26th Sep

CR IP TI ON BS SU

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

France summons Facebook over private messages rumour

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www.kuwaittimes.net

THULQADA 10, 1433 AH

China’s first aircraft carrier enters service

Radical cleric Abu Hamza set for extradition to US

Seahawks seal controversial win over Packers

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Blow to govt as court upholds electoral law

Cabinet accepts verdict • Oppn demands dissolving 2009 Assembly

Max 42º Min 28º High Tide 07:29 & 21:42 Low Tide 01:25 & 14:38

By B Izzak

Amir to pay state visit to Britain LONDON: HH the Amir of Kuwait will pay a state visit to Britain in November when he will stay in the regal splendour of Windsor Castle as a guest of Queen Elizabeth II, Buckingham Palace announced yesterday. Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Sabah will visit on November 27-29 when he will be received with full state honours and will stay at Windsor, the queen’s residence to the west of London.

Kuwait is OPEC’s fourth largest producer of crude oil. The last state visit from Kuwaiti royalty was in 1995, when the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah came to the UK, according to Buckingham Palace. The queen and her husband made a state visit to Kuwait in 1979. — Agencies

Iran unveils drone, tests four missiles TEHRAN: Iranian military leaders gave details of a new long-range drone and test fired four anti-ship missiles yesterday in a prelude to upcoming naval war games planned in an apparent response to US-led warship drills in the Arabian Gulf. The show of Iranian military readiness and its latest tool - a domestically made drone capable of reaching Israel and most of the Middle East also came as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad prepared to address the UN General Assembly today amid a deepening impasse with the West over Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.

Ahmadinejad on Monday held open hope for renewed dialogue with the United States, but told reporters in New York that Iran was “fully ready” to defend itself from attacks. In Tehran, a senior Revolutionar y Guard commander, Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, also warned that US bases in the Gulf could face retaliatory strikes if Israel attacks Iran’s nuclear sites. The West and its allies fear Iran’s uranium enrichment program could lead to atomic weapons, but the US and others favor a mix of sanctions and diplomacy to try to force Tehran to curb its nuclear program. Iran claims it only seeks nuclear power for energy and medical applications.

Yesterday, Hajizadeh described the new drone as a key strategic additional to Iran’s military capabilities with the ability to carry out reconnaissance missions or be armed with “bombs and missiles”. Hajizadeh, who heads the Guard’s aerospace division, said the Shahed129, or Witness-129, has a range of 2,000 km. That covers much of the Middle East including Israel and nearly doubles the range of previous drones produced by Iranian technicians, who have often relied on reverse engineering military hardware with the country under Western embargoes.

Continued on Page 15

NEW YORK: US President Barack Obama (center), UN Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) and Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani address the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly yesterday. — AP/AFP

KUWAIT: The constitutional court yesterday rejected a government petition against the electoral constituency law, affirming that the law was in line with the constitution and must remain as the basis for the forthcoming elections. “The petition is rejected,” declared head of the constitutional court Judge Faisal Al-Mershed in a session that lasted less than a minute, in reference to a petition filed by the government last month challenging that two articles of the law were unconstitutional.

Dozens of opposition activists who along with lawyers and journalists packed the small courtroom welcomed the ruling and began congratulating each other. The process continued outside the courtroom as leading opposition MP Musallam Al-Barrak walked down the Palace of Justice corridor, congratulated by activists.

The ruling was issued amid unprecedented tight security measures in which dozens of special forces and policemen, backed by armored vehicles, cordoned off the car park adjacent to the Palace of Justice amid expectations that opposition activists planned to demonstrate. Opposition figures and MPs welcomed the court ruling and called on the government to immediately dissolve the 2009 Assembly, reinstated in a Continued on Page 15

Obama vows at UN to halt Iran bomb Qatar emir calls for Syria intervention UNITED NATIONS: US President Barack Obama vowed yesterday the United States would not permit Iran to arm itself with nuclear weapons, as the UN General Assembly heard a call for an Arab military intervention in Syria. Obama also delivered an unapologetic defense of American values and his under-fire Arab Spring policy, speaking to US voters from a world stage at the UN. Crises

across the Middle East dominated the first day of the annual UN summit, with Western leaders trying to increase pressure on Damascus and Iran to abandon confrontation and seek negotiated settlements. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the violence, speaking a day after his peace envoy had accused Syrian leader Bashar AlAssad’s regime of resorting to

“medieval forms of torture” against his own citizens.

And Obama went further, declaring: “the regime of Bashar Al-Assad must come to an end so the suffering of the Syrian people can stop, and a new dawn can begin”. But the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, a key supporter of the Syrian opposition, called for an Continued on Page 15

KUWAIT: Opposition MP Musallam Al-Barrak (right) stands amid supporters as he flashes the victory sign outside the Palace of Justice yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

King launches Madinah mosque plan RIYADH: Saudi King Abdullah, who has just returned to the kingdom after a month-long absence, has launched a huge expansion project for the Prophet’s (PBUH) mosque in the holy city of Madinah, the state news agency reported. The expansion project, expected to be the largest of its kind, is set to begin after the annual Muslim pilgrimage, the haj, at the end of October, the SPA news agency reported late on Monday. According to Saudi officials, the project will require the expropriation of lands that could cost the government some $6.6 billion in compensation. Once completed, the three-phase project will mean the mosque can accommodate an added 1.6 million worshippers. Its current capacity is 200,000. The total cost of the project has not been released.

King Abdullah laid the foundation stone for the expansion project after flying in from Morocco where he has spent the past month. The monarch is a frequent visitor to Morocco where his family owns palaces in Casablanca, the economic capital, and Agadir to the southwest. King Abdullah left the new heir to the throne, Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz, who is also deputy prime minister and defence minister, in charge of the oil-rich kingdom during his absence, SPA reported. It was the first time the king MADINAH: Saudi King Abdullah looks at a model of Prophet had travelled abroad since he appointed Salman, 76, first in Muhammad’s (PBUH) mosque after laying the foundation stone (right) line to the throne in June following the death of crown for its development and expansion yesterday. — AFP prince Nayef ben Abdel Aziz at the age of 79. — AFP

Khamenei poster boy for influence in Iraq

BAGHDAD: A hoarding depicting Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei (right) and Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq Al-Sadr is seen in this Sept 16, 2012 photo. — AP

BAGHDAD: After years of growing influence, a new sign of Iran’s presence in Iraq has hit the streets. Thousands of signs, that is, depicting Iran’s supreme leader gently smiling to a population once mobilized against the Islamic Republic in eight years of war. The campaign underscores widespread doubts over just how independent Iraq and its majority Shiite Muslim population can remain from its eastern neighbor, the region’s Shiite heavyweight, now that US troops have left the country.

The posters of Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei first appeared in at least six Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad and across Iraq’s Shiite-dominated south in August, as part of an annual pro-Palestinian observance started years ago by Iran. They have conspicuously remained up since then. “When I see these pictures, I feel I am in Tehran, not Baghdad,” said Asim Salman, 44, a Shiite and owner of a Baghdad cafe. “Authorities must remove these posters, which make us angry.”

In Basra, located 550 km south of the capital, they hang near donation boxes decorated with scripts in both countries’ languages - Arabic and Farsi. A senior official in Baghdad’s local government said municipal Continued on Page 15

Vogue publisher to open cafe in Dubai Conde Nast also eyeing Kuwait DUBAI: Vogue’s fashion-loving fans will soon have a chance to drink in the magazine’s aura at a new cafe in Dubai.

The glossy’s global publisher, Conde Nast International, said yesterday that it expects to open the Vogue Cafe in the glitzy Gulf emirate’s largest shopping mall by the end of the year. It will be the company’s first such cafe in the Middle East, where luxury fashion labels such as Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Chanel are extremely popular among the region’s well-heeled shoppers. “The expatriate community and the local Emirati community are very conscious of brands,” said Stuart Nielsen, director of Conde Nast’s restau-

rant division. “People always love to eat and drink, and we see an opportunity because they love fashion.”

Vogue will join a fast-growing list of American brands expanding their reach to Dubai, a cosmopolitan city-state in the Arabian Gulf and trade a hub where guest workers from around the world far outnumber citizens. The emirate is home to the only Bloomingdale’s department store outside the United States, and recently received its first branches of IHOP and the Cheesecake Factory. The cafe will be surrounded by high-end fashion and shoe stores in Dubai Mall.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

LOCAL

40% internet subscription fee slash KUWAIT: The Minister of Communications and acting Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Salem Al-Othainah issued yesterday a deision that obliges internet-providers to slash subscription fees for domestic connections by at least 40 pct.

The prices reduction is the second called for by the minister dur-

ing his time in office, he mentioned, and aims to ensure the availability of the service to all segments of the society.

In addition, the decision prevents the bandwidth cap policy for wi-fi services, read a press statement. The maximum subscription fee for domestic internet services, after the decision, were

set as KD 48 for one MB/sec, KD 77 two MB/s, KD 104 for three MB/s, KD 130 for four MB/s, KD 148 for five MB/s, KD 156 for six MB/s, KD 183 for seven MB/s and KD 200 for eight MB/s.

The statement said that the decision will take effect as of the date of its announcement in official newspapers. — KUNA

Smart phones photography exhibition in Shuwaikh First of its kind in Kuwait

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The Gallery Tilal in Shuwaikh area is hosting a five-day exhibition called SmartPhoe-o-graphy, which began on Sept 23 and is expected to conclude on Sept 27.

This is the first exhibition of its kind to be held in Kuwait, and includes an exhibition of photographs taken by smart phones.

Out of the more than 200 photographs that were sent to the organizers of the exhibition, the 70 best will be chosen. Around 40 participants had applied for having their photographs displayed at the exhibition, with each of them being allowed to submit a maximum of three photographs. It was up to the organizers to choose any or accept all the entries. The participants of the exhibition are from different age groups and occupations. Besides a host of local participants, people from Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia are also taking part in the event.

All the displayed photographs will be sold for a fixed price of KD 60. The photos, which are of different sizes, showcase a variety of subjects from people, animals, nature, buildings, and places to varied objects. All the photographs were taken by smart phones, in and outside Kuwait during different time periods.

Fatma Al-Babtain, a 19-year-old student at the Kuwait University is one of the participants. She had submitted a single photograph, clicked in Mecca, KSA in February this year. “Besides this photograph, I had also submitted two others, one of a flower and another of a fisherman. I started pursuing photography as a hobby with a small camera and then switched to a smart phone around two years ago. This is my first entry into such an exhibition and I’m happy with my participation, as the smart phone allows you to show real creativity, as the shot is captured based on your view and not the camera’s,” she told the Kuwait Times.

Abdullah Al-Osaimi, another participant, had submitted two photographs, both of camels, which were taken in the desert. “I titled these photos ‘Gharebeel Alziman’, and had shot them in the Kuwaiti desert of Subiya in 2011. The idea behind this exhibition is new and innovative.

This exhibition has allowed many people, who have an artistic sense, to discover their abilities by shooting with the smart phones. I have already participated in many other

KUWAIT: The owner of the gallery during the launching ceremony of the Smart Phone-o-Graphy exhibition at the Tilal Gallery in Shuwaikh.

KUWAIT: Fatma Al-Babtain with her family at the exhibition. exhibitions held in Russia, Ukraine, Morocco and elsewhere, and have also won six awards from different exhibitions,” he pointed out.

Another participant, who submitted two photographs, is Iman Jamal.

“I have participated in many photography exhibitions in Kuwait and in countries such as Austria, Qatar, UAE and others previously, where I won awards, but this is the first exhibition where I am displaying photographs taken with a smart phone.

I’m a member of Beit Lothan and this helped me in practicing my hobby, which I started six years ago.

One of my photographs is from Maldives, while the other was taken in Dubai,” she explained.

Maha Al-Asaaker is a professional freelance photographer. She too, has already participated in some photo exhibitions, but has slowed down a bit after becoming a fulltime professional photographer. “I participated in this exhibition because I noticed the novelty of the

idea, which proves that people can capture beautiful shots with even their smart phone. I’ve entered two photographs into the fray. One was taken in Dubai during a workshop, which shows a model wearing a wedding dress, while the second was shot on the subway in New York,” she stated.

KUWAIT: One of the photographs on display. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

‘US soldier’s body sent home missing heart’ KUWAIT: The family of an American soldier who died in Kuwait has filed an official complaint claiming that the man’s body was returned to the United States without a heart, a local daily reported yesterday.

The family plans to hire lawyers “who will go to the fullest extent” to learn why the man’s heart was

removed, along with other parts of his body including his brain”, Al-Rai reported, citing “informed sources”.

Meanwhile, a senior official at the Interior Ministry’s Criminal Evidence General Department confirmed, when contacted to verify the news, that “the US Embassy in Kuwait sent a request to inquire about the cause of the sol-

dier’s death, as well as the procedures taken afterwards with regards to taking samples from his body”. The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, indicated that their work at the forensic department requires “taking small samples” from victims “as a necessary step to determine the cause of death”. — Al-Rai

Bedoon girl found dead

By Hanan Al Saadoun KUWAIT: Security sources revealed that a 17-year-old bedoon girl was found dead in her room in Sulaibiya. The girl reportedly died after tying a rope around her neck, her brother said. The brother told security sources that he was surprised to see rope around his sister’s neck when he entered her room and found her unconscious. He then rushed her to the Sulaibiya clinic, where she was declared dead. However, the girl’s brother was detained by detectives for further interrogation.

Guard beaten An Egyptian guard at the Kuwaiti University reported to the Odaliya police station that a student of applied education had allegedly beaten him when he singled out the boy for entering the campus dressed in a pair of shorts. The guard said he had stopped the boy based on university instructions that prohibit anyone partially dressed from entering the campus. After being stopped, the student allegedly hit the guard, who supported his claim with a medical report, following which a case was filed.

Sabahiya fight A fight broke out among eight members of a family in the Sabahiya area. Investigations revealed that the reason for the fight was the house owner insisting on kicking out a tenant. The relatives of the owner or land lord gathered together and fought with the tenant, following which four casualties from both groups were reported. A case has been filed.

Sulaibikhat fire The Sulaibikhat fire station received a report about a fire that broke out in a tent near a house under construction in the Qairawan area. While the fire fighting vehicles were on the way, their passage was blocked by some teenagers, who threw stones at them and which resulted in damaging some of the firefighter’s equipment. But the firemen avoided the obstruction and continued on their mission and were able to bring the fire under control.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

local

KUWAIT: Saudi Ambassador Dr Abdul-Aziz Al-Fayez held a ceremony to celebrate the Kingdom’s 82nd anniversary, attended by top state officials, diplomats, parliament members and other dignitaries.

— Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Official denies Zoor plant delay report KUWAIT: A top official at the Ministry of Electricity and Water insisted that the tendering procedure for the Al-Zoor Power Plant project was on track and denied earlier reports that quoted her saying that the project was delayed.

“What I actually said was that delaying the signing of contracts would mean that the date for making the plant fully operational would be pushed from 2014 to 2015,” the Director of the Studies and Research Department, Suhailah Ma’rafi told the AlQabas daily on Monday during a telephone interview from Dubai.

The Bloomberg newswire had reported on Monday that the station, “will be operational a year later than planned,” quoting Ma’rafi as saying that “the plant will be delayed and only be ready in 2015” as the Ministry was “waiting to establish Al Zour North Co.” in order to build the plant.

The report recognized the “opposition against the construction contract in Kuwait’s parliament as lawmakers had questioned the then-Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shimali over his alleged failure to establish a shareholding company for building the 1,500-megawatt plant.” “Kuwait’s Partnerships Technical Bureau, which awarded the tender, ignored the correct procedure for implementation of the law and paid no attention to its articles, thereby invalidating measures taken by the bureau,” the report stated, quoting a copy of the request filed by opposition MPs in May. A group led by the Paris-based GDF Suez (GSZ) had won the tender for completing Phase one of the Al-Zour North plant in February, which will cost as much as $3 billion, Bloomberg reported. “The government plans to hold a maximum of 10 percent of the company responsible for building the plant while a strategic investor will hold 40 percent. The remaining 50 percent is to be sold in an initial public offering,” the report said, recognizing the project as “part of the country’s $111 billion development plan to modernize and restructure Kuwait’s oil-based economy.”

Ma’rafi told Bloomberg that the project was needed to meet public demand for power “that is set to increase to 21,600 megawatts in 18 years.” Demand currently stands at 11,850 megawatts, while production capacity is estimated at 14,200 megawatts. Kuwait plans to raise its total power capacity to 25,000 megawatts by 2020 through building additional phases of the North Zour plant and developing renewable energy projects, Ma’rafi further explained.

News

in brief

Baseless accusations KUWAIT: Member of Parliament Khalid Al Sultan said accusations about the Muslim Brotherhood planning to take over Kuwait began two years ago. He added that he did not believe that anyone will agree with these lies, especially since available evidence refutes the lies, which were believed by some Islamists and members of the public. AlSultan said those who are making the accusations must present evidence to support what they are saying, and not just made up evidence by the intelligence service. He said the Moslem Brotherhood was founded in Kuwait in the 1950s and there is nothing in their history about such goals.

He noted that some members of the intelligence service of an Arab country came to Kuwait during the Iraqi occupation to seek out those who might be ready to govern Kuwait. So if the Brotherhood planned for this, they would have been accepted, since they had a role in the resistance and restoring legitimacy, while some of those accusing them were hiding under their mother’s “Abaya.”

Fireworks purchase KUWAIT: The central tenders committee approved a tender to purchase fireworks worth KD 4.164 million to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the constitution on Nov 11, 2012.

Road tunnel project KUWAIT: The idea of constructing a bridge above the Fourth Ring Road to solve the traffic problem has been changed to building a tunnel under the road, whose length would be as long as the road itself. Public Works Minister Dr Fadhel Safar said the three-party committee, which includes representatives from the interior and public works ministries and the municipality, agreed in principle to build the tunnel, which will be at a medium depth, resulting in there being two roads without traffic lights. He said work on the tunnel will start immediately after the National Assembly approves the project. He noted that technical reasons led to canceling the bridge idea, as it required the removal of some nearby homes close to the road.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

LOCAL kuwait digest

kuwait digest

An open letter to the govt

Public access to government information

By Nasser Al Hussaini our Highness, the Prime Minister, Good morning.

Without introducing myself, I would like to say frankly that if the government urges the public to respect the law, it should first set an example by respecting the law itself. If the government demands justice, then it should begin by being just itself. If the government has done exactly this, then it does have the right to stop certain laws from being enforced. But the government itself did not respect laws and was not just. This government likes ordering everyone to do good and does the exact opposite itself, which has happened recently. The existence of five constituencies was refuted on the grounds of injustice, and the matter was sent to a constitutional court for adjudication. The government has refused to write off loans and on the grounds of the same justice also refused to grant admission to deserving students. Some students, who had applied for admission in the officers college for gaining entry into the army, police, national guards, and fire department, etc met with all the required conditions for admission, secured higher than average marks but were still not accepted, while those who did not meet the admission criteria and had even gotten below average marks were accepted. This was because they used the route of ‘wasta.’ Was admitting such students justified? Is justice applicable only to those who offer ‘wasta’? Does refusing to grant admission to those who respect the law and get high scores qualify as respecting the law?

Your Highness, the ‘Dawameen’ allege every year that after submitting their applications for admission in the officers college that only ‘wasta’ will get them in and not a just and law-abiding government. Every year Kuwaiti fathers are insulted for their efforts in finding a ‘wasta’ for their sons and roaming from one ‘deewaniya’ to another. I think you would not accept such insults meted out to the Kuwaiti people. Therefore, I wish that you put an end to this issue by deciding that next year officers will gain admission in all military organizations through a system of lots. Through this decision, you will receive everyone’s good wishes and the Kuwaiti people will be happy with you and your government.

Further, some ministers have taken to rotating themselves in leading ministerial positions so as to appoint their tribal relatives or place them as assistant undersecretaries and undersecretaries. Fair enough, but if I do not have a relative from my tribe or sect who is a minister, then do I deserve this post, or will I lose my right to be appointed to such a position? Where is the justice that the government keeps harping on? Or is justice the curtain that the government hides behind when it has to draw attention away from decisions it does not like. In such instances, the government often uses slogans like, ‘refusing sectarians and racism’ but how can the government raise such slogans, when its own ministers are appointing their cousins to leading governmental positions? And they tell you that Kuwait is an organized state. No, it is a state where the strong victimize the weak. -—Alam Alyaum

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

Y

here is an urgent need for the formulation of a law that protects the public’s right to access general information and data. Forcing the State Department to make their entire activities public is the only way to ensure their safety and legality. We shouldn’t be dependent on chance or political disputes for our knowledge of crucial information, which might be disseminated by opposing political factions and in any case might also be inaccurate, depending on which side of the conflict is the source of the information.

For instance, the recent controversy stemming from the admission process at the Police Academy was blown out of proportion by the people who were seeking to expose or damage the integrity of the opposition, which has been accused of taking favors for students close to them. This case, like many others before it, was brought to light as a result of the struggle between influential and conflicting politicians, who enjoy better access to public and even confidential information.

There are many services that the government provides to the citizens of Kuwait. However, gaining access to these services is dependent on certain conditions and priorities. Unfortunately, many and especially people with influence in the government, use these services for drawing benefits for the people close to them. Meanwhile, others misuse these services to gain support and increase their popularity. The real corruption takes place when unfair competition is encouraged in public services, and state funds are continually manipulated.

Simply put, I can say for sure that there isn’t a single Kuwaiti, who has never used ‘wasta’ or illegal measures for obtaining results, such as getting a house, a loan, have a fine or traffic ticket cancelled, be appointed or promoted to a position they are not qualified for, or rewarded with a scholarship they don’t deserve. The state’s overseas treatment program is probably one prime example where public services are blatantly exploited, where people faking illness are sent abroad for treatment and the cost for their trips is borne by the government, while genuinely suffering patients are neglected.

People want certain regulations in place that will make public services transparent and be supervised openly in order to ensure safety, justice and equality in Kuwaiti citizens’ access to all these services.— Al-Qabas

T

kuwait digest

Protect us from the injustice

By Fahad Dawood Al-Sabah o the Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, As a Kuwaiti and an Arab Muslim, I have suffered and am still suffering from the insults meted out by anti-Islamic groups; most recently through a low-budget movie called ‘Innocence of Muslims,’ which promotes a degrading and completely false picture for my religion and the Prophet (PBUH), who was sent to deliver God’s message to humanity.

A religion that more than 1.4 billion people around the world believe in, and is an integral part of human civilization, is being subjected to mockery and insults. These activities should be criminalized at a human level and international level, and are based on a radical ideology that can never express the essence of a heavenly religion like Islam.

They are also based on the culture of eliminating the other, which violates the UN’s Charter and international principles of peace and justice and cannot be regarded as part of the right to freedom of speech and opinion. As per Chapter 1 of the UN Charter, which insists in its first article on “maintaining international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace,” I propose that the UN release a resolution under which member states will be obligated to enforce local regulations that will ban any insult directed at any religion, especially Islam.

T

Dear Mr. Secretary General, The violence perpetrated against American diplomatic missions in reaction to the movie offending the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) will not be stopped by expressing condemnation, and that is because many Muslims feel deep inside that insults against them and their religion have been repeated in recent years as part of an organized plan of action. This form of violence threatens international peace because it establishes a platform for terrorism that the world as well as Arab and Muslim nations have suffered from the most, and drives extremist groups to shed more blood and justify their committing terrorist activities similar to the ones carried out around the world during the past four decades.

And since the first mission of the United Nations is to, “eliminate the reasons that threaten international peace,” the UN should work towards protecting 1.4 billion people from the injustice that they are

subjected to by extremist groups, who offer reasons that other similar groups do for committing more violence. Is it fair that at the beginning of the third millennium and in light of the advancement in civilization, loopholes are still present that prevent actions from being taken to protect nations and heavenly religions from offence under the pretext of freedom of opinion and expression? As per the right to freedom of opinion and expression as mentioned in the Constitution of the State of Kuwait which I belong to, and as per my rights protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I present to you, on behalf of 1.4 billion Muslims around the world, this proposal that I hope will be given due consideration and the opportunity to be enforced during the next session of the UN General Assembly. The proposal is aimed at banning any insults or assault against a religion, the Prophet or the Holy Book revered by any group of people. The proposal is as follows: 1- Member states are committed to ban any person, organization, authority or group, which allows people of any nationality or persons living on its lands to practice any action under its sovereign rule that offends any religion, prophet, or holy figures revered by followers of said religions.

2- Since the UN Charter is based on equality among people and rejection of discrimination based on race, religion or any other form, member states must allow any group of citizens or people living on its lands to practice their religious rituals, and protect them if necessary from any form of attack practiced by other radical groups.

3- Member states must prevent assault against any religion, followers of religion, prophets or holy figures through regulations similar to those that ban questioning the Holocaust or advocating racial discrimination in media and research.

4- Taking legal action against people who mocked and insulted Muslims, their Prophet and their beliefs through publications, cartoons, or video footage, and requiring that member states confiscate and destroy such material and prosecute their producers.

This proposal shouldn’t be controversial for member states if taken seriously because it does not violate their laws and constitutional regulations. It further encourages dialogue between nations, and restores the UN’s role as the last resort for all nations.—Al-Rai

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

LOCAL

Man held for sexually assaulting daughter Youth rapes ex-girlfriend after breakup KUWAIT: A man accused of sexually assaulting his daughter was arrested on Monday, less than 24 hours after the crime was first reported. The 18-year-old victim was brought to the Jahra police station by her mother, after the former decided to speak up against her father’s repeated assault. In new information provided during investigations, the girl explained that her father had started abusing her when she was 12 or 13 years of age, adding that he would beat and threaten her and asked her not to mention the assault to anyone. Sources with knowledge of the investigation said that the suspect, a military official, was taken to the forensic department for testing. He was reportedly arrested soon after the police listened to a recording of a recent phone conversation between him and his daughter, during which, he was heard saying, “Don’t tell me you told them about what’s between us.” He remains in the custody of the Criminal Investigations General Department.

