28th Oct 2013

CR IP TI ON BS SU

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

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7PM warns 27 train 18 9 gravy about to fly off rails Welfare state ‘unsustainable’ • Subsidies to be cut

By B Izzak conspiracy theories

It’s raining, it’s falling

By Badrya Darwish

KUWAIT: The government said yesterday that the concept of the cradle-to-grave welfare state under which people receive almost free of charge or highly subsidized services is “unsustainable” and the Kuwaiti people must understand this fact. In its four-year development program 2013/2014-2016/2017 sent to the National Assembly yesterday, the government said if the current situation continues without reforms to check rising spending, the country

will experience “real budget deficit” starting 2021.

Depending on various scenarios, the budget deficit will accumulate to reach between a staggering KD 51 billion and KD 414 billion by 2035, which would take up all of Kuwait’s foreign assets estimated currently at $400 billion. “The fact that all must be aware of ... is that the current welfare state that Kuwaitis are used to is unsustainable,” Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah said in an introduction to the 37-page pro-

gram. “It is necessary that the Kuwaiti society must transform from a consumer of the nation’s resources to a producer,” the premier asserted.

The premier’s statements and the government program were strongly blasted by scores of Kuwaiti activists on Twitter and other social networks. The activists blamed the government’s policies for the current financial situation of the country besides what they called the generous aid Kuwait has extended to foreign nations, especially Egypt.

Continued on Page 13

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

A

t last it rained. Rain, rain, rain! It is pouring in front of the offices of the Kuwait Times as I am writing my article on my desk. Guys, you might think: “What is wrong with this writer and why is she so excited?” After all it is just rain. It is not just me. One of our editors went outside to get wet in the rain.

In the desert the rain is like a blessing. Tell a British or a German person the joy about rain and they might laugh their head off because it pours there heavily day and night even in the summer. In Kuwait we pray to God to get rain two or three times during the whole winter season. Thank God this year the winter season started early. They say when it rains, the truffles come. If there is no early rain, the truffles do not come.

Rain is good. Let it wash the viruses roaming around. Since the start of October, clinics are packed with sick people sneezing and coughing. It is good to have clean air at last. You might laugh but I feel sorry for the buildings and streets in Kuwait. They all look dusty. Now they will brighten up.

It is also a good sign that it rained before the opening of the parliament session tomorrow. I hope that all MPs will come back with refreshed hearts and interest for Kuwait, especially with the rumours spreading around that the government is warning the people that 2021 is the end of luxury in Kuwait and people should start preparing themselves for hardships. How encouraging is that for businesses?

You cannot ignore the news about the burning of the Holy Book, the Quran. This was such a devilish act aimed to divide the nation and get them busy fighting each other over trivial matters Sunni, Shiite, tribal. Why do we always aim at each other in devilish acts like these? It doesn’t matter who did it. What matters is who is the mastermind behind this. Who paid or brainwashed people to do such criminal acts.

Of course, it is clear that this aims to create problems in Kuwait. Hamdullilah, Kuwaitis are mature enough not to fall in the foreign trap. You just look at countries around us and you will get my drift. Look at Syria, Lebanon, Bahrain or Iraq.

Unfortunately, I am mentioning the whole atlas of the Arab World.

God bless Kuwait!

MoI to finally begin domestic visa transfers

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: The interior ministry will start receiving applications to transfer domestic labor residency visas (article 20) to private sector ones (article 18) from today until Nov 15. The ministry had been criticized for not putting the measure into practice despite the approval of the minister of social affairs and labor.

The announcement came after Interior Ministry Assistant Undersecretar y for Nationality and Passports Affairs Maj Gen Sheikh Faisal Nawaf AlAhmad held a meeting with Social Affairs Ministry Assistant Undersecretary Jamal Al-Dousary in the presence of Director General of Immigration Department Brig Adnan Al-Kandari and Director of Public Relations and Moral Guidance Colonel Adel Al-Hashash. The two sides discussed a suitable mechanism to coordinate the solution to the issue of transferring the work permits, especially since the grace period for transfers ends on Nov 15.

Saudi women keep pushing right to drive DUBAI: An Al-Jazeera airliner is reflected in the glass facade of the newly-opened Al-Maktoum International airport, the emirate’s second airport, yesterday. — AFP (See Page 21)

Dubai opens sprawling airport to passengers DUBAI: The Gulf emirate of Dubai yesterday opened passenger operations at its second airport, Al-Maktoum International, touted to be the world’s largest once it is completed. A Wizz Air plane from Budapest was the first passenger aircraft to land at the sprawling new facility, and it was welcomed on the tarmac with a water cannon salute. Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways, another low-cost carrier, will follow suit today with daily flights to and from Kuwait, while Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air, will begin operations on Dec 8. No other airlines have

announced intentions to use the new airport, which lies some 50 km south of Dubai International, one of the world’s busiest hubs for air passengers.

Paul Griffiths, chief executive officer of Dubai Airports, was confident that other companies would follow “in the coming months”. He pointed out that 36 cargo carriers currently operate out of the new airport, compared to only two in 2010. Dubai International handled 57 million passengers in 2012, as it has become a Continued on Page 13

RIYADH: At least 16 Saudi women have received fines for taking the wheel on a day set by activists to defy the kingdom’s traditional ban on female driving, police and reports said yesterday. Only few women braved official threats of punishment and drove on Saturday in response to an online campaign headlined “Women’s driving is a choice.” “Police stopped six women driving in Riyadh, and fined them 300 riyals ($80) each,” said the capital’s police deputy spokesman, Colonel Fawaz Al-Miman. Each of the women, along with her male guardian - who could be a father, husband, brother, uncle, or grandson - had to “sign a pledge to respect the kingdom’s laws”, Miman told AFP. In Jeddah, police also fined two women for driving, according to the Red Sea city’s police spokesman, Nawaf Al-Bouq. Saudi newspapers meanwhile reported that six women were stopped by police in Eastern Province, and at least two others were stopped in other parts of the kingdom. A dozen Saudi women posted videos on the Twitter account of the campaign, @oct26driving, showing themselves driving.

A video posted online yesterday showed a woman in the black headscarf typically worn by Saudi women driving with her son to and from Kingdom Hospital in north Riyadh earlier in the day.

Continued on Page 13

Egypt seeks to lure Gulf investors Gulf stability crucial for Egypt security: PM

Obama knew Merkel was being spied on BERLIN: US President Barack Obama was personally informed of phone tapping against German Chancellor Angela Merkel which may have begun as early as 2002, according to media reports stoking anger over a spiralling espionage scandal. Bild am Sonntag newspaper quoted US intelligence sources as saying that National Security Agency chief Keith Alexander had briefed Obama on the operation against Merkel in 2010. “Obama did not halt the operation but rather let it continue,” the newspaper quoted a highranking NSA official as saying.

News weekly Der Spiegel reported that leaked NSA documents showed that Merkel’s phone had appeared on a list of spying targets since 2002, and was still under surveillance weeks before Obama visited Berlin in June. As a sense of betrayal spread in many world capitals allegedly monitored by

Max 29º Min 17º High Tide 04:38 & 19:44 Low Tide 12:07

the NSA, European leaders were calling for a new deal with Washington on intelligence gathering that would maintain an essential alliance while keeping the fight against terrorism on track.

Germany will send its own spy chiefs to Washington soon to demand answers. Meanwhile several thousand protesters gathered in Washington Saturday to push for new US legislation to curb the NSA’s activities. Swiss president Ueli Maurer warned that the scandal risked “undermining confidence between states”. “We don’t know if we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg or if other governments are acting in the same ruthless manner,” he told the Schweiz am Sonntag weekly.

As anger simmered in Berlin, Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich sharpened his tone.

Continued on Page 13

ABU DHABI: Egypt’s interim prime minister Hazem El-Beblawi gestures as he attends a press conference yesterday. — AFP

CAIRO/ABU DHABI: Egypt is planning a charm offensive to persuade Gulf Arab entrepreneurs to invest in its economy, battered by political upheaval, protests and violence. Investment Minister Osama Saleh told Reuters Cairo would host a conference in early December, and had already contacted thousands of businessmen, to try to sell the region’s most populous nation to wealthy Arabs. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates promised Egypt more than $12 billion in loans, grants and petroleum product shipments after Islamist President Mohamed Morsi was deposed by the army on July 3.

Now Egypt is hoping private investors from the Gulf will pour in money as well, Saleh said, despite ongoing unrest. “All of the Gulf in general is standing by Egypt ...

We are already discussing the projects they will bring,” Saleh told Reuters in an interview. He said his ministry had set up country-specific desk officers to deal with interested investors. Delegations from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and possibly Oman would attend the conference he added.

Ministry officials face a tough sell. Gulf Arab tourists who once spent big money at hotels are now rarely seen in Cairo.

Stability in the Gulf monarchies is essential for Egypt’s security, Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi said yesterday, a day after the United Arab Emirates pledged Cairo an extra $3.9 billion in aid.

The UAE and other Gulf monarchies backed the July 3 overthrow of Morsi and have vowed to help the interim government address the economic devastation wrought by two years of political turmoil.

“Gulf stability is one of the essential pillars of the stability of Egypt’s security,” Beblawi told reporters in Abu Dhabi. The head of the military-installed government added that “any harm” to the Gulf state’s stability would directly harm Egyptian national security.

Meanwhile, official Emirati news agency WAM said $1 billion of the newly pledged UAE funds are due to go to support Egypt’s fuel needs while the remainder is “aimed at improving the living conditions, lives and human development of the Egyptian people through a number of projects,” WAM said. The UAE had previously deposited an additional $2 billion in Egypt’s central bank to be held without interest, in order to prop up Cairo’s currency. It also transferred $1 billion in aid in July.

Continued on Page 13

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

LOCAL

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, ministers and parliament members attend the dinner banquet hosted by the National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim.

Ministers optimistic ahead of new legislative term Agreement to overcome differences KUWAIT: Several ministers stressed the impor tance of cooperation between the executive and legislative branches through working on a spirit of brotherhood and giving in order to achieve the aspirations of the Kuwaiti people. Deputy Premier and Minister of Oil Mustafa AlShimali described as “positive” a dinner banquet hosted by the National Assembly Speaker Marzouq AlGhanim in the honour of the two political branches.

He said the event reflected the “true atmosphere the people of Kuwait have been used to,” referring to the positivity he had witnessed which he hoped would continue over the new incoming legislative term.

For her part, State Minister for Parliament Affairs and State Minister for Planning and Development Affairs Rola Dashti said that both sides were keen for the event to be one that gathers them together and supports their cooperation for the greater good of the nation.

“The progress and prosperity of Kuwait is the goal of us all, In spite of our differences there remain com-

mon points that we can build upon in order to create working mechanisms that serve national interests, especially those related to development. “Where I’m concerned I will remain cooperative with all in order to work on grouping together as opposed to separating us all to make Kuwait a collective symbol of political and national work,” she added.

Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education Nayef Al-Hajraf said that “the huge gathering reflects ar ticle 50 of the constitution on cooperation between the (executive and legislative) branches,” and that such events run in line with the historic interactions of people in the country.

Meanwhile, Minister of Commerce and Industry Anas Al-Saleh expressed optimism that cooperation would be fruitful between both sides in the upcoming term.

Some of the ministers also spoke of the draft laws pertaining to their respective ministries they hoped would see the light in the coming period.

Dual minister of education and

higher education Al-Hajraf said that these included the public universities law and a law on the regulation of private education, while minister of commerce and industr y Al-Saleh hoped for laws on a commercial registr y and another on commercial agents.

For her part, Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Thikra Al-Rashidi

expressed hope the child law, the juvenile law and others on nurseries would be adopted.

Al-Ghanim said the legislative and executive authorities agreed to “overcome differences” in order to address enormous challenges.

“The aspirations of the Kuwaiti people are high and we have responsibilities and challenges ahead of us

that we need to address with a spirit of cooperation, determination and action,” Al-Ghanim told reporters during a dinner banquet he held in honor of members of the National Assembly and government.

His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad AlSabah was leading the government side. Al-Ghanim said the attendance

of a large number of MPs and ministers was sending a message “that everyone is keen on cooperation and work in the future period.”

He said it was important that differences between the parliament and government “be kept within a professional framework and in (the National Assembly’s) Abdullah AlSalem Hall.” —KUNA

Al-Tijari promotes card campaign at 360 Mall KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait continues to promote its card campaign; this time everyone has the chance to get a taste of their campaign’s grand prize; Audi R8 Coupe. Commercial Bank is inviting everyone to 360 Mall, where the campaign’s grand prize, an Audi R8 Coupe, will be displayed for a week.

The Audi R8 will be at 360 Mall starting from Sunday June 23rd 2013 until Saturday June 29th 2013. The event offers a great opportunity for everyone who is interested in the campaign to get more familiar with the campaign and CBK’s prizes. CBK’s Sales team will also be at 360 Mall, and they will be promoting the campaign through giving out flyers and discussing the campaign with the mall’s visitors. In this regard, Commercial Bank of Kuwait revealed that

the grand prize will be displayed in a group of well - known malls during the campaign period where next week it will be displayed in “ˆAl Hamra Luxury center”, with a view to provide customers with a chance to see their dream car and get more information on the campaign and the benefits offered

by Tijari credit and Prepaid cards.

The credit card campaign will be running until November 30th 2013, and will include three draws in total; an Audi A5, Audi A7, and Audi R8. Everyone has a chance in winning any of these cars by simply using their CBK credit or prepaid cards.

Each KD 10 spent on a credit or prepaid card or withdrawn from an ATM locally will amount to one chance, and the chances will double when using any of the cards internationally.

Kuwait welcomes Qatar Amir KUWAIT: The Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is expected to arrive here today for a one-day official visit to the country, his first since he took the rule in June. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani are scheduled to initiate official talks on ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries for the benefit and prosperity of their peoples as well as to exchange views on key issues and developments on both regional and international arenas.

Kuwait and Qatar are bound by distinguished and firm relations, and this was manifested in HH the Amir’s visit as the first Arab leader to Doha to congratulate His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, on assuming the reins of power.

His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah also paid an official visit to Doha in January 2007, where he was granted Pendant of Independence from His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, former Amir of the State of Qatar.

Similarly, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah also paid his first visit after he was named a Prime Minister, a matter that reflected the depth of the relationship between the two

countries. As a complement to these mutual bilateral visits, the visit of His Highness the Emir of Qatar comes to add a new brick in the edifice of relations established between the two countries that have evolved over hundreds of years to reach the peak of its maturity in 1990 during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, when Qatar, represented by its government and people, had stood firmly with the just cause of the State of Kuwait, in an initiative reflecting the most beautiful epic of togetherness and cohesiveness among the GCC peoples. Qatar and Kuwait also enjoy close relations in various fields, both at the bilateral level or within the system of the Gulf Cooperation Council; as in the economic aspect, both countries are bound by several agreements, notably the Economic Cooperation Agreement signed by the two sides in February 1982 as well as an agreement on linking ATM networks between Kuwaiti and Qatari banks.

And as culmination of these exceptional relations between the two countries, both sides signed in June 2002 an agreement on the formation of the Joint Supreme Committee for cooperation headed by the foreign ministers of the two countries. Both countries also enjoy distinguished ties in the educational, cultural and economic spheres. — KUNA

Dr Suzane Samir addressing the meeting.

Dr Yousef Rsheid talking at the seminar.

‘Early Detection is Your Protection’

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: October is the month of awareness about breast cancer and various institutions and organizations hold campaigns and seminars on this disease. The New Mowasat Hospital in cooperation with the Kuwait American Women’s League held a seminar titled ‘Early Detection is Your Protection’ at the Kuwait Regency Hotel on Saturday.

Aliaa Mohammed, Business Development and Marketing Manager at Mowasat Hospital, noted that this seminar is held as a part of an early detection campaign. “This campaign aims to highlight the reasons and factors leading to breast cancer and the prevention of this disease.

The campaign is held throughout October. The hospital is supporting women by providing a 30 percent discount on breast examination in addition to donating 30 percent to charity and children suffering from cancer, which is considered a part of the hospital’s social responsibility,” she pointed out.

This year the hospital harnessed social media to accompany the campaign. “We publicized the campaign on Instagram, Twitter and the online Al Watan Daily. Breast cancer is one of the most widespread kinds of cancer amongst women in Kuwait. A study showed that cases of death in women in Kuwait due to this disease is one of the highest in the world due to the lack of awareness and delay in detecting the disease,” added Aliaa.

She also advised women to repeat the early detection test periodically, especially if there was a history in the family of this disease. “Early detection through modern machines provides a chance to discover the tumor even two years before clinical tests. This is a reason to encourage spreading awareness and doing periodic tests which is the main goal of Mowasat Hospital,” she pointed out.

About 2,000 new cases of cancer are discovered per year in Kuwait, and half of these cases are in Kuwaiti patients. “According to available statistics from 1974 to 2007, breast cancer cases saw a great increase in Kuwait. This is because people live longer due to the advancement of medicine and also due to bad habits in our society such as a lack of exercise, obesity, junk food and other factors. The most common cancer in Kuwait is prostate cancer among men,” stressed Dr Shafeeqa Al-Awadhi during the seminar.

Dr Suzane Samir spoke about the risk factors of breast cancer that can be divided into factors

The oroganizers with the American Ambassador.

A group photo of some participants. — Photos by Joseph Shagra She also mentioned some myths about breast cancer such as this disease is limited to women, as men can also suffer from this disease.

Many women also think that mammogram screening can cause breast cancer, but this is not true. She then spoke about self tests that should be done once a month and not daily, so a woman can notice any change. Dr Yousef Rsheid, consultant in breast surgery, gave a medical presentation about everything related to breast cancer, symptoms, detection, breast conserving surgery and other issues.

that women can control and can’t control.

“Women can control risk factors such as smoking, consuming alcohol, weight, diet, exposure to estrogen, stress and anxiety. On the other hand, they can’t control some risk factors such as gender, age, family history of breast cancer, personal history of breast cancer, race, radiation therapy of the chest especially during childhood, breast cellular changes, pregnancy and breastfeeding, DES exposure, personal history of ovarian cancer and genetic predisposition,” she explained.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

LOCAL

PM urged to investigate ‘environmental scandal’ ‘Data on air pollution falsified’

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah must order an investigation after an Environment Public Authority official admitted that official data on air pollution was falsified, demanded Kuwait Green Line Director Khalid Al-Hajri, noting that the ‘environmental scandal’ is a new dark spot in the government’s environmental record. “Pollution has reached its worst levels in Kuwait during the term of Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak which is ironic given his long previous stint as chairman of the Supreme Council for Environment,” Hajri mentioned.

“The situation of the environment is under his leadership and the crisis is linked to many ministers. By law, the prime minister is

responsible and in charge of the environment agency. Yes we have an EPA (Environment Public Authority), but we don’t see any action from them. We need concrete action and only he can order a quick response on the matter concerning the environment. We have money, but they don’t know how to care about our environment which greatly affects people’s health,” he said.

Green Line linked the EPA statements on high air pollution rates in Kuwait to a recent study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - a subsidiary of the World Health Organization (WHO) - which recognized air pollution as a main cause of several kinds of cancer including lung cancer. “This practically and scientifically means that residents of Um Al-Haiman, southern areas and all

areas located near industrial facilities face extremely high cancer risks,” Hajri said.

“After the liberation, lung cancer in Kuwait has increased. This is based on comprehensive health studies for many reasons: After liberation, uranium used during the Gulf war lingers, and it gives us health related issues. The problem is they haven’t dealt with this issue, instead they release inaccurate information by the EPA,” he said.

The Green Line also warned that overcrowded roads further contribute to Kuwait’s air pollution problem “which puts all residents of Kuwait at increasing health risk; especially those living near roads experiencing chronic traffic jams”.

According to WHO statistics, around 233,000 people died around the world in 2010 due to lung cancer caused by air pollution.

Khalid Al-Hajri

Amir receives Kuwait’s new ICJ official KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Seif Palace yesterday Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Shareeda Al-Mousherji and Tariq Yousif Al-Shimaimiri who was elected as President of Budgetary and Administrative Committee at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

His Highness the Amir praised AlShimaimiri for holding such prestigious position and wished him success in his endeavors.

On his part, Al-Shimaimiri noted that seizing this post in the name of Kuwait is “a great achievement” that has not been accomplished before neither in Kuwait nor

in any other Arab, Asian or African country.

He appreciated His Highness the Amir’s support which reflected his wise vision in making a name for the state of Kuwait in international venues.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in April 1946.

The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes. It positions usually occupied by n a t i o n a l s f ro m Eu ro p e a n d t h e t wo Americas due to the geographic proximity to the court’s headquarters in The Hauge. — KUNA

‘Laid off’ Kuwaitis to be covered by unemployment law KUWAIT: The Manpower and Government Restructuring Program called for reducing the allowance paid to Kuwaitis laid off from the private sector in order to encourage them to look for work, a local daily reported yesterday, quoting a report released by the state department which oversees the affairs of citizens working in private companies.

According to the report published by AlRai which called for “identifying the reasons behind the increase in the number of citizens laid off from the private sector”, the MGRP paid allowances to 2,095 Kuwaitis during the period between Aug 2009 and July 2013, while 387 cases were rejected.

MGRP Secretary General Fawzi Al-Majdali confirmed those numbers in a statement quoted by Al-Qabas daily yesterday, adding that the total cost of allowances reached KD16.940 million.

The MGRP paid allowances as per a law passed in the parliament in 2009 to compensate Kuwaitis who lost their jobs in the private sector in the wake of the global economic crisis. The law called for compensating the laid off citizens for six months until the MGRP helped them find jobs, but the law was extended several times since.

The law was replaced by the unemployment law passed by the annulled parliament earlier this year which entitles a laidoff employee to receive allowances for up to 6 months whereas the old law was extended it to the point where monthly allowances were paid for two years in some cases. And as the current system is set to

expire on Oct 31, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Minister of Health Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah told Al-Watan daily that laid off citizens will become automatically covered by the unemployment law following that date. Meanwhile, Al-Anbaa daily quoted government sources who hinted that a study “could be put under consideration” to extend the current system until April 2014 when the 2014/2015 fiscal year starts.

According to the MGRP report, 1,155 or 55 percent of Kuwaitis released by private companies received allowances ranging between KD 300 and KD 700, while 191 (9.1 percent) received between KD 1,500 and KD 1,870 per month. The recent report indicates that 1,189 or 56.8 percent of laid off citizens are male compared to 906 or 43.2 percent females. It also shows that 1,221 or 58.5 percent are married while the number of single women reached 682 (32.6 percent). 62.4 percent (1,308) of those who received the allowances are aged between 20 and 34, while the statistics also show that 40 percent of the total number have a university degree.

The report further indicates that 46.2 percent of Kuwaitis who received the allowance managed to find a job since losing their previous one, while 48.4 percent of those moved to the public sector. 466 of Kuwaitis or more than 22 percent were laid off from the banking sector, 308 or 14.7 percent from the trade sector and 283 or 13.5 percent from the investment sector, the report says.

Jaber stadium needs repair works KUWAIT: Chairman of the Board and Director General of the Public Authority for Youth and Sports Maj Gen (Rtd) Faisal AlJazaf said a study by the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) recommended that some repairs be made to Jaber stadium to ensure fans’ safety.

He said during a press conference opening the 11th meeting of the regional antidoping organization for GCC countries and Yemen that “I cannot make the decision to open the stadium”, adding that PAYS is an executive body and does not make deci-

sions. He said a committee from KISR, Ministry of Public Works and PAYS will start working to make sure KISR’s recommendations are implemented as soon as possible.

He said the stadium is ready, except for some engineering issues that are being dealt with, and “all what we can do at PAYS is wait until the work is completed”.

“We do not want to leave things to chance, especially since KISR insisted on completing the repairs before the stadium is opened to ensure fans’ safety,” Jazaf added.

Sheikh Salem represents Amir at WIEF KUWAIT: Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Sheikh Salem Abdulaziz Al-Sabah will represent His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at the 9th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF), due to be held in London on October 29-31 with the theme “Changing World, New Relationships.”

The WIEF is due to be attended by high ranking officials like British Prime Minister David Cameron, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Finance and Economy Ministers, as well as representatives of commercial and investment institutions from 100 countries.

Speaking to KUNA yesterday, Sheikh Salem said his participation in the forum was part of His Highness the Amir’s keenness to boosting role of Kuwait in international meet-

ings, exchange of expertise, strengthening of economic, cultural and political relations, in addition to cementing UN-related partnership to contribute to addressing pressing problems. The forum, added Sheikh Salem, “is an exceptional opportunity” to bolstering bonds between money markets in the West and Islamic countries, promoting cooperation between the two sides in economic and technology domains, and to benefit from economic reforms experiences.

Sheikh Salem hoped the WIEF would have “practical results” that would tackle financial crises witnessed by countries with one financial resource. The WIEF was held the first time in Malaysia in 2004. Kuwait hosted the 4th forum on April 29, 2008. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Information Ministry employees, headed by Yaseen Al-Faresi, organized a sit-in to demand payments of “shift allowance. They also demanded payments for food for all those who deserve it. They were protesting against the policy of ministry undersecretary Salah AlMubaraki and his refusal to meet officials.—Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

US conspiracy to incapacitate Arab armies: Al-Jeeran KUWAIT: The Islamic Salafist Assembly in Kuwait does not support the rebellion against Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime under the current circumstances despite supporting the idea in principle.

This was stated by leading group member and MP Dr Abdurrahman Al-Jeeran, who reiterated that Muslim scholars made ‘fatwas’ and outlined conditions under which people are allowed to rebel against “an infidel ruler” from the sharia’s standpoint.

Among the conditions that Jeeran believes are not present in Syria are “the capability to oust the regime with less cost as well as providing a successful alternative,” in addition to taking the region’s political circumstances under consideration. “Those things were ignored and after that scholars are asked to provide solutions,” Jeeran said in an interview with AlRai daily. “Scholars cannot correct mistakes; and those who committed them from the beginning must bear the circumstances.” According to Jeeran, the revolutions that hit the Arab World in the past couple of years cannot be described an ‘Arab Spring’. “It is an American conspiracy to incapacitate Arab armies so that the

only army that remains in the region would be the Israeli army,” Jeeran said. He further indicated that the plan has been “successful in destroying the armies of Iraq, Libya and Syria, while the Egyptian army is currently at stake”. Furthermore, he noted that the conspiracy “knocked the doors of Kuwait which America wanted to go through in order to enter Saudi Arabia,” blaming “secret hands” behinds the public movement in Kuwait “but thank God [the plan] has failed and the situations are back to being stable”.

Jeeran criticized what he said was “rush of emotion and enthusiasm” that spread at the beginning of the Arab Spring revolutions. “Now that the false sense of euphoria has faded, people are paying the price for falling for a skillfully and cunningly woven conspiracy”. Locally, Jeeran commented on fellow lawmakers’ threats to file grilling motions soon after the parliament resumes sessions tomorrow. “The message was made clear to MPs soon after they were elected - the parliament is going to be dissolved if it walked the road of escalated tensions and political profiteering,” he said.

‘Future Health in Kuwait’ conference extolled KUWAIT: Assistant Undersecretary for Technical Affairs in the Health Ministry Dr Jamal Al-Harbi said yesterday the holding of the “Future Health in Kuwait Conference” reflects the ministry’s interest in this concept in light of the current big challenges.

Al-Harbi said in a keynote speech on behalf of Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Minister of Health Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak AlSabah yesterday that there is growing interest at the level of awareness and health education, stressing that this prompts the provision of excellent health care according to high quality standards.

He explained that the conference is particularly important, especially with the growing population in the country at a high rate, in addition to the rising proportion of elderly people to more than 100,000 by 2030 according to

recent statistics, saying this requires a growing need for health care services related to aging diseases.

He pointed to the “improved” health indicators over the past years including reduction in the rate of infectious diseases, infant and maternal mortality rates.

He referred to the presence of more than 7,000 hospital beds saying this figure will increase after almost five years by 6,000 beds until 2019.

Al-Harbi pointed out that medical services are an important element in the medical areas where the health ministry is keen to enhance and modernize the medical filing system to be electronic rather than manual. He said there are a number of important projects in the ministry which will be completed in three years or more, but the short-term projects would be executed within a year to a year and a half period. —KUNA

News

in brief

Arab social ministerial office CAIRO: The 62nd session of the executive bureau of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs kick-started here yesterday, focusing on preparations for an Arab economic and social development conference due in Tunisia in January 2015. Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Assistant Secretary General of the Arab League for Social Affairs Faeqa Al-Saleh said the meeting had discussed several Arab social issues ahead of the Tunis economic summit. It also considered the implementation of development resolutions made during the last three Arab economic summits in Kuwait in 2009 and in Egypt in 2011 and in Saudi Arabia in 2013, she said. The agenda of the 32nd ordinary session of Arab ministers of social affairs due in December was also discussed during the meeting, she added.

FM meets officials KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah yesterday presided over an extraordinary ministry meeting on the latest political developments. The meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was attended by members of the ministry’s committee on diplomatic and consular affairs and Undersecretary of the Ministry Khaled AlJarallah. During the meeting, they discussed preparations and arrangements for the Third Afro-Arab Summit due here on Nov 18-20.

Kuwait election appeals KUWAIT: The Constitutional Court, headed by Justice Yusuf Al-Mutaw’aa, postponed till December 23 its verdict concerning parliament election appeals for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd constituencies, and allowed submittance of relevant memos within a week. The court had given those contesting results of the recent parliamentary elections in the said constituencies access to the detailed results sent by the Interior Ministry. The court had also seconded advisers Khaled al-Waqayan and Ibrahim Al-Saif, who are members of the court, to open some of the ballot boxes of the first constituency to re-assure the final results of the parliamentary elections in the 1st constituency.

Bilateral relations ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Commander of the Armed Forces Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed AlNahyan discussed Saturday with Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Hazem Al-Beblawi ways of bolstering bilateral relations between the two countries. The meeting, attended by high ranking officials of both sides, highlighted ways of boosting cooperation between UAE and Egypt, including ways to diversify partnership to serve all economic, investment, and development sectors of both countries. The two sides also reviewed developments in Egypt and its government’s efforts to enhance growth, and the two exchanged views on a number of issues and common interests.

According to UAE news agency (WAM), Al-Nahyan renewed UAE support and stance with the Egyptian people in these critical and historic times. Al-Nahyan praised efforts by the Egyptian government and attempts in restoring security and stability of the country.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

LOCAL kuwait digest

What’s next on Syria?

kuwait digest

Appointments to appease MPs ent ernm Gov

By Dr Hassan Abbas

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t has been two years since the Syrian revolution started. What’s next? Has the revolution succeeded? Have the promises been met? Has the Syrian regime been ousted? Are the people free? Is the situation better now compared to what it was before the revolution? Attempting to answer these questions can be very perplexing if you are trying to find something than the inevitable answer which is that they have all failed. You would be even more perplexed if you were a member of the Syrian opposition and dealing with disunity in addition to the tragic situation in Syria and losing control in favor of jihadists.

The opposition made a mistake from day one when it directed the revolution towards armed struggle, and dragged the regime into using all means necessary to force control. It made a mistake again when it put its money on the international community, and placed all its eggs in the American and European baskets.

Unfortunately, the opposition did not make use of the concessions that the regime gave, and instead betted on foreign intervention. Betting on the United States in specific is a strategic mistake that cannot be justified for two main reasons: First, the Americans were never concerned with people’s struggles as much as when it came to what went in line with their interests. I have no idea how or why the opposition overlooked the fact that America’s interests in the region are announced and known for decades. Ever since the creation of Israel and until further notice, their interests will remain the same as they are today.

What made the opposition think that the Americans are willing to gamble just because they were excited for the revolution at its early stages? And how did the opposition overlook - in my opinion - the fact that the American goal is for the war to continue (according to a recent New York Times report).

The second reason is that the West in general cannot be trusted because they fear and do not trust each other, let alone trusting others. The best way to prove how fragile the international community’s trust is is the emergence of former CIA agent Edward Snowden to expose his own country and how it has no trust in its closest allies (spying on Germany, France, Mexico, etc). Does the Syrian opposition think perhaps that the US has better regard for them than French President Francois Hollande or Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel for example?

The opposition’s problem is that they bet on interests instead of principles, and today they are reaping what they have sowed. Not only did they not get what they wanted, but the opposition find themselves today forced to accept the reality on the ground. And the reality says that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad eyes running for presidency, the Geneva 2 convention is coming with no preconditions, and Iran will be attending with its own conditions on its nuclear program. — Al-Rai

By Dr Shamlan Y Al-Essa

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Government

kuwait digest

Our globalization vs theirs!

By Dr Hassan Abdullah Jouhar

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ur Arab world has been plagued with what can be described as ‘terrorism globalization’. With the fall of the communist empire and the information boom in the beginning of the 1990s, military militias closely related to Islamic blocs began fighting all over the Arab and Islamic worlds starting with Afghanistan and ending in Morocco. Globalization concepts and applications have amazed all human beings living on this planet because they opened all borders, canceled barriers and boomed all forms of human communication to unprecedented and unlimited levels.

One of the most outstanding forms of such influxes was the easy transport of people across geographic borders, especially in neighboring counties where people can move from one country to another using IDs, such as in Europe. Such a privilege is not enjoyed only by a European citizen. It also includes foreigners who cross the borders of any European country.

Globalization’s philosophy stems from the need to make utmost use of any human being with intellect, wealth or even merely entering new areas to probe their cultures and landmarks and take such experiences back home. Therefore, human influxes and travel for tourism, work, immigration or making deals with multinational companies have reached unprecedented levels. Many theorists, politicians and socio-economists

have been trying to promote this kind of human interaction in a bid to reach close understanding and harmony of cultures and civilizations in order to ultimately achieve international peace.

Versus this humane dream, we have an ugly form of globalization of another type with its heroes mainly Arabs and Muslims with radical hateful ideas and attitudes towards whoever contradicts their views and approach - this is Terrorism Globalization. According to globalization, influxes of these fighters of various nationalities reached all regional countries where they reached all cities and remote villages without visas or passports. Strangely enough, these groups have enormous funds and all kinds of weapons that have been used in killings, terrorizing, beheadings, car-bombings and kidnapping hostages, which all contradicts and violates the international peace targeted by globalization!

Definitely speaking, such groups do not operate in separation from governments and intelligences’ agendas and official bodies funding them with people’s money . The first type of globalization results in regional integration and peaceful co-existence in the ‘infidel’ West while the second one results in millions of torn bodies, decapitated heads, displaced children and billions of wasted funds in our ‘Muslim’ world! — Al-Jarida

e thank the State Ministry for National Assembly Affairs Undersecretary Ahmad Al-Mershed for his frank and clear statements that places each MP in his real place. The undersecretary revealed that the problem his ministry is suffering from is “electoral appointments” in its various departments. He said the ministry’s work needs 70 employees, but we find out that the number of employees are not working, but receive their salaries while at home, including one who we discovered working as a manager of a company in Jeddah all these years and receives his salary in full. Another official works as a manager of a Gulf satellite channel, and he revealed that there are 17 department directors who have no duties and do not report to work.

These facts reveal the extent of the spread of corruption in state ministries, where both authorities are violating the law and bypass rules, as the executive authority seeks to appease MPs by appointing relatives from their tribe, sect and family in government jobs without there being vacancies.

My friend Mohammad Al-Sanousi said in various interviews how National Assembly members fought with him when he was information minister because he discovered the presence of 80 employees in his office where only two of them report to work. He revealed that there are hundreds of employees who receive their salaries and do not report to work, and when he took legal procedures against them, he was grilled by “corrupt MPs” in the National Assembly, and the government refused to let the minister reveal how corrupt the MPs were and asked him to resign.

We do not exaggerate when we confirm that the reason for the deterioration of the government administration is due to the political appointments in which MPs and ministers interfere, as appointments will be made according to acquaintance and appeasement of MPs and ministers at the expense of administrative and scientific knowledge.

What really disturbs me is not political appointments to appease MPs and in cooperation with ministers and the government as a whole, because the government, simply, wants to appease MPs in order to buy their loyalty and vote with the government to pass laws. What really disturbs me is for MPs to claim that they work for public interest for all citizens, and that their goal is to fulfill citizens’ wishes, but what the voters do not know that at the end, MPs are human beings who need to finish their interests, and as long as their interests are linked to the government, then there is no harm from appointing citizen as employees who do not commit to their jobs at the expense of hundreds of graduates who are waiting for job opportunities.

What Mershed said is not new, but what is new is that Rola Dashti took legal action and sacked law violators, so it should not be strange if “corrupt MPs” grill the minister and expel the assistant undersecretary because he exposed the type of MPs in our Assembly and also revealed the submission of the government and its acceptance of MPs’ extortion. Finally, how can the situation in the country be reformed if some of MPs are corrupt and a government that does not deter the corrupted, and a backward people who benefit from this situation because it goes into their personal interest, not the country’s. —Al-Watan

kuwait digest

The corrupt majority

kuwait digest

Santa Claus and children

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

By Fahad Rashid Al-Mutairi

n d e r s e c re t a r y o f t h e M i n i s t r y o f Parliament Affairs Ahmad Al-Mershed announced recently that there are 370 employees in the ministry while actual work requires only a few dozen. The reason behind this huge number of employees was clearly and directly mentioned by Mershed as ‘election-related appointments’, or hiring through lawmakers’ personal interventions. Mershed went on to reveal more surprises by indicating that many directors - not employees, which means that they receive high salaries - do not report regularly to work and some of them do not even know where their offices are located.

The undersecretary dropped the biggest bombshell when he asserted that a number of dual citizens are hired as managers and work outside Kuwait. They receive a salary from the ministry and another pay in another country.

Those are clear statements, not hints or expectations, from a government official in the position of the Ministr y of Parliament Affair’s undersecretary. They were not made abruptly, but in a printed statement published by one of the largest licensed daily newspapers in Kuwait. Despite that, the ‘anticorruption fighters’ and ‘defenders of public funds’ did not react in any shape or form to the undersecretary’s statements.

When I wrote about citizens being the first to blame for corruption, many criticized my article on the basis that I held citizens instead of the really corrupt people responsible for what is going on. Accusations of corruption and thefts raised in recent years were in most cases allegations promoted without proof. In my opinion, they are promoted to cover the real corruption that citizens practice, or natural reaction to the feeling of remorse. A citizen who breaks the law and abuses state funds promotes allegations and overblown statements about thefts in order to cover their own crimes. The best proof of this are Mr Mershed’s statements which are on their way to be forgotten after garnering serious attention.

I am not too optimistic, and I did not expect a public demonstration against the government and MPs responsible for the corruption that was clearly exposed by a senior state officials. But I was expecting a simple mention or ‘tweet’ from activists. Unfortunately however, the undersecretary’s statements were ignored, and it seems that what he mentioned is not really a problem for citizens or ‘defenders of public funds’. Thefts and corruption is - unfortunately - in the blood of the majority of Kuwaitis. — Al-Qabas

here is a place called Las Batuecas near the Spanish-Portuguese border that is surrounded by trees from all sides with a small stream going through it. However, what makes this place special is a monastery located on top of a hill where a number of monks live in eternal isolation! The monastery has two sources of income - charitable donations by benevolent people and renting some rooms out to people who wish to temporarily escape the hustle and bustle of modern life. I used to go and spend a night or two there whenever I had a chance. On each visit, a specific monk caught my attention because he was always sitting alone as if this isolation from the outside world was not enough for him, so he even isolated himself from his peers in the same monastery.

Driven by curiosity, I approached him on one visit and God, how amazingly knowledgeable he was. He was also very polite with a cheerful face.

We talked about almost everything except religion till we came to the story of Santa Claus and what that monk told me about it was completely different from any other version I had ever read.

The monk’s story went as follows: “There was a village only inhabited by children who had very wild and fertile imaginations. This trait might have been the reason behind the problems they later suffered from. One day, the village’s children became divided and that had severe disputes that got them divided into three teams.

One team claimed that Santa would only bring toys for them, another claimed Santa had different shapes and that he brought gifts for everybody while the third team insisted that Santa was unrivalled and that the gifts were theirs alone!”.

“The children’s dispute lasted for long and this resulted in more divisions. They never agreed except on one thing - Everybody was in anticipation of Sanata and his bag of gifts. Yet, the gifts did not arrive and I think they will never do!

However, the greatest gift is to realize that there are no gifts. This was exactly what the poor children failed to comprehend. Had they understood this fact, their dispute would have turned into eternal friendship and being enslaved to anticipation would have turned to emancipation of free choice”, concluded the monk before he stood up to greet me and leave. I hurried to ask him: “Are you one of the inhabitants of that village”. “I was”, said the monk with a smile before he almost disappeared into the darkness heading back to his chamber.

“Remember, it is a children’s village and I am not a child anymore”, he remarked before vanishing! (Spain 1996) —Al-Jarida

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

LOCAL

Women in Kuwait urged to undergo breast check-up ‘Warriors in Pink Breast Cancer Awareness’

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: DeNeece Gurney Tueller, the wife of US Ambassador to Kuwait, is urging women in Kuwait to undergo breast check-ups especially if they are aged 40 and above. The reason for her appeal is clear and simple.

She does not want anyone to experience what she’s been through. “I had stage 4 breast cancer. We have the gene in the family. I found a lump in my breast - it was a bit hard, so I went for a biopsy and it was positive: I had the cancer. Both my breasts was removed. It was difficult struggle,” Tueller noted as she shared her experience between sobs.

“I fought for a year and half. I went through physical therapy, then chemotherapy - six months of chemo and four months of radiation therapy. It was a difficult strug-

Breast cancer is more than a disease, more than statistics. It’s about people and families, whose lives are forever changed by a diagnosis. Ford Motor Company is working relentlessly to raise awareness and funds in the fight against breast cancer through a unique program called “Warriors in Pink”. Warriors in Pink by Ford Middle East is dedicated to promoting breast cancer awareness across the globe and Ford is proud of its 19-year support of breast cancer awareness through many global initiatives. Launched in 2006, the Ford Warriors in Pink campaign recognizes the strength and courage it takes to deal with the everyday challenges of fighting breast cancer. Warriors in Pink embodies hope, strength and courage and is about women and men finding strength within themselves - their inner warrior - at a time they need it most.

Some of the participants of the breast-cancer awareness seminar. — Photos by Joseph Shagra gle because my husband at that time was in Egypt with my youngest son. I was alone then in the US, but thank God my neighbors helped me a lot. It was the most difficult situation I have ever encountered. I don’t know what I could’ve ever done without my neighbors and friends who’ve been helping me. I completed the treatment four years back. But I have experienced many problems since then - I had bowel and urinary problems. The doctor told me if cancer comes back in other parts of my body, probably there is no more cure. So I am telling you, especially women - you’ve got to have a mammogram. It is very important for you all to detect it early so you’ll do not have to experience what I have gone through. At least do this every year,” she said.

Tueller was the guest of honor at a seminar held at Sheraton Hotel on Thursday. Dr Labiba Temmim, Executive Director of Medical Affairs at the Ruqayah Abdulwahab Alqatami Breast Cancer Foundation Kuwait, was the guest speaker of the seminar.

“We know that awareness leads to early detection and early detection saves lives,” said Sue Nigoghossian, Ford Middle East’s Brand Communications & Public Affairs manager. “Warriors in Pink, powered by Ford, has always been outspoken about the importance of early detection, as the risk of dying from breast cancer increases greatly when it is diagnosed in later stages. “The Ford commitment runs well beyond raising funds. The company is dedicated to making a difference 365 days a year by encouraging women to become informed and visit their doctors, educating them that early detection saves lives,” she added. “Simultaneously, Warriors in Pink is also a campaign that recognizes the strength and courage it takes to deal with the everyday challenges of battling breast cancer day in day out.”

In the Middle East, this is no different, as the disease is the number one cause of death in women in our region, and relatively low awareness rates means that women are often diagnosed with cancer at advanced stages. “We

are delighted that Dr Labiba Temmim, Executive Director ofMedical Affairs at the Ruqayah Abdulwahab Alqatami Breast Cancer Foundation Kuwait has joined us today to support the cause and spread the early detection message”, Sue added. The Kuwait Cancer Control Center (KCCC) was the first comprehensive cancer treatment facility built in the Middle East. The center provides expensive chemotherapy and other support services at no cost to cancer patients treated in Kuwait.

Ford Warriors in Pink apparel The Warriors in Pink collection - Ford’s unique line of apparel and accessories for women, men and children is one of the main pillars of this campaign, featuring fashion items and accessories that highlight the 12 Warriors in Pink symbols of hope, strength and unity in the fight against breast cancer. A highlight of the collection is a sell-out t-shirt designed by A-list Hollywood actress, Jennifer Aniston. Her design, which features a drawing of the moon, is a message of positivity, encouraging people to believe in a cure, inspired by the reasoning that ‘if we can put a man on the moon, we can find a cure for breast cancer’. All Ford Warriors in Pink apparel is available for purchase on-line at www.fordcares.com, with 100 per cent of net proceeds from the collection going to Susan G Komen for the Cure, Dr Susan Love Research Foundation (DSLRF), The Pink Fund and the Young Survival Coalition (YSC).

In addition to the clothing line, the regionally-relevant Warriors in Pink henna art initiative, which has already proved popular in Lebanon and the UAE last year, Ford Middle East commissioned a video, which is available on the company’s Facebook and YouTube sites, to show ladies how to become a ‘Warrior in Pink’ and mark their support of breast cancer awareness using henna. Women across the Gulf and Levant are encouraged to paint the Warriors in Pink symbol that best represents them. The symbols are versatile, some are worn to honor those that have passed away as a result of the disease, others show a sense of solidarity and standing strong with breast cancer survivors, others to mark a commitment to life and survival in the face of the disease. Nigoghossian added: “Women in our region have used henna in body art since ancient times, so it is a source of inspiration to us all at Ford to see women using henna to make such a bold statement, in a way that only our region can, in support of breast cancer awareness.”

“Women of all ages and nationalities have been wearing the henna Warriors in Pink symbols, and as bone fide ‘warriors’, bringing breast cancer awareness and discussion to the forefront of our local communities, which is our ultimate aim in this campaign,” she said. Doctors recommend that since older women are more likely to develop the disease, once women reach the age of 40, they should have an annual mammogram, in addition to monthly self-examinations. Women under the age of 40 are advised to self-examine every three months. People concerned about any abnormalities should contact their doctor immediately.

Info age negates formation of the in: Indian critic

By Sunil Cherian KUWAIT: When a crazy fellow who wandered about all his life died, the villagers grew curious about the locked box the man left behind. They opened the box only to see some old bus tickets which had this note: keep the ticket till the end of your journey. Critic EP Rajagopalan who told this story to the audience at Indian Community School, Salmiya this past weekend unleashed criticism against the information age without formation of the in. The critic was in Kuwait as part of the Kerala Art Lovers’ Association program.

Earlier knowledge was of the elite class, he said. But there were creative people who interpreted, analyzed and even challenged the authority of the learned class who only parroted textual knowledge. But now knowledge is gone. Information dominates our so much compromised life where there is no formation of the in. The middle class needs instant answers and has become consumers of even the TV Quiz industry where it is asked who

EP Rajagopalan

the prime minister of India is, and not why Manmohan Singh is the prime minister of India.

Kerala’s favorite words now are OK and tension, said Rajagopalan. Kerala’s alcohol consumption is a corporate plan, he said, in order to destroy the reacting collective nature of the Keralites. In literature, the renowned critic of 20 books said, there are notable works but they get unnoticed

as the number of readers who enjoy them is nearly extinct. The self-taught critic who does not necessarily follow any school of thought admitted his admiration for Derrida and Raymond Williams and remarkably Karl Marx. The reader is no longer a passive receiver, he said, but a co-writer, and the concept of author as god is dead. Readers are breeders too. Rajagopalan said the future writers will be from the lower class including the laborers and the prostitutes. The readers will become the writers tomorrow.

Rajagopalan praised the activities of KALA, Kuwait and the audience of Friday who he had found easy to connect.

In the present Kerala, he said, the family members do not talk; the TV does the talking. But the 50-year old critic was pleasant throughout the evening despite the doom sayings.

Rajagopalan who is also the principal of a higher secondary school in Bakel Fort said the spark in the eyes of the students is the best salary a teacher can get.

Inspection tour in Salmiya KUWAIT: Ministry of Electricity and Water Assistant Undersecretary for Operating and Maintaining Water Mohammad Basheri made an inspection tour in Salmiya area accompanied by head of Salmiya emergency center Hussein Taqi and a group of engineers and technicians who work in Salmiya emergency center. The tour resulted in issuing several warnings to owners of

investment buildings that install a water pump directly after the meter, which is a violation of ministry rules.

Bushehri said the ministry provided the owners with instruction stickers on how to correctly connect the pump with the network.

He said that several warnings were issued to commercial stores owners on Salem Al-Mubarak street due to water

Kuwaitis to enjoy easy procedure UK visa LONDON: Procedures to acquire visa for the UK will be simplified for Kuwaiti citizens by 2014, said a Kuwaiti diplomat here yesterday. First Secretary at the Kuwaiti Embassy in London, Mishal Al-Mudaf, said that the announcement did not mean that Kuwaitis would enter the UK without visa, noting that submitting a request for a UK visa would be done through an email sent to British Embassy in Kuwait.

He noted that the new procedure would involve citizens waiting for a reply e-mail within a period of 48 hours and if approved, a print of the e-mail should be provided to UK authorities upon arrival.

The diplomat refuted news that Kuwaiti citizens would be exempted from acquiring the UK visa, noting that Kuwait was the fourth GCC country given this treatment concerning the simplified visa requirement. A meeting next month between staff of the Kuwaiti Embassy and the British Interior Ministry would be held to agree on the final details of the agreement, said Al-Mudaf. — KUNA

wastage by using it to clean the stores fronts contrary to the how this national wealth should be used.

He said the production of 1000 gallons of fresh water costs the state KD 10, while the consumer pay 800 fils only for the same amount. He said if 20% were saved only, we can save KD 300 million per year. He called upon all consumers to cooperate for everyone’s

Vaccination campaign till Nov 7 KUWAIT: Starting yesterday, the health ministry launched a campaign to assess previous basic vaccination campaigns for children below the age of 3.

The campaign, which will run till Nov 7, involves house to house visits by specialized teams of doctors, health inspectors and nurses to check vaccination rates through birth certificates and vaccination cards to make sure all children below 3 have received their scheduled vaccinations.

The campaign, which is the first of its kind in 20 years, will direct parents of children who have missed any vaccinations to complete them. Informed health sources added that the visiting teams will use special forms to fill in information about the number of family members, the number of children aged 6-35 months, the birth date of each child, the sources of information about vaccinations whether through certificates or testimony of one or both parents, questions about the types of vaccinations, place of birth and reason for missing a vaccination if any.

DeNeece Gurney Tueller

Dr. Labiba Temmim

Health minister in Muscat for WHO meeting MUSCAT: Kuwaiti Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Minister of Health Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah arrived in Muscat yesterday to attend a World Health Organization (WHO) meeting due later today.

