25th Sep

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

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New SARS-like virus emerges in Mideast Mystery illness kills Saudi • Qatari man critically ill in UK

KUWAIT: Opposition supporters and MPs stage a protest opposite the National Assembly yesterday. (Inset) MP Waleed AlTabtabaei is seen at the rally. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Kuwait braces for key verdict

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: Opposition activists and lawmakers yesterday gathered in Irada Square opposite the National Assembly on the eve of a decisive verdict by the constitutional court on the validity of the electoral law. MP Waleed AlTabatabaei said protesters will march to the Palace of Justice after spending the night in the square. MP Falah Al-Sawwagh said 20 MPs had visited HH the Amir and informed him about rampant corruption in the state in detail, “but nothing took place”. “We said the same in the diwaniyas and did not get any result,” he charged.

Sawwagh said corruption is rife in Kuwait, and

lamented that the 2012 Assembly won by the opposition was annulled after the (2009) “Assembly of bribes” was dissolved and the government was ousted. “We put the priorities of the Kuwaiti people on top of our priorities but the Assembly was annulled. We tried in this Assembly to table legislations that serve people, but now they are trying to change the constituencies although this should be done by the next National Assembly following clean and fair elections based on the current law,” he demanded.

MP Khalid Al-Tahous labeled the government as weak, adding that “the government does not represent us”. He said the constitutional court is a political court and elec-

tions will be conducted according to the five constituencies and four votes per person despite those who agree and those who do not. Tahous also revealed details of investigations by the 2012 Assembly in the multimillion-dinar foreign transfers scandal. He said we summoned the secretary of the prime minister’s diwan who said “(former PM) Sheikh Nasser told us to transfer sums to our embassies in Geneva, London and New York. My role is to obey the sheikh’s instructions”. Tahous said the government wasted around KD 2 billion in support of corruption and the corrupt in the form of KD 1.2 billion in subsidized diesel, KD 800 million in the Shell contract, KD 456 million in transfers and KD 55 million in deposits to bribe-taking MPs.

Max 42º Min 28º High Tide 06:10 & 20:42 Low Tide 13:27

LONDON: The World Health Organisation issued a global alert yesterday for a new SARS-like respiratory virus which left a man from Qatar critically ill in a London hospital and killed at least one more in Saudi Arabia. The 49year-old Qatari was admitted to an intensive care unit in Doha on September 7 suffering from acute respiratory infection and kidney failure before being transferred to Britain by air ambulance on Sept 11, the WHO said. A Saudi Arabian national died earlier this year from a virtually identical virus, the WHO said, while Saudi medical authorities said they were investigating other possible cases of the disease.

The WHO confirmed the illness was in the coronavirus family but was not SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which swept out of China in 2003, killing more than 800 people worldwide. “This is a new virus,” WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told AFP. “We haven’t heard of any more new cases. We don’t have an appreciation of how widespread the virus is,” Hartl said. “This is one reason why we’re trying to get more information.

We don’t know how it’s transmitted.” The WHO said the Qatari first fell ill on Sept 3 after visiting Saudi Arabia.

Britain’s Health Protection Agency confirmed the presence of the new coronavirus and then found that it was a 99.5 percent match with a virus obtained from the lung tissue of a 60-year-old Saudi man who died earlier this year. Coronaviruses are causes of the common cold but can also include more severe illnesses including SARS. In Riyadh, the health ministry revealed that a total of three people, including the Qatari man, had been diagnosed with the virus after spending time in Saudi Arabia, according to state media. The other two later died. The ministry said it would continue to “follow developments” linked to the disease “in coordination with international health organisations,” adding that “these are rare cases and the situation is reassuring”.

Continued on Page 13

Ahmadinejad blasts Israel Israel has ‘no roots’ in Mideast, will be ‘eliminated’

Obama ignores Israel ‘noise’ on Iran nukes UN slams Israeli rights abuses

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Muslims hold placards as they shout slogans during a protest against an American-produced anti-Islam film outside the US embassy yesterday. — AP

Free speech ‘red lines’ feed Muslim film rage DUBAI: In US-funded ads running on Pakistani T V, subtitled clips show President Barack Obama extolling America’s traditions of religious freedom.

For many watching, though, the message misses the mark in efforts to calm the Islamic outrage over a film denigrating Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

America’s free speech laws and values of openness are not in question, but rather there is confusion and anger over how

they are applied. A powerful theme binding the protests from Indonesia to Africa is the perception that the US codes of free speech are somehow weighted against Islam - permitting the Internet video that insults the faith but placing clear limits on hot button issues such as hate speech, workplace discrimination and even what is acceptable on primetime network TV. Continued on Page 13

WASHINGTON/GENEVA: US President Barack Obama likened Israeli pressure on him to draw a line in the sand over Iran’s nuclear ambitions as noise he tries to ignore, according to remarks aired Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently urged the United

States to establish what he called a “red line” regarding Tehran’s nuclear program beyond which the United States would be compelled to act. Iran insists its uranium-enrichment activities are for civilian energy-producing Continued on Page 13

Dozens held after Saudi jail protest JEDDAH: Security forces yesterday detained dozens of men who had staged a protest near a prison in central Saudi Arabia to press for the release of relatives, demonstrators and a rights activist said. The arrests were made after police had confined the protesters, who included women and small children, to a desert area outside the prison where they were kept without food or water for nearly a

day, protesters and activists said. It was a rare demonstration in the world’s biggest oil exporter, where protests are banned.

Saudi Arabia, which has been a target for Al-Qaeda attacks, say the protesters’ relatives are all being held on security grounds. But activists say some are also held for purely political activity and have never been charged. An Interior Ministry Continued on Page 13

NEW YORK: Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gestures as he attends the high level meeting on rule of law in the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters yesterday. — AP NEW YORK: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday disregarded a UN warning to avoid incendiary rhetoric and declared ahead of the annual General Assembly session that Israel has no roots in the Middle East and would be “eliminated”. In remarks to reporters in New York, he also said he does not take seriously the threat that Israel could launch a military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, denied sending arms into Syria, and called economic conditions in his sanctions-hit country “not as bad as they are portrayed”.

Continued on Page 13

in the

news

Brahimi sees no quick end to war in Syria UNITED NATIONS: UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi said yesterday he sees no immediate prospect for an end to the Syrian civil war. “There is no prospect for today or tomorrow to move forward,” Brahimi told reporters after briefing the UN Security Council on his recent talks with Syria’s President Bashar Al-Assad.

Brahimi said he had told Assad and others in Syria that there had to be “change” but acknowledged that for the moment there was a “stalemate” and he had no full peace plan to offer. “There is no disagreement anywhere that the situation in Syria is extremely bad and getting worse, that it is a threat to the region and a threat to peace and security in the world,” Brahimi said. The envoy, who took over from Kofi Annan as international envoy on Sept 1, also appealed to the divided 15-nation Security Council for united backing for his efforts. “If I do not represent the entire council then I am nothing,” Brahimi said.

Iran tests home-built anti-aircraft system TEHRAN: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said it test fired yesterday medium-range surface-to-air missiles designed to knock attacking aircraft out of the sky at a range of 50 km. The test of the new defence system, called Ra’ad (Thunder), was successful, according to a statement published on the Guards’ official Sepahnews website. The Taer-2 missiles used in the Ra’ad system are domestically made and “more advanced” than the Russian-made Buk family of anti-air missiles, the Fars news agency reported. Examples of the missile were displayed at a military parade in Tehran on Friday. An Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander, Brig Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, said at the military parade that: “The system has been manufactured with the aim of confronting (hostile) US aircraft. The Ra’ad air defence system is the first completely indigenous system of the Sepah (Revolutionary Guards).”

398 unescorted Nigerian women held in Jeddah SOKOTO, Nigeria: Nigerian officials said 398 Muslim women pilgrims traveling to Makkah were temporarily held at a Saudi Arabian airport for traveling without male relatives. A spokesman for Nigeria’s National Haj Commission said Saudi authorities held the Nigerian women between Thursday and yesterday at King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah. Spokesman Uba Mana said the women were allowed to proceed with their pilgrimage yesterday following diplomatic intervention.

He said Saudi authorities held them for not traveling with a male relative due to a “communication gap”. He said an agreement between the countries exempts Nigerian women from requiring a male relative to escort them during the haj pilgrimage, which costs about $4,000 per person. All able-bodied Muslims who can afford it are expected to perform haj at least once in their lives.

France to take Qatari cash for troubled ‘burbs PARIS: France’s Socialist government will let gas-rich Qatar invest millions of euros to foster business creation in depressed suburbs, a move critics say is an admission of defeat and grants far too much influence to the Gulf state. President Francois Hollande’s government, under pressure to create jobs in suburbs where unemployment sometimes exceeds 40 percent, plans to unblock the funds thanks to a compromise it hopes will soothe concerns from critics. A source close to Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg said the plan was for the government and French companies to match or exceed Qatar’s investment of €50 million ($65 million), for a total of at least €100 million. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen said Qatar - a tiny state with sharia law - was only investing in immigrant-heavy suburbs to spread Islamic ideas among Muslim youths.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

LOCAL

Small businesses face host of problems Bureaucracy tops the list

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Besides the regular problems in business with customers and products, small businesses owners are facing obstacles with the bureaucracy in Ministries and state authorities. They also complain about different problems that delay their work and demand more resources.

One of the most annoying and difficult obstacles are the limited number of employees for work, as set by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor. “I wonder how the Ministry issued such a regulation? They definitely have no idea about the nature of our work and needs. They only allowed me to have five workers and I need at least seven to finish my work on time, especially after my business has grown and I receive more cars daily,” Salah, a 29-year old partner of a car wash station in Shuweikh, told the Kuwait times.

The Ministry has also set other conditions for employing staff. “To limit expats coming to Kuwait, the Ministry is forcing us to hire those employees already working in the local market, unless they are university graduates.

Now, all the workers know this information so they have demanded increases in their salaries. So, if before they were receiving KD 80, they are now getting 120, which became the standard in our business. And if I need to bring in other workers, I have to attract them with even higher salaries, which becomes expensive for my business. Besides, there is no office in Kuwait to search in providing workers for me,” he pointed out.

“With respect to all nationalities, you know that the qualification and level of the Bengali or Indian worker is not on the level of the Filipino. And for KD 150 I can bring a professional technician from the Philippines, which most suits my needs and business, as I’m providing a high standard of services,” explained Salah. According to Salah, there is no equity in applying rules. “The small businesses owners are oppressed, since they don’t have wasta.

The law is not applied to the big companies, who can bring any number of employees they need. Also, the number of employees was set randomly by the Ministry. For instance, the car wash on my right side has 10 employees while the one on my left side has a limit of

five, although we all are in the same business field,” he added.

“There are even many more problems with other authorities and we are facing bureaucracy in paper work at the municipality, the Ministry of Commerce, the Public Authority for Industry, Civil Information and many other offices. If I could go back, I would not choose to operate this business,” concluded Salah.

Mohammed Al-Naki is a Kuwaiti businessman who is also suffering from the problems of hiring manpower. He decided to find a way to benefit from solar and wind energy as a hobby. He fixed wind energy fans at his house in Salwa, and this attracted people who are passing from the Mesila bridge on Fahaheel Road. The shortage of manpower is the biggest obstacle facing Al-Naqi’s business.

“I suffer from the public bureaucracy and some unfair rules. I understand that the government has issued strict rules for importing manpower, as there are people trading with laborers and human trafficking. On the other hand it is unjustified as I need to bring in technicians from outside and they don’t allow me to do so,” he added.

Man held for armed robbery attempt

By Hanan Al Saadoun KUWAIT: The operations department and patrolling officers at Ahmadi governorate set up check points and closed areas in the governorate as they attempted to apprehend a suspect involved in a failed armed robbery.

Governorate security said that suspect was arrested after he tried to flee from a checkpoint.

Officials further said the suspect has been previously arrested for stealing, and after searching his car police found a gun with six bullets. Other items found by police included a gun bag with two bullets inside it, two screwdrivers used for breaking into and stealing cars, three gold rings, 11 mobiles, clothes, perfumes, various electronic equipment, as well as several knives. The witness who reported the theft was later able to identify the suspect, who was sent to concerned authorities along with the materials found with him. Ahmadi security officials stressed that their campaign shall continue until they have arrested all outlaws.

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti drug trader pictured after his arrest.

KUWAIT: The items confiscated from the armed robber yesterday. well as using them, and based on this information, permission was received to arrest the suspect in his apartment. Officials said they found hashish in different sizes and some pills, as well as a small quantity of “Shabu” drugs and paraphernalia for using drugs. The Kuwaiti man confessed to possessing the drugs for his own use and for selling. He was sent, along with the confiscated drugs, to the concerned authorities.

Drug trader Drugs enforcement officers arrested a Kuwaiti man on charges of having 1.250 kilograms of hashish, along with other drugs. Earlier information was received about the suspect’s selling drugs as

KUWAIT: A number of high school teachers staged a sit in outside the Ministry of Education’s building yesterday, in protest against a decision to separate teachers from their children in the same school. The teachers complained that the decision affected them and their children negatively, and also questioned their integrity. Assistant Undersecretary for Public Education Mohammad Al-Kandari released a statement reasserting that the decision is final.

— Photo by Fouad Al-Shaik

INFO, planning secretariat general join WEF sponsors KUWAIT: The Ministry of Information and the Supreme Planning Councilís Secretariat General have joined the sponsors of the GCC Women Economic Forum (WEF), which will be held today and is entitled, ‘GCC Women and Investment Opportunities.’

The event has been organized under the aegis of Sheikhah Ayeda Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah.

The General Manager of the Leaders Group and the Head of the Organizing Committee, Nabila Al-Anjeri thanked the Sheikh Minister of Information Sheikh Abdullah Mohammed Abdullah AlMubarak Al-Sabah, his Undersecretary Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud and the Supreme Planning Council represented by Minister of State for Planning and Development Dr. Rola Dashti. ‘Those two sponsors are a symbol of the government’s support for the forum, which will establish Kuwait’s reputation as a leading GCC country in PR, women rights and as far as GCC’s investment and economic activities are concerned,’ she said. Al-Anjeri also thanked the other sponsors that included the INTREPRENEUR magazine, GOOD HEALTH magazine, published by

Mohammed

Nabila Al-Anjeri

Sheikhah Entisar Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, the UNIDO, CBK, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Kuwait Financial Center, the Gatehouse Bank, KPC, KSPDC and KAC. Various GCC and foreign delegations participating in the forum have already started arriving for the inauguration slated for 9:00 a.m. this morning at the AlThuraya Hall in Kuwait’s J.W. Marriott Hotel.

Al-Anjeri also thanked all GCC and Kuwaiti media sponsors for the forum, including the Al-Watan, the Al-Qabas, the Annahar and the Al-Anbaa newspapers.

Filipina worker wrongfully terminated

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KUWAIT: A cleaning company’s employee, who was working at a hospital and had not been properly vaccinated by her employer, was terminated after the company’s malpractice was revealed to the Ministry of Health.

The cleaning company, which has been blacklisted as an employer by the Philippine government, provides workers to hospitals, and fired Filipina Lizel Masucol Bores, who accidentally pricked her finger with a used needle while performing her duties at a private hospital in Kuwait. Following the incident, Lizel was forced to leave Kuwait on Friday evening after what she termed as an “illegal termination,” and expressing her apprehension for her personal health. The company, which had initially given an appointment to this reporter, later refused to give a statement at their headquarters in Subhan yesterday.

In a written response submitted to the Embassy of the Philippines, the company said that the employee had been dismissed for violating company rules.

However, before her departure, Lizel visited the Philippine Embassy and signed an affidavit stating her grievances against her employer and the circumstances surrounding her wrongful termination.

Workers and cleaners operating in hospitals are required by the Ministry of Health to be vaccinated against any form of disease, as they are dealing with sick patients every day. Doctors, nurses, administrative staff and other workers, including porters and cleaners are also required to be completely vaccinated for fighting Hepatitis, TB, and HIV. They are also given several shots of anti-flu vaccines, sources from the Ministry of Health told Kuwait Times.

“I told the doctor at the Mubarak Hospital that I had only been vaccinated with two Hepatitis shots. The doctor then told me that I should have been given a complete set of vaccinations, which are mandatory for hospital workers,” Lizel told The Kuwait Times. This, she says, was the primary reason for her termina-

tion. “My employer immediately terminated my contract. I will leave Kuwait with a heavy heart because I still haven’t repaid the loan I took for paying the placement fee to a recruitment company in Philippines,” she said, before boarding the plane to the Philippines on Friday.

Another employee working in the same company confirmed to this reporter that all his co-workers including himself were yet to be fully vaccinated.

Lizel arrived in Kuwait on November 3, 2011. She paid KD350 as a placement fee that enabled her to get a job in Kuwait. She hasn’t repaid the loan yet. “I got pricked on August 23. I went to the hospital on August 26. Hepatitis and HIV tests will be conducted after three months, which will be on November 26, since the incubation period for these diseases is up to three months,” Lizel stated. She argued that the company had fired her to avoid taking any responsibility for the incident. She said, “They terminated my contract immediately.”

However, Lizel’s reunion with her family back home only after 10 months will not be a happy affair. “I don’t want to go home now, because I need to repay the loan first. Besides, what if I actually contracted a disease from the used needle? I was scheduled to be back at the hospital for Hepatitis and HIV testing, but how can I undergo those checks when they have already terminated my contract,” Lizel told the Kuwait Times. Besides illegal dismissal from work, Lizel cited other instances of the company violating its contracts. “We were made to work 16 hours a day without payment of overtime and our accommodation was really poor.

We had signed contracts to work for KD120 a month but we were actually only paid KD80. We are also asked by our supervisors to work 16 hours, which amounts to an additional eight hours, which remain unpaid; sometimes we received only KD2.6 as fee for the extra eight-hour duty,” she said.

The Philippine Labor Attache in Kuwait David Des Dicang, confirmed Lizel’s complaints and

promised to assist her further from Kuwait. “We already wrote a letter to her company and have informed them about Lizel’s complaints.

According to her she was illegally terminated because she reported the vaccination matter to the Ministry of Health.

The company responded and informed us that Lizel was terminated because of her many employment violations, which they have included in the response.

Lizel has denied these violations,” Dicang said. He added that the company had already been suspended since January 1, 2012. “We at POLO have written a letter to the POEA, asking them to investigate the company and the recruitment agency, because we have received repeated complaints from workers.

We receive complaints from Filipinos employed with this company almost every month,” he said.

They were already suspended from our list of legitimate companies and they cannot be allowed to employ Filipino workers at all. The company owner had told us that they need Filipino workers and that they could lose their contracts if they were unable to provide additional workers.

We told them, the company should only follow what is stated in the contracts. We’ve got many complaints from the workers, who also pointed out that many of the provisions in the new contacts are not implemented.” Dicang said, elaborating that, for example, the monthly salary should be above KD 120, but the workers were only getting paid KD80. They should work ideally be working only eight hours, but were made to work for 16 hours without overtime pay,” he said. “The company has refuted these complaints,” he said and questioned their stance by saying, “If these complaints are untrue, why are so many people complaining? The recruitment agency from the Philippines has also lost our confidence and if they violate rules again, they will risk suspension too.

Also, if they have charged more money than required, we will ask them to refund that money,” Dicang noted.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

LOCAL

Warba Bank kicks off tour of malls, universities KUWAIT: Warba Bank, the most recently opened Islamic bank in Kuwait, yesterday launched a nationwide tour of malls and universities in Kuwait. From Sept 24 to 29, a Warba Bank booth will be located at the 360 Mall, offering people an opportunity to learn more about the bank’s products and services. The booth will then move onto four other locations in Kuwait - The Avenues, Marina Mall, Kuwait University and Al Kout Mall before finishing in early January 2013.

Current and potential customers visiting the booths can learn more about the bank’s services, including its recently-launched ‘La T7aty’ campaign for salary accounts, which offers new customers instant valuable gifts, in addition to one or two chances to win a brand new Mini Cooper.

The booth also offers information on Warba Bank’s ‘Murabaha’ service, which meets the financing needs of customers with entire flexibility via basic monthly installments. The new Sharia compliant service allows customers to purchase goods and pay in easy installments within a period that starts from six months up to 15 years. The service includes house finance, construction and renovation, as well as consumer products such as boats and marine equipment, furniture, electronic appliances and cars, as well as other goods, and is available with competitive profit rates.

Customers can also learn more about Warba Bank’s nine banking cards, including the standard debit card, Lamar Card for ladies, Shabab Warba Card, Safwa Card for the affluent, and Tala Card for children, as well as its three types of credit cards: Classic, Gold and Platinum.

Furthermore, the booth offers information on the bank’s exclusive ‘My Box’ service from Posta Plus, which provides two local delivery addresses in the US and UK for all online purchases and regular mails.

Commenting on the booths, Adnan Salman Al Salem, Chief Retail Banking Officer of Warba Bank, said, “Warba Bank is committed to get closer to its customers and providing them with the highest levels of service and delivery. This tour of malls and universities is in line with our expansion strategy and will help us to communicate with the largest number of customers possible.” Customers can learn more about Warba Bank’s multiple services by visiting its branches, booths, or by calling 182-5555.

Warba Bank, an Islamic bank established by virtue of Amiri Decree, was officially registered in the Central Bank of Kuwait’s list of Islamic banks on April 5, 2010.

The State of Kuwait, represented by Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), owns 24% shares of the bank while the remaining 76% of shares, fully subscribed by the government, have been equally allocated to all Kuwaiti nationals. Warba Bank offers a range of customized Sharia-compliant services and solutions through its three divisions of Retail, Investment and Corporate Banking. Branching out in four strategic locations, Warba Bank has over 150 employees.

Arrested workers ‘safe, secure’: Indian embassy Laborers with ‘valid residency’ being released

By Sajeev K Peter KUWAIT: The Indian Embassy, Kuwait has officially sought the intervention of the Kuwait authorities in order to ensure the welfare and safety of more than 1,000 Indian domestic workers who were arrested in a flash police raid on Sept 19 in Kuwait, said Vidhu P Nair, Charge de’ Affaires here yesterday. “ We hope that all those arrested Indian workers with valid residency will be released soon,” he said, addressing a press conference at the embassy while briefing journalists on the action the Indian Embassy has taken following the arrest. According to local media reports, around 2,136 people were rounded up during the raid mostly in Bneid Al-Gar area on Sept 19, of whom majority are Indian nationals, especially from Rajasthan. The arrest of a large number of Indians has caused concern among the members of the Indian community, especially people from the state of Rajasthan. Though arrested included other nationalities also, some press reports suggested that the raid specifically targeted the Indians who form the largest expatriate community in Kuwait.

They also reported that the arrest highlighted the flaws in the sponsor system being followed in Kuwait.

Nair however declined to comment on the report, saying that the arrested

KUWAIT: Indian Embassy Charge de’ Affaires Vidhu P Nair (right), flanked by First Secretary (Information) Vinodkumar, addresses a press conference at the Indian Embassy yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat workers might have been working in the private sector while holding domestic residencies. “The Kuwaiti authorities did not provide us with any information before or after the raid. But our consular officers visited the deportation and detention centers and personally verified that the workers detained are treated well.” “There are around 650 workers

being detained in these centers. They are safe and there are no complaints or any cases of harassment. Also no worker has been deported so far,” Nair said.

He said it is premature to provide any number at the moment as the workers are held in 40 police stations in addition to the deportation and detention centers. He informed that he will hold talks

with the Interior Minister on the matter soon. “The embassy is also in close contact with the External Affairs Ministry back in India and the Rajasthan state government,” he informed.

Giving a detailed description on the action the embassy has taken, he said the consular officials visited Qadsiya, Rumaithiya and Daiya police stations on Sept 20 and met with 65 workers detained there. The officials collected available data about the detainees such as their names, sponsor names, telephone numbers, passport numbers etc.

Around 100 workers were released from these stations, he informed.

Similarly, they visited Salwa, Bayan, and Jabriya police stations yesterday.

According to him, all the 17 workers from Jabriya police station, 16 out of 17 from Salwa police station and 16 from Bayan police station were released. Similarly, 16 workers from Rumaithiya police station, 10 from Khaitan and 61 from Daiya were also released.

The Kuwaiti authorities were also calling in sponsors and asking them to take the workers back.

Nair said that the embassy is evolving a new attestation mechanism for screening newly-recruited domestic laborers from India. “However, the process will take a long way which will help eliminate the maltreatment of domestic workers,” he explained.

Scores of Bneid Al-Gar workers detained without ID checks KUWAIT: Around a 1000 persons, who were among the 2,136 arrested in Bneid Al-Gar last week during a crackdown against immigration law violators have been released from custody after the police found that they were living legally in Kuwait and had committed no violations, a local daily reported yesterday. The release of these innocent expats has given rise to speculations that the operation planned by the Ministry of Interior was in fact a random procedure, which lacked organization and advance planning.

Al-Qabas’ reporters met with several Bnaid Al-Gar residents, who indicated that the police had set them free after their sponsors provided documents proving their legal status, and complained against the arrests, which were carried out without first properly checking the victims’ identification.

Laal Sotar, an Indian national in his forties, said that he was arrested despite having a valid residenc y, because the police never bothered to check his status properly. He was released a day later, after his Kuwaiti sponsor personally arrived at the police station and provided a copy of his residency documents. Another person identified in police reports as ‘Dali’ explained that he was detained and kept in an overcrowded cell, which only had one bathroom, before he was freed by his sponsor. He added that many workers with legitimate documents were still in custody and waiting for their sponsors to arrive, even though they hadn’t committed any criminal offence.

Meanwhile, Ramin, an Indian national said that he had to spend 48 hours in jail without being told the reason behind his arrest. He added that he was released only

after his sponsor came to the police station bearing his identification papers. “I woke up in panic following a police raid in my building,” Ramin told Al-Qabas, adding that the police took him into custody without checking any of his IDs. Similar stories of arrests being made without making proper checks were narrated by several other Bneid AlGar residents, who considered themselves lucky for being released before the weekend. “Officers refused to release my brother, despite our providing documents that established his newly issued residency, and we were told to come back on Sunday,” Komar, a Bnaid Al-Gar resident stated in the newspaper report. Even though, his brother’s sponsor had also rushed to the police station after learning of his arrest, it was too late and his release could not be secured before the weekend.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

LOCAL kuwait digest

in my view

An Egyptian experience

Controversial Thoughts

By Waleed Al-Rujaib

By Alia Al-Hazeimi uring a recent visit to Cairo, I had a conversation with a friend which saw me expressing frustration from the extreme traffic problem at the Egyptian capital. The conversation dragged on as I expressed disappointment about how the Egypt that I know have changed so much, with cities filled with complex road networks and consumer lifestyle that adds to the suffering of the working class, while lacking libraries containing books of knowledge.

I was comparing between Egypt today and Egypt during the time I lived there as a college student nearly 40 years ago. After discussing the cultural and social changes in our countries, my friend suggested that I deliver a seminar to talk about Kuwait whose name is synonymous with culture and democracy in the Arab region.

I was given the opportunity during the seminar to talk about the history of Kuwait’s economy, society and culture. I explained the difference between Kuwait today and during the sixties and the seventies of the past century, mentioning the social and cultural changes that affected daily behavior and values. I noticed that the majority of people attending the seminar were professionals or educated people, and I was shocked to realize that some of them still believe that Kuwait is an invented entity and historically is part of Iraq. I attempted to correct this misconception by asking for a proof to support this theory - which none was able to provide - while giving names of books with high cultural and historical credibility to back up my point.

My attention was also caught by someone who used the term “democracy of Bedouins” during his speech. To be honest I wasn’t sure if he was trying to undermine Kuwait’s democratic experience with that term, or it was made with good intention. Meanwhile, another person argued that stating that demands for parliamentary work started in Kuwait since 1921 are exaggerated.

The seminar also addressed the Arab Spring; on which one man in attendance argued that the revolutions are created by America in order to allow Islamists to reach power. And while admitting that martyrs have fallen during the January 25 Revolution, he insisted that the situation is different in Syria where he said that the revolution “aims to remove the resisting regime of Bashar Al-Asad by the hands of armed Jihadist groups”. I know this is only one man’s opinion, but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that it would come from someone who claims to be educated.

Midway through the seminar, a group of people came inside who according to the seminar’s supervisor are unionists that arrived late because they were taking part in a demonstration to demand rights that they believe President Mohammad Morsi’s administration is attempting to obliterate. I noticed that their comments were more mature and reflected more political awareness compared to opinions expressed by the educated attendees. They even praised Kuwait’s unionist work, and expressed high deal of knowledge about what’s going on in Kuwait, Syria as well as Egypt. Furthermore, they showed great level of enthusiasm while expressing faith that their revolution against the Muslim Brotherhoods’ rule will be victorious.

This experience proved to me once again that workers are more aware, more eager and more optimistic than some educated people who still live in obscurity and despair. It also made me understand that these educated people never took part in the Tahrir Square demonstrations as part of the Egyptian revolution. — Al-Rai

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kuwait digest

Worst totalitarian regime

By Abdallah Al-Hadlaq hat did transpire out of the regional changes in most of the Arab countries that we witnessed over the past year and a half, and have these legitimate uprisings resulted in chaos and instability?

Maybe the most important result is the uncovering of the American-Persian (Iranian) partnership to divide the spoils, and reward the land of Persia (Iran) and present it with the price which includes Iraq, Bahrain, Syria, and Lebanon in exchange for Iran continuing its spreading of sectarian strife in the Arabian Gulf and Middle East.

Iran, which America handed Iraq over to at the end of 2011, is protecting the most dangerous mission in the way of liberating Iraq and spreading sectarian chaos, stealing its natural resources, killing its scientists, and changing many of the moral, social, intellectual, and cultural characters of Arab societies by taking advantage of poverty, backwardness and discrimination. It also changed the traditional stability of the Arab Maghrib (North African) countries into major trouble where sectarian strife is playing an increasing role day after day.

Persia, with all the factors of danger and animosity in it, must be brought back to size, not just having its nails clipped. Our battle as Arabs with Persians is a battle of existence and identity and freedom of generations, not just a battle of borders, because Persia, which was overwhelmed with the feelings of victory when it isolated Iraq, then destroyed it, developed an appetite for expansionism and the wish to control, and always wave its military nuclear project to support its extortion capabilities, both locally and internationally. So, is it enough to only clip Iran’s nails and will the true rescue of our nation from its catastrophes that were caused by the Persian danger and influence be fulfilled that way?

The rescue of the Arab nation from Iranian arrogance will not be achieved, and the fiercest and most dangerous Iranian attack on Arabs will only be stopped by removing Persia’s claws and its cronies in the Arab and Gulf countries and the enemy Trojan horses that are waiting for the Iranian orders to jump all over us in non-stop operations as long as Iran remains able to cause deep wounds with its claws. So how will we remove the Persian claws to guarantee its inability to

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By Dr. Mohammad Al-Moqatei iven the increasingly deliberate actions practiced by certain individuals and parties around the world to provoke Muslims by insulting Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), I believe that the best way to face this is through the international legal system.

Arab and Muslim governments are today required to act on top international forums, especially with the United Nations, in order to come up with an international treaty that protects identities of communities and religious beliefs and develop a treaty that classifies religious insults as an international crime for which violators can be brought to trial in local and international tribunals.

Iconoclasm is a crime punishable by international law, even if it happens during times of war. I believe that protecting religious beliefs and identities of communities isn’t less important than protecting religious symbols.

Some countries have laws that criminalize anti-Semitism or offending ruling figures. A recent example of that happened when the United Kingdom took efforts to stop publishing revealing pictures of Princess Kate Middleton, prompting several countries, including France, to issue orders against publishing them. In my opinion, protecting religious beliefs and cultural identities of societies is more important than that.

That’s why I believe an international agreement to protect the religious and cultural identity of countries and communities is important. It would provide international protection that prevents violent reactions that otherwise happen as a result of a lack of criteria to stop offensive actions against religious beliefs. The treaty would further help take legal actions in a civilized manner that would prove to be effective in deterring insults so that no excuse will be left to justify people responding violently.

Turkey and Egypt did the right thing by taking legal actions against the people who offended the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This is, indeed, the safest way to deal with this issue.—Al-Rai

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hurt the Arab nation for many centuries, and maybe forever? The decisive and frank answer is that victory should start in Iraq by kicking Persia out, and that can be achieved by the Arab Iraqi resistance and its Sunni Kurds in Iraq’s Kurdistan, and then we move to the other choice, which is the destruction of one or more of Iran’s centers outside Iraq in Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan, Gaza, West Bank, Bahrain, Qateef and others. If the Persian presence in Iraq is dealt a severe blow that weakens the morale of its traitors, and coincides with targeting its military and political centers outside Iraq, then Persia will not be able to fight two major battles at the same time, and in both cases the spearhead will be the Iraqi resistance with all its Arab, Kurd, Assyrian and Kaldonian factions.

Launching an all-out war on the Persian influence centers in Iraq, Bahrain, Qateef, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and Yemen is the goal of the Arab National liberation movements, and their basic mission is to abort the Persian plan that is trying to uproot the Arab identity of Iraq and other Arab countries, especially now that Persia announced that the Emirati islands are forever Persian, Bahrain a Persian province and that the Arabian Gulf is also Persian! And that Persia is in control of the Arabian Gulf region.

In the latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (August 30, 2011) it was proven that the activities of Persia to enrich uranium did not stop but, rather, was accelerated in the Fordo and Parsheen facilities and that the quantity of enriched uranium increased from 145kg to 255kg, an increase of more than 75%, and diplomatic efforts that took place in April 2012 failed due to Iran’s continued stubbornness.

Efforts by the council of the IAEA on December 9, 2012 also failed because of Iran’s stubbornness and they must again bring Iran before the Security Council.

Whoever calls for including Persia in the talks to solve the Syrian problem is mistaken because Iran is part of the problem, not the solution, and because the fascist Zuradishti ruling regime in Tehran is the worst totalitarian regime in the world and supports the criminal Bashar Al-Asad in his annihilation of the Syrian people.

kuwait digest

kuwait digest

Protecting communities’ identities

love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion, and it is the spirit.” Khalil Gibran.

It took me two hours of thinking after reading this quote, thoughts regarding God, religion and current events that are shaping the world we live in today. I found these elements are quite challenging, although they seem as our motives for doing goodness and spreading kindness in the world. Unfortunately the opposite is happening more often, many of these elements are being shaped into other “forms” or to be more specific, tools.

Throughout centuries, religion and politics walked hand- in- hand and seemed to be inseparable, although there were many attempts to prove otherwise. But these attempts were caught between a rock and a hard place.

In simple English, the definition of “religion” is ‘a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.’

And politics is ‘The activities associated with the governance of a country or area and the total complex of relations between people living in society’.

If we blind fold these two terms, we would probably think they are both the same, they both aim to govern human affairs. The question that keeps crossing my mind is “was religion really a constitution? Therefore religious scriptures are politics?” and if it is yes then genocides and waging wars in the name of God is man-made?

Let’s forget about ancient history and take the crusades and on wards as examples. Weren’t all these campaigns made under the banner of “God Wills It?” How many recent wars and carnages were made against people due to differences of beliefs? Yet at the end of the day all these events are documented and observed by political entities!

Religion has a sanctified holy nature that is not “supposed” to be manipulated for achieving personal gains and most importantly should not be used to justify acts of violence. No religion in this world allows bloodshed and promotes war, and even if there is, it is what is known as acts of “retaliation”. However, is it really retaliation when all these conflicts are taking place in countries and parts of the world that know so little about anyone’s else religion.

Is it a lack of knowledge that led to “retaliation-like” conflicts? Or could it be that high authorities internationally did not take the time to understand other religions and show mutual respect? Isn’t respect the most basic code after believing in God in all religions?

Have we forgotten that “Peace” is a common ground for all religions and that we’re here to do good? Aren’t we obliged to respect each other’s religions without any kind of racism and hate? Aren’t we supposed to suppress all forms of aggression? After all, we are all human.

Don’t you agree?

Creating crises for political mileage

By Sami Al Nisf Politics is a normally like a game which delights the ear Sirs, Kuwait as a country still has to figure out the basic tenets of politics, which is evident in the way audience because of its unpredictability. But in Kuwait, this our national political arena has been functioning, game is already fixed in advance, and is run from beyond which is probably one of the worst in the world. The lack of the playgrounds, is pre-planned in such a way that audiunderstanding that is rampant in our political work has ence or rather the Kuwaiti public are made to cry and are resulted in many crisis and disasters, until we established a deserted in a way, which makes us a laughing stock in the monopoly on them. Contrary to our sorry state of affairs, eyes of our neighbors. As a result of our politicians practicour neighboring countries, who are living under similar cir- ing this particular brand of politics, we are always in the midst of some crisis or the othcumstances, but do not share er, which is more often than not our political beliefs have procreated to gain political gressed way ahead of us, leavIn the right kind of politics, mileage. Politicians feel proud ing behind a gap of at least four there are no permanent eneto make every dramatic decladecades. This has happened mies or friends. But in our case, ration they can about ending despite the fact that till a few the crisis, which in turn creates years back, these countries were our lawmakers are constantly a new one. But who decided lagging behind Kuwait. Do you bearing out their permanent that politics cannot be pracfeel that things have changed in ticed without creating a crisis our country? May be you are enmities in public and on the rather than solving it? wrong? way making new enemies.

In the right kind of politics, My dear, democracy is also While in advanced countries, there are no permanent eneabout harboring a deep belief in mies or friends. But in our case, opinions, but more importantly politics has been able to replace our lawmakers are constantly another person’s opinions. street-level discourses with bearing out their permanent Another person’s opinion could enmities in public and on the be wrong but possibly right as advanced and parliamentary way making new enemies. well, and your opinion could be dialogue, the exact opposite has While in advanced countries, right, but possibly wrong too. happened in Kuwait. politics has been able to Democracy is not about your replace street-level discourses personal opinions always being with advanced and parliamenright and never wrong and considering others’ opinions always wrong and never right. tary dialogue, the exact opposite has happened in Kuwait.

Real democracy is also a state, where even though your We discuss something as serious as amending the constituopinion might differ from someone else’s you are still will- tion with the frivolity of a street dialogue and legislate our ing to pay the price for following that other person’s opin- laws without giving them due consideration. So please explain to me as to which political dictionary has helped ion, even if it means sacrificing your life.

Politics, my dear, is the art of making the impossible you in developing your deductive powers.

Note: How can a man who cuts his nose or gouges his possible. But Kuwaiti politics has unfortunately transformed into something where politics mainly involves for- eyes out to make his wife angry be considered wise? At the mulating political policies that either allow you to forgive same time, where is the wisdom in threatening to rally on and forget or are based on hatred and doubt, or defaming streets and spreading confusion against a matter that does your opponents, even though they might be right and not hurt the country or pose any threat to the common man? —Al-Anbaa sometimes even if you are wrong.

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kuwait digest

Addressing unemployment

By Riyadh Al-Adasani uman development is crucial for a nation’s development and advancement. Governments were put in place for the people, not the other way around. The government’s role is to take care of its citizens and to improve services. Our government, however, lacks vision and a workable plan for the future. It has certainly failed to give importance to developing the country’s most precious wealth, which are its human resources.

Where is the government’s plan to tackle unemployment? The number of unemployed citizens in Kuwait has reached nearly 20,000 and continues to increase annually. In the meantime, the national labor law, which directs that 60 percent of staff members at banks and major companies must be Kuwaitis, has not been effectively enforced. The government should’ve forced these firms to abide by the law before offering them with a multibillion stimulus package during the financial crisis.

The government must have a clear vision that focuses on supporting its young citizens and building their future, because they make up 50 percent of our population today, and are the country’s future. Currently, there’s huge demand for state jobs, which is threatening the state’s budget and is expected to boost inflation, since Kuwait’s economy is completely dependent on oil prices.

This situation has left Kuwaiti youth facing a dark future, who have to sometimes wait for as long as two years before finding a job, while expatriates - with all due respect - have a job waiting for them even before they have left their home country.

Being close to young citizens, I can see how they suffer on account of the government’s policies, especially those of the Kuwait Municipality, the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.

Their hopes for starting their own businesses fade away as a result of the government’s own crippling demands.

Even the ‘e-government’ project is a mere slogan and far removed from the ground reality.

In order to address the unemployment problem, the government must improve the private sector in order to provide job opportunities for Kuwaitis. It should also enforce early retirement and create new jobs. The government must also allow young citizens to own industrial land and start businesses in the economic, handicraft, commercial and other fields. There’s no reason why the government cannot expand the current industrial land usage, because nearly 93 percent of Kuwait’s land area remains unutilized.

Land monopolies tend to kill the ambitions of young citizens and they need the government’s support for their projects and for ensuring that all their work-related procedures are facilitated. This essential support will help young citizens on the one hand and benefit the state on the other. —- Al-Qabas

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local

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Kuwait Times celebrates 51st Anniversary

Ziad Bou Jaber, Director of Sales Marina Hotel and Rana Nagi, Account Manager, ASDAA brought a cake to the Kuwait Times on the occasion of the newspaper’s anniversary.

Marketing and PR Executive at Movenpick Free Zone wished Kuwait Times a Happy Birthday with a cake.

Khadija Meftah, PR Executive at Movenpick Al-Bida’a Hotel (center) and Moustafa Sallam, Sales Manager Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al-Bida’a brought a cake on the occasion of Kuwait Times’ 51st anniversary. Adnan Saad, Marketing Director, Kuwait Times (right) received the gift on behalf of the Kuwait Times.

Yousef Khalid Al-Marzouq, Editor-in-Chief of AlAnbaa newspaper sent flowers to the Kuwait Times on the occasion of the newspaper’s 51st anniversary.

Saif Mohammed, General Manager Safir Hotel and Residences and Ahmed Al Saqer Marketing and Communications Executive wished Kuwait Times a Happy Birthday with a cake.—Photos by Joseph Shagra

Rana Mneimenh, Director of Sales and Marketing Swiss-Bel Kuwait Plaza Hotel (right) and Katrina Jarlos PR and banquet executive at Swiss-Bel Kuwait Plaza Hotel are seen with Saad after gifting a cake to the newspaper.

Flowers sent by Nadine Al-Alami, Country Manager ASDAA in Kuwait on occasion of Kuwait Times’ 51st anniversary.

Fares Hamed Al Majed, Director of Government Sales at the Sheraton Hotel has presented Kuwait Times with a cake.

Flowers sent by Waleed Kanafani, President of the International Advertising Association, Kuwait Chapter to Kuwait Times’ on the occasion of the newspaper’s 51st anniversary. Flowers were also received from Kanafani in his capacity of General Manager of MEC.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

LOCAL

KUWAIT: Inauguration of the Kuwait International Property Show in Mishref yesterday. —Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

Team to be set up for regulating Kuwait’s property market: Official KUWAIT: The Kuwait International Property Show was inaugurated yesterday in Mishref, under the patronage of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and was attended by the Ministry’s Undersecretary Abdul-Aziz Al-Khaldi. The event, which has been jointly organized by the Top Expo Group and the Kuwait International Fair company, will fea-

ture participation from 40 local and foreign companies as well as display around 100 projects from 15 different countries.

After first describing the exhibition as, “one of the most notable fairs” held annually in Kuwait, Al-Kandari indicated while speaking to reporters that the Ministry, “directly supervises real estate exhibitions to make

sure that visitors’ rights are protected.”

Asked about the Ministry’s efforts to regulate real estate prices, the official noted that this subject was affected primarily by supply and demand, but indicated that the Ministry plans to set up a team featuring representatives from different state departments for streamlining the real estate mar-

ket of Kuwait.

Meanwhile, Top Expo’s Chairman of the Board, Sheikh Malik Badr Al-Salman AlSabah recognized the exhibitions as, “one of the most highly awaited events in the year for Kuwaitis, given the lack of real estate fairs held in the country as well as the increasing demand for real estate products,

both local and foreign.”

Al-Sabah further commented in his speech at the fair’s inauguration that “this year’s exhibition offers a selection of new real estate opportunities available in safe and stable markets, which will be in line with the interests of investors in Kuwait and other Gulf states.”

KISR boosting cooperation with IAEA on renewable energy Vienna hosts annual conference VIENNA: The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) is keen on boosting cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on peaceful uses of nuclear technology, said the KISR director general yesterday. Dr Naji Al-Mutairi was speaking Sunday night, upon conclusion of the 56th annual session of the IAEA General Conference here. The KISR delegation had attended meetings of the signatories of the agreement of Arab States in Asia for Research, Development, and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology (ARASIA).

Dr Al-Mutairi said the discussions covered the ARASIA 2013-2014 agenda, priority projects for the 12-member states such as projects related to water and food security, as well as overall cooperation between ARASIA team and the IAEA Department of Technical Cooperation.

“Technical cooperation programs are the bases on which national capacities could be built and which guarantee transfer and development of peaceful-purpose nuclear technology to enable achievement of development goals. “KISR cooperation with the Asia and Pacific technical cooperation team resulted in execution of several projects approved for periods up to 2013. The IAEA meanwhile appreciates KISR contributions which benefited experts from Kuwait and the region and its participation in organizing workshops and training courses in Kuwait.”

The KISR chairman pointed out there was agreement on the need to sustain cooperation, and Al-Mutairi stressed the institute was ready to provide all that is needed for technical cooperation projects. The department, he pointed out, praised the five projects executed in Kuwait this year at a cost of euro 1 mil-

lion, and reviewed ideas for projects which could be executed in 2014-2015, seven in total. The meeting discussed mechanisms to plan such projects as of next year.

The KISR delegation and IAEA representatives also discussed research strategy in the field of peaceful nuclear technology and the need to consider the national requirements for construction of a nuclear research reactor.

With focus on improving national capabilities in concerned bodies through proper training and orientation programs, KISR also expressed readiness to cooperate with state bodies in the areas of detection of radioactive matter and accidents, smuggling of radio-active matter, and detection technology and equipment available today.

Giving more detail, Dr Al-Mutairi said that the officials discussed the project to equip Kuwait’s eight border ports with radio-active matter detectors, and that the IAEA noted the importance of the project and expressed readiness to provide whatever technical support needed. In addition, an expert from the IAEA is to visit the country in November to help plan a program to track and trace radioactive matter of doubtful or unknown origin in cooperation with the concerned Ministry of Health team.

Al-Mutairi added IAEA nuclear security experts were also invited for a visit in the first quarter of next year with the purpose of revising and giving an assessment of the State of Kuwait’s nuclear security plan and of planning a program for the next three years.

He said the KISR delegation also met with officials of the Comprehensive Nuclear-TestBan Treaty Organization, also based in Vienna, and discussed technical issues relating to the organization’s detection station in Kuwait, one

of 80 around the world. The organization praised the readings and the efforts at the station which is crucial to the proper function of the international network for detecting nuclear testing activity even at high-seas.

The KISR chairman noted the delegation held bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the IAEA sessions. He said he met with Tunisian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Moncef Ben Salem and discussed bolstering cooperation between the research bodies in the two countries. The discussions were mainly on nuclear research and reactors and on Tunisia’s renewable energy agency and how the expertise could be of use to KISR. “This last point is of great interest in view of KISR’s long-term strategies and considerable budget allotted to this field, particularly where solar and wind power are concerned,” the official stressed.

There was also a meeting with the Jordanian delegation, and talks held - in the presence of the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Austria and representative to international organizations based in Vienna Mohammad AlSallal - with head of the Jordanian Atomic Energy Commission Khalid Touqan on boosting scientific cooperation.

The Kuwaiti delegation to the 56th annual session of the IAEA General Conference was headed by Ambassador Mohammad Al-Sallal.

Along with Dr Naji Al-Mutairi, the delegation included the national liaison officer to the IAEA Dr Nader Al-Awadhi, Dr Anwar Al-Yahya and Advisor Tala Al-Fassam of the Foreign Ministry International Organizations Department, Health Ministry representative Samir Yagoub, Advisor Fawzi Al-Farh, and embassy officials accredited to international organizations in Vienna. — KUNA

Forum for modernizing Muslim university education kicks off KUWAIT: The regional forum for modernizing university education to match labor market requirements and activating Islamic Universities Business Network kicked off here yesterday. “Kuwait is paying great attention to the development of education and scientific research as they are the main pillars for development and progress of nations and societies as well as civilization creation,” Kuwait University President Abdullatif Al-Bader said in the opening the speech of the forum.

The two-day forum is hosted by Kuwait University and organized by Federation of Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW ) and the Islamic Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization (IESCO). “Unfortunately, the Muslim world’s contribution to technology and scientific research is meager despite all the economic, human and scientific potential it has,” Al-Bader lamented, stressing that this imbalance must be addressed soon.

For his part, Secretary General of the Kuwaiti National Commission for Education, Science and Cultural Organization Abdullatif Baijan hailed the forum for tackling a highly important topic for the Muslim World. “The forum aims to modernize university education in Muslim countries to match the contemporary requirements of the labor market and more contribute to the advancement, economic development of Muslim societies,” he said.

“It seeks to benefit from the world experiences to develop university education and research.” He also underlined the need for activating the ambitious project of the Islamic Universities Business Network. The Islamic Universities Business Network was launched during the 5th session of the General Conference of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW) held in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, on 12-14 May, 2011. The Network aims to promote the commercialization of technology and on developing innovationbased businesses. It will offer training programs and help better communicate science from university and research institutes to interested parties in the public and private sector.

Meanwhile, Director of the General Secretariat of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World Dr. Gharib Zahir Ismail underscored that the forum comes out of the deep belief in the importance of science for the future of the Muslim world. He pointed out that the forum will discuss the latest and best educational methods and techniques to better equip university graduates with the required qualifications and skills. “The forum will review a number of the best practiced examples of world universities in this regard,” Ismail said.

The forum will also discuss ways of linking universities, research institutions, civil society organizations and employers to identify the required skills on the market and train students on them and help provide job opportunities for graduates. Ismail thanked the University of Kuwait for their efforts to host this important forum. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Patrol officers blocked traffic on the Sixth Ring Road towards AlMiseelah yesterday following an accident involving a heavy-duty vehicle that lost balance and overturned. No injuries were reported.

—Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

Human trafficker in police custody KUWAIT: Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh detectives have freed 11 women held hostage by a male suspect, who has admitted to human trafficking. The operation was launched after the police received information that the kidnapped women were imprisoned inside an apartment in the area by a human trafficker. The Asian women told officers that they had been taken hostage after being kidnapped by taxi drivers. The human trafficker, also an Asian, was taken in custody and is currently being interrogated and asked to identify his accomplices before he is charged for his crime.

Prisoner escapes A police officer was detained, while another was released on bail, after a suspect in their custody managed to escape.

The two officers had been assigned to take an Asian woman to a court in Al-Riga’ie, where she was undergoing a trial on charges including forging passports and allowing fugitives to escape from Kuwait on the basis of forged passports. The woman disappeared mysteriously after she requested to go to the bathroom. The two officers were referred to the Public Prosecutor after reporting the incident, and have been charged with negligence, which led to the suspect’s escape.

Man disappears Jahra police are looking for a man accused of sexually assaulting his daughter.

Officers at Jahra police station were approached by an 18-year-old girl, who was accompanied by her mother and brother, to report that she had been subjected to repeated assault by her father at their house in the area. The victim reportedly decided to inform her mother, who resides at another house following a divorce from the accused, after her father repeatedly attacked her. The girl was taken to the forensic department and a search is

on for her father, who is still missing.

Teens in custody The Jabriya police have arrested three teenagers, who allegedly stormed an apartment and robbed it at knifepoint.

Investigations were initiated after the Filipino resident of the flat reported that three youngsters had entered his apartment and assaulted him physically, before stealing two cell phones, a laptop, KD500 and 300 Saudi Riyals in cash. Based on the descriptions provided by the victim, police detectives have identified the suspects as three Lebanese nationals aged between 16 years and 19 years, and placed them under arrest. They were taken to the concerned authorities for being charged after confessing to their crime.

Twitter hacker An MP filed a complaint at the AlDhahar police station recently, requesting an investigation into the identity of hackers, who breached the security of two of his personal accounts on Twitter. The MP resorted to police action after the second account that he had created following the first one getting hacked, also met with a similar fate. Investigations are ongoing.

‘Unmarried’ couple An Asian couple is likely to be charged after failing to provide a marriage contract following the woman delivering a baby at the Mubarak Hospital. Medical staff had called the police when the mother failed to provide a document proving she was married, while the man who hospitalized her and claimed to be her husband failed to do the same as well. The two were taken to the nearest police station, and later put in detention, pending an investigation into their illegal affair.

— Al-Anbaa, Al-Rai, Al-Watan

Green Line demands closure of UNDP office after KNPC deal

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait sponsored a ‘Back to School’ festival recently at the 360 Mall. The bank took the opportunity to introduce to people in attendance services including ‘My First Account’ available for children up to the age of 14.

KUWAIT: An environmental organization has demanded stricter state supervision of the activities of international organizations working in Kuwait, on the basis of knowledge of “suspicious deals” having taken place between the United Nations Development Program’s (UNDP) office and the Kuwait National Petroleum Company.

“The authenticity of the UNDP office in Kuwait has been questioned earlier as well, because of their history of aligning themselves with and receiving money from oil firms, which are guilty of being the largest polluters and violators of children’s environmental rights in Kuwait,” a statement issued by the Green Line NGO stated yesterday.

The NGO further accused the UNDP of violating international standards, “which state that UN organizations must never be a part of deals with bodies suspected of being involved in illicit activities in that country.”

The Green Line also announced the launch of a public awareness campaign, aimed at raising the demand for “closing the offices of international organizations that provide nothing to the Kuwaiti society,” as well demanding, “an assessment of the

performance and transparency in dealings” of the said offices. The group further argued that these offices have “remained open in Kuwait, despite the lack of political reasoning behind their being here and especially after the fall of the former Iraqi regime.”

