roll 06:15 Mr Bloom’s Nursery 06:35 Teletubbies 07:00 3rd & Bird 07:10 Nuzzle & Scratch: Frock n Roll 07:25 My Family 07:55 Little Britain 08:25 Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky 09:15 Eastenders 09:45 Doctors 10:15 Outcasts 11:05 The Weakest Link 11:55 My Family 12:25 Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky 13:15 Little Britain 13:45 Eastenders 14:15 Doctors 14:45 The Weakest Link 15:30 Outcasts 16:20 Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky 17:10 Eastenders 17:40 Doctors 18:10 The Weakest Link 19:00 Last Of The Summer Wine 19:30 Roger & Val Have Just Got In 20:00 South Riding 20:55 Rev. 21:25 Dinnerladies 21:55 Mistresses 22:45 Dead Boss 23:15 The Weakest Link 00:00 Last Of The Summer Wine 00:30 Outcasts 01:25 Eastenders 01:55 Doctors 02:20 Roger & Val Have Just Got In 02:50 Dead Boss

03:00 Great British Menu 03:25 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill 03:50 Cash In The Attic 04:35 Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets

05:00 Bargain Hunt 05:45 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 06:30 Great British Menu 07:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 07:45 Bargain Hunt 08:30 Marbella Mansions 09:20 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill 09:45 Come Dine With Me: South Africa 10:40 Come Dine With Me 11:30 Celebrity MasterChef 12:25 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 13:10 Antiques Roadshow 14:05 Homes Under The Hammer 15:00 Homes Under The Hammer 15:50 Bargain Hunt 16:35 Cash In The Attic 17:20 Antiques Roadshow 18:15 Homes Under The Hammer 19:10 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill 19:35 A Taste Of Greenland 20:30 Come Dine With Me 21:20 Antiques Roadshow 22:15 Bargain Hunt 23:00 Cash In The Attic 23:45 Homes Under The Hammer 00:40 Come Dine With Me 01:30 Celebrity MasterChef 02:00 The Hairy Bikers Ride Again 02:25 Fantasy Homes By The Sea

03:00 Mythbusters 03:50 Border Security 04:15 Storage Hunters 04:40 Baggage Battles 05:05 How Do They Do It? 05:30 How It’s Made 06:00 Sons Of Guns 07:00 Mythbusters 07:50 Flying Wild Alaska 08:40 American Chopper 09:30 Border Security 09:55 Storage Hunters 10:20 Baggage Battles 10:45 How Do They Do It? 11:10 How It’s Made 11:35 River Monsters 12:25 Deadliest Catch 13:15 Giant Squid: Last Mystery Of The Deep 14:05 Border Security 14:30 Storage Hunters 14:55 Baggage Battles 15:20 Yukon Men 16:10 American Chopper 17:00 Ultimate Survival 17:50 Dirty Jobs 18:40 Mythbusters 19:30 Sons Of Guns 20:20 Storage Hunters 20:45 Baggage Battles 21:10 How Do They Do It? 21:35 How It’s Made 22:00 Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell 22:50 Naked And Marooned: Ed Bares All 23:40 Car vs Wild 00:30 Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell 01:20 Naked And Marooned: Ed Bares All 02:10 Car vs Wild

03:00 03:45 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 09:30 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:50 13:15 13:40 14:30 15:20 15:45 16:10

Deadly Sins I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting Nightmare Next Door Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth...

On The Case With Paula Zahn Solved Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Disappeared

17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:40 00:30 01:20 02:10 02:35

Solved Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn On The Case With Paula Zahn Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill Dates From Hell Dates From Hell Deadly Women I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting Dates From Hell Dates From Hell

03:35 Thunder Races 04:25 How The Universe Works 05:15 The Gadget Show 05:40 The Tech Show 06:05 Kings Of Construction 07:00 Flying Anvils 07:50 Unchained Reaction 08:40 The Gadget Show 09:05 The Tech Show 09:30 Sport Science 10:25 Superships 11:20 Thunder Races 12:10 Space Pioneer 13:00 Unchained Reaction 13:50 How Do They Do It? 14:20 The Gadget Show 14:45 The Tech Show 15:10 Flying Anvils 16:00 Sport Science 16:55 Kings Of Construction 17:45 Thunder Races 18:35 How The Universe Works 19:30 Ldrs (Large Dangerous Rocket Ships) 20:20 Unchained Reaction 21:10 The Gadget Show 21:35 The Tech Show 22:00 Ldrs (Large Dangerous Rocket Ships) 22:50 Unchained Reaction 23:40 The Colony 00:30 How Do They Do It? 01:00 The Gadget Show 01:25 The Tech Show 01:50 Ldrs (Large Dangerous Rocket Ships) 02:45 Unchained Reaction

03:45 04:05 04:30 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:45 07:10 07:35 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:25 11:50 12:15 12:35 13:00 13:25 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:10 17:00 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:30 18:55 19:20 20:05 20:30 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:10 23:35 00:00 00:20 00:45 01:05 01:30 01:50 02:15 02:35

Sonny With A Chance Sonny With A Chance Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Austin And Ally Austin And Ally A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Jessie Good Luck Charlie Sofia The First Doc McStuffins Mickey Mouse Clubhouse A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Jessie Jessie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Gravity Falls Shake It Up Shake It Up Austin And Ally Austin And Ally A.N.T. Farm Shake It Up My Babysitter’s A Vampire That’s So Raven Gravity Falls Jessie Violetta Dog With A Blog Austin And Ally Gravity Falls Shake It Up That’s So Raven A.N.T. Farm Violetta Jessie My Babysitter’s A Vampire Austin And Ally Shake It Up That’s So Raven Jessie A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Sonny With A Chance Sonny With A Chance Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place

08:00 Marco Macaco 10:00 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Dog Days 11:45 D’Fenders 13:15 Beethoven’s Second 14:45 Princess Sydney: The Three Gold Coins 16:00 Valentina 18:00 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Dog Days 20:00 Sandokan: The Gift Of Tigers 22:00 Princess Sydney: The Three Gold Coins 23:30 Valentina 01:00 Marco Macaco 02:45 Sandokan: The Gift Of Tigers

04:15 Hotel Transylvania 06:15 Superman vs. The Elite 08:00 Ice Age: Continental Drift 10:00 Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas 11:45 The Amazing Spider-Man 14:15 The Wild Girl 16:00 Ice Age: Continental Drift 18:00 Shark Night 20:00 Ted 22:00 Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters 00:00 The People vs George Lucas 02:00 Shark Night

BEWARE THE GONZO ON OSN MOVIES COMEDY 03:25 04:20 04:45 05:15 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:45 09:35 10:30 Subs 11:20 12:10 12:35 13:05 World 13:55 14:50 15:45 16:40 17:35 World 18:25 19:20 20:10 20:35 21:05 Hood 22:00 22:55 23:50 00:45 Hood 01:35 02:30

I Shouldn’t Be Alive Classic Car Club Ultimate Cars Raging Planet The Mistress I Shouldn’t Be Alive American Car Prospector Leaning Tower Of Pisa Crime Scene Wild The Hunt For The Samurai The Mistress Classic Car Club Ultimate Cars Inventions That Shook The Raging Planet Altered Statesmen Ultimate Warfare The Mistress Inventions That Shook The I Shouldn’t Be Alive History Cold Case USA Classic Car Club Ultimate Cars How The Bismarck Sank HMS History Cold Case USA I Was Bitten Murder Shift How The Bismarck Sank HMS History Cold Case USA I Was Bitten

03:00 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody 03:20 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody

THE FOG ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

03:20 Handy Manny 03:40 Special Agent Oso 03:50 Special Agent Oso 04:00 Timmy Time 04:10 Imagination Movers 04:35 Little Einsteins 05:00 Jungle Junction 05:15 Jungle Junction 05:30 Little Einsteins 05:50 Special Agent Oso 06:00 Special Agent Oso 06:15 Jungle Junction 06:30 Jungle Junction 06:45 Handy Manny 07:00 Special Agent Oso 07:15 Jungle Junction 07:30 Higglytown Heroes 07:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 08:10 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 08:35 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 08:50 Doc McStuffins 09:05 Doc McStuffins 09:20 Zou 09:35 Henry Hugglemonster 09:50 Henry Hugglemonster 10:00 Sofia The First 10:25 Doc McStuffins 10:40 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 10:55 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 11:20 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 11:45 Mouk 12:00 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 12:05 Higglytown Heroes 12:20 The Hive 12:30 Doc McStuffins 12:45 Doc McStuffins 13:00 Zou 13:15 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 13:30 Henry Hugglemonster 13:45 Henry Hugglemonster 13:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 14:20 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 14:45 Higglytown Heroes 14:55 The Hive 15:05 Doc McStuffins 15:20 Zou 15:35 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 15:50 Mouk 16:05 Art Attack 16:30 Goof Troop 16:55 Tarzan 17:20 Quack Pack 17:45 Lilo And Stitch 18:10 Henry Hugglemonster 18:25 Doc McStuffins 18:35 Sofia The First 19:00 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 19:05 Pajanimals 19:25 Doc McStuffins 19:40 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 19:45 Zou 20:00 Pajanimals 20:15 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 20:30 Goof Troop 20:55 Tarzan 21:20 Quack Pack 21:45 Lilo And Stitch 22:10 Sofia The First 22:35 Doc McStuffins 22:50 Pajanimals 23:05 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 23:10 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 23:35 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 23:50 Zou 00:10 Doc McStuffins 00:25 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 00:50 Jungle Junction 01:10 Handy Manny 01:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 01:55 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 02:00 Little Einsteins 02:25 Special Agent Oso 02:40 Special Agent Oso 02:50 Imagination Movers