The 60th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean is scheduled to focus on main health issues such as initiatives for combating tobacco, smoking and poliomyelitis, together with environment health, maternity and childhood.

Speaking to KUNA upon arrival here, the Kuwaiti minister said Kuwait and other GCC countries were setting out a strategy on accidents, cancer and chronic diseases, hoping that the WHO meeting would come up with concrete recommendations in this respect. The meeting will discuss several reports on health topics and health-related Millennium Development Goals, he pointed out. Working papers on health topics and exchange of experience among regional experts and senior officials are to be on the agenda of the regional WHO meeting in Muscat. — KUNA

Zad Group to sponsor 2014 HORECA Kuwait KUWAIT: Zad Group announced joining the list of sponsors of the 2014 HORECA Kuwait - a hospitality and catering expo organized by the Leaders Group in cooperation with Hospitality Services Company at the Badriya Ballroom at Jumeirah Hotel from Jan 27-29, 2014.

Zad Group CEO Abdullah Al-Nafisi recognized HORECA as “a specialized exhibition that proved its place in improving investment cooperation between companies” working in the catering and hospitality fields. “The exhibition actively sheds light on this important field which is connected to developmental, housing and touristic plans in Kuwait,” Nafisi said in a Abdullah Al-Nifisi statement yesterday, adding that the event “provides an opportunity for experts to discuss the latest developments in the ever-growing catering, hospitality and tourism fields”.

Established in 1994, the Zad Group specializes in providing top quality food products to a number of hotels and restaurants in Kuwait, and is an official agent of some international food brands.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

LOCAL

Refinery project symbolizes close Kuwait-Vietnam ties Commercial operations in 2017

KUWAIT: A scientific seminar ‘Technical and administrative quality supervision systems’ was held under the patronage of director general of criminal evidence department Maj Gen Dr Fahad Ibrahim Al-Dousary at the premise of the directorate general of criminal evidence, with the participation of 25 trainees. — By Hanan Al-Saadoun

Man steals impounded car KUWAIT: Investigations are ongoing in search for a Kuwaiti man who faces multiple charges after he broke into a police facility and freed his impounded car. The incident took place in Shuwaikh where the man asked to collect some belongings from his car that had been impounded earlier. The young man was able to start the car’s engine after physically assaulting the workers and then drove away through the gate which he destroyed with his car. A case was filed.

Teen assaulted A teenager was hospitalized after he was brutally assaulted by residents of a house he trespassed into for unknown reasons, according to the attackers’ statements. The incident took place in Fahd AlAhmad where police and paramedics headed to the scene following a report about an injured youth. The house residents said that they caught the juvenile inside and beat him up before calling police. They added that they believe that the kid lives in a nearby house and likely entered theirs for burglary. The boy was taken to the Adan

Hospital with multiple injuries including a stab wound. A case was filed for investigations.

Salwa fight A Kuwaiti man in his twenties was hospitalized in a critical condition following a fight in Salwa Park. The man was admitted in the intensive care unit in the Mubarak Hospital with a stab wound in the head, and his condition stabilized after a few hours. Police officers were allowed to speak with the victim who explained that he sustained the injury during a fight with three people in the public park. A case was filed for investigations.

Kid survives fall A 4-year-old child miraculously escaped death when he fell from a second-storey apartment in Mangaf Saturday. The Nigerian boy was rushed to Adan Hospital with multiple injuries and admitted inside the intensive care unit. An ambulance arrived at the scene on Makkah Street shortly after the incident was reported. A case was filed for investigations.

HEISCO wins KD 42.9m tender KUWAIT: Heavy Engineering Industries and Shipbuilding Company (HEISCO) has won a tender of KD 42.9 million ($151.9 million) to build oil pipelines for Kuwait Oil Company (KOC).

The five-year project will be carried out west of the country, said a statement by HEISCO, also known as SHIP, on Kuwait Stock Exchange website yesterday.

Heavy Engineering Industries and Shipbuilding, established in 1974, is based in Kuwait with a diversified range of business in oil and gas, petrochemicals, power, pressure equipment manufacturing, shipbuilding and repair, dredging and marine construction, major civil construction, maintenance and other industrial services including heavy industry projects.— KUNA

HANOI: “A joint refinery and petrochemical project serves a symbol of close friendship between the peoples and the governments of Kuwait and Vietnam, while there exists great potential for future bilateral investment cooperation,” Kuwaiti Ambassador to Vietnam Hamad Al-Jutaili said yesterday.

“Since Kuwait became the first Gulf state to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam in 1976, our relationship has grown steadily and gained momentum especially after the visits by then Kuwaiti Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to Hanoi in 2007 and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Kuwait in 2009,” Al-Jutaili said in Hanoi. “And the Nghi Son project gives a new push in the development of the two countries’ cooperative ties,” he said.

Earlier this week, Al-Jutaili accompanied Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil Mustafa Al-Shimali to his meetings with Dung and Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang, and a landmark groundbreaking ceremony for the $9 billion Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in northern Vietnam.

The 200,000-barrel-per-day refinery, jointly owned by state -run Kuwait Petroleum

International, PetroVietnam and Japanese firms Idemitsu Kosan Co. and Mitsui Chemicals Inc., is expected to start commercial operations in 2017. “As for future bilateral cooperation, the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) is considering investing in Vietnam, and a visit by Kuwait’s high-level financial delegation, including KIA officials, will be scheduled within a few months to move the issue forward,” Al-Jutaili said, expressing hope that investment cooperation will bring the two countries’ ties to a further height. With its population of some 89 million, Vietnam is seen a large consumption market and enjoys political and social stability, which all make it an attractive investment destination for foreign countries. The country recorded a GDP growth rate of 5.5 percent in the third quarter.

Asked about academic relations between the two countries, the diplomat said the Kuwaiti government has so far granted scholarships for 15 Vietnamese students, and currently six students are studying either petroleum engineering or Arabic in Kuwait.

The Kuwaiti Embassy opened in Hanoi in August 2007. Two-way trade turnover reached almost USD 670 million, an increase of 12 times compared to 2007. Along with the success of

economic, trade, investment and academic cooperation, a number of other positive developments have been marked in Kuwait-Vietnam relations. An agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders officially took effect in April.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, Kuwait launched a humanitarian project for the benefit of the disabled Vietnamese children, including the construction of a swimming pool made specially for them.

In addition, for nearly 35 years, the Kuwaiti government has contributed to the development of Vietnam, helping the people in rural and remote areas improve living conditions through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED). Since 1979, it has financed 11 projects worth $129 million to support projects in different sectors and regions, with the latest as $14 million loan agreement to fund a rural development project in the northwestern region in August 2012. Also at the groundbreaking ceremony on Oct 23, Al-Shimali announced a $3 million donation to support the Vietnamese people affected by the recent typhoon that hit the central region, which was greatly appreciated by Dung. — KUNA

Landmark opens registrations for ‘Beat Diabetes’ Walkathon KUWAIT: Landmark Group, the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate encourages Kuwait to register and participate in its four th edition of ‘Beat Diabetes’ walkathon. The 3.1 km walkathon is scheduled to take place on Nov 16, and will flag off from the Yacht Club and end at Green Island. It is held in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Dasman Diabetes Institute.

Registrations are now open and can be done across all Centrepoint, Max, Home Centre and New Look outlets. Individuals, groups and organizations can also register for the walk through the Beat Diabetes website www.beatdiabetes.me or the Landmark Group Kuwait’s facebook page. Constant updates on diabetes awareness and prevention and related information will be posted on the groups Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - LandmarkQ8 during the month of November.

Open to all age groups, participation in the walkathon is free of charge and all walkers are given complimentary t-shirts and caps. Free blood glucose test will be conducted on Oct 31, Nov 1 and 2 across Centrepoint stores in

Kuwait. Qualified trainers will lead a mass warm-up session.

Saibal Basu, Chief Operating O fficer, Landmark Group Kuwait, said “ This annual campaign is calling for the nation to start walking as part of the continuous healthy lifestyle drive to encourage the community to work together to prevent and manage diabetes.

Landmark Group helps to raise awareness of the growing prevalence of diabetes in the region and over the last three years we have received tremendous response from the Kuwait community and we are sure that this support will continue.” Dr Kazem Behbehani, Director-General of Dasman Diabetes Institute added, “Understanding symptoms that lead to diabetes can help establish a plan to live a healthier lifestyle.

Dasman Diabetes Institute does not save any effort to promote and shed light on the awareness of diabetes and general health amongst the public. We are glad to collaborate every year with The Landmark Group’s ‘Beat Diabetes Walkathon’ to spread awareness on diabetes prevention and improve the lifestyle

of the population of Kuwait.”

The Group will also conduct walkathons across other countries including UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and India, during November which is the International Diabetes Awareness Month. Landmark Group adopted the ‘Beat Diabetes’ initiative with a focused view to spread awareness on the causes, effects and dangers of the condition. Launched in 2009, the initiative today encompasses seven countries - UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, KSA and India.

As part of the initiative Landmark Group conducts year round activities and these cumulate with the Beat Diabetes Walk organized in November - World Diabetes Month.

Last year the Group organized a series of walkathons in seven countries, which drew the participation of over 45,000 people, and a huge drive to provide free blood glucose tests.

The Group has also partnered with several organizations, including the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), and local institutions in every country, to spread awareness about diabetes.

Quran Prize encourages moderate Islamic practices KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Grand Prize for the Recitation and Memorization of the holy Quran has become a permanent fixture in the country, which aims at enhancing moderate Islamic values and promoting equal treatment in the society, Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Shareeda Al-Muosherji said yesterday.

This remark was made at a press conference at the Ministry’s headquarters to announce the winners of the 17th edition of the Prize. “The aim of the Prize is to teach the newer generations the true meanings of the verses of the holy Quran that call for moderation in all human practices,” the minister said.

He added that the Prize also aims at strengthening Islamic values in the society and encouraging the country’s public and private institutions to create a new generation that memorizes the Quran in order to represent the country in international venues.

On his part, Head of Al-Awqaf General Secretariat Dr. Abdulmohsin Al-Jarrallah Al-Kharafi said that this year’s prize has seen the participation of 33 government and private institutes; moreover, the number of participants amounted to 2,640 out of whom 1,761 have reached the finals.

The number of winners this year has reached 154; 71 were men, 72 were women and 11 were those of special needs, Al-Kharafi announced. He continued as saying that the general excellency prize went to the Ministry of Awaqaf that saw 70 winners under its umbrella. A golden trophy was given to Outstanding Persons Charitable Organization for the Ser vice of Quran and Sharia Sciences and its 15 winners, a sliver torphey went to Bayader Al-Salam Women Association which participated with 12 winners and a bronze trophy was seized by Society of the Revival of Islamic Heritage that presented 11 winners. — KUNA

ABK wins CSR Excellence Award KUWAIT: For the second consecutive year Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait earned the CSR Excellence Award by the Arab Organization for Social Responsibility as authentication of its outstanding achievements this year in contributing to the welfare of society, identifying it as one of the most active banks in the field of social responsibility in the State of Kuwait.

Sahar Al-Therban, Manager, Public Relations, expressed her satisfaction on this token of recognition, and hoped that the Bank’s success at creating awareness of issues related to society in Kuwait would incentivize others to follow suit.

“ABK is proud of its achievement of winning the CSR Excellence award for the second consecutive year, as

it believes in contributing towards a better society at different levels, by taking onus of the responsibility, therefore the slogan we base our CSR activity on “Our Society...Our Responsibility.”

The idea emerged from a desire to lend the Bank’s support to social causes during previous years, whether related to education, sport, youth, health or environment; and to highlight a planned schedule of the same in future.”

The award aims to encourage both public and private sectors to play important roles with regard to corporate accountability. It does so by highlighting the value that can be created through their contribution to social development and environment protection, and stress-

Sahar Al-Therban es this concept so that it becomes a significant part of our culture.

Saudi urged to continue leading role NEW YORK: The Arab Group has reiterated “respect and understanding” to Saudi Arabia’s positions regarding a Security Council non-permanent seat, but urged Riyadh to continue its leading role from within the UNSC, especially concerning Arab and Islamic causes.

This came in a statement issued Saturday by the Arab Group which met at the level of permanent representatives last night under chairmanship of Bahrain, during which they discussed the Saudi foreign ministry’s statement last week in which it did not accept its UNSC non-permanent seat. Kuwait proposed the statement to the Arab Group last week during a meeting of the GCC Ambassadors to the UN. The envoys approved the proposed statement and referred it to the Arab Group. The Arab Group appreciates the position of Saudi Arabia which plays a

leading and effective role in the UN, said the statement, and urged Riyadh to continue its “effective and critical” role in the UNSC “being the best to represent the Arab and Islamic nations in this important and sensitive phase of the Middle East.”

The Arab Group also emphasized the “principled and courageous” role of Saudi Arabia within the UNSC, added the statement. The Arab Group also expressed “appreciation” to the position of the Asia and Pacific Ocean Group that respected the understanding between the two sides, which maintains the right of the Arab Group in occupying the UNSC seat during this period.

Diplomats, speaking to KUNA, said the Arab Group did not discuss a replacement for Saudi Arabia “because Saudi Arabia is still officially the elected member in the Council,” and noted that Riyadh

has not officially notified the UN of its rejection. Saudi Ambassador to the UN Abdullah Al-Muallami expressed during the meeting his delegation’s commitment to the foreign ministry’s statement.

He added he would convey the wishes of the Group to the Saudi leadership.

Diplomatic sources told KUNA the Saudi government recalled Al-Muallami for consultation regarding the UNSC membership, and that he already left New York last night.

The Saudi government announced on October 18 it would not accept the Security Council seat because the UNSC failed to preserve international peace and security, as well as failing to solve the Palestinian cause and the Syrian conflict.

Saudi Arabia was elected as a UNSC non-permanent member on October 17 for the first time in its history. —- KUNA

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

Britain gets braced for worst storm in a decade

Car bombs kill 62 in Iraq Page 9

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Bomb blasts kill 5 at Indian ral‘Political conspiracy’ ruled out PATNA: A series of crude bombs killed five people and injured dozens in an eastern Indian city yesterday, shortly before opposition candidate Narendra Modi was due to hold a campaign rally. Seven small bombs exploded near the venue in Patna where tens of thousands were gathering to hear Hindu hardliner Modi, a popular but divisive leader, launch the opposition’s campaign in Bihar state for upcoming general elections. The first explosion occurred in a public toilet at a railway station in Patna, before more bombs exploded near and just outside the Gandhi Maidan ground where the large rally was held, police said. Five people were killed and 83 others injured, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar told a press conference in Patna. “It seems that today’s blasts were preplanned in Patna and I would like to assure everyone that no effort will be spared to solve the case,” Kumar said.

“Making a guess on who did it would be premature at this stage. I rule out any political conspiracy,” he said. Police said two people have been arrested and several others detained for questioning, while the national government deployed anti-terrorism forces to Patna to investigate. Television footage showed people running from several explosions at the venue, with smoke rising above them. Police helped carry the injured to hospitals, where mostly men with bloodied bandages were seen lying on beds and connected to intravenous drips.

“The condition of nearly half a dozen injured is critical,” said an official from the Patna Medical College and Hospital, adding that some people were injured in stampedes after the blasts. Modi, a polarising figure particularly among religious minorities, later took to the stage and urged Hindus and Muslims to unite to overcome poverty in Bihar, a key battleground in the general election due next May. “If we want to take Bihar forward we need to unite people of all religions, caste and creed together... We want to unite people, not divide them,” he told cheering supporters in a speech that did not mention the blasts. “Our opponents are fooling peo-

ple. That’s why I want to ask my poor Muslim and Hindu brothers, do you want to fight against each other or against poverty?”

Modi has been campaigning to topple the ruling Congress party since he was named last month as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate for the national elections. The chief minister of the economically successful western state of Gujarat, Modi is popular with the corporate world. Many hope he can revive Asia’s third-largest economy if elected next year.

But he remains a divisive figure, tarred by religious riots in Gujarat in 2002. As many as 2,000 people were killed, mainly Muslims, according to rights groups. Modi was chief minister at the time and denied any wrongdoing, but one of his former ministers was jailed last year for orchestrating some of the violence. The rally in Patna was seen as key for Modi after the governing party in Bihar broke off a 17-year alliance with the BJP over choosing him as its candidate.

After the rally, Modi described the blasts as “deeply saddening and unfortunate”. “Condolences with families of deceased & prayers with injured. I appeal for peace & calm,” he tweeted. Four more unexploded crude bombs were discovered at the railway station and the venue site after bomb disposal squads swept through, Bihar police chief Abhayanand, who uses one name, said.

In a statement, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the blasts, appealed for calm and “called for urgent steps to identify and take action against those responsible”. Junior home minister RPN Singh said officers from the National Security Guard and National Investigation Agency have been deployed to Bihar. Modi and his political rival Rahul Gandhi from the Congress party are holding a series of mass rallies across the country in a battle to win five key state elections later this year. Those elections are seen as a crucial test of popularity, with both parties hoping to capitalise on any momentum from the results for next year’s general election. — AFP

PATNA: An Indian police deputy superintendent and other bystanders assist an injured man when a series of bombs went off during an opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally yesterday. — AFP

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

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

Syria files chemical weapon details THE HAGUE: Syria has filed details of its poison gas and nerve agent program and an initial plan to destroy it to the world’s chemical weapons watchdog, the organization announced yesterday. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said in a statement that Syria completed its declaration as part of a strict and ambitious timeline that aims to eliminate the lethal stockpile by mid-2014. The group, based in The Hague, said Syria made the declaration Thursday. The announcement provides “the basis on which plans are devised for a systematic, total and verified destruction of declared chemical weapons and production facilities,” the group said.

Such declarations made to the organization are confidential. No details of Syria’s program were released. Syria already had given preliminary details to the OPCW when it said it was joining the organization in September. The move warded off possible U.S. military strikes in the aftermath of an Aug. 21 chemical weapon attack on a Damascus suburb.

Syria denies responsibility for the deadly attack.

OPCW inspectors were hastily dispatched to Syria this month and have visited most of the 23 sites Damascus declared. They have also begun overseeing destruction work to ensure that machines used to mix chemicals and fill munitions

with poisons are no longer functioning. Syria is believed to possess around 1,000 metric tons of chemical weapons, including mustard gas and sarin. It has not yet been decided how or where destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons will happen. Syria’s declaration includes a general plan for destruction that will be considered by the OPCW’s 41-nation executive council on Nov 15.

Norway’s foreign minister announced Friday that the country had turned down a US request to receive the bulk of Syria’s chemical weapons for destruction because it doesn’t have the capabilities to complete the task by the deadlines given.

The announcement came among renewed fighting in Syria. In the Christian town of Sadad north of Damascus, where al-Qaida-linked rebels and soldiers are fighting for control, a rocket smashed into a home and killed five members of a family, activists said.

At least three women were among the dead, said Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights. He said it wasn’t clear whether the projectile was fired by Syrian soldiers or the hard-line rebels who have been trying to seize the town for the past week. Abdurrahman said the rocket strike occurred overnight Friday. The Observatory obtains its information from a network

of activists on the ground.

He says residents are trapped in their homes in the western neighborhoods of Sadad, which rebels have controlled since taking a checkpoint last week.

The rebels appear to have targeted Sadad because of its strategic location near the main highway north from Damascus rather than because it is inhabited primarily by Christians. But extremists among the rebels are hostile to Syria’s Christians minority, which has largely backed President Bashar Assad during the conflict. Other Al-Qaeda-linked fighters have damaged and desecrated churches in areas they have overrun. The official Syrian news agency said troops wrested back control of eastern parts of Sadad, but were clashing in other areas.

Also yesterday, Syrian Kurdish gunmen clashed with Al-Qaeda-linked groups to cement their control of a major border crossing with Iraq. The Kurdish militiamen captured the Yaaroubiyeh post in northeast Syria on Saturday after three days of clashes with several jihadist groups. Abdurrahman said the Kurdish gunmen were fighting pockets of rebels in southern Yaaroubiyeh.

Syria’s chaotic three-year-old civil war pits Assad’s forces against a disunited array of rebel groups. AlQaeda-linked hard-liners have fought other groups as well as Kurdish militias who have taken advan-

tage of the government’s weakness to cement control over territory dominated by the ethnic minority.

In neighboring Lebanon, another two people were killed by sniper fire during fighting between rival sects in the northern city of Tripoli, the official state news agency reported. At least nine people have been killed since clashes flared earlier this week, security officials said. Syria’s civil war has effectively spread to Lebanon’s second largest city, where it has inflamed tensions between two impoverished Tripoli neighborhoods, home to Assad opponents and supporters. The Bab Tabbaneh district is largely Sunni Muslim, like Syria’s rebels. The other neighborhood Jabal Mohsen mostly has residents of Assad’s Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

The latest round of fighting began four days ago.

Tensions had been mounting since Oct 14, when a Lebanese military prosecutor pressed charges against seven men, at least one of whom was from Jabal Mohsen, for their involvement in twin bombings near two Sunni mosques in Tripoli on Aug 23 that killed 47 people. Lebanon shares its northern and eastern border with Syria. Lebanon’s Sunni leadership has mostly supported the rebels, while Alawites and Shiites have backed the Assad government. Members of all three sects have gone as fighters to Syria. — AP

Car bombs kill 62 in Iraq Bombs target commercial areas, parking lots

PORTHCAWL: People watch as large waves break against barriers at the harbour in Porthcawl, south Wales yesterday ahead of the arrival of a predicted storm. — AFP

Britain braces itself for worst storm in a decade LONDON: Britain was braced yesterday for its worst storm in a decade, with heavy rain and winds of more than 80 miles (130 kilometres) an hour set to batter the south of the country.

The Met Office national weather centre warned of falling trees, damage to buildings and disruption to power supplies and transport when the storm hits overnight today.

Between 20 and 40 millimetres (0.8 to 1.6 inches) of rain is predicted to fall within six to nine hours starting yesterday evening, with a chance of localised flooding. It will be followed by widespread gusts of 60 to 70 miles an hour across southern England and south Wales today, with winds reaching more than 80 miles an hour in some areas, forecasters say.

The Met Office issued an “amber” wind warning for the region, the third highest in a four-level scale, and urged people to delay their morning journeys today to work to avoid the worst of the bad weather. Britain last experienced similar wind strengths in March 2008, but forecaster Helen Chivers told AFP the expected damage was more comparable with a storm seen in October 2002.

Prime Minister David Cameron received an update from officials on contingency planning

in a conference call yesterday, amid fears of similar damage wrought by the “Great Storm” of October 1987. That left 18 people dead in Britain and four in France, felled 15 million trees and caused damages worth more than £1 billion ($1.6 billion or 1.2 billion euros at current exchange rates) as winds blew up to 115 miles an hour.

Martin Young, chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: “While this is a major storm for the UK, we don’t currently expect winds to be as strong as those seen in the ‘Great Storm’ of 1987 or the ‘Burns Day storm’ of 1990. “This weather system is typical of what we expect to see in winter but as it’s coming in during autumn-when trees are in leaf-and while the ground is fairly saturated, it does pose some risks.

“We could see some uprooted trees or other damage from the winds and there’s a chance of some surface water flooding from the rainfall-all of which could lead to some disruption.” Veteran weather forecaster Michael Fish also said yesterday’s storm was unlikely to be as severe as 26 years ago, although his comments will be taken with a pinch of salt in Britain. —AFP

BAGHDAD: A new wave of car bombs hit Shiite neighborhoods of Baghdad and a suicide bomber targeted soldiers in a northern city in attacks that killed at least 62 across Iraq yesterday, officials said.

Coordinated bombing onslaughts killing scores of people have hit Iraq multiple times each month, feeding a spike in bloodshed that has left over 5,000 since April. The local branch of Al-Qaeda often takes responsibility, although there was no immediate claim for yesterday’s blasts.

Four police officers said that the bombs in the capital, placed in parked cars and detonated over a half-hour, targeted commercial areas and parking lots, killing 42. The deadliest blast was in the southeastern Nahrwan district where two car bombs exploded simultaneously, killing seven and wounding 15 others. Two other explosions hit the northern Shaab and southern Abu Dshir neighborhoods, each of which killed six people. Other blasts hit the neighborhoods of Mashtal, Baladiyat and Ur in eastern Baghdad, the southwestern Bayaa and the northern Sab Al-Bor and Hurriyah districts.

Meanwhile, in the northern city of Mosul, a suicide bomber drove his explosives-laden car into a group of soldiers as they were sealing off a street leading to a bank where troops were receiving salaries, killing 14 included five civilians, a police officer said. At least 30 people were wounded, he added. Former insurgent stronghold Mosul is located about 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of Baghdad. Such systematic attacks are a favorite tactic of Al-Qaeda’s local branch. It frequently targets civilians in markets, cafes and commercial streets in

Francis had reached 10 million after adding together the followers of all his accounts.

This would make the pontiff more popular than the New York Times and just behind rapper Kanye West, according to websites. But he still has a lot of Tweeting to do before he can catch up with the three most followed people on Twitter: pop stars Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga, who have more than 40 million followers each. The Vatican has long been interested in using the latest technologies to keep in touch with the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics and spread the faith, with radio inventor Guglielmo Marconi setting up Vatican Radio in 1931. — Reuters

Shiite areas in an attempt to undermine confidence in the government, as well as members of the security forces. Seven medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information. In Mashtal in Baghdad, police and army forces sealed off the scene as ambulances rushed to pick up the wounded where pools of blood covered the pavement. The force of the

explosion damaged number of cars and shops. At one restaurant, wooden benches were overturned and broken eggs were scattered on the ground. In Shaab, a crane lifted away at least 12 charred cars as cleaners swept away debris. Violence has spiked in Iraq since April, when the pace of killing reached levels unseen since 2008. Today’s attacks bring the death toll across the country this month to 545, according to an Associated Press count. — AP

Fordo nuclear site is a ‘red line’: Iran MP

Hallelujah! Pope toasts 10m Twitter followers ROME: A jubilant Pope Francis celebrated reaching 10 million followers on messaging site Twitter yesterday, a milestone in the Vatican’s drive to spread the gospel through social media. “Dear Followers I understand there are now over 10 million of you!” the pontiff wrote on his nine accounts, which publish simultaneously in languages including Latin, Polish, and Arabic.

“I thank you with all my heart and ask you to continue praying for me.” The first nonEuropean pope in 1,300 years has tripled the number of followers of the @pontifex handles since succeeding Benedict XVI in March, according to the Vatican, which announced

BAGHDAD: Baghdad municipality workers clear debris while citizens inspect the site of a car bomb attack in the Shaab neighborhood yesterday. — AP

TEHRAN: Iranian President Hasan Rouhani (bottom) speaks during a parliament session to defend the nominees for the three remaining ministries of his cabinet while parliament speaker Ali Larijani listens yesterday. — AP

TEHRAN: A prominent Iranian lawmaker said yeterday Iran would never agree to shut down its Fordo underground nuclear enrichment facility as demanded by world powers, Mehr news agency reported. “It is possible that they set some conditions such as shutting down Fordo, which definitely will not happen,” Mehr quoted Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of the parliament’s foreign policy committee, as saying. Fordo, with nearly 3,000 centrifuges and dug deep into a mountain near the holy city of Qom, some 150 kilometres (90 miles) south of Tehran, is at the heart of international concerns over Iran’s nuclear drive.

The site, whose existence was revealed in 2009, began in late 2011 to enrich uranium to purities of 20 percent, a few technical steps away from the 90-percent level needed for a nuclear weapon. Iran says it is enriching to this level to provide fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor, which produces medical isotopes, and denies seeking or ever having sought nuclear weapons.

Closing Fordo or limiting enrichment activities has been a key demand by six world powers-permanent UN Security Council members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany-in negotiations with Iran over its controversial nuclear programme. In return, the powers are offering to ease some sanctions against

the Islamic republic, such as those imposed on trade in gold and on the petrochemical sector.

Iran and the P5+1 resumed talks mid-October in Geneva during which Tehran presented a new proposal that its chief nuclear negotiator Abbass Araqchi said could settle the dispute “within a year”. Experts from both sides are to meet at the end of this week in Vienna to prepare for the next round of talks, in Geneva on November 7-8.

Israel and to a lesser degree the US have refused to rule out military action against Iran should it continue its nuclear enrichment programme. However, Boroujerdi warned against any military action, saying Iran was prepared to deter any foreign attack. “We have created the conditions for America and the Zionist regime in a way that they will never think of attacking our nuclear sites. Our missiles are a deterrent... but Fordo is one of our red lines,” he said, without elaborating. Some experts warn that Iran next year may reach “critical capacity”-the point at which it could, in theor y, process enough weapons-grade uranium for a bomb before being detected. But since becoming president in August, Hassan Rouhani, seen as a relative moderate, has raised hopes that the long-running crisis can be resolved and threats of military action silenced for good. — AFP

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

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

Georgia votes for new prez at watershed poll TBILISI: Georgia voted in a presidential poll yesterday with a loyalist of billionaire Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili favourite to replace his larger-than-life nemesis Mikheil Saakashvili at the helm of the ex-Soviet state.

The vote heralds the end of pro-Western Saakashvili’s second and last term and a year of his painful political cohabitation with bete noire Ivanishvili, who has promised to also step down in the coming weeks. “Today we show that we are true Europeans,” Ivanishvili told journalists as he voted. “People can truly exercise their right to make a free choice.”

Stakes at the poll in the Western-backed Caucasus republic of some 4.5 million are lower this time round as consitutional changes will see the next president hand over many key powers to the prime minister after the vote. Voting was slow at polling stations around capital Tbilisi and official turnout stood at under 18 percent as at mid-

day local time (0800 GMT), according to the election commission.

Giorgi Margvelashvili-a previously obscure university dean from Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream coalition - was well ahead of former parliament speaker David Bakradze of Saakashvili’s United National Movement (UNM) in pre -election opinion polls.

Margvelashvili, 44, has said he is so sure of claiming the 50 percent needed to win the first round-in which 23 candidates are running-that he would withdraw if the vote goes to a second round. “We are confident that the country will make the right choice,” Margvelashvili said as he voted with his student daughter. But with a combative challenge from 49-year-old former parliament speaker Nino Burjanadze-and up to 20 percent of voters undecided-the poll could go to a second round. ‘Completely different type of president’. At a polling station in a university

in central Tbilisi, professor Serge Tsutskiridze said he voted for “reserved” Margvelashvili because he wanted to see a new style of leader after Saakashvili’s divisive rule. “I voted for him because he is a completely different type of person to Saakashvili. We don’t need another emotional and headstrong president,” said Tsutskiridze, 67. Other voters said that they hoped to see Saakashvili’s party remain a force in Georgian politics despite Saakashvili’s exit.

“I voted for David Bakradze-a moderate and experienced politician - because I don’t want one-party rule in Georgia,” said journalist Ketevan Kurdovanidze, 50. Ivanishvili, 57, wrested power from Saakashvili’s party in parliamentar y polls last year, marking Georgia’s first orderly transition.

Observers from non-governmental organisation Transparency International said in a midday statement that the vote was being

held in a “calm environment” but that the number of procedural violations was up on last year’s vote. Ivanishvili’s coalition will remain in control of the government whatever the result of yesterday’s vote, but the tycoon has promised to stick to a pledge to name a successor as premier and step down.

Georgia under Saakashvili has made joining NATO and the European Union a main priority, and Ivanishvili’s coalition has pledged to press on with this drive. They have also promised to try to mend ties with Moscow shattered by a brief 2008 war between the two that saw Georgia effectively lose two breakaway regions, where Russia has now stationed thousands of troops.

Western allies have expressed concern over perceived selective justice that has seen a string of Saakashvili’s close allies arrested since his party lost power. Saakashvili, 45, has said he wants to remain active in politics but

Ivanishvili-who denies that there has been a political witch-hunt-has labelled him a “political corpse” and warned that he could face prosecution once his immunity ends when he leaves office.

During a tumultuous decade under Saakashvili-who came to power after ousting Eduard Shevardnadze in the 2003 “Rose Revolution”-Georgia cut corruption, built new infrastructure and revived the country’s devastated economy. However, Saakashvili’s reforms angered many who felt left out by the rush to change and police brutality used in crushing opposition protests tarnished his image as a pioneering democrat. Over 3.5 million people are eligible to vote in the election which is monitored by international observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Polls close at 1600 GMT and preliminary results are expected to begin coming out overnight. —AFP

Thousands protest against Putin’s crackdown in Russia Moscow rally urges release of political prisoners

SANTA ROSA: This combination of photos provided by the family via The Press Democrat and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department shows an undated photo of 13-year-old Andy Lopez and the replica assault rifle he was holding when he was shot and killed by two Sonoma County deputies in Santa Rosa, Calif. —AP

FBI to investigate shooting of California’s 13-year-old SAN FRANCISCO: The Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting an independent investigation of the fatal shooting of a popular 13-year-old boy by a sheriff’s deputy in Northern California. Sheriff Steve Freitas said in a statement Friday afternoon that he will cooperate fully with federal investigators and welcomes their participation in the probe of Andy Lopez’s killing on Tuesday afternoon.

The shooting has generated numerous protests and marches in the suburban town of Santa Rosa, with many residents questioning the deputy’s decision to fire on the youth.

Freitas also expressed sympathy to the Lopez family and thanked the Santa Rosa community for keeping protests peaceful.

Police say Lopez was carrying a pellet gun that looked like an AK-47 assault rifle. A timeline released Thursday by the Santa Rosa police shows that only 10 seconds passed from the moment that the sheriff’s deputy and his partner called dispatch to report a suspicious person to the moment they called back to say shots had been fired.

FBI spokesman Paul Lee said he did not know why his agency decided to get involved or whether local authorities had requested its help. More than 100 angry middle and high school students walked to City Hall on Friday, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported.

Hundreds of people protested earlier in the week. City police and the Sonoma County district attorney’s office are also investigating.

The Santa Rosa Police Department said two deputies in a squad car encountered the hoodie-wearing Lopez just after 3:14 pm.

Witnesses say at least one of the deputies took cover behind an open front door of the cruiser, and one yelled twice “drop the gun.”

Ten seconds after their initial report to dispatch, one of the officers called in “shot have been fired.”

Sixteen seconds later, the deputies were

calling for medical help. Lopez was later pronounced dead at the scene. The Sonoma County coroner said he found seven “apparent entry wounds,” two of them fatal. The deputies, who have not been identified, have been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard after a shooting, officials said. Assistant Sheriff Lorenzo Duenas told the Press Democrat that the deputy who shot the teen is a 24-year veteran and his partner, who did not fire his weapon, is a new hire.

Santa Rosa police Lt Paul Henry told the newspaper the deputy who opened fire later told investigators he believed his life as well his partner’s was in jeopardy. The deputy said the teen didn’t comply with commands to drop the gun and was turning toward the deputies while raising the barrel. “ The deputy’s mindset was that he was fearful that he was going to be shot,” Henry said at a Wednesday news conference.

Geoffrey Alpert, a professor of criminology at the University of South Carolina, said officers are typically justified in the use of deadly force when they sincerely believe lives are at stake. If the teen was raising the barrel of the gun toward officers, they had little choice about firing, Alpert said.

“If it’s a pink bubble gum gun and an obvious fake to most, then there is no reason to shoot,” he said. “But if the gun looks real the barrel is being pointed at you ... it’s unfortunate, but a perceived threat trumps age and the officers have to protect themselves.”

Hundreds of community members marched Wednesday night to remember the teen and protest the shooting. They covered more than three miles from Santa Rosa City Hall to the field where Andy Lopez was killed. Some lit candles and placed flowers at a makeshift memorial with printed pictures of the victim, stuffed animals and a balloon that read “RIP Andy L.” — AP

MOSCOW: Several thousand opposition supporters marched through the Russian capital yesterday to demand the release of people they consider political prisoners. The demonstration was intended primarily to show support for those who were arrested after May 2012 clashes between protesters and police on the eve of President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration for a third presidential term. Their arrests and trials were widely seen as part the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent.

More than 5,000 protesters chanted slogans such as “Free Political Prisoners” and carried a big poster that read “End Putinism, free hostages!” The march, which was sanctioned by authorities, went on peacefully amid a heavy police presence. The number of demonstrators was significantly lower than the organizers’ expectations of 20,000. The relatively low attendance reflected the sense of weariness among the opposition movement, which has been losing its energy after a series of major antiPutin demonstrations in Moscow in the winter of 2011-2012, which attracted 100,000 or more.

Alexei Navalny, a charismatic 37-year old anti-corruption lawyer who has emerged as the most prominent opposition leader, told reporters yesterday that the rally was needed to raise pressure for the release of those arrested. He warned opposition suppor ters that they shouldn’t expect a quick victory.

“The truth is that we need to get ready for a long and more difficult struggle,” he said. In July, Navalny was convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to five years in

MOSCOW: A demonstrator wears a tape over his mouth reading Putin during an opposition rally in central Moscow yesterday. — AFP prison on charges widely seen as political, but he was released the next day in what some saw as a government attempt to make the Moscow mayoral race, in which he took part, look more competitive.

Navalny won 27 percent of September ’s vote, finishing a strong second behind the Kremlinbacked incumbent. The surprisingly strong performance cemented his positions as the No. 1 Russian opposition politician. Earlier this month, a court replaced a prison term for Navalny with a suspended sentence.

that really have the capacity to destabilise the political system,” said Fernando Vallespin, political science professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid. In Spain, the ruling, right-leaning Popular Party, in power since scoring a landslide election win in 2011 over the country’s other main political force, the Socialist Party, usually picks up such votes.

The Popular Party, a successor to the Popular Alliance founded in 1976 by former Franco minister Manuel Fraga, “has been able to incorporate social sectors that would have joined these movements”, Vallespin said. Such voters manage to feel comfortable with some of the Popular Party’s ideology, he said. Critics say the Popular Party has shown a lax attitude in the past months to Francoism, which it has never condemned.

On October 10, the Popular Party used its parliamentar y majority to block a motion seeking to criminalise “defence or praise for Francoism, fascism, totalitarianism or Nazism”. The Popular Party said there was no need for such a law because a new criminal code being debated in parliament already punished hate speech or Holocaust denial. Over the summer various photographs were published of leading young members of the Popular Party with fascist symbols.—AFP

images of masked Punk Riot performers. After Putin’s inauguration, the Kremlin has sought to stifle dissent with a series of arrests of opposition activists and repressive legislation that sharply hiked fines for participants in unsanctioned protests and imposed tough new restrictions on non-government organizations. “We want to show the government, the Russians, the global community yet another time that Russia is not a democratic country, but is governed by the police,” rally organizer Vitaly Zalomov said. —AFP

Sandy swallows up NY community

Spanish extreme right leverages crisis MADRID: With a piercing blue gaze, Spain’s National Alliance president Pedro Pablo Pena openly declares himself a fascist and neo-Nazi, part of a marginal movement that is trying to gain ground at a time of economic pain and national uncertainty.

Pena, watched by young party followers, outlines his ideology candidly: “Nation, race and socialism”, words that are painted on the walls of his small Madrid headquarters next to the party’s emblem, which has clear Nazi connotations. It is still a marginal ideology in Spain with barely 0.3 percent of the vote going to the extreme right in the 2011 elections and a dozen councilors sprinkled in the city and town halls of the Madrid, Valencia and Catalonia regions.

But they are trying to take a stronger role as Spaniards suffer in a double-dip recession, corruption scandals batter the main parties and doubts emerge over the country’s unity with many Catalans campaigning for their region’s independence.

But unlike France and Greece, analysts largely rule out the dawn of a significant extreme right movement in Spain, where General Francisco Franco’s long dictatorship, which ended with his death in 1975, remains a painful memory and immigration is widely accepted.

“I don’t see movements or parties in Spain like those we are seeing in Europe

The protesters carried pictures of those who are on trial for their role in the May 2012 protest that turned violent. Some also held pictures of former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who marked 10 years in prison this week since his arrest on charges widely seen as a punishment for challenging Putin’s power.

Some people carried pictures of the two members of the punk band Punk Riot, who are serving twoyear sentences for an irreverent protest against Putin. One woman carried a colorful umbrella with the

NEW YORK: The Empire State building towers over an apartment building in Chelsea on October 25, 2013 (top) in New York and the same scene on October 30, 2012 after Superstorm Sandy made landfall. — AFP

OAKWOOD BEACH: After Hurricane Sandy, many Americans ignored warnings about climate change to rebuild homes in flood zones. But in one New York community, homeowners have decided to sell up, abandoning their land to nature as they escape to higher ground and peace of mind. Sandy killed three people in Oakwood Beach on Staten Island, the neighborhood in New York City that, along with the Rockaways, was worst hit by the cyclone. When New York governor Andrew Cuomo offered local homeowners the chance to sell, 298 people out of 300 jumped at the chance, even if they had lived there for decades.

For some it wasnít the first time they had seen flooding, and the price offered was attractive. The first home to be demolished is next door to a house owned by Joe Tirone, a 56-year-old landlord and member of an organizing committee for the buy-back scheme. From the property at 187 Fox Beach Avenue, he watched workers dismantle the home from the gas connection.

It is almost impossible to image the terror of Sandy on the pristine, glowing fall day a year later. ìMy tenants were here. I made sure that they did evacuate because listening to the news it was pretty evident that it was gonna be pretty bad,î he said. ìWhen they came back, there was an 11-feet waterline on the outside and seven-feet inside. They lost everything they owned,î he added.

Tirone didnít have flood insurance, and the house has been shut ever since, uninhabitable. When he started looking around for help, he found out about Cuomoís scheme to buy up coastal areas to turn them back into wetlands and build no new houses. ìThey want this area to act as a buffer zone to protect the inland portion,î said Tirone.

When they gave their list to the governor, 135 out of 185 had

signed up. When Cuomo upped the price by an extra 10 percent on top of the Fox Beach Avenue buildingsí pre-storm value, the number rose to 184. ìThat really made the people participate,î said Tirone. Another attraction was that it benefitted home owners and not investors. ìActually, there are very few rentals here. People have been here for decades. Pat, who lives across the street, she grew up here, she moved when she was five years old.

She has lived here for 50 years.î A handful of owners have refused, but they are rare.

Angela Montalto lost her father Leonard, who had lived all his life in Oakwood Beach, to Sandy. ìTo see the damage that was caused is something that will stick with me forever,î she told AFP. ìTo lose a parent and our house in one fell swoop is something that I wouldnít wish on anyone.î She believes the community is the perfect candidate for the buy-out, not least because the property losses were beyond everyoneís wildest imaginations.

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has launched a similar scheme. On October 10, he announced the first sale in another neighborhood south of Staten Island. After tearing through the Caribbean, Sandy slammed into the East Coast of the United States making landfall on the evening of October 29, racking up at least $60 billion in damage.

More than 200 people were killed, 44 of them in New York City alone. Cuomo, who often speaks out against climate change, put aside $400 million for the buy-back scheme. ìMany of them are saying I donít want to have to do it again.

Iíd rather buy out the parcel and move on,î the governor said in January. ìThere are some parcels that Mother Nature owns. She may only visit once every few years, but she owns the parcel and when she comes to visit, she visits.î — AFP

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

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

Somalia journalists beaten, radio stations taken off air MOGADISHU: Somali security agents stormed and shut down two radio stations, beat and detained reporters, and impounded their equipment, their union said. The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) said the raid in Mogadishu on Saturday was connected to stories Radio Shabelle and SkyFM, both part of the Shabelle Media Network, had aired touching on accusations of corruption within government. Police said they were carrying out an eviction order after the network failed to vacate the government-owned building. Both stations were housed in the same building, which also served as a residence for the journalists.

“They did not follow the order to abandon the government building. The government had told them to leave the building in which the radio operated because it was not theirs,” Colonel Abdikadir Mohamed, a senior police officer told Reuters. Journalists have been among the victims since Somalia descended into war in the early 1990s, with last year being the deadliest on record for journalists in the country, with 18 killed, according to NUSOJ. “Radio Shabelle was on air during the attack and the public could hear the beatings and noise inside the studio until the police violently disabled computer servers and radio transmission equipment before shutting down the generators, effectively halting broadcasting indefinitely,” NUSOJ said.

The union said police arrested 36 journalists and detained them for several

hours, adding police sources had told it that officers were working on bringing criminal charges against eight reporters and the chairman of Shabelle Media Network.

Mogadishu’s security has been improving in recent months but many parts of the city remain no go areas for aid workers and journalists. All media companies and radio stations are congested around the well-secured K4 and airport areas. “The raiding of Radio Shabelle and SkyFM and the arbitrary switch-off of two radio stations clearly indicates an orchestrated invasion on free media and drastically injures the rights to freedom of expression, media and access to information,” the union said.

Somalia is a fragmented state where the federal government has limited control beyond the boundaries of Mogadishu. Islamist Al-Shabaab militants, who control swathes of countryside, still carr y out bombings and shootings in the capital. In a separate incident, Mohamed Mohamud, a journalist who was shot six times by gunmen on Tuesday, died on Saturday, bringing the number of reporters killed in Somalia this year to seven. He worked for the privately owned Universal TV. “The government always said it would arrest the murderers but has done nothing to curb assassinations. This time we will not be quiet. It has to prove it is concerned,” Abdullahi Hirsi Kulmiye, East Africa bureau chief for Universal TV told Reuters. — Reuters

Bomb kills soldier, wounds 3 in Pakistan MIRANSHAH: A roadside bomb killed a soldier and wounded three others in a restive Pakistani tribal region near the Afghan border yesterday, officials said.

The explosion took place at Chashma Pul, two kilometres east of Miranshah, the capital of North Waziristan tribal region, known as a bastion of Taleban and Al-Qaeda-linked rebels. “An improvised explosive device planted along the roadside went off as a convoy of at least 35 army vehicles passed by it, killing one soldier and wounding three others,” a local security official told AFP. Another security official confirmed the

incident and casualties. He said security forces also defused two bombs planted at different locations in nearby Mir Ali town. Homemade bombs are a main weapon of militants who attack government forces in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the tribal districts bordering Afghanistan.

The seven semi-autonomous tribal areas are a haven for Islamist militants including the Taleban. Washington considers these areas a major hub of Taleban and Al-Qaeda militants plotting attacks on the West and in Afghanistan. — AFP

Five dead as political strike grips Bangladesh Thousands of extra police, paramilitary officers deployed DHAKA: At least five people were killed in nationwide clashes and trains were attacked as Bangladesh’s opposition yesterday began a strike to demand the prime minister quit and make way for polls under a caretaker government. Police said officers opened fire at protesters in the western town of Nagarkanda after some 3,000 supporters of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) ransacked a rural market and attacked police with bricks. “We opened fire in self-defence,” district police chief Jamil Ahsan told AFP, adding that one opposition activist was killed in the firing and five were wounded.

Four other people were killed elsewhere as the three-day strike got under way, with protests erupting across the country and thousands of extra police and paramilitary officers deployed. In Dhaka opposition supporters torched buses and exploded more than a dozen home-made bombs, while police retaliated with tear gas and rubber bullets. Shops, businesses and schools were shut for fear of the violence.

The BNP and its Islamist allies ordered the strike after last-minute talks between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia late on Saturday failed to defuse the mounting crisis.

Zia rejected Hasina’s appeal to call off the strike during a 40-minute phone conversation-believed to be the first time in at least a decade that the two “battling begums” have spoken. “Begum” is an honorific for a Muslim woman of rank. The opposition has called the strike and protests in a bid to force Hasina’s government to resign ahead of elections due in January 2014, and set up a caretaker administration of technocrats to oversee the polls.

Zia, who has twice served as premier, has branded the government “illegal”, citing a legal provision that requires a neutral government to be set up three months before elections. Hasina said such

London-bound Karzai to push Pakistan on Taleban commander KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai will push Pakistan to reveal the location of key Taleban commander Mullah Baradar during trilateral talks to be held in Britain tomorrow, officials in Kabul said.

Baradar was released from jail in Pakistan as part of efforts to kickstart Afghanistan’s peace process, but he has since been kept under house arrest, reportedly in Karachi or Peshawar, to the fury of Afghanistan. “We will look for explanations from the Pakistan government for the exact whereabouts of Mullah Baradar and how can Pakistan facilitate direct talks between Mullah Baradar and the High Peace Council,” Karzai’s spokesman Aimal Faizi told AFP. The High Peace Council is the Afghan body charged with opening negotiations with the Taleban insurgents as US-led NATO forces prepare for withdrawal from the country by the end of next year. Afghan officials believe that Baradar, who had been held in jail in Pakistan since 2010, could encourage Taleban leaders to seek a negotiated settlement to end the 12-year

insurgency if he were fully at liberty.

About 400 Afghan soldiers or policemen die every month fighting the Islamist militants. “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif promised the release of Mullah Baradar, which they did, but Mullah Baradar is still under very strict supervision by Pakistan authorities,” Faizi said.

Karzai, Sharif and British Prime Minister David Cameron will meet tomorrow for the fourth trilateral summit designed to foster stability in the volatile south Asia region.

Apparent headway between then-Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari and Karzai at the last summit hosted by Cameron in February quickly unravelled in a series of public rows. “There have been ups and downs in the past but that should not stop us from working with Pakistan,” Faizi said late Saturday. “The focus of the meeting will be Pakistan support for the Afghan peace process, fighting terrorism and extremism, and Pakistan support for the security of the Afghan 2014 election.”

He said Afghanistan expected Pakistan to stop militants crossing the

border to launch attacks in the run-up to the April presidential elections for Karzai’s successor. “Pakistan can play a role to maintain Afghanistan security for upcoming elections because these terrorists are coming from the other side of the Durrand Line (border) to Afghanistan,” Faizi said.

Karzai, who must step down next year after serving two terms, will also give a speech at the World Islamic Economic Forum in London, and at the Oxford Union, the university’s debating society, during his four-day visit. The search for a peace deal in Afghanistan is urgent as 87,000 NATO combat troops prepare to withdraw next year and the national army and police take on the fight against insurgents. A Taleban office in Qatar that opened in June was meant to lead to talks, but instead it enraged Karzai after it was styled as an embassy for a government-inexile. Pakistan was a key backer of the hardline 1996-2001 Taleban regime in Kabul and is believed to shelter some of the movement’s top leaders. Islamabad officials were not immediately available to comment on the London summit. — AFP

HERAT: An Afghan resident carries a parcel on her head as she walks with her son along a street yesterday. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and British Prime Minister David Cameron are scheduled to meet in London tomorrow, for the fourth trilateral summit designed to foster stability in the volatile south Asia region.— AFP

DHAKA: Bangladeshi police officers try to douse the flames on a motorcycle allegedly ignited by opposition activists during a general strike in Rajshahi, outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh yesterday. — AFP an arrangement is unconstitutional, proposing instead an all-party interim government led by her to oversee the January polls. But the BNP rejected the proposal, claiming it would allow Hasina to rig results.