The NGO also claimed that allowing these offices to remain functional in the country would result in huge financial waste that will have to be borne by the state budget. “The UNDP had prior knowledge before they entered this deal, that they were getting into business with an organization that lacks environmental integrity and has had a long history of environmental violations,” the statement noted, adding that Green Line “had even alerted the UNDP earlier that the integrity of their work in Kuwait will be damaged, should they receive any money from oil companies that contribute to increasing pollution levels in the country.” The Green Line pointed out that it holds the belief that none of the UNDP activities have had an actual positive effect on Kuwait, and demanded that the government ends any representation for the UN firm in the country.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Syrian children killed ahead of UN briefing

Britain, France, Germany call for new Iran sanctions Page 10

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CISTERNINO: The wreckage of a truck lies on the tracks in Cisternino, southern Italy, yesterday. Italian state railway officials say a high-speed train slammed into the truck at a railroad crossing, killing the train’s engineer and injuring four passengers. A railway spokesman, Marco Mancini, says the truck got stuck on the tracks and that the driver then abandoned the vehicle, making it to safety just before the Frecciargento (Silverarrow) train from Rome ran into it. — AP

14 sentenced to death for Sinai attacks Egypt govt will not tolerate attacks on army, police ISMAILIA: An Egyptian court yesterday sentenced 14 Islamists to death for attacks on security forces in the Sinai Peninsula, showing Egypt’s determination to put down militancy in a region critical to relations with neighbouring Israel.

The Jewish state has voiced concern about security in Sinai, where at least four cross-border attacks have taken place since President Hosni Mubarak was toppled in February 2011. The Islamist president, Mohamed Mursi, has made the issue a priority since he was elected in June.

Sixteen Egyptian border guards were killed in August, and hundreds of police and troops with tanks, armoured vehicles and helicopters have been sent to raid militant hideouts and seize weapons in an operation coordinated with

Israel. The court in Ismailia sentenced 14 members of the Tawheed wal Jihad group to hang for killing three police officers, an army officer and a civilian in attacks on a police station and a bank in the town of Arish in June and July last year.

Eight were tried in absentia, court sources said. Four other militants were sentenced to life imprisonment. “This court decision is a milestone. It gives a strong message to the militant groups that the state, President Mohamed Mursi’s government, will not tolerate attacks on the Egyptian armed forces and police,” said Nageh Ibrahim, an expert on Islamists who is himself a former militant.

The verdicts prompted cries from the accused. “Mursi is an infidel and those who follow him are

infidels,” shouted one. Others cried “God is Greatest” as they listened to the judge from inside their metal cage in court. The men all had beards and traditional white robes and some held Qurans. The prosecutor said that Tawheed wal Jihad (“Monotheism and Holy War ”) propagated a hardline Islamist view that allowed adherents to declare the head of state an infidel and to wage war on the government.

The same group was accused of carr ying out a series of bomb attacks in 2004 and 2005 against tourist resorts in South Sinai, in which 34 people died.

Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa, Egypt’s highest Islamic legal official, sanctioned the death penalty before it was pronounced.

“The accused wanted to spread corruption in the earth,” he said.

“They went out armed with deadly weapons, machine guns and explosives to target security forces ... all in the name of Islam. They therefore deserve the death sentence.”

Ibrahim, who was jailed during the 1990s but later became one of the leading Islamists to call for an end to violence against the state, said the verdicts would deter other militants from attacking Israel.

“Mursi’s government is adamant about stemming any attacks across the border because this will give Israel an incentive to reoccupy Sinai. Now is the time for development, not war,” Ibrahim said.

The US-brokered 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel sets stric t limits on militar y deployment in the Sinai, which is designated a demilitarised buffer zone. — Reuters

Cameron backs minister over ‘pleb’ swipe at police LONDON: Britain’s David Cameron backed a senior minister accused of ranting at policemen in public and calling them “plebs”, an oldfashioned insult laden with snobbery that has undermined his party’s attempts to shake off its privileged image. The tirade outside the prime minister ’s Downing Street office by Andrew Mitchell has embarrassed a Conservative party that is trailing in the polls and struggling to shore up its support at a time of recession, tax increases and spending cuts. While reports that Mitchell called the officers “morons” were embarrassing, more damaging was the report that he used the word “pleb”, a term that is rarely used by a middle or working class person but is soaked in upper class condescension.—Reuters

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

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Rafsanjani’s son detained on return from exile DUBAI: The son of Iran’s former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a founder of the Islamic Republic, was detained yesterday after returning from exile, accused of inciting post-election unrest in 2009.

Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani arrived in Tehran late on Sunday having spent three years in Britain following the widespread protests at the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The 43-year-old presented himself at court to hear the charges and face ques-

tioning. His lawyer was not allowed to be present, the Iranian Students’ News Agency reported.

Rafsanjani was then transferred to Tehran’s Evin prison after the court issued a temporary detention order, news agencies reported.

Analysts say Mehdi’s return could indicate a deal has been agreed with authorities to resolve the charges, and may signal a revival in the political fortunes of his father, a grandee of Iranian politics whose

star has waned since the election.

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a close aide to the late revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, has held most of the Iran’s top political positions, including parliament speaker, armed forces commander and president from 1989 to 1997.

But the pragmatic conservative’s power has waned since he expressed sympathy for opposition demonstrators after the 2009 vote that triggered the deepest political crisis and worst unrest in Iran

since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

However, as oil and banking sanctions bite, some are saying Rafsanjani could make a surprise comeback bid for the presidency at an election scheduled for June 2013. In a sign of his return to favour, Rafsanjani was photographed walking alongside Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at a Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran last month, and sat next to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

But the wealthy Rafsanjani family remains under pressure. On Saturday, Mehdi’s sister Faezeh, a former lawmaker and a women’s rights activist, began a sixmonth jail sentence for “spreading antistate propaganda”.

Faezeh was detained briefly in 2009 after addressing suppor ters of Ahmadinejad’s main election rival, Mirhossein Mousavi, who himself has been under unofficial house arrest since February 2011.— Reuters

Syrian children killed ahead of UN briefing ‘There are still people buried under the rubble’

JERUSALEM: Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert speaks to the press following a sentence hearing in his corruption case at Jerusalem’s District Court yesterday. A Jerusalem court handed Olmert a $19,000 fine and a suspended jail sentence for graft, meaning he will serve no jail time, Israeli media reported. — AFP

Israeli ex-PM spared jail in corruption case JERUSALEM: An Israeli court spared former prime minister Ehud Olmert a prison term for breach of trust yesterday, opening the door to a political comeback if he should want one. Dogged by corruption scandals as he tried to forge a peace deal with the Palestinians, Olmert resigned in 2008.

Though found guilty in July for approving projects that involved one of his long-time friends while in a previous cabinet post, he was acquitted of more serious bribery charges.

Jerusalem District Court handed Olmert a suspended one-year jail sentence and a 75,300-shekel ($19,225) fine.

The three -judge panel also decided against defining the crime as one of “moral turpitude” - a label that, along with significant time behind bars, might have prevented the 66-year-old centrist politician from returning to public office.

“I leave court today walking tall,” Olmert told reporters, without elaborating on his plans. After his conviction, Olmert, who described himself as guilty of a “procedural irregularity” rather than corruption, said he had no intention of re-entering politics.

The party he once led, Kadima, now heads the opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rightist Likud. The next election is due in October 2013, though it could be

brought forward over delays in passing the national budget.

Olmert is still fighting a separate bribery case over his role, as Jerusalem mayor from 1993 to 2003, in a controversial housing project. He has denied all wrongdoing in that case.

“This is not over,” deputy Israeli state prosecutor Eli Abravanel said after Monday’s sentencing.

Olmert voluntarily forfeited his government benefits as ex-premier after his conviction, which carried a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment.

That gesture helped to soften his sentence, said the Jerusalem court, adding that it had also noted “the great contribution made by the defendant to the country”.

The court’s rejection in July of key accusations that effectively brought down a sitting prime minister, who was suffering prostate cancer at the time, raised questions in Israel about whether prosecutors had been overzealous.

But many Israelis soured on Olmert over the costly and inconclusive 2006 war against the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. An opinion poll conducted immediately after July’s court verdict found 70 percent opposed to Olmert re-entering politics, with only 22 percent in favour.—Reuters

DAMASCUS: Regime forces pounded rebels claiming to control most of Syria yesterday ahead of a UN Security Council briefing by peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi on his talks with President Bashar al-Assad.

Ahead of the annual UN General Assembly starting today, the UN and Arab League envoy is set to brief the UN Security Council behind closed doors on his talks in Damascus. Brahimi discussed Syria with UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Saturday and both agreed that the 18-month crisis was “a steadily increasing threat to regional peace and stability,” a statement said.

Yesterday’s briefing comes a day after at least 82 people were killed in violence nationwide in Syria-among them 40 civilians-according to figures supplied by Britain-based watchdog the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Three children from one family were among five people killed in a strike by regime warplanes yesterday on the nor thern city of Aleppo, the country’s commercial hub that has been a focus for fighting since mid-July.

“Three children from the same family were killed when their building collapsed in Maadi district, which is located in the Old City of Aleppo, 600 metres (yards) from the citadel,” the Observatory’s Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. “There are still people buried under the rubble.” Battles raged overnight in Aleppo’s western districts of Jamiliyeh, Bustan al-Qasr, Furqan and in Zabdiyeh, while the army shelled rebel positions in Marjeh, Tariq al-Bab and Zabdiyeh, the Observatory said.

In Damascus, pre-dawn battles erupted in the eastern neighbourhood of Qaboon, said the watchdog, while northwest of the city, a large explosion rocked Qudsaya suburb after midnight.

The northeast suburb of Douma and farmland between Douma and nearby Harasta were also shelled overnight. On Sunday, regime aircraft hammered rebel strongholds as rebels said they now control most of Syria and have moved their command centre from Turkey to “liberated areas” inside the country. The air attacks focused on Homs province, Deir Ezzor in the east and areas of Damascus.

In Aleppo, rebels destroyed two fighter planes on the ground in Orm, a rebel commander told AFP. Residents in the village of Bianoun, north of Aleppo, told AFP that aircraft also hit a rebel house where a meeting was under way, destroying it and killing everyone inside. The report could not be independently verified.

Colonel Ahmad Abdul Wahab of the Free

Syrian Army said the regime’s aerial superiority was the only thing preventing the FSA from seizing the capital.

“We control most of the country. In most regions, the soldiers are prisoners of their barracks. They go out very little and we can move freely everywhere, except Damascus,” Abdul Wahab told AFP. On Saturday, the FSA said the next step would be to “liberate” Damascus. Nearly 80 percent of towns and villages along the Turkish border are outside the control of the authorities in Damascus, according to the Observatory.

In the capital, 20 government-tolerated opposition parties met on Sunday to discuss a solution to the crisis in the presence of the ambassadors of Russia and Iran, staunch allies of Assad’s government.

Raja al-Nasser of the National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change called at the meeting for an end to the “barbaric bombing” to move toward a political process that would “put an end to the current regime.”

According to the Obser vator y, at least

IDLIB: In this Sunday, March 11, 2012 file photo, a man carries a boy who was severely wounded during heavy fighting between Syrian rebels and Syrian Army forces in Idlib, north Syria. A new report by the British charity Save the Children documents atrocities in Syria’s 18-month-old civil war that have left thousands of children dead and many more traumatized. —AP

Israeli defense chief proposes WB pullout JERUSALEM: Israel’s defense minister called for a unilateral pullout from much of the West Bank in published comments yesterday, saying Israel must take “practical steps” if peace effor ts with the Palestinians remain stalled.

The comments by Defense Minister Ehud Barak appeared to put him at odds with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has resisted making any major concessions to the Palestinians in the absence of peace talks. Negotiations have been deadlocked for nearly four years. Netanyahu’s office declined comment.

Barak’s proposal is unlikely to be implemented, at least in the near term. Netanyahu’s coalition is dominated by hardliners who would be reluctant to embrace the plan. But Netanyahu is widely expected to call early elections in the coming weeks, and Barak may be trying to attract centrist voters to his par ty ahead of an upcoming campaign.

Speaking to the Israel Hayom newspaper, Barak called for uprooting dozens of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, but said Israel would keep major settlement “blocs.”

These blocs, home to 80 to 90 percent of the settler population, are mostly located near the frontiers with Israel proper, though one of them, Ariel, is located deep inside the West Bank . Barak also said Israel would need to maintain a military presence along the West Bank’s border with Jordan.

The remaining settlers would be given financial incentives to leave, or be allowed to remain in

their homes under Palestinian control for a five-year “trial period,” Barak said.

“It’s better to reach an agreement with the Palestinians, but if that doesn’t happen, we must take practical steps to start a separation,” he said. “It will help us not only in dealing with the Palestinians, but also with other countries in the region, with the Europeans, and with the American administration - and of course (will help) us.”

The proposal falls far short of Palestinian demands for all of the West Bank, along with adjacent east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, for a future inde -

pendent state. Israel captured the areas in the 1967 Mideast war, though it withdrew unilaterally from Gaza in 2005.

Sabri Sedam, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, rejected Barak’s proposal.

He said continued Israeli control of the settlement blocs and east Jerusalem would make the establishment of a Palestinian state impossible.

“The major settlement blocs separate the West Bank and confiscates east Jerusalem,” Sedam said. “These settlement blocs are not isolated populations. They are connec ted communities, passing through the Palestinian

JERUSALEM: In this Monday, Jan. 17 2011 file photo, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak attends a press conference in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem. Barak calls for a broad unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank if peace talks remain stalled, saying “practical steps” are needed to breathe life into the diplomatic process. — AP

29,000 people have been killed since the revolt against Assad’s rule erupted last year. The United Nations puts the toll at more than 20,000.

Because of international divisions over the 18-month-old conflict, the UN is holding no formal meeting on Syria at this week’s General Assembly.

But US President Barack Obama and Western leaders are expected to call for action in their speeches. Obama is one of the first speakers on Tuesday after Ban formally opens the annual gathering of world leaders.

Diplomatic wounds over Syria are not close to healing, however. Neither Russia nor China, which have three times vetoed Security Council resolutions on Syria, will be represented by a senior leader in New York.

Assad is expected to send his foreign minister, Walid Muallem. “Everyone will be thinking about Syria, talking about Syria, but there will be no decision and no major progress,” said one senior UN diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. — AFP

land, which kills any geographical contiguity for a Palestinian state.”

The 12 million people who live in Israel plus the Palestinian areas are roughly equally divided between Arabs and Jews, and the Arab birthrate is generally higher. In Israel proper, Jews make up about three-quarters of the population.

But when the Palestinian areas are included, Jews could soon find themselves a minority in Israel- controlled areas.

Dovish Israelis have cited this demographic argument for years as a key reason to pull out of the West Bank . Even Netanyahu has raised concerns about the demographic issue.

“We have not been a year or two in Judea and Samaria, but 45 years,” Barak said, using the biblical terms for the West Bank. “ The time has come to make decisions based not only on ideology and gut feelings, but from a cold reading of reality.”

But unilateral moves are extremely controversial in Israel.

Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip in 2005, citing demographics. Within two years, Hamas militants overran the territory, using it to fire thousands of rockets into Israel. Israeli hardliners fear the same thing could happen in the West Bank. Peace talks have been stalled since late 2008, in large part because of the Jewish settlements.

The Palestinians refuse to negotiate while Israel continues to build new homes for settlers on occupied territor y.

Netanyahu has refused to halt settlement construction, saying all disagreements must be resolved in negotiations. —AP

Libya orders ‘illegitimate’ militias to disband BENGHAZI: The Libyan army on Sunday said it raided several militia outposts operating outside government control in the capital, Tripoli, while in the east, the militia suspected in the Sept. 11 attack on the US Consulate said it had disbanded on orders of the country’s president.

President Mohammed el-Megaref said late Saturday all of the country’s militias must come under government authority or disband, a move that appeared aimed at harnessing popular anger against the powerful armed groups following the attack that killed the US ambassador.

The assault on the US mission in Benghazi, which left Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans dead, has sparked an angry backlash among many Libyans against the myriad of armed factions that continue to run rampant across the nation nearly a year after the end of the country’s civil war.

On Friday, residents of Benghazi - the cradle of the Libyan revolution last year that toppled dictator Moammar Gaddafi - staged a mass demonstration against the militias before storming the compounds of several armed groups in the city in an unprecedented protest to demand the militias dissolve.

The government has taken advantage of the popular sentiment to move quickly. In a statement published by the official LANA news agency, the military asked all armed groups using the army’s camps, outposts and barracks in Tripoli, and other cities to hand them over. It warned that it will resort to force if the groups refuse.

On Sunday, security forces raided a number of sites in the capital, including a military outpost on the main airport road, which were being used as bases by disparate militias since Gadhafi was driven from the capital around a year ago, according to military spokesman Ali al-Shakhli.

Tripoli resident Abdel-Salam Sikayer said he believes the government is able to make this push now because, thanks to the country’s first free election in decades that took place in July, the public generally trusts it.

“There was no trust before the election of the National Congress that is backed by the legitimacy of the people and which chose the

country’s leader. There is a feeling that the national army will really be built,” he said.

The government faces a number of obstacles, though. It needs the most powerful militias on its side to help disband the rest. It also relies on militias for protection of vital institutions and has used them to secure the borders, airports, hospitals and even July’s election.

Some of the militias have taken steps over the past several weeks to consolidate and work as contracted government security forces that are paid monthly salaries. In the western city of Misrata, for example, resident Walid Khashif said dozens of militias held a meeting recently and decided to work under the government’s authority. He said the militias also handed over three main prisons in the city to the Ministry of Justice to run.

Since Gadhafi’s capture and killing, the government has brought some militias nominally under the authority of the military or Interior Ministry, but even those retain separate commanders and often are only superficially subordinate to the state. El-Megaref told reporters late Saturday that militias operating outside state authority will be dissolved, and that the military and police will take control over their barracks.

But it remains unclear if the government has the will - and the firepower - to force the most powerful militias to recognize its authority. Backers of the ousted regime continue to hold sway in some parts of the country, particularly the western city of Bani Walid and parts of the deep south. Gaddafi loyalists near the southern town of Barek al-Shati clashed with a pro-government militia for several days, killing nearly 20, and abducted 30 militiamen working with the authorities from a bus this week, according to Essam al-Katous, a senior security official. Over the past 11 months, a series of interim leaders has struggled to bring order to a country that was eviscerated during the eccentric dictator’s 42-year rule, with security forces and the military intentionally kept weak and government institutions hollowed of authority. Powerful militias like Ansar alShariah in eastern Libya say there is no clear system in place for how the head of the joints chief of staff decides which militias are legitimate and which are not. — AP

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Romney seeks momentum in campaign swing 9 swing states show Romney leading in N Carolina

LIMA: Mexican President-elect Franciso Pena Nieto (2-L), his wife Angelica Rivera (L), Peruvian President Ollanta Humala (2-R) and Peruvian First Lady Nadine Heredia (R) pose at the Government Palace in Lima yesterday. Pena Nieto in on a one-day visit to Peru. — AFP

Six youth offenders caught after knocking out guard SEATTLE: The teenage boys apparently planned their escape from the juvenile detention center in Washington state.

Some had packed bags with them, and one boy even stuffed his bed to make it look like he was there, authorities said.

On Saturday night, when they were supposed to be locked in their rooms at Echo Glen Children’s Center in Snoqualmie, about 25 miles east of Seattle, six inmates knocked a staff member unconscious, locked her in a room and fled, authorities said.

They were captured a few hours later after a helicopter crew using thermal-imaging equipment spotted them in nearby woods early Sunday, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office.

“They basically attacked the staff member, knocked her out, took her keys and fled,” Sgt. Cindi West said. The teens left the woman unconscious and locked in a room at the facility, she said. All of the inmates should have been locked in their rooms by 11 p.m., but they somehow managed to get out, said David Griffith, who directs institution programs for the state Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration.

“The kids were supposed to be locked in their rooms. It may have been a procedural error, or the youth hid out and she (the staff member) didn’t know where they were,” Griffith said. “It’s very scary ... We’ll investigate what went wrong, absolutely,” he added, noting that the agency will address procedural changes if necessary.

He said the staff member was treated and is at home. The teens were in a maximum-security unit of the juvenile correction facility, which currently houses about 165 youth offenders in 10 separate living units. The units include a small kitchen, living room and classroom.

“We’re not sure how it was initiated. It might have been a single person, or a concerted effort,” Griffith said. “The kids who assaulted the staff member opened the doors for all kids living in the unit, so there was a potential for the entire unit to escape.”

Six fled. Seven decided to stay and they notified security, Griffith said. The King County Sheriff’s office said it received word of the escape at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

The unarmed staff member was alone in

the unit, which is typical after lockdown, Griffith said.

She apparently wasn’t able to push a panic button or call security for help, he said. Witnesses told detectives that the staff member was beaten with a chunk of ice frozen in a water bottle, the Seattle Times reported.

“It definitely appears this was planned.

The detective on the scene said when they found the boys they had their packed bags with them,” West told the Times. Griffith added: “They had some planning because they had one bed that was stuff. One kid put stuff in his bed to make it look like he was there.”

The six males, three 14-year-olds and three 15-year-olds, were serving time for offenses including assault, possession of firearms and burglary, West said.

Law officers on the ground with search dogs and in the air combed the area on the outskirts of Snoqualmie before a helicopter crew spotted them in woods near the center, according to West. All were captured by 2 am Sunday.

“The biggest reason they were apprehended so quickly was the helicopter,” she said. “Without that we would have been looking for needles in a haystack. It allowed us to apprehend them before they got into the neighborhood.”

Echo Glen Children’s Center is a medium and maximum security facility for offenders serving time mostly for felony crimes. The facility is not fenced, but is bordered by natural wetlands. It provides treatment services for younger male offenders and is the main institution for female juvenile offenders, according to its website.

Once the teens were spotted by the helicopter, they split up into three groups and ran in different directions, West said.

Deputies in the helicopter were able to direct deputies on the ground, including K9 units, to where the teens were running or hiding.

One was bitten by a police dog while trying to escape and was taken to a hospital for treatment, West said. The others were arrested without incident and booked on charges of assault, unlawful imprisonment and escape, she said. “There was no indication that this was coming up,” Griffith said. — AP

Togo ruling family faces increasingly determined opposition LOME: The leader of a stick-wielding mob, a small axe dangling from a rope around his neck, made no secret of why they had come: to stop a protest organised by opposition and civil society groups. But he insisted their actions did not involve politics, saying the mob wanted to protect the elderly people in the neighbourhood. If police fired tear gas at the protest-as they often do-it may harm residents, he said.

“What we are doing has nothing to do with politics,” he said not long before the mob pulled a motorcycle rider off his bike for unclear reasons and repeatedly hit him. “It is just social.” Police stood by and watched as they roamed the street, and protest organisers canceled the demonstration, accusing the mob of being a ruling party militia.

The September 15 incident seemed to be another chapter in a cat-and-mouse game ahead of parliamentary elections in this small west African nation run by the same family for more than four decades.

The elections are due in October, but they are widely expected to be delayed.

While change has swept other parts of the world over the past couple of years, Togo, an impoverished and largely agricultural nation under French rule before independence in 1960, can sometimes feel like a throwback to another era. Lingering suspicions over an alleged coup bid in 2009 have added to tensions, with the president’s half-brother sentenced to 20 years in prison and 32 others to a range of jail terms over the incident last year.

Opposition and civil society groups have been organising protests that the government seeks to prevent, usually with police firing tear gas. It recently banned demonstrations in commercial areas of the capital Lome.

Clashes have occasionally broken out between protesters and security forces. The Let’s Save Togo coalition has been calling the protests over a range of demands, most notably the departure of President Faure

Gnassingbe, who was installed in power by the army after his father’s death in 2005 and who won elections a few months later and again in 2010. Women even called for a sex strike at one point in support of the coalition.

More protests are planned for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday which may be volatile since they are to be held in an area of Lome where marches are banned.

“We are done holding elections just to please others-to please and help a fraudulent regime and to please the West. It’s over,” said Jean-Pierre Fabre, leader of the opposition National Alliance for Change who demands sweeping electoral reforms.

Fabre finished second to Gnassingbe in 2010 elections and disputes the results.

Gnassingbe’s supporters describe a more complex situation, saying the government is taking real steps toward change, but that it will have to come gradually in a country where the military wields major power.

Ethnic tensions also come into play, with the Kabye ethnic group from the country’s north viewed as having dominated politics and the security forces.

The president, whose father was a general who ruled for 38 years, has signaled intentions to move toward reforms, and observers have noted that 2010 presidential elections were a significant improvement over the 2005 polls, which were marred by deadly violence.

Gilbert Bawara, minister of territorial administration, has sought to portray the opposition as simply power hungry with no real plan to run the country. He accused them of being fixated on Gnassingbe yielding power. “And then what?” Bawara said, suggesting that the opposition may not be able to control the army if it came to power now. “What will happen next?”

He defended the government’s decision to ban demonstrations in commercial areas, saying such marches posed a threat to public order and prevented merchants from operating their businesses.— AFP

WASHINGTON: Republican Mitt Romney hits the campaign trail hard this week to try to inject some fresh momentum into his flagging presidential bid as polls show his path to the White House narrowing. The vote is six weeks from Tuesday and the former Massachusetts governor trails President Barack Obama both in national polls and, more importantly, in eight of the nine crucial swing states that will decide the election.

Efforts to claw back some ground on the incumbent since Obama received a significant boost from the Democratic Party Convention at the beginning of the month have fallen into disarray due to a series of campaign missteps.

After rushing to judgment over Obama’s response to the anti-Islamic film that spawned protests in the Muslim world, Romney was embarrassed by a secretly-recorded video in which he wrote off almost half the electorate as “victims” who were dependent on government handouts. “ The Romney campaign has to get turned around,” respected conservative columnist Peggy Noonan wrote on Friday. “This week I called it incompetent, but only because I was being polite. I really meant ‘rolling calamity.’”

A Romney reset effort began in earnest even before a campaign event on Sunday evening in Colorado as he flew from Los Angeles to Denver, Colorado. Romney said that his poll numbers had declined in swing states because Obama’s campaign is lying about his record, including on issues such as the automobile industry bailout, abortion and taxes.

“He’s trying to fool people into thinking that I think things I don’t,” Romney said, talking to reporters on his plane. “And that ends I think during the debates.” Meanwhile, running mate Paul Ryan kicks off a “Romney Plan For A Stronger Middle Class” tour on Monday across Rust-belt Ohio, where an average of the latest polling shows Obama ahead by more than four percentage points. Under the US system, each state is awarded a certain number of electoral college votes and on election night a candidate needs to reach the magic 270 figure to emerge victorious. The swing states with the largest number of electoral college votes up for grabs are Florida (29), North Carolina (15), Ohio (18) and Virginia (13). Polling of nine swing

states shows Romney leading only in North Carolina and trailing by more than four percent in both Ohio and Virginia. Florida is closer, with Obama credited with a razor-thin lead of around one percent.

“These are the dominoes that have to fall for each of the campaigns, and the trouble is, based on the polling at least, eight of the nine dominoes are at least slightly tilted in Obama’s direction,” said expert Charles Franklin. “Romney needs to tilt some of them back in his direction and he needs to do that fairly soon,” said Franklin, a politics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and cofounder of Pollster.com.

The Romney campaign remains defiant and insists their man is still effectively tied with an incumbent who has a large Achilles heel: the economy. “Given everything we’ve gone through, everybody wants to count this guy out,” Neil Newhouse, Romney’s campaign pollster, told the Washington

Post. “And yet the poll numbers don’t do that. The poll numbers put him right in the middle of this.”

The candidate himself seemed confident about his prospects in an interview with broadcaster CBS aired late Sunday. Asked if he could win the upcoming elections, Romney replied: “I’m going to win this thing.”

A week from Tuesday, Romney will face off against Obama in the first of three televised presidential debates that collectively represent his final big opportunity to turn things around.

On election day, November 6, there is always the question of which side has had the better “ground game,” getting voters to the polls and ensuring their candidate is not defeated by low turnout. Franklin said he wasn’t ready to call the race for Obama. “This is sort of like knowing a halftime score in an American football game. It tells you something about the outcome but it’s not the final score,” he told AFP— AFP

DENVER: US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks to the press as Ohio Senator Rob Portman (R) looks on aboard his campaign plane while in flight en route to Denver yesterday. — AFP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

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Forest fire forces 2,000 to evacuate in Spain VALENCIA: Firefighters battled a forest fire whipped up by strong winds in the Spanish region of Valencia yesterday, forcing the evacuation of about 2,000 people, officials said. The blaze broke out Sunday afternoon and spread quickly, threatening villages about 50 kilometres (30 miles) inland of the eastern city Valencia, which lies on the Mediterranean coast.

About 2,000 people have been evacuated from villages in the area since it broke out Sunday afternoon and several roads were cut off, Valencia officials said. Some 500 firefighters on the ground, backed by 27 aircraft, were attempting to get the fire under control, they said.

“We are trying to protect areas of housing,” said senior Valencia region government policymaker

Serafin Castellano. “Right now our biggest enemy is the weather, a lot of wind,” he told COPE radio.

Dramatic images in the Spanish media showed flames lighting up the night sky and illuminating clouds of smoke that billowed along hillsides just behind houses.

Enrique Silvestre, mayor of one of the evacuated villages, Chulilla, said the situation was “very diffi-

cult”. “The wind is not helping at all and the night was terrible,” the mayor told Cadena SER radio.

Spain is at particularly high risk of fires this summer after suffering its driest winter in 70 years.

Flames destroyed more than 184,000 hectares (454,000 acres) of land between January 1 and September 16, the largest amount in a decade, according to agriculture ministry figures. — AFP

Turkey clips military’s wings in landmark verdict Court jails more than 300 officers ISTANBUL: The jailing of hundreds of Turkish army officers including top generals accused of plotting to topple Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan underscored how far he has come in gaining control of the country’s once all-powerful military.

But Erdogan, 10 years in power, must grapple with suspicions among critics and even some sympathisers that he is using this and other coup investigations to silence opposition as he sets about taming a militant secularist establishment. Far from flinching, he may seek more power in a revamped presidency. The verdict against 325 officers at the end of the 21-month trial on Friday would have been unthinkable a decade ago, when generals regularly intervened in policy-making as selfappointed guardians of Turkish secularism.

eased from power in 1997 When AK was elected for a second term in 2007 with an even larger margin of victory, an emboldened Erdogan launched a series of investigations into officers, lawyers, politicians, journalists and others that exposed several alleged conspiracies against the government.

The plots consisted of plans to foment unrest and pave the way for an army takeover.

Sledgehammer, a war game scenario played out at a barracks in Istanbul in March 2003, included plans to bomb historic mosques in Istanbul and trigger conflict with Greece. For many, it was all to easy to believe. Turkey’s military, NATO’s second biggest, staged three outright coups between 1960 and 1980 and pressured a fourth government, the first Islamist-led, from power in 1997.

ANKARA: Turkey’s Chief of Staff Gen. Necdet Ozel, left, and his Somalian counterpart Gen. Abdikadir Sheikh Ali Dini inspect guard of honour at the Turkish army headquarters in Ankara, Turkey, yesterday. — AP Judges in the case, dubbed Sledgehammer, handed down prison sentences ranging from six to 20 years against the officers for plotting to wreck Erdogan’s rule almost 10 years ago, soon after his Islamist-rooted party swept to power with the biggest share of the vote in decades.

Hilmi Ozkok, who was head of the armed forces at the time, rejected accusations the court’s decision was driven by revenge.

“The ruling will serve as a deterrent and has a lesson for everyone ... in understanding how much Turkey and the rest of the world has changed,” Ozkok told Milliyet newspaper on Sunday.

Turks reading such words from the mouth of the former armed forces chief will gain a measure of the scale of change since Erdogan’s AK party was first elected in 2002. The generals then made no secret of their disdain for a man who had served a brief prison sentence for relgious incitement and had backed a short-lived Islamist government they

Under Erdogan, a devout Muslim, curbs on religion have been relaxed. Women are allowed to more freely wear the Islamic headscarf, alcohol is heavily taxed, and students at religious high schools are able to more easily attend university.

Journalists complain of pressure to write favourable stories about the government, and a number of writers are among those arrested under another plot investigation, “Ergenekon”. “This (Sledgehammer) case is an important step towards ending the army’s political role but it’s not enough to stop it completely,” said Sahin Alpay, professor of political science at Bahcesehir University and a columnist for Zaman, seen as close to the government.

“Now we need a new constitution and laws that place the army under civilian supervision and reform military schools to reflect the values of a liberal democracy,” he said. A new constitution is now under consideration to replace a restrictive code

inherited from the military after a 1980 coup.

Turkey may well emerge from the debate with a presidential republic and a powerful president in Erdogan. Alpay acknowledged there were questions about the case with so many defendants on trial at once, the judges’ refusal to allow in some defence evidence and the lengthy sentences.

A key issue at appeal is likely to be the defence’s inability to submit legal expert testimony that computer documents submitted as evidence appeared fake. Defence lawyers said they would appeal the verdict this week to Turkey’s upper court and, if necessary, eventually apply to the European Court of Human Rights.

Generals Cetin Dogan and Halil Ibrahim Firtina and retired admiral Ozden Ornek, who were considered Sledgehammer’s ringleaders were given life terms, reduced to 20 years because the coup plot had failed. Critics of the government have said the trial was a purge of the government’s opponents in the army’s ranks.

“This isn’t really a legal case,” said Pinar Dogan, Cetin Dogan’s daughter and a lecturer at Harvard University. “It’s a wider operation with powerful forces behind it ... and we see those with firm secularist beliefs are the ones targeted.” She said her mother Nilgul Dogan, 60, faces three years in prison in a separate case for planting a rose bush near the courthouse to protest against the trial.

Others said the case failed to go far enough.

Gultan Kisanak, co-chairwoman of parliament’s pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, said the indictment did not include crimes she says were committed in a 28-year long war with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that has killed more than 40,000 people.

“Military tutelage, a tradition of coups, contraguerrilla activities, extrajudicial killings and other dark events are all part of our recent political history,” she said. “While we need a process to confront and reconcile our past, the government instead opted to settle its own scores.” Sledgehammer is one of a series of trials that has raised questions about whether the government is using the courts to silence political opponents.

Others include the “Ergenekon” case, which involves a web of alleged plots against Turkey’s government, and the “KCK” trials which accuse thousands of Kurdish journalists, academics, lawyers and others of belonging to the PKK, viewed as a terrorist group by the United States and Europe for its campaign of violence for greater autonomy in southeastern Turkey.

The court ruling also has the potential to undermine morale in the military as it battles the PKK in the heaviest fighting in more than a decade and faces a growing challenge maintaining security along its southern border with war-torn Syria.

A hundred or so people gathered near Taksim Square in central Istanbul to protest the verdict.

“This case was an effort to silence those who defend the secular republic,” said Hanife Kopuz, 55, clutching a cloth banner of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who founded the modern Turkish republic from the ruins of the Ottoman Empire.

“This may be a turning point, reducing support for the government. They can’t stay in power forever but I fear what they will leave in their wake,” she said. — Reuters

Sudan, S Sudan leaders meet for deal on conflict issues ADDIS ABABA: The presidents of Sudan and South Sudan met for a second day yesterday as pressure mounts to settle long-running bitter disputes that have brought the rivals to the brink of renewed conflict. Former civil war foes President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan and his Southern counterpart Salva Kiir are facing the looming threat of UN Security Council sanctions unless they reach a deal, after they missed a Saturday deadline.

The protracted talks under African Union mediation began in the Ethiopian capital several months before South Sudan split in July 2011 from what was Africa’s biggest nation, following an independence vote after decades of war.

The leaders met Monday for talks hosted by Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn in the presidential palace, alongside AU chief mediator and former South African president Thabo Mbeki.

“The presidents met, now they are discussing issues,” including contested border areas and oil, said top South Sudanese official Deng Alor, as the leaders broke mid-morning for discusions with their own teams.

Face-to-face meetings expected to resume later yesterday, Alor added. The pair kick-started the talks with a two-hour meeting late Sunday, following marathon efforts by rival delegations to close gaps on a raft of issues left unresolved when the South became independent last year.

Little information has filtered out about progress of the meeting, but both leaders have been seen smiling and chatting in each other’s company.

“There is still optimism some form of a deal can be settled,” said a Western diplomat.

Key issues include the ownership of contested regions along their frontier especially the flashpoint Abyei region-and the setting up of a demilitarised border zone after bloody clashes.

The buffer zone would also potentially cut support for rebel forces in Sudan’s Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile regions that Khartoum accuses Juba of backing. The UN set a deadline for a deal after brutal border clashes broke out in March, when Southern troops and tanks briefly wrested the valuable Heglig oil field from Khartoum’s control, and Sudan launched bombing raids in response.

UN leader Ban Ki-moon has called on the leaders to tackle their remaining differences, “so that their summit concludes with a success that marks an end to the era of conflict”.

For once, the mood in the long-running talks appeared largely positive, with both Khartoum and Juba apparently keen to end conflict and a stalemate over stalled oil production that is crippling both their economies.

While the two leaders have met several times in recent months, delegates said there was a real sense some form of a deal was possible.

A comprehensive deal-as opposed to another stepping-stone agreement-would have to include settlement on Abyei, a Lebanon-sized border area claimed by both sides and currently controlled by Ethiopian peacekeepers.

But amidst the diplomatic optimism, there seemed little chance of a breakthrough to solve the growing humanitarian crises in Sudan’s civil war states of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile.

However, it was hoped the summit would settle the details of last month’s deal to fix the oil export fees that landlocked South Sudan will pay to ship crude through Khartoum’s pipelines to the Red Sea. At independence, Juba took two-thirds of the region’s oil, but processing and export facilities remained in Sudan. In January, the South shut off oil production after accusing Sudan of stealing its oil. — AFP

SUSSEX: An undated handout picture released

by Sussex Police yesterday shows missing British teenager Megan Stammers. — AFP

Police hunt teen who fled with teacher LONDON: British police were liaising with French colleagues yesterday in an effort to track down a missing 15-year-old girl said to have fled across the Channel with a married teacher twice her age.

Megan Stammers, 15, was last seen on Friday and “is believed to be in France with Jeremy Forrest from Ringmer, East Sussex”, according to a statement from Sussex Police. Several British newspapers cited police sources as saying that Forrest, 30, was her maths teacher at Bishop Bell Church of England School in Eastbourne, southeast England.

Forrest, who plays in a rock band under the stage name Jeremy Ayre and is married to a 31-year-old woman, had hinted at a “moral dilemma” in a blog four months ago. Police have appealed to him and Megan to make contact after CCTV footage showed them in a Ford Fiesta car boarding a ferry from Dover to the French port of Calais on Friday. They are thought to have remained in France.—AFP

MINSK: The Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission, Antonio Milososki (R) speaks, while the Head of the OSCE PA delegation, Matteo Mecacci (L), looks on during their press conference in Minsk, yesterday. Western observers slammed the weekend election in Belarus as neither competitive nor free, after results showed every seat in parliament was won by factions loyal to authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. — AFP

Belarus elects entirely pro-govt parliament MINSK: Not a single opposition politician won a seat in Belarus’ parliament in a weekend vote that has been condemned by international observers and looks set to deepen the former Soviet nation’s diplomatic isolation.

Critics also said the 74.3 percent turnout reported by the Central Elections Commission chairman yesterday was way too high and indicated widespread fraud. The main opposition parties, which were ignored by state-run media, boycotted the election to protest the detention of political prisoners and ample opportunities for election fraud.

The vote filled the parliament with representatives of three parties that have backed the policy agenda of President Alexander Lukashenko. “This election was not competitive from the start,” said Matteo Mecacci, leader of the observer mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. “A free election depends on people being free to speak, organize and run for office, and we didn’t see that in this campaign.”

Belarus’ parliament has long been considered a rubber-stamp body for Lukashenko’s policies. He has ruled the former Soviet nation since 1994 and Western observers have criticized all recent elections in Belarus as undemocratic.

Local independent observers estimated the overall turnout as being almost 19 percent lower than the official 74.3 percent figure. “Belarus gets ever closer to the worst standards of Soviet elections,” said Valentin Stefanovich, coordinator of the Rights Activists for Free Elections group.

At least 20 independent election observers were detained, according to rights activists. Political analyst Leonid Zaiko said the way the elections were held highlighted Lukashenko’s desire to prepare for another beckoning economic crisis. “He plans to control the situation with an iron fist. He has no

time for any opposition, not on the street and certainly not in parliament,” Zaiko said.

Lukashenko’s landslide win in the 2010 presidential election triggered a mass street protest against election fraud that was brutally suppressed. Some of the 700 people arrested at that protest are still in jail, including presidential candidate Nikolai Statkevich.

Opposition politicians have cautioned supporters to refrain from holding protest rallies this time. The opposition had hoped to use this election to build support, but 33 of 35 candidates from the United Civil Party were barred from television, while the stateowned press refused to publish their election programs.

The United Civil Party and another leading opposition party, the Belarusian Popular Front, pulled their candidates off the ballot and urged voters not to show up at the polls a week before the election.

The United States and the European Union have imposed economic and travel sanctions on the Belarusian government over its crackdown on opposition groups and independent news media.

“The aim of giving President Lukashenko’s regime the appearance of democratic legitimacy has clearly failed,” German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said in a statement. “In view of the glaring irregularities in these elections, it is clearly visible for everyone what Belarus is today: the last dictatorship in the heart of Europe.”

Westerwelle said Germany and its European partners would step up their efforts to push for the release of political prisoners and isolate Lukashenko and his regime. EU foreign ministers are due to hold talks in Brussels next month on political freedoms in Belarus. They are expected to consider possible revisions to sanctions against the country aimed at more specifically targeting those in the leadership deemed responsible for the political crackdown. — AP

Britain, France, Germany call for new Iran sanctions UNITED NATIONS: Britain, France and Germany have officially called for new European Union sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, diplomats said.

The foreign ministers of the three countries wrote to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton last week calling for tougher measures as the showdown with Tehran becomes more tense, a European diplomat told AFP Sunday on condition of anonymity.

The EU is working on more sanctions as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seeks to counter the pressure on his country at this week’s UN General Assembly in New York. Ahmadinejad met UN leader Ban Kimoon on Sunday as the EU foreign policy chief held talks on Iran and other topics with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in New York.

Details of the new EU measures are still being worked on but foreign ministers from the 27-nation bloc will discuss the move at a meeting in Brussels on October 15. The United States and its European allies say that Iran is working toward a nuclear bomb. Iran says its research is for peaceful energy purposes. There has been mounting speculation in recent months that Israel is planning a military strike on Iran’s bunkered nuclear facilities.

The United States, Britain and France warned at the UN Security Council last week that time is running out for a negotiated solution with Iran.

“It is necessary that we sharpen the sanctions,” said a second western official, confirming the request by foreign ministers William Hague of Britain, Laurent Fabius of France and Guido Westerwelle of Germany. “We think there is still time for a political solution, a diplomatic solution,

and this is what we are working for. But we cannot accept nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran,” said the official, also speaking on condition of anonymity.

Ashton is to chair a meeting in New York on Thursday of the six nations-the EU three, plus the United States, Russia and China-who have been seeking to negotiate a solution with Iran.

The international community has pursued a dual track of pressure through sanctions while seeking to negotiate. But the US and European nations say Iran is refusing to talk.

UN chief Ban “urged Iran to take the measures necessary to build international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear program,” said a UN spokeswoman, Vannina Maestracci.

Ban and Ahmadinejad also discussed the war in Syria and the protests in the Muslim world against a US-made film that mocks Islam.

The showdown with Iran is one of the key topics at the UN assembly where Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also scheduled to speak. Ahmadinejad, who will address world leaders on Wednesday, is probably making his last appearance at the UN assembly where he has become a controversial figure. Western nations regularly walk out of his speeches in protest at his anti-Israeli comments.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama compared Israel’s insistence on tougher approach to Iran to noise he tries to ignore, according to remarks aired Sunday. Obama told CBS’s “60 Minutes” program that he understood and agreed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence that Iran not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.—AFP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

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

US slams Pakistani minister’s filmmaker bounty WASHINGTON: The United States on Sunday condemned a Pakistani government minister’s offer of a bounty to kill the maker of an anti-Islam film that has triggered violent protests around the Muslim world.

As demonstrators held more rallies against the filmthis time in Hong Kong, Turkey, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Bangladesh-even Pakistan’s government distanced itself from the comments by its Railways Minister, Ghulam Ahmed Bilour.

On Saturday, Bilour offered a $100,000 “prize” for killing the filmmaker of “Innocence of Muslims”-an amateurish film made in the United States-and invited the Taleban and Al-Qaeda to take part in the “noble deed.” The State Department weighed in Sunday, with an official recalling that US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton “have both said the video at the core of this is offensive, disgusting, and reprehensible. The official added: “But that is no justification for violence and it is important for responsible leaders to stand up and speak out against vio-

lence.” “Therefore we find Mr. Bilour’s announcement is inflammatory and inappropriate,” the official said in a statement. In Pakistan, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf rejected the bounty offer. “This is not government policy. We completely dissociate (ourselves) from this,” a spokesman for the prime minister’s office told AFP. Fresh rallies were held across Pakistan Sunday to condemn the film after violent nationwide protests Friday left 21 people dead when police used tear gas and live rounds to fight back protesters.

More than 50 people have died in protests and attacks around the world linked to the low-budget film, which mocks Islam and the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), since the first demonstrations on September 11. Four US officials, including the ambassador to Libya, were killed in the Libyan city of Benghazi.

The publication on Wednesday of cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) in French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has further stoked anger. In France, an 18-year-old man who used Facebook to

threaten the magazine’s editors was charged Sunday with terrorism-related activity, a judicial source said.

Police arrested the teenager in the southern city of Toulon on Wednesday after he was reported by a person close to him who was concerned over his radicalism. Police found several knives at his residence and said the man had threatened to go after those in charge of the weekly. Meanwhile, an influential US lawmaker cast doubt over whether there was even an anti-American protest going on when the American ambassador to Libya was killed in an attack on the consulate in Benghazi.

The Obama administration initially said it believed extremists had not really planned the attack in Libya but rather had simply used a spontaneous protest over the anti-Islamic trailer as cover to mix in with the crowd and attack with weapons that included rocketpropelled grenades. The White House for the first time Thursday described the assault as a “terrorist attack” and said it could have links to Al-Qaeda. But a

Republican lawmaker cast doubt Sunday over whether the protests even happened.

“I have seen no information that shows that there was a protest going on as you have seen around any other embassy at the time,” Mike Rogers, chairman of the House intelligence committee, told CNN’s “State of the Union” program.

“The notion about the film... I think the administration was ill-advised to push down that road,” he added.

Rogers said he believed it was a revenge attack timed to coincide with the 11th anniversary of 9/11 but that it wasn’t clear if the militants had known Stevens was there or just got lucky.

“This had to be a pre-planned event. We know it was an act of terrorism. I think the administration has come to the conclusion it’s an act of terrorism now,” he said. The State Department is under rising scrutiny about what appears to be inadequate security for Stevens and the consulate in Benghazi before the attack. — AFP

Hopes fade for missing climbers Paris confirms four French dead in Nepal avalanche

GUWAHATI: Indian Army personnel rescue villagers at the flood-affected area in Dholla village, Tinsukia district, some 575 kms from Guwahati, the capital city of the northeastern state of Assam yesterday. The flood situation in Assam is grim with over 800,000 people affected in at least 15 of the 27 districts in the state, officials said Sunday. — AFP

Million displaced by floods in India GUWAHATI: Floods have forced more than one million people to flee their homes in northeastern India, where authorities have called a health alert, officials said yesterday.

“So far 18 of 27 districts of Assam have been hit by floods with more than one million displaced and 11 people drowned in separate incidents in the past week,” the Disaster Management agency said in a statement.

Rescue officials said about 2,000 villages had been hit by overflowing waters from the rain-swollen Brahmaputra River.

Himanta Biswa Sarmah, the health minister of Assam state, told AFP that a “maximum health alert” has been sounded in the devastated zone. Other officials said the affected people had been evacuated to temporary shelters on higher embankments and to schools and colleges unaffected by the second round of floods since July in Assam, which borders Bangladesh.

Nearly 130 people were killed and six million displaced by the floodwaters in Assam two months ago, which came during India’s June-September monsoon.

“We have dispatched doctors and paramedics to ensure that there is no outbreak of disease,” Sarmah said in Guwahati, Assam’s largest city. The Press Trust of India said almost the entire core area of 420 square kilometres (162 square miles) of Kaziranga National Park in Assam was also flooded. The wildlife park is home to the world’s single largest population of onehorned rhinos. A 2012 census in Kaziranga counted 2,290 of the rhinos, out of a global population of 3,300. The species declined to near extinction in the early 1900s and is listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Kaziranga has fought a sustained battle against rhino poachers, who kill the animals for their horns, which fetch huge prices in some Asian countries where they are deemed to be an aphrodisiac.

Meanwhile, a stampede at a religious celebration killed at least nine people, eight of them women, in eastern India yesterday, a district official said.

“Eight women and a man died during the stampede,” Rahul Purwa, deputy commissioner of Deoghar district, in Jharkhand state, told AFP. The victims were among thousands of Hindu devotees who had gathered to take part in celebrations to mark the anniversary of the birth of Saint Thakur Anukul Chand.

The stampede broke out while hundreds of devotees were gathered in a congested hall for early morning prayers, said Purwa. “I was informed by local police officials that the incident was the result of rumours spread by some devotees. The district administration is conducting a probe,” he added. The injured were being treated in nearby hospitals.

Stampedes often break out at religious events in India where policing and crowd control are often inadequate. The last major stampede was in January 2011 in the southern state of Kerala when more than 100 people died as panic spread among worshippers crossing mountainous terrain in the dark to visit a shrine.

On Sunday, three people were killed and over two dozen injured in Mathura near New Delhi where a large congregation had gathered on the occasion of the Radha Ashtami festival, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. — AFP

Pakistan ‘blasphemy’ girl’s case sent to juvenile court ISLAMABAD: A judge yesterday ordered police to refer the case of a Pakistani Christian girl accused of blasphemy to a juvenile court, following a medical report that said she was 14.

Rimsha Masih spent three weeks on remand in an adult jail after she was arrested on August 16 for allegedly burning pages from the Quran in a case that prompted worldwide condemnation.

Police on Saturday told the court the girl was not guilty and a cleric who allegedly framed her should face trial instead. “We have received the medical report which says she is aged 14. The investigation report of her case must be submitted in a juvenile court,” Judge Raja Jawad Abbas said yesterday.

Rao Abdur Rahim, the lawyer for Rimsha’s neighbour Hammad Malik, who originally accused her, objected to

the medical report, but Abbas told him he should apply to the juvenile court when it takes up the case.

The judge later adjourned the case till October 1, summoning local imam Hafiz Mohammed Khalid Chishti, who was arrested for allegedly adding pages from the Quran to a bag of burnt papers, to the next hearing.

Rimsha, who is currently free on bail, was also asked to appear following an accusation from Rahim that she had absconded to Norway. An official medical report has classified her as “uneducated” and aged 14, but with a mental age younger than her years.

Others have said she is as young as 11 and suffers from Down’s Syndrome.

Rimsha and her family, who have been in fear for their lives since the blasphemy allegations, were moved to an undisclosed location after her release on bail on September 8. — AFP

KATHMANDU: Rescuers scaled down a search yesterday for two French climbers and a Canadian missing in a Nepal avalanche which killed at least nine people attempting to scale one of the world’s highest peaks.

Police said they had halted a helicopter rescue mission as hopes faded for the trio, part of a group hit by a wall of snow in their tents near the peak of the 8,156-metre (26,759-foot) Manaslu in the early hours of Sunday.

“We have now stopped helicopter rescue operations. Two French and a Canadian mountaineer are still missing. Sherpa guides are in the mountains searching for them,” district police chief Basanta Bahadur Kunwar told AFP. Nepal’s tourism board had earlier put the missing figure at seven, but police said four of those were among 13 already rescued on Sunday. Among those reported missing was a doctor from the French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec, cardiologist Dominique Ouimet, the man’s sister said. “The tents seem to have disappeared because the avalanche came by,” Isabelle Ouimet told Radio Canada, adding that her brother was at camp three when the avalanche struck. Kunwar said five mountaineers had been airlifted from among the survivors at Manaslu base camp Sunday and were being treated in Kathmandu. “The other eight mountaineers who are at the base camp have not sustained any injuries. They have said they will either walk down or will make an attempt to reach the peak again and have told officials that they should not be rescued.” Eight of the dead have been identified, Nepal tourism board spokesman Sarad Pradhan told AFP, adding that four were French, one a Nepali mountain guide, one a Spaniard, one German and one Italian.

France’s foreign ministry yesterday confirmed that four French climbers were dead and two missing after an avalanche in Nepal.

“According to a preliminary toll, four French citizens are dead at this stage,” the minister in charge of French citizens abroad, Helene Conway-Mouret, said in a statement.

“The search continues for two of our citizens.”

The statement said three other French citizens had been taken by helicopter to a hospital in Kathmandu after the avalanche.

Harrowing accounts of the avalanche began to emerge from survivors being treated in Kathmandu. “We were sleeping in our tent after having dinner, when all of a sudden we heard the noise of other climbers screaming. Within moments, we were hit by the avalanche,” Andreas Reiter, 26, from Germany, was quoted as telling the Himalayan Times from his hospital bed in the capital.

KATHMANDU: Unidentified Italian survivors of Sunday’s avalanche at Mount Manaslu arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal, after being flown from the mountain, yesterday. Rescue helicopters flew over the high slopes of the northern Nepal peak again yesterday to search for climbers lost in the avalanche that killed at least nine mountaineers and injured others. Many of the climbers were French, German and Italian. — AP

“I witnessed one of the team members die.”

SNGM vice-president Christian Trommsdorff described the French victims as three mountain guides from the Chamonix area in the Alps and their clients, who were part of two expeditions. The avalanche happened at around 7,400 metres and carried away part of camp number three at 6,800 metres, Trommsdorff told AFP. Manaslu, the eighth-highest mountain in the world, is considered one of the most dangerous, with scores of deaths in recent years and just a few hundred successful ascents.

Laxmi Dhakal, head of the home ministry’s disaster response division, confirmed the avalanche had hit camp three and said it had created “a flood of snow”.

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 14 peaks over 8,000 metres, including the world’s highest, Mount Everest, and attracts thousands of mountaineers every year.

Most come in the spring, when Himalayan conditions are at their best, but there is also a short climbing season in late September and October after the monsoon rains end.

Manaslu is nicknamed “Killer Mountain” by locals because a series of snowslides have claimed the lives of scores of mountaineers since it was first conquered in 1956. The latest deaths mean at least 62 people have died, according to an AFP tally. It saw its worst disaster when a South Korean expedition was buried by snow while attempting to climb the northeast face in 1972. The 15 dead included 10 Sherpas and the Korean expedition leader.

