8th Nov

CR IP TI ON BS SU

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

Legislations needed to address key issues: Sour

SAFAR 8, 1438 AH

May lays groundwork for post-Brexit India trade deal

Delhi shuts schools as smog sparks health ‘emergency’

www.kuwaittimes.net

Veteran Evra called up to France squad

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urged to stay away from polls

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3Ruling21 28 19 family, leading figures Reform initiative also calls for change in voting system

Clinton, Trump in frenzied campaign finale

(Left) Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump holds a mask of himself which he picked up from a supporter during a rally in the Robarts Arena of the Sarasota Fairgrounds yesterday in Sarasota, Florida. (Right) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures as she takes the stage during a campaign rally on Sunday in Manchester, New Hampshire. — AFP/AP

Road to 270 HILLAR HILLARY RY CLINTON CLINTON

The latest AP analysis of the 2016 electoral landscape

DONALD TRUMP

274

Updated Nov.5

190

STRONG DEM: 200

LEAN DEM: 74

TOSSUP: TOSSUP: 74

LEAN GOP: 46

STRONG GOP: 144

GEOGRAPHIC ELECTORAL ANALYSIS

ME M E

AK

VT NH NY

WA MT ND OR

ID NV

CA

AZ

WY SD NE NE

UT

CO NM

MA

MN WI

PA

MI

CT

NJ

RI

IA IL

MO KS

OK

AR

LA

MS

IN

TN

AL

TX

VA

OH

KY

MD

DE DC

WV

NC

SC

GA

HI In Maine and Nebraska, two electoral votes are allocated to the ional statewide winner and one to the winner of each congress congressional district, raising the possibility of a split vote in those states.

SOURCE: AP Election Research

FL

AP

WASHINGTON: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump launched into the frenzied final day of their historic fight for the White House yesterday, with blowout rallies in the handful of swing states that will decide who leads the United States. Clinton, the front-running Democrat, aimed to nail down her narrow lead with stops in three battleground states, as President Barack Obama covered for her elsewhere before they joined up at a star-studded grand finale in Philadelphia.

Trump, the billionaire Republican nominee, was setting out from must-win Florida on a five state swing, the culmination of a dramatic run for the presidency as a rightwing nationalist vowing radical change in America’s relationship with the world. “I want the entire corrupt Washington establishment to hear the words we are all about to say: when we win tomorrow, we are going to drain the swamp,” he told cheering supporters in Sarasota, Florida. Chants of “Drain the swamp! Drain the swamp” rose from the crowd.

Despite his outward confidence, the 70-year-old mogul’s last best hope of winning today may be to break through a wall of Democratic support in industrial northern states like Michigan, and Trump, Clinton and Obama all focused precious final efforts campaigning there.

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Qatar raises govt salaries Saudi Arabia to hike municipal fees DOHA/KHOBAR: Qatar will raise the salaries of government employees next year in a rare spending hike by a Gulf state at a time when low oil and gas prices are weighing on state finances. Some Qataris’ basic salaries will double, under a law to be passed in January that was published in Al Sharq newspaper late on Sunday. Salaries for non-Qataris remain the same. Gas-rich Qatar is the wealthiest country in the world per capita and its roughly 300,000 citizens enjoy free healthcare and education.

But plummeting energy prices since mid-2014 have forced the country to rein in lavish public spending at a time when it is having to fund a $200 billion infrastructure upgrade for the 2022 football World Cup. State subsidies have been slashed and jobs cut at state institutions, including more than 1,000 foreign workers let go

in 2015 at Qatar Petroleum. Cutbacks have hit Qatar’s vast migrant workforce the hardest but locals - for whom affluence and stellar economic growth have been the norm - have also been affected.

Some government employees have been annoyed by being told to fly economy class, share offices and cancel journal subscriptions. Qataris on social media yesterday applauded the law as supporting citizens through difficult economic times. Neighboring Saudi Arabia in September cut ministers’ salaries by 20 percent in one of the most drastic measures yet by the energyrich kingdom which racked up a record budget deficit of nearly $100 billion last year. In 2011, Qatar raised state employees’ salaries by 60 percent.

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Min 27º Max 16º High Tide 03:58 & 18:36 Low Tide 11:11 & 23:25

KUWAIT: A group of leading personalities that include former ministers and lawmakers, calling itself the Reform and National Consensus Initiative Group, yesterday launched a political reconciliation initiative to end the deterioration in the country’s affairs. The initiative called on “competing members of the ruling family and other leading figures” to stop interfering in the election through “political money” and other means that could influence the outcome of the parliamentary polls, allowing them to ensure the success of their “candidates” in the election.

The initiative did not provide further details, but there have been increasing accusations that some influential figures, in a bid to influence the outcome of the polls to serve their interests, have pumped millions of dinars into the process. Allegations of vote-buying and other forms of bribery and corruption have been repeatedly made, but very few people have been sent to court over such claims.

The group consists of 20 personalities representing various political schools of thought and includes people like former justice minister and deputy speaker Meshari Al-Anjari, veteran politician and former minister Yousef Al-Nasef, former minister and MP Abdulwahab Al-Haroun, former minister Abdulwahab Al-Wazzan and several other dignitaries.

The initiative also called on the next Assembly and government to review the one-vote voting system, which was unilaterally introduced by the government in late 2012. The initiative said the outcome of the single-vote system led to social fragmentation on sectarian, family and tribal bases, which is incapable of building true national unity. The current election is being held on the basis of the single-vote system for the third time in a row.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

LOCAL

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with advisors Khaled Salem Ali Mohammed and Adel Buresly, in the presence of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with those in charge of Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Center project as well as the artists whoparticipated in the center’s opening ceremony. — Amiri Diwan and KUNA photos

New court officials swear in before Amir Sheikh Sabah praises cultural center KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, with the attendance of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, received yesterday at Bayan Palace Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Acting Justice Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah.

His Highness the Amir also met with Advisor Khaled Salem Ali Mohammed where he was constitutionally sworn in as Vice-President of the Court of Cassation and Advisor Adel Buresly where he was constitutionally sworn in as President of the Court of First Instance.

Landmark His Highness the Amir also received Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah AlSabah, the Amiri Diwan Administrative and Financial Chief and Chairman of the Executive Committee for the establishment of cultural centers of the Amiri Diwan Abdulaziz Saud Ishaq and those in charge of Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Center project as well as the artists who participated in the

Russian Ambassador to Kuwait Alexey Solomatin presents to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah the Kuwaiti copy of the silver replica stamps allocated for Hajj.

center’s opening ceremony.

During the meeting, His Highness the Amir praised efforts made to accomplish this project, and expressed his gratitude for the hard work done by the team that has completed this cultural landmark in record time with global specifications. His Highness also thanked the artists who participat-

ed in the center’s opening ceremony, wishing them luck and success.

The participating artists meanwhile expressed their honor to participate in the opening of this architectural edifice, and expressed their happiness for meeting His Highness the Amir, wishing Kuwait more progress and prosperity. The team later met with His Highness the

Politics, diplomacy sole means to solve regional crisis: O’Brien KUWAIT: UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien said Sunday solving regional crises should be through sole political and diplomatic means ‘and nothing else.’

Humanitarian organizations cannot solve crises in Mosul in Iraq, Aleppo in Syria and in Yemen, said O’Brien, but resolution should be political and diplomatic, and backed by these organizations, which paved suitable ground for dialogue and peace.

These organizations, O’Brien said in an interview, contributed to stability and bridging gaps among warring parties. He said Kuwait and the UN shared long and deep histor y of humanitarian action. “I’m delighted to be able to come back to Kuwait because this is the center of humanitarian values and not only actions in the Gulf region,” he said.

O’Brien said he met with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-

Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled AlHamad Al-Sabah to convey UN appreciation for help of people in need around the world, through hosting donor conferences. “I believe that his highness and the Kuwaiti people Have Humanitarianism in their DNA,” he said, which showed how Kuwait was always willing to help people affected by the natural disasters or wars.

O’Brien highlighted importance of cooperation between countries and the UN agencies to ease suffering of people. He said relief efforts were not only meant for conflict zones but beyond to include the displaced, and Kuwait was playing a key role in this direction.

O’Brien said he met with officials from Kuwait Foundation for Advancement of Science (KFAS) and Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED). He considered the two organizations as great

and positive examples of entities that help people to find food, medicine, housing, education and jobs.

O’Brien, asked about Iraq, said there were more than 23,000 people who fled their homes in Mosul and neighboring villages amidst projections that this number may surge to nearly a million if the hostilities continued. He said the UN managed to contact many organizations inside Iraq and provided 60,000 shelters for the internally displaced.

On Syria, O’Brien said there were hundreds of thousands of people in eastern Aleppo living under siege and unable to leave the city, coupled with lack of basic services.

O’Brien, meanwhile, said the crisis in Yemen was very critical with 80 percent of the population affected by the conflict. However, he added, food supplies were reaching around 3-4 million people every month, and the UN was keen on taking the wounded and patients abroad for treatment. — KUNA

His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah meets with artists who participated in the center’s opening ceremony.

Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

Ambassadors In other news, His Highness the Amir received Russian Ambassador to Kuwait Alexey Solomatin. The Russian Ambassador presented to His Highness the Kuwaiti copy of the silver replica stamps allocated

for Hajj in Holy City of Makkah. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah.

Meanwhile, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah received the newlyappointed ambassadors of South Sudan, Bangladesh and Yemen to Kuwait.

Earlier, His Highness the Crown Prince met with Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education Dr Bader Al-Essa, Minister of Commerce and Industry Dr Yousef Al-Ali, Sheikh Homoud Sabah Al-Salem Al-Homoud AlSabah and National Security Apparatus Chief Sheikh Thamer AlAli Al-Sabah. —KUNA

Cabinet OKs Supreme Education Council’s makeup KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti Cabinet has consented to a draft decree forming the Supreme Education Council (SEC) for a three -year term, with the Minister of Education handpicked as its chairman. This came during the Cabinet’s customary weekly meeting held at Bayan Palace yesterday, and presided over by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

The SEC also includes as members the Undersecretary of the Education Ministry, Kuwait University’s Director, the undersecretaries of the ministries of higher education and ministry of state for youth affairs as well as several other senior educational officials, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah AlMubarak Al-Sabah said in a press statement following the meeting.

At the onset of the meeting, the cabinet was apprised of letters addressed to His Highness the Amir from French President Francios

Hollande, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, inviting His Highness the Amir to attend a UNESCO conference on threatened cultural heritage protection due in UEA on December 2-3 upon request from France and UAE. The ministers then reviewed a letter addressed to His Highness the Amir from UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon, inviting him to attend an international forum on the reduction of risks due in the Mexican city of Cancun on May 24-26, 2017, the minister said.

Arab League Afterwards, First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah briefed the cabinet on the outcomes of the recent visit by Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Abul-Gheit on the latest Arab and international developments, in addition to chal-

lenges and hardships the Arab world is facing, primarily terrorism, Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. In his briefing, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled underscored the significance of exerting concerted and united efforts by all member states of the Arab League in order to address such challenges.

Then, the minister kept the cabinet posted on the outcomes of the ongoing visit by UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien to Kuwait, who lauded Kuwait’s great and continuing humanitarian efforts at the behest of His Highness the Amir. Finally, the cabinet considered the current Arab and international political developments, and congratulated newly elected Lebanese President Michel Aoun, wishing him best of luck. The cabinet hoped that the election of the Lebanese president would lead to ensuring stability in this Arab country, wishing it more progress and prosperity. — KUNA

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KUWAIT: A restaurant worker stands next to a sign that reads: “Whoever cannot pay for the food can take it for free.” Owner of the restaurant, which is located in Salmiya near the Marina Mall, says that meals are offered free of charge for those who cannot afford it as a humanitarian gesture. — Photo by Joseph Shagra

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

LOCAL

Candidates explore media options to reach voters KUWAIT: Candidates running for the 2016 parliamentary elections seek with all means to lure voters including the latest integrated and sophisticated advertising and media tools. Such combination of media and advertising means, according to media professors at Kuwait University, includes usage of traditional tools such as radio, television and newspapers, in addition to the modern techniques such as using the Internet, posters and the social media outlets, not to forget the face-toface contact with the voters.

All available options Media Professor at Kuwait University Dr Mahmoud Al-Hashemi said that many candidates use the latest technological advertising means and specialized companies to run their electoral campaigns.

He added that such combination of traditional and latest campaigning tools make the voter decide whether this candidate will be able to fulfill his or her promises.

Hashemi noted that studies have proven that the well-prepared advertisements can play a big role in directing the voter to go ahead and cast his ballot for a specific candidate, calling for adhering to the law in terms of setting up advertisements which must be rational. He also called on the candidates to address the entire community and not for a certain group of affiliation, saying the candidate

represents the whole society.

Emotional appeals Dr Fawaz Al-Ajmi, another media professor, said that emotional persuasion plays a big role in directing voters’ convictions, followed by the intellectual and the gestures the candidate uses to disseminate his or her message to the voters. He added that many candidates have no time to substantiate their message to the voters, however, instead they tend to resort to direct contact with the voters and take part in media programs, besides using the various social media tools.

Getting the message out Dr Khaled Al-Qahs, also a media professor at Kuwait University said that the ideal electoral campaign for any candidate must include usage of media tools besides the traditional ones in order to reach a big portion of the sought voters.

He added that there are some candidates who do not have adequate money to take advantage of such tools but that does not mean he or she must stop, rather, he or she should focus on the best feasible means to get his or her message across to the voters. He also urged candidates to personally contact their voters through paying visits to their diwaniyas, saying that direct contact is an essential mean in the Kuwaiti society. — KUNA

43 MPs represented 2nd constituency till 2013 KUWAIT: Up to 43 MPs represented the second constituency in 12 assemblies between 1981 and 2013. The constituency is marked as number one in terms of recurrent win of parliament seats by same figures, compared with the other constituencies. Khalaf AlDumaitheer is on top of the list of recurrently elected MPs in this constituency that comprises sub-divisions two, three, five, six and 18, according to the 25-constituency systemoccupying the seat in 10 subsequent legislative terms, including the annulled 2012 parliament. Second was Jassem the late AlKharafi, who was elected for eight consecutive terms. Meshari Al-Anjeri and Ahmad Baqer won the seat in six terms in a row.

Those who maintained the parliamentary membership for four consecutive terms were Mohammad Al-Saqer (including the anulled 2012 parliament), Mohammad Al-Mutair and Marzouq Al-Ghanim (including the anulled 2012 parliament). Ali Al-Rashed served for five legislative terms (including the anulled 2013 parliament and his resignation of the 2013 parliament).

Of the three consecutive terms record were Abdulaziz Al-Mutawaa, Abdullah AlNibari, Meshari Al-Osaimi, Rashed AlHebaidah and Abdulwahab Al-Haroun.

Khaled Bin Issa and Jumaan Al-Hirbish also served same number (including the anulled 2012 parliament).

Successive terms In category of winning seats in two successive terms, were Jassem Al-Saqer, Abdulmohsen Jamal, Homoud Al-Roumi, Sabah Bou-Shiba, Hamad Al-Jo’an, Ahmad Al-Nassar and Fahad Al-Khennah. In the single-term category: Mohammad Al-Rushaid, Mohammad Al-Bader, Abdurrahman Al-

Ghuneim, Jassem Al-Qutami, Abdullah AlAradah, Duaij Al-Shemmari, Abdullatif AlAmeeri, Mohammad Al-Abduljader, Salwa AlJassar, Adnan Al-Mutawaa, Abdurrahman AlAnjeri, Riyadh Al-Adsani, Rakan Al-Nisf, Adel Al-Kharafi, Hamad Al-Harshani, Oudah AlRuweiee, Abdurrahman Al-Jeeran, Khalil AlSaleh Ahmad Lari and Ahmad Al-Qudheebi.

Former MPs Al-Ameeri, Al-Mutawaa, AlAnjeri, Al-Adsani, Al-Kharafi, Al-Harshani, AlJeeran and Al-Saleh all had seats in the annulled 2012 parliament.

Elected MPs in this constituency have a record of occupying the chairmanship post of the parliament. Jassem Al-Kharafi served as speaker of the National Assembly for five terms; 1999, 2003, 2006, 2008 and 2009. Ali Al-Rashed was speaker of the annulled 2012 parliament, while Marzouq Al-Ghanim was speaker of the 2013 parliament.

Cabinet As to MPs’ representation in cabinets, the proportion is low, amounting to only four since 1981. MPs of this constituency did not have any ministerial portfolio in the cabinet formations in 1981, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. However, Jassem AlKharafi served as minister of finance and economy in the 1985 cabinet.

Following restoration of “the parliamentary life” in 1992, Meshari Al-Anjeri took over the ministry of justice and administrative affairs. Ahmad Baqer was named as minister of justice, awqaf and Islamic affairs in 2001.

He also served as minister of justice in 2003.

After a cabinet reshuffle in 2005, he also served, in addition to his post, as minister of state for municipal affairs. In the 2011 lineup, Ali Al-Rashed was appointed minister of state for cabinet affairs. — KUNA

Candidates speak

Legislations needed to address housing, citizenship, economic issues: Al-Sour ‘Bedoon issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible’

By Meshaal Al-Enezi KUWAIT: According to Nayef Al-Sour Al-Mutairi, a candidate running from the fourth constituency, the most urgent issues Kuwaitis face are housing, withdrawal of citizenships and economic problems, all of which need strict legislations. Sour was a member of the Municipal

There is a lack of seriousness in resolving many problems Council before he resigned to contest the National Assembly elections. He was the head of the Farwaniya committee and rapporteur of the Jahra committee in the council.

In an exclusive interview with Kuwait Times, Sour said the bedoon issue is a humanitarian one that needs to be resolved as soon as possible to give stateless people due rights. “Many of them deserve the honor of Kuwaiti citizenship,” he stressed, adding that he disapproves of the DNA law because some fatwas prohibit it, while His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah has given instructions to amend it.

Overburdened Kuwait Times: What is the reason behind your decision to run for the elections?

Citizens suffered the most as a result of the previous parliament’s unstudied decisions Nayef Al-Sour: Citizens are overburdened; there is a lack of seriousness in resolving many problems and the fact that the coming parliament needs an infusion of fresh blood to achieve the best for the country.

KT: What are the main issues in your electoral program?

Sour: The most urgent issues for citizens include housing, withdrawal of citizenships and economic reforms, which all need strict legislations to be resolved.

KT: What do you think of the previous parliament?

Sour: My opinion about the previous parliament matches what many observers and critics

Many fatwas have been issued by sheikhs prohibiting the DNA law have been saying - during its tenure, citizens suffered the most as a result of its unstudied decisions.

KT: How do you view the participation of the opposition in this election?

Sour: Running for parliamentary elections is not restricted to certain groups or people.

Whoever sees himself fit and worthwhile to make achievements can run in the elections without resorting to unjustified conflicts.

KT: Do you think any women will make it to the coming parliament?

Sour: Compared to the number of male candidates, the number of female candidates in these elections is relatively low, and I do not think any of them will make it to the coming parliament.

KT: What percentage of change do you expect in the new parliament?

Sour: There will surely be some change in the coming parliament, and this is clear from the fact that many former MPs are running.

However, I expect turnover will not be more than 50 percent.

KT: What percentage of participation do you expect?

Sour: I expect a higher turnout compared to the previous elections. I fact, I expect more than 60 percent of voters to take part because people are aware of the significance of their participation.

The number of female candidates in these elections is relatively low Program KT: What is the basis of your electoral program?

Sour: It is based on various issues of great concern for citizens, such as the housing problem that had been the focus of my career in the municipal council and resulted in allocating many lands to build new cities to the north, in addition to the economic issue and withdrawal of citizenships.

KT: Some previous MPs made promises they could not keep. What do you think of that?

Sour: No parliament is devoid of broken or false promises, and this ought to be taken into consideration by candidates before making any statements. They should not make hasty remarks, especially if the matter is of concern to a segment of citizens.

KUWAIT: Fourth constituency candidate Nayef Al-Sour registers for the upcoming elections.

KT: Is the bedoon issue on your electoral program?

Sour: The bedoon issue is a humanitarian one that needs to be resolved as soon as possible to give stateless people due rights, because many of them have made considerable sacrifices for Kuwait, including being martyred or taken as POWs during the Iraqi invasion in 1990. Many of them deserve the honor of Kuwaiti citizenship.

KT: What do you think of the DNA law?

Sour: I totally disapprove of it, because many fatwas have been issued by sheikhs prohibiting it. In addition, HH the Amir has called for amending the law.

Kuwaiti citizens deserve to have their loans written off KT: What is your view about writing off loans?

Sour: Kuwaiti citizens deserve to have their loans written off and not be overburdened. It is also a must to reward those who did not take out any bank loans.

Minister forms committee to supervise elections

By Meshaal Al-Enezi KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled AlSabah yesterday issued a ministerial decision on forming a special committee jointly with Kuwait Municipality to supervise the upcoming parliamentary elections and report to the interior minister and the minister of state for municipal affairs weekly.

Industrial area The Municipal Council approved a request by the Environment Public Authority (EPA) to sanction Shadadiya industrial area’s structural plan and a project to design, execute and maintain the area’s infrastructure. The request was unanimously approved.

Meanwhile, the council’s Chairman Muhalhel Al-Khaled said he is awaiting the election department’s final decision on disbarring

some candidates today before he makes his final decision concerning the resignation of council members running for the parliamentary elections. The council also agreed to a request by the Gulf Oil Company Sheikh Mohammad to adjust the path Al-Khaled Al-Sabah of some pipelines and another to install a pipeline between Mina Abdullah and the port’s refinery. The municipal council also approved a request to build a mosque in Mangaf and family residences for imams and muezzins.

Parliament building: Witness to Kuwait’s democracy KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti National Assembly (parliament) building is a civilized, and democratic landmark, that has borne witness to the key events of Kuwait’s democracy since independence. The parliament plays a major role in boosting Kuwait’s ties with the Arab and foreign countries, amid the challenges dictated by the regional and international devel-

opments. The Assembly that consists of 50 members, elected by the people, fulfills its due legislative role, enacting laws to push a head the wheel of development in Kuwait, as well as working on boosting joint Arab action through removing barriers and obstacles to serve the interests of the Arab peoples. — KUNA

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

LOCAL

KUWAIT: Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for Commercial Control and Consumer Protection Abdullah Al-Enezi inaugurates the exhibition. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Real estate prices fall over low oil rate: Official KUWAIT: Real estate price in Kuwait have remarkably plummeted due to the continuing dip in international oil prices, a commerce official said yesterday.

Speak ing to repor ters while opening Kuwait International Real Estate Fair held on November 7-12,

Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for Commercial Control and Consumer Protection Abdullah Al-Enezi said the fall in property prices is a good opportunity for purchasing.

He believed that Britain’s exit from the European

Union (EU) has led to a drop in real estate prices. He added that his ministry has set up integrated governmental centers at fairs, consisting of Kuwait Municipality and the ministries of commerce and justice, with a view to looking into all questions and

matters bearing on violations. The Kuwait International Real Estate Fair attracted 60 international real estate, investment and financial firms which are expected to offer around 250 property projects in 15 countries. — KUNA

Zain Group awarded 2016 Finance Team of the Year

KUWAIT: Minister of Electricity and Water Ahmad Al-Jassar officially opens the Boulevard Park. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

Boulevard Park new addition for residents of Kuwait: Minister ‘Project result of cooperation between public and private sectors’

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The Boulevard Park in Salmiya is unique, as it is a real estate, commercial, touristic and entertainment project consisting of 90 percent green space, and provides a great shopping and dining experience too. Parking is not a problem, with its huge parking lot. Minister of Electricity and Water Ahmad Al-Jassar said Boulevard is a new addition for the residents of Kuwait. “This project is a result of cooperation between the public and private sectors to develop Kuwait,” he said during the park’s launch ceremony yesterday.

The government is encouraging the private sector to participate in executing investment projects that will boost the national economy and the community. “The government has provided facilities for companies by eliminating obstacles to support them and attract new investments. This also created a suitable environ-

ment for investing according to international criteria, which strengthens the role of the private sector in improving the national economy,” said Jassar, who is also the acting minister of awqaf and minister of public works.

The Boulevard is a model of future parks. “The Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources worked for many years to realize this park. More parks will be built in the future as part of the ‘greenification’ plan to add environmental value, in addition to providing entertainment and touristic facilities,” he pointed out.

This project was designed according to international quality standards on a 20-year investment system. “Boulevard is considered a green oasis in the middle of the crowded city, and it decreases pollution and improves the climate. It also includes commercial, service and environmental activities, which will attract young people to spend their free time here,” concluded Jasser.

Adwan Al-Adwani, Chairman of the Al-Salmiya

Group Company for Enterprise Development, noted that Boulevard provides activities for all age categories. “We didn’t forget the disabled as well, and equipped the park with suitable facilities for them. Due to the wide green spaces, the park presents an ideal environment for walking and jogging in the midst of beautiful views of trees, two lakes, a river and fields for cricket, football, basketball and tennis,” he stated.

“The Boulevard also includes a shopping mall with many international brands and various cafes. Furthermore, there are more restaurants outside the mall and games for kids, both indoor and outdoor. Visitors can enter the park from seven gates, and we have provided 2,000 parking spaces for their vehicles,” said Adwani. “As part of our social responsibility, we have a ‘Lobby’ project that provides stores of suitable space at nominal rents to encourage small enterprises of young Kuwaitis and help them launch their projects,” he added.

Kuwait Airways to highlight transformation strategy, new livery at World Travel Market KUWAIT: Kuwait Air ways, the national airline of the State of Kuwait, has today announced it will be promoting its five-year transformation strategy and new livery at the World Travel Market ( W TM) 2016, being held in London from 79 November.

This will be Kuwait Airways’ second time outing at the world’s second most influential travel industry

event, which is a perfect platform for companies connected to the travel industry to represent their product offering and differentiation to an international audience.

With innovation and product development being one of the key themes of W TM 2016, Kuwait Airways’ recent announced transformation strategy, new livery launch, and new fleet additions are

the per fect talking points. The Kuwait Airways team will, therefore, be looking to cement ties with existing and new UK and global travel operators, as part of their participation at the event.

Speaking ahead of the event, Rasha Al-Roumi, Chairperson and CEO of Kuwait Airways, said: “World Travel Market is a proven platform from which to generate new business partnerships and to have our message heard by a truly international audience. We are confident that our representatives and stand will both be instrumental in delivering on these goals.”

“Kuwait Airways’ five-year transformation plan got underway, in 2016, with the launch of our new livery and branding and this transformation was added to further, this month [November], with the announcement of our new schedule. This means passengers can look forward to more direct flights,

more convenient flight timings, as well as increased frequencies along key routes.” “London, of course, is Kuwait Airways’ most popular international destination - now flying daily - and will be the first route to make use of our new Boeing 777300ER fleet,” Roumi concluded.

World Travel Market 2016 will be held at the ExCeL exhibitions and international convention center, in the UK capital, situated between London City Airport and Canary Wharf. The three-day event is the largest English-speaking travel trade event in the world and only second in size to ITB Berlin.

Over the three-day event, from 7-9 November, WTM 2016 will host around 5,000 exhibitors and welcome over 50,000 participants and visitors from over 182 countries.

According to the organizers, WTM 2016 will facilitate approximately GBP2.5 billion (KD 947.3 million) worth of industry deals.

KUWAIT: Zain Group, a leading mobile telecom innovator in eight markets across the Middle East and Africa, announces winning the Best Finance Team of the Year award for 2016 at the annual MENA CFO Excellence Awards held in Dubai on Monday 7 November, 2016. The event is organized by the international business facilitation experts Naseba Group and the honor is bestowed on a finance team who played an instrumental role in contributing to the success of their organization.

In presenting the award, the Naseba judging panel stated that the Zain finance team, “Demonstrated a transparent and proactive approach to balancing time between managing a large amount of data and information requirements with business analysis, as well as delivering timely financial information and proposing innovative solutions to overcome existing challenges, bolstering the company ’s transformation strategy to become a digital lifestyle operator.”

The role of finance at Zain Group is constantly evolving and the team is comprised of professionals who possess a transformational outlook and display an enthusiasm and curiosity to push boundaries and challenge conventions, delivering phenomenal results. Zain Group’s finance team has excelled at all the activities it undertakes, with the department’s prime focus having remained satisfying customer needs through helping all stakeholders within the organization to achieve strategic goals, while managing risk and maintaining oversight regarding compliance requirements.

Appreciative of Naseba’s acknowledgment, Zain Group Chief Financial Officer, Ossama Matta said, “This is a highly skilled area of activity and we have some of the best talent working with us, which is a significant competitive advantage in ensuring the future prosperity and sustainability of the company. Utilizing and leveraging cloudbased innovative solutions across key finance and accounting processes, the Group finance team is playing a vital role across all facets of the organization in driving the implementation of the Group’s growth strategy and transformation to a digital lifestyle operator.

Matta added, “We have made “driving efficiency and cost optimization” one of our key strategic pillars and over the past 12 months these efforts are paying off as reflected in our year-to-date financial results, outperforming our peers across the region. The finance team is constantly innovating and adding strategic value to the organization by turning data and information into insightful analysis, which assists colleagues across Zain Group and its eight country operations in planning, strategy and decisionmaking.”

Over the past year, the Zain Group

Ossama Matta finance team has passionately undertaken a range of responsibilities that the judges at Naseba identified as requiring significant skill, and these included the team having implemented and fully leveraging the latest cloud-based solutions (thus reducing the cost and time needed to deploy new finance tools) across key finance and accounting processes to support the performance agenda of all eight mobile operations.

The finance team improved the control and visibility of data while being given the opportunity to focus energy on enhancing business intelligence, developing more accurate forecasts, and tightening internal controls to assure accurate financial reporting and proper compliance. The team has also delivered specialist tax services in response to the changing dynamics of taxes in the region, and has undergone intensive upskilling to cope with the many new tax regime changes.

Zain Group’s strategy to improve efficiencies has seen the finance team execute on a number of transactions in the last 12 months, securing or renewing credit facilities on more favorable terms across the Group to fund 4G network upgrades and expansion across Zain’s operations, reflecting the continuous nature of the treasury team seeking more competitive arrangements. In addition the team has managed to cope with fluctuating currency impacts and cash-flow challenges in several key markets.

Of note is the Group Finance Team’s Investor Relations arm which has over the years been recognized for aptly managing shareholder and investor expectations, providing transparent, prompt and detailed reporting to all stakeholders and regulatory authorities in line with Corporate Governance guidelines.

Matta concluded by saying, “I can proudly say that Zain is at the forefront of strategic transformation in Finance in the Telecom industry and beyond in the region. The team is evolving to become even more proficient, allowing the formation of more strategic partnerships within the broader organization.”

LOCAL

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

CAN launches prostate cancer awareness campaign

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: The National Campaign for Cancer Awareness (Cancer Aware Nation) launched its prostate cancer campaign on Sunday under the patronage of Director General of Kuwait Ports Authority Sheikh Yousuf Abdullah Sabah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah. The ceremony was attended by CAN Chairman Dr Rasheed Al-Hamad, Deputy Chairman Dr Khalid Al-Saleh, Dr Hassan Dhahi and Dr Ahmad Raghib.

Dr Khalid said prostate cancer is an affliction that threatens men over 50 years old, and it can be totally cured if discovered early. “If we are able to expand the range of knowledge and awareness, we can save many people and have a high percentage of healed persons,” he said. Dr Khalid said prostate cancer is among the top 10 cancers that affect Kuwaitis and non-Kuwaitis, although Kuwaitis top the list of those affected with it, while non-Kuwaitis are fourth. He said this is due to the age factor, as most expats in Kuwait are young. He said prostate cancer, like all types of the disease, has a hereditary link as well as genetic structure, adding that an average of 90 to 100 cases are discovered in Kuwait annually.

Sheikh Yousuf thanked the doctors for their efforts. “We need laws and legislations to compel individuals to go for checkups and tests, similar to premarital tests,” he said. He called for monitoring the medical histories of citizens and expats in Kuwait, arguing that the legislative side is more important than the medical one, because saving a person is not only his concern, but of the entire family that he cares for. Moreover, early discovery saves the state budget a lot of funds too, Sheikh Yousuf said.

PM replacement rumors ‘baseless’

By A Saleh KUWAIT: Well-informed official sources strongly denied that the ruling family held a meeting during which it agreed on appointing former foreign minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Sabah as the prime minister in the next Cabinet. “All this is hearsay, baseless social media stories, analyses or wishes,” the sources said, noting that the selection of the prime minister is the right of His Highness the Amir alone.

The sources stressed that His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah will remain in office, and that this had been agreed upon prior to dissolving the parliament. “Sheikh Jaber has started a development plan and new projects and will remain in office to complete them,” added the sources, noting that he succeeded in resolving the housing and state budget problems and this is enough to keep him in office.

In addition, the sources explained that the ruling family meeting is usually dedicated to discussing general issues, latest developments and family members’ affairs. “No decisions are made because running the state is in the hands of HH the Amir, the government and constitutional bodies,” the sources reiterated, noting that the meeting was just a regular family meeting.

350 inspectors Acting manpower authority director Abdullah AlMotoutah said investing in human resources is one of Kuwait’s priorities and the state is keen on respecting international agreements about providing a healthy environment and protecting workers from occupational hazards and diseases. Motoutah added that 350 inspectors had been deployed in various governorates to ensure law 6/2010 pertaining laborers’ protection and compensating them for job-related injuries is fully put into practice.

Joint purchase Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Khaled Al-Shemali said the GCC project of joint purchase of basic goods was facing some obstacles and that some studies warned that mass purchases would lead to price increases. In a statement made to the Saudi Eqtisadiya newspaper, Shemali said the move might overlap with the private sector’s role. He added that a recommendation was made to the ministerial committee meeting the following week to discuss the issue. Separately, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry finalized a draft bill for restructuring and liquidating commercial establishments and submitted it to the fatwa and legislation department after it was reviewed by Minister Yousef Al-Ali.

Alcohol traders arrested

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Hawally police arrested two Indian nationals in Nugra for possession of alcohol. The two men were caught with 15 bottles of liquor, and one of them was found in violation of the residency law. Both were sent to concerned authorities.

Embassy official faces embezzlement charges KUWAIT: An official at the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) stationed at the Pakistan Embassy in Kuwait here has been caught embezzling funds. The man has reportedly gone into hiding after being accused of embezzling Rs 8.2 million from 2010-12. His visa has been cancelled and passport taken in custody of the Pakistan Embassy. A case against the accused has been registered by Pakistan Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) and a team has been dispatched to arrest him, reported GeoTv in Pakistan.

KUWAIT: The officials attend the press conference where the awareness campaign was announced. —Photos by Abdellatif Sharaa

CAN campaign volunteers.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

Fr om the Arabic press

Crime

News R e p o r t

i n

Mosque blast’s belt maker arrested in Saudi

Teens fight in Sulaibiya

KUWAIT: Saudi authorities arrested a man accused of making the explosive belt that was used in a terrorist attack at the Al-Sadeq Mosque in Kuwait last year. The man was arrested at a checkpoint when he raised suspicions after he tried to escape. He was arrested along with another fugitive following a brief chase, then transported to a maximum security prison, said sources with knowledge of the case. Saudi and Kuwaiti authorities are currently coordinating with regards to the suspect’s extradition to Kuwait for trial, the sources said. — Al-Shahed

KUWAIT: A bloody fight between juveniles in Sulaibiya in which axes were used was brought under control by policemen, who sent them to the juvenile prosecution. The fighters were found with axes and knives. They were sent to hospital and received treatment for their injuries.

sm li a ib Tr

Body found The body of an Indian man was recovered by the coroner after he was found dead in West Mishref, and there are suspicions of foul play behind his death. The body was discovered by passersby in front of a building, so police were called. Cuts on his face and bruises around the eye suggested a criminal act behind his death.

Investigations are underway.

s ie r a m i Pr Voter

Al-Anbaa

Woman assaulted A man beat a female citizen in Mahboula, then hit her with a cup on the head and groped her after an argument. The citizen went to Fintas police station and told them she received a call from a man she knows, who asked her to come to Mahboula to talk about some problems.

Detectives are working on the case.

Al-Jarida

Guard beaten A Jordanian security guard accused three men of beating him, in a complaint he lodged at Subbiya police station. The three Nepalese nationals were arrested and held for questioning.

Bootlegger arrested An Indian man was arrested in Rabiya for selling locallybrewed liquor from his car. He had 42 bottles ready for sale and was charged with possessing and selling alcohol. He was sent to concerned authorities for further legal action.

Suicide attempt A Yemeni woman in her 30s slashed her wrist in a suicide attempt in her Fintas home. She was rushed to Adan Hospital. She was charged with attempted suicide, and will be questioned on her recovery.

Drug possession An Indian roaming taxi driver failed in his attempt to escape from police after they caught him with hashish seeds. The Indian was stopped to check his ID, but seemed nervous, so they searched him and found a bag of the seeds. He said he was planning to plant them. The suspect violently resisted police requests to get in the patrol car, but he was forced in and taken to the police station. — Al-Rai

Star Fruit Company sponsors Horeca 2017 KUWAIT: Star Fruit Company recently announced plans to participate in Horeca Kuwait 2017 exhibition, due to be held early next year. In this regard General Manager Abdulrahman Sorour said that during its 25-year career, Star Fruits has been importing vegetables and fruits from all over the world. The company has Abdulrahman Sorour also been supplying fivestar hotels and restaurants in Kuwait with diverse products that meet all clients’ needs, he added.

Star Fruit is a leading company in the field of quality provision of high quality products to meet the increasing demands for fruit, vegetables and foodstuff for elite hotels and restaurants, Sorour said. He added that his company was awarded the HACCAP international accreditation award for food safety control.

“Star Fruit has fixed values and rules to win clients’ trust such, as commitment to provide its clients with best quality products selected from world-class suppliers, and providing the best prices,” Sorour stressed.

Finally, Sorour indicated that Horeca Kuwait 2017 is an important venue through which people interested in hospitality, hotels and food industries could meet and explore the latest in the business, as well as communicate with experts and specialists in the field.

Horeca Kuwait 2017 is organized by Leaders Group in collaboration with the Hospitality Services Company. It takes place in the period of January 1918, 2017 at Mishref International Fairgrounds, under auspices of Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah.

Seven days

By Dr Ibtihal Al-Khatib

I

have been experiencing something different for almost a week now while driving. It gave me a feeling that violence and cruelty have increased. Drivers seem more aggressive, less respectful, less tolerant and more willing to cut me off while driving. I did not understand the reason why. It seemed like Kuwait and all of its vehicles have suddenly turned against me.

The straw that broke the camel’s back came recently when I was driving at the Arabian Gulf Road. As I was approaching a traffic light, I slowed down and eventually stopped when the light turned yellow. But the car behind me was moving too fast, which forced me to move right to avoid impact. The young lady behind the wheel started honking furiously, which left me perplexed since I was thinking she should thank me because I helped her avoid an accident for which she would have definitely been held at fault. But soon after the traffic light turned green, the young head-scarfed lady, who had a lab coat hanging on the passenger’s seat, drove by me quickly and gave me an obscene gesture in front of everyone before driving away, leaving me in complete shock.

I gave a lot of thinking into what could have changed within a week and turned all drivers against me. My driving is the same, and the streets have not changed. Only one thing have changed, which is the car I am driving. I am currently using a small ‘humble’ car that my dad graciously gave me while my original car is in repair. Could it be that this small and durable yet humble looking and of modest social status vehicle could be the reason? Can people categorize me in a way that makes them believe that all of this rudeness and humiliation are acceptable bearing in mind that I was from the ‘class’ or ‘citizenship’ of people who drive those kind of cars?

The issue is not about my hurt feelings or frayed nerves of course. It is about a whole nation, public mood and common ethics. It is the issue of our guests in Kuwait, from low-wage workers, to teachers, to every low and middle class person who comes to work among us. Do they have to go through this suffering every day? Do they feel the bitter discrimination just because they are not ‘citizens’ or of higher financial status? One week in my humble car made me experience a daily struggle on the street. It made me taste the bitter taste of aggression and inferiority.

It helped me realize how superficial, stereotypical and racist we are. Not all of us are like that of course, but lately it has been a situation so prevalent that it became a phenomenon, especially with the deteriorating services’ level and increased pressure on public services, which generated a sense of intolerance against non-Kuwaitis that is increasing among Kuwaitis; the same Kuwaitis who have always been generous and lived as a minority among their guests who served and build the country with them, from cleaning workers to state consultants.

But the case is different today. Hearts have become like stone, morals have deteriorated and hate has prevailed to a point in which a young lady wearing a head scarf that shows her religious devoutness and a coat that indicates her role as an ‘angel of mercy’ (nurse) would not hesitate to publicly degrade herself in order to take revenge from a ‘poor foreigner’ who stopped at the yellow light, thus slowed her down for a few minutes.

I only tasted a small portion from a large plate that our guests eat from every day, so are way a nation that presents poison to its visitors?

— Translated by Kuwait Times

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait distributed coupons to families in need to purchase school supplies for their children. The project was carried out in cooperation with the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate.

Court ruling KUWAIT: In an unprecedented step, the government challenged a Cassation Court ruling, which is supposed to be final, which ruled to allow courts to look into cases related to citizenships. The reason behind this step could be because the government had previously obtained a verdict from the same court in a different case which indicated that the judiciary does not have the authority to look into citizenship related cases, sources said. — Al-Qabas Power tariffs KUWAIT: The executive list of the law to increase electricity and water tariffs will be ready within weeks as the Ministry of Electricity and Water plans to release it before the law becomes effective on May 22, 2017, minister Ahmad Al-Jassar said. — Al-Anbaa Medical tests KUWAIT: Making appointments for expatriate workers’ medical tests necessary for visa transactions will soon be available online through the Ministry of Health’s website, Undersecretary Assistant for Public Health Affairs Dr Majida Al-Qattan announced. The service will also allow rescheduling older date and auto update of test results at the Interior Ministry’s website, she added. — Al-Anbaa Human trafficking KUWAIT: Victoria Orero from the US Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking urged Kuwait to prosecute people involved in human trafficking, including Kuwaitis. She said in an interview with Al-Rai that it is important activate legal procedures against human trafficking suspects in order to prevent case settlements and failure to get court orders that convict them. —Al-Rai Investment portfolio KUWAIT: Kuwait Petroleum Corporation’s investment portfolio increased in the past four years from KD 5 billion to KD 7 billion, or by 40 percent, sources said, adding that the portfolio made KD 231 million returns by the end of the 2015/2016 fiscal year. — Al-Anbaa Licenses withdrawn KUWAIT: Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, State Minister of Planning and Development Hind Al-Subaih gave orders to withdraw the licenses of the ‘Abu Ramiya’ wedding hall in Andalus, as well as the Daiya Co-op Society’s wedding hall for violations pertaining with their illegal use for commercial purposes. Meanwhile, the ministry is currently studying the situation of four other halls which could soon be withdrawn as well, sources said, adding that the number of halls withdrawn so far is 30. — Al-Jarida

KUWAIT: Ahmadi Governor Sheikh Fawaz Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah met recently with Dr Bader Al-Duwaish, Secretary General of the National Council of Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) to discuss preparations for activities that the governorate is set to host as part of Kuwait’s celebrations for being selected as a capital of Islamic culture.

Burgan Bank announces 50% discount at Bayan Dental Clinic KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced today a special offer specifically designed for its Premier Banking Customers.

Premier Banking customers will now smile brighter by availing up to 50 percent discount on different medical services at Bayan Dental Clinic, when using their Platinum Debit or Credit Card.

This new discount is available at Bayan Dental Clinics located at Salmiya, Kuwait City, Egaila and Jahra and is applicable on all dental treatments and cosmetic services including Veneers, Whitening Packages, Implants and many more.

Designed to suit the lifestyle of its distinguished customers, this offer comes as part of the bank’s exclusive range of valuable privileges and benefits created and tailored to suit Premier banking customers’ lifestyle needs.

To find out more about Burgan Bank’s Premier Banking benefits and latest promotions, customers are urged to visit any of the bank’s branches, or contact the call center on 1804080. For more information, customers can also log onto the bank’s website on www.burgan.com or email: premierbanking@burgan.com.

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NBK acknowledges Central Bank’s risk credit procedures

KUWAIT: Undersecretary of Kuwait National Guard Lieutenant General Hashem Al-Refaíie met yesterday with a Qatari security delegation to discuss cooperation.

KUWAIT: The National Bank of Kuwait’s (NBK) Deputy Chief Credit Risk Officer Hesham Barakat said that the Central Bank of Kuwait closely watches the banking sector units in terms of risk credit, which emphasizes and enhances its role in monitoring the local banking sector and protecting it from economic variables more professionally.

Speaking at the sidelines of NBK’s training program for business journalists, Barakat said that NBK was one the most conservative banks in terms of credit, adding that this helped steer the bank through rapid local and international developments, especially since the bank has branches in four continents.

The training program is held from October 22, 2016 and to NBK’s Deputy Chief Credit Risk Officer Hesham Barakat April 1, 2017.

Facebook accused of condoning hate Page 9 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

Yemen war death toll surpasses 7,000

SANAA: A Yemeni doctor makes an injection to a baby at a Kuwaiti hospital in the Yemeni capital Sanaa. One and a half million children suffer from malnutrition, including 370,000 for whom it is so severe it weakens their immune system, the UN children’s agency says. —AFP

Earthquake rocks central Oklahoma CUSHING: A sharp earthquake centered near one of the world’s key oil hubs Sunday night triggered fears that the magnitude 5.0 temblor might have damaged key infrastructure in addition to causing what police described as “quite a bit of damage” in the Oklahoma prairie town of Cushing.

City Manager Steve Spears said a few minor injuries were reported and questioned whether some of the community’s century-old buildings might be unsafe. Police cordoned off older parts of the town to keep away gawkers.

“Stay out of the area,” Spears told residents during a late-night news conference. Emergency officials evacuated an assisted living center catering to the elderly in Cushing. Assistant City Manager Jeremy Frazier said that while damage was reported at the Cimarron Tower after the quake, no injuries were reported among the home’s residents. It wasn’t immediately known how many people lived at the building in downtown Cushing. Tulsa television station KOTV said some of those taken from the home were moved to the Cushing Youth Center.

Frazier said the temblor caused the most damage in and around Cushing’s century-old down-

town. A number of brick facades had collapsed, and window panes in several buildings shattered.

Frazier said city leaders could do a better assessment after sun-up. Cindy Roe, 50, has lived in Cushing all her life and said she’s never felt anything like Sunday’s quake. “I thought my whole trailer was going to tip over, it was shaking it so bad,” she said. “It was loud and all the lights went out and you could hear things falling on the ground. “It was awful and I don’t want to have another one.”

Megan Gustafson and Jonathan Gillespie were working a shift at a McDonald’s in Cushing when the quake hit. “It felt like a train was going right through the building, actually,” Gustafson, 17, said Sunday night as she and her co-workers stood behind a police barricade downtown, looking for damage. “I kind of freaked out and was hyperventilating a bit.” Gillespie, also 17, described the building as shaking for about 10 seconds or so.