If found guilty, the man could face death penalty as per Kuwait’s Penal Code.

Filipina victim said that the suspect assaulted her after forcing himself inside her apartment when she answered the door. The incident took place a few days after the woman had decided to break up with the Egyptian man because she realized that, “he only wanted to stay in the relationship for sexual gratification.”

Angry lover Police are searching for a youth accused of raping his ex-girlfriend after she broke up with him. In her statement given to police officers at the Abu Halifa police station, the

Drunken teenagers Fourteen drunken teenagers were arrested at a public place in the Kuwait City, after the police received reports of the group, who seemed to be under the influence, creating a

Drunk enters mosque A drunken man, who had entered a mosque; not to ask for God’s forgiveness but to make offensive remarks, was taken into police custody. The incident, which took place recently in Adailiya, was reported by mosque officials who alleged the man had entered the mosque while under the influence of alcohol.

Following reports of ‘a man in an unstable condition having entered the mosque and insulting the God Almighty’ police arrived at the scene shortly afterwards and placed the suspect under arrest. He was taken to the area’s police station where he will be held and charged.

ruckus in the area. The young men, who were all indentified as Arab nationals were placed under arrest, after the police confirmed they were drunk, while three homebrewed liquor bottles were found in their possession. They were taken to the concerned authorities to face charges.

Gambling lord The police have arrested a man accused of indulging in gambling activities inside several apartments around the Capital Governorate.

The arrest took place following police investigations launched into the activities of the gang leader, who runs several gambling dens and has directs accomplices for luring customers. The accused, an Indian national, was arrested after police monitoring confirmed his illegal activities.

Shooting suspects The Jahra police are trying to identify and arrest two male suspects accused of firing gunshots at a man in Sulaibiya recently.

Investigations are underway after a Bedoon (stateless) man in his thirties reported that two people had shot at him while he was going home one night. The man could not identify the suspects, whose faces were covered, he said. — Al-Watan, Al-Rai

VIVA platinum sponsor of Information Security conference KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s newest and most advanced mobile telecommunications service provider, announced yesterday that it participated in the Second Arabian Conference on Information and Communications Security (ACICS2) as the platinum sponsor, demonstrating its supporting role to political leadership and national information and communication security. The conference was held under the patronage of His Highness the Prime Minister of Kuwait who was represented by the Minister of Communications and the Chairman of the Central Agency for Information Technology, Salem Methyeb Al-Othaina at Al Raya Conference Center, Courtyard Marriott Hotel, from

Sept 24 to 26.

Last year’s inaugural conference was extremely popular amongst delegates of the GCC egovernment organizations and specialized world-class vendors, which has led to the decision to make it an annual event. Its success is an indicator of the regard delegates have for the importance of the safety issues the conference addresses, as well as demonstrating the high level of awareness regarding the integral role which information technology and security plays in Kuwait’s developing economy.

Commenting on this sponsorship, Salman Bin Abdul Aziz AlBadran, Chief Executive Officer of VIVA and one of the key speakers at the conference said, “ This

sponsorship and VIVA’s participation stems from our deep understanding of the rapid development of technology surrounding information and communication security, in addition to the vital role we, as a communications service provider, play in addressing related challenges. VIVA is extremely conscious of the threats and risks national security systems may encounter and is very well qualified to partner with the political leadership and ministries to guarantee a safer and more prosperous Kuwait”.

This year’s conference focuses on the increased security threats that the nation’s computer systems and information assets encounter on a daily basis. It also reviews the progress made in building the necessary legislative base and regulations related to information security, and discusses the impact of cloud computing and the new security challenges facing the e-government programs. The conference will also address human resources as the main success factor in minimizing or eliminating information security risks.

VIVA will continue to support and aid the development and progress of Kuwait’s communications industry in relation to enhancing operating and security systems, and will play an active role wherever possible.

VIVA is the newest, most advanced mobile telecommunications service provider in

Kuwait. Launched in December 2008, VIVA makes things Possible for our customers by transforming communication, information and entertainment experiences.

The company has rapidly established an unrivalled position in the market through our customer and employee centric approach.

VIVA’s quest is to be the mobile brand of choice for Kuwait by being transparent, engaging, energetic and fulfilling.

VIVA continues to take a considerable share of the market by offering an innovative range of best value products, services and content propositions; a state of the art, nationwide network and world-class service.

VIVA offers Internet speed up to 42.2Mbps due to the implementation of the most advanced third generation (3G and HSDPA) network in Kuwait resulting in superior coverage, performance and reliability.

KUWAIT: Assistant Undersecretary for Information Technology and Communications at the Ministry of Interior, Sheikh Meshal Jaber Al-Abdullah AlJaber Al-Sabah, met the Director of the Personal Computers Division at the General Department of Information Systems, Col Tariq Al-Dousary; who presented the official with a copy of his Master’s Degree thesis titled “Leadership and Control Center for Central Electronic Services”.

Kuwait to survey Alzheimer’s cases KUWAIT: Minister of Health Dr Ali AlObaidi has highlighted the need for conducting a survey on Alzheimer’s cases nationwide as a prelude to developing a national medical care program for the patients.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a regional conference on the disease, the minister called on all officials of his ministry and specialists, notably the neurologists and psychiatrists to contribute to this medical care program.

The conference, titled “Alzheimer’s challenges and hopes,” was held at the Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, under the auspices and in the presence of the minister.

“The Ministry will put all its facilities at the disposal of the program and cooperate with the specialized medical centers and clinics in this regard,“ Dr. Al-Obaidi promised. The planned survey with help identify the loopholes and shortcomings in the medical programs relating to the patients and the elderly people in general, the minister noted.

He praised the Women’s Social and Cultural Society for raising the issue of Alzheimer’s, one of the health problems for growing number of elderly people.

“The topic of the conference is in keeping with the World Health Organization (WHO) decision to designate “Aging and

health” as the theme of this year’s World Health Day, which fell on April 7,” he pointed out.

“The World Health Day provided an opportunity for the ministry to review its programs and strategies for caring for this segment of the society who spared no effort in serving their country throughout their lifetimes,” he added.

The number of Kuwaitis above the age of 60 years amounts to some 60,000 and represents 5.17 percent of the total population of the country according to the 2011 census, he went on.

On the global scale the ratio of this segment of people to the world population will double from 11 percent in 2000 to 22 percent in 2050, he added, citing WHO statistics.

On her part, Chairperson of the Women’s Social and Cultural Society Sheikha Al-Nisf said the advancement of the medical care worldwide contributes to longing the people’s live span.

“This in turn increasing the health problems of the elderly people such as Alzheimer’s which leads gradually to death,” she warned, noting that the number of people above the age of 60 years worldwide amounted to 605 million.

Al-Nisf added that her association works to raise public awareness about this serious mental illness. — KUNA

Kuwait committed to UNHRC’s Periodic Review GENEVA: The State of Kuwait has affirmed before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) the importance of the Universal Periodic Review summited by World countries in protecting human rights.

The diplomatic attache of the permanent Kuwaiti delegation at the UN in Geneva Rania Al-Mulaifi said, addressing the assembly, that “the Universal Periodic Review encourages world countries to commit to international regulations regarding human rights.”

Al-Mulaifi noted that Kuwait has set an example in adhering to this UN mechanism when experts in the private sector and civic community bodies wrote the

country’s human rights national report in May 2010.

Kuwait has agreed to all of the UN recommendations on this issue and is working extensively to submit periodical reports to promote and protect human rights at all levels, she further pointed out.

The attachÈ went on saying that the state of Kuwait handed a report on civil and political rights in October 2011 and another one on judicial discrimination against women in February 2012.

Other reports on economic, social, and cultural rights are waiting to be discussed at the Human Rights Commission. —KUNA

Universal Postal Congress kicks off KUWAIT: NBK Executive Management in a group photo with new recruits.

NBK wins Localization Award KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) received “The Localization Award” from the GCC Council of Ministers of Labour for the second consecutive year.

Emad Al-Ablani, NBK Deputy General Manager, Human Resources Group, received the award from the Minister of Communications and Acting Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Salem Al-Othaina and the Undersecretary of Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour Mohammad AlKandari during a special ceremony held in Riyadh.

“It is indeed a source of immense honor and pride for NBK to win this highly prestigious award for the second consecutive year,” said AlAblani. “The award is a testament of NBK’s commitment to supporting talented and qualified Kuwaiti nationals and empowering them to realize their potentials.”

Al-Ablani added: “NBK maintains its position as one of the country’s largest private sector employers. This drive is also an illustration of the bank’s continuing endeavors to provide career opportunities for nationals and to support the country’s aim to encourage young nationals to assume roles in the private sector.”

In addition to recruiting young nationals, NBK offers many training programs to constantly develop the skills of its employees. NBK’s training programs include NBK Academy, the Summer Internship Program and the first of its kind in the region the NBK High Fliers Program in collaboration with the American University of Beirut.

KUWAIT: Emad Al-Ablani receives the award from Salem AlOthaina and Mohammad Al-Kandari.

DOHA: The 25th Universal Postal Congress of the UN Universal Postal Union (UPU) kick-started here on Monday, attracting more than 2,000 delegates from several world countries.

This year’s congress entitled “New World, New Strategy” is going to examine the challenges that have arisen for the global postal sector and how to strengthen its services worldwide.

Addressing the conference, Director General of the UN Universal Postal Union (UPU), Edouard Dayan, said: “These new realities have known no borders and have extended to all postal operators worldwide, regardless of their level of development.”

He said the Congress that opens today must champion the values of our organization: universality, solidarity and communication among peoples.

“This Congress embraces the values of the postal community, but also heralds the future, that of a modernized, efficient and solid organization, and of global postal services at the heart of the economy, trade and the information society,” he added.

In his message to the opening session, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recognized the role of the global postal net-

work in social and economic development.

“Postal services are universal. They connect people throughout the world,” he said.

“By serving as natural gateways to the information society, the world’s postal outlets are helping to ensure universal access to communications,” Ban added.

The 25th Universal Postal Congress brings together postal leaders and stakeholders from the UPU’s 192 member countries to decide on the global postal sector’s future.

The Congress will examine proposals to modify the rules and regulations governing the exchange of international mail, as well as major documents recommending the way forward in areas such as postal financial services, quality of service, postal security, e-commerce and trade facilitation.

The three-week meeting hopes to adopt the Doha Postal Strategy, the UPU’s strategic document for the future.

The strategy underlines the postal network’s three dimensions: physical, electronic and financial as well as interconnection, governance and development, as key factors to strengthen postal services worldwide. —KUNA

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

LOCAL

Porous borders blamed for thriving drug business 50,000 addicts in Kuwait KUWAIT: On an average, four drug suspects are arrested and three drug cases are filed in Kuwait every day. Additionally, at least one kilogram of hashish and 4,000 drug pills are recovered in the country on a daily basis. These statistics have been mentioned in a comprehensive investigative report published by a local daily on the course of two days, which attempted to shed light on the problem that poses a serious threat to the Kuwaiti society. The report also tries to articulate the reasons behind the drug trade continuing to thrive, despite pictures of arrested drug dealers being splashed across crime pages on a regular basis.

The report starts by highlighting statistics, which indicated that nearly 60 people overdosed on drugs in Kuwait last year, a jump of at least 20 percent compared with the victims’ tally in the year before that. These statistics were released by the Ministry of Interior ’s Criminal Evidence General Depar tment and obtained by the Al-Qabas through a security source, who revealed that tests conducted on samples of heroine recovered in Kuwait often show that the drug is mixed with toxic substances in order to increase their volume.

The source, who preferred to keep his identity anonymous, said that by the end of August this year, at least 65 people were said to have been killed by drug overdoses.

Meanwhile, another source expressed concern about Kuwait “being turned into a transit station” by major drug dealers operating in the region, saying that efforts aimed at supervising Kuwait’s borders, which include coordinating with Iranian and Iraqi authorities, have been marred by problems, “especially on the Iraqi side, which is unable to monitor and control the activities of certain groups.”

The anonymous source identified the joint zone between the Kuwaiti, Iraqi and Iranian territorial waters as “the location

where organized drug trafficking groups carry out most of their activities.”

The report also mentioned a statement made last month by an Interior Ministry insider, in which he indicated that drugs confiscated in Kuwait form only about 15 percent of the total amount that is smuggled into the country. According to official Drug Control General Department statistics, 430 kg of hashish, 10 kg of opium and 5kg of heroin were caught in Kuwait last year, which gives some idea about the enormity of the volume of drug trade conducted in this small Gulf state.

Kuwait’s long coastline, coupled with inefficient monitoring on land border checkpoints, seaports and at the Kuwait International Airport, in addition to a shortage of drug inspectors at the DGCA, are the three main factors identified by a security source that make smuggling drugs relatively easier in Kuwait.

Moreover, the source who also requested anonymity, hinted at the possibility of “drug deals” taking place between corrupt cops and drug dealers, wherein an officer is allowed to bust a large number of drugs deals through procedures that lack proper arrest requirements and eventually result in the dealers escaping punishment. The Al-Qabas also quoted a study prepared by the Statistics and Research Department at the Justice Ministry, which indicated that nearly 40 percent of drug cases tried by Kuwaiti courts in the last ten years have ended with acquittals, setting 4,421 drug suspects free. On the other hand, the statistics also show that 6,843 persons were convicted, including 71 sentenced to death and 711 to life in prison after being found guilty of drug trafficking. Legal sources told the AlQabas that nearly 80 percent of the acquittals take place on account of improper search and faulty arrest procedures.

The statistics also showed that during the same period, 5,207 cases of posses-

KUWAIT: Sheikha Ayeda Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, Nabila Al-Anjeri and other dignitaries at the GCC Women Economic Forum. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Investment in women to help boost GCC relations KUWAIT: Sheikha Ayeda Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah stressed that investing in GCC women, who have managed to assume the highest positions in business, is one of the most successful investments in human resources and that all government and private sector establishments should give it due consideration.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 2nd GCC Women Economic Forum (GCCWEF) held under her patronage, Al-Sabah said that the forum was a manifestation of the impor tance being given to such investments and stressed that it will provide a good oppor tunity for enhancing relations amongst GCC businesswomen.

On her part, the head of the organizing committee and the General

Manager of the Leaders Group Co., Nabila AL-Anjeri emphasized that the opportunity was a unique chance for GCC women to prove so many facts and promote GCC member unity at all levels. ‘Par t of these facts is the region’s constant need for enhancing cooperation, exchange expertise and ideas, and interact for achieving a better future and fulfilling the aspirations of various social sects in the Gulf region,’ she underlined.

The chair woman of the UAE Businesswomen Council Sheikhah Hind Al-Qasimi said that with the help of the free economic policy that has been adapted by the UAE government for 38 years, Emirati women have made great leaps forward in free business and investments. She added that many programs and policies have been adapted recently in the UAE to economically enable women through the establishment of creative programs at Abu Dhabiís Chamber of Commerce, which supports women in star ting their own businesses.

Sara Ak bar, Kuwait Energy Co.’s founder member and CEO said that the oil sector was still monopolized by the governments of the GCC states. ‘Nevertheless, the private sector has very good investment opportunities that might not be clear enough for ever ybody,’ she remarked adding that the GCC bourses have no oil companies, which means that the private sector is totally kept in the dark about this field.

sion of drugs with the intention of abuse were tried by the courts, compared with 1,322 cases of possession of mind-altering substances with the intention of abuse.

The majority of suspects tried were aged between 19 years and 39 years.

The report further pointed towards a direct connection between drug trafficking in Kuwait and the ability of drug dealers to continue with their activities even after being arrested. In this regard, the AlQabas mentioned several cases in which drug suspects confessed following arrests that they were working for dealers serving time in the Central Jail, where during regular searches, cell phones and drugs were found on a regular basis.

Commenting on this subject, a source speaking on the condition of anonymity stated that the presence of cell phones with inmates, “confirms that security personnel at the jail also smuggle contraband in exchange for money.” The source attempted to back up his claim by pointing out the fact that only one officer is assigned to monitor an average of 15 surveillance cameras, and held the Central Jail’s management responsible for this act of blatant negligence.

As part of its investigation, the AlQabas published an interview that took place between one of its reporters and an inmate serving a 15-year jail term on a drug trafficking charge. The prisoner claimed he had access to different types of drugs “that are sold between inmates”, adding at the same time that he had learnt several tricks “from major drug traffickers” for smuggling drugs into his cell.

The man also claimed that police officers, cleaning workers as well as other employees of the jail help smuggle drugs to dealers in the prison.

To get a more comprehensive view of the extent to which drug addiction has spread in Kuwait, the Al-Qabas newspaper spoke with drug treatment specialist Haitham Al-Ostath, who mentioned that

as per United Nations statistics, there are around 50,000 drug addicts in Kuwait as opposed to the 20,000 figure estimated by the Interior Ministry. Therefore, the presence of 50,000 people addicted to drugs translates in roughly 5 percent of the country’s total population.

“A United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report shows that the worldwide average of drugs caught is equivalent to 10 % of the total amount smuggled,” AlOstath said, while explaining how the massive supply of drugs has led to a drop in its prices. In Kuwait, a gram of heroin is currently sold for KD30, down from KD100 in 1996, Al-Ostath added.

Drug prices in Kuwait vary based on type and quality. According to statistics provided by a security source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, cocaine is the most expensive drug in Kuwait, with a kilogram of the drug being sold for KD70,000, while a gram is available for around KD90. Meanwhile, heroin is commonly sold for KD12,000 per kilogram, and KD20 per gram. The source acknowledged that heroin, which is sourced from Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan is the most commonly drug used in Kuwait and the Gulf region, adding that Mexico is the main source of cocaine that is supplied to the region.

Commenting on the availability of hashish, the source identified the two types that are obtainable in the local market. The first kind is the ‘blonde’ type that comes from Lebanon and is sold for KD1400 per kilogram, and the second is a ‘dark’ type that is procured from Iran and is available for KD1200 per kilogram.

Opium, which also comes primarily from Iran, is sold for KD800 per kilogram, said the source, adding that the drug is also available in cigarette-like pieces, which are sold for KD20 each. The source also mentioned that several kinds of drug pills are also sold in Kuwait; the most widely used is the captagon pill that is sold for

KD2 per tablet, and another kind known as ACC, which is available for KD5 per tablet. Al-Ostath pointed out the growing popularity of another drug in tablet form that is mostly used by young addicts and is locally referred to as ‘strawberry,’ due to its pink color. The pill is actually tramadol, and unlike the 50 gram pill that is used for medicinal reasons, drug addicts consume a type in which the concentration reaches 225 grams, and has a narcotic effect. AlOstath fur ther explained that many young people were increasingly taking this drug, based on a misconception that it enhances sexual ability.

In addition to several NGOs that provide drug rehabilitation programs, Kuwait also has an addiction treatment center, which is operated within the state-owned Kuwait Clinic of Psychiatry. “The center runs a strong rehabilitation program that is divided into three phases. The first phase involves the blood cleansing stage, followed by a pre-rehab stage before the actual rehab process is star ted,” Dr. Sulaiman Al-Khadhari, the head of the medical department at the hospital stated. However, the medical facility is suffering from acute staff shortage and a limited bed capacity. According to Dr. AlKhadhari, 1,522 patients were admitted to the facility last year, compared with 1,247 in 2010. Meanwhile, the hospital still has a maximum capacity of 225, and a staff that includes nine doctors and 12 psychologists. He added that the 168 patients currently admitted in the hospital are undergoing therapy. Meanwhile, the hospital’s interim President Dr. Khalid Al-Shafe’ie argued that the hospital’s current patient log does not reflect the actual number of addicts in Kuwait, especially when it comes to categorizing them based on gender. He explained that out of the 1,522 patients admitted in 2011, only 92 were females. He further added that around 900 patients have been admitted to the facility till date in 2012.— Al-Qabas

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

Radical cleric Abu Hamza set for extradition to US

Hamas head Mashaal not to run for elections Page 9

Page 11

PARIS: President of France’s National commission for computer technologies and liberties (CNIL), Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin talks with journalists as Facebook France’s managers are heard at the CNIL headquarters yesterday in Paris. Facebook managers were summoned to report whether private messages from some of the social network’s users had been published or not following a “possible technical bug”, “data presentation modifications” or “a breach of confidentiality” which occured the day before and made a buzz for several hours on the internet. — AFP

French govt summons Facebook Facebook denies messages appearing on users’ ‘Timelines’ PARIS: The French government yesterday summoned Facebook managers to explain rumours that some users’ privacy had been breached with private messages posted publicly on the social network. Facebook denied that such messages were appearing on the users’ “Timelines” which can be accessed by a large Internet audience.

But a French minister said doubt remained and urged users to file complaints if they felt their privacy had been violated.

In a joint statement, Industrial Renewal Minister Arnaud Montebourg and the junior minister for the digital economy, Fleur Pellerin, said Facebook managers had been summoned before France’s CNIL data watchdog to explain

the rumours. “Clear and transparent explanations must be given without delay,” they said.

“This incident underlines once again the importance of protecting personal data in the digital world and the lack of transparency in handling them.” The meeting between Facebook managers and CNIL officials began at lunchtime and ended after several hours. Facebook said on Monday it had investigated complaints from members and denied the reports of private messages being made public.

“A small number of users raised concerns after what they mistakenly believed to be private messages appeared on their Timeline,” the California-based social network said in an email response to an AFP inquiry.

“Our engineers investigated these reports and found that the messages were older wall posts that had always been visible on the users’ profile pages.” Concerns that private Facebook messages from 2007, 2008 or 2009 were being posted for public viewing spread wildly on Twitter on Monday after a story first appeared in the free French daily Metro.

“Facebook management is unable to give us any explanation of what happened,” Pellerin said on i-Tele television. “Today complete confusion reigns and Facebook’s explanations are not very convincing.”

“If there is ever any real certainty that private messages were made public and that there was a breach of confidentiality... I would advise peo-

ple to file a complaint. This is unacceptable,” she said. But experts rubbished the claim. “The 9/11 of private life has not happened,” said Vincent Glad from Slate.fr, the French incarnation of the US-based online current affairs and culture magazine. Glad said a similar rumour circulated in Finland last year and was denied.

US technology news website Techcrunch said: “We have found no evidence that the allegedly exposed posts were actually private messages. Our Facebook specialist ... found that email receipts show allegedly exposed messages were in fact Wall posts, and the posts do not appear in users’ Facebook Messages inbox.” Katie Rogers, the social news editor of the Guardian newspaper, said she “went

Syria fighting rages as world leaders meet at UN ALEPPO: Fierce fighting raged in key Syrian cities yesterday ahead of the UN General Assembly meeting, as international peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi said he saw no end in sight to the brutal 18-month old conflict.

Global Aid agency “Save the Children” said that Syrian children are being “badly traumatised” after witnessing killings, torture and other atrocities, a day after at least 12 children were among 116 people reported killed nationwide.

Powerful explosions also rocked a military building in Damascus, causing casualties, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. “The explosions were so powerful that the walls collapsed,” Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP of the headquarters on the Damascus airport road of the administration that manages schools for the children of martyred soldiers.

Regime forces again bombarded Aleppo in the north, focusing on the Hanano and Maysar districts in the east and Kalassa in the southwest, the Britain-based Observatory said. It also said soldiers shot dead a young girl when they targeted the car she was in after midnight on the motorway linking the northern commercial hub to Damascus.

On Monday Brahimi, the UN and Arab League envoy, painted a grim picture of the Syrian crisis. “There is no prospect for today or tomorrow to move forward,” he told reporters after briefing the UN Security Council on his talks in mid-September with President Bashar al-Assad.

Reporting on his first visit to Syria since assuming his post, Brahimi said Assad “knows something must change,” but he wants only a return to “the old Syria” which he and his

father have ruled for more than 40 years.

Brahimi talked of food shortages, the “mediaeval” torture of detainees, and damage to all but 200 of the country’s 2,200 schools.

The veteran troubleshooter, who took over from former UN secretary general Kofi Annan as Syria envoy on September 1, also appealed to the divided 15-nation Security Council for united backing for his efforts.

The conflict has divided the Security Council, where Russia and China have already wielded their veto powers three times to resist international action demanded by Western and many Arab states.

Syria was set to be spotlighted again later on Tuesday when US President Barack Obama is expected to lead Western demands for action on the conflict, when the annual UN General Assembly begins.

Obama will be one of the opening speakers at the gathering of world leaders where Syria, mounting fears of a military strike on Iran and anti-West protests in Muslim nations are set to dominate.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon, France’s President Francois Hollande and Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, a key backer of the Syrian opposition, are also expected to lambast Assad on the opening morning.

Ahead of the General Assembly, Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi told the US television channel PBS that he opposes any foreign military intervention in Syria but believes Assad must go.

Since mid-July, the conflict has centred on Aleppo, where Free Syrian Army rebels say they control all of the axes around the northern metropolis, and that their only real worry is attack from the air.

through archived posts on my Facebook timeline from 2008 and 2009 and cross-checked them against my private message inbox.

There was no overlap. “This is more a story about psychology than privacy-we have forgotten how much our experience of Facebook has changed in a short time,” she wrote.

A French Facebook user said two private messages had cropped up on her Timeline among many other public ones wishing her a happy birthday. “One of them was from a colleague on maternity leave... and the other was from a friend, a very private message about her boyfriend who had ditched her,” she told AFP. Facebook has about 26 million users in France. —AFP

Seven dead in Turkey blast

ALEPPO: This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows Syrian government forces speaking with Syrian women as they patrol the damaged area of the al-Arqoub district in Aleppo, Syria, yesterday. — AP The FSA said one of its commanders, regime defector Colonel Kassem Saadeddine who is also a rebel spokesman, escaped an assassination attempt early on Tuesday.

“Colonel Saadeddine’s convoy was ambushed by shabiha (pro-regime militiamen) after midnight in Salmiyeh in Hama province” in central Syria, spokesman Fahd alMasri told AFP. “A large battle ensued and the shabihas were killed. The colonel was saved.”