Those who attempt the summit are experienced climbers who will tackle other Himalayan peaks as well, said Dawa Steven Sherpa, two-time summiteer of Everest from Kathmandu. “People who normally climb up Manaslu have bigger peaks in mind, or they are people who are attempting to climb all the 8,000m peaks,” he told AFP. “Very few people climb Manaslu for the sake of just climbing Manaslu.” Nepal’s worstever climbing disaster happened in 1995 when a huge avalanche struck the camp of a Japanese trekking group in the Mount Everest region, killing 42 people including 13 Japanese. — AFP

Australian homicide squad leads hunt for Irish woman SYDNEY: Australian homicide detectives yesterday took over an investigation into the disappearance of a young Irish woman in Melbourne after her handbag was found in a nearby street. Jill Meagher, who works for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), was last seen at about 1:30 am on Saturday when she left friends at a bar to walk the short distance home. She never made it.

“We take on these cases of a suspicious nature where a person goes missing when there’s a possibility that they may have been met with foul play,” Detective Inspector John Potter said. “We don’t know that at this point and we always hope that we can find her safe and well, but at this stage she hasn’t responded to any of the media reports over the weekend, she hasn’t contacted her husband, and he’s (not) been able to contact her (on) her mobile phone.” The 29-year-old’s handbag was found yesterday morning in a lane in Brunswick, the inner-city Melbourne suburb in which she lives, about 700 metres from where she was last seen. Meagher’s husband Thomas Meagher said he tried calling his wife, who works in administration at Melbourne local radio, repeatedly from 2:00 am to 6:00 am on the morning she disappeared, and began searching the streets for her at 4:00 am.

“I’m just trying to push on,” he said. “I just hope somebody saw something or she will just walk through the door.” The ABC described

Meagher as “a highly valued and much loved member of the local radio team”.

“Our thoughts are with Jill’s family and friends during this very difficult time,” the broadcaster said in a statement. One of her ABC colleagues Tom Wright told the Herald

Sun newspaper he had offered to walk Meagher home, but she insisted on going alone. “I said, ‘can I walk you home?’, because it’s late at night, and she said: ‘No, no I live around here, I know it really well, don’t worry’,” he said. — AFP

MELBOURNE: An undated handout photo received yesterday, shows Jill Meagher who works for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Australian homicide detectives took over an investigation into the disappearance of a young Irish woman in Melbourne after her handbag was found in a nearby street. — AFP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

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

Myanmar president embarks on landmark US visit YANGON: Myanmar’s President Thein Sein is set to head to the United States yesterday for a landmark visit that coincides with a triumphal American tour by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Thein Sein will attend the United Nations General Assembly and is expected to outline plans for the future of his fast-changing nation during his first trip to the US since taking power last year and ushering in a period of rapid reform.

“The trip will open a new chapter with the international community,” Zaw Htay, an official in the Presidential Office told AFP of a trip that marks the latest step in dramatically thawing relations with the US, which has started rolling back sanctions against the former pariah.

“He is expected to explain the reform process of the country including what the government has done and what it is going to do,” said Zaw Htay, adding that Thein Sein was set to meet Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

as well as other senior US, European and UN officials.

Thein Sein, a former junta general who last week freed dozens of political prisoners, will have to share the limelight with Suu Kyi, received with acclaim during her first trip to the US since she began her struggle for democracy more than two decades ago. The Nobel laureate has already been awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the top honour bestowed by the legislature, and has met President Barack Obama at the White House since arriving in the country last week.

But while US officials have taken pains to stress that Thein Sein deserves credit for Myanmar’s breathless pace of change after nearly half a century of junta rule, there are no official plans for him to meet Obama.

The United States last week lifted sanctions on the Myanmar president and lower house parliament speaker Shwe Mann, removing them from the US Treasur y ’s list of “Specially

Designated Nationals”.

The pair were put on the list in 2007, when Thein Sein was prime minister and Shwe Mann was joint chief of staff of the armed forces, as America raised pressure on the ruling junta.

Pavin Chachavalpongpun, of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Kyoto University, said the fact that Thein Sein had been allowed to enter the US “is already significant”. “You can see the flexibility of US policy towards Myanmar, and I think this is the road which will lead towards the total abolition of sanctions in the future,” he told AFP. He said Suu Kyi, who has undergone a transformation from political prisoner to politician in just two years, would have spoken to “praise” Thein Sein in her own meeting with the US president. Pavin added that the Myanmar leader would not have a choice but to go to America regardless of the reception “because there is a lot at stake”, particularly removing remaining sanctions. Sweeping

changes in Myanmar under the new quasi-civilian regime have seen Suu Kyi elected to parliament and included tentative ceasefires with several of the country’s major armed ethnic minority groups. The international community has responded by dismantling tough sanctions against the impoverished country and in July Washington gave the green light for US investment there. Suu Kyi has used the visit to back the removal of sanctions on Myanmar and underline the remarkable new direction the country has taken. “There has been change, not yet all the changes necessary to make sure we are going to be a genuinely democratic society, but there have been changes,” she said on Saturday in a speech at Queens College in New York.

The agenda of Suu Kyi’s unprecedented US tour includes nearly 100 events across the country all but rules out a chance of her crossing paths with Thein Sein. The 67-year-old will head on September 25 to Fort Wayne,

Thein Sein Indiana, to meet the sizable Burmese community that has resettled in the Midwestern city. Her other stops include Louisville, Kentucky as well as San Francisco and Los Angeles. — AFP

China ships in Japan waters off isles Flotilla, set to arrive today

SEOUL: An Anti-Japan protester bleeds from his head as he is injured during a rally criticizing the Japanese government’s recent claim over the disputed islets called Dokdo in South Korea and Takeshima in Japan, and demanding an official apology and compensation for South Korean wartime sex slaves from the Japanese government, in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, yesterday. — AP

China ex-police chief gets 15 years’ jail CHENGDU: Chinese ex-police chief Wang Lijun, who exposed a scandal that shocked the ruling Communist Party, was sentenced to 15 years in prison yesterday for defection and other crimes.

Wang, the right-hand man of top politician Bo Xilai, fled to the US consulate in Chengdu in February, sparking a crisis that saw Bo sacked and his wife found guilty of murder ahead of a generational transfer of power.

His conviction and sentence are the latest move by the authorities to try to deal with the fall-out from the scandal ahead of the once-in-a-decade leadership transition at a Communist Party congress expected next month.

The former police chief of the sprawling metropolis of Chongqing, where Bo was the top Party official, Wang was tried for defection, bribery, abuse of power and bending the law for selfish ends, admitting all the charges.

Analysts told AFP that it remained unclear whether the authorities would put Bo-once a contender to join the elite Politburo Standing Committee and one of the country’s best-known politicians-on criminal trial.

Bo is being investigated by the Party for “serious” violations of discipline and has not been seen for months. In a statement, the Intermediate People’s Court in the southwestern city of Chengdu found Wang guilty on each count, adding that the circumstances of the bending-the -law offence were “very serious”.

But it said that he was shown leniency because he had reported the role of Bo’s wife Gu Kailai in the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood. He “actively helped with the re-investigation”, which “played an important role in the breaking of the case by police authorities”, it said.

The court sentenced Wang to nine years for bribery, seven for bending the law, and two each for abuse of power and defection,

but reduced the combined term to a total of 15 years, in accordance with Chinese law.

Wang said he would not appeal, the court added. It was the final step in the downfall of a man once China’s best-known crime fighter, with thousands of people arrested after Bo brought him in to lead an his antimafia campaign in Chongqing-which was also criticised for human rights abuses.

An ethnic Mongolian and martial arts expert, Wang’s steely, unsmiling gaze and thin glasses gave him the face of an incorruptible “supercop”, and his body carried 20 scars from bullet and other wounds.

Wang, 52, had a taste for drama, on occasion firing a single shot into the air when confronting criminals, or staging high-profile arrests in front of the cameras.

But relations between him and his patron turned sour early this year, months after Heywood, a close associate of Bo’s family, was found dead in a Chongqing hotel room. State media said that Wang initially agreed to help cover up the murder, but later confronted his boss about Gu’s role in the poisoning, and was slapped in the face.

Days afterwards he fled to the consulate, where he sought asylum from US authorities, according to an extensive trial report by the official Xinhua news agency.

But after 33 hours inside the building he left of his own accord and was taken to Beijing by security officials.

He was not seen again in public until his trial last week, when Xinhua quoted him as saying: “I acknowledge and confess the guilt accused by the prosecuting body and show my repentance.”

Gu was last month handed a suspended death sentence-usually commuted to life in prison-for Heywood’s killing. The Xinhua account of Wang’s trial did not identify Bo by name but suggested he knew his wife was suspected of Heywood’s murder but did nothing, leaving him open to possible prosecution and imprisonment for sheltering a criminal.—AFP

CHENGDU: This frame grab taken from Chinese television CCTV yesterday shows former police chief Wang Lijun (C) listening to the court in Chengdu, in southwest China’s Sichuan province. Chinese ex-police chief Wang Lijun, who exposed a scandal that shocked the ruling Communist Party, was sentenced to 15 years in prison yesterday for defection and other crimes. — AFP

TOKYO: Chinese ships plied the waters of a disputed island chain yesterday, Japan’s coastguard said, as a fleet of Taiwanese fishing boats set sail for the area, vowing to stake Taipei’s claim. The flotilla, set to arrive today, will further complicate an already precarious confrontation between Tokyo and Beijing, in which Japan’s prime minister has warned China’s behaviour could damage its own economy.

The warning came after China dealt a diplomatic snub to Japan by postponing long-planned events marking the 40th anniversary of ties, as relations between Asia’s two biggest economies plumb depths not seen for decades.

Japan’s coastguard said yesterday that two maritime surveillance ships had spent seven hours in sovereign waters off Uotsurijima, the largest island in the Japaneseadministered Senkaku chain, which China claims as the Diaoyus.

Two fisheries patrol boats briefly entered the 12-nautical-mile territorial waters around the island chain, the coastguard said.

The ships are not naval vessels; maritime surveillance comes under the State Oceanic Bureau, which is part of the Ministry of Land and Resources. Their roles include law enforcement in Chinese waters.

Fisheries patrol boats are under the aegis of China’s Agriculture Ministry, and are responsible for policing fishing and marine resources.

The coastguard said nine other vessels were in the area, some in contiguous waters, an area under international law that extends up to 12 nautical miles outside a territory.

Osamu Fujimura, Japan’s top government spokesman and chief cabinet secretary, said Japan has “protested strongly” through diplomatic channels over the intrusion.

Further roiling already turbulent waters was the expected arrival Tuesday of up to 78 fishing boats, which left Taiwan bound for the

SENKAKU: Japan Coast Guard vessels, right, and rear, sail along with Chinese surveillance ship Haijian No. 66, left, near disputed islands called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, in the East China Sea, yesterday. — AP islands accompanied by Taiwanese Japanese businesses suffering van- Japanese demonstrators waved dalism and arson at the hands of national flags as they marched coastguard.

“Diaoyutai has been our tradi- rioters. On Sunday, Chinese state through downtown Tokyo, tional fishing ground for centuries. media announced Beijing was denouncing Beijing as a “brute We pledge to use our lives to pro- “postponing” celebrations to mark state” and “fascist” in the first masstect it, or we’d disgrace our ances- the 40th anniversary of the normali- rally in Japan since the dispute tors,” Chen Chun-sheng, the head sation of diplomatic ties. began. Tokyo said Monday it would of Taiwan’s Suao Fishermen’s Celebrations have been held every send its top foreign affairs bureaudecade and never before been crat to China for a two-day visit, as Association said on the weekend.

It was not clear if they would shelved. The Japanese government Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda attempt a repeat of the August yesterday described the cancella- heads to New York amid hopes senlanding by pro-Beijing activists that tion as “regrettable”, with a ior ministers might meet on the ramped up tensions between China spokesman saying the two sides sidelines of the UN General and Japan. The situation deteriorat- should not let “an individual event Assembly this week.

In an interview with the Wall ed on September 11, when Tokyo affect ties”.

The two countries have wran- Street Journal, Noda warned China’s announced it had completed a deal to buy three of the uninhabited gled since the 1970s about the intemperance could damage its islands, which lie on important economy and its effects may be felt rocks from their private owner.

Commentators say the nationali- shipping lanes and are believed to further afield. He said Japanese companies were now facing a form sation was intended to prevent harbour mineral resources.

But the latest dust-up, which of economic harassment in China. their purchase by the hawkish governor of Tokyo, who said he wanted comes as China is in the process of a “Recent delays in customs and visa delicate leadership transition and as issuance are of concern,” he said. to develop them.

“Damaging our ties over such But Beijing reacted angrily and Japan’s political scene has become unleashed a firestorm of protest, increasingly unstable, shows no things would be bad for not just the two countries’ economies, but for which also saw sometimes violent signs of dying down.

On Saturday around 800 the global economy.” — AFP rallies rocking several cities, with

Philippine Muslim rebels aim for peace plan MANIL A: Muslim rebels waging a decades-long insurgency in the southern Philippines in which more than 150,000 people have died are aiming to sign a roadmap for peace this year, their chief negotiator said.

The planned accord would outline steps to be taken to achieve a final peace pact between the the 12,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government before President Benigno Aquino steps down in 2016.

“We can see the light at the end of the tunnel and believe we are 85 percent sure it will be signed by the end of the year,” MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal told AFP on Sunday, referring to the roadmap both sides have been working on.

He said a crucial moment would come during the next round of peace talks in the M alaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, which he expected would be held from October 2 to 5. “This meeting is really the peak time to hammer out some of the outstanding issues and come out with an agreement.”

The government is also aiming to sign the roadmap this year, according to its chief negotiator, Marvic Leonen. “ We are look ing at this framework agreement as the over-arching architecture of the peace process,” Leonen said.

“In this agreement, the entire roadmap of

the peace process can be discerned.” Both sides said there was a strong spirit of cooperation following months of intense negotiations, however they conceded many of the tough issues that derailed previous peace efforts had still not been agreed upon.

“There (is) still some hard bargaining ahead,” Iqbal said. There are roughly four million Muslims in the southern Philippine region of Mindanao, an area they see as their ancestral homeland dating back to Islamic sultanates established before Spanish Christians arrived in the 1500s.

The MILF and other Muslim rebel groups have been fighting for independence or autonomy in Mindanao since the early 1970s. The rebellion has claimed more than 150,000 lives, most in the 1970s when all-out war raged, and left large parts of mineral-rich Mindanao in deep poverty.

The MILF is the biggest and most important rebel group left, after the Moro National Liberation Front signed a peace pact with the government in 1996.

Since opening peace talks with the government in 2003, the MILF has said it is willing to accept autonomy rather than independence. Leonen said the planned new roadmap would outline a new autonomous region in parts of Mindanao and spell out broad plans for a power-

sharing deal there with the MILF. The MILF came close to a peace deal with the government, under the previous administration led by then-president Gloria Arroyo in 2008, that would have given them control over 700 townships and villages.

But, amid furious protests from leading Christian politicians in the south, as well as the influential Catholic Church, the Supreme Court ruled that deal as unconstitutional.

Two MILF commanders reacted to the court order by leading attacks on mainly Christian villages in Mindanao, with the unrest killing 400 people and displacing about 750,000 others.

Leonen said the government had been consulting with officials in the south as well as congressional leaders in Manila to ensure their support for the planned new deal and avoid a repeat of 2008.

“We should be able to tell the MILF we will defend it tooth and nail and we are prepared for the trajectory of the peace agreement,” Leonon said.

Among the toughest issues still to be resolved are the extent of the MILF’s power in the autonomy and the exact terms of wealth sharing. Mindanao is home to vast untapped reserves of gold, copper and other minerals, as well being one of the countr y ’s most impor tant farming regions. — AFP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

NEWS Obama ignores Israel ‘noise’ on Iran nukes

Ahmadinejad blasts Israel

Continued from Page 1

Continued from Page 1

purposes, but the West fears it is for building nuclear weapons. Israel is seen as pushing a much more hardline approach that would include military action, while Washington instead prefers to let diplomacy and sanctions dissuade Iran from building the bomb.

Obama, interviewed for Sunday’s edition of “60 Minutes” on broadcaster CBS, said he understands and agrees with Netanyahu’s insistence that Iran not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons as this would threaten both countries, the world in general, and kick off an arms race. But Obama added: “When it comes to our national security decisions - any pressure that I feel is simply to do what’s right for the American people. And I am going to block out - any noise that’s out there.”

Tensions have been running high between the United States and Israeli leader, and they will not hold a face-toface meeting this week at the UN General Assembly in New York. The White House has cited scheduling problems. Obama’s contender for the presidency, Republican Mitt Romney, said this was no way to treat an ally. The decision not to meet with Netanyahu, he said, also in an interview with “60 Minutes”, “is a mistake and sends a message throughout the Middle East that somehow we distance ourselves from our friends and I think the exact opposite approach is what’s necessary.”

Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul argued that Obama’s reference to Israel as “one of our closest allies in the region” was unacceptable. “This is just the latest evidence of his chronic disregard for the security of our closest ally in the Middle East,” she said. “Romney strongly believes that Israel is our most important ally in the Middle East and ...as president, Governor Romney will restore and protect the close alliance between our nation and the state of Israel.”

Separately, a UN report published yesterday said Israel

must do more to halt a string of serious violations of Palestinian human rights documented by a 2009 factfinding mission. There is a “need to more earnestly pursue accountability for the serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law that were documented by the fact-finding mission,” Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kyung-wha Kang told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Speaking on behalf of UN rights chief Navi Pillay, she presented a report on progress made in implementing recommendations in the UN Goldstone report, which detailed violations of international rights and humanitarian laws in connection with the 2008/09 Gaza conflict.

“It has been nearly three years since this council endorsed the fact-finding mission’s recommendations.

Yet, not one person has been indicted for any of the incidents documented,” she said. “Respecting human rights and international humanitarian law obligations means that perpetrators of violations are brought to justice.”

Penalties must also correspond to the crimes, she said, decrying the case of an Israeli soldier sentenced last month to just 45 days in prison for killing two unarmed Palestinian women waving a white flag during the Gaza conflict.

Israel’s Operation Cast Lead offensive in Gaza claimed the lives of some 1,400 Palestinians -more than half of them civilians - and 13 Israelis, including three civilians and 10 soldiers. Yesterday’s report by UN chief Ban Kimoon also highlighted border closures and restrictions on Gaza, and obstacles to movement in the West Bank, exacerbating a deep economic crisis in the Palestinian territories. It also spoke out against the detention of 4,500 Palestinians in Israeli jails, noting that 250 were also being held in so-called administrative detention, without trial. The report also criticised Palestinian armed groups for firing rockets at Israel, and Palestinian authorities for among other things arbitrary arrests. — Agencies

Dozens held after Saudi jail protest Continued from Page 1 spokesman said those accused of “terrorism-related” crimes were undergoing fair judicial process. “As for the gathering of a limited number of relatives of the detained people at a prison, they have been stopped according to legal procedures and will be dealt with if they are found in violation of the laws,” the spokesman said.

Activists said police with shields and batons persuaded the protesters at the prison to go home, telling them their message had been heard and their demands would be looked into.“When we left the ‘Emergency Forces’ followed our cars. They chased us and stopped us to detain the men,” said Reema Al-Juraish, an activist whose husband, a nurse, is in the prison. “I saw them grab five and when I tried to intervene they pushed me and hit me with a baton.” She said up to 60 men were arrested and taken to an unknown location. “The kingdom is celebrating national day even as our husbands are being held without charges and without trial,” Juraish told AFP by telephone. She said her husband “has been detained for more than nine years without charge,” adding that she has not seen him in “eight months”.

Another protester who asked not to be named said her brother was sentenced to three years in prison and “has served his sentence but remains in jail”. Her other brother, who was also detained by authorities, “died in custody due to lack of care”, she said, adding that both her brothers were arrested for their “religious beliefs”.

Rights activists told AFP that most of the detainees in question were “political prisoners with radical religious beliefs”. More than 100 people, including women and children, had staged a two-day protest in the desert around Tarfiya prison in the Qassim province but were

surrounded by police. They said they had been kept without food or water for almost a full day. Police set up checkpoints on the two roads leading to the area and deployed patrols in the desert around it, they said.

The kingdom, which has almost no elected bodies, avoided the kind of unrest that toppled leaders across the Arab world last year after it introduced generous social spending packages and issued a religious edict banning public demonstrations. King Abdullah has pushed through some economic and social reforms, including cautious moves to improve the position of women and religious minorities, but he has left the political system untouched.

The world’s top oil exporter is an important ally of Western countries in battling Al-Qaeda, which carried out a campaign of attacks in the kingdom from 2003-06.

Last year the Interior Ministry said it had put on trial 5,080 of nearly 5,700 people it had detained on security grounds. In April, a court in Riyadh sentenced rights campaigner Mohammed Al-Bajadi to four years in prison after he was accused of forming a human rights association, tarnishing Saudi Arabia’s reputation, questioning the independence of the judiciary, and owning illegal books, activists said. He had been held for a year without charges after voicing support for prisoners’ families.

In a separate gathering yesterday, dozens of protesters rallied in front of the government-linked Saudi Human Rights Commission also calling for the release of jailed relatives. “There are some prisoners who have been tortured, some who have completed their sentences, others who have not been charged and even some who have been found innocent but are still imprisoned. We will stay here until we are heard,” said one protester who declined to be named. Saudi Arabia denies torturing prisoners. — Agencies

Free speech ‘red lines’ feed Muslim film...

Continued from Page 1 Beyond the rage, bloodshed and death threats churning now for two weeks is a quandary for American policymakers that will linger long after the latest mayhem fades: How to explain the US embrace of free expression to an Islamic world that increasingly sees only double standards? Although there are many nuances - including strict US laws when hate speech crossed the line into threats or intimidation - they are mostly lost in the current outrage that included a peaceful march in Nigeria yesterday and Iran threatening to boycott the 2013 Academy Awards after the country’s first Oscar-winning film this year.

With each protest, many clerics and Islamist hardliners hammer home the narrow view that America is more concerned with political correctness or safeguarding children from sexual content than the religious sensibilities of Muslims. In Gaza, preacher Sheikh Hisham Akram said tolerance is the goal, but the “red line” is crossed with “anyone who insults our religion.” Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - now in New York for the UN’s annual General Assembly - denounced last week the “deception” of US laws protecting rights while allowing the clip from the film “Innocence of Muslims”.

“In some extent, it’s not an issue of condemning America’s freedom of speech. It’s become an issue, in the eyes of many Muslims, over where the lines are and why they are not protecting the feelings of Muslims,” said John Voll, associate director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University in Washington. It also turns the $70,000 US ad initiative in Pakistan - one of the hotbeds of the protests - into a major challenge to gain any ground.

Besides Obama, the spots include Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton repeating that US authorities had no connection to the video.

It’s part of wider US strategies to use social media and other forums to reach out to moderates in the Islamic world - including what the State Department has described as a “virtual embassy” for Iranian web surfers. But the fallout from the film has so far drowned out appeals for calmer dialogue in places such as Pakistan, where at least 23 people have died in unrest linked to the film. “The fact that (the Obama administration) is trying to step up to the plate and trying to engage where the debate is really happening should be commended,” said Daniel Markey, a senior fellow in South Asian affairs at the Council on Foreign Relations.

“But what credibility do they have to deliver this message? That’s a different story. ... It’s unlikely to make the sale on the Pakistani street.”

At the UN, a separate effort is being spearheaded by Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. He said the film will be at the top of the agenda of a meeting of the 57-

member group on the sidelines of the General Assembly. Among the proposals is a call to impose an international law against promoting religious hatred.

Such appeals could get widespread support, but are nearly certain to collide with Western free speech codes and be rendered difficult to enforce in the borderless world of the web.

Already, many moderate Muslim scholars and leaders have urged the UN or other international bodies to step in to help define possible global standards on religious expression. Paul Bhatti, an adviser to the Pakistani prime minister, told a multi-faith crowd of Muslims, Christians and others outside the country’s parliament Sunday that international laws should be imposed to limit the most hateful fringes of Western free speech. But just a day earlier, a Pakistan government minister offered a $100,000 bounty for the death of the filmmaker.

The two responses - one appealing for a higher law and the other taking justice into his own hands - frame another divide pried wider by the latest chaos: How much leeway can Muslim countries allow for expressions of anger against their faith? While many Muslims believe American protections for open expression were abused by the film, there are also moderate voices in the Islamic world questioning whether the defense of their religion is warped by death threats and violence that has left dozens dead, including the US ambassador to Libya. “This is the flip side to the criticism against American free speech,” Voll said. “This is another major learning opportunity inside Muslim societies to look at themselves and interactions with the world. We have been here before.”

But the latest upheavals appear to resonate even deeper because of the widening reach of the web and social media, which also have played a central role in the Arab Spring uprisings that have opened new political space for hardline Islamists. “Sadly, the voices of reason and logic in this part of the world are few,” said Ebtehal Al-Khateeb, a Kuwait University professor and human rights activist. “Even those who strongly oppose the violence prefer not to speak.”

Kuwait is a particularly instructive proving ground in the struggle to clarify an Islamic version of free speech.

After Islamist-led opposition groups gained control of parliament in February, they tried to push through measures that included the death penalty for blasphemy against Islam. Kuwait’s Western-leaning rulers signaled they would reject the move and later suspended the parliament over election law technicalities. “The truth is that as amateurish movie production is, it still falls in the category of freedom of speech,” Khateeb said. “If you say that to people here, they will read your response as: ‘You accept this. You are a blasphemer.’

They still don’t understand that they don’t have to accept it. They can oppose it, but in a civil manner that is more constructive.” — AP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted Israel could strike Iran’s nuclear sites and has criticized US President Barack Obama’s position that sanctions and diplomacy should be given more time to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran denies that it is seeking nuclear arms and says its atomic work is peaceful, aimed at generating electricity.

“Fundamentally we do not take seriously the threats of the Zionists. ... We have all the defensive means at our disposal and we are ready to defend ourselves,” Ahmadinejad said. He is in New York to attend the UN General Assembly. His speech is scheduled for tomorrow.

On Sunday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with Ahmadinejad and warned him of the dangers of incendiary rhetoric in the Middle East. Ahmadinejad did not heed the warning. Ahmadinejad alluded to his previous rejection of Israel’s right to exist. “Iran has been around for the last seven, 10 thousand years. They (the Israelis) have been occupying those territories for the last 60 to 70 years, with the support and force of the Westerners. They have no roots there in history,” he said, speaking to reporters through an interpreter. The modern state of Israel was founded in 1948.

“We do believe that they have found themselves at a dead end and they are seeking new adventures in order to escape this dead end. Iran will not be damaged with foreign bombs,” Ahmadinejad said, referring to Israel. “We don’t even count them as any part of any equation for Iran. During a historical phase, they represent minimal disturbances that come into the picture and are then eliminated,” Ahmadinejad added. In 2005, Ahmadinejad called Israel a “tumor” and echoed the words of the former Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, by saying that Israel should be wiped off the map. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, a brigadier general in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was

quoted on Sunday as saying that Iran could launch a pre-emptive strike on Israel if it was sure the Jewish state was preparing to attack it.

Ahmadinejad said the nuclear issue was one ultimately between the United States and Iran, and must be resolved with negotiations. He added, “The nuclear issue is not a problem. But the approach of the United States on Iran is important. We are ready for dialogue, for a fundamental resolution of the problems, but under conditions that are based on fairness and mutual respect.” “We are not expecting a 33-year-old problem between the United States and Iran to be resolved in a speedy fashion. But there is no other way besides dialogue,” Ahmadinejad said. US President Barack Obama will underscore his commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and address Muslim unrest related to an anti-Islamic video in his speech to General Assembly today, the White House said.

Ahmadinejad also addressed a high-level meeting on the rule of law at the United Nations yesterday, saying states should not yield to international law as imposed “by bullying countries”. In the past, Ahmadinejad has used his UN speeches to defend Iran’s nuclear program and to attack Israel, the United States and Europe. He has questioned the Holocaust and cast doubt on whether 19 hijackers were really responsible for the Sept 11 attacks on the United States in 2001. Western envoys typically walk out of Ahmadinejad’s speeches in protest.

Ahmadinejad said yesterday that Iran - under UN, U.S. and European Union sanctions over its nuclear program - is used to economic restrictions and is not severely affected by them. “The conditions in Iran are not as bad as they are por trayed by some,” Ahmadinejad said, adding that his country can survive without oil revenues. Ahmadinejad added that Iran’s economy is in much better shape than that of the EU, which he said was “on the verge of disintegration and collapse”. — Reuters

New SARS-like virus emerges in Mideast Continued from Page 1 The announcement comes ahead of next month’s annual haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Makkah which will attract nearly three million believers, although the WHO said it did not recommend any travel restrictions. Saudi officials said the pilgrimage next month could provide more opportunities for the virus to spread. They advised pilgrims to keep their hands clean and wear masks in crowded places.

In Britain, the HPA, an organisation set up by the government to manage infectious diseases, meanwhile, stressed no-one else in Britain, including those who had come into contact with the man, were reporting symptoms. The HPA said the new virus was “different from any that have previously been identified in humans”. It said there were encouraging signs that it was not as infectious as SARS as there had been no evidence of illness in people who had been in contact with the Qatari or the Saudi, including in health workers. “Based on what we

know about other coronaviruses, many of these contacts will already have passed the period when they could have caught the virus from the infected person,” it said.

John Watson, head of the respiratory diseases at the HPA, said: “Immediate steps have been taken to ensure that people who have been in contact with the UK case have not been infected, and there is no evidence to suggest they have.” Peter Openshaw, director of the Centre for Respiratory Infection at Imperial College London, urged caution, saying any evidence of human-to-human transmission causing severe disease “would be very worrying”. But fellow expert John Oxford, professor at the University of London, said he was “somewhat relaxed” because he believed the illness was more likely to behave “like a nasty infection rather than join the ‘exception’ group like SARS”. “This new virus does not to me appear to be in the same ‘big bang’ group,” he added. “I am very pleased that it does not!”

SARS, which mainly affected Asia, was recognised at the end of Feb 2003. — Agencies

14

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

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Issues

Pakistan protests agenda dictated by hardliners

By Sami Zubeiri akistan’s handling of protests against an anti-Islam film was a risky attempt to cash in on religious sentiment, analysts say, and could fan the flames of extremism in the troubled nation. As anger raged across the Muslim world at the US-made “Innocence of Muslims”, the coalition government led by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) declared Friday a public holiday and encouraged people to protest peacefully. But what was officially a “day of love for the prophet” ended in bloodshed and looting, with 21 people killed and more than 200 injured as angry demonstrators clashed with police, smashing up shops, cinemas and fast food outlets in major cities.

Compounding the problems for Pakistan’s leaders, on Saturday Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour offered $100,000 of his own money to anyone who killed the filmmaker, urging the Taleban and Al-Qaeda to join the hunt to accomplish what he called the “noble deed”.

More than 50 people have died around the world in violence linked to the low-budget movie, which mocks Islam and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), since the first demonstrations erupted on September 11. But if the Pakistan government’s intention in calling a public holiday was to take the sting out of the demonstrations on its own doorstep, the policy failed. There had been dozens of rallies against the film, some of which had led to clashes, but nothing on the scale of Friday’s violence.

While the number of protesters was relatively small around 45,000 out of a population of 180 million - many carried the banners of extremist groups, and as often happens in Pakistan, their voices drowned out the forces of moderation. Pakistan is locked in a struggle against militant Islamism on its own soil but its “war on terror” alliance with Washington is unpopular and the government is keen to avoid accusations from opposition parties and hardliners that it is too cosy with Western powers.

Najam Sethi, editor-in-chief of the Daily Times, an English-language newspaper, said the day of protest was a calculated move that backfired. “It was a gamble. They hoped and thought that the demonstrations would be peaceful,” he told AFP. “And even when they saw this could turn violent, they did not do anything, or much, because they’re afraid, as they are already accused of being soft on the West.”

Author and analyst Hasan Askari said the events showed the elected government had allowed a small but vocal minority from the religious right to dictate the agenda. “As usual the government played on the wicket of religious elements and lost to them,” he told AFP. “By declaring Friday as a holiday it did not keep the initiative with it. The initiative went in the hands of the religious elements.”

Pakistan’s government on Sunday distanced itself from Bilour’s bounty offer but political analyst Rasul Bakhsh Rais said it was further evidence of politicians’ willingness to try to capitalise on religious sentiment. “The statement shows the so-called secular and moderate politicians are using Islam for domestic politics,” Rais said of the reward offer.

Bilour’s Awami National Party (ANP) is under pressure from hardline religious groups in the deeply conservative northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where it holds power and where anti-Western feeling runs deep.

The bounty was in part an attempt to outflank the religious right, Askari said - to show that the nominally secular ANP can be as hardline as anyone. But efforts by mainstream parties to win support from religious conservatives - to ride the tiger of extremism - are both unlikely to succeed and fraught with risk, warned Rais. “It is typical of the mindset of the leaders to play to the gallery,” he said. “It will encourage religious fanaticism and in the long term it may harm peace and stability at home. Such elements need to be condemned.”

Askari said that while Bilour’s offer of a bounty was embarrassing to the government internationally, particularly with President Asif Ali Zardari due to address the UN General Assembly today, it was also indicative of a stratum of opinion within the coalition. “These things show that hardline thinking is there in the government circles also,” he told AFP. “There is a common phenomenon of pointscoring in Pakistan politics and Bilour wanted to show that ‘we are not lagging behind any other group’.” A general election is due in the next few months and with anti-US sentiment running higher than ever in Pakistan, the government thought it could seize the moment to boost its popularity, said Sethi of the Daily Times. “Everything, including this attitude, is also linked to the upcoming elections”. — AFP

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

Japan, China military conflict seen unlikely

By Linda Sieg awkish Chinese commentators have urged Beijing to prepare for military conflict with Japan as tensions mount over disputed islands in the East China Sea, but most experts say chances the Asian rivals will decide to go to war are slim. A bigger risk is the possibility that an unintended maritime clash results in deaths and boosts pressure for retaliation, but even then Tokyo and Beijing are expected to seek to manage the row before it becomes a full-blown military confrontation. “That’s the real risk - a maritime incident leading to a loss of life. If a Japanese or Chinese were killed, there would be a huge outpouring of nationalist sentiment,” said Linda Jakobson, director of the East Asia Program at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney. “But I still cannot seriously imagine it would lead to an attack on the other country. I do think rational minds would prevail,” she said, adding economic retaliation was more likely.

A feud over the lonely islets in the East China Sea flared this month after Japan’s government bought three of the islands from a private owner, triggering violent protests in China and threatening business between Asia’s two biggest economies. Adding to the tensions, China sent more than 10 government patrol vessels to waters near the islands, known as the Diaoyu in China and the Senkaku in Japan, while Japan beefed up its Coast Guard patrols. Chinese media said 1,000 fishing boats have set sail for the area, although none has been sighted close by.

Despite the diplomatic standoff and rising nationalist sentiment in China especially, experts agree neither Beijing nor Tokyo would intentionally escalate to a military confrontation what is already the worst crisis in bilateral ties in decades. “The chances of a military conflict are very, very slim because neither side wants to go down that path,” said former People’s Liberation Army officer, Xu Guangyu, now a senior consultant at a government-run think tank in Beijing.

Pressure from the United States, which repeated last week that the disputed isles were covered by a 1960 treaty obliging Washington to come to Japan’s aid if it were attacked, is also working to restrain both sides, security experts said.

“I very seriously do not think any of the involved parties - Japan, China and including the United States because of its defence treaty (with Japan) - want to see a military conflict over this dispute,” said the Lowy Institute’s Jakobson. “They don’t want to risk it, they don’t seek it and they do not intend to let it happen.”

Still, the possibility of a clash at sea remains. While the presence of the Chinese surveillance ships - none of which is a naval vessel - and Japan Coast Guard ships in the area might appear to set the stage for trouble, military experts said each side would try to steer clear of the other. “The bad news is that China sent ships to the area. The good news is that they are official ships controlled by the government,” said Narushige Michishita at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo. “This is good news because they are not likely to engage in aggressive action because that would really exacerbate the situation and turn it into a major crisis,” said Michishita. The Chinese ships, he said, had another mission besides asserting China’s claims to the islands and nearby

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waters. “My guess is that some (Chinese) official patrol boats are there to watch out for fishing boats ... to stop them from making problems,” Michishita said.

Military specialists say the Chinese patrol vessels are well disciplined as are the Japan Coast Guard ships, while the two sides have grown accustomed to communicating. “Both sides are ready, but both sides are very well under control,” said a former senior Japanese military official. What worries observers most is the risk that a boat carrying Chinese fishermen slips through or activists try to land, sparking clashes with Japan’s Coast Guard that result in deaths - news of which would spread like wildfire on the Internet. In 1996, a Hong Kong activist drowned in the nearby waters.

Diplomatic and economic relations

chilled sharply in 2010 after Japan arrested a Chinese trawler captain whose boat collided with a Japan Coast Guard vessel.

This time, tensions are already high and China is contending with a tricky oncein-a-decade leadership change while Japan’s ruling party faces a probable drubbing in an election expected in months.

“Two rational governments of major countries would not intentionally decide to enter into a major war with each other over a few uninhabited rocks,” said Denny Roy, an Asia security expert at the East-West Center in Hawaii. “But unfortunately, you can arrive at war in ways other than that - through unintended escalation, in which both countries start out at a much lower level, but each of them think that they must respond to per-

ceived provocation by the other side, both very strongly pushed into it by domestic pressure. That seems to be where we are now and it is difficult to see how countries can get out of that negative spiral.”

Others, however, were more confident that an unplanned clash could be kept from escalating into military conflict.

“That’s not really a major possibility, because there are still broad channels of communication between the two sides, and they would help prevent that happening. Both sides could still talk to each other,” said former senior PLA officer Xu. “Even before anything happened, you would also have the U.N Secretary General and others stepping in to ensure that the situation does not get out of control.” — Reuters

For Romney, troubling signs among older voters

By David Morgan ven before his running mate was booed by a lobbying group for older Americans on Friday, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney was losing support among such voters, whose backing is crucial to his hopes of winning the Nov 6 election. New polling by Reuters/Ipsos indicates that during the past two weeks - since just after the Democratic National Convention - support for Romney among Americans age 60 and older has crumbled, from a 20-point lead over Democratic President Barack Obama to less than 4 points. Romney’s double-digit advantages among older voters on the issues of healthcare and Medicare - the nation’s health insurance program for those over 65 and the disabled - also have evaporated, and Obama has begun to build an advantage in both areas.

Voting preferences among seniors could change in the final six weeks of the campaign, but the polling suggests that a series of recent episodes favoring Obama and the Democrats could be chipping away at Romney’s support among older Americans. Romney’s selection of Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate put the federal budget and Medicare at center stage in the campaign. But the debate over spending and entitlement programs that Romney seemed to be seeking has not unfolded the way Republicans wanted.

At the Democratic convention in Charlotte, Nor th Carolina, on Sept 5, former President Bill Clinton gave a folksy but blistering critique of Ryan’s plan to revamp Medicare, warning that it could leave seniors unprotected from escalating healthcare costs. Meanwhile, Democrats’ efforts to portray Romney as a wealthy former private equity executive with little sympathy for the less fortunate got a boost last week, from Romney himself. On a secretly recorded video released by the liberal magazine Mother Jones, Romney was shown telling supporters at a $50,000-a-person fundraiser that 47 percent of Americans would never vote for him because they do not pay federal income taxes, feel they are “victims,” and depend on government benefits.

Democrats accused Romney of dismissing a range of Americans, including elderly people who depend on government programs such as Medicare and Social Security.

Romney’s campaign rejected that, but the recent polls suggest that such claims may be resonating with Americans aged 60 and older, who for months had been the only age group to consistently suppor t Romney over Obama.

Analysts say that if Romney cannot reverse the trend among older voters, he won’t win on Nov 6. “If Romney loses seniors, he loses this election, period,” said Jonathan Oberlander, a health policy specialist at the University of North Carolina. “A bad showing nationally (among older voters) does not bode well for Florida and other states with big senior populations.”

Ryan’s plan for Medicare would limit the program’s costs by converting it from a provider of popular benefits to a system that would give future beneficiaries a financial stipend to help pay for private insurance or traditional Medicare.

Obama and fellow Democrats say Ryan’s approach, which

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largely has been embraced by Republicans including Romney, would further expose seniors to rising healthcare costs and hasten Medicare’s financial instability.

Republicans argue that their plan would preserve Medicare for future generations. Medicare serves nearly 50 million retired and disabled Americans, and polls show stiff public resistance to the Ryan plan, with older voters opposing it by a 2-to-1 ratio. Until now, however, there have been few tangible signs that opposition to Ryan’s plan would translate into a preference for president.

Pollsters say Obama’s recent rise in popularity among older Americans could signal that Democrats are winning the advertising battle over Medicare. That would be something of a turnaround for Democrats. For much of the past two years, Republicans have helped to sway public opinion against Obama’s signature legislative achievement, his overhaul of the healthcare system, by casting it as a government overreach that will kill jobs by raising costs for employers.

Republicans also said Obama would cut $716 billion from Medicare, an allegation rejected by Democrats and independent analysts. Even so, the Republican claims of Medicare cuts drew large numbers of seniors to the polls in the 2010 elections, when Republicans won control of the US House of Representatives.

AARP, a grass-roots lobbying group with 37 million members aged 50 and up, backed Obama’s healthcare plan against Republican critics. So it wasn’t too surprising last week when Ryan, speaking at an AARP convention in New Orleans, faced a tough audience. Less than five minutes into Ryan’s speech, there were boos and cries of “No!” as he laid out the Republican message on Medicare and vowed to repeal “Obamacare”. But the data from Reuters/Ipsos polling - along with similar results from survey data of older voters by the Pew Research Center - indicate that the crowd’s response in New Orleans could symbolize more than just one large group’s discomfort with the Romney-Ryan ticket.

A Pew poll, conducted Sept 12-16 and released last week, showed Romney with only a 47 to 46 percent lead among registered voters aged 65-plus. He also trailed Obama by 7 points among people aged 45 to 64 - a huge potential voting bloc that analysts say is increasingly concerned about retirement security. To illustrate the challenge that Romney could face in November, analysts note that Republican John McCain won 53 percent of the vote among those 65 and older in 2008, and lost to Obama with 46 percent of the overall vote. “This is certainly a bit of a game changer,” Ipsos pollster Julia Clark said of the increasing support for Obama among older Americans. “Older individuals vote. They’re the ones who turn up on Election Day, for sure.”

Romney and Ryan are likely to need a clear victory among older voters to win the election, given Obama’s advantages among other important voting groups such as women, minorities and young adults, analysts said. “For Romney to win the election, he has to have the majority of the vote from people over 50,” said Robert Blendon, a political analyst at the Harvard School of Public Health. “If they share voters over 50, Romney’s really going to take a loss here.” — Reuters

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

sp orts Milan coach suspended

Indian Olympic body calls for elections on Nov 25

ROME: AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has been suspended for one match after protesting to match officials during his side’s 2-1 defeat at Udinese, league officials announced yesterday.

A brief statement said Allegri was punished for protesting to the match referee as the teams were going down the tunnel after full-time in Sunday’s match in Udine, which was Milan’s third defeat in four games.

It means the 45-year-old, who has been under immense pressure during Milan’s catastrophic start to the season, will be banned from the touchline for Cagliari’s visit to the San Siro tomorrow.

Allegri has so far been given the backing of club bosses, including owner and president Silvio Berlusconi, but it remains to be seen how they will react if Milan slip to a fourth defeat.

Milan finished runners-up last season, a year after Allegri led them to the title in his first season in charge.

However, with three defeats in four games, it is the Rossoneri’s worst start to a campaign since the 1940-41 season. —AFP

NEW DELHI: The Indian Olympic Association has bowed to pressure from the International Olympic Committee and scheduled elections for Nov. 25.

The IOA made the announcement Monday, a day ahead of a deadline set by IOC for the Indian body to call elections and resolve the confusion surrounding the status of Suresh Kalmadi. Kalmadi spent nine months in jail over corruption charges relating to the 2010 Commonwealth Games. He stepped away from the day-to-day running of the IOA but has not relinquished the presidency.

Acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra told reporters yesterday the IOA “did not want to be in conflict” with the IOC. He said the body would also ensure that sports bodies governing Olympic disciplines would form the majority of the electorate. “The IOC had asked us to furnish information on two issues - the date of elections and to ensure a voting right majority of national sports federations whose disciplines are included in the Olympic Games. The executive board has announced the date for elections and a meeting on Oct. 18 will work out details of the electoral process,” Malhotra said. Malhotra did not clear up the national body’s stance on the IOC decision to send an observer to the elections.

“The IOC had sought information on these two issues only. The observer issue was not among those on which the IOC had directed us to respond.

We’ve already asked the IOC why we are being singled out because observers are not sent to other countries,” Malhotra said.—AP

Hodgson laments Terry’s exit LONDON: England manager Roy Hodgson said yesterday that he had “reluctantly” accepted John Terry’s decision to call time on his international career, as the centreback contested a Football Association racism charge.

Chelsea captain Terry effectively accused the FA of forcing his hand in quitting England duty after the governing body pressed on with charges that he racially abused Queens Park Rangers’ Anton Ferdinand in October.

Terry, who has always denied using a racist slur against his opponent, was found not guilty in a criminal case relating to the incident in a London court in July.

Despite the controversy, Hodgson picked Terry in his squad for the European Championship in June and wanted to have the 31-year-old involved in England’s bid to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. “I’d like to thank John Terry for his commitment to the England team since I became manager,” said Hodgson.

“I am of course disappointed to lose a player of John’s international experience and exceptional ability.

“I have enjoyed a good relationship with John during my time as England manager and I reluctantly accept his decision. I can also confirm that he had the courtesy to call me prior to the announcement of his retirement from the England team. —AP

Cardinals thrash Cubs CHICAGO: Kyle Lohse and the shorthanded St. Louis Cardinals won for the sixth time in seven games, holding their lead in the NL wild-card race with a 6-3 win Sunday over the Chicago Cubs.

Minus All-Stars Yadier Molina and Carlos Beltran from the starting lineup, the Cardinals stayed 21/2 games ahead of Milwaukee for the second wild-card spot.

Lohse (16-3) made his team-leading 32nd start, giving up three runs and five hits in six innings. Jason Motte earned his sixth save in the Cardinals’ last seven games, and now has 40 saves this season.

Molina did not play for the defending World Series champions because of lower back spasms, having hurt himself while getting out of the way of a pitch Saturday.

The catcher was feeling better, manager Mike Matheny said, still had some discomfort. Cubs starter Justin Germano (2-9) worked 5 2-3 innings, giving up four earned runs and 10 hits.

NEW YORK: Oakland Athletics’ Cliff Pennington hits a go-ahead sixth-inning RBI-single to drive in Josh Donaldson in a 5-4 victory over the New York Yankees. —AP

Athletics halt Yankees 7-game winning streak NEW YORK: Cliff Pennington hit a go-ahead single in the sixth inning after a key error by backup shortstop Eduardo Nunez and the Oakland Athletics bounced back to avoid a sweep, edging New York 5-4 Sunday and stopping the Yankees’ seven-game winning streak.

A day after their stunning 14-inning loss, the A’s held on to at least maintain their 21/2game lead for the second AL wild-card spot over the Angels, who played later.

The Yankees kept their one-game lead in the AL East because Baltimore lost in Boston.

Despite the defeat, the Yankees have to like their chances to win the division - their final 10 games are against three teams with records below .500.

Red Sox 2, Orioles 1 In Boston, Cody Ross doubled in the goahead run in the eighth inning, Andrew Bailey escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth and the Red Sox ended Baltimore’s six-game winning streak.

The Orioles began the day one game behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East and two games ahead of Oakland for the top wild-card spot in the league.

Boston stopped its four-game losing streak after Dustin Pedroia led off the eighth with a double against Luis Ayala (5-5) and Ross followed with his tiebreaking hit.

A double by Jim Thome helped Baltimore load the bases with one out in the ninth. But Bailey got Manny Machado on a forceout at home and struck out pinch-hitter Ryan Flaherty to finish it.

Angels 4, White Sox 1 In Anaheim, Jered Weaver kept the Angels within striking distance in the AL wild-card chase, posting his league-leading 19th victory with a decision over the struggling White Sox. The White Sox lost their fifth in a row and led Detroit by a half-game in the AL Central.

The Tigers lost the opener of their day-night doubleheader against Minnesota.

Albert Pujols reached the 100-RBI mark for the 11th time in 12 big league seasons with a two-run double as the Angels remained 21/2 games behind Oakland for the second wildcard spot.

Kendrys Morales hit a two-run homer that helped the Angels complete a three-game sweep. Weaver (19-4) established a career high for wins.

Twins 2, Tigers 1 In Detroit, Jamey Carroll hit an RBI single in the 10th inning and the Twins beat Detroit, winning both games of a doubleheader to prevent the Tigers from at least tying the Chicago White Sox atop the AL Central.

Chicago still has a one-game lead in the division despite extending its losing streak to five with a 4-1 loss earlier in the day against the Los Angeles Angels.

Detroit closer Jose Valverde (3-4) allowed pinch-hitter Denard Span to lead off the extra inning with a single and gave up a one-out, fall-behind single to Carroll. Jared Burton (2-1) got the win and Glen Perkins pitched a perfect 10th for his 14th save in 17 chances.

Indians 15, Royals 4 In Kansas City, Carlos Santana hit two homers and drove in five runs as the Indians routed Kansas City in their highest-scoring game of the season.

Santana connected for a two-run shot in the sixth inning off Jake Odorizzi, who lost in his major league debut. Santana added his team-leading 18th homer, a three-run drive during a seven-run ninth.

The loss officially eliminated the Royals from playoff contention and assured them of another losing record. Kansas City has not made the postseason since winning the 1985 World Series, the longest active playoff drought in the majors.

Rays 3, Blue Jays 0 In St, Petersburg, BJ Upton hit his eighth home run in 14 games and Jeremy Hellickson won for the first time in more than a month to help the Rays beat the Blue Jays.

It was the fifth straight win for the Rays, who remained 31/2 games behind the Oakland Athletics in the race for the AL’s second wild-card spot.

Hellickson (9-10) pitched 5 2-3 innings, giving up five hits and two walks while striking out six. The right-hander has given up only 16 runs in his last eight starts, but has won only two of them. Sunday marked his first win since Aug. 20.

Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 44th save. Upton’s 26th home run came in the first inning off Chad Jenkins, who was making his first major league start.

Rangers 3, Mariners 2 In Seattle, Ryan Dempster allowed two runs and six hits over six-plus innings and Mike Napoli and Geovany Soto homered to lead the Rangers over the Mariners and preserve a four-game lead over the Oakland A’s in the AL West.

With Oakland’s 5-4 win over the New York Yankees earlier Sunday, the Rangers were looking to avoid a sweep by the scuffling Mariners in order to keep their distance over the Athletics with a pivotal four-game series against them beginning in Texas on Monday.

Solo homers by Eric Thames and Brendan Ryan off Dempster (12-7) in the seventh inning were the only blemishes to a strong outing. Dempster went 6 2-3 innings allowing one walk while striking out eight. Joe Nathan earned his 35th save.

The Rangers were again without Josh Hamilton, who has missed the last five

Brewers 6, Nationals 2 In Washington, Jonathan Lucroy had a pair of RBI singles and Milwaukee beat Washington to keep the Brewers in the playoff chase.

Rickie Weeks had three hits while Aramis Ramirez had two doubles for Milwaukee, which twice benefitted from Washington outfielders losing fly balls in the sun. The Brewers are 21/2 games behind St. Louis for the final NL wild-card berth.

Washington (92-60) leads the NL East by 41/2 games over Atlanta, a 2-1 winner over Philadelphia Sunday. The Nationals magic number to clinch the division remains at six.

Reliever Brandon Kintzler (3-0) pitched a scoreless sixth inning for the win. John Axford recorded the final out with two runners on for his 33rd save. Losing pitcher Ryan Mattheus (5-3) allowed three earned runs on four hits.

Braves 2, Phillies 1 In Philadelphia, Tim Hudson tossed two-hit ball over 7 1-3 innings to help the Braves move to the brink of a playoff spot with a win over the Phillies.

Hudson (16-6) struck out four and allowed one unearned run to send the Braves back to Atlanta with a shot at winning an NL wild-card berth.

A year after a historic September collapse, the Braves are again close to a postseason spot. They can clinch during a sixgame homestand that opens today.

The Braves were up 81/2 games through Sept. 5 last year, but went 9-18 down the stretch and were overtaken by St. Louis on the final day of the season.

This season, the Braves can almost work the final week on setting their playoff rota-

tion. David Ross hit a solo homer for the Braves.

Pirates 8, Astros 1 In Houston, AJ Burnett allowed one run in eight innings for his 16th win, and Josh Harrison tied a career high with four hits to jumpstart Pittsburgh’s offense in a win over Houston.

The win snapped a five-game skid for the Pirates, who at 75-77 are in danger of posting their 20th straight losing season, which would extend their major North American professional sports record.

They have won just three times in the past 16 games to make their chances of securing the second NL wild-card slim.

Burnett (16-8), who allowed four hits and struck out a season-high 11, won for the first time since Aug. 16 to become the

Ryan Webb (4-3) into shallow left field and sprinted toward first with his finger in the air as the rest of the Mets poured out of the dugout. David Wright hit a two-run homer in the first and Bobby Parnell (5-4) pitched the top of the ninth for the win.

D’backs 10, Rockies 7 In Denver, Aaron Hill hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the eighth inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat Colorado, the Rockies’ season-high ninth straight loss. Arizona remained 41/2 games behind St. Louis for the second NL wild-card spot.

Wil Nieves had four hits and Hill had three for the Diamondbacks, who have won three straight and six of seven. Wilin Rosario had three hits for the fourth game in a row and DJ LeMahieu also had three hits for the Rockies.

CHICAGO: Cubs catcher Welington Castillo reaches for the ball as St. Louis Cardinals’ Yadier Molina (4) twists to get out of the way of the pitch during the ninth inning of a baseball game. —AP first Pittsburgh pitcher to win more than 15 games since 1991. He had started six games with four losses between victories.

Mets 3, Marlins 2 In New York, Ruben Tejada singled home the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning to give the Mets a victory over Miami. Scott Hairston led off the inning with a single, took second on a passed ball

by Rob Brantly, and was safe at third when pinch-hitter Jordany Valdespin beat the throw on what would have been an inningending double play. Instead, pinch-hitter Fred Lewis was intentionally walked after Valdespin was allowed to take second.