Saturday’s phone talks came a day after tensions rose as opposition supporters clashed with the ruling party and police in cities and towns across the nation, leaving at least seven people dead and hundreds injured. Security was tight in the capital yesterday, with around 10,000 paramilitaries and police officers deployed, Dhaka police spokesman Masudur Rahman told AFP. Two ruling party supporters were beaten and stabbed to death by opposition supporters, police officials told AFP, while separately two activists from the country’s largest Islamic party, Jamaat-eIslami, were also killed. One of the activists of Jamaat, a key BNP ally,

was shot dead during clashes with police in the western city of Rajshahi.

“There were 400-500 opposition supporters who exploded small bombs and attacked police,” the deputy police commissioner in Rajshahi, Proloy Chisim, told AFP, confirming the shooting death.

Protesters also attacked two trains in the northwestern district of Joypurhat, setting fire to a carriage and injuring several people, local police chief Hamidul Alam told AFP. Clashes between opposition protesters and police and ruling party activists also erupted in at least a dozen other towns and cities, leaving scores injured including some hit by bullets, police and local media said. Deputy law minister Quamrul Islam blamed the opposition for the fighting, telling a ruling party rally in Dhaka that “we wanted to talk, but they chose the path of violence”.

But BNP spokesman Rizvi Ahmed accused the government of ordering police to attack its peaceful demonstrations, adding that the party was still open to talks if Hasina agreed to set up a neutral government. “Since Friday 12 of our activists have been killed and more than 500 injured. Police have arrested more than 1,500 of our supporters,” he told AFP. Tensions have been rising in Bangladesh since Hasina’s ruling Awami League party rejected an October 24 deadline set by the BNP for accepting its demands.

While the nation has a long history of political violence, this year has been the deadliest since Bangladesh gained independence in 1971. At least 150 people have been killed since January after a controversial court began handing down death sentences on Islamist leaders allied to ex-premier Zia. — AFP

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

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

22 killed ahead of Philippine village polls MANILA: At least 22 candidates and supporters have been killed in electionrelated violence over the past month ahead of this week’s village polls across the Philippines, police said yesterday, underscoring the violent downside of one of Asia’s most rambunctious democracies. Twenty-seven other people have been wounded in violence linked to election rivalries, mostly in shootouts, national police spokesman Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac said. At least 588 people have been arrested for violating an elections gun ban, with police confiscating nearly

500 firearms, 4,000 rounds of ammunition, 191 knives and 68 grenades.

Fifteen people were killed in village election violence in 2010, Sindac said.

Government troops and police have gone on full alert for Monday’s daylong balloting, especially in about 6,000 of 42,028 villages nationwide considered security hotspots due to a history of electoral violence or past attacks by Muslim and communist insurgents or alQaida-linked militants.

“Our elections in the past have always been marred by untoward incidents,” militar y spokesman Lt. Col.

Ramon Zagala said, adding that government forces would guard against “spoilers to this democratic exercise.” More than 800,000 candidates are vying for chairmanships and other posts in urban and rural villages, locally called barangays - the Philippines’ smallest political units, where violence and fraud are as much a concern as they are in elections for higher office.

In the latest violence, unidentified men opened fire on a police car carrying an elections officer and policemen yesterday, setting off a gunbattle that wounded the poll official, two police-

men and a civilian in Palanas town in central Masbate province, police said.

Police arrested the son of a candidate for village chairman and 16 other supporters, some of them armed with shotguns and pistols, for allegedly threatening a rival candidate in southern South Cotabato province, police said.

In the country’s worst election violence, 58 members of a political clan and media workers were ruthlessly shot to death in a 2009 massacre allegedly plotted by a rival clan with its armed militias to maintain their political control over southern Maguindanao province. The

accused clan members have denied any wrongdoing. Among the dead were at least 31 media workers. It was the single worst killing of journalists in the world.

Officials have postponed Monday’s elections in central Bohol province, which was devastated by a strong earthquake on Oct. 15 that killed more than 200 people, and in southern Zamboanga city, where Muslim rebels occupied coastal villages and took scores of residents hostage in a threeweek standoff last month that killed more than 200 combatants and civilians.— AP

Japan’s PM Abe warns China on use of force Japan ‘won’t tolerate changing regional status quo’

MANILA: Residents search for salvageable materials among debris after an overnight fire razed a slum area yesterday. More than 500 houses were burned leaving 2,000 families homeless and two children dead, according to local media reports. — AFP

South Korean returnees ‘had sought better life in N Korea’ SEOUL: Some of the six South Koreans sent home from North Korea Friday had entered the hardline communist state in search of a better life, a report said yesterday. The six were taken into custody for questioning after being handed over-along with the body of a woman-at the border truce village of Panmunjom. One of the six was the woman’s husband, who had strangled her in an aborted suicide pact, the South’s Yonhap news agency quoted “public safety authorities” as saying.

It said all six had entered North Korea illegally between 2009 and 2012 — either by jumping off a Chinese cruise ship in rivers along the North Korea-China border, or by walking across the rivers when they were frozen. They said some of the men, whose ages ranged from 27 to 67, had posted pro-North Korea comments on the Internet under false names. They “had fallen under the delusion that they would be treated well by the North Korean government when the communist country’s official media introduced them by their pseudonyms”, Yonhap said.

Some of them had only managed to find work in the South as day labourers due to family troubles, business failures or other hardships, and decided to defect in hopes their lives would improve in the North, it said. While more than 23,500 North Koreans have escaped to the South from the North since the end of the Korean War in 1953, defections the other way are very rare. The men told authorities they had been held and questioned in various

detention centres across North Korea for up to 45 months before their repatriation.

They reportedly expressed disappointment and a sense of betrayal at the way they had been treated in the North, with some saying that they were not treated for health problems or allowed to leave their rooms in the detention centres.

The husband of the South Korean woman whose body was sent back reportedly said he and his wife had planned to commit suicide together. But the man, identified only as Lee, failed to kill himself after strangling his wife, authorities said.

Formal arrest warrants have been sought for the six before further questioning.

They could be charged with violating the strict National Security Law, which bans unauthorised contacts with the North, while Lee could also be charged with murder, authorities added. The surprise return of the six was an apparent conciliatory gesture by Pyongyang at a time when NorthSouth ties have been blowing hot and cold.

Tensions soared for months after the North’s third nuclear test in February, b u t t h e n a p p e a re d t o e n t e r a r a p prochement stage that saw the t wo rivals agree to reopen their joint industrial park in K aesong. But the mood quickly soured again when Pyongyang cancelled a scheduled reunion last month for family members separated by t h e K o re a n Wa r. Ye s t e r d a y, S e o u l returned four North Korean fishermen and their boat after it drifted accidentally into southern waters. — AFP

China newspaper recants bold defence of arrested reporter BEIJING: A Chinese newspaper issued a front-page apology yesterday recanting its bold defence of an employee arrested after reporting on a company’s “financial problems”, adding another twist to the highprofile media controversy. The statement was the latest public disavowal of the journalist Chen Yongzhou-despite initial public sympathy after his detention and open support by his employer, the New Express, in a rare act of defiance against powerful state censors.

“This newspaper was not strict enough about thoroughly fact-checking the draft of the report,” it said in a small announcement on a bottom corner of its front page.

“After the incident occurred the newspaper took inappropriate measures, seriously harming the public trust of the media.”

The paper, which is based in the southern city of Guangzhou, promised to “make serious corrections” and better ensure that its reporters and editors “comply with professional journalistic ethics and regulations”. The statement came a day after Chen appeared on state television in a green prison uniform to “confess” after being arrested more than a week earlier on “suspicion of damaging business reputation”.

He had written 15 articles accusing the engineering giant Zoomlion of “financial problems” including inflating its profits.

Zoomlion is about 20 percent owned by the state and is listed on the Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchanges with a total market capitalisation of more than $8 billion. The official news agency Xinhua said Saturday that Chen had admitted to “having released unverified and untrue stories about a company for money and fame”, and that he had acted “at the request of others”.

“I did this mainly because I hankered after money and fame. I’ve been used. I’ve

realised my wrongdoing,” Xinhua quoted him as saying. The All-China Journalists Association also issued a statement on Saturday criticising Chen’s actions and saying the newspaper “seriously neglected its professional duties”. Users of China’s popular Twitter-like service, Sina Weibo, expressed dismay yesterday over the latest developments.

“The entire media is going to face a major cleansing,” a lawyer called Liu Jianping posted. Another user with the handle Tianlihe said: “If the New Express believes it reported false information, then it shouldn’t just apologise, it should surrender itself completely.” “The person who took the money has been caught-what about the person who gave the money?” wrote another named MunchenWarte24.

The apology by New Express, a tabloid, starkly contrasted its initial reaction-a fullpage editorial printed days after Chen’s detention with the front-page headline “Please release our man” in large print. The arrest had initially elicited public support, with one well-known government researcher, Yu Jianrong, criticising the detention as an “abuse of public power”.

The Southern Weekly, a liberal newspaper also based in Guangzhou, said on its Sina Weibo account at the time that police were trying to create a “terrifying atmosphere”. That paper’s staff also defied authorities in January, striking after an article urging greater respect for constitutional rights was censored. Zoomlion is one of China’s biggest manufacturers of construction machinery, such as bulldozers, and is a major tax contributor to Changsha city in the province of Hunan. In an earlier interview with the Chinese news web portal Sina, a Zoomlion representative dismissed New Express’s allegations as groundless. —AFP

TOKYO: Japan’s leader warned China yesterday against forcibly changing the regional balance of power, as reports said Tokyo had scrambled fighter jets in response to Chinese military aircraft flying near Okinawa. Verbal skirmishing between Asia’s two biggest economies, who dispute ownership of an island chain, escalated as Beijing warned Tokyo that any hostile action in the skies against Chinese drones would be construed as an “act of war”. “We will express our intention as a state not to tolerate a change in the status quo by force. We must conduct all sorts of activities such as surveillance and intelligence for that purpose,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in an address to the military.

“The security environment surrounding Japan is becoming increasingly severe. This is the reality,” he said. “You will have to completely rid yourselves of the conventional notion that just the existence of a defence force could act as a deterrent.” Abe presided over an inspection of the military at which a US amphibious assault vehicle was displayed for the first time, an apparent sign of Japan’s intention to strengthen its ability to protect remote islands.

The defence ministry plans to create a special amphibious unit to protect the southern islands and retake them in case of an invasion.

“There are concerns that China is attempting to change the status quo by force, rather than by rule of law,” Abe earlier told the Wall Street Journal in an interview following a series of summits this month with regional leaders.

“But if China opts to take that path, then it won’t be able to emerge peacefully,” he said in the interview published Saturday. “So it shouldn’t take that path, and many nations expect Japan to strongly express that view. And they hope that as a result, China will take responsible action in the international community,” Abe added.

Yesterday Jiji Press and Kyodo News reported that Japan had deployed jets for two days running in

ASAKA: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (center) delivers a speech beside Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera (left) during the military review at the Ground Self-Defence Force’s Asaka training ground yesterday.— AFP response to four Chinese military aircraft flying over international waters near the Okinawa island chain.

Two Y8 early-warning aircraft and two H6 bombers flew from the East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean and back again but did not violate Japan’s airspace, the reports said.

The Japanese defence ministry was not immediately available for confirmation. Japan’s military is on increased alert as Tokyo and Beijing pursue a war of words over the disputed islands in the East China Sea that lie between Okinawa and Taiwan.

On Saturday China responded angrily after a report said Japan had drafted plans to shoot down foreign drones that encroach on its airspace if warnings to leave are

‘Stunt’ at Philippine heritage site draws ire MANILA: Philippine conservationists hit out yesterday at a wakeskating “stunt” that took place at an ancient mountain rice terrace, accusing sponsors of exploiting the UNESCO World Heritage site. Professional wakeskaters Brian Grubb of the United States and Dominik Preisner of Germany are shown on a video on YouTube skimming on the waters of the Banaue rice terraces in the Philippines’ northern mountain region.

Wakeskating is similar to the popular water sport wakeboarding but users are not bound to the board.

“I noticed that on the back of the bills here, you could see all these rice terraces and tonnes of water,” Grubb says in the video, which was uploaded Thursday and already viewed over 241,000 times as of yesterday. “It’s just a wakeskate paradise but no one even knew it was here.” Although they said they obtained permission from local tribal leaders, the video quickly spread on social media, drawing mixed reactions from Filipinos.

“Wakeboarding at the terraces? It is a stunt totally inappropriate to the site. And stunt it is,” Augusto Villalon, president of the Heritage Society, told AFP. “The world heritage property and the local residents should not be exploited.”

Sponsors Red Bull defended the event, saying in a statement attached to the video: “Respect for the environment was a priority from the beginning of this project!

“The team has assured that the plants and wildlife have neither been damaged nor disturbed at any time during the project. “All agreements have been made together with the locals and under respect of their traditions and culture.”

But heritage conservation architect Joycelyn Mananghaya said the terraced paddies were carved out on the slopes of the Ifugao mountain region by ancient people “for the prime purpose of planting rice”.— AFP

ignored. Tokyo drew up the proposals after a Chinese military drone entered Japan’s air defence identification zone near the disputed islands in the East China Sea last month, Kyodo said.

“We would advise relevant parties not to underestimate the Chinese military’s staunch resolve to safeguard China’s national territorial sovereignty,” China’s defence ministr y spokesman Geng Yansheng said in comments posted on the ministry’s website. “If Japan takes enforcement measures such as shooting down aircraft, as it says it will, that would constitute a serious provocation, an act of war of sorts, and we would have to take firm countermeasures, and all consequences would be the responsibility of the side that caused the

provocation.” Tokyo and Beijing both claim the small uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. Japan administers them and calls them the Senkakus. China refers to the islands as the Diaoyus. One of Abe’s first decisions as prime minister was to increase the defence budget for the first time in 11 years. Tokyo also plans to hold a major air and sea exercise next month to bolster its ability to protect its remote islands. In the Wall Street Journal interview, Abe said Japan had become too inward-looking over the past 15 years, but as it regains economic strength “we’d like to contribute more to making the world a better place”. The Journal said he made it clear that one way Japan would “contribute” would be countering China in Asia. — AFP

29 years later, Cuba hijacker wants to go home HAVANA: William Potts burned with the desire to change the world. Nothing really turned out the way he planned. Dreaming of joining the struggle to uproot global oppression, he dropped out of college, became a Muslim and went to join the Namibian freedom movement. He got stuck in Liberia, half a continent away. So he returned to the United States and in 1984 he concealed a .25caliber pistol in a plaster cast and hijacked a plane to Cuba, among the last in a flood of dozens of self-styled revolutionary hijackings. To Potts’ surprise, Cuban authorities didn’t offer him guerrilla training. He was convicted of air piracy and imprisoned for more than 13 years.

Now, 29 years after he changed into a black beret and leather jacket in a plane bathroom and hijacked more than 100 people on their way from Newark to Miami, Potts is optimistic that he’ll soon be heading home. He said Friday that US officials in Cuba are processing a passport application he submitted earlier in the week and they have told him it could be completed in a matter of weeks. While he faces virtually certain arrest upon return, he said he believes that the time he served in Cuba will allow him to avoid a lengthy second jail term.

“Some people believe I should spend the rest of my life behind bars, but that’s not my position.

I was sentenced in a recognized court of law to fifteen years in prison. I did the crime, I did the time,” Potts said. “I don’t expect to pay two times for a crime I already paid 15 years for.” Potts said going home will help him move beyond what he acknowledges was a mistake that put dozens of passengers’ lives at risk and separated him from his siblings and parents in the US in a way that’s increasingly painful as he ages.

Prosecutors in Florida, where Potts was also indicted for air piracy, did not respond to requests for comments on his case. The US Interests Section in Cuba declined to comment on the specifics of the case, but noted that “through our missions overseas, US citizens traveling or residing overseas are accorded a full range of passport services.”

Cuba has granted political refugee status, along with free housing, health care and other

benefits, to dozens of fugitives like Potts, many black militants and other leftists who fled here from the US in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Many are believed to remain in Cuba, including several who are among the US most-wanted fugitives.

The US and Cuba signed a 1971 agreement under which each government agreed to prosecute hijackers or return them to the other country. Periodic tensions with Washington have pushed Cuba to suspend the deal several times, but the communist government stopped giving new arrivals sanctuary in 2006, returning a handful Americans who fled to avoid prosecution in recent years.

The US still labels Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism, largely because of its sheltering fugitives.

“They accuse Cuba of harboring terrorists,” Potts said. “I happen to be a terrorist who wants to go back to face the charges pending against me.”

Potts, 56, said he was buoyed by the case of a fellow hijacker who returned to the US and saw a long sentence reduced because of time served in Cuba. It’s far from clear that Potts has correctly assessed his legal options. Other fugitives returning from Cuba have been aggressively prosecuted.

US citizen Luis Armando Pena Soltren returned to the United States from Cuba in October 2009 to face charges of conspiracy to commit air piracy, interfering with a flight crew and kidnapping in a case linked to Puerto Rican independence militants. Pena Soltren pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Potts lives in a modest two-bedroom apartment with a neatly kept front garden in a Cold War era apartment block on the outskirts of Havana.

He’s divorced from the mother of his two children, a math professor, but they still live together and consider themselves married. The US Interests Section in Cuba gave passports to their daughters, 12 and 9, last year and Potts sent them to live with his family in the Atlanta area.

His older daughter is named after Assata Shakur, aunt of slain rapper Tupac Shakur, and a member of the Black Liberation Army who was serving life in prison when she was broken out by armed friends, surfacing in Cuba in 1984. —AP

NEWS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

TEHRAN: A poster depicting an American negotiator at a negotiating table and a dog to his side is displayed in Palestine Square yesterday. — AP

Tehran pulls anti-US posters

Saudi women keep pushing right to drive Continued from Page 1

DUBAI: Tehran authorities have taken down some antiAmerican posters, amid signs Iran is seeking better relations with the United States as the two sides prepare to hold talks over its nuclear program. A Tehran municipal official said some anti-American billboards had been put up illegally and had been taken down, state news agency IRNA said on Saturday. “In an arbitrary move, without the knowledge or confirmation of the municipality, one of the cultural institutes installed advertising billboards,” said spokesman Hadi Ayyazi. Ayyazi did not say which posters had been taken down. According to IRNA, new antiAmerican posters were put up in busy Tehran thoroughfares since last week, ahead of the Nov 4 anniversary of the 1979 seizure of hostages in the US Embassy.

One depicted an Iranian negotiator sitting at a table with a US official who is wearing a suit jacket but also army trousers and boots, with a caption that read: “American Honesty”. Iran has repeatedly alleged that the real US goal is to attack Iran rather than find a diplomatic solution in nuclear negotiations. Ehsan Mohammad-Hassani, head of the Owj Cultural Organisation which produces anti-

American material, said yesterday his group had put up the posters with the permission of the municipality, the Fars news agency said. He said they had nothing to do with the policies of new President Hassan Rouhani, and had been designed before he took office in August. Hardliners are sceptical of Rouhani’s efforts to engage with the West. “The ‘American Honesty’ designs do not indicate an opposition to the negotiations of Iranian statesmen with America,” Mohammad-Hassani was quoted as saying.

Lurid anti-American graffiti and posters have adorned Tehran and other major Iranian cities for decades. The site of the former US embassy in Tehran depicts the Statue of Liberty with a skull for a face. The removal of some posters sparked protest from some hard-liners, including the conservative Kayhan newspaper, which criticised the decision in an editorial yesterday.

“Obviously, the posters only warned of America’s dishonesty,” the editorial said. “Therefore, their removal is unjustifiable for the people whose blood has been shed and who have suffered the bitter taste of America’s hostility for more than 30 years.” — Reuters

“The campaign continues, in order to normalise driving in our country, whose laws allow the practice of this right,” said a Tweet posted on the campaign’s Twitter feed.

“Yesterday there were lots of police cars so I didn’t take the risk. I only took the wheel for a few minutes. Today I drove and nobody stopped me. For sure I will drive every day doing my normal tasks,” Azza Al-Shamasi, the woman who filmed herself driving to the hospital on Sunday, told Reuters.

In Jeddah, Samia El-Moslimany, a half-Egyptian halfAmerican woman married to a Saudi for 27 years, said she was briefly held and made to sign a pledge that she would not drive again. “I drove around the neighbourhood in Jeddah,” she said. When she drove in the kingdom’s second city earlier in the evening, several cars followed with young men waving at her. Minutes after she relinquish the wheel to her driver, police surrounded her car and took her into detention, she said.

A YouTube film made by male Saudi comedians went viral on Saturday, parodying the Bob Marley song ‘No Woman No Cry’ as ‘No Woman No Drive’, to support the

women’s driving campaign. In the short film, comedian Hisham Fageeh sang, whistled and danced with lyrics that included “I remember when you used to sit in the family car but backseat... in this bright future you can’t forget your past, so put your car key away”.

Activists had originally issued a call on social media networks for women across the kingdom to drive their cars on Saturday to challenge the ban. Some say they received telephone calls from the interior ministry asking them to promise they would not drive on Saturday. On Wednesday, the ministry said it would act against anyone who attempts to “disturb public peace” by congregating or marching “under the pretext of an alleged day of female driving.” The next day ministry spokesman General Mansur Al-Turki told AFP: “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. Activists say Saturday was chosen as a “symbolic” date as part of efforts first launched more than a decade ago to press for the right to drive. The absolute monarchy is the only country in the world where women are barred from driving. Public gatherings are officially banned. — Agencies

Dubai opens sprawling airport to passengers Continued from Page 1 major stop for air traffic between the West, Asia and Australasia. Al-Maktoum International was opened only for cargo in June 2010, while passenger operations were repeatedly delayed.

The new airport is situated in Dubai World Central, an economic zone the government hopes to turn into what it calls an “aerotropolis”. Once completed, it is to feature five runways that will be able to handle an annual capacity of 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo. It is built next to Dubai Jebel Ali Free Zone and its port, which is one of the world’s largest man-made harbours, and a major containers terminal. It is part of a grand project announced during Dubai’s economic boom, but the pace of progress slowed during the financial crisis that hit the Gulf emirate in 2009.

The airport “will play a vital role in the future development of Dubai as a centre for trade, commerce, transport, logistics and tourism”, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed AlMaktoum, chairman of Dubai Airports, said in a statement. The new airport is not aimed at replacing Dubai International, where expansion work is continuing, at least not for the time being, according to Griffiths. “If

DXB (Dubai International) is to close, it isn’t a decision we have to make probably for the next 30, 40 years,” he told reporters.

Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates and state budget carrier flydubai have not shifted to the new airport, Griffiths told reporters after the opening ceremony. “Emirates needs a hub that is capable of allowing it to grow its business,” he said. “This airport right now can only handle 7 million passengers, but we have incremental plans to increase that capacity.” Dubai has also expanded its existing airport to include a new terminal dedicated strictly to the Airbus A380 superjumbos, which makes a shift out of the facility impractical.

Backed by state-sponsored mega airports and aggressively growing airlines, Gulf cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha have gradually been taking over as global hubs from traditional hubs in Europe. Qatar is building a $15 billion airport in Doha, which is expected to open early next year. Abu Dhabi is constructing a new $2.9 billion terminal, less than a hour’s drive from Dubai’s new facility. “I think hubs will continue to develop in the region and replace hubs in Europe,” Griffiths said. “I don’t see any problem in having more airport capacity in the region.” — Agencies

PM warns gravy train about to fly off rails Continued from Page 1 In its program, which it said is part of the country’s 2035 strategy to transform Kuwait into a regional trade hub, the government said its program is based on diversifying the national economy so that income from oil does not remain the only source of revenue. The program insists that the growth of public spending, especially current expenditures, is not sustainable and that the state budget will experience a deficit in 2021 if “the rates of spending and the price of oil and its production remain unchanged”. “The continuity of this situation threatens national and social security and the stability of the country,” the program affirmed.

It attributed the high growth rate in expenditures to the cheap charges on services and commodities offered by the government and the absence of taxes, “which made oil revenues the main source of the budget”, saying that in the previous fiscal year, oil income made up 96.0 percent of the budget revenue. It also insisted that the rate of oil production and growth in financial resources do not match the growth in spending, particularly current spending (wages, subsidies, defense and security and others), adding that after excluding oil revenues, the deficit last fiscal year would have been KD 17 billion.

The government vowed that it will undertake steps to reform the budget by reducing non-oil deficit through rationalizing public expenditure. It said it will rationalize subsidies to commodities and services to ensure that subsidies reach those who deserve it most. The government has been saying that subsidies have been rising annually to the extent that they now exceed KD 5 billion.

The subsidies are extended mainly to petrol, whose price has remained unchanged for the past 15 years, and electricity and water, whose prices are the cheapest in the Gulf states and have remained unchanged for at least four decades.

Beside rationalizing subsidies, the government also plans to “amend” the charges and price regime on public services and commodities so as to minimize squandering and misuse but “without undermining low income people”. The government program provided no details on what specific measures it would take and if those measures would be equal for Kuwaitis and expatriates or it will be expatriates who will pay the most, similar to situations in neighbouring energy-rich Gulf states. The program also states that the government will link the wage system to productivity of employees.

Over the next four years, the government plans to establish shareholding companies that will undertake to implement development projects worth around KD 12 billion, and citizens will be allowed to own around 50 percent of the shares of those companies. During the years of the program, the government plans to add 2,930 megawatts of electricity on top of the present 14,000 megawatts, in addition to around 130 million imperial gallons of desalinated water on top of around 400 million gallons of daily production.

The government also said that during the duration of the program, it will create 77,500 jobs for Kuwaitis in the public and private sector and will expand the airport’s capacity from the current nine million to 25 million passengers. It vowed to build 36,700 housing units and offer 4,200 housing loans to citizens and raise hospitals’ capacity from 8,000 now to 11,500 by the end of 2017.

Obama knew Merkel was being spied on Continued from Page 1 “Surveillance is a crime and those responsible must be brought to justice,” he told Bild, as Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle called spying among friends “highly damaging”. “It threatens to undermine ties that bind us and that we need more than ever to jointly shape the future in the globalised world of the 21st century,” he said in a statement.

Merkel confronted Obama with the snooping allegations in a phone call Wednesday saying that such spying would be a “breach of trust”. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung reported without citing its sources that Obama had told Merkel during their call that he had been unaware of any spying against her, while Spiegel said he assured her that he would have stopped the operation at once. Merkel’s office declined to comment on what Obama told her. The White House has said it is not monitoring Merkel’s phone calls and will not do so in future, but it has refused to say whether it did previously.

Bild said Obama wanted to be informed in detail about Merkel, who has played a decisive role in the eurozone debt crisis and is widely seen as Europe’s most powerful leader. As a result, the NSA stepped up its surveillance of her communications, targeting not only the mobile phone she uses to conduct business for her conservative Christian Democratic Union party but also her encrypted official device. Merkel only acquired the latter handset over the summer. Bild said US specialists were then able to monitor the content of her conversa-

tions as well as text messages, which Merkel sends by the dozen each day to key associates.

Only the specially secured land line in her office was out of the reach of the NSA, which sent the intelligence gathered straight to the White House bypassing the agency’s headquarters, according to the report. Bild and Spiegel described a hive of spy activity on the fourth floor of the US embassy in central Berlin, a stone’s throw from the government quarter, from which the United States kept tabs on Merkel and other German officials.

Spiegel cited a classified 2010 document indicating that US intelligence had 80 high-tech surveillance offices worldwide in cities including Paris, Madrid, Rome, Prague, Geneva and Frankfurt.

If the spying against Merkel began in 2002, it would mean the United States under then president George W Bush targeted her while she was still the country’s chief opposition leader, three years before she became chancellor. Bild said Merkel’s predecessor Gerhard Schroeder was also in the NSA’s sights because of his vocal opposition to the US invasion of Iraq and close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A poll for the newspaper found that 60 percent of Germans believe the scandal has damaged bilateral ties. The revelations derived from documents acquired from US fugitive defence contractor Edward Snowden by Spiegel. The Social Democrats’ chief whip Thomas Oppermann told Bild that German MPs would now like to question Snowden in a new parliamentary probe of the affair.

“Snowden’s accounts seem credible while the US government apparently lied to us about this matter.” — AFP

Egypt seeks to lure Gulf investors Continued from Page 1 Beblawi’s visit to the UAE came as the Gulf state is due to try 14 Egyptians, along with 16 Emiratis, on charges of allegedly setting up an illegal branch of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood. The defendants include doctors, engineers and university professors who were arrested between Nov 2012 and Jan 2013, Human Rights Watch said.

The Egyptian government has also launched a fierce crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, killing hundreds of people during protests. Morsi and other top Brotherhood leaders have been arrested. Cairo has run through more than $20 billion in reserves and delayed payments to oil companies since an uprising toppled Morsi’s predecessor, veteran autocrat Hosni Mubarak, in 2011, scaring off tourists and investors. Other potential obstacles to investment include cumbersome and shifting regulations, fears the Egyptian pound may be devalued and protracted lawsuits against local and foreign companies.

The economy is in a “very challenging period ... How do we start again to achieve high growth rates and at the same time work hard to reduce the budget deficit?,”

Saleh said on Wednesday. The Mubarak-era bureaucrat who served in the same post under Morsi, also acknowledged instability posed a challenge. “There is a problem that I can’t resolve and that takes time. It is the problem of security. It comes above all the problems,” he added.

Militant attacks on security forces in the Sinai Peninsula that borders Israel have also risen sharply since Morsi’s ouster. Fears are growing that an Islamist insurgency will take hold beyond the Sinai. In September, a Sinai-based group claimed responsibility for a failed suicide bombing attack on the interior minister. Egypt’s interim government has said it is working to get the economy back on track. The cabinet approved a 22.3 billion Egyptian pound stimulus package in August, mainly for infrastructure projects, and plans another package for early next year.

But it is avoiding politically sensitive measures needed to get control of the budget deficit, which has jumped since the beginning of the year to nearly half of all government spending. Many of Egypt’s 85 million citizens are highly dependent on costly food and energy subsidies, which account for a quarter of all state spending. — Agencies

14

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

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Washington Watch

N Korea’s nuke strength grows in isolation

By Giles Hewitt f the international community’s main goal is to push North Korea towards denuclearisation, does the fact that Pyongyang is racing in precisely the opposite direction suggest a fundamental policy failure? The question has taken on added urgency following a succession of monthly warnings sounded by satellite imagery analysis that the North’s nuclear weapons program is gathering pace. In August, images suggested the North had doubled its uranium enrichment capacity at its Yongbyon nuclear complex.

In September, they indicated it had re-started the plutonium reactor that provided the fissile material for at least two of its three nuclear tests, and just last week they pointed to preparatory work for another detonation at its nuclear test site. “Pyongyang is moving ahead on all nuclear fronts,” believes US nuclear scientist Siegfried Hecker, a leading expert on the North’s weapons program. Since coming to power in late 2011 following the death of his father, North Korea’s young leader Kim Jong-Un has overseen a successful long-range rocket launch and the North’s third - and largest - nuclear test. “Denuclearisation must remain the goal, but it is a more distant one following these new developments,” Hecker wrote in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

If there is clear agreement on where the North is heading, there is little consensus on how best to stop it getting there. The key question for the international community is the same as it has always been whether to engage with Pyongyang or not. Both North Korea and its main ally China want a return to six-party talks grouping China, the two Koreas, Japan, Russia and the United States. Washington and Seoul are adamant that Pyongyang must first demonstrate a commitment to denuclearisation, but the North has repeatedly stated it has no intention of abandoning its weapons program.

The result is almost total impasse at a time when the North is making possibly its greatest strides towards achieving a credible nuclear deterrent. “There is no diplomatic mechanism in place today that offers any prospect for slowing or stopping the North’s WMD programs,” former senior US State Department official Evans Revere said in a paper published this month by the Washington-based think-tank Brook ings Institution. “The road to further development of these programs by North Korea is now wide open, and Pyongyang is taking it,” Revere said.

Supporters of the principle of no substantive dialogue without prior progress on denuclearisation argue that to do otherwise would be tantamount to accepting Pyongyang’s recent progress towards nuclear statehood. “Returning to talks now... would allow North Korea to have reset the table for negotiations in a way that undercuts the goals of North Korean nuclear disarmament,” said Paul Haenle, a former US representative at the six-party dialogue. At the same time, Haenle, now the director of the CarnegieTsinghua Center for Global Policy in Beijing, noted that dialogue with Pyongyang in the past at least had the merit of slowing the North’s weaponisation program down.

Since the last six-party talks in Dec 2008 the brakes have clearly been taken off, with the North conducting two nuclear tests, revealing a uranium enrichment facility and putting a satellite in orbit with a launch widely seen as a ballistic missile test. International sanctions have been expanded but, despite increased cooperation from China, they still lack the intensity to present Pyongyang with a choice between nuclear weapons and economic survival.

Barring a sudden implosion of the regime, Revere believes talks are the only real option - and at the very highest level. “If the goal is to convince North Korea to implement its denuclearisation commitments, nothing short of a dialogue with the North’s leader or his inner circle is likely to achieve this,” he said.

Nearly two years after taking over, Kim Jong-Un remains something of a mystery, although most experts agree he has successfully negotiated the tricky power transition. Initial hopes that he had a reformist bent have since withered, but long-time North Korea watcher Andrei Lankov believes the young leader will have to take risks spurned by his father, Kim Jong-Il, if he wants to stay in power. Kim Jong-Il was nearly 60 by the time he had consolidated his leadership after the death of his father Kim Il-Sung.

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Kuwait Times takes no responsibility for views expressed therein. Kuwait Times invites readers to voice their opinions. Please send submissions via email to: opinion@kuwaittimes.net or via snail mail to PO Box 1301 Safat, Kuwait. The editor reserves the right to edit any submission as necessary.

Palestinian aid falters, tunnels collapse

By Ali Sawafta and Noah Browning he arteries of Gaza’s economy have collapsed as Egypt demolishes the smuggling tunnels along its sandy border. Ancient stone villages in the occupied West Bank have become trapped in rural poverty, while investors and donors shy away from a zone of seemingly endless conflict. The crackdown on the Gaza Strip and stagnation in the West Bank mean the Palestinian economy might shrink this year after average annual growth of about nine percent in 2008-2011. The doldrums have dented a long-held belief amongst Israeli right-wingers that gathering Palestinian prosperity could achieve a de facto “economic peace” and provide a convenient alternative to a comprehensive two-state deal.

“Any talk of further developing the Palestinian economy without a lifting of Israel’s restrictions is just that, talk,” said the Palestinian minister for economic affairs, Jawad Naji. “The international community urgently needs to intervene to pressure Israel to allow us access to our natural resources.” Israel fears an economic downturn could provoke violence in the West Bank, with impoverished Palestinians feeling they might have little to lose by staging another uprising against the occupation.

The economy in the Israeli occupied West Bank shrank for the first time in a decade in the first half of 2013, according to a World Bank report this month which mostly faulted Israeli curbs on Palestinian movement and access to resources. Contraction of 0.1 percent came as foreign donor aid to the West Bank’s puny economy fell by more than half in 2012. Israel’s restrictions affect much of Palestinian economic life. It controls ever y access point, which enables it to oversee all imports and exports, creating bureaucratic hurdles that Palestinians say stifle or kill entrepreneurship.

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The Israelis also impose strict limits on water supply, which affects industry and agriculture. Israel has not allowed Palestinians access to 3G mobile technology, citing security concerns, rendering many smartphone apps largely useless.

The impact from the slowdown is clear even in well-heeled Ramallah, the Palestinian Authority’s administrative capital which feels a world away from poorer, outlying areas. “When I opened my restaurant eight years ago, I had five or six workers. Today I have three and if the situation gets any worse, that number might become two,” said Ahmed Kdour, owner of the Chicago restaurant. “Many people have put their shops up for sale saying they are travelling or don’t have time for the business, but it is because of the economic situation,” he added.

The West Bank’s woes were partially offset in the first half of the year by resilience in Gaza, thanks especially in the construction sector fed with cement from the tunnels. But since Egypt’s military in July ousted the country’s Islamist president, a friend to the Hamas group that runs the coastal strip, it has demolished around 90 percent of the tunnels from which the Gaza government used to derive between 40-70 percent of its revenue. Unemployment in Gaza and the West Bank was some 22 percent in June 2013, with exports making up just 7 percent of the total economy, according to World Bank statistics.

Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor told Reuters a lull in Palestinian GDP was natural after a period of sharp growth, and defended continued Israeli curbs that bodies such as the World Bank say are smothering prospects for expansion. “They are part and parcel of the existing situation, where there remains a permanent terror threat,” he said, adding that direct peace talks, which resumed in July after a three year hiatus, were meant to establish a definitive solution. With Israel controlling more than 60 percent of West Bank

territory, including the most fertile land, the Western-backed Palestinian Authority has grown dependent on foreign aid. This totalled $932 million in 2012, according to PA data, just under a third of all revenues and down from some $1.8 billion in 2008.

Deputy Prime Minister for economic affairs and head of the Palestine Investment Fund, Mohammed Mustafa, said that foreign donors were growing wary of subsidizing their economy without seeing “a political horizon” to end the conflict. “They’re getting a bit frustrated with the political process ... they’re saying, look, we’re not providing support for continuing occupation, but rather to suppor t establishing a Palestinian state,” he told Reuters in an interview.

Speaking in his sleek office, a wood and glass villa in the concrete jumble of Ramallah’s once robust but now crumbling building boom, Western-educated Mustafa sees the peace talks as a makeor-break moment for the economy.

Behind him sit posters of a rosy, purported future: computer-generated graphics of a leafy Palestinian megacity. Propped next to them, stand maps showing the bleak reality, crosshatched with no-go zones for Palestinians and purple blotches marking widespread Jewish settlements.

Mustafa imagines an “exit strategy” from aid through the $4 billion investment and development plan, or “Economic Initiative for Palestine”, introduced by US Secretary of State John Kerr y this year and drafted by the Mideast Quartet of the US, Russia, European Union and United Nations. The quartet’s interim report, which runs into hundreds of pages, provides details for investment and reform prospects in eight sectors from tourism to agriculture.

The research probed into the minutest information, for example whether certain tracts of land should be devoted to vegetables or fruit, and with sprinkler

or drip irrigation. “The initiative deals in facts, not dreams, and it takes into mind the status quo ... it’s about making the economy sustainable, not pouring money into a safe,” an adviser in the office of the Quartet representative in Jerusalem told Reuters. While growth in recent years owed much to the easing of Israeli rules on movement, the quantum leap envisioned by the quartet plan is likely an all-or-nothing chance that depends on a successful conclusion to peace talks next spring - “high-stakes, but also high gains,” said the quartet adviser.

In a rolling West Bank landscape encrusted with olive trees, millionaire Palestinian businessman Bashar Al-Masri is making a rare investment and growth success story come to life. Whole neighbourhoods of affordable housing for some 25,000 people, mosques, schools and parks are taking shape as part of the first-ever planned Palestinian city, a $300-million project with Qatari investment. But the dream is not yet reality.

Israel has not given final approval for the road to the new town, dubbed Rawabi or “The Hills”. Masri also complains that access to water is not yet secure, saying that the supply allotted by Israel to the nearby Jewish settlement of Ateret alone would be more than enough for both towns. “We’ve faced many problems from the (Israeli) occupation, and we still do. This is the nature of a military occupation, it’s what we expected,” Masri told Reuters.

While Ramallah’s economic and policy elites speak optimistically of a breakthrough, high prices and shrinking livelihoods weigh on many working-class Palestinians, for whom this month’s Eid al-Adha holiday was lean. “This is the first Eid where there was not much activity,”said Ramallah resident Rami Bishara, ambling around the mostly empty jewellery and clothing stores in the city centre market. “I remember two years ago, there was a stream of people,” he added wistfully. — Reuters

Currency turbulence hits company earnings

By CÈcile De Corbiere merging markets have helped rake in a corporate earnings bonanza in recent years, but a sudden plunge in their currencies in mid-2013 due to an expected cut in US stimulus has sorely hit sales and profit. Quarterly results at companies from Coca-Cola to IBM, Unilever to Casino and luxury group LVMH show that currency volatility has hit the bottom line. “The ‘emerging risk’ is a source of concern in the first release of third quarter results,” economists at broker Aurel BGC said.

The Brazilian real, South African rand, Turkish lira, Indian rupee and Indonesian rupiah lost up to a fifth of their value in August as investors pulled out funds in anticipation the US Federal Reserve would soon begin to taper the amount of monetary stimulus it injects into the economy. “Across the range of firms missing revenue targets for the third quarter, one factor increasingly blamed is the impact of a higher euro,” said CMC Markets trader Toby Morris. “...Firms with an active client base in emerging economies are hit the hardest, with weaker currencies magnified in South America and India,” he added in a note to clients.

The euro has not only risen sharply against emerging market currencies, it has also reached its highest levels since 2011 against the dollar due to disappointing economic data from the United States and the prospect of more monetary stimulus. French electrical equipment group Schneider Electric warned the euro was over-valued and was hurting business. “It’s painfully evident that the eurozone is the only major economic zone that

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doesn’t use its currency as an economic weapon and a weapon of competitiveness,” Finance Director Emmanuel Babeau told AFP. The Paris-based company, a world leader in electrical engineering said that currencies had depreciated sharply in markets where the company can make as much as a billion euros in sales. “We find ourselves overvalued in relation to many currencies, including the dollar, that’s very clear,” he said. Accordingly, the company said that organic sales growth would be stagnant instead of the moderate increase it had expected earlier. Carmaker Renault had a similar story as sales fell 3.2 percent, even though registration of its vehicles increased by the same amount during the quarter. “The depreciation of several emerging market currencies (Brazilian real, Russian ruble, Indian rupee, Argentinian peso) had an impact of 5.7 percentage points”, or 439 million euros, on sales, said Sales and Marketing Director Jerome Stoll. French supermarket group Casino, which has major operations in Brazil, said exchange rates had a negative 16.5 percentage point impact on overall sales in the period. Organic sales growth of 12.5 percent ended up as a 5.2 percent decline in sales in reported terms, the company said.

Even US companies have been affected. At CocaCola, volumes increased by 3 percent but net revenue declined by 3 percent. Stripping out currency effects revenue would have increased by 4 percent in the quarter. Coca-Cola chief executive Muhtar Kent described the results as solid given “an ongoing challenged macroeconomic environment driven by increasing

volatility across emerging markets.”

Analysts expect the businesses to continue to suffer from negative currency effects in the coming quarters.

“We’re starting to see the impact but it will become much more visible in the coming quarters if there isn’t a reversal to the trend” on emerging market currencies, said Romain Boscher, global head of equities at Amundi Asset Management. In the coming months, companies “will really need to hedge their positions” against the risk exchange rate volatility, warned Sanjay Mathur, a chief economist at Royal Bank of Scotland.

Volatility risks returning when the Fed actually begins to reduce its monthly stimulus from $80 billion, which many now see happening in early 2014.

Anticipation that the Fed begin reducing its stimulus in September had caused the August movements, but in the end the US central bank confounded market expectations. The crisis over the US budget and debt ceiling, which ended with a temporary deal to keep the government operating, has led numerous analysts to believe the Fed will hold off taking any steps until the political battle is over.

“The spike in stress of this summer” is unlikely to be repeated, but “temporary rebounds in volatility” are to be expected, said Jean Medecin, of the Carmignac Gestion asset management fund. “Given the current uncertainties over emerging markets and the risk of volatility to results”, economists at Aurel expect companies the most exposed to emerging markets to underperform the European Eurostoxx 50 index of main shares. — AFP

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

S P ORTS

Alonso won’t be drawn on Vettel comparison

Broken leg puts Moody out of All Blacks tour

Rodgers hails ‘tireless’ hat-trick hero Suarez

GREATER NOIDA: Fernando Alonso refuses to speculate on whether Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull car has been the difference between the two men in the drivers’ title race this season. While Vettel celebrated his fourth straight Formula One world championship, his 10th win of the season and sixth in a row at yesterday’s Indian Grand Prix, Ferrari’s Alonso finished out of the points in 11th. The Spaniard, a winner of two world titles with Renault, also doesn’t know how he would have done in Vettel’s car. “I’m not here to guess, I don’t have a crystal ball to see,” he said. “We all feel we have the confidence to do a good job, it is impossible to say.

“Today is the day to congratulate (Vettel) and for him to enjoy the championship.” Alonso, who is second in the drivers’ standings with three races left in the season - 155 points behind Vettel - does know Ferrari faces a considerable challenge to stop Red Bull’s continuing dominance. “It is time for us to work even harder, because we have a strong challenge ahead of us because they have been dominating for the last four years,” he said. “We need to do something better because clearly we have not done enough.—AP

WELLINGTON: All Blacks prop Joe Moody was ruled out of New Zealand’s northern hemisphere tour with a broken leg yesterday on the eve of the squad’s departure. Moody, who was a new call-up, suffered the injury during Saturday’s national provincial championship final won by his Canterbury side 29-13 over Wellington. He has been replaced by his Wellington opposite Jeff Toomaga-Allen. “We have spoken to Joe and he is obviously very disappointed,” said New Zealand coach Steve Hansen. “He has just got to deal with the adversity the best he can and get back into a positive frame of mind and working hard.” Toomaga-Allen was named in the All Blacks training squad before the June Test series against France but had to pull out because of an injury.

Twenty-seven of Hansen’s squad will head to Japan for the first Test of the tour on Saturday, with the remaining nine flying direct to Paris for the second Test against France the following week. Squad for Japan: Dane Coles, Andrew Hore, Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Jeff Toomaga-Allen. Dominic Bird, Brodie Retallick, Jeremy Thrush, Sam Cane, Steven Luatua, Richie McCaw, Luke Whitelock, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Dan Carter, Tom Taylor, Ryan Crotty, Ma’a Nonu, Francis Saili, Frank Halai, Charles Piutau, Ben Smith. Players heading to Paris: Tony Woodcock, Luke Romano, Sam Whitelock, Kieran Read, Liam Messam, Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Julian Savea. —AFP

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was delighted by the “tireless” work of Luis Suarez following the striker’s hat-trick in a 4-1 win over West Bromwich Albion. The Uruguay international’s treble, his first at Anfield, saw him score twice before half-time on Saturday and added another 10 minutes after the break.

James Morrison pulled one back for the Baggies before Daniel Sturridge scored Liverpool’s fourth goal. Suarez walked off to a standing ovation-just under three months after accusing the club of failing to honour a deal that would allow him to join a Champions League side after a reported £40 million plus offer from Arsenal was rebuffed by Liverpool. However, Rodgers was confident all that was now behind both the club and player.

“It was a difficult summer for him but it was for everyone and we managed as a club and he has managed himself well and he has come out the other side performing as he always done,” said the manager. “I knew once I had got the commitment from him in the summer he has been great.—AFP

HH the Crown Prince shooting tournament begins Thursday

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: His Highness the Crown Prince Shooting Tournament will launch the new shooting sport season, when it starts on Thursday. The annual tournament which includes all Olympic shooting disciplines shotgun: Trap, double trap, skeet, 10 meter pistol and rifle, 50m rifle, 50m free pistol (men) 25m pistol (women) as well as Olympic archery.

President of the Arab and Kuwait Shooting Federations Engr Duaij Khalaf Al-Otaibi said he is happy the local season of Kuwait Shooting Sport (2013/2014) is about to start, with an important tournament which carries the name of HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Engr Duaij Khalaf Al-Otaibi adding that the club’s board of directors is keen on having this tournament as the opening of the club’s local activities.

Al-Otaibi said HH the Crown Prince gave a lot to Kuwait’s shooting ever since it began in Kuwait as he supported shooting and shooters morally and materially as it is the sport of our forefathers and one of the sports of the Arab heritage.

The encouragement of HH the Crown Prince to hold an annual tournament for the Kuwait shooters is a motivation for them to go after regional, international and Olympic titles, and this year’s tournament is being held on the heels of outstanding Kuwaiti achievements in the third annual Asian shooting tournament in Kazakhstan as they won four gold, six silver, and two bronze medals.

Al-Otaibi lauded the tournament’s organizing committee and its role in making the event a success. He called upon shooting fans to come and support the activities on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex and wished them success.

Hopkins retains light heavyweight belt ATLANTIC CITY: Retiring his “The Executioner” nickname in favor of the “The Alien,” Bernard Hopkins tried to give Karo Murat a close encounter of the knockout kind. With his first KO in almost a decade within reach, the 48-year-old Hopkins turned his title defense with Murat into a brawl, and retained his share of the light heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision Saturday night.

Hopkins walked to the ring in a green mask with black eyes, and a cape, attire straight out of a campy sci fi flick. He had the “The Alien” emblazoned on the green waistband of his black trunks. “The alien don’t get old,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins (54-6-2) was dominant in his most convincing - and entertaining - bout in at least a decade. He turned the later rounds into his own personal mission to score his first knockout win since beating Oscar De La Hoya in September 2004 - 15 fights ago. He battered Murat and busted open the challenger with a series of rights to the face to help successfully defend his championship at Boardwalk Hall.

Hopkins won 119-108, 119-108, 117-110. “I really wanted the knockout, but he was tough,” Hopkins said. “You know you’ve got to take some punches. Yeah, I have a little bit of blood on me but this is what they want to see. They wanted to see the knockout, so I took some shots.” Already the oldest fighter to win a major championship, Hopkins wants to keep fighting until he’s 50. Up next, he’d like a date with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the spring - when Hopkins would be 49.

“We’re going to do everything we can to get the biggest possible fight,” Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said. The Philadelphia fighter also had the crowd on his side, with chants of “B-Hop! B-Hop!” echoing through the arena with each right hand in the late rounds. He also heard encouragement from undefeated Philly fighter Danny Garcia, groomed as the next big star, who screamed “throw that right hand into the body! All day, every day!” from press row.

Hopkins, who weighed in at 172 1/2 pounds, pretty much did that as he pounded away at Murat. He smiled and shook his head no after absorbing some blows in the third round.

Hopkins kissed Murat on the back of his head

ATLANTA CITY: Bernard Hopkins, right, of Philadelphia, PA and Karo Murat of Germany exchange punches during the third round of IBF Light Heavyweight Title in Atlantic City, N.J. on Saturday. Hopkins won by unanimous decision after 12 rounds. — AP coming out of a clinch in the fifth. He also taunted Murat’s corner late in the fight, barking at them to stop the fight.

“I’m just glad he brought the dog out of me,” Hopkins said. “I saw this guy was all cut up and I’m just going to keep beating him. They didn’t listen.” Hopkins finally busted open Murat in eighth, with cuts above the left eye and the cheek. The blood didn’t appear to seriously affect Murat. But Murat (25-2-1) didn’t do himself any favors with a series of questionable blows.

Hopkins fell in the sixth round and sat on his rear as Murat hit him twice in the face. He didn’t lose a point. He did lose one in the seventh round for hitting after the break. Referee Steve Smoger shoved Murat in the face after another hit after the bell to end the 12th.

Murat, born and raised in Iraq before moving to Germany, came out swinging and attacked Hopkins from the opening round. Hopkins built a

successful career with a methodical style of doing just enough in the ring to win. But he answered Murat and they spent most of the bout exchanging big punches.

