25th Oct 2013

Hotels, facilities to boost Kuwait tourism market

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Spying row tests Europe ties with US

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Saudi warns women against defying ban PAGE 12

Local FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Local Spotlight

Kuwait’s my business

Social media will close more businesses

By John P Hayes

local@kuwaittimes.net

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Kuwait blogger and I recently tweeted about our disappointing customer service experiences with two local businesses. What happened next was surprising. In the “old days” - no longer than about three years ago - customers relied primarily on word of mouth to complain about businesses that let them down. Back then, a disappointed customer would tell an average of 70 people about their unhappy experience with a business. Those 70 could pass along the sad story to a few dozen more people each, and over time, more than a thousand customers and potential customers could hear complaints about a business that failed to deliver on its promises. That kind of word-of-mouth may not shut down a business, but it at least diminishes the business’s profits, and often without the business ever knowing why. Today, it’s a different story.

HOW TO SHUT DOWN A BUSINESS That average of 70 people is old, old news. The Kuwait blogger and I have a combined following of some 30,000 people on Twitter.

Our numbers are small compared to many other tweeters, but still not to be underestimated. Our 30,000 include followers with thousands of their own followers. In a matter of moments, it’s not a thousand-plus people hearing the bad news about a business, but potentially hundreds of thousands. Now that kind of word-ofmouth can shut down a business in a matter of weeks. How many businesses are willing to take that risk? Oddly, most of them! Most businesses, including Kuwait-based businesses, do not monitor what’s being said about them on social media. Is it because they don’t know any better, or they don’t know how? Either way, unless these businesses are willing to risk the future, they must pay attention to social media.

SOCIAL MEDIA AWARENESS Some Kuwait businesses are ahead of the pack. “Social media awareness is growing rapidly in Kuwait and the GCC,” says Khalid

Dashti, account manager at Ghaliah Technology, an online agency working in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. “Many businesses, from banks to boutiques, are realizing the significance of social media to achieve their marketing goals, service quality and customer service.” Many of these businesses rely on Ghaliah Technology to monitor their social media. In other words, the businesses are not directly employing people to watch what’s being said about them online; they are employing an agency to do that for them around the clock.

Perhaps that’s how one of the businesses mentioned by the Kuwait blogger and I responded so quickly to our posts. When the blogger mentioned that he was cancelling his service with a certain company, for lack of performance, I added that I was ready to do so as well. I then named another company whose service was equally as bad in my opinion.

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? Within moments, one of those two companies contacted me and asked, “How can we be of better service to you?” The blogger got a similar message. Of course, we welcomed the opportunity to speak directly to the company to resolve our issues. But equally as important, we were impressed that this company was paying attention online and responded to us so quickly. As for the second company - I’ve never heard from them, and I no longer do business with them.

According to Hind Al Hahedh, founder of Socialobby, a Kuwait social media and digital firm, very few local businesses pay attention online to meeting their customers’ needs. If they did, she said, they would gain more customers. However, she says only 55 percent of businesses “care about what’s going on” regarding social media in Kuwait, and less than 20 percent do anything about it!

With those kinds of numbers, we can expect to see increased turnover among Kuwait businesses in the next few years. But don’t despair, as these old-fashioned, out-of-touch businesses close their doors, they’ll be replaced by new businesses with savvy owners who understand the value of monitoring social media.

Dr John P Hayes heads the Business Administration department at GUST where his thrill is teaching Internet Marketing. Got a question for him? Send it to questions@hayesworldwide.com, or via Twitter @drjohnhayes.

Dark energy: Stay away

By Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net

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here is nothing worse than someone who makes you feel worse than you are or at least unhappy or sad. Those who start their conversations by feeling sorry for themselves, and express angry feelings and frustrations towards life, kids, families, traffic or whatever reason come to mind. The chain of complaints will not be over until they are done sending you all their negative energy and make you feel down and unhappy.

How to keep yourself away from other people’s dark and ugly energy? This is a million-dinar question. It is not about those who act this way but about us - we the victims. In this life you meet lots of people who overreact in my opinion because they can’t confront pressure.

So they tend to release or express their anger by shedding tears everywhere over others even if they are complete strangers .

I do believe that we need to make ourselves ready for such uncomfortable attacks by others. No one with sense would want to be around such kinds of people because they will lead you to a mental hospital or a crime. The problem here is how many of us can face such situations and not lose our tempers until we overcome such conditions.

No school or parents teach their kids how to face such people, especially if one or both parents are from this type. They take these matters as simple daily complaints of life and pressure, but sometimes people with depression start their condition with the little complaints that some of us may not take into consideration.

Courage is a solution. If you came across any of these people, try to avoid deep conversations and being tense about your views. No need to waste your energy on small matters like these. A deeper and heated debate will lead you all to fight and quarrel. No one needs to start a fight to prove others’ opinions.

Let go, take it easy and if you hear something that you don’t like, just ignore it. The more negative energy you receive, the less active and positive you will be.

Don’t let any of these people drag you down the swamp. It is not good for anyone. The risk here is that these people will not stop even if you try to give them advice and cool them down. So the best tip is to steer clear - don’t be in the way and don’t let anyone ‘infect’ you with their viruses.

KUWAIT: In this file photo a local oud maker is demonstrating the intricate details of the perfect oud. — Photo

by Joseph Shagra

Local FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Want to eat healthy?

Go organic

By Ben Garcia

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ost farms in Kuwait are using pesticides, revealed an agriculturist to Kuwait Times. Faisaliya Farm’s resident agriculturist Dr Jose Kaitharath noted that as far as he knows, almost all the crops grown in Kuwait are sprayed with pesticides. “Pesticides are used here mostly with an advance technique because of unexpected weather conditions,” he said.

Some claim severe health effects of pesticides on workers and people eating the vegetables grown or exposed to it. A 2007 systematic review found that most studies suggest humans could develop lymphoma and leukemia with pesticide exposure. There are reports and strong evidence that exposure to pesticides could also affect neurological systems, cause birth defects, fetal death, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Pesticides if not handled properly can directly affect and destroy lungs, according to Dr Mohsen Fadala, consultant cardiac surgeon at Al-Salam Hospital. Pesticides, he said, are harmful to humans and people could develop bronchial asthma if exposed to them. “There are pesticides that are harmful to people, and can even cause death. Pesticides can damage the lungs, cause skin allergy, nasal infections and can also affect eyes - it can manifest in severe pain or teary eyes, infection may follow and it could result in blindness. So pesticides when not used properly or if produce is not washed properly to remove all the chemicals on it can be harmful,” he said.

He advised consumers to wash their vegetables properly or buy vegetables that are grown without chemicals or pesticides. “You can clean the vegetables with a bit of vinegar or

Local FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

salt, and then wash them properly with clean fresh water,” he said adding that there are pesticides that are carcinogenic and harmful. “But I think the chemicals used in Kuwait are non-carcinogenic. The Ministry of Health is very careful and particular in approving pesticides,” he added.

Dr Fadala’s statement was echoed by Dr Kaitharath, saying the government here has set stringent measures on the use of some pesticides. “They always monitor the farmers for the use of pesticides. You need a lot of clearances from the ministry in order to be allowed to use or sell new pesticides in Kuwait.

Many of the pesticides are being banned due to their adverse effects,” Kaitharath noted.

In Kuwait, some vegetarians only use organic products mostly from the United States or Europe. Felly, who has been on a strict vegan diet for three years, admits that it is hard to get organic products here. “Even vegetables can be deadly especially if they used genetically modified organism (GMO) seeds and deadly pesticides to cultivate them. You can only be sure about vegetables if you grow it yourself and if you carefully check the soil contents. I get my vegetables from the US and Europe. Although expensive, that’s the only way,” she conceded.

Just like other vegans, Felly has her own way to avoid

Most Gulf countries follow the same system. Organic vegetables are not grown easily in Kuwait, although there are some farms producing organic produce. “We tried organic farming in Faisaliya Farm (in Wafra), but the result was not promising. The conclusion is it is not easy to do organic farming in Kuwait because you have to follow some rules to get organic certification.”

Asked how a consumer can recognize if a fruit or vegetable is organic or non-organic, he explained: “The only way to know they are organic is to look for an organic certification by a recognized authority. Organic products have to be certified otherwise you can’t say it’s an organic product,” he noted.

genetically modified fruits, veggies and the unwilling consumption of too much pesticides. “To avoid pesticides and GMOs, the best thing to do is to select veggies and fruits that are grown according to the season. These veggies and fruits are safe because they don’t need pesticides and of course they do not need GMOs,” she said. Why are GMOs a debatable subject? She explained that GMOs disrupt the precise sequence of genetic codes and disturbs the functions of neighboring genes, which for food, may give rise to potentially toxic or allergenic molecules or even alter the nutritional value of the produced food.

Local FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Bambi eyes: Women in Kuwait stick on to eyelash extensions

By Nawara Fattahova

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aving long eyelashes adds beauty to women wearing it and it has become a trend lately. The number of women wearing eyelash extensions is increasing and more women are opting for this now. Earlier, women were only using fake lashes on special occasions and for a night only. About four years ago, permanent eyelash extensions which last more than a month came into the market and more women have been seen battling those long lashes.

Many women who tried it the first time have become addicted to these lashes. “These lashes are great. It completely changes how my eyes look and now I can’t stay without it. No mascara will give you the same look and they also save you a lot of time, especially during mornings when you’re running to work. This way, you look beautiful at all times. Though I didn’t experience any loss of hair, I did notice that my original lashes now aren’t as long as they were before I fixed these fake

lashes. My friend told me that my eyes look bold like a baby’s eyes,” Fatma, a 28-year-old woman, told Kuwait Times.

Not only are these lashes available at some beauty salons in Kuwait, but there are also specialized salons which focus only on eyelash extensions like Lashes Kuwait.

At this salon, the customers get to fix permanent lash extensions which last for three weeks. “We offer both thick and thin eyelashes in different sizes with three curling options. It depends on how the customer wants to look. All our products including eyelashes and the glue we use are from the American brand Lavish Lashes, and is approved by the Ministry of Health,” said Mariam, a supervisor at the Lashes Kuwait Boutique.

There are different factors which determine how long they stick on for. “Many women don’t know that greasy hair or skin can affect the glue and prevent it from staying in place for long. Medication or health problems including allergy, acne, hormonal imbalance, eye diseases,

vitamin deficiencies, surgeries or pregnancy may also affect the glue.

For this reason, we ask every new customer to fill out a form and specify if they are allergic to something or have a problem with any ingredient in the glue to ensure their health is not compromised for beauty,” she added.

Different customers have different demands and tastes. “We usually use black lashes as it is most visible and in demand but we also have blue and purple lashes which is a hit with some customers. We have lower eyelash extensions which give the eyes a really nice look. We also add crystals to the eyelashes to decorate them for special parties.

Sometimes customers come with a picture of a celebrity or model and want the same look. We can give them the same look, though it may cost more as it includes more eyelashes than what is normally used.

So if the woman is willing to pay extra, she can get a look very similar to the picture,” said Marian.

Dr Shuba Saldana, General Ophthalmologist at Dar Al-Shifa

Hospital said that eyelash extensions are generally safe and pose no harm to the user’s eyes. “Some patients may have an allergic reaction to the glue used but only for a short time when it’s being attached to the eyelashes. The disadvantages on the other hand are that the growth of your natural eyelashes

may be affected by the extensions or gaps may appear between the natural eyelashes if they are repeatedly used for a very long period of time. Over time, natural eyelashes become fragile which is a reaction to the glue but these cases are not frequently seen in clinics,” she pointed out.

Local FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Hotels, facilities boost

Kuwait’s tourism market Boosting leisure tourism is an important part of the state’s plans. Earlier this year, Al Ghanim, told industry press that his organization plans to launch a host of entertainment, sports and tourism projects valued at $460m in the coming years.

KUWAIT: Recent data show that Kuwait’s tourism sector had a good summer, with its hotels outperforming those found in many other GCC markets. Both public and private industry stakeholders are keen to build up the market further, although the limited scope of Kuwait’s tourist offering could make meeting targets difficult to achieve, at least in the short term.

INVESTING IN HOTELS New leisure facilities would complement the roll-out of a number of planned hotels.

According to Hotelier Middle East, several four- and five-star resorts are slated to open by 2015, including four projects falling under the InterContinental Hotel Group umbrella, together with the Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel and Spa. Kuwait’s Partnership Technical Bureau has listed the development of resorts, recreational facilities and a marina on Failaka Island as priority projects. In 2012, the Kuwait Hotel Owners Association (KHOA) said it expected 10,000 new rooms to be available by 2015, increasing the supply by almost a third.

Other developments include the re-opening of the Radisson Blu Hotel, following a $52m renovation, and the September 2013 announcement that Millennium and Copthorne Hotels had signed a deal with Gulf Real Estate Development House to manage its new Millennium Hotel and Convention Centre in Kuwait City. When complete, the new hotel will offer 307 fivestar rooms and 4000 sq meters of exhibition space.

The seven-star segment is also set for development. In September 2012, the Kuwait Municipality unveiled a proposal to develop a series of luxury hotels. Authorities plan to develop properties at the Fair Ground, Al Salam Palace and Sabah Al Salem University by teaming up with the private sector.

However, hotel operators in Kuwait believe the market needs to mature before it is ready to receive a slew of new top-end resorts. The KHOA has criticized Kuwait’s seven-star luxury plans, arguing that occupancy rates are already low.

“Any new hotel coming to the market will definitely affect the existing hotels, as we are in a small country with little demand... I think that the planned hotels, which will be launched soon, deserve to be better promoted,” Wassim Mahdi, the director of sales and marketing at the Radisson Blu Hotel, told the local media in September. While Kuwait’s efforts to boost visitor numbers are gathering pace, increasing attractions and retail developments will likely be pivotal, if meeting targets is to be balanced with supporting industry players. — Oxford Business Group

POSITIVE PERFORMANCE A report by TRI Consulting Middle East, released in September, found that Kuwait and the UAE were the only countries in the Middle East and North Africa in which hotels performed well during August, traditionally one of the slowest months in the region.

Kuwait benefited from the Eid Al Fitr holidays, which pushed up demand, particularly from domestic and Saudi Arabian visitors, the report concluded.

Hotel occupancy increased 3.4 percentage points to reach 37%, while the average room rate rose 12% to hit $271.72, resulting in a 23.3% jump in revenue per available room. While these are positive signs, the tourism sector remains largely underdeveloped and Kuwait does not have the variety of tourist attractions of some of its neighbors.

Analysts are quick to point out that this does, of course, offer opportunities.

Recognizing gaps in the industry, the government released a five-year tourism development plan in 2011. By 2015, Kuwait hopes to welcome 1m tourists annually, according to Khaled Al Ghanim, deputy chairman and managing director of the state-owned Kuwait Touristic Enterprises Company (TEC).

However, other forecasts are more cautious.

The World Travel and Tourism Council expects international tourist arrivals to reach 331,000 in 2013, growing by 3.6% annually to hit 485,000 by 2023.

BOOSTING LEISURE TOURISM Experience over the past decade suggests that growth is possible. According to Alpen Capital’s GCC Hospitality Industry Report 2012, tourism receipts - including expenses incurred on hotels, restaurants, travel and communication - increased at a compound average growth rate of 12.8% between 2002 and 2011. While Alpen attributed this expansion primarily to a rise in business tourism, as of 2011 leisure spending still accounted for about 60% of the market.

This figure places Kuwait at the low end of the spectrum for the GCC region, where the leisure market on average accounts for around 70% of tourism spending, led by the UAE at 77.4%, according to the Alpen report.

KUWAIT: Photo shows the towers on the Gulf road.

Recent data show that Kuwait’s tourism sector had a good summer, with its hotels outperforming those found in many other GCC markets.

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Local FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

News

in brief

2 mosques set on fire; Suspect apprehended KUWAIT: A man accused of setting fire to two mosques in Salmiyah has been apprehended by Kuwaiti authorities.

The police criminal investigations unit in Hawalli governorate managed to apprehend Ali Jaber Salman, aged 20, who is accused of setting fire to AlMuhanna and Al-Khanna mosques in the coastal area of Salmiyah, without any casualties reported as a result of the incident. The man is a non-Kuwaiti.

He has a criminal record and is a drug addict, according to the ministry statement. The alleged man has confessed to having carried out the crime, as investigations continue aimed at revealing the circumstances behind the “atrocious” crime.

Bedoon molests Canadian woman Hawally detectives arrested a bedoon for molesting a Canadian woman behind a Hawally mall. The woman who was heading to her car was surprised when a man jumped on her and began to kiss and caress her. She screamed and managed to escape.

Passersby noted down his car plate number and gave it to the victim who later turned it over to the police. The suspect was arrested and identified by the Canadian woman.

Con woman caught Salmiya detectives arrested a 30-year-old citizen on 12 charges of breach of trust, as she used to rent cars and then disappear. A security source said the woman got used to renting cars from various offices and on receiving a complaint, she would pay the dues and return the car on the condition that they dropped charges against her. She continued pulling this stunt with many offices until she was arrested after her 12th and last act just before Eid Al-Adha.

Kuwait and Albania discuss bilateral ties Kuwaiti Ambassador to Albania Najib Abdulrahman Al-Bader met with the newly-assigned Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ditmir Bushati at the Ministry headquarters in Tirana yesterday. During the meeting, Ambassador Al-Bader conveyed greetings and wishes of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah to Bushati on the occasion of assigning him as foreign minister. Also, the Kuwaiti diplomat handed Minister Bushati a letter from Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid inviting him to visit Kuwait to discuss ways of improving bilateral relations and develop joint interests. In addition, the two sides discussed a number of issues of mutual interest and ways to implement them on ground under the framework of distinctive friendship ties between the two countries and fruitful cooperation in all areas, added Ambassador AlBader.

Kuwait calls for boosting world security, disarmament efforts NEW YORK: It is paramount for the global community to solidify efforts for disarmament as a step to reinforce international security and peace, said a Kuwaiti diplomat here late Wednesday. Delivering his country’s speech at the meeting for the disarmament and global security, an offshoot gathering of the 68th UN General Assembly, Second Secretary at the Kuwaiti permanent delegation to the UN, Abdulaziz Al-Ajmi, said that Kuwait is very concerned over the slow processing of disarmament measures, noting the UN’s Conference of Disarmament (CD) should work harder to prevent arms from spreading. He expressed Kuwait’s support of the conference’s steps to expand its membership list and bolster efforts within the domain of disarmament. The Conference on Disarmament is a forum established by the international community to negotiate multilateral arms control and disarmament agreements. Established in 1979, it was the forum used by its member states, currently numbering 65, to negotiate the Biological Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention. —KUNA

PM tours construction site of new hospital, education complex KUWAIT: His Highness Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah toured yesterday the construction sites of two vital projects: The Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Hospital and the Ministry of Education complex, both located in the south Surrah suburb.

At the construction site of the hospital, the prime minister, along with a number of state officials, listened to the project director Ali Nedoum’s update on how far had gone the building of the hospital, which is considered a major infrastructure project in the country.

HH the prime minister expressed his concern over any delays in completing

the project, hoping that he would soon be told that the hospital was receiving its first patient.

Likewise, the project director at the construction site of the ministry of education’s building, Hadeel Al-Wael, gave the prime minister and the officials accompanying him a concise report on how far the construction had reached. To avert delays at major government construction projects, but specifically at the hospital one, the prime minister asked that a joint task team be formed from the ministries of public works and health and others to address such delays and ensure that all projects get done on time. — KUNA

Kuwait and UN celebrate 50 years of partnership KUWAIT: Addressing UN gathering, Kuwait’s Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs and Minister of State for Planning and Development Rola Dashti has extolled the constructive and important partnership, particularly on its achieving of Millennium Development Goals. “We consider the UN team in Kuwait a strategic and effective partner in the support of the national development agenda and goals,” she said.

The minister added that Kuwait has provided support to UN programs and initiatives. She revealed that Kuwait agreed last year to support UN activities through the direct funding of 10 Junior Professional Officer (JPOs) posts. The ministry also cooperates with UN bodies, especially the UNDP, in several other important projects on early learning difficulties, training Kuwaitis on the protection and renovation of monuments and organizing of cultural events and setting a national traffic strategy.

Another UN official lauded the fruitful cooperation and strategic partnership between the UN and Kuwait. “Since joining the United Nations as the 111th member state on the 14th of May 1963, the State of Kuwait has played an active role far greater than the relative size of its population. “In the recent years, Kuwait has taken a leadership role in the region, particularly in the area of humanitarian support and SouthSouth Cooperation (SSC),” he said.

The SSC is an essential cross-cutting mechanism designed to enhance the UN Environment Program’s ability to deliver environmental capacity-building and technology-support activities in developing countries and regions of the south.

Mubashar Sheikh thanked Kuwait for hosting Syria donors’ conference and its generous donations to assist UN humanitarian support for Syrians.

He noted that the UN and Kuwait mark these celebrations, “with strong dedication

Rola Dashti to the international peace, development and commitment to humanitarian support in the region and beyond.” The UN official spoke highly of the government’s support and cooperation with the UN teams in Kuwait. “I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Government of Kuwait for its constructive and generous engagement with the UN... We are going from strength to strength and this is due in no small measure to the gracious support extended by the State of Kuwait.”

He also shed light on a number of key successes of the Kuwait-UN partnership.

“Throughout the last year, the UN system has accomplished key successes in partnership with various national entities and civil society. We have been closely engaged with a broad range of national partners advocating for the full achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

“The UNDP is implementing the enhanced national traffic strategy, which will

support better road safety and faster emergency response times. “The IOM (International Organization of Migration) has continued to share its strong expertise while deeply engaging the ministers of foreign affairs, interior, and labor to improve labor mobility for all involved bodies.”

He also shed light on the role of World Bank and International Monetary Fund in supporting human development and economic diversification in Kuwait. Sheikh voiced hope for the broadening of the UNKuwait strategic partnership in the near future. “The Kuwait-UN Country Team aims to work more closely with the State of Kuwait to broaden and further enhance its strategic engagement and establish regional and international partnerships. “The key elements of this contribution will focus around advancing and supporting the highly innovative and far reaching 2035 vision of His Highness the Amir and the national development plan.” —KUNA

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Local FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Kuwait, Turkey enhance historic ties KUWAIT: Kuwait is determined to upgrade further the historic ties bounding it with Turkey in various spheres, affirmed Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah yesterday. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid, also the Deputy Prime Minister, said in a statement at inauguration of the first session of the Higher Joint Kuwaiti-Turkish Commission, that Kuwait and Turkey have been bounded with these ties for 50 years, on basis of mutual respect, brotherly and humanitarian solidarity and continuous cooperation on regional and international affairs.

The minister headed the Kuwaiti side, during the meeting, while the Turkish delegation was led by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Davutoglu said Ankara boasts of the historic and brotherly relations with Kuwait, noting interest of the two countries’ supreme leaderships in bolstering further the bonds of mutual cooperation. Noticeable development of these ties is an example that should be followed by other states, he said, affirming keenness of the Turkish leadership on enhancing further these relations in the future.

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Khalid Suleiman Al-Jarallah described the results of the commission’s meetings as constructive and fruitful, noting that the two sides reached mutual “positive understanding at the bilateral level and toward various issues and topics of joint interest.” The Deputy Premier had held a luncheon in honor of the Turkish Foreign Minister and his delegation, which was attended by a number of Foreign Ministry officials, other government departments and prominent figures of the private sector.— KUNA

Kuwait invasion fund pays out $1.24 bn UN GENEVA: The UN panel that settles claims for damages from victims of Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait has paid out another $1.24 billion - bringing the total so far to $43.5 billion. The UN Compensation Commission did not disclose the identities of the claimants Thursday but said the money goes toward settling a claim from the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation over production and sales losses from damages to Kuwait’s oil fields. The Geneva-based commission was established by the UN Security Council in 1991 and is funded by a 5 percent tax on the export of Iraqi oil. It has approved $52.4 billion in total compensation to more than 100 governments and international organizations, and makes payments every three months.— AP

Kuwait’s Arab-African Summit to explore infrastructure financing NEW YORK: The Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Ibrahim Assane Mayaki late Wednesday said he expects the upcoming ArabAfrican Summit in Kuwait late next month to be an opportunity for “sound projects that will have sound returns.” The former Prime Minister of Niger told a press conference that the African Union and its NEPAD Agency will be present at the Summit, and that one of the key issues that will be looked at is the infrastructure financing issue.

“We have reached the stage now where we can demonstrate, through technically feasible data, that sound projects have sound returns,” he said in answer to a question by KUNA on his expectations from the Summit. It will be “important,” he added, “to demonstrate the fact that it has been interesting to buy, with sovereign funds, a highway in the US, but it can be as much as interesting to invest in a very long African highway.” He said the critical need to enhance Africa’s crossborder trade and sustainable development, while building a mutually beneficial infrastructure, informed the decision to promote the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa. He explained that the 51 Program projects, developed by the African Union Commission, NEPAD and the African Development Bank, were designed to transform Africa and bridge its massive infrastructural gap.