06:00 Kid vs Kat 06:10 Scaredy Squirrel 06:35 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 07:00 Max Steel 07:25 Phineas And Ferb 07:50 Slugterra 08:15 Crash & Bernstein 08:40 Kickin IT 09:05 Kickin IT 09:30 Phineas And Ferb 09:55 Phineas And Ferb 10:20 Lab Rats 10:45 Lab Rats 11:10 Pokemon Bw: Adventures In Unova 11:35 Max Steel 12:00 Zeke & Luther 12:25 Zeke & Luther 12:50 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 13:00 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 13:15 Scaredy Squirrel 13:40 Pair Of Kings 14:05 Pair Of Kings 14:30 Phineas And Ferb 14:40 Phineas And Ferb 14:55 Phineas And Ferb 15:05 Phineas And Ferb 15:20 Pokemon Bw: Adventures In Unova 15:45 Max Steel 16:10 Pair Of Kings 16:35 Crash & Bernstein 17:00 Lab Rats 17:30 Kickin IT 18:00 Kickin IT 18:25 Phineas And Ferb 18:35 Phineas And Ferb 18:50 Phineas And Ferb 19:00 Phineas And Ferb 19:15 Slugterra 19:30 Marvel Avengers Assemble 19:40 Crash & Bernstein 20:05 Ultimate Spider-Man 20:55 Pair Of Kings 21:20 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 21:45 Phineas And Ferb 22:10 Phineas And Ferb 22:35 Scaredy Squirrel 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am KSA

03:00 Feasts 03:25 03:50 04:15 04:40 05:30 06:10 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 Basics 09:30 10:20 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:00 12:50 13:15 Basics 13:40 14:05 14:30 14:55 15:20 15:45 16:35 17:00 17:25 17:50 18:15 18:40

Andy Bates American Street Food Wars Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives United Tastes Of America Chopped Iron Chef America Food Network Challenge Unwrapped Unwrapped Recipes That Rock Kid In A Candy Store Jenny Morris Cooks Morocco Barefoot Contessa - Back To The Next Food Network Star Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam Aarti Party Unwrapped Unique Sweets Amazing Wedding Cakes Reza’s African Kitchen Barefoot Contessa - Back To Charly’s Cake Angels Siba’s Table Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Symon’s Suppers Chopped Barefoot Contessa Barefoot Contessa Andy Bates Street Feasts Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Guy’s Big Bite

19:05 19:30 19:55 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:40 00:05 00:30 00:55 01:20 01:45 02:10 02:35

Roadtrip With G. Garvin Siba’s Table Charly’s Cake Angels Chopped Chopped Reza’s African Kitchen Reza’s African Kitchen Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Food Wars Recipes That Rock Outrageous Food Reza’s African Kitchen Reza’s African Kitchen Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives

03:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 03:30 South Park 04:00 Brickleberry 04:30 The New Normal 05:00 The Simpsons 05:30 Last Man Standing 06:00 Seinfeld 06:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 07:30 Two And A Half Men 08:00 1600 Penn 08:30 Friends 09:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 10:00 Seinfeld 10:30 Two And A Half Men 11:00 The Simpsons 11:30 Community 12:00 Modern Family 12:30 Friends 13:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 14:00 1600 Penn 14:30 Seinfeld 15:00 Two And A Half Men 15:30 Friends 16:00 Last Man Standing 16:30 Community 17:00 Modern Family 17:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 18:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 18:30 1600 Penn 19:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 20:00 Hot In Cleveland 20:30 Raising Hope 21:00 The Crazy Ones 21:30 Arrested Development 22:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 23:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 23:30 The Colbert Report 00:00 Louie 00:30 Brickleberry 01:00 The New Normal 01:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 02:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00

Scandal Revenge Once Upon A Time 24 Parenthood Covert Affairs Revenge Once Upon A Time Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Covert Affairs 24 Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Covert Affairs Once Upon A Time Grey’s Anatomy Homeland House Of Cards Scandal 24

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 00:00 02:00

Bait Meteor Storm Metal Shifters Last Man Standing The Fog Soldiers Of Fortune Last Man Standing Do No Harm Soldiers Of Fortune Doom Dredd Bunraku

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 00:00 02:15

Meteor Storm Metal Shifters Last Man Standing The Fog Soldiers Of Fortune Last Man Standing Do No Harm Soldiers Of Fortune Doom Dredd Bunraku Doom

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 00:00 02:00

Beware The Gonzo Just Crazy Enough My Dog’s Christmas Miracle 3 Holiday Tails Beware The Gonzo Falling Star 3 Holiday Tails Ernest Goes To Jail Cellmates American Cowslip Stripes Cellmates

04:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:30 17:00 18:45 Close 21:00 23:00 01:00

Hindenburg Saving Grace B. Jones Taken Back: Finding Haley A View From Here Dead Lines The Flowers Of War And Soon The Darkness Extremely Loud & Incredibly

03:30 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00 01:00

Sound Of My Voice Sleepy Hollow Dolphin Tale Love Finds A Home The Forger Black Forest A Fall From Grace The Forger Me And You Perfect Stranger The End Of The Affair A Fall From Grace

03:00 05:15 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:30 16:15 18:00 21:00 23:00 01:00

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Flower Girl Class The Double The Pirates! Band Of Misfits Flicka 3 A Mother’s Choice The Double The Dark Knight Rises Being Flynn The Watch Carnage

The Ides Of March Snowtown And Soon The Darkness

04:30 Pacific Pirates 06:00 Snowmen

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 Leno 05:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 10:00 11:00 Leno 12:30 13:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00

03:00 04:30 07:00 08:50 10:35 13:00 14:45 16:00 17:55 20:00 22:00 00:10 01:40

The Daily Show The Colbert Report Saturday Night Live The League Ben And Kate Ben And Kate Seinfeld The Tonight Show With Jay All Of Us Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Seinfeld All Of Us Hot In Cleveland The Tonight Show With Jay Seinfeld All Of Us Hot In Cleveland The Daily Show The Colbert Report Late Night With Jimmy Fallon The Simpsons

The Train Robbers The Three Musketeers Rebel Without A Cause Two Weeks In Another Town The Brothers Karamazov Come Fly With Me Challenge To Lassie East Of Eden All The Fine Young Cannibals Conagher Wild Rovers Hit Man Wild Rovers

03:00 Currie Cup 05:00 ITM Cup 07:00 Darts Grand Prix 11:00 ICC Cricket 360 11:30 Champions League Twenty20 14:30 Total Rugby 15:00 Inside The PGA Tour 15:30 European Tour Weekly 16:00 Live PGA European Tour 20:00 Trans World Sport 21:00 Live Darts Grand Prix 01:00 Total Rugby 01:30 Amlin European Challenge Cup

05:00 UFC - The Ultimate Fighter Season 18 06:00 UFC - Unleashed 07:00 The Rugby Championship 09:00 ICC Cricket 360 09:30 NRL Full Time 10:00 Futbol Mundial 10:30 Total Rugby 11:00 Darts Grand Prix 15:00 UFC - Primetime 2011-13 15:30 UFC Prelims 17:30 UFC - Maia vs. Shields 20:30 UFC - The Ultimate Fighter Season 18 21:45 Live Amlin European Challenge Cup 00:00 Live PGA Tour

03:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 04:00 Rock My RV With Bret Michaels 04:30 Rock My RV With Bret Michaels 05:00 Insane Coaster Wars 05:30 Insane Coaster Wars 06:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 07:00 Globe Trekker 08:00 Departures 09:00 Airport 24/7: Miami 09:30 Airport 24/7: Miami 10:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 11:00 Insane Coaster Wars 11:30 Insane Coaster Wars 12:00 Extreme Chef 13:00 Bizarre Foods America 14:00 International House Hunters 14:30 International House Hunters 15:00 International House Hunters 15:30 International House Hunters 16:00 Hotel Impossible 17:00 It’s A Woman’s World 18:00 Extreme Chef 19:00 Bizarre Foods America 20:00 International House Hunters 20:30 International House Hunters 21:00 The Food Truck 21:30 The Food Truck 22:00 Bizarre Foods America 23:00 Airport 24/7: Miami 23:30 Airport 24/7: Miami 00:00 Insane Coaster Wars 00:30 Insane Coaster Wars 01:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides

Classifieds TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

FOR SALE Mitsubishi Pajero for sale 1996 model, color red, passing up to Aug 2014, used by a lady, need little work.

Contact: 97277139.

Toyota Camry GL 2011, pearl white, full options, 60,000 km, excellent condition, KD 4000. Tel: 99439037, 9 am to 4 pm serious buyer please.