Tejada lined a pitch from right-hander

MLB results/standings Oakland 5, NY Yankees 4; Minnesota 10, Detroit 4; NY Mets 3, Miami 2; Boston 2, Baltimore 1; Milwaukee 6, Washington 2; Atlanta 2, Philadelphia 1; Tampa Bay 3, Toronto 0; Pittsburgh 8, Houston 1; Cleveland 15, Kansas City 4; St. Louis 6, Chicago Cubs 3; Arizona 10, Colorado 7; LA Angels 4, Chicago White Sox 1; San Diego 6, San Francisco 4; Texas 3, Seattle 2; Minnesota 2, Detroit 1 (10 innings); LA Dodgers 5, Cincinnati 3.

National League American League Eastern Division Eastern Division Washington 92 60 .605 W L PCT GB Atlanta 88 65 .575 4.5 NY Yankees 88 64 .579 Philadelphia 77 76 .503 15.5 Baltimore 87 65 .572 1 NY Mets 69 83 .454 23 Tampa Bay 83 70 .542 5.5 Miami 66 87 .431 26.5 Boston 69 85 .448 20 Toronto 66 85 .437 21.5 Central Division Cincinnati 92 61 .601 Central Division St. Louis 82 71 .536 10 Chicago White Sox 81 71 .533 Milwaukee 79 73 .520 12.5 Detroit 80 72 .526 1 Pittsburgh 75 77 .493 16.5 Kansas City 70 82 .461 11 Chicago Cubs 59 94 .386 33 Minnesota 64 89 .418 17.5 Houston 50 103 .327 42 Cleveland 63 90 .412 18.5 Western Division Western Division San Francisco 89 64 .582 Texas 90 62 .592 LA Dodgers 79 74 .516 10 Arizona 77 75 .507 11.5 Oakland 86 66 .566 4 San Diego 73 80 .477 16 LA Angels 84 69 .549 6.5 Colorado 58 94 .382 30.5 Seattle 72 81 .471 18.5

Padres 6, Giants 4 In San Francisco, Yonder Alonso’s two-run single in the seventh inning snapped a tie and helped the Padres beat the Giants. Mark Kotsay hit a home run and Yasmani Grandal also drove in a run for the Padres, who had lost four of their previous five games. Everth Cabrera had four hits, walked and stole three bases in five plate appearances. Xavier Nady, who had two hits, Eli Whiteside, Emmanuel Burriss and Buster Posey each drove in runs for the Giants, who rested their regulars a day after clinching the NL West Division title.

Eric Stults (7-3) worked six-plus innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, to win his sixth in seven decisions. He struck out four and walked one. Clay Hensley (4-4) took the loss after giving up Alonso’s hit.

Dodgers 5, Reds 3 In Cincinnati, Adrian Gonzalez hit a pair of solo homers off Homer Bailey on Sunday night, powering the Dodgers to a victory over the Reds that let them keep pace in the wild card race. The Dodgers remained three games behind St. Louis and a half-game behind Milwaukee for the final NL playoff spot. All three won on Sunday.

The Dodgers have dropped 11 of their last 17 games. They’re off Monday before starting a three-game series in San Diego.

The Dodgers finish the season with six games at home - three against Colorado, three against NL West-champion San Francisco. Bailey (12-10) allowed five hits in 6 2-3 innings, including the two homers by Gonzalez, who has five in his career off the right-hander.

Shawn Tolleson (3-1) got the victory with one perfect inning in relief. Brandon League pitched the ninth for his fifth save in as many chances with LA. —AP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

sp orts

Timing off in Pacquiao offer to Mayweather

UNCASVILLE: Connecticut’s Kelsey Griffin (center) beats Atlanta’s Catherine Kraayeveld (left) and Aneika Henry (13) to a rebound in the second half of WNBA Eastern Conference action.—AP

Sun shines over Dream UNCASVILLE: Kara Lawson had 21 points, eight rebounds, and set the franchise record for 3-pointers in a season as the Connecticut Sun finished the regular season with a 92-72 win over the Atlanta Dream on Sunday.

Lawson has made 74 3-pointers this season, topping Katie Douglas’ mark of 73 set in 2006.

Tina Charles had 17 points and nine rebounds for the Sun (25-9). She also finished with a WNBA-best 345 rebounds and a 10.5 average. Mistie Mims had nine points and five steals, and Kalana Greene scored 12 for Connecticut, Lindsay Harding scored 16 points, and Erika de Souza had 13 points and eight rebounds for Atlanta (19-15). Angel McCoughtry added 12 points and secured the league’s scoring title with an average of 21.4.

Fever 91, Shock 58 At Indianapolis, Erin Phillips matched a career high with 21 points, and Indiana beat Tulsa in the regular-season finale.

Tamika Catchings added 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Fever. Catchings posted her 82 career double-double, breaking a secondplace tie in WNBA history with Yolanda Griffith. The Fever (22-12) matched their franchise record for wins in a season. Indiana had lost three straight before beating Washington on Friday. Ivory Latta led the Shock (9-25) with 16 points. Scholanda Dorrell scored 14, Amber Holt had 10, and Glory Johnson added eight points and 11 rebounds for Tulsa.

The Fever won easily despite playing without three starters. Katie Douglas sat out with an illness, and guards Briann January and guard Shavonte Zellous missed the game due to concussion-like symptoms. Jessica Davenport scored 18 points, and Karima Christmas added a season-high 10 for Indiana.

Silver Stars 99, Lynx 84 At San Antonio, Danielle Adams scored 28

points, and San Antonio finished the regular season with a win over Minnesota.

Tangela Smith added 15 points, Danielle Robinson had 14, and Shameka Christon scored 13 for playoff-bound San Antonio (2113). Seimone Augustus had 18 points, Monica Wright 16 and Lindsay Whalen 14 for defending champion Minnesota (27-7). The Lynx, who have the league’s best record, missed an opportunity to match the best regular-season record in WNBA history. The Silver Stars set a season high for points in a game despite playing without Becky Hammon and Sophia Young, who rested before the playoffs.

Minnesota will face Seattle in the first round of the postseason.

Storm 71, Mercury 57 At Phoenix, Sue Bird had 13 points, five rebounds and four assists to help Seattle beat Phoenix. Seeded fourth in the West, Seattle (16-18) played its regulars most of the game before its playoff series with defending champion Minnesota that begins Friday. The Storm have reached the postseason a WNBA-record nine consecutive seasons.

With their seventh straight loss, the lastplace Mercury (7-27) recorded their worst season in franchise history, surpassing an 826 mark in 2003. They missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. DeWanna Bonner had 13 points to lead Phoenix.

Camille Little had 14 points and eight rebounds, and Shekinna Sticklen added 10 points for the Storm, who finished the regular season with three straight victories.

Candice Dupree, in her third game after knee surgery, had 10 points and three rebounds in 21 minutes. Krystal Thomas, cut

by Seattle and Phoenix but signed by the Mercury five days into the regular season, had a career-best 18 rebounds. It was her franchise-record fifth straight game of 10 or more rebounds—AP

NEW YORK: There’s always something to sell in boxing, some angle to make you pay. The latest from Manny Pacquiao is he’s willing to do ever ything but pick up Floyd Mayweather Jr. and drive him to the arena to make the megafight boxing has been waiting way too long for. Pacquiao says Mr. Money can have more money, and get top billing. He can watch him take his steroid tests, and even choose the food at the prefight press conference if he wants. “He can even wear my trunks if it gets him in the ring with me,” Pacquiao said.

“I want to fight Floyd Mayweather next.”

Unfortunately for boxing fans, Pacquiao is not fighting Mayweather next. He’s meeting Juan Manuel Marquez for the fourth time, a fight so unattractive that he needs to talk about Mayweather to get anyone to pay attention to it. That’s not entirely Pacman’s fault. Actually, most of it is Mayweather’s fault for refusing to step up for the fight that would likely define his career.

His nonsensical rants about steroids and patriotism whenever Pacquiao’s name is brought up are just that. His strange reluctance to prove his boast that he is the best fighter in the world brings into doubt just how legitimate that boast is.

Still, he remains the biggest draw in boxing, something he proves every fight with his big pay-per-view numbers. The mere mention of his name sells tickets, though it’s anyone’s guess when he will fight again after serving more than two months in jail this summer.

It’s been nearly four years since Pacquiao gave Oscar De La Hoya such a beating that he sent him into retirement, a fight that star ted the buzz about a Pacquiao Mayweather match. It seemed sure to happen, and it seemed sure to be the richest fight ever, with both boxers pocketing at least $40 million. My guess now is Mayweather and Pacquiao will never meet in the ring, even now when Pacquiao is offering to take 45 percent of the purse to 55 percent for Mayweather. I’ve felt that way for some time, and the feeling was reinforced when Mayweather went apoplectic when I dared to ask him before his fight against Miguel Cotto in May why he wasn’t fighting Pacquiao instead.

That doesn’t mean Pacquiao can’t use his erstwhile rival to sell some tickets of his own. And that’s all he’s really doing by calling out Mayweather now when he’s got another fighter in front of him. I’ve been ringside for all three of Pacquiao’s fights with Marquez, and they’ve all been good, close fights that could have gone either way.

Their styles guarantee a competitive fight, and if you liked the first 36 rounds you’ll

LAS VEGAS: WBO welterweight champion boxer Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, waves as fireworks explode behind him during a boxing presentation in Mexico City, Friday, Sept. 21. Pacquiao and his Mexican challenger Juan Manuel Marquez are promoting their fourth fight, scheduled for Dec. 8, 2012.—AP probably dig the credit card out to pay for another 12.

But do I want to see them fight for a fourth time on Dec. 8? Not particularly. But that is the fight promoter Bob Arum gave us when he told Timothy Bradley he wasn’t a big enough attraction for a second fight with Pacquiao, even though he won the first in a highly controversial decision.

Arum believes that Hispanic fight fans will help Pacquiao-Marquez IV do more than the 850,000 pay-per-views for Bradley in June. There’s a sense, though, that Pacquiao is fading, even though he appeared to dominate Bradley before backing off in the final rounds of their fight. He has been fighting professionally now for 17 years, and the difficulty he had getting motivated for his last two fights is a sure sign that he’s inching closer to the end of his lucrative career.

Beating Marquez for a third time in four fights won’t prove anything other than Pacquiao can still earn a big payday. Losing to him will mean two defeats in a row for Pacman, and almost certainly scuttle any

chance of a Mayweather fight.

Mayweather has been uncharacteristically quiet since his release from jail in Las Vegas, where he was serving a sentence on a domestic abuse charge. He hasn’t revealed what his plans are, though it’s clear he won’t be fighting the rest of the year.

Assuming Pacquiao beats Marquez - and that’s a big assumption - the earliest the two could meet would be in the spring, most likely the first week of May. That’s also the last legitimate date for a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight to mean anything, and if it passes, a chance to make boxing history will pass along with it.

Pacquiao’s offer to take less money does put the onus of making the fight squarely on Mayweather. He’s running out of excuses not to fight Pacquiao, and both his legacy and reputation will suffer if he doesn’t.

Any serious talk about a possible fight, though, will have to wait until Pacquiao fights Marquez. Until then any offer Pacquiao makes is nothing more than a sales job for Dec. 8.—AP

Streetfighter Vettel takes title showdown to Alonso SINGAPORE: Sebastian Vettel displayed all the guts and determination of a world champion to haul himself back into the Formula One title race with a Singapore victory that sets up a mouth-watering finale to the season. Vettel kept his focus to win a “killer” race that ran for a full two hours on a balmy Sunday night, enabling the German to cut championship leader Fernando Alonso’s advantage to 29 points with six rounds remaining as he seeks a hat-trick of crowns.

To say the title showdown has come down to a duel between Vettel’s Red Bull and Alonso’s Ferrari could be premature given the topsy-turvy nature of this season but while both men have bemoaned a lack of pace, they make up for it in consistency.

Alonso has spent all season claiming his car is not competitive, yet he has forged

SINGAPORE: Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany stands on his car as he celebrates his win at the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix in this file photo. —AP ahead by picking up big points from average positions on the grid, a feat he repeated in Singapore by finishing third after starting fifth. “On track, we manage to make the most of what we have, making few or no mistakes, thanks to great work from the team,” Alonso told reporters after chasing home Vettel and McLaren’s Jenson Button. “For that alone we deserve to be where we are in the classification. Today, we pulled out an advantage over three of our four main competitors, which is

positive.” Vettel cut a forlorn figure after an erratic race in Monza two weeks ago ended prematurely with an alternator failure, leaving many observers to doubt whether the German had the desire or the vehicle to mount a serious title challenge. His demeanor had changed by Sunday after a polished drive backed up his domination in practice as both he and Alonso benefited from another failure for Lewis Hamilton, who has offset three wins with three retirements in the last eight races.

All season long, McLaren’s rivals have claimed the British car was the most competitive yet Hamilton’s challenge took a body blow on Sunday when he surrendered the lead on the 23rd lap with a gearbox failure and is now 52 points behind Alonso.

“A tremendous result for Sebastian and the team to win in Singapore. It’s a timely win for both championships,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said.

“It was unfortunate for Lewis to retire from the lead, we know how that feels and it’s never a good feeling. “Nonetheless, Sebastian had tremendous pace all weekend and it’s a shame in some respects, as I’m sure they’d have had a great race over the remainder of the grand prix.”

Kimi Raikkonen also lost ground in Singapore as his Lotus proved unresponsive on the tight street circuit with his sixth-place finish dropping him 45 points off the pace as he still searches for a first victory in his comeback season.

The teams now head to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix on Oct. 7 and while the circuit is a sweeping tribute to near-perfect track design, the title contenders have only one thing on their minds - to finish in the points. “(The championship situation) looks better than before,” Vettel said after collecting his 23rd career victory. “Fernando finished third and it’s 10 points better than before.

There are a lot of races left, and it’s difficult to predict what is going to happen but we have to make sure we finish the races.

“The pace is there and even if we are not quick enough to win - we have to make sure we do that. It is a tough championship so far but we are still in it.”

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali expects the team to make incremental improvements to the car over the final races of the season but ruled out making drastic changes. “There are six grands prix to go to the end of the season and clearly, we need to make a step forward in terms of performance, because we cannot rely purely on the misfortune of others,” he said. “Where we need to improve a lot is on circuits that require maximum aerodynamic downforce. Having said that, we mustn’t over-react as it’s better to bring a few updates that work rather than bringing in too many.”—Reuters

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Denny Hamlin (11) competes against Jimmie Johnson during the final restart in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race.—AP

Hamlin wins at New Hampshire LOUDON: Denny Hamlin stepped out of his car, pointed into the air and took a mighty swing of an invisible baseball bat.

Like Babe Ruth did before him (or so the legend goes), Hamlin had called his shot. The top winner in NASCAR’s regular season earned his series-leading fifth victory of the year Sunday, backing up a tweet of “We will win” with a mistake-free and dominating run at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the second event of the Chase for the Sprint Cup. “You don’t want to sound too cocky, but I knew what we were capable of,” said Hamlin, who was 32nd in qualifying after his crew put the wrong pressure in his tires. “I know we made a couple of big mistakes, but I said we were fast enough to make it up and we did.”

It was the 100th career victory for team owner Joe Gibbs, who also won three Super Bowls as the coach of the Washington Redskins. And it came with a little teamwork, too, when Kyle Busch slowed down to help suck some debris off the front of Hamlin’s car and propel him to victory.

“As fast as he was, he could have gone to the back of any car and pulled that off,” said Jimmie

Johnson, who finished second and took over the Chase lead. “I kind of thought he would be the guy to beat and he certainly was.

We are second-best.”

Johnson will head into Dover, Del., one of his top tracks, one point ahead of Chicago winner Brad Keselowski, who was sixth Sunday. Jeff Gordon, who was the last man to qualify for the Chase, was third. “We had a great race car,” said Johnson, a fivetime NASCAR season champion, “just not an amazing car like the No. 11 did here today.”

Hamlin improved to third in the Chase, seven points behind Johnson, despite a tumultuous week that began with him running out of gas in Chicago and continued when his crew used race pressure instead of qualifying pressure in his tires on Friday.

Hamlin also had problems with his crew here in July, when confusion during a tire change dropped him into traffic and left him scurrying to get back to the front of the field.

But he was confident enough on this track, where now he has five top five finishes in his last seven races, that he told a group of US National Guardsmen during a publicity trip to New

Hampshire earlier this month that would be back to share a few beers in victory lane. And despite finishing 16th in Chicago, Hamlin tweeted: “This is week 1 of 10. We will win next week.”

Hamlin had the fastest car in both practices, but the mistake in qualifying had him starting near the back of the field. Hamlin said he came to the track on Sunday with the goal of getting into the top 10 by the 100th lap. He did better than that, taking the lead on the 94th lap and holding it for 193 laps in all.

“He was the class of the field from the time we unloaded,” said Clint Bowyer, who finished fourth and is tied for fifth in the Chase. “I don’t know what they figured out, but they figured it out in a big way.”

Hamlin, who won in New Hampshire in 2007, led for 150 laps here in July before a miscommunication with crew chief Darian Grubb over whether to change two tires or four cost him a chance at another win. Then, in the Chase opener in Chicago last week, he finished 16th after his crew failed to fill up his tank on the final pit stop.

But Hamlin remained confident, in person and on Twitter,

and Gibbs said that spilled over to a crew that was frustrated over its own mistakes.

“That meant a lot to his team.

And I think the way you handle things like that, being the guy that’s wheeling the car, I think is a big deal,” Gibbs said, commending Grubb as well. “Those guys are going to remember the way they were treated and I think they would die for them both.”

The biggest threat for Hamlin on Sunday was a plastic bag that was sucked onto the front of his car, blocking par t of the air intake, with about one-third of the race to go. Busch, who had blown a cylinder and is not a part of the Chase, slowed down to allow his teammate to come up behind him. The turbulence between the cars blew the debris off, and Hamlin was back on his way.

“No matter how fast your car is in practice, it’s no guarantee for the race. And so I was a little nervous about that and how the conditions were going to change,” Hamlin said. “But Darian obviously gave me a lightning fast car today. For me, my job was relatively easy: Just make sure that I didn’t make any enemies on the way to the front.”—AP

17

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

S P ORT S

Rain break rescues Wozniacki in Tokyo

ATLANTA: Brandt Snedeker poses with the trophies after winning the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup. —AP

Snedeker wins Tour Championship ATLANTA: Brandt Snedeker held off a late charge by fellow American Ryan Moore to win the season-ending Tour Championship by three shots on Sunday, along with FedExCup honors and the eye-popping $10 million bonus.

Tied for the lead overnight with Britain’s Justin Rose in the PGA Tour’s final playoff event, Snedeker birdied three of the last six holes to clinch his fourth title on the U.S. circuit and his second of the year.

Snedeker, one of five players who came into this week knowing that victory would automatically secure him the playoff crown, signed off with a two-under-par 68 on a sun-splashed day at East Lake Golf Club for a 10-under total of 270.

After chipping in from the front of the green at the 17th for his fifth birdie of the day, the 31-year-old could afford the luxury of a bogey at the tricky par-three 18th where his tee shot sailed long into a grandstand. “This has been an unbelievable week,” Snedeker smiled after being presented with the two trophies. “The golf course is in great shape and obviously I liked it. At the end of the day, I had complete confidence of what I was doing out here.”

Englishman Rose, playing with Snedeker in the final pairing on a difficult day for scoring in breezy conditions, finished alone in second after closing with a 71. Moore, who had surged into a tie for the lead with three holes to play, bogeyed 16, 17 and the last for a 70 to tie for third at six under with Britain’s Luke Donald (67).

World number one Rory McIlroy and second-ranked Tiger Woods, who like Snedeker had victory in their sights to complete the FedExCup ‘double’, both finished poorly.

Northern Irishman McIlroy, winner of the two previous playoff events, hit only two of 14 fairways on the way to a 74 and a share of 10th place.

“I’m a little disappointed to be honest,” said the 23-year-old Northern Irishman who had been seeking a fifth PGA Tour victory this year and his fourth in just five starts. “I didn’t play the way I wanted to, especially today. I only hit two fairways,

and you can’t do that around this place.”

Woods, who has twice landed FedExCup honours, closed with an erratic 72 to finish joint eighth at two under. “I fought very hard just to shoot what I shot on the last couple of days,” said Woods. “I shot under par (overall), but, obviously, not enough.

“My short game was really dialled in this week. I chipped and putted really well.

I need to hit the ball a little better than I hit it certainly this weekend.”

Snedeker’s double triumph capped a storming late season run that began with his tie for third at the British Open in July where he opened with scores of 66 and 64.

He finished second and sixth in the first two playoff events to earn himself a wildcard selection for next week’s Ryder Cup, and underlined his likely value to the U.S. team with a stunning display of putting at East Lake.

With a massive pay-day looming large in the final round, Snedeker moved into the outright lead at nine under when he rolled in a nine-footer to birdie the parfour third.

Though he emulated Woods and McIlroy by double-bogeying the daunting par-three sixth, after hitting his tee shot into water, he remained a stroke in front at seven under.

Snedeker, widely regarded as one of the best putters in the game, drained a 40foot birdie putt at the eighth before parring the ninth to reach the turn two shots clear.

He did well to save par at the 10th, coolly sinking an 11-footer, before Rose and Moore moved within a stroke of the lead with birdies at the par-three 11th.

However Snedeker sank another bomb, this time an 18-footer, to birdie the 13th and regain a two-shot cushion, prompting a vigorous fist pump in celebration.

Though Moore briefly caught him in a two-way tie at the top with birdies at 14 and 15, Snedeker pulled ahead for good with a two-putt birdie at the par-five 15th. —Reuters

with Bartoli. “I was told there was a drunk fan,” said the Japanese who shouted angrily in the direction of the spectator after netting a forehand while threatening a late fightback.

“You’re focusing so hard and it’s extremely

“You look at how the Ryder Cup players have played over the past few weeks, and they’ve been at the top of the leaderboards. They’ve been winning, they ’ve been contending, it ’s great,” the 23-year-old smiled.

“I just hope that we’re all still as fresh for next week. It’s been a long run. I think everyone’s going to take the day off tomorrow, the ones that have played here, chill out and just get ready for the Ryder Cup because it’s a long week.

“Not just with the golf and how much golf you have to play, but all the commitments you have outside of that. It’s a draining week, and you’ve got to really conserve your energy.”

Snedeker is one of four rookies on the US team that will host holders Europe at Medinah next week and he is expecting a fiery baptism in the emotional pressure cooker of the biennial team competition.

“I’m not under any illusion of being calm next week,” the American said after winning his fourth title on the PGA Tour.

“I know it’s going to be a very pressurepacked week.

“But I am going to use today as a huge thing to fall back on next week. I played against the best in the world this week for 72 holes and I beat them.

“Nothing’s going to happen next week that’s going to change that fact, so I’m going to use it as confidence. I’m playing the best golf of my career. And I look forward to getting up there next week and playing some even better golf.” The 39th Ryder Cup will start on Friday. —Reuters

a second-round match with Australian Samantha Stosur.

Russia’s Nadia Petrova overpowered Peng Shuai 6-1 6-4, ousting one of three Chinese taking part despite their country’s fierce polit-

TOKYO: Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark returns a shot to Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia during their first round match of the Japan Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament. —AP

disappointing when people who are supposed to be supporting you are drunk and shouting when you hit the ball.”

Italy ’s former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone squeezed past Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 4-6 7-6 6-4 to set up

ical row with Japan over disputed islands.

Zheng Jie beat American Vania King 6-3 6-4 while last year’s French Open champion Li Na opens her campaign against Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova today. —Reuters

Adam talks of ‘Great Buzz’ in Wallaby camp

PRATTVILLE: Stacy Lewis displays the trophy after winning the Navistar LPGA Classic golf tournament. —AP

Ryder Cup form flows early at East Lake ATLANTA: Tour Championship winner Brandt Snedeker and runner-up Justin Rose were among a host of players who delivered sparkling form in the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season ahead of next week’s Ryder Cup. With the triumphant Snedeker leading the way, nine members of the 12man American team finished in the top 15 at East Lake Golf Club and Englishman Rose was one of three European players to follow suit.

The entire US Ryder Cup team competed in the elite field of 30 at the Tour Championship while just five of the players who will represent Europe next week at Medinah Country Club outside Chicago took part.

“It’s been a real good ebb-and-flow between the American team and European team,” Rose told reporters after firing a one-over-par 71 in Sunday’s final round to finish three shots behind Snedeker.

“Obviously with Snedeker winning, the needle might be swinging in favor of the Americans. But I think it’s set up for a great week in Chicago. Two great teams, all in the top 40 in the world, something like that. “It’s probably as strong as it’s ever been between the two teams. All 12 of their guys played this week, and only five of ours did. We’ll see how that plays out.”

Northern Irish world number one Rory McIlroy, who tied for 10th at the Tour Championship where he had been bidding for a third successive victory in the PGA Tour’s playoffs, was equally thrilled by the recent form of his peers.

TOKYO: Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki squeezed through to the second round of the Pan Pacific Open, just one day after ending a 13-month title drought in South Korea.

The Dane made hard work of beating Serb qualifier Bojana Jovanovski 6-0 3-6 6-4 in a match halted for an hour in the third set by lightning flashes and torrential rain.

Nine of the world’s top 10 women are competing in Tokyo this week at the $2.16 million event, with the leading eight seeds receiving byes into the second round.

Wozniacki, who captured the Korea Open on Sunday, powered through a first set played in a warm breeze before fatigue hit her in the second.

The heavens broke at 3-3 in the decider and Wozniacki, down 15-30, eventually dropped her serve after waiting for the roof to be closed and the waterlogged court to be mopped dry.

Normal service was quickly resumed, however, as the 10th seed took the next three games to wrap up victory in two hours 17 minutes after forcing Jovanovski into a wild backhand.

“I was very lucky the rain came at 3-3 in the third,” Wozniacki told reporters. “I was feeling tired and it gave me a little time to relax and get my body back together.”

Serb Ana Ivanovic, another former world number one who is seeded 11th this week, progressed by beating Andrea Hlavackova 6-3 2-0 when the Czech retired with a thigh injury.

Ivanovic, who reached the US Open quarter-finals earlier this month, said she still had the game to challenge for grand slam titles. “ That’s the only reason I’m still here,” Ivanovic told Reuters. “I already achieved two of my biggest dreams in winning a grand slam and being number one in the world.

“But I believe I can still be at the top level and winning grand slams,” added the Serb who topped the rankings after winning the 2008 French Open.

Ninth seed Marion Bartoli of France bundled out Japan’s Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-1 6-4 just four days before the local favourite’s 42nd birthday.

Wildcard Date-Krumm, who won the title in 1995, kicked an advertising board and left the court fuming at a boisterous fan, glaring back at the seats as she went to shake hands

Stacy bags Navistar Classic PRATTVILLE: Stacy Lewis is starting to feel right at home in Alabama, savoring everything from the Bermuda grass to the comfort of the familiar low-budget hotel where the staffers greet her by name.

Lewis won the Navistar LPGA Classic on Sunday for her third LPGA Tour victory in five months and second in the state, closing with a 3-under 69 to beat defending champion Lexi Thompson by two strokes. Lewis parred the final two holes after a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 16 gave her the final cushion, and Thompson shot a 66 on The Senator course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Capitol Hill complex.

“Lexi was within one when we got to the 16th green and that’s the only time all day I actually knew what was going on,” Lewis said.

“Making birdie there on 16 was huge to just kind of give me that cushion.” Lewis won in Mobile in late April, edging Thompson by a stroke in that tournament. The former Arkansas star also won the Shoprite LPGA Classic in June.

The 17-year-old Thompson rebounded from a third-round 74. She won the event last year at 16 to become the youngest champion in LPGA Tour history, a mark broken last month by 15year-old amateur Lydia Ko in the Canadian Women’s Open.

Lewis finished at 18 under, one shot shy of the tournament record set by Australia’s Katherine Hull in 2010. Lewis reclaimed the No. 2 spot in the world rankings and earned $195,000 - but still stayed at a $75-a-night hotel in Prattville like usual.

Now, she and Yani Tseng are tied for the tour lead in victories this year when Lewis has claimed three of her four victories. She also won the Kraft Nabisco Championship last year.

Lewis, who earned 30 points, leads Jiyai Shin by 56 points in the player of the year race. Shin skipped the Navistar after winning the last two events. Lewis is trying to become the first American player of the year since Beth Daniel in 1994. “It’s unbelievable,” Lewis said. “Winning never gets easier. It might have looked easy out there but it was hard. Every shot was stressful and on this golf course with one swing you can make a double pretty easy. I had some adrena-

line going at the end.” Her previous best at the Navistar was a tie for sixth last year, but she still likes competing in this state.

“I don’t know what it is. I don’t know if it’s the Bermuda grass,” Lewis said. “It’s kind of what I grew up on in Texas. I love playing these kind of courses where you just have to hit good shots. If you don’t hit good shots you’re not rewarded. I like that. It’s hard, and you can make birdies but you have to hit the shots.” Lewis had a three-putt for bogey on No. 2, but birdied No. 5 and made a 15-footer for another on the ninth hole.

“That was kind of the key putt for me,” she said. Thompson made quite a run with birdies on holes 10-12. She set up fairly short putts on all three, making a 6-footer, a 1-footer and a 10footer. Thompson missed birdie putts on three of the final four holes, making one on No. 17 to close to within a stroke. Then she saw Lewis move to two strokes ahead when Thompson was on the final hole before enduring another near-miss with a chance to turn up the pressure on the leader.

“I just got some weird putts that broke differently than I thought,” Thompson said. “Just total misreads. That happens. You get a few goofy putts but I was happy with the shots I hit into those holes.” Both players are starting to feel Alabama is sweet home these days. Thompson kept up her daily ritual with breakfast at the Waffle House - skipping the high-carbohydrate specialty - and handled the coin toss at a high school football game. She high-fived two kids after her birdie on No. 17 gave her new life but once again couldn’t overtake Lewis in Alabama.

“She’s played amazing this year,” Thompson said. “Everybody knows how great a player she is. Once I saw her go into the lead into today, I knew I would have to put up a good round.”

Thompson opened with a career-best 63, tying the tournament record. She came out with a mind-set to erase thoughts of the rough Saturday. “Pretty much just forget totally about (Saturday) and come into today blank-minded and just free swing,” she said of her approach. “I have nothing to lose, just go for birdies. I bogeyed the first hole and I just went for it from there.” —AP

JOHANNESBURG: Quade Cooper’s belief there is “a toxic environment” in the camp will not distract Australia ahead of Saturday’s Rugby Championship test against South Africa, said utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper.

Flyhalf Cooper, who is missing from the squad because of knee trouble, made his outspoken comments at the weekend but his team mate responded on Monday by saying there was a convivial mood in the dressing room.

“This won’t be a distraction for us,” Ashley-Cooper told a news conference in Johannesburg. “There’s a great buzz in the squad and we’re excited to be here.

“We’ve had two good wins in this competition and we feel we’re building as a group.” Cooper had launched a Twitter outburst against Robbie Deans, venting his frustration at the tactics of the coach of the Wallabies and also at the Australian Rugby Union. The 24-year-old flyhalf, who needs a knee operation and could miss the tour of Europe in November and December, then continued his tirade in an interview with the Australian Associated Press. “There are a lot of people who are afraid to say what they feel so they just go along with it and nothing is going to change,” Cooper told the news agency. “That’s why I feel so strongly. I don’t want to be involved in the toxic environment and that’s how it is at the moment.”

Cooper’s original Twitter comments had infuriated Jim Carmichael, chief executive at his club side the Queensland Reds. Carmichael said he would meet the player and warn him about his outburst. “I’m fed up,” the Reds boss told the local Courier Mail newspaper. “Quade is making silly comments that do damage to our code.”

Cooper’s tirade against Deans came after the coach had criticised an error-prone display by the New Zealand-born playmaker following his return from previous knee surgery.

The flyhalf also announced that he would like to join All Black Sonny Williams in the National Rugby League. While Australia have won their last two tests against South Africa and Argentina, Deans is still under pressure at home because of his record of two wins in 16 matches against the All Blacks. South Africa Adam Ashley-Cooper coach Heyneke Meyer is also feeling the heat with his team having picked up just one victory in four Rugby Championship matches.

“The Springboks are facing similar challenges to us with a lot of injuries and having to give opportunities to younger players,” Ashley-Cooper said yesterday.

“They are coming off two disappointing losses so they’ll be pretty motivated and we expect it to be really tough to win in Pretoria on Saturday.” Ashley-Cooper, 28, a veteran of 71 tests, said Loftus Versfeld would not be a place for the faint hearted.

“Playing there is always pretty tough, you’re usually up against quality opposition and a hostile crowd that they feed off,” he added. “Plus the altitude and the pace of the game there means it’s always a challenge. A win is something we’ve never achieved before in Pretoria ... so there’s a lot of motivation for us.” Australia are to name their team on Thursday while South Africa will unveil their lineup 24 hours earlier. —Reuters

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

S P ORT S

BALTIMORE: New England Patriots running back Stevan Ridley (center) attempts to rush past Baltimore Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb (left) and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe in the first half of an NFL football game. — AP

DENVER: Houston Texans tight end Owen Daniels (81) dives over the goal line for a touchdown as he is hit by Denver Broncos strong safety Chris Harris (25) and outside linebacker Von Miller (58) in the third quarter of an NFL football game. — AP

Ravens soar over Patriots BALTIMORE: Justin Tucker kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Baltimore Ravens a 31-30 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday night in a rematch of the AFC championship game.

When the teams met in January, the Patriots squeezed out a three-point win at home to advance to the Super Bowl. The stakes weren’t nearly as high in this one, yet the game was eerily similar. In the previous meeting, Billy Cundiff missed a 32-yard field goal in the closing seconds.

In the encore, Tucker - who took the job away from Cundiff in training camp - drove his kick inside the right upright. The game-winning kick followed a pass interference call against Devin McCourty on Jacoby Jones. Torrey Smith, who was playing less than 24 hours after the death of his 19-year-old brother, had six catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns for the Ravens.

Baltimore (2-1) won its 12th straight at home behind Joe Flacco, who went 28 for 39 for 382 yards and three touchdowns. Tom Brady completed 28 of 41 passes for 335 yards and a score for the Patriots (1-2).

Titans 44, Lions 41 In Nashville, Rob Bironas kicked a 26-yard field goal in overtime, and the Titans stopped backup quarterback Shaun Hill on fourth-and-1 at the Tennessee 7 to pull out a win over Detroit.

The Titans (1-2) blew a 20-9 halftime lead in a crazy game featuring big plays, scoring swings and some suspect officiating. Detroit scored 18 straight points, then Tennessee answered with 21 points before the Lions scored the final 14 of regulation. Detroit recovered an onside kick and got an assist from officials who did not review a possible turnover. In overtime, Bironas’ third field goal put Tennessee ahead to stay.

The Lions (1-2) lost their second straight when coach Jim Schwartz decided not to let Jason Hanson attempt to connect on a fifth field goal.

Hill, in for injured Matthew Stafford , was stopped by defensive tackles Jurrell Casey and Sen’Derrick Marks on his sneak, and Tennessee escaped with its first win of the season.

Chiefs 27, Saints 24 In New Orleans, Ryan Succop kicked six field goals, one to force overtime in the final seconds and another from 31 yards to lift Kansas City to its first win and keep New Orleans winless.

Succop’s 43-yard field goal with 3 seconds left completed a methodical comeback by Kansas City (1-2) after the Saints (0-3) had cashed in on a pair of Chiefs turnovers to go ahead 24-6 in the third quarter.

Kansas City needed only one touchdown to win, a 91-yard run by Jamaal Charles, who finished with 233 yards rushing and 55 yards receiving. The Chiefs also got a safety in the fourth quarter on Justin Houston’s third sack of the game. Drew Brees passed for 240 yards and three touchdowns, but missed all six of his passes through the fourth quarter and overtime.

Vikings 24, 49ers 13 In Minneapolis, Christian Ponder threw two touchdown passes to tight end Kyle Rudolph and ran for another score to help the Vikings hand the 49ers their first defeat.

After a dominant start to their NFC North tour by decisively beating playoff teams Green Bay and Detroit, the 49ers (2-1) were beaten in every

way by a team least likely to do so.

The Vikings (2-1) began the game boldly with a fourth-and-goal touchdown pass by Ponder to Rudolph. They finished strong by forcing three turnovers and two punts by the 49ers in the fourth quarter.

Playing against his former team in the regular season for the first time, Randy Moss had three catches for 27 yards. Alex Smith’s franchise-record interception-free streak ended at 249 straight passes.

Falcons 27, Chargers 3 In San Diego, Matt Ryan threw touchdown passes to three different receivers and safety Thomas DeCoud had two interceptions and a fumble recovery for unbeaten Atlanta.

Ryan completed 30 of 40 passes for 275 yards, with his first interception of the season, and a passer rating of 107.8 for the Falcons (3-0), who improved to 6-0 all-time in San Diego. DeCoud’s three takeaways, plus William Moore’s fourthquarter fumble recovery, extended the Falcons‘ NFL-high turnover differential to plus-10. San Diego (2-1) was the third straight AFC West team to lose to Atlanta. Ryan Mathews made his season debut for San Diego and looked good until fumbling inside the Falcons’ 5-yard line on a hit by Sean Witherspoon, with DeCoud recovering.

Texans 31, Broncos 25 In Denver, Matt Schaub outplayed Peyton Manning, throwing four touchdown passes against a confused Denver defense.

Schaub finished 17 for 30 for 290 yards to help Houston move to 3-0 for the first time in franchise history. Six days after throwing three interceptions in the first quarter of a loss to Atlanta, Manning didn’t throw any against the Texans. But just as happened last week, the Broncos fell behind by 20 and lost by six. Manning did get the ball with 20 seconds left this time but didn’t get the Broncos close to the end zone.

Raiders 34, Steelers 31 In Oakland, Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 43yard field goal on the last play as Oakland scored the final 13 points after wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey was knocked out and hospitalized by a scary hit.

The game turned somber early in the fourth quarter when Heyward-Bey was knocked unconscious by a helmet-to-helmet hit in the end zone

by Steelers safety Ryan Mundy. The hit was not called a penalty by the replacement officials.

Heyward-Bey was taken to the hospital with a neck injury.

Carson Palmer then threw his third touchdown pass for Oakland (1-2) and Janikowski kicked two field goals to beat the Steelers (1-2) and give coach Dennis Allen his first win.

Cardinals 27, Eagles 6 In Glendale, Kevin Kolb threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns and James Sanders returned one of Michael Vick’s two fumbles 93 yards for a touchdown, and Arizona is off to its best start in 38 years. Arizona (3-0) sacked Vick five times in winning its seventh straight home game, the second-longest streak in franchise history. Philadelphia (2-1) became the first NFL team to open a season with two one-point wins. The Eagles didn’t give themselves a chance to rally for another victory, picked apart by the quarterback

they cast away and hounded by Arizona’s attacking defense.

Jets 23, Dolphins 20 In Miami, Nick Folk received a reprieve when his blocked field-goal attempt was negated by a timeout, and his second try was a successful 33yarder with 6:04 left in overtime.

Mark Sanchez hit Santonio Holmes for a 38yard gain to set up the kick. Two plays later, Folk’s try was blocked, but officials whistled the play dead as the ball was snapped because the Dolphins had called timeout. Folk then made the winner. On the previous possession, the Dolphins’ Dan Carpenter was wide left on a 48-yard fieldgoal attempt that would have given them the vic-

tory. New York improved to 2-1, and Miami dropped to 1-2. The Jets’ Darrelle Revis and Miami’s Reggie Bush left the game with left knee injuries.

Jaguars 22, Colts 17 In Indianapolis, Blaine Gabbert connected with Cecil Shorts III on an 80-yard touchdown pass with 45 seconds left to lift Jacksonville to its first win of the season.

Maurice Jones-Drew ran for 177 yard, but Jacksonville (2-1) needed Gabbert’s big play. The Colts (1-2) had taken the lead 17-16 after Andrew Luck drove them 48 yards in five plays to set up Adam Vinatieri’s 37-yard field goal with 56 seconds left.

LANDOVER: Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap sacks Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III and forces a fumble during the first half of an NFL football game.—AP

NFL results/standings Dallas 16, Tampa Bay 10; Chicago 23, St. Louis 6; Minnesota 24, San Francisco 13; Tennessee 44, Detroit 41 (OT); Cincinnati 38, Washington 31; Kansas City 27, New Orleans 24 (OT); NY Jets 23, Miami 20 (OT); Buffalo 24, Cleveland 14; Jacksonville 22, Indianapolis 17; Arizona 27, Philadelphia 6; Atlanta 27, San Diego 3; Houston 31, Denver 25; Oakland 34, Pittsburgh 31; Baltimore 31, New England 30.

American Football Conference National Football Conference AFC East NFC East W L T OTL PF PA PCT Dallas 2 1 0 0 47 54 .667 NY Jets 2 1 0 0 81 75 .667 47 66 .667 Philadelphia 2 1 0 0 Buffalo 2 1 0 0 87 79 .667 NY Giants 2 1 0 0 94 65 .667 New England1 2 0 0 82 64 .333 Washington 1 2 0 0 99 101 .333 Miami 1 2 0 1 65 66 .333 NFC North AFC North Chicago 2 1 0 0 74 50 .667 Baltimore 2 1 0 0 98 67 .667 70 59 .667 Minnesota 2 1 0 0 Cincinnati 2 1 0 0 85 102 .667 Green Bay 1 1 0 0 45 40 .500 Pittsburgh 1 2 0 0 77 75 .333 Detroit 1 2 0 1 87 94 .333 Cleveland 0 3 0 0 57 75 0 NFC South AFC South Atlanta 3 0 0 0 94 48 1.000 Houston 3 0 0 0 88 42 1.000 60 67 .333 Tampa Bay 1 2 0 0 Jacksonville 1 2 0 1 52 70 .333 Carolina 1 2 0 0 52 79 .333 Tennessee 1 2 0 0 67 113 .333 New Orleans 0 3 0 1 83 102 0 Indianapolis 1 2 0 0 61 83 .333 NFC West AFC West Arizona 3 0 0 0 67 40 1.000 San Diego 2 1 0 0 63 51 .667 70 65 .667 San Francisco 2 1 0 0 Oakland 1 2 0 0 61 88 .333 Seattle 1 1 0 0 43 27 .500 Denver 1 2 0 0 77 77 .333 St. Louis 1 2 0 0 60 78 .333 Kansas City 1 2 0 0 68 99 .333

But on the next snap, Shorts got behind Colts safety Sergio Brown and Gabbert hit him in stride.

Shorts sprinted free, diving into the end zone for the score. Indianapolis had a chance to win it at the end, but Luck’s pass into the end zone was broken up by Aaron Ross.

Cowboys 16, Buccaneers 10 In Arlington , DeMarco Murray had an 11-yard touchdown run, Dan Bailey kicked three field goals and Dallas won its home opener.

A week after the Buccaneers’ big push against the Giants in their victory formation, Tampa Bay used a pair of timeouts in the final 40 seconds after a failed onside kick attempt.

The Cowboys (2-1) scored twice in the first half when starting in Tampa Bay territory after turnovers. They overcame three turnovers by Romo - two on plays reversed by replay - with a defense that held Tampa Bay to 166 total yards.

Romo’s interception on the game’s fourth play set up Tampa Bay (1-2) for Josh Freeman’s 1-yard TD to Luke Stocker. The Cowboys drew even on Murray’s run after Sean Lee’s interception. Bailey had kicks of 32, 26 and 22 yards.

Bengals 38, Redskins 31 In Landover, Andy Dalton completed 19 of 27 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns for Cincinnati. The Bengals blew a 24-7 first-half lead, but two touchdown passes by Dalton in the fourth quarter made the difference.

A 6-yard throw to tight end Jermaine Gresham broke a 24-24 tie, then Dalton hit Andrew Hawkins for a 59-yard score to give the Bengals a two-touchdown cushion with 7:08 left to play.

Robert Griffin III’s 2-yard run cut the lead to seven points with 3:35 remaining, but he threw incomplete on a third-and-50 on the game’s last play. Cincinnati’s A.J. Green caught nine passes for a career-high 183 yards. The Bengals improved to 2-1. The Redskins fell to 1-2.

Bears 23, Rams 6 In Chicago, major Wright returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown and Chicago’s defense had six sacks on Sam Bradford and held St. Louis to 160 total yards. That was enough on a day when Jay Cutler struggled, and the Bears (21) came away with the win after an ugly loss to Green Bay the previous week. The Rams fell to 12. The Bears had just kicked a field goal to extend their lead to 13-6 in the fourth quarter when Wright came up with his big return. He caught the ball at the 45 and ran untouched to the end zone, making it a 14-point game and finally giving the Bears some breathing room.

Bills 24, Browns In Cleveland, Ryan Fitzpatrick threw three touchdown passes and Buffalo overcame the loss of running back C.J. Spiller in snapping an eightgame road losing streak.

Fitzpatrick finished 22 of 35 for 208 yards as the Bills (2-1) turned to their passing game after Spiller, the NFL’s leading rusher, was lost in the first quarter with a shoulder injury.

The Bills hadn’t won outside Buffalo since the 2011 season opener at Kansas City. Before he got hurt, Spiller scored on a 32-yard screen pass from Fitzpatrick, who also threw a 9-yard TD to T.J. Graham in the first quarter and hooked up with Stevie Johnson from 9 yards in the fourth for a 24-14 lead. The Browns are 0-3. —AP

West Indies enter next round in World T20

COLOMBO: Ireland’s batsman Niall O’Brien plays a shot as West Indies’ wicket keeper Denesh Ramdin watches during an ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup match. — AP

COLOMBO: The West Indies qualified for the Super Eights stage of the World Twenty20 after their Group B match against Ireland was abandoned due to rain yesterday.

Ireland made 129-6 in their 19 overs before heavy rain at the Premadasa stadium prevented the West Indies from starting their innings.

Both teams gained one point each, but the West Indies joined Group B winners Australia in the next round due to a superior net run-rate over the Irish. The West Indies will be placed alongside defending champions England, New Zealand and hosts Sri Lanka in group one of the Super Eights which starts on Thursday. The other half has Australia, South Africa, India and either Pakistan or Bangladesh, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals. The match, watched by barely 1,000 fans, was reduced to 19 overs per side after an hour’s interruption midway through Ireland’s innings due to rain. Chris Gayle turned star performer with the ball with two wickets as the Ireland innings failed to gain any momentum after the West Indies won the toss and elected to field.

Niall O’Brien made 25 and Gary Wilson scored 21, before both batsmen fell to Gayle’s off-spin. Irish captain William Porterfield was dismissed off the first ball of the match for the second time in a row, bowled by Fidel Edwards.

He had also fallen to Australian Shane Watson’s first delivery in Ireland’s previous match last week.The West Indies, who had lost to Australia in a rainaffected match, endured another wet outing as rain lashed the ground during the innings break. — AFP

SCOREBOARD COLOMBO: Scoreboard of the World Twenty20 Group B match between Ireland and the West Indies at the Premadasa stadium yesterday.

Ireland: W. Porterfield b Edwards 0 P. Stirling c Gayle b Sammy 19 E. Joyce b Narine 17 N. O’Brien b Gayle 25 G. Wilson c Ramdin b Gayle 21 K. O’Brien b Rampaul 13 T. Johnston not out 15 N. Jones not out 14 Extras: (lb2, w2, nb1) 5 Total (for six wickets, 19 overs) 129 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Porterfield), 2-33 (Joyce), 3-37 (Stirling), 4-70 (Wilson), 5-96 (N. O’Brien), 6-107 (K. O’Brien).

Bowling: Edwards 3-0-23-1, Rampaul 4-0-20-1, Sammy 3-0-23-1, Narine 4-0-21-1 (nb1), Russell 2-0-19-0 (w1), Gayle 3-0-21-2 (w1)

19

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

SPORTS

England keen to stage 2020 Euro finals LONDON: England would be keen to stage the semi-finals and final of Euro 2020 if UEFA president Michel Platini’s plan to hold the tournament across Europe became a reality, English FA chairman David Bernstein said yesterday.

Platini’s idea of having matches in 12 or 13 European countries with the final stages in one venue will be discussed by UEFA’s executive board in December with a decision made early next year.

Bernstein told a media briefing at Wembley: “Clearly Wembley is incredibly highly thought of by UEFA and it is something we will probably push for.

“UEFA want to hold the semi-finals and the final on the same ground, or

in the same city and I think we would be on their shortlist - but there would be some strong competition.”

Turkey have expressed their wish to stage what will be a 24-team tournament in 2020, but their bid will be dropped if Istanbul is awarded the Olympic Games in the same year.

Scotland, Wales and Ireland have also declared their interest in staging the finals.

Platini was in London last week and discussed his idea of staging the finals across the continent with the FA, who would be keen to stage what would effectively be a “finals week”.

Platini was so impressed with Wembley’s staging of the 2011 Champions League final between

Manchester United and Barcelona that UEFA awarded the 2013 final to Wembley as well, which coincides with the FA’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

Bernstein continued: “One of the major factors is whether Turkey get the Olympic Games or not. If Turkey do not get the Olympic Games then I think they are in a pretty good position to stage the Euros.

“If we believed there was a real opportunity of having the tournament here of course we would look at it. “Of course there would be an intent, the public want it and we’d want it and it would be wonderful to have it here.

“If Michel Platini’s current views prevail and it becomes a pan-

European competition, then the focus needs to be on the semi-finals and final.”

After England’s unsuccessful bid to FIFA in 2010 to stage the 2018 World Cup finals, Bernstein said the FA would not want to get into any kind of bidding war to stage the tournament.

“We would not want to be involved in a World Cup-style bidding process,” he remarked. “We do not want to spend a lot of money on something that fell flat.” But, he said, he could see the attraction of Platini’s idea although there were two ways of looking at it.

“What you would lose is the individuality and the national flavor that you get from, (Euro 2012 co-hosts) Poland

and Ukraine or anywhere else.

“On the other hand, it is very European-democratic across a wide range of countries.” Apart from July and August’s London Olympics and the Paralympics which followed, England last hosted a major soccer tournament when they staged the first 16-team Euros in 1996.

In a sense Platini’s idea takes the Euros back to how they were staged from the first finals in 1960 through to 1976 when a continental-wide qualifying competition ended with four teams playing the two-semi-finals, a playoff and a final in the same country.

That format was dropped when the tournament was expanded to eight teams in 1980.—Reuters

Preview

Milan’s turn to face San Siro jinx

BUENOS AIRES: River Plate’s Leonardo Ponzio (left) and Racing Club’s Luciano Vietto struggle for the ball during an Argentina’s league soccer match.—AP

Lanus topple Boca Juniors BUENOS AIRES: A blunder by goalkeeper Oscar Ustari paved the way for Boca Juniors’ 2-0 defeat at Lanus that allowed Newell’s Old Boys to overtake them as Argentine championship leaders on Sunday.

It was a fine result for Lanus coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto, a Boca idol in his days as a winger who masterminded the victory against his old club.

“I didn’t enjoy it fully like I would beating another team,” the former Columbus Crew forward told reporters. “We were always in control, we deserved to win.”

Ustari spilt a high ball into his penalty area, defender Rolando Schiavi’s attempted clearance hit the bar and striker Mario Regueiro put Lanus ahead after half an hour.

Despite Uruguayan Regueiro’s red card in the 81st minute for a second booking, Lanus increased their lead in the 86th through Diego Valeri in a counter-attack. Former Paraguay World Cup coach Gerardo Martino’s unbeaten Newell’s team, who won 2-1 at Colon, lead the Inicial championship standings with 18 points from eight matches. Velez Sarsfield, who won 2-1 at San Lorenzo on Saturday, have 17 points and Boca 16.

Big guns River Plate, Independiente and San Lorenzo are struggling in the lowers reaches of the standings, desperate for points early in the season to stave off the threat of relegation.

River lost 1-0 at home to Racing Club and are one from bottom of the relegation points averages with Independiente, who were held 1-1 at home by All Boys on Saturday, below them.

Fans are demanding a change of coach at River where they see the inexperienced Matias Almeyda struggling to build a solid team and chanted at the end of Sunday’s defeat for the return of the highly successful Ramon Diaz.

Independiente, having handed the reins to Americo Gallego at the end of last month, have gone 15 matches without a league win.

San Lorenzo’s coach Ricardo Caruso Lombardi, who normally finds something to complain to the referee about, tried to put a lid on his frustrations after a second successive defeat, saying: “I look like Snow White I’m so calm, but inside I’m a volcano.

“At big clubs, time is shorter (but) while I feel good with the players, I’ll carry on. They support me.” —Reuters

Toluca defeat Atlante 1-0 MEXICO CITY: Luis Tejada scored in the 84th minute as Toluca beat Atlante 1-0 Sunday to take the lead in Mexico’s Apertura football tournament after nine rounds of matches.

The victory improved Toluca to 20 points, ahead of second-placed Tijuana on goal difference, after Tijuana drew 1-1 against Atlas on Saturday. In third, four points behind, is Monterrey, which won 3-2 against Queretaro.

In other results, Chivas drew 0-0 with Pumas, Cruz Azul held America 1-1, Puebla drew 1-1 with Leon, Santos Laguna and Jaguares drew 0-0 with San Luis defeated Pachuca 1-0 and Morelia and Tigres drew 1-1. Panamanian Tejada scored with a right foot finish from inside the area for Toluca when it seemed the game was heading for a scoreless draw.

Colombian Duvier Riascos got the equalizer in the 75th minute for Tijuana with a simple finish, after Chilean Hector Mancilla had weaved through the Tijuana defense and finished to give Atlas the lead in the 30th minute. Mexico international Angel Reyna got the winner for Monterrey eight minutes from the final whistle.

Queretaro took the lead in the 15th minute when Carlos Bueno scored and

held it until Nery Cardozo headed in the equalizer in the 50th.

Abraham Carreno then put Monterrey ahead in the 69th, but Diego Guastavino pulled Queretaro level two minutes later before Reyna’s winner.

Luis Perez hit the post from the penalty spot for Chivas in the third minute of second half injury time and Emanuel Villa spawned a good chance for Pumas minutes before.

In Saturday’s Mexico City derby, America’s Christian Benitez latched onto a long pass to open the scoring in the 18th, before Javier Aquino responded three minutes after halftime for Cruz Azul.