He noted that the Program would lead to a robust regional system, fuelling international trade, job creation and sustainable economic growth, and would be spread across the infrastructure sectors of energy, transport, trans-boundary water and information and communication technology. — KUNA

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Bayan Palace yesterday the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his accompanying delegation on the occasion of his visit to the country. The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs, Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah. —KUNA

Kuwait Oil Minister seals Vietnam deal Shamali sees wider energy cooperation HANOI: Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil Mustafa Al-Shamali concluded his state fourday visits to Vietnam yesterday after talks with Vietnamese leaders and a groundbreaking ceremony for a refinery and petrochemical plant jointly owned by Kuwait, Vietnam and Japan.

Speaking to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) prior to departure, Al-Shamali said that in his meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, they renewed the two governments’ strong commitments to smooth execution of a $9 billion joint refinery and petrochemical project and expand bilateral cooperation.

“The Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Complex is a good sign for the two countries to further develop current good momentum of cooperation. We don’t have any problem now with the joint venture project. In addition to refinery and petrochemical project, we have other joint projects,” Al-Shamali said. “We hope to see wider energy cooperation with Vietnam, including upstream oil projects.

He also expressed pleasure to have witness the groundbreaking ceremony for the plant, saying “It is significant to have such kind of cooperation between Kuwait, Japan and Vietnam, which brings together a combination of the necessary elements from the three countries for the joint venture.

We have facilitated everything we can for the project, and we will remain committed to the success of this project.”

The joint venture is 35.1 percent

Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil Mustafa Al-Shamali

evenly owned by state-run Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI) and Japan’s Idemitsu Kosan Co, 25.1 percent by PetroVietnam and 4.7 percent

by Mitsui Chemicals Inc, KPI’s parent company Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) will supply all the feedstock for the facility, which will also include petrochemical units, energy facilities, a pipeline and storage systems, along with an information management system.

Meanwhile, at the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, Al-Shamali

announced three $3 million donation to support the Vietnamese people affected by the recent typhoon in central region, which was greatly appreciated by Dung. “Kuwait is always keen on providing humanitarian assistance to those in need and helping victims of disasters in the world,” Al-Shamali said. Seeing off Al-Shamali at Hanoi’s airport were Kuwaiti Ambassador to Vietnam Hamad Al-Jutaili and officials from the Embassy and KPI, as well as the Vietnamese government representatives. —KUNA

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Women warned against defying Saudi driving ban

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Syria disarmament on track as rebel attack cuts power

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Stranded in Italy, desperate refugees dream of Europe

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BRUSSELS: German Chancellor Angela Merkel answers journalists’ questions yesterday as she arrives to attend a European Council meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels. European Union heads of state and government opened a two-day summit yesterday focusing notably on prospects for growth from the digital economy amid data privacy concerns, plus lessons from the Lampedusa migrant tragedy. — AFP

Spying row tests Europe ties with US Merkel, Hollande bluntly demand Washington’s explanation BRUSSELS: Mounting ire over alleged US snooping will test Europe’s ties with its main ally at a summit yesterday after German and French leaders Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande bluntly demanded Washington provide an explanation. Initially expected to be “a routine affair”, according to a senior diplomat, the two-day talks from 1500 GMT between the European Union’s 28 heads of state and government have been hijacked by the escalating row over covert US surveillance of its allies.

As Germany summoned the US ambassador to Berlin over suspicions Washington spied on Merkel’s mobile phone-a highly unusual step between the allies-a French diplomatic source said the German chancellor and Hollande will discuss “how to coordinate their response” on the issue. The EU executive, the European Commission, pressed leaders for “a strong and united stand” as its President Jose Manuel Barroso warned against a slide towards “totalitarianism”.

“Data protection must apply no matter if it concerns the emails of citizens or the mobile phone of Angela Merkel,” said EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding. “Now is the time for action and not only for declarations at the EU summit.” Merkel on the eve of the summit called President Barack Obama demanding answers, warning that proof of snooping on her phone would be considered a “breach of trust”. It was Obama’s second such embarrassing call this week after Hollande too picked up his phone to demand an expla-

nation over reports of US spying on millions of phone calls in France.

Rattled by the latest exposure based on leaks from US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, the White House has said it is not now listening in on Merkel-but also did not reject the possibility her communications may have been intercepted in the past. Washington also denied reports of eavesdropping on France. In the wake of Snowden’s revelations about the National Security Agency’s activities, several important allies have complained about US covert surveillance and the White House is struggling to stem the diplomatic damage. The NSA affair has also seen claims of US snooping on foreign leaders in Mexico and Brazil, whose President Dilma Rousseff last month cancelled a state visit to Washington over the scandal. In Germany, the head of the SPD party, Sigmar Gabriel-currently in talks with Merkel to form a coalition government-said the snooping threatened talks to seal a trans-Atlantic trade deal seen as the biggest in history.

Whether EU leaders will come up with a common stand in response is less than certain. Many, notably Britain with its close intelligence links to the US, and Spain, see spying as a matter of national interest firmly outside the bloc’s remit. Many also spy on each other, with Britain and the US spying on Italy to glean data on underwater fibre-optic cables with the consent of its own secret services, according to Italian weekly L’Espresso.

“I don’t imagine the (EU) Council getting into a discussion on

national security,” said an EU diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity. “Espionage is not an EU matter, it’s an issue of national sovereignty,” said another diplomat.

But as anger boiled up in Europe, Commission head Barroso said “We in Europe consider the right to privacy as a fundamental right.”

Referring to life in Communist-era East Germany, where Merkel grew up, he warned that not so long ago “there was a part of Germany where political police were spying on people’s lives daily.

“We know very recently what totalitarianism means,” he said.”We know what happens when a state uses powers that intrude on peoples lives.”

At the summit, officially themed around boosting employment and the digital economy, leaders will also tackle a complex immigration crisis highlighted by this month’s deaths of hundreds of refugees desperate to reach Europe’s shores.

The two shipwrecks, in which more than 400 refugees from Africa and the Middle East drowned off the Italian island of Lampedusa, triggered a barrage of calls for action to prevent the Mediterranean Sea from turning into what French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius called an “open-air cemetery”.

Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta is urging European leaders to bolster the EU’s Frontex border agency and bring forward Eurosur, a planned satellite-and-drone surveillance program to detect migrant ships in trouble. — AFP

International FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Women warned against defying Saudi driving ban Kingdom to act against violators

TRIPOLI: Members of the Libyan security forces keep watch as relatives and friends of people killed during Muammar Gaddafi’s regime demonstrate outside the Libyan Prosecutor General’s Office yesterday in Tripoli. — AFP

Libya court indicts Gaddafi aides over 2011 uprising TRIPOLI: A Libyan court indicted yesterday around 30 Muammar Gaddafi aides, including the slain dictator’s son Seif Al-Islam, for a raft of alleged offences during the 2011 revolt, prosecutors said.

The indictments clear the way for what will be the most highprofile trial in the country’s history, with defendants also including former intelligence chief Abdullah Al-Senussi and Gaddafi’s last prime minister. Baghdadi Al-Mahmudi.

Gaddafi himself was captured and killed by rebels outside his hometown of Sirte after an eight-month revolt against his fourdecade rule backed by NATO air strikes. “The court ordered they stand trial on the main charges against them dealing with the repression of the 2011 revolt,” prosecutors’ office spokesman Seddik Al-Sour said after the hearing.

“The trial date will be set by the Tripoli criminal court,” Sour told a press conference. The charges pressed against the defendants include murder, kidnapping, complicity in incitement to rape, plunder, sabotage, embezzlement of public funds and acts harmful to national unity. Only a dozen of the accused appeared in court, said a lawyer who was present at the hearing, held under tight security at a Tripoli court and prison building.

Sour said the law did not require that the defendants all be in court to hear the indictment. The fact that “some of the defendants would have needed exceptional security measures to appear prompted the court to decide to notify them of its decision after the hearing.” “But the presence of all the accused will be obligatory at the trial hearings before the criminal court,” Sour said.

At a pre-trial hearing in September, lawyers already pleaded not guilty to all the accusations leveled by the prosecution. The court had the authority to accept the charges sought by prosecutors, dismiss them or ask for more evidence. It examined some 40,000 documents and 4,000 pages of interrogation transcripts in a process lasting several weeks.—AFP

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia yesterday warned it will take measures against activists who go ahead with a planned weekend campaign to defy a ban on women drivers in the conservative Muslim kingdom.

“It is known that women in Saudi are banned from driving and laws will be applied against violators and those who demonstrate in support” of this cause, interior ministry spokesman General Mansur Al-Turki said.

Activists have called on social networks for Saudi women, individually, to go behind the wheel tomorrow, in a campaign in the world’s only country that bans women from driving.

On Wednesday, the interior ministry issued a statement saying it would crack down against anyone who attempts to “disturb public peace” by congregating or marching “under the pretext of an alleged day of female driving.” “The laws of the kingdom prohibit activities disturbing the public peace and opening venues to sedition which only serve the senseless, the ill-intentioned, intruders, and opportunity hunters,” said the statement carried by the official SPA news agency.

It added that the interior ministry “willfully and firmly enforce the laws against violators”. Turki insisted that “all gatherings are prohibited” in Saudi Arabia. Women who defied the law in the past ran into trouble with the authorities and were harassed by compatriots. In 1990, authorities stopped 47 women who got behind the wheel in a demonstration against the driving ban In 2011, activist Manal Al-Sharif, one of the organizers of this tomorrow’s campaign, was arrested and held nine days for posting online a video of herself behind the wheel. That year Saudi police arrested a number of women who defied the driving ban and forced them to sign a pledge not to drive again.

Activists have repeatedly insisted throughout their campaign that no demonstrations will be held. “October 26 is a day on which women in Saudi Arabia will say they are serious about driv-

DUBAI: Saudi activist Manal Al-Sharif, who now lives in Dubai, drives her car in the Gulf Emirate city as she campaigns in solidarity with Saudi women. — AFP ing and that this matter must be resolved,” the Dubai-based Sharif has told AFP about the weekend protest.

She said women have begun responding to the call and over the past two weeks have posted videos online showing women already driving in Saudi Arabia. With the exception of two women who were briefly stopped by police, authorities have so far not intervened to halt any of the female motorists. Saudi women, forced to cover from head to toe, need permission from a male guardian to travel, work and marry. — AFP

Buying spree puts Qatar Amir’s daughter atop art’s ‘power list’ LONDON: The daughter of the Amir of Qatar was named as the art world’s most powerful figure yesterday after the tiny Gulf state went on an unprecedented spending spree at auction houses and in private sales around the world to fill its new museums. Sheikha Al-Mayassa Al-Thani, who also heads the Qatar Museums Authority, tops ArtReview magazine’s annual Power 100 list, the second year in a row that a woman has taken the No 1 spot.

The US-educated Sheikha was chosen “on account of her organization’s vast purchasing power and willingness to spend at a rate estimated to be $1 billion a year - in order to get top works of art for its Doha museums”, ArtReview said. “I think the figures definitely speak for themselves, and of the importance she has for the art market,” Mark Rappolt, ArtReview’s editor, told Reuters in a telephone interview. The Museums Authority is generally thought to have been behind the record $250 million purchase of a Cezanne painting of two card players. The 2011 sale, details of which have never been officially confirmed, was about double the previous record for a painting.

The purchase instantly put the Museums Authority into the big leagues of international collections, with the others in Cezanne’s five-painting series held by the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Courtauld in London and the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia.

Since then, the Sheikha and the Museums Authority have picked up works by Picasso, Damien Hirst and others, while engaging in a massive museum-building project in the Qatari capital Doha, Rappolt said. “I think also in some ways you could say that the Qatari Museums Authority is symptomatic of a global art culture in which art is culturally exchangeable,” he said. “People with money have always bought and traded commodities and art has been one of them. In some ways it’s nothing new but perhaps on this scale it gets a bit newer.” The No 1 spot last year went to Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, a US-born Italian-Bulgarian curator little known outside the art world and the first woman to be selected by the magazine for the honor. Previous art-world figures to top the list include Hirst, who is also a collector, artist Ai Weiwei and gallery owner Larry Gagosian.—Reuters

Iran temporarily halts 20% uranium enrichment: MP TEHRAN: Iran has temporarily halted its production of enriched uranium to 20 percent purity as it has sufficient stocks to fuel its Tehran research reactor, a lawmaker was quoted Thursday as saying. “There is no production at all ... as right now there is no need for the production of 20 percent (enriched) uranium,” the parliament website reported conservative MP Hossein Naqavi Hosseini as saying.

Iran’s nuclear enrichment program is at the core of its dispute with world powers, who suspect it masks a drive for atomic weapons despite repeated denials by the Islamic republic. Enriching uranium to 20 percent purity is a few technical steps short of producing weapons-grade fissile material. There was no immediate comment on the report from the government, from Iran’s atomic organization, nor from the nuclear team tasked with negotiating with world powers over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities are monitored by the UN

nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The Vienna-based agency said it was aware of the report but had no comment on it. “We’re aware of this report but I’m afraid we’re not commenting right now,” IAEA spokeswoman Gill Tudor told AFP via email. The parliamentary website, ICANA.ir, further quoted Naqavi Hosseini as saying the fuel for the Tehran reactor, which is used to produce medical isotopes, is fully stocked.

“This site currently has the required fuel and there is no need to produce (the 20 percent),” said Naqavi Hosseini. “Tehran itself decides whether to have above five percent enrichment or not. But the issue of suspension and halt is at the moment meaningless as there is no production at all,” he said, referring to Western demands that Tehran suspends the high-level enrichment.

Naqavi Hosseini is spokesman for the foreign policy commission, which is regularly briefed on Iran’s nuclear work. Declarations by

members of the commission have on occasions been denied by the government. All decisions on Iran’s nuclear program rest with the ultimate decision-maker, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran insists it will not bow to pressure to end its enrichment program despite repeated demands by the UN Security Council and several rounds of sanctions. Demands that the program be halted were again put forward earlier this year in the Kazakh city of Almaty, in talks between Iran and the P5+1 group-the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany. The halting of the sensitive work could be crucial in resolving the long-running showdown in the negotiations, which were revived last week in Geneva and are set to resume in November. In the talks, Iran is seeking the lifting of international sanctions which have damaged its struggling economy. World powers for their part are seeking to ensure that Tehran is not able to develop nuclear weapons. — AFP

13

International FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Syria disarmament on track as rebel attack cuts power Oppn meets Nov 9 to decide on peace meet DAMASCUS: Syria is set to hand over a detailed plan for destroying its chemical arsenal yesterday, the international watchdog said, as a rebel attack near Damascus triggered widespread power outages. The Syrian opposition meanwhile said it would meet November 9 to decide whether to attend a Geneva peace conference that the United Nations is trying to convene in parallel with the disarmament efforts.

Syrian authorities were working to restore power several hours after rebels attacked a gas pipeline, causing blackouts across the country and setting off a huge fire near the airport, where a key power plant is located, an AFP correspondent in Damascus reported. Electricity Minister Emad Khamis said yesterday that the fire had been extinguished and that power was being “gradually” restored to some provinces after authorities secured an alternative source of fuel for the plant, according to the official SANA news agency. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britainbased monitoring group, said power outages were reported in the Damascus region as well as in Aleppo in the north and Homs in the centre. “It is likely this was a large-scale operation planned well in advance,” said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. In September, a similar outage was caused after a high voltage power line was sabotaged. Elsewhere in Syria, Kurdish fighters battled with jihadists for several hours as they

advanced on a border crossing with Iraq held by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, an AlQaeda affiliate that operates in both countries. In the central city of Homs a car bomb killed at least one person and wounded 43, state television reported. Some 115,000 people have been killed and millions driven from their homes since a brutal crackdown on Arab Spring-inspired protests in the spring of 2011 set off a full-scale civil war. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said the Syrian government was expected to hand over its disarmament plan by yesterday, the latest step under the terms of a USRussian deal to head off punitive military strikes on Syria after an August 21 gas attack.

The rare accord, enshrined in a UN Security Council resolution, calls for all its chemical weapons and production facilities to be destroyed by mid-2014. A joint UN-OPCW team, in Syria since the start of the month, has inspected 18 of 23 declared sites, destroying production equipment in almost all of them. But parallel efforts by the United Nations to convene a peace conference in Geneva next month have run into resistance from the opposition, which is insisting on a raft of preconditions.

Leaders of the National Coalition-the main opposition umbrella group-have insisted they will not attend unless regime change and Assad’s departure are on the table.

HOMS: A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) yesterday allegedly shows Syrians inspecting the site of a car bomb explosion in the central city of Homs. Some 115,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions driven from their homes since a brutal crackdown on Arab Spring-inspired protests in the spring of 2011 set off a full-scale civil war. — AFP A meeting in London Tuesday between oppo- Wednesday US ambassador to Syria Robert Ford, sition leaders and diplomats from 11 members of who has built up a close relationship with oppothe Friends of Syria group produced little more sition leaders, huddled with key figures in than a joint statement that Assad should play no Istanbul seeking to coax them to the negotiating future role in government. But behind the scenes table.—AFP

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International FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Dozens of ETA inmates seek release after rights ruling MADRID: Dozens of imprisoned members of armed Basque separatist group ETA have demanded their freedom after Europe’s top rights court ruled that Spain had wrongly extended jail terms, a legal source said. A total 36 ETA prisoners, some sentenced to hundreds of years for their part in a bloody campaign of bombings and shootings, had lodged appeals seeking their release with the Spanish courts, the source said. The prisoners applied to be set free after the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights condemned Spain on Monday for retroactively cutting the years of remission earned for prison work by 55-year-old ETA prisoner Ines del Rio Prada. The European ruling could end up freeing 54 ETA prisoners, nine prisoners from other armed groups, and 14 common criminals, all of whom had their remis-

sion time shortened retroactively.

Del Rio Prada walked free from her prison in A Coruna, northwestern Spain, on Tuesday, a day after the European court’s finding. She had served 26 years of a 3,838-year sentence for terrorist-related offences including 19 killings in attacks such as a 1986 Madrid car bombing that killed 12 Guardia Civil police.

The European court also told Spain to pay her 30,000 euros ($41,000) in damages and 1,500 euros in costs. The human rights court found against Spain over its retroactive use of a legal doctrine that wiped out the time ETA and other convicts had earned from prison work.

The doctrine, adopted by the Spanish Supreme Court in 2006, said that years of remission earned through prison work should be deducted from

the total sentence-often amounting to hundreds or even thousands of yearsinstead of the 30-year limit on prison terms set by Spanish law.

In Del Rio Prada’s case, the doctrine wiped out her remission and extended her prison time by nearly nine years.

The practice was known as the Parot doctrine because it was first applied in February 2006 to ETA prisoner Henri Parot. The Strasbourg court’s rejection of the doctrine was welcomed by the pro-Basque independence party Sortu.

“We cannot hide our joy because we are happy but we do not want our joy, nor our position, to hurt anyone, including the victims,” Sortu president Hasier Arraiz told Basque public radio, stressing that no formal celebrations were being organized for ETA prisoners who may be freed.

ETA, listed as a terrorist group in the

United States and Europe, is blamed for the deaths of 829 people in a fourdecade campaign of shootings and bombings for an independent homeland in northern Spain and southern France. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy met later Wednesday with representatives of the victims of ETA’s violence, who had urged Spain to refuse to bow to the Strasbourg court and lamented the prospective release of ETA convicts. “We think that justice has not been rendered. We feel very wounded, very angry,” said Angeles Pedraza, the head of the victims’ group, after the meeting. The group has called for a rally in Madrid on Sunday.

In October 2011, ETA declared a “definitive end to armed activity” but it has not formally disarmed nor disbanded as the Spanish and French governments demand. —AFP

Stranded in Italy, desperate refugees dream of Europe ‘Lives are at stake’ as EU pledges funds ROME: A towering squat on the outskirts of Rome with an ever swelling population of hundreds of refugees has become the squalid emblem of a failing system that is haunting this week’s EU summit.

Residents of the seven-floor block-a former university building dubbed “Salaam Palace”-come from war-torn, poverty-stricken corners of Africa: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan.

“We were only looking for peace,” said Mahad, 27, who fled from Somalia to Italy seven years ago. He is part of a group of squatters who try to keep the peace among the desperate souls who long to be able to move to other parts of Europe.

“Living here is no home. There are problems with alcohol, fights. Some here have gone mad,” he said. Fiore, a 29-yearold Eritrean woman with a son 16 months old, described it as “a nightmare from which you can’t shake free.” Refugees rustle up plates of African staples in their rooms, where curtains separate mattresses and blankets become prized goods as winter falls.

“They don’t know where else to go.

They are victims of the system,” said Lorenzo Chialastri from Catholic charity Caritas. He said the building, which houses 240 women and 60 children among its 1,250 residents, was “a no-man’s land.”

Two shipwrecks that saw over 400 refugees drown this month near the Italian island of Lampedusa as they tried to reach Europe have drawn global attention to what Prime Minister Enrico Letta has described as an “immigration emergency”, which has turned the Mediterranean into a “sea of death”.

Survivors of the October 3 shipwreck, many of whom lost family members when their boat caught fire and sank, are now forced to sleep in unsanitary conditions at Lampedusa’s overcrowded centre, where 800 migrants fight over 250 beds. Some of the 4,000 migrants at the Mineo centre in Sicily, dubbed “Solidarity Village”, rioted this week over the snail-pace examination of asylum requests, burning mattresses, throwing rocks at passing cars and clashing with police.

SOFIA: Refugee women with their children wait to get medical attention at the recently opened Vrazhdebna shelter in Sofia, a former school that now houses some 380 refugees. Bread, baby milk or clothes, Bulgaria’s Syrian community has provided vital help to the thousands of refugees who have entered the country lately, even as the authorities continue to struggle with the influx. — AFP

Italy has asked the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) for help in upgrading its centres, training staff and implementing the Dublin regulation, which state that asylum applicants in Europe must stay in their first country of entry.

Italy and the European Union have pledged millions of euros in extra funds and more refugee beds but associations and charities say it is not enough. Around 10,000 people request asylum each year in Italy, but many also try to dodge controls to apply for asylum in other parts of Europe.

A bloated system means those lucky enough to be granted protective status are forced to give up their bed to incoming asylum seekers and end up on the streets, looking for shelter and work.

“Many of these people are traumatized from events in their home countries. The police escort them out of the centres and from then on they are on their own,” said Chialastri, who runs Caritas’ migrant counselling centre in the Italian capital.

“Refugees need to know what will become of them, they need concrete support. Lives are at stake.”

A fierce recession in Italy means finding employment is near impossible and many attempt to travel to northern Europe, lured by the prospects of a roof over their heads, a stronger labor market and a better social assistance system. Those registered on entry to Italy are routinely sent back-unless the conditions and lack of assistance are seen to violate their human rights. Courts in Germany have ruled against the practice because of “the danger of being exposed to inhumane or degrading treatment”, fears echoed in a recent report by the Swiss Refugee Council.

Eighteen-year-old Adam from Eritrea arrived at “Salaam Palace” just six months ago after a gruelling two-year journey through Sudan, Libya and across the Mediterranean to Lampedusa. He said he was too scared to try to travel elsewhere in Europe. “It’s very dangerous, but here there is no job,” he said, smoking in a tracksuit and sandals on the steps outside.— AFP

A picture released by the McCann family shows Madeleine McCann on May 3, 2007, the same day she went missing from the family’s holiday apartment in the southern Algarve region. Portuguese authorities said yesterday that they are reopening their probe into the disappearance of British girl Madeleine McCann from a beach resort in 2007. — AFP

Romania Communist-era labor camp chief charged with ‘genocide’ BUCHAREST: Romanian prosecutors yesterday charged the commander of a Communist-era labour camp with “genocide” over the deaths of more than hundred political prisoners half a century ago.

Ioan Ficior “introduced and coordinated a repressive, abusive, inhumane and discretionary detention regime against political detainees in the labor camp of Periprava” in southeast Romania which he headed between 1958 and 1963, the Romanian prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

Investigators said the detention regime aimed at “exterminating” political prisoners by subjecting them to hard working conditions, extreme cold and a lack of drinkable water, adequate food or medicines.

A total of 103 prisoners died in the camp between August 1958 and November 1963 under Ficior’s leadership, prosecutors said. Mid-September, the Romanian body investigating Communist-era crimes called on prosecutors to bring charges against Ficior as part of a wider campaign to bring 35 former prison commanders to justice-more than 20 years after the fall of communism in 1989. Over 600,000 people were sentenced and jailed in Romania for political reasons between 1945 and 1989, according to the Sighet Memorial for the victims of communism.