(C 4542) 22-10-2013

Nissan Pathfinder 2003 model, in good condition, white. Price: KD 2000 Serious buyer may contact 97277135 21-10-2013 Toyota XA 2005, maroon color, full options, 100,000 km, excellent condition. KD

1300. Tel: 50994848.

(C 4539) 20-10-2013 Mitsubishi Galant model 2000, full condition.

Contact: 94033908.

15-10-2013 Mitsubishi jeep Nativa model 2011, white color, alloy rim, 6 cylinder engine, 4 wheel drive, automatic gear, excellent condition, installment possible. Cash price KD 2900, negotiable.

Tel: 66507741.

(C 4533) CHANGE OF NAME I, Safia Begum holder of Indian Passport No. L0038265 shall henceforth be known as Murugesan Uma Mageswari.

(C 4541) 22-10-2013 I, Khaliq Uzzaman Khan, S/O Rafiq Uzzaman Khan, holder of Indian Passport No: G3956560, R/o 49/1 Mahewa, Allahabad U.P., India, have changed my name to Khaleeq Uzzaman Khan for all legal and practical purpose.

(C 4540) 21-10-2013 I, Mohammed Ali Khan, S/o Hussan Sha Khan, date of birth: 05.06.1973, Passport No. E9102180 residing at No. 3/58, Periya Pallivasal Street, Mel Kavarapet Post 607 112, shall henceforth be known as MOHAMMED ALI. (C 4534) 12-10-2013 From Adeb Shams - as per the birth certificate - 15days-old to Adeb Ibrahim.

Tel: 66993190.

(C 4530)

SITUATION VACANT A family is looking to hire a driver. 94026500.

(C 4536) 20-10-2013

SITUATION WANTED Indian Computer Engineer, B.Tech (information technology), networking, CCNA certified, 3 years experience in Kuwait, Article 18 visa seeks job. Contact: 99561274, email: mahesh88.gv@gmail.com (C 4535) 12-10-2013

ACCOMMODATION Sharing in Farwaniya for decent Filipino only, block 1, st 122 near Gulf Mart/Nesto hypermarket, rent KD 85. Mob: 97805614.

(C 4537)

Prayer timings Fajr: Shorook Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

Sharing accommodation available for decent bachelor non smoking. Amman street, opposite to Al Rashid hospital. Please contact: 66232356.

(C 4538) 20-10-2013

04:30 05:49 11:34 14:51 17:18 18:35

112

No: 15963

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION

Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is

1889988 Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 22/10/2013 Airlines Flt Route BBC 43 DHAKA QTR 148 DOHA JZR 267 BEIRUT JZR 539 CAIRO PIA 239 SIALKOT FDB 8063 DUBAI THY 764 SABIHA ETH 620 ADDIS ABABA GFA 211 BAHRAIN UAE 853 DUBAI ETD 305 ABU DHABI-INTL FDB 67 DUBAI RJA 642 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA MSR 612 CAIRO OMA 643 MUSCAT QTR 138 DOHA THY 770 ISTANBUL DHX 170 BAHRAIN BAW 157 LONDON KAC 412 MANILA/BANGKOK KAC 416 JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR KAC 206 ISLAMABAD KAC 302 MUMBAI JZR 503 LUXOR FDB 53 DUBAI KAC 332 TRIVANDRUM KAC 352 COCHIN KAC 284 DHAKA UAE 855 DUBAI ABY 125 SHARJAH FDB 55 DUBAI IRA 605 ISFAHAN QTR 132 DOHA ETD 301 ABU DHABI-INTL GFA 213 BAHRAIN MEA 404 BEIRUT JZR 165 DUBAI JZR 561 SOHAG TMA 213 BEIRUT UAE 871 DUBAI MSR 610 CAIRO THY 766 ISTANBUL QTR 140 DOHA KAC 514 TEHRAN FDB 57 DUBAI KAC 546 ALEXANDRIA KAC 562 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA SVA 500 JEDDAH

Time 00:05 00:05 00:20 00:40 01:05 01:10 01:40 01:45 01:55 02:25 02:30 03:10 03:10 03:15 03:20 03:30 04:35 05:10 06:30 06:15 06:35 07:25 07:50 07:40 07:45 07:55 08:05 08:15 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:20 09:25 09:30 10:40 10:55 11:35 12:00 12:00 12:45 13:00 13:10 13:45 13:40 13:50 14:15 14:40 14:30

KNE KAC SYR RJA QTR ETD UAE ABY UAL GFA JZR SVA JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC QTR FDB GFA AXB JAI KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB OMA ABY MEA IRA MSR KLM ALK UAE ETD QTR GFA JAI FDB AIC JZR JZR UAL JZR DLH JAI MSR THY

472 788 341 640 134 303 857 127 982 215 177 510 777 104 742 786 166 542 144 63 219 393 572 618 774 674 678 61 647 129 402 619 618 415 229 859 307 136 217 576 59 981 239 185 981 135 636 574 614 772

JEDDAH JEDDAH LATAKIA AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DOHA ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI SHARJAH WASHINGTON DC DULLES BAHRAIN DUBAI RIYADH JEDDAH LONDON DAMMAM JEDDAH PARIS/ROME CAIRO DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN KOZHIKODE MUMBAI DOHA RIYADH DUBAI MUSCAT/ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI MUSCAT SHARJAH BEIRUT LAR ALEXANDRIA AMSTERDAM COLOMBO DUBAI ABU DHABI-INTL DOHA BAHRAIN COCHIN/ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI CHENNAI/HYDERABAD/AHMEDABAD AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN FRANKFURT MUMBAI CAIRO ISTANBUL

14:35 15:00 15:15 15:55 16:15 16:35 16:55 17:10 17:15 17:20 17:30 17:20 17:50 18:45 19:30 18:30 18:40 18:15 18:25 18:55 19:05 19:15 19:35 19:10 19:25 19:25 19:35 20:00 20:00 20:05 20:15 20:20 20:30 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:30 21:45 22:05 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:40 22:40 23:00 23:10 23:20 23:30 23:45

Departure Flights on Tuesday 22/10/2013 Airlines Flt Route AIC 976 GOA/CHENNAI AXB 490 MANGALORE/COCHIN PIA 206 LAHORE JAI 573 MUMBAI MSR 615 CAIRO DLH 637 FRANKFURT KLM 411 AMSTERDAM JZR 502 LUXOR BBC 44 DHAKA FDB 8064 DUBAI THY 773 ISTANBUL PIA 240 SIALKOT/ISLAMABAD THY 765 SABIHA ETH 621 ADDIS ABABA UAE 854 DUBAI FDB 68 DUBAI MSR 613 CAIRO OMA 644 MUSCAT ETD 306 ABU DHABI-INTL QTR 139 DOHA QTR 149 DOHA JZR 560 SOHAG RJA 643 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA GFA 212 BAHRAIN THY 771 ISTANBUL KAC 545 ALEXANDRIA JZR 164 DUBAI BAW 156 LONDON FDB 54 DUBAI KAC 513 TEHRAN KAC 561 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA ABY 126 SHARJAH KAC 787 JEDDAH UAE 856 DUBAI FDB 56 DUBAI ETD 302 ABU DHABI-INTL IRA 604 ISFAHAN QTR 133 DOHA KAC 101 LONDON/NEW YORK GFA 214 BAHRAIN KAC 541 CAIRO KAC 165 ROME/PARIS MEA 405 BEIRUT JZR 776 JEDDAH KAC 785 JEDDAH KAC 677 MUSCAT/ABU DHABI-INTL JZR 176 DUBAI TMA 223 DUBAI/BEIRUT MSR 611 CAIRO

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Time 00:05 00:15 00:15 00:20 00:30 00:30 00:55 01:30 01:30 01:55 02:20 02:20 02:40 02:45 03:45 03:50 04:15 04:20 04:20 04:25 05:15 05:35 06:35 07:00 07:10 07:20 07:25 08:25 08:25 09:15 09:25 09:30 09:35 09:50 09:55 10:15 10:20 10:25 10:25 11:25 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:25 13:00 13:00 13:20 13:45 14:00

THY UAE FDB QTR KAC KNE SVA KAC KAC SYR KAC RJA JZR QTR ETD JZR ABY UAE GFA SVA UAL JZR JZR QTR FDB GFA JZR KAC AXB JAI FDB ABY OMA KAC KAC MEA IRA MSR DHX KLM ETD ALK UAE KAC QTR KAC GFA FDB KAC JAI JZR

767 872 58 141 673 473 501 617 773 342 741 641 238 135 304 538 128 858 216 511 982 184 266 145 64 220 134 283 394 571 62 120 648 343 351 403 618 607 171 415 308 230 860 381 137 301 218 60 205 575 554

ISTANBUL DUBAI DUBAI DOHA DUBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH DOHA RIYADH LATAKIA DAMMAM AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DOHA ABU DHABI-INTL CAIRO SHARJAH DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DHAKA KOZHIKODE MUMBAI DUBAI SHARJAH MUSCAT CHENNAI COCHIN BEIRUT LAR LUXOR BAHRAIN DAMMAM/AMSTERDAM ABU DHABI-INTL COLOMBO DUBAI DELHI DOHA MUMBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI ISLAMABAD ABU DHABI-INTL/COCHIN ALEXANDRIA

14:10 14:15 14:30 14:55 15:05 15:30 15:45 15:45 16:00 16:15 16:30 16:55 17:05 17:20 17:20 17:40 17:50 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:30 18:30 18:40 19:25 19:35 19:50 20:05 20:15 20:15 20:35 20:40 20:45 20:55 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:20 21:30 21:50 22:05 22:15 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:40 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:05 23:20

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 345

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) ARIES This afternoon good fortune will shine on you—opportunities become available in a very natural way. This is one of those days when things just seem to fall into place. You make your way through ideas and concepts. You express your ideas well. The secret to seeing an idea or concept to fruition is to make a presentation on paper with statistics that back your ideas. Young people or a loved one could bring you problems to solve this evening. You will have to slow your pace—give yourself time to think and present ideas about which to think. This way they will make the right decision for themselves.