Leon’s goal came via a header from Sebastian Maz in the 28th. Argentine Matias Abelairas brought the scores level in the 67th.

Current champions Santos Laguna couldn’t score against Jaguares, but had the better chances. San Luis got its second win of season, with Jaime Correa getting the only goal of the game in the 38th against Pachuca.

Lucas Lobos scored from the penalty spot top to put Tigres in front after 66 minutes on Friday, before Miguel Sabah equalized for Morelia in the 72nd.—AP

MILAN: The San Siro has become a burden for AC Milan and Inter Milan with neither side managing a win at the stadium in eight attempts between them this season, piling pressure on both their managers. Tomorrow, it will be troubled Milan’s turn to try to break the jinx when they face Cagliari in a midweek Serie A match. Milan have failed to score in three attempts at the San Siro this season, losing 1-0 to Sampdoria and Atalanta in Serie A, and drawing 0-0 with Anderlecht in the Champions League. Rivals Inter have lost to AS Roma and Siena in the league at home and Hadjuk Split in the Europa League where they have also drawn with Vaslui and Rubin Kazan. Another defeat for Milan tomorrow will keep the heat on coach Massimiliano Allegri, whose side have taken only three points from four Serie A games.

“We need to break the San Siro taboo tomorrow. The fans, who have been exceptional so far, need to stay close to the team tomorrow as well,” Allegri told reporters after Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Udinese. Allegri has been left to pick up the pieces after Milan dismantled their team in the close season by selling the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva to try to balance the books.

They are also plagued by injuries but Allegri, who led Milan to the 2011 title, has remained remarkably unruffled in the face of mounting pressure and some ragged performances by his side.

AC Milan’s Urby Emanuelson, of the Netherlands (left) in action in this file photo.

“At the moment I think it’s just Juventus who are doing really impressive things as it was logical to expect,” said Allegri. “The other teams are not going at 120 kilometres an hour and there’s time to get back the positions that we’ve lost now. I was and I am calm.”

Rookie Andrea Stramaccioni’s Inter, who have a 100 percent away record in all competitions

and have yet to concede a goal on their travels, visit Chievo in another of Wednesday’s matches (1845). “We’re united. We’re behind this coach who’s trying to do the best he can, and so are we,” said midfielder Esteban Cambiasso after Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat by Siena.

“The season is long and we hope that our luck will turn.

We’re sorry to have lost at home,

because we can’t manage to satisfy our fans, but we’re sure the wins will come.”

Titleholders Juventus, the only team to have won their first four games, take their perfect record to Fiorentina for the only match late yesterday. Tomorrow Napoli, second with 10 points, host Lazio, who have nine after a shock home defeat by Genoa on Sunday. —Reuters

Preview

Dortmund aims to bounce back against Frankfurt BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund aims to bounce back from its first Bundesliga loss in just over a year when the defending champion visits high-flying Eintracht Frankfurt today.

Dortmund’s 31-game unbeaten streak came to a halt on Saturday with Hamburg’s first win, and Juergen Klopp’s side already finds itself five points behind pacesetting Bayern Munich.

“The season has only begun. Last season we were eight points behind Bayern and we still won the German championship,” Dortmund midfielder Ivan Perisic told the Bundesliga website. “So I’m not worried about it.” Frankfurt, in contrast, set a Bundesliga record by becoming the first promoted side to win its opening four games.

“I’d be disappointed if we don’t finish German champions now,” Frankfurt coach Armin Veh joked after the third win. Bayern - enjoying its best ever start to the league hosts misfiring Wolfsburg. “We can’t deny it’s a good start but a good start is only of any use if you keep marching on,” said Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer after his side’s seventh consecutive win across all competitions.

Also Tuesday, Schalke hosts Mainz and Fortuna Duesseldorf visits Greuther Fuerth.

Tomorrow, Borussia Moenchengladbach hosts Hamburg, Hoffenheim visits Stuttgart, Hannover welcomes Nuremberg, Freiburg hosts Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen visits Augsburg.

“It’s not nice to be reacquainted with how losing feels,” Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl said after the 3-2 defeat. “It has to be said that we really only have ourselves to blame.” Dortmund was just five games shy of Hamburg’s record of 36 games unbeaten set in January, 1983.

“Such a thing is incidental, although the record would have been nice of course,” Perisic said. “Maybe in a couple of weeks we’ll get angry about the record because we could have managed it with a draw (in Hamburg).”

Defensive lapses were to blame for the

GERMANY: Leverkusen’s goalkeeper Bernd Leno jumps over Dortmund’s Sebastian Kehl in this file photo. —AP loss, though coach Juergen Klopp said his Goetze playing alongside substitutes Julian team played badly in “the beginning, the Schieber and Jakub Blaszczykowski behind middle and the end.”

Lewandowski.

“If we learn the right lessons from Now questions are being asked about Hamburg it should be our last defeat for a how Reus - a Ä17.1 million ($22.2 million) while,” said Klopp, whose side began last purchase - fits in a midfield still adapting to season with three defeats from six games. the departure of Shinji Kagawa for Klopp said Sunday that he never had a Manchester United. team that played its best football in the first “Our game is different to (Reus’ previous five games and that “our real capability will club) Moenchengladbach’s,” said Dortmund always come to light over the course of a sporting director Michael Zorc. “He simply season.” needs time to get used to it.”

The outspoken 45-year-old coach is yet Jupp Heynckes has no such problems at to find his ideal lineup behind striker Robert Bayern, where the 67-year-old coach has Lewandowski, with Perisic, Mario Goetze been rotating his squad with the summer’s and offseason signing Marco Reus all new arrivals all contributing. switching positions during Saturday’s loss, “You have to compensate for the energywhen the middle became too crowded. sapping program by rotating the squad,” “Mario, Marco and Ivan didn’t allow the Heynckes said. “Every player has to forget space they needed to play their game,” his ego and drop to the bench sometimes.

Klopp said. Dortmund ended the game with I’ll organize it so it works.”—AP

Stacy bags Navistar Classic

17

Ravens soar over Patriots

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

18

Rain break rescues Wozniacki in Tokyo

Page 17

SPAIN: Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema from France (right) vies for the ball with Rayo Vallecano’s Javi Fuego, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match.—AP

Real back on track with Rayo win MADRID: Real Madrid kept Barcelona in their sights as an early goal from Karim Benzema put them on their way to a 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano — but they remain eight points behind the Catalan side, who are yet to drop a point this season.

Benzema struck after 13 minutes and Cristiano Ronaldo added a second mid-way through the second half as Jose Mourinho’s side came out on top in the match suspended on Sunday due to floodlight failure caused by sabotage.

In injury time Jose Casado was dismissed for the home side after receiving his second yellow card. The green light was finally given to play the game yesterday at Rayo’s Estadio de Vallecas ground in what was a tough battle for Madrid against city rivals Rayo with the pressure on after Barcelona beat Granada 2-0 on Saturday, their fifth win in succession, while Madrid had only one.

Sergio Ramos returned to the side after being dropped for Madrid’s Champions League victory over Manchester City last week, while Michael Essien was also given the nod over Sami Khedira to partner Xabi Alonso in front of

the defence in a more offensive formation than against the Premiership side as Luka Modric returned.

Rayo coach Paco Jemez has shown an admirable commitment to attacking football and they faced the champions with two wingers in Jose Carlos and Lass Bangoura, who had full licence to go forward. Apart from a dangerous header from Pepe, saved by keeper Ruben Martinez, Rayo took the game to Madrid, who were reduced to committing a series of fouls and Essien was yellow carded for a handball. However, Madrid conjured up an excellent goal on the counter-attack which spanned the length of the pitch and was finished off by Benzema who knocked the ball in from close range from a Angel Di Maria cross on the left.

The danger was clear for Rayo, who kept faith with their game strategy and Madrid were able to pick them off at the back with Benzema sent clear but he was crowded out before he could get a shot off, while Di Maria and Ronaldo went close with efforts from the edge of the area. At the other end Madrid showed their susceptibility from crosses as keeper Iker Casillas was forced into a sharp save to block a Andrija

Delibasic header and Alonso blocked a follow up shot from Casado with his chest.

Madrid were not comfortable at the back and Alvaro Arbeloa gifted the ball to Lass at the start of the second half but he failed to control with just Casillas to beat.

In an open game Essien and Ronaldo shot narrowly wide as did Jose Carlos for Rayo before Ronaldo’s penalty decided the game after 70 minutes. It was the Portuguese’s cross that was handled by centre-half Jordi Amat and Ronaldo took the spot-kick, sending the keeper the wrong way.

Minutes later Ronaldo could have extended Madrid’s advantage but he hit the post from a Gonzalo Higuain pass with the goal gaping.

In the second minute of injury time frustration got the better of Casado. who left his foot in as he challenged Mesut Ozil and was given his second yellow card.

Meanwhile, Rayo Vallecano said yesterday they were the victim of “football terrorism” after vandals cut the cables to stadium lights and forced a match with Real Madrid to be postponed.

The derby clash at Estadio de Vallecas in

Madrid was scrapped on Sunday evening after the blackout, leaving fans stranded outside, and the clubs agreed to try again at 7:45 pm (1745 GMT).

“We suffered sabotage, an attack. We are facing a new kind of terrorism, football terrorism,” Rayo Vallecano chairman Raul Martin Presa told a news conference. “We have never seen anything like this at a club.” Rayo Vallecano, displaying photographs of the severed cables to journalists.

“The 57 cables leading to the lights of one of the stands were cut and the 12 fuse boxes they come from were interfered with,” Rayo Vallecano managing director Luis Yanez said.

Police confirmed that the act was deliberate, the central government representative for the Madrid region, Cristina Cifuentes, told ABC Punto radio.

“Forensic police made a first inspection on Sunday evening... and they returned this morning,” she said. “It has apparently been confirmed that there was sabotage.” Police were trying to lift fingerprints from the scene and checking security cameras in case the culprits were filmed, she said.—AFP

long way to go in the league.”

Marseille went ahead with their first clear-cut chance, when Amalfitano headed home a neat Mathieu Valbuena free-kick. The midifielder then missed the chance to double the lead when he sent another header narrowly wide three minutes later. The hosts were made to work hard after the break as Evian laid siege to Mandanda’s goal but an impressive rearguard display from defender Nicolas Nkoulou helped keep the visitors at bay.

France’s reserve goalkeeper did well to save a powerful Jonathan Mensah header with nine minutes remaining to maintain Marseille’s perfect start to the campaign.

Lyon are now four points adrift at the top of the table after drawing with Lille who were hoping to bounce back after their shock 3-1 home loss to Belarus’s BATE Borisov in their Champions League opener tomorrow.

Frontman Nolan Roux put Lille in front in the seventh minute when he poked the ball in from close range after Ryan Mendes had miscued a Mathieu Debuchy pass. Lille dominated but lacked the cutting edge to double their lead. Lyon’s keeper Remy

Vercoutre saved a Mendes shot on the stroke of halftime and superbly parried Dimitri Payet’s neat back-heel on 57 minutes.

Lisandro eventually levelled for Lyon with ten minutes to play with a stunning goal from 25 metres to frustrate Lille, who also wasted a one-goal lead in their last league game at bottom club Troyes. Girondins Bordeaux drew for the fourth consecutive time in Ligue 1 after a stoppage-time goal from substitute Chahir Belghazouani secured Ajaccio a point in a 2-2 draw.

Belghazouani chested the ball down to strike the last-gasp equaliser past goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso.

Bordeaux, who have not lost a league game since early April, are sixth on 10 points from six games. Ajaccio climb up to 13th on six points.

Laborious Bordeaux did not create a single chance in the first half, three days after thrashing Club Bruges 4-0 in their Europa League group stage opener.

Centre back Henrique and forward Yoan Gouffran both headed home after the break to put hosts Bordeaux in front, but Ajaccio twice recovered thanks to Ricardo Faty and Belghazouani.—Reuters

Rayo Vallecano 0 Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 13, Cristiano Ronaldo 70pen); Deportivo la Coruna v Sevilla - late kickoff.

Spanish league table after yeserday’s early match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Barcelona Real Mallorca Malaga Atletico Madrid Real Betis Sevilla Real Madrid Rayo Vallecano Levante Deportivo Celta Vigo Real Zaragoza Valladolid Real Sociedad Valencia Athletic Bilbao Getafe Grenada Espanyol Osasuna

5 5 5 4 4 4 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

5 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0

0 2 2 1 0 2 1 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 2 1 1

0 14 0 7 0 6 0 11 1 8 0 4 2 7 2 6 2 7 0 7 3 6 3 5 3 4 3 6 2 6 2 8 3 6 3 2 4 7 4 3

3 3 2 5 5 2 4 7 9 5 6 6 5 9 8 12 10 8 11 10

15 11 11 10 9 8 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 4 2 1 1

Preview

Marseille win to record best start in fifty years PARIS: Olympique Marseille became the first Ligue 1 club in more than fifty years to win their first six league games when they beat Evian Thonon Gaillard 1-0 on Sunday.

Morgan Amalfitano headed home in the 33rd minute to lift Marseille to 18 points, four ahead of secondplaced Olympique Lyon who drew 1-1 at Lille thanks to a late Lisandro Lopez equaliser. Lille, who won the title in 2011, are 12th on seven points having won only one of their opening six league games. Marseille are the first team to win their six first league games since Monaco completed the feat at the start of the 1960-61 season.

Monaco went on to be crowned champions at the end of that campaign.

Three days after a tightly-contested Europa League draw at Turkish side Fenerbahce, Marseille were visibly tired and struggled to create chances against 17th place Evian.

“It was a tough game, we paid for the effort we put it on Thursday,” captain Steve Mandanda told French channel beIN SPORT. “We won with our heads and our hearts. We have been showing a lot of solidarity since the season started. But there is still a

Spanish League results/standings

Signs of recovery emerge in Liverpool’s poor start

FRANCE: Marseille’s French forward Andre-Pierre Gignac (left) challenges Evian’s French forward Kevin Berigaud for the ball during their League One soccer match.—AP

LONDON: In their pomp, Liverpool won League Cups for fun but after suffering their worst start to a league campaign in 101 years, tomorrow’s third round clash at West Bromwich Albion takes on extra significance. Should Liverpool lose, it would add to the pressure already building on new manager Brendan Rodgers after defeat by Manchester United left his team third from bottom in the Premier League and casting envious glances at high-flying neighbours Everton.

Sunday’s 2-1 loss was Liverpool’s third defeat in their opening five games, with draws against Manchester City and Sunderland providing them with their only points of the fledgling campaign. It would be wrong, however, to suggest that an autumnal gloom was encircling the club in the way it did when former boss Roy Hodgson suffered a similarly inglorious start to his short-lived Liverpool reign in the 2010/11 campaign. That period coincided with a bitter ownership struggle and the threat of administration and perhaps annihilation hanging over the club.

Now, Liverpool fans who fought to get rid of previous owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett and booed Hodgson’s every defeat are able to see green shoots of recovery in Rodgers’ new-look side. Despite scoring only four times in the league, Rodgers’ Liverpool have been pleasing on the eye. The Northern Irishman, who arrived from Swansea in June, describes his philosophy as “death by football” and his commitment to the relentless retention of possession fits in neatly with the long-held traditions of the club. While style over substance counts for little as far as the cold currency of Premier League points is concerned, the manner of Liverpool’s defeat by bitter rivals United gave cause for optimism to their suffering fans. “If we keep playing like that and showing that amount of effort and determination, then it will only be a matter of time (before we get our first win),” captain Steven Gerrard told Sky Sports. —Reuters

Gold retreats from 6-1/2 month high as dollar firms Page 22

Dreamliner brings jolt of excitement to flying Page 23

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

New Audi S models arrive in Middle East

German business mood worst since mid-2009 Page 23

Page 26

NEW YORK: Greg Packer, 49, celebrates as he enters the Fifth Avenue Apple store for the release of the iPhone 5, Friday, Sept 21, 2012. — AP

Apple sells more than 5m iPhone 5 Foxconn factory in China shaken by violence NEW YORK: Apple Inc sold out of its latest smartphone, with more than 5 million iPhone 5s sold in the three days since it hit stores, the company said yesterday. While sales were solid, analysts were concerned that Apple was unable to produce the new phone fast enough to meet demand. The early total for the iPhone 5 topped sales of the iPhone 4S, which sold more than 4 million units in its first weekend after Apple introduced it in October 2011.

Expectations for new Apple products are so high that Wall Street appeared not to be

wowed by the latest numbers. Investors sent shares of the stock down 1.4 percent at $690.14 in mid-morning trade. “It appears investors were disappointed with the slowdown in growth in the first weekend,” said BTIG analyst Walter Piecyk. Apple said while the majority of iPhone 5 pre-orders have been shipped to customers, many were scheduled to go out in October.

The world’s most valuable technology company is being closely watched for any supplier problems that may slow down the smartphone production. “We believe that

sales could have potentially been much higher if not for supply constraints,” William Power, an analyst with Baird Equity Research, wrote in a note. He forecast Apple selling 8 million to 10 million units in the fiscal fourth quarter ending in September.

One of Apple’s key suppliers for screens, Sharp Corp , is struggling with high costs and scrambling to raise funds to pay debt.

Taiwan’s Foxconn Technology Group, which assembles iPhones, closed a plant in China yesterday after about 2,000 workers were involved in a brawl in a company dormitory.

It was not clear how long the shutdown would last.

Additionally, Apple is facing stiff competition from smartphones that run on Google Inc’s Android software, which has become the most-used mobile operating system in the world. Apple’s key supplier as well as rival, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, has taken the lead in smartphone sales. The iPhone 5 has been one of Apple’s most aggressive international rollouts to date. The phone will be available 31 countries on Sept. 28 and in more than 100 countries by the end of the year.

Clinton summit highlights business practices NEW YORK: Former President Bill Clinton on Sunday challenged WalMart to open a store in Libya and help create jobs in the world’s most troubled areas. “If the new president of Libya asked you to open a store in Tripoli, would you consider it?”

Clinton asked Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke at the opening session of the Clinton Global Initiative. The annual forum brings together leaders in politics, business and philanthropy for three days of brainstorming about the most pressing global problems.

Duke was on a Clinton-mediated panel with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Queen Rania of Jordan and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim. The Wal-Mart executive - jokingly calling the corporate giant a “small company from Arkansas,” Clinton’s home state - said the company already operates in high-risk areas including parts of sub-Saharan Africa. But Wal-Mart has no presence in Tripoli, the Libyan capital Clinton named as a possible location.

Newly elected Libyan President Mohammed el-Megarif is listed among about 1,000 forum participants, as is Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, a leader of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood. Libya faces more domestic upheaval after the killings of US Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans in the Libyan city of Benghazi earlier this month.

More than 50 current or former heads of state are lined up for this year’s high-power gathering. On

Sunday, the audience in the ballroom of the Sheraton New York Hotel included the former president’s daughter, Chelsea Clinton. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was to speak yesterday. President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will speak today.

The theme of the 2012 meeting is “Designing for Impact.” Its stated purpose is to consider how the Clinton Global Initiative community “can utilize our abundance of global capacity to invent better tools, build more effective interventions, and work creatively and collaboratively to design a future worth pursuing.”

The UN secretary-general said the “top priority” is sustainable development - especially for basic needs such as energy, food and water in poor parts of the world. “I’m going to sound an alarm to all the leaders,” he said. “We are living in an era of insecurity, injustice, inequality and intolerance, and what should we do?” He called on powerful businesses like Wal-Mart to not only act for profit but also “for humanity.”

The World Bank head noted, however, that even effective efforts such as delivering HIV-fighting drugs to impoverished countries with high infection rates cannot succeed unless ways are found to expand help to large numbers of people.

“How do you go from promising initiatives to taking things to scale?”

Kim asked. One solution is to knock down the average cost of a year’s HIV

NEW YORK: (Left to right) Michael T Duke, President and CEO of WalMart, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group and former US President Bill Clinton are seen during the session “Designing for Impact” at the Clinton Global Initiative September 23, 2012 New York City. — AFP treatment so it’s more accessible in low-income societies. In four African countries - Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia - the cost averages about $200, compared with $682 in South Africa, according to research by the Clinton Health Access Initiative.

Since Clinton created the Global Initiative in 2005, members have made 2,100 “commitments” seeking to improve the lives of people in more than 180 countries. On Sunday,

Clinton highlighted a Procter & Gamble-sponsored project aiming to provide 2 billion liters of clean drinking water every year to save the life of one child per hour in the developing world. But he said the long-term prospects for struggling societies rest on educating workers and helping them land jobs, or run their own businesses, “and at least maximize chances that they’ll have something to look forward to when they get up in the morning.” —AP

“Expectations for Apple are always white hot,” said Colin Gillis, a research analyst with BGC. “It’s not just enough for them to break records but to smash them.” Apple signaled last week that pre-orders outstripped initial supply and that many phones would not be available until October. The iPhone is Apple’s highest-margin product and accounts for half of its annual revenues. On Friday, fans lined up at stores in cities around the world to get their hands on the new phone, which is thinner and lighter and has a bigger screen. — Reuters

Saudi heads Gulf drop as slumping oil prices weigh DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s bourse made its largest one-day drop in 11 weeks yesterday as slumping oil prices and jittery global markets spurred nervy investors to cut risk. Most other Gulf markets also fell as sentiment in the world’s top oil exporting region faltered. Saudi’s index dropped 1 percent to a six-week low in its largest one-day loss since July 9 as the heavyweight petrochemical and banking sectors headed declines. Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), the world’s largest chemicals producer, shed 1.6 percent. Samba Financial Group and Al-Rajhi Bank fell 2 and 0.7 percent respectively.

“Today’s sell-off is in line with what’s happening in US markets - you’ve (also) seen oil prices come off and some of this selling is in reaction to that,” said Asim Bukhtiar, head of research at Riyad Capital.

“Sentiment is weak on petrochemical stocks for Q3. Banks are expected to do well but there will be some moderation in lending in H2. Some of that started to show in provisioning in Q2.”

Saudi earnings season will start in early October and some analysts expect petrochemical sector profits to decline by about 30 percent, hit by weak global demand.

Oil was trading at $91.31 a barrel at 1304 GMT, down 7.8 percent since Sept. 14’s four-month high, with the latest drop attributed to a firm dollar and worries about weak economic growth in key consumer nations.

In the UAE, Dubai’s measure slipped 0.3 percent, down for a third session since Wednesday’s 20-week peak. Courier Aramex fell 2 percent, telecom operator

du shed 1.4 percent and builder Arabtec lost 1.5 percent. Abu Dhabi’s index also dipped, closing 0.3 percent lower.

Elsewhere, Qatar’s bourse ended little moved and Oman’s measure lost 0.6 percent. Recent economic initiatives in Europe and United States helped UAE and Qatar stocks to rally last week, but investors have since booked some of these gains as global growth concerns resurfaced. These worries also weighed on European shares as investors refocused attention from central bank stimulus schemes to weak economic fundamentals and the euro zone’s yet-to-be-resolved debt crisis.

Bucking the Gulf trend, Kuwait’s bourse rose 0.6 percent to a three-month high, extending gains since the government said it would double the portion of state revenue it puts into a rainy day fund. The move is thought to be aimed at investing state money more efficiently. The index slumped to an eight-year low in midAugust as political infighting weighed on the economy, but it is now up 4.4 percent from this trough. “People are optimistic about the steps the government has been taking to boost the economy,” said Safaa Zbib, head of research at Kuwait and Middle East Financial Investment Co. “There are serious plans to help the economy and it will impact the stock market positively, but we are waiting because these are for the long-term.” Most of the large-caps rallied in heavy trade. National Bank of Kuwait rose 2.1 percent, while telecom operator Zain and Kuwait Finance House each jumped 4.2 percent. —Reuters

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

BUSINESS

Hamas halves Israeli fruit imports to Gaza GAZA: The Hamas government has barred much of Gaza’s fruit imports from Israel, citing a need to cultivate local Palestinian agriculture and for “resistance” against the Jewish state. The ban is opposed by Gazan produce traders who fear a squeeze on supplies and price hikes in the poor coastal enclave, which has a largely black market economy and lacks viable trade with Egypt, its other neighbour. Local growers however said the move would help them.

With the exception of bananas and apples, Gaza is no longer admitting fruit from Israel, the Agriculture Ministry said yesterday. The ban affects at least seven kinds of fruit and, in terms of sales, constitutes around a 50 percent cut in imports whose 2011 value the ministry put at $26 million.

Tahseen Al-Saqqa, the ministry’s director of marketing, said the move was in part a response to what he described as Israel’s refusal to allow the export, through its border with Gaza, of staple Palestinian

fruit like grapes and guavas. “The Palestinian farmer is suffering because all doors to export have been closed,” Saqqa said.

The charge was denied by Israel, which limits traffic in and out of Gaza and whose dealings with Palestinians there are often circuitous given long-running hostilities with Islamist Hamas. “I know of no request to export agriculture products from Gaza that has been refused,” said Guy Inbar, spokesman for the division in Israel’s Defence Ministry which liaises with the Palestinian territories.

Price of war Gaza fruit importer Jaber Al-Shanty said the Hamas government ban was “irresponsible and unrealistic” as it overlooked the losses to hundreds of Palestinians whose livelihood depends on marketing the fruit.

“The local product is not nearly enough” to offset the shortfall, he said. “What do we have in large quanti-

ties, other than guava?”

Shanty said he and other importers had made advance payments to Israeli suppliers that would now be difficult to claim back. Hikmat Abu Al-Qombuz, another importer, predicted spiralling fruit prices which Gaza, most of whose 1.6 million Palestinians depend on aid, can ill afford. Gaza dates and guava grower Ibrahim Al-Shaer, 52, said the move would help farmers by raising prices. But he admitted some imports from Israel remained vital.

“Israeli fruits compete with our produce in the market and they push down the prices. The government should allow imports at a reasonable level so the prices of our fruits do not go down sharply,” Shaer said as he stood in his field in Mawasi in southern Gaza.

Since the import ban went into effect on Friday, the price of peaches has doubled to eight Israeli shekels ($2) a kilo, while dates were selling at 11 shekels ($2.81) a kilo, up from 7 shekels.

Saqqa said the Hamas government would crack down on any Gazans deemed to be gouging fruit prices, and urged Palestinians to view the hardship through the prism of their struggle against Israel.

“We are people under blockade and we should have the culture of resistance,” he said. “Why should someone have all kinds of fruits on his table?” Hamas won a Palestinian ballot in 2006, and had an uneasy alliance with the Western-backed rival Palestinian faction Fatah until they fought a brief civil war in Gaza a year later. Under Hamas rule since, Gaza has suffered an often grinding embargo by Israel and Egypt, alleviated by goods smuggled in through tunnels from the Egyptian Sinai.

Israel, which fought a three-week war with Gaza in 2008-2009, eased overland travel restrictions in mid2010. Hamas has urged Egypt to open up its border with Gaza since Islamists swept to power in Cairo this year but the call has not been met. — Reuters

Gold retreats from 6-1/2 month high as dollar firms Monetary easing measures support gold near highs

BANGKOK: A man checks his mobile phone (lower right) as he walks on a footbridge yesterday. The Thai economy is experiencing a solid growth after suffering a doubledigit contraction in the wake of the kingdom’s worst floods in decades at the end of 2011. — AP

Iran opens forex centre to support sagging rial DUBAI: Iran launched a fresh bid yesterday to stabilise its falling currency, opening a foreign exchange centre that provides government-subsidised US dollars to import some goods as the country struggles with Western economic sanctions. The rial’s street value has tumbled by more than half in the last year because of US and European sanctions against Iran’s oil and banking sectors, which have cast doubt on the central bank’s ability to defend its currency. Iranians have rushed to informal money changers to convert their savings into hard currencies, driving down the rial’s open-market value. This has raised the price of imported goods, contributing to double-digit inflation.

The new foreign exchange centre allows importers of goods including truck tyres, construction equipment and synthetic fibres to buy dollars at a rate 2 percent cheaper than the street rate at any given time.

The government plans to use revenues from petrochemical sales and 14.5 percent of its oil revenues to provide dollars for the centre, central bank governor Mahmoud Bahmani said on Sunday, according to the newspaper Aftab.

He did not give an absolute figure for the amount of dollars to be supplied. “With the distribution of currency in this centre, the exchange rate in the market will go down, because some of

the demand (for dollars) will be met in this centre and the pressure of demand will be removed,” Bahmani was quoted as saying.

The dollar sold for 24,040 rials at the centre yesterday, the Iranian Students’ News Agency said, compared to about 24,600 on the open market at around the same time, according to currencytracking website Mesghal. The foreign exchange centre is the latest in a series of plans floated by the government in the last three months to address a burgeoning currency crisis, for which legislative foes of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have blamed his administration.

The government maintains an official “reference” rate of 12,260 rials to the dollar, but only a limited amount of foreign exchange is available at this rate.

Iran’s oil sales, its chief source of hard currency, have plummeted this year as a result of the sanctions, and legislators accused the central bank earlier this month of not injecting enough dollars into the market, thereby contributing to a fresh fall in the rial. The foreign exchange centre appears to have replaced a previous plan to establish a currency trading market, a proposal that was fiercely criticised by the private sector, which said the scheme would simply introduce yet another rate for the rial and bring more chaos to the economy. — Reuters

LONDON: Gold prices eased nearly 1 percent yesterday, pulling back from the previous session’s 6-1/2 month high, as the dollar rose and assets seen as higher risk, like stocks, the euro and other commodities like crude oil retreated. The metal remained underpinned however, by expectations for longer-term price strength, after central banks including the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank announced fresh rounds of monetary policy easing earlier this month. Spot gold was down 0.7 percent at $1,760.00 an ounce at 1219 GMT, while US gold futures for December delivery were down $15.30 an ounce at $1,762.70. On Friday gold hit a peak of $1,787.20, its highest since Feb 29. The Fed this month launched a third round of quantitative easing - printing money to buy bonds under which it will purchase $40 billion a month in mortgage-backed debt until the outlook for the labour market improves substantially. Further monetary easing is likely to maintain pressure on long-term interest rates, keeping the opportunity cost of holding gold at rock bottom, and to undermine the dollar, boost liquidity, and stoke fears over inflation further down the line. However, a stronger dollar and caution among investors over the uncertain outlook for Europe has put the brakes on gold.

“Part of the issue is the lack of obvious catalysts in the near term to take gold prices higher,” Deutsche Bank analyst Daniel Brebner said. “We have some continuing risk issues in Europe, US manufacturing data continues to be for the most part disappointing, and

Chinese growth continues to be a real risk as well in the near term.”

“So there are a number of low growth concerns which could underpin the dollar, and keep gold somewhat moribund near term.”

“But I do think we will likely see over the next quarter or so greater policy action both in Europe and China to support growth within those regions,” he added. “The likelihood is for further accommodative monetary policy in both regions, and that could keep the gold price moving higher. We think we will see $2,000-plus gold prices in the first half of next year.” European shares and the euro followed a broad range of riskier assets lower yesterday as investors refocused attention from central bank stimulus schemes to weak economic fundamentals and the euro zone’s yet-to-beresolved debt crisis. Brent crude fell below $110 a barrel, dragged down by a firm dollar and worries over weak global growth after disappointing German data, while copper hit a one-week low.

Holdings of gold-backed exchange-traded funds tracked by Reuters rose by nearly 330,000 ounces on Friday to 73.748 million ounces, climbing back towards last week’s record high at 73.681 million ounces. The bulk of inflows were seen into the world’s largest gold ETF, New York’s SPDR Gold Trust. ETFs, which issue securities backed by physical metal, have proved a popular way to invest in gold in recent years.

Meanwhile, demand in major consumer India picked up, as a drop in local gold prices to a three-week low yesterday prompted a wave

of buying, while an upcoming week-long holiday in China has generated some physical gold buying interest. “Buying interest is much higher than last week, mostly because the rupee has appreciated substantially,” one Mumbai-based dealer said, adding that physical demand might be sustained if prices - at 31,281 rupees per 10 grams earlier yesterday - held below 32,000 rupees.

Among other precious metals, silver was down 1.8 percent at $33.79 an ounce. The gold/silver ratio, which measures the number of silver ounces needed to buy an ounce of gold, recovered from last week’s 5-1/2 month low at 50.9 to 51.9 yesterday, after silver underperformed the yellow metal late last week.

Technical analysts at ScotiaMocatta, who study past price moves for clues as to the future direction of prices, said they expect the ratio to continue falling. “While the ratio has been consolidating the past week, the larger trend remains bearish, with an initial target at the March low of 47.67,” it said. Spot platinum was down 1.7 percent at $1,608.99 an ounce, while spot palladium was down 4.4 percent at $639.47 an ounce, on track for its biggest one-day drop since early March. Some of the premium attached to platinum group metals by labour unrest in South Africa has dissipated, analysts said. Industrial unrest in major platinum producer South Africa has simmered down during a national holiday in the republic, after weeks of sometimes violent protest killed 45 and sent the metal to multimonth highs. Tensions remain elevated, however. — Reuters

Britons’ inflation fears rise again LONDON: Britons’ worries about inflation grew this month, though their view of their future finances was the least pessimistic in 21/2 years, a survey showed yesterday. The Markit Household Finance Index (HFI) dipped to 38.4 in September from August’s 20-month high of 38.9, indicating that consumers’ finances worsened over the month as the index was well below the 50 mark that would mark no change.

The latest reading was still one of the highest in the past two years, and households reported a reduced squeeze on their savings and cash available to spend, survey compiler Markit said. “September’s survey suggests that the gradual easing of pressure on real incomes so far in 2012 continues to support household finances,” said Markit

economist Tim Moore.

Forty percent of those surveyed anticipated a worsening in their finances in the next 12 months, while 29 percent expected an improvement - making it the least downbeat financial outlook since March 2010. “However, households appear to have become more concerned about the inflation outlook, with cost of living expectations rising sharply since August,” Moore said.

Around three -quar ters of the sur vey respondents noted that their costs of living had increased since August and the monthon-month rise in the index measuring inflation perceptions was the greatest since January 2011. The index for inflation expectations posted the strongest month-on-month rise since November 2010, hitting the highest

level since May. Britons have cut back spending as high inflation, tax increases and slow wage rises have put the tightest squeeze on incomes for more than 30 years, keeping consumer morale low.

The Bank of England and the government are hoping that lower inflation will ease the pressure and enable households to spend more. Inflation has fallen from the high of 5.2 percent last year to 2.5 percent in August, but higher oil and commodity prices have stoked fresh inflation concerns. Some central bankers have voiced doubts about whether more monetary stimulus in form of government bond purchases might be appropriate once the current round is completed in November. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Egyptian pounds US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso

.2740000 .4500000 .3600000 .2970000 .2840000 .2900000 .0040000 .0020000 .0760680 .7411030 .3870000 .0720000 .7265200 .0430000 CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2802000 .4543300 .3627190 .2998070 .2862540 .0486530 .0425670 .2919960 .0361410 .2283800 .0035900 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0763180 .7435230 .0000000 .0747400 .7280760 .0000000

.2860000 .4610000 .3720000 .3070000 .2940000 .2990000 .0058500 .0035000 .07678320 .7485520 .4100000 .0780000 .7338210 .0510000 .2823000 .4577350 .3654370 .3020540 .2884000 .0490170 .0428860 .2941850 .0364120 .2300920 .0036170 .0053310 .0021600 .0029970 .0034730 .0768900 .7491040 .3992930 .0753000 .7335330 .0068070

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. Currency US Dollar Pak Rupees

Rate per 1000 (Tran) 280.900 2.968

Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

5.190 2.130 3.427 6.770 76.580 75.065 746.800 46.125 461.800 2.990 1.550 373.700 294.200 3.200

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 280.900 367.100 458.250 290.100 3.650 5.247 46.119 2.138 3.438 6.740 2.980 747.900 76.500 74.950

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen

SELL DRAFT 297.03 291.30 305.15 366.43 281.00 458.65 3.68

3.560 5.450 2.290 3.530 3.150 77.250 748.000 47.650 398.100 735.000 78.000 75.500

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

Al Mulla Exchange Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

3.440 5.071 2.147 3.313 2.976 76.57 748.21 46.18 400.33 731.33 77.60 75.14

SELL CASH 297.000 290.500 305.000 366.000 282.000 459.000 3.690

Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

Selling Rate 281.350 288.170 457.640 365.405 301.475 744.865 76.580 77.225 74.990 396.605 46.197 2.143 5.284 2.972 3.438 6.744 690.150 4.600 9.215 4.365 3.385 91.705

Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

Bahrain Exchange Company

291.300 552.800 45.900 49.900 167.800 48.080 368.700 36.970 5.390 0.032 0.161 0.235 3.700 398.850 0.190 94.100 45.300 4.330 235.700 1.823 50.300 731.070 3.070 7.000 77.850 75.150 231.180 36.340 2.681 460.300 43.800 304.600 4.300 9.470 198.263 76.740 281.800 1.350 GOLD

10 Tola 1,872.350 COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka

SELL CASH 296.900 748.490 3.680

SELL DRAFT 295.400 748.490 3.434

Sterling Pound US Dollar

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 458.300 281.400

289.800

231.200 46.183 367.200 36.820 5.280 0.031

398.810 0.189 94.100 3.320 234.200

730.890 2.979 6.764 77.420 75.150 231.180 36.340 2.144 458.300 303.100 4.300 9.300 76.640 281.400

23

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

BUSINESS

German business mood worst since mid-2009 Economists warn of Q3 contraction

FREEPORT: Protest signs hang on the fence outside a camp set up by Sensata Technologies workers in Freeport, Illinois. —AFP

Workers beg Romney to stop Bain outsourcing FREEPORT: Being told to train his replacement was humiliating and surreal, but Tom Gaulrapp said the worst part was when the plant’s US flag was taken down before the Chinese engineers arrived. Gaulrapp decided it was time to take a stand against outsourcing and the man he blames for the loss of his job: Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney, who founded the private equity firm that owns the Freeport, Illinois auto parts plant.

Romney’s ties to Bain Capital have burdened the Republican nominee’s hopes of winning the November 6 election as Democrats unfavorably paint him as a corporate raider who pioneered the outsourcing of US jobs to countries with lower labor costs. Romney denies the charge, but his claim to be a man who could revive the economy and boost the prospects of American workers rings hollow here.

Gaulrapp thinks it would only take a phone call from the candidate who’s vowed to create 12 million jobs in the United States to save the 170 jobs at Sensata Technologies that are about to leave this already economically depressed town of 26,000. “What we’d like is a miracle,” Gaulrapp, who has worked at the plant for 33 years, said with a sigh that acknowledged how unlikely it is that his wish will be granted.

“We’d like Mitt Romney to come to Freeport, see what this is doing to this community, and contact his friends that run Bain Capital and say ‘this is absolutely the wrong thing to do’ and save our jobs.”

The Romney campaign declined to comment on the situation at Sensata, but a spokeswoman contacted by AFP noted that the former Massachusetts governor retired from Bain in 1999 and his investments there are controlled by a blind trust, effectively nullifying his links to the firm. Romney’s campaign recently set up a website-business.mittromney.comdefending his record at Bain and the “thousands” of jobs he saved or created by “fixing companies that were broken and giving new companies a shot at success.”

“A Taste of the Romney Economy” But the situation in Freeport is a classic example of how what’s best for a company is not always what’s best for American workers, said Freeport Mayor George Gaulrapp, who is no relation to Tom. “You can’t keep sending your jobs offshore and still have a middle class,” said the mayor.

Plant worker Pam Lampros, 53, is worried she’s going to lose her home so investors like Romney can make a bigger profit. “It just hurts after so many years of hard work and dedication,” said Lampros, a 34-year veteran at the non-unionized plant who had hoped to retire from

there. “It’s for corporate greed, more or less.” Sensata, which is majority-owned

by Bain Capital, purchased the automotive sensors unit from Honeywell for $140 million in cash in January 2011.

With annual revenues of $130 million and valuable patents, the unit was a good buy. But with 75 percent of the revenue generated in Asia, it made sense to ship production to Sensata’s facilities in China, the Netherlands-based company said. “It’s better to be closer to one’s customers,” Sensata spokesman Jacob Sayer told AFP, citing transportation and other logistical advantages.

Sayer acknowledged that the decision to shift production to China is “an unfortunately event” for Freeport and said he understands why it could be “difficult” for the workers to train their replacements.

He has no idea why-or if-the US flag was removed before the Chinese engineers and technicians arrived. “ We didn’t request it. I can tell you that,” Sayer said, adding that the company has been leasing the facility from Honeywell and has no involvement in grounds maintenance.

The workers have had nearly two years to prepare for the plant closure.

Some have found new jobs and those who remained were given retention bonuses to help keep operations going until the last pieces of equipment are shipped elsewhere. They got riled up in June when Romney visited nearby Janesville, Wisconsin and talked about how jobs were his top priority-at the same time they were being told to train their Chinese replacements. After months of pursuing Romney’s campaign with protests and petitions, the Sensata workers set up camp in the fairgrounds across the road from the plant on September 12 in hopes of drawing more attention to their cause.

In a nod to both the “Hoovervilles” of unemployed workers that sprung up during the Great Depression and the Occupy Wall Street movement, about a dozen people have since been sleeping in tents staked into the cold, hard ground. Mark Schreck, 36, a registered Republican, even brought his children a couple of times. “ This isn’t a Republican issue or a Democrat issue, this is an American issue,” he said, noting it is the second time his job has been outsourced to China, despite both operations being profitable-just not profitable enough.

“We’re in trouble. I’m not that old and when I grew up American industry and technology was huge. My folks and my uncles all worked in good jobs and retired from them,” Schreck said as he sat by a smoking campfire on the windy fairgrounds. “It’s hard to grasp how bleak it is out there. I’ve been looking for work since last January and I’m not finding any.” —AFP

BERLIN: German business sentiment dropped for a fifth straight month in September, raising fears of recession as companies struggled with what they said was the worst economic outlook since mid-2009. Germany’s relative resilience to the euro-zone debt crisis has been steadily fraying as its firms see falling demand for their products from European partners and signs of a slowdown in other markets. The European Central Bank’s plan for potentially unlimited government bond-buying has raised hopes on financial markets of an end to the most acute phase of the crisis, but that optimism has not spread to company boardrooms.

The Munich-based Ifo institute’s monthly sentiment index reached its lowest since early 2010 and Ifo economist Klaus Wohlrabe told Reuters the outlook was the worst since May 2009. “Today’s Ifo index shows that German companies remain sceptical about the economic impact of (ECB president) Mario Draghi’s magic,” ING Bank economist Carsten Brzeski said. “Despite fears of a looming eurozone break-up clearly fading away, German businesses are downscaling their expectations. The German economy could see a contraction in the third quarter.”

Ifo said its business climate index, based on a monthly survey of some 7,000 firms, fell to 101.4 in September from 102.3 in August, defying expectations for a slight rise to 102.5 in a Reuters poll of 45 economists. In its

monthly report, the Bundesbank said the domestic economy was robust, but added it saw signs of “weaker dynamics” and “great uncertainty”.

Foreign trade could be hit more strongly than before by developments in the euro area, the central bank added, also pointed to the labour market, where the rise in employment is slowing as companies become less willing to hire. Dutch business confidence also fell in September to -6.7 points from -4.6 in August, other data showed yesterday, adding to signs that the euro-zone’s stronger “core” economies are succumbing to the downturn.

While they have not been punished by debt markets like much of the euro’s southern half, both Germany and the Netherlands have slashed public spending to secure the future of public finances. “The drop in Ifo business confidence is a potent reminder that the outlook for the German and euro-zone economies still hangs in the balance,” said Holger Schmieding, German economist at investment bank Berenberg. “Further policy steps to contain the euro crisis may be needed for the euro-zone to turn the corner.”

Tough cuts While the German economy steamed ahead in the first three months of the year, saving the euro-zone from recession by growing 0.5 percent, it lost momentum in the second quarter, with growth slowing to 0.3 per-

cent. Dragging on the Ifo index in September was a sharp decline in sentiment among manufacturers, although companies in retailing and wholesaling reported a slightly brighter mood. Last week’s ZEW survey also showed German analyst and investor morale picked up in September.

Industrial group Bosch and steelmaker ThyssenKrupp , have announced plans to introduce “Kurzarbeit” or government-subsidised short-time work at German plants. The index would have fallen further had it not been for a ruling by Germany’s constitutional court on Sept 12 in favour of the ratification of Europe’s permanent bailout fund. Half of the responses in the survey came after the ruling.

The Finance Ministry warned in its monthly report last Friday that data pointed to weaker growth in the remainder of the year. Many economists are now predicting a contraction for the third and possibly the fourth quarters.

Another forward-looking indicator, the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), last week showed Germany’s private sector shrank for a fifth month, and a separate index for the eurozone showed that the ECB’s bond-buying plan had so far failed to inspire any major improvement in business at ailing euro-zone companies. However, economist Gerd Hassel said he believed news of the ECB’s bond-buying plan had yet to fully sink in. “I’m optimistic that the Ifo climate index will rise again in the coming months,” he said. —Reuters

Dreamliner brings jolt of excitement to flying TOKYO: As the Boeing 787 Dreamliner nosed upward into the clouds, the engines purred rather than roared. The recent All Nippon Airways domestic flight was anything but a routine route for many passengers. A year after ANA launched the world’s first 787 flights, Japanese travelers are still agog.

Passengers craned necks to glimpse the big bird at Haneda Airport. And as they boarded, many whipped out digital cameras and iPhones and started shooting pictures like paparazzi setting upon Justin Bieber.

In an era when flying is more about diminished expectations than adventure, airlines like ANA hope the technologically advanced midsize 787 will put some of the thrill back into the air at 35,000 feet. So far, it seems to be working. “Many, many people are excited,” ANA flight attendant Shoko Yoshimura said aboard the recent 787 flight from Tokyo to Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu. Silicon Valley travelers will get their chance to board the Dreamliner when ANA begins its five-day-a-week 787 route between Mineta San Jose (Calif) International and Tokyo’s Narita International airports on Jan 11. San Francisco International spokesman Michael McCarron said “two or three” carriers he declined to identify expect to start flying 787s out of that airport next year. But an Oakland (Calif) International Airport official who asked not to be identified said none of its carriers has indicated plans to use 787s in the near future.

The 787’s high-ceiling cabin glows with pastel colors. Its spacious interior, increased cabin pressure and higher humidity are aimed at making crossthe-world journeys less taxing on bodies. And its fuel-sipping technology and ability to cover long distances allows airlines to tear up old business models that left smaller market airports like San Jose out of their flight paths. It hasn’t been profitable for airlines to try to fill larger aircraft - such as a 368-passenger Boeing 777-300 - flying into secondary airports. ANA is outfitting its long-haul 787 with only 46 business-class and 112 economy seats. “It gave us the opportu-

nity to open up new markets - even secondary markets,” said Kohei Tsuji, ANA’s director of network planning. Once ANA gets more 787s delivered - it has so far received 13 of the initial order of 55 - the airline plans to expand its San JoseTokyo service to seven days a week, he said. ANA anticipates having 20 Dreamliners by the end of March.

According to Bloomberg, ANA agreed Friday to buy 11 more Dreamliners for delivery beginning in 2018, bringing the total of ordered planes to 66. The plane has quickly become the envy of the

attendants standing in the chamber-like entrance with a high ceiling - creating a sense of airy space rather than the feeling of entering a cramped tube.

“It’s a very beautiful plane and very comfortable to ride on,” said one passenger on the Tokyo-Fukuoka flight, who would only give his first name, Takahiro. He was particularly taken with the lavatory enhancements - toilets equipped with bidet spray options. Two bathrooms also have windows.

“The bathrooms are especially wonderful,” the 29-year-old gushed. “The

FUKUOKA: With rainbow lighting on the ceiling, passengers disembark from an ANA Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner. —MCT industry. In a spring survey by ANA of 800 passengers who had flown its 787 between Tokyo and Frankfurt, Germany, 98 percent said they wanted another chance to fly the Dreamliner, no matter what airline’s logo was on the plane. A quarter of them said they’d go out of their way to board the new aircraft again.

“The 787 offers an emotional experience,” said Robert Herbst, an aviation industry consultant who operates AirlineFinancials.com. “That’s something passengers haven’t had for a very long time.” It offers perks that even those who sit in the back of the plane in economy can enjoy. Passengers stepping onto an ANA 787 are greeted by flight

ceilings are high. You feel so much air. It feels good. And it’s environmentally kind.” Overhead bins are so high that steps are built into the base of seats so flight attendants can reach the compartments without the risk of falling onto passengers. The plane boasts one of the largest galleys in the sky.

The plane doesn’t have shock absorbers to smooth out bumpy air and you still have to fasten your seat belt.

But as the 787 lifts off, the rumble of engines is muffled. The twin engines are equipped with noise-reducing chevrons - jagged edges on the nozzles of the engines - that lower the sound of jet blasts by controlling how air passes through and around them.

“It was quiet. I was surprised,” Gonzalo Guerri, a Chilean tourist visiting Fukuoka, said after he gathered his luggage from the 787 flight. He liked the aircraft’s overall ambience and new features, including the iPhone chargers built into seats. “It’s much more comfortable than other planes,” Guerri said. “And there are no blinds on the windows. You just push a button. It was pretty cool.”

Indeed, the electronic shades are among the most talked-about attractions of the 787, whose windows are at least 20 percent larger than those on other jetliners. With a touch of a pillowy button, passengers can darken the windows like giant sunglasses that change hues _ soft sky blue to dark aqua.

The e-shades, Boeing says, are a feature in specially designed windows embedded with a gel sandwiched between two thin sheets of plastic.

When a very low voltage is applied to the gel, the windows change colors.

Airlines around the world, which have ordered more than 800 of the new planes, view the 787 as an industry game-changer. Half of the plane is made of lightweight composites - highstrength fibers embedded in resin allowing it to be 20 percent more fuelefficient than other jetliners. With the cost of jet fuel soaring some 300 to 400 percent in the past decade, airlines are desperate to get the new plane. Fuel accounts for 35 to 45 percent of an airline’s costs, consultant Herbst said.

Boeing’s 747 - once called the Queen of the Skies - opened up long-haul travel for the masses in the 1970s by lowering per-seat costs. The fuel-guzzling four-engine behemoth, though, now weighs on airline profits. The new 787, Herbst added, “will have an economic impact that is greater than any other aircraft in modern history.” Even pilots are excited about the new plane, whose cockpit is equipped with a one-piece window that offers better views, ANA network planning director Tsuji said. It also comes with a dual heads-up display - or HUD - a sheet of glass mounted in front of pilots that allows them to simultaneously read flight instruments and scan the horizon. —MCT

Seaport delay highlights shaky Vietnam economy HANOI: All that remains of a plan by Vietnam to build a major deep-water port is 114 exposed pilings trailing into the South China Sea and a barge full of rusty machiner y. Foreign investors stayed away from the $3.6 billion project and the indebted stateowned company overseeing it bungled the job. Earlier this month, the government accused the company of “financial incompetence” and suspended the project. The prospects for ever reviving it are dim. The abandoned por t in Southern Vietnam stands as a symbol of the inefficiency of the country’s Communist rulers, and the need to reform a massive web of state-owned enterprises weighing down a once-booming economy.

Critics say it also shows how provincial governments and stateowned companies are allowed to pursue expensive, misguided and often corruption-laced infrastructure projects that result in riches for the few, but not economic growth that would benefit the country of 87 million people. The government is asking foreign and domestic investors to bankroll its flagship Van Phong port now that the

Vietnam National Shipping Lines, or Vinalines, is out of the picture. But analysts say that’s unlikely because the project, which was slated to have 37 wharves, isn’t near any important manufacturing bases in the region and was impractical from the start.

A better option, they said, would be developing road and rail around ports in greater Ho Chi Minh City and also developing a deep-water port near the northern city of Hai Phong. A proposed large port near Hai Phong has spurred controversy lately over escalating costs and potential dredging problems. Vu Tu Thanh, Vietnam representative for the Washington-based US-ASEAN Business Council, said Vietnam has lost the reputation it enjoyed a few years ago for being among the most attractive destinations for investment in Asia.

Would-be investors, he said, want the government to push through largescale economic reforms that will weed out the most inefficient state businesses. “There’s nothing inherently wrong about having state-owned enterprises involved in big, capitalintensive projects like ports,” said Thanh, whose advocacy group repre-

sents American companies in Southeast Asia. “The problem is: Do you have the right SOE there?”

“The typical answer in Vietnam is: You don’t.” Vietnam has a coastline of 3,200 kilometers (1,988 miles) - longer than American’s west coast and a prime location on the South China Sea, which includes some of the world’s biggest shipping channels. But its lack of linked-up infrastructure puts its ports at a competitive disadvantage compared with long established global trade hubs such as Singapore, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

As a result, manufacturers here are often forced to first send containers to those larger ports from where they are then shipped to Europe and Nor th America. Businessmen and observers say the port sector is a good example of how political patronage and entrenched corruption are undermining the country’s development.

Vietnam has about three dozen seaports and several high-quality terminals that welcome international shipping lines, but no major port with swift connections to efficient

roads and rail. “All the coastal provinces want a deep-sea port,” said Nguyen Xuan Thanh, director of public policy programs at the US-funded Fulbright Economics Teaching Program in Ho Chi Minh City. “The central government needs political suppor t from these provinces, so they don’t say no to these proposals.”

“Everybody wants a piece of the action,” he said. In 2010, state-owned ship builder Vinashin came close to collapse with debts of $4.5 billion, leading to a sovereign credit rating downgrade and sounding the alarm on a major pressure point in Vietnam’s economy.

Last month, police arrested two former senior executives at one of the country’s largest banks. The banking industr y has run up massive bad debts in recent years, many of them made to state-owned companies.

Vinalines has also come under scrutiny. In March, police arrested several of its executives and accused them of mismanagement in the purchase of a floating dock that resulted in losses of about $5 million. In May, government inspectors issued a

report saying the company had five defaulted loans worth $1.1 billion and had bought 73 foreign vessels, many of which had run up millions of dollars in losses. Earlier this month, Vinalines’ former head, Duong Chi Dung, was arrested in a neighboring country after an international manhunt.

The problems at the banks and the state-owned enterprises have played a major role in Vietnam’s economy slowing from 7 percent growth in 2010 to just over 4 percent in the first half of this year. Foreign investment is also down amid inflation and the inability of the country to build the roads, electrical grid and bridges businesses need to prosper.