“He figured if he roughed me up, he’d get some sort of advantage,” Hopkins said. “It didn’t bother me.” In the co-main event, Peter Quillin retained the WBO middleweight title with a 10thround TKO over Gabriel Rosado. Rosado was busted open above the left eye and could not stop bleeding, forcing the ringside doctor to call for the stoppage. Rosado was irate and yelled profanities from the top rope.

“They knew he was getting hurt and they stopped it,” Rosado said. “I was hurting him in the later rounds. I deserve a rematch.” Quillin, one of the best knockdown fighters in the sport, sent Rosado to the canvas in the second and was ahead on the three scorecards when the bout was stopped 40 seconds into the 10th.— AP

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

S P ORTS

Ashour rides wave of negative energy in world title bid MANCHESTER: Ramy Ashour is seeking to transcend negative energy from a troubled Egypt by delivering a world title defence which will highlight him as the most dazzling new squash star in two decades.

The champion from Cairo is returning to the scene of his career’s first major triumph next week to purvey sensational skills which have shone more brightly as his country’s crisis has deepened.

Five years ago an unpredictable young Ashour won the world title for the first time in Manchester; on Monday, as an emerging superstar, he will begin his bid to retain it in the same city having triumphed again in Doha in 2012.

The Egyptian will be aided by the momentum of an unbeaten 17-month run. It is as if an emotional wave from

the national predicament were bearing him onwards to greater achievements.

“I train hard despite any obstacles I might face as an athlete or by living here in Egypt,” was how Ashour carefully described his preparation back in Cairo for the sport’s biggest event.

Decoded, it means he has to keep those obstacles out of his mind if he is to remain mentally strong enough to succeed.

These became all too painfully evident while Ashour was becoming the first Egyptian in nearly half a century to win the British Open earlier in the year. “ There was a lot of negative energy around me,” he volunteered then. “I experienced waking up each day with such a heavy heart and heavy spirit. I had a lot of hard times.”

Now, in an interview with The Squash Player, Ashour this week alleges that his recent successes have all been victories over “corrupted negative souls who were trying to bring me down”, and adds that he will continue doing his best “to keep my parents, my country, and people who truly suppor t me proud.”

That best has certainly been remarkable. Ashour has extended an unbeaten run to 45 matches, inducing comparisons with the legendar y Khans of Pakistan who dominated squash in the 80s and 90s.

Asked again about the mood of fellow Egyptians, the 26-year-old resisted becoming sucked into a mire of emotions which in the past have helped motivate him to join protesters in Cairo’s

Tahrir Square.

“I get good appreciation everywhere I go and feel so happy when I see amazingly enthusiastic squash communities all around the world,” he responded, using his cosmopolitan identity to escape questions about the national agony.

“This season I went to some beautiful countries which I loved-Colombia, Argentina, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. And then San Francisco is an amazing place-and I won there.” Which led him logically to Manchester. “This is also a very special place as it’s where I won my first world title, and this is a good omen for me,” Ashour concluded.

He is now the strongest favourite since Jansher Khan won the last of his eight world titles in 1996. Five men may

think they have chances of upsetting him. One is the Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, three times a runner-up, the US Open winner in Ashour’s absence, and seeded second. Another is James Willstrop, the runner-up three years ago, who is seeded third, and a perennial rival of his fellow Yorkshireman, Nick Matthew, twice the world champion, and the last man to beat Ashour. At the age of 33 Matthew is seeded fourth.

The other two are both Egyptiansthe six th seeded Mohamed El Shorbagy, aged only 22, who came within three points of beating Ashour in last year’s final, and the eighth-seeded Amr Shabana, the 34-year- old squash legend who beat Ashour in the 2009 final to capture the last of his four world titles. —AFP

Brassard’s OT goal gives Rangers win over Detroit

NAIROBI: Kenyan Winfridah Kwamboka (R) runs before winning the women’s full marathon in Nairobi yesterday. — AFP

Kipruto wins Frankfurt Marathon in Kenya sweep FRANKFURT: Vincent Kipruto led a Kenyan sweep of the top five at the Frankfurt Marathon yesterday. In wet and windy conditions, the 26-year-old Kipruto edged Mark Kiptoo by one second to finish in 2 hours, 6 minutes, 16 seconds.

Elijah Kemboi was third in 2:07:34, followed by Jacob Chesari and Albert Matebor. Feyisa Bekele of Ethiopia was the fastest non-Kenyan, finishing more than 3 minutes behind Kipruto.

It was the 12th consecutive time the Frankfurt marathon was won by a Kenyan.

The adverse weather ensured Wilson Kipsang’s 2011 course record of 2:03:42 remained safe.

Caroline Kilel gave Kenya success in the women’s race too. The 2010 winner finished in 2:22:35, ahead of compatriot Flomena Chepchirchir and Birhane Dibaba of Ethiopia.

Meanwhile, a top Kenyan sports official said yesterday the country’s legendary distance athletes were running clean and that the fight against doping in the country was both tough and transparent.

Speaking on the sidelines of the annual Nairobi marathon, a showcase for the depth and quantity of Kenyan talent, Athletics Kenya’s vice president David Okeyo said running was far too important for Kenya’s international image and economy to be allowed to be ruined by cheats.

“The impression that Kenyans are winning because they are taking performance enhancing drugs, it is not correct. There are isolated cases... and it does not mean that all Kenyans are winning because they are

taking drugs,” he told AFP. “We are very serious on the doping issue,” he said, pointing to internationalstandard testing facilities also in place for the Nairobi marathon, a race used by many hopefuls to attract sponsors and as a stepping-stone to major international road races. “This shows a lot of transparency, we’re not trying to hide anything.

“Doping is a problem, a big concern worldwide, not only Kenya. I must say that, without being biased, that most of the Kenyans, they win very clean. That does not mean we are condoning doping. If you are found to have committed an offence you will be punished accordingly.”

Thirteen Kenyan athletes-none of them big names-tested positive between January 2012 and 2013, and last year the country was top of the IAAF’s list of mosttested nations, a standing touted by officials here as proof the measures were serious. “Athletics is very important in the sense that it is the only sport that sells Kenya worldwide. It’s really marketing Kenya worldwide. Most of our athletes are good ambassadors,” Okeyo said.

Okeyo admitted the biggest challenge was educating local athletes, many of whom he said were unaware of the problem. “Somebody says I am coughing, so they get an over-the-couter medicine, and they race and test positive. It is happening because of ignorance,” he said. “The top brass athletes are well informed. The majority of the less-known athletes are not. But ignorance is not a defence so we have to educate them.” — Agencies

Smith demands respect for S Africa’s kings of the road DUBAI: South Africa captain Graeme Smith, whose team have not lost an away series for seven years, believes the Proteas deserve more respect for their achievements on the road.

Their emphatic innings and 92-run win in the second Test over Pakistan in Dubai on Saturday, which levelled the series at 11, also allowed them to enhance their Test number one status.

Since their 2-0 loss to Sri Lanka in 2006, South Africa have travelled to India (twice), United Arab Emirates to play Pakistan (twice), England (twice), Australia (twice) and once to New Zealand, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the West Indies, not losing a series. “I think we have got a lot to do to be compared with great teams, but for us to have that record away from home is an extremely proud one to have,” said Smith, now in his 10th year as captain.

“I don’t think many teams in current world cricket can travel as well as we do and be able to perform in all the conditions, the pressures, the environments that you face on the road.

“I certainly don’t think the team gets enough credit for that, it’s an immense record and one we are proud of.” Smith said that beating Pakistan in their new fortress

of the United Arab Emirates was creditable.

“This is the first match they have lost in these conditions. They had England come here as world number one Test team and we travelled here in 2010,” said Smith of Pakistan’s 3-0 whitewash of England last year.

South Africa drew a two-match series 00 in 2010. Pakistan’s defeat against South Africa was their first in the UAE in 10 Tests.

“I think their batters are far more comfortable in these conditions with less pace and bounce. They always play spin really well, they seem to be comfortable even though Imran bowled well,” said Smith of leg-spinner Imran Tahir who took eight wickets in Dubai, including a career best 532 in the first innings.

“It’s his first trip here and it was great to see him bowl,” said Smith of Tahir who was born and brought up in Pakistan before moving to South Africa.

Smith also praised Tahir’s comeback after the slow bowler was mauled in his last Test in Australia in 2011. “I think he showed an immense amount of character to bounce back from his performance in Adelaide and it epitomises the type of group we have, we have a group of players who can respond,” said Smith. — AFP

DETROIT: Derick Brassard’s breakaway goal in the closing seconds of overtime gave the New York Rangers a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.

Brassard scored his first of the season with only 12.9 seconds showing on the OT clock to give the Rangers their first win in Detroit since Jan. 30, 1999.

Benoit Pouliot had a goal and an assist and Mats Zuccarello also scored for New York, which rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits in the final game of its season-opening, nine-game road trip. Cam Talbot stopped 32 shots while filling in for injured regular Henrik Lundqvist.

The Rangers (3-6), who went to overtime for the first time this season, will host Montreal in the opener at renovated Madison Square Garden on Monday. Drew Miller and Daniel Alfredsson scored for Detroit, which lost its fourth straight. Jimmy Howard made 37 saves.

DEVILS 4, BRUINS 3 Marek Zidlicky and Andy Greene scored power-play goals 23 seconds apart late in the third period and New Jersey snapped a seven-game losing streak against Boston. Torey Krug, Jarome Iginla and Milan Lucic scored first-period goals for Boston (7-3).

Adam Henrique and Damien Brunner also had power-play goals for the struggling Devils. Martin Brodeur stopped 25 shots after a rough start. Iginla and David Krejci each had two assists as Boston built a 3-1 lead.

FLYERS 5, ISLANDERS 2 Vinny Lecavalier scored three goals in Philadelphia’s biggest offensive outburst of the season, and Steve Mason made 26 saves in the victory over New York.

The Flyers (3-7) hadn’t scored more than two goals in any of their first nine games. One more and they would have become the first NHL team to have a season-opening run of 10 games without three goals since the 1940 New York Americans.

Philadelphia has won two straight since a franchise-worst 1-7 start. Jakub Voracek and Matt Read also scored, and former Islanders captain Mark Streit added two assists. Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen had goals, and Kevin Poulin made 27 saves for the Islanders.

LIGHTNING 3, SABRES 2 Ondrej Palat and Mar tin St. Louis scored third-period goals to help Tampa Bay rally past Buffalo.

After St. Louis pulled the Lightning even at 14:09, Palat made it 3-2 from the low slot 1:46 later. Tyler Johnson had the other Tampa Bay goal as the Lightning completed a seven-game homestand with a 52 record.

Brian Flynn and Thomas Vanek scored for Buffalo, which was coming off a 3-1 win at Florida on Friday night in which the Sabres were outshot 45-21. Buffalo took a 2-1 lead when Vanek scored from the low left circle after taking a nifty pass from Marcus Foligno 12:46 into the third. Vanek has 24 goals and 39 points in 33 games against Tampa Bay. SHARKS 2, CANADIENS 0 Antti Niemi made 22 saves, Logan Couture scored twice and San Jose beat Montreal for the first time in four attempts at the Bell Centre since December 2002.

Carey Price made 35 saves for Montreal. After a scoreless first period in which San Jose outshot Montreal 11-8, Couture scored a power-play goal at 6:20 of the second period.

Captain Joe Thornton sent a precise pass onto Couture’s stick and the 24-year-old made no mistake from close range for his fifth

CALGARY: Michal Neuvirth #30 of the Washington Capitals eyes a shot from the Calgary Flames during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Flames defeated the Capitals 5-2. —AFP

goal of the year.

Couture doubled the Sharks’ lead at 4:09 of the third when Patrick Marleau’s dump-in bounced off the glass and landed on Couture’s stick in front of a gaping net.

COYOTES 5, OILERS 4 Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored on a power play in the third period after Keith Yandle made a spectacular play to keep the puck in the zone, lifting Phoenix over Edmonton.

Phoenix scored three goals in the first six minutes of the second period against former teammate Jason LaBarbera to go up 3-1, but Edmonton rallied to take the lead with three goals spanning the second and third periods.

Ekman-Larsson set up Yandle for the tying goal midway through the third with his second assist, then beat LaBarbera with a shot from the point after Yandle dove to keep the puck in Edmonton’s zone.

Michael Stone and David Schlemko also scored for the Coyotes, who had four goals and three assists from their defensemen. Mar tin Hanzal added his third goal in two games and Radim Vrbata had three assists.

Ryan Jones, David Perron, Will Acton and Tyler Pitlick scored for the Oilers. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins added two assists.

MAPLE LEAFS 4, PENGUINS 1 Dave Bolland scored two goals and James Reimer had 37 saves to lead Toronto past Pittsburgh.

Making his first start since Oct. 17, when he left with a head injury after 32 seconds, Reimer was stellar after giving up a power-play goal to Kris Letang at 6:52 of the first. Reimer made a highlight-reel

right-pad save on Pascal Dupuis on a 2-on-1 rush and used a quick glove hand to make a series of saves while the Leafs were again being outshot. Nazem Kadri and Phil Kessel also scored for Toronto.

JETS 2, STARS 1, SO Andrew Ladd scored the only goal in the shootout, Ondrej Pavelec made 35 saves and Winnipeg beat Dallas to snap a three-game skid. Evander Kane scored at 3:28 of the second for the Jets, who played past regulation for the third straight game and fourth in the past five.

Stephane Robidas pulled Dallas even at 6:36 of the third and Kari Lehtonen had 37 saves for Dallas, including four in the final minute of overtime.

After Lane MacDermid hit the post and Alex Chiasson was stuffed easily by Pavelec in the shootout, Ladd beat Lehtonen on the glove side. The Jets got the win when Ray Whitney missed wide.

WILD 5, BLACKHAWKS 3 Niklas Backstrom made 33 saves in his first win of the season and Minnesota defeated Chicago in a rematch of their first-round playoff series.

Jason Pominville had two goals in his 600th career game and Minnesota earned its third consecutive win. Zach Parise, Kyle Brodziak and Justin Fontaine also scored for the Wild, and Ryan Suter and Mikael Granlund had two assists apiece.

Br yan Bickell scored for the fourth consecutive game for the Blackhawks, who had recorded at least one point in each of their past seven games. Patrick Kane added his team-best sixth goal in the third period.

FLAMES 5, CAPITALS 2 Mike Cammalleri scored two goals to lead Calgary snapped Washington’s three-game winning streak. With the Flames leading 32, Cammalleri scored an insurance goal for Calgary at 10:17 of the third period, firing a shot from deep in the corner that eluded goaltender Michal Neuvirth.

Until that point, Neuvirth had been perfect since entering the game at 12:50 of the first period.

He was summoned when Cammalleri’s first goal, a deflection of a point shot from Dennis Wideman, made it 3-1 and resulted in Capitals coach Adam Oates pulling starter Braden Holtby.

Calgary put the game away at 14:28 of the third on the first goal in seven games for Cur tis Glencross.Kris Russell and Jiri Hudler also scored for the Flames, who were back at home after a 14-0 road trip. Jason Chimera and Aaron Volpatti scored for Washington.

BLUES 6, PREDATORS 1 Alexander Steen scored two goals to lead St. Louis over Nashville. T.J. Oshie, Jaden Schwar tz, Derek Roy and Alex Pietrangelo also scored for the Blues, who had lost three of four.

Nick Spaling scored for Nashville, which has lost two of three.

Steen scored the game’s first goal at 5:27 of the opening period.

Oshie and Schwartz scored 4:02 apart in the second period to send the Blues into the second intermission up 3-0.

Spaling scored his first of the season with a short-handed goal less than a minute into the third, but the Blues put the game out of reach after Steen scored his second of the game at 4:37 and Roy followed at 7:48. — AP

NHL results/standings Phoenix 5, Edmonton 4; New Jersey 4, Boston 3; Toronto 4, Pittsburgh 1; San Jose 2, Montreal 0; NY Rangers 3, Detroit 2 (OT); Tampa Bay 3, Buffalo 2; Philadelphia 5, NY Islanders 2; Winnipeg 2, Dallas 1 (SO); Minnesota 5, Chicago 3; St. Louis 6, Nashville 1; Calgary 5, Washington 2.

Western Conference Eastern Conference Atlantic Division Pacific Division Toronto 8 4 0 40 30 16 W L OTL GF GA PTS Boston 7 3 0 30 17 14 San Jose 9 1 1 43 18 19 Tampa Bay 7 3 0 35 28 14 Vancouver 8 4 1 38 37 17 Detroit 6 4 2 27 33 14 Montreal 6 5 0 33 22 12 Anaheim 8 3 0 35 28 16 Ottawa 4 4 2 28 27 10 Phoenix 7 3 2 40 39 16 Florida 3 7 1 23 38 7 Los Angeles 7 4 0 33 29 14 Buffalo 2 10 1 20 37 5 Calgary 5 4 2 34 39 12 Metropolitan Division Edmonton 3 8 1 35 48 7 Pittsburgh 7 4 0 35 28 14 Carolina 4 4 3 25 33 11 Central Division NY Islanders 4 4 3 35 36 11 Colorado 9 1 0 32 14 18 Columbus 5 5 0 28 25 10 Chicago 6 2 3 34 32 15 Washington 5 6 0 32 35 10 Minnesota 6 3 3 29 26 15 New Jersey 2 5 4 24 36 8 St. Louis 6 1 2 35 23 14 NY Rangers 3 6 0 15 33 6 Nashville 6 5 1 23 32 13 Philadelphia 3 7 0 18 27 6 Winnipeg 5 5 2 30 34 12 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

Dallas 4 5 1 26 31 9

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

S P ORTS

Lipnitskaia, Chan claim golden at Skate Canada SAINT JOHN: Russian teenager Julia Lipnitskaia claimed her first Grand Prix gold medal at Skate Canada on Saturday while Canada’s three-time reigning world champion Patrick Chan pocketed his fourth.

Lipnitskaia topped the women’s field with a magnificent, seemingly flawless and technically superlative performance that earned a standing ovation. Chan also had the fans on their feet, but he was far from flawless despite opening with a quadrupletriple jump combination and sailing through a second quad moments later.

Chan’s triple Axel eluded him as he doubled on one attempt and singled another in his Vivaldi-backed program. Still, the quads alone brought 29 points for a total of 173.93 for Saturday’s free skate. In all, he put 262.03 points on the scoreboard, well ahead of Japanese Yuzuru Hanyu (234.8) and Nobunari Oda (233).

“I was nervous, honestly,” Chan said. “I started having the same feelings as I had last season and that’s when the Grand Prix didn’t go well. It was a real challenge to stay positive even before I got on the ice.”

Hanyu, fourth at the 2013 Worlds, nailed his second quad-a toe loop-but fell on his opening quad salchow and singled an Axel.

“I’m not so happy with my program. I was thinking I would do quad salchow and quad toe, but I fell. I don’t know why. I will practise harder so I can land both at Trophee Bompard,” Hanyu said.

He and Chan will meet again at that Grand Prix in Paris in three weeks. Oda, who tripled both his planned quads, will be at home for the NHK Trophy in Japan in two weeks. On the women’s side, the errors were fewer and further between, especially for the medallists. Lipnitskaia rose to the occasion, outskating overnight leader Gracie Gold of the United States, who slipped to third with a fall on her triple lutz.

The silver medal belonged to Japanese veteran Akiko Suzuki who also brought the cheering fans to their feet with her emotionally riveting routine set to Phantom of the Opera.

Lipnitskaia earned 198.23 in total to 193.75 for Suzuki and 186.65 for Gold. The Russian and Japanese both tallied seven triple jumps, but Lipnitskaia showed the most difficult combinations including a fabulous triple lutz-triple toe to open.

With the 2014 Olympic Games just over 100 days off, Lipnitskaia’s success here should bolster her country’s hopes for a

medal on home soil in Sochi.

“I never really think about winning because you have to keep working, there is always more you can do. But I’m very happy everything worked out.”

Lipnitskaia will only have a few days to recharge as she is slated to compete in six days in Beijing.

Suzuki and Gold meet again in Tokyo.

Dazzling dance lifts In ice dance, Canada claimed gold and silver, outdistancing the rest of the field by a significant margin.

Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir captured the hearts and minds of the fans with their free program which tells the story of their 17-year career together. The choreography features intricate steps and dazzling dance lifts.

“It was a really strong performance. We executed our elements. Now we have to do our homework, build up our power and speed going into France,” Moir said of their next Grand Prix in Paris. “For where we are in the season, for right now, we’re particularly pleased.”

Virtue and Moir’s total score for the event was 181.03 to 175.23 for their teammates Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje who offered a passionate tango. Bronze went to American duo Madison Hubbell and Zach Donohue on 153.20.

On the podium, Moir’s eyes moistened as he soaked up the atmosphere of what could be their final appearance at Skate Canada, an event they have won five times.

The couple is expected to call it a career at the end of this season.

Stefania Berton and Ondrej Hotarek claimed Italy’s first Grand Prix pairs gold in an upset that saw Canada’s world bronze medallists Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford settle for third.

Berton and Hotarek, fifth last week at Skate America, posted 193.92 points, to edge China’s Sui Wenjing and Han Cong by just 15-hundredths. Duhamel and Radford scored 190.62.

Sui and Han wowed the crowd here with a rarely seen quadruple twist lift. A quadruple throw jump could come when they compete next in Japan. Skate Canada is the second of six stops on the ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix circuit which culminates with the Final for the top six performers in each discipline.

That event in Fukuoka, Japan, will serve as a preview of the contenders for the 2014 Olympic podium in Sochi. — AFP

SAINT JOHN: Patrick Chan (C) of Canada with the gold medal celebrates on the podium with silver medalist Yuzuru Hanyu (L) of Japan and bronze medalist Nobunari Oda of Japan during the men’s free program on day two at the ISU GP 2013 Skate Canada International at Harbour Station on Saturday in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. —AFP

Ligety records historic hat-trick at Soelden SOELDEN: American star Ted Ligety made histor y yesterday with a record third straight win in Soelden, in the World Cup season-opening men’s giant slalom. The 29-year-old, who led after the first run, gave a blistering performance to beat Frenchman Alexis Pinturault (2:00.29) and Austrian Marcel Hirscher at (2:00.52).

The triple world champion-who won by an astonishing 2.75sec last year-equalled Austrian legend Hermann Maier’s three wins here. Ligety however is the first person to win them in consecutive seasons.

“I feel like in some ways that first race anxiety kinda helps me a little bit,” he said.

“It’s nice to be able to consistently do well here, and this is a hill that suits me well.

“You don’t have to think too much about tactics... you just have to charge and trust your skiing.

“Coming into the race, I wasn’t super confident actually until a couple of days ago,” he said, citing limited opportunities to train over the summer. “The first run felt super smooth... (but) the second run had a couple of tricky spots.

“So I was just happy to make it to the finish line and see the green light,” he added. With the Olympics in Sochi in February, he said he wanted to remain focussed on the World Cup races. “I think the best preparation for the Olympics is the World Cup season, it gives you confidence, it keeps you sharp and just that whole competitive atmosphere keeps you going and gives you the ability to really bring your best to the Olympics.”

Ligety has already said he is aiming for the overall World Cup title this season. “It’s a nice confirmation that I’m on the right way,” he said. Pinturault, 22, made up some

early lost time to finish second, equalling his performance from 2011, for his 15th World Cup podium. “For the beginning (of the season), a second place is perfect. We will try to build something around this podium,” he said.

“I think I’m really strong this year... I’ll try to be faster and faster,” he added. Hirscher, the home-crowd favourite, put in a risky two runs, threatening to ski out on several occasions but finished third as he did last year.

“It’s not easy to stand up there at the start, so many people are expecting great things from me,” he said. “But right now I am so happy and satisfied with another podium.” Hirscher drew comfort from the fact Ligety’s winning margin was much reduced. “It’s good to see that we came that little bit closer in one year,” said Hirscher.

“Exactly one year ago we were more than three seconds behind Ted. Now I can say it’s pretty ok to be one second behind Ted...and maybe I can beat him once!”

Downhill world champion Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway, who had been one of the favourites to win, finished joint fourth with France’s Steve Missillier.

The skiers had to tackle the course on the Rettenbach glacier, at 3,000 metres (9,840 feet) altitude, amid constantly changing conditions. Ahead of the first run already, the race start had to be lowered due to strong winds.

US ski king Bode Miller, who took last season off and was competing in his first World Cup race since February 2012, skied smoothly but finished 19th. The World Cup next moves to Levi, Finland on November 16-17. — AFP

Photo of the day

Jarek Hampel performs during training in Zielona Gora, Poland.—www.redbull.com

Obstruction call gives Cardinals 5-4 victory ST LOUIS: The Cardinals rushed to the plate to congratulate Allen Craig. The Red Sox stormed home to argue with the umpires. The fans, well, they seemed too startled to know what to do.

Who’d ever seen an obstruction call to end a World Series game?

No one.

In perhaps the wildest finish imaginable, the rare ruling against third baseman Will Middlebrooks allowed Craig to score with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and lifted St. Louis over Boston 5-4 Saturday night for a 2-1 edge. A walk-off win? More like a trip-off.

“I’m in shock right now,” St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina said. So was most everyone at Busch Stadium after the mad-cap play. “Tough way to have a game end, particularly of this significance,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said.

After an umpire’s call was the crux of Game 1 and a poor Boston throw to third base decided Game 2, the key play on this night combined both elements. Molina singled with one out in the ninth off losing pitcher Brandon Workman. Craig, just back from a sprained foot, pinch-hit and lined Koji Uehara’s first pitch into left field for a double that put runners on second and third.

With the infield in, Jon Jay hit a grounder to diving second baseman Dustin Pedroia. He made a sensational stab and threw home to catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who tagged out the sliding Molina.

But then Saltalamacchia threw wide of third trying to get Craig. The ball glanced off Middlebrooks’ glove and Craig’s body, caroming into foul territory down the line.

After the ball got by, Middlebrooks, lying on his stomach, raised both legs and tripped Craig, slowing him down as he tried to take off for home. “I just know I have to dive for that ball. I’m on the ground. There’s nowhere for me to go,” Middlebrooks said.

Third base umpire Jim Joyce immediately signaled obstruction. “With the defensive player on the ground, without intent or intent, it’s still obstruction,” Joyce said. “You’d probably have to ask Middlebrooks that one, if he could have done anything. But that’s not in our determination.”

Craig kept scrambling. “He was in my way. I couldn’t tell you if he tried to trip me or not. I was just trying to get over him,” he said. Left fielder Daniel Nava retrieved the ball and made a strong throw home, where Saltalamacchia tagged a sliding Craig in time. But plate umpire Dana DeMuth signaled safe and then pointed to third, making clear the obstruction had been called.

“I was excited at first because we nailed the guy at home. I wasn’t sure why he was called safe,” Middlebrooks said. “We’re all running to home to see why he was called safe. We didn’t think there was any obstruction there, obviously. As I’m getting up, he trips over me. I don’t know what else to say.” Said Cardinals slugger Matt Holliday: “You hate for it to end on a somewhat controversial play.”

“You would like for it to end a little cleaner, but that’s part of it,” he said. Joyce and crew chief John Hirschbeck said they’d never seen a similar gameending play. A neat coincidence, though: In 2004, umpire Paul Emmel called obstruction on Seattle shortstop Jose Lopez, ruling he blocked Carl Crawford’s sightline and giving Tampa Bay the game-ending run. Emmel was the first base umpire on this night, too.

The umpires all agreed Joyce got it right. Until

ST LOUIS: St Louis Cardinals’ Carlos Beltran scores on a two-run double by Matt Holliday in the seventh inning during Game 3 of the World Series between the St Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, at Busch Stadium in St Louis. — AP now, he was best known for making an admittedly wrong call in 2010 that denied Detroit’s Armando Galarraga a perfect game.

Game 4 is tonight, with Clay Buchholz starting for Boston against Lance Lynn. To some Cardinals fans, the call meant long overdue payback. They’re still smarting from Don Denkinger’s missed call that helped cost them the 1985 World Series.

To some Red Sox fans, the tangle might’ve brought back painful memories from the 1975 World Series. In Game 3, Cincinnati’s Ed Armbrister wasn’t called for interference by plate umpire Larry Barnett when he blocked Boston catcher Carlton Fisk on a 10th-inning bunt. Fisk made a wild throw, setting up Joe Morgan’s winning single.

Craig returned for this Series from a sprained left foot that had sidelined him since early September. After an awkward slide on the final play, he hobbled off the field in apparent discomfort. The Red Sox scored twice in the eighth to tie it 4-all. Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a single and Shane Victorino was hit by a pitch for the sixth time this postseason. Both runners moved up on Pedroia’s groundout, and David Ortiz was intentionally walked.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny went to hardthrowing closer Trevor Rosenthal with the bases loaded, hoping for a five-out save from a rookie who has looked almost untouchable this October.

But the Red Sox pushed two runs across.

Nava drove in one with a short-hop grounder that was smothered by second baseman Kolten Wong, who had just entered on defense in a double-switch. Wong went to second for the forceout, but Nava beat the relay and Ellsbury scored to make it 4-3. Xander Bogaerts tied it when he chopped a single up the middle.

Workman jammed Holliday and retired the slugger on a routine fly with two on to end the bottom of the eighth. That sent the game to the ninth tied at 4. Rosenthal wound up with the win.

Holliday’s two-run double put the Cardinals on top 4-2 in the seventh. It was a tough inning for

Red Sox reliever Craig Breslow. Matt Carpenter reached safely when he checked his swing on an infield single to shortstop. Carlos Beltran was grazed on the elbow pad by a pitch - making no effort to get out of the way.

Beltran, in fact, almost appeared to stick his elbow out just a tiny bit to make sure the ball made contact. Junichi Tazawa came on and Holliday pulled a grounder past Middlebrooks at third. The ball kicked into the left-field corner and Holliday went all the way to third on the throw to the plate.

Tazawa then got a couple of strikeouts and prevented further damage. It was Middlebrooks’ first inning in the field. He entered as a pinch-hitter in the top of the seventh and took over at third base in the bottom half. That shifted Bogaerts to shortstop - and neither one was able to make the difficult defensive play Boston needed in that inning.

Cardinals starter Joe Kelly, one of the few major league pitchers to wear glasses on the mound, set down his first nine batters. The Red Sox seemed to see him better the next time around in coming back from a 2-0 deficit.

Bogaerts opened the fifth with a triple that banged-up right fielder Beltran couldn’t quite reach. The rookie later scored on a grounder by pinch-hitter Mike Carp. Slumping Shane Victorino drew a leadoff walk from Kelly in the sixth and wound up scoring the tying run. Ortiz grounded a single off lefty reliever Randy Choate, and Nava greeted Seth Maness with an RBI single that made it 2-all. Their fielding woes from Game 1 far behind them, the slick-fielding Cardinals made several sharp plays. Kelly barehanded a one-hopper, Carpenter threw out a runner from his knees up the middle and third baseman David Freese backhanded a line drive.

St. Louis quickly broke ahead, scoring in the first inning for the first time this October on RBI singles

by Holliday and Molina. After the Cardinals got three hits in a span of four pitches, Red Sox reliever Felix Doubront began heating up in a hurry before Jake Peavy settled down. —AFP

Toronto dents Impact’s playoff hopes with 1-0 win TORONTO: The Montreal Impact’s playoff hopes hang in the balance after falling to a 1-0 defeat Saturday to lowly Toronto FC in the final round of the MLS regular season.

Robert Earshaw scored his eighth goal of the season in the 16th minute for Toronto, forcing the Impact to await the outcome of games Sunday to see if they make the MLS playoffs.

Montreal will be out if Houston beats D.C. United, New England defeats Columbus and Chicago beats or ties New York. After a sluggish start by both teams, Toronto began to take control and at times looked dominant as Montreal showed little sense of urgency, not managing a shot during a first half in which the BMO Field pitch seemed tilted toward the Impact goal.

Montreal made changes in the second half and finally began to test the Toronto defense. A 62ndminute goal by Marco Di Vaio was called off due to apparent handball. Andrew Wenger shot wide from in front of the net in the 72nd minute and Toronto goalie Joe Bendik robbed Andres Romero in the 88th minute.

The Impact have faltered down the stretch.

Before last weekend’s 2-1 win over visiting Philadelphia, Montreal went winless in six league games during which it collected one point out of a possible 18.

With just Toronto, DC United and the Columbus Crew eliminated from playoff contention, and New York and Sporting Kansas City already in, it made for a complicated final weekend in the East with

Montreal, Chicago, New England, Houston and Philadelphia vying for the final three playoff berths.

At Chester, Pennsylvania, Lawrence Olum scored in stoppage time to give Sporting Kansas City a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union to end the home side’s slim playoffs chance.

Graham Zusi opened the scoring for Kansas City, which will claim the Supporters Shield for the best record in the MLS if New York loses or draws Sunday against Chicago. Jack McInerney scored his 12th goal of the season to draw Philadelphia level in the 88th minute. In another match Saturday, Chris Wondolowski and Walter Martinez each scored and the San Jose Earthquakes beat FC Dallas 2-1 and the Portland Timbers cruised to a 5-0 victory over Chivas USA. —AP

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

S P ORTS

Bulls, Nets aim to derail Heat ‘threepeat’ LOS ANGELES: LeBron James and the Miami Heat have their sights on a “threepeat” as the NBA season tips off yesterday, but Derrick Rose’s Chicago and free-spending Brooklyn have other ideas.

‘King’ James and the Heat are trying to become just the third team of the modern era to win three straight titles, a feat accomplished by the Los Angeles Lakers of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in 2000, 2001 and 2002, and the Chicago Bulls of Michael Jordan-who did it twice from 1991-93 and 1996-98. The Heat captured their second straight title in an NBA Finals thriller over San Antonio in June. Along the way to the title they put together an astonishing 27-game regular-season winning streak and James was a near-unanimous choice for a second straight Most Valuable Player award.

But the Bulls, with former NBA MVP Rose back in action after missing all of last season rehabbing a knee injury, have designs on the Eastern Conference title. The Brooklyn Nets have also armed themselves for battle in the East, thanks to the deep pockets of Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov.

The Nets brought in future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce from the Boston Celtics to

join All-Stars Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez.

Another future Hall-of-Famer, Jason Kidd, is the big question mark in Brooklyn. Kidd was tapped as head coach of the Nets shortly after announcing his retirement as a point guard with the New York Knicks.

While Kidd is unquestionably NBA coaching material, it remains to be seen if his inexperience in the job will cost the Nets. “Championship teams are built on being prepared, playing unselfishly and being held accountable, and that’s how I expect to coach this basketball team,” the widely respected Kidd said. The tension in the East was evident even before the season began when James and teammate Dwyane Wade implied it was hypocritical of Garnett and Pierce to make a move from Boston when they had criticized former teammate Ray Allen for departing the Celtics for Miami last year.

“Tell LeBron to worry about Miami,” was the crisp reply from Garnett that promised an extra edge to the Nets-Heat rivalry this season.

The pre-season pot-shots at Miami haven’t been limited to the East. Kevin Durant, whose Oklahoma

City Thunder were beaten in the 2012 finals by Miami, said it was time for an aging Wade to “pass the torch”.

Durant’s assessment that Wade could no longer be considered one of the league’s top 10 players sparked a Twitter feud in which Wade posted a reminder to himself: “Make him respect your place in history ... again.”

It’s certainly possible that Wade could get that chance in the finals. The Thunder’s bid to get back to the NBA’s title series last season ran aground after All-Star guard Russell Westbrook suffered a torn meniscus in his knee in the first round of the playoffs. With Westbrook due back-albeit belatedly after an arthroscopic procedure to reduce swelling in the knee in October-the Thunder are still top contenders in a Western Conference packed with talented teams. The San Antonio Spurs were five seconds away from a fifth NBA title in June only to fall in seven games to the Heat. Coach Gregg Popovich admits he’s thought about it “every day” and no doubt plotted how to get his ageless star trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker back to the finals. They’ll have the help of ever-improving Kawhi

Leonard, the rising star who stamped himself the future of the franchise in last year’s playoffs, as well as sharp-shooting Danny Green.

But it’s the question-marks in the West that have sparked the most pre-season buzz. The Houston Rockets landed free agent prize Dwight Howard, the superstar center who never seemed to settle with the Los Angeles Lakers last season.

The Rockets, thanks in large part to shooting guard James Harden, were the league’s secondhighest scoring team last season. But they ranked 28th out of 30 teams in allowing opponents to score, a stat that three-time defensive player of the year Howard can change right away.

The Los Angeles Clippers, having reached the playoffs the last two seasons, will try to go deeper into the post-season under the guidance of former Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

Rivers could be just what All-Star point guard Chris Paul and the Clippers need to emerge further from the shadow of the Los Angeles Lakers, who face an uncertain season as superstar Kobe Bryant continues to recover from a ruptured Achilles tendon. — AFP

Dominant Vettel seizes historic world title Beaten Alonso congratulates Vettel

SHANGHAI: Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain tees off on the 17th hole on his way to winning the BMW Shanghai Masters golf tournament at the Lake Malaren Golf Club in Shanghai yesterday. Fernandez-Castano finished with a score of 11 under at the 7 million USD event which is being held for the second time at the Lake Malaren Golf Club. — AFP

Fernandez-Castano wins BMW Masters SHANGHAI: Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano called it the perfect win, even though his final hole yesterday to win the BMW Masters was anything but perfect.

Fernandez-Castano chipped in from across the green for birdie on the tough 17th hole at Lake Malaren to build a three-shot lead. Then, he let memories of Jean Van de Velde’s collapse creep into his head, and only when the 33-yearold Spaniard holed a 2-foot putt for double bogey did he exhale.

“I made it a little more complicated,” Fernandez-Castano said. He still closed with a 4under 68 for a one-shot win over Francesco Molinari (64) and Thongchai Jaidee (66). Luke Guthrie, the 23-year-old American playing in Asia for the first time, didn’t make a birdie until the 13th hole and closed with a 71 to finish alone in fourth, two shots behind.

Fernandez-Castano gave Spain its first European Tour win this year, extending the streak to 20 years of at least one Spanish victory.

But this was more for him than country. The victory gets Fernandez-Castano into the HSBC Champions next week in Shanghai, critical for him to stay in the hunt for the Race to Dubai. He moved up from No. 35 to No. 4 in the standings, and the World Golf Championship offers $8.5 million in prize money.

He won 851,346 euros at the BMW Masters, putting him well ahead on the European Points portion of the Ryder Cup standings. It also puts him into the top 50 in the world, which is critical for the Spaniard as he embarks on his first full season on the PGA Tour. He will get in at least two WGCs, and staying in the top 50 would get him into the majors. Fernandez-Castano is moving his family to Miami in December.

“Just at the perfect time,” he said. “There’s never a bad time for a victory, let’s put it that way. But this has been just the perfect one.” Lake Malaren was set up for low scoring, with only a mild wind and several tees moved forward.

Defending champion Peter Hanson had the low round of the tournament, making bogey on the last hole and still posting a 63.

Molinari played the final six holes in 6 under, including an eagle on the 13th hole, and he was tied for the lead at one point. Everyone seemed to take advantage except the last two groups,

setting up endless possibilities. FernandezCastano started to seize control with a wedge into 3 feet for birdie on the par-5 seventh, and another wedge to short range for birdie on the next hole.

That gave him a two-shot lead, and he kept his distance from Guthrie by matching the American’s birdies on the two par 5s on the back. The chip-in for birdie on the 17th, a hole that Hanson described as the toughest in the final round, sealed the victory. At least that’s how it looked. Fernandez-Castano felt a little too comfortable, deciding to play it so conservatively down the 18th hole that it nearly cost him.

His tee shot cleared the water and went into a bunker, and he blasted out some 30 yards to avoid a bad shot that might hit the lip. That left him 168 yards for his third shot, and he aimed so far away from water and the flag that he wound up in another bunker.

“The only thing I was thinking about on the 18th was Jean Van de Velde,” he said, referring to the Frenchman who made triple bogey on the final hole of the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie and lost in a playoff. “There’s so many things that go through your mind. Jean is a good friend of mind. I don’t know, I just didn’t want to mess up, and I almost did. It’s a weird feeling. I’m not used to have a three-shot advantage when I’m playing such a big tournament like this.”

His bunker shot by the green was his best on the final hole, leaving him two putts from 8 feet for the win. He looked tentative on the first putt, and it rolled 2 feet away, just enough to make him nervous.

That was more drama than he needed, though Fernandez-Castano still managed to win for the seventh time in his career. Peter Uihlein made four birdies on the back nine for a 67 that gave him a share of fifth place with Thomas Bjorn, keeping both of them in the top 10 on the European Tour money list with three more events before the World Tour Championship in Dubai.

Henrik Stenson, who went into The Final Series with a healthy lead over Graeme McDowell, made five straight birdies on the back nine and shot 65, which extended his lead over McDowell, who shot 74. The prize money in these last four events is the largest on the European Tour, except for majors and WGCs. — AP

GREATER NOIDA: Sebastian Vettel roared into history as Formula One’s youngest four-time champion in superlative style as he dominated the Indian Grand Prix yesterday.

Pole-sitter Vettel pitted early to change his soft tyres but then sped through the field to win 30 seconds ahead of Mercedes’s Nico Rosberg, with Lotus driver Romain Grosjean third.

The 26-year-old German becomes the youngest man to win four straight titles, with Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher the only other drivers to achieve the feat.

“Unbelievable day,” said the jubilant Vettel over the team radio. “We did it! Yes! Yes!” Vettel celebrated in uproarious fashion by spinning doughnuts in front of the grandstand.

He then stood on top of his Red Bull and saluted the crowd before bowing to his car in mock worship. Despite team-mate Mark Webber’s retirement with a mechanical problem, Red Bull also sealed their fourth straight constructors’ title in what has become an era of dominance.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, who was Vettel’s nearest challenger going into the race but 90 points adrift, managed only 11th place.

Vettel’s sixth win in a row, 10th in 16 races this season and 36th of his career left him poised to shatter more records in the remaining three races in Abu Dhabi, America and Brazil.

If he wins all three, Vettel will equal Schumacher’s record of 13 wins in 2004 and become the only driver to secure nine consecutive victories in a season. Italian Alberto Ascari drove a Ferrari for nine straight wins, but his run was spread over two seasons in 1952 and 1953.

The German, who won the Indian race in both 2011 and 2012, once again dominated the circuit with record times in all three practice sessions this year and a perfect qualifying round on Saturday. Vettel, made a quick change to medium tyres after the second lap and dropped to the back of the field, but was he returned to second place by the 21st lap behind Webber.

The German regained the lead in the 30th lap but then saw Webber drop out of the race in the 40th due to gearbox problems. As Vettel took charge in familiar fashion, his team were taking no chances in the pitlane and at one stage even admonished him for trying to set the fastest lap.

The big turnout at Buddh International Circuit would have pleased the organisers, who hope to return to Formula One in 2015 after being left out of the 2014 calendar.

Alonso congratulated Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel on his fourth successive Formula One world title but reserved judgement on where the German stood among the greats.

GREATER NOIDA: Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel (C) of Germany hoisted by Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg (2L) of Germany and Lotus driver Romain Grosjean (R) of France pats Red Bull Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey (L) after winning the Formula One Indian Grand Prix 2013 at the Buddh International circuit in Greater Noida, on the outskirts of New Delhi yesterday. — AFP Alonso saw his faint chances of keeping the is the greatest. If you see the numbers, he should championship battle alive evaporate when Vettel be the best because he has 91 victories, seven completed an Indian Grand Prix hat-trick to titles. “His (Vettel’s) driving performance is big become Formula One’s youngest quadruple with numbers, being four-times champion. In champion. “Congratulations to Sebastian. 2011, I remember him winning 14 or 15 races, Obviously a very, very strong season, dominating this year he will win, I don’t know many. Now it’s specially the second part of the year with many 10, he will win maybe 13 races.”

Alonso would not hazard a guess whether he, many wins. Well done to him and to the team,” Alonso, who finished 11th, told reporters. given an equally fast car, could beat Vettel and “Hopefully next year we can make things more preferred to focus on mounting a stiffer chaldifficult.” Alonso went into yesterday’s race trail- lenge next year.

“I’m not here to guess...today is the day to ing Vettel by 90 points and the German sealed the championship with the ruthlessness that has congratulate him and for him to enjoy the chambecome the hallmark of his sustained domina- pionship and it’s the day for us to start working even harder. “They have been very strong, domition in the past four years.

The 26-year-old’s success has left many won- nating for the last four years. We need to do dering if Vettel might be the greatest modern something better than what we did in the last Formula One driver but numbers alone would four years because it’s clear that it’s not enough. not convince Alonso, who is widely regarded as So we will start immediately.”

For the time being, Alonso was happy trying the sport’s most complete driver even if his car is currently inferior. “Different opinions for different to ensure Ferrari finished second in the construcpeople and all of them we need to respect,” tor’s championship after being overtaken by Alonso said. “Many people think Ayrton (Senna) Mercedes. “For me, it makes a difference to have was the best ever. He won only three champi- the team happy. They, at the end of the month, onships, compared to people who have won pay me...you need to make happy (the person) more. “Some people think Michael (Schumacher) who gives you food,” he said. — Agencies

Lorenzo wins to keep MotoGP title alive

Pettersen defends title in Taiwan LPGA event TAIPEI: World number two Suzann Pettersen fired a three-under-par 69 for a total of 283 in the Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship yesterday to defend her title, saying she is ready to take the number one spot. “It feels great to come here and defend my title and play as well as I did,” the Norwegian said after the tournament. The win-the first time she has had to defend a title-helped boost Pettersen’s bid to catch Rolex ranking world number one Park InBee, who finished a disappointing 28th at last week’s KEB-HanaBank Championship in South Korea and skipped the Taiwan event.

“Yeah, being number two is pretty much the first loser and I’ve been number two behind four great number ones. I’ve been the number behind Annika (Sorenstam). I was number two behind Lorena (Ochoa). I was number two behind Ya-ni (Tseng) and I’m two behind In-bee,” Pettersen said.

“I didn’t feel quite ready to take on that role. Now, I feel my game is progressing. It’s getting stronger. I think personally, mentally, I’m ready to take on number one... That’s my drive, that’s my goal.”

The 32-year-old had a tough Saturday when she carded one-over 73, narrowing

her lead to four strokes ahead of Azahara Munoz, Yoo Sun-Young and Carlota Ciganda.

While admitting wind had given her difficulty at the Sunrise Golf & Country Club in northern Taiwan since teeing off Thursday, Pettersen said that on Sunday Munoz presented an “even bigger challenge”.

“She played really good on the front nine well, she played really good all around. I think I can almost thank her for keep pressing and keep pushing me because I just had to keep staying aggressive and trying to make birdies,” Pettersen said.

Pettersen carded three birdies in the last nine holes to offset the pressure when Munoz was four under through 12 holes.

Munoz said she “misjudged the wind a little” but added: “I played really well and I had a chance and I’m happy with my week”.

Caroline Hedwall of Sweden came in third with 286 stokes, followed by Ji Eun-Hee of South Korea who carded 287. Taiwanese star Tseng Ya-ni, the former world number one who has won 15 career LPGA titles at age 24, carded an even-par 72 for an aggregate 298, ranking 40th. A total of 78 players competed in the four-day event, which had a top prize of $300,000. — AFP

TOKYO: Jorge Lorenzo of Spain celebrates on the podium after winning the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Motegi, north of Tokyo, Japan, yesterday. — AP

MOTEGI: The MotoGP world championship will go down to the final race of the season after Jorge Lorenzo won the Japan Grand Prix yesterday ahead of title rival Marc Marquez.

Marquez, 20, bidding to become the youngest ever MotoGP world champion, is guaranteed to win the title if he places fourth or better in a fortnight in Valencia, regardless of Lorenzo’s performance.

Marquez, who is still favourite to become the first rookie title winner for 35 years, leads the standings on 318 points, 13 more than fellow Spaniard Lorenzo.

Marquez said he struggled with his braking on the stop-and-go Motegi circuit, and decided to settle for second after judging that it would be difficult to catch his countryman.

“In the end, I saw Jorge started to push a little bit more,” Marquez said, adding he had pushed himself to the limit. “So I said, 20 points (second place) for the championship. In Valencia there will be another race. It will be interesting, for sure.”

Valencia will be the first time in seven years that the world title has gone down to the wire. Yamaha rider Lorenzo, 26, the current world champion, started from pole position and staged an impeccable display to tame Marquez, on a Honda, after a spectacular duel.

Third was Dani Pedrosa, also on a Honda. This was Lorenzo’s 51st career win and seventh in this season, while Yamaha celebrated its 200th victory in the MotoGP class. “It’s one of the happiest days in my MotoGP career,” said Lorenzo, adding the only disappointment is that he only made up five points on Marquez after picking up

25 points for the victory.

“Anyway, we tried our best. Things we could do, we did,” he said. Pedrosa began to slip away on lap 15, leaving Lorenzo and Marquez to engage in a gruelling battle that gradually intensified.

On the previous lap Marquez closed in on Lorenzo from the outside, looking to take him on. Their bikes nearly touched but the Yamaha rider edged by to maintain his position.

By lap 20, Lorenzo had begun to widen his lead with Marquez navigating carefully around slower riders who had been lapped by the frontrunners. Lorenzo steamed home in 42min 34.291sec, followed by Marquez who finished 3.188sec later.

Conditions at the mountainous Motegi circuit were dry and sunny on Sunday, after dense fog and torrential rain forced the cancellation of free practice on Friday and Saturday.

Riders went straight into the qualifying session on Saturday afternoon on a wet surface. Yesterday’s dry weather forced the teams to change their settings at the last minute. Hours before the race, Marquez crashed at high speed in a practice session although he walked away unscathed.

Marquez blamed the fall on a cold tyre and a sudden change of track temperature as it happened after his bike ran under a bridge.

He was treated for back pain, but Marquez said it did not bother him during the race. Riders’ nerves were also tested when the track north of Tokyo felt strong tremors from a powerful undersea earthquake off the northeast coast early Saturday, although it caused no damage to the circuit or elsewhere. — AFP

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

S P ORT S

Neymar outshines Bale in battle of big-money buys BARCELONA: Gareth Bale was given his chance to shine on the biggest stage of all on Saturday as he made his El Clasico debut for Real Madrid against Barcelona on Saturday.

However, unfortunately for the Welshman, it was another expensive import making his bow in the fixture who shone, as Neymar scored Barca’s opener and then teed up Alexis Sanchez to make the game safe 12 minutes from time.

Jese Rodriguez pulled a goal back for Madrid in stoppage time to make the final score 2-1, but Bale had long since departed by that point as he was replaced by Karim Benzema with half an hour remaining.

“I am very happy to score such a special goal, but above all for the three points that we achieved,” said Neymar. “It was very exciting to score in the game

that every player wants to play in.” The contrast between the summer’s blockbuster signings couldn’t have been greater and merely summed up the difference in how they have adapted to La Liga in their first two months in Spain.

Neymar has benefited massively from the relatively swift process that saw his 57 million euro ($78.1 million, £48.3 million) move from Santos completed before Barca had even completed last season.