Challenges are great indications that a change is needed. This evening you enjoy putting your feet up and listening to your favorite type of music.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Science, philosophy or religion is likely to seem as if it holds the ultimate answers at this time. True wisdom lies in discovering that there are no ultimate answers, only good questions. Lectures and conferences are commonplace just now—there are plans to be made. Ideological crusades can set your head spinning; distant journeys can stir your soul. Avoid legal entanglements at this time. Your best path to fame, if that is what you seek, is through your social contacts. An unexpected invitation this afternoon is a treat and your mind may be busy pulling everything together so that you can accept this invitation. You are particularly thrilled to sit in on the making of a movie or to direct the band or speak about your book.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. Goddess of the dead and queen of the underworld.

4. A step to one side (as in boxing or dancing).

12. Any of several small ungulate mammals of Africa and Asia with rodent-like incisors and feet with hooflike toes.

15. The compass point midway between east and southeast.

16. Cause to grow thin or weak.

17. Any of various coarse shrubby plants of the genus Iva with small greenish flowers.

18. The cry made by sheep.

19. A town in southeastern New Mexico on the Pecos River near the Mexican border.

20. The most common computer memory which can be used by programs to perform necessary tasks while the computer is on.

21. A feeling of great (usually exaggerated) elation.

23. A state in the Rocky Mountains.

25. The compass point midway between northeast and east.

26. A crystalline metallic element not found in nature.

28. An ability to understand a broad range of topics.

33. The period of time during which you are absent from work or duty.

34. A former copper coin of Pakistan.

40. Typical geese.

41. One thousandth of a second.

43. Small cubes with 1 to 6 spots on the faces.

44. A collection of objects laid on top of each other.

46. Having come or been brought to a conclusion.

49. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.

51. A lump of material formed from the content of a liquid.

52. Submerged aquatic plant having narrow leaves and small flowers.

55. A city in northern India.

57. A member of a rural Finnish people living in eastern Russia.

60. A colorless and odorless inert gas.

61. Bulky grayish-brown eagle with a short wedge-shaped white tail.

65. Associated with academia or an academy.

68. Called forth from a latent or potential state by stimulation.

69. Former measure of the US economy.

70. Perfect or complete or pure.

73. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

74. Japanese ornamental tree with fragrant white or pink blossoms and small yellow fruits.

75. An apparatus for performing a titration.

76. A container.

77. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

78. Used especially of plants.

79. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods.

DOWN 1. (Greek mythology) The goddess of youth and spring.

2. (Old Testament) The eldest son of Isaac who would have inherited the Covenant that God

made with Abraham and that Abraham passed on to Isaac.

3. A light springing movement upwards or forwards.

4. Someone who endorses a motion or petition as a necessary preliminary to a discussion or vote.

5. A hostel for pilgrims in Turkey.

6. An Iranian language spoken in Afghanistan.

7. Enthusiastic approval.

8. A female person who has the same parents as another person.

9. A sock with a separation for the big toe.

10. The 7th letter of the Greek alphabet.

11. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).

12. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter and the positron (1902-1984).

13. A genus of Indriidae.

14. A constitutional monarchy on the western part of the islands of Samoa in the South Pacific.

22. An upward movement (especially a rhythmical rising and falling).

24. A light touch or stroke.

27. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

29. A proteolytic enzyme secreted by the kidneys.

30. (of pain or sorrow) Made easier to bear.

31. Stable gear consisting of either of two curved supports that are attached to the collar of a draft horse and that hold the traces.

32. An enclosed space.

35. An anti-inflammatory drug that does not contain steroids.

36. Type genus of the Nepidae.

37. A material effigy that is worshipped as a god.

38. The head of a branch of an organized crime syndicate.

39. At a previous time.

42. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

45. A unit of magnetic moment of a molecular or atomic or subatomic particle.

47. A town in north central Oklahoma.

48. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

50. The sense organ for hearing and equilibrium.

53. (prosody) Of or consisting of iambs.

54. Bristlelike process near the tip of the antenna of certain flies.

56. Go back to a previous state.

58. (of complexion) Blemished by imperfections of the skin.

59. Done or occurring in a brief period of time.

62. Jordan's port.

63. Israeli statesman (born in Russia) who (as Prime Minister of Israel) negotiated a peace treaty with Anwar el-Sadat of Egypt (19131992).

64. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River.

66. Informal terms for a meal.

67. Tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears.

71. A boy or man.

72. A member of the Shoshonean people of Utah and Colorado and New Mexico.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

For you, making career moves involves attending to a few troublesome details this morning—whatever you or someone else may have neglected.

However, this is all short lived and you will be pleased to know that success is close at hand. You often make correct decisions and find the right path to move forward. While you seem to be climbing out of the stormy waters and onto the bank, a co-worker friend of yours may feel completely overwhelmed. When a brother behaves insanely, you can heal him only by perceiving the sanity in him. Confidence and encouragement are what you exhibit this afternoon. Circumstances may augment and stimulate appreciation and enjoyment of your life situation this evening.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Your workday is successful and the afternoon is filled with friendships and involvement in group activities. There is a feeling that one should accept invitations to upcoming events because the weather might not make it easy to travel at a later time.

Friends are important to you and there is much satisfaction that comes with accomplishing things in cooperation with others. There is a lot of chatter this afternoon. When you settle down at home you will find yourself in a good position to write and communicate with real originality. Inventions and breakthroughs are possible if you are working with a hobby. This could be a period of great material gain; it is certainly a time when material things have an attraction. Everything that glitters is not gold.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Challenges in the workplace are fast moving. Time is limited and you must be able to get through one job in order to handle the next job. Laughter will come as people look back over the day. Surprisingly, successful results can be seen. This is a fun time of year and a fun time to tell stories to the young ones. The energies around you this evening are just perfect for telling one of your wonderful stories. Creating a regular story time each week to tell a little history or some family accomplishment to the young people in your family will help them understand their roots. Perhaps this could be a new tradition somehow . . . Create a picture board if you want to enhance this experience. What fun! Consider taking turns with other families from other backgrounds.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Your ideas may not agree with the direction your career is taking. The price of success could mean that the ideas and methods of communication you use now may need adjusting soon. Today, the key to career moves involves attending to nagging details—whatever you have neglected or put aside. Attention to matters and performing efficiently are important. It can be easy this afternoon to separate out what does not serve you well. This includes ideas as well as collections of things. Your love life has never looked more promising—you may want to follow through with some leads for a new play that is in town. Keep working to gain a part in a play or movie . . . You will be pleased with the outcome. Family is the glue that binds; enjoy.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) You may not be able to keep your mind on your job today. It could be hard to make good job-related decisions. It is important to see the details in your work and not become lost in the why just now. It will be hard for you to do wrong, for all the cycles are working in your favor. Be patient with yourself; this can be a successful day for you, particularly if you just take the day as it comes. You may feel it is time to take on a new friend this afternoon. The people that live around you or the people in a hobby group you enjoy may present just such an opportunity. Let it happen naturally and you will know when that person is meant to be in your life. The secret is to pay attention. A family member may be visiting soon. Relax; this will be a good experience.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) This day is one of action and embarking on new projects. You will feel more and more confident and outgoing, a sense of confidence that grows stronger with each passing day. Projects that may have been suspended will now take on structure and shape. You should plan to work hard to bring out and give shape to the ideas you have pored over these last few weeks. You are beginning to move forward now and can expect reward for your hard work. There is an open door to the possibilities of travel. Short trips to nearby tourist sites might be fun. Perhaps there is a pumpkin or vegetable stand on the outskirts of your city that you might visit. A little walk around the area and you could find a bounty of beautiful leaves to gather for decorating at home.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You could find it easy to become carried away with some idea. Turn this into a positive outcome by making sure there is an interest in your idea. Things are happening and your career or path depends upon your own ambition and drive, as well as your ability to be patient and bide your time. You are able to use good common sense—you can feel trends and make the right moves. Usually people create in the mind how they want to relate to someone before they even get to know a person. Everyone has a personality one shows to a parent and a personality one shows to a friend. Today is a good time to see your relationships with others in an unbiased manner. The insight may be an interesting one for you. Shopping after work is good if you are not hungry.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You are very trusting and idealistic when it comes to taking care of business and getting down to the basics. Others value you for your ability to organize and conduct business while surrounded by so much confusion. You are able to intuitively know just how to match each employee with the job he or she can do best. You also can see the best in a situation, making it hard for others to say no to you. You may be able to cut yourself the best deal in a financial situation today. You have a natural sense of what the public wants at this time and may find yourself solving customer needs this afternoon.