Ficior, 85, denied the allegations against him in a newspaper interview. Genocide as defined by the United Nations is an “act committed with intent to destroy in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group”, he told the Gandul paper.— AFP

15

International FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Obama reassures Pakistan on Afghanistan, not drones A ‘very wise’ path on India

LAS VEGAS: Mazen Alotaibi removes his tie before returning to the detention center after the reading of his verdict on Wednesday at Clark County District Court in Las Vegas. — AP

Saudi airman found guilty in Vegas child rape case LAS VEGAS: A Saudi Arabian air force sergeant faces a minimum mandatory 35 years in state prison after a jury found him guilty of raping a 13-year-old boy at a Las Vegas Strip hotel last New Year’s Eve. Defendant Mazen Alotaibi (MAH’-zen ah-loh-TAH’-bee) remained seated, clenching his jaw but showing no outward emotion as the verdict was read in Nevada state court Wednesday.

Sentencing for the 24-year-old Royal Saudi Air Force mechanic, who had been in the U.S. for military training, is set for Dec 16. Clark County District Court Judge Stefany Miley could sentence him to prison for life. The jury of nine women and three men found Alotaibi guilty of sexual assault with a minor for forcing oral and anal sex on the boy in the bathroom of a sixth-floor room at the Circus Circus hotel, and lewdness with a child for fondling and kissing the boy on the way to the room.

Alotaibi decided not to testify in his defense. Jurors instead saw a 70-minute videotaped police interview in which Alotaibi told detectives the boy offered sex for marijuana or money. After several minutes of denials, Alotaibi acknowledged to police that he engaged in sex with the boy. The AP is withholding the boy’s name because of his age and the nature of the case. Nevada state law says a child under 16 can’t give consent. But Alotaibi’s lawyer, Don Chairez, said Alotaibi was too intoxicated after drinking all night at a strip club to know if he was doing anything wrong. Chairez spoke with jurors after the verdict and said outside court that he will appeal. “I believe, with hindsight, that it was a mistake not to have Mazen testify,” Chairez said, explaining that he believes jurors were left with evidence that his client had forced the boy to have sex.

The defense attorney faulted himself for not fighting harder for the jury to be able to consider a lesser felony charge of statutory sexual seduction, which carries a possible sentence of probation or up to 10 years in prison.

Prosecutor Jacqueline Bluth said the state was happy with the outcome.

“We didn’t believe this was consensual and that the defendant was drunk,” she said. The Saudi Royal Consulate General in Los Angeles didn’t respond Wednesday to messages about the case. A consulate official attended at least one January court appearance.

Chairez said he has been in contact with consulate officials before, during and after trial, but no government representatives attended the proceedings. Jurors heard five days of testimony and spent just five hours deliberating.

Alotaibi had been charged with nine felonies, but was found guilty of six felonies and one misdemeanor.

The jury acquitted him of two lewdness counts that were offered as lesser alternatives to the two most serious counts of sexual assault with a minor under 14. Alotaibi was convicted of two other counts of lewdness with a child under 14 and one count of kidnapping, which each carry a possible sentence of 10 years to life in prison. He was also found guilty of felony burglary for entering a building with intent to commit a crime, and of misdemeanor coercion.—AP

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama promised Wednesday to consider Pakistan’s concerns in post-war Afghanistan, but stayed mum on a call

by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to end drone strikes. Obama welcomed Sharif to the White House after releasing $1.6 billion in aid-mostly for the military-that had been blocked amid high tensions over the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

With US forces preparing to pull out of Afghanistan next year, Obama pledged to brief Sharif fully and to work toward an Afghanistan that is “stable and secure, its sovereignty respected.”

“I’m confident that, working together, we can achieve a goal that is good for Afghanistan, but also helps to protect Pakistan over the long term,” Obama told reporters at the Oval Office.

Many Afghans view Pakistan suspiciously due to its past support for the Taleban regime, which was toppled in the US-led invasion that followed the September 11, 2001 attacks. In a joint statement, Sharif and Obama urged the Taleban to engage in talks on a peace agreement with the Afghan government-an initiative that quickly faltered after a first step in June.

But on a discordant note, Sharif urged an end to the US campaign of drone strikes against extremists. The attacks have infuriated many Pakistanis

who see them as violations of the country’s sovereignty.

Sharif called for greater counterterrorism cooperation with Washington but said: “I also brought up the issue of drones in our meeting, emphasizing the need for an end to such strikes.”

Obama did not mention drones and the two leaders did not take questions.

In their statement, Obama and Sharif “stressed that our enduring partnership is based on the principles of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Despite the public statements, The Washington Post said it had obtained secret documents that confirmed widespread suspicions that Pakistan tacitly approved US strikes and sometimes even picked targets. The newspaper covered several years of frequent attacks until 2011, well before Sharif’s election in May. Amnesty International said in a report Tuesday that the United States may have violated international law by killing civilians. It pointed to an attack in October 2012 in which a 68-year-old grandmother was blown to pieces as she picked vegetables. The White House responded by defending drone strikes, saying that it takes great care to avoid civilian deaths and that the remote-controlled attacks are more precise than other methods to target extremists.

Pakistan has in the past voiced alarm

at the impending US withdrawal of its more than 50,000 troops from Afghanistan, resenting the growing influence of its historic rival India since the fall of the Taleban regime. But Sharif, who has won over skeptics in Washington since he swept back to power in May, steered clear of usual Pakistani criticisms of India or blaming of outside interference for his country’s ills. Sharif told Obama that “terrorism constitutes a common threat” for Pakistan and India, which has urged Islamabad to do more to rein in extremists. “We need to ally our respective concerns through serious and sincere efforts without indulging in any blame game,” Sharif said. Obama hailed Sharif’s recent statements that India and Pakistan-nuclear-armed powers that have fought three full-fledged warshave wasted money through their arms race that could have contributed toward development. “I think he is taking a very wise path in exploring how decades of tension between India and Pakistan can be reduced,” Obama said of Sharif.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met Sharif last month but linked any further reconciliation to progress on concerns. In particular, India wants action against militants involved in the deadly 2008 siege of Mumbai, some of whom live virtually in the open in Pakistan. —AFP

NYC teen sues Barneys, police over purchase NEW YORK: A New York teen has filed a lawsuit against high-profile department store Barneys New York, the city and its police department over an incident in which he says he was wrongfully detained after making an expensive purchase because he is a young black man. Another black shopper also has come forward to accuse the store of racial profiling. In the lawsuit, Trayon Christian, 19, of Queens, said he went to Barneys on Madison Avenue in Manhattan on April 29 and purchased an expensive Ferragamo belt. After leaving, he was accosted by undercover NYPD officers, who said someone at the store had raised concerns over the sale.

According to Christian’s lawsuit, filed Monday in state Supreme Court in Manhattan, he showed the receipt from the purchase, the debit card he used to make it and identification to the officers, but was told the identification was false and “that he could not afford to make such an expensive purchase.”

The lawsuit said he was detained at a precinct in a cell for more than two hours before being released with no charges filed against him. It said the incident was due to “discrimination based on plaintiff’s race and age as he was a young black American male.”

In a statement, Barneys denied that it was involved in any detention, saying “that after carefully reviewing the incident of last April, it is clear that no employee of

Barneys New York was involved in the pursuit of any action with the individual other than the sale.”

Meanwhile, another shopper who heard about the lawsuit came forward to say she had a similar experience after purchasing a $2,500 designer handbag at the store in February.

Kayla Phillips, 21, of Brooklyn, told the New York Daily News and the New York Post that she was surrounded by police after leaving the store. They demanded to

know why she used a debit card without a name on it, she said. Phillips explained that it was a temporary card, and after showing police identification and a new debit card that had arrived in the mail that morning, they let her go.

The New York Police Department said any officers’ role is under internal review.

The city’s law department said it was waiting for a formal copy of the lawsuit, and would review the claim once it had been received. —AP

LOS ANGELES: American Pastor Eddie Romero prays with supporters upon his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport after being deported from Iran.

Romero, an evangelical Christian pastor from southern California, was deported after he staged a protest outside a Tehran prison and was arrested and held in prison for over 24 hours before being put on a plane out of the country. —AFP

International FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Rahul acknowledges assassination risk Strikingly personal speech ahead of election

WASHINGTON: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reads a prepared statement during his meeting with President Barack Obama, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, on Wednesday. — AP

Gilani denies okaying US drone strikes ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security officials and former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani yesterday denied a report that they had approved US drone strikes on the country’s soil. The Washington Post on Wednesday quoted leaked secret documents as saying Pakistan had been regularly briefed on the strikes and in some cases helped choose targets.

The purported evidence of Islamabad’s involvement came as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited the White House and urged an end to the attacks, which are widely unpopular with the Pakistani public.

A senior Pakistani security official said the story was a US attempt to undermine Sharif’s position and reduce criticism of the drone campaign, days after an Amnesty International report warned some of the strikes could constitute war crimes.

The Washington Post’s revelations concerned strikes in a four-year period from late 2007, when military ruler Pervez Musharraf was in power, to late 2011 when a civilian government led by the Pakistan People’s Party had taken over.

Gilani, prime minister from 2008 until June last year, vehemently denied giving any approval for drone strikes. “We have never allowed Americans to carry out drone attack in the tribal areas,” Gilani told AFP. “From the very beginning we are against drone strikes and we have conveyed it to Americans at all forums.”

Islamabad routinely condemns the strikes targeting suspected Taleban and Al-Qaeda militants in its northwest tribal areas. But evidence of collusion or tacit approval has leaked out in recent years.

A diplomatic cable from then-US ambassador Anne Patterson, dated August 2008 and released by Wikileaks, indicated Gilani had agreed to the strikes in private. “I don’t care if they do it as long as they get the right people. We’ll protest in the National Assembly and then ignore it,” the leaked cable quoted Gilani as telling US officials. In April this year Musharraf told CNN that he had authorised drone strikes in Pakistan while he was in power.

The Post said that top-secret documents and Pakistani diplomatic memos showed the Central Intelligence Agency, which runs the drone program, had drafted documents to share information on at least 65 attacks with Pakistan. In one case in 2010, a document describes hitting a location “at the request of your government” and another refers to a joint targeting effort between the CIA and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency. The senior Pakistani security official flatly denied any official deal to help with the drone campaign.

“There has never been official arrangement at the strategic or government level,” he told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“The purpose of giving such stories is nothing but face-saving.

Americans are trying to dilute the growing pressure by using back channels and making Pakistan a party to the whole issue.”

The US has carried out nearly 400 drone attacks in Pakistan’s restive tribal districts along the Afghan border since 2004, killing between 2,500 and 3,600 people, according to the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism. — AFP

NEW DELHI: India’s Rahul Gandhi, whose father and grandmother were both assassinated, has said he recognizes that he too may be killed by extremists stirred up by nationalist fervor. The 43year-old, expected to lead the ruling Congress party into next year’s elections, also told a rally Wednesday of how he had been friends with the security guards who killed his grandmother Indira in 1984. “My grandmother and father were assassinated and tomorrow I also may get killed; but I just don’t care,” Rahul, who is vice-president of Congress, said in a strikingly personal speech in the northern state of Rajasthan.

The notoriously shy Gandhi has often appeared reluctant to follow in his forebears’ footsteps but now appears to be opening up about his personal tragedy as an election tactic against the Hindu national opposition. Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her Sikh bodyguards in revenge for an army assault on the Golden Temple in Amritsar while Rahul’s father Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991 by Tamil suicide bombers.

“What does the BJP do? They spark communal fire .... Then we have to go to the people to put the fire out,” said Gandhi in excerpts shown on Indian television.

“It takes years to forget anger but it takes only minutes to ignite anger within someone.” Opinion polls show that Congresseven with Rahul in charge-is likely to lose power in the elections due by next May with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opening up a commanding lead. The BJP’s candidate for prime minister is Narendra Modi, the chief minister of Gujarat who was at the helm of the state when some 2,000 people-mainly Muslims-were killed in communal riots in 2001.Investigations cleared Modi of any personal responsibility but one of his former ministers was jailed for life for instigating the killing of 97 Muslims in one of the most notorious episodes of the riots.

While he did not mention Modi by name, Gandhi did refer to the bloodshed in Gujarat and accused the BJP of spreading “divisive ideology for their narrow personal gains”. Speaking of the day his grandmother was killed, Gandhi recalled arriving home

NEW DELHI: Indian Congress Party Vice president Rahul Gandhi speaks during an All India Valmiki Federation rally in New Delhi. — AFP after school and seeing the “blood of my grandma in one room and the blood of my ‘friends’ in another”-a reference to bodyguards Satwant Singh and Beant Singh who gunned her down and were subsequently shot. “I was very close to them and one of them had taught me how to play badminton,” he said.

“It took a long time, about 10-15 years, to free myself from that anger.” Rajiv Gandhi became prime minister immediately after Indira’s assassination, only to lose power in 1989. — AFP

VADODARA: This photograph taken on June 18, 2013 shows a general view of the Laxmi Vilash Palace, claimed by members of the Gaekwad family, near Vadodara. A decades-long dispute between members of one of India’s former royal families over palaces, diamonds and other items worth billions of dollars has been settled, a family member said. — AFP

Indian royal family ends row over palaces, diamonds AHMEDABAD: A decades-long dispute between members of one of India’s former royal families over palaces, diamonds and other items worth billions of dollars has been settled, a family member said. Members of the Gaekwad family Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding before a judge in the western city of Vadodara over property that includes a palace reportedly four times the size of Britain’s Buckingham Palace.

“We took the decision for the betterment of our families and are satisfied with the outcome and hope we will overcome the past and forge a new relationship,” Samarjitsinh Gaekwad told reporters after the signing. The dispute erupted in 1991 between

two sons of the last king of Baroda state, who ruled in what is now the western state of Gujarat during the British Raj and until independence in 1947. The bitter battle, involving more than 20 members of their extended families, went on even after one of the sons died in May last year.

The dead man’s son Samarjitsinh and Samarjitsinh’s uncle Sangramsinh Gaekwad continued the dispute. “Both Samarjitsinhji and Sangramsinhji have reached a settlement with regard to the royal property and have signed the settlement deal before the judge in Vadodara court,” lawyer for Samarjitsinh, AV Avadhut, told reporters, using the Hindi phrase “ji” for respect. —AFP

International FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Philippine earthquake creates long rocky wall MANILA: A deadly earthquake that struck the Philippines last week created a spectacular rocky wall that stretches for kilometres (miles) through farmlands, astounded geologists said yesterday.

Dramatic pictures of the Earth-altering power of the 7.1-magnitide quake have emerged as the government worked to mend the broken central island of Bohol, ground zero of the destruction.

A “ground rupture” pushed up a stretch of ground by up to three metres (10 feet), creating a wall of rock above the epicentre, Maria Isabel Abigania, a geologist at the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said. “Our people have walked five kilometres (three miles) so far and not found the end of this wall,” she said, as experts from the institute surveyed the damage.

“So far we have not gotten any reports of people getting swallowed up in these cracks.

The fault runs along a less-populated area.” A photograph on the institute’s website showed part of the rock wall grotesquely rising on farm-

land behind an unscathed bamboo hut.

Another house was shown lodged in a crack of the Earth, while a big hole on the ground opened up at a banana farm. Renato Solidum, head of the institute, said the ground fissures from the quake, which killed 198 people on Bohol and two nearby islands, were among the largest recorded since the government agency began keeping quake records in 1987.

“Most of our other quake records show a lateral (sideways) tearing of the earth, though we’ve also had coral reefs rising from the sea,” he said, citing a 6.7-magnitude earthquake that hit the central island of Negros last year. The Philippines lies on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire made up of chains of islands created by volcanic eruption that are also frequently hit by earthquakes.

President Benigno Aquino told reporters yesterday the institute had assured him the worst was over, though Bohol would continue to be hit by aftershocks over the next few weeks.—AFP

Residents standing next to a huge crack creating a rock wall in the village of Anonang, Inabanga town, Bohol province brought about by the 7.2-magnitude quake which hit the province October 15. — AFP

Japan readies island war games amid PR push Territorial dispute with China rages

MARKINA: Filipino mothers cuddle their babies during a mass breastfeeding program to promote lactation by mothers instead of infant formula milk at suburban Marikina city, east of Manila, Philippines yesterday. — AP

Asylum-seeker dies in Japan after doc at lunch TOKYO: An asylum-seeker collapsed and died after staff at a Japanese immigration centre failed to call for a medic, allegedly because the doctor was having lunch, a pressure group said yesterday. Anwar Hussin, a member of Myanmar’s Rohingya ethnic group, fell ill shortly after he was detained on October 9, according to People’s Forum on Burma, a Japan-based NGO headed by a Japanese lawyer.

Citing the 57-year-old’s cousin, the group said Hussin had been complaining of a headache all morning and fell unconscious as he began eating lunch in his cell.

Fellow detainees-seven people of different nationalities-called for help because he was vomiting and having spasms, the NGO said. Detention centre staff rejected their requests that a doctor be called, saying Hussin was just “having a seizure” and that the duty medic was on his lunch break, the group said, citing detainees who had spoken to the dead man’s cousin.

A doctor was summoned 51 minutes after Hussin’s collapse, according to a timeline given to his cousin by the centre. Staff made an emergency call four minutes after the doctor’s arrival

and 55 minutes after being made aware of the problem, the timeline showed.

Hussin died in hospital on October 14, it said. A spokeswoman for the Tokyo Immigration Bureau said a man in his 50s from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, died of subarachnoid haemorrhage-a stroke after collapsing in the detention centre, confirming the dates given by the pressure group. But she declined to confirm or deny the claims made by the NGO over how long it took for the doctor to be called.

“We refrain from disclosing details because it concerns private matters,” said the spokeswoman. “We are aware that some people have complained the man was neglected for some time,” she said, adding the bureau believes staff handled the case appropriately. She said officials had explained the situation to the man’s surviving family in Japan.

The People’s Forum on Burma, which supports democratisation of Myanmar and aids refugees from the country when they arrive in Japan, disputes this. “The bureau did not inform the family of (Hussin’s) hospitalisation.

It was learnt from other detainees,” said a spokeswoman.—AFP

TOKYO: Destroyers, fighter jets and 34,000 troops will take part in a huge exercise aimed at bolstering Japan’s ability to protect its remote islands, the government said yesterday, amid a territorial dispute with China. The war games, which will include live-firing, come as Tokyo steps up its global PR campaign by posting online videos it hopes will swing world opinion behind its claims to two archipelagos that are the focus of rows with China and South Korea. The air-sea-land drill from November 1-18 will involve amphibious landings on the uninhabited atoll of Okidaitojima, 400 kilometers (250 miles) southeast of the main Okinawan island, a defense ministry official said. Live-fire exercises involving destroyers and F-2 fighter jets will also be conducted, he said.

The island is a considerable distance from the Japanesecontrolled Senkaku islands, which China also claims as the Diaoyus. However, defense force chiefs are considering deploying short-range land-to-sea missiles on the island of Ishigaki 150 kilometers from the disputed islands, the Asahi and Fuji TV networks said. Both broadcasters said there were no plans to fire weaponry there. Chinese state-owned ships have sparred with Japanese coastguard boats repeatedly in waters around the Senkakus since Tokyo nationalized three islands in the chain last year. Beijing’s boats have frequently

been warned off after sailing into waters Japan considers its preserve. Fighter jets and warships from both sides have also been in the area on numerous occasions, leading some observers to warn of the danger of an armed conflict that could draw in the United States and have disastrous consequences for the region. November’s drill is aimed at “maintaining and improving the joint operational abilities of the Self-Defence Forces in armed-attack situations”, the Self Defence Forces (military) joint staff said in a statement. It will feature “a series of actions in defending islands” including joint operations in island landings, it said. Beijing expressed its “concerns”, with foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying adding: “We hope that the relevant party will do more to promote international trust and regional peace and stability.” China announced Wednesday that its three naval fleets were readying to hold a drill in the Western Pacific, but gave no details on the exact location or timing.

In November last year US and Japanese forces held a joint drill involving 47,400 troops, the vast bulk from the Japanese side. But they reportedly cancelled an exercise to re-take a remote island in a bid to avoid irritating China. Since the hawkish Shinzo Abe became prime minister in December, however, Japan has taken a more robust stance. — AFP

Plane fighting Australia fires crashes, pilot killed SYDNEY: A plane dousing wildfires in bushland south of Australia’s biggest city, Sydney, crashed into a national park yesterday, killing the pilot and sparking a new fire to add to 55 still burning across the state of New South Wales. The accident happened as more dry, windy conditions caused a flare-up in huge fires burning for a week in mountains to the west of Sydney, closing roads and entering a valley running down towards the metropolitan area.

“It’s hard to definitely say that (the worst is over) at this stage,” said Rural Fire Service spokeswoman Natalie Sanders. “We have got cooler temperatures today and the winds are slightly lower but with these fires still going, it’s hard to say how long they’ll go for and whether there will be any further damage.” Emergency officials confirmed a 43-year-old man died when his water bomber fixed-wing aircraft crashed in the Budawang National Park, 270 km (170 miles) southwest of Sydney, a wilderness area popu-

lar with hikers and campers. Rescue workers were unable to retrieve the body, driven back by high winds, smoke and the rugged terrain. “It’s a tragedy for the fire-fighting community,” said RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons.

More than 200 homes have been destroyed in New South Wales since last Thursday, when fires tore through Sydney’s outskirts. A man died from a heart attack as he tried to save his home. The fires have burned through tens of thousands of acres (hectares) and at one stage had a combined perimeter of about 1,600 km (1,000 miles).

One of the largest blazes was started by a live firing exercise on Army land, the fire service said, prompting an apology from the acting defense chief yesterday.

Police have arrested several children suspected of starting some fires, while others were sparked by lightening or power lines arcing in strong winds, according to the fire service. —Reuters

Business FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

JAL may take action against government over landing slot PAGE 20

Refinements add up in new Mac system Page 21

TOKYO: An employee of Neurowear wears a headset with a smartphone called “Neurocam” at the Smart City Week exhibition yesterday. The device can analyse the user’s brain waves and video record scenes when it senses interest from the user. —AFP

Saudi tension won’t hurt trade ties US firms face far more competition from Asia RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s frustration with its main ally the United States over Middle East policy will not harm business relations or oil sales, despite a threat from its spy chief of a “major shift” in ties, businessmen and economists say. Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the head of Saudi intelligence, warned European diplomats last week that energy and defence deals could suffer as a result of differences over the conflict in Syria and other issues, a Saudi source said.

Although mega-contracts have occasionally been used to strengthen political relationships, particularly in defence, economists and businessmen said business ties between US and Saudi firms were generally immune to dips in the relationship.

“I don’t think there are direct links between trade and the political relationship. That’s not how the Saudis work. But it’s also true that when the bilateral relationship is good, it helps,” said a diplomatic source in the Gulf. The United States is the main supplier for most Saudi military needs, from F-15 fighters to control and command systems worth tens of billions of dollars in recent years, while American contractors win major energy deals.

The world’s top oil exporter and its biggest consumer have enjoyed close economic ties for decades, with US firms building much of the infrastructure of the modern Saudi state after its oil boom in the 1970s. Younger Saudi princes were mostly educated in the United States as were many of the kingdom’s business executives, senior officials and cabinet members, including the oil, finance, economy and education ministers, and the central bank governor.

Wake-up call “When you hear Bandar threatening, it doesn’t mean we are going to sell our T-bills or stop the military contracts. That’s not going to happen. You are talking about a relationship and an alliance that goes back 60 years. But what they are doing is saying, ‘hey wake up, don’t take us for granted’,” said a Saudi businessman who declined to be identified.

Over the decades, Riyadh has pumped its earnings from energy sales, often to the United States, back into the US economy, buying its goods and services and investing in government debt. The Saudi riyal has been pegged to

the dollar at the same rate of $1 = SR3.75 for many years, and the kingdom has put some of its $690 billion foreign holdings into US treasuries. As a result, trade has boomed, with US goods and services exports to Saudi Arabia hitting $17 billion in 2011, and US direct investment there reaching $8 billion in 2010.

“Commercial relationships on trade or oil won’t be affected at all. Saudi has had bad political relationships with many countries and still continued to deal with them commercially.

This is just a political rift and doesn’t mean that it will affect the private or public businesses,” said a Saudi official. In 2012, 15 percent of Saudi oil exports went to the United States, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Although Far East Asia received an estimated 54 percent of Saudi crude oil exports, the kingdom still ranked second after Canada as a petroleum exporter to the United States. The sectors that appear most vulnerable to official Saudi ire are big defence and infrastructure construction projects with government clients. However, the Saudis struck a $29.4 billion deal only in late 2011 to buy 84 new F-15s made by Boeing with Raytheon Co

radar equipment. In November they also agreed to buy 25 C-130J transport and refuelling planes built by Lockheed Martin Corp for $6.7 billion. Riyadh has turned to Europe for more recent defence deals, ordering Typhoon Eurofighters to be delivered by BAE Systems Plc. But existing US contracts and Saudi military dependence on US equipment, probably lock the kingdom into long-term relationships covering maintenance, spare parts and training.

Only last week, the Pentagon asked for permission to sell Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates $10.8 billion in advanced weaponry, according to documents it put online.

Familiarity prized One business area where strong political relations are important, is nuclear energy.