The Brazilian arrived to a hero’s welcome in the Catalan capital on the first Monday in June before returning to his homeland to take the world, and even some of his new teammates, by storm by guiding his country to the Confederations Cup with a 3-0 win over Spain.

On Saturday night, it wasn’t merely that the 21year-old outshone Bale, he was he standout player

on the pitch, overshadowing the world’s best in Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

His goal may only have been his fourth in 14 appearances, but his through ball from which Sanchez finished the contest with a nonchalant lob over Lopez was already his seventh assist, making him the chief goal creator in a side boasting the talents of Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Cesc Fabregas.

“Neymar played a great game,” Barca boss Gerardo Martino added. “To score a goal in the Clasico creates a huge impact.” Bale, by contrast, had a much more anxious summer as he waited to see if his dream move to the world’s richest club would finally come off.

By the time it did, on the first day in September, his chance of a bedding-in period and pre-season with his new teammates had disappeared. It hasn’t

been all bad news for Bale, though. He scored his only Real goal to date on his debut against Villarreal.

However, since then a series of niggling injuries have hampered his participation and he is still to play a full 90 minutes in any of his six appearances. Bale was defended by his own boss Carlo Ancelotti after the game, the Italian making the wholly reasonable argument that he will need time on the field to adjust to the demands required of him at the Spanish giants.

However, patience is not a virtue normally associated with matters at Madrid. Given the size of his vast transfer fee, the fact that Madrid are now six points behind Barca in the title race and that it is their new star who is setting the league alight, time is ticking for Bale to show the form that made him the Premier League Player of the Year last season. — AFP

Super-sub Balde gives Celtic narrow win GLASGOW: Substitute Amido Balde made an instant impact as he grabbed the winner for Celtic against Partick Thistle on Sunday in the first Glasgow derby of the season.

In their first meeting in nine years, Celtic were made to work hard for a 2-1 victory away to newly-promoted Thistle at Firhill.

Georgios Samaras was left unmarked to head Celtic into a 34th-minute lead from Emilio Izaguirre’s corner, but the home side had a lively start to the second half and Kris Doolan hit the crossbar before moments later prodding the ball past Fraser Forster to level matters in the 67th minute.

However, Balde was immediately brought off the bench for a rare appearance and the striker scored a fine solo effort - just his second goal since signing for the club in the summer - that maintains Celtic’s unbeaten start to the Scottish Premiership campaign and leaves the Jags still searching for their first win at home this season.

The only negative for Celtic, who moved six points clear at the top of the table ahead of Motherwell’s clash with St Johnstone, was the injuries to Izaguirre and Samaras which meant the Parkhead club finished the match with 10 men after already using all three substitutes.

“They had to dig it out in the end. We were sloppy at times with our finishing and should have been out of sight at half-time,” Celtic manager Neil Lennon said.

“I think Scott Fox has made three great one-on-one saves and at 1-1 Partick Thistle were always in the game and they’re a good team. Our reaction was good though and it was a brilliant win.” Meanwhile, Thistle manager Alan Archibald was unhappy with his side’s defending at the first goal.

“It was very poor. We said before the game don’t give them set plays as we knew they were a danger but everyone had a job to do and they didn’t do it properly,” he said. “But I will take out a lot of positives as if we play like that against most sides we

will probably win.” Lennon made just two changes to his side from the midweek Champions League win over Ajax with Scott Brown returning from suspension and Joe Ledley handed his first start since returning from injury. The Welsh midfielder was first to threaten for the visitors before Anthony Stokes was denied by a fine Fox save half an hour in. But three minutes later Thistle gave away a cheap goal when Samaras was afforded too much space in the box and the Greek striker headed home Izaguirre’s corner.

The goal boosted Celtic and a minute later Thistle had Fox to thank as he made a super stop to keep out an effort from Teemu Pukki. Thistle then had a chance of their own as Kallum Higginbotham raced up the park and rifled a shot jut wide of Forster’s post. Play then raged up to the other end and Fox again thwarted Pukki after the Finnish striker had been teed up by strike partner Stokes.

Celtic were appealing for a penalty shortly after the break when Conrad Balatoni appeared to bring down Brown in the box but the home side had a reprieve as referee Willie Collum waved away the protests.

And the home fans were able to celebrate a well deserved 67th-minute equaliser through Doolan. The Jags forward, who moments before had clipped the crossbar with an effort, sent a side-footed effort past Forster after Thistle had worked the ball back into the box. Izaguirre fired just over before Forster made a good save to deny Higginbotham as there were chances at both ends to win it. But, seven minutes after coming on, substitute Balde scored a great individual goal to restore Celtic’s lead.

Sean Welsh lost the ball just inside the Celtic half to Izaguirre who played in Balde and the Portuguese striker used his strength to hold off Muirhead and drive at goal before slipping the ball past the advancing ‘keeper for a cool finish. — AFP

Gonzalo Higuain scores controversial brace from spot MILAN: Gonzalo Higuain scored twice from the spot after seemingly generous penalty decisions to hand Napoli a 2-0 win over Torino and close the gap to Serie A leaders Roma to two points yesterday.

Roma travel to Udinese in one of six afternoon fixtures looking to secure an alltime league record of nine consecutive opening wins, a feat that would restore their five-point lead over Rafael Benitez’s men.

Napoli, meanwhile, provided further proof they are likely to be among the biggest challengers to champions Juventus this season. But, fresh from a precious 2-1 Champions League win away to Marseille on Tuesday, the hosts benefited from two generous penalty decisions.

Torino finished the match with 10 men after second-half substitute Migjen Basha saw red in the closing minutes after hauling down Goran Pandev, but by then the damage had been done.

Higuain opened the scoring in the 14th minute when he smashed his spot kick past Daniele Padelli after Dries Mertens tumbled all too easily when his trailing leg made slight contact with Nicola Bellomo in the area. Five minutes later the Argentinian tested Padelli again when he picked up Blerim Dzemaili’s pass to send a low drive from 20 metres just wide of the post.

Higuain’s snap shot from 10 metres was then expertly stopped by Padelli, but the

keeper soon found himself facing Higuain from 11 metres out again just after the half hour.

Federico Fernandez smashed his shot off the arm of defender Kamil Glik and at first Torino appeared to have been given the benefit of the doubt, only for the referee to point to the spot following consultation with his assistant.

Higuain made no mistake, smashing his second attempt low past Padelli to hand the hosts a 2-0 lead and take his tally for the season to five goals. Napoli spurned the chance for a 3-0 half-time lead when Lorenzo Insigne’s chip was headed to safety

by Danilo D’Ambrosio after Padelli had panicked and come rushing out of his goal.

Pepe Reina had had little to do in the Napoli goal but palmed an Alessio Cerci free kick over the bar before the interval. A visibly angry Giampiero Ventura made a double substitution for the visitors with Basha replacing Alessandro Gazzi and Cerci making way for Riccardo Meggiorini at the restart.

Napoli, however, only grew in confidence and Reina coped easily with shots from Basha and Paulo Vitor Barreto. In the closing period Meggiorini forced a superb diving save from Reina with an angled drive although on the counter-attack Napoli were denied a third goal when Jose Callejon’s low effort was palmed away by Padelli. — AFP

NAPOLI: Napoli’s midfielder Christian Maggio (R) fights for the ball with Torino’s defender Danilo D’Ambrosio during the Italian Serie A football match SSC Napoli vs Torino FC in San Paolo Stadium yesterday. — AFP

UDINE: AS Roma’s forward Marco Borriello (back) fights for the ball with Udinese’s Brazilian defender Pereira Edinaldo Gomes during their Serie A football match Udinese vs AS Roma at “Stadio Friuli” b in Udine yesterday. — AFP

Roma set new Serie A record of 9 opening wins Restores five-point cushion MILAN: League leaders Roma beat Udinese 1-0 away yesterday to set a new all-time record of nine consecutive wins at the start of a Serie A season to restore their five-point cushion. Roma, who have conceded just one goal in their nine wins under French coach Rudi Garcia, were reduced to 10 men in the second half after Brazilian Maicon saw red for a second bookable offence.

However the setback failed to shake the leaders, who virtually sealed the points when American Michael Bradley scored with a precise first-time shot in the 82nd minute.

Udinese were unlucky to see one goalbound shot cleared off the line in the first half and coach Francesco Guidolin said: “Roma are a great side, they showed that when they were reduced to 10 men, but in the first half they rode their luck a little.” Garcia said if there was good fortune, Roma had created it themselves. “You make your own luck,” Garcia told Sky Sport Italia. “Especially when you give everything, week in week out.”

Defending champions Juventus had set a record of nine successive wins at the start of the 2005-2006 campaign, although that feat no longer stands after the Turin giants were stripped of that season’s crown, as well as the previous year’s, due to their role in the ‘Calciopoli’ match-fixing scandal.

Title challengers Napoli had heaped the pressure on Garcia’s side before what was always going to be a tough away trip to Udinese by dominating Torino 2-0 at the San Paolo to reduce their arrears to two points. And for much of what was a balanced encounter, Roma finally looked as if they would fail to take all three points for the first time in the league this season.

Both sides saw several chances go amiss but Udinese were denied a near certain opener on 38 minutes when Leandro Castan peformed heroics, his overhead kick on the goalline keeping out Gabriel Silva’s goalbound effort. Eight minutes after the restart Maicon’s drive from 15 metres sailed just over the Udinese crossbar, but 13 minutes later he marched off after an unnecessary foul on Emmanuel Badu in midfield. Roma, to their credit, kept their calm and Dutch midfielder Kevin Strootman held up play at the edge of the area before squaring for Bradley to beat Kevala with a coolly-taken first-timer.

Roma now lead Napoli by five points with Juventus remaining in third, also five points adrift, after a 2-0 home win over Genoa. Arturo Vidal, who had hit the crossbar with an angled drive early in the first half, opened the scoring with a 23rd minute penalty, although Juve midfielder Kwadwo

Asamoah appeared to have been fouled outside the box. Asamoah was pivotal in Juve’s second, his dribbling on the left mesmerising the Genoa defence before Tevez collected his pass, feinted past one defender and beat Mattia Perrin in the visitors’ net. Juve coach Antonio Conte was pleased with his side’s performance, especially the emerging pairing of Tevez and Spain international Fernando Llorente: “I liked what I saw from Tevez and Llorente, they are beginning to play well together.” Days after an impressive performance which earned a 1-1 draw at home to Champions League group opponents Barcelona, AC Milan dropped precious points in a 3-2 defeat at Parma.

Parma held a 2-0 lead at half-time thanks to goals from Marco Parolo and former Rossoneri and Inter striker Antonio Cassano. Mario Balotelli returned from a ban and recent injury but was replaced early in the second half.

Milan battled back into contention in two second-half minutes when Alessandro Matri scored his maiden league goal for the visitors, with Matias Silvestre bundling the ball home two minutes later.

Parma, however, stunned Massimiliano Allegri’s side when Parolo grabbed his second in the fourth minute of injury time to send his side up to seventh in the table. — AFP

Serena Williams beats Li Na for WTA title ISTANBUL: Serena Williams ended the best season of her career in suitable style, coming from behind to beat Li Na 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 yesterday for her second straight WTA Championship.

Williams collected her 11th title of the year and became the first player to defend the title since Justine Henin in 2007.The American won her fourth WTA Championship, having captured the elite tournament of the eight topranked players also in her debut in 2001 and in 2009 and 2012. Williams has won 78 of 82 matches this year and will finish the year as the top ranked player for the third time in her career after 2002 and 2009. Li was in her first WTA Championship final and will finish the year at a career-high No. 3. Williams sank to her knees after firing a backhand winner on her second match point. She became the eighth female player to win 11 or more titles a year and the first since Martina Hingis claimed 12 in 1997.

The final featured two players aged above 30 for the first time in the championships’ 43-year history. Williams is 32 and Li is 31 but both are playing some of their best tennis.Li got off to a

better start over a sluggish-looking Williams, who struggled a day earlier to beat Jelena Jankovic and complained later of being exhausted after a long season.

The Chinese, passing Williams almost at will, was quick to break serve for a 2-1 lead and rolled through the first set, which ended with Williams netting a forehand and hitting a backhand passing shot wide.

Williams won a key game at the start of the second set that went to nine deuces and lasted nearly 12 minutes as the American fended off two break points before finally prevailing with a service winner.

Li blasted an ace, her only one of the match, to level at 3-3. But she produced a double-fault and a forehand error to give Williams a chance to serve out the set. Williams needed three set points to close it out.

It was another double-fault by Li that gave Williams a break of serve at the start of the third and the American never looked behind. Williams did have to save five break points, the last one with her sixth ace, before wrapping up the title. — AP

ISTANBUL: Serena Williams of the US shows her trophy after her victory over Li Na of China in the final of the WTA Championship in Istanbul, Turkey, yesterday. The world’s top female tennis players competed in the championships. — AP

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Dominant Vettel seizes historic world title MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

Serena Williams beats Li Na for WTA title

LONDON: Manchester City’s Serbian defender Matija Nastasic (2nd L) heads the ball back past his own goalkeeper Manchester City’s English goalkeeper Joe Hart (3rd L), allowing Chelsea’s Spanish striker Fernando Torres (L) to score the winning goal of the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in west London yesteday. – AFP

Torres late goal sends Chelsea second

LONDON: Fernando Torres exploited a 90th-minute horror show from Manchester City to Chelsea 2 earn Chelsea a 2-1 win yesterday that sent them up to second place in the Premier League.

City looked on course for a Man City 1 draw at Stamford Bridge after a Sergio Aguero thunderbolt cancelled out Andre Schurrle’s opener, only for Torres to pounce at the death after a mix-up between Matija Nastasic and Joe Hart.

It was the latest in a series of blunders by England goalkeeper Hart, who came to the edge of his area but did not clam the ball, and he could be seen venting his disbelief as Torres wheeled away to celebrate.

Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea have now won five consecutive games in all competitions and trail leaders Arsenal by just two points.

Meanwhile, City manager Manuel Pellegrini, who was succeeded by Mourinho at Real Madrid, saw his side finish the weekend down in seventh place, four points below Chelsea and six shy of Arsenal.

In the continued absence of injured City captain Vincent Kompany, Martin Demichelis was handed his debut at centre-back, while Aguero was deployed as a lone striker in a cautious 4-2-3-1 system.

Chelsea recalled Ashley Cole at left-back, in the only change to the team that won 3-0 at Schalke in the Champions League in mid-week.

Mourinho wore a broad smile as he settled into the dug-out and his side started positively, with Gary Cahill volleying over from a deep Oscar cross and Torres heading straight at Hart.

City’s extra man in midfield enabled them to establish a foothold in the game, however, and they saw Samir Nasri drill narrowly wide before Aguero poked a shot at Petr Cech after wriggling between a pair of defenders.

It was attritional fare, but in the 29th minute Torres found himself with only Hart to beat from Ramires’s pass, only to hook an ugly half-volley high over the bar from just 10 yards out.

Gael Clichy threatened to punish the Spaniard by firing a cross across Chelsea’s goal moments later, but Torres was quick to atone.

In the 33th minute, he outpaced Clichy with a burst of acceleration down the right flank and then squared the ball for Schurrle to steer in his first Chelsea goal from close range.

Encouraged, Torres almost extended the hosts’ lead four minutes later,

but after slipping away from Demichelis, he saw his right-foot curler come back off the angle of post and bar.

Aguero stung Cech’s gloves shortly before the interval, while Yaya Toure headed over, but although Chelsea reached half-time with their lead intact, it took the visitors only four minutes to equalise after the break.

Aguero seemed to pose only a marginal threat as he scampered in behind the Chelsea defence to collect Nasri’s pass, but he surprised Cech with a ferocious first-time shot that fizzed into the top-left corner.

It was his fifth goal in three games, and Cech did not even see it.

There were chances for both sides from set-pieces-Garcia heading straight at Cech, Hart saving from Torres and John Terry volleying overbefore Cech had to use his feet to thwart David Silva.

Mourinho sent on John Mikel Obi and Willian for the final 25 minutes, while Pellegrini turned to Jesus Navas.

Aguero came close to claiming a second with a delicate chip that floated just wide, but instead it was Torres who struck the decisive blow thanks to a calamitous defensive blunder.

Hart came out to field Willian’s aimless pass, only for centre-back Nastasic to head the ball past him, and Torres outpaced Demichelis to stab home and send Mourinho springing jubilantly from the bench.— AFP

Borini strike takes Spurs’ Soldado makes Sunderland off bottom Hull pay the penalty Sunderland 2

Newcastle 1 SUNDERLAND: Fabio Borini’s stunning late winner lifted Sunderland off the bottom of the table as they earned a first Premier League win for six months by inflicting a 2-1 Wear-Tyne derby defeat on Newcastle at the Stadium of Light yesterday.

Borini, a second-half substitute, etched his name into Wearside folklore with a memorable 84th-minute strike, finding the top corner right-footed from 18 yards after neat build-up play from Jack Colback and Jozy Altidore.

The contest seemed destined for a draw after Mathieu Debuchy cancelled out an early deadlock-breaking goal from Steven Fletcher. Borini, however, had other ideas, the Italian international forward opening his account in memorable style following his summer arrival on a season’s loan from Liverpool.

Victory, Sunderland’s first in 13 attempts in the league, lifted them above Crystal Palace at the bottom as they marked new head coach Gus Poyet’s first home game in charge with a vital three points to give them hope of avoiding relegation.

It also continued Poyet’s impressive record against Newcastle, the Uruguayan now having won 10 of his 17 games as a player and manager

against the Tyneside club. Sunderland looked like they would be made to pay for failing to exploit their dominance before the break, when they could have gone into the interval with at least a two-goal advantage.

Newcastle were allowed to regroup, and levelled shortly before the hour with a goal which Sunderland will reflect upon with little satisfaction. Hatem Ben Arfa’s driven cross-shot from the left should have been cleared, but Adam Johnson, the England international, failed to react, allowing Debuchy to bundle the ball home from close range at the far post for his first goal since a £5.5m ($8.9 million) move

from Lille in January.

However, Borini’s dramatic late intervention changed the complexion of the game, easing the pressure on Sunderland owner Ellis Short, who for the first time admitted responsibility for the mess left by the sacking of Paolo Di Canio, dismissed after fewer than six months as manager of the Black Cats.In his programme notes, Short confessed: “The club has been in turmoil as a result of the change in head coach so early in the season and I have to take the blame for that. Clearly at least one of the decisions I made over the last several months was the wrong one.”—AFP

SUNDERLAND: Newcastle United’s English defender Paul Dummett (L) vies with Sunderland’s US striker Jozy Altidore (R) during the English Premier League football match.— AFP

Tottenham 1

Hull City

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LONDON:Tottenham Hotspur’s English defender Kyle Walker is closely marked during the English Premier League football match. – AFP LONDON: Roberto Soldado scored his third penalty of the season to earn Tottenham Hotspur a 1-0 victory over Hull City at White Hart Lane yesterday. The Spain striker’s controversial spot-kick 10 minutes from time got Andre Villas-Boas’ side out of jail against Steve Bruce’s promoted Tigers, with this victory leaving the north London club fourth in the Premier League table.

Bruce packed the defence with five players to ward off the threat of Andros Townsend and Aaron Lennon on the Spurs flanks. His tactics were clearly well thought out as the home side found it tricky to carve out any early chances.

Brazilian Paulinho stuck a boot at a deep Lewis Holtby free-kick and England international Townsend was denied from distance by Steve Harper on his first Premier League appearance for the Tigers.

But it wasn’t all one-way traffic. Hull might have been restricted to chances on the counter-attack, but Yannick Sagbo at least made sure they counted when he got his shots away. Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris denied him and then centre-back Vlad Chiriches cleared an effort off the line as Hull came into the game.

And former Spurs midfielder Tom Huddlestone

then came close with a trademark thunderbolt from all of 20-yards. Spurs appealed for a penalty when Soldado went down following a tussle with Maynor Figueroa. And the Spaniard was halted again by Harper following a direct run from Townsend who slipped in his team-mate on the edge of the box.

A trio of changes during the second-half when Villas-Boas introduced Mousa Demeble, Christian Eriksen and Jermain Defoe proved to be ineffective. All three of them will most likely get the chance to go again when these two meet in three’ days time in the League Cup.

Last season a piece of magic from Gareth Bale would have likely dug Spurs out of a hole. Without the worldrecord Real Madrid singing Spurs are in need of a player to produce something out of nothing.

But in Soldado they have a lethal striker from the penalty spot. Jan Vertonghen crossed the ball and Ahmed Elmohamady was harshly penalised for handball to concede the foul. Former Valencia man Soldado then did the business with just 10 minutes left. There was a worrying moment for Spurs when, in the closing stages, Townsend flipped over the advertising boards and landed in a photographers’ dugout. —AFP

Business

Bahrain in early stages of bank merger wave: CB Page 22 Emaar launches $3bn project in Kurdistan

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

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Strained finances trip up French firms’ recovery

Al-Mazaya affiliate turns from loss to profitability

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DUBAI: Jazeera Airways Group Chairman Marwan Boodai (centre) addressing the press during the inauguration of Al-Maktoum International at Dubai World Central yesterday as Jamal Al-Hai, Senior VP Dubai Airports (left) and Jozsef Varadi, CEO Wizz Air (right) look on.

Jazeera starts operations to new Dubai airport Kuwait’s budget carrier to fly to Al-Maktoum International at DWC

By Velina Nacheva KUWAIT: Jazeera Airways, Kuwait’s low-cost carrier, yesterday joined the celebrations of the official inauguration of Al-Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central (DWC), the Middle East’s newest airport, with a ceremonial flight from Kuwait to DWC yesterday.

Dubai is a growth market for Jazeera Airways. Over the last seven years, the Kuwait-Dubai route has witnessed phenomenal growth - currently, more than 1.5 million passengers travel the route annually. In 2005, Kuwait’s low cost carrier started its service to Dubai with seven flights a week. Today with the launch of two additional flights to Al-Maktoum International at DWC, Jazeera Airways will be operating an average of 27 flights a week.

To the present day, Jazeera Airways has flown 1,780,575 passengers to Dubai.

Jazeera Airways Group Chairman Marwan Boodai said in a statement: “We’re glad to be one of the first airlines and the first one in the region to extend our support to the newly-opened DWC which aims to become one of the leading airports in the world in the coming years in terms of both capacity and size. We look forward to continue strengthening our par tnership with Al-Maktoum International Airport, Dubai International Airport, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and the Dubai Emirate as a whole.”

“Al-Maktoum International at DWC adds another dimension to Dubai’s travel market, it is well positioned not only for weekenders from Kuwait for its proximity to Jumeirah and the resorts in that area, but also for customers who want to avoid the city altogether.

Additionally, Al-Maktoum International at DWC serves customers flying to Abu Dhabi,” added Boodai.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and constitutional monarch of Dubai attended the inaugural ceremony of DWC and toured the airport yesterday.

In a press statement, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed AlMaktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Airpor ts, said, “Al-Maktoum International at Dubai World Central will play a vital role in the future development of Dubai as a centre for trade, commerce, transport and logistics and tourism. I am impressed by the efficiency and convenience of this new terminal.” He said, “The opening of this facility signals the historic beginning of a long-term plan to build the largest airport in the world to accommodate tremendous passenger growth and contribute to the continued economic and social development of Dubai,” he said in a statement.

Fawaz Al-Farah, President of Kuwait’s Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA), officials from Kuwait, Jazeera’s crewmembers and journalists were on board the first flight which landed at DWC, Dubai’s second airport, yesterday.

Jazeera Airways’ flights to Al-Maktoum International Airport will complement the airline’s 25 weekly flights to Dubai International Airport. Jazeera Airways will operate two flights a week every Thursday and Saturday to the new Al-Maktoum International Airport.

According to Boodai, operating to two airports in the same city is not a complex matter. “Each one of these airports presents a different offering. Dubai international is in the heart of Dubai and will always continue to attract a growing number of travelers from Kuwait,” Boodai said.

He stressed that in August, Jazeera’s Dubai service saw a 55 percent increase in passengers compared to Aug 2012 - “a record increase taking in consideration that we mainly serve the “point-to-point” market and not the transit traffic”. Jazeera’s customers to Dubai are both business and leisure travelers, so having two airports with different strengths attracts even more travelers, he added.

According to Boodai, DWC offers travelers something different. “We do believe that Jazeera Airways will attract more weekend travelers to Dubai by operating additional flights to Al-Maktoum International at DWC,” he said.

Upon completion, DWC will become the world’s

DUBAI: Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum (center), Governer of Dubai, tours the newly opened AlMaktoum International Airport, the emirate’s second airport in Dubai, yesterday. The new passenger terminal opened its doors for business following an official inauguration and welcome of the first commercial flight. — AFP largest airport with an ultimate capacity of 160 million passengers per year. The airport will have a total of five parallel runways. Designed to support aviation, tourism and logistics well into the future, DWC is located in Jebel Ali Port and Free Zone and in the heart of a mega project called Dubai World Central.

The new passenger terminal has a capacity for up to 7 million passengers a year and is fully equipped to facilitate the operations of airlines that land and take off from

there. In addition to Jazeera Airways, Hungarian-based budget carrier Wizz Air and Gulf Air of Bahrain are going to operate from the new airport. Addressing the media on the occasion of the official inauguration, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports said, “The location, convenience and compact nature of DWC are compelling attributes.

Airline and customer interest in this airport continues to grow and we hope to announce additional services in the near future.”

SABIC weighs on Saudi stocks, Gulf markets up MIDEAST STOCK MRKETS DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s largest listed company Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) fell from a 18-month high yesterday, weighing on the kingdom’s bourse after its quar terly earnings matched estimates, while most other Middle East markets rose.Many investors had expected a positive surprise from SABIC after two of its subsidiaries posted estimate-beating quarterly profits earlier this month. SABIC’s third quarter profit rose 2.5 percent to 6.47 billion riyals ($1.73 billion). Analysts on average forecast its profit would be 6.4 billion riyals.

“We had seen signs of improvement in petrochemical product prices in Q3 2013,” said Sleiman Aboulhosn, investment analyst at ING Investments. “Overall, results were good and we expect improving demand from Asia and

restocking to underpin earnings growth in Q4 2013.”

Shares in SABIC fell 2.4 percent. Al Tayyar Travel Group tumbled 6.8 percent to its lowest close in October. The firm said its third-quarter net profit rose 6.8 percent to 214.9 million riyals, below one analyst’s forecast. Saudi Arabia’s index slipped 0.6 percent, easing from Thursday’s two-month high. In Dubai, Emaar Properties rose 1.8 percent, hitting a five-year intraday high after its quarterly profit rose 50 percent to comfortably beat estimates.

Emaar’s earnings added weight to signs of recovery in the emirate’s property and tourism sectors. “It’s very positive signal that the growth is there and it’s massive,” said Sebastien Henin, portfolio manager at The National Investor.

“Institutional investors who were doubtful about Dubai’s property and tourism recovery will come back in the game - it will take a few days or weeks for them to allocate funds to Emaar.”

Dubai’s index rose 0.5 percent to a five-year peak. Abu Dhabi’s benchmark added 0.2 percent. In Cairo, the benchmark index climbed 0.4 percent after the United Arab Emirates signed an agreement for $4.9 billion worth of aid to Egypt. The index closed below the intraday peak of 6,233 points - its highest level since January 2011. It has rallied 37 percent since June 24’s 12-month low, with shares rebounding following the army’s ousting of former President Mohammad Morsi, whom many blamed for mismanaging the country during his one-year rule.

Heavyweight Commercial International Bank rose 1.5 percent and Upper Egypt Construction rose 4.4 percent.

The army-backed government has announced spending plans worth 29.6 billion Egyptian pounds ($4.3 billion) to rejuvenate the economy, and while some analysts have doubted Egypt’s ability to fund the stimulus package and cut its budget deficit, the UAE aid - most but not all of which was previously announced - could help plug some of the gaps.

Bullish global markets supported regional sentiment. World equity indexes were near fiveyear highs on Friday as major US technology companies propelled Wall Street to another day of gains, sending the S&P 500 index to close at a record. — Reuters

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

BUSINESS

Bahrain in early stages of bank merger wave: CB

US shale gas back with full force

By Hayder Tawfik

Dubai’s Islamic finance push seen positive

T

hroughout human history, people looked for energy sources without putting too much thinking in how to source them in a speedy and effective way so they can be secure in their day to day living. The whole process of finding reliable and abundance safe energy has been quite expensive in capital and human costs. The oil and gas industry is so vast and important that at times governments around the world made sure that they have a big say in how it is managed and produced. We know that this is for security and strategic reasons. At present, I think we are experiencing a technological revolution in the oil and gas industry that may change the human perception about energy sources for good.

It seems that the technological dominance of the US has finally spilled into the energy industry with a remarkable impact.

It could be as big as Apple, Microsoft and Google influence on the rest of the world. I have always believed that the oil and gas under the ground are infinite. The talk that oil will run out one day is just scare mongering. I strongly believe that deep inside our dear plant, there are some gases and chemicals interacting to form the oil and the gas we need for our everyday living. If this is the case then the reserve will never run out and the question of looking for alternative energy should be abandoned and all the resources should be used to maximize and extract as much oil and gas as possible.

The US’s technological ingenuity has made the oil and shale gas within their easy approach. They have finally understood that energy reserve is very important and they have created very effective methods to extract it in a commercially and attractive way. The executives at the oil and gas industry have woken up to this relentless innovation of the information technology industry and now have applied it to their industry with a remarkable result.

US oil production peaked in the seventies at about 5 million barrels a day. Today the US is producing about 12 million barrels and the forecast is to produce about 20 million by 2020. This is a true industrial and technological revolution. In reality, innovation is essential to the energy industry. Few years ago, US oil production was still in decline as most of the wells that one day were the biggest producers in the world ran out of reserves.

It is very clear to me that the Obama administration has put its promise of making US energy independent into action.

Since 2008, US oil production has risen by over 50% and it is no longer the biggest importer of oil. China has taken its place.

The International Energy Agency predicts

that the US will be the biggest oil producer in the world by the end of this decade. I think it could achieve that much earlier. This big change has happened because of the technological advances and in the techniques of hydraulic frac turing and horizontal drilling. This is not something new to the industry but both have been upgraded and developed to much higher sophistication so to open up shale reserves initially for natural gas then for oil.

The big oil companies such as BP, Shell, Exxon, Chevron and others around the world have missed the shale gas revolution in a big way and the smaller US oil companies have found the new opportunities and have been dominating the drilling techniques and the production process with much lower costs.

The shale gas rush is creating a direct threat to some gas and oil producing countries such as Russia and Canada.

Russia has high cost of production and Canada nearly supplies half of the total US imports. Other countries that have high cost of oil and gas productions such as the Europeans could face the same challenge too.

Traditionally, the movement in oil price has been based on supply/demand and the global economic cycles. Sometimes it has been affected by geopolitical tensions such as the one we are experiencing in the middle-east and North Africa now. But I think the new shale gas discovery in the US will change the picture for years to come. If the US can manage to produce more than it needs, then at some point it will start exporting energy and that will be even a bigger threat to the traditional oil exporting countries. As long as oil price stays above the $90 and the geopolitical tensions continue in the Middle-East and North Africa it makes commercial and economic sense for the US companies to carry on producing as much as they can of shale gas and oil. — Dimah Capital

Jordan’s Arab Bank’s 9-month net profit up AMMAN: Jordanian lender Arab Bank Group’s nine-month net profit rose 15.4 percent to $559 million, helped by growth in net interest income and operating income accompanied by a decrease in provisions compared to last year. One of the Middle East’s major financial institutions said on Sunday that total loans rose 6 percent to $23.2 billion at end-September, while deposits grew 2 percent to $33 billion compared to the same period last year. The bank gave no figures for third quarter net profits.

Chairman Sabih Masri was quoted in a brief statement as saying the bank’s results

showed it was on track to continue a positive performance for the rest of 2013 despite “regional turmoil and fluctuations in some major currencies.” Bankers say Arab Bank’s geographic diversification across 30 countries on five continents has helped it weather regional turmoil. Bank CEO Nemeh Sabbagh said the bank had comfortable liquidity, a major bank goal, with a loan-to-deposit ratio of 63.8 percent and a capital adequacy ratio of 14.67 percent, well above the minimum set by Jordan’s monetary authorities. Arab Bank owns 40 percent of Saudi Arabia’s Arab National Bank ANB. — Reuters

DUBAI: Bahrain is still in the early stages of a series of bank mergers designed to strengthen the sector in the face of regional competition, the central bank governor said. The tiny kingdom’s banking industry, once the most vibrant in the Gulf, was hit hard by the global financial crisis and, since 2011, by political unrest which has deterred some foreign investment.

But Rasheed Al-Maraj said there were signs of recovery in the sector, which would be aided by a central bank policy of encouraging mergers and acquisitions. Islamic lender Al-Salam Bank said in September it had agreed to merge with fellow Bahraini lender BMI Bank, an affiliate of Oman’s Bank Muscat, through a share swap. The deal is expected to create the kingdom’s fourthlargest commercial bank. Khaleeji Commercial Bank, 47 percent owned by Gulf Finance House, said in June that it was evaluating a potential merger with local lender Bank Al-Khair.

And in March, National Bank of Bahrain and a local pension fund bought a 51.6-percent stake in Bahrain Islamic Bank from Kuwait’s Investment Dar in a deal worth around 34.9 million Bahraini dinars ($92.6 million). Maraj, in an email interview during the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit, said the merger wave was still only starting and would eventually have a bigger impact on the sector.

“What has evolved to date is the beginning of what the CBB believes will be a structured, focused, and properly implemented series of mergers and acquisitions which are designed to enhance both the specific institutions and the overall health and strength of the financial industry,” he said.

“By doing this, Bahraini banks will be better equipped to compete in the regional markets.”

The central bank lists 75 conventional bank licensees and 24 Islamic bank licensees in Bahrain, a large number for a country of just 1.3 million people.

Bahrain has faced sporadic political unrest and demonstrations since February 2011, when mass protests led by the mostly Shiite Muslim opposition were suppressed by the Sunni-led government.

This, along with damage to the international banking system from the global financial crisis, contributed to a drop in the combined assets of wholesale banks in Bahrain from $156.7 billion at the end of 2010 to $118.3 billion in August this year, according to central bank data.

Maraj said that in the wake of the global crisis, banks in Bahrain had restructured their businesses by shifting focus towards relatively stable activities and reducing their real estate exposure. Most international banks were focusing on

their domestic markets.

But the veteran corporate executive and economic policy maker, who has held his central bank post since 2005, said growth had returned to the industry, with the aggregate balance sheet of Bahrain’s entire banking system rising from $190.7 billion in August 2012 to $193.5 billion in August this year. “We have seen a small reduction in the balance sheet of the wholesale banks since 2011 but recently we witnessed a steady recovery in the total assets,” he said.

Bahrain faces tough competition as a financial centre in the Gulf from Dubai and Qatar. In particular Bahrain is a top centre for Islamic banking, but Dubai announced this year that it aims to become a hub for that industry. Maraj indicated Bahrain, the base for a key standardssetting body in Islamic finance, the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), was prepared to cooperate with Dubai. “The evolution of the Islamic financial industry in Dubai and elsewhere complement those which are underway in Bahrain, therefore they are welcomed and encouraged,” he said.

“The region will benefit from enhancements to the current level of expertise in Islamic finance, and this can be used as a foundation to further the goals of the industry.” — Reuters

Saudi SABIC says 2014 outlook improving DUBAI: Higher sales helped Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) post a rise in third-quarter net profit yesterday, in line with analyst forecasts, as the chief executive officer said the outlook for next year was improving. “About the future outlook, I think 2014 will be similar to 2013 or slightly better,” Mohamed al-Mady told a news conference on Sunday after the company’s results were posted on the website of the Saudi bourse.

Mady said he expected petrochemicals demand in the US, China and Europe, SABIC’s main markets, to grow next year as the global economy improved. The company’s sales in the third quarter rose 9 percent to 48.8 billion riyals ($13 billion) over the same period in 2012, with sales from the first nine months of this year unchanged from last year at 140 billion riyals.

Net profit for SABIC, one of the world’s biggest petrochemicals groups and the largest listed company in the Gulf, was 6.47 billion riyals in the three months to Sept. 30, compared to 6.31 billion a year ago. Nine analysts surveyed

by Reuters had forecast SABIC would earn, on average, 6.4 billion riyals for the third quarter.

SABIC plans a new Eurobond issue later this year, as the company seeks to take advantage of low interest rates to refinance its total debts of around 80 billion riyals, chief financial officer Mutlaq Al-Morished said. The company has reduced its total debts by around 15 billion riyals over the past nine months and plans to take on some of the debt now held by its subsidiaries, he and Mady said.

The financial performance of SABIC, which makes petrochemicals, metals and fertilizers, is closely tied to the world economy because its products are used extensively in construction, car manufacturing and other major consumer goods. Other large chemical makers have seen their profits grow sharply in the third quarter. Germany’s BASF posted better-than-expected quarterly profit after carmakers’ demand for catalytic converters and high-tech plastics helped offset weak overseas currencies.

Dow Chemical’s net income rose 20 percent, helped mainly by its plastics, packaging, coatings and electronics businesses. SABIC, which employs 40,000 people around the world, relies heavily on natural gas as a raw material for its chemical business, and is facing increased competition from the United States where a shale gas boom has made new supplies available.

Last month, SABIC printed a $1 billion five-year bond, its first since 2010, attracting commitments from investors worth $5.25 billion. SABIC shares dipped 2.4 percent yesterday on the profit statement. They have gained 17 percent year-to-date. — Reuters

An Afghan elderly man makes stone beads at his shop in Kandahar yesterday. — AFP

Indian business delegation to visit Kuwait tomorrow KUWAIT: The Embassy of India, Kuwait and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), the largest and oldest non-government, not-for-profit apex business organization in India, are organizing a visit of a 23-member Indian Business Delegation to Kuwait from October 29-30, 2013.

The Indian delegation, led by Hiten Haresh Bhuta, CEO, CGS Infotech Ltd, will be having an interactive business meeting with Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) and Kuwaiti business community at KCCI’s Al-Boom Hall (11th Floor) on October 29, 2013 at 10 am, a press release issued by Indian Embassy Kuwait said.

In continuation of the above event, a business-to-business (B2B) meeting is also being organized by FICCI at KCCI Hall

(ground floor) on October 29 immediately after the meeting until 6 pm with a lunch break from 1 pm to 2.30 pm.

The B2B meet would provide an excellent opportunity to meet the Indian manufacturers and exporters in a variety of fields including heavy fabrication/ technological structures and engineering products; food processing machines; manufacturers of PVC pipes, wires and cables; turnkey solutions for pharma, heathcare, oil and gas, food and beverage, electrical and telecommunication; stainless steel fabrication; medical equipments; building and construction materials; civil engineering products and test equipments; real-estate; logistics service provider to engineering industry and IT logistics; sports equipments; sandstone and limestone, etc, the release added.

EXCHANGE RATES Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES 2.910 4.592 2.649 2.161 2.874 230.670 36.431 3.626 6.559 9.105 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES Saudi Riyal 75.350 Qatari Riyal 77.639 Omani Riyal 733.920 Bahraini Dinar 750.500 UAE Dirham 76.951 ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 41.100 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.544 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.318 Tunisian Dinar 174.350 Jordanian Dinar 399.030 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.896 Syrian Lira 3.070 Morocco Dirham 35.306 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 282.450 Euro 394.440 Sterling Pound 461.240 Canadian dollar 274.220 Turkish lira 142.650 Swiss Franc 321.510 Australian Dollar 274.540 US Dollar Buying 281.250 GOLD 20 Gram 248.000 10 Gram 125.000 5 Gram 65.000 Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal Irani Riyal

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

SELL DRAFT 276.84 278.04 320.30 392.47 281.85 461.29 2.96 3.625 4.588 2.157 2.878 2.658 76.81 750.17 40.90 401.14 732.99 77.83 75.29

SELL CASH 276.000 278.000 320.000 394.000 284.600 462.000 3.000 3.700 4.850 2.600 3.400 2.750 77.100 751.000 41.000 406.200 739.100 78.200 75.500

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen

Selling Rate 282.200 273.175 457.715 390.670 316.630 745.145 76.810 78.360 76.120 397.805 40.905 2.160 4.587 2.650 3.625 6.546 693.140 3.890

Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

Singapore Dollar South African Rand Sri Lankan Rupee Taiwan Thai Baht

10.085 3.045 3.865 90.230

Bahrain Exchange Company CURRENCY Belgian Franc British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Romanian Leu Slovakia Swedish Krona Swiss Franc Turkish Lira Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar Canadian Dollar US Dollars US Dollars Mint Bangladesh Taka Chinese Yuan Hong Kong Dollar Indian Rupee Indonesian Rupiah Japanese Yen Kenyan Shilling Korean Won Malaysian Ringgit Nepalese Rupee Pakistan Rupee Philippine Peso Sierra Leone

BUY Europe 0.007340 0.450181 0.006598 0.048176 0.384238 0.043917 0.081499 0.008080 0.040722 0.310218 0.141250 Australasia 0.262621 0.227993 America 0.265134 0.278350 0.278850 Asia 0.003402 0.044955 0.034343 0.004504 0.000021 0.002817 0.003409 0.000255 0.085872 0.003011 0.002503 0.006435 0.000069

SELL 0.008340 0.459181 0.018598 0.053176 0.391738 0.049117 0.81499 0.018080 0.045722 0.320418 0.148250 0.274121 0.237493 0.273634 0.282700 0.282700 0.004002 0.048455 0.037093 0.004905 0.000027 0.002997 0.003409 0.000270 0.091872 0.003181 0.002783 0.006715 0.000075

Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Iranian Riyal Iraqi Dinar Jordanian Dinar Kuwaiti Dinar Lebanese Pound Moroccan Dirhams Nigerian Naira Omani Riyal Qatar Riyal Saudi Riyal Syrian Pound Tunisian Dinar Turkish Lira UAE Dirhams Yemeni Riyal

0.225600 0.022750 0.001848 0.009496 0.008757 Arab 0.742748 0.038363 0.000078 0.000182 0.394155 1.0000000 0.000138 0.022571 0.001194 0.727603 0.076872 0.074683 0.001923 0.169458 0.141250 0.075919 0.001283

0.231600 0.031250 0.002428 0.009676 0.009307 0.750748 0.041463 0.000079 0.000242 0.401655 1.0000000 0.000238 0.046571 0.001829 0.733283 0.078085 0.075383 0.002143 0.177458 0.148250 0.077068 0.001363

Al Mulla Exchange Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 281.850 392.500 460.000 272.900 4.583 40.890 2.159 3.622 6.545 2.650 750.650 76.800 75.300

MANSOORI

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

BUSINESS

Foreign investors eye Japan’s little-known stocks TOKYO: A resurgent Japanese stock market has seen a big boom in shares of the country’s corporate titans, but now rich returns are waiting in small firms virtually unknown overseas, according to analysts. The likes of Sony and Toyota have seen huge gains since the start of the year as waves of overseas cash flooded into the long-lacklustre Tokyo market, nearly doubling the electronics giant’s stock while the world’s largest automaker jumped about 55 percent.

The Nikkei 225 stock average-a who’s who of corporate Japan-has surged 36 percent since January, staging a sharp recovery as Tokyo’s policy blitz of government spending and monetary easing helped set off a sharp decline in the yen.

That has boosted profitability among Japanese exporters and investors are hoping for more as earnings season gets under way this week.

But the multi-month surge on the Nikkei since late last year has stoked fears about overheating even as the index came off highs that saw it up about 80 percent at one stage. Small firms the next ‘gold mine’Now, some are looking beyond members of the bluechip index to the hundreds of other firms that populate the Tokyo Stock Exchange ( TSE), one of the world’s biggest equity markets.

“At first, monetary easing helped

Oil service firms rush to Saudi for busy drilling SAN FRANCISCO/KHOBAR: Global energy service giants are banking on a boom in Saudi oil and gas drilling over the next few years to revive profits that are being squeezed by overcapacity in the North American market. Schlumberger, Halliburton and Baker Hughes have all singled out Saudi Arabia as a major growth market for next year as they search the globe for better returns than the saturated U.S. and Canadian markets offer. Dozens of offshore and onshore rigs are being lined up for drilling in Saudi Arabia in 2014, and service companies are expanding their Saudi operations to meet buoyant demand. “We have a very close relationship with Saudi Aramco, and the plans that we see for next year are talking about 200 rigs,” Gabriel Podskuba, area manager for the eastern hemisphere at steel pipe maker Tenaris SA, told analysts earlier this month.

Industry sources in the Gulf said at least 160 rigs are currently deployed in Saudi territory and that the world’s top oil exporter plans to raise its rig count to 210 by the end of 2014. Aramco declined to comment.

Sources said earlier this year that Aramco was planning a sharp rise in rig use to look for unconventional gas, while increasing oil drilling to help keep its spare production capacity at comfortable levels. The rigs will be used for exploration, development and maintenance work across the kingdom, the sources said. Aramco is also ramping up drilling in offshore oilfields such as Safaniyah, along with the Arabiyah and Hasbah offshore gas fields.

It is not clear where all the rigs will be deployed because Aramco has yet to issue the tenders. Aramco is still appraising unconventional gas prospects in the southeast of the kingdom but has already announced plans for a shale-gas-fired power plant in the north. To rebalance its crude supply mix and extend the lifespan of mature fields, Aramco also plans to increase light sour crude output from two fields - Shaybah and Khurais - by 550,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2016-2017.

The world’s largest oil exporter has been pumping over 9 million bpd since early 2011 to make up for supply disruptions in other countries, and production has exceeded 10 million bpd since July, according to official government figures. Under pressure to make up for supply losses from Libya, Iran, Nigeria and Yemen over the past few years and to meet growing domestic demand, Aramco is investing heavily to preserve the world’s largest spare oil production capacity cushion at more than 2 million bpd. Saudi Arabia is the only country able to produce much more oil than it needs to. The size of that capacity cushion, which helps dampen price volatility, is a frequent subject of speculation in the global oil market.

“In the past two years alone, we have swung our production by more than 1.5 million bpd in order to address market supply imbalances,” Saudi Aramco Chief Executive Khalid al-Falih told the World Energy Congress in South Korea in mid-October.

Saudi government officials fear that very high oil prices could destroy long-term demand for their biggest export product. Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi reiterated last month that the kingdom has an oil production capacity of 12.5 million bpd. While Saudi Arabia is already a significant market for many oilfield services companies, the latest ramp-up in activity has caught the attention of the biggest players. Baker Hughes Inc forecast an “exceptionally strong” year ahead for the Middle East, underpinned by new contracts from the Gulf OPEC heavyweight. It forecasts the international rig count overall to increase by 5 percent to average 1,300 rigs in 2013. By contrast, it expects the US rig count to fall 9 percent from 2012 to 750 as the oil industry drills about 6 percent more wells per rig. Halliburton Co recently won a three-year contract to drill and complete new wells in an existing Saudi field, while rival Schlumberger Ltd. said last week it was transferring more people and equipment to Saudi Arabia to keep pace with the extra workload.

Last Wednesday, drilling contractor Nabors said it had been awarded deals to build 11 new rigs for deployment in the kingdom next year, increasing its Saudi fleet to 43 rigs.

In offshore drilling, Rowan, which already has nine rigs leased to Aramco, said last month it believed the Saudi offshore fleet would expand. Rival Ensco Plc also announced that one of its rigs currently off the Indian coast would head to Saudi Arabia next year on a threeyear job. Roger Hunt, a veteran marketing executive at offshore contractor Noble Corp, said the industry should watch Aramco closely in the coming months, because it was in the market for contracts of up to 10 years for shallow-water rigs. “That alone sends an interesting signal,” Hunt said. “They have always been opportunistic consumers of rig time.” —Reuters

boost prices of the biggest capitalisation shares... which made small-and mid-cap stocks relatively undervalued,” said Shun Maruyama, chief Japan equity strategist with BNP Paribas Securities in Tokyo. “Foreign investors see these smaller firms as a gold mine.” In fact, some have already made it onto investors’ radar screens. Discount retailer Don Quijote’s shares have doubled since January, SymBio Pharmaceuticals logged a 67 percent rally while Pickles Corp., Japan’s biggest pickle maker, has soared about 85 percent since the start of the year.

The weak yen makes exporters more competitive overseas and inflates repatriated foreign profits, but they are at the mercy of the ups and downs of currency markets-smaller firms that concentrate on the domestic market are often less affected by those fluctuations.

And they are set to benefit most from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s bid to reboot the economy by firing up consumer demand at home, analysts said.

Infrastructure firms are also set to notch up more business from disaster reconstruction projects and Tokyo’s winning bid to host the 2020 Olympics. Among the firms asset managers are buying include Sho-Bond Holdings, which repairs and reinforces concrete structures such as roads and bridges, seatbelt and

airbag maker Takata, and MonotaRO Co., which sells tools and parts to smaller manufacturers. “If you really want to find growing companies, you should target mid- and small- cap firms,” said Hideo Shiozumi, a fund manager with investment giant Legg Mason and also head of Shiozumi Asset Management. The longtime portfolio manager points to nursing care businesses that are capitalising on a huge demographic shift in rapidly ageing Japan. People over 65 make up about one quarter of the country’s 128 million people and that ratio is expected to balloon due to low birth rates.

“Who knows, the future of Japan Inc. could be represented by small firms,” Shiozumi said. After Japan’s late-eighties peak gave way to a deflated asset bubble and two decades of laggard growth, many foreign investors ditched small firms as they slashed their holdings in the country, making it a virtual investing pariah. “As a result, the number of analysts watching small companies declined sharply,” said Masahiro Fukuda, investment director of FIL Investment Japan, a Japanese unit of Fidelity Worldwide Investment.

That long-term trend has reversed with foreign investors pouring about $98 billion into the Tokyo market between January and September, about three or more times buying levels last

TOKYO: Operators at the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) monitoring the trading in Tokyo. A resurgent Japanese stock market has seen a big boom in shares of the country’s corporate titans, but now rich returns are waiting in small firms virtually unknown overseas, according to analysts. — AFP year and in 2011, according to TSE figures. Still, the Nikkei has so far outpaced gains among more than 1,000 small and mid-sized firms on the Topix index and any future boom among the smaller players won’t last forever, Fukuda said. “ The most important thing is for

companies, whatever size, to take advantage of the current upbeat business environment and turn it into sustainable growth over the next few years,” he said. “ The real test for investors and Japanese firms lies ahead.” —AFP

Lebanon’s gas, oil reserves may be higher than thought Political crisis hampering progress: Minister BEIRUT: Lebanese Energy Minister Gebran Bassil said new estimates for nearly half of Lebanese waters suggested the country’s reserves of natural gas and oil might be larger than previously thought.

“The current estimate, under a probability of 50 percent, for almost 45 percent of our waters has reached 95.9 trillion cubic feet of gas and 865 million barrels of oil,” he said. The estimates are based on seismic surveys conducted ahead of an auction for exploration rights which has already been delayed by several months by a political stalemate in Lebanon.