Your word is good and you do not forget your promise to a family member this afternoon.

Family and security are things that rattle your chain.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) The no-nonsense feeling today makes for wise choices when it comes to good business ventures. You are constantly stripping away the dross to reveal the truth or essence of a subject. You are in a very businesslike mind and can be caught in deep concentration many times. It is ideas that count for you now, more than narrowly personal concerns. Be patient with others that may not be on your level of thinking. You have a lot of energy for improving your skills and are very motivated to improve. You are in a good mood this evening and may even feel you have accomplished what you set out to accomplish this day. You feel particularly kind towards a friend or loved one this evening. Some favor he or she has done for you creates a deep affection.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Your career may be tied more to your appearance and how you come across to others. You may find that success comes by concentrating on your outward manner—the way others see you. You could be giving lectures, meeting the public or attending to public relations matters. Whatever the case, you may want to purchase several new suits for your working situation. You will prosper by pursuing your ideals and most deepseated dreams of how life could be. Ideas of group cooperation and teamwork ideas could further your career. This is a real time to buckle down and concentrate on your career. Your organizational abilities and sense of responsibility will be what proves successful. Your career will probably assume a more solid form at this time.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

Al-Madeena

22418714

Al-Shuhada

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Al-Jahra

25610011

Khaldiya

24848075

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Omariya

24719048

N Khaitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

36

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Chris Noth

appears with cellos in NYC show

A

ctor Chris Noth is appearing with a different kind of cast in New York City: eight cellos. The star of “Law & Order” and “Sex and the City” will be at Carnegie Hall on Monday for a show called “Angel Heart.” He’s narrating the family concert based on a new CD storybook. It’s about a girl whose heart is broken then healed on a journey with some fantastical creatures. The story by best-selling children’s writer Cornelia Funke comes with songs created for voices, cellos and mandolins by Luna Pearl Woolf. “Things are spinning so fast these days, how do we slow it down, how do we get back to words and sounds?” Noth wondered during rehearsals. He says children like his 5-year-old son should slow down and awaken their imaginations with just words and sounds.

The CD package, which was released last month, is narrated by actor Jeremy Irons. The idea for “Angel Heart” was born several years ago when Woolf, the Montreal-based mother of two young daughters, wanted to tell a story using just music. She teamed with cellist Matt Haimovitz, her husband, who brought in his all-cello ensemble - Uccello. The CD cast includes other leading musicians: soprano Lisa Delan, mezzosopranos Frederica von Stade and Zheng Cao (who died in February); the countertenor Daniel Taylor; and the baritone Sanford Sylvan. The Brooklyn Youth Chorus joins Monday’s performance at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall. A sort of bedtime story for the digital age, “Angel Heart” comes with an iPad app.

Taylor Swift

Swift

invites special guests to CMA Awards

Chris Noth

West

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aylor Swift has gathered an all-star band for her appearance on next month’s Country Music Association Awards. Swift will be joined by Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Sam Bush, bassist Edgar Meyer and percussionist Eric Darken for a special version of her hit song “Red.” The 23-year-old singer is one of two top nominees with six nominations for the Nov. 6 awards. Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley will co-host the ABC broadcast live from Nashville, Tenn. No word on what Swift has planned for her group. In recent award show performances, she’s played the Mad Hatter and led the viewer on a backstage tour. All five nominees for top honor entertainer of the year - Swift, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton and George Strait - will perform on the show this year.

Calls

in Jesus to Kick Off Yeezus Tour

K

anye West opened his Yeezus tour Saturday night in Seattle, closing the evening with a guestappearance by Jesus - or at least a reasonable facsimile. The rapper performed mainly selections from the new album on a spectacular Key Arena stage that featured a 60-foot tall white mountain as a centerpiece with a gigantic circular projection screen hanging above. West wore a series of masks while performing “On Sight,” “New Slave” and “Send It Up,” along with some of his older material.

Toward the end of the show the stage mountain split apart and spewed clouds of white smoke - along with the Virgin Mary and a large crucifix as West sang “I Wonder.” Then came the capper, according to Rolling Stone: a guest appearance by none other than Jesus Christ. West removed his mask and told the Savior figure that that he had been looking for him, to which Jesus responded that he had been there all along. Then, as the Christ figure would ascend to the top of the mountain, West bowed and the refrain from “On Sight” played: “You give us what we need, it may not be what we want.” Kendrick Lamar opened the show.

Kanye West

TLC’s ‘Chilli’ will ‘always love’

Bruce Jenner doesn’t

Bruce Jenner

want a new girlfriend

T

he 63-year-old former Olympian isn’t interested in finding love again following his split from Kris Jenner as he is still adjusting to the single life after 22 years of marriage. A friend of the star told People magazine: “We talked about it. And He said, ‘I’m not even going to think about another relationship at this point. After being with [Kris] for so long, I can’t imagine getting involved with someone else.’ “ Bruce has been focusing on spending quality time with his family instead, and was “all smiles” on Saturday evening at the Troubadour nightclub in West Hollywood. The proud father-of-six was accompanied by his youngest daughters; Kendall, 17, and Kylie, 16, as he watched his son Brandon and his wife perform as part of pop duo Brandon and Leah. An onlooker commented: “He was in great spirits. It was definitely all about his family.” Meanwhile, Bruce has remained in close contact with ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ matriarch Kris since their separation was announced. The pair are said to have no plans to divorce and are happy to keep living apart, while Kris - who also manages her children’s careers - is thought to still be collecting a commission for every deal she inks for her husband.

Green

Usher R

ozonda ‘Chilli’ Thomas will “always love” Usher. The TLC singer calls the ‘Scream’ hitmaker her first “real love” but insists their split was not the inspiration for his 2004 album ‘Confessions’ in which the central character in the music had cheated on a past girlfriend and even having a child with another woman. Chilli says the record - which included hits such as ‘Let It Burn’ and ‘Confessions’ - was actually based on the personal life of Jermaine Dupri, who produced it. She explained to US Weekly magazine: “We were together when he recorded that album. All of those songs on Confessions, that was about Jermaine Dupri’s situation. Usher was just singing it. But people kind of bought into it, it was just the timing of our breakup when the album came out. So people assumed that album was about us, but it was not.” Chilli - who was part of nineties R&B girl group TLC with Tionne ‘T-Boz’ Watkins and the late Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes - insists her relationship with Usher ended amicably and she will always love him. She continued: “Usher and I weren’t oil and water. We broke up because I guess it was that time or whatever ...

But I’ll always love him, forever, because he was my first adult love, a real love. but we’re cool, we’re really cool. There’s no hard feelings, nothing like that. It’s all good.” Usher,35, went onto marry his stylist Tameka Foster in 2007, before filing for divorce in 2009. The pair had been involved in a bitter custody battle over their two sons, fiveyear old Usher V and Naviyd, four.

Rozanda Chilli

Cher not heart-

to be charged with ecstasy possession

C

ee-Lo Green is allegedly set to be charged with ecstasy possession. Charges against the ‘The Voice’ judge for sexually assaulting a woman are set to be dropped, but the singer looks set to be booked for possession of the illegal substance, which he is said to have slipped into her drink, instead. The Los Angeles County District Attourney (DA) is set to reject the sexual assault case this morning due to insufficient evidence but Cee-Lo will instead be charged for one count of ecstasy possession, according to website TMZ. The woman at the centre of the case claims Cee-Lo slipped the class-A drug into her drink during a date at a sushi restaurant over a year ago and subsequently found herself naked in his bed with no knowledge of how she got there. However, the authorities have found inconsistencies in the woman’s story, namely that the couple were dating at the time and had been intimate before. Cee-Lo - whose punishment is expected to simply be probation - was caught on tape by the woman in question and can reportedly be heard referencing the drug. The criminal complaint will claim the ‘Forget You’ singer never intended to harm the woman when he shared the substance with her.

broken by split

C

Cher

her isn’t heartbroken about splitting from Tim Medvetz. The ‘Believe’ singer started dating former Hell’s Angel - who is 24 years her junior - in 2008 but “isn’t grieving “ since dumping him. The 67-year-old star told Attitude Magazine: “The one who does the breaking doesn’t do the grieving.” Cher claims one man she truly loved was Robert Camilletti, whom she dated in the 80s. The press dubbed Robert “bagel boy” because he worked in a bagel store but Cher claimed the “sex was great” and he was perfect. She added: “There was drama in the end but it had nothing to do with him and me. It was just that the paparazzi ruined our lives completely. “There were two of them that were following us and we got a restraining order against them.” The iconic singer hasn’t ruled out falling in love again and wants a man who is kind but not too smart, because they can end up being “too into themselves.” Cher’s first album of original material in more than a decade, ‘Closer to the Truth’, is out now.