Saudi Arabia has plans to build several reactors that would likely interest Westinghouse. US contractors have recently won major engineering design and project management contracts, including Hill International on the $5 billion Jabal Omar project in Makkah, Fluor Corp on a big railway and Foster Wheeler on gas and oil schemes.—Reuters

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Business FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Yahoo closing Cairo office SAN FRANCISCO: Yahoo on Wednesday said that it is closing its Egypt office as part of an effort to restore the faded Internet star to former glory.

“Today, Yahoo announced to employees that we plan to close our Cairo office at the end of this year,” spokeswoman Sara Gorman told AFP in an email.

“This decision is part of Yahoo’s global effort to streamline operations, encourage collaboration by bringing more Yahoos together in fewer locations, and build a strong global business that is set up for long-term growth.”

Gorman declined to reveal how many employees it has in the Cairo office and maintained that the Middle East and Africa remain important markets for the company. The company said it will continue to

operate offices in Amman and Dubai. The Internet pioneer that has been struggling for years to reinvent itself after withering in Google shadow reported last week that its profit in the recently-ended quarter slipped from the same period a year ago, when its coffers were swelled by the sale of shares in China’s Alibaba. The earnings figures, which topped Wall Street expectations but showed that Yahoo chief Marissa Mayer had yet to rev up the company’s revenues, were released along with word that the California company would keep a larger portion of Alibaba under an amended agreement with the Chinese Internet retail titan.

Yahoo said it would sell 208 million Alibaba shares, instead of a previously agreed 261.5 million

shares as the Chinese firm prepares a public offering.

The original repurchase agreement of May 2012 provided that in the event Alibaba completed a qualified IPO, Yahoo would sell up to 261.5 million of its 523.6 million ordinary shares of Alibaba, either directly to Alibaba Group or in the qualified IPO. After an IPO, Yahoo, one of the early investors in Alibaba, has the right to sell its remaining shares.

During an earnings presentation streamed live online, Mayer highlighted hirings, acquisitions, improved products and rising user engagement instead of profit or revenue. “It will take time for the increased engagement to translate into revenue,” Mayer said. “But I am confident we are on the right track.” —AFP

JAL may take action against government over landing slot Legal action unprecedented for Japan airline industry

MUMBAI: An Indian bystander reacts as he watches share prices on the digital broadcast on the facade of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building yesterday. — AFP

Indian shares hit near 3-year highs MUMBAI: Indian shares jumped to their highest level in nearly three years yesterday, crossing the 21,000 points threshold, fuelled by strong foreign fund inflows. Shares on the Bombay Stock Exchange rose 1.30 percent or 271.54 points to 21,039.42 points, led by banking, auto and property stocks. The benchmark 30-share Sensex index, which last crossed the 21,000 points mark in November 2010, is now closing in on its all-time high of 21,206.77 points struck in January 2008.

Stocks in most emerging markets, including India, have been rising in recent weeks to recover losses, after fears of a faster-than-expected tapering of the US stimulus programme began to ease. Asian market sentiment has also been buoyed by the recent deal in Washington to lift the debt ceiling and avert a potentially catastrophic default, analysts said. Indian stocks have been struggling to pick up for most of the year, as foreign investors pulled out funds on concerns of a weakening rupee, slowing economic growth and a high trade deficit.

But with global and domestic fears easing, investments are starting to flow in again, analysts said. “The fears over US tapering have eased and emerging markets which had been pummelled since May are bouncing back,” said Ajay Bodke, investment strategist chief with brokerage Prabhudas Lilladher. Foreign funds have bought $1.7 billion in Indian equities so far this month, taking their total purchases for 2013 to $15.35 billion, regulatory data shows.

Local sentiment has also improved after India’s new central bank governor Raghuram Rajan outlined a reform plan to boost investor confidence and stabilise the ailing currency. The rupee, which was one of the worst performing Asian currencies this year, has gained over 10 percent against the dollar in recent weeks from its record low of 68.85 struck in August. — AFP

TOKYO: Japan Airlines reserves the right to sue the government for favouring rival ANA Holdings in allocating landing slots, its president told Reuters yesterday, raising the prospect of an unprecedented battle that could batter the nation’s airline industry. Asking a court to force the government to review its recent allocation would be a rare step for a Japanese company, especially from one that enjoyed cozy ties to politicians and regulators but which has fallen out of favour of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s one-year-old administration.

“It’s one of the steps we might take in the future,” JAL President Yoshiharu Ueki said, when asked if legal action was one possibility. Ueki said his company had asked the government to give a satisfactory explanation for the landingrights handout, which saw Japan’s biggest airline ANA receive more than twice as many of the prized international slots at Haneda airport, the world’s fourth busiest hub.

JAL is Japan’s second-biggest airline by revenue and fleet size. The government, which had previously divided slots equally between the two airlines, is expected to respond to JAL as soon as Friday, but Ueki said he was extremely dissatisfied with the process so far.

“There are times when you will take actions because you are trying to achieve a particular result, and sometimes you will take actions even knowing that you might not be able to get a particular result,” Ueki said. “Sometimes

things have to be said, sometimes things have to be done,” he told Reuters during an interview at JAL’s headquarters, which overlooks Tokyo Bay. Protest In what became a politically charged battle over the landing rights at the Tokyo hub, Japan’s aviation regulators on Oct 2 awarded JAL five new Haneda slots compared with 11 for ANA. Two days later, JAL filed its first ever formal request for the government to clarify its rationale for the allocation of the slots, which are worth around $20 million a year in operating profit. Once handed out, landing rights typically remain with Japanese airlines as long as they stay in business. Aviation officials argued that they needed to level the playing field for the airlines after a $3.5 billion state-led bailout waived most of JAL’s debt and gave it a competitive advantage over ANA. ANA lobbied hard for a bigger share of landing rights, winning the sympathy of Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which was in opposition when JAL was rescued.

Ueki said the government’s decision, in practice, restricts JAL from opening new routes, and the uncertainty was preventing the airline from planning its flight schedule for next summer and hindering its mid- to long-term business plan. “We weren’t informed of the restrictions, nor were they discussed with us,” Ueki said. The ruling, he said, was opaque, irrational and vague

enough that it could apply to other airports.

Spurning boeing Ueki, the first commercial pilot to steer the carrier as president, has spearheaded several unconventional decisions by JAL since he took over as CEO in February 2012. This month, JAL for the first time spurned Boeing Co, which has dominated the Japanese market for decades, in favour of 31 A350 jets from rival Airbus. JAL and ANA have traditionally bought from the US manufacturer in what was seen as essentially an extension of the close US-Japan security alliance. “I don’t think I broke any taboo,” Ueki said, with a model of an A350 in JAL colours displayed in his meeting room. JAL went with the European maker, Ueki said, in part because it was worried about the risk of being a launch customer for new aircraft, a commitment it would have had to make had it opted to pick the Boeing 777X. JAL did not switch to Airbus, however, because of the delivery delays to Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner and the technical faults which grounded the aircraft, he said. JAL’s fleet planning, he said, would turn next to replacing its older Boeing 737 jets. The carrier, which owns 30 of the single-aisle aircraft, will consider proposals from both Boeing and Airbus, Ueki said. “We have some 200 aircraft, so that means every year we have around 11 aircraft that we need to replace,” he said. — Reuters

Big ad atop Google results points to broken promise SAN FRANCISCO: A large ad spied atop Google search results on Wednesday was seen as evidence that the Internet titan was breaking a promise that it would never resort to the tactic. A picture fired off at the Twitter account of digital marketing company Synrgy prompted reports that Google is experimenting in the United States with “banner ads” atop results for searches targeting brands. The move appeared to break

a vow made about eight years ago by then Google executive Marissa Mayer, who is now chief of Yahoo.

“There will be no banner ads on the Google homepage of Web search results pages,” Mayer said in a blog post that remained available online Wednesday.

“There will not be crazy, flashy, graphical doodads flying and popping up all over the Google site. Ever.” Synrgy reported that a Google search targeting

Southwest Airlines delivered results topped with a large ad showing a promotional photo accompanied by links for reservations or other services at the company.

Technology news website Search Engine Land quoted a Google spokesman as confirming the banner ads were part of a “small test” taking place in the US market. Google did not respond to AFP requests for comment. —AFP

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Business FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Refinements add up in new Mac system

By Anick Jesdanun SAN FRANCISCO: There isn’t one thing that jumps out with Apple’s new Mac operating system, known as Mavericks - and that’s a good thing. Mavericks has plenty of modest refinements that add up to a system well worth the upgrade - even if Apple weren’t giving it away for free. Many years ago, Web surfing changed dramatically when the Opera browser offered a way to open multiple Web pages in tabs instead of separate windows that cluttered the computer desktop. Most browsers soon followed.

That concept now comes to file management as part of Mavericks, which Apple released Tuesday for new Macs and older ones running Snow Leopard, Lion or Mountain Lion. You can now use tabs rather than separate windows for various folders, disks and networked servers. The change may seem cosmetic, but it saves time. As I opened a file here and move a file there in previous versions of the Mac OS, I could easily have a half-dozen or more windows open. If I closed them, I’d have to go through the trouble of finding those folders and drives again later. Instead, I resigned to the clutter and the inefficiencies that came with it.

Tabs mean I no longer have to accept that clutter. All the tabs are neatly organized at the top of a single window. I can access files and move them around more easily.

To further assist with file management, Mavericks lets you assign one or more tags to files. It’s similar to the approach Google’s Gmail uses to organize email. I’ve been trying to go paperless by scanning or requesting bills and receipts electronically, but they’ve been scattered in more than 100 folders and subfolders.

The problem is that an individual file might belong in a number of folders. A receipt for a museum membership might go under “receipts,” “museum,” “charity,” “taxes” or in a folder for the credit card I used. With tags, I can label the file with all five and find it more easily come tax time - or audit. It doesn’t matter anymore what folder I put it in. Searching by the tag will automatically pull the relevant file up.

Mavericks also has features that reflect a world in which people use multiple devices. You can access your tags when you use another Mavericks computer, though not iOS devices such as iPhones and iPads yet. If you’re sending a document using an Apple app, tags get stripped to preserve privacy. Through Apple’s iCloud storage service, the company’s Safari browser already syncs bookmarks across Mac and iOS devices such as iPhones and iPads.

Stored passwords are now shared as well, along with credit card information. If you enter a credit card to buy a Miley Cyrus CD on a Mavericks Mac, you don’t need to re-enter that information to buy earplugs from a different vendor, even when using an iPad. Apple says passwords and credit card information are encrypted for security.

And because you don’t need to remember passwords, Safari can recommend hard-to-guess ones such as “Zsu-S5f-Lr7-gG4” to thwart hackers. That sure beats “password” as a password. Apple e-books also sync. Mavericks introduces an iBooks app for the Mac, so you’re no longer limited to iPhones and iPads. You can start a book on an iPhone and pick up where you left off on the Mac. Any highlights and notes transfer over. Bonus: Copy a passage into any app, and Mavericks automatically adds a citation.

Back to Safari, a new Sidebar offers quick access to bookmarks, sites marked for offline viewing and suggestions from people you follow on Twitter or LinkedIn. Unfortunately, Facebook links aren’t part of that.—AP

SAN FRANCISCO: An Apple employee holds up the new iPad Air. — AP

ANHUI: An employee works in a textile factory in Huaibei, east China’s Anhui province yesterday. — AFP

Chinese manufacturing progress buoys markets Analysts fear tightening in monetary policy LONDON: An unexpectedly strong improvement in a Chinese manufacturing survey shored up markets yesterday despite concerns over the country’s banking sector that analysts fear may prompt a tightening in monetary policy.

Those worries had weighed on world markets on Wednesday. But an HSBC survey showing that China’s manufacturing activity was higher than expected in October supported global sentiment and prevented further losses in China’s indexes.

HSBC’s main index rose to a sevenmonth high of 50.9 points from 50.2 percent in September anything above 50 indicates expansion. The consensus in markets was for a more modest rise to 50.4. Lee Hardman, an analyst at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, said the survey served to “reassure investors that recent upward growth momentum appears to have extended into early Q4.” Last week, official figures showed China’s economy grew at a better than expected annual

rate of 7.8 percent in the third quarter.

In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was up 0.5 percent at 6,705 while France’s CAC-40 was 0.2 percent higher at 4,269. Germany’s DAX was the standout, as it has been for much of the year, with a 0.7 percent gain to 8,979 that left it well-positioned for it its first ever foray above 9,000. The gains in Europe came despite a manufacturing survey pointing to waning growth in the euro-zone.

The main purchasing managers’ index from financial information company Markit slipped in October to 51.5 points from September’s 27-month high of 52.2. Wall Street was poised for a solid opening, with Dow futures and the broader S&P 500 futures up 0.4 percent.

The main focus later will be on weekly jobless claims numbers as well as the next batch of corporate earnings from the likes of Colgate-Palmolive, Ford, Herschey and Xerox. In the foreign exchange markets, the euro remained

well-supported despite concerns over the eurozone’s growth. On Wednesday, the euro rose above $1.38 for the first time since Nov. 2011, largely because the dollar has lost support following the debt stalemate in Washington and expectations the Federal Reserve won’t reduce its monetary stimulus until next year. The euro was up 0.2 percent at $1.3803, just shy of its near two-year high of $1.3822. The dollar was flat at 97.33 yen. Earlier in Asia, the China figures supported markets apart from in China itself. China’s Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.9 percent to 2,164.32 while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng shed 0.7 percent to 22,835.82. Some analysts said there were renewed fears of tighter credit in China after the central bank refrained from injecting funds into money markets for a third day. In the middle of the year, rates in the bankto-bank lending market shot higher after unexpected efforts by the central bank to curb frothy credit growth. — AP

Russian ‘trade wars’ official dismissed MOSCOW: The Russian government has dismissed the head of the consumer protection agency, a notorious official best known for waging apparent trade wars against the country’s neighbours.

Gennady Onishchenko, 63, who had been at the helm of the consumer protection agency Rospotrebnadzor since 2004, has been relieved of his duties, the government said late Wednesday.

Onishchenko has been appointed as an aide to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, according to a government statement. His deputy Anna Popova was appointed his temporary replacement.

Under Onishchenko, the consumer protection agency, which enforces sanitary norms, was widely seen as a tool to pun-

ish Russia’s neighbours for seeking closer ties with the West or other perceived transgressions.

In recent years, Moscow has banned the import of wine and mineral water from Georgia, chocolate from Ukraine and dairy products from Europe, usually during a flare-up in relations between Russia and its neighbours. In July, Onishchenko’s watchdog banned chocolates from Ukraine over safety concerns, the measure coming after apparently fruitless talks between President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovych over Kiev’s European Union ambitions.

This month Russia criticised the qual-

ity of Dutch dairy products and hinted at possible sanctions during a diplomatic row between the two countries. The government has repeatedly denied banning foreign imports for political reasons. It remains unclear if Onishchenko’s dismissal will lead to a change in policy.

At home, the outspoken official will also be remembered for a string of alarming statements including his recommendation to shun sushi because of a risk of tapeworms and his proposal to kill crows for allegedly spreading bird flu.

Onishchenko even ventured into domestic politics, advising Russians to stay at home during opposition protests against President Vladimir Putin lest they catch cold. — AFP

22

Business FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Brazil needs investment, competitive boost: IMF BRASILIA: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Wednesday praised Brazil for producing prolonged macroeconomic stability. But the IMF says Latin America’s biggest economy must act more decisively on bolstering investment and increase competitiveness if it is to revive growth. After posting strong growth at the end of the decade, Brazil slipped back relatively over the past two years.

Looking at the long term growth forecast, the IMF said in its annual assessment of a country whose government is trying to lift growth through tax breaks and other incentives. The country also hopes for a massive boost to the economy when it hosts next summer’s World Cup, which will bring in an estimated 600,000 foreign tourists. “Brazil could achieve long-run potential growth of about 3.5 percent, although this estimate is subject to significant uncertainty and assumes a sustained pick-up in infrastructure investment.”

The IMF added Brazil had to strive to improve productivity, competitiveness and investment to lift growth above a 2013 forecast of just 2.5 percent-though that followed on from an anemic 0.9 percent in 2012. Against a backdrop of the global economic crisis, the IMF also worried about a potential propensity to import more, slowing growth short term.

While saluting “the expansion of the middle class (which) has been one of Brazil’s success stories over the last decade ... a testament to macroeconomic stability and growth” the IMF lamented rising demand imbalances and lower saving. “Consumption has become the dominant demand-side driver of growth while investment and net exports have weakened.” And the organization also warned against an overheating of mortgage debt, seeing “some risk” meriting continual vigilance.

The IMF praised Brazil’s recent inflation record saying that “since 1999, price stability has been achieved and policy credibility has accumulated.” At the same time, “evidence is emerging, however, that this beneficial trend of falling persistence has recently stalled and may be reversing at the same time that medium-term inflation expectations have drifted above the central bank’s target.”

On interest rates, the IMF backed Brasilia’s monetary policy in order to keep inflation largely in check-though the 12 month figure came in at 5.86 percent in September.

That missed an official central target of 4.5 percent although was under the government ceiling of 6.5 percent. A recent slew of rises have taken the base rate to 9.5 percent, helping to dampen household debt although hitting consumption, a key motor in recent growth. —AFP

Cyprus central banker faces fresh pressure over bailout ‘Bail-in’ funded Cyprus bank recapitalisation NICOSIA: The embattled head of Cyprus’s central bank was plunged into a new controversy on Wednesday after lawyers alleged foreign consultants employed to help with an international bailout of the country earlier this year were seeking fees of nearly 5 million euros. Lawyers working for the central bank said the consultants were seeking a fee based on a percentage of the amount raised from the recapitalisation of Cypriot banks in a bailout deal last March. The fee arrangement sparked sharp criticism of central bank governor Panicos Demetriades from members of his own board, because of the controversial nature of the recapitalisation itself. Earlier Cyprus’s president said last Thursday he would press ahead in seeking the removal of Demetriados as the bank’s governor after his handling of the bailout last March was sharply criticised.

Cyprus teetered on the brink of financial meltdown earlier this year after the island was forced to close a major bank, and seize savings in another bank to qualify for a 10 billion euro international bailout. A recapitalisation of Cyprus’s key lender, Bank of Cyprus, which was almost decimated by its exposure to debt-crippled Greece, was possible only after major depositors’ savings were seized, a move unprecedented in the history of the euro zone debt crisis.

Consultants seek extra payment Central bank board members said that consultants Alvarez and Marsal, contracted by the Cypriot central bank to advise on the restructure of the island’s hobbled banking system, were seeking an additional payment over their standard pay, citing a purported deal with the central bank boss which board members said they knew little about until this week.

“The whole issue is pretty outrageous,” a member of the central bank

board of directors told Reuters. He and other directors were only fully informed of consultants’ terms on Wednesday after a report compiled by the bank’s solicitors, he said. Demetriades was already at the centre of a storm of criticism on the Mediterranean island for the way he steered Cypriot banks through the crisis, with critics pushing him to resign.

The former economics professor, under fire for most of his tenure since taking office in May 2012, said in an interview published as recently as Monday that he does not intend to resign. In a deeply unpopular move, hundreds of Cypriots lost their life savings when funds in Laiki Bank, which folded in the 10 billion euro bailout, were lost. Savers in Bank of Cyprus saw 47.5 percent of deposits exceeding 100,000 euros seized to refund that bank. The process was a painful one, but aides and Demetriades himself have in the past said the system was taking excessive risks, hinting at previous poor regulation. Asked whether Demetriades planned to quit, a senior central bank source who asked to remain anonymous told Reuters: “There is certainly a well orchestrated, government-led, campaign that not only undermines central bank independence but is aimed at forcing the governor to resign.” “What we are witnessing in Cyprus is a dangerous precedent for a euro area country.”

“Recapitalisation fee” According to a document prepared by external lawyers of the Cypriot central bank and seen by Reuters, Alvarez and Marsal are seeking a “recapitalisation fee” of 4.75 million euros as a payment from Cypriot authorities. A spokesperson for London-based Alvarez and Marsal, which advised the central bank on how to deal with the crisis and the restructuring of the banking system,

declined comment.

A legal report seen by Reuters and compiled by central bank legal consultant Alecos Evangelou, a former Cypriot justice minister, says Alvarez and Marsal agreed with Demetriades a fee of 10 basis points ‘of the total gross capital benefit into the banking system’. An attached letter to the lawyers’ report, purported to be from Alvarez and Marsal to Demetriades, makes such a reference. Demetriades has not publicly specified the terms of the arrangement.

The fee would be payable on Oct 31.

Bank directors were previously under the impression that any financial demands from the consultants would be on the basis of a fresh recapitalisation of funds. But that option of fresh funds was eventually not applicable in Cyprus’s case where money came from depositors which represented a “bail-in” of existing bank funds ploughed back into the system, the board member who spoke to Reuters said.

Cyprus’s central bank has not denied the existence of financial demands by the consultants. In a terse statement on Wednesday, it said its lawyers believed payment of any additional fees was not justified. Demetriades, a member of the European Central Bank governing council was appointed by Cyprus’s former leftist government last year.

Last week, the island’s conservative president said he was talking to government lawyers on how to get Demetriades removed from his position, claiming he was not up to the job. The lawyers document seen by Reuters said that the consultants’ requested fee should not be paid because the recapitalisation of the banks came from a ‘bailin’. When four directors asked to meet Demetriades at a board meeting on Wednesday, he asked for a postponement until today, two board members said. — Reuters

Credit Suisse profits disappoint in Q3

ZURICH: In this file picture, a man enters a Credit Suisse bank in Zurich.— AP

GENEVA: Credit Suisse Group posted yesterday an unexpectedly small rise in thirdquarter profits due mainly to weak results in its investment banking unit.

Switzerland’s second-largest bank, which has shed thousands of employees in costcutting drives to boost profitability, reported a third-quarter profit of 454 million Swiss francs ($509 million), up from 254 million francs between July and September 2012. Analysts were expecting 671 million francs. The bank’s stock dropped about 3 percent to 28.95 francs in morning trading on the Zurich exchange.

The Zurich-based group said net revenue in the investment banking division fell 20 percent from a year earlier, to 2.55 billion francs. Chief Executive Brady Dougan said the bank had seen “challenging market conditions, characterized by low levels of client activity across many of our businesses.” Revenue in private banking and wealth management

was 3.32 billion francs, roughly in line with the comparable quarter a year earlier, when it had suffered a sharp drop.

Credit Suisse said it had trimmed its worldwide staff to 46,400 by the third quarter, down 4 percent from 48,400 a year earlier. Compensation and benefit costs for employees fell to 348 million francs, down 24 percent from a year earlier, while the bank spent less for bonuses.

The bank said it had cut costs by 3 billion francs out of a total 4.4 billion francs it had planned to cut - and announced it would raise that target to 4.5 billion francs. Credit Suisse also has continued to improve its capital cushion and lower exposure to risks, he said, in line with new international and Swiss banking rules.

Credit Suisse and Switzerland’s biggest bank, UBS AG, are major financial institutions that are on the list of 29 “global systemically important banks” that are considered too economically important to be allowed to fail. —AP

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Health

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The 99 ® and all related characters ® and © 2013, Teshkeel Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

THE99FanPage

Opinion FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Saudi move reflects fears US falling for Iran charm

By Angus McDowall and William Maclean

S

audi Arabia’s warning that it will downgrade its relationship with the United States is based on a fear that President Barack Obama lacks both the mettle and the guile to confront mutual adversaries, and is instead handing them a strategic advantage. Riyadh is locked in what it sees as a pivotal battle over the fate of the Middle East with its arch-rival Iran, a country it believes is meddling in the affairs of allies and seeking to build a nuclear bomb, charges Tehran denies.

The kingdom’s intelligence chief, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, has told European diplomats that Riyadh is contemplating a “major shift” away from the United States over Washington’s policies on a host of issues including Syria. That message reflected the views not just of Prince Bandar, a noted hawk on Middle East issues and outspoken former ambassador to Washington, but of King Abdullah and the rest of the Saudi leadership, diplomatic sources in the Gulf said.

While Saudi Arabia’s frustration with the United States was real, and was leading it to explore alternatives to its 70-year dependence on their strategic alliance, nobody seriously thinks Saudi cooperation with Washington will cease, the sources said. Saudi anger boiled over last week when it renounced a seat on the United Nations Security Council, in protest at what it called international failures to resolve Syria’s civil war and grant Palestinians a state.

Behind its concerns was a fear that its closest major ally had failed to respond robustly on Syria and would give away too much in any negotiations it undertakes with Iran, Riyadh’s main Middle East foe. “The Saudis are putting the pressure on so that the Americans stop being so weak,” said a Saudi analyst close to official thinking. “The message is: You need us. And we are not going to play ball with you until you wake up,” he added.

Shiite Muslim Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia are at odds on most big struggles in the region, including in Lebanon, Iraq, Bahrain and Yemen. In Syria, Tehran backs President Bashar AlAssad, while Riyadh supports rebels seeking to oust him. Saudi princes looked on in dismay last month as Obama courted Iran’s more moderate new President Hassan Rouhani, reinvigorating negotiations to resolve international suspicions about Tehran’s nuclear program.