As Lebanon prepares to move toward exploring and developing its offshore oil and gas resources, Bassil said he hoped that hydrocarbon revenues would give the country “political, economic and financial independence”. “This definitely needs more exploration and drilling activities to get more precise figures, but this is an indication that with more work surveys and

analyses, we are getting higher results and higher expectations,” he said in an interview at the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit.

The figures are the first estimates by the government for such a large area of Lebanon’s 10 exploration blocs, which range from 1,500 to 2,500 square kilometres, and appear to imply higher reserves than several previous estimates.

A 2010 US Geological Survey study estimated that the Levantine Basin, an area of 83,000 square km which includes waters outside Lebanon’s jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean, held 122 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas and 1.7 billion barrels of recoverable oil. An analyst at survey firm Spectrum estimated in May that the country’s total deepwater gas reserves could be up to 80 trillion cubic feet. Lebanon has been hoping that sizeable gas discoveries could help address both its high level of government debt and

its chronic domestic power shortages. But progress will be difficult given the country’s political turmoil, after Prime Minister Najib Mikati resigned in March amid partisan squabbling that has stalled most government decisions. Earlier this month, Bassil said he had delayed Lebanon’s offshore gas licensing round by another month until January after politicians failed to form a new government, which is needed to approve decrees to launch the bidding process.

Without approval of those documents, Lebanon’s efforts to exploit maritime reserves are on hold and 46 companies it selected in April to bid for gas exploration will have to wait.

Bassil said that although no companies had formally withdrawn from the bidding round because of the delays, some were “hesitant and there are questions being raised”. Drilling could also be delayed in southern exploration blocs by disputes

over a maritime border between Lebanon and Israel that has never been delineated because the two countries are technically at war.

Bassil warned in July that Israel had the technical ability to draw from Lebanese underwater gas fields. Israel’s Energy Ministry declined to comment on Bassil’s remarks.

In addition to the tensions within Lebanon’s cabinet, economic activity in the country has been hurt by a spillover of sectarian violence from the Syrian civil war next door; clashes continued on Sunday in the Lebanese coastal city of Tripoli.

Separately, Bassil said an onshore oil and gas survey was moving ahead as planned, in the hope that surveys of Lebanon’s Mediterranean waters could be matched by similar prospects on land.

He said one of five 2-D seismic surveys had been completed and a second was to start next week. — Reuters

Emaar launches $3bn project in Kurdistan ARBIL: Emaar Properties, Dubai’s largest property firm, launched a $3 billion development in Arbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, yesterday. The “Erbil Downtown” project is due to be completed in three stages over a period of around five years, or potentially sooner if market conditions are favorable, the company’s chairman said. “It will touch around $3 billion,” Mohamed Alabbar told reporters when asked about the project’s value.

The development will cover an area of 541,000 square metres near the city cen-

tre and include residential apartments, hotels and a shopping centre. Kurdistan has largely managed to insulate itself from the violent instability that has afflicted the rest of Iraq and has attracted foreign investment, particularly in the energy sector. Emaar, which reported a 50 percent rise in its third-quarter net profit last week, has expanded in the region after a property market slowdown in Dubai, which followed the global economic crisis. The developer has also launched projects in Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia and other countries. —Reuters

ARBIL: Chairman of Dubai’s Emaar Properties Mohamed Alabbar (center) and Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Nechirvan Barzani (second left) look at the architectural model of the “Downtown Erbil” project during its presentation yesterday in Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. — AFP

Egyptian Steel eyes leap in capacity, IPO CAIRO: Egyptian Steel is preparing for an initial public offer of its shares in 2015 and is on track to boost its production capacity several-fold by then, chairman Ahmed Abou Hashima said.

The company’s ambitions underline an important truth for Egypt’s economy: although many businesses have cut investment during the political turmoil of the past two years, they are ready to revive it quickly if stability returns.

The economic slump since President Hosni Mubarak was over thrown in Februar y 2011 has created a massive deficit of investment in the country of 85 million people, in areas ranging from heavy industry to services and basic infrastructure such as roads and power generation.

If Egypt’s army-backed government succeeds in its plans to draft a new consti-

tution and hold parliamentary and presidential elections early next year, the political environment may become stable enough for companies such as Egyptian Steel to pour billions of dollars into the economy.

“The market in Egypt is very promising and I believe in this market,” Abou Hashima, 38, said in an interview at the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit.

He cited Egypt’s large population and unsatisfied consumer demand.

Merger Egyptian Steel was established in 2010, a year before Mubarak’s overthrow, as a joint venture between Egyptian and Qatari interests that brought together three existing firms. Egyptian Steel now has capital of about 2 billion Egyptian pounds ($290 million), said Abou Hashima, who started

HONG KONG: Protesters with the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) rally outside the central government offices in Hong Kong yesterday, calling for the protection of local labor rights. —AFP

his career as a steel trader in the 1990s. The economic slump and disarray in the government since 2011 have hurt demand for cement and steel used in building infrastructure and luxury housing. Steel mills and other energy-intensive industries have faced power cuts or been forced to buy electricity from private suppliers at high prices. But the failure of post-Mubarak administrations to enforce building regulations triggered a boom in construction of low-cost housing, which has buoyed steel firms. Ezz Steel , Egypt’s biggest steel maker, said last week that its group net profit jumped 76 percent from a year earlier in the second quarter of this year. The armybacked government, which took power after Islamist President Mohammad Morsi was ousted in July, is now promising to resolve problems such as the power shortages, using $12 billion in aid promised by Egypt’s wealthy Gulf Arab allies.

A rise in the stock market, up 25 percent since Morsi was overthrown, is a tentative sign of growing confidence in the business sector. If it continues, the market could regain its role as an important financing source for companies such as Egyptian Steel; Egypt’s last IPO was in November 2010. “I expect it in 2015. I’m preparing myself from now,” Abou Hashima said of the Egyptian Steel IPO, adding that he would want to float between 25 and 30 percent of the company.

Expansion The next expansion step for Egyptian Steel, which now produces about 300,000 tons of steel a year at a plant in Port Said, will be the opening of an Alexandria plant with capacity of 250,000 tons.

“The factory in Alexandria was sup-

posed to open in June but there was a delay because of (the mass protests that led to Mursi’s overthrow) and delays in gas and electricity delivery to it. It will open in November,” Abou Hashima said. Two more plants in the Nile city of Beni Suef and Ain Sukhna on the Red Sea coast are due to open in early 2015, he said. The company’s total production capacity is to hit 2 million tons by 2017.

Financing has been hard for many Egyptian companies as banks have become risk-averse since the 2011 revolution, but it is not impossible. Abou Hashima said the firm’s expansion plans would cost about 5 billion Egyptian pounds; shareholders have already contributed 2 billion pounds and the firm signed for bank loans worth about 1.1 billion pounds last week. The rest of the money is to be raised via more loans and shareholder contributions.

The fate of heavy industry in Egypt has long depended to a large degree on the government, which has provided subsidies and regulatory support, and in many cases held large stakes in companies.

Abou Hashima said Egyptian steel also hoped for government support in the form of anti-dumping tariffs on steel imports, especially imports from Turkey. Egypt’s trade ministry said last month that it was studying the possibility of imposing antidumping duty on Turkish steel imports.

Relations between Egypt and Turkey have deteriorated since the overthrow of Morsi, who had close ties with Istanbul.

Cairo’s diplomatic relations with Qatar, which was a major supporter of the Morsi administration, have also deteriorated. But Abou Hashima said this would have no effect on his business.— Reuters

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

BUSINESS

Romanian farmers choose subsistence over shale gas PUNGESTI: The small hilly town of Pungesti in eastern Romania could be sitting on vast reserves of shale gas and US energy major Chevron wants to find it. But the people of Pungesti want nothing to do with it. Though most of them live off subsistence farming, social aid and cash from relatives working abroad, they would rather stay poor than run what they say is the risk of ruining their environment.

Villagers have set up camp outside the empty lot where Chevron aims to install its first exploratory well, blocking access and forcing the company to announce last week it was suspending work.

“Our kitchens are filled with homemade jams and preserves, sacks of nuts, crates of honey and cheese, all produced by us,” said Doina Dediu, 47, a local and one of the protesters. “We are not even that poor,” she said. “Maybe we don’t have money,

but we have clean water and we are healthy and we just want to be left alone.” The decision to stop work at Pungesti - which was to have been Romania’s first shale gas exploration well - matters because of the message it may send about how welcome shale gas is in eastern Europe.

Large parts of wealthier western Europe have shunned shale gas exploration because of fears about possible water pollution and seismic activity from the hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” process used to release it. The industry says the risks can be avoided.

While Britain decided this year to support shale gas exploration, France has a total ban citing ecological concerns and Germany is reviewing its position on shale. In poorer, ex-Communist parts of the continent the need to bring in tax revenues, cheaper fuel supplies and jobs has shown signs of trump-

ing the concerns, but to what extent is not yet clear.

Chevron, which has all the necessary permits for the exploration well at Pungesti, says it adheres to the highest safety standards.The exploration phase would last around five years and not involve fracking, the process whereby large amounts of water mixed with chemicals is forced into rock formations under high pressure to crack them apart and release natural gas.

Company executives met Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Monday while he was making a scheduled visit to Washington. “Emphasis was placed on continuing activities responsibly and safely for the environment, while at the same time giving communities the chance to have a conversation grounded in scientific data,” Chevron said in a statement.

Asked to comment on local concerns, the com-

pany said it tests groundwater before and after drilling to make sure it is not affected, carries out geological seismic surveys and keeps the community informed at every stage. In a detailed statement, it pointed to the widespread use of fracking in the United States and elsewhere and said it “is a proven technology that has been used safely for more than 60 years”.

But it is struggling to convince the people of Pungesti. Three public meetings held over the summer with Chevron and environment agency officials turned into shouting matches. Deputy mayor Vasile Voina says he believes people “were not sufficiently informed”.

Sprawled along a bumpy road, the town of 3,420 people is made of eight villages with narrow houses behind short, chipped picket fences, fat orange pumpkins dotting small plots of land and apples drying in the sun behind window panes. It does not have central heating or a mains water supply.

Even in this remote town, 340 km (210 miles) northeast of the Romanian capital Bucharest, the global debate about the impact of “fracking” has permeated. Several people said they had gone on YouTube to watch excerpts of the 2010 U.S. documentary “Gasland,” which purported to show the environmental damage caused by shale gas production. The energy industry disputes allegations made in the film, but it, and other sources, including activists and local clergy, have influenced opinion in Pungesti.

People say heavy equipment will ruin their roads. They fear fracking will cause earthquakes and pollute their water, risking their health, their cattle and their vegetable gardens. “If they put wells they will destroy farming,” said Andrei Popescu, 22. Prime minister Ponta has spoken of potential shale benefits, especially for a poor area like Vaslui county, which includes Pungesti. It receives heavy subsidies from the state. “Without investment, we can’t pay wages and pensions.

Projects can be improved ... but we cannot block investment,” Ponta has said. He toppled a previous government in May 2012 partially on an anti-shale message but his government has since thrown his support behind the project.

Chevron said studies by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Ground Water

Protection Council had confirmed no direct link between hydraulic fracturing operations and groundwater contamination. It says direct benefits include jobs and payments to contractors and suppliers and, during the production phase, taxes and royalties.

Some local people say they doubt the project would generate many jobs, or that they are qualified for them. If there is to be progress and investment, they say they would prefer a vegetable processing plant, abattoir or wind energy park.

“They could do anything else, why settle on underground gas,” said Daniel Ciobanu, a 40-yearold farmer.

Campaigning priest For all the concerns in Pungesti, many people in eastern Europe welcome shale gas. Governments in Poland, Lithuania, Romania and Ukraine are all keen to encourage exploration, although in Bulgaria it is banned. In Poland, the industry’s biggest shale gas hope in mainland Europe, exploration drilling is underway on several concessions.

The country, with a history of conflict with Moscow, sees shale gas as a way of reducing dependence on Russian gas imports.

Yet even in Poland, some local people, backed by environmental campaigners, have staged protests. At one of Chevron’s Polish shale gas concessions, near the village of Zurawlow, local people occupied a work site when contractors started trying to erect a fence.

Around 800 locals, neighbours, activists and the clergy gathered for a protest next to Chevron’s concession in Pungesti last week. In sunny but icy weather, they carried banners that read Stop Chevron, Resist and God is with us.

Clad in his black habit, Father Vasile Laiu, an Orthodox priest from the nearby city of Barlad and one of the most outspoken local opponents of fracking, asked people to kneel, then led them in prayer.

Up to 50 villagers that have been taking turns staging a round-the-clock vigil, blocking access to the lot, said they were preparing for a long haul.

They have pitched tents and dug a lavatory pit.

“Can we live without water?” one of them asked the crowd on a microphone. The air carried faint smells of incense. “No,” the demonstrators replied.

“Can we live without Chevron?”“Yes.” — Reuters

Focus on Facebook, Apple and the Fed NEW YORK: The Federal Reserve meeting this week is not on the minds of as many people as when it met in September, but its decision to do nothing last month is providing the fuel for more share gains in Apple and Facebook, which will report results.

Facebook is only slightly off an all-time high, and Apple has recovered somewhat from losses earlier in the year after investors have poured money back into stocks, bringing the S&P to successive records that some say may not be supported by corporate results. The numbers from Facebook and Apple are among those that will be closely watched - and investors say at their current levels, the margin for error is slim.

Nearly half of the S&P 500 companies have reported third-quarter results so far, and 69 percent have beaten Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S estimates. The technology sector has led the way, beating expectations 84 percent of the time. The most recent companies to do so were Amazon.com and Microsoft , whose results led the S&P to close at an all-time high of 1,759.79 on Friday.

Companies already stretched to high price-toearnings multiples, like Facebook, will have to outpace expectations to keep investors buying.

“There is not a lot of room for error, especially with these names with a lot of momentum behind them. You have to beat the numbers pretty handily,” said Daniel Morgan, vice president and senior portfolio manager at Synovus Trust Company in Atlanta, who focuses on tech stocks.

That’s where the Fed comes in. Some of the riskier names and high-dividend payers had pulled back in the late summer, anticipating the Fed would begin reducing monthly bond purchases beginning at its September meeting.

But that did not happen - and since then, stocks have been unimpeded, save for the 16-day government shutdown that didn’t scare too many people. The Federal Reserve will hold its October meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday. But earnings will overshadow the central bank, as it is expected to maintain its current policy, in part because of the economic hit that resulted from the shutdown.

“So far, this earnings season has been pretty balanced and on the positive side,” said Paul Mangus, head of equity strategy and research for

Wells Fargo Private Bank in Charlotte, North Carolina. “If that continues into next week, and we’re not expecting anything out of the Fed, it could continue to support markets on current levels.”

Mangus noted that expectations for the third quarter were low, so beating earnings estimates is not a particularly bold sign of strength. Many companies were able to create earnings without actual revenue growth, so 46 percent of results so far revealed lower-than-expected revenue growth.

“The sales numbers have been anemic. We’re pretty flat in terms of across the board revenue,” Mangus said. For last week, the Dow was up 1.1 percent, the S&P rose 0.9 percent and the Nasdaq gained 0.7 percent.

About 24 percent of S&P 500 companies will report third-quarter earnings this week, among them heavy hitters such as General Motors and Visa. But Apple, reporting on Monday, and Facebook, on Wednesday, are likely to be the most-watched names.

“These are big names that people like to look at and they create a feeling about the market,” said Synovus Trust’s Morgan. He said he will be looking to see if Apple has reversed the negative trend in iPad sales of the second quarter. But, he noted, Apple’s multiple is low, at a 12.25 price-toearnings forward ratio, compared with Facebook, which has a 55.45 P/E multiple.

Right now, the market is optimistic, particularly for Facebook options. That market is pricing in more upside risk than downside risk for Facebook shares heading into earnings. A metric known as skew, which measures the perceived volatility priced into out-of-the-money puts versus out-ofthe-money calls on a stock, is inverted - meaning it costs more for options that anticipate upside rather than downside.

“This is the opposite of what we typically see in the stock market, since most investors are long stocks and therefore more concerned about downside risk,” said Matt Franz at Stutland Volatility Group in Chicago. Second only to technology, the energy sector of the S&P 500 has beaten analysts’ earnings expectations in 73 percent of the results reported so far. The focus will stay on the group this week, with results from Exxon, Chevron and Valero. — Reuters

Tunisia’s Syphax Airlines rare Arab Spring success story TUNIS: The growth of a small Tunisian airline over the past two years is a rare success story in an economy ravaged by the country’s 2011 revolution - and it points to the potential for more successes if political stability can be restored. Corporate investment and tourist arrivals have shrunk while unemployment and inflation have risen since the overthrow of Tunisia’s autocratic leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011 launched a protracted period of political tensions.

Two murders of left-wing politicians triggered months of unrest this year; the ruling Islamist party and the opposition began talks last week on forming a non-partisan cabinet that will hopefully govern until elections next year. It has been a poor environment in which to run a business, but Syphax Airlines has grown since Tunisian businessman Mohammed Frikha established it in 2011, just months after the revolution. Syphax, which links Tunisian cities to destinations such as Paris, Istanbul, Jeddah and Tripoli in Libya, has expanded from operating two planes to four, and in July ordered six Airbus jets worth a total of $576 million, according to their list prices. “It is important to launch investments in times of crisis,” Frikha, 50, said in an interview at the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit.

“It’s true there are difficulties, but success may be double because of the availability of government

incentives and guarantees...This gives us an advantage over competitors which might invest after the crisis.” As a young man in the Tunisian commercial city of Sfax, Frikha initially planned to go into his father’s textiles business. But he studied communications technology in France and founded his first company, telecommunications engineering venture Telnet, in Tunisia in 1994.

Economists hoped the 2011 revolutions around the Arab world would unleash a wave of fresh investment, by loosening the grip of entrenched business elites who used their connections with autocratic governments to stifle competition.

For the most part, this has not happened so far; societies have been in too much turmoil. But it does appear to have happened in the case of Syphax.

Frikha noted that he had obtained a licence to launch his airline just months after the overthrow of Ben Ali - a process which could have taken years under the old regime. Syphax, which describes itself as a “hybrid” airline with characteristics of both budget carriers and full-service airlines, competes with state-owned Tunisair, the much larger flag carrier. Tunisair and Syphax have had a complex and sometimes rocky relationship, quarrelling publicly over the younger carrier’s right to expand its route network and arrangements for Tunisair staff to provide services to Syphax. — Reuters

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

BUSINESS

CBs expect to drive volatile markets NBK MONEY MARKETS REPORT KUWAIT: The ramifications of the government shutdown continued to affect the US market conditions this week.

Starting with warnings about the US credit rating, to the expectation of a Fed refraining from removing QE well into 2014, the US dollar was heavily sold across the board.

Although the week was quiet in terms of economic data, some Fed officials reiterated their concerns over the need of better labor market figures to support economic growth in the country amid the government’s partial shutdown, comments which added further pressure on the greenback.

Then the delayed US payroll number came out, and it had the effect of the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Indeed, despite higher revisions on employment numbers, the key market focus was the disappointing nonfarm payrolls, and as the US newspapers argued, “The job market isn’t making it any easier for the Federal Reserve to make decisions about its $85 billion monthly bond-buying programs.”

In summary, the weaker US payrolls number forced markets back into carry and risky trades this week on the view that the Fed’s taper had to be delayed well into the middle of 2014; and for now, risk assets are comfortable grinding higher on prospects of unlimited continuous QE. Of course, the major winners tend to be the usual suspects; the Euro, the Pound and the Swiss Franc.

In summary, the Euro continues to be the best per forming currency as investors continue to perceive the European crisis as an old nightmare, hence giving it back its safe haven status. The Euro reached a high of 1.3832 on Friday, to end the week at 1.3802.

Although the Bank of England stated in its release of the MPC committee minutes that policy makers were unanimous in rejecting higher interest rates, the Pound continued to gain reaching a high of 1.6257 on Thursday to end the week at 1.6165 In Asia, Japan’s trade deficit continued widening after the number released in the beginning of the week posted a seasonally adjusted trade deficit of 1,091.3bnyen in September, climbing from Augusts’ 820.8bnyen deficit, thus showing a continued weakening in the

momentum of the trade balance recovery. Investors’ disappointment translated into a poor price action in the dollar yen, doubting the effectiveness of the Bank of Japan policy actions. The Yen strengthened to reach a high of 96.94 against the Dollar, however closed the week at 97.47. In the commodity complex, Precious metals had a strong recovery after the US economic data. Indeed, the weak September US non-farm payroll pushed gold and silver prices 2.0 percent and 2.3 percent higher on the day and up 2.5 percent and 4 percent for the week, respectively. Another supportive factor for the gold market appears to

be a strong physical demand out of China perceived to be the world’s largest consumer and importer of gold jewelry this year.

Looking ahead, the next event risk will be the October US ISM report, which is to be released next week. A miss on that front could see Gold prices move sharply higher Markets disappointed September payrolls rose +148k, with net +9k revisions to the prior 2 months.

The 3 and 6-month moving averages stand now at +143k and +163k, respectively. At the sector level, construction jobs rose +20k-the largest increase since last Feb (+48k). Manufacturing increased +2k compared to a gain of +13k in the prior month.

On the other hand, the unemployment rate fell one-tenth to 7.2 percent.

The decline in the unemployment was a “good decline” in the sense that it was not due to individuals leaving the labor force. The Household survey showed an employment increase of +133k, while unemployment fell -61k. At the same time, the labor force participation rate remained unchanged at 63.2 percent.

The employment-population ratio was also steady at 58.6 percent. This suggests that the participation rate may be in the process of stabilizing and could ultimately turn higher.

Bank of Canada lowers forecasts The Bank of Canada reiterated this

week that it continued to expect the global economy to expand modestly (2.8 percent) on 2013 although it considered that the composition of global growth was now slightly less favorable for Canada. BoC dropped its global growth forecast slightly lower from 3.5 percent to 3.4 percent for 2014 and from 3.7 percent to 3.6 percent for 2015. The Bank indicated that this slower pattern of growth was primarily due to a softer economic outlook for the US where it now sees growth of 2.5 percent in 2014, down from its previous projection of 3.1 percent. Despite the slight improvement in US growth, the Bank now expects Canada to grow by 2.6 percent in 2015 compared to its previous estimate of 2.7 percent. They also removed any reference to a potential normalization of interest rates over the next twenty-four months.

Euro level Another boost to the Euro came after the ECB executive board member Joerg Asmussen mentioned this week he had no specific worries about the Euro’s exchange rate, even as the single currency’s strengthening against the US dollar could potentially undercut the bloc’s nascent economic recovery. “In nominal terms and in real effective terms, which is more important, it is within the band we have seen for the last ten years. I don’t have any specific worry on the exchange rate,” he said in an interview with Italian newspaper. He also reiterated that the ECB did not have an explicit exchange rate target. He said that the exchange rate is factored into the ECB’s forecasts for inflation and growth,.

Disappointing German Optimism while Real Estate Might Be overvalued.

German business optimism dropped in October more than expectations, in a sign that Europe’s fledgling economic recovery is less than robust. The Ifo index slipped to 107.4 points in October from 107.7 the month before. Market expectations were for a modest rise to 108.0. It was the first decline after five months of increases and follows a dip in surveys of activity in the services and manufacturing sectors.

On a different note, German newspapers reported that Germany ’s “Bundesbank has warned that apartment prices in Germany’s biggest cities could be overvalued by as much as 20 percent, stepping up its concern about a real estate boom in the country. The warning will feed into German concern that the European Central Bank’s monetary policy is far too loose for the country and the single currency monetary policy could not fit all member of the euro zone equally.

UK recovery Bank of England Mark Carney pledged this week to households that he will not rush to raise interest rates or withdraw emergency support for banks and businesses.

On the economic side, the UK economy grew at its fastest pace for three years in the third quarter of the year as GDP increased by 0.8 percent. the number represents the third successive period of improving output and the best

performance since the second quarter of 2010. The figures saw a 2.5 percent surge in construction. According to Carney, “The recovery has begun, it is strengthening. But we are not going to withdraw monetary stimulus until it has gained that traction.” The Governor warned that the recovery was still too concentrated in the South East and in the housing and financial sectors to be considered sustainable.

Asia Australia’s low interest rates, weaker currency and improving sentiment should help revive growth in industries outside resources, central bank Deputy Governor Philip Lowe said.. Lowe also cited a better outlook in the manufacturing and tourism industries after an 8 percent drop in the exchange rate against a basket of other currencies since April, which has aided firms that boosted their efficiency. “A further depreciation would be helpful in rebalancing growth in the economy, the deputy governor said, referring to the local currency.

China’s positive data Over the past week, China’s housing bubble has become a leading story in the news with banks caught with a bout of nervousness, hence seeing the repo rate spike to a four-month high of 5.7 percent. Market concerns come off the back of recent headline data that showed exceedingly high property inflation. On a more positive news, , China released their Q3 GDP figures in line with expectations at 7.8 percent, driven by firmer foreign and domestic demand which lifted factory production and retail sales. Also, China’s manufacturing activity expanded at its strongest pace in seven months with HSBC’s preliminary purchasing managers’ index (PMI) coming at 50.9, a significant improvement from last month’s 50.2 and the highest since 51.6 in March. The jump was mainly a result of government stimulus since late June that included increased rail and urban fixed-asset investment, tax cuts and looser monetary policy.”

Kuwait Kuwaiti dinar at 0.28160. The USDKWD opened at 0.28160 yesterday morning.

Strained finances trip up French firms’ recovery Govt counting on investment to boost recovery

MUMBAI: People walk through The Centre One shopping mall. —AFP

Failed malls in India point to soured retail boom MUMBAI: The Centre One shopping mall on the outskirts of Mumbai is gloomy and bereft of customers, even during India’s annual festive and wedding season when retailers traditionally cash in.

“Business is dull, usually weak,” said one bored-looking fashion salesman. The shopping centre’s empty look is no exception. In the past decade, supermarkets and malls have spread across India’s large cities and towns, fuelled by fast economic growth and excitement about middle-class buying power.

A “Malls in India” report released by Images Research last month found 470 shopping centres were operational this year, up from just 50 malls in 2005, and expected to soar to 720 by 2016.

“But over 90 percent of India’s malls are struggling,” said Susil Dungarwal, founder of Beyond Squarefeet, a mall management and advisory firm based in Mumbai.

“Just 15 of these can be counted as running successfully.” India’s middle-classes with their rising disposable incomes have long been considered a dream for mall-builders.

The country’s retail sector is set to grow at an annual rate of 16 to 19 percent, reaching 56.8 trillion rupees ($901 billion) in 2016, the Images Research report shows.

The government has also relaxed foreign investment rules in a bid to attract international supermarkets and boost the economy through retail. But Dungarwal and other analysts say the majority of India’s shopping centres are struggling with a potent mix of high real-estate prices, bad planning and sluggish demand as the economy slows. When it opened in 2003, the 150,000-square-foot (14,000-square-metre), three-storeyed Centre One was billed as the first world-class mall in Navi Mumbai, a satellite town that is filled with apartment and office towers.

But competition from larger, betterdesigned malls such as Inorbit and Raghuleela, which sprung up nearby later, drew the crowds away. In the last year alone, Mumbai suburbs have seen the Milan Mall and the City Mall shut down, while others

such as Evershine and Mega Mall are struggling to stay afloat, analysts say.

“There is a huge mismatch between the demand for consumption and the pace at which retail real estate is expanding,” says Saloni Nangia, president of consultancy Technopak.

India’s slowing economy, with growth at a decade-low of 5.0 percent in the year to March 2013, has put a firm dampener on spending. But other factors are compounding the troubles at the tills. Over the past decade, builders and developers have rushed to build without paying sufficient attention to what a mall requires to survive. Until recently, most ignored the so-called “catchment” area, analyzing the geographical area from which a mall attracts most of its visitors, experts say.

In the northern Indian city of Gurgaon in Haryana state is the hyped “Mall-Mile”-a vast stretch of nearly a dozen shopping malls, built almost one after another. “Not all of them are working out,” said Devangshu Dutta, chief executive with retail consultancy Third Eyesight, adding that they were all chasing too few shoppers.

The oversupply of malls means many have empty space: about a fifth of Centre One lies bare and so does up to 75 percent of the Dreams Mall in Bhandup, an eastern suburb.

Mumbai’s Atria, once a packed mall, now has “For Rent” signs coming up and looks deserted, with low footfalls owing to “bad designing, causing people to miss stores,” Dungarwal said. Another nearby mall, Sobo Central, is unable to draw the crowds as it does not offer a food court nor a multiplex.

“People do not go to a shopping mall to shop. They go there for the experience, to hang around,” said Dungarwal. India’s real estate is amongst the steepest in the world, and Kishore Bhatija, owner of Inorbit Mall, said costs have risen by 300 percent in Mumbai, which is 50 times more than markets such as Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai or Kolkata. Retailers are therefore facing the double whammy of spiralling real estate prices and sluggish sales. —AFP

PARIS: Squeezed by thin margins and high debt, French companies will struggle to ramp up the investment spending on which President Francois Hollande’s government is banking to underpin a fragile recovery. Hollande’s government has hung its 2014 recovery hopes on business investment taking over consumer spending traditional role as the motor of growth in the euro zone’s second largest economy.

It expects growth to reach at least 0.9 percent in 2014, counting on a corporate tax credit scheme to boost overall business investment by 1.5 percent and even more for spending on new equipment even though spare capacity is ample at nearly six percentage points below the longterm average. “It’s all just political mumbo-jumbo,” said Pierre Vauterin, chief executive of CBA, which makes airplane parts outside Paris and employs about 65 people.

“I don’t see any grounds to prophesy an investment rebound,” added Vauterin, who said his company’s 2014 budget would focus what little investment was possible on improving quality and performance rather than boosting production.

Under the tax credit scheme designed to cut labor costs by 10 billion euros ($13.8 billion) next year, the government sees average French operating margins rising to 28.7 percent from an estimated 28.2 percent this year. By 2015, it hopes to have cut labor costs by 20 billion euros or six percentage points.

But France has the weakest margins in Europe, and analysts say such improvements will do little in the short term to restore French profitability to levels enjoyed elsewhere in the euro zone, where the average operating margin is nearly 38 percent. “There’s a real problem with profit margins and this problem is going to hold back any recovery because there will be fewer means to invest,” Bank of France head of structural analysis Gilbert Cette said.

Forecasting 0.7 percent growth on average for next year, economists polled by Reuters are not too far short of the government’s own 0.9 percent target. But if any risks emerge to threaten that scenario, the corporate sector will struggle to pick up the slack. According to estimates compiled by Thomson Reuters, analysts see roughly flat capital spending by the 40 largest companies listed on France’s CAC-40 index.

Employees clean the highway from vegetables thrown by protesters as anti-riot policemen stand guard, yesterday in Pont-de-Buis-les-Quimerch, western France, a day after a demonstration against an ecotax that will come into effect on January 1, 2014. Demonstrators, who protested at the last ecotax control portal were still standing in the French western department of Finistere.—AFP Surviving, not thriving The weak profitability of French firms has meant they have taken on debt to try and maintain investment levels as much as possible, leading corporate debt to pile up to near record levels at close to 66 percent of economic output - a fact that further restricts room for manoeuvre.

Though Spanish and Italian firms shoulder much bigger debt burdens, they have better margins, and Spanish firms for their part are deleveraging quickly. Spanish firms have cut debt from about 118 percent of GDP in 2010 to less than 100 percent now.

Though business sentiment surveys suggest optimism is rising among French firms, many executives remain stuck in a retrenchment mindset rather than in the mood for expansion.

Chief financial officers’ top priority remains cutting costs followed by expanding margins through internal growth, according to a survey of 74 CFOs by Deloitte. “Companies are going to try to scrape by next year by closely managing cash flow and investments,” Vauterin said, adding that he was careful to keep cash flow positive in order to steer clear of needing credit.

The phenomenon is visible from small and medium-sized firms like CBA, the aircraft parts manufacturer, right through to France’s top groups.

Eager to win back an investment grade credit rating, the top priority of building materials group Lafarge is to cut net debt to less than 10 billion euros this year and get it down to less than 9 billion next year.

In its last analyst conference call in July, management repeatedly stressed capital spending was subject to “strict discipline” and the little investment in the works would target fast-growing emerging economies rather than France. Also constrained by non-investment grade credit rating, power and infrastructure group Alstom lacks the financial muscle to buy businesses that would help it compete with bigger rivals like GE and Siemens, analysts told Reuters.

With the company balance sheet limiting investment options, CEO Patrick Kron says the focus is squarely on cost cutting. “This doesn’t mean that we’ll stop R&D (research and development) or that we’ll stop investing ... but we’ll tighten the bolts wherever it’s possible,” he said last month.

Rate risk Boosting growth to jump-start job

creation is the top political priority of Hollande’s government, with unemployment around 11 percent. But some companies acknowledge that any investment they make will not help that goal.

“What we’re seeing is investment to get productivity gains rather than increasing capacity,” said Pierre Marol, CEO of airport equipment firm Alstef.

Marol said new retirement rules requiring special compensation for jobs deemed particularly strenuous would encourage firms to invest in robotic machines, not workers.

Though historically low interest rates have allowed French companies to keep investment from collapsing, firms are particularly vulnerable to a rise in the cost of borrowing. “A rates increase would seriously weaken French companies’ financial situation and make financing investment much more difficult,” the Bank of France’s Cette said.

Wary of future rate rises, companies are rushing to lock in low rates on debt markets, where they can currently borrow even more cheaply than from banks, according to Bank of France data.

The government hopes smaller firms cut off from financial markets can secure funds at a new public investment bank.—Reuters

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

BUSINESS

The new MKZ: Technology drives Lincoln forward DUBAI: New technologies on the Lincoln MKZ deliver more power, safety, better fuel economy and an even more engaging driving experience, giving mid-size luxury sedan customers fresh reasons to consider Lincoln’s newest model debuting at this year’s GITEX Technology Week.

“If you want to see and drive the future of Lincoln, take a look at the exciting new Lincoln MKZ,” said Paul Anderson, Ford Middle East’s regional director of Marketing . “The latest mid-size luxury sedan from Lincoln signals the direction Lincoln is heading when it comes to delivering a refined and engaging driving experience.”

Some of the unique technologies featured on the new Lincoln MKZ are: Camera- and radar-based driving aids The new Lincoln MKZ offers the Lane Keeping System, a suite of advanced driving aids that helps drivers avoid drifting from their lane due to distraction or fatigue. Consisting of Lane Keeping Aid, Lane Keeping Alert and Driver Assist, the Lane Keeping System utilizes a mono-vision camera integrated into the rearview mirror to read the lane markers ahead.

Available radar-based (ultrasonic) driving aids further enhance the driving experience. Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Warning with Brake Support each use a long-range radar system that scans in front of the vehicle, automatically adjusting to traffic speed and providing a visual and audible alert when a potential front-end collision is detected.

Active park assist and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS(r)) with cross-traffic alert use multiple short-range wide-angle radar sensors. Each function provides a distinct benefit, ranging from making parallel parking easier to warning of oncoming vehicles while backing out of a parking space.

shift lever with a contemporary five-button interface and dramatically opens up the center console of the new MKZ. The individual buttons of pushbutton shift engage Park, Neutral, Reverse and forward gears in two modes, Drive and Sport.

A unique push-button shift Push-button shift is a unique execution that replaces the traditional mechanical transmission

Inflatable rear seat belts Rear seat passengers - often children or mature passengers - can be more vulnerable to head,

Lincoln drive control The new MKZ offers Lincoln Drive Control as standard. Lincoln Drive Control is an automatic system that delivers an ideal balance of a smooth ride with confident handling as it intuitively responds to driver commands and the road, making the new model the most refined and engaging MKZ ever.

Always on, Lincoln Drive Control orchestrates the performance of the Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) adjustable suspension, electric power-assisted steering (EPAS), engine, transmission, Active Noise Control (ANC), traction control and stability control systems.

The result is an unsurpassed combination of refined ride and engaging driving dynamics. CCD offers three modes (Sport/Normal/Comfort) that are accessible using MyLincoln Touch. Selecting “Sport” on the Push Button Shift gear selector enables a decidedly more sporty driving experience.

CCD contributes to Lincoln Drive Control’s transparent action by monitoring the car’s suspension settings up to 500 times per second. The realtime system adjusts the suspension up to 50 times per second to deliver more controlled handling with a smoother ride. CCD augments a highly developed chassis that includes a refined strut front suspension and an all new integral link rear suspension.

The new MKZ is the only sedan in its class to include Continuously Controlled Damping and Active Noise Control as standard equipment.

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller collects record 9 awards DUBAI: ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, the region’s leading public relations consultancy, has scooped nine awards at the International Business Awards 2013, including the prestigious gold Stevie for the Public Relations Agency of the Year in the Middle East and Africa for the third year.

The Dubai-headquartered agency, part of the WPP Group, which counts Emaar, Emirates NBD, Ford Middle East, McDonalds Arabia, and Nestlé Middle East amongst its clientele, was awarded a record two gold, four silver, and three bronze Stevies for PR campaigns for its clients including the UAE Government, the Dubai Expo 2020 bid, Emaar Properties, McDonald’s Arabia, and Reed Exhibitions.

With entrants from over 50 countries, the International Business Awards - or Stevies - are the world’s leading business awards and a benchmark for the industry.

The awards, which were presented at a gala dinner at the W Hotel in Barcelona, Spain, were selected by a judging panel of more than 250 leading business executives. “ The record-breaking success of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller at the International Business Awards is a true testament to the thought leadership of the agency in executing compelling and results-oriented communications campaigns. This year’s achievements, topped by the Public Relations Agency of the Year in the Middle East and Africa, reflects the extraordinary breadth of communications strategies rolled out by the firm. This success would not have been possible without the implicit trust of our clients in our competencies,” said Joseph Ghossoub, Chairman and CEO of the MENACOM Group, the regional parent company of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller.

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, which has a team of 150 professionals in 11 fullyowned offices across the Middle East and North Africa, won the gold Stevie in the PR Campaign of the Year - Events & Observances category for its work on Downtown Dubai New Year’s Eve Gala for Dubai-based developer Emaar Properties.

The celebration, which attracted more than 1.7 million visitors to Dubai, has established itself as one of the world’s most watched New Year’s Eve events. The communications program rolled out for the gala event was also awarded a silver honor in the PR Campaign of the Year Marketing/Consumer Services category.

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller ’s silver Stevies included PR Campaign of the Year - Community Relations for the ‘Be part of it’ Dubai Expo 2020 Ambassador

Campaign for work undertaken for Falcon Associates and PR Campaign of the Year Events & Observances for the 6th World Future Energy Summit 2013 and the 1st International Water Summit 2013 for Reed Exhibitions.

The ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey 2013, which polls more than 3,000 youngsters across the Arab world to present evidence based insights into the attitudes of Arab youth, was awarded a silver Stevie in the PR Campaign of the Year Public Service category. Other awards include a bronze honour for the PR Campaign of the Year - Public Affairs for the inaugural Government Summit 2013, which brought together leading public sector stakeholders from across the region to discuss best government practices, and the PR Campaign of the Year - Public Service and PR Campaign of the Year Issues Management for McDonald’s Arabia’s launch of nutrition labelling on its packaging.

Sunil John, Chief Executive Officer of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, said: “Our success at this year’s Stevie awards are a strong endorsement of our agency’s commitment to deliver the most effective strategies for our client’s business and communications goals. We are thankful to them for their support and trust in us, which will continue to inspire us to deliver innovative, strategic and results-based campaigns.”

He added: “Each of the award-winning campaigns is extremely special to us for the long-standing impact it has made on the community. While the Downtown Dubai New Year’s Eve Gala further established Dubai as the tourism hub of the region, the Ambassador Campaign for the Dubai Expo 2020 bid fostered civic pride in the city. In addition, the Government Summit 2013 set a new milestone in strengthening government services and will be remembered for the interactive session of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, with the UAE public.

“Highlighting the difference that our campaigns bring to the community, the McDonald’s Arabia campaign addressed the need to promote healthy lifestyles, while our work on the World Future Energy Summit complements the sustainable development initiatives launched by the UAE Government. The findings of our proprietary ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey 2013 too have lasting relevance, and continue to be a referral point on the aspirations of the region’s youth.”

(From left) Michael Gallagher, President and Founder of the Stevie Awards, with Sunil John, Chief Executive Officer, and Bashar Al-Kadhi, Chief Operating Officer of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, at The International Business Awards 2013. ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller won a record nine awards including the Gold Stevie for the Public Relations Agency of the Year in the Middle East and Africa.

chest and neck injuries. The available inflatable second-row, outboard safety belts spread impact forces across more than five times the area of conventional safety belts, reducing pressure on the chest while helping to control head and neck motion and helping reduce the risk of injuries.

SYNC with MyLincoln touch SYNC with MyLincoln Touch is standard in the new MKZ. The combined system makes it easier to use the entertainment, climate and available navi-

gation features as well as devices brought into the car (e.g., phones, PDA, MP3 players). Twin five-way controls on the steering wheel manage essential systems, and many functions can be voice-activated via SYNC. The new Lincolon MKZ is the official car of the show for this year’s GITEX Technology Week. Visit the Lincoln stand at GITEX for a unique virtual testdrive experience, and head over to Lincoln Middle East on Facebook and Twitter to follow the MKZatGITEX news and win prizes.

First Dubai, Al-Mazaya affiliate turns from loss to profitability 124 percent increase in operational revenues KUWAIT: First Dubai Company, one of Al-Mazaya Holding Company’s affiliates, has announced its financial results for the first nine months of 2013, shortly after a meeting of its Board of Directors chaired by Abdulaziz Loughani, Chairman of the Board - on October 24.

During the meeting, Ibrahim Al-Saqabi, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of First Dubai Company for Real Estate Development, said that, by the Grace of Allah, the company was able to shift from loss to profitability by virtue of the strenuous efforts of its management during the past few months. This yielded operating revenues that climbed by more than 124 percent year-on-year, distributed over revenues resulting from the sale of properties and other rental revenues from income-generating projects.

Commenting on the company’s financial results during the first nine months of 2013, Al-Saqabi said that First Dubai managed to generate revenues of KD4.4 million, up from KD1.98 million over the first nine months of 2012, while the company ’s net profits amounted to KD2.017 million, compared to a loss of up to KD900,000 in the same period last year. The total other comprehensive income of the company during the first nine months of 2013 was KD2.7 million, compared to a loss of up to KD395,000 in the same period last year. Al- Saqabi added that the positive financial results of the company are attributable to its success in the completion, delivery and sale of a large number of the real estate units in Dubai - adding more than KD3.3 million - as well as high rates in the income-generating projects on the lines of the Sk y G ardens draf t in the Dubai International Financial Centre - yielding period rental rates up 83 percent, exceeding million dinars.

Al-Saqabi also confirmed that the compa-

ny holds “tremendous” assets of KD66 million, compared to liabilities of KD12 million after it succeeded in reducing its financing expenses and turned short-term commitments to longterm commitments, as is compatible with Islamic Law. Additionally, the company had succeeded in earlier years to hold considerable allocations exceeding 40 million dinars, which had a great impac t in ridding the budget of any financial implications. He said that First Dubai is moving steadily forward in its preparation of a firm work plan to set up new projects and make feasible investments in light of financial stability and real estate recovery. These include the residential and commercial land draft in “Shams Abu Dhabi”, located in Al-Reem Island, which the compa-

Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive offers 3 2013 Chevrolet Cruze cars as prizes KUWAIT: Due to its commitment to educate and inform its customers to exclusively use authentic, high-quality spare parts so as to ensure their car as well as their own safety on the road, Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive, the exclusive distributor of Chevrolet and Cadillac vehicles in Kuwait as well as one of the largest distributors of genuine spare parts from General Motors and ACDelco products, has launched a new promotional offer on spare parts that gives customers the chance to enter a draw to win one of three new 2013 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles with every KD25 purchase they make. Customers’ winning chances increase as a draw on one car is held every month.

Customers who wish to purchase genuine spare par ts from Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive’s auto parts and ACDelco centers may visit any of the places where these products are located including Shuwaikh, Sharq, Canada Dry Street, Jahra, Shuwaikh -Makhfar street and Fahaheel. Every KD25 purchase gives customers the chance to enter the draw.

The first draw will be held on November 12, 2013, the second draw will be held on December 5 and the final draw will be held on January 8, 2014. Each winner will take home one of the three new 2013 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. The promotion’s duration period is from October 10 -

ny is studying the possibility of redeveloping with other investors. The company is also currently working on the development of middle-housing residential vouchers in the “Qpoint” Project, within the Liwan Residential System in the Emirate of Dubai.

Finally, Al-Saqabi said that First Dubai - 91 percent owned by Al-M azaya Holding Company - is considered one of the most successful subsidiaries of its parent company. AlMazaya is keen to ensure First Dubai’s success and establish its position among the leading real estate corporations in the Arab and Gulf regions, especially after it was able to assume a firm status among the few companies that managed to overcome the consequences of the recent global financial crisis.

Al-Tijari announces winners of Daily draw with Najma Account KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the AlNajma Account Daily draw on 27th October 2013.

The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry represented by Mr. Saquer Al-Manaie.

The winners of the Najma daily draw are :• Maleeha Abdulmuhsen Mohammed Ali — KD 7000, • Katy Ibrahim Shammas — KD 7000, • Ammar Ameer Sarab Ameer — KD 7000, • Malek Ahmad Soukani— KD 7000, • Shireen Ali Helal Al-Shemari — KD 7000.

December 31, 2013.

The offer confirms Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive’s steadfast commitment on developing the best offers that truly benefit the end user on many levels including customer’s safety, providing the customer with budget-friendly options as well as adding a valuable edge with the rewarding opportunities that come from a simple, routine purchase.

The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the biggest daily draw in Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma account. Customers of the bank can now enjoy a KD7,000 daily prize which is the highest in the country and another 4 mega prizes during the year worth KD100,000 each on different occasions: The National Day, Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha and on the 19th of June which is the date of the bank’s establishment.

With a minimum balance of KD500, customers will be eligible for the daily draw provided that the money is in the account one week prior to the daily draw or 2 months prior to the mega draw. In addition, for each KD25 a customer can get one chance for winning instead of KD50.

Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this opportunity to congratulate all lucky winners and also extends appreciation to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for their effective supervision of the draws which were conducted in an orderly and organized manner.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

technology

High-profile filesharing site an anti-piracy honeypot NEW YORK: A high-profile file-sharing site has been revealed to be a year-long pirate “honeypot”, collecting data on users, file hosters and websites.

The revelation, which had users of the forum up in arms, accompanied the purchase of the UploaderTalk (UT) site

by US-based anti-piracy company Nuke Piracy.

A honeypot is a facility, in this case a site, run under false pretences that encourages criminal behaviour in an

effort to collect incriminating data.

“That’s right - the biggest swerve ever,” the operator of UT, known only as WDF, said in a statement about the purchase of the site. “I, WDF, work for the anti-piracy people!”

WDF, having previously been a senior member of another high-profile filesharing site called WJunction, started UT a year ago - a site designed to attract people who upload copyrighted files to file-hosting sites for profit, as well as

representatives of file-hosters touting affiliate and incentive schemes.

“UT was set up for a number of reasons. But mostly to be a sounding board, proof of concept ... and to collect data,” said WDF. “I collected info on file hosts, web hosts, websites. I suckered shitloads of you,” WDF bragged.

It is unclear what WDF or Nuke Piracy, a private anti-piracy firm, intends to do with the data collected. Nuke

Piracy, based in Arkansas, USA, clearly states on its website that it uses “proprietary and unconventional methods we do not discuss or disclose our methodologies, processes, and procedures publicly.”

It is likely that Nuke Piracy will use the data as par t of its anti-piracy actions, collected from UT and possibly WJunction as well, given that WDF had access to sensitive data on the site as a senior management including user

accounts.

“I work for Nuke Piracy now, this is very bad for anyone profiting from piracy,” proclaimed WDF. Nuke Piracy, which launched its own site and “IP theft and copyright infringement detection, mitigation, and prevention” services in February 2013, has repor tedly made several moves to acquire active piracy sites, set up honeypots, as well as an anti-piracy news site called CashWhore.net.

Technology still unable to extend human lifespan MOCOW: Unprecedented in terms of duration era of global economic stagnation continues. To break out of it, the world needs a powerful “kick” in the form of a landmark scientific discovery, for example, radical life extension. In the 20th century, scientists believed that soon they would find a theoretical path to immortality of humans. In the 21st century this research is forgotten. Why has it happened?

A few days ago, on Oct 10 in Stockholm Peter Higgs and Francois Engler were awarded the Nobel Prize for theoretical justification of the existence of the boson, a particle that allows other elementary particles to acquire mass. Previously, scientists at CERN announced that they were able to (possibly) detect the boson (possibly) after many years of experimentation. But The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) was permanently closed for upgrades, as for more accurate studies its power is insufficient.

In the 1990s, people read a good deal of translated literature on modern political science. The way the West senses the future, the way they see the future of humanity, was very interesting. Western elites along with a broad community of experts were expecting a technological revolution that would lay the groundwork for the successful development in the centuries to come. It should be stressed that these were the works of political scientists, sociologists, historians, philosophers, politicians, and intellectuals who in the 1990s determined the “today” and designed the “tomorrow” of the world. These people were not always experts in specific areas of basic science and were not always able to identify research risks. But in practice, they knew the society and shaped its future. Based on their opinions, in particular, decisions to support promising research programs were made.

The expected return on investment was projected. Through their effort the abovementioned LHC was funded and developed.

In the 1990s, a radical extension of human life seemed quite possible. It was expected that in the 20th century research in many areas of science will find a theoretical path to immortality of humans that will be practically approached in the 21st century. The second expected mega-revolution was a radical solution to the problem of body mass (for overcoming gravity). If it

were possible to “eliminate” the mass, the energy problems of mankind would be permanently solved, and the horizons to populate other planets of the galaxy would be opened. The terms of creation of the “gravity control technology” were not discussed, but the research was believed to be promising.

This faith in the research was confirmed by significant allocation of funds for the LHC. Unfortunately, the discovery of boson showed how long we would have to wait for a significant technological breakthrough in this field. Even if it was Higgs boson that was discovered in CERN it is clear that another decade of experiments at much higher power would be required. The working “gravity control technology” is nowhere in sight.

Even worse is the situation with a radical extension of human life. 20 years later, our present knowledge of life and death does not in any way imply the possibility of creating a “technology of immortality.” Even at the level of theoretical probability the research has reached a dead-end. It appears that the issue of immortality can only be solved by genetically modifying the humans, that is, by ending the history of the human race. Now there are even political movements advocating the idea of such a modification of the individual, in the absence of technology itself. The idea is being promoted by the media. There are works of popular culture based on this, in particular, the sensational film “In time” made in the USA in 2011. There are even parties of “immortalists.” Some individuals freeze themselves or try to “digitize their identity” through information technology.