37

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Portman ‘envious’ of her co-stars

Driver

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atalie Portman would love to live and work in the same place. The jet-setting ‘Thor: The Dark World’ star is “envious” of her British co-stars who are able to live and work in the same city because more and more Hollywood productions are making use of London’s production studios. She told BANG Showbiz: “I love working here in London and I’m envious of British actors and British crews because American actors, we end up like gypsies - movie to movie, moving cities every time. But you can have such a fulfilling, wonderful, rich career here between the theatre, the TV, and the film all in one place.

It’s pretty cool to get to live and work in the same place.” The 32-year-old beauty - who has twoyear-old son Aleph with her husband Benjamin Millepied - also said her mother Shelley Hershlag, who is her agent, often lends out family photos of her as a child to decorate the sets of her films, but joked her mum keeps using the same ones.

Speaking at the ‘Thor: The Dark World’ press conference in London, she explained: “I guess the funny thing is that it is the same set of photos she always lends out for every movie I’ve done for the past 20 years. There’s a lot of characters that shouldn’t have the same experiences and family photos, but do. Also, all sorts of people have been Photoshopped into them - there’s some interesting ones of me and Tobey Maguire from when I’m young, but not real, of course.”

M

innie Driver feels “guilty” about being a working mother. The Oscar-nominated actress thinks it is “important” for her five-year-old son, Henry, to see her strong work ethic but admits she feels “awful” about the little time she gets to spend with him while filming movies. Minnie told the Daily Express newspaper: “If I leave the house before Henry has woken up and I’m back after he has gone to bed, it’s awful.

So I find a way of getting his dad, or his nanny to bring him on set when I’m working,” “Working parents enjoys their career more because you realize it’s not the most important thing.” The ‘Good Will Hunting’ star - who is launching a campaign with charity Children in Need - also claims it may not be long before the young tot follows in her footsteps, as he already has a penchant for performing. She added: “[Will Henry act?] I wouldn’t put it past him. He will often sing a song or tell everyone a poem, he’s a proper little performer.” Minnie said last year the father of her son was a writer for television show ‘The Riches’, but has chosen not to disclose his identity.

Natalie Portman

Minnie Driver

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crush

H

arry Styles has a crush on Jennifer Lawrence. The One Direction hunk - who has previously dated fellow singer Taylor Swift admits he has the hots for the ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ actress and loves checking out what she is wearing at awards ceremonies because while she is dressed to impressed in “cool” outfits, she doesn’t try too hard to look great. He is quoted

by The Sun newspaper as saying: “Sometimes you see girls walking down the street proper dressed up, but they can’t walk because their shoes are dodgy. “Jennifer dresses cool. I like her at all those big awards things.”

Harry’s 1D bandmate Liam Payne - who his dating his school friend Sophia Smith - is also a hit with women and after recently getting a pair of his red Calvin Klein boxers stolen by a group of supporters in Australia earlier this month, he was shocked when one female fan offered him the keys to her house. Liam said: “Someone tried to give me their house keys today. She just said, ‘Take them.’ What did she think was going to happen?”

While the 20-year-old star politely declined the keen Directioner’s offer, he has a fairly straightforward view when it comes to clothing he likes to see women wearing. He explained: “I like it when girls wear those little denim shorts.”

team briefed to deny lip-sync

Hemsworth are very competitive

he ‘Thor: The Dark World’ actor draws inspiration from his own family when it comes to portraying the sibling rivalry between his character and Loki portrayed by Tom Hiddleston - in the superhero movies, and admits he often bickers with brothers Liam and Luke.

He said: “We’re competitive as siblings are, in everything from sport - backyard cricket and football - to who’s in control of the remote watching TV ... You understand what it’s like to have to that love/hate sort of thing where you’d do anything for them, but the simplest thing can annoy you.” Speaking at a press conference for the new comic book film in London on Sunday Chris’ co-star Tom added: “I’ve actually been on a road trip with Chris and Liam, and it’s very similar to arguments between Thor and Loki.” Chris, 30, conceded that he and ‘The Hunger Games’ star Liam, 23, find it difficult to share a car. He quipped: “[It’s like] ‘You’re the worst driver! Go that way, it’s quicker.’ ‘No, it’s not!’ “It appears eldest brother Luke, 32, is the cooler head among the trio. Tom said: “If you spend time with Luke, he just knocks both their heads together and goes, ‘Shut up, boys!’ “Chris responded: “He’s the older brother and runs the show.” However, the brothers Hemsworth are far more supportive of one another when it comes to their respective acting careers and help each other with auditions. Chris explained: “All of us understand the frailty and inconsistency of the work, so we help each other with auditions, and always have, and whatever scripts we’re working on. It’s more of a team effort with this than anything else.”

Harry Styles

will.i.am

B

ritney Spears’ team have been briefed to cover up her plans to lip-sync during her Las Vegas concert residency. The ‘Toxic’ hitmakers’ managers have created a “cheat sheet” of answers to be given to curious media and fans about her two-year ‘Britney: Piece of Me’ shows in the US gambling capital, and the document has now been obtained by the New York Daily News newspaper’s Confidenti@l section. According to Confidenti@l, the paper features stock answers like, “Yes! She will be singing live!”, “Certainly she will be singing live!”, “Yes, all vocals will be live!” and “No lipsyncing will happen at the show”. However, the “special notes” section of the sheet indicates otherwise, and contains a note reading, “All vocals will be pre-recorded.” It adds that the “live” band “will be pre-recorded also.” The document warns staff at Planet Hollywood to “try and stay in the margins of the provided answers and refrain from elaborating replies”. The pop princess will kick off her residency on December 27 and is reportedly being paid $15 million a year. Rumors of a cheat sheet first emerged in September, but Britney’s team have vehemently denied suggestions she will be lip-synching. A source said at the time: “Once Britney actually gets to Planet Hollywood everyone will have to sign confidentiality agreements, but right now I can tell you the answers we’ve been given to any and all questions are extremely sugar-coated.”

Chris and Liam Hemsworth

never takes a day off

T

Washington’s roles inspired by perfume

will.i.am

he ‘Scream and Shout’ hitmaker is always busy working on new songs and projects as he feels it would be “wasteful” to stop working. When asked by one of his followers on Twitter if he ever takes time off, he replied: “day off??? That sounds so wasteful ... image your brain or heart said: “I’m going to take the day off” ? #iCANTstop #iLOVEwork (sic)” will.i.am has his own music studio and is rumored to have set up his own science lab, as well as learning to write computer code so he can develop his own technology. He also has the title Director of Creative Innovation at technology firm Intel and promises he is working on something big, which he describes as “the next creative journey” in his life. He added: “I’m getting things in order now ... I never been this focus and organized ... my next VENTURE will be the greatest #ADVENTURE (sic)” When it comes to music will.i.am - real name William James Adams - is hoping to join Britney Spears on stage when she starts her two-year residency in Las Vegas in December to perform songs from her new album ‘Britney Jean Spears’, which he worked on as executive producer. He said: “I can’t wait for her Vegas shows to open. I want to go there and support, perform with her.”

erry Washington says perfume helps her get into character. The 36-year-old star switches up her scent every time she is cast in a new role to help her embody the new part, and goes for a simple yet chic fragrance to play high powered political fixer Olivia Pope in hit show ‘Scandal’. She told People magazine: “Whenever I play a different character I change my scent. Perfume can really set a tone or a mood in a room. Olivia needs to be neutral in the workplace.” Kerry has recently been unveiled as the new face of skincare brand Neutrogena and believes the role is perfect for her because her acting work has given her a real understanding of make-up. She said: “I live and work in makeup so I have a perspective on how a lip colour works after eight hours on the set or an hour on the red carpet . I’m so grateful for the hairstylist and makeup artist on [’Scandal’]. I roll out of bed at 4 am and sit in the chair at 4:30 and they transform me into that person.” Kerry - who will star in Neutrogena’s new campaign as well as being the company’s creative consultant - thinks the job is a natural fit as she is passionate about all things beauty. The brunette stunner enthused: “I will not go to bed with makeup on so it’s great to have a product that will get it off without leaving my skin too oily or dry. Now I can be on an adventure with my fans where I’ll be able to hear feedback on the products.”

Britney Spears

Kim Kardashian: North is a stylish baby

K

K

Kerry Washington

Spears’

Chris and Liam

Styles has

Lawrence

feels a ‘guilty’ working mum

Kim Kardashian

im Kardashian says baby North is far more stylish than she ever was. The reality star was “blown away” when her four-monthold daughter - whose father is rapper Kanye West - was lavished with gifts from top designers including Riccardo Tisci and Alexander Wang during Paris Fashion Week, and loves dressing the adorable tot up in fashionable clothes. She told Vogue.co.uk: “I was just blown away by the generosity of the designers for sending me those pieces.

Not all of the brands even make clothes for babies. This is the fun part right? Dressing her up and making her look nice. She’s much more stylish than I was when I was little, absolutely.” Kim and her sisters Khloe and Kourtney have teamed up with high street favorite Lipsy for their new Kardashian Kollection range, and the 33-year-old brunette says the aim was to make feel good pieces to flatter the female figure.