But he said he wasn’t as alarmed as Gustafson because he lives in an area that has experienced multiple earthquakes, especially in recent years. “I didn’t think it was anything new,” he said.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission said it

and the Oklahoma Geological Survey were investigating after the quake, which struck at 7:44 p.m. and was felt as far away as Iowa, Illinois and Texas.

“The OCC’s Pipeline Safety Department has been in contact with pipeline operators in the Cushing oil storage terminal under state jurisdiction and there have been no immediate reports of any problems,” the commission’s spokesman, Matt Skinner, said in a statement. “The assessment of the infrastructure continues.”

Assistant City Manager Jeremy Frazier said two pipeline companies had reported no trouble but that the community hadn’t heard from all companies. The oil storage terminal is one of the world’s largest. As of Oct 28, tank farms in the countryside around Cushing held 58.5 million barrels of crude oil, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration. The community bills itself as the “Pipeline Crossroads of the World.” The Cushing Police Department reported “quite a bit of damage” in the town of 7,900. Spears said some damage was superficial - bricks falling off facades - but that some older buildings might have damaged foundations that would be difficult to assess until daylight. —AP

SANAA: Yemen’s 20-month war has killed more than 7,000 people and wounded nearly 37,000, the World Health Organization said, as the UN envoy voiced alarm over the worsening humanitarian situation.

“More than 7,070 people have been killed and over 36,818 injured” as of October 25, the WHO said in a statement. Another 21 million people are in need of urgent health services, the UN health agency said.

Speaking to reporters at the airport of the rebel-held capital Sanaa on Monday, UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said that the situation cannot continue.

“People are dying... the infrastructure is falling apart... and the economy is on the brink of abyss,” he said. Yemen has been rocked by fighting between Iran-backed rebels and government forces supported by a Saudi-led coalition since March 2015, months after the insurgents seized Sanaa and advanced across the country. The UN envoy urged the coalition controlling Yemen’s airspace to allow commercial flights into and out of Sanaa’s international airport to evacuate the wounded.

The coalition argues that the rebels would use the airport, completely under their control, to transport weapons. International organizations have also warned in recent weeks of a spread of disease and growing malnutrition rates in the country. The WHO said 2.1 million people have been internally displaced by the conflict. More than half of all health facilities across the country have been shut or are functioning only partially amid “critical shortages” in doctors, it said.

Ould Cheikh Ahmed warned of a “very dangerous” health situation with an estimated 2,241 suspected cholera cases. The UN has confirmed 71 cases of the disease, which is transmitted through contaminated drinking water and causes acute diarrhoea. Attempts by the UN envoy to convince the warring parties to commit to a ceasefire and resume peace talks have failed Ould Cheikh Ahmed urged the rivals to “make some concessions” and defended a roadmap for peace he put forward last month.

The mediator, who had been discussing his proposal with the rebels since Thursday, was headed to Riyadh to meet President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

The contents of the roadmap have not been made public. But sources say it calls for agreement on naming a new vice president after the rebels withdraw from Sanaa and other cities and hand over heavy weapons to a third party. Hadi would then transfer power to the vice president who would appoint a new prime minister to form a government in which the north and south of Yemen would have equal representation. —AFP

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

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

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Two killed as tornado strikes quake-hit Italy ROME: An Indian national was amongst two people who died after the outskirts of Rome were hit by a tornado powerful enough to uproot trees, overturn cars and damage buildings, Italian authorities said yesterday. Schools were closed and a clean-up operation was underway in Ladispoli, a coastal town west of Rome where the whirlwind hit on Sunday evening. “It came in from the sea and swept through the town centre. There were fishing boats in the harbor that were moved over 100 meters,” the town’s mayor, Crescenzo Paliotta, told reporters. The Indian victim, identified in media reports as farm laborer Surinder Singh, died after being struck by a piece of masonry blown off the edge of an apartment building, Paliotta said. The other victim was a pensioner who was hit by a falling tree in the small town of Cesano, north of the capital. The tornado struck as Italy continues to grapple with the damage done to central regions by three powerful earthquakes in just over two months.

AIN ISSA, Syria: Members of US-backed Kurdish-Arab forces deploy on the frontline, one kilometer from the Syrian town of Ain Issa as they launched an offensive on the Islamic State group’s de facto Syrian capital. — AFP

US-backed forces push closer to Islamic State ‘capital’ Raqa Raqa and Mosul - the last major cities under IS control AIN ISSA: A US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance pushed closer to Raqa and Iraqi forces seized a key town near Mosul as offensives advanced yesterday against the two Islamic State group strongholds. After announcing the start of the long-awaited offensive on Raqa on Sunday, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance said it had moved south towards the city despite fierce jihadist resistance. South of Mosul, Iraqi forces had retaken the town of Hamam Al-Alil from IS, a key objective in their three-week advance on the city. Raqa and Mosul are the last major cities in Syria and Iraq under the jihadists’ control and their capture would deal a knockout blow to the self-styled “caliphate” IS declared in mid-2014.

The US-led coalition that launched operations against IS two years ago is providing crucial backing to the offensives, with both air strikes and special forces advisers on the ground. SDF spokeswoman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed said that forces had advanced on two fronts towards Raqa amid heavy fighting. Alliance forces had pushed at least 10 kilometers south towards the city from the towns of Ain Issa and Suluk, she said. In both cases SDF fighters were still some distance from Raqa-on the Ain Issa front at least 30 kilometers away. “The offensive is going according to plan,” said Ahmed, who added that at least 10 villages had so far been taken from IS. “The battle will be long.”

‘Fight will not be easy’ An SDF commander said IS was fighting back with its favorite tactic of sending suicide bombers in explosives-

packed vehicles against advancing forces. “IS is sending car bombers but coalition planes and our anti-tank weapons are limiting their effectiveness,” the commander said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The SDF says some 30,000 of its fighters are taking part in the operation, dubbed “Wrath of the Euphrates”. It aims to surround and isolate IS inside Raqa before eventually assaulting the city itself. Both SDF commanders and coalition officials have warned that the battle is likely to be long and difficult. “As in Mosul, the fight will not be easy and there is hard work ahead,” US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said in a statement after the assault was launched.

“But it is necessary to end the fiction of ISIL’s caliphate and disrupt the group’s ability to carry out terror attacks against the United States, our allies and our partners,” Carter said, using an alternative name for IS. Driving IS from both cities has been the endgame since the US-led coalition launched air strikes against it in summer 2014, shortly after the jihadists seized control of large parts of Syria and Iraq. Some 50 US military advisers are involved in the Raqa operation, particularly to guide air strikes, according to an SDF source. Near Ain Issa, an AFP correspondent saw at least one soldier who had US markings on his helmet with SDF fighters.

Battles rage near Mosul Near Mosul, federal police, army and elite interior ministry forces established full control over Hamam Al-Alil, the last town of note on the way to Mosul from the south, AFP reporters said. It lies on the west bank of the Tigris

river, about 15 kilometers southeast of the edge of Mosul.

Fighting also continued east of Mosul, with Kurdish forces launching an offensive to take the town of Bashiqa and the elite Counter Terrorism Service battling IS in the city’s suburbs. “Up to seven neighborhoods are under the control of counter-terrorism forces, and they are now completely securing them and clearing them of pockets of terrorists present inside the houses,” CTS spokesman Sabah Al-Noman said.

The Mosul offensive has advanced faster than expected but the battle for Raqa is far more complicated. Unlike in Iraq where the coalition has a state-controlled ally in federal forces, in Syria its ground partner is made up of local militias, including some rebel groups that have battled President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The domination of the SDF by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) has also raised deep concern with Turkey, which considers the YPG a “terrorist” group linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Turkey in August began its own operation inside northern Syria, targeting both IS and the YPG and supporting local rebel forces. Aid groups have voiced concerns for civilians trapped in both Mosul and Raqa, warning they may be used as human shields. More than 34,000 people have been displaced since the Mosul operation began on October 17, the International Organization for Migration said yesterday. More than a million people are believed to be in Mosul. Raqa had a population of some 240,000 before 2011 but more than 80,000 people have since fled there from other parts of Syria. —AFP

First female US attorney general Janet Reno dies MIAMI: Janet Reno, the first female US attorney general and a lightning rod for Republican attacks during Bill Clinton’s presidency, has died in Florida, US media reported. She was 78. Reno died early Monday at her Miami home due to complications from Parkinson’s disease, her sister Maggy Hurchalla told CNN. The top US law enforcement officer throughout Clinton’s 1993-2001 presidency, Reno came under fire barely one month after becoming attorney general for her handling of a botched April 1993 FBI raid on an armed religious cult in Waco, Texas.

Some 80 people died when the Branch Davidian cult’s compound went up in flames. Her other actions included ordering the Miami relatives of six-year-old Cuban shipwreck survivor Elian Gonzalez in 2000 to surrender the boy to federal authorities. US immigration officials determined that Gonzalez’s father had the right to take his son from his estranged exile Cuban Miami relatives, who had cared for the boy since his rescue months earlier at sea attempting to immigrate to the United States.

US agents burst into the home and retrieved the boy at gunpoint, then returned Gonzalez to his father in communist Cuba. One of the longest-serving US attorney generals, her Department of Justice handled prosecutions in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and two cases of domestic terrorism, the 1995 Oklahoma City federal building bombing and the “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski. Other cases included an anti-trust lawsuit against Microsoft, and suing the tobacco industry along with several states to recover health care money spent on people who suffered the effects of smoking. — AFP

Former US Attorney General Janet Reno

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Philippines’ president cancels US rifle order MANILA: Firebrand Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said yesterday he would cancel an order for about 27,000 American-made assault rifles, in his latest display of defiance against the United States. The rifles were due to be provided to the Philippine police but Duterte said he would look for cheaper alternatives.

“The (rifles) that were ordered already, I am ordering the police to cancel it. We’ll just have to look for another source that is cheaper and maybe as durable and as good,” Duterte said. The status of the order had become cloudy over the past week after the Philippine media reported the US government would not deliver the weapons because of concerns about Duterte’s war on drugs and other crime, which has claimed more than 4,100 lives in four months. Duterte’s spokesman said last week those reports were not accurate, and the US arms would be delivered as promised. But the president also made comments last week which appeared to indicate he believed the Americans had cancelled the planned delivery.

Austria urges EU to get tough on Turkey VIENNA: Austria’s foreign minister said yesterday the EU should change its stance on Turkey following the recent crackdown and stop the flow of billions of euros in aid if Ankara fails to stick to its migrants deal with the bloc.

Sebastian Kurz told Oe1 radio that Turkey must “top the agenda” of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers next Monday that should agree a “different EU policy”.

“Over recent years Turkey has moved further and further away from the EU, but our policy has remained the same.

That can’t work. What we need are clear consequences,” Kurz said. “In Turkey, opposition figures are being arrested, journalists are being persecuted, officials are being fired if they think differently and the return of the death penalty is being talked about.” Under the EU’s deal with Turkey in force since March, the EU has promised an acceleration of accession talks, visa liberalisation and three billion euros ($3.3 billion) in return for taking back migrants who make it to Greece.

Gunmen free prisoners in southern Mali town

KASHMIR: A Kashmiri man carries a wounded protester after he was hit by a tear gas shell during the funeral of Qaiser Sofi in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir. — AP

Indian shelling kills 3 in ‘disputed Kashmir’ MUZAFFARABAD: Three people were killed and five wounded yesterday in Indian shelling across the disputed border with Pakistan in the Himalayan region of Kashmir, Pakistani officials said, as tension simmers between the nuclear-armed neighbors. Feelings have run high since July, when Indian security forces killed a young Kashmiri fighter in Indian-administered Kashmir, prompting months of protests and a corresponding security crackdown that has claimed more than 80 lives.

“There has been intense shelling in Nakyal sector since morning,” said Pakistani official Sardar Zeeshan Nisar, confirming the death toll. Two people were wounded, he added. Nisar accused Indian forces of targeting civilians in their firing across the disputed border. Shelling also took place in the Neelum Valley of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, hitting a vehicle near the village of Danjar and wounding three people, said local official Sardar Waheed.

The Indian military said that it had fired in response to Pakistani firing in the Poonch district yesterday morning, but did not comment on reports of casualties. An Indian

defense spokesman said Pakistani forces had fired 120mm and 82mm mortars, as well as automatic weapons, across the Line of Control, and alleged they had targeted Indian posts and civilian areas. Both countries claim all of Kashmir, but administer separate parts, divided by a defacto border. They have fought two of their three wars since independence from the British in 1947 over the territory.

Tension built further in September, when 18 Indian soldiers were killed at an army base in Indian-administered Kashmir, in an attack Delhi blamed on Pakistanbased militants. Pakistan denied that it was involved in that attack. Several days later, India said it had carried out “surgical strikes” on militant bases across the border, a claim Pakistan termed “an illusion”. Last week, both countries expelled each others’ diplomats, and named a number of others as being involved in spying. Violations of a 2003 ceasefire on the defacto border have regularly occurred in the last two months. In the latest major violence, at least 19 people were killed on both sides in shelling last week.— Reuters

BAMAKO: Unidentified gunmen freed 21 prisoners in the southern Mali town of Banamba late on Sunday in what Mali’s Justice Minister described as a “terrorist attack”. Mamadou Ismael Konate said yesterday the six attackers had wanted to release “two terrorists” but said they had already been moved to another town.

Konate said one prison guard had gone missing after the raid but he provided no further details. An army spokesman said the attack had occurred around 2100 GMT on Sunday. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack but Islamist groups such as Ansar Dine have stepped up their insurgency in Mali this year, carrying out more than 60 attacks on United Nations and other targets since May and spreading south into areas previously deemed safe. “I heard gunshots as I was getting ready to go to bed around 2300,” said Banamba resident Yacouba Doucoure. “Later I learned there was an attack against the army camp and the prison.”

Turkey puts 36 jihadist on trial over bombing ANKARA: Turkey yesterday put 36 suspects on trial over a double suicide bombing last year blamed on Islamic State jihadists that killed over 100 people in the country’s deadliest attack. The bombing on October 10, 2015 outside Ankara’s main train station targeted mainly young people attending a peace rally of pro-Kurdish activists that was to start later that day. Supporters of the victims have until now bitterly criticized the slowness of the investigation into the attack, which further raised tensions between the authorities and the Kurdish minority.

The trial got underway at the Ankara criminal court in the presence of opposition MPs and families of the victims, several of whom shouted “murderers” at the suspects, reports said. Thirty-five of the suspects are Turkish while one-named as Valentina Slobodjanjuk-is a Kazakh citizen, the state-run Anadolu news agency said. Several of the suspects face multiple sentences of up to 11,750 years in prison each on charges of murder and seeking to change the constitutional order.

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German prosecutors investigate Facebook ‘hate incitement’ claim Facebook accused of condoning hate speech BERLIN: German prosecutors said yesterday they have launched a probe after receiving a complaint alleging that top Facebook bosses including founder Mark Zuckerberg are condoning hate speech, as pressure grows on the social network to clamp down on racist content. The probe comes as top politicians are ratcheting up warnings against the US group, with the German justice ministry mulling possible penalties if Facebook failed to remove offensive user commentaries promptly after they have been flagged.

Concern has been rising over the vitriolic comments made by some Facebook and Twitter users in Germany, which have gained intensity as public misgivings grow in some quarters over the almost 900,000 asylum seekers who arrived last year.

Confirming a challenge against Facebook, the spokesman of the Munich prosecution service, Florian Weinzierl said that “a complaint has been filed by a lawyer that accuses, among others, Mr Zuckerberg” of “the offence of incitement”.

His service is examining if it is the “competent office for such claims and whether there has been criminal conduct”, he said, adding that investigators are looking into whether German penal law applies in this case. Lawyer Chan-jo Jun, who initiated the claim,

said he had compiled a list of 438 cases including incitement of hate and violence as well as support for terrorist groups made on Facebook, but which he said the social network has failed to delete even though they have been repeatedly flagged up as offensive speech. “ The management violated German law, by not removing illegal content from Facebook despite being notified, and allowing the content to be publicly available,” Jun said of his complaint, which he said also targets Facebook chief operating officer Sher yl Sandberg and managing director of the nor thern Europe region Martin Ott. Jun last year filed a similar challenge in the northern city of Hamburg but prosecutors there rejected the claim, saying that Facebook managers did not fall under German jurisdiction. Facebook declined comment on the probe but said “the allegations lack merit and there has been no violation of German law by Facebook or its employees.” “There is no place for hate on Facebook. We work closely with partners to fight hate speech and foster counter speech,” it added.

50,000 euro fine per post?

The latest challenge against Facebook comes amid repeated calls from the government to get US

online networks to take swift action to combat hate speech. Despite a pledge in December last year by Facebook, Twitter and Google to examine and remove offensive posts in Germany within 24 hours, users have reported that their requests to take down hate speech have often hit a wall. Senior politicians in Germany have in recent weeks voiced exasperation over the issue.

In an interview last month, Justice Minister Heiko Maas said the online giants had taken action only in a minority of cases, and warned of “consequences” if they failed to meet their obligations.

Out of the cases repor ted to Twitter in Germany, only one percent was erased, he said, while for Facebook, the proportion was 46 percent. The social networks have “up to March next year” to deal with the problem, he said, “if nothing changes, then we will have to oblige them to take their responsibilities more seriously.” Volker Kauder, a key member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party, said the social media groups should face penalties in case of recalcitrance on the issue. If the companies fail to remove offensive posts within a week after they have been reported, then they should be penalized, with a suggested fine of 50,000 euros ($55,000) per post, he said. — AFP

‘The gallows are ready’ Sierra Leone reconsiders death penalty FREETOWN: For almost 20 years, Sierra Leone has avoided using the death penalty. But spurred by public outrage over ritual murders and gang violence, the government is moving once again to hang offenders. The legal community believes one sensational case in particular has driven the government to consider resorting again to capital punishment, a case they say was marred by police incompetence and a poorly handled trial.

On the last night of his life in May 2015, a slight young musician known as DJ Clef played a raucous set at the home of a faith healer known for his high-society connections and the tattooed faces of demons covering his body. Clef-born Sydney David Buckle-was later found, with his organs and genitals missing, by the road leading to a military cemetery on the outskirts of the capital, Freetown.

His death sickened a country where a civil war and more recently Ebola have ravaged society and the economy, firing up a huge Freetown fan base who adored his laid-back demeanor and Afrobeat mixes. A drive for swift justice was led by Milton Coker, the president of the All Stars music collective to which Clef belonged.

“People who kill should be killed,” Coker said flatly in a recent interview with AFP. “It will deter others.” Baimba Moi Foray, an influential “ju-ju man”, or witch doctor, and an accomplice were duly convicted of his murder and sentenced to hang for their crimes in September. If an appeal is unsuccessful, they could become the first since 1998 to face the gallows.

Bungled case?

Death row lawyer Simitie Lavaly said that because of the media buzz around the celebrities involved, police felt pressure to find a perpetrator fast, and bungled the case. “The police did not do a thorough job and the only reason why they are convicted is the media around the case,” she told AFP.Lurid local stories speculated over Foray’s methods and the fate of Buckle’s body parts, heightened by the witch doctor’s alleged connections

to influential figures in Sierra Leone and even an African president. “It was a prejudiced judge and jury,” Lavaly said, who were presented with “hardly any” substantial evidence.

Despite such claims, senior officials say a new bill is already being drafted to harden up the current legislation on violent crime, spurred by a wave of popular support. Interior Minister Palo Conteh did not pull his punches in a recent interview with AFP. “I’ve instructed the Director General of the Male Correctional Facility to ensure that the gallows are oiled, cleaned and ready to be used,” Conteh said. “We have not been executing convicts due to a presidential moratorium but considering the increased lawlessness and violence in society we have to kill as prescribed by law,” Conteh added.

Root causes Rights groups say the government’s populist turn avoids tackling the root problems that fuel violence in Sierra Leone: poverty, unemployment and corruption.

A 2004 truth and reconciliation commission said the central cause of Sierra Leone’s horrific 1991-2002 civil war was “endemic greed, corruption and nepotism that deprived the nation of its dignity and reduced most people into a state of poverty.” The commission recommended abolishing the death penalty as an “important and symbolic departure from the past”, as successive governments abused capital punishment to target their enemies.

More recently, Ebola ravaged the fragile nation’s health system but also wrecked its economy, leaving many young people jobless, homeless and fending for themselves. The US State Department has monitored a “steady increase in the number of gangs and cliques in Freetown over the past five years” by unemployed young people who form entourages around local hiphop artists. The gangs “increased criminality and antisocial behavior”, including murders, make the pages of Sierra Leone’s newspapers every day. —AFP

Belgium’s Molenbeek and the ‘jihadist tag’ MOLENBEEK: One year on from the Paris massacres, the gritty district in Brussels that was the launchpad for the attacks is struggling to shed its reputation as a jihadist hotbed.

Molenbeek, a largely immigrant neighborhood, is notorious not only for its role in the November 13 atrocities in France, but also as the home to perpetrators of the deadly March 22 bombings on the Belgian capital’s metro and airport.

“Even in France, when you say ‘Molenbeek,’ it means terrorist for them. That makes me feel bad for all of Belgium,” Molenbeek resident Kamel said without giving his last name. The Abdeslam family still lives in Molenbeek’s main

BRUSSELS: A woman walks past a market in Molenbeek’s main square, in Brussels. One year on from the Paris massacres, the gritty district in Brussels that was the launchpad for the attacks is struggling to shed its reputation as a jihadist hotbed. — AFP

square, but without two of its four sons. Brahim blew himself up in a Paris cafe on November 13, while his brother Salah, the only known surviving member of the jihadist squad, awaits trial in a prison south of Paris.

Mohamed Abrini, the so-called “Man in the hat” seen on CCTV at Brussels airport just before the attack there, lived in an apartment only 50 meters from the Abdeslam family.

Paris ringleader Abdelhamid Abaaoud also hailed from Molenbeek before becoming an Islamic State fighter in Syria and dying outside Paris in a French police raid five days after the attacks. Two days after last year’s atrocities, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel called for a “greater crackdown” in Molenbeek as he described its links to militants as “a gigantic problem”.

‘Canal plan’ Michel’s government has since launched the so-called “Canal Plan” to fight radicalisation in Molenbeek and other poor immigrant and crime-ridden neighborhoods. The plan is named for an old industrial waterway which passes through them. In Molenbeek, authorities have deployed 50 extra police officers and closed nearly 100 community associations, cafes and secret mosques deemed to promote Islamist extremism. “We have identified 57 individuals threatening the state,” Interior Minister Jan Jambon said recently, adding they were in the sights of the intelligence services. Molenbeek Mayor FranÁoise Schepmans said she has received the support of most of Molenbeek’s 100,000 citizens, many of them of Moroccan origin. “The important thing is really to dry up the breeding ground for crime, which is linked to radicalism,” Schepmans said.

New initiatives have been launched, including Molengeek, which is trying to attract young people to create high-tech start ups. “It has attracted the attention of many players who want to get involved in interesting initiatives,” said co-founder Ibrahim Ouassari, citing support from US tech giants Google and Microsoft. Since its launch in April in an old brewery, the Millenium Iconoclast Museum of Art (MIMA), which exhibits street art, has attracted 30,000 visitors from the ritzier, more fashionable side of the canal.

But there is a lot of history to overcome. Analyst Claude Moniquet, CEO of the Brussels-based European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center, said that for the past two decades Molenbeek has played host to fighters from wars in Algeria, Afghanistan and Bosnia as well as in Syria and Iraq. It has even been linked to the 2001 assassination of iconic Afghan leader Ahmed Shah Massoud, the 2004 Madrid train bombings as well as other jihadist attacks in Belgium, including the 2014 murder of four people at the Jewish museum in central Brussels. — AFP

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US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Election Night in America WASHINGTON: Americans are getting set for a long Election Night of waiting to see who the 45th US president will be-Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. Here are the key things to know: what it takes to win, which states are the ones to watch, and how long it all might take for the winner to emerge: The magic number is 270 Rather than one big nationwide election, this is really 51 small ones-in the 50 states and the US capital Washington. As the results come in, they will form an electoral map that colors each state red for the Republicans and blue for the Democrats. This shaded map is a fixture of American politics every four years, with news media and web sites fashioning them to give a real-time picture over the course of Election Night to illustrate how the candidates and parties are doing. In the White House race, the winner needs at least 270 of the 538 electoral votes up for grabs.

Drama and surprises The first polling stations close on the East Coast at 7:00 pm, and the last far out in Alaska at 0600 GMT tomorrow. The drama begins at 0000 GMT when polling stations close in Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont, Indiana and Kentucky. The first surprises could come from Georgia if Trump loses that normally Republican-leaning state, and if Virginia, won by Barack Obama in 2012, eludes Clinton. Half an hour later, the surprise could come from the battleground states of Ohio and North Carolina, which have 18 and 15 electoral votes, respectively. Ohio, a fallen industrial powerhouse, is historically Democratic territory while North Carolina tends to vote Republican. But either could

swing the other way this year. Over the next 90 minutes or so, a burst of results from some 30 states accounting for dozens of electoral votes will further fill in the red and blue electoral map.

All eyes will be on Florida Florida- an ethnically and politically mixed snapshot of America that accounts for a whopping 29 electoral votes. Obama won it narrowly in 2012. Back in 2000, in the historic disputed election that kept the nation on the edge of its seat for days, George W. Bush defeated Al Gore there. Much attention will also be paid to the small northeastern state of New Hampshire, which normally votes for Democrats but is seen as possibly up for grabs this time, and Pennsylvania, another former industrial powerhouse that normally leans Democratic and holds a prize of 20 electoral votes. Heading west, Arizona and Texasconservative states that border Mexico are seen as possible prey for Clinton. And in the other direction, Colorado, Michigan and Wisconsin-Democratic strongholds that account for 35 electoral votes between themare seen as maybe going to Trump.

How the results come in US TV stations announce winners in each state one by one through partial vote tallies, exit polls and their own projections. They tend not to bother to wait for word from heavily Democratic California and its 55 votes, where polls close at 0400 GMT, to call the race on who will be the next president.

But this year, the race could stretch well into the night if the final polls are correct and some of the states, especially Florida, are in near-dead heats.— AFP

PENNSYLVANIA: Campaign of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump Supporters cheer as the plane carrying Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives for a campaign rally at Atlantic Aviation in Moon Township. — AFP

Win or lose, ‘Trumpism’ will leave its mark

This combination of file photos shows the silhouettes of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. — AFP

What to call Bill if Hillary wins?

First gentleman? Mr President?

WASHINGTON: Hillary Clinton’s possible election next week to America’s highest office has raised a sticky question: What’s the best way to refer to the president’s male spouse? There have only ever been male presidents in the United States with female spouses. One president, James Buchanan, remained a lifelong bachelor. Bill Clinton poses a special dilemma-not only he would be the first male presidential spouse, but also the first former president to return to the White House as a spouse.

The former Arkansas governor was elected president in 1992 and again in 1996, serving eight years in office. It is common to use the honorific “president” to anyone who has served in the post, even after they leave office. But if the prognosticators are correct, and Hillary Clinton wins the presidency, then Bill Clinton can no longer be referred to as President Clinton after his wife’s inauguration in January without creating massive confusion. Lisa Grotts, a certified etiquette expert said that the dilemma of how to address a male spouse has been dealt with at the state level, which may, or may not, provide a roadmap. “In the US, we have six female governors, and their husbands unofficially go by First Gentleman. But there are no rules for presidential spouses,” she said. “Once a president, always a president and that will always be his title for life,” she said.

Protocol Allida Black, an expert on first ladies with the White House Historical Association said that there is no question that, in terms of protocol at least, Bill Clinton’s “title will stay the same” when the first couple are presented at formal events-at a state dinner, for example. “It will be President Clinton and former president Clinton,” Black said. “We went through the same thing with the Bush family,” she continued, referring to George HW Bush, the 41st US president, and his son, George W Bush, the 43rd.

“We had President Bush and former president Bush, so when they were together, they were introduced that way, and the Clintons will be introduced the same way as well,” she said. The stickier issue of day-to-day nomenclature will be handled by the in-house experts, Black said. “The office of presidential protocol, working with the Clintons, will decide how to rename the Office of the First Lady,” Black said. “If she was married to a person who had not been president, he would have been the First Gentleman, but because Bill Clinton had been president, he is former president, and not the First Gentleman.”

Choosing a cause What is clear, is that Bill Clinton will not revert to the title of governor or former governor, which would be a breach of protocol. “It would be a lesser title than being former president,” Black said. The first lady traditionally has her own staff and budget in the White House, and typically adopts causes that are more or less non-controversial.

Laura Bush took on the issues of reading and literacy; Michelle Obama tackled obesity, and good nutrition via her White House garden. She also gave greater visibility to support for veterans and their families. Another issue brewing in political circles is precisely what official role the First Gentleman-if that is what he’s called-will play.

Bill Clinton has promised to step away from the family’s Clinton Foundation charity if his wife is elected. He remains relatively fit and active, but has sworn off one of the endeavors that has occupied much of his time in retirement and proved quite lucrative-speech-making-which earned both Clintons millions of dollars once they were no longer in public office. — AFP

WASHINGTON: Even if, as most polls predict, he loses today’s US presidential election, Donald Trump’s populist charge will leave its mark on the American body politic. The 70-year-old billionaire tycoon is the Republican flag-bearer even though part of the Grand Old Party’s establishment has rejected him, and others are voting for him while holding their noses. But Trump has managed to craft his own political brand, building a movement among the party’s disaffected rank-and-file.

Asked whether Trump or House Speaker Paul Ryan, the highest-ranking Republican elected official, better represent the party’s values, 51 percent of members choose Trump and 33 percent favor Ryan. As the presidential race comes down to the wire, and the right faces the prospect of Democrat Hillary Clinton in the White House, some party leaders are coming back to the fold. But Trump has divided the party, both with his brash style and by overturning conservative orthodoxy with his opposition to free trade, isolationist foreign policy and flexible stance on welfare and deficits.

The maverick newcomer has even campaigned for paid parental leave, anathema to the small-government conservative right. “Basically, the Republican leadership hates Trump,” Robert Shapiro, professor of political science at Columbia University said. “They would like his supporters, but his supporters are attached to Trump,” he warned, predicting that the phenomenon Trump calls his “movement” will continue after Election Day. “His supporters are still going to be there, and they are going to have their positions on trade and immigration and all these other issues,” Shapiro said. “And what will also remain is the hate for the Democrats and Hillary Clinton and

also the mainstream Republican Party.”

Aggressive rhetoric But it is not just the foregrounding of a different set of issues that will endure.

Trump’s in-your-face style and aggressive rhetoric will leave a mark on future campaign strategies. “He has changed political campaigning,” Jeanne Zaino, a professor at Iona College said. “We are likely to see more candidates trying to replicate what he has done, trying to work outside the party, to use social media to go over the head of the party,” she predicted. “And we are going to see a lot of rough talk out there, because people will think: ‘It worked for Trump, I am going to give it a shot’.” And

this change in campaigning style may cross the liberal-conservative divide, as Democrats and progressives respond with heightened rhetoric of their own. “There is a strain of enormous populism in both the Republican and the Democratic parties and we are going to see that for a long time,” Zaino said. “It is going to be a challenge for these two umbrella parties to recapture this really frustrated base.”

Frustrations Trump has played masterfully on frustrations with the Washington and Wall Street elites, vowing to champion blue-collar male white voters’ concerns about economic exclusion. But as he has done so, he

VIRGINIA: Campaign of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump Supporters hold placards during a rally by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump campaign at the Loudoun Fairgrounds in Leesburg, Virginia. — AFP

has insulted or managed to offend women, immigrants, African Americans, Muslims and the handicapped-deepening America’s divides. Trump has had no problem filling vast halls with motivated voters, but his 60 percent unfavorable opinion poll rating would have sunk a less shameless campaigner. And his campaign has energized, at least on social media, the American right’s racist and anti-Semitic underbellylast week, the Ku Klux Klan’s newspaper endorsed him. This toxic coalition may be unique, and mainstream Republicans may be able to distance themselves from the bigoted extremes, but it will not disappear overnight.

Populist message This in itself is a victory for Trump’s more ideological supporters, like his political advisor Roger Stone. “The party isn’t going to go back to being the country club party of Jeb Bush,” Stone told liberal news site Vox. “It’s not going to go back to being the Washington establishment party of Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell,” he warned mainstream conservatives. “The Trump movement is going to be dominant in the party. It’s going to be influential and important in the party.”

Expert opinion is divided about whether Trump himself will want to remain in frontline politics, or whether he will try to rebuild his business brand. Some of his supporters appear to be maneuvering to create a Trump-branded media platform that could monetize his populist message in a polarized news landscape.

But at the very least, his team has built an enormous database of supporters and donors that will be of inestimable value to whoever next seeks to up-end the apple cart. — AFP

The US election: A how-to guide WASHINGTON: The American presidential election falls this year on November 8. The quadrennial exercise always takes place on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November, as spelled out in the US Constitution. Here is a primer on the US election system:

of Washington, which is not part of any state). Voters choose among the candidates for president and vice president. The popular vote in each state determines the selection of a set of members of the electoral college, who pledge to support a given candidate.

How the voting system works The vote, by universal suffrage, is conducted in a single round in all 50 states and the District of Columbia (the city

The electoral college There are 538 members of the electoral college, with the number from each state based on its population size.

A state has one elector for each of its members of the House of Representatives, and one for each of the state’s two senators. California-the most populous state-therefore has 55 electors, Texas has 38, and New York and Florida have 29 each. At the other end of the spectrum, lightly populated Alaska, Delaware, Vermont and Wyoming have only three electors each, as does the District of Columbia.

Members of the electoral college officially elect the president and vice president on December 19 in what is a mere formality.

What does it take to win?

The successful candidate must amass 270 electoral votes, an absolute majority of the 538 electors. In all but two states, the candidate who carries the majority of the popular vote wins the support of all the state’s electors.

Nebraska and Maine use a split system, in which two electors are chosen by popular state-wide vote and the remainder are chosen according to the popular vote in each congressional district. The winner-takes-all system in the states makes it extremely hard for a third-party candidate to prevail, although they can still have critical impacts on certain states and therefore on the national result.

Swing states Some states historically support the Democratic candidate election after election, while others are just as resolutely Republican. Candidates thus concentrate their efforts on about a dozen states prone to shift back and forth between the parties, often determining the final result. The most important of these are the “battleground” or “swing” states with the largest number of electors, like Florida (29), Pennsylvania (20) and Ohio (18).

FLORIDA: US President Barack Obama holds up a baby after speaking in Kissimmee, Florida as he campaigns for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during a Hillary for America campaign event. — AFP

Elsewhere on the ballot Americans on November 8 will also be voting for every one of the 435 members of the House of Representatives (who serve two-year terms) and for 34 of the 100 senators (who serve for six years). They also will be choosing governors in 12 states, and will be casting votes in a multitude of referenda and local elections. — AFP

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IS losing ground but still a threat PARIS: The Islamic State group has been eroded by international efforts to crush the jihadist group but its ability to mount devastating attacks on the West remains very real, defense and security experts say. As France prepares to mark the first anniversary of the Paris attacks by the group on November 13, analysts say military defeats in its strongholds in Iraq and Syria will almost certainly not make its Western targets any safer. “Depriving ISIS of control over population centers and sanctuary to raise funds and train fighters, and breaking it up as key organization, matters,” said Anthony Cordesman of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), using another name for the group.”Defeating it in any practical sense, however, will not begin to deal with the lasting threat,” he added.

It was in June 2014 that IS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghadi proclaimed the creation of a caliphate in land the group had seized in Iraq and Syria and urged Muslims who shared the group’s vision to join them. Thousands of foreigners answered his call, among them several

French and Belgian men who would go on to slaughter 130 people in a Paris concert hall and at bars and restaurants. The bloodshed in Paris contributed to strengthening the resolve of the West to fight IS. A year on, Iraqi forces backed by the air power of the United States and countries including France are locked in fierce fighting to re-take Iraq’s second city of Mosul from the jihadist group. On Sunday, a US-backed Kurdish and Arab force said it had begun an assault on the city of Raqqa, IS’s stronghold in Syria.

Recruits drying up These military efforts have led to a sharp reduction in the number of foreigners making the trek to join IS forces in Iraq and Syria. The Pentagon says from 2,000 a month in early 2015, the figure is now just 200. Tighter controls on the Turkish border-the main gateway to Syria-and improved surveillance by European intelligence have also helped stem the flow of foreign recruits. The military onslaught on IS has also slowed the production of the slick, blood-drenched propaganda which has played a promi-

News i n

b r i e f

8 football fans killed JUBA: At least eight people were killed when an unknown gunmen fired on football fans in a bar in the South Sudan capital Juba at the weekend, the government said yesterday. “Eight young men were killed,” said deputy information minister Paul Akol Kordit adding that others were “in critical condition” after the attack on a bar where football fans were watching an English Premier League match on Saturday night. The shooting happened at around 9:00 pm at a bar in Gure, a poor suburb in Juba’s southwest. The whereabouts of the shooter and the motive are unclear with “investigations underway,” according to Kordit. “It’s very unfortunate and we as a government condemn this in the very strongest terms possible and pledge that we will do what we can to protect our people and bringing to book such people who are killing innocent lives with no... reason at all,” said Kordit.

JUBA: A displaced woman carries goods as United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) peacekeepers patrol outside the premises of the UN Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Juba. — AFP MPs reject gay bill SYDNEY: Australia’s parliament yesterday rejected the government’s proposal for a national vote on whether to legalize same-sex marriage. The upper house Senate voted 33-29 against the coalition government’s bid to hold a plebiscite on the issue. Attorney-General George Brandis introduced the bill into the Senate, where the government does not hold an outright majority, despite expectation the opposition Labor and Greens parties would scupper it. The government has repeatedly warned that a defeat would delay same-sex marriage in Australia for years. Brandis urged the upper house to “stop playing politics with gay people’s lives”. “Get out of the way,” he said in a fiery debate. The opposition said the plebiscite would have sparked harmful debate against the gay and lesbian community and demanded a direct vote in parliament instead. Debate on gay marriage in Australia has gone on for more than a decade and conservative Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull hoped to resolve the issue via a plebiscite on February 11.

Burglar shot in buttocks SYDNEY: A burglar who tried to steal a car in Australia got more than he bargained for when he was shot in the buttocks with an arrow by the archery enthusiast owner. Police said the hapless thief broke into the man’s Sydney house on Sunday evening and took cash before grabbing the keys to his car. The proprietor, who was at home at the time with his wife, confronted the thief in the garage as he tried to reverse the vehicle and make a getaway. After the 68-yearold armed himself with his bow, the intruder opted to get out of the car and make a run for it, jumping a fence. “As he ran away, the male resident stood up on the fence and shot the fleeing man using the compound bow and arrow, hitting him in the buttocks or lower back area,” New South Wales police said. Despite apparently taking a hit, the man escaped and no trace has been seen of him since. Police seized the bow and arrow as part of their investigation.

UN probes Afghan deaths KABUL: The United Nations is investigating claims that up to 32 civilians were killed in a US airstrike in the volatile Afghan province of Kunduz last week, calling any loss of civilian life “unacceptable”. The strike early last Thursday triggered angr y protests in Kunduz, with local officials saying at least 30 people had been killed, many of them children whose mutilated bodies were paraded through the streets by grieving relatives. Civilian casualties caused by NATO forces have been one of the most contentious issues in the 15-year campaign against the insurgents, prompting strong public and government criticism.

US forces have conceded that the strike “very likely” resulted in civilian casualties and pledged a full investigation into the incident. A State Depar tment spokesman called it a “terrible event”. The killings came just days before the US presidential election, in which Afghanistan has received scarcely a passing mention-even though the situation there will be an urgent matter for the new president.

nent role in attracting recruits.

The number of articles or videos posted online by the jihadists’ official media outlets dropped by 70 percent, from 700 items in August 2015 to 200 a year later, according to a report by the Combating Terrorism Center (CTC) at the elite US West Point military academy. The author of the report, Daniel Milton, said while IS’s main selling point was the creation of its self-proclaimed caliphate, it was now “struggling to maintain the appearance of a functioning state”. Most experts agree, however, that crushing IS’s hopes of establishing the caliphate will not diminish its ability to launch attacks against the West.

‘Powerful magnet’ “In the minds of supporters in the US, EU, North Africa, and elsewhere, the appeal of the Islamic State has not dissipated with its territorial losses. For some, the group remains a powerful magnet that attracts violence and a sense of belonging,” the US-based Soufan security analysis group said recently. It is possible that the group’s losses in Mosul and else-

where “could lead to an increase in external support, and a corresponding increase in the threat of terrorism around the world,” it added. While IS may now find it harder to launch complex operations such as the Paris attacks, Western governments fear an increase in attacks by individuals who are merely inspired by the group.

“We are probably in a phase with fewer spectacular operations but more individual acts, with inspiration coming through from the Internet,” said Didier Le Bret, who was France’s national intelligence coordinator until September this year. French authorities, for example, suspect a French-born IS propagandist, R achid K assim, guided an attack in July in which an elderly priest was murdered. Kassim, who is thought to be based in Syria, used the encrypted message system Telegram. Another growing threat is the return of foreign fighters to their countries of origin as IS’s territory shrinks.

Joby Warrick, the American journalist who won the Pulitzer Prize this year for his book “Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS”,

believes 40,000 foreigners have gone to Iraq and Syria to fight. He said some will come home and try to resume normal lives. “Others will be, perhaps, these Trojan horse-type figures, ones that will be interested in carrying out terrorist attacks,” he said. The challenge for law enforcement and for intelligence agencies would be “to separate those that have terrorist ambitions from the ones who just want to get on with regular lives, and perhaps be helpful, in the sense that they can counter the ISIS message,” Warrick said.

Le Bret meanwhile said regardless of its military defeats “IS retains its main strength-weakening our society from the inside”.

The group has proven adept at exploiting social divisions in France, where both the Paris attacks and the assault on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in January 2015 hardened attitudes in some quarters towards the Muslim community.

And the jihadists have also sought to destabilize North African countries such as Tunisia, believing that weakening their economies is the best way to create new supporters. — AFP

Pakistan police raid scores of seminaries after killings KARACHI: Pakistani police arrested dozens of people in a crackdown on more than 90 seminaries in Karachi, following a series of sectarian shootings in the country’s largest city, officials said yesterday. Provincial police chief Allah Dino Khwaja said the crackdown was aimed at both Sunni and Shiite seminaries, after at least 10 people were killed in recent attacks. On Friday, five supporters of the Sunni Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ ), which advocates for Shiites to be legally declared non-Muslim and has a violent offshoot that targets Shiite mosques, were killed in drive-by attacks in Karachi.

On Oct 29, five members of the Shiite community were shot dead at a religious gathering in the city’s North Nazimabad area, an attack claimed by Lashkar-eJhangvi Al-Alami, one of ASWJ’s offshoots.

A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that “dozens” had been arrested in the crackdown. Over the weekend, three prominent leaders of the Shiite community were picked up by police and paramilitary Rangers for their alleged role in the shootings of the ASWJ men on Friday.

The arrests prompted protests by Shiites in the Malir

area of Karachi, where demonstrators blocked a road and were forcibly cleared by police firing tear gas, rubber bullets and automatic weapons. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties.

Police also searched the Siddiq-e-Akbar mosque, considered the Karachi headquarters of the ASWJ yesterday. The group’s secretary-general, Taj Hanafi, and 10 other suspects were detained and shifted to an undisclosed location, said a police official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The ASWJ was officially banned as a terrorist organization in 2012, but its workers continue to operate openly and leaders often hold public gatherings. Violent crime has dropped significantly in Karachi, a teeming metropolis of more than 18 million people, since the launch of a paramilitary operation three years ago, but targeted attacks are still frequent.

Shiite Muslims make up about 20 percent of Pakistan’s 190 million people, and sectarian attacks against them have become increasingly common in recent years. Since 2002, more than 2,500 Shiites have been killed in such attacks, according to data gathered by the South Asia Terrorism Portal. — Reuters

KARACHI: People try to escape tear gas, fired by police to disperse protesters in Karachi, Pakistan yesterday. — AP

Malaysia PM risks backlash at home after deals with China KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is facing grumblings back home that he is “selling off” his country after returning from China with about $34 billion worth of deals, which could help lift the economy ahead of elections. The concerns emerge from a deep-seated distrust of the Chinese among Malaysia’s MalayMuslim majority, who form the support base for the ruling United Malay National Organization (UMNO).

Najib was quick to dismiss the concerns after concluding his six-day visit to China. “Some have scaremongered that Malaysia is being sold off. This is absurd and absolutely false,” Najib said in a statement on Friday, insisting the projects will be owned and run by Malaysians. The deals include Malaysia’s first significant defence deal with China, an agreement to buy four Chinese naval vessels.

Najib’s visit followed that of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, who announced his country’s “separation” from the United States and signed agreements and loan pledges worth an estimated $24 billion with Beijing. UMNO leaders expect Najib to brief them soon so the party can start allaying any fears about China’s rising influence in Malaysia, said Shahidan Kassim, a senior member of the party’s supreme council and a federal minister. “All of this has its pros and cons, but in UMNO we must have a policy statement on this,” he told Reuters.

Ethnicity and religion Ethnicity and religion are sensitive issues in Malaysia, where Muslim Malays form a little over 50 percent of the population of 31 million. Ethnic Chinese make up about 25 percent and ethnic Indians about 7 percent.

Malaysia’s ethnic Chinese have long been a scapegoat for the Malay community, with UMNO leaders pointing to ethnic Chinese economic dominance to unite Malays and keep a firm grip on political power.

Last year, ethnic ties became strained under the weight of two opposing demonstrations largely split along racial lines. A ‘Malay pride’ rally

blocked off Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur in a show of strength following an anti-government rally dominated by Malaysian-Chinese. Najib’s government summoned China’s ambassador over his remarks ahead of the “Malay pride’ rally. Clashes are expected again this year as thousands of anti-government demonstrators plan to protest in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 19, calling for Najib to resign over the money-laundering scandal linked to Malaysian state investment fund, One Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

A member of UMNO’s policy-making Supreme Council, Irmohizam Ibrahim, said Najib’s deals with China have stoked concerns among party leaders. “We’re expecting the prime minister to address these issues at our next Supreme Council meeting,” Irmohizam said. “We will then need to go down and explain to the grassroots that ... the deals are purely for the economy and trade,” said Irmohizam, who also serves as Najib’s strategic director in the party.

Malaysia’s opposition is questioning the China agreements but for different reasons, saying it is tilting the country toward Beijing. “Malaysia’s economic dependence on any single nation is unreasonable and will affect the country’s freedom and geo-political strategy and foreign policy,” jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said in a statement issued from prison.

‘Golden jewelry’ Najib is planning elections in the second half of 2017, a government source has said. The investments from China could help the prime minister pump-prime Malaysia’s economy before then. A 2017 national budget Najib announced last month calls for only a modest spending rise, amid a continuing slump in commodity prices. Senior UMNO leaders and urban Malays, however, are uncomfortable that Chinese money will drive the development of strategic assets, according to James Chin, director at the University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute. Chin says the Malay elite welcomes Chinese investment in

purely commercial deals such as property purchases, but are more wary about agreements such as a 55 billion ringgit ($13.11 billion) deal for the Chinese to develop a rail network.