“It’s very important that the government continues to put infrastructure very high on the agenda,” said Peter Smidt-Nielsen, general director for Vietnam and Cambodia at global shipping company Maersk Line. “If you have growing trade and you don’t do anything about the infrastructure, you’ll have more and more delays and congestion, and that all leads to added costs for exporters and importers,” he said. —AP

24

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

business

US oil boom comes with tradeoffs SIDNEY: Politicians are quick to extol the virtues of domestic oil drilling while ignoring the tradeoffs. Here in this fast-developing Western oil patch, the gritty side of America’s new oil boom is on display with rising crime, a slain schoolteacher, rents that have tripled and public resources stretched thin. That’s just the half of it. Some area high schools are at historic low attendance levels, students dropping out to work the oilfields. Menial service jobs go unfilled despite high wages, and most everyone worries that the boom is transforming small-town values into something new and unpredictable.

“It’s just happened so fast, and many small communities just didn’t have time to plan,” said Mike Coryell, executive director of the Area Economic Development Council of Miles City, Mont., a town just south of the oil boom that struggles with spillover effects.

“The impacts hit, but you don’t have the resources to attack it.” Deep below the surface of the Earth here are large quantities of crude oil trapped under rock that could make the United States less dependent on foreign oil if extracted. The Bakken formation, some 200,000 square miles of it, stretches across North Dakota, Montana, Native American reservations and parts of Canada’s Saskatchewan province.

The area saw a short-lived boom in the 1980s, but technology back then allowed only vertical drilling. Breakthroughs in horizontal drilling, known as hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” have unleashed a new boom that many expect to last decades. Signs of the boom abound. Natural gas is flared in the middle of sugar-beet farms and on prairie ranches that look like the set of old TV

Westerns. Just across the North Dakota line, oil rigs dot a landscape where President Theodore Roosevelt lived out his final years, and where explorers Lewis and Clark famously rendezvoused at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers.

“We’re glad we have an area that’s booming... but it has totally ruined the quality of life around here,” said Kerry Finsaas, 60, walking her land, which abuts an expanded rail terminal near Trenton, N.D. “I’d say life as we knew it here is gone.” After 34 years on her land, Finsaas and her husband, Darrell, today look out the kitchen window at a natural gas flare a few hundred feet away. Crude oil is pumped into rail tank cars that stretch in front of their house almost as far as the eye can see. Nearby irrigation ditches adjacent to a new open-air disposal pond reek of sewage. “We don’t need a night light,” Finsaas said sarcastically. From Miles City, where Coryell struggles to keep pace with growth, it’s almost 50 miles to Sidney, Montana’s oil hub, and roughly 120 miles to Williston, ND, the heart of the region’s oil boom. Rents have risen so high in both places that workers now commute there from, and displaced families migrate to, Miles City.

Coryell’s office is helping to secure funding for a new jail. That’s not the traditional work of economic development officials, but Miles City, like other area small towns, is burdened by rising crime. Parts of its current jail date to 1904. “We need them to find oil in Custer County, that’s what we need,” said Coryell, referring to the revenues such a strike would bring to towns in the region. “I don’t think people understand the impacts on a rural area, the small towns that are used

to having a quiet lifestyle.”

These impacts include sugar-beet farmers on tractors competing for space on tight two-lane highways with rumbling rigs that rush sand, water and heavy machinery to drill sites. Drunken driving arrests are way up, and police report seizures of uncommon illicit drugs. “Heroin is starting to come back. The drug activity has really changed in this region,” said Doug Colombik, the Miles City police chief. Cops on the beat feel a difference, too. “The level of aggression that we’re met with when we’re responding (to a call) has really increased,” Mark Kraft, 33, a night officer for the Sidney Police Department, said during ride-along with a McClatchy reporter.

“It makes our job a little more dangerous than it was a couple of years ago.”

The big wakeup call came in early January, when schoolteacher Sherry Arnold went for a morning jog in Sidney and never returned. Her remains were found months later across the state line near Williston.

Police said the 43-year-old cancer survivor was kidnapped and killed. Two Colorado men who came to the area in search of work in the oilfields are charged in her death.

Arnold’s slaying brought soul-searching over the costs of a transformative oil boom.

Almost to a person, everyone interviewed in the region complained they no longer recognize people in the grocery store, and that they now must lock their doors. A large town here is home to fewer than 6,000 people, and leaving doors unlocked and keys in the car is the very definition of small-town life.

“I think whenever you don’t know people, you become suspicious of them. You just have to remember that not all strangers are

bad,” said Maj. Robert Burnison, Sidney’s assistant police chief. “I tell people that, and to be aware of their surroundings ... just be cautious. You don’t have to be afraid.”

Burnison recently counted 17 out-of-state license plates in the local grocer’s parking lot.

This flood of new American workers, dubbed “patch rats” by locals, is also clogging up the criminal justice system in eastern Montana, he and others said.

“We average about a DUI a day now,” said Judge Gregory P Mohr, a city judge in Sidney, whose office is strained by mounting demands and no comparable increase in revenues. “All of the oil money goes west (to the state capital), but we need it here.” Montana has a “three strikes” policy, meaning a fourth drunken driving arrest is treated as a felony charge and conviction results in a 13-month prison sentence. — MCT

GLENVIEW: Jerry Jimison, mayor of Glenview, Montana, stands in front of a new construction project. — MCT

Shares slump as coal miner Bumi probes irregularities London shares fall 30% MOSCOW/JAKARTA: Bumi Plc, the coal mining group controlled by Indonesian investors including the influential Bakrie family, launched an urgent investigation into potential financial irregularities at its Indonesian operations, sending its shares down more than 30 percent.

Bumi, co-founded by British-born financier Nat Rothschild, said yesterday it had commissioned an independent investigation into allegations concerning its Indonesian subsidiaries, including 29-percent owned PT Bumi Resources, Asia’s biggest exporter of thermal coal.

Bumi is one of several foreignowned, London-listed miners that have raised corporate governance concerns among investors over the past year.

The investigation into what Bumi called “potential financial and other irregularities” will be led by an as-yet unnamed law firm.

It is expected to include a close look at some $300 million of funds used by subsidiaries and affiliated companies to develop new projects, and also at certain loans extended

by PT Bumi, long a concern for investors.

Bumi said that “an area of focus” would be the “extensive” development funds of PT Bumi, most of which were written down to zero at the end of last year, along with one potential mining project held by another subsidiary, PT Berau Coal Energy.

“We feel it does have the potential to bring to light some gross (and potentially criminal) mismanagement of funds which may turn off shareholders in the short-term,” said

Richard Knights at broker Liberum Capital.

PT Bumi Resources’ auditor, Mazars/Tjiendradjaja & Handoko Tomo, could not be reached for comment. Bumi, the most traded British mid-cap stock yesterday at 8 times its 90-day daily average, was down 25 percent at 1146 GMT, at 145.4 pence, off an earlier all-time low of 119.5 pence. PT Bumi shares in Jakarta slid 19 percent, while its bonds maturing in 2017 traded down nearly 20 basis points.

Bumi’s stock has heavily underperformed the mining sector since its re -listing in June last year, weighed down by worries over its subsidiaries’ debts amid weak thermal coal prices, battles between shareholders and a complex corporate structure.

The group’s Indonesian partners tried to oust Rothschild from the board last year after he called for a “radical cleaning up” of governance at PT Bumi, in what was seen as a sign of his frustration with the Bakries.

In a reshuffle at Bumi Plc that followed, Rothschild stepped down as co-chairman, and key investor and coal entrepreneur Samin Tan took the chairman’s role.

Tan, who paid $1 billion through a high interest loan for a 23.8 percent stake in Bumi Plc, is not happy about the firm’s financial problems and so decided to launch the investigation, said a source familiar with the matter, who declined to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

The Bakries do not fully agree with the investigation, another

source said. Rothschild, however, supports the probe, a spokesman for the financier said.

“It’s a major development for Bumi Plc, which now has Samin Tan in control. People have been wondering whether these national coal assets have been mismanaged,” said Jemmy Paul, an equity fund manager at Sucorinvest Asset Management in Jakarta, who manages over $200 million. “It will definitely hit all Bakrie related stocks.”

Shares in other firms in the Bakrie Group, whose patriarch Aburizal Bakrie is an Indonesian presidential candidate, also fell yesterday on concerns over Bumi’s problems.

Property developer Bakrieland Development and energy firm Energi Mega Persada both slid 12 percent, while plantation firm Bakrie Sumatera fell 9 percent.

Stocks in Bakrie Group firms have been under pressure since PT Bumi, the group’s flagship firm, posted an unexpected first half loss because of derivative and foreign exchange losses. The performance also reflected weak coal prices and high costs that are making life tough for the sector.

Operating costs for most of Indonesia’s coal producers, the lowest in the world, have risen sharply this year at a time when prices of thermal coal used in power stations have been battered because demand has weakened from top consumer China.

“Clearly, given PT Bumi’s high debt levels, the repatriation of funds and focus on core coal mining business is critical,” said Liberum’s Knights. — Reuters

Behbehani introduces Seat Leon FR, seat Copa 2013 KUWAIT: Mohammed Saleh and Reza Yousuf Behbehani Company recently unveiled the next generation of the popular Spanish car maker Seat, the Leon FR 2013 and the Leon Copa 2013. The new Seat Leon FR which has been completely revamped is a dynamic hatchback car equipped with the latest technologies. The Leon FR boasts of a powerful engine of 211 bhp with a 7 speed gear tip-tronic gear box. The car is accented with 18-inch alloy wheels, fog lamps, a sporty bumper, FR suspension, tinted rear windows, folding exterior mirrors, a sports steering wheel and sports seats with lumbar support.

Offering drivers a wide range of functionalities, the new Seat Leon FR is top of the line in a compact segment.

Meanwhile, the new Leon COPA special edition focuses on the sporty appearance and the turbo engine 160 bhp, xenon lights with LED rear lights. The car has witnessed major upgrades including, Bluetooth, the rear parking sensors, anti-dazzle interior mirror and much

more. “We are very excited about the launch of the new Seat Leon FR and Seat Copa range in the Kuwaiti market.

The cars offer cutting edge technology in their respective segments. Seat enjoys a very loyal market in Kuwait and drivers in particular have always given us very positive and constructive feedback of the range. We are confident that the Seat Leon FR and the Seat Copa special edition will meet success in the Kuwait market,” said Abdul Ghani Behbehani, Director at Behbehani.

All Seat cars are designed based on its corporate philosophy of enjoyneering, which combines superior engineering with pure enjoyment and the Seat Leon FR and Seat COPA is the greatest testament of this philosophy.

With innovative technologies, improved functionality and quality, the cars are not just a design masterpiece but being built on the German Auto manufacturer Volkswagen Group’s platform, it offers more driving comfort, stability and a higher standard of safety.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

BUSINESS

Dow rated high in top performers of the global chemical industry KUWAIT: The Dow Jones Sustainability World Index announced its rating of Dow as one of the top performers in the global chemical industry todaymarking the 12th time Dow has received this recognition since the launch of the index. In addition to improving its rating from last year, Dow achieved the highest score in the sector for Environmental Policy Management System. The Company’s overall score was 88 percent - 33 percentage points higher than the average for the

industry group. Dow was one of only 11 chemical companies to be recognized in the World Index.

Dow is ranked at the 97th percentile for all companies in the sector.

“Dow people are living our corporate values of Integrity, Respect for People, and Protecting the Planet every day by delivering science and innovation to benefit our customers, our communities, and society”, said Neil Hawkins, vice president of Sustainability and EH&S. “ The Dow Jones

Sustainability World Index is a highly regarded benchmark of sustainability performance and progressive business strategy. Their recognition is especially significant given the growing need for transparency and collaboration to drive lasting change.”

“Membership in this index places Dow among the leading sustainability companies, not just in the chemical sector, but across industries,” said Doug May, vice president of Investor Relations.

“That’s a testimony to the value we place on sustainable practices and technologies - adding value for both our customers and stakeholders.”

Dow’s 2015 Goals offer accountability and transparency for its progress toward solving world challenges. They include sustainable chemistry goals that drive product innovation, targets that address climate change and energy, reducing its own footprint, and protecting human health and the environment.

Economists say US needs more taxes, spending cuts Sluggish economy to bounce back in 2014

ZELIENOPLE: In this file photo, a crew works on a gas drilling rig at a well site for shale based natural gas. — AP

Gas drilling protests held PHILADELPHIA: Demonstrators in the United States and other countries protested Saturday against the natural gas drilling process known as fracking that they say threatens public health and the environment. Participants in the “Global Frackdown” campaign posted photos on social media websites showing mostly small groups. But organizer Mark Schlosberg said Saturday afternoon he thought the protests were going well and he pointed to photos showing larger demonstrations in South Africa and France as well as higher turnouts in cities in California, Colorado and New York.

“I think it’s really the communities all over the world coming together to say, ‘We want to protect our water, we want to protect our air, and we want to safeguard our climate future by getting off dirty fossil fuels and saying no to fracking. We need to invest in a renewable energy future,’” said Schlosberg, who is national organizing director for Food & Water Watch, a Washington, DC, nonprofit that developed the GlobalFrackdown website and campaign.

The immense volumes of natural gas found by fracturing underground shale rock around the country has spurred a boom in natural gas production that has been credited with creating jobs and lowering prices for industry and consumers. But scientists disagree on the risks of hydraulic fracking, a process that injects large volumes of water, sand and chemicals underground to break rock apart and free the gas. The US

Environmental Protection Agency and many state regulators say fracking can be done safely, and the American Lung Association says it can help reduce air pollution.

Opponents say the process can pollute water and sicken residents. At a park in Pittsburgh, protesters signed a petition calling for a moratorium on shale gas drilling. In Buffalo, NY, demonstrators called upon Gov Andrew Cuomo to ban hydraulic fracturing. Jennifer Krill, executive director of Earthworks, said about 50 San Francisco demonstrators marched along the waterfront to the Golden Gate bridge, carrying signs and banners. She posted a picture of a 30-foot-long white banner stretched out on the grass that listed chemicals used in fracking.

“I thought it was a very eye-catching way to display one of the key problems with fracking, which is that the public does not know - unless the company chooses to disclose it - what chemicals are involved in hydraulic fracturing,” she said. K athy Hanratty of Frack-Free Geauga said about 30 to 40 people turned out at a demonstration in the northeast Ohio county, which she said was not bad considering “it’s a small county and a rainy morning.” “It is an affected area,” Hanratty said. “We just had the seismic test trucks go past my house on Monday.” In Ohio, an injection well used to hold wastewater from the fracking process has been tied to a series of ear thquakes in the Youngstown area. — AP

Jazeera Airways awards 1,000th free ticket KUWAIT: Less than a year after its launch, award-winning Jazeera Airways yesterday celebrated the 1,000th free ticket awarded to beneficiaries of its frequent flier program, Jazeerati. Frequent traveler, Maryam Al-Hammadi, was rewarded a free flight for flying Jazeera Airways individually or with family ten times since the launch of the program in November 2011.

The frequent flier program is available to all customers across the Jazeera Airways network and works by rewarding each customer or family with a free flight for every ten boarding passes they collect. Once collected, the traveler can redeem the boarding passes for a free flight to any Jazeera Airways destination. Once redeemed, the free flight will be available for a period of one year, and can be used towards any Jazeera Airways destination, at any time during the year, high season included.

Jazeera Airways CEO, Stefan Pichler, said, “Our easy, simple and gimmickfree frequent flier program has made it an outstanding success in nine months only, with an average of three free tickets issued every day. Jazeerati is our way to thank you to all customers who choose to fly with Jazeera Airways to the Middle East’s great destinations.”

Over the last year Jazeera Airways has rolled out a series of value enhancing passenger experience-

boosting initiatives. In addition to the frequent flier program, the airline launched easy and fast check-in alternatives, high-tech mobile booking options, and on-board duty free shopping service.

Jazeera Airways is also ranked the highest in on-time performance (OTP) in the Middle East in the month of August 2012, as measured by FlightStats, the US-based global OTP tracker. The airline’s OTP for the month was 96 percent. With Jazeera Airways’ great on-time performance, yearround competitive fares, generous baggage allowance, the airline continues to offer more value to customers than any other offering by any airline in the Middle East.

The airline operates a two-class cabin comprising of a Business Class and an Economy Class. Business Class travelers get both an upgraded experience and exclusivity, starting with exclusive check-in lines and business lounge access, up to 60 kilograms in free baggage allowance, and an exclusive on-board cabin. The airline’s Economy Class offers travelers free baggage allowance of 40 kilograms and free on-board meals with a changing menu every month. Jazeera Airways is an IATA-member airline and operates one of the youngest Airbus A320 fleets across the Middle East and North Africa. Jazeera Airways currently serves 17 destinations across the Middle East.

NEW YORK: The best way to reduce the federal deficit is through a combination of higher taxes and spending cuts, according to a group of economists. The 236 members of the National Association for Business Economics recently surveyed say the country needs more fiscal stimulus through 2013, but by 2014 it should be time to throttle back. The reason for the delay: the sluggish nature of the country’s economic recovery.

A majority of the economists favor extending payroll tax cuts, current marginal income tax rates and current tax rates for dividends and capital gains for most or all taxpayers through 2013. Deep tax cuts that were passed under President George W. Bush expire at the end of December unless Congress takes action. At the center of debate: extending the cuts for everybody. or just households earning less than $250,000 a year.

When it comes to making those cuts perma-

nent, the group is more split. Nearly three quarters think the payroll tax cut should not be made permanent. The group is almost evenly split about whether to make the tax cuts on income, dividends and capital gains permanent. The biggest economic worry for the group was not how much to raise taxes or how to trim the budget. The problem cited was indecision: 87 percent of the economists believe that uncertainty about what direction Washington will take is holding back the economic recovery.

The survey on economic policies released Monday also forecast that short-term interest rates would remain at current levels for at least another year. The results are consistent with the last NABE semiannual survey, released in March.

A slight majority of respondents - 59 percent said that current U.S. monetary policy was “about right.” The percentage replying that monetary policy was “too stimulative” fell slightly com-

pared with the percentage that held that same view in March, while the proportion answering that policy was “too restrictive” edged up.

The economists said the Federal Reserve should not buy more bonds to support and stimulate the economy, as it has in the last few years.

The survey was conducted between Aug 2 and Aug 24, before the Federal Reserve announced a third round of bond buying on Sept 13. Just 53 percent of the economists said that the action already undertaken by the Fed, known as quantitative easing, has been a success.

There is also a widely shared expectation that health care costs in the United States will account for a larger share of GDP in 10 years than they do at present, assuming that the Affordable Care Act is not repealed. Finally, 46 percent of the NABE panel expects that in five years, the European Monetary Union will have less than its current 17 member countries. That’s down from more than 60 percent just six months ago. — AP

Myanmar stalls investment law YANGON: Myanmar’s president has delayed an eagerly awaited foreign investment bill, an official said yesterday, asking for amendments to the law that aims to open up the long-isolated nation to overseas trade. Thein Sein returned the draft law to parliament at the weekend “with remarks”, according to Zaw Htay in the presidential office. “The president wanted to amend some of the provisions in the bill, which was approved by the Parliament,” he told AFP. Myanmar is seen by many investors as the next regional frontier market as businesses eye its huge natural resources, large population and strategic location between China and India. A spate of reforms have seen the international community roll back many of the tough sanctions put in place to punish a brutal junta that ruled with an iron fist until it was replaced by a quasi-civilian regime last year.

Global corporate giants from Coca-Cola to General Electric have already begun to vie for a share of an expected economic boom in the impoverished nation. But observers had expressed concern over so-called protectionist measures in the law, including that foreign firms would only be able to own up to a 50-percent stake in joint ventures with local partners.

Myat Thin Aung, vice chairman of Yoma bank, said the passage of the law had been complicated by disagreements between reformers in the president’s camp and those wanting to go slowly, who have a majority in the fledgling parliament. “If we protect our market, investors won’t come. We have to open up otherwise we will be left behind,” said the businessman, who is also a member of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The law will now be stalled for an unknown period of time, although the next sitting of parliament is expected to start in the third week of October. Respected Yangon intellectual Aung Tun Thet said the foreign investment legislation should not be seen as a “threat but as an opportunity” to attract much needed funds and expertise to an economy left in tatters after nearly fifty years of junta mismanagement.

“We need to jump start the economy. Period. The law is the vehicle,” he told AFP. Observers say “cronies” of the former junta who grew rich thanks to their links to the generals opposed throwing the doors wide open to foreign rivals, while some local firms feared being swamped by overseas competition. But MPs earlier this month agreed to a more liberal version of the law than had originally been proposed.

They altered a draft that would have allowed overseas firms to hold only up to 49 percent of a joint venture and required a minimum investment of $5 million, after concerns were raised that the funds required would preclude smaller deals. Thein Sein has vowed to put the economy at the centre of a new raft of reforms, following a series of dramatic political changes since almost half a century of outright military rule ended last year. Myanmar has invited foreign firms to invest in the mining sector and signed a series of oil exploration deals with foreign companies.

Critics say the rewards of the nation’s energy bounty have so far only been shared among foreign investors and the regime, rather than its impoverished people. — AFP

KUWAIT: The winner Aiman Abdullah Rashid Al-Harbi is pictured with the officials.

Al-Sayer congratulates Boubyan Bank winners KUWAIT: Mohamad Naser Al-Sayer & Sons Co held an electronic draw for its promotion campaign “ The Holy Month of Ramadan 2012” in Al-Rai Showroom at 6:00 pm, on September 6 and 10, 2012, attended by representatives from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Abdul Aziz Ishkenani, and Mohammed Taha, Toyota, AlRai showroom manager. The winner of the Toyota FJ Cruiser 2012 was Aiman Abdullah Rashid Al-Harbi coupon # 260 a customer of

Boubyan Bank. The promotion “The Holy Month of Ramadan 2012” carried on through the holy month of Ramadan 2012, which enabled the customers a chance to enter the draw for every car bought through Boubyan Bank, entitling them to win a Toyota FJ Cruiser and a Land Cruiser 2012. The main reasons behind the remarkable success of this promotions was “the customer’s trust in Toyota flagship”. Al-Sayer congratulates all the winners.

Wataniya is first telecom to release iPhone 5 KUWAIT: The wait is finally over. Wataniya Telecom’s customers can now get the iPhone 5, Apple’s newest device, at any of its branches across Kuwait. The most anticipated announcement reflects Wataniya’s efforts in assuring that its customers are provided with the latest and most desired products in the world of technology.

The newly launched iPhone 5 is bigger, thinner and lighter than all the previous iPhones. This wonder device comes with aluminum back and the Retina display makes watching videos a real treat with vivid colors.

The iPhone 5 is two times fasters than the 4S and it is one of the most responsive phones in the market - apps can be loaded within nano seconds. The exceptional features of the iPhone 5 include the iOS 6, which is Apple’s latest software technology. Other exciting features included are Maps in 3D and Passbook which is capable of managing movie-tickets, boarding passes and other transaction related documents.

iPhone 5 is available forcash or on easy installmentswhen customers subscribe to a ny Wa t a n i y a p o s t p a i d p a c k a g e. I n a statement regarding the release of iPhone 5, Wataniya Telecom stated: “Our aim is to distinguish our customers amongst others and reward them by being the first telecom in Kuwait to acquire the iPhone 5. In spite of the high global demand, we were able to secure a significant stock to meet the needs of our customers.”

Wataniya added “Our team works hard to provide products and services of high quality to customers as it all falls under the roof of rewarding them for being part of the Wataniya family. Wataniya provides a choice of the latest devices such as Android, Apple, BlackBerry and many others for customers to choose what best s u i t s t h e i r p re fe re n ce s a n d l i k i n g.”

Wataniya customers can now purchase the iPhone 5 from any of its branches across Kuwait.

Kellogg wants China to wake up to cereal NEW YORK: Kellogg is hoping to turn cereal into a breakfast staple in China. The maker of Frosted Flakes, Pop-Tarts and Eggo waffles says that it formed a joint venture to sell its cereals and snacks in the country as early as next year. The breakfast giant says the deal will tap the infrastructure and local expertise of Wilmar International, a Singapore-based agribusiness, to expand its presence in China. The Battle Creek, Michigan-based company also plans to sell its Pringles chips through the joint venture. Kellogg acquired Pringles from Procter & Gamble Co. earlier this year, in a deal intended to expand its footprint overseas.

Kellogg Co currently gets most of its revenue from North America, where growth in the packaged food industry has been relatively weak. But like other companies, Kellogg is increasingly casting its sights on developing

markets such as China and India, where the appetite for convenience foods is growing more quickly. Kellogg notes that China is expected to be the largest food and beverage market within the next five years, as the ranks of middle-class consumers continue to multiply in large cities. As for cereal, which is not traditionally eaten in China, the company says consumption is rising as milk becomes a more common part of the diet.

General Mills Inc, the maker of Cheerios and Wheaties, already has a joint venture with Cereal Partners Worldwide to sell several of its cereals in China. In an emailed statement, Kellogg noted that it has sold ìready-to-eat cereal in the China market for quite some time.î A representative for Kellogg was not immediately available to say which of the companyís cereals are already sold in China, or whether it will tweak its marketing or prod-

ucts to expand its presence through the joint venture.

Kellogg says it hopes to start operating the joint venture Jan 1, pending regulatory approvals. For now, Europe remains Kelloggís largest international market. But the company is seeing weakness in the region, with its international sales in the second quarter down 3.8 percent. With the Pringles acquisition in February, Kellogg is also looking to move beyond the breakfast table. The deal catapulted Kellogg to the worldís secondbiggest salty snack maker, after PepsiCo Inc.ís Frito-Lay. Pringles is sold in more than 140 countries and gets two-thirds of its revenue from overseas. Kelloggís other salty snacks include Cheez-It, Keeblerís Club crackers and its new Special K crackers. Wilmar International is a unit of Yihai Kerr y Investments Co Ltd. — AP

26

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

BUSINESS

New Audi S models arrive in Middle East DUBAI: Audi presents its new S models - the Audi S6, S7 and S8 are the high performance versions of Audi’s top selling Middle East saloons. The new S models are powered by a new engine - a fourliter, twin-turbo V8, which combines ample power with low fuel consumption in keeping with the times. Prices start from USD 81,376, USD 91,177 and USD 127,940 for the Audi S6, S7 and S8 respectively including 5 years service and 3 years warranty.

The S6 and S7 use the 420 hp version of the new 4.0 TFSI. The twin-turbo V8 provides a constant 550 Nm of torque from 1,400 to 5,200 rpm. It accelerates the S6 and S7 from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and 4.7 seconds respectively. The Audi S8 is the new head of the Audi S model family. Its new 4.0 TFSI generates no less than 520 hp and delivers a constant 650 Nm of torque between 1,700 and 5,500 rpm. The result is outstanding performance: The sprint from zero to 100 km/h takes just 4.2 seconds. With all three models, the electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h is just a formality.

The 4.0 TFSI brings Audi’s downsizing strategy to the high-performance class. The new S6 for example offers even sportier performance compared to the engine in the previous model while reducing fuel consumption by as much as 25 percent. Average fuel consumption in the S6 and S7 is just 9.6 liters per 100 km. The S8 averages just 10.1 liters per 100 km, much less than its competitors and a decrease of nearly 23 percent to the previous model despite a 70 hp increase in output.

Behind the top values for the new Audi S Models are the combined technologies of the Audi modular efficiency platform, including the recuperation and start-stop systems. The newly developed “cylinder on demand” technology plays a particularly large role. Under part load, it deactivates four of the eight cylinders for an efficiency gain that is particularly pronounced at moderate highway speeds. A package of acoustic measures including the Active Noise Cancellation system suppresses possible intrusive noise and vibrations.

Much of this groundbreaking efficiency can be attributed to the vehicles’ lightweight body. The

hybrid aluminum construction of the S6 and S7 weighs roughly 15 percent less than a comparable all-steel body. The ASF (Audi Space Frame) is made almost entirely of aluminum, saving around 100 kilograms compared to a conventional steel construction. The Audi ultra-lightweight construction allows weight to be reduced in other areas as well, such as the chassis.

The new Audi S6, S7 and S8 shine with craftsman-like fit and finish, generous standard equipment and a range of high-end equipment options.

Subtle yet eye-catching details on the exterior and interior signal the top position in the model series.

New to the S family is the parking system with 360 degree camera. Four small cameras record images of the sedan’s immediate surroundings and a computer splices them together. The driver can call up a variety of views on the MMI monitor, including a virtual top-down view. The system enhances safety while maneuvering and in narrow driveways. Special views allow the driver to see cross-traffic.

Long version Audi is expanding its engine lineup with a new, high-performance gasoline engine. The 4.0 TFSI, which is used in slightly different configurations in the S6, S7 and S8, develops between 420 hp and 520 hp, and as much as 650 Nm of torque. The new V8 is a high-tech engine featuring numerous innovative solutions.

The youngest member of the large Audi family of V engines, the 4.0 TFSI shares all of their typical characteristics. It has the classic cylinder angle of 90 degrees, the chain drive for the four camshafts and ancillary units is on the back to save space, and the cylinder case is a cast aluminum-silicon alloy. This eight-cylinder unit is very light in weight, and its highly compact construction has resulted in its length being reduced to 497 mm.

Fuel is provided via Audi’s FSI direct injection system. Switchable flaps in the intake ports induce a rolling type of movement in the incoming air for improved combustion. Like almost every Audi engine, the new 4.0 TFSI also follows

the principle of downsizing, where forced induction replaces displacement. One turbocharger per cylinder bank compresses the intake air. This is known as twinscroll technology, where the exhaust flows to the turbine wheel at high speed through two separate ports and enables torque to be developed extremely early, just above idle.

The two turbochargers and the intercooler are located in the inside V of the cylinder banks rather than in the usual location outside next to the crankcase. Audi has structured the cylinder heads in an innovative way. The exhaust side is on the inside, the intake side on the outside. This layout provides for compact dimensions and short gas paths with minimal flow losses, and the 4.0 TFSI reacts immediately to the gas pedal as a result. Sophisticated insulation of the hot components, in particular the exhaust manifold, stabilizes the thermal conditions in the inside V. A further innovation is Audi’s cylinder management. In low to intermediate load and rev ranges, it deactivates two cylinders in each bank of the V8, reducing fuel consumption significantly. Thanks to a comprehensive package of innovative measures, the engine remains smooth and quiet during these phases. Shutting down the cylinders is virtually imperceptible. This cylinder management function is provided by the latest version of the Audi valvelift system by closing the intake and exhaust valves of the affected cylinders.

The 4.0 TFSI employs all the technologies from Audi’s modular efficiency platform. These range from measures to reduce friction, the start-stop system and the recuperation system to innovative thermal management that deactivates the water pump during the warmup phase to quickly bring the oil up to temperature. The new regulated oil pump varies the oil pressure in two stages, and the oil jet cooling for the piston heads is characteristic-controlled.

The new 4.0 TFSI provides for powerful performance in all of the large S models while at the same time demonstrating its high efficiency potential.

The Audi S6 Athletic character, quiet understatement and richly appointed - Audi is remaking the S6. The Audi S6 sports cars for everyday use, offering uncompromising practicality. Its new engine, a four-liter, twin-turbo V8, combines ample power with low fuel consumption in keeping with the times.

Drive The S6 uses the 420 hp version of the new 4.0 TFSI. The twin-turbo V8 provides a constant 550 Nm of torque from 1,400 to 5,200 rpm. It accelerates the S6 from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds.

The electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h is just a formality. The 4.0 TFSI brings Audi’s downsizing strategy to the high-performance class. Compared to the engine in the previous model, the free-breathing, 5.2-liter V10, it offers even sportier performance while reducing fuel consumption by as much as 25 percent. Average fuel consumption is just 9.6 liters per 100 km, well below that of the competition.

A number of technologies contribute to this top result, including the recuperation and startstop systems as well as the new “cylinder on demand” cylinder management system. When the V8 deactivates four cylinders under part load, the Active Noise Cancellation system (ANC) is activated. Four microphones integrated into the headlining record the noise in the cabin, which is then analyzed by a computer. If the computer detects intrusive sound elements, it broadcasts an antiphase sound through the speakers of the sound system. This sound combines with the intrusive sound and largely cancels it out.

Independent of this, active, electronically controlled engine bearings use targeted counterpulses to attenuate low-frequency vibrations.

A sound actuator, flaps in the exhaust system, the engine shroud and a newly developed twomass flywheel with a centrifugal force pendulum in the seven-speed S tronic also contribute to the sonorous sound and smoothness of the engine.

When it comes to power transmission, the S6 further extends Audi’s Vorsprung durch Technik.

The engine power flows through a fast-shifting, seven-speed S tronic transmission. The quattro permanent all-wheel drive system uses the selflocking center differential and torque vectoring.

If desired, Audi complements quattro with the optional sport differential, which actively distributes the power between the rear wheels.

Chassis The new S model comes standard with the adaptive air suspension sport. The tautly tuned air suspension with variable damping lowers the body by 10 millimeters. It provides for highly precise handling without compromising comfort. The powerful disc brakes, internally ventilated front and rear, have matt black calipers with S6 logos. Audi offers carbon fiber-ceramic discs as an option. The S6 comes standard with cast aluminum wheels in a unique five parallel-spoke design. The 8.5 J x 19 wheels are shod with 255/40-series tires. Seven different 19- or 20-inch wheels, four of them from quattro GmbH, are available as options. The 20-inch titanium-look wheels with a five-arm rotor design impart a particularly exclusive appearance.

The Audi drive select driving dynamics system comes standard in the new S6. Among others, it modifies the characteristic of the gas pedal, the shift points of the S tronic, the servo boost of the electromechanical steering and the characteristic of the adaptive air suspension. The driver can adjust the operation of these systems in five stages. The optional sport differential and the dynamic steering, which varies its ratio as a function of speed, can also be integrated into the system.

Body and design The car bodies play a large part in the dynamics of the Audi S6. It is unusually lightweight because they are roughly 20 percent aluminum. The Audi S6 has a curb weight of just 1,895 kilograms and is thereby much lighter than its direct rivals.

AUB announces results of weekly draw

flydubai Cargo goes global DUBAI: Less than one year since its launch, flydubai Cargo has grown its freight network to cover points across the world from Hong Kong to Bangladesh and the UK. The low-cost carrier can now transpor t goods to points in Europe, the US, Australasia and the Far East in addition to destinations in the GCC, Middle East, North Africa, Indian Subcontinent, Asia and Central & Eastern Europe.

Over the past ten months, flydubai Cargo has forged a number of interline agreements with airlines including Emirates and British Air ways and Estonia Air as well as Coyne Airways and Jet Airways.

This has helped the division extend its reach beyond flydubai’s passenger network. Goods transported include general cargo, perishable items, textiles, electronics, courier, mail, and pharmaceuticals. flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said: “We set up our cargo division with the aim of making the transport of goods simple, accessible and affordable.

Through these interline agreements we have opened new routes and thus new avenues for trade. We are now able to deliver goods from Sudan to Sydney and also provide Nepal’s handicraft industry with access to consumers in the US, Europe and Australia.” flydubai Cargo’s network, combined with its affordable rates and tie up with Calogi, a web based Global Distribution System for the air cargo supply chain, has encouraged businesses across the

world to transport their goods with the Dubai carrier.

Manufacturers in Serbia, for example, which was previously underserved by direct air and cargo links, export specialist spor ting and spare par ts to Australia via Dubai, while ship spares are transported from Amsterdam in The Netherlands the GCC and Indian Subcontinent.

Nex t month, flydubai Cargo will become the first cargo operator to offer direc t links between Dubai and Bucharest, Romania, as well as Dubai and Skopje, Macedonia. Flights will start on 1 October 2012 and 18 October 2012 respectively. flydubai Cargo’s on-time record, meanwhile, has prompted exports from the Indian Subcontinent and CIS in the form of perishable goods such as meat, fruits, vegetables and flowers. There has also been demand in Europe for live tropical fish from Port Sudan.

With Dubai International Airpor t being a logistics hub, goods travelling on flydubai flights can be connected in as little as one hour of arrival in Dubai.

It takes from eight hours to move shipments carried by interline partners.

“The wide range of products being transported by flydubai Cargo shows the demand for a timely, affordable and reliable service. Less than a year into operations, we have grown our network as well as our customer base and aim to continue serving a global audience as our range and operations expand,” added Al Ghaith.

KUWAIT: AUB has announced the results of the weekly draws of its Al-Hassad Islamic savings scheme. The lucky customers winning the grand weekly prize worth KD 25,000 each at the draws held on September 12, 2012: Vasudev Daryani, Aisha Husni Al-Husni, and Venkata Jonnadula.

The following Al-Hassad Islamic customers won cash prizes of KD 1,000 each: Fahad Mohamad Fahad, Sidig Abdalla Sidig, Esam Makin Salim, Faisal Abdulrahman, Juzar Hatim Godhrawala, Ahmed Ebrahim Rezq, Mohd Asghar Mogal, Mohd Sayed Abbas, Waleed Fahad, Ahad Al-Hamad, Hussain Ashkanani, Bashar Mohammed Harhash, Ghazy Masoud Safak, Ahmad Dalil Shaman, Sultan Naser Sultan, Mohamed Khamis Al Kuwari, Radhi Ali Abdulla, Abdulla Ali Abdulla, Sandra Kathleen Buchanan, Salman Saleh Salman, Kamel Merza Mohsen, Fahad Habib Mahmood, Mahmood A Aziz Mohammed, Mohammed Yousif Hassan and Ebtisam Abedali.

With the new Al-Hassad Islamic 2011 scheme, customers have a lot more to look forward to. With 28 weekly prizes totaling KD 100,000 each week and “Salary for Life” prizes every month, the chances to win bigger prizes more often couldn’t get any better.

The most attractive feature of the new scheme is the chance to win bigger prizes, more frequently with 3 grand prizes of KD 25,000 each, week on week plus 25 other weekly prizes of KD 1,000. Chances to win big prizes on a weekly basis, offer instant rewards to both existing as well as new Investors in Investment Saving Account (Al-Hassad Islamic). With the introduction of a “Salary for Life” prize of KD 250,000 every month, the grand prize is also now more frequent and customers do not need to wait for a quarter or more to qualify for the grand prize.

The “Salary for Life” has been a core feature for the AlHassad Islamic scheme with prizes paid out to date exceeding KD 10 million. The monthly “Salary for Life” prize has enabled winners to afford better homes, ensure better education for their children and enjoy an improved quality of life, with the assurance that the rewards will continue to come month after month for 250 months. Al-Hassad Islamic is the only scheme to offer high value weekly and monthly prizes that are significantly higher than the total outlay of other prize schemes in Kuwait. In addition to the attractive prize pool, customers with high balances can opt for other unique features such as Investment savings plan, cheque facility linked to their investment savings account and state of the art e-banking and 24x7 contact center support.

The new Al-Hassad Islamic 2011 is geared to meeting the needs of salaried individuals. Customers can benefit from not only the biggest and most attractive prize pool but can also enjoy state of the art banking benefits and access to AUB’s unique products’ range for Islamic finances ,credit cards and investment products. All AlHassad draws are conducted under the scrutiny of officials from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and independent auditing firm, Ernst& Young. For more information on the Al-Hassad Islamic investment savings account, its prize structure and eligibility criteria, customers may visit any AUB Kuwait.

Vehicle fitness tests in Kuwait KUWAIT: Advancing its market leadership and expanding its services, Bumper to Bumper (BTB) launched in May 2012 its Vehicle Fitness Test services in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior (MoI) at its Rai branch. In an effort to further improve its customer services & added convenience, Bumper-to-Bumper by Yusuf A Alghanim is offering from September 1 to November 30, 2012 a three-month free road side assistance with every Vehicle Fitness Test performed.

Vehicle Fitness Test services are made in cooperation with the Ministr y of Interior (MOI) and include insurance issuance, physical vehicle testing, fines payments and issuance of vehicle registration booklet. With this newlylaunched offer, car owners can perform all official & legal requirements at the Bumper-to-Bumper facility in Al-Rai. Bumper to Bumper is committed to provide its customers with a unique experience while servicing their vehicles by providing value-added propositions, technical expertise, the latest equipment and convenient facilities and amenities.

It is worth mentioning that in 1980, Bumper-to-Bumper opened its first

branch in Kuwait. Today, it is recognized as one of the top leaders in quality car service due to its investment in professional and qualified technicians and the latest equipment to ensure customers with the best service, peace of mind and unparalleled experience. Today, Bumperto-Bumper is strategically located in six different areas: Shuwaikh, Sharq, Al-Rai, Jahra, Shuwaikh Express Lube and Fahaheel.

Apart from its quick service and body shop service, Bumper-to-Bumper also provides additional services like diesel services, tire garage, car wash, detailing and accessories.

This state of the ar t facility also includes a coffee shop, lounge equipped with a complimentary wi-fi connection and play area for the children in addition to a gaming corner. Within its large space, the accessories corner provides a wider range of services that include window tinting, rim sales and other services and products at competitive prices.

Bumper-to-Bumper prides itself of always meeting its promise to provide the best high quality services for all car makes so that every customer enjoys the best vehicle service and experience.

27

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Data that lives forever is possible: Hitachi New method of storing digital information

HO CHI MINH CITY: Policemen and security staff secure the main entrance gate of Ho Chi Minh City’s People’s Court where three bloggers stand trial for “anti-state propaganda” yesterday. The court in southern Vietnam jailed three bloggers for “anti-state propaganda”, including one whose case has been raised by US President Barack Obama. —AFP

New Zealand agents spied ‘unlawfully’ in Dotcom case WELLINGTON: New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has ordered an inquiry into government agents spying “unlawfully” while assisting police in the lead up to the arrest of Megaupload boss Kim Dotcom.

Key said yesterday he has told the Intelligence and Security department to investigate “the circumstances of unlawful interception of communications of certain individuals by the Government Communications Security Bureau”.

He said a memorandum had also been filed in the High Court dealing with the Megaupload case advising that the bureau “had acted unlawfully while assisting the police” to locate people subject to arrest warrants issued in the case.

Key did not name Dotcom specifically, but said the bureau “had acquired communications in some instances without statutory authority”.

Dotcom is fighting extradition to the United States after being arrested in January by New Zealand police cooperating with a major US investigation.

The US Justice Department and FBI claim Megaupload and related sites netted more than $175 million in criminal proceeds and cost copyright owners over $500 million by offering pirated copies of movies, TV shows and other content.

The 38-year-old German national, who legally changed his name from Kim Schmitz, had moved to New Zealand in early 2010 and enjoyed a lavish lifestyle until his arrest.

Key said he was “quite shocked” to learn the government secret agents had acted unlawfully.

“I expect our intelligence agencies to operate always within the law. Their operations depend on public trust,” he said.

Key said he had not been asked to sign an intercept warrant in relation to the case “nor was I briefed on the operation in question” but he added he believed the incident was an isolated error.

“Because this is also a matter for the High Court in its consideration of the Megaupload litigation, I am unable to comment further.” —AFP

Kaspersky releases new consumer products DUBAI: Kaspersky Lab announces the release of its new flagship consumer products: Kaspersky Internet Security 2013Premium Security Suite;and Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2013Essential Protection Solution.The new versions of both products share the refined, easy-to-use interface and deliver new technologies to provide maximum protection against all kinds of threats. In response to the ever-changing threat landscape, particular attention has been paid to the security of potentially vulnerable applications thanks to the unique Automatic Exploit Prevention technology. Users of the brand new version of Kaspersky Internet Security will also enjoy complete protection for their online purchases and online banking transactions, thanks to the easy-to-use Safe Moneyfeature. Both products are fully compatible with the Windows 8 operating system, efficiently protecting applications and user data, whether in the classic orthe new touch-friendly user interfaces.

Eugene Kaspersky, CEO and co-founder of Kaspersky Lab, commented: “When developing the new versions of our home user products we paid particular attention to the users’ needs as well as the threats they face.

Knowing that the loss of sensitive data and money are the things that worry users most, we have developed an entire set of new protection technologies to address these concerns. Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 is now better than ever when it comes to protecting the most valuable information during online activities. With its Hybrid Protection approach and new Automatic Exploit Prevention and Safe Money technologies,Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 helps our customers build the most efficient security system that is also easy to set up and use.”

Main highlights New antivirus engine with better detection rates for the entire scope of emerging cyber threats ● Unique Automatic Exploit Prevention technology targets the most sophisticated threats utilizing vulnerabilities in popular software ● Simplified user interface provides easier installation, activation and day-to-day use of the product ● Better performance in key user scenarios and longer battery life for mobile computers ●

New Kaspersky Internet Security features ● Unique Safe Money technology protects users’ money “at all costs” during online shopping and banking ● New anti-spam module efficiently blocks unwanted mail, saving you time and hassle Learn more about the key benefits of Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 in this infographic.

Technology behind the world-class security suite Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 offers a number of brand new technologies, designed to combat the most widespread and sophisticated threats that target your personal data and bank accounts. Key among them are the unique Automatic Exploit Prevention and Safe Money technologies.

Protection from zero-day exploits Automatic Exploit Prevention technology was designed to address some of the most sophisticated threats - those exploiting vulnerabilities in popular software. Exploits have long become the cybercriminals’ weapon of choice forperforming online attacks known as ‘drive-by downloads’ when a user gets infected just by visiting a certain webpage.

Automatic Exploit Prevention protects Kaspersky Lab’s customers against these types of exploits, including those that utilize so-called zero-day vulnerabilities. The latter are among the most dangerous, infecting the system using unknown or unpatched security flaws in popular software.Based on Kaspersky Lab’s vast experience in IT security, the Automatic Exploit Prevention technology is able to recognize unauthorized activity by an exploit without blocking the normal operation of a potentially vulnerable program such as your web browser, document viewer etc. Learn more in this white paper.

Secure online shopping and banking Safe Money technology contains a diverse set of protection methods for when you deal with real money online. Such activity may include making purchases online, working with an electronic payment system like PayPal, or accessing your bank account from your computer. Available in Kaspersky Internet Security 2013, this new feature provides enhanced protection for your banking operations.Here is how it works: ● Switches automatically to special “Safe Browser” mode when you visit banking websites; thisisolates your payment operation from other online activities to ensure your transaction is not monitored ● Activates automatically when visiting most common payment websites, and you can easily add your own bank or shopping website to the list ● Checks the authenticity of the payment website itself to ensure the site isn’t compromised or a fake ● Safe Money evaluates the security status of your computer, and warns about significant threats that should be addressed prior to making payments ● Virtual Keyboard ensures tamper-proof entry of your password or credit card number New and improved security features Both Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 and Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2013 solutions share the new antivirus engine, which offers better detection of all types of malicious programs, including the most complex samples. Particularly, specific methods have been introduced to better fight complex and targeted threatsby neutralizing attempts to embed malicious code into core system processes. At the same time, our new consumer products provide smaller and faster database updates thanks to certain parts of the antivirus databases being transferred to the cloud-based Kaspersky Security Network.

TOKYO: As Bob D ylan and the Rolling Stones prove, good music lasts a long time; now Japanese hi-tech giant Hitachi says it can last even longer-a few hundred million years at least. The company yesterday unveiled a method of storing digital information on slivers of quartz glass that can endure extreme temperatures and hostile conditions without degrading, almost forever.

And for anyone who updated their LP collection onto CD, only to find they then needed to get it all on MP3, a technology that never needs to change might sound appealing.

“The volume of data being created every day is exploding, but in terms of keeping it for later generations, we haven’t necessarily improved since the days we inscribed things on stones,” H itachi researcher Kazuyoshi Torii said. “The possibility of losing information may ac tually have increased,” he said, noting the life of digital media currently available-CDs and hard drives-is limited to a few decades or a century at most.

And the rapid development of technologies has resulted in frequent changes of data-reading hardware.

“As you must have experienced, there is the problem that you cannot retrieve information and data you managed to collect,” said Torii, apparently referring to now-obsolete record players and cine films.

Hitachi’s new technology stores data in binary form by creating dots inside a thin sheet of quartz glass, which can be read with an ordinary optical microscope.

Provided a computer with the know-how to understand that binary is available-simple enough to programme, no matter how advanced computers become-the data will always be readable, Torii said.

The prototype storage device is two centimetres (0.8 inches) square and just two millimetres (0.08 inches) thick and made from quar tz glass, a highly stable and

resilient material, used to make beakers and other instruments for laboratory use.

The chip, which is resistant to many chemicals and unaffected by radio waves, can be exposed directly to high temperature flames

this hard glass is broken,” said senior researcher Takao Watanabe. The material currently has four layers of dots, which can hold 40 megabytes per square inch, approximately the density on a music CD, researchers said,

TOKYO: A woman holds up Japan’s electronics giant Hitachi’s newly unveiled quartz glass plate technology, which can be used for the indefinite storage of data, next to a computer monitor at the company’s headquarters in Tokyo yesterday. The new technology stores binary data by using a laser beam to create dots inside the thin sheet of quartz glass which can then be read using an optical microscope connected to a monitor device with data reading software. —-AFP and heated to 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 Fahrenheit) for at least two hours without being damaged.

It is also waterproof, meaning it could survive natural calamities, such as fires and tsunami. “We believe data will survive unless

adding they believe adding more layers should not be a problem. Hitachi have not decided when to put the chip to practical use but researchers said they could start with storage services for government agencies, museums and religious organisations. —-AFP

‘Intel Inside’ ignites mobile branding war SAN FRANCISCO: As the mobile computing wars heat up, chipmakers that supply the crucial components inside smartphones and tablets aim to grab more of the glory.

Not content to remain in the shadows of hot consumer brands like Apple or Samsung, chipmakers — including Intel, Qualcomm and Nvidia — want consumers to get to know the processors that power their mobile devices. They hope to build brand loyalty in the process.

Intel is leading the charge by extending its hugely successful “Intel Inside” marketing campaign beyond personal computers.

Launched in 1991, “Intel Inside” stickers turned commodity electronic components into premium products, and eventually became ubiquitous on laptops.

This year, the Intel Inside logo has appeared on the backs of smar tphones launched in the United Kingdom, India and Russia.

Intel hopes to bring the phone campaign to the United States next year, seeking a marketing advantage over rivals like Qualcomm and Nvidia, which are not as well-known among consumers.

“Without a doubt, my goal would be to have consumers walk into stores and have Intel Inside as a key driver of which phone or tablet they choose, just like we’ve done in the PC space,” said Brian Fravel, Intel’s head of branding.

The world’s top chipmaker dominates the PC market but lags smaller competitors in the fast-growing mobile industry. Intel is flexing its branding muscle to try to catch up.

It remains to be seen how many handset manufacturers agree to put the Intel Inside logo on their devices. For emerging smartphone brands, with little name recognition of their own, partnering with Intel may be a “no brainer.” At the other extreme, Apple refuses to share branding with any of its suppliers.

The highest-profile smartphone maker so far to use Intel’s branding is Google’s Motorola Mobility, which launched the Razr i in London on Sept 18.

Until now, space on most smartphones has been reserved for the vendor, such as Apple or Samsung, and carriers like Verizon Wireless.

Providers of operating systems , such as Google’s Android, also covet consumer loyalty - their logos sometimes appear briefly on screens when devices are turned on.

A logo-happy approach to smartphones and tablets, though, would run the risk of confusing consumers with what some experts call the NASCAR effect.

As a rule, it’s seen as a good idea to add extra branding to products only when the additional brand strongly conveys a quality that the handset maker’s own brand lacks.

“Can you generate end-user demand for your processors? That’s what they’re all looking at, and that’s not an easy thing to do in the mobile space where people aren’t accustomed to it,” said Jack Gold, a tech industry analyst at J. Gold Associates.

Part of the reason the Intel Inside campaign has been unrivaled in the chip industry is that no one else can match Intel’s $2.1 billion annual budget for advertising and marketing. Intel helps pay for the PC makers’ own ads, as long as they include Intel Inside.

A TV ad promoting a phone launched by Orange in the United Kingdom in February features a supersonic car driven by a darkclad pilot whose clothes are emblazoned with Intel Inside.

Intel surveyed customers who bought Orange’s phone.

“It wasn’t as though these were techsavvy people who were reading all the benchmarks. They said Intel Inside meant performance to them,” Intel’s Fravel said.

Badly underestimating how quickly the mobile market would grow, Intel was slow to develop application processors, the punchy

but energy-efficient chips that drive web surfing, games and other advanced features of smartphones and tablets.

Along with Qualcomm, Samsung is a major producer of mobile processors, most of which it manufactures on behalf of Apple’s iPads and iPhones. Texas Instruments and Broadcom also make mobile processors, but do not advertise much to consumers.

Since the 1990s, Qualcomm has been a major player in the mobile chip industry. For most of that time, advertising has been an afterthought for the San Diego-based company.

Most of Qualcomm’s marketing has been directed at a specific category of tech enthusiasts keenly interested in the components used in their devices. It has taken the form of YouTube videos, Internet ads and social media instead of TV commercials and other pricey campaigns.

In October, Qualcomm is set to start a new branding campaign, coinciding with the launch of tablets and other devices using its

chips and Microsoft ’s next-generation Windows platform.

As part of the drive, Qualcomm will share advertising with manufacturers to showcase features of its chips, said Tim McDonough, a Qualcomm vice president responsible for marketing the company ’s Snapdragon mobile processors.

“You’ll start to see the Snapdragon brand appearing in a lot more places. But the key is having it appear in places where it has value to the user as a starting point. Right now, the consumer is saying, ‘I’m ready for my next phone, I’m not sure what to buy, and I need some help,’” McDonough said, in a telephone interview.

McDonough would not say how much Qualcomm plans to spend on advertising to counter Intel, which last year even paid hit Korean pop group Girls’ Generation for TV ads and a single written for Intel.

Signaling its growing interest in creating brand awareness, Qualcomm renamed a professional football venue in San Diego “Snapdragon Stadium” for a few days last year.

And suggesting Qualcomm sees the PC industry as a model for its marketing, it hired a new chief marketing officer, Anand Chandrasekher, a veteran Intel senior executive, in August.

As much smaller Nvidia transitions to the mobile market, it aims to capitalize on game enthusiasts who are passionate about its PC graphics chips. Its well-oiled marketing department hosts tournaments and aggressively interacts with industry pundits.

Last year, Nvidia spent just $9.5 million on advertising, a sum that can’t buy anything close to Intel’s broad recognition. But it can help win loyalty from a narrow but influential group of young men.

“Intel spends way more money branding Intel Inside, but we’ll go to events, and gamers will come up to us with the Nvidia logo tattooed on their body, shaved on their head,” said Ujesh Desai, Nvidia’s vice president of corporate marketing.