Meanwhile, developed countries suffer from social pessimism. Since the early 2000s in Europe and America the unprecedented economic stagnation has been ongoing, occasionally interrupted by increasingly deeper recessions. Since 2005, there has been a gradual increase in the birth rate in Europe, a sure sign of “economic cooling” of the population. To make citizens work better, to break away from the newly developing countries, a powerful “kick “ in the form of a landmark scientific discovery is needed, for example, a radical life extension (“Immortality”). Or a technology to manage the mass of an object, providing great opportunities for traveling through space at low energy costs.

RJUKAN: Three giant mirrors erected on the mountainside above Rjukan, Norway, reflect sunlight towards the center of the town, on October 18, 2013. Rjukan, known among other things for its darkness in winter, is located in the bottom of a valley between steep mountains in Telemark County, some 150 km west of Oslo. The idea about mirrors reflecting sunshine to the town in winter was launched 100 years ago and it now becomes a reality by official opening on October 31, 2013. —AFP

Giant mirrors bring winter sun to Norwegian village OSLO: Residents of a remote village nestled in a steep-sided valley in southern Norway are about to enjoy winter sunlight for the first time ever thanks to giant mirrors. The mountains that surround the village of Rjukan are far from Himalayan, but they are high enough to deprive its 3,500 inhabitants of direct sunlight for six months a year. That was before a century-old idea, as old as Rjukan itself, was brought to life: to install mirrors on a 400-m high peak to deflect sunrays towards the central square. “The idea was a little crazy, but madness is our middle name,” said Oeystein Haugan, a local project coordinator. “When Rjukan was founded, it was a bit crazy to start a community in the middle of nowhere with this massive hydroelectric plant, huge pipes and a railway line to transport fertiliser to the rest of the world,” he added.

It was first mooted by Norwegian industrialist Sam Eyde, at whose behest Rjukan was established. Eyde founded Norsk Hydro and wanted to take advantage of an enormous waterfall to produce chemical fertilisers. From just 300 inhabitants spread out across scat-

tered farms in 1900, the population grew to 10,000 by 1913 and the ambitious industrialist endorsed a project to deflect sunrays into the village. “It’s one of the few projects that Eyde was unable to complete, due to a lack of appropriate technology,” mayor Steinar Bergsland said. Instead he built a cable car, which is still in use, to allow his employees to recharge their vitamin D levels with sunlight on a mountain top.

An artist Martin Andersen, who arrived in the village from Paris, picked up the idea around ten years ago. “The further we got into winter, the further we had to drive out of the valley to enjoy sunlight. So I asked myself: why not move the sunrays instead of moving ourselves?” he explained. The idea was challenged by other residents who questioned the appropriateness of investing public money in the project instead of in nurseries and schools.

“Some labelled it a Mickey Mouse project and it’s true it’s a little insane, but we have to think out of the box and explore new paths,” the mayor said.

Jakarta tweets to beat traffic chaos JAKARTA: Fed up with spending hours stuck in the gridlocked Indonesian capital Jakarta, hundreds of thousands of social media-savvy commuters are tweeting to beat the traffic.

The threadbare public transport system in the capital of Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, combined with growing spending power, has spawned vast numbers of motorists who are increasingly turning to Twitter to conquer jams.

Road users in Jakarta, the world’s most active city in terms of posted tweets, are using the microblogging service to warn fellow travellers of traffic-choked roads or arrange car pooling.

Resorting to the web is an act of desperation for drivers in the megacity of 10 million, branded the world’s most unpleasant place to commute in a 2011 survey by consultancy Frost and Sullivan.

Hendry Soelistyo was an early pioneer of online tools to tackle traffic in Jakarta, where commuters often spend up to five hours a day in a slow-moving sea of cars and motorbikes to get to work.

Four years ago the IT entrepreneur set up lewatmana.com, a website and associated Twitter account through which commuters can share real-time information about traffic conditions.

“Indonesians update their status on Facebook and Twitter all the time, so we thought, why not share information about traffic jams?” Soelistyo said.

Lewatmana, which means “via where” in Indonesian, mainly provides information about jams, but also flags up flooded roads or areas affected by the city’s frequent demonstrations.

The platform relies on its users as well as 100 CCTV cameras installed in office windows across the city to monitor traffic and send out pictures via Twitter.

The service, which fires out more than 14,000 tweets a month, has proved a hit and now has around 200,000 followers.

Another attempt to solve Jakarta’s traffic woes through Twitter is a car-pooling community called Nebengers, which translates as “hitchhikers” and aims to reduce the number of vehicles in the city centre.

“Nebengers is like a virtual car terminal, where we can hitch a ride to go to school or the office,” said founder Andreas Aditya Swasti, 27.

JAKARTA: Traffic jams in one of the roads in Jakarta. —AFP It is rare to give lifts to strangers in Indonesia but Nebengers has still drawn around 4,000 Twitter followers, with more than 400 people using the service every day to either get or give a lift.

People wishing to offer a seat in their car to others who share the same route put a message out two hours before the trip.

Ratna Mayasari, who works in the city centre and offers free lifts from her house in South Jakarta, said it helps to share her one-and-a-half hour commute with others.

“Before, I used to sing or even grumble at the traffic by myself, but now I have found friends to do that with me,” she said.

With a dilapidated public transport system incapable of serving the city’s population and huge volumes of new cars and motorbikes hitting the streets every day, Jakarta needs all the help it can get when it comes to traffic management.

Between 2000 and 2010, the number of motorbikes on the streets increased by 460 percent and the number of cars by 160 percent, according to the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The agency, a state-funded body that gives

out Japanese government aid and advice, is helping Jakarta fix its traffic woes.

Attempts by city authorities to reduce the number of vehicles, such as doubling the parking price, have largely proved ineffective. The latest initiative has seen officials deployed to let down the tyres of illegally parked cars and motorbikes.

Public transport, which mostly consists of run-down buses belching toxic black smoke and overloaded trains and minibuses, has proved an unattractive option for a fast-growing middle class that can now afford cars.

New mass transit projects-which have been delayed for decades-are slowly springing back to life, with ground-breaking ceremonies for both the city’s first subway and monorail taking place this month.

But with several years before these are up and running, Jakarta’s tweeters could find themselves managing the city’s chaotic roads for some time yet.

“Where else can you find citizens busying themselves with traffic management? Indonesia is probably the most active, because in other countries, it’s the government who is doing this stuff,” said Soelistyo. — AFP

Five million kroner ($849,000) was raised for the project - four million from sponsors - and now three 17-sq-m mirrors tower over the north side of Rjukan village. A computer will control the mirrors so that they follow the sun to reflect the light on the market square, lighting up a 600-sq-m elliptical area. The inauguration is scheduled for sometime next week, depending on weather conditions. “After basking in the sun, people are beaming themselves,” Haugan said after the final tests.

Besides getting more cheerful citizens, local authorities hope to capitalise on the extensive media coverage of the feat to bring in more tourists. Encouraged by its expected tourist revival, Rjukan even hopes to be included in the Unesco World Heritage List by 2015, as an example of human industrial genius. “We have already recovered our investment dozens of times over. Maybe not in cold, hard cash for the local council but in publicity and marketing value,” administrative head of the municipality Rune Loedoeen said. “Now it’s up to us to manage this asset properly.” — AFP

Indians, Chinese ‘out-educate’ Americans in maths, technology NEW YORK: Billions of people from countries like India and China are striving hard to “out-educate” Americans in mathematics and technology, President Barack Obama has said while stressing on education reforms to prepare Americans for a global economy where “jobs can go anywhere.”

“In previous generations, America’s standing economically was so much higher than everybody else’s that we did not have a lot of competition,” Obama said.

“Now you have got billions of peop l e f ro m B e i j i n g to B a n g a l o re to Moscow, all of whom are competing with you directly. And they are - those countries are working ever y day to out- educate and out- compete us,” Obama said in his remarks to students at the Pathways in Technology Early College High School in Brooklyn on Friday.

“A n d e ve r y ye a r b r i n g s m o re research showing them pulling ahead, especially in some of the subject matter that this school specialises in math and science and technology. So we have got a choice to make,” he said.

He said if the workforce is not educated enough, it will be left behind and find it hard to get a job that pays a living wage. “ We live in a 21st century global economy. And in a global economy, jobs can go anywhere. Companies, they are looking for the best-educated people, wherever they live, and they will reward them with good jobs and good pay,” the president said. “ We c a n j us t k i nd of s hr ug our shoulders and settle for something less, or we can do what America has always done, which is adapt. We pull

together, we up our game, we hustle, we fight back, we work hard, and we win,” he said.Obama joked that he had asked students at the Brooklyn school if they could help him help his daughter Malia with her math homework.

“I don’t know if some of you have experienced this where you get to the point where your children ask you for help and you suddenly realise you have no idea what’s going on,” he said amid laughter from his young audience.

The President said America has to educate its young people and prepare them for the global economy.

With the cost of higher education escalating, Obama said he is working hard to reduce the burden of student loans on young people.

“We need to bring down the cost of college and give more young people the chance to go to college. So a couple of months ago, I put forward an ambitious new plan to do that, to reduce the cost of college,” he said.

Obama stressed that America needs a budget that is responsible, fiscally prudent and one that “cuts what we don’t need, closes wasteful tax loopholes that don’t create jobs, freeing up resources to invest in the things that actually do help us grow - things like education and scientific research, and infrastructure, roads, bridges, airports.

Having dealt with the government shutdown, Obama has his eyes set on passing the countr y ’s immigration reforms.

“As we close out the new year, we still have a chance to get immigration reform done and a chance to affirm that we’re a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.” —- AP

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Scientists dig for fossils in LA a century later LOS ANGELES: Surrounded by a gooey graveyard of prehistoric beasts, a small crew diligently wades through a backlog of fossil finds from a century of excavation at the La Brea Tar Pits in the heart of Los Angeles. Digs over the years have unearthed bones of mammoths, mastodons, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves and other unsuspecting Ice Age creatures that became trapped in ponds of sticky asphalt. But it’s the smaller discoveries plants, insects and rodents - in recent years that are shaping scientists’ views of life in the region 11,000 to 50,000 years ago.

“Earlier excavations really missed a great part of the story,” said John Harris, chief curator at the George C Page Museum, which oversees the fossil collection. People “were only taking out bones they could see, but it’s the hidden bones that provide clues to the environment.” The museum on Monday celebrates 100 years of digging, which has recovered some 5.5 million bones representing more than 600 species of animals and plants, the richest cache of Ice Age fossils.

There’s so much left to do that it could easily take another century to complete.

On a recent Wednesday, a volunteer in a white lab coat pounded away at a bison skull in the museum’s fishbowl laboratory where visitors can witness paleontology in action. Nearby, two workers hunched over microscopes, sorting bone fragments belonging to extinct creatures. In the back storage, floor-to-ceiling shelves of wooden crates house bones that need to be cleaned, identified or labeled. The museum estimates it has 100,000 specimens to cata-

LOS ANGELES: Laura Tewksbury, top, and Karrie Howard excavate more than 42,000-year-old bison fossils with dental picks at the La Brea Tar Pits on Wednesday. — AP photos

LOS ANGELES: Assistant lab supervisor Beau Campbell, right, sorts the fossils in a glass-walled paleontological lab as a group of students tour the George C Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits.

log and another million to scrub.

Long before skyscrapers towered over Wilshire Boulevard, giant beasts ruled the land. Back then, sagebrush scrub covered the basin, home to herds of mammoths, bison, camels and ground sloths.

Mastodons hung out in the woodlands.

Lurking were meat-eating predators including saber-toothed cats, dire wolves and giant jaguars. Every so often, creatures would get bogged down in pools of water and asphalt that seeped from underground crude oil deposits, and die of dehydration or starvation. Stranded animals that appeared to be easy prey then

gawked from a viewing platform.

Museum officials temporarily halted digging at Pit 91 several years ago to concentrate on an unexpected trove of Ice Age fossils that was found during the construction of an underground garage next to the tar pits, located some 7 miles (11 kilometers) west of downtown Los Angeles.”I can’t think of any other site that is as rich,” said Sarah George, executive director of the Natural History Museum of Utah. Every time a foundation is dug, “more old blocks of tar filled with fossils came out of the ground,” said George, who used to work as a curator at the Natural History Museum of

became a trap for predators that also got stuck in the ooze. In 1913, the predecessor to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County launched a two-year project to uncover only the best-preserved mammal bones, largely ignoring everything else. Though the early digs gave scientists a glimpse into the types of animals that roamed, there was still much to be learned. After the early missteps, scientists in 1969 decided to focus on pulling everything out and revisited a tar pit dubbed Pit 91 to do a more detailed excavation. For nearly 40 years, work at Pit 91 dominated the Page Museum’s efforts as visitors

Los Angeles County.

Despite a century of digging, scientists still can’t agree on how the Ice Age beasts became extinct. Some suggested that the prehistoric predators may have competed with humans for similar prey and that carnivores ate carcasses out of desperation.

But Larisa DeSantis of Vanderbilt University said dental studies of saber-toothed cats and other carnivores suggest they were “living the good life” before they became extinct. Museum excavators plan to leave some fossils buried - in case better tools are invented to study them in the next century. — AP

Shave with any blade but choose the best shaving gel KUWAIT: If you think a first impression is everything, you’re probably right. But what’s also important is to keep the first impression going.

Helping you put your best self forward in the NIVEA MEN, the global leader in men skin care, re-introduces its men range in a fresh look giving men the right tools to look good and feel great everyday.

Men’s faces go through a lot during the day; men are expected to shave about 20,000 times in their life so preparation for the skin right before each go is crucial to help perfect grooming experience and to have an irritation-free shave. When you shave, the blade passes down the surface of the skin, the outermost layer of the skin is removed along with the hair. By removing this protective barrier, skin becomes dehydrated and the blade can also cause invisible microcuts, which can lead to irritations.

NIVEA MEN shaving gels contain vitamin E and moisturizers to help prevent moisture loss and keep skin looking healthy. The Ultra glide Technology , improves razor glide and helps protect against micro cuts, shave irritations, and provides a close and extra comfortable shave.

“Shaving is not always a fun experience especially when you get skin irritation from using the wrong products for your skin . With NIVEA MEN range of products we promise the freshest, cleanest look that suits every skin type and grooming routine you may have,” says Eli Abrass, Senior Brand Manager, NIVEA MEN MENA. Common shaving problems such as razor burns, cuts and ingrown hair can be prevented if you choose the right shaving gel or foam that will keep your skin hydrated and lubricated enough ,

“Whether you use a straight razor, a safety razor, or blades of ice hockey skates it doesn’t matter just shave with any fresh blade but choose the best shaving gels” concluded Abrass. NIVEA MEN knows men care best, here are some essential grooming tips: 1. Cleansing: Barbershop-style hot towels are great for priming your beard, but they’re not practical at home. A hot shower will have a similar effect, opening pores and helping soften the beard.

To make it easier to shave, clean the surface of your skin with NIVEA MEN Originals Refreshing Face Wash, which will help in reducing the likelihood of razor drag and a bad shave.

2. Shaving: Foam, cream, or gel. What you choose as your main shaving product is your personal preference.

To get a close shave, pull a patch of skin tight with one hand and, in one controlled movement, sweep the blade across the area, following the direction of the hair growth. Don’t use small, jerky movements or continually scrape away at the same patch. This will only cause more irritation. If the shave isn’t close enough, re-lather the area and go over it again. This time you can go against the grain if you absolutely have to.

3. Post shave care: Shaving is pretty hard on the skin, which makes the aftercare just as important as the prep.

A lot of guys still use a high concentrate alcoholbased after-shave or cologne when they’re done.

This is the worst thing you can do because the high alcohol in these products dehydrates skin and may increase the chance of post-shave problems.

After splashing your face with cold water to help close pores, reach for a soothing after-shave product. NIVEA MEN After Shave Balms or NIVEA MEN Face moisturizers immediately soothes discomfort after shaving and actively holds moisture in the skin against drying out.

Scientists Higgs, Englert given Spanish awards MADRID: Scientists Peter Higgs and Francois Englert, and the European CERN laboratory, have received Spain’s Prince of Asturias awards from Prince Felipe at a ceremony in northern Spain.

Higgs, 84, has also won the Nobel Prize in physics with Francois Englert, 80, for helping explain how matter formed after the Big Bang, when scientists believe the universe as we see it began. CERN, on the Franco-Swiss border, is where Higgs’ theory about how

subatomic particles get their mass was proven right by experiments using the Large Hadron Collider, the world’s highest-energy particle accelerator.

Other prize recipients Friday included American photographer Annie Leibovitz, Spanish golfer Jose Maria Olazabal, Austrian film director and screenwriter Michael Haneke and Dutch-American sociologist Saskia Sassen. The awards, created in 1981, are each worth 50,000 euros ($69,000). — AP

WEST VIRGINIA: In this Tuesday, Oct 30, 2012 file photo, fall colors are muted by snow on Interstate 68, in Preston County. — AP

CUBA: In this Thursday, Oct 25, 2012 photo, a classic American car drives along a wet road as a wave crashes against the Malecon in Havana.

How Sandy went from ‘boring’ to killer superstorm WASHINGTON: It was the moment a run-of-themill hurricane mutated into a monster named Sandy. Paradoxically, it was the same time Sandy lost much of its wind power, dropping from a hurricane to a tropical storm. It was a Friday night and Sandy had just passed the Bahamas and was being enveloped by an ordinary cold front coming off the Southeast. It was changing how it got its power, where its highest winds were and even what it looked like. But mostly it was getting bigger. Dangerously large. And then it merged with a second storm, turned record huge and pivoted toward the nation’s largest city.

It was that enormity that set off alarms in the people who knew weather, especially those living in the New York area. For a week forecasts placed Sandy on its path toward New York and it was it sticking to it. Months earlier, Princeton University professor Michael Oppenheimer had written a scientific study about the dangers of storms hitting the nation’s largest city, and now he was watching one develop. He was enthralled but fearful, hoping that the forecasts would change. “It was just this monster coming at us,” he said.

In the year since Sandy blew through the East Coast, meteorologists have pored over forecasts, satellite photos, computer models, and even the physical damage to try to get a sense of what made Sandy the demon it was. Put simply, what made the superstorm dangerous and freaky in more than a dozen different ways was a meteorological trade in: The hurricane lost some oomph in winds in return for enormous size.

And just like Katrina seven years earlier, Sandy caused so much havoc because of its record girth, National Hurricane Center Director Rick Knabb said, adding: “Smaller versions of those same storms would not have had the same scope of disasters.”

Sandy’s breadth pushed much more water into New Jersey and New York, dropped 3 feet of snow in West Virginia, caused 20-foot waves on the distant Great Lakes and registered other records reflecting whopping energy. It meant at least 182 deaths and $65 billion in damage in the United States, the second-costliest weather disaster in American history behind only Katrina, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“I don’t know if we’ll ever see another storm like this,” said James Franklin, hurricane center chief forecaster. “The atmosphere can do a lot of weird stuff. I don’t want more like this.” The ques-

tion is, How likely is it that there will be more?

Researchers continue to study whether Sandy was a forerunner of similar storms. “One of the major lessons scientifically is that there could be these configurations of meteorological events that can combine to be very damaging in ways that are surprising,” said NASA and Columbia University climatologist Cynthia Rosenzweig, who warned in a 2001 report of the kind of flooding that New York endured from Sandy. She said other cities around the world have learned from New York’s Sandy experience and are better preparing for flooding worsened by climate change and sea level.

A September study by NOAA found that sea level rise triggered by global warming is making Sandy-type flooding more likely. For example, the flooding that swamped Sandy Hook, NJ, last year would have been considered a once-in-435year event in 1950, but it is now a once-in-295year event. By 2100, it could become a once-in20-year event, the study said. In the past century, sea level in the New York region has risen about a foot, two-thirds of it caused by man-made climate change, said Princeton’s Oppenheimer. The result? Fifty thousand people suffered flooding from Sandy that wouldn’t have happened if not for global warming, he said.

Sandy wasn’t always a big bully. For several days, this looked like a “kind of boring” hurricane, said NOAA meteorologist Ian Sears, who flew into the storm three times in a hurricane hunter airplane. Then came Friday night, nearly three days before landfall in New Jersey, when the cold front chugging west hooked up with the tropical system steaming north. It wasn’t a marriage of equals. Sandy “was surrounded and absorbed as much as merged,” Franklin said.

Suddenly, everything changed. Sandy wasn’t getting its energy from warm water below like a normal hurricane but was being fueled from above. The strongest winds were about 100 miles to the west of the storm’s center, something quite un-tropical.

That moment “was absolutely critical,” said Jeff Masters, director of meteorology at Weather Underground and a former hurricane hunter meteorologist. “You had a wind field that more than doubled in less than one day. That’s a huge amount of power to put in one storm.” Sandy kept growing. Its band of tropical-storm-force wind stretched for a record 1,000 miles, nearly the distance from New York to Orlando. The size was “one of the biggest factors in the unusually large amount of surge in the New Jersey and

New York coastline,” said Jamie Rhome, the hurricane center’s chief for storm surge.

One way to measure a storm’s strength is how low the barometric pressure drops. When Sandy made landfall, it nearly set the record for the lowest central pressure measured north of the Mason-Dixon line in the United States. A NOAA experimental program measured Sandy ’s “destruction potential” for waves and surge at a record-high 5.8 on a 6-point scale. Masters said that meant Sandy’s winds “had the energy of five Hiroshima-sized A-bombs.” It was a “Godzilla-like beast of a storm,” he said. When Sandy combined with a second cold front, it regained some of its lost power. That’s when Sandy went “from ginormous to mega-normous,” said hurricane center specialist Eric Blake, who wrote the agency’s final 157-page report dissecting what made Sandy tick.

But more importantly, the second merger took the storm away from a path that would likely have curved harmlessly away from the coast.

Instead, it triggered a sharp left turn into New Jersey. That meant a worst-possible scenario with the storm pushing water in a direct perpendicular hit into land through a sheltered harbor, concentrating the surge as if it were being forced through a funnel, surge expert Rhome said. While tropical storms do sometimes reach New Jersey, they rarely make that sharp westward turn.

Columbia University professor Adam Sobel, who has studied Sandy extensively, ran computer models that show it should happen only once in 700 years. They usually hit from the south, as did Hurricane Irene when it landed in Brigantine, NJ, in 2011, a direction that doesn’t maximize the surge like Sandy’s punch from the east.

Though Irene caused billions of dollars in damage mostly in inland flooding, it didn’t live up to its billing in the New York metro area; many New Yorkers may have downplayed Sandy because of their Irene experience. Sandy made landfall, oddly enough, in Brigantine, slamming in from a different direction so the surge was far worse. It technically reached New Jersey as a “post-tropical cyclone,” not a hurricane, but that distinction means little. It was a monster. “Look at Sandy as a whole, the fact that you had a blizzard associated with a major (tropical) event that set record surges in New York Harbor, that destroyed part of the New Jersey coast, that had record waves and surges in Lake Michigan,” National Weather Service director Louis Uccellini said. “All those things combined really made this a unique system.” — AP

Nuclear agency urges work to secure radioactive sources MADRID: Spain’s Crown Prince Felipe and his wife Princess Letizia, center, pose with the Prince of Asturias award winners in Oviedo on Friday. Front row, left to right: Cristina Lucchese, FranÁois Englert, Peter Higgs, Saskia Sassen, Prince Felipe of Spain, Princess Letizia of Spain, Michael Haneke, Antonio Munoz Molina, Annie Leibovitz and Jose Maria Olazabal, Peter Gruss, Soojin Ryu. Top row, left to right, Cristina Lucchese, Rolf Heuer, Miguel Carballeda, Soojin Ryu, Ali Shahmoradi, Damian Refojo and Matthias Weibenbacher.— AP

DUBAI: Member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency should work together to boost security around radioactive sources, the body’s deputy director said yesterday. “We should all work together ... to achieve one common goal: protecting people, society and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation that may occur through the inadvertent or malicious use of radioactive sources,”

Denis Flory said. Flory was speaking at the opening of a five-day IAEA conference on safety and security around radioactive sources in Abu Dhabi. Radioactive sources are used in agriculture, industry, medicine and research, mostly in controlled environments, but there are fears that violent groups could try to use them in harmful ways.

The IAEA says on its website that it has cate-

gorized radioactive sources, “to identify those types that require particular attention for safety and security reasons.” These include certain sources used for medical and industrial purposes, the agency says.

“When safely used and regulated, the social and economic benefits from the many applications of radioactive sources are high,” the IAEA website says. — AFP

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate?

“We are physicians from different specialties with a specific interest in public health advocacy and promotion. We, also, aim to increase awareness among the Kuwaiti public regarding a variety of diseases and conditions and to rectify the misconceptions they may have. Since our group consists of multiple physicians we decided to write under the pen name of L’homme en Blanc.”

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person’s greatest treasure is his/her health; therefore it is our responsibility to take care of it. Children are in no position to understand what that will require and so they trust us to make medical decision on their behalf. Accordingly, it is our duty to be well informed to provide them with what’s in their best interest. If we, as parents and/or guardians, don’t seek the knowledge of how to prioritize our children’s health, who will?

The decision to immunize our children is an important stepping stone in their life

health-wise and being educated on the subject will ease the decision.

Immunization has been a very controversial subject and many (whether knowledgeable on the subject or not) have felt the need to comment on the situation.

Understandably, the influx of often contradictory information, can leave a person very confused and unsure of what is the best course of action.

Since children have been routinely vaccinated against a variety of commonly debilitating and occasionally deadly dis-

eases, the incidence of these diseases has decreased worldwide. It is perhaps this decrease in numbers and in our exposure to their devastating effect on our health that has blinded some to the importance of immunization. It is in fact the almost disappearance of these conditions the reason why we all need to continue to vaccinate.

A universal concern for parents, is whether there are any side-effects to these vaccines, and if yes, are these side-effects worth the risk? However, these concerns are mostly unwarranted. As with any med-

ication, some side-effects may be expected, for example a low grade fever. Any serious side-effects are rare. The benefit of the vaccine will greatly out weight the risk of developing any serious side-effect, for unvaccinated children are at much higher risk of acquiring a disease during an outbreak.

What is troubling is often we are exposed to the mass media concern that one or more of the scheduled vaccines, for example the MMR, leads to Autism.

However, the paperthat reported these

concerns was retracted and exposed as fake in 2011.Conversely, large-scale population studies have demonstrated that MMR and autism occur independently of each other and that gastrointestinal disease and autism do not occur after MMR vaccine. Our health, and the health of our little ones is a precious gift, and it is decisive to actively try our best to maintain it.

An important step in preventing a number of agonizing aliments is to follow thoroughly an immunization plan. Stay healthy, Kuwait! — L’homme en Blanc.

Toddler with seizures to get medical marijuana JANESVILLE: The parents of a toddler with a seizure disorder have run out of options to help their daughter, so they’re turning to medical marijuana to see if it helps.

Maggie Selmeski began having seizures at 6 weeks old. She continues, at 17 months, to have seizures daily, said her mother, Rachael Selmeski. Doctors say Maggie has infantile spasms, a specific type of seizure disorder. Four anti-seizure medications haven’t worked. Her parents felt helpless until they saw a CNN documentary about marijuana, “Weed.”

In it, they saw children like Maggie whose seizures were significantly reduced by medical marijuana. “It just was like a light bulb,” Rachael Selmeski, who is temporarily living with her mother in Janesville, told KWWL television. “We’re like, ‘Yep, this is what we’ve got to do.’ “

The family is preparing to move to Colorado to access to medical marijuana, which has low levels of THC, the chemical that makes people high. “So she won’t be getting high; she won’t be smoking it,” Selmeski told the station. “It’ll just be oil. I’ll give it to her just like I do any of her other supplements or medications.” The seizures have slowed Maggie’s development. At 17 months, she still can’t hold her head up and has the brain development of a 3-month-old infant. Her parents hope that the treatment will reduce her seizures and unlock the girl they say is trapped inside.

“We’re so excited to just meet Maggie, and have her little personality come out and shine,” Selmeski said. “Seeing her not be able to interact, watching other kids play, and not have your daughter be able to play ... if you start to experi-

ence that, then you might realize that there are other options out there,” Selmeski said. “You would try anything for your child to give her a better life.”

Maggie is on a waiting list in Colorado and should start the treatment in mid-November. Her mother said she hopes marijuana laws change because once Maggie starts the treatment, they’ll be stuck in Colorado, far from their family in Iowa.

Families of children with severe medical problems are moving to Colorado from all over the country to get the oil that appears to be working. They call themselves marijuana refugees. Colorado voters passed an amendment in November 2000 permitting the use of medical marijuana IOWA: In this frame grab image taken from a video shot on Oct 23, with a doctor’s consent. — AP 2013, shows 17-month-old Maggie Selmeski in Janesville. — AP

W H AT ’ S O N

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

TEC hosts ‘Al-Baghli Award for Ideal Son’ event

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he Touristic Enterprises Company (TEC) hosted the sixth annual ‘AlBaghli Award for the Ideal Son’ event at the Khairan Resort recently under the patronage of Chairman of the Kuwaiti Society for Senior Citizens Rehabilitation and Healthcare, Ibrahim AlBaghli. Director of the Senior Citizens Department at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Ali Hassan, Kuwait Boy Scout Association Board Member Dr Jaafar Al-Aryan and TEC officials in addition to a host of senior citizens and volunteers attended the event.

W H AT ’ S O N

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF INDIA The Embassy of India will remain closed on the following dates during the month of November 2013.

3 Nov 2013, Sunday - Deepawali 14 Nov 2013, Thursday - Muharram 17 Nov 2013, Sunday - Guru Nanak’s Birthday

Courtyard by Marriott marks 30th anniversary with Kuwait celebrations Three decades of operational excellence and brand recognition

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or 30 years, the Courtyard by Marriott brand has offered its guests a place where their travel needs meet staying one’s own way, with the quality one loves in convenient locations, throughout the world. Starting with its first hotel in Atlanta, George in 1983 to now more than 900 hotels in 37 countries, Courtyard by Marriott held a week of celebrations for its guests and associates at all its locations throughout the world, including a week of exciting festivities at the 264-room Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in downtown Kuwait City.

A fun-filled atmosphere with decorations and surprises were awaiting the guests. Marking a momentous entrance on the day, orange and white branded helium-filled balloons transformed the hotel’s lobby and public areas, along with a bright display of orange and green LED lights to signal the special occasion with the brand’s official colors.

The first 30 customers to check in during the week received specially wrapped green and orange macaroons with ribbons and limited edition branded Courtyard coffee mugs along with per-

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EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Embassy of Australia has announced that Kuwait citizens can apply for and receive visit visas in 10 working days through www.immi.gov.au. All other processing of visas and Immigration matters are handled by the Australian Visa Application Centre located in Al Banwan Building, 4B, 1st Floor, Al Qibla Area, Ali Al Salem Street, Kuwait City. Visit. www.vfs-augcc.com for more info. The Embassy of Australia does not have a visa or immigration department.

All processing of visas and immigration matters is conducted by the Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: Info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com ( VIS), immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au ( Visa Office), Tel: +971 4 205 5900 (VFS), Fax: + 971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). Notary and passport services are available by appointment. Appointments can be made by calling the Embassy on 22322422. nnnnnnn

sonalized welcome notes by Cluster General Manager of Kuwait Marriott Hotels George Aoun, to share in the brand’s joy.

Associates at the hotel along with Aoun, also gathered together to enjoy a cake-cutting ceremony and baked pastries. Adorning the staff lounge, was a large hanging banner that bore the number 30 and their hand prints in orange and green, a reminder of the

combined efforts of the team. The cafeteria and staff area were also decorated in orange and green with valuable raffle draw gifts given away as a way to thank the loyal associates for the brand’s international success. Grand prizes included meal vouchers and night stays at the hotel in addition to other surprises.

Aoun said: “It is an exciting experience when sharing such a proud, momentous milestone for the brand

and the hotel with our associates and loyal guests. We do hope to continue serving our guests, in the quality and standard the brand has maintained for 30 more years to come.”

For more information or to contact the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Kuwait City, call 22997000 or log on to the hotel Facebook page on www.facebook.com/courtyardmarriottkuwait and leave a message.

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada in Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visa and immigration matters including enquiries is conducted by the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Individuals who are interested in working, studying, visiting or immigrating to Canada should contact the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca or www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-im-enquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is open from 07:30 to 12:30. Consular services for Canadian citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00, Sunday through Wednesday. nnnnnnn

Jewellery Zone introduces a neo-retail concept of gold, diamonds and gemstones

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ewellery Zone,’ located in The Mall district at The Avenues, is the latest luxurious splendor specialized in both international and local trendiest jewelleries brands. All visitors may now indulge with the bedazzled varieties of gold, diamond and gemstones, along with high-end wrist watches, all exclusively handcrafted by upscale design artists towards reaching the luxurious taste and preference of all jewellery clienteles.

Designed with the creative elements of sophistication, the “Jewellery Zone” embraces a golden tiles entry faÁade inspired by the tapestry blocks of gold at the

external drop off area near “The Mall” main entrance.

In addition, all shop-fronts and windows are also decorated in a form of a gold box and other glamorous ornaments, designed to trigger sensational charms to the “Jewellery Zone” visitors by showcasing the artistic masterpieces of jewelleries.

The “Jewellery Zone” houses 26 renowned brands of international and local jewellery retailers to include Alawadhi Jewellery, Antoine Hakim, Catchy, Diva Jewells, Jawhara, Jovial, Kallista, Lazurde, Les Exclusive

by Damas, Lorenzo, My Fair Lady Jewellery, Noor diamond Jewellery, Paparazzi, Pure Jewels, RSW, Sagir Art

Jewellery, Silverama, Tango, Tellus, Tuscana, Van der Bauwede, Yessayan, Yvel, Zen Diamond and Zoppini Store.

Along with the jewellery retailers arrives another luxurious chocolate brand name, Debrand Chocolatier, offering their mouth-watering confectionaries and delights to all “Jewellery Zone” visitors surrounded by a uniquely upscale ambience.

The “Jewelry Zone” can be also accessed through various internal and external entrances within The Avenues districts to include The Mall, The Souk and the Grand Avenue.

Study in Canada Fair 2013

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he Embassy of Canada in Kuwait is pleased to announce that the eighth annual Middle East Education Initiative (MEEI), composed of approximately 15 leading Canadian universities and colleges, will be visiting Kuwait from October 29-30, 2013.

Representatives from the institutions will be available to meet with students, parents and other members of the education community, and provide information about study opportunities in Canada. The tour includes school visits and a Study in Canada fair at the Marina Hotel, Salmiya, on Tuesday, October 29 from 6 pm to 9pm. Quality education is available throughout

Canada, and each of our 10 provinces and 3 territories has something exciting to offer. With its safe and welcoming environment and affordable tuition fees, Canada remains a top destination for international students wishing to pursue their studies abroad.

The enthusiasm shown by international students for post-secondary studies in Canada gives testimony to the superior quality of our education system. Students recognize that Canada offers them the opportunity to earn academic qualifications that are recognized and respected around the world, while being part of a tolerant and vibrant multicultural community.

International students in Canada have access to the most sophisticated and up-todate technologies and facilities, and to programs which allow them to gain valuable work experience through work placements and cooperative education.

We invite you to come and meet the representatives from Canada’s colleges and universities and discover how studying in Canada will set you on the path to achieving your dreams.

The schools participating on the tour will be: Carleton University College of New Caledonia

Columbia College Dalhousie University Fraser International College MacEwan University Ryerson University Saint Mary University Seneca College Sheridan Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning St. John’s International School University of Alberta University of Manitoba University of Waterloo Vancouver Island University.

Greetings

EMBASSY OF GREECE The Embassy of Greece in Kuwait has the pleasure to announce that visa applications must be submitted to Schengen Visa Application Centre (VFS office) located at 12th floor, Al-Naser Tower, Fahad Al-Salem Street, AlQibla area, Kuwait City, (Parking at Souk Watia).

For information please call 22281046 from 08:30 to 17:00 (Sunday to Thursday). Working hours: Submission from 08:30 to 15:30. Passport collection from 16:00 to 17:00. For visa applications please visit the following website www.mfa.gr/kuwait. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF US The US Embassy in Kuwait has new procedures for obtaining appointments and picking up passports after visa issuance.

Beginning August 9, 2013, we now provide an online visa appointment system, live call center, and in-person pick-up facilities in Kuwait. Please monitor our website and social media for additional information. This new system offers more flexibility for travelers to the US and to meet the increase in demand for visa appointments.

The general application steps on the new visa appointment system are: 1. Go to www.ustraveldocs.com/kw (if this is the first time on ustraveldocs.com, you will need to create a profile to login).

2. Please complete your DS-160 Online Visa Application which is available at ceac.state.gov/genNIV. 3. Please print and take your deposit slip to any Burgan Bank location to pay your visa application fee.

4. Schedule an appointment for your visa interview online at www.ustraveldocs.com/kw or by phone through the Call Center (at +9652227-1673).

5. If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please do so 24 hours beforehand, as a courtesy to other applicants. For more information, please visit the US Embassy website kuwait.usembassy.gov - as it is the best source of information regarding these changes. nnnnnnn

I

’m so lucky and blessed for having someone like you in my life. Thank you for being such a sweet Family. I will always love you Both. Happy Birthday.

M V Shreyamskumar, a member of Kerala Legislative Assembly presents Vaikkom Muhammaed Basheer Award to renowned Indian journalist Johny Lukkose during the annual meeting and award presentation ceremony organized by Janatha Cultural Centre, Kuwait.

EMBASSY OF BHUTAN The Royal Bhutanese Embassy in the State of Kuwait would like to inform all concerned that its chancery has shifted to its new premises in South Surra, Al-Salaam, Block 3, Street 308, House 3. Telephone:2521360125213602,Fax: 25213603 and Email: bhutankuwait@gmail.com.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

03:25 Shark Attack Survivors 04:15 North America 05:05 Snow Leopards Of Leafy London 05:30 Snow Leopards Of Leafy London 05:55 Animal Cops Houston 06:45 North America 07:35 Wildlife SOS 08:00 Monkey Life 08:25 My Cat From Hell 09:15 The Most Extreme 10:10 My Cat From Hell 11:05 Roaring With Pride 12:00 Animal Cops Houston 12:55 Predator’s Prey 13:20 Call Of The Wildman 13:50 ER Vets 14:15 ER Vets 14:45 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 15:40 Roaring With Pride 16:30 Lion Man: One World African Safari 17:00 Monkey Life 17:30 The Most Extreme 18:25 Breed All About It 18:50 Breed All About It 19:20 The Magic Of The Big Blue 20:15 Monkey Life 20:40 Snow Leopards Of Leafy London 21:10 Predator’s Prey 21:35 Lion Man: One World African Safari 22:05 Queens Of The Savannah 23:00 Too Cute!

23:55 Too Cute!

00:50 Animal Cops Houston 01:45 Man-Eating Super Squid 02:35 Untamed & Uncut

03:40 My Family 04:10 Kidnapped 05:00 Me Too! 05:20 Teletubbies 05:45 3rd & Bird 05:55 Nuzzle & Scratch: Frock n Roll 06:15 Me Too! 06:35 Teletubbies 07:00 3rd & Bird 07:10 Nuzzle & Scratch: Frock n Roll 07:30 2 Point 4 Children 08:00 Gates 08:30 The Weakest Link 09:15 Big Bear Diary 09:45 Doctors 10:15 The Fat Fighters 11:05 Casualty 11:55 2 Point 4 Children 12:25 The Weakest Link 13:10 Gates 13:35 Big Bear Diary 14:05 Doctors 14:35 Casualty 15:25 The Fat Fighters 16:15 Peckham Finishing School For Girls 17:10 Eastenders 17:40 Doctors 18:10 The Weakest Link 19:00 My Family 19:30 Little Britain 20:00 Waking The Dead 20:50 Threesome 21:15 The Children 22:05 South Riding 22:55 Roger & Val Have Just Got In 23:25 My Family 23:55 The Fat Fighters 00:45 Little Britain 01:15 Eastenders 01:45 Doctors 02:15 Threesome 02:40 South Riding

03:30 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 04:50 Antiques Roadshow 05:40 Antiques Roadshow 06:30 Come Dine With Me:

Supersize 08:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 08:40 Bargain Hunt 09:25 Antiques Roadshow 10:20 Come Dine With Me: Supersize 11:55 Masterchef: The Professionals 12:50 Celebrity MasterChef 13:20 The Hairy Bikers Ride Again 13:45 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 14:25 Antiques Roadshow 15:15 Holmes On Homes 16:05 Holmes On Homes 17:00 Bargain Hunt 17:40 Cash In The Attic 18:30 Antiques Roadshow 19:20 Marbella Mansions 20:10 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill 20:35 Come Dine With Me: South Africa 21:30 Come Dine With Me 22:20 Antiques Roadshow 23:15 Bargain Hunt 00:00 Cash In The Attic 00:45 Marbella Mansions 01:30 Come Dine With Me 02:20 Celebrity MasterChef

03:25 Ben Earl: Trick Artist 04:15 Ben Earl: Trick Artist 05:05 Ben Earl: Trick Artist 06:00 Ben Earl: Trick Artist 07:00 Mythbusters 07:50 Extreme Fishing 08:40 American Chopper 09:30 Border Security 09:55 Auction Kings 10:20 Baggage Battles 10:45 How Do They Do It? 11:10 How It’s Made 11:35 Fast N’ Loud 12:25 Patrick Dempsey: Racing Le Mans 13:15 Wheeler Dealers 14:05 Border Security 14:30 Auction Kings 14:55 Baggage Battles 15:20 Flying Wild Alaska 16:10 American Chopper 17:00 Ultimate Survival 17:50 Dirty Jobs 18:40 Mythbusters 19:30 Sons Of Guns 20:20 Storage Hunters 20:45 Baggage Battles 21:10 How Do They Do It? 21:35 How It’s Made 22:00 Deadliest Catch 23:40 Deadliest Catch – Behind The Scenes 00:30 Deadliest Catch 02:10 Deadliest Catch – Behind The Scenes Discovery ID 03:10 Deadly Women 04:00 On The Case With Paula Zahn 04:45 Ripped From The Headlines 05:30 Dates From Hell 05:55 Dates From Hell 06:20 Dr G: Medical Examiner 07:10 Disappeared 08:00 Mystery Diagnosis 08:50 Street Patrol 09:15 Street Patrol 09:40 Real Emergency Calls 10:05 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

10:30 On The Case With Paula Zahn 11:20 Solved 12:10 Disappeared 13:00 Mystery Diagnosis 13:50 Street Patrol 14:15 Street Patrol 14:40 Forensic Detectives 15:30 On The Case With Paula Zahn 16:20 Real Emergency Calls 16:45 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

17:10 Disappeared 18:00 Solved 18:50 Forensic Detectives 19:40 On The Case With Paula Zahn 20:30 On The Case With Paula Zahn 21:20 Nightmare Next Door 22:10 Couples Who Kill 23:00 Deadly Devotion 23:50 Deadly Sins

11:30 13:15 14:45 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 23:30 01:15 02:45 Log

12:00 Croc Labyrinth 12:55 Caught Barehanded 03:45 04:35 05:25 06:15 06:40 07:05 07:30 08:00 08:50 09:40 10:05 10:30 11:25 12:20 13:10 14:00 14:50 15:20 15:45 16:10 17:00 17:55 18:45 19:35 20:30 21:20 22:10 22:35 23:00 23:50 00:40 01:30 02:00 02:25 02:50

Sport Science Sport Science Sport Science Gadget Show - World Tour The Tech Show Deadliest Space Weather Deadliest Space Weather Prototype This X-Machines Gadget Show - World Tour The Tech Show Sport Science Kings Of Construction Thunder Races How The Universe Works X-Machines How Do They Do It? Gadget Show - World Tour The Tech Show Prototype This Sport Science Kings Of Construction Thunder Races How The Universe Works Prototype This X-Machines Gadget Show - World Tour The Tech Show Prototype This X-Machines The Colony How Do They Do It? Gadget Show - World Tour The Tech Show Prototype This

03:30 Inventions That Shook The World 04:25 Inventions That Shook The World 05:20 The Mistress 06:15 The Russian Revolution In Colour 07:05 The Russian Revolution In Colour 08:00 I Shouldn’t Be Alive 08:50 Classic Car Club 09:15 Ultimate Cars 09:45 Inventions That Shook The World 10:35 True Stories 11:30 Ultimate Warfare 12:20 The Russian Revolution In Colour 13:10 Classic Car Club 13:35 Ultimate Cars 14:05 Inventions That Shook The World 14:55 Raging Planet 15:50 Crime Scene Wild 16:45 The Rise And Fall Of The Japanese Empire 17:40 Trashopolis 18:35 Inventions That Shook The World 19:25 I Shouldn’t Be Alive 20:20 Altered Statesmen 21:10 Classic Car Club 21:35 Ultimate Cars 22:05 Ultimate Warfare 23:00 Altered Statesmen 23:55 Legend Detectives 00:50 Murder Shift 01:45 Ultimate Warfare 02:35 Altered Statesmen

00:20 01:10 02:00 02:50 03:45 04:40 05:35 06:30 07:25 08:20 09:15 10:10 11:05

Dead Or Alive Crocodile King Fish Warrior Dangerous Encounters Croc Invasion Zambezi Fish Warrior Dangerous Encounters Croc Invasion World’s Deadliest Killer Three Monster Fish Shocking Sharks World’s Weirdest

SUSPECT ZERO ON OSN MOVIES ACTION HD

03:00 03:20 03:45 04:05 04:30 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:45 07:10 07:35 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:25 11:50 12:15 12:35 13:00 14:25 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:10 17:00 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:30 18:55 19:20 20:05 20:30 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:10 23:35 00:00 00:20 00:45 01:05 01:30 01:50 02:15 02:35

The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Jonas Los Angeles Jonas Los Angeles Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Austin And Ally Austin And Ally A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Jessie Good Luck Charlie Sofia The First Doc McStuffins Mickey Mouse Clubhouse A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Jessie Jessie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Gravity Falls Shake It Up Shake It Up Twitches Prank Stars A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Jessie Violetta Dog With A Blog Austin And Ally Gravity Falls Shake It Up That’s So Raven A.N.T. Farm Violetta Jessie My Babysitter’s A Vampire Austin And Ally Shake It Up That’s So Raven Jessie A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Sonny With A Chance Sonny With A Chance Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place

03:00 Little Einsteins 03:25 Special Agent Oso 03:40 Special Agent Oso 03:50 Imagination Movers 04:20 Handy Manny 04:40 Special Agent Oso 04:50 Special Agent Oso 05:00 Timmy Time 05:10 Imagination Movers 05:35 Little Einsteins 06:00 Jungle Junction 06:15 Jungle Junction 06:30 Little Einsteins 06:50 Special Agent Oso 07:00 Special Agent Oso 07:15 Jungle Junction 07:30 Jungle Junction 07:45 Handy Manny 08:00 Special Agent Oso 08:15 Jungle Junction 08:30 Higglytown Heroes 08:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 09:10 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 09:35 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 09:50 Doc McStuffins 10:05 Doc McStuffins 10:20 Zou 10:35 Henry Hugglemonster 10:50 Henry Hugglemonster 11:00 Sofia The First 11:25 Doc McStuffins 11:40 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 11:55 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 12:20 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 12:45 Mouk 13:00 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 13:05 Higglytown Heroes 13:20 The Hive 13:30 Doc McStuffins 13:45 Doc McStuffins 14:00 Zou 14:15 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 14:30 Henry Hugglemonster 14:45 Henry Hugglemonster 14:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 15:20 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 15:45 Higglytown Heroes 15:55 The Hive 16:05 Doc McStuffins 16:20 Zou 16:35 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 16:50 Mouk 17:05 Art Attack 17:30 Goof Troop 17:55 Tarzan 18:20 Quack Pack 18:45 Lilo And Stitch 19:10 Henry Hugglemonster 19:25 Doc McStuffins 19:35 Sofia The First 20:00 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 20:05 Pajanimals 20:25 Doc McStuffins 20:40 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 20:45 Zou 21:00 Pajanimals 21:15 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 21:30 Goof Troop 21:55 Tarzan 22:20 Quack Pack 22:45 Lilo And Stitch 23:10 Sofia The First 23:35 Doc McStuffins 23:50 Pajanimals 00:05 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 00:10 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 00:35 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 00:50 Zou

Charlotte’s Web Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups Ben 10: Race Against Time The Elf Who Stole Christmas Cinderella Bushwhacked Ben 10: Race Against Time The Elf Who Stole Christmas Cinderella Olentzero And The Magic

04:00 Perfect Plan 06:00 The Makeover 08:00 Dating Coach 10:00 American Girl: McKenna Shoots For The Stars 12:00 Men In Black 3 14:00 Madea’s Big Happy Family 16:00 Dating Coach 17:45 Pitch Perfect 19:45 Rock Of Ages 22:00 Red Dawn 00:00 Madea’s Big Happy Family 02:00 Dating Coach

BIG MIRACLE ON OSN MOVIES HD 01:10 Doc McStuffins 01:25 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 01:50 Jungle Junction 02:10 Handy Manny 02:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 02:55 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship

07:00 Max Steel 07:25 Phineas And Ferb 07:50 Slugterra 08:15 Crash & Bernstein 08:40 Kickin IT 09:05 Kickin IT 09:30 Phineas And Ferb 09:55 Phineas And Ferb 10:20 Lab Rats 10:45 Lab Rats 11:10 Pokemon Bw: Adventures In Unova 11:35 Max Steel 12:00 Zeke & Luther 12:25 Zeke & Luther 12:50 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 13:00 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 13:15 Scaredy Squirrel 13:40 Pair Of Kings 14:05 Pair Of Kings 14:30 Phineas And Ferb 14:40 Phineas And Ferb 14:55 Phineas And Ferb 15:05 Phineas And Ferb 15:20 Pokemon Bw: Adventures In Unova 15:45 Max Steel 16:10 Pair Of Kings 16:35 Crash & Bernstein 17:00 Lab Rats 17:30 Kickin IT 18:00 Kickin IT 18:25 Phineas And Ferb 18:35 Phineas And Ferb 18:50 Phineas And Ferb 19:00 Phineas And Ferb 19:15 Slugterra 19:40 Crash & Bernstein 20:05 Ultimate Spider-Man 20:30 Max Steel 20:55 Pair Of Kings 21:20 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 21:45 Phineas And Ferb 22:10 Phineas And Ferb 22:35 Lab Rats 23:00 Kickin’ IT 23:30 Scaredy Squirrel 00:00 Programmes Start At 7:00am KSA

03:10 03:35 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:30 07:10 07:35 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:30 11:20 11:45 12:10 12:35 13:00 13:50 14:15 14:40 15:05 15:30 15:55 16:20 16:45 17:35 Basics 18:00 Basics