“The problem with these deals is that they are seen as selling the country’s golden jewelry,” Chin said. Ties between Malaysia and China reached a high point last December when Beijing came to Najib’s rescue with a $2.3 billion deal to buy 1MDB assets, helping ease concerns over its mounting debt. Relations with Washington became strained after the US Department of Justice filed lawsuits in July implicating the prime minister in the money-laundering probe at 1MDB, the advisory board of which Najib chaired until recently.

Shifting positions China and Malaysia agreed to enhance naval cooperation, after sealing the deal to buy four Littoral Mission ships, fast patrol vessels that can be equipped with a helicopter flight deck and carr y missiles.

Malaysia, along with three other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei - are among the countries contesting territorial claims with China over the South China Sea. China claims nearly the entire body of water as its territory.

Najib said last month the disputes should be resolved through dialogue with Beijing. Duterte during his visit persuaded the Chinese to let Philippine fishermen operate around a disputed shoal, before declaring his unhappiness with Washington over its criticism of his lethal antidrug campaign. ASEAN, meanwhile, has struggled to come up with a unified position on the South China Sea disputes at its meetings. “ASEAN will not go away... but increasingly the idea of the multilateral track will be downgraded as now we see a swing from two key claimants to a more bilateral approach,” said Euan Graham, director of the international security program at the Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based think-tank. — Reuters

India investigates sexual abuse of indigenous girls MUMBAI: Officials in western India have set up a special investigation team to look into allegations of sexual abuse of girls at a boarding school for indigenous children after a 10-year-old was reported to be pregnant. Parents of at least 12 girls from the school in Buldhana district of Maharashtra state have filed complaints with the police, while 11 staff, including the headmaster, were arrested last week, said district police superintendent Sanjiv Baviskar. “Women police officers have been sent to talk to the victims and record their statements. We are looking for two more suspects who have absconded,” Baviskar said.

Tribal development minister Vishnu Savara said the school’s registration has been cancelled and charges will be filed within a month. The allegations come on the heels of reports of the deaths of hundreds of indigenous children in state-run schools over the past decade. The National Human Rights Commission has accused Maharashtra state of negligence and asked for a report. Maharashtra, one of the wealthiest states in the country, has about 550 boarding schools for children from poor tribal areas. Run by the state, they are meant to improve literacy levels and provide basic healthcare for the children.

The schools were set up more than two decades ago across India and are the only option for many living in remote areas. But they are badly run, with inadequate staff and poor facilities for the students, said Vivek Pandit, founder of Shramjivi Sanghatana, which works with vulnerable people in Maharashtra. “Officials have turned a blind eye to the appalling conditions in the schools and the routine abuse of children for years,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “If they cannot run them in a proper manner, they should shut these schools down. They should not be entrusted with the lives of vulnerable children.”— Reuters

Addicts clash with police HANOI: Police fired tear gas at dozens of drug addicts trying to escape from a compulsory rehab centre in Vietnam yesterday, just weeks after a mass breakout from the same facility. Drug addicts in communist Vietnam are forced to undergo up to two years of rehabilitation in treatment centres across the country, but rights groups have complained of poor conditions and overcrowding. Images in local media showed lines of officers dressed in riot gear at the Dong Nai facility in southern Vietnam, as addicts clawed at the fence while others scaled the roof of the building.

Some addicts lobbed slippers, plastic chairs and bicycles at officers and police could be seen tossing tear gas canisters into the compound.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

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

German sailors abducted, killed in Philippines

LAPARAN, Philippines: This undated handout photo shows navy personnel aboard the yatch Rockall after it was recovered in Laparan island in Sulu province in the southern island of Mindanao. Islamic militants who specialize in kidnapping for ransom have reported killing a German sailor. — AFP

MANILA: Islamic militants who specialize in kidnappings-for-ransom have reported killing a German sailor and abducting her elderly male companion from their yacht in waters off the southern Philippines, the military said yesterday. A commander from the Abu Sayyaf group, which has earned many millions of dollars by kidnapping foreigners and beheaded others after ransom demands were not met, claimed responsibility for the latest incidents, regional military spokesman Filemon Tan said. Tan said the military had recovered the couple’s yacht, and the body of a naked white woman who had been shot was aboard.

He said the military had listened to an audio recording of a known Abu Sayyaf leader claiming responsibility for the raid on the yacht, and the abducted German man also spoke on the phone call.The abducted man identified himself as Jurgen Kantner, aged 70, and his companion as Sabine, according to Tan. It appeared the victims were the same as those abducted by Somali pirates off the Gulf of Aden and held hostage for 52 days in 2008. AFP interviewed Kantner and his wife, Sabine Merz, in 2009 about their ordeal when they returned to Somalia to retrieve their boat, named the Rockall. Despite being subjected to a mock execution during his ordeal,

Kantner said the threat of kidnapping would never stop him from sailing.

“My boat is my life and I don’t want to lose her, nothing more. I don’t care about pirates and governments,” Kantner said in the 2009 interview from Berbera, the main port in Somaliland. The Philippine military released a photo yesterday of the Rockall and said it had a German flag on it. Tan said the passports of Kantner and Merz were found on the Rockall. He said the photo in Merz’s passport appeared to match the body of the dead woman aboard, although her identity still needed to be confirmed. In Berlin, the German government said it did not comment on kidnappings of its nationals abroad.

Growing threat The Abu Sayyaf, a loose network of militants based on remote islands in the southern Philippines, has defied more than a decade of US-backed military offensives against it and been on a lucrative kidnapping spree in recent years. In 2014, the militants abducted another German couple off a yacht in the southern Philippines. They released the pair six months later after receiving what they said was the full ransom demand of 250 million pesos ($5.1 million).

The Abu Sayyaf beheaded two Canadian men this year after demands

for millions of dollars were not met. The Abu Sayyaf is also blamed for kidnapping dozens of Indonesian and Malaysian sailors in the waters off the southern Philippines near where the Rockall was raided. Most of those sailors were released after ransoms were reportedly paid. However some are still being held and another two Indonesian fishermen were abducted off Malaysia’s eastern Sabah state, a favorite Abu Sayyaf hunting ground, on the weekend. Jesus Dureza, a top security aide to President Rodrigo Duterte, said Monday the Abu Sayyaf was believed to be holding the Indonesians on their southern island strongholds. The Philippine military launched a military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf after Duterte vowed in August to eliminate the group. But the Abu Sayyaf has continued to carry out raids apparently without hindrance, with the poorly equipped Philippine Navy and Coast Guard unable to police the vast expanse of water. Foreigners typically stay away from the far southern Philippine islands because of the kidnapping threat. However Islamic militants are also planning to kidnap foreigners in tourist hotspots of the central Philippines, roughly 500 kilometers from the Abu Sayyaf’s bases, the US government warned last week— AFP

In rare step, China bars Hong Kong lawmakers from office Beijing’s action sets a stage for further turmoil BEIJING: China’s top legislature took the rare step yesterday of intervening directly in a local Hong Kong political dispute by effectively barring two legally elected separatist lawmakers from taking office, setting the stage for further turmoil in the semiautonomous city. Beijing moved to deny the two a second chance to take their oaths after being disqualified on their initial attempt last month for using anti-China insults and foul language. But the maneuver circumvented Hong Kong’s courts, where the case is currently being heard, raising fears that the city’s independent judiciary is being undermined.

The decision, while intended to nip the rise of budding separatism sentiment, has instead raised the specter of enduring political unrest in Hong Kong, two years after huge crowds of mostly young people occupied major streets for 11 weeks. Those demonstrations failed to win greater democracy but spawned an independence movement. On Sunday, thousands took to the streets to rally against the anticipated announcement by the Chinese government.

Police used pepper spray and batons against some umbrella-wielding demonstrators trying to reach Beijing’s liaison office after the march ended. Four people were arrested and two officers were injured, police said.

‘Hong Kong is not China’ The dispute centers on two newly elected pro-independence lawmakers, Sixtus Leung, 30, and Yau Wai-ching, 25, who altered their oaths to insert a disparaging Japanese expression for China. Displaying a flag reading “Hong Kong is not China,” they vowed to defend the “Hong Kong nation.” Their oaths were ruled invalid and subsequent attempts have resulted in mayhem in the Legislative Council’s weekly sessions as the council’s president refused to let them try again until the government’s legal challenge is settled. But Beijing decided to act more quickly. The National People’s Congress Standing Committee, the country’s top legislative panel, issued a ruling on a section of Hong Kong’s Basic Law, or mini-constitution, covering oaths taken by officials.

It said talk of independence for Hong Kong is intended to “divide the country” and severely harms the country’s unity, ter-

ritorial sovereignty and national security. It also said those who advocate independence for Hong Kong are not only disqualified from election and from assuming posts as lawmakers but should also be investigated for their legal obligations. It’s the first time Beijing has stepped in to block democratically elected Hong Kong lawmakers from taking office. It’s also the first time that Beijing has interpreted the Basic Law before a Hong Kong court has delivered a ruling on a case. In three of four previous interpretations, the NPC Standing

HONG KONG: Reporters try to grab copies of press statements of interpretation of Hong Kong’s Basic Law released by an officer before a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing yesterday. — AP Committee has delivered an opinion only after the Hong Kong government or the top court requested it.

“For the young people this is going to definitely create a backlash. This is going to further fuel the independence movement,” said Samson Yuen, a politics lecturer at the Open University of Hong Kong. He added that Hong Kong’s young people must be feeling helpless because every protest or collective action they’ve taken “has run into a dead end.” “Rationally for young people the only way out is to fight more radically,” he said. At a briefing for reporters in Beijing, Li Fei, a deputy secretary general of the NPC Standing Committee, denied that

Cambodian oppn senator jailed over Facebook post PHNOM PENH: A Cambodian opposition senator was sentenced to seven years in jail yesterday for posting a doctored document on social media about the contested border with neighboring Vietnam. Anti-Vietnamese sentiment is strong in parts of Cambodia and is often stirred up by the opposition to undermine the country’s strongman ruler Hun Sen. The courts, which critics say are easily bent to Hun Sen’s will, have hit back with charges and prosecutions accusing opposition members of whipping up dissent.

Senator Hong Sok Hour was arrested last year, days after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen accused him of committing treason by posting a doctored version of an old treaty about the border on opposition leader Sam Rainsy ’s Facebook page. The version of the 36year-old treaty he posted said the two countries would “dissolve the borderline”-an inflammator y concept to Cambodians. A court yesterday found the senator guilty of “falsifying public documents, using fake public documents, incitement causing unrest to national security,” Judge Ros Piseth said, sentencing him to seven years in prison.

His lawyers could not be reached imme-

the central government was escalating its interference in Hong Kong’s affairs. He said the Basic Law stipulates that Beijing holds the legal power to make interpretations, and it is the central government’s duty to step in when there is a difference of legal opinion. He also warned that promoting independence was not a matter of freedom of speech.

“Breaking ‘one-country two-systems’ is violating the law, not voicing a political view,” said Li, referring to a principle under which Beijing is supposed to let Hong Kong

diately for comment. Rainsy, who is in exile in France, was also charged separately in the case. Last month the same court sentenced an outspoken opposition lawmaker who has criticized Hun Sen’s government over its handling of the border issue to two-and-a-half years in jail for posting allegedly fake maps on his Facebook page. The two countries have shared a testy relationship since Vietnam’s troops invaded to oust Cambodia’s genocidal Khmer Rouge regime in 1979 before withdrawing a decade later. Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for three decades, is highly sensitive to criticism that he is too soft on Vietnam over the disputed areas of the shared border.

Rights groups have accused Hun Sen’s administration of arresting scores of critics and tying up other opponents in legal cases before national elections in 2018.

The opposition’s deputy leader Kem Sokha has been holed up for months in his office, sleeping on a makeshift bed, to avoid arrest by authorities. He was sentenced to five months in jail in September for refusing to appear in court over an alleged sex scandal prosecution that the opposition say is politically motivated. — AFP

keep its capitalist economic and political system separate from mainland China’s until 2047. The central government’s stance is absolute, he said, adding, “There will be no leniency.” Li also directed his comments to the independence movement’s core supporters. “The young people, I believe after some time will recognize the true face of those stirring up trouble behind the scenes and learn their lesson,” he said. Ming Sing, a professor of social science at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said Beijing was making a “disproportionate” response to the threat of a separatist movement, given that polls show an overwhelming majority of Hong Kong citizens

do not support breaking away from China or believe it to be realistic. But the harsh rhetoric could backfire and harden frustrations among the mainstream that doesn’t support independence but feel increasingly pulled toward anti-mainland positions, he said. “After today, people feel one step closer toward an authoritarian society, they feel a greater degree of deprivation of a fundamental right to elect their own legislator,” he said. “Beijing has indirectly paved the way for a more imaginative, sustainable prodemocracy movement.” Eddie Chu, an independent pro-democracy lawmaker, said Beijing was making a “needless intervention” with its interpretation because Hong Kong’s courts could have handled the dispute. “They are trying to create a rhetoric about the independence movement” to deter those who seek greater self-determination for the city, Chu said. “And Sixtus and Yau Wai-ching are the first victims in this new legal net.”

Youngspiration party Chu, Leung and Yau were among a group of pro-democracy candidates elected for the first time in September who advocate greater autonomy for Hong Kong. Leung and Yau are members of the radical Youngspiration party.

They did not respond to media requests for comment yesterday. Hong Kong’s Beijingbacked leader, Chief Executive Leung Chunying, said the government will fully implement the standing committee’s interpretation.

He told a packed news briefing that the Youngspiration duo had not only advocated independence for Hong Kong, but “even insulted the country and the Chinese people in their words and deeds.” “Their conduct has caused widespread indignation in Hong Kong and across the country,” Leung said. Beijing officials struck a similar note in the closing moments of their briefing, which took an unexpected turn as Li, the standing committee official, denounced the oath-takers for using an archaic Japanese term to smear the Chinese people. Li decried the two as “traitors” and recounted Japanese World War II atrocities in Hong Kong in graphic detail, telling of nurses raped and bodies bayoneted and tossed into the Hong Kong harbor. “I hope the people of Hong Kong won’t forget the history of Japanese invaders,” he said. “All the traitors who sell out the country never have good endings.” — AP

Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama

Jakarta Christian governor grilled JAKARTA: The Indonesian capital’s Christian governor faced a marathon police grilling yesterday for allegedly insulting Islam, after the accusations sparked a violent mass protest by hardliners in the Muslim-majority country.

Friday’s demonstration started peacefully but descended into chaos as night fell with protesters torching police cars and hurling rocks and bottles in the heart of Jakarta, as they demanded the leader be jailed for blasphemy.

Scores of police officers were injured and one man died in the clashes close to the presidential palace, reportedly after tear gas fired by authorities triggered an asthma attack. The protest involving tens of thousands of hardliners was sparked by accusations governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, a Christian and a member of Indonesia’s ethnic Chinese minority, insulted the Koran while campaigning in elections for the Jakarta governorship.

He said his opponents were using a Koranic verse, which suggests Muslims should not choose non-Muslims as leaders, in order to trick people into voting against him.

Police had already launched the investigation into Purnama, known by his nickname Ahok, before Friday’s protest after Muslim groups accused him of breaking the country’s tough blasphemy laws. Yesterday the governor was questioned as a witness at national police headquarters in Jakarta, emerging after nine hours and making his way through a media scrum.

Purnama dodged questions about the case, only telling reporters: “I want to go home, I’m hungry.” Police said they plan to finish questioning about 30 witnesses over the case this week and will decide next week whether any crime had been committed. If found guilty Purnama-who is favorite to win the February elections against two Muslim opponents-could be jailed for up to five years.

Purnama has apologized for his remarks, claiming that he was criticizing his political rivals who were using the verse rather than the Koran itself. But this has done little to appease his opponents. Thousands of police and soldiers were deployed before the rally in the capital of the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, but it still took officers hours to quell the violence with tear gas and water cannons. The protest also forced President Joko Widodo to cancel an official visit to Australia due to start at the weekend.— AFP

Five facts about Hong Kong’s political crisis HONG KONG: Hong Kong has been thrown into political turmoil after Beijing barred two democratically elected lawmakers who advocate a split from China from taking up their seats. Here are five facts about what is happening in Hong Kong: Who is angry?

Pro-independence lawmakers Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-ching who have been blocked from taking up their seats in the legislature after being elected in citywide polls in September have led protests both inside and outside parliament in fury at being frozen out. They first earned the ire of Beijing and the Hong Kong authorities by misreading their oaths during their official swearing-in, using expletives and derogatory terms for China. Since then they have been shut out of parliament pending a judicial review in Hong Kong into whether they should be permanently disqualified.

Why has China stepped in?

Beijing Monday gave its own “interpretation” of Hong Kong’s constitution, the Basic Law, effectively barring Baggio and Yau from being given a second chance to take their oaths. Chinese authori-

ties have said that stepping in was necessary to bring Hong Kong back into line and to end the current chaos in the legislature.

Is this a significant move?

Although Beijing has previously made interpretations of Hong Kong’s Basic Law, they are rare, and this is the first time that it has preempted a decision by a Hong Kong court, which is yet to rule on the judicial review into whether or not Baggio and Yau should be disqualified.

What will be the effects?

Hong Kong’s legal community has said that Beijing stepping in before the judicial review ruling is a serious blow to the city’s rule of law and to its semi-autonomous status.

The pro-democracy camp has also accused the Hong Kong executive and Beijing of riding roughshod over the legislature to stop democratically elected representatives taking up their positions. Protests Sunday saw self-determination and pro-independence supporters clash with police after thousands marched through the streets in protest at Beijing weighing in.

Beijing’s intervention is also likely to send a chill through Hong Kong’s

business community as the city’s rule of law has been a cornerstone for investor confidence and enhanced its position as a trustworthy gateway to China.

What happens next?

There are likely to be further protests over Beijing’s decisionlawyers are planning a silent march

through Hong Kong today. It is also unlikely that the hamstrung legislature will get back to normal operations any time soon if Yau and Baggio continue to be barred. Parliamentary sessions have descended into chaos for the past four weeks over the oathtaking saga, with six security guards left injured by confrontations Wednesday.— AFP

HONG KONG: Pro-Beijing legislator Priscilla Leung (center) arrives at a press conference in Hong Kong, following a ruling by Beijing on two elected pro-independence lawmakers from the city’s legislature. — AFP

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

NEWS

Palestinian boy sentenced to prison over knife attack JERUSALEM: An Israeli court sentenced three Palestinian teenagers to more than a decade in prison yesterday for stabbing Israelis, including a 14-year-old involved in one of the most high-profile attacks. The sentences drew criticism from Palestinians and rights activists who said the youths should not be given such long jail terms. Ahmed Mansura, 14, was sentenced to 12 years after having earlier been found guilty of the attempted murder of two Israelis, a 20-year-old and a 12-year-old boy.

He was 13 at the time of the Oct 2015 attack in the Jewish settlement neighborhood of Pisgat Zeev in annexed east Jerusalem.

The stabbings led to a propaganda war between Palestinians and Israelis, sparked by surveillance footage later released of the incident. Manasra carried out the attack along with his 15-year-old cousin Hassan, who was

shot dead by security forces. The two Israelis were seriously wounded. In addition to the jail term, the Jerusalem district court ordered Manasra to pay 80,000 shekels ($21,000) in compensation to the adult victim and 100,000 to the boy, the ruling said. His lawyer Lea Tsemel said she planned to appeal the sentence. The sentencing and trial were closed to journalists because Manasra is a minor. Prosecutors had requested 12 years.

‘Not-Possible Fine’ “Although the accused was a minor, he tried to harm human life and there is no other option than to give him jail time,” prosecutor Yuval Keidar told journalists after the sentencing. Manasra had earlier pleaded not guilty, saying he had not personally stabbed either of the victims and had only intended

to frighten them. The teenager appeared calm as he entered and left the courtroom in east Jerusalem in handcuffs. His father refused to comment, asking journalists to leave him alone.

“Our defeat, of the legal team, is a very small defeat compared to the wide and deep defeat of both the Israeli society and the court,” said defense lawyer Tsemel. She said that “everyone talked about the full rehabilitation he is going through. Everyone talked about a kid who’s not dangerous at all. And despite this, the court approved the prosecution’s claim and gave him the full sentence, plus an unimaginable and not-possible fine.”

In a separate case, the court sentenced a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old to 11 years in prison for stabbing a Jew in Jerusalem’s Old City in January. “International standards are

clear that all efforts should be directed towards rehabilitation of the child,” Sari Bashi of Human Rights Watch told AFP. “Such long sentences raise questions regarding Israel’s commitment to work towards rehabilitating the children.” The incident involving Manasra came at the beginning of a months-long wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks. Footage released by Israeli authorities in the wake of the attack purported to show the cousins - knives in hand - following the Israeli victims. It also showed Manasra, who was hit by a car as they fled, lying bleeding on the ground in the aftermath of the attack as Israeli onlookers shouted abuse. Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas later claimed he had been “executed”, while Israel scrambled to release footage of him sitting up and eating in a Jerusalem hospital bed. — AFP

JERUSALEM: Ahmed Manasra, a 14-year old Palestinian boy convicted of the attempted murder of two Israelis in a stabbing in Oct 2015, leaves the District Court after his sentencing hearing yesterday. — AFP

Clinton, Trump in frenzied campaign finale

Ruling family, leading figures urged...

Continued from Page 1

Continued from Page 1

As she boarded her campaign plane in White Plains, New York for the day’s first rally in Pennsylvania, Clinton acknowledged the deep divisions in the country, and admitted that bringing it together again will require “some work”. “I really do want to be the president for everybody - people who vote for me, people who vote against me,” she told reporters.

In a video message set to air during two prime-time television reaching millions of viewers, Clinton warned, “Our core values are being tested in this election.” As a piano trills in the background she asks: “Is America dark and divisive, or hopeful and inclusive?”

As the day began, Clinton held just a 2.2 percent lead over Trump in a four-way race including third party candidates, according to a RealClearPolitics average of national polls. US media, however, predicted substantial to big wins for the 69-year-old Democrat when electoral votes are counted. Influential election forecaster FiveThirtyEight gave her a two to one chance of winning the 270 votes needed to claim the White House.

Under the cloud of an FBI investigation, Clinton got good news Sunday when James Comey, the agency’s director, cleared her again of criminal wrongdoing in her use of email. But the damage may already have been done. Her popularity dipped and opinion polls tightened after Comey’s campaign bombshell eight days earlier that he was reopening an investigation into whether she exposed US secrets by using a private email server while serving as secretary of state.

It gave Trump a windfall opportunity to recover ground lost while battling accusations of sexual assault, and the race looked headed for a photo finish. From Sarasota, Trump headed to Raleigh, North Carolina, Scranton, Pennsylvania, Manchester, New Hampshire and Grand Rapids, Michigan for a flurry of back-to-

back campaign appearances. Besides Obama and First Lady Michelle, Clinton drew on the star power of rockers Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi at their final big rally in Philadelphia yesterday night. Clinton was holding rallies in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Grand Rapids, Michigan, before ending her day in the closely contested swing state of North Carolina. Clinton’s final appearances had a note of optimism mixed with warnings of the threat posed by Trump. “There’s fear, even anger in our country. But I’ve got to say, anger is not a plan, my friends,” she told the crowd in Pittsburgh. “We don’t have to accept a dark and divisive vision for America,” she said. “Tomorrow you can vote for a hopeful, inclusive, big-hearted America.”

The world has looked on aghast as Trump’s sensationalist reality television style became a driving force propelling him toward the most powerful political post in the world. Asian and European exchanges, which had been rocked by news of the FBI probe, surged yesterday morning and Wall Street rose two percent on news of Comey’s announcement. Even so, said Patrick O’Hare of Briefing.com, “Polls still show a fairly tight race, and with the Brexit surprise still fresh in participants’ memory, there is a reluctance to take the polling information for granted.”

Trump is predicting just such a ballot upset, or “Brexit plus, plus, plus” as he put it Sunday, referring to the poll-defying British vote to exit the EU. “If we win the corrupt politicians and their donors lose. If they win, the American people lose big league,” he said in his first rally in Sarasota. “This is it, folks. We will never have another opportunity. Not in four years, not in eight years. It will be over,” he told his followers. “Our failed political establishment has delivered nothing but poverty at home and disaster overseas. They get rich making America poor. It’s time to reject a media and political elite that’s bled our country dry,” he said. — AFP

The first such election was held in Dec 2012, but the Assembly was dissolved in June by the constitutional court.

The second one-vote polls were held in July 2013 and it elected the Assembly that was dissolved last month after three years in office, following a dispute between MPs and the government over hiking petrol prices. The group said that they believe that dissolving the Assembly came to end a period that was marred by shortcomings and an incapable Assembly and government, and their failure to face domestic and external challenges.

The group also appealed to the political leadership and

to various sides to rescue the country from a state of deterioration that it has fallen into. The initiative called on the government to firmly curb those who violate the law among the election candidates, crack down on bribery and corruption and stop illegal appointments in ministries based on influence.

It called for the election of capable and qualified people and to reject those who incite social tensions and threaten the unity of the society. It also appealed to voters to reject all those who were involved in corruption cases. The initiative called for appointing capable and qualified people from the ruling family and the society to the posts of the premier and so-called sovereign Cabinet portfolios.

Qatar raises govt salaries Continued from Page 1 Meanwhile, the Saudi government said yesterday it will raise municipal fees for services such as business licensing to increase revenues as its oil income sags because of low global crude prices. The new fees, which also include charges for operating telecommunications towers and banks’ automated teller machines, will take effect on Dec 9, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs said.

But in a sign that the government wants to limit the financial impact on companies, many of which are struggling with an economic slowdown, the fees were well below ceilings approved by the cabinet in August. Also, the ministry postponed implementation of increases in

some fees, such as charges for collecting garbage and approving real estate development plans. It was not clear when these might go ahead.

Investment bank NCB Capital estimated the impact on industries’ net income this year would range from 0.02 percent for healthcare and 0.07 percent for banks to 0.79 percent for consumer staples and 1.36 percent for petrol stations. Telecommunications operator Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) will see an impact of 3.3 percent, it calculated.

Seeking to cut a budget deficit that totalled $98 billion last year, the government has been coming up with a range of new ways to raise revenues. In August, the cabinet approved proposals to increase visa charges and traffic fines. — Agencies

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

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Focus

The election ate their homework?

CEOs blame race

A

pparently, Americans are too distracted or distraught by this year’s wild presidential campaign to think about getting a dishwasher, buying an RV or opening a doughnut shop. And the topsy-turvy race could be crimping furniture sales, hotel bookings and even temporary help hiring. At least that is the word from a clutch of corporate executives in recent weeks who have laid at least some blame for their companies’ rocky performances or uneven consumer demand at the feet of constantly bickering White House contenders Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Since the start of October, executives from more than 80 US companies have made some mention of the US election during quarterly conference calls with Wall Street analysts and investors, based on a Reuters analysis of call transcripts.

In many cases, their remarks have come in response to specific questions from call participants about whether the long campaign season has had an impact on results. Some, though, have specifically pointed to the election as a factor in their earnings, including by damping consumer or business spending. For example, appliances maker Whirlpool and coffee and doughnuts chain Dunkin’ Brands have directly blamed the elections as a drag on their business. Shares of both companies fell after their reports. In Whirlpool’s case, CEO Jeff Fettig pointed to apparent “temporary softness in industry demand” in the United States in explaining why sales dipped around 0.5 percent from a year earlier, undershooting Wall Street’s forecasts. “We believe this is due to consumer confidence weakening, primarily due to the focus around the US elections,” he told analysts on the appliance maker’s conference call last month.

At Dunkin’ Brands, CEO Nigel Travis cited a hesitance by franchise operators to open new stores until they get a grip on how the election outcome will affect regulations and minimum wage laws. Executives at other companies, such as furniture chain Ethan Allen, staffing firm Robert Half International and hotel operator Hilton Worldwide, have cited the election as a pressure point as they discussed the business climate. The election “really has impacted customers and clients. It’s taken a tremendous amount of attention from especially discretionary budgets,” said Farooq Kathwari, chairman, president and CEO of Ethan Allen Interiors.

Dose of Skepticism But just as voters often take campaign promises with a healthy dose of skepticism, some investors and even a few executives themselves are not taking the talk of risks from the election season seriously. “I think companies with underwhelming results are looking for convenient excuses, and the attention being paid by the American public to this election is certainly a timely and readily available excuse,” said Michael James, managing director of equity trading at Wedbush Securities in Los Angeles. “Whether or not that’s true is debatable. I’d be taking it with a grain of salt.”

The vitriolic race between Republican Trump and Democrat Clinton has been tight, and some executives said consumers appeared to be waiting on decisions until today’s Election Day passes. “As we near an election date in early November, there’s no doubt that I think consumers are, certainly with all discretionary purchases, maybe just taking a look at what’s going to happen here in the next couple of months,” said Winnebago Industries CEO Michael Happe on the company’s conference call last month. His observation came even as motorhome maker Winnebago’s sales and earnings for the quarter ended in late August topped Wall Street estimates.

Hilton, meanwhile, cut its outlook for a key revenue metric, citing weak business travel. “This cycle of election ... I think it’s been an unusual cycle and as a consequence I think it has slowed down the economy probably more dramatically than I’ve seen certainly in my adult life,” Hilton CEO Christopher Nassetta said on a conference call last month. Evercore ISI analyst Rich Hightower, who covers lodging companies including Hilton, said the election was a “relevant” point for executives to bring up, but he was not factoring any election impact into his financial forecasts.

US consumer spending did fall in both August and September, the latest government data showed, and a key gauge of retail sales has posted a decline of around 0.1 percent on average over the three months through September.

Still, Paul Nolte, portfolio manager at Kingsview Asset Management in Chicago, questioned whether the campaign was having an effect on consumer behavior. “I can’t imagine it’s created a kind of catatonic state for consumers to stop buying,” said Nolte.

And some C-suite denizens have no patience for such excuses. Patrick McHale, CEO of pumps and spray equipment maker Graco, told his conference call listeners he had not heard of “a single customer” holding off on an investment because of the election. McHale continued: “In fact, if I heard somebody at Graco tell me that they were going to make an investment in something but they weren’t because they want to see what was going to happen with the election, I’d probably fire them.” —Reuters

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

Obama unlikely to see assault on Raqqa A Syria militants mass in distant province US-backed assault on Raqqa, Islamic State’s de facto capital in Syria, is unlikely to pierce the city itself before President Barack Obama leaves office in January, denying him the chance to claim the end of the group’s “caliphate” as part of his legacy. Although a USbacked alliance of Syrian armed groups announced the kickoff of the offensive on Sunday, US officials caution the fighters will first try to seal off and isolate the Islamic State stronghold, a process that could take two months or longer.

As a result, the victor of today’s US presidential election almost certainly will inherit the job of routing the militants from the city from which they have run their shrinking territories in Syria and Iraq, overseen branches from West Africa to South Asia and plotted attacks in Western Europe and elsewhere. “There is no available force capable of taking Raqqa in the near future,” said one US official. Another said some of the needed Arab forces were still in training. Like seven other officials interviewed for this report, they requested anonymity to discuss the issue.

US Marine General Joseph Dunford, the top US military officer, played down the idea that seizing Raqqa would be quick or easy, saying the first job was sealing off the city. “We always advertised that the isolation phase is going to take months,” Dunford was quoted as saying on Sunday by a US defense department reporter traveling with him in Turkey. Dunford’s visit to Ankara came as the Obama administration is enmeshed in a delicate balancing act between NATO ally Turkey and rival Syrian Kurdish forces trained and equipped by the United States.

The US plan for Raqqa calls for an assault force of thousands of fighters from the Kurdish Peoples Defense Units, known as the YPG, and Arabs whose job it would be to take and hold the city itself, US officials said. However, US special operations forces in northern Syria have yet to recruit enough Arabs to take and hold the Arab-dominated city, they said. Some US officials and experts doubt that the United States will be able to soon field an Arab force large and strong to defeat thousands of Islamic State militants who have had months to prepare a final stand.

They pointed out that some 25,000 Iraqi troops, militiamen and Kurdish peshmerga fighters are involved in the offensive to wrest Mosul from an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 militants.

“Raqqa is every bit as infested as Mosul, perhaps even more so,” said Thomas Lynch, a National Defense University fellow and retired Army officer. “But there is an enormous investment by this administration in terms of going after Raqqa before it leaves office.”

Administration advocates of a rapid assault on Raqqa think YPG units will participate and enough Arabs will be enlisted and trained as the noose around the city tightens. Another problem is fighting that pits the YPG against USbacked Syrian Arab rebels supported by air power, artillery, armor and special forces from neighboring NATO ally Turkey.

‘Hand-Holding Exercise’ The YPG is one of America’s best allies in the fight against Islamic State. But Turkey denounces the YPG as an appendage of the PKK, a group that has fought for decades for independence for Turkey’s Kurdish minority and is on the US terrorism list. The sides are embroiled in a race to capture Al-Bab, a nondescript town held by Islamic State. Its fall to the Turkish-backed force could prompt the YPG to reject a role in the Raqqa offensive and alter the course of the conflict in northern Syria. “That would be the outcome we least desire,” a second US official said.

Obama spent more than two hours on the telephone in late October with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan as part of an intense US diplomatic drive to overcome Erdogan’s objections to YPG participation in the Raqqa offensive, US officials said. “For us, the linchpin here is for the Turks to exercise enough restraint (and) get them to resist the temptation to do anything that would spark a conflict that might get out of control,” said the second US official. “It’s a handholding exercise on both sides of the aisle.” But he and other US officials acknowledged that crushing Islamic State is not as high a priority for Erdogan as ensuring that the YPG cannot knit Kurdish enclaves in northern Syria into a de facto state that could strengthen the PKK. Russian Complications The situation is further complicated by Russia, which intervened last year in Syria’s civil war to shore up President Bashar al-Assad. With aircraft and advisers deployed around Syria, Russia has warned Turkey against advancing more than 25 km into Syria, said the second US official. For now, the Turkey-backed force has stopped short of al Bab, which is about 30 kilometers from the Turkish border, US officials said.

Taking Al-Bab would expand a buffer zone that Turkey is establishing inside Syria to seal its border from Islamic State infiltration. Turkey’s incursion also has prevented the YPG from unifying the northern Kurdish enclaves. Moreover, al Bab’s fall to the Turkish-backed force would expand a potential Turkish-protected “safe zone” for moderate Syrian rebels, who could base their internationally recognized government-in-exile in the area.

T

he men receive a hero’s welcome as they step off the green buses in Syria’s Idlib province with guns slung over their shoulders, having been forced to leave besieged and bombarded towns and cities as part of local truce deals with the government in Damascus.

For more than two years now as President Bashar Assad pursued a policy of local truces, thousands of rebels and opposition supporters have been deported to the northwestern province bordering Turkey - a forced exile that many see as a calculated attempt to gather the fighters far from the capital, at a location where they can later be eliminated.

Already a stronghold of Syria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate, the province is now home to thousands of Islamic militants - with varying degrees of extremist ideology - who have converged along with their families from the central city of Homs and the suburbs of Damascus, after capitulating to government forces. “The government wants to prepare people, psychologically, for the idea that Idlib is the Kandahar of Syria,” said Ibrahim Hamidi, a journalist who covers Syrian affairs for the Saudi-owned newspaper Al Hayat.

He was referring to Kandahar province in Afghanistan, the base of the militant Taleban’s 1996-2001 government. He said the presence of so many Islamic militants would make it easier for the government and its allies to later justify a massive assault on the province. Idlib is one of the few regions in Syria where the Islamic State group and the government have no presence, save for two small government-controlled Shiite-majority villages. The province borders Turkey, a key sponsor of Syrian rebels, and the coastal province of Latakia, a government stronghold. Assad’s loss of Idlib city in the summer of 2015 was what prompted Russia to intervene to shore up his forces.

Members of the opposition fear that government and Russian warplanes will eventually carpet bomb Idlib under the pretext that it is a stronghold of Al-Qaeda’s Fatah al-Sham Front, whose leadership is based there, and other extremist groups. Since July 2015, US aircraft have killed some of Al-Qaeda’s most senior figures in strikes on Idlib, including Kuwait-born Mohsen Al-Fadli, Sanafi Al-Nasr of Saudi Arabia and Ahmed Salama Mabrouk of Egypt, who

was killed in early October. They belonged to what US officials call the Khorasan group, which Washington describes as a branch of Al-Qaeda that plans attacks against Western interests.

The province is also an important stronghold for Syrian rebels battling to unseat Assad.

Malek Al-Rifai, an opposition activist who recently moved to Idlib from Daraya, said he now has a “five star” life compared to his conditions in the besieged Damascus suburb, where people could barely feed themselves. Access to the Turkish border means virtually everything is available in Idlib - not only food, but also weapons and other supplies. Rifai said he shares an apartment with friends and has been surviving on some savings. Other people live in tents, some of which have evolved into concrete dwellings complete with secondhand furniture. He said people mostly make a living by working for aid organizations, as taxi or minibus drivers, joining rebel groups that pay salaries or running small businesses.

Although their primary target has recently been the divided northern city of Aleppo, hardly a day goes by without government or Russian warplanes bombing parts of Idlib. “The regime wants Idlib to become another Raqqa,” said Hassan Al-Dughaim, a Turkey-based Syrian preacher and researcher from Idlib, who lived there for most of his life until last year. The Syrian city of Raqqa is the de facto capital of the IS group’s self-styled caliphate. Idlib city serves a similar function for Al-Qaeda.

Dughaim said the Syrian government hopes that the presence of so many militants from different groups will lead to infighting.

But despite the steady flow of fighters such confrontations have been rare. Idlib is also home to thousands of displaced civilians from across the country, who were brought there on the green buses along with armed fighters as part of the truce deals. “The regime wants the people to be as far as possible from the areas they were displaced from,” said Osama Abu Zeid, a lawyer who advises moderate rebel groups known as the Free Syrian Army, who also have a presence in Idlib. He said that because of Al-Qaeda’s presence, the government will present any future attack as part of a war on terrorism. —AP

Brexit battle looms over EU freedoms

B

ritish businessman Simon Boyd recalls winning a big contract to build an aircraft hangar in France - only to lose it because he couldn’t secure the required French insurance in time. “We tried very, very hard to sort it but it was unsortable, because we are not a French company,” said Boyd, managing director of Reid Steel which employs 130 people and has exported to around 140 countries. At his office in the southern English town of Christchurch, Boyd has a file 10 cm thick of correspondence he wrote to the British government, EU officials and others to try to solve the problem. “It’s easier for us to export to Mongolia than to France,” he told Reuters.

The kind of frustration he felt at losing the 1.5 million pound deal in 2009 - it would have been worth $1.85 million at today’s exchange rate - is shared across the European Union. In principle the EU’s single market ensures people based in one member state are free to do business in others without any barriers. In practice companies, professionals and traders complain of running into practical problems similar to Boyd’s. The single market rules, they say, are applied at best unevenly.

As Britain prepares to negotiate its departure from the EU, the bloc’s most powerful leaders say the single market is an indivisible pack-

age. Britain must accept and enforce all its rules to retain tariff-free access to a market of close to 500 million people, or lose all the rights that members enjoy. And yet the experiences of people trying to work across EU borders suggests member states often enforce single market principles selectively to suit their own interests. If this is the case, why should the British government not negotiate a Brexit deal to include the single market rules that it wants, such as on free trade, and exclude those that it does not, such as on immigration from the EU? Four Freedoms The single market emerged from the 1992 Maastricht Treaty on European integration. This enshrines the EU’s “four freedoms” - of movement of goods, capital, people, and services.

Yet, 24 years later the bloc still has a patchwork of national regulations that result in an uneven playing field. The European Commission said in July that the market “is not always running as smoothly as it should”.

For Britain, this means access to the single market should not be a “take it or leave it” proposition after Brexit. If the rules are applied flexibly within the EU, there is scope for flexibilty in divorce negotiations too. “The freedoms are not switches which can only be off or on,

but more like volume controls with many intermediate settings between zero and max,” said one British official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Once the rhetoric calms, it is clear that the four freedoms have never been absolute.”

Such comments signal Britain’s push for a bespoke deal with the EU. Prime Minister Theresa May has already said the country does not face a “binary choice” between curbing immigration and getting a good trade agreement. May has promised to trigger divorce proceedings with the EU by the end of March, and so far the bloc has portrayed the single market as a set meal, rather than an ‡ la carte menu that Britain can pick and choose from.

This week German Chancellor Angela Merkel described the four freedoms as essential for the EU. “That will be the basis on which we lead the negotiations,” she said. European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has gone further, saying the EU must be “intransigent” with London.

Fines Start Flying In France, other EU citizens cannot freely work in trades such as hairdresser, baker and even blacksmith. Under health and safety rules, they need diplomas that can take several

years of study. The regulations also offer small traders protection from competition from big businesses such as supermarkets. While foreign qualifications may be accepted, they usually have to be approved by boards or chambers of commerce. Likewise, EU teachers must pass a test and become a French civil servant to work in secondary schools there.

In the Czech Republic, dozens of removal companies have stopped sending their trucks to France, where they are penalised as their drivers earn less than the French minimum wage. “When fines start flying, the customers won’t pay for them,” said Vojtech Hromir, secretary general of the Czech association of road transport operators. While Merkel insists on the four freedoms, the British official said Germany has been “arguably the main obstacle to the full implementation of free movement of services”.

German members of the upper house of parliament objected last month to the implementation of free movement in the legal services field.

Lawyers argue there are practical considerations. “The mere fact that you studied, say, Italian law, does not really allow you to advise on German law,” said Kai Schaffelhuber, partner at Allen & Overy law firm in Frankfurt. “It’s a consumer protection rationale.” —Reuters

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

S P ORTS Wales call up Allen, Williams

Federer can still be a threat: Edberg

LONDON: Wales added Cardiff duo Cory Allen and Tomos Williams to their injury-hit squad yesterday. Allen, who has four Wales caps, has been called up after Newport Gwent Dragons centre Tyler Morgan was released following a hamstring injury. Williams, an uncapped scrum-half, comes in as cover for Rhys Webb, who suffered an ankle injury in Saturday’s defeat to Australia and is a doubt for the rest of Wales’ November Tests. “Wales have called Cardiff Blues duo Cory Allen and Tomos Williams into their 2016 Under Armour Series squad,” a statement on the Welsh RFU website read. Wales will look to bounce back when they face Argentina in Cardiff on Saturday after being thrashed 32-8

by Australia last weekend. The Wallabies scored five tries in their 12th successive victory over shell-shocked Wales. “I’ve never seen stats so dominant in one side’s favour,” Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards said. “It’s incredibly difficult.

There are more and more tries being scored in modern day rugby but we can defend better than we did and I’m incredibly determined. —AFP

LONDON: Roger Federer has fallen outside the world’s top 10 for the first time since 2002 but he could still win another grand slam title, according to former great Stefan Edberg. While Andy Murray’s rise to world number one was the main talking point of yesterday’s new ATP rankings, 17-times major champion Federer’s slide to 16th was largely overlooked. The Swiss ended his season in July in a bid to recover fully from knee surgery, although he is aiming to be fit for the Australian Open in January. At 35, however, logic suggests Federer’s days of challenging for silverware may be numbered. His last grand slam title came at Wimbledon in 2012. But former world number one Edberg, who has coached Federer, disagrees. “I thought in the past years he would have won one, he was so close,” six-times major champion Edberg told Tennis World. “It becomes even tougher, he is not young any more but there is still hope. If there’s one who can do it, it’s Roger,” the 50-year-old Swede added.—Reuters

Southgate to check on Kane fitness BURTON-ON-TRENT: England’s interim manager Gareth Southgate will check on the fitness of Harry Kane before deciding if the striker can start Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Scotland, he said yesterday. Kane, 23, made a goalscoring return from a seven-week lay-off with ankle ligament damage in Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-1 Premier League draw at Arsenal on Sunday. “I think the first thing we have to do with Harry is check how he is after yesterday,” Southgate told reporters at England’s St George’s Park base in Burton-on-Trent. “I think Spurs, maybe with Dele (Alli) missing as well, took a decision for what was a very big game for them. “Of course we have a big game ourselves and will have to see what level he’s at when he reports. “But it was great to see him back and scoring and with a smile on his face at the end of the game.”

Midfielder Alli will miss England’s game against Scotland at Wembley, and next week’s friendly with Spain, after twisting his knee in training. His absence opened the door for Southgate to recall Jack Wilshere, who has returned to form and fitness since joining Bournemouth on loan from Arsenal. —AFP

Pampling wins by two strokes in Vegas, ending long drought

Abdul Wahab Al Otaibi performing at Al Kout Mall.

Al Otaibi to represent Kuwait at Red Bull Street World Final KUWAIT: The fourth edition of the football free style tournament Red Bull Street Style has concluded with the winning of participant Karam Humaidani (1st) and Abdul Wahab Al Otaibi (2nd). Unpredictably, Al Otaibi will be representing Kuwait as a substitute for Humaidani due to an emergency that has prevented the latter from traveling to London.

In this instance, Abdul Wahab Al Otaibi will be joining other contestants from more than 40 countries around the world tonight in the World Final of Red Bull Street Style which will be held in the Roundhouse - the venue that has played hosts to performances like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

“I’m very happy about this opportunity and I will intensify my efforts in order to accomplish a good rank in the World Final of Red Bull Street Style. I would like to thank Red Bull for supporting the youth by holding special events and workshops for free style football enthusiasts”. The national Red Bull Street Style qualifier was held end of September at Al Kout Mall.

Abdul Wahab Al Otaibi to represent Kuwait at the World final of Red Bull Street Style in London.

LAS VEGAS: Rod Pampling won for the first time in 10 years on the PGA Tour when he closed with a 6-under 65 for a two-shot victory Sunday in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Pampling holed a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole at the TPC Summerlin that clinched the victory. He raised his right arm and thrust it when the ball was still another foot away from the cup. The 47-year-old Australian last won on the PGA Tour at Bay Hill in 2006. Brooks Koepka closed with a 67 to finish second. Lucas Gloverwas tied with Pampling with two holes to play until he made a bogey from the bunker on the par-3 17th, and he closed with another bogey when winning was out of reach. He shot a 69 to finish third.

Pampling’s last victory was in the 2008 Australian Masters. He lost his PGA Tour card after the 2013 season and spent two years on the Web.com Tour, and had to return to the Web.com Tour Finals last month just to get his card back. His biggest shot might have been for par. Tied for the lead on the par-5 16th, he pushed his drive well right into rough so deep that Pampling asked to identify his ball, and it was a good thing - it wasn’t his ball. His ball was a foot to the right, buried so badly that he could only muscle it some 30 yards behind another tree, and he had to lay up short of the water.

From 121 yards, Pampling hit wedge into 6 feet and saved par to stay tied.

Glover’s tee shot on the 17th was about a foot away from being good, but it caught the lip of the bunker and left a difficult shot. He missed a 12-foot par putt and never caught up.

Pampling finished at 20-under 264 and will be exemption up until his 50th birthday when he is eligible for the PGA Tour Champions. The victory was the third of his PGA Tour career for Pampling, who also won the now-defunct International in 2004. It puts him in the Masters for the first time since 2007, along with the PGA Championship for the first time since 2009.