Despite Rouhani’s statements that he wants better relations with the outside world, King Abdullah and other top Saudis remain intensely suspicious about Iran’s intentions and whether its new president could even deliver any change.

IRANIAN DOMINATION For Riyadh, the prospect of a US deal with Tehran raises several unappetizing scenarios, including continued Iranian domination over big Arab neighbors such as Syria and Iraq, and an Israel-Iran war with Gulf Arab states caught in the middle. “It’s the

Americans’ ability to manage the situation that’s the problem. It’s a bit like back to Jimmy Carter’s time. Bill Clinton wasn’t like that. He was more able, more active, more of a leader,” said the analyst close to official Saudi thinking. During Carter’s presidency, Washington was powerless to stop the collapse of the pro-Western shah in the face of an Islamic revolution that brought to power the Shiite clerics Riyadh so distrusts. The diplomatic source said the Saudis feared the Obama administration was too ready to trust Rouhani on his pledges to improve ties and be more transparent about Iran’s nuclear work.

“They fear the Americans will be fooled,” he said, and that Washington would allow Iran to become a “threshold nuclear power”, allowing it to retain technological capacity that could later be turned to military use. One particularly worrying possibility for Gulf Arab states is the idea of Israel striking Iranian atomic sites unilaterally if the United States does do a deal with Tehran. “This puts Saudi Arabia and the Gulf in a very bad position ... they cannot be pro-Israeli politically but they also cannot accept Iran having a nuclear weapon,” said the analyst.

SYRIA Western allies of the kingdom, including Washington, have urged it to reconsider its renunciation of a two-year seat on the Security Council, arguing it will be better able to influence events from inside the body. “It is difficult to see what they will ultimately get out of it. It’s a statement of principle. But it may weaken their ability to gather coalitions and to enlist the help of allies in achieving goals,” said Robert Jordan, US ambassador to Riyadh from 2001-03.

One area where Prince Bandar’s threat to shift away from the United States could be felt most quickly is in Saudi aid to Syrian rebels. “What I think puzzles Riyadh is the American position on Syria. The Americans do not see Syria even close to the way the Saudis see it. It’s not a priority for them,” said Khaled Al-Dakhil, a Saudi politics professor and columnist for the Al-Hayat panArab daily.

For Riyadh, the outcome of the struggle in Syria will determine whether it, or Iran, ends up with greater influence in the Arab world. The kingdom backs groups it believes are moderate with arms, training, money and logistical support, and has unsuccessfully pressed Washington to join this effort. Obama is worried that the flow of arms to even moderate groups will end up aiding the militant factions now leading the fight against Assad and has instead urged caution on Riyadh.

Saudi willingness to heed that caution may now change, although it will still avoid backing militant groups.

Saudi Arabia has already fought an insurgency waged by Islamist militants who had returned from jihad in Afghanistan and Iraq and is committed to fighting Al-Qaeda.

“The opposition has appropriate equipment, but what they are lacking is training. The Saudis have the means of helping with that,” alongside allies such as France and the United Arab Emirates, a diplomatic source in the Gulf said.

The analyst said Riyadh was increasingly willing to push its own interests in Syria, much as it did in Egypt this summer, when it backed the army in ousting a moderately Islamist government in defiance of Washington.

“We are going to do our own thing. We are not going to coordinate with the States. We are not going to listen ... when they say ‘you can’t give weapons to Syria’,” he said. — Reuters

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

www.kuwaittimes.net

A handout picture taken on October 23, 2013 and provided by Miss Universe 2013 shows Miss Universe 2013 contestant, Miss Switzerland 2013, Dominique Rinderknecht, posing in their 2014 YAMAMAY FOR MISS UNIVERSE swimwear collection at the Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre, during the preparation for the beauty contest in Moscow.

Miss Universe 2013 contestants arrived in the Russian capital Moscow to be crowned at the pageant final show on November 9. —AFP

Food

by the stack

Eating pie

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

I

n Kentucky, stack cakes are common, but few people are familiar with stack pies. A recent article in The New York Times generated some buzz about this old-fashioned dessert. Times food writer Melissa Clark wrote about stack pies in a July issue, then the story was picked up by NBC’s “Today” show, and now it’s getting attention from other food reporters and bloggers. Clark interviewed Karen Thornton, who was researching her family’s genealogy, and Thornton told Clark about a recipe for stack pies she found in a book from the ‘30s about western North Carolina, where her family is from. In the book, given to her by an aunt, there was “one paragraph that describes people bringing fruit pies to church functions. Each family’s pie would get stacked on top of one another, and when it was dessert time, the whole thing was sliced like a layer cake.”

Thornton and her husband, Chris, who have their own blog, Thepeche.com, were intrigued and began to bake dozens of stack pies in different flavors. We asked several cooks in Central Kentucky about stack pies, and discovered they are unfamiliar to most people except for those in and around Washington and Mercer counties. Sandra Davis of Springfield, Ky., author of “That Special Touch” cookbook, said they probably originated at church potlucks or reunions.

The recipe she has is from “my mother-in-law who got

it from her sister-in-law. The handwritten copy came from Kathy Elliott whose mother came up with the original recipe. Her name was Dot Davis, a wonderful cook. She baked the stack pies for her daughter and son-in-law’s restaurant in Lebanon, Ky., called Country Kitchen. She would make stack pies and then use the egg whites to make old-fashioned angel food cakes for Sunday dinner at the restaurant.

“The people in Lebanon had never heard of stack pies, but they were a sell-out every weekend. “My mother-in-law, Ella Mae Davis, always made them for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I got to take the leftover pie home to put in the freezer and enjoy during the spring. It’s so rich you only cut a sliver. All the pies are stacked and covered with caramel. “Ella Mae always made them to sell at the homemakers’ annual bazaar. Not many people made them because they were too much trouble and rather expensive. Some were five pies high and some four.”

Tyler Horton, co-owner of 1851 Historic Maple Hill Manor Bed and Breakfast in Springfield, said recipes for stack pies can be found in many Washington County, Ky., cookbooks. “We have been known to serve a stack pie to our guests, however, they are a lot of work,” Horton said. Stack pies are common around Mercer County, Ky., and in that area they’re referred to as custard stack pies.

Betty Dean Coleman of Harrodsburg, Ky., has never made the stack pie, but she buys them from people in the area. “They are very, very rich and they have a lot of brown sugar and caramel, and they have anywhere from three to 12 pie crusts as the stacking, and this caramel buttery filling goes in between,” she said.

“Then when they’re stacked up, you cover it all with frosting or icing of some kind, but most of the time it’s caramel. “They’re delicious, but you have to serve them 1-inch thick. You can’t eat any more.” The Thorntons’ pies were stacked two or three pies high, so we decided to make ours only two pies high, although tradition calls for many stacks.

Food FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

PUMPKIN-PECAN STACK PIE Pumpkin pie: 2 cups cooked pumpkin, or 1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup evaporated milk 3 whole eggs 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter 1 9-inch unbaked pie shell Pecan pie: 1 cup dark corn syrup 3 eggs 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup (6 ounces) pecans 1 9-inch unbaked pie shell To make pumpkin pie: In medium bowl, beat together all ingredients and pour into unbaked pie shell that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees (do not remove pie from oven); bake an additional 50 minutes or until almost set. Cool completely on wire rack.

To make pecan pie: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla using a spoon. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into pie shell that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake on center rack of oven for 60 to 70 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

To assemble: When pies are completely cool, very gently remove pecan pie from pie pan, using two spatulas, and place on a cake plate. Remove pumpkin pie from pie pan with spatulas, and place atop pecan pie. Slice into thin wedges and serve.

Here is a recipe from Sandra Davis.

VIRGINIA NOEL’S STACK PIE 1 stick melted margarine 2 cups sugar 2 heaping tablespoons flour 4 whole eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 pint whipping cream 3 unbaked pie shells Caramel icing (recipe follows) In a large mixing bowl, combine margarine, sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla and whipping cream. Mix well. Divide mixture equally among pie shells. Bake pies at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely.

Remove pies from pans and gently layer with caramel icing between layers.

MOM’S STACK PIE Filling: 12 egg yolks 2 whole eggs 3 cups white sugar 2 sticks melted butter 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup cream 4 pie shells, partially baked Icing: 2 cups brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 2 teaspoons white corn syrup 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup cream To make filling: In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and whole eggs on low speed. Add white sugar, melted butter, vanilla and cream. Mix well. Pour into pre-baked pie shells and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. When pies have cooled completely, remove from pie pans, and stack.

To make icing: Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a soft boil stage. Pour over stacked pies.

Betty Dean Coleman said this recipe is from the late Virginia Noel of Harrodsburg, Ky.

CARAMEL ICING 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup milk Dash of salt 1 stick butter or margarine 1 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, milk, salt, and butter. Bring to a boil and boil for two minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Add powdered sugar and vanilla.

Beat until thick enough to spread. — MCT

Tr a v e l FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Most popular places in

Canada to visit

T

he most popular cities in Canada cover a range of destination types reflecting the diversity of the country. The following list comprises the top 10 most-visited cities in Canada: 1. Toronto Often mistaken for the nation’s capital (which is actually Ottawa), Toronto is probably the best known Canadian city, in large part due to the Toronto International Film Festival, the CN Tower and major sports franchises, including the Blue Jays, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Raptors. Toronto is less than two hours from both the US border and Niagara Falls and within two to three hours of magnificent cottage country and provincial parks.

2. Vancouver Vancouver - where the ocean meets the mountains. Aside from spectacular natural beauty, Vancouver has a laid-back charm that makes it one of the most popular Canadian cities to visit. Millions of people saw the allure of Vancouver both first hand and on the screens of their TVs in 2010 when the city hosted the Winter Olympic Games. Many of the events took place in Whistler, one of the world’s premier ski destinations, but also a year-round visitor draw.

3. Montreal French and English are the main influences, but this unique Canadian city is truly international. Montreal has an energy and joie de vivre found only in the world’s best cities. Whether you prefer modern conveniences like the vast Underground City and the Casino de Montreal complex or enjoy a quainter, more historic experience, Montreal will not disappoint.

4. Niagara Falls Although the main draw to Niagara Falls, Canada, is to view the two waterfalls, the surrounding area has much more to offer. The Niagara wine region and the Shaw Festival are just two more reasons to visit. Niagara Falls is probably best known as a honeymoon destination, attracting millions of newlywed or just plain romantic couples each year. In recent years, the area has become more sophisticated - in large part due to a new Casino that ushered in other fine dining and hotels.

5. Quebec City Quebec City offers an experience unlike any other in North America. Quebec City’s Old Town itself is a work of art: cobblestone walkways, well-preserved 17th century architecture, cafÈ culture and the only North American fortress walls that still exist north of Mexico - all of which has given it status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. French is still the prevalent language spoken is Quebec and can’t help but add a certain allure to this already alluring town.

6. Victoria The capital city of British Columbia is located on Vancouver Island (an island that is confusingly not home to the city of Vancouver). Victoria is a charming harbour city that is a gateway to all the wonderful towns, inlets, coves and Pacific Ocean scenery that is Vancouver Island.

7. Calgary The Calgary Stampede put Calgary on the map and the city’s role as host of the 1988 Winter Olympics solidified its place as one of Canada’s top destinations. The Old West spirit is alive and well in Calgary where cowboy hats and line danc-

ing are always in fashion. The city has enjoyed great prosperity since the 1990s and grown significantly. Calgary’s proximity to Banff and other ski hills, ice fields and other grand scenery is a big part of Calgary’s draw.

8. Ottawa Though Toronto and Montreal may be better known, Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada’s capital city. Ottawa is a charming city to visit; it has a cultured, yet friendly atmosphere.

So much of Ottawa’s allure is due to the well-planned city that is pedestrian friendly and human in scale. The many historic buildings - most prominently the Parliament Building and the Ch‚teau Laurier - are lovingly preserved.

9. Edmonton Alberta’s capital city is probably best known as a city of festivals, the two most famous being the Edmonton Folk Music Festival and the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival. Edmonton is also a launching pad for northern Alberta adventure.

10. Halifax Nova Scotia’s capital city has the amenities of a big city but the charm of a small town. Part of Halifax’s charm is due to the hospitality of the people, something for which the whole Maritime region is famous. More of the city’s charm can be attributed to an ocean-side location, rugged shorelines, sandy beaches, nearby fishing villages and historic architecture.

— gocanada.about.com

Tr a v e l FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

T

he expanse of Canada’s natural beauty, from mountains and glaciers to secluded lakes and forests, is almost unparalleled worldwide. But Canada’s allure is not just the great outdoors, Canada has cosmopolitan cities that are clean, safe, friendly and multicultural. In fact, Canada repeatedly is lauded as one of the world’s most livable countries. Whether your interests are river rafting or live theater, Canada won’t disappoint.

1. Spectacular Canadian Cities ( see page 30)

Top reasons to visit Canada

2. Canada’s Natural Wonders Few countries boast the number and range of natural wonders that Canada does. The following are some of Canada’s most spectacular and popular natural attractions: • Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks • Dinosaur Provincial Park • Nahanni National Park Reserve • Cabot Trail • Niagara Falls • Scenic Drives 3. Affordability Canada is an affordable vacation choice. Historically the Canadian dollar is worth less than the US dollar, thus prices in Canada generally seem reasonable to travelers. The 2005 Mercer Worldwide Cost of Living Survey ranked Canadian cities among the most affordable. Toronto, even as the most expensive Canadian city, sits at number 82 out of the 100 most expensive cities, and Ottawa stands out as the most affordable city in North America.

4. Canada’s amazing array of outdoor activities One of the best reasons to visit Canada is to take advantage of the fabulous outdoors — and there’s a lot of it! We’re happy to share our trails, mountains and lakes with visitors. Some of the most popular outdoor activities in Canada are: • Camping • Skiing / Snowboarding • Golfing • Fishing • Hiking, Mountain Biking, Climbing, Kayaking, Canoeing, Skiing, and Snowshoeing Trails across Canada.

5. Events & Festivals in Canada Canadians know how to put on a party. Just check out any one of these popular Canadian events and fes-

tivals to find out how hospitable a group we really are: • Celebration of Light, Vancouver (Largest fireworks competition in the world) • The Calgary Stampede • Edmonton Folk Music Festival • The Toronto International Film Festival • Canadian Tulip Festival, Ottawa • Quebec Winter Carnival, Quebec City • Celtic Colours International Festival, Nova Scotia 6. Visit Canada Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall Lots of Canadians head for warmer climates in the winter, but while they’re leaving the country, skiiers and other winter enthusiasts from around the world are pouring in. Canada is a famous “northern” destination, yet it’s not all igloos and snowcaps. Spring, summer and fall have their own charms and add to Canada’s appeal.

Of course, because Canada is so large, the climate varies greatly, allowing for a wide range of activities

year-round. More on Canada’s Weather 7. Canada’s French Heritage French culture remains a prominent part of Canada, mostly in Quebec, but also in Ontario and the Maritime provinces. Canada is officially bilingual, although it’s certainly not necessary for tourists to speak French.

Settled by the French in the 1600s, Quebec, is where visitors can visit Montreal and the provincial capital, Quebec City. Quebec remains very European in feel. Its rich history and distinct heritage make it a unique tourist destination.

8. Canada: Fun for the Whole Family Canada’s laid-back attitude and huge variety of fun outdoor activities and events make it a fantastic travel destination for families travelling with children. From hiking or skiing / snowboarding to visiting Quebec Winter Carnival or the The Calgary Stampede, a Canadian vacation with kids is good fun for the whole family.

9. Diversity Diverse cultures, climates and landscape make Canada a destination to suit any interest.

Canada is a country of immigrants and has a policy of encouraging diversity. Thus, urban hubs feature a range of ethnic neigbourhoods, restaurants, and shops. In addition to rich and varied urban centres, Canada’s natural environment is one of the most beautiful in the world. From pristine coastlines to rugged mountains and sparkling lakes, Canada’s geography inspires awe coast to coast.

10. Interesting Man-Made Attractions in Canada Canada’s natural beauty is a given and the country’s natural wonders are many, but Canada also features interesting man-made attractions. These include architectural feats, such as the CN Tower; historic sites, including Quebec City — the only walled city north of Mexico — and outstanding cultural attractions that include world-class museums and galleries.

— gocanada.about.com

Health FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Highest-rated

bicep exercises to get that rippin’ body

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hey may not be the biggest or the strongest group on your body, but your biceps are arguably the best “show” muscles. Upon hearing the clarion cry, “sun’s out, guns out,” you don’t want to flee into the shadows like a vampire with flabby arms. Functionally, the biceps are pretty straightforward-they just flex the elbow-yet humankind has come a long way since the days of hoisting a club. Today, there is a dizzying array of movements to bring out every vein, bulge, and peak. Below are the top ten biceps exercises as rated by you!

1. Incline Hammer Curls While you rate this No. 1, we give it mixed reviews. The incline bench position increases the stretch on the long head of the biceps, while the neutral grip increases emphasis on the brachioradialis and brachialis. But the “hammer” takes some of the tension away from the long head, negating the benefit you gain from sitting at an incline. Test this yourself by simply placing your right hand on your left biceps. Move your left hand from palm up to palm sideways and you can feel the tension change in your biceps.

2. Incline Inner-Biceps Curl The biceps brachii actually consists of two por-

tions or “heads,” with differing attachment points.

The “long” head actually attaches above the shoulder joint, which means that the position of the upper arm relative to the body can determine how much each head of the biceps helps during a curl.

This exercise gets your humerus behind your body, stretching the long head to the max. The more horizontal the bench, the more the long head will be stretched.

3. Standing Concentration Curl In contrast, concentration curls place the arm in front of the body with a rotation in the shoulder.

While this decreases recruitment of the long head, it potentially increases biceps thickness and peak by better short head and brachialis recruitment. I recommend placing your free hand on your off leg to support your body weight. When you hit failure using a supinated grip, switch over to a hammer grip and burn out a few extra reps.

4. EZ Bar Curl Many find the EZ bar significantly more comfortable than a straight bar. It shifts a little bit of the load from the biceps brachii to your other elbow flexors, so an argument could be made that the EZ bar curl is the best all-around biceps builder.

5. Wide-Grip Standing Barbell Curl Taking a wider-than-normal grip will cause you to externally rotate at the shoulder, so your humerus changes its position. This prompts more involvement from the short head of the biceps. For this and all barbell curls, avoid cheating reps by leaning back. If you want to overload the top, use bands, chains, or a partner for forced reps.

6. Zottman Curl Are you having trouble deciding which biceps exercise to do? Choose the Zottman. In this movement you have a palms-up (supinated) grip on the way up and a palms-down grip (pronated) as you lower the weight. All of your elbow flexors get hit in one swoop. The brachioradialis and the brachialis take heat on the negative, and during the curling motion itself, the biceps brachii bears the load. Rotate the wrist as you come up instead of just doing it at the bottom before the rep starts.

Some of your elbow flexors act as supinators as well, and rotating the wrist during the curl instead of at the bottom will load up that function.

7. Barbell Curl The classic! If you did only this movement for biceps, you would still come out ahead. Since the amount of wrist rotation helps determine how much work our biceps brachii work, it makes sense to maximize supination in a movement where we can load fairly heavy. Play around with your grip width. It may reduce discomfort that some experience with a barbell, as well as emphasize a different part of the biceps. A narrower grip will emphasize the long head; a wider grip, the short head.

8. Dumbbell Biceps Curl A dumbbell curl is a basic movement that seems to be the icon of fitness. Don’t believe me? Just nose around our site; it seems like half of our banners have someone doing a dumbbell curl!

Dumbbells allow the wrists to move freely. Most people will adopt at least a little bit of wrist rotation as they curl-just try to keep as much supination as is comfortable.

9. Hammer Curl The “hammer” or neutral wrist position will typically be our strongest curl. This is because all of our elbow flexors are actively involved; the brachialis is worked the hardest. Doing this movement like a concentration curl or on a preacher bench is recommended. This should minimize cheating and maximize recruitment.

10. Overhead Cable Curl This movement is a great way to practice your front double biceps pose as you train. With our arms in this position, brachialis recruitment is maximized. The higher your elbow, the more isolated the brachialis is from the biceps brachii. A good variation is to do one arm at a time, getting the arm straight up (against the head), curling behind your head.

— www.bodybuilding.com

Lifestyle FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Bollywood’s ‘King of Melody’

Manna Dey dies at 94

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egendary Bollywood singer Manna Dey, whose husky voice dominated the soundtracks of Indian movie classics for more than 60 years, died in hospital yesterday aged 94. The playback singer, who had been struggling with ill health for several months, died in the southern city of Bangalore after suffering multiple organ failure, a hospital spokesman told AFP. “We are saddened by his loss, but he died peacefully,” his son-in-law Jnanranjan Deb, who was at the singer’s bedside when he died, told the Press Trust of India news agency.

Dey, part of the golden era of Bollywood from the 1940s to the 1960s, was a versatile singer who enthralled generations of music lovers and moviegoers with his romantic ballads but also faster modern songs. His body was taken from the hospital to an open-air theatre in Bangalore’s central business district for crowds of fans to pay their respects. One emotional follower burst into one of Dey’s songs as he stood next to the body, which was covered in flowers with only Dey’s face showing.

The singer’s cremation took place later in the afternoon in northwestern Bangalore, with hundreds of fans joining grieving relatives including his daughter Rama at the ceremony.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh led tributes to the musician, who recorded more than 3,000 songs during his career in numerous languages. “I am deeply saddened to hear of the demise of the King of Melody, Manna Dey. An accomplished singer with a unique voice, he was multi-talented,” Singh said in his condolence message.

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, for whom Dey sang in early hits such as “Sholay” (Embers) in 1975, described him as a “stalwart of the music world”. “Flooded with memories and his songs,” Bachchan wrote on Twitter, where many in the industry paid tribute for man widely known as Mannada.

Born in Kolkata in May 1919 as Prabodh Chandra Dey, he had trained to be a wrestler as a college student, but struggled with the sport owing to worsening eyesight.

“By the time I was an adult, music had taken over my life and soul,” Dey wrote in his autobiography, “Memories Come Alive”. After college, he travelled to Mumbai where he was first employed as an assistant to a music director, before making his debut as a playback singer in the 1943 film “Tamanna” (Desire). His first big hit came seven years later in “Mashaal” (Torch) and his career went on to span more than six decades.

His most popular numbers included the 1970 hits “Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli” (Life is such a puzzle) for the film “Anand” (Happiness) and “Ae Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo” (Hey brother, watch where you are going) for “Mera Naam Joker” (My Name is Joker). Dey’s last recording was for the 2006 movie “Umar” (Age). The singer was as much at ease with a classical Indian song as he was with a peppy, youthful one. As well as Hindi, he sang in regional languages such as Bengali, Malayalam, Bhojpuri and Gujarati. Rajendra Babu, a leading director in the Bangalore-based film industry, said Dey was widely admired by the country’s moviemakers for his ability to sing in so many languages.

“Mannada was one of the greatest singers in the Indian subcontinent during the 20th century with a unique and original voice,” he told AFP. Later in life Dey was always seen wearing a brown fur cap, which was given to him by a fan at a winter concert in the northern region of Kashmir as he struggled to sing in the bitter cold. Dey won various awards for his work in the music industry, including the Dadasaheb Phalke, the highest award in Indian cinema, in 2007. But some felt he did not enjoy the same levels of fame and celebrity as his contemporaries Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar, with whom he recorded a boisterous song for “Padosan” (Neighbour) in 1968.

Dey is survived by his two daughters. His wife Sulochana died of cancer last year. — AP

In this photograph taken on October 21, 2009, then Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil presents The Dadasaheb Phalke Award to Indian singer Manna Dey at the 55th National Film Awards Function in New Delhi.

Mourners pay their last respects over the mortal remains of Indian Bollywood playback singer Manna Dey, who passed away following multiple organ failure aged 94 in Bangalore yesterday.

Mourners gather around a flower palanquin bearing the mortal remains of Indian Bollywood playback singer Manna Dey.

Lifestyle FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Pearl Jam beats Paul McCartney to top of Billboard 200 chart I

n a battle of veteran rockers, Pearl Jam beat former Beatle Paul McCartney to the top of the US Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday. “Lightning Bolt,” the 10th studio album by Seattle band Pearl Jam, who rose to prominence in the early 1990s grunge-rock movement, sold 166,000 copies in its first week, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan.

British musician McCartney, 71, came in at No. 3 on the album chart with his latest record “New,” which sold 67,000copies. That was behind Miley Cyrus’ “Bangerz,” which dropped one spot to No. 2 this week. The Billboard 200 chart measures both physical and digital album sales in the United States on a weekly basis.

Other new entries in the chart’s top 10 this week include folk-rock group Avett Brothers at No. 5 with “Magpie & The Dandelion,” while “American Idol” winner and country singer Scotty McCreery landed at No. 6 with his latest set, “See You Tonight.”