She explained: “Valentino and Isabel Marant aren’t really our style, but their influence is reflected in the collection. That idea of casual comfort that people love inspired the fabrics - there’s a lot of stretch.

“You know an Alaïa dress will hold and suck you in? I wanted to make pieces like that, pieces to make you feel really good about yourself.”

Kim claims she busied herself with her fashion projects to avoid dwelling on media criticism about her body shape during her pregnancy.

She admitted: “For me, having people criticise what I wore and looked like when I was pregnant - that was hard. It made me feel insecure, so I have tried to avoid the limelight more. Once you start focusing on the other stuff, the fragrances and our fashion line, you stop worrying about the rest.” The Kardashian Kollection for Lipsy launches on October 24.—Agencies

38

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

LIFESTYLE M u s i c

holds atop box office for 3rd week

Hollywood must think bigger about

China, says producer Janet Yang

Janet Yang

W

S

tar power and Oscar aspirations are reigning at the box office, where the space adventure “Gravity” and the Somali pirate docudrama “Captain Phillips” are holding off all comers. With $31 million over the weekend according to studio estimates Sunday, “Gravity” topped the box office for the third straight week, cementing its status as the juggernaut of the fall moviegoing season. It also took in another $33.5 million overseas. The 3-D Warner Bros. movie, staring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, has now made more than $170 million in three weeks. The film’s groundbreaking visuals have been particularly popular on IMAX screens, where it made an “Avatar”-like $7.4 million on the weekend.

“Captain Phillips,” starring Tom Hanks and directed by Paul Greengrass, also held in second place, taking in $17.3 million in its second week. The Sony film slid only 33 percent from its debut last weekend of $25.7 million. The two movies and their veteran stars were able to keep three new wide releases at bay: the horror remake “Carrie” ($17

films almost doubled those of domestic productions. The stakes are high. Last year, box office revenue in China was $2.8 billion. In the first six months of this year, it hit nearly 11 billion yuan ($1.8 billion).

Those sales lag North America’s $10.8 billion last year but PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts the box office in the world’s most populous nation will hit $5.5 billion by 2017. China has about 15,000 movie screens now and builds five to 10 each day. Yang, who helped Disney adapt “High School Musical” for a Chinese audience, said US studios are taking mostly “defensive measures” to avoid alienating an increasingly important market but should start to think bigger. “How about actually creating something that is appealing for the Chinese and also for the global market? I believe it’s possible,” said New York-born Yang.

Lack of exposure Part of the shift in the Chinese attention to domestic films comes down to big improvements in story lines and production. “I really am impressed with the quality of films that have been coming out in just the last couple of years,” Yang said. “I understand why people are going.” She pointed to this year’s romantic comedy “One Night Surprise” and last year’s unexpected blockbuster “Lost in Thailand” as the new breed of Chinese films that take some risks and connect with the modern audience.—Reuters

1. “Gravity,” $31 million ($33.5 million international).

2. “Captain Phillips,” $17.3 million ($9.1 million international).

3. “Carrie,” $17 million.

4. “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” $10.1 million ($5.1 million international).

5. “Escape Plan,” $9.8 million ($9.4 million international).

6. “Prisoners,” $2.1 million ($7.3 million international).

7. “Enough Said,” $1.8 million.

8. “Fifth Estate,” $1.7 million.

9. “Runner Runner,” $1.6 million ($4.2 million international).

10. “Insidious Chapter 2,” $1.5 million ($6.4 million international).—AP

Lebanese soprano singer Samar Salame and member of the Crazy Opera cast performs during a concert at Bahrain Theater during the 22nd Bahrain International Music Festival in the capital Manama late on October 20, 2013.—AFP

inspires new convention in Atlanta

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fourth season this month with its biggest audience ever. The 16.1 million people who watched the

File photo shows Kevin Galbraith, 24 of Marietta, Ga, undergoes a three hour make-up session to transform into his zombie character with the help of effects makeup artists Andy Schoneberg, right, and Kevin Wasner, left, on the set of AMC’s television show, “The Walking Dead,” in Senoia, Ga.—AP Oct 13 series premier shattered the show’s previous record of 12.4 million, the Nielsen company said.

million for Sony and MGM), the Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger action flick “Escape Plan” ($9.8 million for Lionsgate), and the WikiLeaks drama “The Fifth Estate.”

The last utterly flopped - a fate predicted by its subject, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange - taking in a paltry $1.7 million for Disney. It’s the worst debut this year for a film in such wide release (1,769 theaters). “It’s a very strong lineup that is not budging,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak, who noted the primary family choice, “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2,” is also holding steady with $10.1 million in its fourth week. “’Carrie’ came into a very competitive marketplace.”

In a limited release of just 19 theaters, Steve McQueen’s highlyanticipated slavery epic “12 Years a Slave,” starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, opened with $960,000. The exceptionally high theater average of $50,000 suggested considerable audience eagerness for the already much-lauded film. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included.

Final domestic figures will be released today.

Top 10

‘Walking Dead’ able TV’s “The Walking Dead” has inspired a new convention, a podcast, and a oneman play. The podcast and Atlantabased convention are the creations of Eric Nordhoff and James Frazier, also known as the “Walker Stalkers” because of a road trip they made last fall from Nashville, Tennessee, to Georgia to see the AMC show being filmed. The convention, Walker Stalker Con, is expected to draw 10,000 or more participants when it’s held early next month, Nordhoff said.

“The Walking Dead” characters battle zombies known as “walkers” in the streets of downtown Atlanta and in forests, small towns and a prison south of the city. The convention will feature appearances by some of the show’s actors, including Norman Reedus, who slays walkers with a crossbow as Daryl Dixon; Andrew Lincoln, who plays Sheriff Rick Grimes, and Lauren Cohan, also known as Maggie Greene on the show.

The series returned for its

M o v i e s

Gravity

Sandra Bullock, left, as Dr Ryan Stone and George Clooney as Matt Kowalsky in “Gravity.”—AP

ith a few exceptions, Hollywood studios are moving far more slowly than Chinese companies in the world’s second-largest movie market, said US producer Janet Yang, whose works include “The Joy Luck Club” and “Shanghai Calling”. Many studios, like Paramount Pictures with its “Transformers” franchise, have been taking steps to appeal to China’s fast-growing audiences by hiring Chinese actors or featuring Chinese products in their films.

Others are doing co-productions in China and some, like Dreamworks Animation, have forged nascent partnerships.

But largely “the studios are not doing that much right now. They are feeling it out,” said Yang, 57, who has built a career melding East and West since she advised on Steven Spielberg’s 1987 movie “Empire of the Sun”, shot partly in Shanghai.

“I’ve never seen so much talk about things with so few results. But that’s going to change,” Yang, named one of the 50 most powerful women in Hollywood by the Hollywood Reporter, told Reuters during a visit to China. “It’s two different systems trying to come together, so a lot of dating and few engagements and marriages but probably more on their way.”

Despite an import quota, Hollywood movies have dominated China’s box office - until that changed dramatically this year. In the period from January to June, domestic films outperformed imported ones by 65 percent. That was a major reversal from the same period last year, when proceeds from imported

&

Nordhoff and Frazier are neighbors in suburban Nashville, and had gathered every Sunday in Frazier’s basement to watch “The Walking Dead.” They’d heard talk of a big day of filming in Senoia, the town south of Atlanta where much of the show is produced, so they got up before sunrise and made the trip to Georgia.

“It was our dream day,” recalls Nordhoff, 42. “We got to meet I think eight members of the cast,” he recalls. “Somebody called us the ‘Walker Stalkers’ when we were there.” The two decided to develop a podcast that has become popular with fans of the show. The podcast features discussions of many aspects of the show’s storyline and interviews with people behind the scenes, such as special effects makeup expert and show producer Greg Nicotero. In April, Nordhoff and Frazier came up with the idea of holding the convention, which will take place Nov 1-3.—AP

Paltrow’s Vanity Fair controversy is ‘not her Paula Deen Moment,’

G

wyneth Paltrow’s tightly-controlled image might get an unauthorized write-up in an upcoming Vanity Fair profile, but it shouldn’t hurt her reputation with fans and will probably help the magazine’s reputation to hit the entertainment world a little harder than it used to, according to brand strategists.

“This is not her Paula Deen moment,” Howard Bragman, longtime publicist and vice-chairman of Reputation.com, told TheWrap. “She’s a smart, talented actress, singer, brand.” “Her die-hard fans will have a hard time being alienated by her,” Linda Ong, brand strategist and president of TruthCo, said. “They love buying into the fantasy that she’s revealing her authentic self on GOOP.” But Ong thinks that people who are not Paltrow superfans will be turned off by her actions and attempts to control her image. “She’s not doing herself any favors by trying to be very controlling and perfect in an era when there’s post-economic collapse, it’s widely acknowledged that nobody’s perfect and that there’s no such thing as control,” Ong said. “It just seems out of touch.”

Bragman thought the controversy would blow over without doing much, if any, damage. “Gwyneth as a personality, as a brand, is stronger than one potentially critical article,” he said. “I think she will not only survive this, she will thrive.”