DOMINION CHARITY CLASSIC Scott McCarron won the Dominion Charity Classic to get a top-five spot next week in PGA Tour Champions finale, beating Tom Byrum with a 6-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff.

McCarron will start next week in Arizona second in the points to two-time defending champion Bernhard Langer, with all of the top five in the reset standings - Colin Montgomerie is second, followed by Joe Durant and Miguel Angel Jimenez - in position to win the season title with a victory at Desert Mountain.

McCarron and Byrum each shot 3-under 69 to finish at 13 under on the James River Course at The Country Club of Virginia. Byrum missed a 15footer before McCarron holed the winning putt.

The 51-year-old McCarron won the Principal Charity Classic in Iowa in June for his first senior victory. He won three times on the PGA Tour.

Kevin Sutherland shot a course-record 63 to tie for third with Brandt Jobe (67) at 11 under.

Sutherland just missed a top-five spot, ending up sixth. Langer would have locked up the season championship weeks ago under the old format, but the new three-event FedEx Cup-style system

LAS VEGAS: Rod Pampling, of Australia, holds the trophy after winning the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open golf tournament Sunday, in Las Vegas. — AP means he has to play to claim the title. Playing with a sore knee that kept him out of last week’s tournament, shot a 71 to tie for sixth at 9 under.

TOTO JAPAN CLASSIC Shanshan Feng needed every bit of the three-stroke lead she took to final hole at chilly Taiheiyo Club to finish off her second straight LPGA Tour victory. The 27-year-old Chinese star closed with a double-bogey 6 to beat Ha Na Jang by a stroke in the TOTO Japan Classic, the last of six straight events in Asia. Feng closed with a 2-under 70 for a 13-under 203 total, the double bogey her only dropped shots since the fourth hole Friday.

The winner last week in steamy Malaysia, Feng has finished no worse than a tie for fourth in her last seven events. She started the run with the Olympic bronze medal in Rio, tied for fourth at Evian in France, opened the Asia trip at home in China with a fourth-place tie, was second behind Jang in Taiwan and tied for third in South

First Summer Shooting Tournament concludes

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: President of Kuwait and Arab Shooting Federations said the KSSF is working hard on paying attention to youth and junior shooters, and have plans and strategies that aim at creating an aware generation out of those youth and juniors of both genders.

Eng Duaij who was speaking during the closing ceremony of the First Summer Shooting Tournament that was held under the patronage of the Public Authority for Sports, which was held at Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex.

He said this group of shooters will represent their country, Kuwait, in the future at the international

arenas. He added that Kuwait Shooting achievement have been achieved with the support of the political leadership headed by HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Information Minister, State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem AlHumoud Al-Sabah and Director General of PAS Sheikh Ahmad Al-Mansour Al-Sabah.

Results of the tournament are as follows: * 50m prone rifle: Abdallah Awadh Al-Harby, won gold followed Torky Al-Shimmari and Khalid

Ibrahim. * In 50m Pistol men: Hamad Abdallah AlNamshan, followed by Saad Al-Ajmi and Hassan Al-Mulla. * In 10m Air Rifle Juniors men: Suleiman AlAsousi, followed by Saud Al-Subaie and Eid Milfi. * In 10m Air Pistol men: Jassim Al-Tamimi, Nasser Al-Thafiri and Abdelaziz Al-Sagheer. * 10m Air Rifle women Juniors: Heba Enouqi, Reem Al-Baghli, Shurooq Al-Duwaisan. * 10m Air Rifle women, Shooting School: Nouf Al-Mutairi, Jameela Al-Mutairi, Fajer Al-Dhabaib. * Olympic Archery - Juniors - Men: Mohammad Al-Hadher, Shahen Yousuf Keet and Zaid AlSaeed.

Korea. Playing two groups ahead of Feng, Jang birdied 16 and 17 in her third 68. The South Korean player has three victories this year, beating Feng by a stroke in Taiwan. Feng shot a tournament-best 64 on Saturday to take one-stroke lead over second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn into the final round. Jutanugarn missed a chance to wrap up the LPGA Tour player of the year award with a victory, shooting a 74 to drop into a tie for 10th at 8 under. The Thai star leads the tour with five victories and also tops the money list.

TURKISH AIRLINES OPEN Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen held on to win the Turkish Airlines Open for his fourth European Tour title. Seven strokes ahead entering the round, Olesen closed with a 2-under 69 for a three-stroke victory over England’s David Horsey (65) and China’s Li Haotong (65). After Horsey cut the lead to a shot, Olesen birdied the 12th, 14th and 15th. He finished at 20-uner 264 at Regnum Carya and earned nearly $1.2 million. — AP

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

S P ORTS

Saracens trio among World Rugby Player of the Year nominees LONDON: England’s so far unbeaten year under Australian coach Eddie Jones was recognised yesterday with three internationals from Saracens providing 50 percent of the nominees for the 2016 World Rugby Player of the Year award.

Goal-kicker Owen Farrell, No 8 Billy Vunipola and lock Maro Itoje were on a shortlist that also included New Zealand’s Beauden Barrett and Dane Cole and Ireland back-row Jamie Heaslip.

The Saracens trio helped the London club win the English Premiership and European Champions Cup titles.

They also played key roles as England won their first nine Tests under Jonesappointed after the hosts’ embarrassing

first-round exit at last year’s World Cup. England’s unbeaten run included a Six Nations Grand Slam and a 3-0 series win in Australia. Itoje, 22, had already been nominated for the ‘breakthrough’ player of the year award. Barrett had the unenviable task of replacing fly-half great Dan Carter as the All Blacks’ No 10 after the latter’s Test retirement following New Zealand’s 2015 World Cup triumph. But the attacking Barrett filled the gap as New Zealand extended their unbeaten run to 18 Tests-a world record for a leading rugby union nation.

Dynamic hooker Coles, often seen finishing off moves on the wing, also played his part in a brilliant winning

streak that only ended on Saturday with Ireland’s stunning 40-29 win over the All Blacks in Chicago.

Experienced No 8 Heaslip was once more the link man between the pack and the backs as Ireland beat New Zealand for the first time in 111 years of trying. At 33, he is the oldest of this year’s nominees, having been on the shortlist in 2009 when the award was won by New Zealand great Richie McCaw. The six players were chosen by a panel chaired by Australia’s 1999 World Cupwinning captain John Eales and featuring former internationals Will Greenwood (England), RaphaÎl Ibanez

young talent,” added Beaumont, England’s 1980 Grand Slam-winning captain. The nominees for the equivalent Women’s Player of the Year award announced Monday were Fiao’o Fa’amausili (New Zealand), Sarah Hunter (England) and GaÎlle Mignot (France).

Both trophies will be presented at the will be presented at the World Rugby Awards at London’s Hilton Metropole hotel on Sunday, November 13.

New Zealand, England and Fiji Sevens had all previously been nominated for the team of the year award, with their respective coaches-Steve Hansen, Jones and Englishman Ben Ryan all vying for the coach of the year title. —AFP

(France), Francois Pienaar (South Africa), Chris Paterson (Scotland), AgustÌn Pichot (Argentina), Scott Quinnell (Wales), Tana Umaga (New Zealand) and Paul Wallace (Ireland) as well as experienced rugby journalists Pierre Galy (Agence FrancePresse), Stephen Jones ( The Sunday Times, Britain), Jim Kayes ( TV3, New Zealand) and Sergio Stuart ( Ole, Argentina).

“There is class in abundance with New Zealand’s Barrett and Coles, England’s Vunipola, Itoje and Farrell and Ireland’s Heaslip,” said World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont.

“There is also a great mix of experienced, proven campaigners and exciting

Fresh blow for Springboks as Smit suffers injury LONDON: South Africa flanker Roelof Smit is likely to miss the rest of the tour of Europe after he suffered a suspected torn bicep yesterday.

The 23-year-old sustained the injury while attempting a tackle during training with the Springboks in London and is awaiting the results of a scan, but looks set to be ruled out of South Africa’s Tests against England, Italy and Wales.

It is another blow for South Africa after Jesse Kriel was ruled out of the three Tests with a leg injur y sustained during Saturday’s 31-31 Wembley draw with the Barbarians. Kriel has been replaced by Rohan Janse van Rensburg for the remainder of the tour and coach Allister Coetzee must now find another replacement for Smit. “He’s at the hospital and we are awaiting the result of a scan but it looks like a possibility he might lose out on the rest of the tour,” Coetzee said. “It could be a bicep tear. We’ll get confirmation but it might be the end of his tour. He was attempting a tackle and there was a hyperextension of the arm.” He added: “We have an openside crisis in the country. “Francois

Louw, Jaco Kriel, Heinrich Brussow and others aren’t available, but I’m comfortable we have cover.” Coetzee is under pressure following South Africa’s recent poor run of results, including a record 57-15 defeat by New Zealand last month. They needed two late tries to force a draw with the Barbarians and will be underdogs when they take on England at Twickenham this weekend. But South Africa have not lost to England since 2006 and Coetzee is boosted by the arrival of several of his more experienced players, including JP Pietersen, Bryan Habana and Warren Whiteley, who all joined up with the squad on Sunday.

“A week is a long time in rugby. We feel like we started last night, we had a full complement of the Springboks team at our first team meeting,” Coetzee said. “You get the feeling it’s a big week, the start of the so-called official tour. We are raring to go.

“We are definitely the underdogs, we are playing the second-best team in the world who are on a nine-game winning streak.

“They won all three Tests in Australia so there is a lot of confidence in the English side.” —AFP

CHICAGO: Chicago Blackhawks’ Artem Anisimov (15) of Russia, celebrates while Dallas Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen (32) of Finland, looks on after Chicago Blackhawks’ Marian Hossa of Slovakia, scored a goal in overtime during a hockey game Sunday, in Chicago. Chicago won 4-3. — AP

Hossa’s OT goal lifts Blackhawks past Stars LONDON: South Africa’s Roelof Smit scores their second try during the Killik Cup rugby match South Africa versus Barbarians at Wembley Stadium, London, Saturday.

Smit is likely to miss the rest of the tour of Europe after he suffered a suspected torn bicep yesterday. —AP

Murray begins Tour Finals with Marin Cilic showdown LONDON: Andy Murray will face Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic in the ATP Tour Finals group stage as the newly crowned world number one looks to win the prestigious tournament for the first time. Murray has never been past the semifinals at the season-ending event, but the Scot arrives at London’s O2 Arena with a huge incentive to take the title.

The 29-year-old shattered Novak Djokovic’s 122-week reign at top of the world rankings over the weekend by reaching the final of the Paris Masters.

To ensure his first taste of the number one position lasts more than two weeks, Murray must match or better Djokovic’s performance at the Tour Finals, a tournament the Serb has won for the last four years. After toasting his success while flying back to London on a private jet after winning the Paris Masters on Sunday, Murray was back to business on Monday as he learned his initial opponents in the Tour Finals. Murray has had mixed results against his group rivals this year, losing to Japan’s Nishikori in the US Open quarterfinals after beating him at the Rio Olympics and in the Davis Cup. He has lost three of his last four matches against world number three Wawrinka, including in last year ’s group stage, although he did beat the Swiss in their only meeting this year in the French Open semifinals. Murray was also beaten by former US Open champion Cilic in their last meeting, in the Cincinnati final, but he defeated the Croatian in the Queen’s Club semi-finals in June. After winning Wimbledon for a second time and then taking the second

Olympic singles gold of his career, Murray can cap a dream year by lifting the Tour Finals trophy.

“Yesterday was a great day, today has just been a normal day at home with the family,” said Murray, whose first match of the Tour Finals will be against Cilic next Monday. “Once you’re out on the court you don’t think about your ranking. You’re playing against the top eight players in the world. I look forward to getting out there and playing at the O2.

“I’ll try and take a few days rest now, start hitting again on Thursday. I need a few days’ break. “It will be one big push for all the guys. Everyone has played a lot of tennis and hopefully everyone can play well.” After looking invincible in the first half of the year, Djokovic, who faces Milos Raonic, Gael Monfils and Dominic Thiem in the other group, suddenly finds himself playing second fiddle to Murray.

The reigning Australian and French Open champion will play in the first match of the Tour Finals on Sunday against rising Austrian star Thiem.

Draw for the ATP World Tour finals group stage made in London on Monday (x denotes seeding): Group McEnroe Andy Murray (GBR x1) Stan Wawrinka (SUI x3) Kei Nishikori (JPN x5) Marin Cilic (CRO x7) Group Lendl Novak Djokovic (SRB x2) Milos Raonic (CAN x4) Gael Monfils (FRA x 6) Dominic Thiem (AUT x8).— AFP

CHICAGO: Marian Hossa scored at 4:31 of overtime, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Dallas Stars 4-3 on Sunday night for their sixth consecutive victory. Jonathan Toews had a goal and two assists and NHL MVP Patrick Kane scored for the third time in four games, helping the Blackhawks sweep the home-and-home set with the Stars. Kane had a goal and an assist in Saturday night’s 3-2 victory in Dallas. The Stars had a power-play opportunity in overtime, but Scott Darling made a great kick save on Patrick Eaves to help kill it. Hossa then drove one by Kari Lehtonen for his sixth of the season. Darling, subbing for red-hot starter Corey Crawford, made 32 stops as the Blackhawks improved to 71-1 at home. Artem Anisimov also scored for Chicago. Gemel Smith scored his first two NHL goals for Dallas, and Tyler Seguin also scored in the opener of a five-game road trip. Lehtonen finished with 29 stops.

RANGERS 5, JETS 2 J.T. Miller, Jesper Fast and Pavel Buchnevich scored 4:04 apart late in the second period to lead New York over Winnipeg for its fifth straight victory. Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello also scored, Kevin Klein and Brandon Pirri had two assists and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 24 shots as New York won for the eighth time in nine games. The Rangers, who lead the NHL with 55 goals and 4.23 per game, have scored at least five in each game of their winning streak. Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele scored for Winnipeg, which has lost four of its last five (1-3-1). Connor Hellebuyck started and gave up four goals on 16 shots before he was replaced late in the second period by Michael Hutchinson, who finished with one save.

NHL Results/Standings St Louis 5, Colorado 1; Edmonton 2, Detroit 1; New Jersey 4, Carolina 1; Chicago 4, Dallas 3 (OT); NY Rangers 5, Winnipeg 2; Anaheim 4, Calgary 1.

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

Montreal

Western Conference Central Division W L OTL GF 9 3 1 47 7 4 2 31 6 4 1 33 4 5 3 31 5 7 1 34 5 6 0 22 3 5 3 28 Pacific Division 9 3 1 40 6 5 2 35 6 6 0 27 6 6 0 28 5 8 1 36 4 7 1 20 4 7 0 31 Eastern Conference Atlantic Division 10 1 1 39

GA PTS 33 19 34 16 22 13 38 11 41 11 33 10 35 9 31 30 32 32 51 34 42

19 14 12 12 11 9 8

28

21

the third for his sixth career hat trick. Captain Andy Greene scored into an empty net for New Jersey. The Devils improve to 1-3-2 away from home. Keith Kinkaid got his first win of the season behind 33 saves. Carolina’s Andrej Nestrasil scored with 6:59 left in the third period. Eddie Lack stopped 17 shots in his first home start.

DUCKS 4, FLAMES 1 Ryan Kesler scored two power-play goals and

Tampa Bay Ottawa Toronto Detroit Buffalo Boston Florida

7 4 1 40 35 15 7 4 0 29 28 14 5 4 3 37 41 13 6 6 1 35 35 13 5 4 2 25 25 12 6 5 0 26 32 12 5 6 1 32 32 11 Metropolitan Division NY Rangers 10 3 0 55 29 20 Pittsburgh 8 2 2 37 31 18 Washington 8 2 1 33 24 17 New Jersey 5 3 3 26 25 13 Philadelphia 6 6 1 47 48 13 Columbus 5 3 2 32 21 12 NY Islanders 4 6 2 33 38 10 Carolina 3 5 3 29 38 9 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

Jonathan Bernier had 25 saves as Anaheim beat Calgary. Anaheim has 24 consecutive victories at home against Calgary, breaking the Philadelphia Flyers’ mark of 23 straight against the Pittsburgh Penguins from Feb. 1980 through Jan. 1987.

Andrew Cogliano and Clayton Stoner also scored for the Ducks. Alex Chiasson had a goal for the Flames, who have not won at Honda Center since Jan. 19, 2004. Chad Johnson made 17 saves. —AP

OILERS 2, RED WINGS 1 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored a go-ahead goal late in the second period on an assist from Connor McDavid, giving Edmonton a win over Detroit. Edmonton’s Jonas Gustavsson made 22 saves and Tyler Pitlick scored a tying goal for the Oilers late in the first period. The Pacific Divisionleading Oilers have won two straight, playing their first set of back-to-back games this season, after losing three in a row. Justin Abdelkader put the Red Wings up 1-0 midway through the first period on a power play, and Jimmy Howard made 26 saves. Detroit has lost five straight after winning six consecutive games.

BLUES 5, AVALANCHE 1 Robby Fabbri and Jori Lehtera each scored in the first 3:35 and St. Louis beat Colorado. St. Louis entered with 26 goals in 12 games this season and hadn’t scored more than two goals in any of its past six games. The Blues have won 10 of their last 12 games against Colorado dating to April 2011. Jake Allen stopped 22 shots for St. Louis. Matt Duchene got his sixth goal for Colorado. Semyon Varlamov stopped 20 of 25 shots, and Calvin Pickard had three saves in the third period for the Avs.

Andy Murray

DEVILS 4, HURRICANES 1 Michael Cammalleri got his first three goals of the season, lifting New Jersey over Carolina for its first road victory. Cammalleri scored twice in the second period and again midway through

NEW YORK: New York Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei (76) battles for the puck with Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (55) in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, in New York. — AP

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

S P ORTS

Rabada inspires South Africa to ‘360 degrees’ turnaround

DHAKA: This file photo taken on October 30, 2016 shows England’s captain Alastair Cook playing a shot during the third day of the second Test match between Bangladesh and England at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. As India begin their five-match Test series against England this week. ñ AFP

Payback time as India seek England Test revenge RAJKOT: Top-ranked India will look to settle old scores by unleashing their spinners on a fragile-looking England when the first Test of a five-match series begins in Rajkot tomorrow. England were the last team to win a Test series on Indian soil when they came from behind to triumph 2-1 in 2012, but India are currently enjoying an impressive run.

Talismanic captain Virat Kohli has scored two Test double centuries this year and has led his side to four series wins in a row after taking over the captaincy in 2015.

Recent victories, including a whitewash of New Zealand, have not only dimmed memories of three consecutive Test series defeat to England-in 2011, 2012 and 2014 — but also whetted India’s appetite for revenge. Their prospects have been boosted by the recent sparkling form of Ravichandran Ashwin, who became the second quickest bowler to reach 200 wickets during India’s 3-0 demolition of the Black Caps.

The off-spinner will look to exploit an England batting line-up that struggled on slow and low pitches during their recent tour of Bangladesh which saw them lose a Test to the minnows for the first time. “Ashwin is a good bowler. He uses his variations very well, especially the way he approaches the crease. He’s always looking to attacking and outfox a batsman,” former England star Kevin Pietersen told The Cricketer magazine.

Alastair Cook’s men, fourth in the world rankings, were cut down to size by teenage Bangladeshi spinner Mehedi Hasan who bagged 19 wickets from the two games last month.

CONFIDENT COOK The second Test upset also reminded England of shortcomings in their own spinning department but Cook said he was confident that Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali and rookie Zafar Ansari would deliver, despite just having 105 wickets between them.

England have also brought back 39year-old Gareth Batty while Pakistan great Saqlain Mushtaq is there to mentor the spinners as they confront a formidable Indian batting line-up. Mushtaq is likely to have a calming effect in a dressing room, and Cook believes his side will bounce back from the Bangladesh defeat

and should never be written off. “Every time this side has been questioned we’ve always found a way of improving and I expect that.

“It’s exciting because we are quite heavy underdogs and that is sometimes a very good place to be,” he told reporters in Mumbai on Saturday.

England’s middle-order also looks shaky however with Gary Ballance averaging just 18 in his last eight innings.

Their pace department will also suffer from the absence of Jimmy Anderson, England’s all-time leading wicket-taker with 463 scalps, who has recovered from a shoulder injury but not in time for the first Test.

INDIA CONCERNS India have some nagging concerns at the top of the batting order. Despite trying out five different combinations in their last 14 Tests, India have failed to post a century opening partnership.

With injured openers Shikhar Dhawan and Lokesh Rahul ruled out of the first two Tests, selectors are scurrying for new combinations. Coach Anil Kumble said India would not be weighed down by memories of their last encounters with England, insisting recent form was more important.

“Yes, some players played in the last series but for us ... immediate performance matters. That’s the confidence we would like to take into the series,” Kumble said in Rajkot Sunday.

Adding spice to the series is the decision review system (DRS) which India have agreed to use for the first time on a trial basis after resisting it for so long. The Rajkot match will be followed by Tests in Visakhapatnam, Mohali, Mumbai and Chennai.

India (from): Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Gautam Gambhir, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Karun Nair, Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jayant Yadav England (from): Alastair Cook (capt), Moeen Ali, Zafar Ansari, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Gareth Batty, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Ben Duckett, Steven Finn, Haseeb Hameed, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes. — AFP

Australian Marsh out of second test PERTH: Australia will need a new opening partnership when they look to turn around their fortunes in the second test against South Africa after Shaun Marsh was ruled out with a broken finger yesterday.

Cricket Australia announced after Australia had lost by 177 runs at the WACA that Marsh would require surgery on the digit and Joe Burns and Callum Ferguson would join the squad for the Hobart test, which starts on Saturday.

Burns will almost certainly replace Marsh in the opening partnership with David Warner, while Ferguson has been called up as potential cover for middle order batsman Adam Voges, who has suffered a hamstring injury.

Australia are perhaps fortunate that there is such a short gap between tests given the navel-gazing that is likely to follow their first defeat in the opening test of a home Summer for 28 years.

Captain Steve Smith had plenty of food for thought after Australia, having bowled out South Africa for 242 on day one, lost 10 wickets for 86 runs on day two to crash from 158 without loss to 244 all out.

“We weren’t able to capitalise from there and they were able to claw their

way back,” Smith said. “It’s obviously disappointing, we’ve had a few collapses in recent matches when we’ve had a chance to really drive the game so it’s something we’ve got to look at and something we’ve got to try and improve on. “We need to try and let this performance go and come out in Hobart and try and turn it around. We’re going to have to play better cricket against a quality South African team if we’re going to do it.” There had already been some raised eyebrows when, clearly heading for defeat, Australia announced on Sunday they would be taking the same 12-man squad to Hobart.

That left them with the single option of bringing in uncapped seamer Joe Mennie, presumably for Peter Siddle, if they wanted to change their line-up.

That changed with Marsh’s injury but it is the middle, not top order batting, that has most let Australia down and allrounder Mitch Marsh, who took 2-100 and scored 26 runs in Perth, is perhaps fortunate not have been dropped.

Australia have now lost their last four tests after a 3-0 sweep in Sri Lanka in July and August and another defeat at home in Hobart is sure to trigger a full-blown crisis. — Reuters

PERTH: Skipper Faf du Plessis hailed one of the best wins of his career after Kagiso Rabada’s fivewicket haul led South Africa to a remarkable turnaround victory in the first Test against Australia yesterday.

Set a mammoth victory target of 539, the home side’s second innings ended on 361 on the final day, handing the visitors victory by 177 runs and maintaining their unbeaten record in four Tests at Perth’s WACA Ground. The victory looked unthinkable when Australia were 158 for none early on day two in reply to South Africa’s 242, and especially when the visitors lost strike bowler Dale Steyn to a shoulder injury.

Debutant spinner Keshav Maharaj (1-94) delivered the final blow, trapping number 11 Nathan Lyon lbw for eight, the decision upheld despite an Australia review and leaving Peter Nevill unbeaten on 60.

It was Australia’s fourth successive Test defeat, after being beaten in all three Tests on their July-August tour of Sri Lanka, and the first time they had lost the opening Test of their home season since 1988. “That’s one of the most special days, to turn it around 360 degrees from day one where we were under the pump,” du Plessis said of day two. “We were a seamer down pretty much the (whole) Test match and we always joke that if you are a seamer down in a three-seamer attack, it is 99 percent impossible. “Somehow we managed to do it and much of the credit goes to this man (Rabada) and also Keshar (Maharaj). “That is right up there with the best match in my Test career.”

‘EVERY ASPECT NEEDS IMPROVING’ Australian captain Steven Smith lamented the way his side failed to capitalise on its early dominance. “The most disappointing thing from my aspect was we were in a position to be able to drive the game,” he said.

“We had another big collapse and we weren’t able to capitalise on what the openers did to put us in a great position. “Every aspect of our game needs improving.” Resuming at 169 for four, a draw was Australia’s only hope and it appeared a forlorn task, with man-of-the-match Rabada ensuring that was the case with 5-92.

With star paceman Steyn suffering a shoulder injury that will sideline him for at least six months, Rabada stepped up in fine style to lead the South African attack.

The 21-year-old claimed three wickets on day four and two more on Monday to record his fourth five-wicket haul in just nine Tests, a record for a South African player of his age.

The rot set in early for Australia on the final day, when a searing Rabada yorker hit Mitchell Marsh on the pad on 26, although he was given not out by umpire Aleem Dar. The South Africans reviewed the decision and were successful, ending a 50-run stand between Marsh and Usman Khawaja and striking the first blow of the day. Rabada then grabbed his fifth wicket when he trapped Mitchell Starc lbw with another fast yorker for 13.

Rabada is shaping as a perfect long-term replacement for Steyn, having also claimed the wickets of Shaun Marsh (15), Smith (34) and Adam Voges (1) on the fourth day.

BAVUMA’S NEAR-MISS JP Duminy capped his fine match, having made a century in South Africa’s second innings, by claiming the wicket of Khawaja with his parttime spin, lbw for 97.

Dimunitive batsman Temba Bavuma, who produced one of the great run-outs on the fourth day to dismiss David Warner, was brought

PERTH: South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada bowls against Australia on the fifth day of play during their cricket test match in Perth, Australia, yesterday. South Africa lead Australia 1-0 heading towards the Hobart test. — AP

SCOREBOARD PERTH, Australia: Scoreboard at the end of the first Test between Australia and South Africa at the WACA Ground in Perth on yesterday.

South Africa first innings 242 Australia first innings 244 South Africa second innings 540-8 (dec) Australia second innings S. Marsh c du Plessis b Rabada D. Warner run out U. Khawaja lbw Duminy S. Smith c de Kock b Rabada A. Voges c de Kock b Rabada M. Marsh lbw Rabada P. Nevill not out M. Starc lbw Rabada

15 35 97 34 1 26 60 13

on to bowl and almost struck with his first ball in Test cricket.

It skidded through and struck Khawaja right in front of the stumps, but Bavuma had overstepped and it was a no-ball, denying him the honour of becoming just the 21st bowler to claim a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket.

P. Siddle lbw Philander 13 J. Hazlewood c Elgar b Bavuma 29 N. Lyon lbw Maharaj 8 Extras (b13, lb11, w4, nb2) 30 Total (all out, 119.1 overs) 361 Fall of wickets: 1-52 ( Warner), 2-52 (Marsh), 3-144 (Smith), 4-146 (Voges), 5-196 (M Marsh), 6-246 (Khawaja), 7-262 (Starc), 8-280 (Siddle), 9-345 (Hazlewood), 10-361 (Lyon) Bowling: Rabada 31-6-92-5 (3w), Philander 22-7-55-1, Duminy 17-1-51-1, Maharaj 40.1-10-94-1 (1w), Cook 2-016-0, Bavuma 7-1-29-1 (2nb) South Africa win by 177 runs.

However, Bavuma had his moment later in the innings, breaking an obdurate 65-run wicket ninth-wicket stand by having Josh Hazlewood caught off a leading edge for 29.

South Africa had declared their second innings on 540 for 8 after lunch on the fourth day to set Australia a record run chase. — AFP

Solid Zimbabwe strike back HARARE: An unbroken century stand between Brian Chari and Craig Ervine gave Zimbabwe a solid start after Asela Gunaratne’s maiden Test hundred had carried Sri Lanka to 504 on the second day of the second Test at Harare Sports Club yesterday.

Playing just his second Test, Gunaratne scored 116 to marshal the tail to good effect and frustrate the Zimbabwean bowlers, before his dismissal brought the end of the Sri Lankan innings on the stroke of tea. When Rangana Herath opened the bowling and grabbed the wickets of Tino Mawoyo and Hamilton Masakadza to reduce Zimbabwe to 17 for two, the hosts looked to be embarking on one of their trademark batting collapses.

But Chari and Ervine added 109 for the third wicket without being parted, taking Zimbabwe to stumps on 126 for two with both batsmen closing the day on 60 not out.

“We would have liked to have a few more wickets down but hopefully we can grab a few early on tomorrow,” said Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford. “We’ve seen Rangana turn some deliveries this evening, so once he gets a few going he becomes more of a factor.”

The tourists began the day on 290 for five, with Gunaratne on 13, and despite losing centurion Dhananjaya de Silva they were able to make rapid progress during the morning session.

De Silva was caught and bowled by leg-spinner Graeme Cremer for 127, before Gunaratne added 54 for the seventh wicket with Dilruwan Perera at a swift rate.

Perera was then trapped lbw by Cremer for 34, but Gunaratne went to lunch on 64 having helped Sri Lanka add 124 runs in the session. After lunch the 30-year-old increased his rate of scoring further in a 75-run stand for the eighth wicket with captain Rangana Herath, who made 27. Seamer Donald Tiripano had Herath caught behind and then bowled Suranga Lakmal, but No. 11 Lahiru Kumara held on long enough for Gunaratne to reach three figures and carry the score past 500.

It was the fifth straight Test match in which Zimbabwe, who trail 1-0 in the two-match series, had conceded 500 runs in an innings. Under pressure after two failures in the first Test, Chari not only put up stern resistance, but also took the attack to Sri Lanka. The right-hander became the first Zimbabwean Test player to hit his first ball for six as he lofted Herath over long-on - then repeated the stroke to go to his maiden Test fifty.

While Chari had two lbw decisions overturned on review, Ervine was generally untroubled as he stroked eight boundaries and the partnership rattled along at 3.7 runs per over. “It was an individual plan to be more positive in the way that we got ourselves in,” said Ervine.

“We need to turn up for that first hour tomorrow, and then the first session, and try and get through without losing a wicket.” —AFP

SCOREBOARD Scoreboard at stumps on the second day in the second and final Test between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka on yesterday in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Sri Lanka 1st innings (Overnight: 290-5) D. Karunaratne c Williams b H. Masakadza 26 K. Silva lbw b Mpofu 37 K. Perera c Mumba b H. Masakadza 4 K. Mendis c Moor b Tiripano 26 U. Tharanga c H. Masakadza b Cremer 79 D. de Silva c&b Cremer 127 A. Gunaratne st Moor b Williams 116 D. Perera lbw b Cremer 34 R. Herath c Moor b Tiripano 27 S. Lakmal b Tiripano 0 L. Kumara not out 7 Extras (b-9 lb-8 nb-2 w-2) 21 Total (all out, 144.4 overs) 504 Fall of wickets: 1-62 D. Karunaratne, 2-66 K. Perera, 3-84 K. Silva, 4-112 K. Mendis, 5-255 U. Tharanga, 6-342 D. de Silva,7-396 D. Perera,8-471 R. Herath,9471 S. Lakmal,10-504 A. Gunaratne

Bowling: C. Mumba 23-4-80-0; D. Tiripano 32-4-913(nb-2 w-2); C. Mpofu 23-4-92-1; H. Masakadza 134-34-2; G. Cremer 40-1-136-3; S. Williams 8.4-1-311; M. Waller 5-0-23-0.

Zimbabwe 1st innings T. Mawoyo lbw b Herath 3 B. Chari not out 60 H. Masakadza c D. de Silva b Herath 0 C. Ervine not out 60 Extras (b-2 lb-1) 3 Total (for 2 wickets, 35 overs) 126 Fall of wickets: 1-17 T. Mawoyo, 2-17 H. Masakadza To bat: S. Williams, M. Waller, P. Moor, G. Cremer, D. Tiripano, C. Mumba, C. Mpofu.

Bowling: S. Lakmal 9-1-23-0; R. Herath 11-1-44-2; L. Kumara 6-0-24-0; D. Perera 6-1-23-0; A. Gunaratne 2-0-5-0; D. de Silva 1-0-4-0.

HARARE: Zimbabwean batsman Brian Chari, left, and Craig Ervine make a quick run during the match between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka at Harare Sports Club in Harare, yesterday. — AP

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

S P ORTS

Qatar World Cup a ‘done deal’ ,organiser claims DOHA: Holding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is a “done deal”, a confident head of the Gulf state’s tournament organising committee said yesterday, shrugging off ongoing corruption and human rights concerns. Hassan al-Thawadi, secretarygeneral of the Supreme Committee for Deliver y and Legacy, told the local Arabic daily Al-Sharq newspaper that football’s biggest tournament will go ahead in the Middle East despite calls elsewhere for Qatar to be stripped of hosting rights.

“The 2022 World Cup will be held in Qatar, the first in a Middle Eastern, Arab

and Muslim country,” said Al-Thawadi. “It is a done deal.” He added that World Cup organisers in the Gulf had a “generally positive” relationship with FIFA, football’s governing body.

Qatar is the subject of an ongoing corruption investigation being carried out by Switzerland’s Attorney General office. Launched in May 2015, the Swiss legal team is investigating the bidding process amid allegations of corruption for the 2022 World Cup-and the 2018 tournament in Russia.

But Al-Thawadi told Al-Sharq that Qatar had nothing to fear.

“I am totally confident our file is clean,” he said. Qatar also faces continued criticism from human rights groups over the treatment of its labour force helping to build World Cup venues and related infrastructure. That issue is likely to come into focus again next month when Qatar is expected to announce the end of its much-criticised “kafala” labour system, the source of much criticism.

“Kafala”, which places restrictions on workers’ ability to change jobs and travel, is to be replaced by a contract system.

However, this is unlikely to placate critics, who have accused Doha of not

going far enough with reforms.

The issue of worker-safety is also ongoing. Last month Qatar announced its first “work-related” death in regard to the World Cup, when a labourer died at the Al-Wakrah Stadium. “What concerns us now is that this accident is not to be repeated. There is a comprehensive investigation at the moment and we are going to finish it soon,” said Al-Thawadi.

He also tackled the thorny issue of venue numbers and said organisers would like to see eight stadiums used during the 2022 World Cup. FIFA told AFP last week that a final

decision on the number of venues had been pushed back until next year at the earliest. Qatar’s successful bid for the tournament allowed for up to 12 stadiums to be used in 2022.

“We are confident that we will not be asked to implement twelve stadiums,” he said. “We feel that eight stadiums is enough for Qatar.” So far, Qatar has said it will spend up to $10 billion (9 billion euros) on stadium construction. If eight stadiums are eventually used it will mean the 2022 finals will have the smallest number of venues at any tournament since Argentina in 1978. —AFP

Aubameyang, Kalou and Salah wreak havoc PARIS: African Footballer of the Year Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put a minisuspension behind him to strike four Bundesliga goals for Borussia Dortmund at the weekend.

The Gabon striker was banned by his coach for one match last week after he flew to Italy with friends ahead of a Champions League fixture. Other African goal poachers in top form included Egyptian Mohamed Salah in Italy and Ivorian Salomon Kalou in Germany, who scored hat-tricks.

ENGLAND SADIO MANE (Liverpool) The Senegalese international continues to shine for the rampant Reds, breaking the deadlock with a stunning header. He stooped low at an angle to beat Watford ‘keeper Heurelho Gomes with some force.

Sane added a second, a simple tap-in, in the second half for his fifth goal in five Premier League home appearances for the club.

VICTOR MOSES (Chelsea) He has flourished this season under Antonio Conte’s tutelage after a few seasons where it looked his undoubted talent might be frittered away as he was sent out on loan. The 25-year-old Nigerian gave a sparkling performance in the 5-0 dismantling of Everton and was unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet with a half-volley that struck the post.

VICTOR ANICHEBE (Sunderland) Never the most prolific of scorers, the Nigerian striker brought a rare smile to beleaguered Sunderland boss David Moyes’s face with a goal to bring them level with Bournemouth. Anichebe played under the Scot at Everton in happier times and he was at the centre of the action that led to the winner when he was fouled in the penalty area and Jermain Defoe converted the penalty. “He’s (Moyes) the one who has been getting the blame, even though we are the ones on the pitch,” said Anichebe.

ITALY MOHAMED SALAH (Roma) Salah stole the show at the Stadio Olimpico with a hat-trick in a 3-0 romp over Bologna. Salah’s only previous hat-trick came for Egypt in a World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe in 2013, but the former Chelsea midfielder claimed his maiden triple in league football, albeit at the discretion of officials after his 13th-minute opener took a deflection on the goalline before beating Angelo Da Costa. There was no doubt over Salah’s second-half strikes, which took his goals tally to eight this season.

KEITA BALDE (Lazio) Senegal’s Balde says Lazio don’t know how far they can go this season, but his equaliser-the fastest in Serie A this campaign-helped grab a share of the points in a gutsy 1-1 draw at Napoli, who dominated throughout at their San Paolo stadium.

Marek Hamsik had given Napoli a 52ndminute lead with his 103rd strike for the

hosts, but Keita levelled less than two minutes later after pouncing on a Marco Parolo blunder in the area to beat Pepe Reina from close range.

GERMANY PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Borussia Dortmund) The Gabon striker netted four goals as Borussia routed bottom side Hamburg 5-2 away to make amends for his midweek Milan indiscretion.Aubameyang had been suspended by coach Thomas Tuchel for Wednesday’s 1-0 Champions League win at home to Sporting Lisbon after he flew to Milan in a private jet with friends on Monday. But ‘Auba’ needed just 27 minutes to score his first three goals and hit his fourth after the break, and celebrated his first with Tuchel on the sidelines. His quartet of goals leave him joint top scorer, alongside Cologne’s Anthony Modeste, in Germany’s top flight with 11 goals SALOMON KALOU (Hertha Berlin) The Ivory Coast striker hit a hat-trick in Hertha’s 3-0 win at home to jaded Borussia Moenchengladbach, who had Germany international Christoph Kramer sent off in the first-half. The 31-year-old welcomed his first goals since losing his father in August, two weeks before his aunt also passed away. “It’s a relief with all the difficult situations I’ve had to deal with,” he admitted having netted twice in the first half and wrapped up his treble six minutes from time. It was his second Bundesliga hat-trick in three seasons with Hertha.

NABIL BENTALEB (Schalke 04) The Algeria midfielder, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, scored his fourth goal in four Bundesliga games in Schalke’s 3-1 win at home to Werder Bremen. Austria midfielder Alessandro Schoepf opened the scoring for the Royal Blues, but Bentaleb grabbed the second on 38 minutes. When Brazil defender Naldo forced Bremen goalkeeper Felix Wiedwald into a diving save, Bentaleb was on hand to rifle home the rebound from a tight angle.

FRANCE FAMARA DIEDHIOU (Angers) The 23-year-old Senegal striker recently opened his international account in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Namibia. He scored the winner for his new club Ligue 1 outfit Angers, his second of the season, in a 1-0 victory over Lille.

Angers coach Stephane Moulin described the forward’s lightning counter-attack as magnificent in both its imagining and its execution.

FRANCOIS KAMANO (Bordeaux) The 20-year-old Guinean striker opened the scoring in a 2-1 win for Bordeaux over Lorient. The side-footed tap-in was his first goal for Bordeaux since joining from Bastia in the middle of this year. The powerfully built youngster from Conakry can play right across the front line. He has three international caps and a four-year deal at Bordeaux. —AFP

England need ‘emotional Control’ against Scotland LONDON: England must show “emotional control” when they face Scotland in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley on Friday, interim manager Gareth Southgate said yesterday.

The first competitive clash between the nations since 1999 is guaranteed to be highly charged and while England are firm favourites, Southgate says form goes out of the window when the old rivals meet.

“Whatever happened with their results, it does not reflect their performances,” Southgate told a news conference. “Their mentality for a game like this is unquestionable and they have unquestionable spirit. We will have to better that and outplay them to win the game,” he added. “We have to have emotional control going into the game. It is the oldest international fixture. We will make sure if the players don’t know about it, that they are made aware of it in the early part of the week.” England are top of Group F with seven points from three games while Scotland are fourth with four following a heavy defeat by Slovakia last time out.

Scotland did win the most recent competitive clash between the sides, however, a 1-0 win in a qualifying playoff for the 2000 European Championship, although they lost the home leg 2-0 and England advanced.

Southgate is halfway through his four-game stint in charge following the sacking of Sam Allardyce. They also play Spain in a friendly next week after which a decision will be made on whether Southgate continues. “I was asked to take four matches and I have got another two really exciting matches and I am looking forward to that,” he said.

“I have enjoyed it all and what happens to

me is not important, it is about the team.

“I want to leave the team and country on top of the group at the end of Friday night, that is my only focus.” England will be without Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli who is injured while Arsenal’s Theo Walcott could drop out as his wife is expecting a baby.

“We are not totally sure but Theo could disappear at any time with his wife expecting,” Southgate said. Fit-again Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane returns to the squad after missing the qualifiers against Malta and Slovenia and there was also a recall for Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere who is currently on loan at Bournemouth. Kane scored a penalty in a 1-1 draw at Arsenal on Sunday, his first action since injuring his ankle on Sept. 18. “It’s obviously early stages of coming back from quite a long injury but we saw (against Arsenal) the desire that he has and the knack of being in the right place at the right time - not only the goal he scored, but a couple of other chances. It’s good to have him back in with the squad,” Southgate said. — Reuters

Gareth Southgate

MEMPHIS: Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) drives between Memphis Grizzlies forward JaMychal Green, left, and center Marc Gasol (33) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, in Memphis, Tenn. — AP

Trail Blazers down Grizzlies 100-94 MEMPHIS: CJ McCollum matched his career high with 37 points, scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter to help the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 100-94 on Sunday. McCollum also matched his career best with six 3-pointers.

Damian Lillard added 19 points and seven assists, and Maurice Harkless finished with 18 points.

Portland has won two straight. Marc Gasol led Memphis with 21 points, and Mike Conley added 16 points and seven assists, They have lost two straight, both at home. Zach Randolph had 15 points and seven rebounds, and Vince Carter and Tony Allen scored 11 points each. The game was close with 13 lead changes and 12 ties before Portland pulled away late. McCollum had 10 straight Portland points during one stretch to put the game away.

JAZZ 114, KNICKS 109 Gordon Hayward scored 28 points in his season debut, while George Hill had 23 points and nine assists as Utah beat New York. Hayward had been sidelined since breaking his right ring finger in training camp. He led the team in scoring last season, averaging nearly 20 points. Rodney Hood added 18 points to help the Jazz win for the third time in four games. Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors each had 13. Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis each had 28 for the Knicks, and Derrick Rose added 18. New York has lost three of four.

KINGS 96, RAPTORS 91 DeMarcus Cousins had 22 points and 14 rebounds, Rudy Gay scored 23 against his former team and Sacramento beat Toronto. Gay had nine points in the fourth quarter as the Kings (3-5) snapped a four-game losing streak by winning the finale of their five-game road trip. DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors (4-2) with 23 points, the first time this season he’s been held under 30. Kyle Lowry added 15 points for Toronto, which had a threegame winning streak snapped. Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas sat out with a sore knee.

MAVERICKS 86, BUCKS 75, OT Harrison Barnes scored a career-high 34 points and Dallas won for the first time this season, beating Milwaukee in overtime. Barnes, who left Golden State to sign a $94 million, four-year contract with the Mavericks in the offseason, has scored at least 30 points twice this season after hitting the mark only once in his four years with the Warriors. His 20foot jumper opened the scoring in overtime, and the depleted Mavericks (1-5) never trailed after that.

The Bucks scored just one point in the extra period.

The Mavericks played without starters Dirk Nowitzki (right Achilles soreness) and Deron Williams (left calf strain). J.J. Barea added 21 points for Dallas, including five in overtime. Jabari Parker led Milwaukee with 16 points, but only two after halftime. Greg Monroe had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Bucks, who had won three straight.

NUGGETS 123, CELTICS 107 Emmanuel Mudiay scored 24 of his season-high 30 points in the opening quarter, helping Denver to a big first half against injury-depleted Boston.

Wilson Chandler added 22 points before leaving with a left hamstring injury. Danilo Gallinari scored

NBA results/standings Utah 114, NY Knicks 109; Portland 100, Memphis 94; Sacramento 96, Toronto 91; Dallas 86, Milwaukee 75 (OT); Denver 123, Boston 107; LA Lakers 119, Phoenix 108.

Toronto Boston NY Knicks Brooklyn Philadelphia Cleveland Detroit Milwaukee Chicago Indiana Charlotte Atlanta Orlando Miami Washington

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT 4 2 .667 3 3 .500 2 4 .333 2 4 .333 0 5 0 Central Division 6 0 1.000 4 2 .667 4 3 .571 3 3 .500 3 3 .500 Southeast Division 4 1 .800 4 2 .667 3 3 .500 2 3 .400 1 4 .200

GB 1 2 2 3.5 2 2.5 3 3 0.5 1.5 2 3

16 for the Nuggets, who lost 16 of the previous 18 meetings in Boston. Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics, tying his season high with 30 points. Boston was missing starters Jae Crowder (sprained left ankle) and Al Horford (concussion protocol). Mudiay, who went 0 for 7 from the floor in Denver’s double-digit loss at Detroit on Saturday night, shot 9 of 10 in the first quarter and had a season high already as he outscored the Celtics. The Nuggets led 42-23 after one and 77-52 at halftime. Boston left the floor to a loud chorus of boos.

LAKERS 119, SUNS 108

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 5 1 .833 Portland 4 3 .571 Utah 4 3 .571 Denver 3 3 .500 Minnesota 1 4 .200 Pacific Division LA Clippers 5 1 .833 Golden State 4 2 .667 LA Lakers 4 3 .571 Sacramento 3 5 .375 Phoenix 2 5 .286 Southwest Division San Antonio 5 2 .714 Houston 3 3 .500 Memphis 3 4 .429 Dallas 1 5 .167 New Orleans 0 6 0

1.5 1.5 2 3.5 1 1.5 3 3.5 1.5 2 3.5 4.5

Nick Young scored 22 points, Jordan Clarkson added 18 and Los Angeles moved above .500 for only the second time in nearly three years with a victory over Phoenix. Two days after their stunning upset of Golden State, the Lakers (4-3) held off the Suns down the stretch despite Devin Booker’s career-high 39 points. Julius Randle scored 18 for the Lakers, and Clarkson hit a 3-pointer with 1:27 left to seal Los Angeles’ third victory in its last 14 meetings with the Suns, who have lost five of seven. Other than its season-opening victory last month, Los Angeles hadn’t had a winning record since the franchise was 10-9 on Dec. 6, 2013. — AP

Ranieri’s 40-point mantra no laughing matter for Leicester LONDON: Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri spent the first half of last season talking about reaching the 40-point threshold to avoid relegation before his side galloped away with the title. That was mainly in jest but if Leicester’s Premier League results do not improve soon the Italian will be taken more seriously if he starts trotting out the same old line.