Leveraging its popularity with game fans, Nvidia has created Tegra Zone, a collection of games optimized to work better on mobile devices using Nvidia’s Tegra processors. Ads for tablets like Google’s Nexus 7 boast of Nvidia’s punchy graphics.

“Our tack doesn’t start with, ‘How much are we going to pay you so you put our logo on there?’ Our tack is more, ‘Here’s how we can partner with you so we can create a great experience,’” Desai said.

With stagnant PC sales, executives see m o b i l e g a d g e t s a s t h e f u t u re. A n n u a l sales of processors used in smartphones and tablets could hit $25 billion by 2016, compared with $9 billion last year, according to market research firm Strategy Analytics. —AP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

New proof testosterone reason women outlive men WASHINGTON: Scientists said yesterday they have new evidence about why women live longer than men; from a study of historical data showing castrated Koreans far outlived their non-eunuch contemporaries. The study, published in the scientific journal “Current Biology,” used detailed genealogical records of the Imperial nobility during Korea’s Joseon dynasty, which spanned more than 500 years from the late 1300s to the early 1900s. According to the data, most men, including kings and royal family members, died in their late-40s or early-50s.

But noble-class eunuchs-men who were castrated either by accident or because of social benefits-

lived, on average, to the ripe, old age of 70. Study author Kyung-Jin Min of South Korea’s Inha University, told AFP the reason is probably that manly hormone, testosterone: “Testosterone is known to increase the incidence of coronary heart disease and reduce immune function in males,” he said.

Castration “removes the source of male sex hormones,” the study notes, adding the practice has already been proven to help many male animals live longer.

Castration also cuts off the possibility of reproduction, which Kyung-Jin noted could also be a factor. According to “one of the leading theories of

aging, aging occurs at the expense of reproduction,” he said, because the body has limited energy that can be used either to keep up reproductive function, or else to keep up everything else. But although the eunuchs could not father children biologically, they married, adopted and raised children, and generally lived lives very similar to their non-castrated peers.

“In order to eliminate socioeconomic factors that could have affected lifespan, the lifespan of the eunuchs was compared to the lifespan of men from other Yan-ban (noble class) families with a similar socioeconomic status,” Kyung-Jin said. And “to exclude genetic factors that could have affected the

lifespan, we compared the lifespan of eunuchs with multiple Yan-ban families.” Modern men looking to extend their lifespan could consider “testosterone reduction therapy,” but Kyung-Jin said it’s probably premature.

For one thing, it is not clear if it would have an effect if the therapy were started at an older age-the eunuchs were all castrated as children. And for another, the therapy could have side effects that some men may feel make that longer life less worth living. “We may need to consider the side effects of it,” Kyung-Jin said, “mainly, reduction of sex drive in males.”—AFP

Breathing Europe air shortens lives

AKRON: Dr Mark Pozsgay, and Dr Adrian G Dan both, advanced laparoscopic surgeons, close up the incision through the belly button.

AKRON: Dr Mark Pozsgay, left, and Dr Adrian G Dan, center, both advanced laparoscopic surgeons, adjust the instruments on the daVinci Surgical System.

Surgeons offer procedures through belly button Movements are smoother with robotic-assisted single-incision surgery AKRON: There’s a novel way to remove a gallbladder: Use a surgical robot to take it out through the navel. Rather than using just their hands to guide instruments through multiple incisions, some surgeons are performing remote-controlled procedures through the patient’s belly button. The single-port, robotic-assisted gallbladder removal is the latest step in the push to make minimally invasive procedures even less invasive. After placing robotic arms and a 3-D camera through a 1-centimeter incision in the belly button, trained surgeons can sit away from the patient at a control panel for the daVinci Surgery System and carefully navigate through an inflated abdominal cavity with tiny, precise movements.

system was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for gallbladder removal about nine months ago.

Akron General and Summa health systems in Akron, Aultman Hospital and Mercy Medical Center in Canton and Wooster Community Hospital are offering the single-incision, robotic gallbladder surgery to patients who qualify for the procedure, according to the maker of the daVinci Surgical System.

Performing surgery through the belly button can mean less scarring, reduced pain, lower blood loss and faster recovery than with the four incisions typically used for laparoscopic surgery, according to Dr Adrian G Dan, an advanced laparoscopic surgeon at Summa.

AKRON: The view through the eye piece of a second control station shows what Dr Adrian G Dan sees as he uses the daVinci Surgical System for a gallbladder surgery on John Mohney, 46, of Stow, September 10, 2012, at Summa Akron City Hospital.— MCT photos “We are heading toward minimizing minimally invasive surgery,” said Dr Jihad Kaouk, director of the Center for Robotic and Image Guided Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. The first robotic single-port gallbladder removal using new instruments designed for the technique was performed about 1 years ago at the Cleveland Clinic as part of a trial, according to Kaouk. The surgical

And by operating with a robot through the single port, he said, surgeons can get a better view with less clashing of instruments than what occurs when they try to manually move surgical tools through one opening. With robotic-assisted single-incision surgery, “the movements are much smoother,” agreed Dr Charu Paranjape, director of acute-care surgery service at Akron

General. “It has 3-D vision, so it’s much clearer.”

Because the robotic approach is newer, the procedures can take longer and cost more, Paranjape said. The single incision also needs to be slightly larger compared to the cuts used for a multiport, minimally invasive approach. But, he said, “the important part is it’s evolving. It’s very exciting.” When John Mohney, 46, of Stow, Ohio, had his malfunctioning gallbladder removed at Summa Akron City Hospital last week, he opted for Dan to perform the procedure through one incision in the belly button.

“It seemed like a good choice-one incision instead of four,” he said. Mohney was a good candidate for single-port robotic surgery because he’s not overweight and doesn’t have scarring from previous abdominal surgery-factors that can be contraindications, Dan said.

Mohney left the hospital several hours after his surgery. Two days later, he was able to go watch his son’s middle school football game. “It’s a lot better than I thought it would be,” he said. “I’m glad I did it this way.”Not everyone, however, is convinced less is more. Dr Raymond P Onders, director of the adult minimally invasive surgery program at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, said he stopped doing any procedures through a single incision after discovering an increased risk for postsurgical hernias.

The results of a multisite, long-term study presented last year

by Onders at an American College of Surgeons meeting showed 8.4 percent of patients suffered postsurgical hernias at the incision site within one year of single-incision laparoscopic gallbladder removal. Patients who had gallbladders removed through the four-port laparoscopic procedure had a 1.2 percent postsurgical hernia rate. “We feel the data did not support single-port gallbladder surgery,” he said. “It’s not worth having a second surgical procedure.” Instead, Onders said, he opts for minimally invasive surgery with fewer incisions-three instead of four. Summa’s Dan said the risk for hernia can increase whenever larger incisions are used. However, he said, the risk can be minimized if “a very meticulous, good closure” is performed by the surgeon.

Kaouk pointed to another multisite study involving Cleveland Clinic surgeons that showed no increased hernia risk with single-port laparoscopic procedures. Kaouk said he expects more robotic procedures to be done through a single incision as the technology improves. “We think that the future of single-port surgery would be in robotics,” he said, “and we are just witnessing the early attempts of it.”— MCT

41-pound cat named Skinny up for adoption in Texas

French trial opens on cancer radiation scandal PARIS: Two doctors and a radio physicist were due to go on trial yesterday on manslaughter charges arising from radiation overdoses given to nearly 450 cancer patients in a French hospital. At least seven people died as a result of overdoses administered to patients at the Jean Monnet hospital in Epinal in northeastern France between 2001 and 2006. At least 24 people treated between May 2004 and August 2005 received 20 percent more radiation than they should have due to a calibration error.

Another dysfunction led to 424 people being overdosed by between eight and 10 percent in the period spanning 2001 and 2006. Many of the victims were being treated for prostate cancer.

Scores of victims are due to testify from yesterday until October 31, some of them by video-link because they are too ill to attend court. The two doctors, Jean-Francois Sztermer, 64, Michel Aubertel, 62, and radio physicist Joshua Anah, 54, are accused of involuntary homicide, not helping people in danger and destroying evidence. Three health executives are also in the dock on charges of not helping people in danger. The errors occurred when the radiation machines were being upgraded with new ones acquired in 2004 and also due to doses being miscalculated.

Michel Noel, 63, said he wanted justice. “My state of mind before the start of the trial is not good,” said Noel, who underwent treatment at the general hospital for prostate cancer at the end of 2005. “All that I hope for is that the officials accept their errors and are sentenced,” he told AFP. “I live with a pouch (that collects urine) and I cannot have sex,” he said. “It’s very difficult.” — AFP

BRUSSELS: Air pollution is shortening lives by almost two years in parts of the European Union, the European Environmental Agency (EEA) said, strengthening the case for a tightening of emissions restrictions in the bloc.

Legislation had managed to cut the amount of some toxins belched out by exhaust fumes and chimneys across Europe, an EEA report published yesterday said. But there were still dangerous levels of microscopic particles, known as particulate matter and linked to diseases such as lung cancer and cardiovascular problems, it added. On average, air pollution was reducing human lives across the region by roughly eight months, the report said. It also quoted separate European Commission-funded research showing that a reduction in particulates levels could extend life expectancy by 22 months in some areas.

The report did not spell out where those areas were, but it said that Poland and other industrial regions of eastern Europe had particularly high levels or particulate pollution. Alone among British cities, London also exceeded daily EU limits for particulate matter. Speaking after the launch of the report, EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik said that a review of EU air quality laws next year needed to bring EU limits on pollution levels closer to the stricter World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations on safe levels of pollutants. “This (the report) is a really serious warning about the impor tance to our quality of life and health,” Potocnik told Reuters.

Apart from the impact on health, EEA Executive Director Jacqueline McGlade said that the pollution cost the bloc 1 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) a year in healthcare and dealing with the wider impact on ecosystems. “European Union policy has reduced emissions of many pollutants over the last decade, but we can go further,” she said.

Particulate matter is considered to be the most serious air pollution risk in Europe. Using the most recent data from 2010, the report said that 21 percent of the bloc’s urban population was exposed to larger particulate matter at concentrations above a daily EU limit. Up to 30 percent of city dwellers faced exposure to finer particles above the yearly EU target level. These finer particles are small enough to pass from the lungs into the bloodstream, making them particularly hazardous to health.

Another major air pollutant is ozone, which can cause respiratory problems.

Again, exposure levels were high, with sunny Mediterranean nations particularly affected because sunlight is needed to form ozone. In 2010, 97 percent of EU inhabitants were exposed to ozone above the WHO reference levels - and 17 percent above the much lower EU target level.

The pollutants come from fumes from cars, industry and household fuel burning. After going through complex chemical reactions in the air, the pollutants get into water and agricultural land, thereby posing a threat to agricultural production. - Reuters

RICHARDSON: Don’t be fooled by the name: Skinny the cat is one hefty feline. And all 41 pounds of her needs a home. A Dallas-area animal shelter has cared for the 5-year-old orange tabby since getting a call about a stray in a yard about a week ago. Kim Chapin with Richardson Animal Services said Friday that Skinny’s “very sweet” - and the largest cat she’s seen in 21 years

with the shelter. Not surprising. US government growth charts show Skinny weighs about as much as the average 4-year-old child. Chapin says Skinny appears healthy except for being overweight and likely having diabetes. Blood tests have been ordered. Chapin says somebody apparently had been caring for the cat but officials aren’t sure who owned the huge kitty. — AP

Self-study ‘fake’ Japan doc examined 2,300

TEXAS: This photo provided by Kim Chapin shows a 41-pound fat cat named Skinny at the Richardson, Texas, Animal Services shelter. - AP

TOKYO: Japanese police yesterday arrested a man who posed as a doctor to earn cash, examining 2,300 people with little more than a few hours of self-study to back it up, police and media said. Miyabi Kuroki, 43, had no experience of medical school and passed himself off as a qualified doctor after finding the identity of a legitimate physician on the Internet, Jiji Press reported.

He was dispatched by an employment agency to a Tokyo hospital where he conducted medical interviews, examined electrocardiograms and explained check-up results to

more than 2,300 people, local media said. He was undone when a medical exam study school where he had “taught” became suspicious and contacted the hospital.

Police in Tokyo said yesterday they had arrested Kuroki on suspicion of forging a medical license in 2009 and earning 2.62 million yen ($34,000) by illegally working part time as a doctor at a hospital in Tokyo in 2010 and 2011. The suspect reportedly admitted the wrongdoing, telling investigators: “I wanted money to pay child care and living expenses.”—AFP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Week-old panda cub dies in US zoo

WASHINGTON: Mei Xiang, a Giant Panda is seen in the Giant Panda Habitat and Asia Trail 11 October, 2006 at the National Zoo. — AFP

WASHINGTON: A week-old giant panda cub died Sunday at the National Zoo in the US capital, just days after it was seen squealing and squirming, officials said. Keepers and volunteers realized something was wrong when they heard sounds of distress from the cub’s mother, Mei Xiang, in the morning, the zoo said in a statement. After retrieving the as yet unnamed offspring, “veterinarians immediately performed CPR and other life-saving measures but the cub did not respond,” it said. “The National Zoo community mourns the loss of the giant panda cub,” the statement noted, adding that its mother “is under close observation.”

Initial observations revealed no outward sign of trauma or infection, with veterinarians noting that the cub was “in good body condition” at just under100 grams. Following the sad discovery, zoo officials immediately turned off the “panda cam,” an Internet-accessible, 24hour camera trained on the animals. On Tuesday, two days after the cub was born, zoo staff said they had sneaked a few brief video peeks at the newborn, which at the time

appeared to be developing well.

One black-and-white webcam clip posted on the “panda cam” website showed mamma bear tenderly picking up baby bear with her mouth as she shifted position. “The cub actively squirms and vocalizes loudly in responsetwo good signs that the cub is healthy,” the zoo said at the time, adding there were even indications that the newborn was nursing successfully. The cause and time of the cub’s death remains unclear, with officials saying a necropsy was under way. More details are expected in the coming days.

Zookeepers had chosen to keep a physical distance from Mei Xiang, on loan from China, in order to let her raise the cub naturally. Giant pandas are rare and endangered, with as few of 1,600 surviving in the mountain forests of central China. More than 300 others live in zoos and breeding centers, mostly in China. Mei Xiang and partner Tian Tian took up residence in Washington under a giant panda research and breeding agreement signed in January 2011 between the National Zoo and the China Wildlife Conservation Association. — AFP

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

WHAT’S ON

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! This summer, let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

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Bring authentic Sichuan cuisine to The Regency!

Greetings

China’s culinary masters s part of the relentless quest for gastronomic excellence The Regency Hotel is proud to present a culinary premiËre at its elegant Silk Road restaurant which will bring three Master Chefs from Beijing to Kuwait for just four days from 27th to 30th September.

‘China’s Culinary Masters’ is an event which coincides with China’s annual National Day celebrations held on October 1st. Master Chefs Peng Zifu, Liu Xuefeng and Wang Zaozhu will be coming to Kuwait for the first time. These men are the culinary Èlite of China having recreated classic Chinese specialties for royalty, Heads of State and world leaders from around the world.

Amongst those who have tasted their dishes include President of Russia, Vladimir Putin; the President of South Africa, Jacob G. Zuma; France’s ex-President Jacques Chirac; ex-US President George Bush (Snr) and of course an endless list of celebrities and dignitaries from China.

In this, their first trip to Kuwait,

A

aleh was born on Friday September 21, 2012 in Buffalo, New York to Waleed and Hiba Janem. Saleh is the first child to his parents, who are very happy and thankful to Almighty Allah and ask Him for His blessings. Saleh’s grandparents are very proud and cannot wait until they hold and play with the little grandchild.

S

they will work with Executive Chef Austen Reid, and Executive Sous Chef, Anuraj Nair to demonstrate a range of famously spicy Sichuan dishes from China’s southwest such as the tongue-tingling gong pao chicken as well as non-spicy Chinese classics including dim sum.

Sometimes referred to by its old name of Szechuan, the region’s cuisine typically offers pungent and spicy flavours, accompanied by piquant aromas of garlic, chili and the unique homegrown condiment, Sichuan pepper. Culinary buffs will of course know that peanuts, sesame paste and ginger are also prominent ingredients in Sichuan cooking.

There are many local variations but the style of cooking in the city of Chengdu was deemed so sophisticated that in 2011 UNESCO declared it a City of Gastronomy.

For those people who have never tasted authentic Chinese food, this experience will be like none other as the chefs will also take this rare opportunity to show diners the art of noodle making - taking a small piece

of dough and ‘throwing’ it into their air in an aerial acrobatic show!

Within minutes, the dough transforms into fine threads of spaghettilike consistency.

Chef Austen stated “It is a real honour to have these accomplished chefs at The Regency to showcase what is possibly one of the greatest cuisines in the world! I am not sure if many people have had the pleasure of watching how noodles are traditionally made; the way the chef ‘throws’ them in the air is quite amazing!”

For the first time The Regency will offer an opportunity to win a fantastic prize of a complimentary meal for four at the China’s Culinary Masters event on September 27th 2012, please visit The Regency’s Facebook page (Regency.Kuwait) and follow the instructions for further details.

NAFO celebrates Onam

Kuwait Cricket to organize open tourney for schools uwait Cricket, the apex body of cricket in Kuwait would like to invite school cricket teams to participate in their tournaments which are planned to be to be held at the turf ground at Sulaibiya. Kuwait Cricket intends to conduct two cricket tournaments for U-15 and U-18 school children who should have valid Kuwait residence and be a student of their respective school. The tournaments will be played on Saturdays at Sulaibiya grounds and the matches will be 30 overs.

Kuwait Cricket’s principal aim is to provide quality cricket to the young school cricketers in Kuwait and guide them to face international exposure which will nurture and develop their sporting skills. Moreover, Kuwait Cricket also aims to make use of sports to strengthen friendship and to bridge the gap between cultures and communities. Kuwait U-16 & U-19 teams have made various successful international tours to countries like Singapore, Malaysia, UAE, Nepal and Pakistan. Participation of school cricket teams will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the open cricket tournament and we look forward to your confirmation of attendance. A meeting of school representatives will be arranged shortly.

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very happy birthday to Rupsh Naidu who celebrates his birthday today.

Best wishes for a bright future and good health comes from parents Santaram Naidu Polineni and Lata, aunties Rajeswari and Vasudha, uncle C Mallikarjuna Naidu, brother Hemanth, sister Vathsalya and grand parents Polineni Subbarayudu Naidu, Leelavati.

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American Women’s League of Kuwait to hold drop-in breakfast hose willing to join AWL for our annual Sign-Up Breakfast can attend the organization’s drop-in breakfast on Saturday, 29th of September 2012, at The One Restaurant, Marina Mall, 9:30 am until noon.

Come meet friends and sign up with AWL to participate in upcoming activities and events. Invite your friends along for the morning.

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Winter 2012 AMIE examination

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he AMIE Winter 2012 examinations will be held between Dec 01-07, 2012 as follows:

Section A (Diploma) - December 1-4, 2012 Section A (Non-Diploma) - December 1-7, 2012 Section B - December 1-7, 2012 The last date for submission of examination application forms are given hereunder: Candidates not appeared at Summer 2012 Exam: Aug 21 - Sept 21, 2012 Candidates appeared at Summer 2012 Exam: Sept 21 - Oct 19, 2012.

Candidates who intend to appear for the Winter 2012 examination must apply directly to Kolkata by filling the prescribed application form along with requisite amount of demand draft in favour of The Institution of Engineers (India), payable at Kolkata.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

ith its full spirit and fervor, NAFO Kuwait (National Forum Kuwait) celebrated Onam 2012, on Friday, September 21, 2012, at the Indian Community School Auditorium (Senior), Salmiya.

As usual, immediately after the National anthems of both Kuwait and India, Anamika Anilkumar offered prayer. The traditional lamp “Bhadradeepam” was then lighted by the female members of NAFO family.

Early in the morning, the floor was well decorated with “Athappookkalam” by Pradeep Kumar, Anjana, Sreejayan, Sreelatha, Madhu Menon and Sajitha.

Cultural Secretary KC Gopakumar welcomed the audience. Chief guest, Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge D’Affaires of the Indian Embassy Vidhu P Nair, officially inaugurated the function chaired by President BS Pillai.

While extending Onam wishes, Vidhu P Nair congratulated NAFO for its enthusiastic social, welfare and cultural services and wished all success for its future activities. NAFO Patron Vijayan Karayil and Advisory Board Member KG Nair felicitated the occasion. On behalf of NAFO, Vidhu P Nair was then honored with a memento by President, in appreciation of his exemplary services to the Indian diaspora in Kuwait.

Two senior citizens of NAFO - C B Venugopala Panicker and S Harikrishnan were also honored with adorning Ponnada and memento respectively by Vijayan Karayil and K G Nair, in appreciation of their valued contributions towards NAFO activities. Acting General Secretary Murali S Nair formally introduced Panicker and Harikrishnan to the gathering, reading their brief profile.

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The new issue of NAFO newsletter “Sadgama” was also released on the Onam day by TA Remesh, Country Head, Gulfmart and Geant Easy supermarkets, by giving a copy to Chief Guest Vidhu P Nair, in the presence of Sadgama editor Rajkartha.

Program Convener G Udaykumar proposed vote of thanks.

A galaxy of eminent personalities including Dr CG Suresh, Dr Narayan Nampoori, RC Suresh, Dr Binumon, Rajesh Nair, Pancily Varkey, MA Hilal, KNS Das, Basheer Batha, Siddique Valiyakkath, Prasad Padmanabhan, Praful, and Jose Thomas, graced the

occasion with their benevolent presence.

During the day, NAFO family staged a variety of cultural programs, bringing back the nostalgic feelings of a bygone era of prosperity, equality and righteousness under the golden reign of King Mahabali.

The skit “Onasilpam” envisaged and presented by R Subbaraman, Murali Nair, Anitha Murali, and their team, depicting the good old days of Onam and the appearance of “ONATHAR”, a rarely seen event in pravasi onams, were eye-catching by their uniqueness.

Aranmula vallamkali and vanchippattu by V.R. Anilkumar, Rajendrakumar V R, Venugopal Nair,

Anilkumar (Attuva), Arun R Nair, Baburaj, Rameshkumar, Binu B Nair, Sreekumar, Rajagopal Kartha, Manojkrishnan, Ajithkumar, Girish Murali was a major attraction of the day.

The other highlighting event was the spell-binding “Thiruvathirakkali, meticulously performed by the lady members Chandrika Prasad, Divya Girish, Joshiba Sajiv, Mini Satish, Preethi Padmanabhan, Prathiba Menon, Smitha Shashikumar, Smruthi Vinayan, Sindhu Rajiv, Reshma Harikrishnan, Sunitha Pramod, and Dr Anitha Unnikrishnan under the choreography of NAFO member kalmandalam Priyam Anand and co-ordinationship of Smitha Shashikumar.

The Fusion of Arabic and Punjabi Bhanghra dances staged by Pradeepkumar, Madhu Menon, Rajagopal, Srijayan, Ramadas, Premraj, Sarath Pillai, and Ramesh was also an attractive cultural feast on the happy occasion. Other songs/dances by NAFO family members both adults and kids were added attractions.

The musical extravaganza rendered by Navaneeth Varma took the audience to the ecstatic heights of joy which gave this year’s Onam program much more colorful reminiscences.

Conveners Ajayakumar Rajgopal Kartha, Madhu Menon, Rajeev Pillai, and P Sreekumar co-ordinated the event in a most efficient and professional manner. Anjana Remesh and Vishnu Dutthan supported by Rajeswari Subbaraman presented the program with their brilliant compeering.

In between the festivities, sumptuous feast the traditional Onasadya was served to all attendees and over all, it was an enjoyable and ever memorable celebration.

UPCOMING EVENTS Calling all Ten-pin Bowlers he Indian Bowling League (IBL) Season 3 will be held at Cozmo Entertainment, Salmiya commencing on Friday the 28th of September at 3 pm. Kindly reserve your team in advance to avoid disappointment, on a first come first serve.

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‘Leniency of Islam’ n unprecedented initiative of KTV2 (English channel) is the new program by the name ‘Leniency of Islam’ presented by Shaikh Musaad Alsane and directed by Hamid Al-Turkait. The program is mainly meant to address the expatriates living in Kuwait.

Religious questions are received through the program email qislam@tv.gov.kw and sms can be sent to- 97822021 and answered by the lecturer and Imam in Awqaf Ministry Shaikh Musaad Alsane - a Master Degree holder in Sharia and fiqih from Kuwait University. So don’t forget to watch the program every Friday at 1:00 pm.

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Focus Kuwait 6th annual day s a part of the 6th anniversary celebrations, Forum of Cadd Users (FOCUS Kuwait), a non-political, non-religious organization is set to stage a mega cultural event “Focus Fest-2012”.

This mega event will be a blend of traditional and contemporary dance and musical extravaganza by renowned South Indian playback singers Jyotsna and Sudeesh. Scheduled for the afternoon of Friday, October 12, 2012, at the Al-Jeel Al-Jadeed School Auditorium, Hawally, the mega musical show, is expected to be a super-hit in Kuwait.

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Audition for ZEE Antakshari or the first time Indian Cultural Society brings you live excitement of ZEE - International Antakshari in Kuwait. Audition & first round will be held in Kuwait, there after followed by semi finals in India & Grand Finale in Dubai. Complete team of Carnival films & Zee TV will be in Kuwait for the final round of selection on Friday 5th October with Jaaved Jaaferi: Celebrity Judge, Akriti Kakkar: Female Bollywood Singer & Host of Antakshari, Manish Paul: Host for Auditions, Sarfaraz Khan: Actor, Director and Producer, Michael Amin: Producer & Director Carnival films world. Musicians, Male Singer & many more for live performances. Final audition at 10 am & music show at 7:30 pm at AIS-Hawally.

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Tulukoota Kuwait ‘Merit Scholarship’ pplications are now being invited for “Tulukoota Kuwait Merit Cum Means Scholarship” to be awarded during Tuluparba 2012 scheduled to be held on October 11 and 12, 2012. The objective of this scholarship is to provide financial assistance and support to deserving meritorious students, to enable them to pursue their higher studies. Applications are accepted from minimum one year valid Tulukoota Kuwait member’s children studying either in the State of Kuwait or in India and scoring high grades in Xth and XIIth standard Board Examination held for Academic year 20112012.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

WHAT’S ON

IKEA Kuwait: The ideal family destination he IKEA Kuwait store has always prided itself in offering more than just complete home furnishings; it also serves as an entertaining venue for families while shopping to guarantee a wholesome experience.

The IKEA Kuwait store is not only a full-fledged concept store of multipurpose home furnishings, available under one roof ,but also has a 378 seat family restaurant, tasty Bistro, and magical children’s play area, so it adds up to a wonderful shopping experience for all ages. The IKEA Kuwait store guarantees a friendly atmosphere with unique supervised children’s play area called SmÂland, a kids club that was conceived with special benefits for ages four to nine years, designed especially so that parents can trustfully leave their children. Kids love visiting the children’s section with its colorful furniture; and the famous SmÂland’s magical forest with its big trees and 40,000 blueberry balls to swim in.

One of Kuwait’s best kept secrets is the amazing IKEA hot breakfast, served in the IKEA Kuwait restaurant, which opens half an hour early every morning and stays open all day for long for great value family meals. Also on offer is an appetizing children’s menu and a fun play area to keep the kids occupied while parents relax to enjoy their meals.

The IKEA Kuwait store highly values customer safety and convenience, and includes medical facilities whenever required in order to ensure customers’ complete

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shopping experience and peace of mind. The store also includes facilities for special needs as well as comfortable nursing rooms for babies.

IKEA Kuwait continues to adapt to its customers everyday simple needs with ranging services while

upholding international quality standards and cultural preferences.

ASSE Kuwait Chapter recognizes Dr Fatima Al-Shatti SSE Kuwait Chapter recognized Dr Fatima Al Shatti, Manager Environment, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation on 16th September 2012 at Safir Hotel Fintas. Dr Fatima was given the recognition for her outstanding contributions towards HSE and being enlisted in WISE Book titled “100 Women Making a Difference in the Safety, Health and Environmental Profession”.

The felicitation session kicked off with the brief on the Women In Safety Engineering (WISE) activities in ASSE Kuwait Chapter by Janet Najare, Head, WISE Committee. She explained the formation of WISE Committee in Kuwait and its objective. She further briefed on the WISE book released by ASSE HQ during 100th Anniversary celebrations.

Kuwait HSE Specialist Dr Fatima Al-

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Movenpick Hotel Makkah celebrates KSA National Day ovenpick Hotel and Residence Hajar Tower Makkah celebrated the Saudi national day in its own way this year with the hotel’s employees.

Many activities were held on the occasion on 23rd September. The Saudi national anthem was played, the staff drank Arabic coffee, ate traditional Saudi Kabsa. There was a specially prepared cake with the Saudi Flag on it to celebrate this memorable day. Front office employees also decorated the reception with the national flag and welcomed the guests with green sashes. In the midst of celebrating the nation’s 80th birthday, staff took the opportunity to catch up with one another and bond.

The Movenpick Hotel & Residences Hajar Tower Makkah forms part of the prestigious Abraj Al Bait complex. The hotel is located directly on the Haram Court, facing the King Abdul Aziz Gate. It comprises 1,200 elegantly appointed rooms and suites on 41 floors. The rooms are specifically designed for guests performing hajj “pilgrimage” and Umra as well as for businessmen. The hotel is located 73 km east of Jeddah and 64 km from King Abdul-Aziz International Airport Jeddah.

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Shatti has been selected as one of “100 Women Making Difference in SHE pro-

fession” by ASSE-HQ on June 12, 2011, during ASSE’s annual Professional Development Conference and Exhibition in Chicago. This special honor recognizes Kuwait Chapter and Dr Fatima’s dedication for promoting innovation in Safety, Health and Environmental issues. Dr Fatima’s contribution to the Occupational Health, Safety and Environment is impressive and certainly merits this very special recognition.

Dr Fatima Al-Shatti with a degree in Environmental Science from the University of Evansville (Indiana), and a PhD in Environment with Salford University in England is presently working with Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) as Manager Environment. She has 25 years of rich experience in the area of

environment. Out of which 10 years with Public Authority of Environment, as the manager of waste management and involved in the incinerators work for a Kuwait hospital during working with KEPA. She worked with American Army, in Kuwait for four and half years, helping them in how to handle their hazardous waste, Dr Fatima has been a member of the CTOC since 2005. She is also a member of the Kuwait Society of environment, and Institute of Environment Management & Assessment. She is a member of the ozone committee with KEPA. Vasudevan, President and Fadhel Al-Ali Chairman, ASSE Kuwait Chapter presented the “WISE” Book and honored Dr Fatima Al-Shatti with a memento.

Konkani Drama avier-Manuel productions will present the super-hit show of the season from Goa. “Aplea Bhurgeam Sangatak”, a theatre with special sceneries dedicated to all parents and children, loads of comedy, solos, duets, trios and quartets.

Special songs by Dubai and Kuwait artists will be performed too. This is an invitation to all parents and children to watch this theatre. Aplea Bhurgean Sangatak is written and directed

by Sammy Tavares (DySP). The show will be staged on Sept 28, 2012, Friday at 5 pm at The American International School Hall, Maidan Hawally, Kuwait.

Cast: Felcy, Roma, Sonia Sirsat, Rosalia, Anthony San, Mathew, Justin, Godwin, Anceto, Lawry, Marcus Vaz, Xavier Gomes, Cajetan De Sanvordem, Com. John D’Silva, Com. Sally, Com. Seby and Sammy Tavares.

Singers Bab Agnelo from Kuwait, John Rose and Cajie D’Costa from Dubai.

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Embassy Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday.

Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm.

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EMBASSY OF ARGENTINE The Embassy of Argentina requests all Argentinean citizens in Kuwait to proceed to our official email ekuwa@mrecic.gov.ar in order to register or update contact information. The embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the embassy.

The registration process helps the Argentinean Government to contact and assist Argentineans living abroad in case of any emergency.

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EMBASSY OF BRITAIN Consular section at the British Embassy will be starting an online appointment booking system for our consular customers from Sunday, 01 July 2012. All information including how to make an appointment is now available on the embassy website. In addition, there is also a “Consular Appointment System” option under Quick links on the right hand side on the homepage, which should take you to the “Consular online booking appointment system” main page.

Please be aware that from 01 July 2012, we will no longer accept walk-in customers for legalisation, notarial services and certificates (birth, death and marriages). If you have problems accessing the system or need to make an appointment for non-notarial consular issues or have a consular emergency, please call 2259 4355/7/8 or email us on consularenquirieskuwait@fco.gov.uk. If you require consular assistance out of office hours (working hours: 0730-l430 hrs), please contact the Embassy on 2259 4320.

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EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah.

Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 12:30 to 01:00 pm for lunch break. Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday.

Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.UAE.gc.ca.

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EMBASSY OF FRANCE The Embassy would like to inform that starting September 2nd, 2012, visa demands for France will be handled by the outsourcing company “Capago - MENA Company”. Capago - MENA’S Call Center will be operational starting Sunday August 26 for setting appointments beginning September 2nd (+965 22270555).

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TEMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform the Kenyan community residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that the Embassy has acquired new office telephone numbers as follows: 25353982, 25353985 - Consular’s enquiries 25353987 - Fax Our Email address: info@kenyaembkuwait.com.

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EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, Al-Salaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location. Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com.

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EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk.

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EMBASSY OF UKRAINE We’d like to inform you that in response to the increasing number of our citizens who work in the state and the need for 24-hour operational telephone in case of emergency the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” - (+ 965) 972-79-206.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Maneaters 01:35 Untamed & Uncut 02:25 Shark Attack Survival Guide 03:15 Dogs 101 04:05 Bad Dog 04:55 Cheetah Kingdom 05:20 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 05:45 Vet On The Loose 06:10 Vet On The Loose 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Karina: Wild On Safari 07:25 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 08:15 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 08:40 Breed All About It 09:10 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 10:05 Sharkman 11:00 Wildlife SOS 11:25 Bondi Vet 11:55 Animal Cops Houston 12:50 Wild Africa Rescue 13:15 Wild Africa Rescue 13:45 Animal Precinct 14:40 Sharkman 15:30 Karina: Wild On Safari 16:00 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 16:30 Baby Planet 17:25 Project Puppy 17:50 Project Puppy 18:20 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 19:15 Wildlife SOS 19:40 Bondi Vet 20:10 Cheetah Kingdom 20:35 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 21:05 Jaws Comes Home: Return Of The...

22:00 Animal Airport 22:25 Animal Airport 22:55 New Breed Vets With Steve Irwin 23:50 Animal Cops Houston 23:50 Animal Cops Houston 00:20 Ty Pennington’s Homes For The Brave 01:05 MasterChef 01:55 MasterChef 02:45 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 03:10 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 03:40 Living In The Sun 04:30 MasterChef 05:00 Home Cooking Made Easy 05:25 Living In The Sun 06:20 MasterChef 06:50 Open House 07:15 Ty Pennington’s Homes For The Brave 08:00 MasterChef Australia 08:50 MasterChef Australia 09:15 Open House 09:45 Holmes On Homes 10:35 Bargain Hunt 11:20 Antiques Roadshow 12:15 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 13:30 Holmes On Homes 14:20 Holmes On Homes 15:05 Bargain Hunt 15:50 Antiques Roadshow 16:45 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 18:00 Rachel’s Favourite Food For Living 18:25 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 18:55 Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey 19:45 James Martin’s Champagne 20:10 Come Dine With Me 21:00 Open House 21:25 Holmes On Homes 22:15 Bargain Hunt 23:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Edition 00:15 01:10 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 Junior 07:50 08:45 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 12:20 13:15 14:10 14:35 15:05 16:00 Junior 16:55 17:20 18:15 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

Hillbilly Handfishin’ Eyewitness Around The World In 80 Ways Deadliest Catch Deadliest Catch Border Security Auction Hunters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Deadliest Catch American Chopper: Senior vs Mythbusters Ultimate Survival Border Security Auction Hunters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Around The World In 80 Ways Deadliest Catch Deadliest Catch Border Security Auction Hunters Ultimate Survival American Chopper: Senior vs Wheeler Dealers Deadliest Catch Mythbusters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Border Security Auction Hunters Deconstruction Life On A Wire Finding Bigfoot Rattlesnake Republic

23:20 Surviving Disaster 00:35 Engineered 01:25 Nextworld 02:15 Things That Move 02:40 Things That Move 03:05 The Gadget Show 03:35 Smash Lab 04:25 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 05:15 Engineered 06:05 Nextworld 07:00 Things That Move 07:25 Things That Move 07:50 Head Rush 07:53 Weird Connections 08:20 How Does That Work?

08:50 Prototype This 09:40 Smash Lab 10:30 The Gadget Show 10:55 The Gadget Show 11:20 Engineered 12:10 Things That Move 12:35 Things That Move 13:00 Nyc: Inside Out 13:50 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman

14:45 Smash Lab 15:35 The Gadget Show 16:00 Head Rush 16:03 Weird Connections 16:30 How Does That Work?

17:00 Nextworld 17:50 Prototype This 18:40 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 19:30 Catch It Keep It 20:20 Scrapheap Challenge 21:10 The Gadget Show 21:35 The Gadget Show 22:00 Stuck With Hackett 22:25 Stuck With Hackett 22:50 Scrapheap Challenge 23:40 Prototype This 20:20 Bang Goes The Theory 00:15 00:40 00:55 01:10 01:30 01:45 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:05 03:20 03:40 03:55 04:10 04:35 05:00 05:15 05:30 05:50 06:00 06:15 06:30 06:45 07:00 07:15 07:45 08:10 08:20 08:35 08:50 09:05 09:15 Pooh 09:20 09:35 09:45 09:55 10:20 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:00 12:10 12:25 12:40 13:05 13:15 13:30 13:55 14:20 14:45 15:00 15:15 15:25 15:40 15:55 16:20 16:45 17:10 17:25 17:40 17:55 18:10 18:35 Fairies 19:00 Pooh 19:05 19:25 19:40 19:50 20:05 20:20 20:30 Pooh 20:35 20:40 20:45 21:00 21:25 21:40 21:55 22:20 22:30 22:45 22:55 23:20 23:35 23:50

00:25 00:50 01:20 02:15 03:10 04:05 04:30 05:00 05:55 07:00 07:25 07:55 08:50 09:15 09:45 10:40 11:05 11:35 12:30 13:25 14:20 15:15 15:40 16:10 17:05 17:30 18:00 18:55 19:50 20:45 21:40 22:05 22:35 23:30

00:05 00:30 00:55 01:20 01:45 02:10 02:35 03:00 03:25 03:50

Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Lazytown Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Lazytown Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Handy Manny Special Agent Oso Lazytown Mickey Mouse Clubhouse The Hive Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny The Hive Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Mouk Mouk The Hive Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Lazytown Art Attack Imagination Movers Lazytown The Hive Handy Manny Jungle Junction Imagination Movers The Hive Special Agent Oso Lazytown Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Little Einsteins Jake & The Neverland Pirates Mouk The Hive 101 Dalmatians 101 Dalmatians Imagination Movers Lazytown Art Attack Handy Manny Handy Manny Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates Little Einsteins The Adventures Of Disney Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 101 Dalmatians Mouk Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Mini Adventures Of Winnie The A Poem Is...

Animated Stories Mouk Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Timmy Time Jungle Junction Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Lazytown Lazytn Wrestling With Reality Wrestling With Reality Pro Bull Riders 2010 World Combat League TNA: Greatest Matches Formula Drift 2011 Formula Drift 2011 M1 Challenge Pro Bull Riders 2010 Ride Guide Snow 2009 Ride Guide Snow 2009 Winter Dew Tour 10/11 Freeflow Tour Freeflow Tour Blood, Sweat And Gears Fantasy Factory Fantasy Factory Pro Bull Riders 2010 Danger Men Carpocalypse World Combat League Fantasy Factory Fantasy Factory Winter Dew Tour 10/11 Freeflow Tour Freeflow Tour Danger Men Pro Bull Riders 2010 Carpocalypse World Combat League Formula Drift 2011 Formula Drift 2011 TNA: Greatest Matches M1 Challenge

Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Jenny Morris Cooks Morocco Jenny Morris Cooks Morocco Extra Virgin Extra Virgin Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives

04:15 Guy’s Big Bite 04:40 Outrageous Food 05:05 Unique Eats 05:30 Chopped 06:10 Barefoot Contessa 06:35 Barefoot Contessa 07:00 Iron Chef America 07:50 Barefoot Contessa 08:15 Barefoot Contessa 08:40 Charly’s Cake Angels 09:05 Charly’s Cake Angels 09:30 Jenny Morris Cooks Morocco 09:55 Cooking For Real 10:20 Cooking For Real 10:45 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 11:10 Kelsey’s Essentials 11:35 Hungry Girl 12:00 Chopped 12:50 Guy’s Big Bite 13:15 Cooking For Real 13:40 Barefoot Contessa 14:05 Barefoot Contessa 14:30 Charly’s Cake Angels 14:55 Charly’s Cake Angels 15:20 Unique Sweets 15:45 Food Network Challenge 16:35 Barefoot Contessa 17:00 Barefoot Contessa 17:25 Jenny Morris Cooks Morocco 17:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 18:15 Guy’s Big Bite 18:40 Charly’s Cake Angels 19:05 Charly’s Cake Angels 19:30 Chopped 20:20 Iron Chef America 21:10 Guy’s Big Bite 21:35 Guy’s Big Bite 22:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 22:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 22:50 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 23:15 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 23:40 Guy’s Big Bite 23:40 Guy’s Big BiteBite 00:30 01:20 02:05 02:30 02:55 03:45 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 09:55 10:20 Jones 11:10 12:00 12:50 13:40 14:30 14:55 15:20 Jones 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:05 Jones 19:55 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

The Haunted A Haunting Stalked: Someone’s Watching Stalked: Someone’s Watching Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Extreme Forensics The Haunted A Haunting Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 05:30 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 19:00 19:30 20:00 Planet 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 23:30

Around The World For Free One Man & His Campervan Long Way Down Destination Extreme Travel Oz Madventures Madventures Around The World For Free One Man & His Campervan Long Way Down Destination Extreme Destination Extreme Travel Oz Travel Oz Madventures Madventures Around The World For Free One Man & His Campervan Long Way Down Destination Extreme Deadliest Journeys 2 Travel Oz Travel Oz Madventures Madventures Around The World For Free Travel Oz Travel Oz Food Lover’s Guide To The

Disappeared Street Patrol Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Stalked: Someone’s Watching Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill Fatal Encounters Killer Kids Dr G: Medical Examiner

One Man & His Campervan David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 Wheel2Wheel Wheel2Wheel Graham’s World Market Values

23:00 Naked Science 00:00 Python Hunters 01:00 Caught In The Act 01:55 Hooked 02:50 World’s Weirdest 03:45 Built For The Kill 04:40 Caught In The Act 05:35 Wild Chronicles 06:00 Wild Chronicles 06:30 Swamp Men 07:25 Swamp Men 08:20 Python Hunters 09:15 World’s Worst Venom 10:10 Extinction Sucks 10:35 Nat Geo’s Most Amazing Photos 11:05 Wildlife Rescue Africa 12:00 Sahara 13:00 Savannah 13:30 Savannah 14:00 Croc Labyrinth 15:00 Extinction Sucks 15:30 Nat Geo’s Most Amazing Photos 16:00 Catching Giants 17:00 Ultimate Predators GPU 18:00 When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs 19:00 Monster Fish 20:00 Savannah 20:30 Savannah 21:00 Croc Labyrinth 22:00 Extinction Sucks 22:30 Nat Geo’s Most Amazing Photos 23:00 Hunter Hunted

00:00 Survival Of The Dead-18 02:00 The Cry Of The Owl-PG15 04:00 Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown-18 06:00 I Am Number Four-PG15 08:00 True Justice: Urban WarfarePG15 09:30 Spartacus-PG15 12:45 Game Of Death-PG15 14:30 True Justice: Urban WarfarePG15 16:00 The Reunion-PG15 18:00 Game Of Death-PG15 20:00 The Transporter-PG15 22:00 Transporter 2-PG15 20:00 Fighting-PG15 22:00 Homecoming-18 00:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 01:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 02:30 Hot In Cleveland 03:30 Raising Hope 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 09:30 Allen Gregory 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 14:00 Raising Hope 15:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 16:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 18:00 30 Rock 19:00 The Cleveland Show 19:30 The Office 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 The League 22:30 The Ricky Gervais Show 23:00 Hot In Cleveland 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:00

Hawthorne Boardwalk Empire The Newsroom Greek Unforgettable House Hawthorne Emmerdale Coronation Street The Closer The Ellen DeGeneres Show Unforgettable House Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Closer Hawthorne Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Closer Grey’s Anatomy Private Practice Homeland Breaking Bad Greek Greek

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 PG15 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00 23:00

RoboCop 3-PG15 Law Abiding Citizen-18 Four Brothers-PG15 True Justice: Lethal JusticeSo Close-PG15 Four Brothers-PG15 Inside Out-PG15 So Close-PG15 Arachnophobia-PG15 Empire-18 Transporter 2-PG15 Army Of Darkness-18 The Speak-18 Luste

00:00 The Trotsky-PG15 02:00 Wayne’s World 2-PG15 04:00 The Bad News Bears (2005)-PG 06:00 My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend-PG15 08:00 Wayne’s World 2-PG15 10:00 Baby Geniuses-PG 12:00 Kuffs-PG 14:00 Kung Fu Dunk-PG15 16:00 Baby Geniuses-PG 18:00 The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy-PG 20:00 No Strings Attached-18 22:00 The Extra Man-PG15

01:00 Skirt Day-PG15 03:00 Posse-18 05:00 Divorces!-PG15 07:00 Swansong: Story Of Occi Byrne-PG15 09:00 The LXD: Secrets Of The RaPG15 10:45 Heart And Souls-PG 12:30 Another Year-PG15 14:45 The LXD: Secrets Of The RaPG15 16:30 A L’origine-PG15 18:45 Eat Pray Love-PG15 23:00 Henry & June-R 23:30 Square Grouper-18 01:00 Love And Other Impossible Pursuits-PG15 03:00 The Art Of Getting By-PG15 05:00 Elevator Girl-PG15 07:00 The Tender Hook-PG15 09:00 Flash Of Genius-PG15 11:00 Last Of The Living-PG15 13:00 The Birth Of Big Air-PG15 14:00 Muhammad And Larry-PG15 15:00 Alabama Moon-PG15 17:00 Flash Of Genius-PG15 19:00 Crazy, Stupid, Love.-PG15 21:00 Hereafter-18 23:15 Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star-18 00:00 The Ugly Duckling In The Enchanted Forest-PG15 02:00 The Three Bears: Dreadful Dangers-FAM 04:00 The Lucky Dragon-PG 06:00 Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. EvilPG 08:00 Freddy Frogface-PG 10:00 Marco Macaco-FAM 12:00 The Lucky Dragon-PG 14:00 Freddy Frogface-PG 16:00 Lego: The Adventures Of Clutch Powers-FAM 18:00 Marco Macaco-FAM 20:00 Spy Kids: All The Time In The World-PG 22:00 Freddy Frogface-PG 22:00 Rainbow Valley Heroes-FAM

KNCC PROGRAM FROM THURSDAY TILL TOMORROW (20/09/2012 TO 26/09/2012) 12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 8:45 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM

SHARQIA-2 BAIT (3D- Digital) FINDING NEMO (3D-Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION BAIT (3D- Digital) RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

SHARQIA-3 SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:15 PM 9:15 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

MUHALAB-1 SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

MUHALAB-2 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED MUHALAB-3 BAIT (3D- Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) FINDING NEMO (3D-Digital) RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION BAIT (3D- Digital) RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION BAIT (3D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED FANAR-1 ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED FANAR-2 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) FINDING NEMO (3D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED FANAR-3 WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) STOLEN (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) HEROINE -Hindi (2D- Digital) HEROINE -Hindi (2D- Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED FANAR-4 RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION BAIT (3D- Digital) RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION NO SUN+TUE+WED FANAR-5 SILENT HOUSE THE EXPENDABLES 2 SILENT HOUSE THE EXPENDABLES 2 SILENT HOUSE SILENT HOUSE NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 8:45 PM 0:45 PM 12:45 AM

360 º- 9 (VIP-1) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 1:00 AM

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM

360 º-10 (VIP-2) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

360 º- 11 ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

360 º- 12 RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

360 º- 13 RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

360 º- 14 TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:15 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

360º- 15 STOLEN (2D-Digital) STOLEN (2D-Digital) BARFI! (Hindi)(2D-Digital) BARFI! (Hindi)(2D-Digital) STOLEN (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.1 RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION FINDING NEMO (3D-Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM

7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

AVENUES-5 BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

AVENUES-6 BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

AVENUES-7 SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) BARFI! (Hindi)(2D-Digital) SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) AVENUES-8 STOLEN (2D-Digital) STOLEN (2D-Digital) HEROINE -Hindi (2D- Digital) HEROINE -Hindi (2D- Digital) STOLEN (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 9:00 PM 11:15 PM 2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM 12:30 AM

2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:05 AM

AVENUES-10 ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:15 AM

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:45 AM

AVENUES-11 RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 1:00 AM

AL-KOUT.2 SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:05 AM

360 º- 1 BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:15 AM

AL-KOUT.3 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:15 AM

360 º- 2 SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

AL-KOUT.4 ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) STOLEN (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 11:45 PM

2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 9:00 PM 11:15 PM

BAIRAQ-1 BAIT (3D- Digital) RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION FINDING NEMO (3D-Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

BAIRAQ-2 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) STOLEN (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) STOLEN (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:00 AM

BAIRAQ-3 ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 11:45 PM

MARINA-2 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

AVENUES-2 SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital)

AVENUES-4 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) NO TUE (25/09/2012) Special Show“PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital)”for Mr. Dhari Al Aiban TUE (25/09/2012) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:05 AM

AVENUES-1 TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

AVENUES-3 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 AM

AVENUES-9 FINDING NEMO (3D-Digital) Starting Time=12.30am THE EXPENDABLES 2 FINDING NEMO (3D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

MARINA-1 ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

MARINA-3 BAIT (3D- Digital) FINDING NEMO (3D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION BAIT (3D- Digital) RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION NO SUN+TUE+WED

PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

NO SUN+TUE+WED

SHARQIA-1 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:15 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

360º- 3 SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) SEVEN BELOW (2D-Digital) 360 º- 4 FINDING NEMO (3D-Digital) FINDING NEMO (3D-Digital) FINDING NEMO (3D-Digital) STOLEN (2D-Digital) STOLEN (2D-Digital) STOLEN (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED 360 º- 5 HEROINE -Hindi (2D- Digital) FRI+SAT HEROINE -Hindi (2D- Digital) HEROINE -Hindi (2D- Digital) HEROINE -Hindi (2D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED 360 º- 6 WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital)

2:30 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:30 PM

360 º- 7 THE EXPENDABLES 2 (2D-Digital) THE EXPENDABLES 2 (2D-Digital) THE EXPENDABLES 2 (2D-Digital) THE EXPENDABLES 2 (2D-Digital) THE EXPENDABLES 2 (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:15 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

360 º- 8 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital)

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

2:30 PM 5:30 PM 8:30 PM 11:30 PM

1:15 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:15 PM 11:15 PM 2:30 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:30 PM

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM

PLAZA PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) BARFI! (Hindi)(2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA (2D-Digital)

3:45 PM 5:45 PM 8:45 PM 10:45 PM

LAILA RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION PREMIUM RUSH SILENT HOUSE PREMIUM RUSH

4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM

AJIAL.1 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) THAPPANA (Malayalam) (2D-Digital) PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital)

3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 10:30 PM

Classifieds TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Request for VIP Business Man Driver -With experience not less 5 years & familiar with the roads in Kuwait -Can speak either English or Arabic -Has a driver’s license -Presentable & neat -Can Drive Luxury cars -Transferable Residence

Cook -With International & continental cuisine experience -Can speak either English or Arabic -Presentable & neat -Good character

House Keeper -Experienced -Fluent in English -Presentable & neat -With Good character

Note: Good salary depending on experience and competence Please send your CV with photo to below email or call 97273108 Email:currentjob2011@gmail.com

ACCOMMODATION

GOVERNMENT WEB SITES Kuwait Parliament www.majlesalommah.net

The Public Institution for Social Security www.pifss.gov.kw

Ministry of Interior www.moi.gov.kw

Public Authority of Industry www.pai.gov.kw

Public Authority for Civil Information www.paci.gov.kw

Prisoners of War Committee www.pows.org.kw

Kuwait News Agency www.kuna.net.kw

Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.mofa.gov.kw

Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affair www.islam.gov.kw

Kuwait Municipality www.municipality.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Oil) www.moo.gov.kw

Kuwait Electronic Government www.e.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Electricity and Water) www.energy.govt.kw

Ministry of Finance www.mof.gov.kw

Public Authority for Housing Welfare www.housing.gov.kw

Ministry of Commerce and Industry www.moci.gov.kw

Ministry of Justice www.moj.gov.kw

Ministry of Education www.moe.edu.kw

Ministry of Communications www.moc.kw

Ministry of Information www.moinfo.gov.kw

Supreme Council for Planning and Development www.scpd.gov.kw

Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation www.awqaf.org

Immediate sharing accommodation available for a decent Indian Christian bachelor or, couple, near by Salmiya garden. Contact: 66884273, 25657832.

(C 4148) 25-9-2012 Single room accommodation for 2 Keralite bachelors (non-smoking) in CAC flat (single tenant occupies portioned hall) at Abbassiya opposite to Jas Cargo (opposite side of police station), reasonable rent. Call 66349475. (C 4176) 23-9-2012

SITUATION WANTED

Manager, with two Engineering Degrees and four Master Degrees, with 23 years experience in Gulf and Australia, seeking top management job. Call: 65695468. (C 4140) 22-9-2012

FOR SALE

Used DSLR Nikon D90 Camera body only for sale with Battery Grip and an extra battery, all with original package. Call or what’s app 66603401 25-9-2012

Furnished room with balcony and separate bath in a 2 bedroom flat near Abbassiya opp new BEC. Call 99516426.

(C 4143)

Sri Lankan driver looking for a job good company or office with good salar y, transferable visa 18 (license with pick up permit). Call 97970965. (C 4150) 25-9-2012

Subaru outback model 2005, metallic color, mileage 2,12,000. Passing up to May 2013, good interior & exterior for only KD 600. Tel: 22493358.