Country music singer Willie Nelson came in at No. 9 with his latest record “To All the Girls,” featuring duets with some of country music’s longtime female stars including Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn. Indie folk rockers The Head and the Heart rounded out the top 10 with its sophomore effort, “Let’s Be Still.”

On the digital songs chart, which measures single track downloads, rapper Eminem shot to the top with his new single “Rap God,” knocking New Zealand singer Lorde’s “Royals” to No. 2 and Katy Perry’s “Roar” to No.3. Overall album sales for the week ending Oct 20 totaled 4.7 million, down 11 percent from the comparable week in 2012, Billboard said. — Reuters

Sophia Loren ends 39-year tax feud

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court ruling in Italy this week has put an end to a 39-year legal dispute between Oscar-winning film star Sophia Loren and Italian tax authorities, Italian media reported yesterday. The 79-year-old Loren, who lives in Switzerland, was quoted as saying she was happy with a ruling by the supreme court that said her 1974 tax return was indeed covered by a 1982 tax amnesty. “A saga that has lasted nearly 40 years is finally over,” Loren was quoted by the La Stampa daily as saying, adding: “I always look to the future and I leave bad experiences like this one behind me.”

Her lawyer, Giovanni Desideri, said: “The supreme court has wrapped up a Kafkaesque

case.” Loren, who was born Sofia Scicolone and started out in film in 1950, famously spent 17 days in prison in 1982 in a separate tax disputean incident that drew crowds to the jail near Naples. The actress shot to fame internationally when she acted alongside Cary Grant in Houseboat (1958) and she won an Oscar for her heart-rending masterpiece Two Women (1961) about a mother raped while protecting her daughter in war-torn Italy. She received a lifetime achievement Oscar in 1991. — AFP

Michael Jackson regains crown as top-earning dead celebrity Underwood will star on live TV in ‘Sound of Music’

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he end of the year looks busy for Carrie Underwood, and she couldn’t be happier.

The six-time Grammy winning singer will host the Country Music Association Awards for the sixth time. She can be seen every week singing the opening on “Sunday Night Football.” And for one night in December, she will star in a live television version of “The Sound of Music.” The 30-year-old star told the Associated Press Tuesday night on the red carpet of the TJ Martell Foundation gala, where she was one of the night’s honorees that she’s nervous about doing something she’s never done before. But then she realized, “None of us have.

This is a live show on TV. So this is definitely a challenge for all of us.”

She equated the live singing and acting as “going to a Broadway show, but you’re in your living room.” The Sound of Music” airs Dec 5 on NBC with Underwood playing Maria alongside “True Blood” vampire Stephen Moyer. He portrays Captain von Trapp. Broadway veterans - and Tony winners -Audra McDonald, Laura Benanti, and Christian Borle round out the cast as Mother Abbess, Elsa, and Max, respectively.

While the Nashville-based Underwood is no stranger to performing before millions of people on live television - she won the fourth season of “American Idol” - she felt she needed more preparation, so she showed up in New York three weeks early. —AP

Carrie Underwood attends the T.J. Martell Foundation 38th Honors Gala, on Tuesday in New York. — A P

M

ichael Jackson regained the title of the highest-earning dead celebrity in the past year, easily surpassing Elvis Presley and cartoonist Charles Schulz, Forbes magazine said on Wednesday. After being pushed into second place by Elizabeth Taylor last year, Jackson, who died in 2009, was back on top with estimated earnings of $160 million in the 12 months from October 2012 to 2013. “He earned the bulk of his bucks from two Cirque du Soleil shows, his Mijac Music catalog, recorded music sales and his half of the Sony/ATV publishing empire - which includes the copyright to hits by the Beatles, Lady Gaga, Eminem and Taylor Swift, among others,” Forbes said.

Presley was a distant second with $55 million, followed by Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts comic strip, who came in third for the second consecutive year with $37 million.

Taylor dropped to fourth place with earnings of $25 million, a huge dip from last year when her estate pulled in an estimated $210 million with much of it from the auction of her jewels. Reggae star Bob Marley rounded out the top five with earnings of $18 million. The singer, who died of cancer at the age of 36 in 1981, has sold more than 75 million albums in the past two decades, according to Forbes.

Nobel-prize winning physicist Albert Einstein, dropped one place to No. 8 this year with earnings of $10 million, while MexicanAmerican singer Jenni Rivera, who died in a plane crash in December at the age of 43, was new to the list at No. 13 with $7 million.

Forbes compiled the list by talking to estate managers, lawyers and licensors and analyz-

ing estimated posthumous earnings between October 2012-2013. The full list can be found at forbes.com/dead-celebs. — Reuters

Lifestyle FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Musician Ringo Starr speaks at Genesis Publications unveiling of ‘PHOTOGRAPH’ by Ringo Starr at the Arclight Theatre in Los Angeles, California. — AFP photos

Ex-Beatle Ringo Starr is joined on stage with his All Starr Band of ageing rock stars while promoting an upcoming South America tour.

Ex-Beatle Ringo jokes about reuniting with McCartney

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x-Beatle Ringo Starr joked Wednesday that he would welcome playing with former bandmate Paul McCartney again, but only if the group was called “Ringo’s.” The veteran drummer made the quip after singing a few hits including “With a Little Help from my Friends,” as he promoted an upcoming South America tour with his All Starr band of ageing rock stars. Starr was joined on stage by Todd Rundgren and Santana keyboard player Gregg Rolie among others to play selection of songs also including the Santana hit “Oye Como Va” before taking a few questions.

He was asked if Beatles legend McCartney-the only other surviving member of the Fab Four-could join his All Starrs. “Yeah

that would be good,” he said, pausing for effect. “But he’d have to call it Ringo’s,” he said to laughter, flashing a cheesy peace sign for reporters crowded into a Los Angeles office function room for the mini show. The All Starrs are about to hit the road for a tour of 14 shows in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Mexico, before finishing back in the US in Las Vegas in November, just before Thanksgiving. Starr said he could imagine one day doing a residency in Vegas, like Elton John’s “Red Piano” fixed gig there-his would be called the Golden Drums.

“Not yet,” he said, adding: “It’s been talked about, but nothing has been finalized. It’ll be a couple of years before that happens.”

Starr also confirmed that he no longer gives autographs, although he has signed copies of a new book of his own photographs, many taken during the Beatlemania years. He drew criticism a few years ago when he posted a video message on his website, explaining that he was too busy to sign autographs. “I don’t sign on the street anymore,” he said Wednesday. “In all honesty .. I’ve signed enough.”-AFP

Clint Eastwood’s wife files for divorce

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ollywood icon Clint Eastwood’s wife of 17 years has filed for divorce, citing irreconciliable differences, a court spokeswoman said Wednesday. Dina Eastwood, a 48-year-old journalist, filed papers on Tuesday in Monterey County, south of San Francisco, where the “Dirty Harry” star has long lived. She is seeking physical custody of their 16-year-old daughter Morgan, giving the 83-year-old movie legend child visitation rights, according to the divorce petition, a copy of which was sent to AFP.

US actor and director Clint Eastwood waves as he arrives with his wife Dina to attend the screening of his film ‘The Exchange’ at the 61st Cannes International Film Festival on May 20, 2008 in Cannes, southern France. —AFP

She also wants spousal support and for the actor-director Eastwood to pay legal fees. Reports surfaced in August that Dina Eastwood wanted to file for divorce, but there was no confirmation at the time, nor legal papers filed. People magazine reported that she filed papers for legal separation on October 7, but then withdrew them, before filing full divorce papers this week. “This is really sad,” a source told the celebrity bible when confirming the split last month, adding: “They were great partners for many years.” The magazine said that the veteran star is dating Erica Fisher, who has been living in his Los Angeles-area home and has been seen driving his Mercedes Benz around town. Media reports have suggested that Dina Eastwood is dating Erica Fisher’s ex husband Scott Fisher. The marriage began to come apart when Dina launched “Mrs. Eastwood and Company,” a reality TV show featuring her and two of Clint’s daughters. The actor appeared occasionally, but appeared uncomfortable.

“Clint was furious about the show,” a source close to Eastwood told People. “It went against everything he stands for: he’s incredibly private, and she put his kids on TV .. It was not a happy time for them.” Eastwood has been married once before, and has eight children by six different women, according to the IMDb movie industry website. He has won four Oscars over a more than half-century career, including most recently best movie and best director for 2004’s “Million Dollar Baby.” He took the same two Academy Award prizes for 1992’s “Unforgiven.” — AFP

This film image released by Columbia Pictures shows Matt Damon, left, and George Clooney in ‘The Monuments Men.’ — AP

George Clooney’s ‘Monuments Men’ pushed to 2014

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eorge Clooney’s World War II drama “The Monuments Men” is being pushed to 2014 and out of this year’s awards season. The movie will now be released in the first quarter of next year, instead of its planned release date of Dec 18, a spokesman for Sony Pictures said Wednesday. “Monuments Men,” which Clooney directed, co-wrote and stars in, had been expected to be among the top Oscar contenders. The film could still compete for awards next year, but the early-in-the-year positioning suggests Sony doesn’t expect it to. Movies released early in the year - much less sought-after territory than the lucrative holiday movie-going season - rarely draw any awards interest.

Sony said the film is being delayed so Clooney

can finish the film’s extensive visual effects. “The Monuments Men,” which also stars Matt Damon and Bill Murray, is about a World War II platoon whose mission is to rescue artworks from the Nazis. Based on a true story, the film is adapted from Robert Edsel’s book “The Monuments Men: Allie Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History.” Clooney has conceived of “The Monuments Men,” reportedly made for $65 million, as a popular period drama tinged with comedy in the mold of “The Great Escape.”—AP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Pictures show models displaying Muslim themed outfits made from Riau’s woven fabric, one of Indonesia’s traditional woven fabrics from Riau province, designed by Indonesian designer Deden Siswanto, at Jakarta Fashion Week in Jakarta.—AFP

Indonesian designers defy stereotypes of

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s the world’s most populous Muslim country, Indonesia has high demand for clothing that adheres to religious rules emphasizing modesty for women. But as the stylish, colorful and cool outfits at Jakarta Fashion Week showed, the Southeast Asian nation also aims to be the global leader in the Muslim fashion industry that is worth nearly $100 billion by some estimates.

Indonesia’s government is championing young designers and the garment trade, which employs more than 3 million people and contributes about $15 billion to the economy. “We can be the trend-setter,” said Mari Pangestu, the tourism and creative economy minister. “We have the vision and mission that Indonesia can be the capital of Muslim fashion.” Often perceived as conservative and requiring women to be covered from head to toe, the rules range from strict interpretations of modesty in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan to more moderate versions in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Headdresses are compulsory in any case and outfits should not be tight or see-through, but the three young Indonesians who kicked off Jakarta Fashion Week were clearly challenging

Muslim fashion

stereotypes with their ready-to-wear collections. Nur Zahra showed folk designs in organic materials with natural colours, mainly indigo and khaki. Jenahara Nasution’s Eastern Opulence line was sleekly cut with linings of flowing organdy and chiffon silk, accented with traditional Tasikmalaya embroidery from West Java. Dian Wahyu Utami’s Dian Pelangi brand delved into the 1960s with bursts of bright colors in batik prints.

Modern and cool The three designers - all participants in the government’s Indonesia Fashion Forward program to develop young talent for the international market - said they wanted to create clothes with broad appeal, including for women in Western countries. “To make Muslim wear so the people look cool has always been my mission,” said 27-year-old Nasution. Her Jenahara brand is in talks with an agent from Milan to market the collection in Italy, Russia and Dubai. She said her production capacity has nearly doubled since last year.

“The agent had an initial order of 200 pieces per season,”

Nasution said. “But after they checked out my collection, they wanted me to sign a three-year contract.” Wahyu Utami, whose parents started the Dian Pelangi brand 22 years ago using her first name, went to her first show five years ago in Melbourne. She got a “wonderful response” and plenty of interest in her next collections, she said. “I realized there is international potential for this Muslim fashion,” she said.

Dian Pelangi now has a branch in Malaysia and is expanding into Singapore and Brunei. It has buyers in Australia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Kuwait. The collections were also sold at shows in France, Germany, Hungary and other European countries.

“We haven’t reached the United States yet, so that is our next target. I also want to open my own stores in the Middle East, not just sell our collection in department stores,” Wahyu Utami said. “Korea is famous for its K-Pop culture and Indonesia is famous for its Muslim wear, so why don’t we focus on that?”—Reuters

Voila! Brooklyn backdrop suits Gaultier exhibit J

ean Paul Gaultier can barely contain his enthusiasm to be in Brooklyn. Make that his enthusiasm for New York. And life, in general. In a single conversation, seemingly a single breath, he covers the Chrysler Building; the 1940s film “Falbalas” that started his love affair with fashion; his beloved grandmother who inspired his fascination with corsetry; and the Broadway production of “Nine” that reminded him of it. A joie de vivre oozes with each word.

It leaves one wondering, is there anything Gaultier - he of the famous cone bras, tonguein-cheek catwalks and rock-star collaborations - isn’t exploding to talk about? But back to Brooklyn. Until he arrived this week to christen the Brooklyn Museum exhibit “The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk,” he had visited the now-hipster borough twice: once to a fish restaurant that

was “very good,” he says, and once to visit the nightclub where John Travolta wore his sharp white suit in the 1977 movie “Saturday Night Fever.”

“I’m so impressed with Brooklyn,” he says in his thick French accent and occasionally broken English, “and this museum is absolutely fabulous. Voila!” This is no static fashion exhibition with gowns behind glass. It seems there was no other way to put Gaultier’s 30-plus-year career on display than on mannequins that cry, laugh and speak. They do it so realistically that passers-by surely will do a double take. They’ll probably drive the security guards crazy at night.

Some of the outfits, including the “cancan” bustier dress lined with photo-printed legs that gives the illusion that an entire dance line is hiding under the full skirt, are on a revolving runway that aims to mimic the models on

Lifestyle FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Creations by French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier are on display during a press preview of “The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From Sidewalk to Catwalk” exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum in New York.—AP/AFP photos parade at a fashion show. “Fashion is not clothes on the hanger, it was always about dressing somebody. Somebody has to be inside,” the 61-year-old Gaultier says.

Seeing the childhood teddy bear that he used as his first model, complete with its bra top and red lipstick, in the same space as the iconic concert costumes he created for Madonna, Beyonce and Kylie Minogue “is a privilege of age,” Gaultier says. “It’s a very strong sensation.”

Yet, Gaultier wasn’t completely sold on a retrospective when Thierry-Maxime Loriot, curator of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, presented the idea in 2010. “My god, at first I thought this was only for people that were dead, like a monument! I am not an artist like the painter or something like that, so I feel a little humbled. ... Do I deserve it?”

His only experience in creating exhibits at that point was participating in a challenge to craft fashion out of croissants, brioche and other French baked treats. “It was funny!” Now, though, Loriot has produced this show in Montreal, Dallas, San Francisco, Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden. The Brooklyn exhibit runs Friday through Feb 23.

Each time the pieces are packed and unpacked, Loriot says he’s impressed by Gaultier’s craftsmanship and creativity. Loriot is eager to show off the mermaid-shaped gown that Marion Cotillard wore to the 2008 Oscars it took 180 hours to make by hand - and Madonna’s “Blond Ambition” bustier made of a vintage 1930s metallic fabric that now has added patina from body heat and sweat.

Loriot says the designer isn’t some sort of style shock jock. Gaultier roots everything in tailoring and execution, but he’s not confined by any conventional rules, he says. The hightech, projection-beamed version of Gaultier that greets visitors is, not by coincidence, wearing his signature men’s trouser-skirt. “It’s one leg of a pant, one half-skirt. It was inspired by the long aprons at a Paris cafe, but it looks like pants from the back. It’s sort of very ‘him,’” Loriot says. New to the exhibit in Brooklyn is a section dedicated to Gaultier’s muses. There’s the fishnet-covered floral gown made for model Crystal Renn, the bronze-beaded catsuit for Naomi Campbell and the floral tulle leotard for Beth Ditto. Also on display is the Amy Winehouse-inspired gown that male model Andrej Pejic wore in a 2012 couture show. “I always wanted to show there is more than one kind of beauty,” Gaultier says. Voila, indeed!—AP

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

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SHARQIA-2 SIR BILLI (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

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MARINA-2 QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

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MARINA-3 ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

MUHALAB-1 DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) NO FRI BHAI (DIG) (TELUGU) FRI QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) MUHALAB-2 SIR BILLI (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) DIANA (DIG) MUHALAB-3 THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG)

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FANAR-5 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE O F MEATBALLS 2 GRAVITY GRAVITY

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AVENUES-5 GRAVITY (DIG-3D) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG-3D) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

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360ยบ- 3 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2

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AL-KOUT.4 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (DIG) CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED BAIRAQ-1 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 SIR BILLI (DIG) CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

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LAILA GRAVITY (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG)

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

6:30 PM 9:30 PM 9:30 PM

6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM

SITUATION VACANT A family is looking to hire a driver. 94026500.

(C 4536) 20-10-2013 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

ACCOMMODATION

6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 1:00 AM

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PLAZA BHAI (DIG) (TELUGU) BHAI (DIG) (TELUGU) THU+FRI+SAT QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) NO THU+FRI+SAT

FOR SALE

112 THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION

Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is

1889988 Prayer timings

Fajr: Shorook Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

04:36 05:56 11:32 14:44 17:08 18:26

Sharing in Farwaniya for decent Filipino only, block 1, st 122 near Gulf Mart/Nesto hypermarket, rent KD 85.

Mob: 97805614.

(C 4537) Sharing accommodation available for decent bachelor non smoking. Amman street, opposite to Al Rashid hospital. Please contact: 66232356.

(C 4538) 20-10-2013

Pe t s FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

I

n an age when privacy melts away with each picture upload and status update, life’s simple acts broadcast over the web can touch a worldwide audience. How else could a stray dog that lived for years in the woods between a Sonic and a Waffle House in West Columbia, SC, gain fans from Europe and Asia, and turn the University of South Carolina webmaster who adopted the mutt into an Internet celebrity? Shaggy, a 6- or 7-year-old lighthaired dog with a long nose and dark soulful eyes, was saved by social media. Her rescue was coordinated on Facebook, promoted on Ustream and feted on Twitter and YouTube.

A tire store employee, Manuela Schafer, was frustrated in her attempts to capture Shaggy for years and asked for help in late December from a California animal rescuer, Eldad Hagar, who has 82,000 Facebook followers. “She had been terrified, chased and hurt,” Schafer said of Shaggy.

After Hagar’s advice to Schafer - to lure the dog with food - failed, the animal rescuer traveled crosscountry two weeks ago and put out a call on Facebook for 40 volunteers to help collar Shaggy.

The hunt took two hours and was one of the toughest in Hagar’s nearly five years of rescuing animals because of the heavily wooded terrain.

Another problem: Shaggy’s matted fur was so thick that the needle on a tranquilizer dart did not reach her skin, Hagar said. So volunteers created a long wall with $800 in tarp materials to keep the dog from escaping while Hagar cornered Shaggy.

Schafer finally was able to pet the stray that she followed for years. “She was pitiful,” she said. “I just cried.”

After getting her out of the woods, Hagar aired daily live streaming online videos of Shaggy from his hotel room, providing updates on her condition and answering viewers’ questions. Thousands of people worldwide watched the dog’s first days of recovery after years in the wild. “She was sleeping like 90 percent of the time,” Hagar said.

One of those early-morning volunteers, a follower of Hagar on Facebook for six months, fell in love with Shaggy after watching the videos. Her adoption interview, in the hotel room with dog and rescuer a week ago, was captured on Shaggy’s live

remember Shaggy Ann. Eldad did a great job and you are guaranteeing that this work continues.

Please give her a kiss from me!”

Hall, a webmaster at the University of South Carolina who describes herself as an introvert, is grateful but a bit taken aback about going from one of many Internet fans to a center of attention.

“At first, she was reluctant with all these people

How social media saved a stray dog in South Carolina

People came from as far away as Raleigh, NC - more than three hours away from West Columbia - to gather at dawn on the chilly morning to help a stray dog on Platts Spring Road.

“Eldad is a hero of mine,” said Angela Hardin, a mother of two from Gastonia, NC, who came to South Carolina with her 12-year-old daughter.

“When he said he was coming to the Carolinas, I had to go. We had no idea what they wanted us to do, but if I had to crawl through whatever, I would have done it.”

online feed so people learned her name.

Patty Hall became a hero to Shaggy’s fans. Since the adoption last weekend, hundreds of people from the Southeast United States to Southeast Asia - have asked to become Hall’s Facebook friend.

Many sent emails with congratulations and shared their pet-rescue stories. “I was in situations where I rescued dogs from the streets and took them to shelters. Then, I started following Shaggy, and I could not stop watching,” wrote a man from Albania. “Whenever I see a stray dog ... I now

around wanting to talk to her,” Hagar said.

People asked for updates on Shaggy, who must overcome heartworms, a broken tail and a herniated diaphragm, likely from getting hit by a car, as well as learning to be around people again. But Hall wanted to separate life with her new dog from her personal life.

She started sharing photos of the dog on one of two Shaggy Facebook fan pages others had created. The week-old page has received nearly 4,000 likes. Hall started a YouTube page for Shaggy to post videos. Hall couldn’t escape the mania even in picking a veterinarian. A nurse at a Columbia practice exclaimed this week, “I was hoping we would get Shaggy!” when she learned the famous dog was going to be a patient.

Dozens of fans offered tricks for giving Shaggy heartworm pills in response to Hall’s Facebook post about the dog’s vet visit Friday. The post generated nearly 250 comments and more than 700 likes in 12 hours. Hall has grown more comfortable with the attention, interacting with Shaggy’s fans by asking questions and replying to some of their comments and many of their emails. “Yes, she’s my

dog, but I feel like it’s everyone’s dog,” Hall said. “So many of these people have invested their money and their time. One person said they didn’t clean their house for three days because they were watching the videos. That’s why I don’t resent their interest.”

Hall does not know how long she will keep updating fans about Shaggy. (“Being a celebrity is hard work,” she joked.) But she has no immediate plans to stop. Still, she adds, “There will be another dog of the month.” Shaggy hit a sweet spot for an Internet sensation - the emotion of a dog rescue with plenty of pictures and videos, said Marcus Messner, a Virginia Commonwealth University professor who studies social media.

“Marketers would dream of a hit like that,” Messner said. “We are so skeptical of what we see online that events with real, normal people easily become a mass phenomenon.” People who don’t want to become unwitting Internet stars have one choice.

“The only way to control your online persona is not be online,” Messner said. “If you’re uncomfortable with the spotlight, the reassuring thing is that it will move along quickly.” Hagar said he raised enough money from local contributions and donations generated by attention from Shaggy’s live video to break even on his $8,000 trip to South Carolina that included vet bills. A Forest Acres rescue group, Chasing Tails Pet Patrol, organized a fundraising effort though social media site FundRazr - that collected $1,900 for Hagar’s trip.

Hagar’s advisers questioned the excursion, noting he was traveling 2,400 miles to save one dog.

But social media changed that equation. “I didn’t save one dog,” he said. “I really saved a lot more dogs by prompting people to take action.” As a side result of her newfound social media fame, Hall gets advice on what to feed Shaggy and toys to help socialize the traumatized dog, which gives a low growl to strangers and runs away when they approach.

Fans also analyze photos that Hall uploads. One emailer noted Shaggy could escape her back yard by jumping on a chair that appeared to be close to a fence. Hall said she knows that people have good intentions with their suggestions. “I can’t imagine people would be interested for so long,” she said. “But we all like to see a happy ending.”

— MCT

Stars

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Aries (March 21-April 19) Your happiest times all month are the days, like this Sunday, when you spend time with friends in group activities. Spiritual practices and some charity work may be involved in making this a rewarding time. This Monday 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 are favored this Tuesday. Good luck and positive actions are in the forecast. You could be in the limelight, especially with superiors or in relation to your work.

This Wednesday morning brings with it good luck and positive opportunities. If you are not learning and adhering to better nutrition, this day and the next are good times to begin.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) After a busy week, you may decide to take some time to relax and enjoy your environment this Sunday. You may decide to check out a new bookstore or visit the park. Science, philosophy or religion is likely to seem as if it holds the ultimate answers this Monday. True wisdom lies in discovering that there are no ultimate answers, only good questions. People and business projects are easily manipulated this Tuesday and this could result in resentments or changes of plans later.

Try to give propositions and ideas time to develop before you push for an outcome. Your thinking is quite clear and natural this Wednesday.

Ideas are flowing and come with ease. In some circumstances, you may be tempted to chat a little longer than you should.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Being more practical and budgeting your income take on a special importance this Sunday morning. You will find this a good time to catch up on your letter writing, phone calls and bill writing.