Paltrow emailed her celebrity friends asking them not to participate in the profile - and not to “do” the magazine ever again, according to the New York Times.

In an interview with London’s Times, Vanity Fair’s longtime editor in chief Graydon Carter confirmed his magazine was writing about the star and that it would go forward with or without her consent. On Friday, the New York Post said Paltrow’s main objection to the article was her fear that it would explore her close friendship with billionaire Jeff Soffer, and the possibility that they had an extramarital affair in 2008.

Paltrow’s rep (who declined to comment to TheWrap, as did Vanity Fair) denied it, and Bragman doesn’t think it will matter much to GOOPaphiles or even the wider audience if it turns out to be true. “Sexual indiscretion is not something they judge particularly harshly,” he said.

Gwyneth Paltrow “The best thing Gwyneth could do is go do a positive piece in another magazine and get a thick skin and get over it,” Bragman said. “I don’t think we’ll be seeing Gwyneth at the Vanity Fair Oscar party next year.”

Vanity Fair’s new tougher stance on its celebrity coverage is a marked departure from the fluffy profiles for which it’s become known. That’s also a good way for the magazine to raise its own profile, Ong and Bragman agreed. “Graydon and Beth, his PR woman, are probably sitting there, ‘Let’s pick a fight with Gwyneth Paltrow!

Who loses this one?’” Bragman said. “Everyone knows there’s no news in entertainment news,’” Ong said.

“When Vanity Fair makes a move like this, it makes them more trustworthy. That’s the bottom line.”—Reuters

39

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

LIFESTYLE F a s h i o n

Indigenous Peter Pan,fashion

Bolivia

show in

I

An Aymara Indian woman models a creation by a local designer.

n dazzling embroidered shawls, wide skirts and black bowler hats, Aymara models strutted their stuff on the catwalk in Bolivia’s capital in a fashion show designed to promote Andean style and beauty.

The indigenous women wore the classic, multilayered Andean skirt, called the pollera, traditional gold and silver jewelry, and delicate, brightly embroidered blouses. Friday night’s fashion show in La Paz also revived the corset and the traditional petticoat of indigenous Andean women, who are commonly called cholitas in Bolivian slang.

“Our modeling isn’t what is common; our culture is different and respecting it, we want to show that the cholita can by sexy, beautiful and elegant,” said designer Rosario Aguilar of Promociones Rosario, which organized the fashion show with 25 Aymara models. The event, called the Chola Pacena Our Tradition in the 21st Century Fashion Show, is part of an effort to start an Andean modeling school. “The models that we are showing now are lighter, less thick and let the woman in a pollera be ready for daily tasks,” Aguilar said. La Paz has declared the Cholita Pacena to be part of its cultural patrimony.—AP

Aymara Indian women prepare to model clothing by local designers.

This picture taken on October 20, 2013 shows models displaying Muslim themed creations by Indonesian designer Itang Yunasz during Jakarta Fashion Week in Jakarta. Some 240 designers and fashion labels are being showcased at Jakarta Fashion Week 2014 which is running between October 19-25. —AFP photos

An Aymara Indian woman models a creation by a local designer at a Chola fashion show in La Paz, Bolivia.—AP photos

An Aymara Indian woman poses for a portrait.

Taylor Swift invites special guests to CMA Awards

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

This comic image released by Archie Comics shows characters from the Archie’s comic book series.—AFP photos

Cartoon studio founder

This photo provided

by PRNewsfoto shows the cast of “Fat Albert”.

Lou Scheimer dies L

ou Scheimer, who founded the Filmation animation studio that produced Saturday morning cartoons including “Fat Albert” and “The Archie Show,” has died. He was 84. Scheimer’s wife Mary Ann said Sunday that the man behind the cartoon powerhouse died on Thursday. The Los Angeles Times reported that Scheimer’s company was the largest animation operation in the country in the early 1980s by number of employees.

Scheimer founded the company in 1962 with a $5,000 loan from his mother-in-law. He won a Daytime Emmy Award as a producer of the 1974-75 season of the “Star Trek” animated series. In 1969, the company was sold to a cable operator that was bought

by Westinghouse. Scheimer continued to head Filmation but retired several years ago. Filmation was bought by French investors in 1989.—AP

Famed museum could fall victim to Detroit bankruptcy

Security tight after Banksy graffiti woes

T

here are few places where the former majesty of the US auto industry is more keenly captured than among the Diego Rivera murals at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Those stunning, sundrenched walls could be lost to public view if the museum’s collection is allowed to be even partially sold to pay off Detroit’s creditors during the city’s bankruptcy proceedings. “This is really an existential threat,” warned Annmarie Erickson, the museum’s chief operating officer. “Selling art could close the museum.” Founded in 1885, the museum has amassed a world-class collection through the patronage of press barons and auto industry giants. It was the first American museum to buy works by Van Gogh and Matisse. It has one of just two works by the Dutch master Bruegel that can be viewed in the United States.

There are galleries devoted to African American, Asian and Native American art and others containing modern works by Picasso, Warhol and Rothko. Rivera’s “Detroit Industry” frescos—a grand vision depicting the benefits and harm of industry and the beautiful complexity of Ford’s Rouge plant—are the heart of the Beaux-Arts temple that draws nearly 600,000 visitors a year. But, like the Motor City itself, the museum has a troubled history.

‘A death spiral’ The city—which owns the building and the collection—stopped providing funds to buy art in the 1950s and eventually withdrew support for daily operations. The state of Michigan stepped in to help fund the museum in the 1980s and early 1990’s and then in 1997 a non-profit took over. The museum finally got on sound financial footing last year when voters in three counties agreed to a new tax that provides $23 million a year to fund its operations. “Two of those counties have said that if we sell art they will stop the property tax,” Erickson told AFP. “That represents about two thirds of our annual operating budget. If they stop that tax we will be sent into a death spiral.” It could take months or even years for the complex case to make its way through bankruptcy court. Detroit became the largest US city to declare bankruptcy on July 18. A federal judge will continue to hear arguments next week as to whether it even has the legal standing to do so.

“It’s very hard to predict what’s going to happen to that art work,” said John Pottow, a bankruptcy expert at the University of Michigan’s law school. Michigan’s attorney general has issued a formal legal opinion arguing that since the art is held in a charitable public trust it cannot be sold to pay off Detroit’s debts. Even if that opinion does not hold up in court, it could still be argued that selling the artwork is not in the best long-term interests of the city, Pottow told AFP. But the state-appointed emergency manager leading the city through the bankruptcy is determined to “leverage” the art’s value, possibly through long-term leases or using the art as collateral for new loans.

‘People before Picasso’ Creditors—who include city workers and retirees who stand to lose their pension funds—will certainly argue that the art is an asset which can be sold to fulfill the city’s obligations. Small but vocal groups of protesters have been showing up at public hearings demanding that politicians protect “people before Picasso.” Nevertheless, a recent survey found that 78 percent of Detroiters are opposed selling any of the art work.

That could shift once Christie’s auction house completes its appraisal that some have estimated will come in between 10 and 20 billion dollars. Detroit’s current debts are estimated to be $18 billion.

Lynn Cookson, who was raised in Detroit and has volunteered at the museum for the past eight years, is among those who will never be convinced that selling the art is in the city’s best interest.

“I can’t imagine anyone would be foolish enough to gut this place,” Cookson said as she nibbled on a cookie in the museum’s cafe. Alphonso Porter, who has worked for the city for decades and expects his pension benefits to be gutted in the bankruptcy, also wants to protect the city’s cultural heritage. “It’s a great place,” Porter, 53, told AFP as he headed out of city hall to grab lunch one recent sunny afternoon. “Detroit needs to keep it if they can.”—AFP

A man poses in front of Banksy’s latest work October 18, 2013 in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City.—AFP

Museum patrons view Diego Rivera’s “Detroit Industry” frescos at the Detroit Institute of Arts.—AFP photos

The ornate opening gallery of the Detroit Institute of Arts.

A museum views work by Vincent Van Gogh at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

G

uards were on close watch Saturday as British street artist Banksy brought his in-yourface creations to New York City, where some unhappy property owners defaced his work. The Briton, whose identity is a secret, has sent hipsters and art fans scrambling to get a peek at his “Better Out Than In” month-long residency in New York. He has received offers of big money for some of his creations. But most of the works have so enraged property owners that they have been rapidly defaced.

“Graffiti does ruin people’s property, and it’s a sign of decay and loss of control,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said this week. “Some places are for arts, and some aren’t.” In Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the owner of a building Banksy painted on—showing two geishas on a bridge—was tagged and now has guards standing watch due to large crowds and several incidents.

The artist’s take on the twin towers of the World Trade Center brought down on September 11, 2001 -- painted in Brooklyn Heights, was removed after less than a week on view. Authorities did not immediately say why. Banksy reportedly has sold his works for anywhere from $30 to $1.87 million.

Banksy’s stenciled designs, known for their irreverent humor and political activism, have propelled him from a graffiti rebel to reluctant star.

He has spoken out against the exorbitant sums paid for his art and invites people to download photographs of his work for free from his website.—AFP

Work by British graffiti artist Banksy is displayed on Saturday in the Brooklyn borough of New York.—AP