Saadeddine commands rebels in the central province of Homs and is also the official FSA spokesman inside Syria.

AFP reporters say troops loyal to Damascus have been forced to retreat on many fronts in the northern regions of Aleppo and Idlib, where rebels have captured hundreds of square kilometres (miles) of terri-

tory. “ The army is unable to control the ground, so it tries to stay in power by dominating the skies,” Abdel Rahman told AFP. On Monday, an air strike killed five people, including three children from the same family, in Aleppo.

The Observatory said at least 2,000 children have been killed in Syria over the past 18 months. “Children should be going back to school, but instead they are suffering extreme violence,” Abdel Rahman said. “This would not be possible were the international community not silenced by its paralysis.” Save the Children said it has collected “shocking testimony” that “children have been the targets of brutal attacks, seen the deaths of parents, siblings and other children, and have witnessed and experienced torture.”— AFP

DIYARBAKIR: Six soldiers and one civilian were killed when a bomb apparently targeting a military convoy exploded in southeastern Turkey yesterday, hospital sources said.

The powerful blast in the centre of Tunceli city destroyed a military vehicle and hit another civilian vehicle, local security sources told AFP. The local governor’s office said “seven people lost their lives according to initial findings and one was injured,” cited by the Anatolia news agency. But it would not say how many of them were soldiers.

The private NTV television network reported that the explosion caused panic among local residents, and many ambulances were rushing to the scene. It was not known who set off the bomb and there was no immediate claim of responsibility. The blast follows an escalation of Kurdish rebel attacks targeting Turkey’s security forces in the southeast, triggering full-fledged military operations in the region. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last week that 500 Kurdish rebels had been killed over the past month.

Security forces are frequent targets of attacks launched by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by Turkey and much of the international community.

Last Tuesday, 10 Turkish soldiers were killed and 70 wounded in a rocket assault by Kurdish rebels on their military convoy in southeastern Bingol province. The PKK took up arms in the southeast in 1984, sparking a conflict that has claimed about 45,000 lives. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

i n t e r n at i o n a l

Hamas head Mashaal not to run for elections Clears way to choose a new leader

NEW YORK: French President Francois Hollande (L) shakes hand with his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Morsi prior to a bilateral meeting yesterday at the UN building in New York during the annual general assembly. —AFP

Syria rebels prepare to blow up Base 46 AL-ATARIB: The roar of the approaching fighter-bomber gets louder, so the rebels preparing to assault a major military base hide themselves indoors as others move cars and motorcycles under cover among the olive trees.

Fighters of the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) took the rocky heights above the large town of Al-Atarib, west of Syria’s second city Aleppo in the north, three months ago from the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. Now they have their sights set on “Base 46.” They say they have the vital regime base two kilometres (more than a mile) away surrounded and have been attacking Assad’s forces holed up there for the past three days. They also say Base 46, inside which 1,000 regime soldiers are trapped, is a major military objective, the last link on the road to Aleppo, and that they will blow it up within several days.

Abu Sadeq, with his bushy black beard, green battledress and black desert boots, introduces himself as a rebel officer. He waits until the sound of the warplane fades before declaring: “They’re done for.”

“They’re well-armed in there-they’ve got 13 tanks and multiple rocket launchers. But we are too many for them, and we’ve cut all the roads they could use to bring in reinforcements. “Even if they try to send more armour in from Aleppo, we have booby traps everywhere. All the roads are mined. And we also have rocket-propelled grenades. If they come, we’ll destroy them,” Abu Sadeq says.

The rebels claim to have brought in at least 1,500 fighters from all across the region for this one crucial attack on Base 46. They are under the command of “general” Ahmad alFajj, himself a native of Al-Atarib. There are around 300 rebels constantly on the front

line, under fire from sharpshooters and artillery inside the base, and they rotate to the rear every eight hours for rest and recuperation.

Another officer who gives only his first name-Hussein-and says he commands the Ansar al-Haq (“Partisans of Justice”) brigade, says: “The only thing they can do is use air power. So they do it, but that still won’t save the base.”

“They fire but hardly ever hit us,” he adds, pointing to a crater five metres (yards) across between two olive trees at the foot of the hill near the road.

“They’re firing at random on Al-Atarib, hitting houses and killing only civilians. Because they don’t know where we are, and we keep on the move all the time. When we hear a MiG coming we hide, when it’s a chopper we give it all we’ve got. But often they’re flying too high.”

His men drive an AFP correspondent to a place they say was destroyed in an air raid the night before, a two-storey house now flattened, reduced to a pile of rubble three metres high.

“There was a whole family in there-four kids. They’re all dead,” sighs Abu Sadeq. “They fire at night if they see even a glimmer of light. We’ve even unscrewed the bulbs from the brake lights of our cars and bikes.” Just a few hundred people, maybe 1,000 at the most, remain of the 35,000 who lived in AlAtarib before the war. Those who remain hide in corners, startled at the mere hint of the sound of a plane.

The poorest of the poor do not even have the money to pay for the truck ride that could take them to the border with Turkey to join the rest of the refugees.— AFP

GAZA CITY: A Palestinian woman holds her national flag during a rally in front of the Palestinian Legislative Council to demand an end to Palestinian division in Gaza City yesterday. — AFP

Blasts hit oil, gas pipelines in Yemen ADEN: Two bomb blasts struck Yemen’s gas and oil pipelines that link central fields with maritime terminals on the Gulf of Aden, officials and a company statement said yesterday. The first

explosion early yesterday sabotaged the country’s sole pipeline transporting gas from fields in Marib to the southern Belhaf export terminal, Yemen LNG Company said. It went off 35 Kilometres

(22 miles) north of Balhaf Liquefication Plant, in which France’s Total has an almost 40 percent stake, the company said, adding that it “caused no victims.” The explosion occurred in the province of Shabwa, where Al-Qaeda militants remain active, and through which the 320-kilometre (200-mile) 38-inch pipeline travels, a security official said.

The second blast hit an oil pipeline operated by Korea National Oil Corporation, also in Shabwa, a local official said, adding that suspected Qaeda militants were behind the night time attack.

He said the assailants appeared to have planted the explosives underneath the 204-kilometre (128-mile) pipeline which transfers crude oil from Ayad fields in the province of Shabwa which produces around 10,000 barrels per day. Gas and oil pipelines have been a regular target for sabotage attacks in impoverished southern Arabian Peninsula nation, which relies on its modest exports as a main source of revenue. — AFP

GAZA CITY: The supreme leader of the Islamic militant group Hamas has decided to step down, clearing the way for the movement to choose a new leader for the first time in more than 15 years, two senior officials said Monday. Khaled Mashaal told a recent meeting in Cairo of Hamas’ leadership that he would not run in upcoming elections for the leadership position, said Izzat Risheq, a confidant of Mashaal who attended the gathering. Moussa Abu Marzouk, Mashaal’s deputy, also confirmed the decision.

Mashaal will remain in his post until a new leader is chosen, most likely by the end of the year. Hamas officials said the leadership change would not affect its confrontational approach to Israel. The group’s founding charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state, and its leaders have staunchly rejected Palestinian peace efforts with Israel.

It may however impact the balance between exiles like Mashaal, who tended to favor reconciliation with other Palestinian groups, and influential members from the group’s Gaza Strip stronghold who are more reluctant to give up their grip on power.

Mashaal’s announcement comes at a turbulent time for Hamas. Officials said Mashaal was motivated by a number of factors, including the Arab Spring protests jolting the region and the simmering struggle between Gaza and the exiles.

Mashaal has led Hamas since 1996, helping to build the movement into a potent force.

Under his leadership, Hamas carried out numerous suicide bombings and other attacks that killed hundreds of Israelis during a Palestinian uprising a decade ago. He also survived an Israeli assassination attack in 1997. The group has been branded a terrorist organization by Israel, the U.S.

and the EU. Forging an alliance with Iran and Syria, where the group has maintained its headquarters, it also has become an important political player. The group swept Palestinian legislative elections in 2006.

After a short-lived attempt at sharing power with President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement, Hamas overran the Gaza Strip in 2007. Hamas continues to rule Gaza, while Abbas governs in the West Bank.

The two factions have been unable to reconcile. Risheq said Mashaal told the recent leadership meeting that given the changes sweeping the region, it is time for him to step down and make way for “new blood.” But other Hamas officials say there have been differences between Mashaal and the influential Gaza leadership over key policy issues, particularly in the area of Palestinian reconciliation.

Gaza leaders believe Mashaal was too willing to make conces-

sions in attempts to reconcile with Abbas. Mashaal also may have some personal motives.

He is expected to take on a position with Hamas’ parent, the panArab Muslim Brotherhood, whose offshoots have grown in power thanks to the toppling of autocrats in the Arab Spring. Egypt’s new president, Mohammed Morsi, hails from the group. He may potentially seek a leadership role in the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Hamas has long sought a place in the PLO, which is dominated by Fatah. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing the internal workings of the group.

Although a successor has not been named, the two leading candidates are Abu Marzouk, who led Hamas in the 1990s until he was imprisoned in the US for two years, and Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. Both men are from Gaza, a reflection of the rising influence of Hamas’ Gaza wing. — AP

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

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

Victim of Guatemalan civil war massacre wins asylum in US LOS ANGELES: One of two known survivors of a notorious Guatemalan civil war massacre of 250 men, women and children in his small farming village has been granted political asylum to stay in the United States, his lawyer said on Monday.

Oscar Ramirez Casteneda, 33, who learned only last year that he had been kidnapped as a young boy by a Guatemalan army lieutenant during the 1982 bloodshed and raised by the man’s family, was notified in a letter on Saturday that he had won asylum, attorney Scott Greathead said.

“Oscar is very, very grateful to get asylum, which means he can remain in

the United States with his wife and their four children,” Greathead said.

“And if he hadn’t gotten it, his prospects would have been very, very dangerous in Guatemala because he is so implicated in these cases against members of the Guatemalan military.

A US Citizenship and Immigration Ser vices spokeswoman, Mariana Gitomer, declined to comment, citing the agency’s policy against discussing asylum cases.

Casteneda received the letter granting him asylum one day after a former Guatemalan army commando accused of taking part in the massacre in the village of Dos Erres was extradited to

the United States from Canada to face charges that he lied about his past to gain U.S. citizenship.

Jorge Sosa, 54, also known as Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes, was due to make an initial court appearance in U.S. District Court in Riverside, east of Los Angeles, later on Monday.

U.S. prosecutors, who have no jurisdiction in Guatemala, have not charged Sosa in connection with the massacre but say that if he is convicted he could be sent back to his home country to face charges there after serving his US sentence.

Casteneda, now a restaurant manager in Framingham, Massachusetts,

was assisting prosecutors in the case against Sosa and other members of a Guatemalan special forces unit known as the “Kaibiles” accused of taking part in the horrific events at Dos Erres, Greathead said.

Nearly all of the 250 people living in Dos Erres perished over three days in what is considered one of the worst atrocities of Guatemala’s bloody, 36year civil war.

Many of the victims were killed with a blow from a sledgehammer and dumped into a well, and women and girls were raped before they were murdered. The Kaibiles unit had been dispatched to Dos Erres to find mem-

bers of a guerrilla group that had ambushed a military convoy in November 1982, killing soldiers and taking their weapons.

Casteneda, who was 3 years of age at the time, is one of only two people believed to have survived, along with a 5-year-old boy who also was abducted by soldiers, Greathead said.

Casteneda’s mother and eight siblings died in the attack, and his father, who was away from the village at the time, believed that his 3-year-old son had perished as well, until DNA tests established that his child had survived, leading to a reunion between the two men. — Reuters

Obama leads Western calls for UN action on Syria Egypt’s president says Assad should step down

FORT WAYNE: Jennifer Min, 13, photographs the stage where Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi will speak in Fort Wayne, Ind., yesterday. Fort Wayne is home to one of the United States’ largest Burmese populations. — AP

Thousands of Burmese to greet Suu Kyi in Indiana FORT WAYNE: Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s devoted followers are expected to turn out by the thousands to hear her speak in an Indiana city where one of the largest Burmese communities in the United States has taken root. The visit by the 67-year-old Nobel laureate, who spent 15 years under house arrest for opposing military rule, marks the zenith of a twodecade influx of Burmese refugees that has brought a new global awareness to Fort Wayne, Indiana, a city of 256,000 about two hours north of Indianapolis.

Organizers say security will be tight for Suu Kyi’s speech at Memorial Coliseum. At least 7,000 people from as far away as Toronto and Minneapolis have indicated they’ll attend the speech, which Suu Kyi will deliver in Burmese with English translations on video. The visit is part of a 17-day trip to the U.S. during which she has met with President Barack Obama and received the Congressional Gold Medal.

Since 1991, when a single Burmese refugee resettled in this city 8,000 miles from southeast Asia, thousands more have followed, many of them relocating under a federal program after years in refugee camps in Thailand. They join other political refugees from a host of countries who have made the city a second home since the fall of Saigon in 1975, thanks largely to the help of Catholic Charities.

The 2010 census found 3,800 Burmese in Allen County, but Fred Gilbert, a retired welfare worker who now runs a website designed to help immigrants adjust to American life, says the number may be actually be a few thousand higher because some Burmese identify themselves by ethnic origin rather than nationality.

Signs welcoming Suu Kyi have been showing up throughout the city. Local students gathered recently to make flags depicting the fighting peacock that appears on the flag of the democracy movement in the country also known as Burma.

“She is the hope for the people,” said Thiha Ba Kyi, a former dentist who earned an MBA after coming to the U.S. in 1994 and now works for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and helps the Burmese opposition in exile. “She can bring democracy again in Burma.”

For many of the city’s Burmese resi-

dents, Suu Kyi’s visit will be the first tangible connection with the homeland some hope to return to one day. From this unlikely base , Suu Kyi’s followers speak out about what’s happening in their homeland through Voice of America broadcasts and YouTube videos, lobby Congress for continued economic sanctions and raise money for the opposition in Myanmar.

“They cannot talk in there, so we talk for them here,” said Ba Kyi, 57, who hosts a weekly Burmese-language talk show on local television. “We are very staunch and very outspoken. ... I believe that’s why Suu Kyi come here.”

Many Burmese refugees, like Ba Kyi, left behind careers when they fled their homeland and have had to learn new skills to get a job. U Tun Oo was elected to parliament in the 1990 election won by Suu Kyi’s party that was nullified by the military regime and served as finance minister for the elected government in exile.

“I’m finance minister in the jungle,” he said with a laugh. “Jungle minister.” Now Tun Oo, who was a construction engineer in Asia, works in a Fort Wayne factory.

When he’s not working, he heads the local branch of Suu Kyi’s party.

“We see people who were university professors and members of parliament who are very accomplished who are doing all kinds of work,” said Tom Lewandowski, president of the AFL-CIO’s area labor council. “They’ll do what it takes to get by.”

Refugees qualify for federal government assistance, but Meghan Menchhofer, a staffer at the Burmese Advocacy Center, said that while many newcomers rely on food stamps, only a handful accept cash welfare. The center, which is funded by federal grants and private donations, helps refugees find jobs and homes and navigate issues from laws and customs to getting a driver’s license.

“It was different. Vastly different. I knew very little English,” said May Ayar Oo, 26, who came to the US at age 16. She graduated in the top five in her high school class and now works as an engineer while attending graduate school.

Patrick Proctor, a member of the board of directors at the Burmese Advocacy Center, said some people in Fort Wayne harbor a negative stereotype of the Burmese who live there. —AP

BARINAS: Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles (C) after a campaign rally in Barinas, western Venezuela, Monday. Capriles and his rival, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, are satisfied with logistical preparations ahead of the arrival of election monitors from the Union of South American Nations, the group said Sunday. Unasur, which held days of meetings to get ready for the observer mission, will oversee the country’s October 7 presidential vote in which Chavez is seeking a third six-year term. Polls place him ahead of Capriles. — AFP

UNITED NATIONS: US President Barack Obama led Western demands for action on the Syrian civil war in an election-season address yesterday at the start of the UN General Assembly.

Obama was one of the opening speakers at the annual meeting of world leaders, which is expected to focus on the civil war in Syria, mounting fears of a strike on Iran and the turmoil sparked by an anti-Islam Internet video.

UN leader Ban Ki-moon, France’s President Francois Hollande and Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, a key backer of the Syrian opposition, are also expected to lambast President Bashar al-Assad on the opening morning.

The diplomatic assault will go on all week as Arab and European leaders vent their outrage after UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi warned Monday that the conflict is worsening with no immediate hope of ending the war.

Brahimi also accused Assad of using “medieval” style torture on opponents. The Islamist occupation of northern Mali, conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia’s attempts to build a new state out of the ruins of war will also be raised by leaders in New York.

The address will probably be Obama’s last major foreign policy speech before the US election on November 6.

Obama will spend only a day in New York-without the normal meetings with world leaders-before heading back to the campaign trail against Mitt Romney. White House spokesman Jay Carney insisted, however, that the address was “not a campaign speech.” “ This is a speech in which the President will make clear his views, the administration’s positions and America’s role with regards to a lot of transformation that’s happening in the world.” Stung by the deadly antiUS protests sparked by the offensive video, Carney said Obama would reiterate that the United States will “never retreat from the world” and will deliver justice to those who harm

NEW YORK: US President Barack Obama leaves the United Nations after addressing world leaders during the General Assembly yesterday in New York City. Over 120 prime ministers, presidents and monarchs are gathering this week at the UN for the annual meeting. This year’s focus among leaders will be the ongoing fighting in Syria, which is beginning to threaten regional stability. — AFP Americans. Obama is also likely to warn Iran that time is running out for a diplomatic exit from the showdown over its nuclear drive and renew his vow that he will use force, if necessary, to stop Iran from building an atomic weapon. Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defiantly warned Monday that his country did not fear a possible Israeli strike on its nuclear installations.

Speaking to CNN, Ahmadinejad sidestepped allegations that Iran is supplying arms to Assad’s regime -a longtime ally-and accused other unnamed countries of worsening the conflict by funneling arms to the opposition.

Egypt’s newly elected Islamist President Mohamed Morsi meanwhile told US public television’s Charlie Rose that he believed Assad should step down but was opposed to any military intervention in the

country. Obama’s fleeting visit to the United Nations will not include talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom he has publicly differed over the Iranian nuclear crisis. Aides said Obama’s compressed election schedule did not allow time for a meeting, sparking Republican criticism, intensified by Obama’s comment in an interview Sunday that Israeli warnings over Iran were “noise.” While the UN assembly is traditionally a forum for a US president to address the world, Obama’s speech this year will have a strong domestic undercurrent because of Romney’s recent attacks on his foreign policy. Obama and his rival will also separately address the Clinton Global Initiative, the annual meeting of former president Bill Clinton’s humanitarian foundation.

Romney on Monday accused Obama-who had spoken of “bumps

in the road” following Arab Spring uprisings-of minimizing the murder of four Americans, including US ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens, in Benghazi. “When the president was speaking about bumps in the road he was talking about the developments in the Middle East, and that includes an assassination,” Romney told NBC News.

“It includes a Muslim Brotherhood individual becoming president of Egypt, it includes Syria being in tumult, it includes Iran being on the cusp of having nuclear capability, it includes Pakistan being in commotion.”

Polls show Obama is favored to handle foreign polic y, but the Democratic narrative has been complicated by the deadly attack on the US consulate in Benghazi and antiAmerican protests in a number of Muslim nations.— AFP

Judge exonerates former LA gang member of murder LOS ANGELES: A cour troom erupted in applause, cheers and shouts of “We love you” as a former gang member imprisoned for 19 years for a murder he didn’t commit was exonerated and set free Monday. John Edward Smith, who was still in jail clothing when he appeared in court, smiled broadly, acknowledging his excited family and friends. Adding to the Hollywood-style cour troom drama, those applauding for Smith included pop star Chris Brown, who was in the same courtroom for his probation hearing involving the 2009 beating of his then-girlfriend Rihanna.

Outside cour t, Smith’s lawyer Deirdre O’Connor said Brown shook her hand and congratulated her. “Thank you for your enthusiasm,” Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg told the crowd as she vacated Smith’s convictions for murder and attempted murder in a gang-related drive-by shooting. Prosecutors told her they were convinced that the lone eyewitness to the 1993 incident had lied at Smith’s trial, naming him as the shooter. Smith always maintained he was at his grandmother’s house when the shooting occurred several blocks away. “Thank you for the opportunity to do justice,” the judge told lawyers for both sides after she announced her ruling. Smith, wearing glasses and a tan striped polo shir t, was released from a Los Angeles County jail at about 8:30 pm. He was greeted by a host of TV cameras.

“I had good days and bad days, I stayed hopeful and that’s all I could do,” he told the media gathered outside the downtown jail.

“I’m not bitter at all, because that ain’t going to get me nowhere. I’ve got to move on.”

He said he was looking forward to “going home and seeing my grandmother,” who raised him. Family members drove him to her house, which she had mortgaged to pay for his initial defense, O’Connor said.

The grandmother, 79-year-old Laura Neal, used a walker to attend the hearing earlier in the day, and wept when Schnegg announced

her decision. “I always knew he didn’t do it,” Neal told reporters after court. “I’m happy and sad. But the part of me that was in there with him - I’m free now too.” She said it was difficult to wait through the weekend after Smith’s hearing was delayed Friday. “It was hell,” Neal said. “Friday was a big disappointment.”

Smith’s lawyer, O’Connor, explained, “The closer you get to freedom, the harder it is to wait another day.” The 37-year-old Smith was 18 when he went to prison. He maintained he was at his grandmother’s house with family when the shooting took place Sept. 9, 1993, in a gang-infested area. He said he knew nothing about the crime until his mother called to tell him about it. The only eyewitness - a victim who was shot and survived - said police pressured him to identify Smith as the shooter.

Prosecutors told the judge they now believe he lied, and Schnegg found the conviction was based on perjured testimony. Smith’s exoneration was pursued by Innocence Matters, a public interest law firm in Torrance. The eyewitness, Landu Mvuemba, met with Innocence Matters representatives in 2010 and immediately blurted out that he had lied at the trial, said O’Connor, who heads the group. “Within the first two minutes of the interview, Mvuemba recanted,” O’Connor said. Mvuemba was 16 at the time of the shooting.

He told representatives of Innocence Matters, “The police told me they knew who did it,” a defense motion stated. O’Connor said Smith wept when she called him with the news about Mvuemba. “He said, ‘Why did he do it?

Why did he lie?’” O’Connor recalled.

Mvuemba said police pointed to Smith, whom he had known in elementary school, and told him other witnesses had identified Smith as the shooter. Mvuemba said he also was shown a photo of his friend DeAnthony Williams, who died in the shooting.

“I felt a lot of pressure to go along with it,” Mvuemba said. The two victims had been on the street examining the scene of another

LOS ANGELES: This undated file image provided by Deirdre O’Connor shows John Edward Smith posing with his grandmother, Laura Neal. — AP shooting the night before when a car pulled up and someone opened fire.

Mvuemba said he tried three times to tell authorities that he didn’t see enough to testify, but his pleas were ignored. “Mvuemba knew it was wrong to identify Mr. Smith as the man who shot him,” according to the defense motion. “But when he saw his deceased friend’s crying mother in the courtroom, he felt as if he had no other choice.” Mvuemba is currently imprisoned on a rape conviction. Judge Schnegg said she held many meetings with the defense and prosecution in the year since the recanting was disclosed. She told Smith in court: “You had a very committed attorney, and you had a prosecution team that did the right

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

i n t e r n at i o n a l

S Africa’s Malema to face corruption hearing JOHANNESBURG: ANC rebel Julius Malema, South African President Jacob Zuma’s most prominent critic and an advocate of mining nationalisation, appears in court yesterday on corruption charges that his supporters say are politically motivated.

Police said they would close roads around the courthouse in Polokwane, the provincial capital of Malema’s native Limpopo, 350 km (220 miles) north of Johannesburg, for one of the biggest trials since the end of apartheid in 1994.

“No lawlessness will be tolerated and those who break the law will be arrested immediately,” a police statement said, ahead of a planned demonstration by

thousands Malema’s supporters.

An arrest warrant was issued last week for the former ANC Youth League leader, with local media saying he was facing charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering in the awarding of government contracts in Limpopo.

Malema was expelled by the ruling African National Congress in April for causing rifts in the party, but has kept up his anti-Zuma tirades, saying the polygamist president should be removed since he pays more attention to his personal life than to running Africa’s biggest economy.

His supporters see him as an eventual leader of the ANC but at 31 he is too

young to replace Zuma at the head of the party that has governed South Africa for nearly two decades.

The Youth League’s new leaders, who still back Malema, dismissed the charges as a politically motivated gambit to silence Zuma’s most vocal critic ahead of an ANC leadership election in December.

“State institutions must never be used to settle political scores because that will plunge the country into a banana republic and confirms our view that we are becoming a police state,” they said in a statement.

Malema stormed back from the political wilderness in August, blaming Zuma’s administration for the police killing of 34

strikers at a platinum mine on Aug. 16 the deadliest security incident since the end of white-minority rule.

Malema’s suppor ters, who accuse Zuma of trying to sideline him ahead of the ANC election, are preparing a vigil on Tuesday night, with 15,000 people being bussed in to Polokwane, the daily Sowetan reported.

The ANC establishment has condemned Malema as an opportunist. One of South Africa’s best political speakers, Malema rose from poverty with populist calls to seize white-owned farm land and for a government takeover of crucial sectors of Africa’s largest economy.

Styling himself an “economic freedom

fighter”, he has revived a call for nationalisation of mines, an option so far shunned by the government because it would bankrupt the country but whose spectre unnerves investors in a sector producing about 6 percent of national economic output.

With a penchant for expensive cars, Swiss watches and champagne parties, Malema has been under investigation by the police’s elite Hawks detective division for alleged corruption relating to government contracts in Limpopo.