Project

Toyota Camry model 2011 GL silver color, 8,600 km

No: F3613218 have changed my name Shaik Meetela Ahmad to Shaik Mettala Imad. (C 4147) 24-9-2012 SITUATION VACANT

CHANGE OF NAME I, Shaikh Meetela Ahamad, S/O Shaik Mettala Vali, holder of Indian Passport

Required driver for a Kuwaiti family.

Call: 99854312. (C 4144) 22-9-2012

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw

VW TAUREG, 2004 model, white color, beige interior, full options, only 83,000 km.

Price KD 4,200. Contact: 99405067. (C 4145) 22-9-2012

Sri Lankan lady looking for house cleaning part time job, English family only.

Call 55680045. (C 4149)

Australian

done, excellent condition, price KD 4,350. Contact: 66839506. (C 4138) 17-9-2012

112 Prayer timings Fajr:

04:19

Duhr:

11:40

Asr:

15:06

Maghrib:

17:41

Isha:

18:57

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR QTR JZR RJA GFA UAE ETD OMA FDB MSR RBG QTR JZR KAC THY DHX JZR KAC BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY GFA QTR FDB IRA ETD GFA IRA UAE MEA JZR MSR MSC JZR MSR GFA KAC KAC FDB KNE QTR SVA KAC

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 25/9/2012 Flt Route 185 DUBAI 148 DOHA 539 CAIRO 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 643 MUSCAT 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 3553 ALEXANDRIA 138 DOHA 503 LUXOR 544 CAIRO 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 555 ALEXANDRIA 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 416 JAKARTA 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 352 COCHIN 284 DHAKA 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 223 BAHRAIN 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 619 LAR 871 DUBAI 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 618 ALEXANDRIA 401 ALEXANDRIA 561 SOHAG 610 CAIRO 219 BAHRAIN 672 DUBAI 514 TEHRAN 57 DUBAI 472 JEDDAH 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH 562 AMMAN

Time 0:15 0:20 0:30 2:10 2:20 2:25 2:30 2:50 3:10 3:20 3:20 3:25 3:55 4:10 4:35 5:00 6:00 6:15 6:30 6:35 7:15 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:15 8:25 8:30 8:40 9:00 9:20 9:20 9:30 10:00 10:40 10:45 10:55 11:05 11:25 12:00 12:25 13:30 13:40 13:40 13:40 13:45 14:15 14:25 14:30 14:30

RJA KAC QTR JZR ETD UAE UAL GFA SVA JZR JZR ABY KAC QTR SYR KAC KAC FDB KAC MSR MSC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC JAI KAC AXB FDB OMA MEA QTR GFA ALK KLM UAE ETD ABY QTR QTR AIC FDB GFA UAL JZR DLH JZR MSR THY PIA

640 546 134 535 303 857 982 215 510 177 777 127 542 144 341 166 786 63 104 624 403 325 618 674 742 614 572 774 389 61 647 402 146 221 229 415 859 307 129 136 6130 981 59 217 981 239 636 513 614 772 205

AMMAN ALEXANDRIA DOHA CAIRO ABU DHABI DUBAI WASHINGTON DC DULLES BAHRAIN RIYADH DUBAI JEDDAH SHARJAH CAIRO DOHA DAMASCUS PARIS JEDDAH DUBAI LONDON SOHAG ASSIUT NAJAF DOHA DUBAI DAMMAM BAHRAIN MUMBAI RIYADH KOZHIKODE DUBAI MUSCAT BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN COLOMBO AMSTERDAM DUBAI ABU DHABI SHARJAH DOHA DOHA CHENNAI DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN AMMAN FRANKFURT SHARM EL SHEIKH CAIRO ISTANBUL LAHORE

14:55 15:05 15:15 16:00 16:35 16:55 17:10 17:20 17:20 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:15 18:20 18:30 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:45 18:55 19:00 19:15 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:40 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:25 21:30 21:35 21:50 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:55 23:10 23:30 23:35 23:40 23:59

Airlines AIC UAL DLH MSR KLM PIA THY UAE FDB OMA RBG ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR RJA JZR GFA THY KAC BAW FDB ABY JZR KAC KAC KAC GFA UAE QTR KAC FDB ETD IRA GFA KAC IRA KAC MEA JZR UAE MSR MSC KAC JZR GFA FDB MSR KAC KNE

Depature Flights on Tuesday 25/9/2012 Flt Route 976 GOA 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 637 FRANKFURT 615 CAIRO 411 AMSTERDAM 240 SIALKOT 773 ISTANBUL 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 644 MUSCAT 3554 ALEXANDRIA 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 643 AMMAN 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 534 CAIRO 561 AMMAN 513 TEHRAN 671 DUBAI 224 BAHRAIN 856 DUBAI 133 DOHA 101 LONDON 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 604 ISFAHAN 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 618 LAR 165 ROME 405 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 872 DUBAI 623 SOHAG 404 ASSIUT 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 673 DUBAI 473 JEDDAH

Time 0:05 0:25 0:30 0:35 0:55 1:00 2:15 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:05 4:20 4:50 5:40 6:00 6:50 6:55 7:05 7:10 8:10 8:25 8:25 9:05 9:10 9:15 9:15 9:20 9:25 9:40 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:20 10:45 11:30 11:40 11:45 11:55 12:15 12:20 12:25 13:00 13:10 13:20 14:25 14:25 14:30 15:05 15:15

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

SVA KAC JZR RJA QTR KAC KAC KAC ETD JZR JZR JZR QTR UAE GFA ABY UAL SVA JZR QTR FDB SYR MSR MSC JZR KAC KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC OMA MEA GFA DHX ALK KLM ABY KAC ETD UAE QTR KAC KAC JZR QTR AXB FDB QTR GFA KAC JZR

501 617 324 641 135 773 613 741 304 512 238 538 141 858 216 128 982 511 266 145 64 342 607 402 184 283 361 571 62 343 351 648 403 222 171 230 415 120 381 308 860 137 301 205 554 147 390 60 6131 218 411 528

JEDDAH DOHA AL NAJAF AMMAN DOHA RIYADH BAHRAIN DAMMAM ABU DHABI SHARM EL SHEIKH AMMAN CAIRO DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN SHARJAH BAHRAIN RIYADH BEIRUT DOHA DUBAI DAMASCUS LUXOR ALEXANDRIA DUBAI DHAKA COLOMBO MUMBAI DUBAI CHENNAI KOCHI MUSCAT BEIRUT BAHRAIN BAHRAIN COLOMBO DAMMAM SHARJAH DELHI ABU DHABI DUBAI DOHA MUMBAI ISLAMABAD ALEXANDRIA DOHA MANGALORE DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN BANGKOK ASSIUT

15:45 15:45 15:50 15:50 16:15 16:25 16:30 16:30 17:20 17:25 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 18:50 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:55 20:00 20:05 20:15 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:55 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:35 21:50 21:55 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:10 23:10 23:15 23:20 23:30 23:40 23:50

34

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

s ta rs CROSSWORD 807

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) Due to the energies today, it may take a greater effort to listen and understand others’ points of view. If you do not make this effort, your day will likely have a few difficulties. Do not try to settle arguments today, as both of you are likely to be entrenched in your own positions. It is best to ask for time to think over some proposition or give the other person time to think over your position. Work that requires precision, careful planning and patience is favored. Remember that you are working toward achieving your future goals. You will be practical and frugal when necessary, and being motivated and driven, even in times of plenty, you will not waste valuable resources.

There are plans underway for a family outing soon. This outing is a must!

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Be prepared to work hard today! There may be many instances when you will have to supply a solution to a particular problem. Selfdiscipline at the workplace is most important. Now is the time to concentrate on practical matters. External or internal pressures may force you to reevaluate your priorities. Your social and romantic plans can have a few obstacles this afternoon.

You can come across as being self-centered; careful. Seek stability and quiet times and do not neglect the needs of others. Events around you can be confusing; listen. You may dream of more freedom and adventure, but your ideals and expectations may not be realistic. Keep to your moral ideals and give your help and healing care to those who need your inspiration.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness.

5. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

9. To run away.

13. English essayist (1775-1834).

14. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

15. Characterized by lightness and insubstantiality.

16. Type genus of the Aceraceae.

17. Slightly open.

18. Something causes misery or death.

19. A Dravidian language spoken in southern India.

22. An international organization of European countries formed after World War II to reduce trade barriers and increase cooperation among its members.

23. A coffee cake flavored with orange rind and raisins and almonds.

26. A genus of Ploceidae.

29. The father of your father or mother.

33. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

34. Fiddler crabs.

36. A federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment.

37. The cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one.

39. A run that is the result of the batter's performance.

41. A legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body.

42. A board game in which players try to move their pieces into their opponent's bases.

43. Young of domestic cattle.

46. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves.

48. A benevolent aspect of Devi.

51. Empty rhetoric or insincere or exaggerated talk.

55. Realistic Norwegian author who wrote plays on social and political themes (1828-1906).

57. American novelist (1909-1955).

58. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

60. (law) A defense by an accused person purporting to show that he or she could not have committed the crime in question.

61. A tax levied on the difference between a commodity's price before taxes and its cost of production.

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

65. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.

66. (neurology) Of or relating to the vagus nerve.

67. A small cake leavened with yeast.

DOWN 1. An accidental hole that allows something (fluid or light etc.) to enter or escape.

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

3. Dignified manner or conduct.

4. Gained or acquired.

5. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

6. The seventh month of the Moslem calendar.

7. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

8. A room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter.

9. Of or relating to Fabianism.

10. A soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element.

11. Bulky grayish-brown eagle with a short wedge-shaped white tail.

12. Having an eye or eyes or eyelike feature especially as specified.

20. (zoology) Lacking a tail or taillike appendage.

21. A Kwa language spoken in Ghana and the Ivory Coast.

24. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

25. A nonmetallic largely pentavalent heavy volatile corrosive dark brown liquid element belonging to the halogens.

27. A city in northern India.

28. The lower house of the parliament of the Republic of Ireland.

30. Lacking or deprive of the sense of hearing wholly or in part.

31. A drug combination found in some over-the-counter headache remedies (Aspirin and Phenacetin and Caffeine).

32. An audiotape recording of sound.

35. A particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography).

38. Affect with wonder.

40. A hospital unit staffed and equipped to provide intensive care.

44. Type genus of the Amiidae.

45. 1 species.

47. A republic in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea.

48. A sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow).

49. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

50. (Jungian psychology) The inner self (not the external persona) that is in touch with the unconscious.

52. Any culture medium that uses agar as the gelling agent.

53. The 6th letter of the Greek alphabet.

54. God of death.

56. Large genus of tropical subshrubs or herbs some of which yield fibers of mucilaginous substances.

59. (Irish) Ancient Irish god (probably a god of the sun).

62. The eleventh month of the civil year.

63. A silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Take your impatience in hand and do not take others’ opinions too personally. Avoid stress as much as possible and do not take any physical risks. You are likely to feel restless and bored with normal routine matters; you will probably introduce some new elements into your activities.

Although this cycle will induce you to be more impulsive and less reliable than usual, it also gives you the power to break out of any rut you may have made for yourself. Your thinking will become more original than usual. Do not become suckered into doing something you do not believe is right. It may be time to pull closer to a loved one or start anew. There is a resurgence of idealism in your life.

The old material concerns seem less important now.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

You benefit from research or through the effort in directing your insight toward understanding other people’s motivations.

You may have a desire to develop business or corporate strategy. This can be an important time to recycle some old techniques and styles of working. Sex drive also tends to increase. Communications tend to concern corporate business, joint finances, insurance and taxes. You may make short trips for business purposes.

Intellectual interest turns toward secrets, mysteries, science, investigation and sex.

This is a very fortunate time that occurs once every twelve years, often heralding the beginnings of major positive changes in life. You are filled with optimism and good cheer; things will almost assuredly go your way.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Yesterday’s Solution

If you are uncertain about your goals and objectives, this is not a good time for business deals, a move or a job transfer. You meet unexpected obstacles. It’s a good time to reevaluate your financial security plans, your will, taxes and insurance. Eliminate financially unproductive areas and put more effort into meaningful pursuits. You tend to form close relationships to dynamic authoritative individuals. You may have more dealings with a romantic or business partner, or you may deal with others closely as a team. You may be more involved in legal affairs. As you tend to be more outgoing, marketing and sales or a public relations business is a good choice for you. You seek fairness and balance in all your relationships and this is good.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You have the energy to accomplish much—for bad or good.

This is a time of decision making and path finding. Everything has repercussions—weigh your options. You are stirred to accomplish much. However, you need to stay focused so as to lessen any chance of blocks. How you handle these tests determine whether you will use this day to your benefit. Doing what is best may not be the easiest route but will have long-term benefits. Make sure other projects are completed before attempting new ones. Take great pains to respect others and you should be able to achieve your objectives. Underhanded or ruthless tactics now will destroy all you have built. You have made a decision to trust and involve certain close family members in your financial goal seeking.

Libra (September 23-October 22) You have plenty of ambition, along with the enthusiasm it takes to accomplish projects. However, you are likely to run into severe opposition from others if you vary your routine. An assembly line sort of process has a lot going for it just now; sing a song in your head, the day will pass quickly. You may want more creative freedom in your work, but those in control tend to be unsympathetic for now. You may vacillate between conservative and rebellious urges at this time. Wait and watch for the right opportunity to ask for a change in job or a raise. Friends may be stimulating this afternoon. Avoid taking unnecessary risks, particularly since you may be feeling a bit bold. All of this, thankfully, is of short duration—really!

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) This day may test your motivations. Serious ego conflicts are possible with others. If you are concerned, double-check your work so that you can be more confident. Others may look for ways to challenge your position. Keep your head down today, especially around superiors. Also, your physical energy is high and you could achieve much through a structured routine.

Exert yourself physically in an exercise routine to dispel any confusion. You can be more intuitive and resourceful in your self-expression and relationships now. You can share unusual insights with a trusted individual. Persevere with tolerance, honesty and caution. Seek cooperation in your relationships with others and be ready to redirect your efforts in order to comply with new goals.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) In your dealing with customers today, you set examples for others to follow. You are businesslike without being cold or lacking in sympathy. You develop a mature attitude of consideration toward others.

Today will be busy and stimulating for you. Your curiosity is in high gear. This is a good day for a meeting of the minds with your peers, particularly in a group setting. You will probably have to make more short-distance trips than usual this day.

Work out problems in existing relationships. Keep to your moral ideals and give your help and healing care to those who need your inspiration. You can devote more of your energies to healing, intuitive sensitivity, imagination, fantasy, visualization powers and compassion for the lonely or needy.

Word Search

Yesterday’s Solution Capricorn (December 22-January 19) There are opportunities for regeneration through personal power today. It will be quite easy to bring about the changes you want for your professional and personal future. You may want to help a co-worker gain some idea for their future plans. You will achieve professional success, increase your finances or simply straighten out areas of your life that have given you problems. Also, this is a favorable time for cultural, religious and legal matters.

You have much generosity, and will find some financial gain. Your vitality and sense of optimism are strong and you can take constructive action to expand your financial, professional or educational endeavors. You can make steady progress toward career goals. You may soon find travel to be an option.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Your relationship with a partner is in flux. Make sure any accommodations you are making to help preserve the relationship are conditions with which you both can agree. Relationships that succeed show growth in the areas of fairness. Each year, around this time of year, you tend to be more involved with groups of friends or colleagues for entertainment or idealistic reasons and your partner may want to start a new hobby. Do not be offended, this relationship is successful with the incorporation of a flexible attitude with both partners. Activities within your social organization tend to be oriented to humanitarian, technological or scientific pursuits. It’s a time during which you can enjoy unconventional ideas. Creative activities are also favorable now.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) You are feeling particularly positive and expansive today.

Your focus is on wider issues rather than on mundane detail. You can use this day to take care of legal affairs and conclude contractual negotiation.

There may be several changes of residence. You may entertain friends often or conduct business from the home. At work you may have new projects that seem to be overflowing—you will be able to handle it! You have an interest in new or novel forms of architecture, food and domestic products and services. At times communication can be difficult, but patience will win. Caution is needed in signing contracts and written agreements. The most important thing is to get professional advice before purchasing a home or other property.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Kaizen center

25716707

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

ST TAT TE OF KUW K WA AIT

Tel.: e 161

DIRECTORA AT TE GENERAL GENE OF CIVIL AV VIA ATION T METEOROLOGICAL DEP PA ARTMENT

2627 - 2630 Ext.: 262

WWW.MET.GOV V..KW

BY Y DA AY:

BY Y NIGHT:

Relatively hot with moderate wind in general north westerly wind, with speed of 20 - 35 km/h

No Current Warnings arnin a

WARNING A

42 °C

31 °C

22451082

KUW WA AIT AIRPOR RT

42 °C

31 °C

Al-Mirqab

22456536

NUW WA AISEEB

42 °C

30 °C

Sharq

22465401

WAFRA A

43 °C

29 °C

Salmiya

25746401

SALMI

43 °C

25 °C

Jabriya

25316254

ABDAL LY

43 °C

29 °C

JAL ALIY YA AH

42 °C

28 °C

Maidan Hawally

25623444

FA AILAKA

41 °C

29 °C

Bayan

25388462

AHMADI POR RT

40 °C

33 °C

Mishref

25381200

UMM AL-MARADEM

37 °C

33 °C

W.Hawally

22630786

WARBA A A - BUBY YA AN

41 °C

23 °C

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

ST TATION T

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

SFC. CHART

24/09/2012 0000 UTC

4 DA AY YS FORECAST

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

Temperatures DA AY

DA ATE T

WEA AT THER

Tuesday

25/09

Wednesday e

26/09

Thursday Friday

Wind Direction

Wind Speed

27 °C

NW

20 - 40 km/h

26 °C

NW-N

10 - 30 km/h

40 °C

25 °C

NW-VRB

06 - 26 km/h

40 °C

24 °C

VRB-SE

06 - 26 km/h

MAX.

MIN.

hot + raising dust

41 °C

hot

41 °C

27/09

hot

28/09

hot RA AY YER TIMES PRA

RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WA AIT AIRPORT

Fajr

04:18

MAX. Temp.

45 °C

Sunrise

05:38

MIN. Temp.

25 °C

Zuhr

11:40

MAX. RH

20 %

Asr

15:07

MIN. RH

Sunset

17:43

MAX. Wiind

Isha

19:00

TOT TAL AL RAIINF FA ALL L IN 24 HR.

04 % NW 39 km/h 00 mm

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

Dr. Salem soso General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Mousa Khadada Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

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24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

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25610011

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25616368

Expected Weeather for the Next 24 Hours

KUW WA AIT CITY

North Jahra

Al-Shohada’a

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Hot with moderate to fresh north westerly wind, with speed of 20 - 45 km/h causing raising dust over open areas

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22418714

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Al-Madena

25330060

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25722290

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24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

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Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

lifestyle G O S S I P

Fiona Apple addresses drug arrest in odd speech at concert

Khalifa in ‘hit and run pobe’ iz Khalifa has been accused of a hit-and-run incident. Los Angeles police officers are keen to speak with the rapper after a woman made a complaint alleging he smashed into her car and then fled the scene. According to gossip website TMZ.com, the alleged victim made her complaint last Wednesday saying she had been working on a music video with Wiz and the crash happened around midnight as people were leaving the set.

The 25-year-old rapper - whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz - has not yet spoken with police about the alleged incident. This isn’t the first time the ‘Black and Yellow’ hitmaker - who is currently expecting his first child with model Amber Rose - has been in trouble with the law this year. In May, he was arrested in North Carolina after the officers pulled over his tour bus following a concert in Winston-Salem and discovered 11.39 grams of marijuana after searching the vehicle. Ten days earlier, he was cautioned for the same offence after he was discovered in a hotel room smoking joint following complaints from other guests. Although Wiz - real name Cameron Jibril Thomaz - tried to get rid of the evidence by throwing the drug-laced cigarette out of his window before letting the police in the officers recovered the joint and the musician then confessed to having another 3.7g of marijuana in his pocket.

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inger Fiona Apple opened up to fans during a concert in Houston in a bizarre speech about the night she spent in a Texas jail after being arrested for hashish possession last week. Apple, 35, began by apologizing to her jailer for being “attitudey,” and continued with a cryptic rant about four other individuals at the jail and “encoding” things she had heard there. “First thing is, the guy who runs the jail ... he’s a good guy, and I want to apologize to him ... for being attitude-y and saying that I didn’t trust him, because I didn’t, but by the end of the day, I did,” Apple told her audience on Friday at the Houston concert. Her comments were recorded on video. The “Criminal” songstress said that “most people were very nice to me,” but she had some stern words for a few who she said were less kind. “There are four of you out there, and I want you to know that I heard everything you did, I wrote it all down with your names and everything you did and said stupidly thinking that I couldn’t hear or see you,” she continued. Apple did not name either the jailer or the four individuals, but threatened to make the latter group “famous anytime you ask.” She described the antics

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Gary Barlow

of the four people she alluded to as “inappropriate and probably illegal,” but did not offer further details. Apple then announced that she had ripped up the piece of paper, but not before she “encoded” the information she had written down. She said she would “hold that secret forever ... unless you’re interested in being a celebrity.” The concert was Apple’s first public appearance since she was released from a Hudspeth County, Texas, jail after posting bail on Thursday. The singer was arrested on a felony drug possession charge late Wednesday night when officials at a border patrol checkpoint found four grams of hashish in her possession after stopping her tour bus. Rusty Fleming, a spokesman for the sheriff in Hudspeth County, said there were seven other people on the bus, but Apple admitted the drugs were hers and everybody else was allowed to drive on. He said her brief stay in jail passed “without incident.” Apple’s representative did not immediately respond to arequest for comment. The singer won a Grammy for the single “Criminal” off her 1996 debut album “Tidal.”

Dion settles a lawsuit with ex-employee eline Dion has settled a lawsuit with a former employee. Keith Sturtevant had launched legal action against the singer and her husband and manager, Rene Angelil, in June, claiming he was not paid overtime when made to work more than 40 hours a week as a warehouse manager for the couple.

Keith claimed he was initially paid £31,250 a year, which eventually rose to £39,375 - but he alleged he was illegally classed as an Exempt Employee, and not entitled to overtime under US law. A spokesperson for Celine and Rene has previously said: “[Keith was] paid a handsome yearly salary that covered overtime for his services for three years.” The representative added the couple had offered Keith £6,250 and a holiday when he was dismissed after three years working in 2009 for poor performance, which he rejected. The suit was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum. While the case has been going on, Celine has been recording her new album. The ‘My Heart Will Go On’ singer - who was forced to cancel many of her Las Vegas residency shows earlier because of a virus - had been put on vocal rest but doctors gave her the all-clear to go back into studio.

‘never’ has to look for work

he Take That singer is currently judging ‘X Factor’, co-writing songs for Robbie Williams and has performed ‘Forever Autumn’ and ‘The Eve of War’ on Jeff Wayne’s ‘War of the Worlds’ album - a reboot of his 1978 record based on the 1898 H.G. Wells musical - and he was delighted to be able to contribute to the record, despite his “busy” schedule. He said: “I’m a little bit busy at the moment. I’m never looking for work, I’m looking for stuff that excites me, and this excited me greatly and I’m really proud to be part of it. “The production is mind blowing, it really is. When I first listened to it with Jeff I was blown away, it really is fantastic. “I was such a massive fan when this originally came out. I was obviously really, really excited and honored to be asked. Learning from Jeff, who has so much knowledge and experience has been brilliant.” The 41-year-old musician admits the ‘War of the Worlds’ album takes him back to his childhood because the original record had a “massive” influence on the early part of his career. Speaking in an interview with UK station BBC Radio 2, he added: “It’s almost revisiting a childhood dream for me, I used to play the song when I played in the social clubs, I used to sing it a lot and it was kind of the thing got me off the piano and interested in synthesisers so it was such a massive part of my career.”

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Gwyneth Paltrow uses elastic bands to keep fit

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Furtado wants kids before her next album he ‘Maneater’ hitmaker - who has an eight-yearold daughter Nevis, whose dad is her ex-partner DJ Jasper Gahunia - is keen to have a baby with husband Demacio Castellon and she is delighted that her daughter has two father figures in her life. When asked if she’d like kids with Demacio in the future, she replied: “Maybe before the next album. Whenever I’m committed to something, be it a relationship or a sport where I’m part of a team, I find from that commitment you get great freedom. “I think I’ve experienced exactly that in my family life and in my marriage. Being committed to something has allowed me to spread my wings. You have an anchor, so the rest of your spirit can soar.” Nelly, 33, admits she is loving motherhood “more than ever” and she fully expects Nevis to follow in her footsteps and become a singer/songwriter when she grows up because the youngster is “really musical”. The 33-year-old pop star - who released LP ‘The Spirit Indestructible’ this month - added to Britain’s HELLO! magazine: “Mothering is a passion for me and so is music. Those two things go hand in hand. I’m enjoying motherhood more than ever. It gets better every year and that comes from experience. “Nevis can share the experience of what I do, as she is really musical. She’s a natural songwriter; she plays the violin and piano. “She travels with me, but usually she goes to school and has a normal existence. I’m not sure yet if I have to educate her in a different way, perhaps home schooling. We are taking it day by day. Travelling is part of her DNA, so she’s very familiar with the tour bus.”

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he 39-year-old actress is a client of fitness guru Tracy Anderson and the exercise expert has lifted the lid on the workout regime that keeps Gwyneth slim. Tracy says the ‘Iron Man 2’ star follows her ‘Method’ regime six times per week, which involves the use of elastic stretch bands, a wooden workout stick, dumbbells and ankle weights to shift the pounds. Tracy insists the reason why Gwyneth - who has an eight-year-old daughter, Apple and six-year-old son Moses with her rocker husband Chris Martin - looks so great is because she is very “disciplined” and is prepared to put in the hours and hard work to look good. She told the New York Post newspaper: “Gwyneth is uncoordinated during

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workouts, but she’s disciplined.” Tracy has a huge list of celebrity clients she has worked with to get fit including Victoria Beckham, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Nicole Richie. She recently worked with pop star Cheryl Cole so she would look her best when she released her third album ‘A Million Lights’ in June. Speaking about her work with former ‘X Factor’ judge Cheryl, Tracy said: “She’s petite like me and has a killer body but the trouble with being tiny is weight shows up very easily. Since then, she’s been training for 60-90 minutes four to six times a week. She’s just like Gwyneth - she works very hard and is a total doll to work with - she’s incredibly down to earth.”

Reid to write an autobiography

lex Reid is planning to write an autobiography which will reveal all the details of his relationships with Chantelle Houghton and Katie Price. The cage fighter was dumped earlier this month by fiancee Chantelle and he has been left so devastated by her decision he is going to channel his feelings into a tell-all book. The tome will also document his 11-month marriage to ex-wife Katie Price - also known as Jordan. A friend of Alex told the Daily Star newspaper: “He had already started jotting down notes on Jordan and the Chantelle stuff is just as juicy.” Chantelle, 29, decided to end her relationship with Alex, 37, at the beginning of the month just two days after the 37-year-old hunk was arrested at their home in Brentwood, Essex, South East England, for trying to force his way into the property. The pair’s romance hit a rocky patch shortly after their baby daughter Dolly was born in June. Last week, Alex made a public declaration to Chantelle in a video he posted online begging her to give him a second chance. He said: “I know you love me. I hope you love me. Let’s sort this out.” Both stars have been through failed marriages, with Alex splitting from Katie in January 2011 and Chantelle divorcing Ordinary Boys singer Preston in 2007 after the pair met on ‘Celebrity Big Brother’. — Bang Showbiz

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Cyrus

impressed on ‘Two and a Half Men’

iley Cyrus was “on fire” when she filmed ‘Two and a Half Men’. The singer-and-actress recently made a cameo appearance in the sitcom and though the show’s star Jon Cryer wasn’t initially confident she would be a success, he was thrilled when she stepped in front of the camera and nailed her part. He told HollywoodLife.com: “She plays a motor-mouth character, so they gave her page-long monologues. “She was lovely, and we had a great time. “All week, she was on book [looking at the script] which is understandable. But even when we got within two hours of the show, she was still on book. We were thinking, ‘Oh no, Miley better bring it!’ And then we did it in front of the audience, and Miley brought it! Miley was just on fire and fantastic.” Miley - who is engaged to her ‘Last Song’ co-star Liam Hemsworth - recently had her hair cut into a daring short crop and Jon thinks her new look is “fantastic”. He added: “I know her haircut is very controversial, but I lay on the side of ‘I love it’. I think she looks fantastic.” Miley starred in Disney show ‘Hannah Montana’ for five years playing the titular character.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

lifestyle F E A T U R E S

Deadmau5

Review

doles out lackluster EDM

Deadmau5, “album title goes here “(Ultra)

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eadmau5’s new anti-titled electronic dance music album, “album title goes here,” is a lot of things. It’s a thumping dance tapestry. It’s pockmarked with features from the likes of Cypress Hill and Imogen Heap. And it also underscores Deadmau5’ global reach and feel. It just isn’t very good. The album from the Mickey Mouse mask-wearing electronic dance music vet pushes no boundaries that weren’t already pushed 10 years ago. From Joel Zimmerman, better known to his considerable fan base as Deadmau5, the lack of creativity is a sin.

There are scores of EDM specialists crafting new approaches these days, from Grammy-winning Skrillex to live beat-maker AraabMuzik to up-and-comers like HeRobust. Amid their inventive progressions, Deadmau5’ latest album feels a tad old and dusty. “Superliminal” is all buildup and very little payoff. You’ll be left waiting minutes for the drop, and perhaps scanning forward to the next track in hopes of getting the pulse racing. Good luck. “Fn Pig” is one of the few tracks on board with some sizzle. It’s an eightminute track that teases you for the first two before any semblance of a proper beat emerges.

But once it gets going the bass line grabs you by the shoulders and refuses to let go. It’s an addictive, repeat-worthy track.

But mostly, we find Deadmau5 longing for some sort of house music yesteryear. On “Maths,” the corny digital samples feel extremely dated and required a much smarter approach than this. Check out this track: “Closer” cleverly borrows the five-note sequence used by scientists to talk to alien visitors in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” It blends well into this breezy track as synth stabs bounce around in the background. —AP

Skaggs continues exploring on latest album

Members of Colombia’s ‘Pioneros del ritmo’ dance school perform during the 7th World Salsa Festival held at the Canaveralejo Bullring in Cali, Colombia, yesterday. Thousands of people in Cali live from the salsa industry-whether working at dance schools, tailors, showmakers, ballrooms and party rooms, or other related businesses. —AFP

No Doubt ready to rock again after making babies W

hen the members of No Doubt got together again to make new music, something unexpected came with them: a bit of doubt. It had been 11 years since they’d put out “Rock Steady” and their priorities had changed.

Each of the four had gotten married and had kids, producing eight babies between them. Music was no longer the most important thing in their lives. Could they still make it work? “That’s pretty complicated stuff when you start to really look at it,” 42-year-old lead singer and lyricist Gwen Stefani says. “You’re playing this role your whole life - the singer of No Doubt -

This CD cover image released by Interscope Records shows the latest release for No Doubt, Push and Shove. — AP totally committed to this in the greatest kind of way, and then all of a sudden, you’re saying, ‘Actually, you guys cannot be No. 1 anymore or else this is not going to work.’”

The band has somehow made it work.

They return this month with their first studio CD in over a decade - “Push and Shove,” which blends their signature mix of ska and British New Wave with lyrics that reveal some anguish at their new lives. “Here we go again/Are you insane?”

Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, “Music To My Ears” (Skaggs Family/Fontana)

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icky Skaggs has barreled down an eclectic path since going independent at the turn of the century - after two decades as an awardwinning contemporary country singer. In the last dozen years, he has shown off his skills as one of the most revered bluegrass and gospel artists of his generation, he’s honored influences with tributes and collaborative works, and he has challenged himself with projects that explore adult pop songs and complex singer-songwriter themes.

On individual albums, he has concentrated on a specific premise. However, on “Music To My Ears,” he and his skilled Kentucky Thunder band have decided to incorporate all of his interests at once. It makes for an album of surprises, with the variety of styles connected by Skaggs’ expressive tenor and forceful mandolin playing. There’s hard-charging, old-school bluegrass (a cover of the Stanley Brothers’ “Loving You Too Well”); tributes to Bill Monroe (a fantastic update of “Blue Night”) and Doc Watson (a romping band version of “Tennessee Stud”); contemporary gospel (“Music To My Ears”); singer-songwriter musings (a cover of the Bee Gees’ wholly relevant “Soldier’s Son”); and harmony-rich pop (“You Are Something Else”).

All together it shows that Skaggs, at age 58, continues to create powerful music that doesn’t rest on laurels or reputation.

Check out this track: While Skaggs has often flashed joy and humor over his career, he has never recorded a novelty song quite as goofy - or fun - as “You Can’t Hurt Ham.” —AP

Stefani sings in first single “Settle Down.”

“Don’t get me started/I’m trying to get a hold on this/Get in line and settle down.” “I think a lot of the record I’m writing about being overwhelmed by trying to do all these things at one time,” Stefani says.

“You just never know when you become a mom what it’s really going to be like. It’s so different than you think.”

In an interview at a downtown recording studio, the bandmates reveal few outward signs that it’s been 26 years since No Doubt formed. They all still wear eyeliner, have their hair bleached or in a mohawk or both - and are stick-figure thin. Stefani herself seems to have defied time and can rock a midriff-baring top better than ever.

Only their lunch leftovers - salmon, sliced fruit and healthy veggies - hint that they’re all in their 40s. “Sometimes in my mind I still think I’m 16 onstage and my body tells me that I’m not 16 anymore,” says Tony Kanal, the 42-year-old bassist, laughing. “In our minds maybe we think we’re younger than we actually are.”

Just finding the time to record the album with all the different schedules was a challenge for a band whose past hits include “Just a Girl” and “Don’t Speak.” Add to that their notoriously exhausting recording process, and the months rushed past. The title of the album is no accident.

The first song for the new album, the radio-friendly “Undercover,” was written in 2009 following the last No Doubt tour and the rest was written the following year.

Most of the album was recorded in 2011.

“It’s been a long time coming,” says Kanal, who for the first time became a co-lyricist with Stefani. “For me, the goal was just to get the record finished. To get us all in the same room at the same time with the amount of kids we all have between us was a struggle.”

Eleven years without new material is a lifetime in pop and the band returns to a changed musical landscape. Digital singles have replaced full-length CDs and the dance-pop-punk post-grunge banner has been hoisted by the likes of Pink, The Gossip and Avril Lavigne, to name just a few. But the band insists they just make

Hiatt sings of Funyuns, more on new album

Gwen Stefani and Tom Dumont of No Doubt perform at the iHeart Radio Music Festival on Friday at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. — AP the music they like, without an eye to the marketplace. “It’s more about pleasing ourselves,” Stefani says. “It’s very selfish.”

So far, No Doubt has booked some high-profile appearances, such as the kickoff game for the 2012 NFL season, ABC’s “Good Morning America” and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” They plan a warmup six-show stand at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles after Thanksgiving and a European tour next year. The album turned out to be much more upbeat than the bandmates expected, veering from the light summer fare of “Looking Hot” to the dreamy electronica of “One More Summer,” the almost folky “Undone” and the mainstream pop of “Sparkle” and “Heaven.”

“Those who sit and listen to the entire record will get that - that we’re not after a specific thing. None of our records have been that way. They’re very broad in genre,” 43-year-old drummer Adrian Young says. “It used to work against us, before we got on the radio. We used to be told, ‘You guys need to focus, narrow your style.’” During the band’s hiatus, each

explored their own art. Stefani, who is married to former Bush lead singer Gavin Rossdale, put out two solo CDs, toured and designed clothes under her label L.A.M.B. Guitarist Tom Dumont produced two CDs for Matt Costa, including “Songs We Sing.” Young worked with Scott Weiland and performed with several acts including Colt Ford. Kanal collaborated on two songs - “Sober” and “Funhouse” - with Pink and helped write songs with an array of artists, including Weezer, Shontelle and former Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt. They insist their chemistry is better than ever and that the time away recharged their batteries. Now this onetime garage band that endured rifts, long tours, writing block and mega-fame are now happy that their music is no longer their first love.

“The band was No. 1 in our lives for a long time and that’s changed, but we’ve been able to survive that,” says Dumont, 44. “It’s No. 2 now, but we all share this work together. We built this whole thing together and we’re still trying to protect it and make it the best thing we can.” — AP

Rep: Green Day’s Armstrong getting treatment G

John Hiatt, “Mystic Pinball” (New West Records)

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ome performers can sound good singing a grocery list, and it turns out John Hiatt is one of them. “Eggs,” Hiatt warbles on the “Fargo”-esque “Wood Chipper.” “Hamburger meat. Bread. Funyuns.”

Fans hungry for fresh Hiatt will be well satisfied by “Mystic Pinball,” his 21st album. When he’s not contrasting mundane shopping to murder, he offers tuneful observations on addiction, gratitude, faith, doubt and love gone right or (mostly) wrong.

Hiatt gets bluesy on some of the best songs, including the sax-driven “One of These Damn Days” and the ballad “Blues Can’t Even Find Me.” There are also nods to classic rock, from “Sweet Jane” chord changes (“I Just Don’t Know What To Say ”) to a “ We Are The Champions” beat (“We’re Alright Now”). The acoustic waltz “No Wicked Grin” is sweet without being sentimental. The dozen cuts include a couple of throwaways, but even those tunes swing thanks to a crack band led by guitarist Doug Lancio and bassist Patrick O’Hearn. They’re a fine complement to Hiatt, whose distinctive tenor always brings a smile, especially on a word like Funyuns.

Check out this track: The killer cut “Wood Chipper” ranks among Hiatt’s best songs. A love triangle leaves the singer dead with a verse and two choruses still to go, and at the end Hiatt offers a satisfied, sinister cackle. —AP

reen Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong is headed to treatment for substance abuse. Sunday’s announcement by the band’s representative comes after the 40-year-old frontman had a meltdown onstage at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas on Friday. As Green Day was wrapping up its performance during the all-star, two-day concert, Armstrong profanely complained that the band’s time was being cut short. “One minute left, one minute (expletive) left. You’re gonna give me (expletive) one minute? ... I’m not (expletive) Justin Bieber, you (expletives)!” he yelled (Bieber was not part of the night’s festivities).

Armstrong smashed his guitar before leaving the stage. In a statement to The Associated Press, Green Day apologized “to those they offended at the iHeartRadio Festival” and said the set was not cut short by Clear Channel, host of the two-day festival. The Grammywinning band also is canceling some promotional appearances. It is due to release the album “Uno” on Tuesday, the follow-up to “21st Century Breakdown,” released three years ago. “Uno” is the first in a trilogy of albums; the second is to be out in November, and the last in January. The band is due to kick off a nationwide tour Nov 26 in Seattle.

Armstrong was hospitalized in early September in Bologna, Italy,

File photo released by Clear Channel shows Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day performing at the 2012 iHeartRadio Music Festival at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. — AP

for an undisclosed ailment, but recovered well enough to perform at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept 6. Since then, the band has made a series of performances, including a “Good Morning America” performance and a New York City concert for the launch of Nokia Music on Sept 15. No interviews of the band were allowed that evening, but the band chatted with fans and Nokia and AT&T executives before performing for about two hours.

It’s unclear what Armstrong is receiving treatment for; in 2003, he

was arrested for DUI, and has acknowledged in the past taking various drugs but has said he now eschews them. Green Day is one of rock’s top acts and had huge success with its 2004 politically charged album “American Idiot,” which went on to become a Broadway musical. Armstrong performed for a stretch in the musical.

Most recently, he was a mentor on the NBC talent competition “The Voice.” —AP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

lifestyle A w a r d s

The cast and crew of ‘Homeland,’ winner of the Outstanding Drama Series award, pose backstage at the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theatre on Sunday. — AP/AFP photos

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, center, winner of the Emmy for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program for ìThe Amazing Raceî.

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Eric Stonestreet poses backstage with his award for best supporting actor in a comedy series for ‘Modern Family’.

Aaron Paul accepts the award for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for ‘Breaking Bad’.

Tom Berenger accepts the award for outstanding supporting actor In a Miniseries or Movie for ‘Hatfields & McCoys’.

he terrorism thriller “Homeland” and “Modern Family” were the top winners at Sunday’s Emmy Awards in a ceremony that veered between daring and predictability in honors and Jimmy Kimmel’s turn as host. The four awards for “Modern Family” included a three-peat as best comedy series, although there was a minor backlash online as some Emmy watchers questioned whether the show had a deserving season. “Homeland,” whose four trophies for its freshman season included honors for stars Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, stopped “Mad Men” in its tracks, denying the show a recordsetting fifth best drama trophy.

Turns out the TV academy wasn’t ready to crown the Madison Avenue saga as best ever. Instead, “Mad Men” walked away without a single statuette despite a leading 17 nominations, making it Emmy’s biggest loser ever, said Tom O’Neil of the awards website Gold Derby. Showtime’s “Homeland,” the cable channel’s first best drama winner, also kept Bryan Cranston from his fourth consecutive best acting award for “Breaking Bad” and made “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm an alsoran once more. “I’m one of those pesky Brits, I apologize,” said Lewis, who plays an American. “I don’t really believe in judging art, but I thought I’d show up just in case.”

Danes, eye-catching in a bright yellow dress that gracefully draped the pregnant actress, was effusive. “My husband, my love, my life, my baby daddy, this doesn’t mean anything without you,” she said to her spouse, actor Hugh Dancy. Backstage, Danes said she particularly appreciated one fan: President Barack Obama has said he’s an admirer of “Homeland,” about a Marine and former POW who’s suspected of working for al Qaeda. “No pressure,” the actress said. “It’s way cool that he is a fan. It speaks to the relevancy of the show and it’s hugely validating.”

The acting trophies, along with a best writing award for the show, gave “Homeland” momentum as it headed toward the best drama award. Kimmel, in his first turn as Emmy host, fielded some clever videos (no surprise given the famed Matt Damon-Sarah Silverman romp he inspired) but wasn’t memorable on stage as the three-hour ceremony unfolded. Aaron Paul won best supporting drama actor for “Breaking Bad.” “Thank you so much for not killing me off,” Paul said of his drug-dealing character’s lucky survival. “Thank you Hollywood for allowing me to be part of your group,” he added, noting he’d moved from Idaho to pursue his dreams.

In a surprise on the comedy side, Emmy voters decided that “Two and a Half Men” with Jon Cryer and without Charlie Sheen is really good, as Cryer claimed the best comedy actor trophy. “Don’t panic, people. Something has clearly gone terribly wrong. I’m stunned,” said Cryer, who on the red carpet before the show has expressed confidence he wouldn’t win.

Among others, he beat out two-time winner Jim Parsons of “The Big Bang Theory.” Ashton Kutcher, who joined the show after Sheen was fired, wasn’t nominated. Julia Louis-Dreyfus was honored as best actress in comedy for “Veep.”

Andy Griffith topped a segment honoring industry members who died during the previous year. Ron Howard, who played Griffith’s son Opie in “The Andy Griffith Show,” said he belonged “in the pantheon.” “Dang if he didn’t make it look powerful easy while he was going about it,” Howard said.

Phyllis Diller, Davy Jones of “The Monkees,” Sherman Hemsley and Richard Dawson were among the others honored in a montage.

Earlier in the show, Kimmel dared to mock the in memori-

Actor Jon Cryer, winner of outstanding lead actor in a Comedy Series.

Julie Bowen accepts the award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for “Modern Family”.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a Comedy Series for “Veep”.

Alex Gansa, center, and the cast and crew of ‘Homeland’ accept the award for outstanding drama series. am package that typically airs at awards shows with one showing him in various guises. Josh Groban sang a mournful “You’re Beautiful” in background. “I will be missed,” Kimmel said. Perhaps Kimmel’s most notable achievement was a prank: Inviting “30 Rock” star Tracy Morgan to lie on the stage, then asking viewers to post on Facebook and tweet that Morgan “just passed out” and turn on ABC right now to see it.

It worked, with the message going viral and maybe even boosting the Emmy audience for a few moments.

Maggie Smith was honored as best supporting drama actress for her tart-tongued dowager in “Downton Abbey,” unhurt by the program’s move from the miniseries category.

“Modern Family” made it look easy as the comedy won the best directing trophy and Eric Stonestreet and Julie Bowen claimed supporting actor awards. Stonestreet was funny and touching as he accepted for his role as half of a devoted gay couple.

“I wouldn’t be standing here without Jesse Tyler Ferguson, there is no Cam without Mitch,” he said, saluting his co-star.

“We get the awesome opportunity to play these two characters on TV and show America and the world what a loving couple we can be just like everybody else.”Then he turned saucy: “I never knew I’d be on TV as a gay man, but I love the pictures of hairy chests you guys are sending me, it’s really amazing. Thank you for those.” Among reality competitors, “The Amazing Race” was honored as best reality series, ninth time in 10 nominations for the award. Tom Bergeron of “Dancing With the Stars” won as best host of a reality series.

Julianne Moore’s uncanny take on Gov. Sarah Palin in the TV movie “Game Change,” about the 2008 presidential campaign, earned her best actress honors. “I feel so validated because Sarah Palin gave me a big thumbs down,” Moore said, beaming. “Game Change” was crowned best TV movie. Kevin Costner was named best actor for the history-based miniseries “Hatfields & McCoys,” while Tom Berenger was named best supporting actor for the project and Jessica Lange won supporting actress honors for “American Horror Story.” “The Daily

Damian Lewis accepts the award for outstanding lead actor In a drama series for ‘Homeland’.

Director Steven Levitan, winner Outstanding Directing for a comedy series for ‘Modern Family.’

Actress Julianne Moore, winner of the outstanding lead actress In A Miniseries or Movie award for “Game Change.”

The cast of ‘Downton Abbey’ arrive at the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

lifestyle A w a r d s

Louis CK accepts the award for outstanding writing in a comedy series to for ‘Louie’.

Ricky Gervais

Jessica Lange accepts the award for outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries for ‘American Horror Story’.

Drama Series: “Homeland,” Showtime.

Actress, Drama Series: Claire Danes, “Homeland,” Showtime.

Actor, Drama Series: Damian Lewis, “Homeland,” Showtime.

Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad,” AMC. Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Maggie Smith, “Downton Abbey,” PBS. Writing, Drama Series: Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Gideon Raff, “Homeland,” Showtime.

Directing, Drama Series: Tim Van Patten, “Boardwalk Empire,” HBO. Comedy Series: “Modern Family,” ABC. Actor, Comedy Series: Jon Cryer, “Two and a Half Men,” CBS. Actress, Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep,” HBO. Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Julie Bowen, “Modern Family,” ABC. Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Eric Stonestreet, “Modern Family,” ABC. Writing, Comedy Series: Louis CK, “Louie,” FX Networks.

Directing, Comedy Series: Steven Levitan, “Modern Family,” ABC. Miniseries or Movie: “Game Change,” HBO. Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Julianne Moore, “Game Change,” HBO. Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Kevin Costner, “Hatfields & McCoys,” History.

Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story,” FX Networks.

Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Tom Berenger, “Hatfields & McCoys,” History.

Directing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Jay Roach, “Game Change,” HBO. Writing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Danny Strong, “Game Change,” HBO. Reality-Competition Program: “The Amazing Race,” CBS. Host, Reality-Competition Program: Tom Bergeron, “Dancing With the Stars,” ABC. Variety, Music or Comedy Series: “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” Comedy Central.

Writing for a Variety Special: Louis CK, “Louis CK. Live at the Beacon Theatre,” FX Networks.

Directing, Variety, Music or Comedy Special: Glenn Weiss, 65th Annual Tony Awards, CBS. — AP

Show with Jon Stewart” proved unstoppable, winning its 10th consecutive best variety show trophy. Stewart, discussing the lasting value of his show, apparently forgot that what flies on free-wheeling cable gets censored on network television.

“Years from now when the Earth is just a burning husk and aliens visit, they will find a box of these, and they will know, just how predictable these (several bleeps) can be,” he said.

Standup comic Louis CK won the Emmy for best comedy writing for “Louie” and for the special “Louis CK Live at the Beacon Theatre.” Said the comedian after his second win: “Thank you to audiences around the country who still go to see live comedy.” Kimmel, who played it clean, set up one of the night’s best filmed comedy bits by musing on what “Breaking Bad” would have been like had it aired in a G-rated, pre-cable era.

The answer: a spoof of the opening to “The Andy Griffith Show,” with “Breaking Bad” stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, fully suited up to cook crystal meth, out at the lake with their fishing poles as the “Andy Griffith” whistling theme song was heard. As a pungent punchline, they shot dead an unexpected witness: a friendly deputy billed as co-star Don Knotts.

The show started with bathroom humor: A filmed bit with Kathy Bates, Zooey Deschanel and other nominated actresses prepping in the restroom, then discovering a weeping Jimmy Kimmel lamenting a Botox reaction he said would keep him off stage as host. “You look beautiful,” he was reassured. “You look like a ‘Real Housewife.’” Viewers of the skit may have been puzzled by a nude Lena Dunham, the creator-star of “Girls,” who’s routinely brave about showing skin on the HBO comedy. Not all his material worked. One bit that fell flat had Kimmel’s parents, or so the host said, escorted out of the theater because they promised he would win an Emmy and he didn’t.

“Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane found presenting can be tricky. “Oh, the mic’s over there,” he said, after discovering he was on the wrong side of the stage. “This is what happens when you don’t come to rehearsal,” MacFarlane said.

Claire Danes accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for ‘Homeland’.

Tom Bergeron accepts the award for outstanding host for a reality or reality-competition program for ‘Dancing With The Stars’.

Steve Buscemi

The cast of “Modern Family”, from left, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ariel Winter, Julie Bowen, Sofia Vergara, Sarah Hyland, Ty Burrell, background, Nolan Gould, Ed O’Neill, background second left, Rico Rodriguez, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, foreground purple dress, and Eric Stonestreet, right, winners of the best outstanding comedy series, pose backstage at the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theatre.

Fashionistas noticed yellow was hot, the color of choice for Moore, Danes, Bowen and Hannah Simone from “New Girl.”

“Best hair and makeup goes to Danes. Perfect!” tweeted Emma Roberts. Emmy has to prove herself a winner with the audience. After rebounding somewhat to 13.5 million viewers in 2010 after an all-time low in 2008 of 12.3 million, last year’s show drew 12.4 million viewers airing on Fox. The ceremony rotates annually among the four major networks. — AP

Actor Kevin Costner, winner of the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries or Movie for “Hatfields & McCoys”, and wife Christine Baumgartner.

Game Change Executive Producer Tom Hanks, actress Julianne Moore Executive producer Gary Goetzman Director Jay Roach and writer Danny Strong pose in the press room at the 64th annual Prime Time Emmy Awards.

Actress Ginnifer Goodwin, left and actress Emily VanCamp speak onstage.

Lucy Liu, left, and Kiefer Sutherland present an award onstage.

Writer Danny Strong, winner of the Emmy for outstanding writing for miniseries or movie for “Game Change”.

Director Jay Roach, winner of outstanding directing in a Miniseries or Movie for “Game Change”.

Actresses Ariel Winter, Julie Bowen, Sarah Hyland, Sofia Vergara and Aubrey Anderson-Emmons pose.

From left, Director Jay Roach, writer Danny Strong, and Actress Julianne Moore, pose backstage with the awards they won for the HBO movie “Game Change.”

‘Homeland’ and ‘Modern Family’ win big at Emmys

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Heidi Klum walks Emmy red carpet in take-that gown

Model Heidi Klum

Kat Dennings

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Leslie Mann

Claire Danes

TV host Cat Deeley

Ashley Judd

Ginnifer Goodwin

ewly single Heidi Klum might not stay that way for long: Her seafoam-green gown made waves on the Emmy red carpet with a plunging front, plunging back and slits up-tothere, leaving very little in the middle. She was among the dazzling arrivals Sunday who made the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles awash in color. There was plenty of red to go with the carpet, including on Kat Dennings of “2 Broke Girls” in J Mendel, “Once Upon a Time” star Ginnifer Goodwin in red flame over champagne by Monique Lhuillier and Tina Fey in dark red with gold bust details by Vivienne Westwood. “ Top Chef ” host Padma Lakshmi looked gorgeous in an orange strapless gown by Lhuillier that made her an early trending topic on Twitter, and actress Leslie Mann had on a bright orange skirt on her bare beaded halter gown by Naeem Khan. Claire Danes of “Homeland” wore bright yellow.

Hayden Panettiere of ABC’s “Nashville” wore straight-from-the-runway Marchesa, a blue tulle over gold embroidery sari shown at New York Fashion Week earlier this month. Sofia Vergara wore a sexy, sparkly, green Zuhair Murad mermaid dress and brought several people from Colombia as her dates. Klum’s seafoam gown was by French designer Alexandre Vaultier and she had a sexy ‘70s wave to her hair. Zooey Deschanel had a manicure with little TV sets on her thumbnails - perhaps the kind of thing “E!” had in mind for its mani-cam that had stars walking their fingers down a tiny red

Tina Fey

carpet. Celebrities build their fashion reputation largely from the red carpet, Lhuillier said, and they’ll affect trends for color, silhouette and embellishments.

Lhuillier said Emmy gowns were already in the works earlier this month when she presented her most recent catwalk collection - one in which she declared “the ballgown is gone.” Instead, she focused her full-length dresses in mermaid and other sleeker hemlines. Not everyone watching TV will need a gown in the coming weeks or months, but when they do, they’ll often turn to the brands they hear about at the Emmys, Oscars or Grammys, Lhuillier said. “That’s what a red carpet does for a company like mine.”

Louise Roe, a fashion commentator and Glamour magazine editor, who’ll host of the second season of NBC’s “Fashion Star,” said her eyes will be on the lookout for anything eye-catching, especially if anyone taps into the harnesses, sheer

Padma Lakshmi panels and cutout bodices that designers are offering for 2013. She thinks stars from “Gossip Girl” and “Revenge” could be among those to watch. There’s always someone who takes the high-fashion risk on the Emmy red carpet. It was Gwyneth Paltrow and her belly-baring, metallic lace number last year. It wasn’t a critical favorite, but now - in retrospect - it seemed like the spark for many of the current runway trends. — AP

Hayden Panettiere Sofia Vergara

Lucy Liu

Kelli Garner

Brooke Burke