While it is far too early to panic, 12 points from their first 11 games has left the Foxes two points above the bottom three and any talk of defending the title, or even claiming a top-four spot, are long gone. Instead, Leicester find themselves in the more familiar position of jostling with the likes of Hull City, Bournemouth and Sunderland in the bottom half.

Former Leicester striker Emile Heskey said they need points soon to settle the nerves.

“I think they’re probably concerned now, but it’s very tight at the bottom so one win can take you to mid-table and you look relatively okay, but then two losses can get you sucked back in again,” he told Sky Sports.

“Knowing the owners and some of the back-

room staff, I know last year they were looking to get to 40 points, but they kept on winning games. Really deep down they should be looking at the 40 points and then taking it from there.” Until Sunday’s 2-1 defeat by West Bromwich Albion, Leicester’s home form had continued in the same vein as last season with three wins and two draws.

Worryingly, however, West Brom easily nullified Leicester’s counter-attacking style as they inflicted a first home league defeat on Ranieri’s men since September 2015.

With an appalling away record of one point from 15 this season, the last thing Leicester need is a home slump.

Against West Brom they failed to register an attempt on target in the first half while at the back they were guilty of worrying lapses, none more so than Danny Drinkwater’s errant backpass that allowed Matt Phillips to score the winner. Riyad Mahrez, last year’s PFA player of the season, has failed to shine while Jamie Vardy’s goal have dried up to such an extent that he was on the bench on Sunday. — Reuters

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

S P ORTS

Veteran Patrice Evra back for France PARIS: France coach Didier Deschamps has recalled Juventus left back Patrice Evra for the World Cup qualifier against Sweden after Paris Saint-Germain star Layvin Kurzawa’s weekend injury.

Evra was captain of France at the South Africa World Cup in 2010 but at 35 years of age has finally fallen down the pecking order to the extent he was excluded from recent squads.

With 80 previous France internationals under his belt Evra has won the last

two I talian league titles, helped Manchester United to five Premier League triumphs and is an old favourite of Deschamps.

“He’s a top level player, and he maintains his level by playing for Juventus,” said Deschamps. “I never said it was over for him. I always maintained that from time to time if needed he’d be called upon.” “He really loves the France national team. “And he’s a smiley, good humoured person who cheers things up in the dressing room,

but above all he’s a highly experienced footballer worthy of his place in the team,” Deschamps said.

A key member of the Euro 2016 squad Evra also played at AS Monaco under Deschamps as they made a run to the 2004 Champions League final.

With seven points from three games France are level top of Group A with Sweden, who they host at the Stade de France on Friday.

Rennes ‘keeper Benoit Costil was also called into the squad after PSG

stopper Alphonse Areola was also injured at the weekend.

France squad Goalkeepers: BenoÓ t Costil (Rennes), Hugo Lloris ( Tottenham/ENG), Steve Mandanda (Crystal Palace/ENG) Defenders: SÈbastien Corchia (Lille), Lucas Digne (Barcelona/ESP), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal/ENG), Patrice Evra (Juventus/ITA), Adil Rami (Seville/ESP), Djibril SidibÈ (Monaco), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona/ESP), Raphael Varane (Real

Madrid/ESP) Midfield: N’Golo K ante (Chelsea/ENG), Blaise Matuidi (PSG), Dimitri Payet ( West Ham/ENG), Paul Pogba (Manchester United/ENG), Adrien Rabiot (PSG), Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham/ENG) Strikers: Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich/GER), Ousmane Dembele (Dortmund/GER), Nabil Fekir (Lyon), Kevin Gameiro (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal/ENG), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/ESP). —AFP

Messi hailed as ‘extraterrestrial’ after Barca victory SEVILLE: The day before his side hosted Barcelona, Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli joked that Lionel Messi’s supremacy necessitated two Ballon d’Or competitions, “one for Messi and one for everyone else”.

The Argentine’s words rang true as his compatriot turned Sunday ’s thrilling encounter with the high-flying Andalusians on its head, engineering a 2-1 comeback victory for his side despite a breathtaking display from Sevilla.

Barca looked there for the taking after Vitolo’s 15th minute goal and were drowning in the home side’s unrelenting pressure, only spared by some wayward finishing.

But as halftime approached, Messi sparked a surge forward, combining with Denis Suarez and Neymar to equalise with Barca’s first clear effort on goal.

The 29-year-old took hold of proceedings in the second half, crafting two unfulfilled chances for himself before teeing up Luis Suarez to secure Barca the winner.

Sevilla, for all their early confidence, had no response.

“When a player like him takes a game seriously it’s very difficult for his opponents,” said Sampaoli, whose side’s perfect

home record in La Liga and the Champions League was broken.

“Messi is a world class player and when the game opens up there’s little you can do to stop him, nor his team mates because they can really punish you if you give them any space.” Barca coach Luis Enrique praised the little magician for yet another match-winning display.

“Messi’s capacity to interpret any situation is remarkable. There’s no-one like him.

Our aim is to look to give the ball to him as often as we can,” he said. Sevilla’s Vitolo added: “I’m not going to tell you anything new about Messi, for me he’s the best of all time. “He only appeared in the first half to score the goal but in the second he improved his whole team. We were on top in the first half but Barca’s front three can score at any moment and their first goal got them back into the game.”

Sevilla president Pepe Castro lamented his side’s inability to finish Barcelona off but was also in thrall to Messi. “We couldn’t take our chances in the first half. They have Messi, we do not,” he said.

“He is an extraterrestrial. The first time he touches the ball, it’s a goal.” —Reuters

SEVILLE: Barcelona’s Messi, left, challenges for the ball with Sevilla’s Mudo Vazquez during their La Liga soccer match between Sevilla and Barcelona at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, in Seville, Spain on Sunday. — AP

Cavani scores and gets injured in PSG’s win PARIS: Striker Edinson Cavani got injured moments after he scored Paris SaintGermain’s second goal with a brilliant instinctive lob in a 4-0 win against Rennes on Sunday in the French league.

The win moved PSG three points behind leader Nice, which earlier lost 1-0 at Caen for its first league defeat of the season.

Monaco is second, level on 26 points with third-placed PSG after 12 rounds.

PSG’s other goals came from Marco Verratti’s volley and fellow midfielder Adrien Rabiot’s firm strike in the second half, with an own-goal from Rennes midfielder Gelson Fernandes putting PSG ahead in the 31st minute.

The defeat could have been worse for an insipid Rennes side mustering just one shot on target. PSG right back Serge Aurier hit the crossbar twice and midfielder Thiago Motta headed against the post.

Although the score was comfortable, Rennes gifted PSG the first two goals. The first came when Fernandes put the ball into his own net, after Cavani’s powerful glancing header from a corner bounced off the crossbar and landed near Fernandes.

Earlier in the first half, Fernandes had done remarkably well to head Thiago Silva’s point-blank header off the line. His own goal was followed by a ghastly error from captain Pedro Mendes in the 42nd.

Mendes tried to pass out from the back but gave it straight to Cavani, some 25 meters (yards) out. Cavani had very little

time to react and showed great awareness as he turned to lob goalkeeper Benoit Costil with a curling shot. Moments after netting his league-leading 11th goal of the season, the Uruguay striker clutched the back of his right thigh and was replaced by Spanish forward Jese. Costil was beaten again, this time from nearly 30 meters out when Rabiot’s low shot skidded in off his arm in the 67th. Substitute Hatem Ben Arfa set up the fourth, cleverly picking out Verratti near the penalty spot in the 79th.

CAEN 1, NICE O It seems Mario Balotelli’s luck ran out.

Croatian striker Ivan Santini’s penalty put Normandy side Caen ahead near halftime, and Balotelli - who had six goals in five league games before the match - hit the post with a first-time shot in the 63rd.

Moments earlier, he set up strike partner Alassane Plea, whose curling effort went just over. “There weren’t many chances but sometimes two chances is enough, and we had them,” Nice coach Lucien Favre said.

“Caen was very tight at the back, with five defenders. It was very hard to get past them.” Favre refused to blame fatigue, despite his team playing in the Europa League on Thursday night. He said it was more a case of impatience. “It’s nothing to do with fatigue,” he said. “You have to stay patient in games, otherwise you forget certain things, you become disorganized and that’s not great.”—AP

VERONA: Miralem Pjanic scores during the Serie A soccer match between Chievo Verona and Juventus at the Bentegodi stadium in Verona, Italy, Sunday. — AP

Juventus grinds out 2-1 win at Chievo in Serie A MILAN: Title-winning teams often grind out results despite not playing well - and that is precisely what Juventus is doing. Chievo Verona had won just one of its last six matches but Juventus struggled to break it down before eventually winning 2-1 on Sunday.

Juventus remained four points clear of second-placed Roma and five above AC Milan.

Miralem Pjanic had struggled to fit in since transferring from Roma in the offseason but he scored what was to prove the winner for Juventus in the 75th minute with a trademark free kick into the top right corner from just outside the area. Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino barely moved. “I won the free kick and I put it in. I’m happy, but what’s important, above all, is the three points,” Pjanic said. “I always do my utmost to fit in as best as possible, it’s obvious that I want to do more, but it’s a new system, it’s a different kind of football to where I was before, but I’m adapting.

“I’m not worried, I know that there are always great expectations in a great club, that doesn’t worry me, I’m staying calm, I do my work as best as possible. So slowly but surely I’ll get there, I’m a new footballer here, but I’m happy to be here.”

Mario Mandzukic broke the deadlock in the 53rd, controlling Juan Cuadrado’s through ball before driving across into the bottom left corner.

Mandzukic almost scored a stunning goal in the first half, nodding on a long ball and flicking it over Nicolas Spolli before firing over the bar from six yards.

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was making his 600th Serie A appearance, becoming only the fourth player to reach that mark after Paolo Maldini (647), Javier Zanetti (615) - who are both retired - and Roma captain Francesco Totti (607). Buffon was decisive in the 64th to deny Lucas Castro from point-blank range, but could do nothing moments later as Sergio Pellissier converted a penalty after being tripped

by Stephan Lichtsteiner. There was more bad news on the injury front for Juventus, which is already without Giorgio Chiellini. Fellow defender Andrea Barzagli was stretchered off in the fifth minute with a dislocated shoulder.

PALERMO, 1 AC MILAN 2 It was the battle of the young goalkeepers in Sicily. Milan shotstopper Gianluigi Donnarumma is just 17, while Palermo counterpart Josip Posavec is 20. Their combined age is less than that of Buffon, who is 38.

Posavec gifted Milan the lead in the 15th minute, colliding with his own defender as he came out to collect Mattia De Sciglio’s cross and losing the ball, allowing Suso to deposit the ball into an empty net.

Posavec made up for his error in the second half with three stunning saves to deny Suso each time but was beaten in the 82nd, when substitute Gianluca Lapadula cheekily backheeled Suso’s long-range attempt into the bottom corner. It was the first Serie A goal for Lapadula, who had only been on the pitch three minutes.

Palermo had leveled in the 71st when Ilija Nestorovski ran onto Alessandro Diamanti’s through ball and drilled it into the near corner for his third goal in as many matches.

INTER MILAN 3, CROTONE 0 Problems continued for managerless Inter Milan on and off the pitch, with a win over Serie A’s bottom side in a hostile atmosphere at San Siro. The scoreline was more generous than Inter deserved, with three goals in the final six minutes. Mauro Icardi netted twice, the first a penalty, after Ivan Perisic had fired the Nerazzurri in front. It was only Inter’s fifth win this season and fans made their displeasure known with several insulting banners directed at the players as well as the club owners and directors. The club released a statement on Sunday, saying it would announce the new coach in 48 hours. Youth coach Stefano Vecchi replaced the fired Frank de Boer on Tuesday on a temporary basis.

ROMA 3, BOLOGNA 0 After Icardi moved level with Edin Dzeko at the top of the scoring charts, all eyes were on the Roma forward to see if he would strike again.

Instead of Dzeko, it was Mohamed Salah who stole the headlines with his first hat trick in club football. Roma went ahead in the 13th minute as Adam Masina attempted to clear Salah’s effort but only succeeded in prodding it past his own goalkeeper. The league credited the goal to Salah and the former Chelsea midfielder went on to score a second-half brace, taking his tally to eight for the season - one behind Ciro Immobile and two below Dzeko and Icardi.

The only other time Salah has netted three in a match was in a World Cup qualifier for Egypt

against Zimbabwe in 2013.

OTHER MATCHES Empoli ended its goal drought in spectacular fashion, scoring double the number of goals it had netted all season, in a 4-0 win at fellow struggler Pescara. Massimo Maccarone netted twice for Empoli, which hadn’t found the back of the net in the last eight rounds, and also provided the assist for Manuel Pucciarelli. Riccardo Saponara added a fourth in the final minute.

Atalanta won 3-0 at Sassuolo to continue its impressive run of form and move level on points with fourth-placed Lazio after a sixth win in seven matches. Elsewhere, Fiorentina vs. Sampdoria and Genoa vs. Udinese both ended 1-1. — AP

Ronaldo’s top 5 Madrid moments MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo signed a new Real Madrid deal yesterday, tying him to the Spanish giants until 2021. AFP Sports looks at some of Ronaldo’s finest moments since joining Madrid from Manchester United in 2009: PEP’S BARCA BEATEN Amidst a run of four heated El Clasico clashes between Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Barcelona and Jose Mourinho’s Madrid in the spring of 2011, Madrid struck first blood.

Ronaldo’s towering extra-time header was the first goal he had scored from open play against Barcelona in eight matches and prevented Guardiola’s Barca from doing the treble of La Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey for the second time in three seasons.

CAMP NOU SILENCED A year later Ronaldo delivered his only league title in seven full seasons in Spain by scoring the winner in a 2-1 triumph at the Camp Nou which ended Barca’s domination of Spanish football and precipitated Guardiola’s decision to step down as coach. Ronaldo’s celebration as he wheeled away, saying “calm down, I’m here”, became one of his trademarks amongst a record run of scoring in six straight Clasicos.

FINALLY TOPPLES MESSI Dethroning Barcelona at the top of La Liga wasn’t enough to topple rival Lionel Messi’s run of winning the Ballon d’Or for four straight years between 2009 and 2012. However, Ronaldo finally overcame the Argentine in 2013 despite a trophyless season with Madrid

thanks to a spectacular 66 goals in 56 games for club and country. Ronaldo’s delight was evident as he cried tears of joy at the award ceremony in Zurich.

DELIVERS ‘LA DECIMA’ Madrid president Florentino Perez splurged a then-world record 94 million euros ($104 million at current rates) on Ronaldo with one principal aim: “La Decima”-Madrid’s 10th European Cup. After four years of heartache, including three consecutive semi-final exits, Ronaldo and Real delivered by downing crosscity rivals Atletico Madrid on Ronaldo’s return to Lisbon, where he started his career at Sporting. Ronaldo’s goal in the final was Real’s fourth as they ran riot in the extra 30 minutes after Sergio Ramos’s stoppage-time equaliser denied Atletico a first Champions League.

However, Ronaldo’s role cannot be underestimated as he smashed a competition record 17 goals over the season.

MILAN MEMORIES Two years on, the same two sides met in the Champions League final in Milan earlier this year and once again ended with a Ronaldo penalty. This time his strike was decisive as Real edged a penalty shootout after the Madrid duo were tied at 1-1 after 120 minutes. As in Lisbon, tears and a topless celebration followed. Later in the summer Ronaldo was instrumental in securing Portugal’s first major international triumph, at Euro 2016, despite departing the final injured and in tears, leading him to describe the past season as a “dream year”. — AFP

MADRID: Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (C), club president Florentino Perez and Ronaldo’s mother Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro pose during the official presentation of Ronaldo’s contract renewal, in the presidential box at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid yesterday. Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo have agreed an extension to the player’s contract, keeping him at the club until the 30th of June 2021. — AFP

Rabada inspires S Africa to ‘360 degrees’ turnaround

Hossa’s OT goal lifts Blackhawks past Stars

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

Messi hailed as ‘extraterrestrial’ after Barca victory Page 19

OAKLAND: Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) loses his helmet while tackled by Denver Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby, left, cornerback Chris Harris (25) and free safety Darian Stewart (26) during the second half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday. — AP

Raiders bust Broncos to seize division lead OAKLAND: Latavius Murray ran for 114 yards and three touchdowns and the Oakland Raiders showed they were ready for prime time, beating the defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos 30-20 on Sunday night. In what was being billed as the biggest game in Oakland since the team went to the Super Bowl following the 2002 season, the Raiders (7-2) put together a complete effort to overpower the Broncos (6-3) and take over sole possession of first place in the AFC West. Derek Carr threw for 184 yards and did not turn the ball over, Khalil Mack had two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery and the Raiders outrushed Denver 218-33. The performance was to the delight of an energetic crowd at the Coliseum, excited to host a prime time Sunday night game for the first time in more than a decade. Trevor Siemian looked shaky at times for Denver but did throw two touchdown passes, including a short pass behind the line that Kapri Biggs turned into a 69-yard touchdown catch and run in the fourth quarter.

LIONS 22, VIKINGS 16, OT Matthew Stafford threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate, who vaulted into the end zone in overtime to lift Detroit past Minnesota. After Matt Prater kicked a 58-yard field goal as time expired to force overtime, Tate finished the opening drive when he ran through arm tackles by Xavier Rhodes and Harrison Smith and leaped in for the winning score.

Stafford completed 23 of 36 passes for 219 yards, two touchdowns and an interception for the Lions (5-4), who have won four of their past five games. Tate had 11 catches for 79 yards.

Sam Bradford completed 31 of 40 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings (5-3), who started the season 5-0 but have imploded since coming out of the bye. Stefon Diggs had a career-high 13 catches for 80 yards.

GIANTS 28, EAGLES 23 Eli Manning threw for four touchdowns and New York’s defense had two interceptions and three stops on fourth downs to beat Philadelphia. The Giants (5-3) won their third straight game, holding off the Eagles (4-4 after a 3-0 start) after Manning was intercepted with less than two minutes to go. Two of Manning’s touchdowns went to Odell Beckham Jr., with the others to Roger Lewis Jr. and Sterling Shepard.

Manning moved into ninth place in yards passing with 46,428. Manning, in his 13th NFL season, threw for 257 yards against Philadelphia. He

passed Vinny Testaverde, who had 46,233 yards through the air.

RAVENS 21, STEELERS 14 Joe Flacco threw a 95-yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace, and Baltimore frustrated an ineffective Ben Roethlisberger in a victory over Pittsburgh. Baltimore (4-4) snapped a four-game losing streak and moved into a tie atop the AFC North with the Steelers (4-4), who have dropped three in a row. Three weeks after undergoing surgery on his right knee, Roethlisberger returned well ahead of schedule. Playing for the first time since Oct. 16, the 13-year veteran looked out of sync until the fourth quarter, when he directed a 75-yard drive that got the Steelers to 21-7 with 8:38 remaining. Before that, Pittsburgh’s offense produced only two first downs and was limited to 69 yards. The Steelers finished with 36 yards rushing, 32 by Le’Veon Bell. Roethlisberger ran for a 4-yard score with 48 seconds left, but Chris Boswell botched the onside kick - barely knocking it off the tee - and Baltimore ran out the clock.

CHARGERS 43, TITANS 35 Melvin Gordon ran for a career-high 196 yards and scored the go-ahead TD on a 1-yard run, and defensive backs Dwight Lowery and Brandon Flowers scored on turnovers by Marcus Mariota to lead the Chargers over Tennessee, which still hasn’t won in San Diego since 1990.

The Chargers (4-5) won two days before the team will ask voters to approve a billion-dollar subsidy for a new downtown stadium to replace aging Qualcomm Stadium. The measure was polling well short of the two-thirds supermajority needed to pass. Gordon, who leads the NFL with 11 touchdowns, scored on a 1-yard run with 5:28 left in the third quarter to give the Chargers a 26-21 lead. He ran 32 times, and broke a 47-yard run in the closing minutes. He also caught four passes for 65 yards. Mariota, who led the Titans to a 21-19 lead by guiding two quick scoring drives on either side of halftime, helped the Chargers surge to a 12-point lead when he fumbled late in the third quarter.

Lowery picked up the ball ran 43 yards for a touchdown and a 33-21 lead. The Titans (4-5) have lost seven straight in San Diego since 1993, when they were the Houston Oilers. The franchise’s last victory in San Diego was in 1990.

COLTS 31, PACKERS 26 Frank Gore rushed for two touchdowns, Jordan Todman had a tone-setting 99-yard

return on the opening kickoff and Indianapolis held on for a win over Green Bay. Andrew Luck shook off two interceptions in the first quarter to finish with 281 yards passing and a touchdown. The Colts, who had allowed an NFL-worst 31 sacks coming into the game, gave their quarterback decent protection. Indianapolis (4-5) heads into a bye week with a confidence-building victory after surviving a vintage Aaron Rodgers comeback. His 3-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb with 3:29 left got Green Bay (44) within five, capping a 14-point spurt in fourplus minutes. Rodgers finished 26 of 43 for 297 yards with three scores and an interception.

SAINTS 41, 49ERS 23 Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes to Michael Thomas and another to Mark Ingram, who also ran for a 75-yard score a week after being benched and New Orleans beat lowly San Francisco. Ingram, replaced by Tim Hightower during last Sunday ’s 25-20 win against Seattle after fumbling for a second straight game, scored his second straight TD for the Saints on a career-long run to answer immediately after DuJuan Harris caught a 47-yard touchdown pass from Colin Kaepernick.

Ingram’s run also was the second-longest in Saints history and he wound up with 158 yards rushing as San Francisco allowed an opposing 100-yard runner for the seventh straight game.

The Saints (4-4) have grabbed back some momentum and returned to the race in the NFC South. They won for the fourth time in five games following an 0-3 start and eighth in the past 10 regular season meetings with San Francisco. The Niners (1-7) didn’t have nearly enough to avoid their seventh straight loss since shutting out the Rams to start the season.

PANTHERS 13, RAMS 10 Cam Newton persevered through five sacks to pass for 225 yards and a touchdown, and Carolina’s defense shut down Los Angeles. Greg Olsen caught a touchdown pass in the first half and Graham Gano added two fourth-quarter field goals for the Panthers (3-5), who won their second straight after a four-game skid. Newton’s offense managed just 244 yards against the Rams’ vaunted defense, but the Panthers nearly shut out Los Angeles in a defense-dominated game. Case Keenum passed for 296 yards for the Rams (3-5), who have lost four straight after a strong start to their homecoming season. Los

NFL result/standings Baltimore 21, Pittsburgh 14; Dallas 35, Cleveland 10; Kansas City 19, Jacksonville 14; Miami 27, NY Jets 23; NY Giants 28, Philadelphia 23; Detroit 22, Minnesota 16 (OT); Carolina 13, Los Angeles 10; New Orleans 41, San Francisco 23; San Diego 43, Tennessee 35; Indianapolis 31, Green Bay 26; Oakland 30, Denver 20.

American Football Conference National Football Conference AFC East NFC East W L T OTL PF PA PCT Dallas 7 1 0 0 223 140 .875 New England 7 1 0 0 217 132 .875 5 3 0 0 161 164 .625 NY Giants 4 4 0 0 173 182 .500 Miami Washington 4 3 1 0 186 189 .563 Buffalo 4 4 0 0 212 172 .500 Philadelphia 4 4 0 1 202 145 .500 NY Jets 3 6 0 0 173 235 .333 NFC North AFC North Minnesota 5 3 0 1 155 126 .625 Baltimore 4 4 0 0 154 153 .500 5 4 0 0 205 206 .556 Detroit 4 4 0 0 184 171 .500 Pittsburgh Green Bay 4 4 0 0 198 187 .500 Cincinnati 3 4 1 0 167 189 .438 Chicago 2 6 0 0 131 179 .250 Cleveland 0 9 0 1 168 273 0 NFC South AFC South Atlanta 6 3 0 1 305 259 .667 Houston 5 3 0 0 137 167 .625 4 4 0 0 242 238 .500 New Orleans 4 5 0 1 239 256 .444 Indianapolis Tampa Bay 3 5 0 1 180 232 .375 Tennessee 4 5 0 0 217 226 .444 Carolina 3 5 0 0 204 206 .375 Jacksonville 2 6 0 0 153 215 .250 NFC West AFC West Seattle 4 2 1 0 131 109 .643 Oakland 7 2 0 0 245 223 .778 3 4 1 0 179 140 .438 Arizona 6 2 0 0 185 151 .750 Kansas City Los Angeles 3 5 0 0 130 167 .375 Denver 6 3 0 0 214 166 .667 San Francisco 1 7 0 0 167 260 .125 San Diego 4 5 0 1 268 247 .444

Angeles’ scoreless streak reached 102 minutes, 12 seconds before Greg Zuerlein’s 25-yard field goal with 8:01 to play.

DOLPHINS 27, JETS 23 Rookie Kenyan Drake scored untouched on a 96-yard kickoff return with 5:15 left, and Miami won a seesaw battle with New York Jets. Jay Ajayi rushed for 111 yards and helped to run out the clock after the Dolphins came from behind for the third time.

A botched Dolphins punt led to a touchdown that put New York ahead 23-20. On the ensuing kickoff , New York’s Antonio Allen was called for being offside, so the Jets had to kick again.

Drake took the kickoff, found a lane and sped past the final Jet - kicker Nick Folk - into the clear. The Dolphins (4-4) won their third game in a row, while New York (3-6) fell deeper into last place in the AFC East. The Jets hurt themselves with four personal foul penalties, two interceptions thrown by Ryan Fitzpatrick and numerous missed chances.

COWBOYS 35, BROWNS 10 Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott threw three touchdown passes and kept any talk for Tony Romo unnecessary, leading Dallas over winless Cleveland. Rookie Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 92 yards and scored twice and durable tight end Jason Witten had 134 yards receiving for the Cowboys, off to their best start since 2007.

Prescott has won seven straight starts since losing the season opener, and with the Cowboys (7-1) leading the NFC East and getting better, there’s no reason for the team to accelerate Romo’s return from a back injury. The miserable Browns (0-9) dropped their franchise-record 12th straight game going back to last season and are 3-27 in their past 30. They also started 09 in 1975.

CHIEFS 19, JAGUARS 14 Kansas City stuffed Jacksonville on fourth down with less than 2 minutes left deep in its own territory, preserving a victory despite finishing without five offensive starters. Nick Foles threw for 187 yards and a first-half touchdown toss to Albert Wilson, and helped to set up four field goals by Cairo Santos, as Kansas City (6-2) won its 10th consecutive home game.

Meanwhile, the Jaguars (2-6) couldn’t overcome four turnovers - including a fumble at the goal line in the fourth quarter - in their first game with quarterback coach Nathaniel Hackett directing the offense. — AP

Business TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

Mohamed Naser Al Sayer, Toyota unveil 2017 Prado Urban Cruiser Page 25 Al Mulla, Behbehani Motor Co celebrate Jeep birthday Page 26 ABK reports operating profit of KD 65.6 million

Tight sales in Kuwait real estate sector in Q3 2016 Page 22

Page 23

NEW DELHI: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) shakes hands with Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May prior to a meeting in New Delhi yesterday. Prime Minister Theresa May said Britain would become the ultimate free trade champion as she laid the groundwork yesterday for a potential post-Brexit deal with India, the world’s fastest growing major economy. — AFP

May lays groundwork for post-Brexit India deal India, Britain launch trade and investment talks NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Theresa May said Britain would become the ultimate free trade champion as she laid the groundwork yesterday for a potential post-Brexit deal with India, the world’s fastest growing major economy.

In her first bilateral trip outside Europe since taking office in July, May said Britain would not “turn its back on the world” once it has left the EU but emphasized that new economic relationships had to benefit all sides.

May’s visit is an attempt to get the ball rolling for a future trade deal between the two countries, although nothing can be signed until Britain actually leaves the European Unionmost likely in 2019.

Accompanied by a delegation of around three dozen business leaders, May arrived in the smog-bound capital New Delhi late Sunday

and will travel to the southern tech hub of Bangalore today.

“On this visit alone more than one billion pounds of business deals will be signed. And there’s much more we can do,” May told reporters after meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“We have also agreed to establish structural talks at officials level to identify what more we can do now before Britain leaves the EU to remove barriers to trade and investment.”

While the benefits of a deal to Britain are evident, sealing one will be no easy task in a country which has been negotiating with the EU as a whole on a free trade agreement for the best part of a decade.

India still has a rigorous regime of tariffs and red tape which have traditionally made it

one of the most complex places to do business, even if the potential market is huge.

Britain’s need to cut deals quickly once it leaves the EU gives Modi’s government added bargaining power. The Hindustan Times wrote yesterday with Britain’s looming departure from the EU, “the UK needs trade with India more than ever”.

Visa issues Despite their historical ties from the colonial era, bilateral trade is relatively low at $14 billion last year-smaller than the volume of trade between India and Germany. “India-UK ties are truly special. It is an enduring partnership, which is nurtured by our shared values, extensive people to people linkages,” Modi said, speaking at a joint press conference with May.

Egypt continues surge on currency devaluation MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS CAIRO/DUBAI: Egypt’s stock market rose sharply for a third day yesterday in response to the devaluation of the Egyptian pound which has raised hopes for capital inflows, while higher oil prices boosted petrochemical shares in Saudi Arabia.

The Egyptian blue chip index jumped 5.4 percent in its heaviest trade since March, bringing its gains to 15.6 percent since the pound’s peg to the dollar was abandoned on Thursday. The broader EGX100 index added 2.5 percent. The devaluation has raised hopes for major inflows of foreign money into Egyptian markets in coming months. Regional investment bank Arqaam Capital said it was going overweight on Egypt in the wake of the devaluation.

It estimated $4.5 billion of foreign money - or about 16 percent of the stock market’s total capitalisation would flow into the market in the next year if foreign ownership of stocks rose to 25 percent, a normal level for an emerging market.

Arqaam said it favoured banks that would benefit from the 3 percentage point interest rate hike that accompanied the devaluation, such as Commercial International Bank (CIB) , and firms whose income would be boosted by a weaker pound such as Global Telecom. It said it was wary of companies that would have trouble passing on higher import costs to consumers, such as Edita Food Industries.

The increase in Egyptian interest rates will support banks’ profitability given their large exposure to shortterm government securities, Moody’s Investors Service said. CIB shares jumped 8.3 percent yesterday, while Global Telecom surged 7.7 percent and Edita climbed 7.9

percent.

Despite the market’s euphoria, Wafik Dawood, portfolio manager at Cairo-based Compass Capital, said stocks’ rise would not be one-way. “The market is re-rating assets, pricing in the weaker pound, but the trend is likely to be challenged by the super 300 basis point hike in interest rates,” he said. “This will attract money because of the carry trade, but borrowers will be hit.”

He added that while the long-term picture looked positive, there would be short-term volatility. “Until there is hard evidence of fund inflows sticking around long enough, markets will be unable to unlock their true potential.”

SAUDI Saudi Arabia’s index climbed 1.5 percent, taking its gains since hitting a 2016 low on Oct. 3 to 14.4 percent.

The market has been surging since Riyadh’s $17.5 billion foreign bond issue last month eased concern about government finances and banking system liquidity. Al Rajhi Capital said improving liquidity and a slight decline in Saudi interbank money rates had encouraged investors to return to stocks. Petrochemical producers were buoyed by a 1.2 percent rebound in Brent oil futures, with the sector’s index climbing 1.8 percent.

The retail sector outperformed, extending Sunday’s strong gains. Apparel and mall operator Fawaz Alhokair gained 2.9 percent. But food producer Savola Group, which has business lines in Egypt, dropped 0.3 percent after saying the devaluation of the Egyptian pound would hit its fourth-quarter results by 171 million riyals ($45.6 million). — Reuters

But May offered little ground on relaxing visa rules for Indian nationals a key issue pushed by Delhi-as she aims to keep a tight lid on the number of migrants entering Britain. Anger at levels of immigration from both inside and outside Europe were seen as a crucial factor in the outcome of the June referendum when British voters opted to pull out of the EU. But there is particular unhappiness in Delhi over visa restrictions on students wanting to stay on in Britain after completing university courses which have led to a 50 percent drop in Indians enrolling. May announced two changes that will benefit Indian business travellers, while insisting that Britain’s current policies already ensure that “the brightest and the best of India’s students” continue to be welcomed.

Indians travelling on work visas will be allowed to join the “registered travellers scheme”, which allows users to speed through immigration at some borders. The Indian government will be able to nominate top executives for the “Great Club”-a bespoke visa service for business travellers first launched in 2013.

May said rules could be relaxed further if Indians who overstay their visas could be returned home more quickly.

“The UK will consider further improvements to our visa offer if, at the same time, we can step up the speed and volume of returns of Indians with no right to remain,” she said.

The governments also agreed a partnership to help India develop “smart cities”, which are designed to be models of urban planning-one of Modi’s pet projects. — AFP

Oil investor impatience grows over global surplus LONDON: Oil investors are growing increasingly disgruntled with the pace at which supply and demand are rebalancing, cutting their bullish bets and pushing the benchmark price to its biggest discount relative to future prices in nine months. The premium of Brent crude futures for delivery in six months over those for prompt delivery, one measure of confidence in the market outlook, yesterday shot to its largest since February, the point at which OPEC first floated the idea of a possible deal on output to erode a two-year-old global surplus.

The spread, or contango, is now at $3.51 a barrel , up from $2.30 at the end of September, when OPEC announced its intention to strike a deal to cut production when it meets in Vienna later this month. Generally, a widening in this spread can indicate one of two things: either investors have grown more pessimistic over the prospect of a rally in prices for prompt delivery, or they are more optimistic over the likelihood of a longer-term rally.

In this case, the prompt Brent contract has led the move, having fallen by 5.2 percent since the end of September, compared with a fall of 2.6 percent in the price of oil for delivery in six months. The increasing contango is really about the physical side of the market,” SEB chief commodities strategist Bjarne Schieldrop said.

“We’ve had an increase in inventories rather than a decrease that has coincided with refinery outages. It’s not a pretty sight.” The most recent Reuters survey estimated OPEC supply hit a record high of 33.82 million barrels per day (bpd) in October, up 130,000 bpd from September and up 2.2 million bpd from October last year.

Since announcing their intention to cut production to a range of 32.5 to 33 million bpd following a meeting in Algiers, the discord among the world’s largest exporters

has grown. Libya, Nigeria, Iraq and Iran have clamoured to be exempt from any reduction as they recover market share lost to civil unrest and, in the case of Tehran, international sanctions.

Those four already represent a third of OPEC output and an exemption would increase the pressure on Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbors to deliver the bulk of the cuts.

UPHILL DIPLOMACY Highlighting the increasingly uphill battle to achieve consensus, OPEC sources told Reuters last week that Saudi Arabia had warned it could raise output steeply if rival Iran refused to limit supply.

Despite OPEC Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo attempting to soothe concerns about the group’s ability to cut meaningfully, oil prices are at their lowest in nearly two months, having unwound the gains made since late September. “The problem in a nutshell is that too many members want higher prices without making any sacrifices and the market is losing patience,” PVM Oil Associates analyst David Hufton said in a report on Monday.

“Confidence in a successful OPEC outcome has evaporated.”

Investors have cut their net long holdings of crude oil futures and options by around 100 million barrels in just two weeks. Another question hangs over non-OPEC members, specifically Russia, the world’s largest producer of crude, and their willingness to join in an effort to freeze or cut output. Russia set a new post-Soviet record high in October of 11.2 million bpd, underscoring the challenge the government might face in agreeing to freeze output. — Reuters

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

BUSINESS

News i n

b r i e f

Saudi Savola faces 171m riyal hit from Egypt pound float DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Savola Group , the country’s largest food products company, said yesterday that the floatation of the Egyptian pound will hit its fourth-quarter results by 171 million riyals ($45.6 million). It said that it had taken measures over the past year that significantly decreased the impact of the Egyptian pound devaluation on its business, without elaborating. Savola’s products in the North African country include edible oil and vegetable ghee, sugar and pasta. The central bank floated the pound on Thursday, abandoning a peg of 8.8 pounds to the dollar and letting the currency drift down to around 16 on Sunday. Many bankers think more depreciation is possible.

Abraaj Group names Bourgeois as head of N America DUBAI: Abraaj Group has named Mark Bourgeois as its global head of investor engagement and chief executive officer of Abraaj North America, the emerging market-focused private equity firm said yesterday.

Bourgeois, who will hold the rank of partner at Abraaj and sit on the firm’s executive committee, joins from Atlantic-Pacific Capital where he was most recently president and CEO. He has also held senior roles at Credit Suisse, Lehman Brothers and UBS Private Funds Group. As investor engagement head, Bourgeois will lead global fundraising efforts, the statement added.

Tight sales in Kuwait real estate sector in Q3 2016 NBK ECONOMIC REPORT KUWAIT: Slow activity in the real estate market dominated the third quarter of 2016 as sales volumes slowed. The summer season was weaker than the previous year’s as concerns increased over the impact of utility price hikes in 2017 and continued pressure on the government budget. Sales across all sectors totaled KD 1.69 billion year-to-date (ytd), down 27 percent from the same period last year. Third quarter sales were down 39 percent from last year as the number of transactions fell by 24 percent year-on-year (y/y). September’s price performance, as reflected in NBK’s real estate price indices, continued to reflect an ongoing gradual correction that started in 2015, with some signs of stabilization.

The residential sector marks its lowest quarterly sales since 3Q09. The sector registered 568 transactions in 3Q16, down 20 percent y/y, while KD sales declined to KD 188 million, down 27 percent y/y.

September sales activity alone declined by 35 percent y/y to KD 53.3 million, aggravated by the long Eid Al-Adha holiday.

Residential real estate prices appeared to stabilize further in September. The NBK residential home price index slipped by 1.6 percent during the month to 154.3 points, retreating by 13 percent y/y. The NBK residential home price index has been trending downward since the beginning of 2015, when it peaked at 186 points in January 2015. On the other hand, the NBK residential land price index marked an uptick this September; at 184.9 points, the index was up 1.1 percent for the month, but remains down 7.4 percent y/y. Land prices were the first to correct back in 2014 and it appears that they are going to lead the real estate

The investment sec tor appeared under pressure with new utility prices expected by the second half of 2017.

Investment apartments will see their utility bills increase by 7-10 percent of the rental value on average depending on the level of consumption. This would impose additional pressure on demand at a time when supply is increasing and the number of vacant apartments is on the rise. Nonetheless, we expect the impact of the cuts will be limited especially with users reducing consumption considerably to accommodate for the higher rates.

prices on their recovery path.

Sales down Investment sector quarterly sales moderate further in 3Q16 as small-ticket apartments dominate activity. Quarterly sales for the investment sector totaled KD 155.5 million in 3Q16, down 42 percent y/y.

Apartment’s share of total investment sector transactions has been on the rise for the last four years. Investment apartment transactions represent 67 percent of the total transactions recorded ytd, up from 36 percent for the same period in 2012. This September, sector sales barely exceed KD

40 million over 99 transactions. The NBK investment-building price index slowed further from August’s level. The NBK investment building price index, dampened by the subdued activity in the real estate market, fell to 180.5 points, down 4 percent m/m. After making modest gains since the beginning of the year, the index remained below the 200-mark throughout the third quarter, and is down 16.5 percent y/y. The correction in the price index was steeper during the last three months, coming off from record high levels between June and August 2015 (i.e. basis effect) when the index averaged 227 points.

Opportunities Government housing projects reflect opportunities for property developers during a period of sluggish demand for real estate. As the Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW ) is keen on delivering around 11 thousand housing unit, the PAHW is opening the door for the private sector through its housing projects, mainly in Sabah Al-Ahmad and Jaber Al-Ahmad, northwest of Sulaibikhat, and in Wafra. As per a recent PAHW press release, 26 housing projects are currently underway at a cost of KD 683 million. These projects include government homes, vacant plots as well as apartments. Commercial sector posted its lowest quarterly sales in two years. Only 14 transactions were recorded this quarter, totaling KD 40.3 million, down 69 percent and 55 percent respectively y/y.

Sales improved in September, totaling KD 14.4 million on only five transactions including two commercial plots in Sabah Al-Ahmad Sea City (KD 7 million) and one building in Hawally (KD 2.45 million).

Iran’s Airbus jet purchase gets boost from lease finance deal SINGAPORE/ANKARA: Iran has reached a deal with a foreign leasing company to finance the first 17 jets it plans to buy from Airbus, breaking a logjam in efforts to import aircraft following the lifting of sanctions, people familiar with the move said. The deal removes a significant hurdle to securing the first tranche of jets, following uncertainty over financing and political opposition in the United States and Iran, though the sources caution months of talking have thrown up new potential hurdles.

Iranian officials declined to name the lessor involved, but industry sources said in September that Iran was in advanced talks with the United Arab Emirates’ Dubai Aerospace about helping to finance the purchase.

“We have a deal to finance the first 17 aircraft,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters, without elaborating. Dubai Aerospace and Airbus both declined to comment. Under the deal, the leasing company would take over part of Iran’s order for dozens of new jetliners and then lease them to the country’s flag carrier. A similar mechanism could be used to finance a provisional order for 20 turboprops from

ATR, which is half-owned by Airbus, one of the people said.

ATR had no immediate comment.

Tehran provisionally ordered more than 100 jets each from Airbus and Boeing this year after a deal with major powers to lift most sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on nuclear activities.

Completing the rest of the Airbus deal depends on receiving US export licenses because of the number of US components in the aircraft. So far Airbus has US licenses for 17 jets. Airbus will unusually be paid in euros, avoiding dollars typically used by the aircraft industry. The US financial system remains closed to Iran under core sanctions dating back to the Islamic Republic’s 1979 revolution.

Talks are expected to resume soon between Iran and Boeing to finalize the US company’s deal to sell or lease more than 100 jets: a transaction that could also involve third parties. A Middle East spokesman for Boeing, Fakher Daghestani, said it had been allowed by the US government to talk to approved Iranian airlines and that any final agreements would need further US approval.

EYES ON ELECTIONS The airplane deals represent a big economic prize for Western companies and also help the Iranian supporters of a more open relationship with the West after years of near isolation. But negotiations have been held up by the reluctance of many Western banks to provide finance, fearing a regulatory backlash if there is a new setback in relations. In particular they are concerned that the outcome of Tuesday’s US presidential election could lead to a new set of sanctions. Republican candidate Donald Trump and conservatives in Congress have heavily criticized the nuclear deal. Sources say the government of President Hassan Rouhani is keen to finalize contracts before the end of Iran’s fiscal year in March, boosting chances of securing the first high-profile delivery in time for Iran’s own presidential elections in May. “We have deadlines to meet,” the Iranian official said.

Rouhani, who is seen in Iran as a pragmatist, has been harshly criticized by hardline rivals over the deals aimed at renewing Iran’s ageing air fleet. —Reuters

Bank Muscat in talks to refinance $600m loan DUBAI: Oman’s Bank Muscat has begun initial discussions with banks on refinancing an existing $600 million loan, with a new facility likely to be put in place early next year, banking sources said yesterday. The loan would refinance the three-year maturity that the bank originally raised in March 2014, through a group of lenders that included Bank ABC, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Citigroup, Commerzbank, HSBC, Mizuho, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and Wells Fargo. Bank Muscat, rated A1 by Moody’s and A- by both S&P and Fitch, declined to comment. Established in 1982, Bank Muscat is Oman’s largest bank with assets totalling 10.87 billion rials ($28.24 billion) as of Sept. 30, according to the bank’s financial statement.

DEWA solar project draws 30 expressions of interest DUBAI: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has received expressions of interest from 30 parties interested in building a 200 megawatt (MW) concentrated solar power (CSP) plant, the firm said yesterday.

The scheme is the first of its kind for the technology in Dubai and will form part of 1,000 MW in planned CSP capacity by 2030 at the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum Solar Park. DEWA has already tendered for three phases at the park, totalling 1,000 MW, all of which have used photovoltaic (PV ) technology.

Generating electricity using PV panels is cheaper, but CSP panels are more efficient as they can store energy for use during periods of low or no sunlight. DEWA did not name the parties which expressed interest in the first CSP stage. The first CSP plant is due to be operational by April 2021.

Oil prices bounce as OPEC promises a cut is on the cards LONDON: Oil rose more than 1 percent yesterday, boosted by a commitment from OPEC to stick to a deal to cut output, but prices remained more than $7 below last month’s high due to persistent doubts over the feasibility of the group’s plan. Brent crude traded at $46.20 per barrel at 1157 GMT, up 62 cents, or 1.36 percent, from the previous close.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was up 75 cents, or 1.7 percent, at $44.82 a barrel. The secretarygeneral of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said the group was committed to an output-cutting deal made in Algiers in September.

“We as OPEC, we remain committed to the Algiers accord that we ... put together. All OPEC 14 (members), we remain committed to the implementation,” Mohammed Barkindo told reporters at a conference in Abu Dhabi. Despite this, many analysts doubt OPEC’s ability to coordinate a cut sufficient to balance the market. “Market belief that OPEC can reach a credible deal has collapsed and prices are now $8 a barrel off the post-Algiers highs,” David Hufton, managing director of PVM Oil Associates, said in a note. He cited record OPEC production in October, infighting between Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as calls from Iraq for its own exemption from any cut. “The numbers show that the best deal OPEC are likely to come up with is well short of what is needed to achieve a balanced market in 2017,” Hufton said. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht

ASIAN COUNTRIES 2.940 4.552 2.896 2.048 2.847 220.470 39.088 3.859 6.269 8.688

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal ani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 80.894 83.317 787.812 805.500 82.580

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 25.000 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 22.724 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.218 Tunisian Dinar 136.250 Jordanian Dinar 427.240 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 2.021 Syrian Lira 2.0162 Morocco Dirham 31.253 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 303.150 Euro 339.830 Sterling Pound 381.360 Canadian dollar 227.500 Turkish lira 97.790

Swiss Franc Australian Dollar US Dollar Buying

315.120 234.330 301.950 GOLD 263.30 134.57 68.13

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dolla 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 Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit Chinese Yuan Renminbi Thai Bhat Turkish Lira

Selling Rate 304.400 227.010 374.860 338.120 295.450 802.060 82.835 84.050 81.630 427.520 34.069 2.046 4.545 2.890 3.859 6.263 159.910 3.945 2.420 3.830 73.345 45.235 9.655 97.735

BAHRAIN EXCHANGE COMPANY WLL CURRENCY

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 Georgina Lari US Dollars US Dollars Mint

Bangladesh Taka Chinese Yuan Hong Kong Dollar Indian Rupee Indonesian Rupiah

BUY Europe

0.373575 0.004482 0.041285 0.0333321 0.033119 0.084014 0.009041 0.029858 0.307095 0.092080

SELL

0.383575 0.016482 0.046285 0.342321 0.038319 0.084014 0.019041 0.034858 0.318095 0.102380

Australasia 0.224887 0.216301

0.236887 0.225801

America 0.221048 0.136917 0.299050 0.299550

0.230046 0.136917 0.303750 0.303750

Asia 0.003371 0.043374 0.037001 0.004161 0.000019

0.003955 0.046874 0.039751 0.004550 0.000025

Japanese Yen Kenyan Shilling Korean Won Malaysian Ringgit Nepalese Rupee Pakistan Rupee Philippine Peso Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar South African Rand Sri Lankan Rupee Taiwan Thai Baht

0.002862 0.003118 0.000255 0.068704 0.002813 0.002689 0.006136 0.000067 0.213834 0.016529 0.001645 0.009514 0.008341

0.003042 0.003118 0.000270 0.074704 0.002983 0.002979 0.006436 0.000073 0.223834 0.025029 0.002225 0.009694 0.008891

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

Arab 0.797542 0.017423 0.000084 0.000186 0.423420 1.000000 0.000146 0.019837 0.001251 0.780982 0.082456 0.079953 0.001285 0.132321 0.092080 0.081111 0.001370

0.806042 0.024676 0.000085 0.000248 0.432420 1.000000 0.000246 0.043837 0.001886 0.786662 0.083906 0.081053 0.001505 0.140321 0.102380 0.082811 0.001450

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

BUSINESS

ABK reports operating profit of KD 65.6 million Operating income increases to KD 110 million in Q3 2016 KUWAIT: Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) yesterday announced an operating profit of KD 65.6 million for the third quarter of 2016, in line with last year’s number of KD 65.4 million.