Malema has also been given a bill for nearly $2 million for unpaid taxes, the South African Revenue Service said at the weekend. —Reuters

Radical cleric Abu Hamza set for extradition to US ‘Extradition would not take place immediately’

TBILISI: A picture taken in the town of Bakuriani, 180 km west of Tbilisi, on September 18, 2012, shows Georgia’s Prime Minister, Vano Merabishvili (R), campaigning ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections. Merabishvili warned against unrest at next week’s legislative elections after a scandal over jail torture sparked protests against the administration of President Mikheil Saakashvili. — AFP

Georgia PM warns against poll unrest after jail scandal TBILISI: Georgia’s prime minister warned against unrest at next week’s legislative elections after a scandal over jail torture sparked protests against the administration of President Mikheil Saakashvili.

“Now the main task for our country is to conduct free and fair elections.

However, no free and fair elections will be possible if there is violence,” Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili told Agence France-Presse in an interview.

Videos broadcast last week showing the rape and beating of male prisoners have sparked protests. The scandal has damaged the ruling party as it faces a strong challenge at Monday’s polls from an opposition coalition led by a billionaire tycoon.

“I will personally ensure the eradication of torture and acts against human dignity in the penitentiary system,” promised Merabishvili. “The government will spare no financial and human resources to ensure that nobody ever doubts that the inmates’ safety and rights are secured,” he said.

Merabishvili used to be the powerful but publicity-shy interior minister whose widely praised reforms ended police bribe-taking, jailed gangsters and cut petty crime. His opposition critics however fear and despise him after violent crackdowns on protests in 2011 and 2007 and the murder of a young banker by interior ministry officials in 2006 during his time in charge of the police.

Since becoming prime minister in July however, he has stepped out of the shadows and into the spotlight. If the ruling party wins the elections, he could become Georgia’s top politician after constitutional changes boost the prime minister’s role in 2013 when Saakashvili’s two-term rule ends.

Merabishvili alleged that if the opposition led by tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili won office, Georgia could return to its chaotic past and even lose its independence. “I think there are three main values which are fundamental: that Georgia will never be a criminal country, that Georgia will never return to corruption, and that Georgia will be independent,” he said.

“But for some of (the opposition), these principles are not their fundamen-

tal values.” He accused the opposition of seeking to revive a system that saw Georgia dominated by the Kremlin. “It’s people who want to restore the old Soviet Union. It’s the nostalgia for old times, to return what was before. For Georgia, that means to lose independence,” he said.

A crushing defeat in a brief war with neighbour Russia in 2008 left Moscow troops permanently stationed in two Georgian breakaway provinces. The ruling party still fears further Kremlin intervention to destabilise the former Soviet republic and end its ambitions to join NATO. “Of course we worry,” Merabishvili said. “Of course Russia is a threat.” He condemned rival Ivanishvili for his refusal to chastise Russian President Vladimir Putin, who many Georgians see as a brutal invader.

“He never criticises Putin, and says that Russia is more democratic than Georgia,” Merabishvili said in disgust.

Ivanishvili denies being a Kremlin stooge and insists that his bloc, like the ruling party, wants Georgia to join NATO and the EU. Before the torture scandal erupted last week, Merabishvili was campaigning in Georgian mountain towns, trying to dispel his former image as an aloof strongman. As he drove through remote villages, he waved and shouted greetings to potential voters through the window of his jeep. Georgia, he argued, was a “failed country” before Saakashvili and his ruling United National Movement were swept to power by the 2003 ‘Rose Revolution’.

“There was huge corruption, economic collapse, non-democratic institutions.

Georgia was very bad. Now we have achieved some results but we need to continue reforms,” he said, promising to raise living standards in his still-impoverished country. Critics who accuse Saakashvili of establishing an authoritarian regime have expressed fears that the president might switch to the upgraded prime minister’s role in 2013, holding onto power like his Russian nemesis Putin. But Merabishvili insisted he had no plans to step aside. “I believe I will stay a long time,” he said. —AFP

LONDON: Britain yesterday prepared to hand over radical Muslim preacher Abu Hamza to the United States on terrorism charges after the European Court of Human Rights rejected his final appeal. The Strasbourg-based court on Monday upheld an April 10 ruling against the Egyptian-born terror suspect and four others which had approved their extradition by London, ending a long legal battle.

The development sparked another row when the BBC was forced to apologise to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II after revealing in a report that she had raised concerns with a previous government about the hook-handed cleric.

In a rare clash between two pillars of British life, the BBC said it deeply regretted the breach of confidence after a senior correspondent reported comments that the monarch made to him. Hamza and the other suspects had argued that they would face degrading treatment because they would be sent to the notorious ADX supermax prison in Florence, Colorado and would face possible multiple life sentences.

But the Grand Chamber of the European court unanimously decided there would be “no violation” of the European Convention of Human Rights if they were sent to the United States.

US Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said the United States was “pleased” by the decision and vowed to work with Britain to extradite the men. The British government also welcomed the decision but said an extradition would not take place immediately.

A government source told AFP it was “likely to be within weeks rather than days-at least a couple of weeks for arrangements to be put in place”. The BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner revealed that the queen had quizzed the previous government before Hamza’s initial arrest in 2004 as to why he was still a free man.

But within hours the broadcaster said it deeply regretted the breach of confidence and apologised, saying Gardner had revealed the details of “a private conversation which took place some years ago with the queen”.

“The conversation should have remained private and the BBC and Frank deeply regret this breach of confidence. It was wholly inappropriate,” a BBC spokesman said. “Frank is extremely sorry for the embarrassment caused and has apologised to the palace.”

Hamza, the former imam of the Finsbury Park

mosque in north London, is wanted in the United States on charges including setting up an Al-Qaeda-style training camp for militants in the northwestern US state of Oregon.

He is also accused of having sent money and recruits to assist Afghanistan’s hardline Taliban militia and Al-Qaeda, and of helping a gang of kidnappers in Yemen who abducted a 16-strong party of Western tourists in 1998.

Hamza, who is in his mid-50s and has one eye and a hook for one hand, was jailed in Britain for seven years in 2006 for using speeches on the streets of London to incite followers to murder non-believers.

He had lodged the appeal along with computer expert Babar Ahmad, who has been held in a British prison without trial for eight years after being accused of raising funds for terrorism. A campaign of support for Ahmad, run by

his family, friends and supporters, last year sent a petition signed by almost 150,000 supporters to the British government urging that he be tried in Britain.

Supporter Karl Watkin has brought a private prosecution against Ahmad in the hope that it will force a trial in Britain, but the Crown Prosecution Service has yet to make a decision on the trial.

“The principle is simple, if you are British, and alleged to have done something criminal in this country, then you get prosecuted in this country,” Watkin said. The others to lose their appeals were Syed Tahla Ahsan, Adel Abdul Bary and Khaled Al-Fawwaz.

The court suspended judgment on a sixth man, Haroon Rashid Aswat, who suffers from schizophrenia, saying it required further consultations on his condition. — AFP

LONDON: This Friday, April 30, 2004 file photo shows Muslim cleric Abu Hamza Al-Masri, as he arrives with a masked bodyguard, right, to conduct Friday prayers in the street outside the closed Finsbury Park Mosque in London. Britain is set to extradite its most recognizable extremist, Abu Hamza Al-Masri, to the United States, sending a national hate figure to face charges of helping set up a terrorist training camp in rural Oregon. — AP

Sudan, S Sudan leaders meet for third day of crisis talks ADDIS ABABA: The leaders of Sudan and South Sudan met for a third day Tuesday with progress in talks supposed to resolve a raft of contentious issues proving slower than anticipated.

Despite international pressure to reach a deal, the talks-originally billed as a one-day meeting-have reportedly run into trouble on contested border regions and security issues. “The meetings continue on Tuesday ... the issues will be discussed,” top South Sudanese official Deng Alor told reporters after the presidents broke late Monday, with delegates on both sides apparently gloomy at the chance of a deal.

Sudanese delegation official El-

Obeid Morawah said that “progress had been made” but did not give clear details.

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 pair launched their latest summit Sunday night, following marathon efforts by their rival delegations to close gaps on a raft of issues left unresolved when the South became independent last year.

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, just as the South accuses Sudan of arming rebels in its territory.

The United Nations set a deadline for a deal after brutal border clashes broke out in March, when Southern troops 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”.

Despite slow progress, both sides appeared keen to end the conflict and a stalemate over stalled oil production that is crippling their respective economies. A comprehensive deal-as opposed to another stepping-stone agreement-would have to include a settlement on Abyei, a Lebanon-sized border area claimed by both sides and currently controlled by Ethiopian peacekeepers.

But amidst some 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.—AFP

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

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

Sri Lanka shuts war-time refugee camps COLOMBO: Camps which housed 300,000 displaced people by the end of Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict have now all closed, three years after the war ended, the military said yesterday. The United Nations welcomed the move, but said hundreds of people could not return home because their properties are occupied by the military in the former war zones. Instead they are in makeshift shelters or with friends and family.

Once one of the world’s biggest camps, the final batch of 361 families left Menik Farm in the northern district of Vavuniya on Monday, military spokesman Ruwan Wanigasekera said.

“As of last evening, Menik Farm is formally closed because there are no more IDPs (Internally Displaced People),” Wanigasekera told AFP. International rights groups described camps such as Menik Farm-the last to shut its doors-as internment facilities.

They were strictly off-limits to journalists and private charities until recently.

Authorities called them “welfare camps” to shelter civilians.

The final group of 1,186 people were

from two villages in the district of Mullaittivu, in the north, where security forces fought their last battle with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

In a statement, the UN said it was “concerned about 346 people who are returning from Menik Farm to Kepapilavu in Mullaittivu district, who are unable to return to their homes, which are occupied by the military.

“Instead, they are being relocated to state land, where they await formal confirmation about what is happening to their land in the future, and plans for compensation if they cannot return.”

The UN chief in Colombo, Subinay Nandy, urged the Sri Lanka government to allow Tamils to settle anywhere they wanted.

“Allowing people to settle anywhere in the country and resolving legal ownership of land for those who have resettled away from their original homes is a key part of the reconciliation process,” Nandy said. He said the closure of Menik Farm was a “significant sign of the transition from conflict to sustain-

able peace”, but noted that many people were still living with friends and relatives. “Some of these people have been displaced for years and they also need a lasting solution,” he added. A major part of the Menik Farm facility was closed late last year, but a smaller section remained opened because some of the villages had not been demined to allow the safe return of civilians, spokesman Wanigasekera said.

The Sri Lankan government said it spent $360 million to re-settle the waraffected civilians, with additional support provided by United Nations agencies and other donors.

Sri Lankan forces crushed the Tamil Tigers after decades of fighting in a military campaign which sparked allegations that thousands of civilians had also been killed, a charge denied by the military.

The Tamil Tigers fought for an independent homeland for the island’s Tamil minority concentrated in the northern and eastern regions. The 37year conflict claimed up to 100,000 lives, according to UN estimates. — AFP

CHEDDIKULAM: In this photograph taken on May 23, 2009, Internally displaced Sri Lankans walk in the space between tents during a visit by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at Menik Farm refugee camp in Cheddikulam. Sri Lanka has finally shut its war-time camps for the displaced which once housed 300,000 people after the end of the island’s bloody ethnic conflict in 2009, the military said yesterday. — AFP

Japan, Taiwan in disputed isle water cannon duel Tokyo handling situation delicately

DALIAN: In this photo provided by China’s Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Hu Jintao inspects the guard of honor on the aircraft carrier “Liaoning” at a naval base in Dalian, northeast China’s Liaoning Province, yesterday. China formally entered its first aircraft carrier into service yesterday, underscoring its ambitions to be a leading Asian naval power, although the ship is not expected to carry a full complement of planes or be ready for combat for some time. — AP

China’s first aircraft carrier enters service BEIJING: China’s first aircraft carrier entered service yesterday, the defence ministry in Beijing said, as the country expands its blue-water fleet at a time of increasing maritime tensions in the region. President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao attended a “commissioning” ceremony for the 300-metre (990-foot) vessel, state media said.

The former Soviet ship that was bought from Ukraine was renamed Liaoning after the northeastern province that is home to China’s main naval port city of Dalian, where it was refitted.

The commissioning makes China the last permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to have an aircraft carrier, and comes as Beijing’s economic and political significance grows.

Numerous sea trials of the aircraft carrier-which was previously known by China only as “Number 16”-since August 2011 were met with concern from regional powers including Japan and the United States, which called on Beijing to explain why it needed such a ship.

“The PLA’s general armament department, the navy and all comrades participating in the carrier program should make new contributions in promoting China’s weaponry construction and safeguarding national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity,” Wen said at the ceremony in Dalian. “It will also be of great significance in enhancing national defence power and the country’s comprehensive strength.” The US previously played down the importance of the aircraft carrier, saying that it had “limited” capability following its first sea trial in August 2011. The Pentagon also said the vessel was the first step towards a future fleet of carriers expected to be built

domestically in coming years. Taiwan’s intelligence chief said earlier this year that China has decided to build two aircraft carriers. However despite rumours that work has already begun, there is no evidence of construction of a domesticallybuilt carrier. There had been speculation on what the vessel was to be called, with retired Major General Luo Yuan suggesting naming it Diaoyu, after islands in the East China Sea claimed by China, which are also claimed by Japan where they are known as Senkaku.

Beijing on Sunday postponed a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties with Tokyo. Tensions have also risen this year with Vietnam and the Philippines over disputed islands in the South China Sea. Beijing confirmed last year it was revamping the former Soviet ship-originally called the Varyag-and has repeatedly insisted the carrier poses no threat to its neighbours. It says the ship will mainly be used for training and development purposes, but military commentators say China is developing strike aircraft and support vessels which would help the ship become fully operational.

Pictures have been published in the Chinese press showing domestically-built planes on the carrier’s deck. Leading generals have also said that developing strike aircraft for China’s navy is a top priority for military bosses. “Having the aircraft carrier enter the ranks will be of important significance in raising the overall fighting capacity of our nation’s navy to a modern level,” the defence ministry said.

It “will be effective in defending the interests of state sovereignty, security and development and advancing world peace and common development”. — AFP

Military called in to help flood-hit India GUWAHATI: Air force helicopters and soldiers in rubber dinghies helped deliver fresh water and food to flood victims in northeast India yesterday as the number of displaced rose to 1.8 million.

Nineteen of 27 districts in the state of Assam have been hit by floods and 13 people have been killed over the past week, according to the latest figures from the local disaster management authority.

The remote and impoverished state, which was rocked by ethnic violence last month, has been flooded three times this year by the mighty Brahmaputra River, which often breaks its banks during the monsoon season.

“We have called in the army to assist civil authorities in rescue operations in several parts of the state where people

are trapped with floodwaters entering their homes,” Assam’s Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Prithibi Majhi told AFP. Thousands of people in Majuli, a densely populated river island about 350 kilometres (220 miles) from Assam’s main city of Guwahati, have fled to higher ground or are crowded onto embankments. An air force helicopter, flying missions in between rain storms, was seen dropping packets of rice, water, biscuits and baby food on one embankment, sparking a scramble among young and old. “We just had enough time to pick up some clothes and drinking water bottles before we got onto a boat to reach a highland some distance away,” elderly local Bhabani Pegu told the News Live channel. — AFP

TOKYO: Coastguard vessels from Japan and Taiwan duelled with water cannon yesterday after dozens of Taiwanese boats escorted by patrol ships sailed into waters around Tokyocontrolled islands. Japanese coastguard ships sprayed water at the fishing vessels, footage on national broadcaster NHK showed, with the Taiwanese patrol boats directing their own high-pressure hoses at the Japanese ships.

The large-scale breach of what Japan considers sovereign territory-one of the biggest since WWII-is the latest escalation in a row over ownership of the islands that pits Tokyo against Beijing and Taipei.

The intrusion complicates an already volatile territorial dispute with China, which is also locked in a separate row over the strategic South China Sea against claims by several nations including the Philippines.

In yesterday’s dramatic incident, a dozen Taiwanese coastguard and 40 fishing boats spent several hours in Japanese waters, the Japan Coast Guard said. Taiwan has said that officers aboard some of the patrol ships sent to the area were fully-armed elite coastguard personnel.

“We’ll do everything to protect our fishermen. We do not rule out using force to fight back if Japan were to do so,” Wang Chin-wang, head of the Coast Guard Administration, said in parliament.

A spokesman for Taiwan’s coastguard confirmed that nearly 60 boats got close to the islands, some coming within three nautical miles-well inside the 12-nautical-mile territorial zone. Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday voiced support for the flotilla’s “patriotic actions and acknowledges the coastguard for claiming our sovereignty while protecting the fishermen,” his office said in a statement.

“Ma urges the Japanese side to respect our fishermen’s rights in their ancestral fishing ground... and hopes that all parties involved will peacefully resolve the disputes to share the resources in the East China Sea.” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said Tokyo has complained to Taipei about the move, but that Tokyo was handling the situation as delicately as it could. “Japan’s position is that, in light of good Japan-Taiwan

relations, we must solve the issue peacefully.

We wish to respond calmly,” he said.

Tokyo later sent an envoy from the Interchange Association, the body that deals with Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic relations, to Taipei for talks. Japan administers the

Relations between Japan and China have scraped long-unseen lows in recent weeks following Tokyo’s nationalisation of three of the islands, which it bought from a private Japanese landowner.

Several days of sometimes violent protests

TAIPEI: Tadashi Imai (L), President of the Japan Interchange Association, the de facto Japanese embassy meets with Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang to discuss the disputed island chain, known in Japanese as the Senkaku Islands and in Chinese as the Diaoyu Islands, in Taipei yesterday. — AFP uninhabited, but strategically well-positioned archipelago under the name Senkaku. Beijing says it has owned the islands for centuries and calls them Diaoyu.

Taiwan also claims the islands, which lie around 200 kilometres (125 miles) from its coast. Ownership of the islands has become an important tenet of identity for all three claimants; the possible presence of energy reserves in the nearby seabed adds to the mix. The last large intrusion into Japanese waters was in 1996, according to a spokesman at the Tokyo headquarters of the Japan Coast Guard. He said at that time 41 ships carrying activists from Hong Kong and Taiwan entered waters around the islands with the intention of asserting sovereignty.

erupted in cities across China, where Japanese businesses were targeted by rioters.

In high-level talks over the rival claims yesterday, China told Japan it “must abandon any illusion” and that it will “absolutely not tolerate” violations of sovereignty.

“The Japanese side must abandon any illusion, face up to its erroneous actions and correct them with credible steps”, Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun said in the meeting with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Chikao Kawai.

Japan’s coastguard said Monday that of two of China’s maritime surveillance ships had spent seven hours in territorial waters around Uotsurijima, the largest island in the chain, in the latest of a series of incursions. — AFP

Tibet exiles debate future as change looms in China DHARAMSHALA: Tibetan exiles began their biggest gathering in four years yesterday, eyeing a change of leadership in China and seeking ways to end a gruesome wave of self-immolation protests.

About 400 Tibetans from around the world came together in the home of the exile community in mountainous northern India for the four-day meeting, called to highlight the plight of Tibetans under Chinese rule.

The general meeting is the first since the Dalai Lama, the revered spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, decided to retire from political duties, passing responsibilities in theory to new prime minister Lobsang Sangay.

The speaker of Tibet’s parliament-in-exile in the Indian town of Dharamshala opened proceedings by denouncing Chinese repression, which he held as the cause of the deaths of 51 Tibetans in a recent spate of self-immolations. “A state of undeclared martial law continues to remain in force in Tibet,” Penpa Tsering told the conclave. “(China) has converted Tibet into a territory resembling a prison camp.” He added: “ The question (is) how and in what ways we, the Tibetan people living in exile, should respond to the tragic situation in Tibet today.”

The change of leadership in

China later this year is also a key issue for the delegates, with some observers suggesting presidentin-waiting Xi Jinping may be more flexible on Tibet. “Some people say he might lean more towards reform, while others believe he will maintain the hardline policies,” Sangay, who was elected as prime minister last year, told reporters at the meeting. “We are not that optimistic because the Chinese government has continued to maintain hardline policies on Tibet... but, as human beings, you should

remain hopeful, and the new personnel will hopefully have a new perspective on Tibet.”

Sangay, a Harvard-educated scholar, arrived at the assembly hall escorted by monks robed in saffron and orange who blew horns as a large portrait of the Dalai Lama was carried into the venue. The Dalai Lama, who is still seen as the ultimate power in the exile movement, is not attending in line with his “retirement” from politics, but he will hold a prayer session when the meeting ends

DHARAMSHALA: Tibetan participants watch during the start of the Second Special General meeting of Tibetans in Dharamshala yesterday. The four-day second Special General meeting of Tibetans which began yesterday will be discussing the critical issues of recent self immolations by Tibetans in Tibet, and taking up the Tibet issue with new Chinese leadership. — AFP

on Friday. Many Tibetans have been deeply shocked by the selfimmolations, which contradict Buddhist teachings that all life is sacred, and are frustrated that years of efforts to negotiate with China have resulted in no progress. Talks with Beijing have been stalled for years, and the government-in-exile faces a tough challenge to convince some Tibetans that it remains relevant, despite having no influence over the situation inside Tibet.

Five decades after the Dalai Lama fled Tibet for India following a failed uprising in 1959, the options available to the exile leaders appear more limited than ever.

“The urgency is very high due to the situation getting worse and worse,” Dorjee Tseten, a Students for a Free Tibet leader at the meeting, told AFP. “We want to find good new tactics, but I do not expect any major political change of course.”

Beijing insists that Tibet is an integral part of China and that the Dalai Lama is determined to split the Himalayan region from the rest of the country-though he says he only seeks greater autonomy.

“China could offer to re-start talks, as there have been some statements from Beijing suggesting this,” Robert Barnett, a professor of Tibetan studies at Columbia University, told AFP. — AFP

14

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

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Issues

Taiwan plays reluctant part in island fracas

By Lin Yang n the surface, Taiwan seemed to be picking a fight when it sent a fleet of fishing boats and coast guard ships yesterday to challenge Japan over a group of contested islands in the East China Sea. The flotilla waded into a long-running dispute between Japan, China and Taiwan, with the latest tensions triggered by the Japanese government’s move to buy the Senkaku Islands earlier this month. The uninhabited islands, known as Diaoyu Islands in China and Tiaoyutai in Taiwan, are located near rich fishing grounds and potentially large oil and gas reserves. But in reality, Taiwan’s actions have been relatively muted, reflecting a reluctance to ruffle political, economic and historical relationships with its two larger neighbors. “Taiwan has a closer defense and security relationship with Japan, but is more economically tied with China,” said Chen I-hsin, vice president of the Foundation on Asia-Pacific Peace Studies.

“Taiwan does maintain its sovereignty (over the islands), but it doesn’t matter if this dispute takes 100 years, or even 1,000 years to resolve, as long as the situation remains peaceful and all parties cooperate to explore resources.”

Only a few hundred people showed up at Taiwan’s anti-Japanese demonstration in Taipei on Sunday, and unlike in China, no property was destroyed. The turnout paled in comparison to the 6,000 people who protested against the Want Want China Times Group, a Taiwan media conglomerate that allegedly supports unification with China, earlier this month.

Short of China’s military exercises near the islands, or Japan’s purchase of the Senkakus, the Taiwan government has managed to muster only an essay contest this year to solicit advice from citizens on how to resolve the Senkaku crisis. Instead, special interest groups, such as the fishermen who led the fleet yesterday, have driven protests thus far. “I don’t think the government really has a calculated strategy on this issue,” said Liao Da-chi, a political science professor at National Sun Yat-sen University. “At some level, it has to protect fishing rights, because fishermen suffer the most from Japanese patrol boats. “But the government only sends the coast guard, which signals it primarily wants to protect its citizens, and not to fight the Japanese.”

History lies at the heart of Taiwan’s delicate balancing act. Japan colonized Taiwan from 1895 to 1945 and built much of Taiwan’s infrastructure, industrial base, and education system. Most Taiwanese do not harbour the animosity that China has towards Japan for atrocities committed during World War II. China, not Japan, remains Taiwan’s greatest military threat.

According to military analysts, Beijing still has over 1,600 ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan to prevent it from declaring independence.

The public weariness towards China prevents Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou from cooperating with Beijing on the Senkaku dispute, even though the two sides use the same historical argument - maps from China’s Ming and Qing dynasties - to support their claims. “What the Ma government is doing is trying hard not to tie in with China,” said Bruce Jacobs, a professor of Asian studies at Australia’s Monash Unversity. “It’s stressing the sharing of resources rather than conflict because it wants a seat at the negotiating table.”

Pro-China voices within Taiwan’s protests have been unmistakable. Several anti-Japan demonstrators waved the Chinese and Taiwanese flags together at Sunday’s protest. China Times, the pro-China media conglomerate, donated 5 million Taiwan dollars (US$170,000) worth of fuel to send the fishermen to their yesterday’s showdown with Japan, according to local media. But many Taiwanese are turned off by the pro-China slant of Taiwan’s most zealous protesters. “For most Taiwanese, the Tiaoyutai dispute is pretty much irrelevant,” Liao, the political science professor, said. “The reason the protests didn’t turn violent is because many are anti-China and don’t want to follow their example. Nobody here wants to be a Chinese pawn.” — dpa

O

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Palestinians set for Pyrrhic victory in UN

By Crispian Balmer f at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. After failing last year to win recognition of full statehood at the United Nations, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas returns to New York on Thursday to ask the General Assembly for a less ambitious status upgrade.

This time around, he looks certain to get his way, but the resolution he plans won’t bring independence any nearer. It will also anger the United States and Israel, which is likely to retaliate with painful economic countermeasures. So why is he doing it? The fact that Abbas believes the best way forward for the Palestinian cause lies in diplomatic gestures thousands of miles from home underscores the dearth of decent ideas to end 64 years of unresolved conflict.

“The Palestinians don’t have strategy, nor do the Israelis or even the Americans,” said Aaron David Miller, a former senior State Department adviser on the Middle East peace process, now at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. “The strategy is getting by and trying to prevent a blow-up. But one day there will be a blow-up and ... sadly, the situation is going to get worse before it gets worse (sic).”