For you, making career moves involves attending to a few troublesome details this Monday 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. Everything external and business-oriented should prosper this Tuesday, provided that honesty and truth are your guides. You are reaching a peak regarding outward success. This Wednesday is a good time to step back and reevaluate your goals. If you do not stop for a break or have a little refreshment from time to time, your thursday may result in a frustrating day.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) This Sunday is favorable for involvement in advanced ideas in information, communications and transportation. There have been several questions that you wanted to ask someone knowledgeable and you will be happy to have your questions answered. Your Monday workday is successful and the afternoon is filled with friendships and involvement in group activities. Details that demand your attention can become stressful this Tuesday. You know the right steps to accomplish the end result that is needed and physically there are tricks to lower the stress level. You feel a hero as you come to the rescue of some coworker friend this Wednesday morning and you like the feeling that comes with the feeling that you may have moved up a bit in the social standing of this group at work.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Start to plan this Sunday for a vacation in the next few weeks. This will be the time when energies work in your favor and will also comply with the idea of a change in activities.

Challenges in the workplace are fast moving this Monday. Time is limited and you must be able to get through one job in order to handle the next job. You will be pleased this Tuesday at the progress you have made already this week. Congratulations are in order for choosing your next move instead of reacting too quickly. You can expect a little boost, some extra support. You will be making plans this Wednesday to complete unfinished business and clear away obligations. Your career or life path, the way you make your living or get through life, is perhaps quite unique this thursday.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) This Sunday is most rewarding. The attention you give your work and the follow-through steps that you exert to help your customer or client are commendable and worthy of attention. This Monday, 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. There are opportunities this Tuesday to go in many directions but if you stay focused you will progress faster. This afternoon the planets are in the best place to help you complete projects and enjoy your accomplishments. You have an opportunity to encourage your mate this Wednesday morning. Perhaps a new job is in the making.

In the workplace you concentrate on the challenging ideas.

Libra (September 23-October 22) There are motivating energies available this Sunday to help you gain more vigor and to generally improve your physical wellbeing. Health goals take on a greater importance. You may not be able to keep your mind on your job this Monday. 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. Don't decline an assignment this Tuesday because you think you may not have enough experience to succeed--you have talent. A lot of mental tension can be eliminated with your insight this Wednesday. Progress in some project is commendable and by the end of the day you will probably feel you have accomplished more than your usual day of work.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) In-depth discussions and probing conversations find you at your mental best this Sunday. Your analytical abilities are at a high point. This Monday is one of action and embarking on new projects.

This Tuesday can be a rather busy day; however, this is a positive sign of good business. This afternoon you may want to catch up on your reading and could find concentration difficult. Co-workers or higherups may have good news because of your endeavors this Wednesday.

You will find the likelihood of a raise or some other means that will increase your standard of living. Communication of all kinds is enjoyable this thursday. You may be ready to learn a language which is new and unusual to you.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) As this Sunday progresses, romance and social interaction take on a greater importance for you. Pleasant ties to others are what you crave for; refinement and elegance are what you seek. You could find it easy to become carried away with some idea this Monday.

Turn this into a positive outcome by making sure there is an interest in your idea. A vacation is favored this Tuesday. You could begin this vacation now or just make plans for a vacation very soon. Perhaps go on a tour or on a cruise adventure. This Wednesday has been a productive time in that you are ready to move forward with your goals and eliminate any slowdowns that create that feeling of moving backward.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Take a little trip this Sunday. Enjoy getting away from your regular routine. This is a very nice day, perhaps filled with some renewed appreciation for all that is beautiful and fine. You are very trusting and idealistic when it comes to taking care of business and getting down to the basics this Monday. Others value you for your ability to organize and conduct business while surrounded by so much confusion. Your creative side is active this Tuesday and ideas for making the workplace more productive could be made into a presentation for higher-ups to read. If you are in a business where you can take the lead with your ideas, more power to you! Your attitude is positive and with a lot of enthusiasm this Wednesday.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Lovers, children and other people or things dear to your heart are emphasized this Sunday. Being appreciated and admired for your gifts and talent is a powerful need. The no-nonsense feeling this Monday 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 at your most practical when it comes to dealing and working with others this Tuesday. You know just what to do and can act without haste. Hobbies, talents and adventures are yours to enjoy. This Wednesday is a good time to request a loan. Communications are accented and connections of all kinds, news, etc., are furthered. Do not take chances or risks this thursday. Be satisfied with the ordinary and the usual at this time.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Be sure to let others know of your ideas when conversations seem difficult this Sunday--your thinking could easily turn a negative into a positive. This Monday ideas of group cooperation and teamwork ideas could further your career. This is a real time to buckle down and concentrate on your career. Refuse an offer to invest in a getrich-quick plan this Tuesday. Be wise and invest in the long-term investment. Consider the needs of others as you work on your financial plans this Wednesday. Losing sight of the practical and mundane can make you very artistic, but might not be so good for the bankbook. There is a push to complete any unfinished business this thursday. Travel opportunities are available but you are careful to make sure your work is all in order before you take any trips.

COUNTRY CODES 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 Republic 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 Somalia 00252 South Africa 0027 South Korea 0082 Spain 0034 Sri Lanka 0094 Sudan 00249 Suriname 00597 Swaziland 00268 Sweden 0046 Switzerland 0041 Syria 00963 Taiwan 00886 Tanzania 00255 Thailand 0066 Toga 00228 Tonga 00676 Tokelau 00690 Trinidad 001868 Tunisia 00216 Turkey 0090 Tuvalu 00688 Uganda 00256 Ukraine 00380 United Arab Emirates00976

Stars

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Word Search

Yesterday’s Solution

C R O S S W O R D 3 4 8

ACROSS 1. Thickening of tissue in the motor tracts of the lateral columns and anterior horns of the spinal cord.

4. In a cheap manner.

11. (of molten metal or glass) Formed by pouring or pressing into a mold n 1.

15. A unit of length of thread or yarn.

16. A financial institution that sells insurance.

17. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

18. Small wildcat of the mountains of Siberia Tibet and Mongolia.

20. A strategically located monarchy on the southern and eastern coasts of the Arabian Peninsula.

21. Uttering in an irritated tone.

22. A German machine gun.

24. An ancient kingdom in northern Mesopotamia which is in present-day Iraq.

27. Relating to or containing acetic acid.

29. (Old Testament) In Judeo-Christian mythology.

30. A very poisonous metallic element that has three allotropic forms.

32. A clique that seeks power usually through intrigue.

37. The capital of Croatia.

39. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

42. An official language of the Republic of South Africa.

44. A wine bottle made of leather.

45. An extension at the end and at right angles to the main building.

49. Grown for its thickened edible aromatic root.

52. A large number or amount.

54. Widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions for its fragrant flowers and colorful fruits.

57. Resembling an eel in being long and thin and sinuous.

63. A platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles.

65. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.

67. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

68. A dilute solution of acetic acid that is used as a solvent (e.g. for a drug).

71. A telegram sent abroad.

72. The seed of the cereal grass.

73. Relating to or consisting of or emphasizing chords.

75. (Greek mythology) Goddess of the earth and mother of Cronus and the Titans in ancient mythology.

76. An informal term for a father.

77. Webbing clothes moths.

78. Any of various strong liquors distilled from the fermented sap of toddy palms or from fermented molasses.

6. A Formosan language.

7. An enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal.

8. A self-funded retirement plan that allows you to contribute a limited yearly sum toward your retirement.

9. A Russian river.

10. A period of time containing 365 (or 366) days.

11. Genus of large deciduous nut-bearing trees.

12. Fear resulting from the awareness of danger.

13. Interface consisting of a standard port between a computer and its peripherals that is used in some computers.

14. Thin fibrous bark of the paper mulberry and Pipturus albidus.

19. Move out of a curled position.

23. A highly unstable radioactive element (the heaviest of the halogen series).

25. Small evergreen shrub of Pacific coast of North America having edible dark purple grape-size berries.

26. A state in north central United States.

28. A high-crowned black cap (usually made of felt or sheepskin) worn by men in Turkey and Iran and the Caucasus.

31. A river that rises in central Germany and flows north to join the Elbe River.

33. (Scotland) A small loaf or roll of soft bread.

34. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else.

35. Relating to or accompanying birth.

36. Soreness and warmth caused by friction.

38. An open sore on the back of a horse caused by ill-fitting or badly adjusted saddle.

40. Having the wind against the forward side of the sails.

41. The English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485.

43. Lower in esteem.

46. An undergarment worn by women to support their breasts.

47. An officer who acts as military assistant to a more senior officer.

48. Small European freshwater fish with a slender bluish-green body.

50. An open vessel with a handle and a spout for pouring.

51. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh.

53. Characteristic of or relating to winter.

55. African mahogany trees.

56. Worn or shabby from overuse or (of pages) from having corners turned down.

58. A metric unit of capacity equal to the volume of 1 kilogram of pure water at 4 degrees centigrade and 760 mm of mercury (or approximately 1.76 pints).

59. A mountain peak in the Andes in Argentina (20,997 feet high).

60. An imaginary elephant that appears in a series of French books for children.

61. Low-growing tropical perennials grown for their stingless foliage.

62. Marked by quiet and caution and secrecy.

64. A piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred.

66. Mentally or physically infirm with age.

69. The 22nd letter of the Greek alphabet.

70. The longest division of geological time.

74. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.

Yesterday’s Solution

DOWN 1. Voluntary contributions to aid the poor.

2. A light springing movement upwards or forwards.

3. The capital and largest city of Yemen.

4. A diacritical mark (~) placed over the letter n in Spanish to indicate a palatal nasal sound or over a vowel in Portuguese to indicate nasalization.

5. An associate degree in nursing.

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

42

Sports FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

‘Chess Palace’ helps kids to learn and play BUDAPEST: Ten-year-old Tamas Katona hopes one day to be a chess champion, but in the meantime his love of the game is helping him to master the skills that should help him in school and later life.

The boy lives in Hungary where the world’s best female chess player, Judit Polgar, has turned a school into “chess wonderland” catering precisely for students such as Katona.

Polgar and her two sisters - Zsuzsa (Susan) and Zsofia (Sofia) - won the 1988 Chess Olympiad for Hungary’s female team, ending Soviet dominance. Judit Polgar joined men’s tournaments and became one of the top players in the world, demolishing the myth that chess is the mental sport of smart men.

These days Polgar, who has two children, spends much of her time implementing a special teaching programme called the “Chess Palace” that puts chess thinking at the heart of learning.

“We don’t want to raise chess players here, but we’d like to use chess to teach

children ... to think logically and be able to use that skill in their everyday lives,” Polgar said.

In the Chess Palace - as in Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking-Glass” the pieces come to life. They have names like Jumpy Horse, Boom Rook, Tiny Pawn and are like close friends who guide the children through difficult school subjects.

The pieces range in size from 1 cm (under half an inch) tall to a meter (three feet) in height. Chairs, walls and carpets also sport chess motifs.

The pieces, whose combinations and moves represent mathematical, linguistic or musical patterns, help children develop their skills in chess and in their school studies while making the learning process a more joyous exercise.

“I love this (chess) very much as it’s a game and at the same time it teaches me. It’s a game of logic that develops the brain in a great way,” Katona said.

A few years ago, the Dezso Lemhenyi

Japan may scale down new Olympic stadium TOKYO: Japan may scale down its plans for a new Tokyo stadium for the 2020 Olympic Games in an effort to curtail rising costs and fend off criticism the originally planned building is too large.

Olympics minister Hakubun Shimomura told a parliamentary committee yesterday that the new stadium could cost as much as 300 billion yen ($3.08 billion), as opposed to the 130 billion yen in Tokyo’s bid proposal, and that the government would consider scaling back.

An official at the Education Ministry said the original estimate was for the stadium alone, and the additional costs would be for landscaping and other work on the grounds around the new stadium, which would have 80,000 seats compared to 54,000 in the present stadium.

“The minister meant two things - that while guaranteeing the stadium has the needed facilities and scale to host the Olympics, the building could be made smaller, more compact,” said Yukio Yamamoto, in the ministry’s Sports and Youth bureau.

“Then there’s also the idea that the cost may be too much,” added Yamamoto, who confirmed that reductions in both are being considered although nothing has been decided.

The spaceship-like stadium was designed by London architect Zaha Hadid, who also designed the aquatics centre for the London 2012 Olympics.

The present national stadium, which was built to host the 1964 Olympics, is set to be demolished next year. The plans have come under criticism from Japanese architects, who say it is too big and would not blend in with its environment. Its construction would also require cutting down a number of trees, a precious commodity in crowded Tokyo.

Yamamoto said any changes might reduce the amount of space for things such as exhibition rooms, but that things essential for hosting the international sports extravaganza would be untouched and the number of seats would be unchanged.

“Basically the changes would be to make the stadium the ‘correct’ size, it would not be of a size that would make it impossible to host the Olympics,” he said. “It’s a matter of making it the right size and the right cost.” —Reuters

school - which apart from its use of chess as a teaching tool serves as a normal, fulltime primary school - was struggling for survival. Now teachers come from other parts of Hungary and from the United States and Britain to see the Chess Palace.

Chess is taught in many countries, but not in this way. The main difference is that in the Hungarian version all knowledge that children are supposed to learn in school is integrated into a system where the chess pieces act as numbers, letters or even musical notes, depending on the subject taught.

At a class presentation for about 15 teachers, seven-year-olds moved so fast from one exercise to another it was difficult to follow what subject they were practising.

“This sword costs 17 chess thalers (dollars). What do you think we should pay for it, Csongor?” the teacher asks a boy.

“Two rooks and a knight,” the boy

replies promptly, then pauses for a second, computing the value assigned to each chess piece in the game. “And a bishop and a pawn,” he quickly added.

The exercises also help develop memory. At the presentation the children put 16 pieces on the board randomly, and then posed questions to two boys who turned away from the board.

“How many pieces are on the white diagonal line (across the chess board)?” a girl asked. “Three,” came the correct response.

Polgar has produced a Chess playground application on iPad in which children arrive on a “Chess Planet” via a spaceship. Chess helps children learn by playing and building on their interests in the visual culture of the digital age, Polgar said after a lesson.

“It is a complicated sport and in this respect that is very good. It has six different pieces that move in six different ways, so they can combine (them) into various games,” she said.—Reuters

Senators rout Red Wings DETROIT: Jason Spezza and Bobby Ryan scored two goals each as the Ottawa Senators routed Daniel Alfredsson and the Detroit Red Wings 6-1 yesterday.

Alfredsson was held without a point by his former team. The Swedish winger spent 17 seasons with the Senators before signing a one-year deal with the Red Wings in the offseason.

Eric Gryba and Jared Cowen also scored for the Senators, who had three goals on eight shots against Jimmy Howard before the Detroit goalie was taken out in the first period.

Craig Anderson made 31 saves for Ottawa. Spezza has seven goals on the season, trailing only Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, who leads the NHL with nine.

The Senators won at Detroit for the first time since 2006, although this was only their third road game against the Red Wings since then.

At Buffalo, Milan Lucic had two goals and an assist, and Torey Krug also scored twice to help the Boston Bruins beat the reeling Sabres 5-2.

Dougie Hamilton also scored for Boston. The Bruins are 6-2 overall and have won their first four road games for the first time since 2010.

DETROIT: Chris Neil No. 25 of the Ottawa Senators tries to get around the stick of Jakub Kindl No. 4 of the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at Joe Louis Arena. —AFP Nikita Zadorov and Cody Hodgson scored for Buffalo. At 1-9-1, the Sabres are off to their worst start in club history.

They are winless in their first seven home games. Boston left wing Loui

Eriksson had to be helped from the ice after a late hit from Sabres enforcer John Scott in the third period. Scott then fought Adam McQuaid and was given a match penalty. —AP

NHL results/standings Results from the NHL games on Wednesday.

Ottawa 6, Detroit 1; Boston 5, Buffalo 2.

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

WESTERN CONFERENCE PACIFIC DIVISION WL OT L GF 80 1 40 72 0 32 62 2 31 64 1 32 64 0 26 43 2 28 36 1 30 CENTRAL DIVISION 81 0 28 61 2 26 51 1 27 54 1 19 43 3 21 45 1 26 35 0 20

GA 16 23 28 33 25 32 39

PTS 17 14 14 13 12 10 7

12 21 19 24 22 30 28

16 14 11 11 11 9 6

Toronto Detroit Boston Tampa Bay Montreal Ottawa Florida Buffalo Pittsburgh Carolina NY Islanders Columbus Washington New Jersey NY Rangers Philadelphia

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION 73 0 34 64 1 25 62 0 25 53 0 26 54 0 29 43 2 27 36 1 22 19 1 15 METROPOLITAN DIVISI ON 72 0 31 42 3 22 33 3 29 45 0 23 45 0 26 15 3 18 25 0 11 17 0 11

24 30 12 21 19 25 35 33

14 13 12 10 10 10 7 3

20 26 28 23 29 30 29 24

14 11 9 8 8 5 4 2

Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not

Sports FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Red Sox rout sloppy Cards BOSTON: An easy toss on a sure out that skittered away. A routine popup that somehow dropped between Gold Glovers.

And something even more startling - umpires reversing a key call. Most everything fell into place for the Boston Red Sox in the World Series opener.

Mike Napoli hit a three-run double right after a gamechanging decision in the very first inning, Jon Lester made the early lead stand up and the Red Sox romped past the sloppy St. Louis Cardinals 8-1 Wednesday night for their ninth straight Series win.

A season before Major League Baseball is expected to expand instant replay, fans got to see a preview. The entire six-man crew huddled and flipped a ruling on a forceout at second base - without looking at any video.

“I think based on their group conversation, surprisingly, to a certain extent, they overturned it and I think got the call right,” Boston manager John Farrell said.

David Ortiz was robbed of a grand slam by Carlos Beltran a catch that sent the star right fielder to a hospital with bruised ribs - but Big Papi later hit a two-run homer following third baseman David Freese’s bad throw.

The Red Sox also capitalized on two errors by shortstop Pete Kozma to extend a Series winning streak that began when they swept St. Louis in 2004. Boston never trailed at any point in those four games and coasted on this rollicking night at Fenway Park, thanks to a hideous display by the Cardinals, It got so bad for St. Louis that the sellout crowd literally laughed when pitcher Adam Wainwright and catcher Yadier Molina, who’ve combined to win six Gold Gloves, let an easy popup drop untouched between them.

Serious-minded St. Louis manager Mike Matheny didn’t find anything funny, especially when the umpires changed a call by Dana DeMuth at second base.

“Basically, the explanation is that’s not a play I’ve ever seen before. And I’m pretty sure there were six umpires on the field that had never seen that play before, either,” Matheny said.

“It’s a pretty tough time to debut that overruled call in the World Series. Now, I get that they’re trying to get the right call, I get that. Tough one to swallow,” he said.

DeMuth said he never actually saw Kozma drop the ball.

“My vision was on the foot. And when I was coming up, all I could see was a hand coming out and the ball on the ground.

All right? So I was assuming,” DeMuth told a pool reporter.

There was no dispute, however, that the umpires properly ruled Kozma had not caught a soft toss from second baseman Matt Carpenter on a potential forceout. That’s what crew chief John Hirschbeck told Matheny. “I just explained to him ... that five of us were 100 percent sure,” Hirschbeck said. “Our job is to get the play right. And that’s what we did.”

“I said, ‘I know you are not happy with it, that it went against you, but you have to understand that the play is correct,’” he said.

The normally slick-fielding Cardinals looked sloppy at every turn. Wainwright bounced a pickoff throw, Molina let a pitch trickle off his mitt, center fielder Shane Robinson bobbled the carom on Napoli’s double and there was a wild pitch. The Cardinal Way? More like, no way.

“We had a wakeup call. That is not the kind of team that we’ve been all season,” Matheny said. “And they’re frustrated.

I’m sure embarrassed to a point.”

Game 2 is late yesterday, with 22-year-old rookie sensation Michael Wacha starting for St. Louis against John Lackey.

Wacha is 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA this postseason. Beltran is day to day after X-rays were negative. Lester blanked the Cardinals on five hits over 7 2-3 innings and struck out eight for his third win this postseason.

“We wanted to set the tone and get them swinging,” he said. Ryan Dempster gave up Matt Holliday’s leadoff home run in the ninth. Boston brought the beards and made it a most hairy night for St. Louis. The Cardinals wrecked themselves with just their second three-error game of the season. The umpires made a mistake, too, but at least they got to fix it in a hurry.

After the control-conscious Wainwright walked leadoff man Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia singled him to second with one out.

Ortiz then hit a slow grounder to Carpenter, and it didn’t appear the Cardinals could turn a double play. Hurrying, Kozma let the backhanded flip glance off his glove.

DeMuth instantly called Pedroia out, indicating that Kozma dropped the ball while trying to transfer it to his throwing hand. Farrell quickly popped out of the dugout to argue while Pedroia went to the bench. Farrell argued with every umpire he could and must’ve made a persuasive case. As the fans hollered louder and louder as they studied TV replays, all the umpires gathered on the dirt near shortstop and conferred BOSTON: Junichi Tazawa No. 36 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in the eighth inning of Game One of the 2013 World Series at Fenway Park. — AFP

BOSTON: Randy Choate No. 36 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Boston Red Sox during Game One of the 2013 World Series. — AFP

and decided there was no catch at all.

“You rarely see that, especially on a stage like this,” Napoli said. “But I think that was good for the game.” Pedroia came bounding from the dugout and suddenly, the bases were loaded in the first. Napoli unloaded them with a double that rolled to the Green Monster in left-center.

Napoli, with maybe the bushiest beard of all, certainly picked up where he left off the last time he saw the Cardinals in October. In the 2011 Series, he hit .350 with two home runs and 10 RBIs as Texas lost in seven games to St. Louis.

The Red Sox added to their 3-0 lead with two more runs in the second. A fielding error by Kozma set up Pedroia’s RBI single. The whole inning got going when Stephen Drew’s popup in front of the mound landed at Wainwright’s feet, a step or two from Molina. The ace pitcher and the star catcher both hung their heads. “I called it. I waited for someone else to take charge. That’s not the way to play baseball. It was totally my error,” Wainwright said.

Ortiz, who hit a tying grand slam at Fenway in the AL championship series win over Detroit, sent a long drive to right-center. Beltran, playing in his first World Series, braced himself with one hand on the low wall in front of the bullpen and reached over with his glove to make the catch.

“At least I got an RBI and we were up four and got the momentum,” Ortiz said. Beltran hurt himself on the play and left in the third inning. Ortiz homered in the seventh and the Red Sox got another run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by 21year-old rookie Xander Bogaerts. The Red Sox almost made a terrific play to finish the game. With two outs in the ninth, Freese hit a sharp single and right fielder Shane Victorino nearly threw him out at first base. —AP

Sports FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Smith, de Villiers put South Africa on top

DHAKA: Bangladesh batsman Mominul Haque plays a shot during the fourth day of the second cricket Test match between Bangladesh and New Zealand. — AFP

Mominul leads B’desh fightback DHAKA: Mominul Haque scored an unbeaten century and put on a record partnership with Tamim Iqbal as Bangladesh fought their way back into the second Test against New Zealand in Dhaka yesterday. The hosts reached 269-3 in

Scoreboard DHAKA: Scores at stumps on the fourth day of the second Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka yesterday: Bangladesh first innings 282 all out (Tamim Iqbal 95; N. Wagner 5-64) New Zealand first innings (overnight 419-8) P. Fulton lbw b Shakib 14 H. Rutherford c Mominul b Shakib 13 K. Williamson c Tamim b Razzak 62 R. Taylor c Nasir b Shakib 53 B. McCullum c Rubel b Shakib 11 C. Anderson c Gazi b Al-Amin 116 B. J. Watling not out 70 D. Bracewell c Mushfiqur b Shakib 17 N. Wagner c Marshall b Nasir 8 I. Sodhi run out 58 T. Boult lbw b Abdur Razzak 4 Extras (b4, lb4, wb2, nb1) 11 Total (all out, 140 overs) 437 Fall of wickets: 1-31 (Rutherford), 2-32 (Fulton), 3-101 (McCullum), 4-127 (Taylor), 5267 (Williamson), 6-287-(Anderson), 7-318 (Bracewell), 8-335 (Wagner), 9-428 ( Sodhi), 10-437 (Boult) Bowling: Al-Amin 16-3-58-1, Sohag Gazi 34-877-0, Shakib 43-13-103-5, Razzak 23-1-96-2, Rubel 18-1-81-0 (nb1, wb1), Nasir 3-1-7-1. Mominul 3-0-7-0 Bangladesh second innings Tamim Iqbal c Taylor b Williamson 70 Anamul Haque c Fulton b Wagner 22 Marshall Ayub c Taylor b Wagner 9 Mominul Haque not out 126 Shakib Al Hasan not out 32 Extras (b8, lb1, nb1) 10 Total (for three wickets; 89 overs) 269 Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Anamul), 2-55 (Marshall), 3-212 (Tamim) Bowling: Boult 16-2-62-0, Bracewell 14-2-47-0 (nb1), Wagner 18-4-52-2, Sodhi 14-2-37-0, Anderson 9-2-18-0, Williamson 18-4-44-1

their second innings at stumps on the fourth day, wiping out New Zealand’s first innings advantage of 155 for an overall lead of 114 runs.