Operating Income increased to KD 110 million, from KD 95.2 million in 2015, mostly as a result of the Piraeus Bank Egypt acquisition, but this was offset by higher Operating Expenses, as ABK continues to invest in its people and upgrades and consolidates its systems and platforms.

Net profit reduced to KD 19.8 million against KD 29.2 million in 2015, as the Bank aggressively augments its precautionary provisions given the uncertain environment. Total assets reached KD 4.4 billion, up 15.8 percent compared to September 2015, and total shareholder equity remains flat at KD 556 million.

Earnings per Share (EPS) at 12 fils for the third quarter 2016, compares to 18 fils for the same period last year.

Talal Mohammed Reza Behbehani, Chairman of Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait said: “Our performance over the third quarter underlines our long-term strategy of fiscal prudence. ABK continues to perform positively, maintaining its operating profit year-on-year while investing in its future. The reduction in net profit is

due to our aggressive provisioning and disciplined financial approach. This pragmatic approach has served the Bank well and, in our view, is sensible in light of the current unpredictable economic climate.

Investment in technology “Meanwhile, we have maintained our investment in service and skills within the Bank, upgrading where we need to, and ensuring that we continue the forward momentum in our services and product quality. The progress we have made is down to the hard work, skills and dedication of our people and we expect the current trend to continue over the remainder of this year.”

Michel Accad, Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our investment in technology and customer service continues, reinforcing our commitment to offer ‘Simpler Banking’ for our customers. In July we were pleased to announce further enhancements to our online bill payment service, as well as continuing the development of our ‘One Tap Touch’ ID technology and provision of new services at several of our branches for customers with special needs, such as adapted ATMs, sign language services and website audio translation.

China Oct forex reserves fall most in 9 months BEIJING: China’s foreign exchange reserves fell the most in nine months in October and by far more than expected to the lowest since March 2011, indicating further capital outflows despite recent signs the world’s second-largest economy is stabilizing.

Reserves fell $45.7 billion last month to $3.121 trillion, the biggest monthly decline since January, compared with a near $19 billion fall in September, central bank data showed yesterday.

The October drop was the fourth in a row, and exceeded the previous three months combined. Economists polled by Reuters had expected reserves to dip to $3.14 trillion in October from $3.166 trillion at the end of September, a five-year low.

The central bank is widely believed to have sold US dollars to support the yuan currency in October as it fell to six-year lows. The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) had sold a net 337.5 billion yuan ($50.1 billion) worth of foreign exchange in September, as it sought to support the weakening yuan as outflows picked up.

China’s reserves, the largest in the world, fell by a record $513 billion last year after Beijing devalued the yuan, sparking a flood of capital outflows that threatened to destabilise the economy and alarmed global financial markets. The yuan, also known as the renminbi, fell over 1.5 percent against the dollar in October alone as the greenback rose broadly against major global currencies in anticipation of an interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve.

Currency strategists polled by Reuters expect the yuan to depreciate by nearly 2 percent more in the next 12 months, to levels not seen since the global financial crisis. China’s gold reserves fell to $75.348 billion at the end of October from $78.169 billion at end-September, data published on the People’s Bank of China website showed. — Reuters

Talal Mohammed Reza Behbehani “Our program for rebranding our acquisition in Egypt to ABK Egypt is on track and we recently announced the successful completion of this work at our regional headquarters in Smart Village, Cairo, and at our flagship branch at Zamalek. The remaining branches in Egypt

CAIRO: Egypt’s pound weakened yesterday, its second day as a freely trading currency, and traders said they expected further declines as a severe dollar shortage in the banking system was stifling liquidity.

The central bank abandoned the pound’s peg of 8.8 to the dollar last Thursday, devaluing it by a third before unshackling the currency in an effort to attract inflows of capital and crush a booming black market in dollars.

The pound was quoted at 16.70-17.25 to the dollar at 1153 (0953 GMT) yesterday, but rates were volatile and spreads wide as banks tested the interbank system for the first time after years of strict central bank control over the currency. On Sunday the pound dropped to around 16 from 15.50, but interbank trading volumes were very small as banks held on to the few dollars they had.

“Today we have done no deals. Yesterday there were conversations but we had no accepted transactions,” said a trader at one bank.

Import-dependent Egypt has struggled to attract dollars and revive the economy since a 2011 uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule drove away tourists and foreign investors, essential sources of hard currency. As the currency peg drained its foreign reserves, the central bank introduced capital controls

new offers for telecommunication services to market in minutes, rather than months.

Deploying Ericsson’s software and cloud technologies will also support Ooredoo’s ongoing Digital Business Transformation.

As a result, Ooredoo will realize significant cost savings from replacing its existing systems and local agreements with a pioneering new groupwide license model and the latest evolution of Ericsson’s charging and billing solution across its operations.

Waleed Al-Sayed, Deputy CEO, Ooredoo Group, said: “Across our footprint, Ooredoo is aiming for data experience leadership, and placing renewed emphasis on empowering our customers and giving them the services they need when they need them. Through this agreement with Ericsson, we will enable ever y Ooredoo operation to deliver fast, customer-oriented offers and launch new data products and services that support our growing portfolio of digital services and enables the growth of the’Internet of Things’.”

Rafiah Ibrahim, Head of Ericsson

Region Middle East and East Africa, said: “We are proud to collaborate once again with Ooredoo Group in their strategic digital transformation journey. This collaboration recognizes the innovative Ericsson Revenue Manager product and its capabilities to deliver a differentiated customer experience. Today’s announcement highlights our vision of the Networked Society and our role in transforming our customers’ business and operations.”

The cloud-ready Ericsson Revenue Manager will provide Ooredoo with a number of advantages as it updates its product portfolio and drives the development of digital innovation across its markets. The simple configuration reduces dependency on technical departments, makes it easier and faster to launch new services, and helps future-proof operations against changing demands from customers and technological disruption.

Ooredoo will begin rolling-out the solution for Indosat Ooredoo, its largest operation, over the next month, before deploying across its other operations in 2016 and 2017.

HSBC shares rally on profit results HONG KONG: HSBC shares rallied yesterday in a positive response to quarterly profit results after the British banking giant underwent a radical cost-cutting exercise.

In the three months to September its adjusted pretax profit-which strips out one -off items and unfavourable currency movements-rose seven percent from a year earlier to $5.59 billion, beating analysts’ expectations. Repor ted pre -tax profit, however, plunged 86 percent from a year earlier to $843 million.

That figure included the impact of the sale of the bank’s Brazil business, which set the lender back $1.7 billion.

“Reported profits were down, but adjusted profits

Michel Accad received by the Bank this year have included the ‘Retail Bank of the Year’ by the European, ‘ Best Commercial Bank’ by Banker ME, ‘Best Small Call Center’ and ‘Best Escalation Management’ Awards from the Insight Awards 2016, and ‘Employer of the Year’ award from NASEBA.

With dollars scarce, Egypt’s floated pound weakens

Ooredoo Group deploys Ericsson solution for charging and billing DOHA: Ooredoo Group and Ericsson have agreed a five-year contract to implement an innovative revenue management system across the Group’s footprint in the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia.

By deploying the next generation charging and billing solution, Ooredoo will be able to offer customers the products they need more quickly and be able to tailor pricing, packages and services according to customer demand in each market.

Ericsson Revenue Manager is a cloud-ready convergent charging and billing system that redefines the role of business support systems (BSS). It makes innovation fast and efficient, and opens the door to easier digital services creation that spans beyond telecom and integrates partners from different industries. Ooredoo Group companies will enjoy a single, converged platform that enables them to handle all their users and services, regardless of payment option or access method.

The solution will be gradually deployed across all Ooredoo operations and will enable them to bring

are currently in the process of being upgraded and rebranded and this I expect to be completed within the next 6 weeks.

“These enhancements all contribute to reinforcing ABK’s emergence as one of the region’s leading retail and commercial banks, providing the highest quality, accessible and consistent customer service and products across our network.”

ABK’s performance has continued to be recognized by industry commentators and peers over the year. Most recently, the Bank was presented with the LPI certification; the only financial institution in the Middle East to be accredited and ABK was listed among the 50 safest Banks in the world by Global Finance. In addition, Michel Accad was named ‘Bank CEO of the Year’ by CEO Magazine, an ITP affiliate; further testament to the Bank’s outstanding leadership and approach.

Earlier in the year, the Bank also received the ‘Best Bank Transformation in the Middle East’ award at the Euromoney Award for Excellence 2016, and was commended for its strategic acquisition of Piraeus Bank Egypt, where it received the prestigious regional ‘Deal of the Year’ by The Banker, an FT affiliate, and Best Retail Bank by Asian Banker. Other awards

were higher than last year’s third quarter in all four global businesses and four out of five regions,” said HSBC global chief executive Stuart Gulliver.

The bank posted a net loss of $204 million for the three-month period, reversing a year-earlier net profit of $5.23 billion. HSBC last year announced a radical overhaul to cut annual costs by $5 billion over two years by shedding 50,000 jobs worldwide, exiting unprofitable businesses and focusing more on Asia.

Gulliver said the bank had achieved $2.8 billion in annualised savings so far and was on track to reach its end-2017 target. — AFP

and rationed dollars, forcing importers to turn to the black market for their needs.

The pound hit a record low of 18 per dollar on the black market four days before the float as fears grew that the government would be unable to carry out reforms required to finalise a $12 billion IMF loan announced in August. But importers and dealers who bought at the top of the market are unlikely to sell until the pound hits 18, bringing dollars flooding back into the banking system to stimulate trade and stabilize the currency.

“Anyone who speculated last week bought dollars at high rates and, so far, current rates do not cover the cost of purchase for most of them,” one banker said.

“The rate will need to hit 18 Egyptian pounds or so to the dollar before they off-load, if they do.”

IMPORTERS’ WOES EASE The slide on the black market prompted a boycott by frustrated importers who realised they would be unable to pass on the increased cost to customers struggling with 14 percent inflation. The importers’ boycott drove the rate back to 13 per dollar virtually overnight, giving the central bank an opportunity to unshackle the pound.

Some bankers and black market dealers predicted

the black market would reopen, however, if banks proved unable to find enough dollars to supply the market. Banks have been opening daily until 9 p.m. to accept dollar deposits and sales from Egyptians who had stashed dollars under their mattresses to hedge against inflation. The government has placed public announcements on Egyptian radio calling on Egyptians to shun the black market, blaming it for fuelling inflation, and instead to use the banks.

It was not clear how many dollars had come into banks since the float and some economists said the government was betting on clinching a deal with International Monetary Fund that would bring a fresh injection of hard currency into the economy. But importers, who had been forced to source all their hard currency from the black market for months, said they had obtained dollars from the bank since the float.

“We got about 60 percent of our needs today and this is more than we have gotten in months. We were jumping for joy. If we keep getting these levels we can get a good pipeline going and it won’t be a problem,” said one commodity trader. Another trader who received a large amount of dollars he had been waiting for said: “It’s getting a bit easier now to get yourself covered from the bank so it’s a good thing.” — Reuters

TUESDAy, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

BUSINESS

Global equities surge as FBI clears Clinton LONDON: Global equities rebounded sharply yesterday, the eve of the US presidential election, after the FBI handed market favorite Hillary Clinton a major boost by ruling out criminal charges.

Asian and European equities surged higher as traders breathed a sigh of relief as FBI chief James Comey said Democratic nominee Clinton would not face charges over her use of a private email server, dealing a blow to her Republican rival Donald Trump.

In European deals, Frankfurt stocks won 1.5 percent, London added 1.3 percent and Paris jumped 1.7 percent in value. The Mexican pesowhich has taken on an inverse relationship with

Trump’s presidential prospects-staged a stunning rally against the dollar to recoup all its losses from last week.

The currency is considered a reflection of Trump’s chances because of his anti-Mexican rhetoric-including his pledge to remove undocumented migrants, build a border wall and tear up a trade deal. “European equity markets are... boosted by the news that the FBI has not changed its conclusion on the Hillary Clinton email investigation after announcing a little over a week ago that it had been reopened,” said Oanda analyst Craig Erlam. “The timing of FBI director James Comey’s disclosure has once again dealt a serious blow to Donald Trump’s

chances of securing the White House, something the markets have responded very positively to.”

Markets were plunged into turmoil on October 28 when Comey revealed that messages linked to Clinton were being investigated, sending Trump surging in opinion polls just days before the November 8 vote.

However, Comey on Sunday announced he would not change his July recommendation that Clinton not be prosecuted for allegedly putting US secrets at risk. Investors became more willing Monday to hold assets that are deemed to carry a higher risk-like equities. “The dark clouds seem to be dissipating on news that FBI sent a letter to Congress citing that Hillary Clinton had

not committed a crime with her private server,” said London Capital Group analyst Ipek Ozkardeskaya.

“The FBI news triggered a risk rally across the global financial markets.” Former secretary of state Clinton is considered by many investors to be a safer bet than Trump, who is seen as a loose cannon with policies many fear could wreck the world’s top economy.

“The US election is all that matters,” Ozkardeskaya added. “The outcome of the US presidential election is important for the global markets, as the new US president will set the tone for the world’s most powerful economy’s external politics and trade relations for the next four years.

“In this context, the Republican Party nominee Donald Trump’s victory could be expected to hit the business sentiment across the global markets, hence is defined as a major, world-wide risk from a market perspective heading into Tuesday’s election.”

Asia stocks rebound Asian equities staged a rebound and the Mexican peso rallied yesterday as traders breathed a sigh of relief after the FBI chief said market favorite Hillary Clinton would not face charges over her use of a private email server.

Tokyo’s Nikkei ended 1.6 percent higher while Hong Kong was up 0.5 percent in the afternoon, with banking giant HSBC more

than two percent higher after it reported a forecast-beating rise in pre-tax profit.

Shanghai closed up 0.3 percent, Sydney added 1.4 percent and Seoul gained 0.8 percent, while Wellington soared 2.4 percent and Singapore put on 0.5 percent.

Shares in Hong Kong developers were battered yesterday after the city’s leaders raised stamp duty to try to cool runaway home prices.

The government slapped a 15 percent tax on all residential purchases, almost double the previous 8.5 percent, except for first-time buyers who are permanent residents.

Home prices remain out of reach for most of the city’s seven million residents, despite a series of measures by the government. “Property risks have been increasing with the rapid surge of prices and transactions,” Financial Secretary John Tsang said Friday when announcing the move.

“We have to prevent the risk of a property bubble from worsening, which in turn can threaten our economy and even the stability of the financial system.” Analysts said the move would hurt the city’s property firms. “The action is likely to have an immediate impact on the market, with turnovers and property prices obviously pressured in a short period,” said Willy Liu at Ricacorp Properties. “Small and mediumsized properties will be among the first to bear the brunt.” — Agencies

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

BUSINESS

Mohamed Naser Al Sayer and Toyota unveil limited edition 2017 Prado Urban Cruiser Style compliments heritage of quality

• The Spirit of Toyota’s quality, durability and reliability • Combination of power and refinement • Naturally dynamic presence • Aerodynamic presence and premium interiors • Exceptional leader in off-road capabilities • Peace of Mind Redefined With Be-Reassured and KASSEB KUWAIT: Mohamed Naser Al Sayer (MNSS), one of the Al Sayer Group Holding Companies has announced the arrival of stylishly unique limited edition 2017 Prado Urban Cruiser packed with Toyota approved accessories.

The launch press conference was held at Toyota Al-Rai showroom and attended by Mubarak Naser Al Sayer CEO Al Sayer Group H o l d i n g, M o h a m e d E l a s s a l G e n e r a l Manager Toyota MNSS, showroom managers and employees from Toyota division along with distinguished members of the press and media.

Available in four trendy colors silver, bronze, gray and white pearl, the top quality accessories installed in the limited edition Urban Cruiser include: roof rail, side mirror trim, grill inserts, door handle cover, LED fog lights, bumper protector in chrome finish, rear parking sensors, side doors moulding. In addition to this dual USB adapter, air compressor, combo hook are the interior accessories available.

Mubarak Naser Al Sayer CEO Al Sayer Group Holding said “Al Sayer’s strategy is always to support Toyota operations in Kuwait with best in the business standards in customer service.

Our policy is Customer First and our consistent efforts is to achieve the best customer satisfaction. In spite of regional economic challenges, Al Sayer continues to invest in infrastructure

Upgrade to Urban: The limited edition 2017 Prado urban Cruiser is now available. Enjoy all that has made the Prado the legend it is today, and so much more. Packed with features and accessories, this is your chance to drive a limited edition, truly unique masterpiece expansion for our customers. To enhance their purchase experience we will be opening 2 new facilities during the next year including New Delivery Center at Ardiya and New Showroom at Abu Futeira and most importantly we have initiated our plans for Toyota City first of its kind biggest 105000 m integrated facility in Kuwait, which we will start building soon.”

According to Mohamed Elassal General Manager at Toyota MNSS “We are excited to unveil the limited edition 2017 Prado urban Cruiser, legend SUV packed with features and accessories for deeper styling. Prado, a leader by far in its segment powered by superior driving dynamics has arrived with a truly unique and dynamic appeal, to add interest among Toyota 4x4 enthusiasts.”

Superior Prado “The Prado has evolved over the decades,

Hybrid Worlds first mass produced hybrid, New Generation Fortuner and the all new Innova.

carrying forward solid foundation success across its generations. As always the current generation has won many hearts, every Prado owner is a happy person, every Prado driver is a confident person. From research we found out that majority of Prado users prefers to be Unique and are modern They are oriented to new technology, image, appearance, charisma, persona and fashion, so Attractive packaging is

more important. The Limited Edition Urban Cruiser could not have come at a better time its special, its exclusive.” Mohamed added.

Always Better Cars from Toyota Toyota continues to put the focus on making always better cars. Earlier in 2016 Toyota successfully held several milestone launch events including the Fourth Generation Prius

Think Ahead - Always “Be Reassured” With Toyota Al Sayer Our “Be-Reassured” services have been further enhanced as an assurance of the commitment to best customer care and service making Toyota ownership experience the best more than ever. With Toyota Al Sayer Be Reassured - you are always guaranteed the services and facilities to go along with the best products such as 24/7 MUSAADA roadside assistance, 5 years warranty unlimited mileage, service courtesy car for 3 years or 100,000km, 3 years complimentary membership to first of its kind T Connect as well as real time appointment system for the first time in the middle east. We are committed to making your journey smoother.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

business

Al Mulla, Behbehani Motor Co celebrate Jeep birthday US Ambassador Silverman attends magnificent ceremony KUWAIT: Al Mulla and Behbehani Motor Company (MBMC) - the official distributor of Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and MOPAR in Kuwait - celebrated the Jeep’s 75th anniversary at Mulla & Behbehani showroom in Al-Rai industrial area. The event took place with the attendance of the ambassador of the United States of America to Kuwait, Lawrence Silverman and other important dignitaries. This magnificent event was part of the Discover America Week held under the aegis of the US Embassy.

Speaking on the occasion, Oscar Rivoli, General Manager at MBMC, said: “Jeep vehicles have defined the

authentic SUV and set the benchmark for off-road capability and freedom since they were first produced in 1941.

Today, Jeep SUVs continue to deliver 4x4 leadership, as well as fuel efficiency, world-class craftsmanship and premium on-road dynamics.

“In honor of the brand’s 75th anniversary, we are pleased to introduce eye-catching, special-edition models of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler in Kuwait that celebrate the unparalleled history of the legendary of Jeep, these models carry a 75th Anniversary exterior badge to signify the long and varied history of the brand.

Special wheels, new exterior paint colors along with refreshed and special interior accents enable the 75th Anniversary models to stand out from the crowd” he added.

Born in 1941, the Jeep brand in 2016 celebrates 75 years of 4x4 leadership, military history and open-air freedom and adventure. As a tribute to this diamond anniversary celebration, Jeep has created distinctive 75th Anniversary special-edition models of each vehicle in its lineup.

US Ambassador to Kuwait Lawrence Silverman

expressed his pleasure in taking part in the special event, emphasizing the value and legacy of the Jeep cars in US history, a brand custom made by special request of the US Government during WWII. Ambassador Silverman expressed his appreciation for the deep-rooted, historical US-Kuwait relations, particularly in the area of commerce that witnesses a constant, annual growth.

The launch activities were capped off with a tour of the Al-Rai showroom by the US Ambassador, along with his team and other distinguished guests to review the historical and classical Jeep models that were on display.

Al Babtain launches an exclusive offer Own Renault Captur now starting from KD3,899 KUWAIT: Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al-Babtain Co; (AABC), the authorized dealer of Renault cars in the State of Kuwait, is offering an attractive offer to its passenger vehicle customers on its most st ylish urban crossover, the Renault Captur. The Renault Captur is available at a price from KD3,899 only.

The offer includes a 10-year warranty or 500,000 km plus free registration and 3rd party insurance.

The Renault Captur is Renault’s first urban crossover that stands out from the crowd delivering the best of three worlds; expressive styling and driving position of an SUV, cabin space and modular interior of an MPV, the agility and driving enjoyment of a compact saloon car. It’s robust design and status- enhancing look is combined with technological excel-

lence and a modular interior equipped with a huge array of customization options such as tailor-made color schemes, as well as touch screen options, driving aids, unzippable seat covers, regulated air-conditioning, parking distance control, innovative and smart storage solutions, including hands-free entry, hill start assist and rear parking sensors. Captur

embodies the engine expertise developed by Renault for over 35 years combining Renault’s automotive expertise seeking to take the everyday pleasure of driving a Renault to even greater heights.

Sturdy and light in equal measure, the Renault Captur’s flowing, elegant profile hints at a spacious passenger compartment. Its compac t footprint, raised ground

VIVA announces winners of ‘more’ prizes campaign KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing and most developed telecom operator, announced second week draw’s winners of “more” prizes campaign for postpaid customers.

The name of October’s big prize winner, KD 1000 is Jonalyn Magundayao Quitain.

The names of daily prize’s winners KD 100, from 23 October until 31 October were as follows: Hajar Hussain Mohammad Dashti, Aabdulrazzaq Alhumaidi Dhafallah Alqahs Alenezi, Shareef Mohammad Bedair aab-

din, Fahad Abduljabbar Abduljabbar Aldlali, Amir Mohammad Khair Awadh, Fahad Eid Hmoud Alazmi, Rajasekar Raju Raju, Ebtesam Qutub Abu Alyazeed Qutub and Meena Naji jad Jurais.

VIVA gives the customers a wonderful opportunity to win amazing cash prizes, KD 100 daily and KD 1000 at the end of each month, once they pay their VIVA bills through Direct Debit, VIVA website, VIVA’s Kiosks, VIVA App or by calling 102.

Customers earn one chance for each KD 1.

clearance, large wheels and sill guards enable it to take ever y aspect of everyday motoring in its stride. The Renault Captur engine is turbocharged that combine driving pleasure and fuel economy with its lively response, sharp acceleration and flexibility at all speed. The TCe 120 EDC, combines power and controlled fuel consumption (5.9 L/100 km and 138 g/km of CO2). Responsive, lively and agile, it is both powerful and quiet. Its 83 kW deliver torque of 190 Nm at 2,000 rpm.

For even greater driving pleasure, it is connected to a 6-speed dualclutch EDC automatic gearbox.

Renault Al-Babtain invites all customers; families and all, to its prestigious Renault Al-Babtain showroom in Al-Rai and avail this offer on the Renault Captur range, the perfect solution for every life you lead.

Gulf equities buoyant amid bearish trends across world KFIC Report on Global, GCC Markets KUWAIT: Kuwait Finance and Investment Company (KFIC) clarified in its financial report for October; Global equity markets ended in negative territory during the month as the MSCI world index fell by -2.0 percent. In the US, S&P 500 fell by -1.9 percent. US Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by +2.9 percent in the third quarter, exceeding economist expectations for +2.6 percent and much stronger than the +1.4 percent growth rate reported in the second quarter. It was the fastest reported growth in nearly two years, mostly due higher amount of exports and a smaller decrease in government spending, and this has raised speculation that the fed will be comfortable to raise interest rates by December.

In China, Shanghai’s composite index gained +3.2 percent after the official manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) rose to 51.2 in October from 50.4 in September, adding to signs that the world’s second-largest economy is stabilizing - A measure above 50 indicates growth.

Japan’s Nikkei increased by +5.9 percent, despite Japan’s industrial output stalling in September in a worrying sign that the economy may be losing some momentum due to weak consumer spending and exports.

In Europe, markets were positive led by Germany’s DAX index which increased +1.5 percent, followed by France’s CAC 40 +1.4 percent, and UK’s FTSE 100 rose +0.8 percent. GDP in the Eurozone has continued to grow steadily despite political instability and economic headwinds surrounding the region, as GDP rose +0.3 percent in third quarter, compared to the second quarter.

Economic growth and inflation were in line with analysts’ forecasts. The indicators were closely watched not only for what they might say about the health of the Eurozone economy, but for how they might affect decisions by the European Central Bank that can have a profound effect on financial markets.

Oil prices in negative territory Oil prices ended the month in negative territory as WTI fell by -4.0 percent to close at $46.9/ bbl and Brent diminished -4.2 percent to close at $48.6/bbl. Economists and analysts have kept their average Brent price outlook for 2016 almost unchanged at $44.7/ bbl, as growing hurdles to a global deal on production limits put downside pressure on crude oil prices, according to a Reuters poll. OPEC members have been divided, with two of the heavyweights, Iran and Iraq, disputing OPEC data on output. Iraq has also put further pressure on the chances of a possible deal, saying that it should be exempt from production cuts because

of the war it is fighting against ISIS. While there is a strong possibility of top producer Russia agreeing to freeze output at current peak levels, other nonOPEC producers were unlikely to join the effort and may even end up increasing production, analysts said.

Saudi Arabia raised $17.5bn in the biggest ever bond sale from an emerging-market nation as it seeks to shore up finances battered by the slide in oil. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reiterated that the pace at which Saudi Arabia is driving up austerity is appropriate as it has little room to ease up on the spending cuts due to the sharp economic growth slowdown. The Kingdom’s budget has been strained by low oil prices and the government has slashed capital spending this year and delayed payments that it owes to some companies, while last month it announced cuts to allowances for public sector workers. Masood Ahmed, director of the IMF’s Middle East department, said Riyadh could not afford to soften austerity policies significantly without endangering its goal of balancing its budget in about five years.

In Kuwait, the parliament was dissolved setting the stage for early elections within two months, after disagreement among cabinet members over austerity measures due to fiscal budget constraints. In other news, Ernst and Young (EY) tax advisory service agent Alok Chugh said Kuwait will start preparing to impose value added tax (VAT) within six months at most. EY Kuwait said VAT implementation in Kuwait would start by the beginning of 2018 and that companies would be given enough time to adjust their accounting systems prior to implementation. In UAE, growth of the non-oil private sector eased in September, with business conditions improving at the weakest pace since June. The Emirates NBD UAE Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) — a composite indicator of operating conditions in the non-oil private sector economy, fell to 54.1 from 54.7.

In Oman, the budget deficit continued to decline amid the drop in oil revenues. Oman plans to turn to international funding sources to plug up to 70 percent of its shortfall this year, according to the chief of the Central Bank of Oman. In Qatar, despite the moderation in real GDP expansion in the first half of 2016, QNB believes growth is poised to rebound in the second half of this year.

Qatar’s GDP data for the second quarter revealed +2 percent YoY growth, compared to a +1.4 percent gain in the first quarter. Bahrain’s non-oil sector grew by +3.6 percent in the second quarter of 2016, an improvement from +2.7 percent in the first quarter of 2016, according to the latest Bahrain Economic Quarterly report.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

technology

China passes controversial cybersecurity law BEIJING: China yesterday passed a controversial cybersecurity bill tightening restrictions on online freedom of speech and imposing new rules on online service providers, raising concerns it is further cloistering its heavily controlled internet. The ruling Communist Party oversees a vast censorship systemdubbed the Great Firewall-that aggressively blocks sites or snuffs out internet content and commentary on topics considered sensitive, such as Beijing’s human rights record and criticism of the government.

And it has aggressively blocked major companies such as Google and Facebook from offering their services in its domestic cyber space. The law, which was approved by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, is largely focused on protecting the country’s networks and private user information. But it also bans internet users from publishing a wide variety of information, including anything that damages “national honour”, “disturbs economic or social order” or is aimed at “overthrowing the socialist system”.

A provision requiring companies to verify a user’s identity effectively makes it illegal to go online anonymously. And companies providing online services in the country must provide “technical support and help” to public security organs investigating “crimes”-which

would normally include those related to speech.

Barriers to trade The legislation drew a wave of criticism from rights groups and foreign business organisations, who said its vague language and overreaching security requirements would restrict freedom of speech and throw up barriers to global companies hoping to serve China’s enormous market of more than 710 million Internet users.

“This dangerous law commandeers internet companies to be de facto agents of the state, by requiring them to censor and provide personal data to the authorities at a whim,” said Patrick Poon, China researcher at global rights group Amnesty International. James Zimmerman, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, said the law risks China “becoming isolated technologically from the rest of the world”. “Requirements for national security reviews and data sharing will unnecessarily weaken security and potentially expose personal information,” he wrote in a statement, adding that overall the new law “creates barriers to trade and innovation”.

‘No significant differences’ Concerns about the legislation were overblown, Zhao Zeliang, the director of China’s Cyberspace Administration, told

reporters. The law is not intended “to limit foreign technology or products or to put up trade barriers”, he said. “A few foreign friends, they equate ‘security controls, voluntary controls, security trustworthiness’ with trade protectionism,” he said, adding “that’s a type of misunderstanding. A type of prejudice.”

China’s foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said there were “no significant differences” between the new Chinese laws and laws of other countries”,adding that the law had involved a lengthy public comment period, making it “more transparent than other governments in this regard”. The European Chamber of Commerce disagreed, saying in a statement that the “overall lack of transparency over the last year surrounding this significant and wide-reaching piece of legislation has created a great deal of uncertainty and negativity in the business environment”.

Amnesty’s Poon said the law “goes further than ever before in codifying abusive practices, with a near-total disregard for the rights to freedom of expression and privacy.” Chinese authorities have long reserved the right to control and censor online content. The country stepped up controls in 2013, launching a wide -ranging internet crackdown.

Hundreds of Chinese bloggers and journalists were detained as part of the campaign, which has seen influential critics

of Beijing paraded on state television.

Under regulations announced at the time, Chinese internet users face three years in prison for writing defamatory messages that are re-posted 500 times or more. They can also be jailed if offending posts are viewed more than 5,000 times. Comments posted on social media have been used in the prosecu-

tion of various activists, such as human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang. “If online speech and privacy are a bellwether of Beijing’s attitude toward peaceful criticism, everyone-including netizens in China and major international corporations-is now at risk,” said Sophie Richardson, China Director of Human Rights Watch. —AFP

BEIJING: In this Aug 16, 2016 file photo, a worker is silhouetted against a computer display showing a live visualization of the online phishing and fraudulent phone calls across China during the 4th China Internet Security Conference (ISC). —AP

Ang Lee believes new film tech is worth trying again ‘A legitimately good format for artist expression’

SEOUL: In this Oct 5, 2016 file photo, the corporate logo of Samsung Electronics Co. is seen at its shop. —AP

Report of different Samsung phone models exploding PARIS: A Samsung phone user in France says her Galaxy J5 smartphone caught fire and exploded. The model is different from the Galaxy Note 7 that has been recalled worldwide. Lamya Bouyirdane told The Associated Press that on Sunday she noticed the phone was very hot after she asked her four-year-old son to pass it over. She said she threw the phone away when she realized it had “swollen up” and

smoke was coming out. The phone then caught fire and the back of the handset blew off. Her par tner quick ly ex tinguished it. Bouyirdane, who resides in the southwestern French city of Pau, said she will sue Samsung. Samsung recently recalled millions of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones because of a problem that caused the batteries to overheat and catch fire. —AP

Cisco: Network visibility remains key to safe digital transformation DUBAI: Cisco announced its Platinum sponsorship of the RSA Conference 2016 (RSA 2016)to be held in Abu Dhabi at the Emirates Palace Hotel from November 15 - 16, 2016. With ever-expanding connectivity, digitization and the Internet of Things (IoT ) transforming the world, security is foundational to seizing these emerging opportunities.

Cisco will use RSA 2016 to address the evolving role of security in digital environments and discuss new ways for enterprises to secure themselves in a digital world, including key architectural approaches that enterprises can take to protect business both today and enable it for growth and innovation moving forw a rd. S co t t M a n s o n , Cy b e r S e c u r i t y Leader for Middle East and Turkey, Cisco w i l l s p e a k o n ‘Cy b e r s e c u r i t y i n t h e Digital Economy’ on November 16, 2016 at 10.15 am.

Cisco estimates that cybersecurity will drive $7.6 trillion of digital value over the next decade. More than three-quarters of this amount - $5.8 trillion - will result from cybersecurity’s enablement of digital use cases that instigate innovation and growth. As much as digitization and the Internet of Things (IoT ) provides opportunities to businesses, consumers and citizens, they also create greater opportunities for attackers as modern networks and their components constantly evolve and spawn new attack vectors.

“Today, digital has evolved to be the central theme across industries and businesses can no longer afford to remain ignorant of the shifts happening around, especially because everyone - prospects, customers, and par tners are strongly embracing digital technologies. Due to the rapid adoption of mobile devices, ever-increasing thrust for collaboration, proliferation of cloud-based services and increasing competition, companies are pushing the threshold to drive efficiency through technology. Businesses today realize that digital is the platform to leverage in order to gain success in a rapidly changing economic scenario. By 2020, 75 percent of all enterprises are expected to become fully digital,” said Scott Manson, Cyber Security Leader for Middle East and Turkey, Cisco “According to the recent 2016 Cisco M idyear Cybersecurit y Repor t, it becomes clear that attackers are using applications that users inherently trust or view as benign, further citing that no

matter how many advances the security industry makes, criminals will continue to evolve their approaches to break through defenses. To be effective, solutions must work towards providing superior visibility, continuous control, and advanced threat protection across the extended network and the entire attack continuum.

Threats may be lurking in places that are not very obvious. Therefore, organizations need to be more cautious than ever and invest in solutions that take a holistic approach to security,” concluded Manson.

At RSA 2016, Cisco will demonstrate how an integrated threat defense architecture can help businesses see 100% of their extended networks and defend it faster. Cisco makes security effective by

TAIPEI: Ang Lee believes the new technology that made for hyperrealistic action in “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk” is worth trying again.

So much so the two-time Oscar-winning director will use the faster frames-per-second format in his next project, the boxing movie “Thrilla in Manila.”

“When you get on the bike, you fall, you don’t make conclusion that two wheels make you fall. You try again. I would do it,” he told The Associated Press recently in Taiwan while promoting his film adaptation of the 2012 Ben Fountain book about an American soldier’s publicrelations tour after fighting in the Iraq war.

The director shot the film in 3D, 4K resolution, at 120 frames-per-second, five times the traditional 24 frames per second. The result is sometimes-jarring realism, with actors’ faces seen in unfiltered intimacy and background scenery so detailed it seemed artificial. Lee, however, is pleading with viewers to watch the film with an open mind. “I think it’s a lot to take in. I don’t think we should make up our mind yet because it’s something that just begin,” he said, noting the newness of the technology. “I think it’s a legitimately good format for artist expression.”

The faster format has other advocates. Peter Jackson tried at a mere 48 frames per second with “The Hobbit” trilogy, and James Cameron has said he will use it in “Avatar” sequels. With one film completed in the format, Lee said he feels better prepared to tackle its challenges when he works on “Thrilla in Manila,” a film scheduled for 2018 about the final fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in the Philippine capital in 1975.

New money “This movie (“Billy Lynn’s”) has the halftime show, show business, from a soldier’s perspective, from

behind the scene. It has the battle scenes. That (“Thrilla in Manila”) has, of course, boxing with dimension and clarity, you see things you never experience before. I think that’s all good. I just thought this format is particularly good to study faces and doing dramatic movies,” Lee said.

Born and raised in Taiwan, Lee earned acclaim with Mandarin-lan-

existence of the studio system but also hopes it will bring something fresh to the film industry. “I hope the effect is a positive reinforcement. It brings freshness because they’re still people who have a lot of dreams,” Lee said.

While some might hope Chinese investment will bring diversity in Hollywood, Chinese director Zhang

“We will get our turn.”

As for the 2017 Academy Awards, Lee is looking forward to more diverse awards but also believes filmmakers should let their work speak for themselves. “You make the best movie possible. I don’t think about that (diversity) very much, to be honest with you. I think it’s important that we make

TAIPEI: Taiwanese director Ang Lee, from right, US actor Joe Alwyn and Taiwanese-American actor Mason Lee pose for photographers during a media event to promote their new movie ‘’Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk’’. —AP guage films such as “The Wedding Banquet” and “Eat, Drink, Man, Woman.” He soon began making Hollywood films and received Oscars for directing “Brokeback Mountain” and “Life of Pi.” With Chinese investment growing in Hollywood, Lee sees the influx of new money as strengthening the

Yimou’s “The Great Wall” has been criticized for inserting a white hero into a fictional tale of Chinese history and starring a white actor. But Lee says commercial interests trump other issues at times. “Matt Damon is Matt Damon. There will be a time when a Chinese star will be more famous,” the director said.

good movies that influence people’s lives, inspiring people (that) they can take from the movie. I think the movies will speak for themselves. That’s what I believe in.”

“Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk” hits theaters in the United States, Hong Kong, China and Taiwan on Friday. —AP

Forget TV: How to follow US Election Day online Scott Manson making it simple, open and automated, offering intelligence-led security in order to reduce time to detection and time to resolution via Talos, which has essentially the biggest securit y research team focused on threat intelligence, globally.

Intelligence must be shared and span the extended network and new, connected devices - empowering security technologies and security services teams with intelligence that is actionable and specific to the organization.

At the RSA 2016 event, Scott Manson, Cyber Security Leader for Middle East and Turkey, Cisco, will address issues related to digital transformation and why security needs to be as pervasive as the IoT itself, requiring a new architec tural approach and active engagement at the highest levels within organizations. Cisco security specialists will be available at Stand 11 to share their global experiences and success stories.

NEW YORK: TVs are so last century. News outlets are using Facebook Live, Snapchat, YouTube and other tools to offer live coverage of Election Day in ways not possible four years ago. It’s a fitting close to an election season that has played out on Twitter and Facebook as much as it has on the nightly news, with debates live-streamed online and candidates barbing on social media. Here’s your online guide for today. All times are Eastern.

Find your polling place and more Unless you’re one of the millions of Americans who have already voted, it’s a good idea to find out where to cast your ballot, preferably before Tuesday. Googling “how to vote” will take you to localized results that include the times the polls are open and any requirements such as an ID. You can also enter your address to locate your polling place.

Facebook’s elections tool will show you what’s on your ballot and where various candidates stand on key issues. The information comes from the nonpartisan group Center for Technology and Civic Life, which also gener-

ates some of the data for Google searches such as “what’s on my ballot.” To get started, go to https://www.facebook.com/elections/yourplan (you’ll need a Facebook account).

Snap away Snapchat users will be able to see “live stories” on the app - showing people at the polls, election results, acceptance and concession speeches and election night celebrations. In the U.S., users will see overlays they can add to their snaps.

Face-off on facebook NowThis, a news outlet aimed at millennials, will have video coverage on its Facebook channel. Comedian Jordan Carlos will host the stream, called “No Sleep til POTUS.” CNN will have live coverage with reporters in battleground states, as well as drone shots of voting locations and international reaction throughout the day. Each hour from 9 am to 6 pm will be streamed from a different location. After 6 p.m., the network will continue Facebook Live streams from various locations, including

watch parties and, again, battleground states.

The Washington Post is planning live programming on its Facebook page beginning at 7 p.m. The show will include commentary and updates from Post reporters, including those at campaign headquarters for both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The New York Times will also stream election coverage on its Facebook page, beginning at 4:30 pm, from locations such as polling stations, college campuses and election viewing parties. Other news outlets with live streaming plans include Univision, PBS NewsHour, the Daily Caller, ABC News and Vox. Twitch along with Twitter Twitter is partnering with BuzzFeed News for a live stream from BuzzFeed’s New York headquarters. The stream will begin at 6 pm Twitter says segments will include critiques of traditional news outlets and how they are covering the election, as well as live reports from BuzzFeed journalists at various locations throughout the US and elsewhere. Go to http://election.twitter.com . You don’t need an account. —AP

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

UN talks to implement Paris climate pact open MARRAKESH: UN talks to implement the landmark Paris climate pact opened in Marrakesh yesterday, buoyed by gathering momentum but threatened by the specter of climate change denier Donald Trump in the White House. Diplomats from 196 nations will flesh out the planet-saving plan inked in the French capital last December.

“We have made possible what everyone said was impossible,” said French environment minister Segolene Royal at the opening ceremony, in which she handed over stewardship of the climate forum to Moroccan foreign minister Salaheddine Mezouar. Royal announced that 100 countries have ratified the Paris Agreement, which entered into force last Friday, a record time for an international treaty. Amid growing alarm at the gathering pace of climate change and its impacts-rising sea, deadly storms, drought and wildfires-the world’s nations have moved quickly over the last year to tackle the still-growing problem.

But as 15,000 negotiators, CEOs and activists settle in for the 12-day talks, all eyes are on the United States, where voting Tuesday could thrust Trump into the White House.

When it comes to global warming, the stakes could hardly be higher, President Barack Obama has warned. “All the progress we’ve made on climate

change”-including the Paris pact, decades in the making-”is going to be on the ballot,” he told TV talk show host Bill Maher on Friday.

The Republican candidate cannot carry out his threat to “cancel” the still-fragile accord, but a Trump victory could cripple it, experts here agree. Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has vowed to uphold Obama’s domestic energy policies and international climate commitments. In Marrakesh, front-line diplomats must roll up their sleeves and work through scores of procedural issues that will make the difference between success and failure. They have informally set 2018 as the deadline for laying that groundwork, Royal told journalists the day before the talks opened.

Philippines to ratify climate pact: Duterte President Rodrigo Duterte said yesterday that the Philippines will ratify a global pact aimed at taming climate change, , reversing his opposition to the historic United Nations agreement he previously dubbed “crazy”. In announcing the decision to sign up to the Paris Agreement, Duterte said he still had misgivings but his cabinet members overwhelmingly disagreed with him.

“After so much debate, the climate change (agreement), I will sign it

MARRAKESH: COP22 president Salaheddine Mezouar attends the opening session of the COP22 climate talks. — AFP because it was a unanimous vote except for one or two (in cabinet),” Duterte told reporters. The Philippines last year signed up with the rest of the world to the pact, which aims to cap global warming at well below two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and 1.5 Celsius if possible, compared with preindustrial levels.

However shortly after taking office on June 30, Duterte criticized the commit-

ments made by the administration of his predecessor Benigno Aquino. Those commitments were to cut emissions of the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming by 70 percent by 2030 from 2000 levels, on condition it got support from developed nations to convert to clean technologies.

When he railed in July against the Philippines’ commitments, Duterte said the agreement would stop developing

countries from industrializing by burning fossil fuels-as rich nations had done.

“There is no treaty to honor. We have not signed the treaty,” Duterte said then. “If you will not allow us to reach parity, you are already there and we are still here, then I’m saying that’s crazy. I will not agree to that.”

However the Paris Agreement does indeed allow for developing nations to continue to burn fossil fuels. Duterte’s cabinet members, some other lawmakers and one of his most important political allies, ex-president Fidel Ramos, said following those comments that they would try to educate the president about the Philippines’ climate future.

Committing to the pact is a two-step process. The first occurred with the initial pledges and agreement in Paris last year.

The second is a formal ratification. The pact went into force last week after 55 parties to the UN’s climate convention (UNFCCC), responsible for at least 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, ratified it. In little over four months in office, Duterte has created an international reputation for incendiary rhetoric that is not necessarily backed up by action. He has repeatedly threatened to tear up the Philippines’ long-standing alliance with the United States and eject American forces from his country, although this has not happened. — AFP

Other Indian cities join Delhi in air pollution emergency Air pollution experts blame myriad pollution sources LUCKNOW: The sickening air pollution that led the Indian capital to shut schools and construction sites this week has prompted similar measures in nearby cities. Officials in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh said yesterday that they expect the acrid smog to blanket the state within days.

For more than a week, New Delhi’s skies have been filled with a thick haze that has made people’s eyes sting and their throats sore. Air pollution experts blame myriad pollution sources, from diesel-burning cars and seasonal crop burning to garbage fires and stoves fueled with kerosene and cow dung. Winter weather patterns also mean there is less wind to circulate the air. The smog “remains in the lower atmospheric layer,” said Dr Surya Kant Tripathi, who heads the pulmonary medicine department at King George’s Medical University in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh.

He urged people to avoid going outdoors, unless wearing face masks. “Higher air pollution

levels may take days to settle,” he said. Lucknow city director JP Gupta said the same smog covering New Delhi was wafting over western parts of Uttar Pradesh and would soon cover the entire state, India’s most populous, with around 210 million people. In the Uttar Pradesh district of Ghaziabad, considered an eastern suburb of New Delhi, schools were ordered closed along with those in the capital on Monday and Tuesday, after which Uttar Pradesh officials said they would reassess the situation.

Unlivable conditions There are no official air pollution monitors set up in the Delhi suburban areas, but in both New Delhi and Lucknow, the levels of PM2.5 - the tiny particulate matter that can clog lungs - were at least above 400 micrograms per cubic meter on Monday. That’s more than 40 times what’s considered safe by the World Health Organization, and more than six times the limit set by Indian law. Some monitoring points were registering

NEW DELHI: Indian commuters journey along a main road as smog envelops the Indian capital. — AFP

levels much higher.

New Delhi has also ordered the temporary closure of a nearby coal-burning power plant, as well as construction and demolition sites blamed for sending huge plumes of fine dust particles into the air. It also ordered that roads be doused with water to settle dust, and banned diesel-powered electricity generators for 10 days except at hospitals and cellphone towers. Levels between 301 and 500 are classified as “hazardous”, meaning everyone faces a risk of respiratory effects and should stay indoors, while levels above 500 are beyond the official index.