In an indication of how things could degenerate, thousands of Palestinians this month attacked their own security forces in the cities of Hebron and Nablus in the occupied West Bank in a protest over the high cost of living. The Palestinian Authority (PA) scrambled to defuse the crisis, rolling back tax hikes, while Israel looked on in alarm, aware that tensions are growing after years of stalemate in official peace-making. There have been no direct talks since 2010, when the Palestinians refused to resume negotiations unless Israel suspended settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which they say is killing off all chances of them ever creating a coherent state. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday the socalled two-state solution was the only sustainable option for peace, but that the continued growth of Israeli settlements meant that “the door may be closing, for good”.

In 2011, when Abbas bid for full UN statehood, there was excitement in the West Bank. Posters trumpeting the drive hung from lampposts and a giant wooden chair was erected in the city of Ramallah to symbolise the UN seat the Palestinians wanted.

Predictably, the request wilted in the face of fierce US opposition, and the chair collapsed during a winter storm. Twelve months on, there is no repeat of last year’s eager anticipation as Abbas readies his more modest bid to raise the Palestinians’ UN status from “observer entity” to “observer state” - the same rank as that granted to the Vatican. “We deserve to become a

I

fully recognised state, not this halfway step. We don’t understand what it means or what it will achieve,” said Manal Hassan, 26, a part-time school teacher in Ramallah, reflecting widespread apathy across the West Bank.

In fact, the revised UN push could make life much more uncomfortable for the Israelis, even if it won’t bring any immediate change to the situation on the ground. Being registered as a state rather than an entity means the Palestinians will be able to join bodies such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) and file a raft of complaints against Israel for its continued occupation. “This will help level the playing field,” veteran Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters last week. He said the change would be voted on before the end of the year. The US has no veto in the General Assembly, where some 120 of the 193 member nations have already recognised Palestine as a state.

The Israelis have already signalled their concern. “I don’t pretend this is good for us, but it will be worse for them,” Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor told reporters in Jerusalem on Monday.

“This is an easy and a wrong way out.” Israeli officials have indicated in private that one likely reprisal would be to hold back tax revenues the Jewish state collects on behalf of the Palestinians, which account for around two-thirds of their overall revenues. ProIsraeli politicians in Congress froze some $200 million of badly needed aid for the Palestinians in retaliation for last year’s UN drive, and are likely to up the pressure once more.

Both states will have to calibrate their reaction carefully. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund issued grim reports this month on the state of the Palestinian economy, warning of social upheaval unless foreign funding increases and Israel eases long-standing curbs on development. Indeed, Israel has moved this month to prop up the West Bank economy, hastening the transfer of funds to the PA and offering 5,000 more permits to allow Palestinians to work in Israel, where wages are higher than in their own territories.

Israel believes the path to statehood lies through direct talks and says unilateral moves are in violation of the 1993 Oslo accords, which were intended to path the way to a “final status agreement” within five years.

The Palestinians say rampant settlement building has all but destroyed their chances of creating a coherent state. Abbas instructed his political allies this month to examine the possibility of scrapping Oslo and renouncing their partial control over the West Bank, effectively handing all the territory back to Israel and upping the cost of the occupation.

Analysts rule out such a drastic step, but say the fact that he is raising it shows how the options are narrowing for Abbas, who has long since lost control of Gaza to the Islamist militant group Hamas, and whose own electoral mandate expired in 2009. “The leadership has been unable to deliver to the public on anything,” said Ghassan Khatib, former spokesman for Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and now a lecturer in contemporary Arab studies at Birzeit University. Khatib even doubts whether Abbas will deliver in the United Nations, believing that he might pull back before a vote to give more space to whoever wins the US presidential election in November to contrive a final diplomatic push with the Israelis. Western diplomats in Israel agree that Abbas is under huge external pressure to shun a UN resolution, and say time is running out. “We are concerned that if he pushes forward with this, then the United States will simply walk away from the issue,” one senior diplomat said. “Without direct talks, our assessment is the two-state solution could be dead within 18 months.” — Reuters

Japan diplomacy deemed ‘amateurish’

By Takehiko Kambayashi apan’s unpopular prime minister, Yoshihiko Noda, is exploiting the row over a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea, critics say, in order to regain political support.

Noda made the decision to buy three of the islands earlier this month in defiance of China, which also claims the uninhabited rocks, as he was attempting to be re-elected leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). Noda won the election last week. Minoru Morita, a political analyst, said Noda and his advisors in his cabinet “suddenly decided to use that China card because they believed the decision could boost support for his cabinet”.

The nationalization of the islands enabled him to deflect attention from criticism of his approval to restart the

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idled nuclear reactors on the Sea of Japan coast, the first since last year’s nuclear disaster.

Many Japanese also felt betrayed when Noda’s government decided to double sales tax to 10 per cent by 2015, despite a slow economic recovery and an earlier pledge not to do so. Faced with low approval rating and a restive electorate, Morita said the prime minister decided to use what was called “the prohibited strategy,” referring to Japan’s purchase of the islands. Noda also believed that heightened tensions with neighbouring coun-

tries could help gain public support for the controversial deployment of US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft at a US military base on the southern island of Okinawa, analysts said.

Noda, the sixth premier in as many years, and Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba, the tenth foreign minister in 10 years, had no diplomatic background and no overseas experience before the DPJ took power in 2009. Analysts say this revolving door has made it difficult to resolve the island issues. Noda “almost brought Japan and China to the brink of armed conflicts” over domestic political issues, Morita said. “Japan’s diplomacy is amateurish under Noda and

Gemba. The government made a fatal mistake, causing enormous damage to the bilateral relationship,” Morita said.

“It is impossible to repair soured ties as long as Noda is in office.”

The purchase scheme originally came from Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara. He first announced in April that the metropolitan government would buy three of the islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan, the Diaoyu in China, and Tiaoyutai in Taiwan. The three countries claim sovereignty over the uninhabited islands, located near rich fishing grounds and potentially large oil reserves. But this is a matter of national pride rather than oil and fish, analysts said. Many people in the region, where memories of Japanese wartime atrocities still rankle, view Japan as being an unrepentant neighbour. —dpa

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

South Korean Special Army soldiers perform martial arts during a ceremony to mark the 64th Korea Armed Forces Day at the military headquarters in Gyeryong, about 140 km south of Seoul yesterday. — AFP

Khamenei poster boy for influence in Iraq Continued from Page 1 workers fear retribution from Shiite militias loyal to Iran in if they take them down. He himself spoke on condition anonymity out of concerns for his safety.

One such militia, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, even boasted that it launched the poster campaign, part of a trend that’s chipping away at nearly a decade’s worth of US-led efforts to bring a Western-style democracy here.

Sheikh Ali Al-Zaidi, a senior official in the militia, said they distributed some 20,000 posters of Khamenei across Iraq. He said Khamenei “enjoys public support all over the world” including Iraq, where he “is hailed as a political and religious leader”. Asaib Ahl al-Haq, or Band of the People of Righteousness, carried out deadly attacks against U.S. troops before their withdrawal last year. This month, the group threatened US interests in Iraq as part of the backlash over a film mocking Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Iraqi and US intelligence officials have estimated that Iran sends the militia about $5 million in cash and weapons each month. The officials believe there are fewer than 1,000 Asaib Ahl al-Haq militiamen, and that their leaders live in Iran. Tensions between Iraq and Iran have never fully dissipated over their 1980 1988 war that left nearly half a million dead. But Iran’s clout with Iraq’s Shiites picked up after Saddam Hussein’s fall from power in 2003, and, in many ways, accelerated since the US military pulled out.

Iran has backed at least three Shiite militias in Iraq with weapons, training and millions of dollars in funding. Billion-dollar trade pacts have emerged between Tehran and Baghdad, and Iran has opened at least two banks in Iraq that are blacklisted by the United States. Religious ties also have been renewed, with thousands of Iranian pilgrims visiting holy Shiite sites in Iraq daily, including in Najaf, where Iranian rials are as common a currency as Iraqi dinars, and Farsi is easily understood.

The posters may reflect a push among some Shiite groups for a clerical system similar to Iran’s. Tehran is widely believed to be lobbying for a member of its ruling theocracy, Grand Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, to succeed Iraq’s 81-year-old Shiite spiri-

tual leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani. Sistani opposes a formal political role for Iraq’s religious establishment, while Shahroudi is part of Iran’s system of “velayat-e-faqih”, or rule by Islamic clerics.

Iraq’s Sunnis and Kurds, however, have no taste for blurring Shiite politics and religion. Ever since the ouster of Saddam’s Sunni-dominated regime, political leaders in Iraq have sought to rebuild and strengthen relations with Iran, which has responded in kind.

Many of Iraq’s Shiites sought sanctuary in Iran during Saddam’s reign, and some now hold key government posts. Tehran has not been shy about wielding its influence. It was at Iran’s urging that hardline Shiite cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr grudgingly threw his political support behind longtime foe Nouri Al-Maliki, allowing him to remain prime minister in 2010 after falling short in national elections.

In return, Maliki last year all but ignored Iranian military incursions on Kurdish lands in northern Iraq.

The government also has delayed, and in Sadr’s case, quashed, arrest warrants on militants backed by Iranian forces and financiers. Still, even some Iraqi Shiites, like the cleric Sadr and the cafe owner Salman, advocate retaining strong Iraqi nationalism and their Arab identity instead of becoming a Persian outpost. Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh condemned the Khamenei posters and said they could add to the already-strained political unrest in the country. But he said the federal government is powerless to remove them. “These posters are adding a new dispute in Iraq’s politics and they might lead to a negative impact,” Dabbagh said. “The local governments should deal with such situations,” he said.

Sunnis were less diplomatic in their assessment.

Hamid Al-Mutlaq, a leading lawmaker, blasted the poster campaign, which he said shows Iran’s efforts to amass power in Iraq. Raad Abdul-Rahman, a government worker, said the posters prove that Iraq is becoming “a total Iranian stooge”. “In the past, we used to encounter the pictures of the Arab dictator Saddam,” Abdul-Rahman said, referring to the posters and statues of the former president that used to be ubiquitous across Baghdad and the rest of the country. “But now pictures of the Persian dictator are taking over.” — AP

Blow to govt as court upholds electoral law Continued from Page 1 landmark verdict by the same court in June, and hold fresh elections on the basis of the affirmed constituency law. Some opposition figures even called for the government to resign and others demanded penalizing the government “that cannot be trusted to run the affairs of the country”.

Following an extraordinary meeting after the court verdict, the Cabinet welcomed the ruling and said it will respect it. The Cabinet also said it has instructed all concerned departments to study the verdict in order to implement it. The Cabinet’s statement made no reference to any specific measures that may include a recommendation to HH the Amir to dissolve the 2009 Assembly and call for fresh polls.

In its petition last month, the government stressed that the first two articles of the constituency law - one dividing the country into five electoral constituencies and the second allowing voters to elect a maximum of four candidates in their respective districts - were in breach of the constitution. The court ruling quashed the petition, saying that the two articles did not violate the constitution and that they did not breach social justice or equality in the society.

The electoral constituency law was passed in 2006 following protests by the opposition calling for reforms to the election process. It first cut the number of electoral constituencies from 25 to just 5 with each electing 10 MPs, and allowed voters to cast four votes each. The government said in its petition that the law is unconstitutional because the number of voters in each constituency varies considerably, but the court threw out this pretext.

The ruling means that the electoral constituency law will remain for at least one more election and only the next Assembly can debate amending it. The verdict is also expected to defuse political tension which rose in the past several months, especially after the constitutional court ruling scrapping the February general election results. But tension may rise further and protests could expand if the government refuses to dissolve the 2009 Assembly as demanded by the opposition.

Barrak said the government must immediately dissolve the Assembly of “shame”, a reference to the 2009 Assembly in which at least 13 of its 50 members are accused of receiving millions of dinars in political bribes.

Barrak also stressed that the government must be “politically punished” for its action and because it cannot be trusted to run the affairs of the country. Opposition Islamist MP said the ruling requires the government to

resign because it stalled the country for several months.

He called for dissolving the 2009 Assembly and holding fresh polls.

The Islamic Constitutional Movement, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, welcomed the verdict and urged the government to swiftly dissolve the 2009 Assembly and hold fresh polls. Opposition MP Khaled AlTahous said that despite the ruling, the opposition will continue to press for a constitutional monarchy and elected government. The verdict came a day after more than 10,000 opposition supporters rallied against the government opposite the National Assembly building as speakers warned that the opposition could resort to street protests if the court declared the constituency law illegal. More than 50 youth activists camped all night at the rally site in anticipation of the ruling.

“The constitutional ruling today means that the government should resign immediately,” Islamist MP Faisal Al-Mislem wrote on Twitter, calling for new parliamentary elections. “This is a triumph of the will of the nation,” Islamist MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei said in a message to almost a quarter of a million followers on Twitter. Along with other members of the opposition, he has been calling for an elected government.

“The government’s position has been partially compromised but this is unlikely to be a major event for the prime minister or the ruling family,” said Ayham Kamel, a Middle East analyst at Eurasia Group. The decision puts pressure on the government but also on the opposition, according to Kristian Ulrichsen, research fellow on Gulf States at the London School of Economics. “They will need to show the electorate that they have a viable way out of the impasse, rather than the rash of populist initiatives they focused on in the last parliament,” he said.

During their few months in power before parliament was dissolved, members of the opposition tried to pass legislation such as introducing the death penalty for blasphemy. “Their focus was on anti-corruption legislation and on settling political scores,” a Kuwait-based diplomat said. In April the parliament rejected a draft bill on the country’s KD 30 billion ($108 billion) development plan as opposition deputies accused the government of failing to make progress on major investments envisaged.

The plan, spread over four years until 2014, provides for a series of huge infrastructure projects including a new airport terminal, new oil refinery and hospitals and is aimed at diversifying the economy and attracting foreign investment. Details must be voted on each year and in April parliamentarians turned down the part of the plan for the 2012-2013 fiscal year.

Iran unveils drone, tests four missiles Continued from Page 1 But it’s unclear whether the new drone contains any elements of an unmanned CIA aircraft that went down in eastern Iran in December. Iran said it has recovered data from the RQ-170 Sentinel and claimed it was building its own replica. Iran frequently makes announcements about its strides in military technology, but it is virtually impossible to independently determine the actual capabilities or combat worthiness of the weapons Iran is producing.

Near the strategic Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf, Iran test fired four missiles it claimed could sink a “big target” such as a warship in 50 seconds, Gen Ali Fadavi of the powerful Revolutionary Guard was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency. The Fars

report late Monday was the first indication of an Iranian military exercise taking place at the same time as the US-led naval maneuvers in the Arabian Gulf, including mine-sweeping drills, which got under way last week.

The US Navy claims the maneuvers are not directly aimed at Iran, but the West and its regional allies have made clear they would react against attempts by Tehran to carry out threats to try to close critical Gulf oil shipping lanes in retaliation for tighter sanctions over its disputed nuclear program. Fadavi did not elaborate on the ongoing Iranian exercise or the type of missiles fired, but said the Guard is planning a “massive naval maneuver in the near future” in the strait, which is the route for one-fifth of the world’s crude oil. Iran regularly holds maneuvers to upgrade its military readiness as well as test its equipment. — AP

VOGUE PUBLISHER TO OPEN CAFE IN DUBAI Continued from Page 1 The sprawling shopping center is located at the foot of the world’s tallest skyscraper, the 828 m Burj Khalifa, which is already home to a swanky hotel and several restaurants designed by Giorgio Armani. There is also a cafe, linked to the Italian designer inside the mall.

Contemporary European food will be on the Vogue Cafe menu, but no alcohol will be served, Nielsen said.

However, cocktails and other alcoholic beverages, will be available at another Conde Nast outlet designed to cater to male fans of its magazines. The publisher expects to open a bar based around GQ magazine in one of Dubai’s high-end hotels next year.

English-language versions of both magazines are available in the Middle East, though Conde Nast does not publish local versions of either. The publisher is

partnering with a Dubai-based firm called Inspired Group on the cafe and the bar. Nielsen declined to discuss the financial terms of the partnership. Conde Nast opened a similar cafe in Moscow in 2004. It has since opened two other establishments tied to its brands in the Russian capital. The company is planning to open another GQ Bar in Istanbul this year, and has signed deals for Conde Nast establishments in Bangkok and Singapore, Nielsen said. It is also considering opening cafes in Mideast cities closer to Dubai, including Kuwait City and the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi.

Besides Vogue and GQ, Conde Nast’s titles include The New Yorker, Wired and Vanity Fair. Conde Nast International, which publishes international versions of the American magazines, set up its restaurant division in 2010. It publishes more than 120 magazines in 24 international markets. — AP

Obama vows at UN to halt Iran bomb Continued from Page 1 Arab military intervention. “It is better for Arab countries themselves to intervene out of their humanitarian, political and military duties and do what is necessary to stop the bloodshed,” he told the General Assembly.

Obama was unequivocal on Iran, which is locked in a standoff with the West over a nuclear program that Washington alleges is designed to produce a weapon that could tip the balance of power in an already volatile region. “Make no mistake. A nuclear-armed Iran is not a challenge that can be contained. It would threaten the elimination of Israel, the security of Gulf nations, and the stability of the global economy,” Obama warned. “That is why a coalition of countries is holding the Iranian government accountable. And that is why the United States will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,” he declared.

Six weeks before he is due to seek re-election, Obama is under pressure on the foreign policy front, with criticism of his handling of the killing of US diplomats and claims he is not standing closely enough behind Israel. His speech was designed to counter claims from White House rival Mitt Romney and also to renew his outreach to the Muslim world after two weeks of anti-American violence triggered by a movie trailer that insulted Islam.

Obama said the Arab Spring would lead to improved democracy and living standards in a Middle East region more in line with US values but, while he condemned the film, he insisted no insults could justify violence. He vowed that the militants who stormed the US consulate in Benghazi on Sept 11, killing the American ambassador to Libya and three colleagues, would face justice, and said the United States would always defend free speech. “There are no words that excuse the killing of innocents. There is no video that justifies an attack on an embassy,” he said. “There is no slander that provides an excuse for people to burn a restaurant in Lebanon, or destroy a school in Tunis, or cause death and destruction in Pakistan,” he said.

Debate in New York in the run-up to the assembly focused on the violence in Syria and the risk that the Iranian stand-off could lead to broader conflict if Israel or the United States launched a pre-emptive strike. Ban spoke for many delegates when he called on world powers to put aside their differences and unite behind a plan to pressure the parties to ensure the conflicts be settled through negotiation. The UN chief dubbed the Syria conflict “a regional calamity with global ramifications” and said: “The international community should not look the other way as violence spirals out of control.” “We must stop the violence and flow of arms to both sides and set in motion a Syrian-led transition as soon as possible,” Ban added.

The 15-nation Security Council has become paralyzed by deadlock over the 18-month-old war, which Syrian activists say has left more than 29,000 dead. Ban

also expressed concerns for the mounting tensions surrounding Iran, denouncing what he called: “The shrill war talk of recent weeks.” While Obama took no option off the table in dealing with Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Ban called on the United Nations to reject threats of military action, warning: “Any such attacks would be devastating.” Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is in New York, has shrugged off talk of an attack on his country’s nuclear facilities, and insisted that his country will not end he insists is peaceful civilian research.

In his speech, Obama eulogized the slain US ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens as the epitome of US and UN values, linked Arab Spring aspirations to founding American principles and highlighted progress amid tumult in the Middle East. Obama stressed that the violence of recent weeks sparked by a YouTube trailer for an anti-Muslim film made on US soil did not “represent the views of the overwhelming majority of Muslims”.

His remarks took aim at US commentators and politicians who have questioned whether hopes of freedom will cede to an Arab Winter and accuse him of being too laissez-faire in his approach to the region.

Quoting his hero Abraham Lincoln, Obama said he was convinced that “ultimately government ‘of the people, by the people and for the people’ is more likely to yield stability, prosperity and peace.” With an eye on critics like his Republican foe Mitt Romney, who on Monday said Washington should “shape” events in the Middle East, Obama insisted American “has not, and will not, seek to dictate the outcome of democratic transitions abroad.”

Obama has insisted throughout the Arab Spring that peoples winning their own freedoms forge more sustainable futures than those imposed by outside powers. The president however highlighted US action in Libya, support for a political transition in Yemen and backing for uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. He also delivered unequivocal backing for the bedrock US value of free speech, even when it offends other cultures, after critics said he went soft on US core freedoms after the eruption in the Muslim world.

He again condemned the “crude and disgusting video” deemed offensive to Islam made in the United States which sparked outrage in the Muslim world but insisted it was no excuse for violence. “We understand why people take offense to this video because millions of our citizens are among them,” Obama said, but noted he neither could nor should ban it because of free speech protections enshrined in the US Constitution.

“Moreover, as president of our country, and commander-in-chief of our military, I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so,” he said. Obama also said that in 2012, when “anyone with a cell phone can spread offensive views around the world with the click of a button, the notion that we can control the flow of information is obsolete.” — Agencies

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

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Mourinho: I’ll be coaching at 70

Rooney set for United after thigh injury

Tomic ousts Garcia-Lopez

MADRID: Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho has given a heavy hint that he is planning to emulate Alex Ferguson at Manchester United by continuing to coach until he is in his 70s.

Mourinho turns 50 in January and says he adores football so much that he can envisage spending another 20 years in the sport. “I understand perfectly why Alex is still in the job (at the age of 70) and I think I will be the same,” the outspoken Portuguese told Britain’s Sky Sports Television in an interview. “I love football so much, I love coaching so much. I will still be very young when I become 50 and I believe I have a lot in front of me.”

Mourinho, who with Real Madrid is bidding to become the first coach to win the Champions League with three different clubs following his triumphs with Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010, said he had a lot more still to achieve as a coach.—Reuters

BANGKOK: Bernard Tomic of Australia ousted ailing 2010 champion Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 6-0, 6-2 in the first round of the Thailand Open yesterday. The 19-year-old Tomic, based in Monte Carlo, dominated the Spaniard, whose movement was hampered by a left foot injury.

After the first set he sought courtside treatment for his right foot.

“It was not easy,” Tomic said. “He is a good player and won this tournament before. But I’m playing really well. I’m happy that I arrived here early and trained under the heat to get ready. I have to keep my head up.” Former finalists Viktor Troicki of Serbia and Jarkko Nieminen of Finland also won.

Troicki, runner-up in 2009, beat Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-3, letting slip being up by a break in each set. He was also breaking in new rackets he received 10 days ago.

Nieminen, the finalist two years ago, advanced while leading 6-1 against Japanese qualifier Yuichi Sugita, who retired with an ankle injury. The fifth-seeded Fernando Verdasco of Spain beat Tatsuma Ito of Japan 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, taking a while on the indoor hard-courts to gauge his first-time opponent. “It’s always difficult to play someone you have never seen before,” Verdasco said. “I was surprised. In the end I was physically better.” —AP

LONDON: England striker Wayne Rooney, who has not played for a month after suffering a severely gashed thigh against Fulham, is likely to return for Manchester United this week.

Rooney’s leg was badly cut in an accidental clash with Fulham forward Hugo Rodallega at Old Trafford on Aug. 25 but he could play against Newcastle United in the League Cup today or against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday. “He is not far away,” manager Alex Ferguson told reporters. “He’s doing a lot of great training and has been working hard.” Darren Fletcher, who was out for almost 10 months with a chronic bowel complaint, made his comeback as a substitute in last week’s Champions League game against Galatasaray and will again feature in the League Cup third round tie.—Reuters

Nationals keep Brewers at bay WASHINGTON: Jayson Werth wound up with a two-out, two-run double when Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez lost a ball in the sun to spark a six-run fourth inning Monday, and Washington beat Milwaukee 12-2 to cut its magic number to five for winning the NL East.

Jordan Zimmermann (12-8) allowed one run and four hits in 6 2-3 innings, while delivering two hits and driving in a run as a batter. Ryan Zimmerman produced three hits and four RBIs for the Nationals, who improved to a major league-best 93-60 and increased their division lead over Atlanta to five games with nine to play.

Marco Estrada (4-7) lasted only four innings for the Brewers, who dropped 31/2 games behind St. Louis for the second NL wild card. He allowed seven runs - six earned - and eight hits.

MINNEAPOLIS: New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte throws against the Minnesota Twins in the sixth inning. —AP

Yankees see off Twins MINNEAPOLIS: Andy Pettitte turned in another ageless performance by pitching six scoreless innings and the New York Yankees hit four home runs to beat the Minnesota Twins 6-3 Monday night and extend their AL East lead.

The Yankees took a 11/2-game edge over Baltimore, which split a doubleheader with Toronto. This is the first time since Sept.

2 their margin has been more than one game. Curtis Granderson hit his 40th home run and Nick Swisher, Raul Ibanez and Eric Chavez also homered as New York won for the 10th time in 12 games.

Pettitte (5-3) hasn’t given up a run in 11 innings since rejoining the rotation last week. Swisher’s two-out, two-run shot in the first inning off Liam Hendriks (1-8) made it 3-0.

Blue Jays 9, Orioles 5 In Baltimore, JP Arencibia broke open a tight game with a seventh-inning grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Baltimore to earn a doubleheader split and drop the Orioles 11/2 games out of first place in the AL East.

In the opener, Adam Jones went 4 for 4 with a homer to lead Baltimore. But the Orioles lost a half-game in the standings to the New York Yankees, who won 6-3 at Minnesota.

Arencibia, who came into the game mired in a 2-for-36 slump, had three hits and five RBIs. Edwin Encarnacion hit his 41st home run as Toronto ended a seven-game skid.

Ricky Romero (9-14) allowed four runs, eight hits and four walks in five-plus innings, yet stopped a 13-game losing streak over 15 starts since June 22. Wei-Yin Chen (12-10) took the loss. In the first game, rookie Steve Johnson (4-0) allowed three hits over five shutout innings to lower his ERA to 1.62. Jim Johnson, the fifth Baltimore pitcher, worked the ninth for his major league-best 48th save in 51 opportunities. Henderson Alvarez (9-14) took the loss.