Charly’s Cake Angels Amazing Wedding Cakes Unique Eats Food Crafters United Tastes Of America Chopped Iron Chef America Unwrapped Unwrapped Food Crafters Kid In A Candy Store Red, Hot And Yummy Barefoot Contessa The Next Food Network Star Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam Aarti Party Unwrapped Unique Sweets Halloween Wars Reza’s African Kitchen Barefoot Contessa Charly’s Cake Angels Siba’s Table Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Symon’s Suppers Halloween Wars Barefoot Contessa - Back To Barefoot Contessa - Back To

18:25 18:50 19:40 20:05 20:30 20:55 21:20 23:00 23:25 23:50 Feasts 00:40 01:05 01:30 01:55 02:20 02:45

Andy Bates Street Feasts Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Guy’s Big Bite Reza’s African Kitchen Siba’s Table Charly’s Cake Angels Chopped Siba’s Table Siba’s Table Andy Bates American Street Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Food Wars Recipes That Rock Outrageous Food Siba’s Table

03:00 New Girl 03:30 Veep 04:00 Girls 05:00 The Simpsons 05:30 Cougar Town 06:00 Seinfeld 06:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 07:30 Two And A Half Men 08:30 Friends 09:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 10:00 Seinfeld 10:30 Two And A Half Men 11:00 The Simpsons 11:30 Guys With Kids 12:00 Modern Family 12:30 Friends 13:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 14:30 Seinfeld 15:00 Two And A Half Men 15:30 Friends 16:00 Cougar Town 16:30 Guys With Kids 17:00 Modern Family 17:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 18:00 The Colbert Report 19:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 20:00 The Simpsons 20:30 Last Man Standing 21:00 Community 21:30 Modern Family 22:00 Parks And Recreation 22:30 Don’t Trust The B**** In Apartment 23 23:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 23:30 The Colbert Report Global Edition 00:00 South Park 00:30 Brickleberry 01:30 Parks And Recreation 02:00 Don’t Trust The B**** In Apartment 23 02:30 The Daily Show Global Edition

06:00 07:00 08:00 12:00 12:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 00:00

24 Parenthood Covert Affairs Emmerdale Coronation Street Covert Affairs 24 Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Covert Affairs Once Upon A Time Revenge The Blacklist Boardwalk Empire 24

04:00 06:00 08:00 09:45 11:30 Factor

Stone’s War: War Of The Dead The Rescue Beverly Hills Cop 3 Ice Quake Covert One: The Hades

14:30 16:15 18:00 20:00 22:00 00:00 02:00

The Tourist Ice Quake Darkman The Tourist Suspect Zero Hell Creature

04:00 06:00 07:45 09:30 Factor 12:30 14:15 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 00:00 02:00

The Rescue Beverly Hills Cop 3 Ice Quake Covert One: The Hades The Tourist Ice Quake Darkman The Tourist Suspect Zero Hell Creature Suspect Zero

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 00:00 02:00

Mr. Destiny The Search For Santa Paws A Kiss For Jed Wood Who Framed Roger Rabbit Mr. Destiny The Giant Mechanical Man Who Framed Roger Rabbit Turner & Hooch Blades Of Glory Casino Jack Stakeout Blades Of Glory

03:00 04:45 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00 01:00

Down The Shore World Trade Center Playdate Matching Jack Down The Shore Another Harvest Moon Blue Lagoon: The Awakening Shadow Dancer My Week With Marilyn Another Happy Day 360 Shadow Dancer

03:00 A Very Long Engagement 05:15 Ondine 07:15 Taken Back: Finding Haley 09:00 Happythankyoumoreplease 11:00 The Imposter 13:00 Christmas Comes Home To Canaan 15:00 Out Of Sight 17:00 The Imposter 19:00 The Prey 21:00 Summer Of Sam 23:30 Gardens Of The Night 01:15 What’s Love Got To Do With IT

03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 Island 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 22:45 01:00

04:30 06:00 08:00 Log 10:00

People Like Us The Wishing Well Crisis Point Big Miracle People Like Us Journey 2: The Mysterious The Darkest Hour Big Miracle Jeff, Who Lives At Home Martha Marcy May Marlene W.E. Wild Card

Arthur’s Missing Pal The Ugly Duckling And Me Olentzero And The Magic Cinderella

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 Leno 05:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 10:00 11:00 Leno 12:30 13:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30

The Daily Show The Colbert Report Saturday Night Live The League Ben And Kate Ben And Kate Seinfeld The Tonight Show With Jay All Of Us Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Seinfeld All Of Us Hot In Cleveland The Tonight Show With Jay Seinfeld All Of Us Hot In Cleveland The Daily Show The Colbert Report Late Night With Jimmy Fallon The Simpsons The Mindy Project Hot In Cleveland Parks And Recreation Wilfred The Daily Show The Colbert Report Veep It’s Always Sunny In

04:45 Something Of Value 06:40 The Ballad Of Cable Hogue 08:00 The Yellow Rolls-Royce 10:05 The Year Of Living Dangerously 12:00 Rich, Young And Pretty 13:35 The Scapegoat 15:05 Bad Day At Black Rock 17:00 To Have And Have Not 18:40 Son Of A Gunfighter 20:15 The Naked Spur 21:45 Across The Wide Missouri 23:00 The Night Of The Iguana

03:00 Currie Cup 05:00 ITM Cup 07:00 Darts Grand Prix 11:00 ICC Cricket 360 11:30 Champions League Twenty20 14:30 Total Rugby 15:00 Inside The PGA Tour 15:30 European Tour Weekly 16:00 Live PGA European Tour 20:00 Trans World Sport 21:00 Live Darts Grand Prix 01:00 Total Rugby 01:30 Amlin European Challenge Cup

05:00 UFC - The Ultimate Fighter Season 18 06:00 UFC - Unleashed 07:00 The Rugby Championship 09:00 ICC Cricket 360 09:30 NRL Full Time 10:00 Futbol Mundial 10:30 Total Rugby 11:00 Darts Grand Prix 15:00 UFC - Primetime 2011-13 15:30 UFC Prelims 17:30 UFC - Maia vs. Shields 20:30 UFC - The Ultimate Fighter Season 18 21:45 Live Amlin European Challenge Cup 00:00 Live PGA Tour

03:00 Airport 24/7: Miami 03:30 Airport 24/7: Miami 04:00 Airport 24/7: Miami 04:30 Airport 24/7: Miami 05:00 Descending 06:00 Globe Trekker 07:00 Globe Trekker 08:00 Wild Carpathia 09:00 Departures 10:00 Airport 24/7: Miami 10:30 Airport 24/7: Miami 11:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 12:00 Bert The Conqueror 12:30 Bert The Conqueror 13:00 Eden Eats 14:00 Bizarre Foods America 15:00 International House Hunters 15:30 International House Hunters 16:00 International House Hunters 16:30 International House Hunters 17:00 Hotel Impossible 18:00 Soul Seeker 19:00 Eden Eats 20:00 Bizarre Foods America 21:00 International House Hunters 21:30 International House Hunters 22:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 23:00 Rock My RV With Bret Michaels 23:30 Rock My RV With Bret Michaels 00:00 Airport 24/7: Miami 00:30 Airport 24/7: Miami 01:00 Bert The Conqueror 01:30 Bert The Conqueror 02:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides

Classifieds MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

Kuwait

ACCOMMODATION

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (24/10/2013 TO 30/10/2013)

SHARQIA-1 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (DIG) DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

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

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

SHARQIA-3 UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

MUHALAB-1 DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) NO FRI BHAI (DIG) (TELUGU) FRI QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC)

7:15 PM 9:30 PM

MUHALAB-2 SIR BILLI (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) DIANA (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM

MUHALAB-3 THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:45 PM

1:45 PM 4:15 PM

7:00 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

FANAR-4 ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) THE FOURTH STATE(DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) THE FOURTH STATE(DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

FANAR-5 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 GRAVITY GRAVITY GRAVITY NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

MARINA-1 GRAVITY (DIG) DIANA (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

4:15 PM

FANAR-1 GRAVITY (DIG) DIANA (DIG) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) DIANA (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) DIANA (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

FANAR-2 SIR BILLI (DIG) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) SIR BILLI (DIG) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

FANAR-3 RUSH (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG)

THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) RUSH (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:30 PM

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

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM

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

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 4:30 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

AVENUES-1 DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:30 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:30 PM

AVENUES-2 UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 1:00 AM

AVENUES-3 THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG)

2:15 PM 4:45 PM

THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

7:15 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

AVENUES-4 ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

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

12:45 PM 3:30 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 11:00 PM

360ยบ- 1 THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:15 PM 3:45 PM 6:15 PM 8:45 PM 11:15 PM

360ยบ- 2 QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:45 PM 7:15 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

360ยบ- 3 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 THE FOURTH STATE(DIG)

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM

360ยบ- 4 SIR BILLI (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 1:00 AM

AL-KOUT.1 ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) RUSH (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) RUSH (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.2 KHUMBA (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) DIANA (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) DIANA (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG)

Sharing accommodation available in Hawally Tunis Street, dowra Sadique, near bank Tijari, with attach bath for single executive or couple. Contact 69302121.

(C 4545) 26-10-2013

CHANGE OF NAME I, Santhosh Kumar Oommen S/O Oommen Anjilikattadiyil Kochitty, holder of Indian Passport No. E8128729 hereby change my name to Santhosh Kochitty Oommen. (C 4549) 28-10-2013 FOR SALE A lady maid is needed to work for a single ArabAmerican man in a house located in Salmiya. Time 2-8 pm. Salary KD 100. Call 66417504. (C 4550) 28-10-2013 2007 KIA ex carnival white color, full options, 8 passengers, leather seats, DVD, power doors, safety sensors, in excellent condition.

KD 2950. Tel: 66714700/99123411.

(C 4548) 27-10-2013

white. Price: KD 2000 Serious buyer may contact 97277135

Mercedes Benz, model E350 2006, 146,000 mileage, leather interior full options. Price KD 4,200.

Contact: 97293066.

(C 4546) 26-10-2013 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,

MATRIMONIAL Marriage proposal invited from boys for a PG teacher Protestant 29, divorced girl.

Email: shaadimeonly@gmail.com (C 4543) 26-10-2013 SITUATION WANTED

M.Com (finance) graduate, pursuing MBA 10 years of experience in company accounts, preparations of financial statements, reconciliation of bank accounts, payroll management, transferable visa, Kuwait driving license. Mob: 65008377.

(C 4547) 27-10-2013

No: 15969

12:30 PM 2:15 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Airlines BBC JAI THY QTR JZR JZR ETH GFA THY AFG UAE ETD MSR QTR FDB THY DHX JZR FDB BAW FDB UAE KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC ABY QTR ETD KAC FDB KAC GFA MSC MSC JZR IRC MEA SYR UAE MSR MSR FDB

Arrival Flights on Monday 28/10/2013 Flt Route 43 DHAKA 574 MUMBAI 772 ISTANBUL 1084 DOHA 539 CAIRO 267 BEIRUT 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 764 SABIHA 416 JEDDAH 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI-INTL 612 CAIRO 1076 DOHA 67 DUBAI 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 503 LUXOR 69 DUBAI 157 LONDON 53 DUBAI 855 DUBAI 284 DHAKA 206 ISLAMABAD 302 MUMBAI 412 MANILA 382 DELHI 362 COLOMBO 125 SHARJAH 1070 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI-INTL 352 COCHIN 55 DUBAI 344 CHENNAI 213 BAHRAIN 401 ALEXANDRIA 403 ASYUT 165 DUBAI 6521 LAMERD 404 BEIRUT 341 DAMASCUS 871 DUBAI 610 CAIRO 579 SOHAG 57 DUBAI

Time 00:05 00:10 00:45 00:55 00:40 00:40 01:45 02:10 02:15 02:20 02:35 02:45 03:10 03:45 04:00 05:35 05:40 05:50 05:50 06:40 07:50 08:40 08:45 07:40 07:55 06:45 07:55 08:45 09:00 09:10 09:20 09:50 09:40 10:40 10:40 10:50 11:15 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:30 12:50 13:00 13:05 13:50

QTR KAC SVA KNE NIA OMA KAC KAC QTR UAE ETD RJA SVA ABY GFA MPH KAC RBG MSC QTR FDB KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC GFA KAC OMA FDB JAI ABY AXB DLH ALK MEA ETD UAE GFA QTR FDB JZR JAI JZR AIC TAR JZR

1078 546 500 472 252 645 788 118 1072 857 303 640 510 127 215 93 542 553 405 1080 63 774 177 742 786 618 674 217 104 647 61 572 129 489 636 229 402 307 859 219 1074 59 135 576 239 975 327 185

DOHA ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA MUSCAT JEDDAH NEW YORK DOHA DUBAI ABU DHABI-INTL AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA RIYADH SHARJAH BAHRAIN AMSTERDAM CAIRO ALEXANDRIA SOHAG DOHA DUBAI RIYADH DUBAI DAMMAM JEDDAH DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN LONDON MUSCAT DUBAI MUMBAI SHARJAH COCHIN FRANKFURT COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN COCHIN AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA CHENNAI TUNIS DUBAI

13:55 14:00 14:30 14:35 15:50 15:55 15:10 16:35 16:40 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:25 17:30 17:50 18:05 18:15 18:30 18:40 18:45 18:45 18:20 18:20 18:45 19:00 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:55 20:05 20:10 20:20 20:35 20:55 21:10 21:20 21:35 21:40 21:45 22:00 22:00 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:30 22:55 23:20

Airlines AIC UAL PIA JAI BBC DLH ETH THY AFG UAE ETD MSR QTR FDB QTR FDB JZR THY KAC GFA THY FDB BAW KAC ABY UAE ETD QTR FDB GFA KAC KAC MSC MSC KAC IRC MEA KAC SYR JZR MSR MSR UAE FDB QTR KAC

Departure Flights on Monday 28/10/2013 Flt Route 982 AHMEDABAD 981 WASHINGTON 206 LAHORE 573 MUMBAI 44 CHITTAGONG 635 FRANKFURT 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 416 KABUL 854 DUBAI 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 1085 DOHA 68 DUBAI 1077 DOHA 70 DUBAI 164 DUBAI 765 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 545 ALEXANDRIA 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 787 JEDDAH 126 SHARJAH 856 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 1701 DOHA 56 DUBAI 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 406 SOHAG 404 ASYUT 103 LONDON 6522 LAMERD 405 BEIRUT 785 JEDDAH 342 DAMASCUS 176 DUBAI 580 SOHAG 611 CAIRO 872 DUBAI 58 DUBAI 1079 DOHA 673 DUBAI

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Time 00:05 00:10 01:05 01:10 01:45 02:10 02:45 02:55 03:30 03:50 04:00 04:10 04:25 04:40 05:15 06:30 06:55 07:05 07:15 07:15 07:30 08:30 08:45 09:25 09:40 09:55 10:05 10:10 10:20 11:25 11:30 11:50 11:50 12:15 12:20 12:45 12:55 13:00 13:30 13:45 13:50 14:00 14:15 14:30 14:55 15:05

KAC KAC KNE KAC SVA NIA OMA JZR ETD QTR UAE JZR RJA ABY SVA GFA JZR JZR RBG JZR MPH FDB MSC QTR GFA KAC FDB OMA KAC KAC ABY JAI KAC DLH DHX ALK MEA ETD GFA KAC FDB UAE KAC JAI QTR JZR TAR KAC

741 773 472 617 501 251 646 238 304 1073 858 538 641 128 511 216 184 266 554 134 93 64 402 1081 218 283 62 648 331 361 120 571 351 636 171 230 403 308 220 301 60 860 205 575 1075 502 327 411

DAMMAM RIYADH JEDDAH DOHA JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA MUSCAT AMMAN ABU DHABI DOHA DUBAI CAIRO AMMAN SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN AL MAKTOUM INTERNATIONAL DUBAI ALEXANDRIA DOHA BAHRAIN DHAKA DUBAI MUSCAT TRIVANDRUM COLOMBO SHARJAH MUMBAI KOCHI DAMMAM BAHRAIN COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI BAHRAIN MUMBAI DUBAI DUBAI ISLAMABAD ABU DHABI DOHA LUXOR DUBAI BANGKOK

15:20 15:20 15:30 15:30 15:45 16:50 16:55 16:55 17:35 17:40 17:50 17:50 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:40 18:50 18:55 19:10 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:40 20:15 20:30 20:45 20:55 20:55 21:00 21:00 21:10 21:10 21:35 21:50 22:10 22:20 22:20 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:50 22:55 23:10 23:10 23:30 23:45 23:55

34

stars CROSSWORD 351

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) ARIES Discussions with young people can be enlightening. You may learn as much from them as they learn from you. You will benefit from logical insights-getting to the heart of things. Stay away from the emotional and find the facts of whatever subject is at hand. You may enjoy learning a few jokes or light-hearted stories from these young people. They will learn from your patience. A few tricks with clothes or shoes might be fun and you may realize just how long it has been since the school bell rang for you. A date this afternoon is fun and may consist of a movie. There are many conversations around the movie, the plot, the ending, etc. You may want to end the evening with a light dinner and a sweet goodbye as work comes early tomorrow.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You are so good at knowing how to fit colors together and arrange furniture so that people are most comfortable and space is best utilized that people want to come and see your house to gain ideas. You could charge for your services; you might find people would be willing to work out a trade if they do not want to pay you. You could also find that working with a decorator would earn you a bigger paycheck. This is a rewarding day where you can grab the attention or the benefits. Dare to be extraordinary. You will prosper through new insights, inventions and an independent point of view. Your friendships can deepen and new opportunities appear to add to more people to your list of friends. You enjoy hobbies later this afternoon.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. (Scotland) A small loaf or roll of soft bread.

4. Associated with academia or an academy.

12. The part of the nervous system of vertebrates that controls involuntary actions of the smooth muscles and heart and glands.

15. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods.

16. Highly decorated earthenware with a glaze of tin oxide.

17. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

18. Any skeletal muscle having two origins (but especially the muscle that flexes the forearm).

19. The twelfth month of the civil year.

20. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

21. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

22. Suggestive of the supernatural.

24. State in northeastern India.

28. A loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion.

30. A member of a military unit trained as shock troops for hit-and-run raids.

34. Little known Kamarupan languages.

38. Bearded reddish sheep of southern Asia.

39. A Turkish unit of weight equal to about 2.75 pounds.

41. An extravagantly enthusiastic review.

42. A strip or stripe of a contrasting color or material.

44. A mature blood cell that contains hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the bodily tissues.

46. Low-growing Old World herbs with minute bright green leaves.

49. Fermented alcoholic beverage similar to but heavier than beer.

50. Gone by.

51. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

54. Having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat.

56. A native-born Israeli.

58. (Irish) Mother of the Tuatha De Danann.

59. Ash-colored or anemic looking from illness or emotion.

62. A river in central Italy rising in the Apennines and flowing through Florence and Pisa to the Ligurian Sea. 64. Of or relating to or characteristic of Monaco or its people.

67. Wheelwork consisting of a connected set of rotating gears by which force is transmitted or motion or torque is changed.

71. A kind of heavy jacket (`windcheater' is a British term).

74. The cry made by sheep.

75. A federal agency that supervises carriers that transport goods and people between states.

76. Submit again, for example, of programming information.

78. A run that is the result of the batter's performance.

79. The basic unit of money in Albania.

80. A river in northeastern Brazil that flows generally northward to the Atlantic Ocean.

81. Of a dull grayish brown to brownish gray color.

DOWN 1. A small cake leavened with yeast.

2. A blue dye obtained from plants or made synthetically.

3. Large burrowing rodent of South and Central America.

4. The basic unit of electric current adopted under the System International d'Unites.

5. A milk protein used in making e.g. plastics

and adhesives.

6. The branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively.

7. A person who acts and gets things done.

8. (Norse mythology) Goddess of old age who defeated Thor in a wrestling match.

9. A runner in a one-mile race.

10. A hospital unit staffed and equipped to provide intensive care.

11. A drug (trade names Calan and Isoptin) used as an oral or parenteral calcium blocker in cases of hypertension or congestive heart failure or angina or migraine.

12. By bad luck.

13. Kamarupan languages spoken in northeastern India and western Burma.

14. A fraudulent business scheme.

23. Edible starchy tuberous root of taro plants.

25. Rock star and drummer for the Beatles (born in 1940).

26. At full speed.

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

29. Hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland (trade name Pitressin) and also by nerve endings in the hypothalamus.

31. Nicaraguan statesman (born in 1945).

32. Polished surface that forms images by reflecting light.

33. Long green edible beaked pods of the okra plant.

35. The dialect of Malay used as the national language of the Republic of Indonesia or of Malaysia.

36. Trade name for an oral contraceptive containing mestranol and a progestin compound.

37. Any plant of the genus Reseda.

40. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

43. A period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event.

45. An ester of adenosine that is converted to ATP for energy storage.

47. Realistic Norwegian author who wrote plays on social and political themes (18281906).

48. A cut of pork ribs with much of the meat trimmed off.

52. The Japanese art of folding paper into shapes representing objects (e.g., flowers or birds).

53. Any property detected by the olfactory system.

55. A flat-bottomed volcanic crater that was formed by an explosion.

57. An associate degree in nursing.

60. A long steep slope or cliff at the edge of a plateau or ridge.

61. Australian shrubs and small trees with evergreen usually spiny leaves and dense clusters of showy flowers.

63. Italian chemist noted for work on polymers (1903-1979).

65. Belonging to some prior time.

66. Make small marks into the surface of.

68. A United Nations agency created to assist developing nations by loans guaranteed by member governments.

69. (Babylonian) God of wisdom and agriculture and patron of scribes and schools.

70. A quantity that is added.

72. A typical star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system.

73. A master's degree in business.

77. A soft silver-white or yellowish metallic element of the alkali metal group.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

This morning starts out with a multitude of learning. Perhaps a child needs help with homework or perhaps some media format is interesting enough for you to become engrossed. Religious, cultural or philosophical controversies and crusades have a way of stirring your blood. Discussions can be quite involved but you are good to mention how important it is that everyone has their own thoughts and their own beliefs. Giving information to others is the helpful ingredient to understanding society and its needs as well as the people that say they can help fill those needs and provide security.

An exciting end to this month is a wonderful beginning to next month. There is a lot of power in the voting booth and you encourage that privilege soon.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Sexual needs are just one of the life issues emphasized for you at this time.

There is an instinctive need to be powerful and in control. This may lead to a greater interest or experience in healing and investing and in the great mysteries of life and death. There is a feeling that anything is possible if you set your sights high enough.

There is confidence in your work and how you come across to others. Explore your feelings; enjoy the opportunity to make a path to new emotional experiences. Your support system, such as your family, home and those who give you nourishment, becomes more secure. You are able to dispense with some of the unessential and develop what is most basic and true in your environment.

Leo (July 23-August 22) You may come face to face today with someone who has very different values than you. You could find yourself cast in an opposing position and this might require compromise and understanding on your part. You will be very pleased at the outcome of the situation as you are able to communicate truths and bring about a good understanding of your position. This is a good time to be creative and secure the positive. Picking up a sketch pad this afternoon, you are able to create an example of the object of your desire.

This could be car seat covers, clothes for toddlers, costumes for a play or masks for a party.

If you think of a design, you can create it. You may find several people looking over your shoulder and making requests this evening.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Today you will find the best energies for traveling. Perhaps a vacation is due. If you are not traveling, consider what it would be like to visit certain parts of the country. A library or used bookstore would be an excellent place to purchase a variety of items that would clue you in on the place or the activity you might like to enjoy.

Who knows, you may change your mind and look for some place or some activity that is different from what you imagined. In the workplace, your hard work is beginning to pay off--others will be giving you credit for you efforts. This next week is a great time to be in a group project--you look forward to next week's projects most positively. Quick answers, great wit and a surplus of insights are available for you.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) There is a curiosity about the mind, mental clarity, chemicals and pollutants that dull the thinking. Perhaps this is from an article or presentation through some media format. If you are in the medical field, you will find many surprises in nutritional research and you might consider a public conference that would attract clinical nutritionists to submit their findings. This is one way to help educate and create awareness toward a change. You feel successful and able to solve problems. Good advice from a guide or older person may be forthcoming--this is a good day. Difficulties, blocks and all manner of hot spots may have easy answers today. It is a very lucky day for making plans or decisions and finding your way through just about any problem.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Secrets, conspiracies and the hidden links that unite all things take on greater importance in your life now. A family member that loves to chat and visit may point out some important points for you to ponder. Digging into the past for hints about the present and future uncovers a lot of answers to the questions that will not go away. "the unexamined life is not worth living." temptations are easy to find but you are in control and can succeed in overcoming most anything. Learning what really counts is an important lesson that may be learned in time--patience. A new family has moved into your neighborhood and you and your family are looking forward to getting to know a new family. Your family might treat the new family to some baked goods.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Dieting may be a sour word for you so . . . Spit it out! Try putting on a new creative, heart-healthy frame of mind. This is the time where the energies will be working in your favor to make any nutritional changes that your body is in the mood to make--listen to your body. A form of physical, mental or creative endeavors will be incentive for others as they see you go forth to make a few most positive changes.

Someone tells you a story about a memory from his or her past and you may remember it differently. Many times it would be okay to help with a few gentle corrections but this time it would be better just to say that you remember the telling of the story as well. Do not fall into the temptation of making corrections . . . Your inactivity will bring a smile.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Everything is run through your checkpoint to see if it holds up and can pass the test. You can be a stickler with details. Your social agility and animal warmth comes through as you endeavor to entertain or organize others for a social affair this afternoon. Your no-nonsense approach to things is obvious to all. This deliberate sense of responsibility comes across and is central to your personality and the way you relate to other people. Your attention to difficult matters proves successful at every turn.

Some people with special needs have your attention and you will be wise to plan ahead in appointing one person for each individual that may need special attention. This evening is for you alone but you might choose to continue the spirit of sharing.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Work and career seems on your mind more than family or taking a little time away from work so you may have projects lined up next week that are on your mind. Go ahead and give yourself a full two hours to work on your outline or list for next week and then walk away. Now . . . This afternoon there is just enough time to enjoy your friends or family in athletic games. You will cheer each other on and share important time with each other. Later today there is a chance to meet that new neighbor that everyone was so curious about. At some point in your visiting, you may think that the world is pretty small to link up with someone with whom you have similar likes; time will tell. Tonight is spent in food preparation for next week and then there is music.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) An important relationship, perhaps with a young person or someone in your environment, may come into focus today. There could be a fun shopping expedition planned or perhaps impromptu for the afternoon. The time you spend in listening will equal a multitude of hugs; good for you. Much can be accomplished and your friends or the young people that are with you will have what they need for a school event by the end of the day. An invention is on your mind later today and you might relax by sketching and planning and creating something that every household needs. It is wise to gather all the materials together to start work on this invention in the near future.

People may want to invest in your invention after they see the results of your work.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Al-Madeena

22418714

Al-Shuhada

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Sabhan

24742838

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Al-Helaly

22434853

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Al-Faiha

22545051

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Hawally

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Al-Jahra

25610011

Khaldiya

24848075

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Omariya

24719048

N Khaitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

36

Stallone

G o s s i p

Jenna Dewan-Tatum likes tacky clothes

shows off artistic side in Russia

A

rt lovers lined up yesterday at the world’s biggest museum of Russian art in Saint Petersburg, where US film star Sylvester Stallone unveiled a retrospective of his abstract paintings. Work by the Hollywood action man won praise from the curators at the State Russian Museum although some critics denounced Stallone for his anti-Russia character “Rambo” and said such art had no place in the venerable institution. Stallone was all smiles as he unveiled the exhibition, entitled matter-of-factly “Sylvester Stallone. Art. 1975-2013”, and said it was an honor to show his works in Russia’s historic capital. “I hope you will like my pictures,” he said at a press conference. “I love all of you.” The 67-year-old star of blockbusters such as “Rambo” and “Rocky” said that if he had a choice, he would spend his life drawing and sculpting instead of starring in action hits. “If my visit is a challenge for somebody, let it be so,” he said when asked what he thought of some furious comments, notably by some in the Communist party, who thought that exhibiting Stallone at the Russian Museum was a travesty. Museum director Vladimir Gusev said Stallone’s paintings “show the character of a passionate man” and were not simply “the work of an amateur”.

T

he actress - who has four-month-old daughter Everly with her husband Channing Tatum - says her sartorial choices have always veered towards sparkly and form-fitting pieces because of her dance background. She laughed: “I had some really 90s bad choices... remember ‘No Fear’ T-shirts? If there’s something bordering on a little bit of tackiness, like too many sequins... my eye goes right to it.

Let’s all remember that I used to dance for twenty years of my life and I want a little flash or sparkle. It’s the way it goes.

Sorry guys!” However, Jenna has had to rethink her look since becoming a mother and is trying to fill her wardrobe with investment designer pieces she can pass down to her daughter. The 32-year-old brunette revealed in the new issue of Alexa magazine: “Now that I have Everly, I think about what I can hand down to her. I want to give her my vintage Chanel purse from my mom, you know? “I have a different perspective on my purchases lately. Or maybe I’m trying to convince myself to buy expensive things!” Jenna joked she knew Hollywood hunk Channing was the man for her when they met on the set of dance romance ‘Step Up’ because they shared the same dress sense. She recalled: “When we first started dating, I remember we would come down to rehearsals for ‘Step Up’ in the same outfits. We hadn’t talked or anything, but we would come down and we’d both have on cargo pants and a white T-shirt, like, ‘Oh my God! How is this happening?’ “ Jenna Dewan-Tatum

Brown arrested for felony assault report

Sylvester Stallone

Lauren Conrad dresses for

herself

C

hris Brown was arrested for allegAugust. Chris has been involved in altercaedly assaulting a man yesterday. The tions with rappers Drake and Frank Ocean ‘Fine China’ singer was picked up by over the last couple of years but neither police in Washington, DC, at around 4.30am incident led to criminal charges. yesterday morning after getting into an altercation with an unnamed male outside the W Hotel, according to TMZ. The 24-yearold star has been charged with felony and is still in custody at a local police station, and his alleged victim is still in hospital undergoing treatment. According to the report, Chris was arguing with the man outside the hotel in the early hours of this morning and things quickly turned physical as the star “began punching” the man. Law enforcement sources say the ‘Yeah 3X’ rapper wasn’t under the influence of any substances or alcohol at the time of his arrest.

Chris is still on probation for assaulting his former girlfriend Rihanna, 25, in February 2009. This latest arrest could be deemed a violation of his probation and result in Chris being sentenced to four years in prison.

In July, the star’s probation was briefly revoked when he was involved in a hit-and- Chris Brown run, incident but it was later reinstated in

T

he reality star-turned-designer - who got engaged to law student William Tell earlier this month - doesn’t follow trends religiously and prefers to pick outfits which suit her style. She told Fashionista.com: “Honestly, I’m just the type of person who dresses for myself. I think that, obviously, inspiration is everywhere and I’m always keeping up-to-date with trends through magazines and the Internet, looking at things I like. “At the end of the day, I think I kind of just wear what I like and the things that make me happy.” ‘The Hills’ star gets bored of her clothes easily so tries to reorganize her wardrobe every now and again to rediscover forgotten pieces. Lauren said: “I just recently redid my closet and it’s nice because once you’ve reorganized everything and gone through and washed everything and have kind of brought out pieces you haven’t seen in a year, you do kind of fall back in love with your wardrobe.” The 27-year-old beauty is grateful to social media sites like Instragram for helping her build her brand as a fashion designer, but is careful never to reveal too much information. She said: “I’m really cautious of what I choose to share. Anything that I put out there, I’m very aware of and I’ve made a conscious choice. “I think it’s great to be able to share personal things, but I think there’s definitely a line that can be crossed. You know, everybody’s line is a little different.”

Lauren Conrad

Beckham in a car crash D

avid Beckham was involved in a car crash outside his Beverly Hills home on Friday. The retired soccer legend reportedly hit another car at around 2.30pm as he was leaving his home in a black Range Rover Sport, with eldest son Brooklyn, 14, in the passenger’s seat. According to eyewitnesses, David came out of his driveway and drove straight into a white Acura vehicle driven by an unidentified female.

Police quickly reported to the scene to question the 38-year-old hunk and David was only happy to oblige, parking his damaged vehicle back in his driveway following the incident and awaiting the arrival of officials. Two police officers were seen leaving the Beckhams’ Beverly Hills mansion after questioning the star and they were also seen quizzing onlookers and the passengers of the other vehicle. Neither David nor Brooklyn are thought to have been hurt in the accident as they were wearing seatbelts. However, the soccer star’s car appeared to take the brunt of the collision – with the front bumper falling off the vehicle. Just hours before the accident, David and wife Victoria Beckham - who also have sons Romeo, 11, Cruz, eight, and twoyear-old daughter Harper - were spotted attending a SoulCycle exercise class with Brooklyn. David and Brooklyn were previously involved in a scary multiple car pile-up during rush hour on one of Los Angeles’ busiest highways in 2011. Both father and son were unharmed.—Agencies

Lopez

loves drinking ‘green juice’

Julia Roberts hates being put on pedestal

David Beckham

Julia Roberts

Perry

D

espite winning an Oscar and being heralded as America’s sweetheart, the 45-year-old actress admits she doesn’t enjoy being treated like a star and sees herself as no less remarkable than the average person. She said: “People should understand that there is nothing tremendously unique about me. I have this tremendously unique job, but we are looking for the same thing, which is to be understood, honored and loved. I hate the pedestal feeling, the fake heralding.”

Once known for starring in numerous movies a year and constantly in the forefront of Hollywood, the ‘Erin Brockovich’ star has moved away from the spotlight since starting a family - including eight-year-old twins Hazel and Phinnaeus and six-year-old son Henry - with husband Danny Moder, and she reveals that she no longer recognizes her old self. Julia often flew between the Oklahoma set of her new movie ‘August: Osage County’ and her New Mexico home while filming and struggled to keep up. She explained: “I felt untethered, I was lost. I was walking into walls. I couldn’t sleep. I missed my family. I realized I’m not that person anymore - that person who used to travel the world by herself.” Nowadays, the ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’ actress prefers to be at home with her children and loves her daily routine with her brood. She added to the Mail on Sunday’s You magazine: “Danny and I do not work at the same time, so I’m able to be really devoted to my home life, then when a job comes up that really attracts my attention, I commit to that.”

wants good girl image

K

J

ennifer Lopez drinks green juice three times a day. The ‘On the Floor’ hitmaker - who has five-year-old twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony - is determined to be in great shape when she returns to the ‘American Idol’ judging panel in January and has been working with a health coach to overhaul her eating habits. A source said: “She hired a health coach and they worked on using foods and fresh vegetable juices to cleanse her organs. “She has green juice with kale, parsley and wheat grass three times a day. She’s been eating quinoa and has cut out wheat and all things processed.”

Although Jennifer initially found her new diet plan tough, she has already lost 15lbs and is delighted with the results. The source added to the National Enquirer magazine: “She only eats meat that is organic, free range and grass fed and for the first month she cut out all animal products. It wasn’t easy, but she says it’s the best thing she’s done for her body.”

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

LIFESTYLE

Jennifer Lopez

aty Perry doesn’t want to be known for the wrong reasons. The singer actively avoids controversy unlike her pop peers Rihanna and Miley Cyrus and says she is careful to make sure the world’s focus is on her music rather than her inappropriate attire or risqué antics. Asked on French TV show ‘Le Grand Journal’ why she shuns scandal, Katy said: “I really like all of my focus and attention to be on my music. I admire those ladies and I know that they’re all doing their own thing in their own way. “But for me, I want people to understand that I’m here to entertain them through music.

And I don’t necessarily like to abuse the attention of the viewer or the listener - not that I’m saying they do!” The ‘Roar’ singer was probed further about Miley’s controversial VMAs performance in August with Robin Thicke, which saw the blonde dancing provocatively in a latex bikini while rubbing a foam finger over her body, and tactfully said she was far too old to behave like Miley. Katy joked: “Did you guys talk about it over here too? I feel like [twerking] is what you French do when you wake up in the morning! “I think she’s, what 19 or 20? And when I was that age I was acting as crazy as that. But I’m 28 now and I’m an old lady - so I keep my clothes on!”

Katy Perry

37

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

LIFESTYLE

Scorpions, beetles F e a t u r e s

on menu at Paris bar

Chef Elie Daviron prepares a plate of grasshoppers.

A picture shows a dish of insects in the bar “Le Festin nu” (The Naked Lunch) in Paris’.—AFP photos

A picture shows the menu of the bar “Le Festin nu” (The Naked Lunch).

Chef Elie Daviron prepares a plate of grasshoppers.

A

t a tiny bar in Paris’s Montmartre district, chef Elie Daviron is happy to admit his new menu has disgusted some clients while others need two or three drinks before they can face it. Amid the guacamole, chicken tikka and chili hotdogs, the young chef is conducting a “gastronomical experiment” with what he calls a selection of “insect tapas”. Grasshoppers, beetles, scorpions and two different types of worm—sango and silk—are the latest additions to his fare.

“My personal favorite is the sango worm,” Daviron told AFP from behind the bar of the Festin Nu or Naked Lunch, a watering hole in this picturesque northern slope of the Montmartre hill. “There are two textures.... you have the head and the body which are a completely different taste and flavor,” he said. The body was “sandy” tasting while the head was “crunchy” and tasted a bit like a combination of beetroot and mushrooms, he added.

The 26-year-old from Montpellier in southern France became interested several years ago in the idea of how insects could in future be a common source of protein in Europe. And after the release of a UN report on edible insects earlier this year, he “realized that people were waiting for someone to do that”. Daviron ordered a selection from a company licensed to import dried insects and set about experimenting with recipes.

The result was five dishes including scorpion with pepper cooked in olive oil, beetle with cucumber, ginger pickle and green peas and grasshopper with egg. The protein-rich insects are imported from Thailand where they are widely eaten as snacks. But due to limited demand in France the few licensed suppliers deal only in dried insects rather than frozen or fresh.

A woman eats a grasshopper in the bar “Le Festin nu” (The Naked Lunch).

Chef Elie Daviron prepares a plate of grasshoppers.

‘Disgust turns to satisfaction’ “They are dried and salted and the taste will be a bit related to that,” he said, adding that because they are dried they do not need cooking and so retain the appearance of the insect.

Voice of

‘Simpsons’

Jay-Z

teacher Mrs Krabappel

defends deal with store accused of profiling

dies

File photo shows “Jay-Z” Carter arrives at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.—AP

J

ay-Z - under increasing pressure to back out of a collaboration with the luxury store Barneys New York after it was accused of racially profiling two black customers - said Saturday he’s being unfairly “demonized” for just waiting to hear all of the facts. The rap mogul made his first statement about the controversy in a posting on his website. He has come under fire for remaining silent as news surfaced this week that two young black people said they were profiled

by Barneys after they purchased expensive items from their Manhattan store.

An online petition and Twitter messages from fans have been circulating this week, calling on the star to bow out of his upcoming partnership with Barneys for the holiday season, which will have the store selling items by top designers, inspired by Jay-Z, with some of the proceeds going to his charity.

He is also working with the store to create its artistic holiday window display. But Jay-Z whose real name is Shawn Carter - defended himself, saying that he hasn’t spoken about it because he’s still trying to figure out exactly what happened. “I move and speak based on facts and not emotion,” the statement said.

“I haven’t made any comments because I am waiting on facts and the outcome of a meeting between community leaders and Barneys.

Why am I being demonized, denounced and thrown on the cover of a newspaper for not speaking immediately?” he said, referring to local newspaper headlines.

The two Barneys customers, Trayon

Christian and Kayla Phillips, said this week they were detained by police after making expensive purchases. Christian sued Barneys, saying he was accused of fraud after using his debit card to buy a $349 Ferragamo belt in April. Philips filed a notice of claim saying she would sue after she was stopped by detectives outside the store when she bought a $2,500 Celine handbag in February.

As the criticism grew, Barneys said Thursday it had retained a civil rights expert to help review its procedures. The CEO of Barneys, Mark Lee, offered his “sincere regret and deepest apologies.” Kirsten John Foy, an official with the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, said he would meet with Barneys officials on Tuesday to discuss the racial profiling allegations. Jay-Z - who rose from a life of crime in Brooklyn to become one of the most heralded rappers and one of entertainment’s biggest superstars - has in the past called for a boycott of labels perceived to be racist, and has become more political in recent years, from speaking out about the killing of black teenager Trayvon Martin to campaigning for President Barack Obama.

Jay-Z said in this case, he’s still trying to find out what happened -which is why he was silent. “The negligent, erroneous reports and attacks on my character, intentions and the spirit of this collaboration have forced me into a statement I didn’t want to make without the full facts,” he added. He also dismissed reports that he would profit from the collaboration. He said he’s “not making

“It will be fermented taste, mushroom taste, dried fruit taste, dried meat taste, dried fish taste, a lot of things around that,” he said. “The grasshopper will be more like hazelnuts and the giant water scorpions will be closer to dried fish,” he added. Student Laura Dandelot, 21, said she had to overcome her prejudices in order to try the scorpion.

“At first, I did think it was disgusting and impossible to eat because it was strange and dirty,” she said. In fact, the scorpion tasted pleasant enough, she said, describing it as a bit “like nuts”, although she did not like the texture. “It was very hard to eat... crispy and hard,” she added. Adele Gaudre, also a 21-yearold student, said she liked the grasshopper. “It was as if you were chewing on dried tea, it was really dry but very nice,” she said.

The “insect tapas” are priced at between five and nine euros (seven and 12 dollars) per serving, and on a busy night the bar dishes up about 50 such plates. Daviron said in the two weeks since he put the insects on the menu he had witnessed a range of reactions from customers.

“Some (people) are curious, some are disgusted, some are enthusiastic, some just don’t want to hear about that,” he said.

“Some get into the game or maybe they wait (until) after one or two or three drinks to get started.” According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation 2013 report, insects although not eaten in Western nations form part of the diet of around two billion people worldwide, mainly in Asia and Africa. And Daviron said he was confident that in the long term other countries would overcome their reservations too. “The disgust is really turning into a fascination,” he said. “It is difficult to say how fast and in what form it will actually become an everyday event.

“Maybe not tomorrow. It will take time... but it may be faster than we think,” he said.—AFP

a dime” from working with Barneys. Instead, his Shawn Carter Foundation, which provides college scholarships to economically challenged students, will get 25 percent of all sales from the collaboration.

“This money is going to help individuals facing socio-economic hardships to help further their education at institutions of higher learning,” he said. “My idea was born out of creativity and charity... not profit.” He also said that “making a decision prematurely to pull out of this project wouldn’t hurt Barneys or Shawn Carter but all the people that stand a chance at higher education,” he said. “I have been working with my team ever since the situation was brought to my attention to get to the bottom of these incidents and at the same time find a solution that doesn’t harm all those that stand to benefit from this collaboration.”

Jay-Z said he understood what it felt like to be racially profiled - but also didn’t want to jump to unfair conclusions. “I am against discrimination of any kind but if I make snap judgments, no matter who it’s towards, aren’t I committing the same sin as someone who profiles?” he asked. “I am no stranger to being profiled and I truly empathize with anyone that has been put in that position. Hopefully this brings forth a dialogue to effect real change.”—AP

M

This 1972 file photo made available by CBS Television shows Marcia Wallace.

Wallace, who played a receptionist on “The Bob Newhart Show” and the voice of Edna Krabappel on “The Simpsons” died Saturday.—AP

arcia Wallace, the voice of Edna Krabappel—Bart Simpson’s jaded, chainsmoking schoolteacher on the animated show “The Simpsons”—has died, the show producers said Saturday. She was 70. Wallace died in Los Angeles of complications from pneumonia, her son Michael Hawley told the Los Angeles Times. Wallace’s career in show business included her role as a sassy receptionist on the 1970s TV comedy “The Bob Newhart Show,” and guest roles in ‘80s and ‘90s shows like “Full House,” “Taxi” and “Murphy Brown.” As Mrs Krabappel, Bart’s fourth-grade teacher since 1990, Wallace was best known for her animated character’s sarcastic cackle.

“I was tremendously saddened to learn this morning of the passing of the brilliant and gracious Marcia Wallace,” read a statement from the show’s executive producer Al Jean posted on Facebook. “She was beloved by all at ‘The Simpsons’ and we intend to retire her irreplaceable character,” Jean wrote. In 1992 Wallace won a Primetime Emmy award for her role as Mrs Krabappel in a “Simpsons” episode titled “Bart the Lover.” In the episode Bart takes revenge on his divorced teacher for receiving a month of detention by posing as a handsome adult man and answering her love-lorn personal newspaper ads. Harry Shearer—who plays several key “Simpsons” voices, including greedy tycoon Montgomery Burns and two of Krabappel’s love interests, school principal Seymour Skinner and Simpsons neighbor Ned Flanders—took to Twitter to share his grief.

“So sad to learn—through Twitter, first—of the passing of the wonderful Marcia Wallace. Sorely missed already,” Shearer wrote. Jean said the show had been considering staging the death of another one of the “Simpsons” characters, but not Edna Krabappel. “Marcia’s passing is unrelated and again, a terrible loss for all who had the pleasure of knowing her,” Jean wrote on Facebook. Wallace was “sweet, funny, not at all pretentious,” Jean told the Los Angeles Times. “You fall in love with these people when you see them as characters on television, but when you met Marcia you loved her even more.”

“I don’t intend to have anyone else play Mrs Krabappel,” Jean added. “I think Bart will get a new teacher.” Her 2004 autobiography is titled “Don’t Look Back, We’re Not Going That Way (. . . or how I overcame a rocky childhood, a nervous breakdown, breast cancer, widowhood, fat, fire and menopausal motherhood and still managed to count my lucky chickens).” Born and raised in Creston, Iowa, Wallace traveled to New York after graduating from college in 1964 looking for an acting job.—AFP

38

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

LIFESTYLE F a s h i o n

Tony Ward

Russia

Fashion Week Contestants of the Universe pageant, showcreations by Lebanese/ British designer Tony Ward at the Fashion Week in Moscow, Saturday. Beauties will compete for the title of Miss Universe in Moscow on Nov 9. –AP/ AFP photos

Miss India Manasi Moghe Miss Russia Elmira Abdrazakova

Miss Puerto Rico Monic Perez

Miss France Hinarani de Longeaux

Miss Ukraine Olga Storozhenko

Miss Japan Yukimi Matsuo

Miss Turkey Berrin Keklikler

Miss Austria Doris Hofmann

Miss Venezuela Gabriela Isler Miss Panama Carolina Brid

Calvin Klein

is designing Drake’s tour costumes

T

he fashion house has created three bespoke looks for the rapper to wear during his upcoming ‘Would you like a tour?’ US shows, which will see him perform in 39 cities. Italo Zucchelli, men’s creative director at Calvin Klein, explained to WWD: “I love Drake - he is very talented and I like his effortless attitude in terms of his style and music.” The collaboration apparently came about when Drake - full name, Aubrey Drake Graham - revealed his love for the ready-to-wear brand at their spring/summer 2013 show after party. The first look is based on a print from Calvin Klein’s blue skies spring collection, the second fashion-forward look boasts reflective neon details, and the third is head-to-toe denim.

The ‘Take Care’ hitmaker’s three capsule collections will be in keeping with his casual sportswear style and feature bomber jackets, hoodies, T-shirts, tank tops and trousers.

This comes after more and more stars are choosing top end designers to create their stage wardrobe. Rihanna’s 2012 ‘777’ tour saw her take to the stage in outfits by Alexander Wang and Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci, while Beyonce strutted her stuff in custom-made DSquared2 and Kanye West’s ‘Yeezus’ tour style comes courtesy of Maison Martin Margiela.—Bang Showbiz

Miss Lebanon Karen Ghrawi

Miss Spain Patricia Yurena Rodriguez

Miss Jamaica Kerrie Baylis

Miss Romania Roxana Andrei

David Gandy has put himself up for auction

A

date with the handsome British model will be rewarded to the highest bidder in aid of Battersea Cats & Dogs Home, giving one lucky fan the opportunity to walk a canine pal in the park in the company of the 33-year-old hunk when the auction opens at the end of this month on October 31.David said: “Giving fans the chance to walk a Battersea dog with someone they would like to meet, is a great way to do this and lots of well known people have come together to make it happen.”

The newly-single star is an avid lover of dogs and says he finds great “pleasure” in his role as an Ambassador for the London based rescue home. He added: “I can often be found at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home with the rescue dogs, visiting and helping out. As their Ambassador, I like to support however I can and to share this experience with someone and raise much needed funds at the same time, is a pleasure.”

The auction is part of the animal charity’s annual Collars & Coats Gala Ball and comes after David was snapped cuddling a pooch in support of annual charity event, Pup Aid last month. The star - who previously dated ‘Les Miserables’ actress Samantha Barks and The Saturdays singer Mollie King - has fronted high profile campaigns for the likes of Dolce & Gabbana and Hermes.—Bang Showbiz

39

LIFESTYLE

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

China Fashion Week F a s h i o n

Chinese models present wedding dresses designed by Taiwanese Tsai Meiyue, F amory Cai Zhonghan and Allwhite Peng Jing Wedding Dress Collection on stage during the Fashion Week in Beijing, China yesterday.—AP/AFP photos

Russia Fashion Week Tony Ward

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

38

A Planispheric Astrolabe from the Maghreb and dated 1135 AH (Islamic Calendar).

A door from the Moroccan city of Fez, carved and painted with natural pigments and presumed to date from the 19th century.

Exhibition of rare

Islamic objects opens in Spain A

Members of the media are seen next to two astrolabes dated around 17th century.

The Kitab suwar Al-Kawakib Al-Thabita or the book of fixed Stars from Persia or India and dated from the 17th century is displayed at the “Nur: Light in art and science in the Islamic world” exhibition in Seville, Spain, Friday.—AP photos

The Kitab suwar Al-Kawakib Al-Thabita or the book of fixed Stars from Persia or India and dated from the 17th century

private museum in southern Spain is opening an exhibition of rare Islamic art and scientific objects that highlight the use of light in decoration and studies in the Arab world. The exhibition, “Nur: Light in art and science in the Islamic world,” is sponsored by the energy company Abengoa and has gathered 150 pieces from collections such those of the Bodleian Library at Oxford University and private collectors from around the world.

A Moroccan manuscript on surgery dated 610 AH (in the Islamic calendar).

Curated by Sabiha Al Khemir, a Tunisian writer and expert in Islamic art, the exhibition opens on Saturday at the Focus-Abengoa Foundation’s gallery in Seville. From there, it travels next year to the Dallas Museum of Art in Texas, where it will be open to the public from March 30 to June 29.—AP

A Manuscript on the Prophet from Morocco and dated probably on late 17th-early 18th century is displayed.

A Manuscript on the Prophet from Morocco and dated probably on late 17th-early 18th century.

Ron, member of the artist collective Captain Borderline, walks past the group’s mural titled “Surveillance of the fittest” featuring the emblematic US eagle with a badge that reads “National Security Agency worldwide” at the Ehrenfeld railway embankment in Cologne, western Germany .—AFP

Chess pieces from Egypt and dated from 10th century are displayed.