Mominul led Bangladesh’s batting charge with 126 not out, making him only the second Bangladeshi to score back-to-back Test centuries after Tamim. Mominul, who scored 181 in the first innings of the drawn first Test in Chittagong, batted solidly throughout, showing no sign of nerves until he got stuck on 99 for 11 balls. He reached his century with a half-hearted boundary over long on off Neil Wagner.

Former captain Shakib Al Hasan kept Mominul company towards the end of the day and was unbeaten on 32 at stumps.

Tamim, who achieved the same feat at Lord’s and Old Trafford against England in 2010, played a patient knock of 70 off 218 balls before Ross Taylor spectacularly caught him one-handed at slip off Kane Williamson. “We were on the back foot when we started the day so our target was to lose few wickets and bat as long as possible,” Tamim told reporters. “We had planned not to go for high-risk shots and bat normally.” Tamim said there was still an outside chance of a Bangladesh victory. “It depends on how long this pair can bat tomorrow. If our batsmen can bat for an hour after lunch then anything is possible. It has happened before in Test cricket,” he said.

Mominul and Tamim added 157 runs, a record for Bangladesh for the third wicket, after Wagner struck twice in the first session to leave the home side struggling on 55-2.

The South African-born left-arm paceman, who claimed 5-64 in the first innings, had opener Anamul Haque caught by Peter Fulton at slip for 22, before adding Marshall Ayub to his tally.

Anamul’s 22, his highest score in the series, included four boundaries, while Ayub fell for just nine as Taylor took a catch at slip.

Earlier New Zealand had resumed on 419-8 but added just 18 for the last two wickets to be all out for 437. Ish Sodhi was run out by Mominul for 58, before Abdur Razzak trapped Trent Boult in front to wrap up the innings seven overs into the morning session.

“There is still obviously a lot of time to go in this game,” said New Zealand batsman Peter Fulton. “We would have liked at least two more wickets tonight. We need to come out tomorrow morning and if we get a couple of wickets in the first hours, it will be an exciting day.” — AFP

DUBAI: Graeme Smith smashed a double century and AB de Villiers hit a robust hundred to guide South Africa to an imperious position in the must-win second Test against Pakistan in Dubai yesterday.

South African skipper made 227 not out for his fifth double ton while De Villiersdropped off the first delivery by wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal off paceman Mohammad Irfan-was unbeaten on 157 for his 17th Test century.

The duo plundered a hapless Pakistan attack to take South Africa to 460-4 at close on the second day, giving them a big 361-run lead with three full days to play to force a series-levelling win.

Pakistan won the first Test by seven wickets in Abu Dhabi last week. Smith and De Villiers have set an all time South African record for the fifth wicket in Tests with 326, beating the previous best of 267 set by Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince against the West Indies at Antigua in 2005.

The experienced duo plundered Pakistan’s spin-cum pace attack on Dubai stadium pitch which gave little help to the bowlers who only managed to dismiss nightwatchman Dale Steyn (seven) in the first hour.

Smith reached his fifth double hundred with a couple off spinner Zulfiqar Babar towards mid-wicket, also completing 9,000 runs in 112 Tests.

He is the 12th batsmen in all Test cricket to reach 9,000 and second behind team-mate Jacques Kallis who so far has 13,140 runs in 164 Tests.

The South African captain, seeking to keep his team’s unbeaten run away from home since losing to Sri Lanka in 2006, raised his arms to the applause of his team-mates.

In all Smith has hit 16 boundaries off 367 deliveries of complete domination. De Villiers was in more punishing mood, having hit 16 boundaries and a six off 262 balls.

Pakistan keeper faltered once more when he dropped Smith off spinner Zulfiqar Babar when the batsman was on 202, capping a miserable day for his team.

Smith hit spinner Saeed Ajmal for three consecutive boundaries to reach his 9th score of 150 plus. Smith showed happiness at double hundred and the 9,000 run milestone.

“It’s proud to get to this mark,” said Smith, captain since 2003. “The goal today was to get in a commanding position and to bat once in this match and I would like to think that we will come out tomorrow and put more runs.”

Pakistan’s bowling coach Mohammad Akram said his team will fight. “We will fight till the end,” said Akram. “We dropped crucial catches but nothing is impossible, we will fight.”

Smith, overnight 67, anchored the innings and reached his century with a straight drive off Ajmal for his only sixth boundary. It took Smith 204 balls to reach the milestone.

Pakistan took the new ball straightaway after the 80th over but it only upped the scoring rate with de Villiers hitting Irfan for two successive boundaries and one off Babar to bring up his fifty.

He also completed 1,000 runs against Pakistan in 12 Tests. Resuming at 128-3, South Africa lost Steyn in the seventh over of the day, bowled for seven as he offered no stroke to a Irfan delivery.

Irfan, who bowled at good pace, could have had De Villiers off the very next ball but Akmal failed to hold on to a edge towards his right.

Pakistani spinners led by Saeed Ajmal (2132) bowled tirelessly but failed to exploit any turn on a pitch that was expected to give slow bowlers help. Irfan had figures of 84-1 in 27 overs, while Babar had figures of 1-112. — AFP

Scoreboard DUBAI: Scoreboard at close on the second day of the second and final Test between Pakistan and South Africa at Dubai cricket stadium yesterday: Pakistan 1st innings 99 (Zulfiqar Babar 25; Imran Tahir 5-32, D. Steyn 3-38) South Africa Ist innings A. Petersen lbw b Babar 26 G. Smith not out 227 D. Elgar c Ali b Ajmal 23 J. Kallis lbw b Ajmal 7 D. Steyn b Irfan 7 AB de Villiers not out 157 Extras: (b4, lb7, w2) 13 Total: (for four wkts; 134 overs) 460 Fall of wickets: 1-37 (Petersen), 2-91 (Elgar), 3-119 (Kallis), 4-134 (Steyn) Bowling: Irfan 27-4-84-1 (w1), Khan 27-299-0 (w1), Ajmal 43.4-5-132-2, Babar 31.2-2-112-1, Ali 5-0-22-0

DUBAI: South African captain Graeme Smith celebrates a double century during the second day of the second Test match against Pakistan. — AFP

45

Sports FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Serena axes Pole in Istanbul

KUALA LUMPUR: Ryan Moore of the US hits a shot during the CIMB Classic at The Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. —AFP

Moore leads in Malaysia MALAYSIA: Ryan Moore made light of a demanding 9,000 mile trip from Las Vegas to Kuala Lumpur to fire a first round nineunder 63 in the PGA Tour’s CIMB Classic late yesterday, while Phil Mickelson endured a frustrating day and wound up eight shots off the pace.

American Moore leads former US PGA Champion Keegan Bradley (65) by two and Spain’s Sergio Garcia (66) by three at the $7 million event at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Moore, who made the gruelling trip to Malaysia after playing in Las Vegas last weekend, opened his round with a bogey before running off 10 birdies at the 78-man elite field tournament, cosanctioned by the Asian Tour, to leave him thinking of a third Tour win. “Obviously it’s a great score. It’s a great way to start a week,” the 31-year-old told reporters. “Really the last time I had a good round like this to start, I won the tournament. That was in Vegas last year,” he added, referring to his victory at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

“It’s always great to get off to a good start and get comfortable on a golf course, especially one that you haven’t played before, and to go hit it in the right places, put it in the fairway, putting it on the greens, and for me it was huge just to make some putts.”

Bradley enjoyed a welcome return to action after a two-week break by firing a bogey-free round, which was matched by European Ryder Cup winner Garcia.

South African Rory Sabbatini flew out of the blocks to reach the turn in six-under but could not match the fireworks on the way in, recording a bogey and eight pars to sit on five-under and level with American Boo Weekley tied for fourth.

British Open champion Mickelson was fighting his swing throughout his round and finished with a one-under 71 to sit tied 21st. The big lefthander registered two double bogeys, one at the ninth when he hit his tee shirt into the water, and said only his putting saved him.

“I can’t remember swinging this bad in a long time, and as I shoot video of my swing I’m doing everything wrong,” Mickelson said after his opening round of the 2013-14 PGA Tour season.

“The path of the club is too inside, then it’s vertical, the head’s moving, my legs are loose. Divots are steep. It’s terrible. This is the worst I’ve hit and I can’t find the middle of the club face.

“And I’m not sure if the ball is going to go dead left or snap hook right and it’s a frustrating time tee to green. But I’m putting okay.” Mickelson’s playing partner, Asian Tour order of merit leader Kiradech Aphibarnrat, showed the five-times major winner how it is done by firing a round of 65 to lead the charge of the 10 Asian Tour players in the field.

It was a day to forget for big-hitting Bubba Watson, though, as the former Masters champion could only muster a six-over 78 to lie in 74th. —Reuters

ISTANBUL: World number one Serena Williams beat Agnieszka Radwanska for the eighth time in eight matches to move ominously towards the semi-finals of the WTA Championships on Wednesday.

The American was again too strong for the Pole in a 6-2 6-4 victory to stay in charge of Red Group with one more round-robin match to come against Petra Kvitova, another player to whom she has never suffered defeat.

“Radwanska definitely played pretty well. Am I happy? I guess. I’m happy to still be alive in the tournament. But, you know, I can always look to improve on some things,” Williams told reporters after her 75th match win of a dominant year. “My serve wasn’t as good today as it was yesterday, but, you know, you can’t expect it to be great every day.” “It wasn’t easy.’ she added. “It’s the end of the year and I’m a little tired, so I really had to fight in that second set to stay up mentally.” Radwanska, whose only set against the 32-year-old Williams came in the 2012 Wimbledon final of, is unlikely to survive the group after two defeats so far at the season-ender.

Earlier in White Group Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic beat second seed Victoria Azarenka 6-4 6-3, aided by 40 unforced errors from her erratic opponent.

“It feels incredible to beat Azarenka here in Istanbul,” former world No.1 one Jankovic, making her first appearance at the event for three years, said.

“I was so excited to qualify and give myself a chance to play against the best players in the world once again, and to win today is amazing. “Every match in the round robin format counts, and every match is difficult too. I’m really happy. Beating Vika will give me a lot of confidence going into the next matches.” Jankovic had lost her last 17 matches against players ranked in the top four.

Azarenka had won her opening match against Sara Errani on Tuesday and will have a day off yesterday, while Jankovic will play her second round robin match against China’s Li Na. Li beat am injury-hit Errani 6-3 7-6(5) to raise hopes of surviving the roundrobin stage after failing to do so in 2011

ISTANBUL: Serena Williams of the US serves to Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland during a WTA Championships tennis match. —AFP and 2012. “It was important to win the first match because it is always tough.

Sara was fighting a lot today, she is

always a tough fighter,” said Li. Errani, who had her calf heavily strapped, has lost both matches so far. —Reuters

Chinese teen takes lead in Asia Pacific Amateur LONGKOU CITY: Chinese teenager Dou Zecheng handled the chill and the wind for a 3-under 68 yesterday to take a twoshot lead after the opening round of the Asia-Pacific Amateur. The winner gets an invitation to the Masters and a spot in the final stage of British Open qualifying.

Guan Tianlang won the Asia-Pacific last year and the made the cut at the Masters, becoming at 14 the youngest player to make the cut in a 72-hole major. The 16-year-old Dou can only hope he’s the next Chinese tee to get to Augusta National.

“I think I’ve improved a lot from last year, so I feel pretty confident this time,” said Dou, who tied for 18th in the AsiaPacific Amateur. “I missed a couple of

birdie chances, but I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job. At the beginning it was very windy and cold, but I started to warm up and just played better and better.” Guan struggled to a 74 and was six shots behind.

Lee Chang-woo of South Korea had a 70, while US Amateur semifinalist Brady Watt of Australia was another shot behind. Lee tied for second, along with two-time major champion Rory McIlroy, at the Korea Open last week. He started on the tougher back nine at Nanshan and had a bogey on the 13th hole before bouncing back with a pair of birdies. “I’m pretty much happy with my score because I was in some dangerous situations where I had to make a few 6-

and 7-footers for par,” Lee said. “The course is very long and it was very windy. ... It was a good score in the circumstances.”

Watt also got off to a shaky start, teeing off at No. 10. He was 2-over through four holes before an eagle on the par-5 15th got him back on track. Watt played the opening round with Guan, who was 1-under at the turn until a double bogey on the seventh when he drove into a hazard, and a bogey on his final hole.

“I felt like I played OK,” Guan said. “I missed a few chances but overall I’m quite happy. I have the confidence to go out and shoot a better score tomorrow.”

The Asia-Pacific Amateur is 72 holes of stroke play. —AP

Sports FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Serie A Roma to taste life without Totti ROME: Title-chasing Roma are going to find out what life is like without talisman Francesco Totti on Sunday as their 100 percent record comes under the spotlight on a tricky trip to Udinese.

The former Italy international is out for up to a month after limping off with a thigh injury during Roma’s 2-0 defeat of title rivals Napoli last Friday.

Roma are further hurt by an injury suffered by in-form Gervinho in the same game, meaning that they will have to rely on new signing Adem Ljajic and out-of-favour Marco Borriello to lead up front.

The 37-year-old Totti has been in sparkling form this season, scoring three goals and leading Roma to an unprecedented eight wins in their eight opening matches which put them five points clear at the top of Serie A. Defender Mehdi Benatia believes they will cope with-

out their evergreen captain in Sunday’s game, however.

“We score goals because of everyone’s hard work, from the captain up front right back to (Morgan) De Sanctis behind me,” Benatia told the Corriere Dello Sport.

The defeat of Napoli has led to increasing talk of Roma’s fourth scudetto, something the club have tried to play down. The Serie A leaders have a series of easy-looking home games coming up, with Chievo on Thursday the first, but some tough away fixtures including Torino next weekend.

Udinese are in 11th place on 10 points, all of which have come in their four home matches, although they have yet to play anyone in the top half of the table.

Benatia will be facing his old team mate Antonio Di Natale, another veteran attacker who still packs a punch.

“He’s a great player,” Benatia said. “Having him in front of

me will be difficult but I won’t be giving him any gifts like I used to in training.”

Hellas Verona, the surprise package in fourth place, travel to the San Siro to face fifth-placed Inter Milan tomorrow. Former Inter player Andrea Mandorlini, who won the league title under Giovanni Trappatoni in 1989, has guided newly-promoted Verona to 16 points in a start which has included games against champions Juventus, AC Milan and Roma.

Mandorlini admitted his admiration for Inter still ran deep, telling the Gazzetta Dello Sport on Thursday: “I’ve never hidden my passion; I supported Inter as a boy and I played there, winning the title under my mentor Trappatoni. “This will never be a normal match for me. Coming to the San Siro is always a special occasion.”— Reuters

Gareth Bale ( left) and Cristiano Ronaldo

Neymar

‘Clasico’ perfect stage for Bale and Neymar MADRID: The 167th La Liga ‘Clasico’ between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Nou Camp tomorrow could be the ideal stage for Gareth Bale and Neymar to show they are worth a combined price tag of almost 160 million euros ($221 million).

Or, as is more likely, one of the most intense rivalries in football and a match watched by hundreds of millions around the world will again showcase the peerless talents of Barca’s Argentine World Player of the Year Lionel Messi and Real’s Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

Leaders Barca dropped their first points of the campaign with a 0-0 draw at Osasuna last weekend and victory for Real, as well as providing a huge confidence boost, would put them level with their bitter rivals on 25 points from 10 games.

Wales winger Bale replaced Ronaldo as the most expensive player in history when he joined Real from Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of 100 million euros in the close season, while Barca paid some 57 million to lure Brazil forward Neymar from Santos.

Bale’s first weeks in the Spanish capital have been disrupted by injury but coach Carlo Ancelotti hinted that the 24-year-old could feature from the start against Barca after coming on as a second-half substitute in Wednesday’s 2-1 Champions League victory at home to Juventus.

Neymar, 21, has shown glimpses of the brilliance that has served his country so well in recent years - he scored the goal against Atletico Madrid that secured the Spanish Super Cup at the end of August - without really catching fire.

Playing in the Brazilian league has given him a taste of the

frenzied nature of a nation’s biggest derbies and he is fully aware of what is at stake on Saturday, beyond the three points.

“I don’t think there is any need to explain what this match is all about,” he told Barca’s television channel on Wednesday. “Even though players might never have participated in one, they understand the importance of a game between Barcelona and Real Madrid. “A ‘clasico’ is the pinnacle for any player. It’s the game everyone wants to play in and demonstrate their best football.

“This will be my first and I want to make a great debut, preferably with a victory.”

Real fans, meanwhile, are impatient to see what Bale, the latest in a line of ‘galactico’ signings after players such as Figo, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and Ronaldo, is capable of.

Supporters attending Wednesday’s Juve game applauded him while he warmed up on the touchline and then gave him a rousing ovation when he replaced Karim Benzema in the 67th minute.

Ancelotti has been anxious not to overburden him too early in his Real career and Ronaldo, used to the intense media scrutiny that Bale and his family are now facing, this week urged people to give him time to settle in.

“Buying a player for that amount of money, it’s a huge sum in the first place, but it also means the lad will have problems because he will never be judged normally,” former Barca player and coach Johan Cruyff told As sports daily on Thursday.

“It is going to be very tough for him and it’s not fair,” added the Dutchman. “I like him as a player, he has a cool head, but just try and stay calm when all this is happening to you.” Saturday’s

match will also give Barca coach Gerardo Martino and Ancelotti their first taste of Spain’s ‘Clasico’. Argentine Martino and Italian Ancelotti, both hugely experienced and unlikely to be fazed by the occasion, are still tinkering with squads they inherited from Tito Vilanova and Jose Mourinho in the close season.

Ancelotti’s task has been complicated by the arrivals of a host of new faces along with Bale, including Spain playmaker Isco and midfielder Asier Illarramendi, and Real have been less than convincing in several La Liga outings this term.

Although they won their opening nine matches, one short of the La Liga record held by Real, Barca have struggled to break down defence-minded teams despite Martino’s attempts to introduce a more direct style of attack. Whatever happens on Saturday will not necessarily be decisive for the La Liga title race but could have a profound psychological effect on the players.

Neymar, for one, is taking it all in his stride. “I think the nerves are the same in all the games you play,” he told Barca TV. “I know that it’s about a very important ‘Clasico’ but I think the feeling of having butterflies in your stomach is the same as before a normal match.” Real hold the upper hand in league games against Barca, with 70 victories to 64 since they first locked horns in 1929. Under Mourinho last term, they drew 2-2 at the Nou Camp and won 2-1 at the Bernabeu but surrendered their Spanish title to Barca largely because of a stuttering start to the campaign.

If Barca lose, Atletico, beaten 1-0 at Espanyol last weekend, can go two points clear at the top with a win at home to Real Betis on Sunday. — Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

Photo of the day

Rooney’s birthday gift — Ferguson’s autobiography LONDON: Manchester United team mates have clubbed together to buy Wayne Rooney a special present for his 28th birthday yesterday — former manager Alex Ferguson’s autobiography which criticises the forward for being a slow learner with fitness problems. Not that the England and United multi-millionaire is too bothered what Ferguson thinks following the Scot’s retirement at the end of last season. His form since David Moyes took over has soared, the goals have started flowing again, and he played another influential role as Manchester United beat Real Sociedad 1-0 at Old Trafford to go top of Champions League Group A on Wednesday. A little more than 11 years after marking his arrival with a stunning Premier League goal for Everton against Arsenal while he was still only 16, Rooney now looks like a man whose time has come.

According to reports in yesterday’s newspapers, United players thought the book would be the ideal birthday present for a man in his peak years after a slump in form last season, which he has explained by saying Ferguson played him out of position.

After beating Sociedad on Wednesday, Rooney said he was pleased that Ferguson had set the record straight over claims that he had handed in a transfer request last season.

“Thankfully he’s come back and corrected the story that I put a transfer request in and he’s gone back and proven that I haven’t,” Rooney told Sky Sports.

Marc Marquez (ESP/ Honda) races at the Moto Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 12, 2013 —www.redbullcontentpool.com

Ex-Real coaches Mourinho and Pellegrini meet again LONDON: If their rivalry as coaches in Spain is anything to go by, Jose Mourinho will emerge victorious, and possibly by a big margin, when his Chelsea side play Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Portuguese Mourinho succeeded Argentine Pellegrini as Real Madrid coach in May 2010 and after Pellegrini re-surfaced as Malaga’s manager five months later, they faced each other seven times in La Liga and the Kings Cup in two and a half seasons.

Mourinho emerged on top in five of their seven encounters, including 7-0 and 6-2 La Liga drubbings, before they both left Spain for England at the end of last season.

The Premier League is a far more unpredictable competition than La Liga and they will meet on Sunday with little to choose between them on current form.

Chelsea are second on 17 points, City are fourth on 16, both have won their last two league matches by convincing scores and both won away in the Champions League this week with Chelsea beating Schalke 04 and City winning at CSKA Moscow. Both teams have also been tipped as potential champions and both at the very least are targetting a top four finish but City have the better recent record having won four and drawn one of their last five matches against Chelsea including last season’s Community Shield and FA Cup semifinal victories at Wembley.

Chelsea could end the weekend in top spot if they beat City and current league leaders Arsenal slip up. But Arsenal are making the short trip across London to Crystal Palace who have lost seven of their eight league matches and parted company with manager Ian Holloway on Wednesday and so a Palace win would constitute the biggest upset of the season.

Until they were beaten 2-1 by Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday, Arsenal had gone 12 games unbeaten since losing their opening Premier League match to Aston Villa in August.

Tomorrow’s match will be the first between them since February 2005 and the Gunners have a doubt over midfielder Jack Wilshere who picked up an ankle knock against Borussia on Tuesday. Palace have far bigger doubts over their ability to stay in the Premier League after promotion last season.

Palace were crushed 4-1 at home by Fulham in another London derby on Monday and look all set for more capital punishment from Arsene Wenger’s in-form and free-scoring side.

Liverpool could also move into top spot if they win, at home to mid-table West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal lose, although West Brom are on a good run, and apart from a penalty shootout defeat to Arsenal in the League Cup, are unbeaten in their last six matches which includes a 2-1 win at Manchester United.

The champions, who beat Real Sociedad 1-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday, a scoreline that barely reflected their dominance, will be pleased the focus switches back to what they do on the field at home to Stoke City rather than the revelations from former manager Alex Ferguson’s latest autobiography. Ferguson’s thoughts on his 26 years as manager made the front and back pages this week, but the thoughts of his successor David Moyes are firmly focused on making former United player Mark Hughes’ return to Old Trafford an unhappy one as the current Stoke boss.

United have made their porest start to a season for 24 years and are eighth, eight points behind Arsenal with just one win from their last four league games having let Southampton steal a last-gasp equaliser for a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford last week.

Moyes, given Ferguson’s full support this week, will be hoping that Robin van Persie returns to action after missing the Real Sociedad game with toe and groin niggles. Stoke are hovering just a point above the drop zone after scoring one goal and taking just two points from their last five league matches. Bad as that is, it is better than bottom-of-the-table Sunderland’s recent run of six successive defeats but new boss Gus Poyet, whose first match in charge ended in a 4-0 hammering at Swansea City last week, will be hoping for a change of fortune on Sunday.

Sunderland host arch-rivals Newcastle United in what is bound to be a typically passionate Tyne-Tees derby, and a first win of the season might just be the kick-start Sunderland need to save a season that seems destined to end in relegation. —Reuters

ASKED AWAY His comments came the day after Ferguson’s autobiography was launched in which the Scot said the forward “asked away” rather than referring to any formal transfer request.

“I haven’t seen him since he retired, I’m happy under the new management. I’m working to get results under David Moyes and his coaching staff so that’s the main thing for me. The other stuff doesn’t concern me,” Rooney added.

Although he did not score on Wednesday, he played a major part in the only goal of the night which came when Sociedad defender Inigo Martinez diverted the ball into his own net after it had rebounded off the post from a Rooney shot. The England striker looked rejuvenated in a United side that dominated the match and should have won by a far bigger margin.

Despite making a sluggish start to their Premier League title defence, United have looked solid in Europe, picking up seven points from their opening three Group A fixtures and they put in an encouraging display on Wednesday.

Rooney linked well with Javier Hernandez in attack, the midfield looked solid with Shinji Kagawa showing glimpses of his better form and Antonio Valencia shone on the right flank. Although Sociedad created chances, the defence remained solid with Phil Jones and Jonny Evans working well in the central positions and Patrice Evra and Rafael causing problems out wide.—Reuters

MANCHESTER: Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson’s new book ‘My Autobiography’ is displayed before a signing event in a supermarket in Manchester. —AFP

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

‘Clasico’ perfect stage for Bale and Neymar Page 46

www.kuwaittimes.net

Serena axes Pole PAGE 45

ISTANBUL: Serena Williams of the US serves to Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland during a WTA Championships tennis match. —AFP