Rangers 5, Athletics 4 In Arlington, Adrian Beltre singled home the winning run in the ninth inning and the Texas Rangers rallied past Oakland, stretching their AL West lead over the Athletics to five games with nine to play. The Athletics’ lead for the second AL wild-card slot was cut to two games over the idle Los Angeles Angels. Oakland has lost six of eight.

Beltre, whose 35th homer tied the score in the seventh, grounded a sharp single through the middle of the infield off Tyson Ross (2-11) in the ninth, bringing home pinch-runner Craig Gentry. The Rangers got the inning started with consecutive singles by Mitch Moreland and Ian Kinsler before Elvis Andrus’ sacrifice bunt. Josh Hamilton, who had already hit his major leaguebest 43rd homer after missing the previous five games with a cornea issue, was intentionally walked to load the bases. Joe Nathan (3-4) got the win.

White Sox 5, Indians 4 In Chicago, Adam Dunn homered twice, including a clutch three-run shot in the eighth inning, and the Chicago White Sox beat Cleveland to maintain their one-game lead in the AL Central.

Chicago snapped a five-game losing streak and stayed in front of second-place Detroit, which beat Kansas City 6-2.

The top two teams in the division each have nine games left.

Dunn drove an 0-2 pitch from Vinnie Pestano (3-3) over the wall in right-center with runners on the corners and two outs, putting Chicago ahead 5-3. Kevin Youkilis kept the inning alive with an infield single before Dunn connected for his 41st homer of the season. Dunn also went deep in the sixth. Brett Myers (3-3) pitched the eighth for the win. Donnie Veal converted his first save opportunity of the season.

Tigers 6, Royals 2 In Detroit, Justin Verlander breezed through eight innings and Prince Fielder hit a solo homer, helping the Detroit Tigers steady themselves with a win over Kansas City. The Tigers remained one game behind Chicago in the AL Central.

Verlander (16-8) had little trouble with the Royals, who knocked him around for eight runs and 12 hits last month. He allowed two runs and nine hits this time, striking out eight without a walk. Luke Hochevar (8-15) yielded six runs and 12 hits in 7 1-3 innings.—AP

Mets 6, Pirates 2 In New York, Ike Davis connected twice and reached a career-high 30 homers, Jenrry Mejia pitched five effective innings for his first major league win and New York won its fourth straight.

Davis had a career-best five RBIs and Mejia (1-1) allowed four singles and two walks. The right-hander struck out four and only his last out was made by an outfielder.

The Pirates lost for the 31st time in 43 games since improving to a season-high 16 games above .500 (63-47) on Aug. 8. They fell 71/2 games back in the wild-card race with several teams ahead of them and must win six of their last nine to avoid a 20th consecutive losing season.

Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen went 1 for 3 with a triple to keep his batting average at .336 - behind only Melky Cabrera, who is at .346 but has removed himself from consideration for the title. Davis’ homer to left-center off Kyle McPherson (02) in the fourth came after David Wright walked. Davis hit a three-run shot off Jeff Karstens in the fifth to make it 6-0, a batter after Wright had an RBI single.

Cardinals 6, Astros 1 In Houston, Lance Lynn pitched seven innings to earn his 17th win, rookie Pete Kozma hit a two-run homer and the St. Louis Cardinals strengthened their grip on a playoff spot.

Yadier Molina added a solo shot as the Cardinals moved 31/2 games in front of Milwaukee and Los Angeles for the second NL wild card.

Lynn (17-7) struck out nine and yielded one run on five hits. The right-hander is 4-0 with a sparkling 0.89 ERA in his last four outings, including a relief appearance against Milwaukee on Sept. 9.

Kozma extended St. Louis’ lead to 3-0

WASHINGTON: Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez misses a ball hit by Washington Nationals’ Jayson Werth, who had a two RBI double on the play, during the fourth inning of a baseball game.—AP with his second major league homer in the second, a day after hitting his first one.

Molina hit his 21st homer of the season to make it 4-1 in the fourth.

Houston starter Fernando Abad (0-6) pitched 1 2-3 innings before leaving with a strained right oblique. He walked one and allowed a run. He was replaced by Fernando Rodriguez, who was charged with three runs and seven hits in a career-long 4 1-3 innings.

Rockies 4, D’backs 2 In Denver, Tyler Chatwood pitched effectively into the sixth inning and Andrew Brown homered for Colorado. Jason Kubel homered for the Diamondbacks, who have slim hopes of a late-season playoff push.

Arizona fell 51/2 games behind St. Louis with nine remaining in the race for the second NL wild card. Tyler Colvin and Charlie Blackmon had two hits each for Colorado.

Rafael Betancourt worked the ninth for his 30th save. For one night, at least, the Rockies (59-94) avoided tying the franchise record for losses in a season with a solid performance from Chatwood. Colorado’s pitchers had allowed 33 runs on 48 hits through the first three games of this series before holding the Diamondbacks to five hits Monday.—AP

MLB results/standings Washington 12, Milwaukee 2; Baltimore 4, Toronto 1; Detroit 6, Kansas City 2; Toronto 9, Baltimore 5; NY Mets 6, Pittsburgh 2; Texas 5, Oakland 4; St. Louis 6, Houston 1; Chicago White Sox 5, Cleveland 4; NY Yankees 6, Minnesota 3; Colorado 4, Arizona 2.

Washington Atlanta Philadelphia NY Mets Miami

National League Eastern Division 93 60 .608 88 65 .575 77 76 .503 70 83 .458 66 87 .431

5 16 23 27

Cincinnati St. Louis Milwaukee Pittsburgh Chicago Cubs Houston

Central Division 92 61 .601 83 71 .539 79 74 .516 75 78 .490 59 94 .386 50 104 .325

9.5 13 17 33 42.5

San Francisco LA Dodgers Arizona San Diego Colorado

Western Division 89 64 .582 79 74 .516 77 76 .503 73 80 .477 59 94 .386

10 12 16 30

American League Eastern Division NY Yankees Baltimore Tampa Bay Boston Toronto

W 89 88 83 69 67

L 64 66 70 85 86

PCT .582 .571 .542 .448 .438

Central Division Chicago W Sox 82 71 .536 Detroit 81 72 .529 Kansas City 70 83 .458 Minnesota 64 90 .416 Cleveland 63 91 .409 Texas Oakland LA Angels Seattle

Western Division 91 62 .595 86 67 .562 84 69 .549 72 81 .471

GB 1.5 6 20.5 22 1 12 18.5 19.5 5 7 19

Forward-thinking Springboks seek to overpower Wallabies JOHANNESBURG: For wards coach Johann van Graan believes South Africa’s pack will need to replicate their performance from the last match if they are to beat Australia in their Rugby Championship match in Pretoria on Saturday.

The Springboks for wards dominated New Zealand in Dunedin on Sept. 15, but their effort was wasted by some woeful profligacy with the boot as 20 points went begging in the 21-11 loss.

“We’ve worked hard the last few weeks and the front row gave one of their best performances and the loose forwards got stuck in as well,” Van Graan told reporters yesterday.

“We can improve on the lineout, where we lost a couple of balls, but the kick-offs were good and so was the ball retention - we had our lowest turnover rate of the whole year.

“I’m really proud of the performance against the All Blacks, we played some of our best rugby and to have 58 percent territory and 52 percent possession against them at home is a great effort. “Unfortunately, we just didn’t get the points.”

However, Van Graan warned that the Nathan Sharpe -led Wallabies would provide another major challenge to his for-

wards, much as Australia did when they beat the Springboks 26-19 in Perth on Sept. 8.

“Australia scrummed very well against us and Nathan Sharpe is one of the best locks of all time, so their lineout is tricky and they kick to different places to put you under pressure,” the assistant coach added.

“Playing against the number two side in the world is always a massive challenge.”

Experienced tighthead prop Jannie du Plessis said that while New Zealand were a daunting physical prospect in the scrums, the Wallabies relied more on intelligence and strategy.

“The All Blacks view scrums in the same way we do, as a place to exert physical dominance over the opposition. The Wallabies are much more tactical, they know what they want from certain areas of the field,”

Johann van Graan

he said. “So it’s a big challenge against them, they have a great loosehead in Benn Robinson and he scrums well with Tatafu Polota-Nau, they’re both short and stocky.” Du Plessis played down the youthful nature of the Springboks pack in Dunedin, in which only he and fellow prop Tendai Mtawarira have more than 30 caps, saying that the inexperience helped create a never-say-die attitude.

“There are some advantages to inexperience, because those players are hungry and will play better than someone who has played a hundred tests and has a ‘been there, done that’ approach. As they say, ‘a hungry dog hunts best’,” he said.

Van Graan said it was important the Springboks showed an improvement in Pretoria and took another step forward in their progress. You can always improve and evolve and we started with the base, it’s about finding your feet at this level,” he said. “But we’ve grown a lot, there’s been a lot of progression, our ball-retention and contesting on the ground is much better.

“You evolve step-by-step and we hope we take another step on Saturday. Hopefully, we can go from a good performance to a great winning performance,” Van Graan added.

The assistant coach also highlighted the need for better defence against the attackminded Australians. “ The Wallabies are a big threat, especially with their reverse attacking lines, Digby Ioane and Dom Shipperley in particular. We will have to improve our defence and hope our kicking game is spot on.” South Africa will name their team today.—Reuters

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

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No has-been, Schumacher needs another year SINGAPORE: Watch out behind, here comes Michael Schumacher! Oops. Too late. Crash. Ramming into the back of Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne, totaling both their cars at the Singapore Grand Prix, handed ammunition to critics who say a 43-year-old clearly not as razor-sharp as he once was has no business racing in Formula One against drivers far younger and quicker.

The incredulous race engineer who asked, “What happened there? What happened there?” over the radio of Schumacher’s crumpled Mercedes expressed what television viewers around the world must also have been thinking.

Cue the jokes about the middle-aged racer who could no longer find his brake pedal and who perhaps needs eyeglasses.

Failing for the seventh time in 14 races this year to reach the finish line surely was not what the seven-time world champion had in mind when he came out of retirement in 2010.

Still, none of this should mean that Schumacher’s F1 career must end soon. His three-year Mercedes contract is almost up.

Any day now - he has said by October -

should come news of whether he’ll renew it or retire again at the end of the season, going back to getting his adrenaline kicks from skydiving and crashing motorcycles.

Here’s hoping Schumacher gives F1 at least one more year - if nothing else so that the serial winner he once was doesn’t finish on a low note.

In the three years that he and Schumacher have raced together at Mercedes, Nico Rosberg has unquestionably been the better driver. In 52 races, he has accumulated far more points - 324 to Schumacher’s 191 - and had five podium finishes, including Mercedes’ only win, at the Chinese Grand Prix in April.

In short, the German, 16 years younger than Schumacher, has been better in eking performance out of the Mercedes cars that have never been quick enough to challenge Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari for the driver’s championship.

But Schumacher has had some rotten luck, too, failing to finish nearly one-quarter of his races for Mercedes. Some of those were his fault; it was in Singapore on Sunday. Schumacher’s tires lost some grip when the safety car was called out. When

the race restarted, that loss of grip meant he couldn’t slow down as smartly as he expected when Vergne braked in front of him at turn 14, so he thumped into the back of his Toro Rosso.

Race organizers said Schumacher

Michael Schumacher accepted the blame. He’ll start the next race, in Suzuka, Japan, on Oct. 7, 10 grid places back from his qualifying position as a penalty. In May, Schumacher rammed into the Williams of Bruno Senna at the Spanish Grand Prix, too.

But for many of the 12 other times he

didn’t get his Mercedes to the checkered flag, Schumacher has been only partly responsible or blameless.

In Australia in 2011, for instance, Jaime Alguersuari knocked into and punctured his right rear tire. Schumacher had started that race 11th on the grid.

Driving a car often too slow to qualify him toward the front of the pack and keep him out of trouble has at times left Schumacher vulnerable to collisions. Vitaly Petrov slammed his Renault into Schumacher’s Mercedes early in the Korean Grand Prix in 2011, too.

In 2012, a gearbox issue (Australia), a loose front wheel (China), a fuel pressure problem (Monaco), a hydraulic failure on his rear wing (Canada) and a puncture (Hungary) have prevented Schumacher from finishing. Rosberg, in comparison, has finished every race in 2012 and all but four of the past 52. So a good reason for Schumacher to continue racing next year would be that his luck and, hopefully, the reliability of his Mercedes can only improve.

Rosberg has 93 points in 2012, to Schumacher’s 43 - an unfavorable-looking

comparison for the elder statesman. But a closer analysis of their numbers suggests they aren’t, in fact, that far apart, judging from the seven races Schumacher actually finished. In six of them, Schumacher placed higher than Rosberg. On average, Rosberg is scoring 6.6 points per race in 2012, only slightly better than Schumacher’s 6.1 average in the seven races he finished. In three of those races, Schumacher started from a grid position outside the top 10 but still drove well enough to secure points at the end.

Rosberg has done that just twice in 14 races this season - climbing to 10th, good for one point, from 21st on the grid in Germany and from 13th in Hungary. And in eight of the 14 races, Schumacher also qualified faster than Rosberg.

In short, Schumacher isn’t the dominant driver he was when he was winning championships with Ferrari but nor is he a middle-aged embarrassment or a hasbeen. His seven world titles are his forever.

Another year of racing, even if it doesn’t amount to much, cannot alter that fact and cannot tarnish the memory of the champion he once was—AP

Alonso: Ferrari must improve to clinch Formula One title

Kieren Perkins

Distance great Perkins to review Aussie Olympic flop MELBOURNE: Australia’s top spor ts authority has chosen double Olympic gold medallist Kieren Perkins to be part of a review panel charged with probing the national swim team’s flop at the London Games amid repor ts of bullying and disharmony away from the pool.

Australian swimmers delivered their worst Olympic performance for 20 years in London, failing to win an individual title and ending up with one relay gold, six silver and three bronze medals.

Swimming Australia quickly announced it would conduct a root-and-branch review, but that was taken out of their hands in the wake of accusations of favoritism and ‘schoolboy pranks’ that rocked the well-funded sport’s establishment. In addition to Perkins, who won the 1,500 metres freestyle gold at the 1992 Barcelona Games and at Atlanta in 1996, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) said it had also named eight-times Olympic swimming medallist Petria Thomas to the panel. The ASC holds the purse strings for government funding of sports Down Under.

The high-powered panel, chaired by former ASC Chairman Wawrick Smith and which includes Australian Institute of Sport Director Matt Favier, would also include business consultant and former Commonwealth Games swimmer Tim Ford, the ASC said in a statement on its website (www.ausport.gov.au).

Apar t from analysing the spor t ’s resource management and talent development programmes, the panel would also interview coaches and swimmers about “current team culture, relevant competitor country analysis and the impact of social media on athlete preparations,” the ASC said. Australia’s swim team was dogged by criticism well before the athletes hit the

London pool, with Swimming Australia panned by local media for financing the Olympic comeback bids of Ian Thorpe and a number of other ageing former champions. The team was further slammed for selecting butterfly specialist Nick D’Arcy, who was ordered by a court last year to pay damages for causing severe facial injuries to an Australian Commonwealth Games swimmer when he punched him at a bar in 2008.

D’Arcy, who avoided payment by declaring bankruptcy, was later embroiled in another scandal when pictures of he and Olympic team mate Kenrick Monk toting firearms at a U.S. gun shop were posted on their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

The most angst was reserved for the team’s performance in the pool, however, with particular focus on 100 freestyle world champion James Magnussen and his 4x100 freestyle relay team mates.

Favourites to win both titles, Magnussen was pipped for gold while the relay team finished outside of the medals.

All were later swept up in allegations of disruptive behaviour during pre-Olympic training in Manchester.

A number of swimmers have since spoken out about a lack of team cohesion and morale in London with one of the relay members admitting to late-night hi-jinks in Manchester, including prank phone calls and banging on hotel room doors.

Reports also emerged of an incident of bullying within the team, with one rookie swimmer allegedly slapped and taunted over his physique by more senior team mates. The ASC said procedures would be put in place by the panel to ensure views could be “submitted confidentially”, and that it expected the review to be completed before the first quarter of 2013 ahead of annual funding allocations. —Reuters

SINGAPORE: Fernando Alonso told his Ferrari team it must step up efforts to win the Formula One title. He made the comments with his lead in the standings dwindling and defending champion Sebastian Vettel looming behind him.

Alonso finished third in the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend, while nearest championship challenger Lewis Hamilton retired because of a malfunctioning gearbox in his McLaren.

But the Spaniard has gone four races without taking the checkered flag, and with Red Bull’s Vettel winning the Marina Bay night race, another formidable challenger replaced Hamilton in second place in the standings.

“In the end it went well, but we definitely can’t go on like this,” Alonso said. “It can’t always be the case that my closest rival retires, as has happened in the last two races, and we can’t think of carrying on to the end of the season with qualifying sessions like (Saturday) when our performance was almost a second off the best.”

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali agreed that improvement was necessary, particularly given the nature of the tracks in the remaining six races, with South Korea and Abu Dhabi requiring similar car setups. “Clearly we need to make a step forward in terms of performance, because we cannot rely purely on the misfortune of others,” Domenicali said. “Having said that, we mustn’t over-react as it’s better to bring a few updates that work rather than bringing too many. This is the area where we need to improve and it will be one of our priorities in the coming days.”

For Vettel, the Singapore win provided renewed hope of becoming just the third man after Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher - to win three straight drivers’ championships.

It marked his second win of the season, but

with the remaining circuits tailored toward a more nimble car and not requiring the outright speed the Red Bull lacks, the German may be Alonso’s chief rival.

“It’s looking better than before,” Vettel said.

“We have a lot of races left, the car seems to be competitive and we just have to use the momentum and keep pushing for these last races and see what happens.”

Hamilton’s season maintains its feast-orfamine pattern, with his past five races yielding two wins and three non-finishes. The Briton was not distracted by ongoing rumors about the possibility of him leaving McLaren for Mercedes, setting pole position and comfortably leading

Ferrari Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain steers his car in this file photo

Hamlin must get over his hatred of Dover CHARLOTTE: Denny Hamlin said he would win at New Hampshire and did just that, scoring an important victory in his quest to win his first NASCAR championship. For his next act, Hamlin must prove he’s a legitimate title contender by overcoming his disdain for Dover.

Hamlin openly despises the 1mile concrete oval so much that every armchair psychologist out there is convinced his problems at Dover are self-inflicted. He points to his past performances there - he’s got an average finish of 20.5 in 13 career starts - as proof the place gives him fits.

But there must be a correlation in how poorly he runs and the bad attitude he takes into Delaware twice a year. Hamlin has brought up his dislike for Dover unprovoked several times over the last six weeks, including stopping himself mid-sentence while assessing his

title chances after his win at Bristol.

“I think that the Chase, other than Dover - I’m so bad there, I hate that track ... other than Dover, I feel that I can win at any race track that we go to,” he said.

Asked about it earlier this month, Hamlin insisted nothing will ever change about his feelings for Dover, where he finished 36th or worse during a four-race stretch from 2007 to 2009.

“I just don’t like the place. I’m not comfortable there,” he said. “I go there believing if we have a great day, we’ll run somewhere around 15th.”

Well, 15th isn’t going to get it done in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, which shifts to Dover this weekend for the third of 10 races. After running out of fuel in the opener at Chicago, Hamlin took to Twitter to guarantee he’d bounce back at New Hampshire

with a victory. He did that on Sunday, grabbing his series-best fifth win of the season, and it moved him to third in the Chase standings. He is seven points behind leader Jimmie Johnson, who is determined to reclaim the title after Tony Stewart snapped his five -year reign last season.

Johnson, by the way, loves Dover.

He is a seven-time winner at Dover, and has 15 top-10 finishes in 21 career starts. Johnson also won there earlier this year, leading 289 of the 400 laps to remind everyone there’s nobody better in NASCAR at Dover right now.

So it’s in Hamlin’s best interest to immediately get over his issues with Dover or risk losing a lot of ground to Johnson in this championship race.

“I’m going to be optimistic when I go there,” Hamlin said. “I just have to have an open mind when I get

Denver coaches fined by NFL for verbally abusing officials NEW YORK: The National Football League (NFL) fined Denver Broncos head coach John Fox and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio a combined $55,000 on Monday for verbally abusing replacement officials last week.

Fox was fined $30,000 and Del Rio $25,000 for abusing game officials during last Monday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons, which included lengthy delays and needed more than an hour to play the first quarter. “There is a longstanding NFL rule prohibiting verbal or physical abuse of game officials,” NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations R ay Anderson said in a statement. “ Two coaches have been notified that they have each been fined for violating this rule.” The NFL’s fulltime referees are locked out as they seek a new labor agreement, forcing the league to use replacement referees who have been widely criticized during the opening three weeks of the 2012 season.

Anderson also said incidents from Sunday involving game officials and Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, New England Patriots head

coach Bill Belichick and Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan were under review.

Following the rematch of last season’s AFC Championship, Belichick grabbed the arm of an official after the Ravens had kicked a winning field goal that some Patriots felt was wide of the goalpost. “When the game was over, I went out and I was really looking for an explanation from the officials as to whether the play was under review and I did try to get the official’s attention as he was coming off the field to ask that, but I really wasn’t able to do that,” Belichick said at a news conference on Monday. “I have never meant any disrespect or in any way tried to abuse or be disrespectful to the officials and the job that they do.

I was just trying to get an explanation for obviously an important call, play, in that game.” Harbaugh knocked into an official during the 31-30 win while he was trying to get his attention while Shanahan received an unsportsmanlike penalty for berating an official during his team’s 38-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.—Reuters

the race until the gearbox failed on lap 23 of 59.

That non-finish meant Kimi Raikkonen retained his third place in the standings, despite the Lotus driver not having won a race this season. No driver has ever managed to take the title without winning a race, but he keeps logging points.

McLaren’s Jenson Button kept up his faint title hopes by taking second place in Singapore.

Red Bull’s Mark Webber remains above Button in the standings but had another disappointing weekend. He crossed the line in 10th but was penalized and dropped to 11th for an overtaking move off the limits of the track. The next race is at Suzuka in Japan on Oct. 7.—AP

NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin celebrates with his team in this file photo

out there for the first green flag run and have faith that I can do it. You know, people have their Achilles heel, and for me, in the course of my career, Dover has been it. I have won in Nationwide there somehow - everyone else must have wrecked or something, I don’t know. But I just have to figure out what it takes in Cup.” Crew chief Darian Grubb will play a pivotal role this weekend.

Grubb lived through this very situation a year ago with Stewart, who also doesn’t love Dover. He’d won the first two races of the Chase last year, then struggled so much when he hit the track at Dover last September that he insisted he wasn’t a title contender.

It ended up being the mulligan of the Chase for Stewart, who qualified 28th and finished two laps down in 25th. Stewart won three more races during the Chase to win the championship, so that poor run at Dover didn’t hurt him.

Grubb has been working with Hamlin for weeks on finding a setup that will make the driver comfortable. He chose to bring to Dover the same car Hamlin drove at Richmond, where he led for 202 laps. It’s made something click with Hamlin, who sounds a little more confident about his chances. He’s now recalling the four top-10s he has at Dover, and the pair of fourthplace finishes.

“I have had some races where I was pretty competitive,” he said, adding if Grubb can find one thing that makes the driver comfortable in the car “we are going to treat it just like any other weekend that we have a great shot to win.”

He doesn’t have to win to make this coming weekend a success.

Hamlin just has to go to Dover with the right mindset so that he doesn’t throw it away before he’s even hit the track. Grubb indicated Monday that’s the goal with a tweet that seemingly poked fun at Hamlin’s “we will win” Twitter post last week about New Hampshire. “Next week (at) Dover, WE WILL.... try as hard as we can like every other week,” he wrote.—AP

18

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

S P ORT S

US has edge in golfing battle at Ryder Cup MEDINAH: US captain Davis Love III has struggled for years to come up with a way of getting a real ‘home field advantage’ over Europe at this week’s Ryder Cup and he hopes a freewheeling, birdie-laden shootout is his team’s best shot at the trophy.

The battleground for the biennial golfing showdown will be the stately Medinah Country Club on the outskirts of Chicago and that choice alone suggests the United States will have an edge.

Tiger Woods has won twice at Medinah, lifting the PGA Championship in 1999 and 2006, while many of his Ryder Cup team mates grew up learning the game on similar tree-lined layouts.

But American-style courses and their slick greens are no longer a mystery to

European visitors, who have been bagging more PGA Tour wins over the years.

Spaniard Sergio Garcia has twice finished runner-up at Medinah while Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy does not need a windswept links course to find success, the world number one winning four titles on American soil this year including his second major at the PGA Championship. Love, however, believes he can get an advantage from Medinah by playing to US strengths.

“I struggled for two years to kind of come up with a way, how do you get an advantage,” Love told reporters shortly after he arrived at Medinah on Monday with his European counterpart Jose Maria Olazabal. “We’re a long-hitting, freewheeling, fun-to-watch team. We have 24 of the

best players in the world. They are all pretty good at adapting to conditions.

“One thing I’ve never liked is rough and I’ve been lucky enough to have a little bit of an influence on two golf tournaments, our McGladrey Classic and this Ryder Cup, and neither one of them had a lot of rough. “I just don’t like rough.”

Love said the Medinah set-up would also play to a pro-American crowd, giving the galleries plenty to get excited about once competition begins on Friday with the opening foursomes.

“I think the fans want to see a little excitement. They want to see birdies,” said Love. “Even holes tied at birdies are more fun than six-footers tying for par.

“We want to let these unbelievable athletes freewheel it a little bit and play.

Medinah is such a big, long golf course, and with the weather turning bad on us, I don’t think we wanted a lot of rough.

“It’s still going to be tough. It’s a tough golf course but without the deep rough, saves us the chip outs and the grinding it out style of golf.”