Manan Mahato, who drives an auto rickshaw in Delhi, said he had sent his children to his native village because he was worried about their health. “It has become risky to stay in Delhi because of the pollution,” he said, holding a handkerchief over his mouth because he cannot afford a proper face mask. “I am sending my children back to the village as I am worried for their health. If it stays like this, I think this city won’t be liveable anymore.”

On Sunday hundreds of people, many wearing face masks, gathered in central Delhi to demand immediate action to curb the pollution levels, currently around 30 times the World Health Organization’s recommended PM2.5 safe limit of 25 micrograms per cubic meter of air.

‘Emergency situation’ Long queues formed outside shops selling face masks, a relatively novelty in Delhi as are the air purifiers that now feature in the homes of wealthy residents. The Delhi government said it was considering cloud-seeding to produce rain, a technique Beijing used to clear the air before the 2008 Olympic Games.

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment, said the city faced an “emergency situation”. “These temporary emergency measures are critical for bringing down the peak pollution levels,” she said. “Of course this cannot be permanent, you cannot keep people indoors forever,” she added. — Agencies

Climate change will challenge authoritarian China: Experts SHANGHAI: The gleaming towers of Shanghai belie the Chinese commercial hub’s vulnerability to climate change, and the city is spending billions to try to protect itself, but experts say the country’s authoritarian system is a hidden weakness.

According to a report last year by Climate Central, a US-based research group, the lowlying megacity is, in population terms, the world’s most at risk from rising sea levels. A two degree Celsius increase in global temperatures would inundate land currently lived on by 11.6 million people, it said-by far the world’s highest.

A 4 C rise would see that leap to 22.4 million.

The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel

on Climate Change lists Shanghai among the cities in Asia expected to be most vulnerable to coastal flooding by the 2070s. It is already scrambling to fortify itself against increased rainfall city officials say is outstripping current defenses. “In the past two years we have often seen more than 100 millimeters of rainfall within a single hour, but our city only has the capacity to deal with 36 millimeters,” Zhang Zhenyu, the deputy director of the Shanghai Flood Control Headquarters told AFP, as staff pored over weather data.“Especially this year with global warming, Shanghai’s weather has seen a dramatic change.” Work will begin this year on a 40 billion yuan ($6 billion) underground tunnel beneath Shanghai’s Suzhou Creek

BEIJING: A man and a child wear masks during a heavily polluted day. — AP

to manage excess rainfall, and 135 kilometers of a more than 500 kilometer long sea wall are to be reinforced.

Field of vision The environment has become an increasingly important political issue in China, swathes of which are regularly blanketed by choking pollution, causing widespread public anger. On Shanghai’s Huangpu river, residents relax on sunny mornings among the tall reeds and still waters of a wetland park built on a former industrial site to defend against floods and clean the polluted river. But it is only a small section of the waterfront and experts point to an overlooked climate change vulnerability - China’s Communist-controlled political system.

It can enable authorities to put initiatives into effect on a huge scale once they have been decided on, such as its high-speed rail network, the world’s largest. But officials’ promotion prospects have long been linked to economic growth in their areas, creating “dangerous shorttermism” in decision making, according to Cleo Paskal, an energy, environment and resources specialist at British think-tank Chatham House.

As an example, she cited giving permission for toxic chemical containment pools to be built next to areas of high population density along a vulnerable coast.

“Over the long term, especially with environmental change, that is clearly a massive risk, but for the promotion potential of the decision makers concerned, the system registers it as ‘growth’,” she said. Censorship is another issue, said Li Yifei, assistant professor of environmental studies at New York University Shanghai, with environmental research deemed too sensitive risking being banned from publication, and made accessible only to government officials rather than other researchers. — AFP

LESSBURG, Virginia: US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses a campaign rally after midnight early yesterday at Loudoun Fairgrounds. — AFP

US election looms large over UN climate talks MARRAKECH: UN climate talks opened yesterday against the backdrop of a US election that could have a major impact on America’s role in the global agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Given Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump’s diverging views on climate change and the landmark emissions pact adopted in Paris last year, some countries’ delegates have been unusually blunt about their preferred outcome.

Brazilian Environment Minister Sarney Filho told reporters in a conference call Thursday he believes American society supports climate action regardless of who becomes the next president. “However, on a personal note, I hope Trump doesn’t win,” he added. Clinton backs the climate policies of President Barack Obama’s government, including continued engagement in the Paris Agreement. Trump, meanwhile, has expressed doubts about global warming on social media and said in a speech this year that he would “cancel” the climate deal if elected.

Those comments have raised concerns in other countries about whether the US would ignore its commitments under the agreement - or withdraw from it completely - if Trump were elected. Asked about Trump’s remarks on the Paris deal, China’s top climate negotiator Xie Zhenhua said “a wise leader” should conform to global development trends. “If you go against the tide, people will not agree and the economy and the social development of these countries will also be affected,” Xie said earlier this month.

Trump may dismantle cooperation The Obama administration played a key role in making the Paris deal come together, particularly by forming a partnership with China that saw the world’s top two polluters take the lead in global efforts to slash emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Under the Paris deal, the Obama administration pledged to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions by

26-28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025.

But US Republicans are opposed to the deal, saying it will harm the US economy.

Trump has called for stripping regulations to allow unfettered production of fossil fuels - a key source of carbon emissions and rescinding the Clean Power Plan, an Obama administration strategy to fight climate change.

In Marrakech, delegates will be working on the details of implementing the Paris deal, such as drafting rules for how to measure and report emissions as well as the financial contributions meant to help poor countries deal with climate change.

The US under the Bush administration decided not to join the previous climate deal, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which only regulated the emissions of developed nations. That was a major blow to the agreement, and after other countries dropped out Kyoto ended up covering only a small portion of global emissions.

Climate policy officials in the Obama administration said they believe this time other countries would go ahead even if the US were to back out, because they see it as in their national interests to shift to cleaner energy. “It’s a question of how qu ick ly we move for wa rd, and frankly, who will lead and who will benefit most from this transition to a lower carbon economy,” said John Morton, the White House’s senior director for energy and climate.

Hurry to ratify Although it is possible to withdraw from the Paris deal, it would take four years - an entire presidential term - to complete the process. That’s partly why countries were in such a hurry to ratify it before the US presidential election on Nov 8. US climate envoy Jonathan Pershing said he didn’t think a US withdrawal from the climate pact was likely because there are “going to be huge domestic advantages to staying in this agreement and to do the work that we’ve agreed to do.” — AP

BUENOS AIRES: A recently discovered 70 million year old fossil of the “Vegavis Iaai” bird that lived in Antarctica’s Vega Island more than 70 million years ago is placed on silhouette and a model of the bird, on a desk before a conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Scientists say that the bird probably sounded like a modern-day duck.

They based their findings on the unearthed fossils of the bird’s sound-producing vocal organ known as the syrinx. — AP

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Mixed progress: Nations review war against tobacco industry Smoking-related deaths are still rising worldwide

WASHINGTON: In this Oct 24, 2016 file photo, the HealthCare.gov 2017 web site home page is seen on a laptop. — AP

Why health care eats more of US paychecks every year WASHINGTON: Millions of Americans are finding out this month that the price of their health insurance is going up next year - as it did this year, last year, and most of the years before that. And it’s not just that the price is going up, it’s that it goes up faster than wages and inflation, eating away at our ability to pay for other things we want (beer, televisions, vacations) or need (rent, heat, food). Does it have to be this way? Why does health care grow so much faster than almost any other spending category so consistently? And will it ever stop?

“At some point it’s not going to be worth it to have less food, less travel in order to spend money on health care,” said Louise Sheiner, a health economist at the Brookings Institution. “That’s what really stops it.” Insurance premiums, which reflect spending on medicines, doctor visits, tests and hospital stays, have climbed 213 percent since 1999 for family coverage purchased through an employer, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, which studies health care. Wages, by comparison, have risen 60 percent, while inflation is up 44 percent. Here’s why the price of health care doesn’t grow like, say, the price of dishwashers or blue jeans - and why that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

It’s hard to shop for health care Insurers and employers have been trying for years to make patients better health care shoppers and force doctors and hospitals to compete on price. They’ve raised deductibles or out-of-pocket costs on coverage and given tools to patients so they can compare prices and quality.

The idea is that patients become more motivated to price shop when they first have to pay several hundred dollars toward the bill due to a high deductible. Many see this push as a key to curbing health care spending, since insurance tends to hide the full cost of care from the patient. This can work ... for small stuff, said Renya Spak of the benefits consultant Mercer.

Patients will shop if they need an MRI exam on their shoulder. But Spak isn’t convinced it will do much for things like surgeries, when the insurer or employer will wind up covering much of the bill anyway and the best deal might involve travel away from family. “It’s not human nature to be rational thinkers about health care cost decisions,” she added. “It will never be just like buying a lawnmower.” Consumers also prioritize health care purchases over other buying decisions, especially if they have basics like food and shelter covered. You’ll have back surgery to alleviate chronic pain before you take that long-awaited trip to

Paris. “What good is a better house if you are too sick to enjoy it?” said Charles Roehrig, an economist and vice president of the nonprofit Altarum Institute’s Center for Sustainable Health Spending.

Technology doesn’t help A carmaker can knock down the cost of making a vehicle by replacing auto workers with robots in parts of the assembly line.

Treatment advances in health care are geared more toward making something more effective, not cheaper, noted Paul Fronstin, an economist with the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

A device maker may come up with a new hip that improves a patient’s quality of life, but it’s likely more expensive and the surgery might require the same number of doctors and nurses or more. A drugmaker might produce a new treatment that dramatically improves a condition but it may come with a bill of more than $50,000 in the meantime. Device and drugmakers have been producing a steady stream of new products for consumers, and insurers that pay the bills have a limited ability to keep prices for those devices and drugs down. “Ever y year, it’s kind of like Christmas, they deliver all this new stuff and of course they deliver it at high prices and insurance covers it,” said Mark Pauly, a health economist with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

How it adds up People with coverage through their employers should expect premium hikes of 5 percent or 6 percent next year, depending on where the employee lives and what adjustments a company makes. That’s double the forecast for inflation next year. And the rising rates may keep them from getting a raise, too. Employers often pay most of the bill for employee coverage, leaving them less money to increase salaries when rates rise.

Customers shopping on the Affordable Care Act’s public insurance exchanges will see premium hikes of 20 percent or more in many markets, though those increases aren’t just because of rising health care spending. The exchanges have seen wild price swings in part because insurers are still trying to balance out claims they pay in this relatively new coverage. All told, health care costs, including the insurance bill and money paid out of pocket, made up 7.8 percent of the average consumer’s total expenses in 2015, up from 5.7 percent in 2006, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, much bigger portions of personal budgets like housing, food and transportation all slipped. — AP

NEW DELHI: In Nepal, health warnings cover 90 percent of cigarette packs, while Australia requires those packets be wrapped in drab, plain paper. Indonesia’s new ban on outdoor advertising brought down tobacco billboards depicting smiling, smoking youths. And India wants scary photos of rotting lungs and mouth tumors covering packets sold in the country. Still, national drives to discourage smoking and cut back tobacco sales haven’t done enough, campaigners say. Smoking-related deaths are still rising worldwide, with 80 percent of them expected to occur in developing country populations by 2030. “Most people in the United States think tobacco is over and done with, but it’s still the largest preventable cause of disease on the planet” killing 6 million people a year - or one person every six seconds, said John Stewart, deputy campaigns director at the Boston-based lobbying group Corporate Accountability International.

Entanglements remain Starting Monday, representatives from at least 178 countries are meeting for five days in the Indian capital to discuss how they can further the fight against smoking and push back against tobacco company lobbyists. Since they set down stiff regulations and guidelines in a landmark 2003 treaty called the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control - the first and only global treaty dealing with public health most of the 180 signatories have ratified it and passed laws restricting tobacco advertising or sales. Still, many governments remain entangled with powerful tobacco companies, while industry lobbyists continue attempts to stymie efforts to implement anti-smoking laws through bribery, misinformation and even suing national governments for lost profits, campaigners say.

“The tobacco industry is definitely feeling the heat,” Stewart said. “They’ve got their back against the wall.”

Indian courts are currently grappling with 62 lawsuits filed by tobacco companies or cigarette makers challenging laws requiring that 85 percent of all cigarette packets be covered with photos of medical horrors. In Japan, a 10-percent hike in taxes on cigarettes has led to a 30percent decline in smoking. But the country still has some of the lowest tax rates on cigarettes among industrialized nations, while its finance ministry owns 33 percent in Japan Tobacco.

The anti-tobacco campaign has had some success. It is widely accepted, at least among national leaders, that smoking causes cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, along with a host of other harmful health impacts. That awareness still has not trickled down to national populations, though. And campaigners say tobacco interests have shifted their focus to poorer, less educated populations in the developing world. India among the first to ratify the anti-tobacco treaty in 2004 - is still considered one of the biggest battlegrounds in the fight against the tobacco industry, public health specialists say.

Harsh laws Despite harsh laws passed more than a decade ago banning smoking in public and sales

NEW DELHI: An Indian man buys a packet of cigarette from a roadside vendor. — AP photos

NEW DELHI: An Indian man smokes a cigarette sitting next to a roadside vendor selling tobacco products. to children, smoking is still common across the country. A government survey in 2010 showed nearly 35 percent of adults were either smoking or chewing tobacco. Meanwhile, more than 1 million Indians die each year from tobacco-related diseases that cost the country some $16 billion annually, according to the World Health Organization. “The revenues that the government earns from tobacco taxes are far less than the billions that are spent on health care,” said Bhavna Mukhopadhyay of the Voluntary Health Association of India, a public health organization. “Public health and the health of the tobacco industry cannot go hand in hand,” she said, noting that campaigners are now pushing for

countries to make tobacco companies and their shareholders civilly and criminally liable for the harm done by tobacco. Part of the trouble in India is “the Indian consumer is spoilt for choice,” she said, with cigarettes sold alongside chewing tobacco and cheap, hand-rolled smokes known as bidis. The easy availability and wide choice means many smokers get hooked at a young age. Some are initiated early through the common, cultural practice of chewing something called gutka, which combines tobacco with spices, lime and betel nut and is widely sold as a mouth freshener. Putting pictorial warnings on cigarette packets is an attempt to educate people about the risks. — AP

Researchers seek to find Old Faithful’s plumbing BILLINGS: Scientists from the US and Denmark are seeking to map out the plumbing system hidden inside the earth’s crust that’s responsible for the famous Old Faithful geyser and other hydrothermal features at Yellowstone National Park.

Throughout November the research team will conduct flights over the park using a giant, hoop-shaped electromagnetic system suspended from a helicopter. The device acts

like an X-ray to determine where and how hot water flows beneath the surface. The team also hopes to gain insights into the infrequent but sometimes massive hydrothermal explosions that occur in the park, said lead scientist Carol Finn with the US Geological Survey.

One such explosion, or possibly multiple explosions, that occurred roughly 13,800 years ago left a crater that measures 1-1/2 miles

across beneath at the bottom of Yellowstone Lake. It’s believed to be the largest such crater in the world.

Similar to the regular eruptions of Old Faithful, hydrothermal explosions occur when huge pockets of boiling water beneath the ground experience a sudden drop in pressure, causing the water to convert to steam and explode violently to the surface.

Similar work elsewhere in the US

has helped reveal hazards from volcanoes. “Nobody knows anything about the flow paths” for the hot water that erupts from Yellowstone’s geysers, Finn said. “Does it travel down and back up? Does it travel laterally?” The electromagnetic system was developed in Denmark to map out groundwater supplies in Denmark. It’s able to discern between water and rocks to a depth of about 1,500 feet beneath the surface. — AP

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

W H AT ’ S O N

BBQ Nights at the Palms Beach Hotel & Spa Coffee & Tea Culture at its Best!

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he Library Café with a renowned for queer but enticing experiences, at the Millennium Hotel & Convention Center Kuwait, offers a quite new experience of ‘A Tea & Coffee Culture’. “It’s going to be a very unusual and, ipso facto, an irresistible experience”, stated Dani Saleh, the Area General Manager of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Kuwait. “Quite an extraordinary and unique technique of preparation” he continued, “that brings you the pleasant reminiscences of the country of the drink origin and the rare and tempting relish of its fine Tea/Coffee blends”. The Library Café with its enchantingly cool and ambient atmosphere welcomes you to enjoy this sophisticated culture while reading your favorite literature picked up from the selected collection of the Café or conversing with your intimate friend.

The variety of Teas & Coffees will fill your mouths full as you fish through the menu prepared in their unique traditional recipe: the exotic blossom Tea in different salivating flavors; the strange Vietnamese Coffee, from premium quality Vietnamese beans specially roasted and ground to medium to coarse granules; The Mocha pot coffee: a perfect drink rich in aroma and prepared in an Italian steambased espresso maker that produces full-bodied coffee.; the Turkish coffee renowned for its captivating aroma prepared as per Lebanese/Egyptian recipe; the Arabic coffee, another unique Arabic preparation in the Arabic coffee pot served with Arabic delights and dates. Matcha Tea, a peculiar preparation done in your presence: a finely ground Japanese tea powder dissolved in water and being known for its huge supply of anti-oxidants.

The Moroccan tea is yet another addition to the exceptional menu catered specially to the taste of tea & coffee connoisseurs to enjoy savoring the smooth and sweet taste. Whichever the Beverage you choose, you can be sure it will be freshly and traditionally made from the highest quality ingredients. It’s a different taste that you will definitely appreciate.

Rainbow-2016 registration continues

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egistration continues for Drawing and Painting competitions “Mazhavillu (Rainbow 2016)”with the caption of “Emergence of True Colors” scheduled on to 11 November 2016 at Carmel School, Khaitan from 1 pm. The competitions are classified in to 4 groups as Kindergarten (LKG&UKG), Class 1~4 (Sub Juniors), Class 5~8 (Juniors) and Class 9~12 (Seniors). First prize winners of each category will presented with Gold Medals (Gold Coins) followed by 2nd, 3rdprizes and several attractive consolations prizes.

Online registrations are made available though www.kalakuwait.com. The inaugural session will start at 12.30 pm at Carmel School Auditorium. For parents and interested artists of Kuwait to participate, KALAKuwait is arranging a Community Canvas. A few selected works will be suitably rewarded with prizes.

Kerala Art Lovers Association, KALA-Kuwait, one of the biggest Indian associations of Kuwait registered under Hon Embassy of India, conducts several programs in Kuwait targeting entire Indian community in Kuwait such as yearly Balakalamela (Youth Festival for Indian Students) and undertake several Charity programs as well as many Cultural events.

Noted artist of Kerala and Secretary of Kerala Lalithakala Academy Ponniam Chandran, will be the Chief Guest. Mr Chandran, holding masters in Political Science is a leading Artist of Kerala and did his studies in painting from School of Arts Thalassery as well as at Ecole Des Bour Art Caebm France. Being an artist, he has conducted several exhibitions all over India as well as abroad. Further he is recipient of several awards including Lalithakala Academy and scholarships from India as well as from Government of France to visit and study.

The highlight of Rainbow 2016 will be the “Painting Workshop” on “New Techniques on Painting” exclusive for students registered for the painting competitions.

This will be an Audio Visual event describing the history of painting from the ancient era to current transitions in the modern days. The schedule of the painting workshop shall be from 6 pm to 8 pm at United Indian School, Abbassiya, on 10 November 2016. Thereafter, Mr Chandran will have an Technical Interaction on the “Ethnic Arts and Modern Visualization” with the professional artists of Kuwait at Mangaf KALA Centre from 8.30 pm. The entry is open and all are welcome.

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he cool autumn breeze and its fascinating nights bring along The Palms Beach Hotel & Spa famous BBQ Nights that aspire a unique look this season.

The spectacular shining event will take place every Monday & Thursday Night at 8:00 pm to last till late after midnight.

This distinctive event of the Palms BBQ Nights to be held by the beach and around the swimming pool area surrounded by flowers, greenery and palm trees is considered one of the hotel’s essential and unique events. It is looked for and well anticipated not only by the Hotel’s guests, but also by all Kuwaiti people & expatriates that

provides the ideal location for families, friends and gatherings with its great selection of food, fascinating ambience and atmosphere.

In addition to its rich buffet that abounds with delicious dishes from around the globe, there is the sumptuous BBQ of all kinds of meat and seafood that account for the event’s fame, with the famous live cooking stations which The Palms is well known for, starting form Seafood station, Iranian grilled station and tanour bread, Mongolian station, Shawerma station, BBQ station and more... where our experienced chefs will prepare the food right in front of your eyes while enjoying a selection of

appetizers, salads, desserts and fresh juices.

“Our meticulous preparation takes the largest part to meet what the Palms BBQ Nights need, and Master Chefs at the Palms are working hard, using their long expertise to present innovative menu enriched with delicious food while exerting all possible efforts to satisfy our goal in serving our guests & clients even better...” Said Rabie AlSukhon - Palm Hotel’s General Manager. Further he adds “Our dear guests & clients are most welcomed to experience a memorable time with us at The Palms Beach Hotel & Spa and to enjoy the Palms BBQ nights with their families and friends every Wednesday Night.”

ACK hosts ‘Youth Employment Symposium’

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he Alumni and Career Placement Center at the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK) hosted the “Youth Employment Symposium” organized by Tmkeen, featuring the internationally renowned speaker and Founder of Gearup Program, Dr Lena Ramfelt. Under the title of “Creating a Successful Career Path” Dr Lena advised ACK Alumni and students on how

to create a prosperous career future.

Recruitment staff from the Kuwait Finance House (KFH) joined the event to offer services to ACK Alumni and students such as career counseling and planning.

Commenting on the event, Dr Lena stated: “It was a great pleasure for me to interact with the students at ACK. I see a huge potential in them to further develop Kuwait.

Aspiring entrepreneurs are nurtured at ACK. ACK has a change maker in Chairman Mr Abdullah Al Sharhan. I was very inspired by our conversation and appreciated when he stressed the importance of that we as teachers have to interact with our students in order for them to learn.”

The mission of the Alumni and Career Placement Center at ACK is to preserve and

support the relationship between ACK and all its graduates through quality career services and outstanding benefits. The Center offers a myriad of services and benefits to ACK Alumni that range from personal to professional development, such as career counseling, assistance in securing career opportunities, networking platforms, community service and much more.

RunQ8: Continuing to support children with disabilities

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unQ8 is returning for its sixth year - bigger and better than ever -to continue fulfilling its mission to support children with disabilities. Organized by the non-profit Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute (FSRI), RunQ8 has become one of Kuwait’s biggest and most highly anticipated charity sporting events, attracting more than1800 participants last year. Returning to the venue of its first ever race, RunQ8 is taking place this year on November 12that The Scientific Center Kuwait.

The annual initiative aims to raise awareness and funds to support FSRI’s Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC), a non-profit pediatrics facility, providing specialized and multi-disciplinary treatment and care for children with disabilities - including rehab for physical injuries, developmental disorders, speech, language and swallowing difficulties,

behavioral difficulties, learning disabilities, and much more.

Funds raised from RunQ8 go towards enabling CERC to continue providing specialized quality care to children who otherwise may not be able to get the care they need. The majority of raised funds are used to help families suffering from financial difficulties, providing them with treatment at a subsidized lower cost, or even for free in some cases.

One thing that has always made RunQ8 special: it is an event for everybody, regardless of age or fitness level.

Running is one option, but definitely not a must. For those unable to run a marathon, they can walk, jog or just stroll.

The important thing is participating and supporting this great cause.

This year, RunQ8 is offering two chipped race distances a 5km or 10km. For all the serious athletes and competitive

runners, it is a great opportunity to push their limits and challenge themselves. For everyone else, it is simply a chance for some outdoor fun with family and friends in the beautiful November weather.

As a non-profit initiative, RunQ8 could not have become such a big success without the overwhelming community support it has received over the years. In its sixth year, the event enjoys the support of a number of local organizations and companies, including RunQ8’s founding partner Agility, The Promenade Mall, The Scientific Center, Al-Ruwayeh & Partners (ASAR), EQUATE, Fitness First, Intersport, Jumeriah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa, Porsche, Al-Essa Health Shop, Ikea and Tap, in addition to the support of media partners Al Anbaa, Ahlan and Kuwait Times, as well as social media partners Khaleejesque and Everything Kuwait.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

W H AT ’ S O N

La Plus Belle Salon opens Boulevard Branch The Biggest of its kind in the Middle East

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he dream may seem difficult to reach, but with determination you will be amazed by what you can accomplish. La Plus Belle’s Boulevard Center, the biggest of its kind...A dream has come true. La Plus Belle opened its brand new Boulevard branch, the biggest spa and beauty salon in the Middle East, in a grand ceremony that was attended by hundreds of media delegates and in the pres-

ence of Sheikha Intisar Al Sabah, the Lebanese Ambassador to Kuwait HE Maher Kheir along with number of VIP guests.

On this occasion, Mrs Sohaila Beirouty, Owner and Founder of La Plus Belle, said that the Boulevard branch is a new addition to the wide network of branches, which covers an area of 2500 m2 making it the biggest of its kind to deliver the most superior and highest

Al Thuraya City wins the Hotelier Middle East’s Housekeeper of the year

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he management of Crowne Plaza Al Thuraya City and Holiday Inn Al Thuraya City congratulates Ms Akshi Singh (Director of Housekeeping) for winning the Hotelier Middle East’s Housekeeper of the year 2016 award.

Her untiring dedication to her work led the judging team to crown her with this year’s title.She fought off competition from twenty other housekeepers across the region.

Mr Antoine Flouty, Area General Manager of IHG hotels in Kuwait appreciated her dedication and commitment. He mentioned her contribution in rebranding Crowne Plaza Kuwait into Holiday Inn Al Thuraya City and also opening a new Crowne Plaza Kuwait Al Thuraya City was phenomenal which is what made her stand out in the awards category.

The Hotelier Middle East Awards 2016 took place on October 26, 2016, at The Ritz-Carlton DIFC.

quality of beauty services in Kuwait. Mrs Beirouty added, “We are delighted to expand our network of centers in Kuwait to provide custom-made and best-fit solutions and treatments for the hair, skin, body as well as makeup services for the fashionable women of Kuwait” She stated that the Spa and Salon are both equipped with the latest equipment and machinery, as well as VIP and Royal Suites are

dedicated for brides who are looking to live an exceptional experience of a lifetime. La Plus Belle provides a full range of services, mainly: an Olympic-sized Swimming Pool for Water Sports, Pregnancy Massage, VICHY Shower, Turkish and Moroccan Bath and Reflexology.

The Center’s high quality services are delivered by our expert, professional hairdressers and makeup artists to achieve excellent results

using the leading global brands; such as L’Oreal Professionnel, Kerastase, Mesoestetic, and CARITA that is available exclusively at La Plus Belle Spa and Salon, and many others.

It’s worth mentioning that the Head Office of La Plus Belle is located in Kuwait City, while the branches of salon and beauty institute are located in Medan Hawalli (two branches), Millennium Hotel and Boulevard Mall.

Telangana Jagruthi Kuwait ‘BANGARU BATHUKAMMA’ a social cultural event

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he full day event held at the Hilton Hotel Resort Mangaf and Touristic Park Abbasiya on 13th of October consisted the making of Bathukamma and the main event was organized by Telangana Jagruthi Kuwait under Patronage of Mr Hari Prasad Chellamsetty, Telangana Jagruthi Kuwait President Mr Vinay Muthyala and team members were welcomed with enthusiasm.

The special guests received a grand welcome at Kuwait international airport by Telangana Jagruthi Kuwait team and other prominent people from Kuwait. The event started at 9am in Hilton Hotel Telangana’s prominent women’s group gathering welcomed guest of honor Kalvakuntla Kavitha and her team.

Bathukamma (‘Mother Goddess come Alive’) represents the cultural spirit of

Telangana Kalvakuntla Kavitha is an ambassador of this cultural event.

Kavithakka took pledge to keep alive this age old tradition of making Bathukamma.

She herself sat to make beautiful flower stack, she arranged flower pyramid with different unique seasonal flowers most of them with medicinal values imported from Telangana Region to Kuwait. She also sang folk songs while arranging seven concentric layers of the different color flowers in the shape of temple gopuram along with nonresidents of Telangana and Kuwaiti women’s group. While making bathukamma, Ms Abhilasha Suresh interviewed her, the live interview was telecasted in regional televisions of Telangana and in all Jagruthi organization websites.

Thousands of Telanganites from across Kuwait hit the Touristic Park Abbasiya audi-

torium Second half of the event started at Touristic Park Abbasiya Auditorium with welcomed the auspicious gathering a warm welcome by hosts Mrs Vijaya Nirmala Yadav Nair and Abhilasha Suresh, as they set the mood for the special evening of the day.

The Special Guests were welcomed on stage with a warm and cheerful welcome by the audience. This was followed with an impressive performance of classical dance which was performed by Telangana’s blooming talents Vishnu Priya by Shivathandav. The event was women centric to facilitation of the women. A large number of women gathered in the auditorium were eagerly waiting for the moment to dance traditional dance of Bathukamma with Kavithagaru Souvenir was released by the chief guests and the guest of honors

with TJK members. The TJK president Muthyala Vinay thanked Deputy Chief of Mission at Indian Embassy M Sub hashish Goldar, all well-wishers, distinguished guests and extended special thanks to the event sponsors in his message he enhanced the importance of bathukamma and its upliftment by respecting our traditional and local culture.

The special evening of public event was continued with grand welcome of famous celebrity artist of V6 news channel teen Maar fame Ms Matakari Mangli with great applause from the audience the colorful Cultural Programs presented by Mangli captured audions attention for more than an hour which indeed a mind blowing musical treat to the audience. The event was concluded by Vote of thanks presented by Mr Gangadhar GK.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

TV PROGRAMS 12:10 13:50 14:40 Jones 15:30 16:20 17:10 18:00 18:50 19:40 Jones 20:30

00:50 River Monsters 01:45 Bondi Vet 02:40 My Cat From Hell 03:35 Tanked 04:25 Untamed & Uncut 05:15 Gator Boys 06:02 River Monsters 06:49 My Cat From Hell 07:36 Call Of The Wildman 08:00 Call Of The Wildman 08:25 Too Cute! Pint-Sized 09:15 My Cat From Hell 10:10 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 11:05 Tanked 12:00 Too Cute! Pint-Sized 12:55 Bondi Vet 13:50 My Cat From Hell 14:45 Gator Boys 15:40 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 16:35 Tanked 17:30 Untamed & Uncut 18:25 River Monsters 19:20 Lone Star Law 20:15 Tanked 21:10 Rogue Nature With Dave Salmoni 22:05 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 23:00 Lone Star Law 23:55 Gator Boys

00:00 Robbie Coltraneʼs Critical Evidence 01:00 Gangsters: Americaʼs Most Evil 02:00 Born To Kill 03:00 Gangs Of Britain...

04:00 Robbie Coltraneʼs Critical Evidence 05:00 Gangsters: Americaʼs Most Evil 06:00 Born To Kill 07:00 The First 48 08:00 Beyond Scared Straight 09:00 Homicide Hunter 10:00 The First 48 11:00 It Takes A Killer 11:30 Private Crimes 12:00 Crimes That Shook Australia 13:00 Gangs Of Britain...

14:00 Beyond Scared Straight 15:00 Homicide Hunter 16:00 It Takes A Killer 16:30 Private Crimes 17:00 The First 48 18:00 Gangs Of Britain...

19:00 Crimes That Shook Australia 20:00 Beyond Scared Straight 21:00 It Takes A Killer 21:30 Private Crimes 22:00 Homicide Hunter

00:30 01:20 01:45 02:10 02:35 03:00

Redesign My Brain Kids Do The Craziest Things Kids Do The Craziest Things Pick A Puppy Pick A Puppy Untamed & Uncut

Evil Online I Almost Got Away With It True Crime With Aphrodite Iʼd Kill For You Nowhere To Hide I Almost Got Away With It Evil Online I Almost Got Away With It True Crime With Aphrodite Iʼd Kill For You

00:10 Hank Zipzer 00:35 Binny And The Ghost 01:00 Violetta 01:45 The Hive 01:50 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage Witch 02:15 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage Witch 02:40 Hank Zipzer 03:05 Binny And The Ghost 03:30 Violetta 04:15 The Hive 04:20 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage Witch 04:45 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage Witch 05:10 Hank Zipzer 05:35 Binny And The Ghost 06:00 Violetta 06:45 The Hive 06:50 Mouk 07:00 Jessie 07:25 Jessie 07:50 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug And Cat Noir 08:15 Tsum Tsum Shorts 08:20 Liv And Maddie 08:45 Bunkʼd 09:10 Austin & Ally 09:35 Shake It Up 10:00 A.N.T. Farm 10:25 A.N.T. Farm 10:50 Thatʼs So Raven 11:15 Thatʼs So Raven 11:40 Good Luck Charlie 12:05 Good Luck Charlie 12:30 Jessie 12:55 Disney Mickey Mouse 13:00 The 7D 13:15 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug And Cat Noir 13:40 Hank Zipzer 14:05 Star Darlings 14:10 Elena Of Avalor 14:35 Elena Of Avalor 15:00 Dog With A Blog 15:25 Jessie 15:50 Rolling To The Ronks 16:15 Hank Zipzer 16:40 Bunkʼd 17:05 Star Darlings 17:10 Gravity Falls 17:35 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug And Cat Noir 18:00 Backstage 18:25 Descendants Wicked World 18:30 Liv And Maddie 18:55 Disney Mickey Mouse 19:00 Jessie 19:25 Star Darlings 19:30 Bunkʼd 19:55 Descendants Wicked World 20:00 Best Friends Whenever 20:25 Tsum Tsum Shorts

12:00 Goldie & Bear 12:30 Jake And The Never Land Pirates 13:00 The Hive 13:10 Minnieʼs Bow-Toons 13:15 Sheriff Callieʼs Wild West 13:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 14:15 Henry Hugglemonster 14:30 Doc McStuffins 15:00 Sofia The First 15:30 Jake And The Never Land Pirates 16:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 16:30 Doc McStuffins 17:00 The Lion Guard 17:30 PJ Masks 18:00 Sofia The First 18:30 Goldie & Bear 19:00 Miles From Tomorrow 19:30 Jake And The Never Land Pirates 20:00 Doc McStuffins 20:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 21:00 PJ Masks 21:30 The Lion Guard 22:00 Sofia The First 22:30 Sofia The First 23:00 Sheriff Callieʼs Wild West 23:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

00:20 01:10 02:50 03:40 04:30 05:00 05:30 06:00 06:50 07:40 08:30 09:20 09:45 10:10 10:35 12:15 13:05 13:30 13:55 14:20 15:10 16:00 16:50 17:40 18:30 18:55 19:20 20:10 20:35 21:00 21:50 22:40 Grylls 23:30

Street Outlaws Gold Rush Railroad Australia Fast Nʼ Loud Extreme Collectors How Itʼs Made: Dream Cars How Do They Do It? Deadliest Catch Street Outlaws Fast Nʼ Loud Gold Divers Extreme Collectors How Itʼs Made: Dream Cars How Do They Do It? Gold Rush Railroad Australia How Itʼs Made: Dream Cars Storage Hunters Extreme Collectors Alaskan Bush People Gold Divers Deadliest Catch Fast Nʼ Loud Street Outlaws How Itʼs Made: Dream Cars How Do They Do It? Gold Divers Storage Hunters Extreme Collectors Survive That!

American Tarzan Running Wild With Bear

06:00 06:25 06:50 07:00 07:15 07:40 07:50 08:05 08:10

Star vs The Forces Of Evil K.C. Undercover The 7D Phineas And Ferb Atomic Puppet Danger Mouse Counterfeit Cat Future Worm Gravity Falls

Fast Nʼ Loud

05:00 Monsters University 07:00 Get Santa 09:00 Mousehunt 11:00 One Christmas Eve 13:00 Rugrats Go Wild 15:00 American Girl: Saige Paints The Sky 17:00 Oz The Great And Powerful 19:15 Dunston Checks In 21:00 My Girl 2 23:00 American Girl: Saige Paints The Sky

01:15 The Face Of An Angel 03:15 Jurassic World 05:15 The Rewrite 07:15 To Write Love On Her Arms 09:00 The Rewrite 11:00 Jurassic World 13:15 Iʼll See You In My Dreams 15:00 A Birderʼs Guide To Everything 17:00 Paper Towns 19:00 Spectre 21:30 Spy 23:30 Ted 2

00:40 Murder Book 01:30 Dates From Hell 01:55 Dates From Hell 02:20 Guns On Campus: Tamron Hall Investigates 03:10 Killer Instinct With Chris Hansen 04:00 Murder Book 04:48 I Almost Got Away With It 05:36 True Crime With Aphrodite Jones 06:24 Iʼd Kill For You 07:12 Nowhere To Hide 08:00 I Was Murdered 08:25 I Was Murdered 08:50 I Almost Got Away With It 09:40 True Crime With Aphrodite Jones 10:30 Southern Fried Homicide 11:20 Nowhere To Hide

20:30 Jessie 20:55 Liv And Maddie 21:20 Austin & Ally 21:45 Backstage 22:10 Girl Meets World 22:35 H2O: Just Add Water 23:00 Binny And The Ghost 23:25 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage Witch 23:50 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage Witch

00:00 Doc McStuffins 00:30 Minnieʼs Bow-Toons 00:35 Zou 00:50 Loopdidoo 01:05 Art Attack 01:30 Henry Hugglemonster 01:45 Calimero 02:00 Zou 02:15 Loopdidoo 02:30 Art Attack 03:00 Calimero 03:15 Zou 03:30 Loopdidoo 03:45 Art Attack 04:10 Henry Hugglemonster 04:20 Calimero 04:45 Loopdidoo 05:00 Art Attack 05:25 Henry Hugglemonster 05:35 Calimero 05:50 Zou 06:00 Loopdidoo 06:15 Art Attack 06:35 Henry Hugglemonster 06:50 Calimero 07:00 Zou 07:20 Loopdidoo 07:35 Art Attack 08:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 08:30 Sheriff Callieʼs Wild West 09:00 The Lion Guard 09:30 Miles From Tomorrow 09:40 Goldie & Bear 10:00 Sheriff Callieʼs Wild West 10:10 Doc McStuffins 10:30 PJ Masks 10:40 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 11:00 Sofia The First 11:30 Doc McStuffins

08:35 Lab Rats: Bionic Island 09:00 Supa Strikas 09:25 Supa Strikas 09:50 Danger Mouse 10:20 Annedroids 10:45 Annedroids 11:10 Counterfeit Cat 11:35 K.C. Undercover 12:00 K.C. Undercover 12:30 Gravity Falls 12:55 Lab Rats: Bionic Island 13:20 Lab Rats: Bionic Island 13:45 Phineas And Ferb 14:10 Disney Mickey Mouse 14:15 Supa Strikas 14:40 Supa Strikas 15:05 Lab Rats: Bionic Island 15:30 Danger Mouse 15:55 Kirby Buckets 16:25 K.C. Undercover 16:50 Annedroids 17:15 Gamerʼs Guide To Pretty Much Everything 17:40 K.C. Undercover 18:05 Future Worm 18:10 Gravity Falls 18:35 Counterfeit Cat 19:00 Lab Rats: Bionic Island 19:25 Supa Strikas 19:55 K.C. Undercover 20:20 Gamerʼs Guide To Pretty Much Everything 20:45 Mighty Med 21:10 Pickle And Peanut 21:20 Pickle And Peanut 21:40 Disney Mickey Mouse 21:45 Guardians Of The Galaxy 22:10 Marvel Ultimate Spider-Man vs The Sinister 22:35 Boyster 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am KSA

00:05 WAGs Miami 00:55 Catching Kelce 01:50 EJ NYC 05:30 Celebrity Style Story 06:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 06:25 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 06:55 E! News

The Best Man Holiday Just Married Coneheads Jack 10 Things I Hate About You Coneheads Just Married Passed Away 10 Things I Hate About You Under The Tuscan Sun The A-Team Stung

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 10:30 12:30 15:15 17:15 19:00 21:00 23:30

Inchʼallah Lost River The Village Walking On Sunshine The Fold The Village A Passage To India Middle Of Nowhere The Fold Zulu Primal Fear Five Easy Pieces

THE FACE OF AN ANGEL ON OSN MOVIES HD 07:10 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 08:10 E! News 09:10 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 12:00 E! News 12:15 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 19:00 E! News 20:00 Celebrity Style Story 20:30 Celebrity Style Story 21:00 LA Clippers Dance Squad 22:00 WAGs Miami 23:00 E! News 23:15 Celebrity Style Story 23:40 Celebrity Style Story

AIRPLANE VS. VOLCANO ON OSN MOVIES ACTION HD 03:50 Ultimate Survival 04:40 How Itʼs Made 05:30 Dirty Jobs 06:20 Mythbusters 07:00 Kids vs Film 07:25 Doki 07:50 Too Cute! Pint-Sized 08:40 How Itʼs Made 09:30 Redesign My Brain 10:20 Mythbusters 11:10 Dirty Jobs 12:00 Too Cute! Pint-Sized 12:50 Ultimate Survival 13:40 How Itʼs Made 14:30 Dirty Jobs 15:20 Mythbusters 16:10 Kids vs Film 16:35 Doki 17:00 Playhouse Masters 17:50 Guinness World Records Smashed New Zealand 18:15 Guinness World Records Smashed New Zealand 18:40 Redesign My Brain 19:30 How Itʼs Made 20:20 Mythbusters 21:10 Playhouse Masters 22:00 Guinness World Records Smashed New Zealand 22:25 Guinness World Records Smashed New Zealand 22:50 Untamed & Uncut

00:00 02:15 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Mystery Diners Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives Man Fire Food Chopped Guyʼs Grocery Games Roadtrip With G. Garvin Chopped Barefoot Contessa The Kitchen Anna Olson: Bake Chopped Guyʼs Big Bite Guyʼs Big Bite Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives Man Fire Food Man Fire Food Chopped The Kitchen Anna Olson: Bake Anna Olson: Bake Chopped Iron Chef America Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives Man Fire Food Man v Food Iron Chef America Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives

00:10 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 06:10 07:05 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:55 11:50 12:45 13:15 13:45

Keep It In The Family Emmerdale Coronation Street Coronation Street The Chase 5 Star Family Reunion Surprise Surprise Mr Selfridge Keep It In The Family The Chase Broadchurch 5 Star Family Reunion Mr Selfridge Keep It In The Family The Chase Emmerdale Coronation Street Coronation Street

14:15 15:10 16:00 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:15 19:45 20:10 21:00 21:55 22:50 23:15 23:40

Keep It In The Family The Chase Broadchurch Doc Martin Mr Selfridge Emmerdale Coronation Street Coronation Street The Chase Broadchurch Doc Martin Emmerdale Coronation Street Coronation Street

00:20 01:10 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:40 04:05 04:30 05:00 06:00 06:25 06:50 07:40 08:05 08:30 08:55 09:20 09:45 10:35 11:00 11:25 12:15 13:05 13:55 14:45 15:35 16:00 16:50 17:15 17:40 18:30 19:20 20:10 20:35 21:00 21:50 22:40 23:40

Aussie Pickers Storage Wars Storage Wars Storage Wars Storage Wars Texas Car Hunters Car Hunters Counting Cars Counting Cars Pawn Stars Billion Dollar Wreck Shipping Wars Shipping Wars American Pickers Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Storage Wars Texas Counting Cars Counting Cars Ultimate Wheels American Restoration American Restoration Billion Dollar Wreck Swamp People Ax Men Ozzy & Jackʼs World Detour Aussie Pickers Pawn Stars American Pickers Storage Wars Storage Wars Texas Mountain Men Billion Dollar Wreck American Pickers Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Mountain Men Forged In Fire Barbarians Rising Alone

00:10 Bangkok Airport 01:00 Maximum Foodie 01:25 Top Tables, Top Cities 01:50 Top Tables, Top Cities 02:15 Eat Street 02:40 Cruise Ship Diaries 03:30 Miguelʼs Tropical Kitchen 03:55 George Clarkeʼs Amazing Spaces 04:45 Places We Go 05:10 Places We Go 05:35 Carnival Eats 06:00 Carnival Eats 06:25 Maverick Chef 06:50 Maximum Foodie 07:15 Top Tables, Top Cities 07:40 Top Tables, Top Cities 08:05 Eat Street 08:30 Cruise Ship Diaries 09:20 Miguelʼs Tropical Kitchen 09:45 George Clarkeʼs Amazing Spaces 10:35 Places We Go 11:00 Places We Go 11:25 Carnival Eats 11:50 Carnival Eats 12:15 Maverick Chef 12:40 Maximum Foodie 13:05 Top Tables, Top Cities 13:35 Top Tables, Top Cities 14:00 Eat Street 14:30 Cruise Ship Diaries 15:25 Miguelʼs Tropical Kitchen 15:50 George Clarkeʼs Amazing Spaces 16:45 Places We Go 17:15 Places We Go 17:40 Carnival Eats 18:10 Carnival Eats 18:35 Maverick Chef 19:05 Eat Street 19:30 Miguelʼs Tropical Kitchen 20:00 George Clarkeʼs Amazing Spaces 20:50 Places We Go 21:15 Places We Go 21:40 Carnival Eats 22:05 Carnival Eats 22:30 Maverick Chef

22:55 Maximum Foodie 23:20 Top Tables, Top Cities 23:45 Top Tables, Top Cities

00:30 02:30 04:15 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Combustion Shark Lake Airplane vs. Volcano The Machine Robot Overlords Last Knights Hercules Reborn The Machine Robot Overlords Surrogates Four Brothers Reign Of Assassins

01:30 Fading Gigolo 03:00 Stolen From Suburbia 04:30 The Reluctant Fundamentalist 07:00 Breaking Through 09:00 Selma 11:15 Stolen From Suburbia 13:00 Mood Indigo 15:15 The Melancholy Fantastic 16:45 Selma 19:00 Dying Of The Light 21:00 The Wee Man 23:00 Only Lovers Left Alive

01:00 Max 03:00 My Girl

01:15 Elf: Buddyʼs Musical Christmas 02:45 Baby Geniuses And The Space Baby 04:15 Cher Ami 06:00 Minuscule: Valley Of The Lost Ants 07:45 Columbus In The Last Journey 09:15 Memory Loss 11:00 Marco Macaco 12:30 Baby Geniuses And The Space Baby 14:15 Ghatothkach - Master Of Magic 16:15 Ploddy Police Car On The Case 18:00 Memory Loss 20:00 Baby Geniuses And The Treasures Of Egypt 22:00 Ghatothkach - Master Of Magic 23:45 Ploddy Police Car On The Case

00:00 Uncle Buck 00:30 Scrubs 01:00 Scrubs 01:30 Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll 02:00 Modern Family 02:30 Bordertown 03:00 2 Broke Girls 03:30 Life In Pieces 04:00 Fresh Off The Boat 04:30 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 05:30 George Lopez 06:00 The Bernie Mac Show 06:30 Community 07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 08:00 Fresh Off The Boat 08:30 George Lopez

09:00 2 Broke Girls 09:30 Mad Love 10:00 Modern Family 10:30 Community 11:00 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 12:00 The Bernie Mac Show 12:30 Fresh Off The Boat 13:00 George Lopez 13:30 Community 14:00 Life In Pieces 14:30 Mad Love 15:00 Modern Family 15:30 Scrubs 16:00 Scrubs 16:30 The Bernie Mac Show 17:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 18:00 2 Broke Girls 18:30 Life In Pieces 19:00 Crowded 19:30 Modern Family 20:00 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 21:00 Scrubs 21:30 Scrubs 22:00 Ballers 22:30 Ballers 23:00 Bordertown 23:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers

00:40 Nextworld 01:30 How Do They Do It? 01:55 Food Factory 02:20 Invent It Rich 03:10 Cosmic Collisions 04:00 Curiosity: Sun Storm 04:48 Nextworld 05:36 Invent It Rich 06:24 Mythbusters 07:12 How Do They Do It? 07:36 Food Factory 08:00 Nextworld 08:50 Cosmic Collisions 09:40 Curiosity: Sun Storm 10:30 How Do They Do It? 10:55 Food Factory 11:20 Invent It Rich 12:10 Nextworld 13:00 Cosmic Collisions 13:50 How Do They Do It? 14:15 Food Factory 14:40 Curiosity: Sun Storm 15:30 Invent It Rich 16:20 Nextworld 17:10 Cosmic Collisions 18:00 Curiosity: Sun Storm 18:50 Nextworld 19:40 Mythbusters 20:30 Creating Synthetic Life 21:20 Stem Cell Universe With Stephen Hawking 22:10 Curiosity: Can You Live Forever?