Medinah No. 3 Course is a challenging tree-lined layout designed by Tom Bendelow and opened for play in 1928.

Changed beyond all recognition after several revamps, it became the longest course to stage a major when the PGA Championship was played there for a second time in 2006.

A 7,401-yard layout when Woods won the 1999 PGA Championship, it was stretched to 7,561 for the 2006 edition, also won by Woods.

In a restoration project which began in 2002, course architect Rees Jones removed 300 trees, added new tees or enlarged existing ones, rebuilt some of the greens and redesigned several greenside bunkers. “The greens, I had four guys out there today, and they reported back that the greens are just absolutely perfect,” said Love. “There’s not a lot of rough, which the members like, and hopefully everybody else likes it.

“The fairways have made an incredible transformation in the last six weeks. “It’s amazing, I’ve been here two weeks ago, a week ago, and was out on the golf course playing yesterday, and literally, every day, every day it just gets better and better. It’s amazing, and on TV, it’s just going to be so gorgeous.” —Reuters

Pakistan blast Bangladesh out of World Twenty20

PALLEKELE: Pakistan’s batsman Imran Nazir plays a shot during the ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup match against Bangladesh. —AP

Scoreboard PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka: Scoreboard of the World Twenty20 Group D match between Pakistan and Bangladesh at Pallekele yesterday: Bangladesh Tamim Iqbal run out 24 Mohammad Ashraful b Tanveer 14 Shakib Al Hasan c Umar b Arafat 84 Mushfiqur Rahim c Nazir b Arafat 25 Mahmudullah c Umar b Afridi 0 Nasir Hossain b Arafat 16 Ziaur Rahman not out 1 Extras: (lb2, nb1, w8) 11 Total: (for six wickets, 20 overs) 175 Fall of wickets: 1-34 (Ashraful), 2-61 (Iqbal), 3-129 (Rahim), 4-133 (Mahmudullah), 5-170 (Hasan), 6-175 (Hossain) Bowling: Hafeez 3-0-28-0, Tanveer 3-0-25-1 (nb1, w1), Gul 3-0-43-0 (w5), Afridi 4-0-20-1 (w2), Ajmal 4-0-320, Arafat 3-0-25-3.

Pakistan Hafeez c Rahim b Abul Hasan 45 Imran Nazir c sub (Reza) b Abul Hasan 72 Nasir Jamshed not out 29 Kamran Akmal not out 22 Extras: (b1, lb1, w8) 10 Total: (for two wickets, 18.4 overs) 178 Fall of wickets: 1-124 (Nazir), 2-126 (Hafeez) Bowling: Mortaza 3-0-30-0, Islam 2.4-0-35-0 (w6), Razzak 4-0-30-0, Hasan 4-0-23-0 (w1), Abul Hasan 3-0-34-2, Mahmudullah 2-0-24-0 Result: Pakistan won by eight wickets

PALLEKELE: Pakistan bludgeoned Bangladesh out of the World Twenty20 and successfully reached the Super Eights round with a ruthless batting display yesterday.

Imran Nazir’s brilliant 72 and skipper Mohammad Hafeez’s 45 helped take Pakistan past Bangladesh’s challenging 175-6 in Pallekele, after already overhauling the target needed to go through on net run-rate.

Shakib Al Hasan had smashed a record 84 for Bangladesh, who needed to win by 36 runs to go through, raising the prospect of a shock upset against the former champions.

But those hopes were quickly dashed by opener Nazir’s career-best knock, including nine boundaries and three sixes in 36 balls, which made up the bulk of Pakistan’s 124 for the opening wicket with Hafeez. Even when both fell in one Abul Hasan over, Nasir Jamshed (29 not out) and Kamran Akmal (22 not out) ensured the win was achieved with eight balls to spare as Pakistan wrapped it up with 178-2, joining New Zealand in the next round.

Earlier it was left-hander Hasan who hit his second Twenty20 fifty and added 68 runs for the third wicket with skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (25) after Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat.

Hasan, whose previous T20 best of 57 came against Ireland at Belfast earlier this year, smashed 11 boundaries and two sixes during his 54-ball knock, improving Nazimuddin’s previous best of 81, against Pakistan at Nairobi in 2007.

Opener Tamim Iqbal hit five boundaries in his 12-ball 24 before he was unfortunately run out. It was Hasan who punished every Pakistani bowler, with Umar Gul going for 43 runs in his three overs. Pakistan were sloppy in the field, with Sohail Tanveer dropping a sitter off Rahim and Shahid Afridi failing to hold on to a sharp chance off Hasan-both in one over by Yasir Arafat, who was best bowler with 3-25.

The Super Eights, which decide the semifinalists, start in Pallekele on Thursday, with Sri Lanka taking on New Zealand and England playing the West Indies in Group One. Pakistan, India, South Africa and Australia are in a highly competitive Group Two, highlighted by the fact that all four teams are unbeaten so far. —AFP

India’s Mary Kom basks in Olympic boxing bronze MUMBAI: Indian boxer MC Mary Kom could stroll through her hometown unnoticed despite winning five world amateur titles, but all that has changed since the pintsized puncher won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

Indian athletes returned with two silver and four bronze medals from London, the country’s biggest Olympic haul and equalling the collective tally of India’s previous seven campaigns in the quadrennial sporting event.

Mary Kom said her bronze medal had changed her life. “I won five world championships but very few people recognised me. Even in my state only people in Imphal (state capital) knew me.

“But now after 11 years even kids know Mary Kom,” she told Reuters in an interview on Monday. “There’s a lot of change since the medal. It has been a lot more hectic but I am still enjoying it,” she said, adding that she had received messages of support

Indian boxer Mary Kom

from across Indian society. Hailing from the insurgency-prone state of Manipur, the mother of two has also captured the imagination of the country’s film industry which has started work on a film about her life.

Amid the adulation, Mary Kom admitted training had taken a backseat. “I am doing my physical fitness part but I am not doing the full workout,” she said, breaking into a laugh.

“So it is not going to be difficult

to start full training again from January, after celebrating the New Year.” With amateur boxing’s governing body (AIBA) pressing for more weight categories for women in Rio in 2016, Mary Kom, who was the face of the campaign to get her sport into the Olympics, is dreaming of winning the gold that eluded her in London.

“I am hearing that AIBA might introduce three more categories in Rio. If there’s a 48 kilogram category I am confident I can bring back gold,” she said.

“But even if there’s no 48kg category, I will try to change the colour of the medal in the 51kg category.” Mary Kom won her world amateur titles at 46 and 48kg but had to move up to 51kg for the Olympics, which was the lightest of the three weight categories in London.

“My normal weight category is 48kg. So for the 51kg category I had to depend on lots of food and drinks before going in for the weigh-in,” she explained.

“But that does not make my strength, my muscles. It’s a little bit different. If there’s a 48kg category, it’s a perfect fit for me.”

The boxer was on Monday named as the brand ambassador of India’s Super Fight League, a mixed martial arts league launched by Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt and entrepreneur Raj Kundra earlier this year. —Reuters

MEDINAH: European team captain Jose Maria Olazabal looks over the course at the Ryder Cup PGA golf tournament. —AP

Olazabal has first shout at Ryder Cup CHICAGO: Europe captain Jose Maria Olazabal was the first to make a move when Ryder Cup practice got underway early yesterday at Medinah Country Club outside Chicago.

All eyes were on who would form the three four-man groupings to go out and there were some familiar pairings put in harness to set tongues wagging.

Group one was an all-English affair with Ian Poulter and Justin Rose — close friends who have both stated their desire to play together — and Luke Donald and Lee Westwood - two players who have been at world No.1 recently and who know each other’s game inside out.

In group two was the almost inevitable Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy, the Norther Irish duo who are seen as a virtual lock-in to start in Friday’s opening foursomes.

Alongside them were the in-form pair of Paul Lawrie and Sergio Garcia. The final grouping had the “continentals” of Martin Kaymer of Germany, Francesco Molinari of Italy, Peter Hanson of Sweden and Nicolas Colsaerts, who will become the first Belgian to play in the Ryder Cup. Olazabal, and US counterpart Davis Love, have until Thursday afternoon before having to name their pairings for Friday morning, but McDowell for one said that the guessing game was not a difficult one.

“The established partnerships are fairly obvious: Myself and Rory, Poulter and Rose, Donald and Garcia, perhaps a Westwood and Lawrie,” he said.

“You can pretty much predict our first eight players Friday morning. You don’t need me to tell you that.

“Will we be that predictable? Who knows. But looking forward to seeing how the next three days sort of pan out in practice and how Jose kind of assembles us all.”

Pairings for Europe and the United States in the opening practice session of the 29th Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club on Tuesday morning:Europe Group 1 - Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Justin Rose Group 2 - Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Paul Lawrie, Sergio Garcia Group 3 - Martin Kaymer, Nicolas Coalsaerts, Francesco Molinari, Peter Hanson United States Group 1- Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson Group 2 - Jason Dufner, Matt Kuchar, Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson Group 3 - Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, Brandt Snedeker, Steve Stricker. —AFP

SAO PAULO: Chess player Viswanathan Anand of India competes during Chess Grand Slam Final Masters chess game against Francisco Vallejo of Spain inside a case of glass. —AP

Chess Masters final kicks off SAO PAULO: The fifth edition of the Chess Masters Final, which brings together six of the world’s top-ranked and most promising players, has kicked off in Sao Paulo.

World champion Viswanathan Anand of India, no. 2 Levon Aronian of Armenia, Norway’s Magnus Carlsen, Italo-American Fabiano Caruana, Russia’s Serguey Kariakin and Spain’s Francisco Vallejo are taking part in the competition.

The first leg of the tournament runs in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s financial hub and largest city, from Monday through Sept.

29. The final half is to be held in Bilbao, Spain, from Oct. 8-13, organizers said on the tournament’s web site. Last year’s edition of the Chess Masters Final was also split between the two cities. The tournament is made up of 10 rounds and includes a points-based scoring system, like soccer tournaments. —AP

19

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

SPORTS

Terry racism hearing starts after quitting England WEMBLEY: Less than a day after quitting international football, John Terry attended a racism hearing at the Football Association on Monday with the former England captain facing an eight-match ban from playing for Chelsea.

The defender is fighting a misconduct charge that was brought despite being cleared in court of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during a Premier League match last October.

The 31-year-old Terry decided Sunday night that his position with England had been made “untenable” by the FA’s decision to pursue a case, although he had been allowed to keep playing despite being stripped of the captaincy before the trial. “I don’t see how we’ve made (his position) untenable; they’re two very separate processes,” FA General Secretary Alex Horne responded Monday at Wembley Stadium, where an independent four-man FA panel is hearing the case.

Hodgson withstood widespread criticism to take Terry to the European Championship in June only weeks before the criminal trial, but he will now be without a key defender for the rest of 2014 World Cup qualifying and beyond.

“I’d like to thank John Terry for his commitment to the England team since I became manager,” Hodgson said in a

statement. “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.”

Hodgson was appointed England coach because Fabio Capello quit in February following the decision by the FA to strip Terry of the captaincy.

A magistrate in July cleared Terry of a racially aggravated public order offense despite describing the player’s defense as being “under the cold light of forensic examination, unlikely.”

Terry did not deny using an offensive term during the west London Premier League derby at QPR last October but said all he did was sarcastically repeat the words he is accused of using.

“I’ve been called a lot of things in my football career, and outside of football as well, but being a racist is not one I’m prepared to take at all ... I’m not having anyone - let alone Anton - think that at all about me because that’s not in my character at all,” Terry said during his initial interview with FA investigators that was heard in court.

Ferdinand said he had been goading Terry about his alleged extramarital affair with the former girlfriend of ex-England

teammate Wayne Bridge.

Despite Ferdinand being described as a “believable witness,” the magistrate decided that Terry couldn’t be convicted because the prosecution could not prove he was lying.

There is a lower burden of proof for the FA charge, however, so Terry could be found guilty on the “balance of probabilities” that he “used abusive and-or insulting words and/or behavior ... (and) included a reference to the ethnic origin and-or color and/or race of Anton Ferdinand.”

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was banned for eight matches last year for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra in a Premier League match.

Significantly, the FA disciplinary panel formed for that case ruled that the context of Suarez’s use of a racial slur was not relevant, concluding: “It does not depend on whether the alleged offender intended his words to be abusive or insulting.” The FA has already imposed one punishment for racist abuse in connection with the case.

Anton Ferdinand’s brother Rio was fined 45,000 pounds ($73,000) in August after being found guilty of improper conduct following a Twitter gibe about Chelsea defender Ashley Cole, who gave evidence in court defending Terry.

Terry’s FA hearing is expected to last at

LONDON: Former England soccer captain John Terry drives out of Wembley Stadium, where the Football Association hearing on a racism charge against him was held. —AP least three days, with a no date set yet for the verdict. Both Terry and Anton Ferdinand were in attendance Monday.

By already opting to end his England career after 78 appearances across nine years, Terry has prevented the FA from having to ban him from representing his country again in the event of a guilty verdict. Terry has been at the center of controversy surrounding the England team for the past two years. England’s prepara-

tions for the 2010 World Cup were plunged into turmoil after Capello fired Terry as captain when the affair allegations - referenced by Anton Ferdinand first emerged and led to Bridge retiring from international football.

The center back was reinstated in March 2011 but was stripped of the captaincy for a second time in February, overshadowing England’s buildup to another major tournament.—AP

Preview

Fletcher starts in Old Trafford comeback

Michel Platini

Platini determined to introduce winter WCup LONDON: UEFA president Michel Platini is determined to stage the World Cup during the European winter for the first time at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, the Frenchman told the London Evening Standard yesterday. The move would require all major European Leagues to take a month-long winter break, including England’s Premier League which has no mid-season break at all. “I hope it will be held in winter,” he said.

“We have to go to Qatar when it is good for everybody to participate. What is better for the fans?”

Platini believes there is enough time to work out how to organise the domestic leagues around a winter World Cup. “In 10 years we can manage to decide how we can postpone the season for one month,” he said. “January is difficult for the World Cup because you have the Winter Olympic Games. If we stop from Nov. 2 to Dec. 20, it

means, instead of finishing in May, we stop in June. It is not a big problem. It is for the good of the World Cup, the most important competition in the world.”

Platini voted for Qatar to get the 2022 World Cup in preference to England and was also in favour of Russia being awarded the 2018 tournament.

“I voted for Qatar because it was time to go to a country in that part of the world,” he said. “They bid five times.” He also denied voting for Qatar after being told to do so by former France president Nicolas Sarkozy. “I tell you one thing immediately,” Platini said. “One day I was invited to dinner by Sarkozy where there was the Prime Minister of Qatar. Mr Sarkozy never asked me during the dinner to vote for Qatar.

They invited me to the dinner but they know I will be independent, that I will vote for who I want.”—Reuters

New Cameroon coach can convince Eto’o — Milla YAOUNDE: Cameroon hero Roger Milla believes new coach Jean-Paul Akono can persuade striker Samuel Eto’o to return for their decisive African Nations Cup playoff second leg at home to Cape Verde next month.

Cameroon suspended French coach Denis Lavagne following an embarrassing 2-0 firstleg defeat this month and drafted in Akono to try to avoid missing out of a second straight Nations Cup in South Africa in January. Eto’o, four-times African player of the year, refused to join the Indomitable Lions for the away leg at the unheralded islanders because of what he perceived as the bad management of Cameroon football.

However, the Anzhi Makhachkala forward, 31, could make a return for the second leg on Oct. 14 in Yaounde. “I know Jean-Paul Akono very well because we played together in the national team and worked as a team to train the Cameroon military football team,” former national striker Milla, 60, told Reuters.

“He is very hard-working and enjoys my full support. He has the ability to change the face of the national team by bringing back all valuable players including key striker Samuel Eto’o, Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Jean Makoun.” Milla, who made his name when Cameroon became the first African side to reach a World Cup quarter-final in 1990, called on his countrymen to get behind the side. “For him to succeed as Cameroon national coach he also needs the support of all Cameroonians of goodwill...That is why I am also seizing this opportunity to call on the public to turn out massively for the return game against Cape Verde Island next month,” said Cameroon’s football ambassador.

“Again, one thing I am insisting upon is that he must be provided all the necessary working tools and means. History shows that when a Cameroonian is appointed to coach the national team he is not provided the same means as a foreigner. “I am therefore appealing to the current Sports and Physical Education minister to change that mentality

and provide Jean-Paul Akono all he needs.”

Despite his praise for Akono, the man voted by the African football federation (CAN) as the continent’s best player in the 20th century still believes Cameroon will miss out on January’s tournament by failing to overturn the 2-0 deficit. “With him, I am very sure we will win the return match even if we may not score enough goals to qualify for the 2013 African Nations Cup in South Africa,” Milla said.—Reuters

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

English League Cup Man United v Newcastle Aljazeera Sport +5 Spanish League Betis v Atletico Aljazeera Sport +4

21:45 22:00

Italian League Pescara v Palermo Aljazeera Sport +9 AS Roma v Sampdoria Aljazeera Sport +9 Napoli v SS Lazio Aljazeera Sport +1 AC Milan v Cagliari Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Aljazeera Sport +6 Chievo v Inter Aljazeera Sport +8

19:30 21:45 21:45 21:45 21:45

German League Augsburg v Leverkusen Dubai Sports 6 Freiburg v Werder Bremen Dubai Sports 5 Hannover v Nuremberg Dubai Sports 4 Stuttgart v Hoffenheim Dubai Sports 2 Borussia v Hamburger Dubai Sports 1

21:00 21:00 21:00 21:00 21:00

MANCHESTER: Darren Fletcher is set to continue his return to full fitness with his first competitive start for Manchester United in 10 months when Newcastle visit Old Trafford today for their League Cup third round clash.

The Scotland international midfielder made his first appearance for United as a second-half substitute against Galatasaray last week since his chronic bowel condition left his football career hanging in the balance. Now he is set to make his first start since November last year after spending the end of last season helping to coach United’s reserve side as he battled the illness before working during the summer to make his comeback.

Fletcher, 28, has had to change his diet and adapt his lifestyle to overcome the ulcerative colitis condition and Ferguson is delighted to be able to include him in his starting lineup today as he prepares to make a host of changes from their 2-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday.

If the Scot comes through the game unscathed he could be in line for his Premier League return against Tottenham on Saturday.

Ferguson said: “Fletcher will certainly play against Newcastle and that is the perfect game for him to start back. Then we have the game against Tottenham and he could be involved in that.

“It depends on how he does today. It will be his first 90 min-

utes since 10 months out. It’s a big one for him. He is handling the condition at the moment, as we saw the other night he is looking fine.

“It is a matter of hoping the condition stays dormant and he

Buttner, Anderson and Tom Cleverley could all feature having not played a part in the Liverpool game despite being on the bench.

Meanwhile, United defender Rio Ferdinand expressed his relief

Darren Fletcher is handling his diet well.

Hopefully he gets that break.”

Ashley Young will miss out as he is out until October with a knee injury while Wayne Rooney is still not fit following the nasty cut he received on his thigh last month against Fulham.

Ferguson will opt to make a number of changes for the League Cup as he usually does in the early stages and Alexander

at getting the game against Liverpool out of the way after United stuttered to victory over 10 men on an emotional afternoon when Hillsborough was remembered.

He said: “With the occasion and the emotions involved, we just wanted to come here, get the job done and get out with the three points. We have done that so we are well pleased.

“You can get really involved and sometimes the emotion of the occasion can affect you, but they dealt with it fantastically.”

Newcastle are likely to field a strong side with Fabricio Coloccini and Cheick Tiote set to start to get some more minutes under their belt while Shola Ameobi, Dan Gosling and Sylvain Marveaux could also feature.

Coloccini has not played since Newcastle’s draw with Aston Villa on September 2 while Tiote made just his second appearance of the season in Newcastle’s win over Norwich on Sunday.

The Magpies have not won at Old Trafford since 1972. However, manager Alan Pardew is going to give the competition a real go despite knowing it will be a tough test against Ferguson’s side even if the hosts field a weakened side.

Pardew said: “Of course you want to enjoy going there. We are going to have make sure we can get game time out of the players that will need it.

“Colo could play, Cheick definitely needs a game, he was rusty (against Norwich), so I will have a word with the staff and hopefully we’ll get a result there.”

Goalkeeper Tim Krul will definitely miss out with Pardew mulling over the decision on whether to field veteran Steve Harper or Rob Elliot, who played in their Europa League tie with Maritimo last week.—AFP

Preview

Rangers face Cup test against high-flying ‘Well GLASGOW: Rangers manager Ally McCoist says Motherwell should be regarded as favorites as the sides prepare to clash in the third round of the League Cup at Ibrox today.

The tie marks Rangers’ first meeting with top-flight opposition since the ‘newco’ were denied entry to the Scottish Premier League and voted into the bottom tier of the Scottish Football League in the summer.

The Gers sit second in the Third Division, while Motherwell are top of the SPL heading into the match, which will offer McCoist’s side their sternest test of the season to date.

The bookmakers have made the Glasgow giants favorites for the match but McCoist says this should be ignored and is wary of the challenge Stuart McCall’s side will pose at Ibrox.

“I’m of the opinion Motherwell should be favorites, of course they should, they’re top of the SPL and they’re there on merit,” the Rangers manager said.

“We’re a completely and utterly new team that’s finding it’s way, not overnight, we won’t develop overnight, but we must take forward and posi-

tive steps all along.

“I’m not for a second saying we can’t beat Motherwell, of course we can beat Motherwell.

“But I would have to say I think they are favorites.”

Rangers’ hopes of winning a domestic clean sweep of tro-

in Scotland’s lower tiers.

And Gers midfielder Dean Shiels has targeted success in the League Cup to make up for that disappointing exit. “We want to keep winning games and this is a cup we want to do well in,” the Northern Ireland

Dean Shiels phies this season were ended last week when Queen of the South knocked McCoist’s side out of the Ramsdens Cup, a competition only open to clubs

international said. “To do that, we will need to progress today.

It’s going to be very tough.

“They are a very good side. They finished strongly last year and

they’ve had a great start to the season this year so we expect it to be very tough.”

Rangers have had a mixed start to the season and have still to win away from home, although their penalty shootout loss to Queen of the South is their only defeat to date.

It has been a rebuilding exercise at Ibrox with several firstteam regulars leaving Glasgow in the summer and a host of new faces arriving.

Shiels, who signed from Kilmarnock in August, says Rangers are still a work in progress. “We are basically a lot of individuals who have been brought together and it’s going to take time for us to understand each other’s games and strengths and to bring everything together,” Shiels added.

“It takes time to build team spirit and a collective. Each game and each training session that goes past, we will look to build on that.”

Rangers, who warmed up for the match with a 4-1 league win over Montrose on Sunday, will be without winger David Templeton for the match after he was ruled out with an ankle injury.—AFP

Fletcher starts in Old Trafford comeback

Pakistan blast Bangladesh out of World Twenty20

19

18

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

Alonso: Ferrari must improve to clinch F1 title

Page 17

TOKYO: Maria Sharapova of Russia stretches for a return against Heather Watson of Britain during their women’s singles second round match at the Pan Pacific Open. —AFP

Sharapova scrapes into next round TOKYO: Maria Sharapova pushed the envelope on winning ugly to squeak past British qualifier Heather Watson 6-7 6-3 64 and reach the last 16 of the Pan Pacific Open yesterday.

The French Open champion’s performance bordered on the farcical at times with the second seed carelessly frittering away three set points to surrender the initiative before pulling off an escape act.

By contrast, world number one Victoria Azarenka took 63 minutes, exactly a third of the time Sharapova spent on court, to crush Austrian Tamira Paszek 6-1 6-1 and book her spot in the third round of the

$2.16 million Tokyo event. Li Na, last year’s Roland Garros winner, shrugged off a nasty cough to beat Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5 4-6 6-2. Sharapova left herself with work to do after a string of double-faults and horror misses giftwrapped the first set tiebreak to Watson 97. The errors continued to mount but the Russian, her squealing growing increasingly louder with the effort, did just enough to restore parity by winning the second set.

A forehand miss gave Sharapova the break for 4-3 in the decider and the twice Tokyo champion crawled over the line

with a big forehand after three hours and nine minutes. “I definitely felt rusty today,” said Sharapova, who served 14 doublefaults and finished with 67 unforced errors. “It’s one of those matches you’re just happy to get through.” One of three Chinese players who made the trip to Tokyo despite a blazing political row between her country and Japan, Li’s experience told after a wobble in the second set. “I’m still not 100 percent,” Li told Reuters. “Just trying to stay healthy and taking (cough) medicine every morning and every night.” Azarenka produced an explosive display of hitting to floor Paszek.

“There is definitely a lot of baggage to carry being world number one,” said the Belarusian, who won this year’s Australian Open and reached the US Open final earlier this month. “Everyone wants to take your spot. I’m not complaining. It makes it more exciting to know someone is after you. I get more motivated by it.”

Li’s appearance in Tokyo was a relief for organisers after China withdrew its badminton players from last week’s Japan Open amid tensions over disputed islands in the East China Sea. The 30-year-old saved her best for the crunch points, putting the match away by

Seahawks down Packers NEW YORK: The Seattle Seahawks were awarded a controversial final-play touchdown to beat a shellshocked Green Bay Packers 14-12 on Monday as the NFL’s replacement officials were again thrust into the spotlight over a contentious call.

Trailing 12-7 with seconds on the clock, the Seahawks faced fourth down on the Packers’ 24-yard line when rookie quarterback Russell Wilson heaved a ‘Hail Mary’ pass into the endzone that was caught simultaneously by Green Bay’s MD Jennings and Seattle receiver Golden Tate. Jennings appeared to have established possession of the ball but the referees deemed it a touchdown for Tate, who also appeared to push a defender during the play, and upheld the ruling after reviewing an instant replay.

“It was awful,” Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers told reporters of the ruling. “Just look at the replay, and then the fact that it was reviewed. It was awful. That’s all I’m going to say about it.”