23:00 What On Earth?

00:20 Leah Remini: Itʼs All Relative 01:10 Breaking Amish: Brave New World 02:00 My Big Fat Fabulous Life 02:25 Say Yes To The Dress 02:50 Love At First Swipe 03:15 Cake Boss 03:35 Love, Lust Or Run 04:00 Love, Lust Or Run 04:20 Little People, Big World 04:45 Little People, Big World 05:10 Toddlers & Tiaras 06:00 Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners 06:50 Say Yes To The Dress: Bridesmaids 07:15 Say Yes To The Dress: Bridesmaids 07:40 Say Yes To The Dress: The Big Day 08:30 Little People, Big World 08:55 Little People, Big World 09:20 Jon & Kate Plus 8 09:45 Jon & Kate Plus 8 10:10 Love At First Swipe 10:35 Cake Boss 11:00 My Big Fat Fabulous Life 11:25 Say Yes To The Dress 11:50 Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners 12:40 Love, Lust Or Run 13:05 Love, Lust Or Run 13:30 Iyanla: Fix My Life 14:20 Oprahʼs Master Class 15:10 Toddlers & Tiaras 16:00 Little People, Big World 16:25 Little People, Big World 16:50 Jon & Kate Plus 8 17:40 Love At First Swipe

WALKING ON SUNSHINE ON OSN MOVIES FESTIVAL

Classifieds TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

`KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (03/11/2016 TO 09/11/2016) SHARQIA-1 AMERICAN PASTORAL TROLLS AMERICAN PASTORAL NO THU+FRI+SAT TROLLS THU+FRI+SAT TROLLS TROLLS AMERICAN PASTORAL AMERICAN PASTORAL

1:15 PM 1:30 PM 3:30 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

SHARQIA-2 DOCTOR STRANGE -3D DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE -3D DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE -3D DOCTOR STRANGE

12:00 PM 2:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM

SHARQIA-3 THE ACCOUNTANT UNDER THE SHADOW THE ACCOUNTANT AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL -Hindi UNDER THE SHADOW UNDER THE SHADOW

11:30 AM 2:15 PM 4:15 PM 7:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

MUHALAB-1 JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK THE ACCOUNTANT THE 9th LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL -Hindi THE 9th LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX THE ACCOUNTANT

11:30 AM 1:45 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

MUHALAB-2 DOCTOR STRANGE NO FRI+SAT TROLLS FRI+SAT TROLLS DOCTOR STRANGE AMERICAN PASTORAL AMERICAN PASTORAL AMERICAN PASTORAL MUHALAB-3 DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE -3D TROLLS - 3D DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE -3D DOCTOR STRANGE FANAR-1 JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK UNDER THE SHADOW KILL KANE

1:00 PM

HAMLET FRAZER KILL KANE UNDER THE SHADOW

8:30 PM 11:00 PM 12:45 AM

FANAR-2 THE 9th LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX AMERICAN PASTORAL THE 9th LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX AMERICAN PASTORAL THE 9th LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX AMERICAN PASTORAL

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

FANAR-3 AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL -Hindi AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL -Hindi AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL -Hindi AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL -Hindi DOCTOR STRANGE

12:00 PM 3:00 PM 6:00 PM 9:00 PM 12:05 AM

FANAR-4 DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 1:00 AM

FANAR-5 THE ACCOUNTANT NO FRI+SAT TROLLS FRI+SAT TROLLS TROLLS TROLLS THE ACCOUNTANT THE ACCOUNTANT

1:15 PM 1:45 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM 12:00 PM 2:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 12:05 AM 11:45 AM 2:15 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM

MARINA-1 THE ACCOUNTANT JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK NO FRI+SAT+MON TROLLS FRI+SAT+MON OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL SUN+TUE+WED TROLLS THU+FRI+SAT+MON TROLLS OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL THE ACCOUNTANT THE ACCOUNTANT MARINA-2 AMERICAN PASTORAL AMERICAN PASTORAL

11:30 AM 2:00 PM 2:15 PM 4:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:45 AM

11:30 AM 1:30 PM

360º- 1 DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE -3D DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE -3D DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE

12:00 PM 2:45 PM 5:15 PM 7:45 PM 10:15 PM 12:45 AM

12:00 PM 2:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 12:05 AM

360º- 2 LAF WA DAWARAN LAF WA DAWARAN HAMLET FRAZER HAMLET FRAZER HAMLET FRAZER

1:30 PM 4:00 PM 6:30 PM 9:00 PM 11:30 PM

AVENUES-1 DOCTOR STRANGE HAMLET FRAZER HAMLET FRAZER HAMLET FRAZER HAMLET FRAZER LAF WA DAWARAN

12:00 PM 2:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM

360º- 3 UNDER THE SHADOW UNDER THE SHADOW UNDER THE SHADOW UNDER THE SHADOW UNDER THE SHADOW UNDER THE SHADOW UNDER THE SHADOW

1:15 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:15 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

AVENUES-2 DOCTOR STRANGE- 3D 4DX TROLLS - 3D 4DX TROLLS - 3D 4DX TROLLS - 3D 4DX DOCTOR STRANGE- 3D 4DX DOCTOR STRANGE- 3D 4DX

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

AL-KOUT.1 DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE

12:00 PM 2:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.2 AMERICAN PASTORAL AMERICAN PASTORAL AMERICAN PASTORAL HAMLET FRAZER AMERICAN PASTORAL AMERICAN PASTORAL

11:45 AM 2:15 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

AMERICAN PASTORAL AMERICAN PASTORAL UNDER THE SHADOW UNDER THE SHADOW UNDER THE SHADOW

3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

MARINA-3 DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE TROLLS DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE

AVENUES-3 THE ACCOUNTANT NO FRI TROLLS PULI MURUGAN - Malayalam PULI MURUGAN - Malayalam PULI MURUGAN - Malayalam OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL

1:00 PM 1:30 PM 3:30 PM 6:45 PM 10:00 PM 1:15 AM

AVENUES-4 DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE AMERICAN PASTORAL Special Show “DOCTOR STRANGE” DOCTOR STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE

11:45 AM 2:15 PM 4:45 PM 7:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

AL-KOUT.3 THE 9th LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX THE 9th LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX NO FRI+SAT TROLLS FRI+SAT TROLLS - 3D TROLLS THE 9th LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX THE 9th LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX THE 9th LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX

AVENUES-5 AMERICAN PASTORAL AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL -Hindi TROLLS - 3D AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL -Hindi AMERICAN PASTORAL

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 11:30 PM

AL-KOUT.4 JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK KILL KANE JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK KILL KANE UNDER THE SHADOW

11:45 AM 2:00 PM

For Rent

For Rent

Residential apartment in a special location in Salmiya overlooking Hamad Al-Mubarak Street comprising of 2 bedrooms, reception, 2 baths and kitchen.

Commercial apartments in Salmiya, Hamad Al-Mubarak Street comprising of 2 bedrooms, reception, 2 baths and a kitchen.

For inquiries: 96019919/65992344

For inquiries: 96019919/65992344

For Rent

ACCOMMODATION

Sharing accommodation urgently need for a very good Christian family with 3 years boy in Salmiya.

Contact: 66329575. ] (C 5229) 8-11-2016

Apartment in Jabriya behind Royale Hayat Hospital comprising of 2 bedrooms, reception, 2 baths and kitchen.

CHANGE OF NAME

For inquiries 96019919/60499435

I, Kalerakath Kozhi Mohammed s/o Ali Kalerakath holder of Indian Passport No. G1120241 and Civil ID No. 286052803637 has changed my name Mohammed Kalerakath herein after in all my dealings and documents will be known by the name of Kalerakath. (C 5228) 7-11-2016

2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM 12:00 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 7:15 PM 9:15 PM

SITUATION VACANT

Wanted educated housemaid for Kuwaiti family.

Transferable 20 visa, minimum three years experience, fluent English reading & writing. Phone: 24828333, Fax: 22458742.

(C 5227) 3-11-2016

PRAYER TIMINGS Fajr: Shorook Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

04:45 06:06 11:32 14:36 16:57 18:16

Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is

1889988

112

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION Airlines MSC KLM KAC JZR MSC QTR KAC THY DLH AXB PGT ETH GFA UAE OMA KKK FDB ETD MSR FDB QTR KAC LMU KAC KAC KAC THY JZR DHX KAC KAC KAC THY KAC KAC KAC KAC BAW PAL FDB KAC UAE KAC ABY ETD IRC QTR FDB OSJ SVA GFA IRA KAC RBG MSC JZR MEA MSC JZR UAE KAC MSR AXB KAC KAC KAC

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 8/11/2016 Flt Route 405 Sohag 411 Amsterdam/Dammam 776 Riyadh 539 Cairo 411 Asyut 1086 Doha 102 London 764 Istanbul 635 Doha 395 Kozhikode 858 Istanbul 620 Addis Ababa 211 Bahrain 853 Dubai 643 Muscat 6506 Istanbul 069 Dubai 305 Abu Dhabi 612 Cairo 067 Dubai 1076 Doha 358 Kochi 5510 Cairo 544 Cairo 418 Manila 284 Dhaka 6376 Istanbul 529 Asyut 170 Bahrain 354 BLR 344 Chennai 332 Trivandrum 770 Istanbul 364 Colombo 384 Delhi 206 Islamabad 346 Ahmedabad 157 London 668 Manila/Dubai 053 Dubai 302 Mumbai 855 Dubai 382 Delhi 125 Sharjah 301 Abu Dhabi 6507 Shiraz 1070 Doha 055 Dubai 4110 FJR 512 Riyadh 213 Bahrain 675 Lar 774 Riyadh 553 Alexandria 403 Asyut 165 Dubai 404 Beirut 401 Alexandria 561 Sohag 871 Dubai 680 Dubai 610 Cairo 393 Kozhikode 564 Amman 788 Jeddah 792 Madinah

Time 00:05 00:20 00:20 00:40 01:00 01:15 01:25 01:50 01:55 02:00 02:00 02:05 02:30 02:30 02:55 02:55 03:05 03:10 03:10 03:15 03:30 03:30 04:00 04:10 04:25 04:55 05:05 05:15 05:20 05:20 05:35 05:45 05:55 06:05 06:05 06:20 06:25 06:40 07:00 07:45 08:20 08:40 08:45 09:05 09:05 09:30 09:30 09:40 10:00 10:00 10:40 10:40 11:05 11:15 11:15 11:30 11:55 12:30 12:40 12:50 12:55 13:00 13:10 13:40 13:45 13:50

CLX QTR FDB FDB SVA KAC GFA KAC KAC KNE KAC OMA UAE ABY KAC QTR FDB KAC KAC SVA GFA JZR JZR NIA UAE FDB JZR MSR QTR RJA OSJ KAC ABY KAC GFA KAC KAC KAC KAC MSR OMA QTR KAC DLH FDB KAC JAI KAC MEA ETD ALK KAC UAE GFA QTR JZR KLM NIA ETD AIC PIA JZR JZR JZR FDB JAI

784 1078 057 059 500 692 221 542 672 529 618 645 857 127 154 1072 051 662 118 510 215 777 325 251 875 063 177 620 1080 640 4112 746 123 502 217 778 674 514 168 618 647 1088 562 634 053 616 572 786 402 307 229 172 859 219 1082 125 415 151 309 987 239 241 185 555 071 574

Luxembourg Doha Dubai Dubai Jeddah Muscat Bahrain Cairo Dubai Jeddah Doha Muscat Dubai Sharjah Istanbul Doha Dubai Abu Dhabi New York Riyadh Bahrain Jeddah Al Najaf Alexandria Dubai Dubai Dubai Cairo Doha Amman Baghdad Dammam Sharjah Beirut Bahrain Riyadh Dubai Tehran Paris Alexandria Muscat Doha Amman Frankfurt Dubai Bahrain Mumbai Jeddah Beirut Abu Dhabi Colombo Frankfurt Dubai Bahrain Doha Bahrain Amsterdam/Dammam Cairo Abu Dhabi Chennai/Hyderabad Sialkot Amman Dubai Alexandria Dubai Mumbai

13:55 14:10 14:20 14:20 14:30 14:30 14:40 14:45 14:50 14:55 15:00 15:35 15:45 15:50 15:55 16:10 16:25 16:35 17:00 17:15 17:30 17:45 17:50 17:55 18:00 18:10 18:20 18:30 18:50 18:55 19:00 19:10 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:45 19:50 19:55 20:05 20:10 20:35 20:40 20:45 20:50 20:50 20:55 21:15 21:20 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:40 21:45 22:00 22:05 22:10 22:10 22:15 22:25 22:35 22:45 23:15 23:20 23:45 23:50

Airlines AIC FDB ETD JAI MSC BBC KLM MSC KAC DLH AXB ETH PGT UAE KKK OMA THY FDB MSR ETD KAC QTR LMU QTR JZR FDB THY KAC THY JZR KAC GFA KAC KAC KAC KAC PXA KAC BAW FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC ABY UAE KAC ETD IRC FDB QTR SVA KAC KAC GFA IRA RBG SYR JZR KAC MSC MEA MSC JZR OSJ MSR AXB

Departure Flights on Tuesday 8/11/2016 Flt Route 976 Goa/Chennai 072 Dubai 920 Abu Dhabi 573 Mumbai 406 Sohag 144 Chittagong 411 Amsterdam 412 Asyut 417 Manila 635 Frankfurt 396 Kozhikode 621 Addis Ababa 859 Istanbul 854 Dubai 6505 Istanbul 644 Muscat 765 Istanbul 068 Dubai 613 Cairo 306 Abu Dhabi 167 Paris 1077 Doha 5511 Cairo 1087 Doha 560 Sohag 070 Dubai 6376 Dubai/Istanbul 153 Istanbul 771 Istanbul 164 Dubai 541 Cairo 212 Bahrain 773 Riyadh 787 Jeddah 171 Frankfurt 563 Amman 104 Sharjah 679 Dubai 156 London 054 Dubai 117 New York 691 Muscat 791 Madinah 101 London 126 Sharjah 856 Dubai 671 Dubai 302 Abu Dhabi 6508 Shiraz 056 Dubai 1071 Doha 513 Riyadh 617 Doha 501 Beirut 214 Bahrain 674 Lar 554 Alexandria 342 Damascus 776 Jeddah 661 Abu Dhabi 404 Asyut 405 Beirut 402 Alexandria 176 Dubai 4111 Baghdad 611 Cairo 394 Kozhikode

Time 00:05 00:40 00:45 00:50 01:00 01:30 01:35 01:55 02:00 02:55 02:55 03:05 03:35 03:45 03:55 03:55 04:00 04:05 04:10 04:10 04:25 04:40 05:00 05:50 06:05 06:30 06:35 06:50 06:50 06:55 07:15 07:15 07:30 07:45 07:55 08:00 08:00 08:10 08:40 08:55 09:00 09:00 09:00 09:35 09:45 09:55 10:05 10:10 10:30 10:35 10:40 11:00 11:10 11:15 11:25 11:40 11:55 12:00 12:05 12:05 12:15 12:55 13:30 13:45 14:00 14:00 14:10

UAE JZR KAC KAC FDB FDB KAC PAL KAC CLX GFA QTR SVA KNE KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC ETD ABY OMA JZR FDB KAC KAC QTR JZR UAE KAC SVA GFA JZR NIA FDB JZR UAE MSR QTR RJA ABY GFA KAC KAC MSR OMA KAC KAC QTR DLH FDB DHX JAI KAC KAC KAC ETD KAC MEA ALK GFA KAC KAC UAE ETD NIA QTR KLM PIA

872 324 561 673 060 058 785 669 513 713 222 1079 501 530 745 777 554 283 357 304 128 646 240 052 615 343 1073 538 858 331 511 216 184 252 064 124 876 621 1081 641 124 218 361 543 607 648 205 345 1089 634 054 171 571 351 783 413 308 203 403 230 220 381 301 860 310 152 1083 415 240

Dubai Al Najaf Amman Dubai Dubai Dubai Jeddah Dubai/Manila Tehran Hong Kong Bahrain Doha Jeddah Jeddah Dammam Riyadh Alexandria Dhaka Kochi Abu Dhabi Sharjah Muscat Amman Dubai Bahrain Chennai Doha Cairo Dubai Trivandrum Riyadh Bahrain Dubai Alexandria Dubai Bahrain Dubai Cairo Doha Amman Sharjah Bahrain Colombo Cairo Luxor Muscat Islamabad Ahmedabad Doha Doha Dubai Bahrain Mumbai Kochi Jeddah Bangkok Abu Dhabi Lahore Beirut Colombo Bahrain Delhi Mumbai Dubai Abu Dhabi Cairo Doha Dammam/Amsterdam Sialkot

14:15 14:25 15:00 15:00 15:05 15:10 15:15 15:20 15:25 15:25 15:25 15:40 15:45 15:55 16:00 16:00 16:10 16:15 16:20 16:20 16:30 16:35 17:15 17:25 17:35 17:40 17:40 17:45 17:45 18:00 18:15 18:20 18:40 18:55 19:05 19:15 19:30 19:30 19:50 19:55 20:05 20:15 20:35 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:25 21:30 21:35 21:35 21:50 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:10 22:15 22:15 22:15 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:45 22:45 22:55 23:05 23:10 23:20 23:20 23:35

34

stars CROSSWORD 1424

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) This workday flows along without too many problems. Your evaluation of matters as well as the decisions you make today will be clear and focused. There could be a slowdown in transportation, but confirmation of schedules should help assuage this situation. There is much communication with friends and family this afternoon. Someone is getting married or having a baby. Plans could be in the works for a party. With a love of authority figures, plus an appreciation for authority and your elders in general, you are welcome at most any social scene. You may find yourself involved in a golf game, tennis or other similar sport activity this afternoon. Not only do you enjoy all sorts of sportsñyou enjoy the chatter with friends.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Being practical and conscientious is of special importance this day. Sorting things out and getting them organized efficiently keeps you busy. You may adopt a more unconventional appearance or manner of communicating and expressing yourself to others. You have a most remarkable insight and you are a clever inventor. Others sense your concern over their welfare and you may not be able to escape the positive admiration that comes your way because of your need to make people or things work well together. Someone may take you to lunch or do a favor without expecting reciprocation. Others appreciate your kindness. Your friendships, partnerships and other relationships mean a lot. They are primary sources of strength and support.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. A white native of Cape Province who is a descendant of Dutch settlers and who speaks Afrikaans.

5. Tropical African and Indian herbs.

12. The part of the nervous system of vertebrates that controls involuntary actions of the smooth muscles and heart and glands.

15. The capital of Western Samoa.

16. Shed light on.

17. The last (12th) month of the year.

18. (printing) A short line at the end of the main strokes of a character.

20. Of or in or relating to the nose.

21. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

22. White Southerner supporting Reconstruction policies after the Civil War usually for self-interest.

24. American professional baseball player who hit more home runs than Babe Ruth (born in 1934).

26. A seat for one person, with a support for the back.

27. A deep orange-red variety of chalcedony.

29. Of the insects in the chrysalis (cocoon) or post larval stage.

32. In bed.

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

38. (prefix) Within.

40. (biology) Of unlike parts or organs.

41. Earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something.

42. Meat from a calf.

44. South American armadillo with three bands of bony plates.

45. A member of the extinct Algonquian people formerly living in northern Indiana and southern Michigan.

48. A large vase that usually has a pedestal or feet.

49. (Akkadian) Father of the gods and consort of Tiamat.

50. A literary language of Chinese Turkestan (named for one of the sons of Genghis Khan).

52. A colorless odorless gaseous element that give a red glow in a vacuum tube.

54. An independent agency of the United States government responsible for collecting and coordinating intelligence and counterintelligence activities abroad in the national interest.

55. The ball-and-socket joint between the head of the femur and the acetabulum.

59. Person who does no work.

62. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (trade name Clinoril).

65. A temporally organized plan for matters to be attended to.

69. An infant that is born prior to 37 weeks of gestation.

70. Large long-armed ape of Borneo and Sumatra having arboreal habits.

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

74. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.

75. The positive fractional part of the representation of a logarithm.

77. Perennial herb of East India to Polynesia and Australia cultivated for its large edible root yielding Otaheite arrowroot starch.

78. Usually large hard-shelled seed.

79. Pertaining to the tiny air sacs of the lungs.

80. A white linen liturgical vestment with sleeves.

DOWN 1. Having or denoting a low vocal or instrumental range.

2. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

3. A genus of Mustelidae.

4. A wheeled vehicle adapted to the rails of railroad.

5. A neutral middle vowel.

6. Angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object).

7. (legend) Chalice used by Christ at the last supper.

8. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.

9. Improper or excessive use.

10. A city in the European part of Russia.

11. (trademark) A thin polyester film.

12. The sixth month of the civil year.

13. (Babylonian) God of wisdom and agriculture and patron of scribes and schools.

14. The act of scanning.

19. Shah of Iran who was deposed in 1979

by Islamic fundamentalists (1919-1980).

23. The branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively.

25. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River.

28. A port city in southwestern Turkey on the Gulf of Antalya.

30. Not fully developed or mature.

31. Asian rat snakes.

33. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

35. The capital and largest city of Mozambique.

36. A drug (trade names Atarax and Vistaril) used as a tranquilizer to treat anxiety and motion sickness.

37. Rupture in smooth muscle tissue through which a bodily structure protrudes.

39. A metrical unit with unstressed-stressed syllables.

43. A landlocked desert republic in northcentral Africa.

46. Of or relating to or supporting Islamism.

47. Being two more than ninety.

51. A unit of area (4840 square yards) used in English-speaking countries.

53. A severe or trying experience.

56. The sound of sheep or goats (or any sound resembling this) v 1.

57. (Jungian psychology) The inner self (not the external persona) that is in touch with the unconscious.

58. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

60. East Indian tart yellow berrylike fruit.

61. Moth having nonfunctional mouthparts as adults.

63. Relating to the Urdu language.

64. A small shelter for domestic animals (as sheep or pigeons).

66. Plant with an elongated head of broad stalked leaves resembling celery.

67. The lower house of the parliament of the Republic of Ireland.

68. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

71. The former capital and 2nd largest city of Brazil.

72. The sign language used in the United States.

76. A state in the western United States.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

Ambition and the desire for status can get a little out of touch with reality.

Stay focusedñattend to the normal duties and then you will see where you can be of benefit and move forward. Business opportunities that include conferences and lectures may open new possibilities. Circumstances can throw you into positions where you must use your mind and deal with communications, service or enclosed hidden interests. You may deal with education, psychology, spiritual enlightenment or the teaching of principles and techniques. This afternoon a friend may interest you in a competition sport that is good for your mind as well as your body. You may enjoy setting up a regular schedule for this activity. Learn ways to increase your energy level.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You are practical as you deal and work with others and you may also be able to help others see the practical side of issues. You know just what to do and can act quickly and accurately. You have wonderful creative ideas and when you are feeling brave you will do well to put your idea on paper, date it and unveil the item for all to see when the time is right. Your career could open up by taking up different methods than the usualñnew approaches. You may be especially dynamic and assertive just now. There is a lot of energy available for whatever needs to be accomplished.

Penetrating analysis, particularly with a group in relation to work or community projects, may be in order soon. You evaluate some group choices this evening.

Leo (July 23-August 22) After a little too much breakfast, you might decide to park further away from your office this morning. The power of organization on a social scaleñbusiness, political and suchñseems to come to your attention today. It is as if ambition and authority are answers in themselves, rather than only a means to an ideal objective. This can lead to duplicity and confusion; proceed with care. Your intuitive powers are strong and can be used successfully as you choose methods and make important decisions. This afternoon you may enjoy a visit to the library to check out a special book or movie that you have been waiting so long to absorb. This evening, marriage contracts and partnerships are seen as keys to success and happiness and they are rewarding.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) If you go that extra mile, no one can block your way. Your potential for success is enormous and this is a lucky day as well. With all of this emotional energy, you could speak or communicate very well. You have a strong mental drive. Perhaps through teaching or guiding you will find yourself helping someone younger than you. You can demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the needs of a friend or stranger.

You are in a good position to communicate or guide others. This afternoon your friends may include you in some group activity. It is certainly a good time to be with your friends. This evening there is a kind of romantic wistfulness. This could mean a longing for a soul mate or a yearning to save the world.

Libra (September 23-October 22) You bring out your dream journals and try to figure out your latest dream.

A dream about your financial situation helps you to clarify some emotional issues that have been plaguing you lately. We sometimes tend to see our self-worth in terms of our net worth. You are at your most practical when it comes to dealing and working with others. You know just what to do in difficult or puzzling situations and you can act without letting emotions get in the way. You feel successful and able to solve problemsñquick answers, great wit and a surplus of insights and solutions are at the ready. Good advice from a guide or older person may help you to see that you will soon be able to make your financial dreams come true. A visitor gives you compliments.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You should feel like a million this morning. You have a lot on your mind and you want to accomplish as much as possible. It seems there is one more problem, meeting or deal that is pending and the work keeps coming. There are, however, no disappointments this day. A long-term project needs a new sense of vigor and it is up to you to provide it. Envisioning it finished could be one way to breathe life into it. It is such a stressed out world that a new dance routine, a music concert or a comedy club is a great way to relieve tensions and enjoy the celebrations that come with this very special day.

This evening brings about the perfect end your birthday. Close relationships become a focus for much of your energy tonight. Happy birthday!

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You try to right a wrong today and feel better for having made the effort. A business contact wants to build a friendship with you and as you get to know more about each other, you discover you have many things in common drawing you together. You are in a good position to communicate concerning groups and society in general. This is a perfect time to be assertive and to move forward with your career decisions. You have all the drive and energy you could want, and it should be easy to channel. The path is open and clear. Donít be afraid to let others, especially your loved ones, know that you need a little attention. Your accomplishments are your self-image, rather than your personality. Get out-of-doors today, rain or no rain.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) This morning you may find yourself unusually motivated or driven in new and unexpected directions. You could receive backing and, in general, your efforts are successful. There may also be an opportunity to teach one or more new employees, or to be available for answering questions they may have. New and unexpected emotions may surface. It may have occurred to you that a little extra income would be nice for the upcoming holiday season. An opportunity to tutor is available and you consider the work as it is temporary. A loved one may want a gift that you cannot afford; however, with a part-time job, you can get that perfect gift if you want. It is easy for you to find the proper path to help you make dreams real.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You know exactly what you are doing, but it may take longer than you think to accomplish your tasksña lot of interruptions prevail, most of the day. You have a quick wit and may have to resort to using your wit just so the tension is eased somewhat. Expect a sense of support and goodwill from those around you. This is a time of much energy and drive, perfect for wading through the interruptions that come your way. Exercise is a necessity today and if the weather is acceptable get outside and walk. Your mind runs to humanitarian values and thoughts of what could and should be improved upon. Ideas connected with group work and goals making your inner vision real are natural. Community work just may naturally be in the forecast.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) An easy, calm day should find everything running smoothly. Ideas and interaction with authority figures or older people may be in the forecast. Working withñrather than againstñthe flow should be easy for you to do, but perhaps not for someone older than you. Lightning fast when it comes to the business deal, you seem to have direct insight into what is worthwhile as well as worthless in a situation. You will find a way to cut through the red tape and get at what is important. Be patient when working with the senior members of your firm; you will want them to see the worth of your presentation and that will take thorough, clear and patient communication. You work through all that is superficial, no matter what kind of sacrifice.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

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Netherlands Antilles 00599

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Burundi

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0044

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Panama

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Costa Rica

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Papua New Guinea 00675

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Paraguay

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Cuba

0053

Peru

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Cyprus

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Philippines

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Cyprus (Northern)

0090392

Poland

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Bneid Al-Gar

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Shaab

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00687

Qibla

22459381

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Mirqab

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Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Czech Republic

00420

Portugal

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Maidan Hawally

25623444

Denmark

0045

Puerto Rico

001787

Diego Garcia

00246

Qatar

00974

Bayan

25388462

Djibouti

00253

Romania

0040

Mishref

25381200

Dominica

001767

Russian Federation 007 Rwanda

00250

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22630786

Ecuador

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00290

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24810221

Egypt

0020

Saint Kitts

001869

El Salvador

00503

Saint Lucia

001758

24770319

England (UK)

0044

Saint Pierre

00508

New Jahra

24575755

Equatorial Guinea

00240

Saint Vincent

001784

West Jahra

24772608

Eritrea

00291

Samoa US

00684

Estonia

00372

Samoa West

00685

South Jahra

24775066

Ethiopia

00251

San Marino

00378

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00239

Faroe Islands

00298

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Fiji

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Finland

00358

Senegal

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France

0033

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00284

French Guiana

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00232

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00421

Jahra

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Ardhiya

24884079

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24892674

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Dominican Republic 001809

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Gambia

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Fintas

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Germany

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Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan DrAdrian arbe

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Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

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Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

SPECTRUM

Hollywood Film Awards:

De Niro, Portman support Clinton on eve of election W

ith the presidential election less than two days away, several celebrities used Sunday’s Hollywood Film Awards to stump for Hillary Clinton. The eventwhich host James Corden jokingly called “the last awards show before the apocalypse” honored some of the biggest names in film, including Matthew McConaughey, Natalie Portman, Tom Hanks, Mel Gibson, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Robert De Niro. Despite the looming election, the mood inside the Beverly Hilton ballroom was light, not tense.

Corden opened the show with a few political jokes. “This year they brought back ‘Star Wars’ with a female lead. They rebooted ‘Ghostbusters’ with a female lead. And I pray to God they reboot the Clinton presidency with a female lead,” he quipped during the monologue.

“Bernie Sanders is here tonight,” Corden announced. “I’m joking, I’m joking. I just wanted to see the look of terror on Clint Eastwood’s face.” Throughout the night, the A-list attendees stressed the importance of voting. DiCaprio, who shared the Hollywood documentary award with Fisher Stevens for their eco-film “Before the Flood,” called the lack of discussion about climate change by both Clinton and Donald Trump “completely unacceptable.”

“It is an issue that has been willfully ignored and disputed for corporate profits, political capital, and short term personal gains,” the actor explained. “Even in our own presidential and vice presidential debates-our most widely viewed stages for the issues that define our future-not one question on climate change was asked. That is completely unacceptable.”“All of us need to act ... let’s all use our power as citizens and do the right thing. Please vote this Tuesday,” he added. “Vote for people who believe in the science of climate change.” Stevens made an even clearer endorsement. “On Tuesday, let’s dump Trump,” he said to the cheering audience. De Niro, winner of the Hollywood comedy award, started his acceptance speech with humor, but quickly got serious.

Frightening election “It’s two days to a frightening election. And the shadow of politics is hanging over us whether we like it or not. And it’s hard for me to think of anything else. So let me just lay it out right here. We have the opportunity to prevent a comedy from turning into a tragedy,” the veteran actor warned. “Vote for Hillary Tuesday.” Stars from the other end of the political spectrum stuck to their scripts. Eastwood (who spoke at the Republican National Convention back in 2012) introduced Hollywood actor award winner Hanks without making a political statement. Hollywood director award winner Gibson, a noted conservative, praised his “Hacksaw Ridge” cast and crew in a short speech, and avoided talking about the election. Even Susan Sarandon, who openly endorsed Green Party candidate Jill Stein over the weekend, kept her introduction of the Hollywood actress award winner solely about its recipient, Portman. Portman’s subtly supported Clinton in her acceptance speech. “We have obviously heard so many crazy things that have been said about women this year politically. And to women. I feel so lucky to be part of this film that is about a woman who was known first for being a wife, but then really became someone who could be recognized on their own merits,” the actress said about Jackie Kennedy, who she portrays in “Jackie.”

The awards show ended on an upbeat note, with Eddie Murphy taking home the career achievement award. The night’s other big winners were Nicole Kidman (Hollywood supporting actress award for “Lion”), Hugh Grant (Hollywood supporting actor award for “Florence Foster Jenkins”), Naomie Harris (Hollywood breakout award), and Lily Collins (new Hollywood award). Attendees enjoyed desserts throughout the night. —Reuters

Eddie Murphy accepts the Hollywood career achievement award at the 20th annual Hollywood Film Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation, from left, Paige Butcher and Eddie Murphy arrive at the 20th annual Hollywood Film Awards. —AP/AFP photos

Tom Hanks accepts the Hollywood actor award.

Tom Hanks, left, and Clint Eastwood attend the press room at the 2016 Hollywood Film Awards.

Winners of the Hollywood Film Awards:

Actor Hugh Grant, recipient of the Justin Timberlake accepts the ‘Hollywood Supporting Actor Award’ for Hollywood song award.

‘Florence Foster Jenkins’, speaks onstage.

Actress Natalie Portman, recipient of the ‘Hollywood Actress Award’ for ‘Jackie’, (left) and presenter Susan Sarandon speak onstage.

Actress Nicole Kidman, recipient of the Janelle Monae accepts the spot‘Hollywood Supporting Actress Award’ light award. for ‘Lion’, speaks onstage.

Nicole Kidman, left, and Dev Patel attend the press room.

Career achievement: Eddie Murphy.

Actor: Tom Hanks, “Sully.”

Supporting actor: Hugh Grant, “Florence Foster Jenkins.”

Actress: Natalie Portman, “Jackie.”

Supporting actress: Nicole Kidman, “Lion.”

Comedy: Robert De Niro, “The Comedian.”

Breakout performance: Naomie Harris, “Collateral Beauty” and “Moonlight.”

New Hollywood: Lily Collins, “Rules Don’t Apply.”

Spotlight: Janelle Monae, “Hidden Figures.”

Ensemble: Matthew McConaughey, Edgar Ramirez, Bryce Dallas Howard, “Gold.”

Song: “Can’t Fight the Feeling,” Justin Timberlake.

Blockbuster: “The Jungle Book.”

Animation: “Zootopia.”

Documentary: “Before the Flood,” Leonardo DiCaprio, Fisher Stevens.

Director: Mel Gibson, “Hacksaw Ridge.”

Breakthrough director: Tom Ford, “Nocturnal Animals.”

Producer: Marc Platt, “”La La Land,” “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,”“The Girl on the Train.”

Screenwriter: Kenneth Lonergan, “Manchester By the Sea.” Cinematography: Linus Sandgren, “La La Land.”

Film composer: Mychael Danna, “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk” and “Storks.”

Editor: John Gilbert, “Hacksaw Ridge.”

Visual effects: Stephane Ceretti and Richard Bluff, “Doctor Strange.”

Sound: Christopher Boyes and Frank Eulner, “The Jungle Book.”

Costume design: Albert Wolsky, “Rules Don’t Apply.”

Makeup & hair styling: Shane Thomas, Angela Conte, Bec Taylor, Noriko Watanabe, “Hacksaw Ridge.”

Production design: Wynn Thomas, “Hidden Figures.”

SPECTRUM

Presenter Leslie Mann (left) and actor Robert De Niro, recipient of the ‘Hollywood Comedy Award’ for ‘The Comedian’, speak onstage.

Actress Naomie Harris, recipient of the ‘Hollywood Breakout Actress Award’ for ‘Moonlight’, speaks onstage.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

Lily Collins, left, speaks to presenter Warren Beatty as she accepts the new Hollywood award.

Lily Collins accepts the new Hollywood award.

Naomie Harris, left, and Lenny Kravitz attend the press room.

Honoree Justin Timberlake, Hollywood Song Award recipient, and actress Anna Kendrick pose in the press room.

OSN serves up a 7- week Bond spectacular on its new dedicated 007 channel James Bond fans will find themselves in 00-seaven this November

F

(From left) Honorees Edgar Ramirez, Matthew McConaughey, Bryce Dallas Howard and Stacy Keach, Hollywood Ensemble Award recipients for ‘Gold’, pose in the press room.

Producer Leonardo DiCaprio (left) and director Fisher Stevens, recipients of the “Hollywood Documentary Award” for “Before The Flood” speak onstage.

Tom Ford accepts the Hollywood breakthrough director award.

rom 7th November, for seven weeks on OSN Movies HD 007, fans will have the complete action-packed catalogue of James Bond movies at their fingertips. The dedicated channel by OSN, the region’s leading pay-TV network, marks the first time that all 24 blockbuster movies have appeared together in one place at the same time and all in stunning HD. The Bond binge-watching will take viewers on a journey from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig through such timeless classics as Dr No, Moonraker, Goldfinger and the most recent hit movie, Spectre.

In keeping with the comprehensive fan service on offer, OSN delivers many feature presentations for Bond zealots.

These include the short-lived Casino Royale TV show and the fascinating Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007 - a documentary that traces the vast and intricate history of the world’s greatest spy. OSN On Demand and OSN Play users will also be able to plunge into the iconic character’s world of espionage anywhere and at any time they like.

To mark the occasion, OSN has also teamed up with the Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style exhibition, which opens in Dubai on 13th November at The Annex, Burj Khalifa.

The exhibit will allow aficionados to get up close to over 500 original pieces of James Bond paraphernalia including the Aston Martin DB5 from Golden Eye and a tuxedo worn by none other than the charismatic, Roger Moore.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

lifestyle A W A R D S

Justin Bieber wins 3 MTV EMA Europe music awards

J

ustin Bieber’s “Beliebers” helped turn him into the biggest winner Sunday at the MTV EMA European music awards. Again. Bieber, who carried away the most silverware at the MTV EMAs last year with five awards, won Best Song this time around for his smash “Sorry,” and also took away the title of Best Canadian Act. His army of so-called Beliebers earned him his third crown of the night, Biggest Fans, in online voting via Twitter and Instagram that closed shortly before the show started. Bieber was one of the many winners on the night who did not attend the show.

Just two days ahead of the U.S. presidential election, veteran punk rockers Green Day closed the raucous show with their anti-establishment anthem “American Idiot.” “It is nice to be out of America just for a second because of this horrendous election that is going on right now,” lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong said. The band was honored with the MTV Global Icon Award, but lost out to Twenty One Pilots in the Best Live category and to Coldplay in Best Rock. Twenty One Pilots also won the Best Alternative category.

Lady Gaga, also among the absentees, won Best Female and Best Look. The awards were colored purple this year to honor the late Prince.

“Prince, we will always miss you,” presenter Bebe Rexha said early in the show as purple spotlights crisscrossed the Ahoy arena in Rotterdam.

Shawn Mendes gave his mom a shoutout after winning the Best Male category.

“My mom’s birthday is today, so happy birthday mom, I love you,” Mendes said. Another Canadian took Best Video, with The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk winning for Starboy. Dutch DJ Martin Garrix kept the home crowd happy by picking up two awards - Best Electronic and Best World Stage - and teamed up with Rexha

In this Nov 7, 2015 file photo, Justin Bieber arrives at the Cannes festival palace in Cannes, southeastern France. — AP photos to perform a duet of “In the Name of Love.”

Rexha also provided one of the more surreal performances of the night by singing her single “I’ve Got U” while dancing on and around a giant faux-fur letter U, complete with eyes that followed her moves.

After a rainy day in Rotterdam, OneRepublic got soaked by a man-made shower on stage while performing their new song “Let’s Hurt Tonight.” Beyonce was tied with Bieber for the most nominations - five - leading into the awards show, but was shut out. Queen Bey was

Singer Lady Gaga poses for the photographers in front of her new album cover during a photo call to promote the album “Joanne” in Tokyo.

in good company; Britain’s Adele was up for four awards, including Best Song for her single “Hello,” but also failed to pick up a single prize.

On Saturday, the Kings of Leon kicked off the MTV EMA weekend in Rotterdam with an intimate gig at the Dutch city’s Old Luxor Theater.

Playing a mix of old favorites and tracks from their recently released album ‘Walls’, the US musicians entertained a packed crowd that included “Game of Thrones” actress Sophie Turner who was dancing in the aisles with singer and actor Joe Jonas. — AP

Shawn Mendes poses with The Best Male and The World Wide Act awards backstage, at the MT V European Music Awards 2016 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Shawn Mendes performs during the MTV European Music Awards 2016.

Green Day perform on stage.

Zara Larsson, left, is presented with best newcomer award by Jaden Smith.

Canadian singer Shawn Mendes (left) and Swedish singer Zara Larsson receive the World Wide Act award.

Netherlandsí DJ Martin Garrix receives the award for Best Electronic Award.

Deepika Padukone poses for photographers backstage.

BulgarianCanadian actress Nina Dobrev poses backstage.

Actor Idris Elba presents an award on stage.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

lifestyle A W A R D S

Presenter Bebe Rexha, sits, during the MTV European Music Awards.

DNCE performs during the MTV European Music Awards 2016.

The full list of the winners at the MTV European Music Awards Best song Justin Bieber - Sorry Best female - Lady Gaga Best male - Shawn Mendes Best video - The Weeknd ft Daft Punk - Starboy Best live act - Twenty One Pilots Best new act - Zara Larsson Best pop act - Fifth Harmony Best rock act - Coldplay Best UK and Ireland act - Little Mix Best push - DNCE Best look - Lady Gaga Best world stage - Martin Garrix Best electronic - Martin Garrix Best hip hop Act - Drake Best fans - Justin Bieber Global icon - Green Day

(From left) Jack Lawless, JinJoo Lee, Joe Jonas and Cole Whittle of US band DNCE pose on the red carpet at the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA).

Winnie Harlow poses for photographers backstage.

Denmarks’ band Lukas Graham performs on stage.

US band Kings of Leon performs at the MTV Europe Music Awards.

US band OneRepublic performs on stage.

Netherlands’ DJ Afrojack and singer Fais perform on stage.

Tinie Tempah poses for photographers backstage.

Justin Bieber wins 3 MTV EMA Europe music awards

38

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

Hostesses pose for photograph during the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) ceremony in Lagos Sunday. 82-year-old Cameroonian vibraphone and saxophonist Manu Dibango, was recognized for making tremendous contributions to African music, especially for developing a music style fusing jazz, funk and traditional Cameroonian music. The All Africa Music Awards is designed to recognize and reward artiste who have given African music the most creative competitive edge in the global market within the year under review. — AFP

Nigerian artists keep sculpture in the family

Nigeria’s first female bronze caster Princess Elizabeth Olowu (right) poses with eldest daughter Peju Layiwola, also an artist and art historian in her living room in Benin City. — AFP photos

P

rincess Elizabeth Olowu, 77, sits on the sofa in her small living room, rubbing bronze sculptures with lemon juice to make them shine. Her eldest daughter Peju Layiwola, 49, is showing off her latest contemporary art sculptures on the screen of her Apple laptop. “Now I have evolved to other materials but I started with bronze,” she explains. “It was easier for me, my mother already paved the way for females to be bronze casters.”

It was bronze art that made the reputation and the fortune of the ancient royal kingdom of Benin, whose history dates back nearly 1,000 years and which is now located inside southern Nigeria. In days gone by, only kings could own sculptures, which typically represented former monarchs or creatures such as birds and wild animals. A lucrative trade with Portuguese merchants was disrupted by the arrival of the British in 1897, who assimilated the kingdom into Nigeria.

‘Sculptures everywhere’ Olowu lives in a faded house in Benin City, now the capital of modern-day Edo state.

There’s little in the property to indicate her royal childhood other than large dusty photographs of a young girl in sumptuous headdresses decorated with pearls. Olowu’s father was king Akenzua II, who ruled between 1933 and 1978. She grew up in the splendor of the palace with her father’s eight wives and his many children. “As a child, I saw sculptures, shrines, bronzes, everywhere in the palace,” she recalls. “Art was part of the life of the people, through singing, dancing... I started with mud but I always wanted to cast bronze. “My father gave me the go-ahead. He knew I was very adventurous.”

Artist and art historian Peju Layiwola answers journalists’ questions in Benin City.

A supportive father In Benin City, superstition had it that if a woman went into a foundry-particularly when she was menstruating-she would cause an accident. “Or if she’s pregnant, the child will turn into bronze and will never come out,” says Olowu, sitting straight-backed on her sofa. But she said Akenzua II was a man ahead of his time and always encouraged the education of all of his children, particularly his daughters.

Supported by her father, then by her husband, Olowu quickly made a name for herself across southern Nigeria as the country’s “first female bronze founder”. Her works only feature women-typically pregnant or surrounded by children, always naked and with great sensuality. Nudity wasn’t an issue in the kingdom.

Princes and princesses were traditionally swathed in a simple white cloth, often barechested, wearing long coral necklaces.

Ancestral art Olowu describes herself as a feminist. She gave birth to eight children but always kept working, even when she was pregnant, she says. Her daughter, Peju Layiwola, smiles. For her, feminism is more defined by women’s rights. She has also cast bronze in the form of women’s bodies, albeit with simpler and more modern lines.

But the contemporar y ar tist-who has exhibited in Dresden and Madrid and has her own art foundation in Lagos, Nigeria’s financial capital-now focuses on using fabric with her sculptures.

With a doctorate in art history from the University of Lagos, Layiwola teaches and curates at national museums, and remains faithful to the art of the kingdom of her ancestors. She has also fought for the return

of the “Benin Bronzes”, which were stolen by the British during colonial times and which largely remain in museums overseas.

One of her most recent pieces is a large mural in sculpted metal. “I wanted to mix

Halloween pumpkins are covered with snow in Hinterzarten, southern Germany yesterday.

— AP

Nigeria’s first female bronze caster Princess Elizabeth Olowu, 77, cleans her bronze sculptures with lemon juice in her living room.

Greek mythology and Yoruba mythology,” she says, flicking through photographs on her computer. “ Their Zeus is equivalent to our Armariolum. The mermaid has also a similar

meaning.” Olowu dusts her sculptures to give them their original shine.

“She is very close to her work, so I don’t try to convince her to sell it anymore,” whispers her daughter. — AFP