The play was the latest questionable decision made by the replacement referees this season and will fuel the debate over what has been perceived by many as a litany of sub-standard performances.

The stand-in referees, drawn from the ranks of college and semi-professional football, are filling in for regular officials, who have been locked out this season due to a dispute with the League over a new collective bargaining deal. The off-field dispute is now a major onfield issue with coaches, players and fans becoming increasingly vocal about the botched officiating. New England coach Bill Belichick and Baltimore’s John Harbaugh both showed visible frustration during a penalty-ridden game on Sunday, while Denver coach John Fox and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio were fined for publicly criticising officials following a loss last week. Even mild-mannered New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees condemned the use of replacement referees on Monday. “It’s been a wild weekend in the NFL

SEATTLE: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (left) is sacked by Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bruce Irvin in the first half of an NFL football game.—AP

and I guess we’re a part of it now,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy lamented. The conclusion of Monday’s game was delayed for several minutes as Packers (1-2) players had already left the field but were forced to return for the final extra point attempt.

While Green Bay looked on in disbelief, the Seahawks and their home fans celebrated wildly as they improved their record to 2-1 on the season. “It’s just total desperation and we went to a guy that can really make things happen,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “This is what it is, (Wilson) has to make things like this happen if he’s going to be big time. And he will and he is.”

The stunning conclusion to the game overshadowed what had been a gritty defensive battle. Seattle sacked reigning league MVP

Rodgers eight times on the way to forging a 70 halftime lead. The Packers found their running game in the second half and chipped away at the deficit with a pair of field goals in the third and then took the lead through Cedric Benson’s one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

However, it all came down to the final play as Russell scrambled to avoid the Green Bay rushers then launched a pass that would win the game and lead to one of the season’s biggest talking points.

“I had a feeling it was going to be a touchdown. We came too far for it not to be a touchdown,” said Wilson, who finished with a modest 130 passing yards, to Rodgers’ 223, and two scores. “Never give up. That’s what I told the guys before we went out there.”—Reuters

smashing a cross-court backhand into the corner after two hours and 37 minutes.

Former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was bundled out in the first upset of the WTA premier five event, suffering a 6-4 6-4 defeat by Croatia’s Petra Martic.

The fourth seed squandered numerous opportunities against her 72ndranked opponent, who closed out the match with a fierce serve which almost knocked the Czech over.

“That was the biggest win of my career so far,” smiled Martic. “The last five or six days have been really weird. I’ve played bad in practice, just couldn’t do anything.”

Martic next faces Russia’s Nadia Petrova after the 17th seed beat Romania’s Simona Halep 7-6 6-0. Nine of the world’s top 10 women are appearing in the hardcourt tournament. U.S. Open champion Serena Williams is the only absentee. Germany’s Angelique Kerber made short work of Japanese wildcard Ayumi Morita, the fifth seed comfortably winning 6-3 6-4 to reach the third round.

Sixth seed Sara Errani of Italy beat Sweden’s Johanna Larsson 6-3 7-6 and next faces Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli after the ninth seed’s 6-2 7-5 win over German Julia Goerges.—Reuters

Nadal recuperation on track, will not rush back MADRID: Rafa Nadal’s steady recuperation from a knee injury is proceeding according to plan and he is not going to rush back before it has healed properly, the world number four said.

In an interview with Reuters in Madrid, the 11-times grand slam singles champion said he was still feeling some pain in his left knee and would only return to the court when that was no longer the case.

“I am working as much as I can, I am doing everything they tell me to every day and the truth is that right now things are going well, more or less,” the 26-year-old Spaniard said. “The only thing is that I need bit more time,” he added. “We’ll see how things develop in the next few weeks but my priority is to recover well, not quickly but well. “Obviously as soon as possible but the main thing is to have the certainty that you are fine when you do return.

“I will return to the court when I feel that the knee no longer gives me any pain, whether that is in two weeks or in three or four.” Majorcanative Nadal has been sidelined several times by knee injuries during his 11-year career and his latest was diagnosed as a partial tear of the patella tendon and an inflammation of the Hoffa’s fat pad.

The former number one has not played since suffering a shock second-round defeat to Czech Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon in June. He missed the Olympic Games after winning the title in 2008 and was forced to withdraw from the US Open. Nadal is having intense physiotherapy and laser treatment and Spanish tennis federation (RFET) doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro said on Sept. 5 he could be back on court training within a month. “I think tennis is a very aggressive and demanding sport and obviously the knees suffer above all when you are playing on hard courts,” Nadal said.

“On fast courts the movements are much more aggressive, when you are playing at your maximum you have to push your body to the limit. “I have had problems with my knees, others have other problems. “The reality is that at the age of 26 and after a career of more than 10

years, with very good results, it has been my good fortune that my knees have not prevented me competing at the highest level for many years. “I hope that when I return they don’t hinder me.” Nadal played some of his best tennis in the first half of the year, losing narrowly to Novak Djokovic in the final of the Australian Open and winning a record seventh Roland Garros title on his favoured clay.

He said his goal was to get back to a similar level of fitness to allow him to go toe-to-toe with the game’s best again. “What I hope for is to be ready to compete again for everything I want to compete for, like I did in the first six months of the year,” he said.

“That is what I will try to achieve, it’s what I will fight for and work every day. “I am 26 years old and I am confident I have plenty of years ahead. What I want is to recover well and to continue enjoying tennis and competition, which is what make me happy right now.”

Nadal’s Spain are chasing a fourth Davis Cup title in five years and play the Czech Republic in the Nov. 16-18 final. He said he did not know whether he would have recovered in time to feature. He has only lost one of 21 singles rubbers in the competition but 16 of those wins have come on clay and as the home team the Czechs are almost certain to select hard courts.

“If things go well and I can make the final and the captain thinks I am the right person to play it then I’ll be there,” he said. “If not, I’ll be supporting the guys from afar.”

Nadal has dominated the slams in recent years along with world number two Djokovic and number one Roger Federer but he said Andy Murray’s US Open win this month meant the Briton had finally joined their exclusive club.

Murray’s victory against Federer at Wimbledon to win the Olympic gold had given him the extra confidence to see off Djokovic in New York, Nadal added.

“What has changed is his mentality,” he said.

“His game has not changed practically at all but winning the Olympic Games helped him a lot with the victory in New York.—Reuters

Spain borrowing costs rise in short-term debt auction Page 23

Japan’s Sharp to slash 11,000 jobs, sell assets Page 25

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

Euro dips as worries about Spain persist Page 24

Olympus, former executives plead guilty in fraud trial Page 22

HERAT: A crowd gathers at an open air market where farmers sell their produce in Herat yesterday. — AFP

UAE lending limit looms New rules aim to reduce banks’ debt concentration risk

News

in brief

Dubai airport passenger traffic jumps 20 percent DUBAI: Passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport jumped 20 percent from a year earlier in August, while the volume of cargo freight rose 4.4 percent, Dubai Airports said yesterday. The airport, one of the world’s busiest, handled 4.85 million passengers last month.

Dubai Airports said the unusually big rise was largely due to the timing of the Ramadan holy month this year and in 2011, which affected many people’s travel patterns. In the first eight months of this year, passenger traffic rose 13.4 percent from a year earlier to 37.78 million. Freight volume totaled 190,770 tons in August.

Between January and August, it expanded 3.0 percent to 1.48 million tons.

India denies bid to acquire oil assets MUMBAI: India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corp denied yesterday reports that the firm had bid $5 billion along with two other state-run companies for Canadian assets of ConcoPhillips. “I can categorically say that we have not made a bid yet for the $5 billion deal,” ONGC chairman Sudhir Vasudeva told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Mumbai. “We keep on looking at opportunities in the market,” he said. But “as such deals are sensitive and there are confidential agreements to be signed it is not correct to comment on them”, he added. Media reports had said a consortium made up of ONGC, Indian Oil Corp. and Oil India had put forward an offer for the Canadian oil sand assets in July. ConocoPhillips announced early in 2012 it was aiming to sell non-core assets globally as part of a restructuring drive. It said it was planning to sell up to 50 percent of its stake in six Alberta properties spread over 715,000 acres that produce 12,000 barrels of oil a day, from an estimated 30 billion barrels of bitumen.

ConocoPhillips has described the properties as a “world-class package of producing, developing and emerging oil sands assets”.

Arab Monetary Fund to grant loan to Morocco DUBAI: The Arab Monetary Fund said yesterday it was arranging a $127 million credit facility for Morocco to help the North African nation deal with rising food prices, which could threaten its political stability. “The amount of the loan contributes to helping the Kingdom of Morocco confront urgent economic conditions, including the increasing value of imported agricultural products,” the Fund, a regional Arab body with 22 member states, said in a statement. It did not give details of the loan, but said it would bring the Fund’s total lending to Morocco so far to $1.46 billion. Since last year Morocco has experienced bouts of protest against poverty, corruption and the perceived failure of the state to help - complaints which sparked “Arab Spring” uprisings in other North African countries in 2011.

ABU DHABI: Commercial bank executives in the United Arab Emirates will meet central bank officials to discuss a deadline for obeying new limits on lending to state-linked firms, with the lenders desperate for information after weeks of silence from the regulator. With under a week until the curbs are due to take effect, banks in the UAE are in the dark over whether the rules will be enforced or if their pleas for more time have been heard.

“Bank chiefs will meet the central bank today and there will be lots of ranting and raving about this Sept 30 deadline,” said a senior commercial banker who is aware of the meeting, declining to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue. The rules, announced in an early April circular to commercial banks, are apparently designed to prevent any future repeat of Dubai’s corporate debt crisis, which erupted in 2009 as the real estate market crashed; the crisis was worsened by local banks’ excessive exposure to state firms.

But the rules have proved controversial, given the short time frame to comply with the directive and the fact that some of the UAE’s largest banks were over the new exposure limit. This led to demands for more time to comply. However, banks have largely been working in an information vacuum over the last few months. The central bank has not communicated on the subject in recent weeks, bankers say, and according to two industry sources, it cancelled a routine meeting between its officials and treasury heads of commercial banks on Sept. 23 without citing a reason. Bankers had hoped for answers at the meeting.

Since the crisis, UAE authorities have been praised by the International Monetary Fund and others for stabilizing and reforming the banking system. The central bank is introducing new liquidity requirements to prepare banks for the phase-in of Basel III global banking standards in the next few years, and it aims to modernize the money market by creating a discount window from which banks could borrow. Nevertheless, the confusion over the new exposure limits illustrates risks related to policy and regulation in the UAE’s banking market.

“We have raised some major issues on the substance of the circular and still await the central bank’s response,” National Bank of Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s largest lender by market capitalization, said in a statement.

The bank added that while it agreed with the principle of the circular and its conversations with the central bank had been “constructive and positive”, it had requested an extension “to give time for detailed and technical discussions to take place.” Despite repeated attempts to contact central bank

officials and spokesmen via telephone and email, none responded to requests for comment. With the exact reasons for the central bank’s silence a mystery, some bankers have speculated that the possibility of changes to key personnel may be responsible. The fouryear terms of central bank Chairman Khalil Foulathi and Governor Sultan Nasser AlSuweidi both expired in July and there has been no word on whether they will continue in their jobs or will be replaced, banking industry sources said. The usually forthcoming Suweidi declined to speak to reporters at a capital markets conference in Qatar last week.

Under the circular, any bank’s lending to the governments of the seven-member UAE federation and their quasi-sovereign entities will be capped at 100 percent of its capital base; its lending to a single borrower will be limited to 25 percent of capital. There is no limit at present. But some of the largest commercial banks in the UAE, which funded the country’s boom in the 2000s and then supported state-linked entities during subsequent debt restructurings, were well beyond the limits set by the central bank.

According to an April 9 research note by Deutsche Bank, Emirates NBD and NBAD were at 192 and 199 percent of capital respectively. Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, another state-owned lender, stood at 108 percent. Offloading loans to get under the bar by the deadline appears both impractical and uneconomic for such banks because of the sheer amount of assets. NBAD would have had to offload 26.5 billion dirhams ($7.2 billion), equivalent to 16 percent of its loan book, to comply with the new rules, according to a May 23 Arqaam Capital repor t. Arqaam calculated that even if ENBD, Dubai’s largest bank, sold 14 billion dirhams of exposure, or 7 percent of its loan book, that would damage income without creating any substantial benefit as around 40 percent of the bank’s book consisted of sovereign and government-related entities’ debt. M any in the industr y therefore believe that extensions for at least some banks will have to be considered ahead of the Sept 30 deadline. According to industry sources, the Emirates Banks Association, a trade body chaired by Mashreq CEO Abdul Aziz al-Ghurair, has been lobbying the central bank actively for a six-month extension for all lenders in the countr y. Calls to Ghurair, who is also head of the authority which oversees Dubai’s financial free zone, went unanswered. Foulathi was quoted by the Al Khaleej newspaper as saying in May that the central bank was willing to cooperate with heavily exposed banks and extend the deadline on a case -by-case basis. — Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR: A beggar rests while sitting in front of a billboard for a fastfood outlet in downtown Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy grew as faster than expected 5.4 percent in the second quarter as robust domestic demand helped offset the impact of the global economic woes, the government said in August. — AFP

Asia super-rich to reach 2.67m by 2015 GENEVA: The number of super-rich in Asia is set to reach 2.67 million people by 2015 with a net worth of an estimated $16.7 trillion, Swiss private bank Julius Baer said yesterday.

The findings, announced in its 2012 Wealth Report focusing on Asia, indicated that the region’s High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) were largely immune from the economic ills affecting the rest of the world.

This was because of Asia’s economy, which continued to grow thanks to “domestic demand supported by robust job growth”, the bank said in a statement. Announcing its survey, which focuses on wealth creation in 10 of Asia’s biggest economies, Julius Baer also said that its HNWI estimate for 2015 represented a 30-percent increase from 2010 forecasts. China could be home to 1.46 million super-rich by 2015 with assets of $9.3

billion, the report showed. Indonesia was on course for a 25-percent HNWI increase-the highest across Asia, thanks to its “flourishing domestic business environment”.

In India, wealth creation was driven by labor moving out of agriculture and by improvements in infrastructure, the report indicated. China continued to see growth by redistributing its economic activity, it added.

The report, which also looked at how much it costs to live in luxury in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, and Mumbai, showed an 8.8 percent rise in prices since the last report. This “shows clearly that the cost of living in luxury in Asia continues to substantially outpace conventional Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures, which stood at approximately 6% for the same time period”, the report said.— AFP

22

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

BUSINESS

Gold steady as stimulus supports outlook SINGAPORE: Gold was steady yesterday, consolidating above a 1-1/2 week low hit in the previous session, as expectations for further strength in the metal tied to recent central bank stimulus measures supported sentiment.

Cash gold dropped half a percent in the previous session, after data showing weak German business sentiment hurt the euro and sent the dollar to a 1-1/2 week high against a basket of currencies, weighing on dollar-priced commodities including gold.

gold ETFs rose to a record high of 73.765 million ounces, or 2,294.348 tons, by Sept. 24. Spot gold was little changed at $1,765.10 an ounce by 0651 GMT, after dropping to a one-week low of $1,755.30 in the previous session.

US gold edged up 0.2 percent to $1,767.70. Some argued that though sentiment towards gold will continue to be supported by easy monetary policy, the momentum might be dampened by sluggish physical demand and high speculative interest in the futures

Despite a pullback from a 6-1/2 month high hit last Friday, gold’s outlook remains rosy as investors expect the stimulus plans by central banks to maintain a bullion-friendly low interest rate environment. “The investment interest in gold continues to rise, as we see COMEX net length increasing and gold ETF (exchange-traded fund) holdings up,” said Li Ning, an analyst at Shanghai CIFCO Futures. “There is a strong likelihood that gold will rise further.” Holdings in physically backed

market. “We still prefer to be buying gold on dips and believe the break higher will eventually come. But the futures market needs to lose some speculative length and the physical market needs to adjust to a higher price-range first,” Walter de Wet, an analyst at Standard Bank, said in a research note.

He expected gold to reach $1,900 in the latter half of the fourth quarter. It may be time for gold to take a break after five weeks of straight gains, which

coincides with the last trading week before key consumer China shuts down for its week-long National Day holiday next week. “People will square off some positions before the holiday next week,” said a Shanghai-based trader, “In addition, sluggish oil prices are also weighing on sentiment in gold and silver.” Spot palladium, which staged its sharpest one-day decline in more than six months with a 4.1-percent drop on Monday, inched up 0.3 percent to $642.97. — Reuters

Olympus and ex-executives plead guilty in fraud trial Japan’s biggest corporate scandals

Factory unrest a fresh headache for Foxconn TAIYUAN: A brawl at a Foxconn factory that disrupted production at Apple’s main China supplier for 24 hours highlights regimented dormitory life and thuggish security as major sources of labor tension in China. While unrest often flares in China as low-paid workers agitate for better pay and conditions, the conflict at Foxconn’s Taiyuan facility in northern China was notable for its scale and severity, even if not directly related to shop-floor conditions. It marked a blow to Apple’s top supplier as it ramps up production to meet orders for the iPhone 5 and seeks to rehabilitate its image after a labor audit this year found flaws. The company does not say which of its plants supply Apple but an employee told Reuters that the Taiyuan plant was among those that assembled and made parts for the iPhone 5. Some workers said they were making the iPhone 4s.

Details of the melee remain sketchy as police and company officials investigate, but employees interviewed by Reuters said tension between workers and security guards boiled over on Sunday evening after a worker was severely beaten.

That led to thousands joining the fracas and about 40 people were injured, according to Foxconn and Chinese media. The movement of workers from other Foxconn plants to Taiyuan may have contributed to friction between groups of laborers facing heavier workloads and crowded dormitories as production intensified to meet Apple targets, rights groups and workers said. It was quiet on Tuesday outside the factory, with police keeping watch. Gates had been torn off hinges and windows smashed, and a voice on a loop recording broadcast over a loud speaker appealed

for people to maintain order. “There were thousands of bystanders and they just couldn’t control it.

It was just smash and destroy,” said a 29-year-old worker who would only give his surname Xiang. Xiang said several thousand police were eventually deployed to quell the unrest. Foxconn Technology Group of Taiwan, the trading name of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, is the world’s largest contract maker of electronics for global brands such as Hewlett Packard, Nokia and Dell as well as Apple. Foxconn said on Tuesday the one-day closure would not disrupt supplies from the factory where 79,000 people work.

PRODUCT SHORTAGES The company said the unrest was triggered by a personal dispute that spun out of control, rather than harsh conditions in the factory. Louis Woo, a Foxconn spokesman, said the security personnel involved were under contract with a third party at a privately managed factory dormitory, adding that their attitude “is not too good”.

In the past, Foxconn security personnel have been known for bullying and as tough enforcers of efforts to stop theft, including the pilfering of Apple prototypes, with workers being subjected to stringent body searches. In 2010, Foxconn guards roughed up a Reuters journalist outside a factory in Shenzhen. Several Taiyuan workers said some tension had arisen because of the deployment of workers from other Foxconn plants to bolster manpower in Taiyuan, with friction between workers from different provinces including Henan and Shandong. — Reuters

TOKYO: Japanese camera and medical equipment maker Olympus Corp and three of its former executives pleaded guilty yesterday over charges related to a $1.7 billion accounting cover-up in one of Japan’s biggest corporate scandals. The scandal was exposed last October by chief executive Michael Woodford, who was sacked by the Olympus board after querying dubious deals later found to have been used to conceal the losses. Revelations of the huge accounting fraud revived calls for more outside scrutiny of its boardrooms but have failed to trigger sweeping corporate governance reforms similar to those introduced a decade ago in the wake of US scandals such as at Enron.

“The full responsibility lies with me and I feel deeply sorry for causing trouble to our business partners, shareholders and the wider public,” ex-chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa told the Tokyo district court at the start of the trial nearly a year after the cover-up first came to light. “I take full responsibility for what happened.” Prosecutors charged Kikukawa, former executive vice-president Hisashi Mori and former auditor Hideo Yamada with inflating the company’s net worth in financial statements for five fiscal years to March 2011.

The three former executives

had been identified by an investigative panel, commissioned by Olympus, as the main suspects in the fraud seeking to delay the reckoning from risky investments made in the late-1980s bubble economy. The indictment did not specify what penalties the prosecutors would seek, but lawyers have said the former executives

could face up to 10 years in jail and fines of up to 10 million yen ($128,400). The company could be fined more than 100 million yen, according to the Japanese media.

What if any impact the company’s guilty plea will have on Olympus will depend on what sentence, including a possible fine, the court hands down, said Tsuyoshi

TOKYO: Former Olympus chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa (center), accompanied by his lawyers, enters the Tokyo District Court for his first hearing of the trial in Tokyo yesterday. — AFP

Oshima, a spokesman for the medical equipment maker. That decision, he said could be several months away.

“Lawsuits from shareholders are possible,” Oshima said. The drop in Olympus’s share price has already spurred 12 lawsuits, including 11 in Japan, he said. Woodford had campaigned to win his job back, but has since given up, blaming cosy ties between management and big Japanese shareholders and citing the strain on his family.

Olympus has already admitted it used improper accounting to conceal massive investment losses under a scheme that began in the 1990s.

In December, it filed five years’ worth of corrected financial statements plus overdue first-half results, revealing a $1.1 billion dent in its balance sheet. With its share price hit by the scandal and a hole blown in its finances, the company has been struggling to secure funds to cover its losses, triggering talk it would need to merge or forge a business tie-up to raise capital. Yesterday, three sources familiar with the deal said rival electronics and entertainment giant Sony Corp. was likely to approve a plan this week to invest 50 billion yen ($642 million) in Olympus, becoming its biggest shareholder with around a 10 percent. — Reuters

Oil climbs to $111; Iran tensions in focus LONDON: Oil rose above $111 a barrel yesterday as escalating tensions over Iran offset plentiful supplies and concern over the health of the global economy. Washington cleared the way on Monday for tighter sanctions against Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions, while Tehran increased its rhetoric against Israel, heightening concerns about a potential conflict between the two. Investors

have been taking stock after a series of stimulus measures from central banks in the United States, Europe and Japan, and are coming to the view that the steps may not do much to boost growth in the economy.

“The oil market remains caught between supply risks and the prospect of fresh liquidity from the central banks on the one hand, and plentiful supply and growing economic

concerns on the other,” said a Commerzbank research note.

“Until it decides which direction to take, the oil price is likely to continue to fluctuate with a sideways tendency that will depend on which factors happen to be more in focus.”

Brent futures were up $1.33 to $111.14 per barrel at 1139 GMT. US crude was up $1.09 to $93.02 a barrel. — 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

.2740000 .4500000 .3600000 .2970000 .2840000 .2900000 .0040000 .0020000 .0760680 .7411030 .3870000 .0720000 .7265200 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2802000 GB Pound/KD .4547930 Euro .3621020 Swiss francs .2993590 Canadian dollars .2861080 Danish Kroner .0485580 Swedish Kroner .0425930 Australian dlr .2923610 Hong Kong dlr .0361420 Singapore dlr .2283990 Japanese yen .0036020 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0763180 Bahraini dinars .7435320 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0747400 Omani riyals .7280760 Philippine Peso .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Malaysian Ringgit

3.607 5.286 2.974 2.142 3.313 230.230 36.323 3.432 6.737 9.101 91.846

.2860000 .4610000 .3710000 .3070000 .2940000 .2990000 .0058500 .0035000 .07678320 .7485520 .4100000 .0780000 .7338210 .0510000 .2823000 .4582010 .3648160 .3016030 .2882520 .0489220 .0429130 .2945520 .0364130 .2301110 .0036290 .0053030 .0021630 .0029970 .0034680 .0768900 .7491040 .3992930 .0753000 .7335330 .0068130

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 75.123 77.405 731.710 748.240 76.709

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 47.700 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.160 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.314 Tunisian Dinar 180.510 Jordanian Dinar 397.210 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.890 Syrian Lier 4.914 Morocco Dirham 33.524 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 281.600 Euro 365.800 Sterling Pound 457.880 Canadian dollar 289.120 Turkish lire 156.750 Swiss Franc 302.470 US Dollar Buying 280.400 GOLD 330.000 165.000 85.000

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka 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

50.200 731.070 3.090 7.000 77.850 75.150 231.090 36.340 2.681 460.300 43.800 304.200 4.100 9.440 198.263 76.740 281.800 1.350

10 Tola

GOLD 1,867.080

Sterling Pound US Dollar

730.890 2.984 6.748 77.420 75.150 231.090 36.340 2.144 458.300 302.700 4.100 9.300 76.640 281.400

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 458.300 281.400

SELL CASH

SELL DRAFT

297.200 748.490 3.680 291.200 552.800 45.900 49.800 167.800 48.080 368.000 36.970 5.270 0.032 0.161 0.235 3.720 398.850 0.190 94.100 45.200 4.330 235.200 1.823

295.700 748.490 3.430 289.700

231.100 46.183 368.500 36.820 5.260 0.032

COUNTRY

SELL DRAFT

Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

297.86 291.72 305.17 366.62 281.00 460.59 3.69 3.446 5.258 2.147 3.303 2.976 76.57 748.21 46.16 400.33 731.33 77.60 75.14

SELL CASH

297.000 290.500 305.000 366.000 282.000 459.000 3.690 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 398.810 0.189 94.100 3.310 233.700

Rate for Transfer

Selling Rate

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro

281.350 288.170 457.600 365.965

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

301.250 744.865 76.580 77.225 74.990 396.605 46.197 2.143 5.258 2.973 3.438 6.744 690.150 4.600 9.215 4.365 3.385 91.705

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY

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

Currency

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees 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

281.400 2.975 5.269 2.149 3.440 6.775 76.720 75.195 748.100 46.180 462.300 2.990 1.550 369.700 294.200 3.270

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

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

281.000 367.200 458.350 290.200 3.655 5.265 46.150 2.144 3.435 6.735 2.977 747.800 76.500 74.950

23

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

BUSINESS

As worst euro fears fade, US fiscal cliff looms Pre-planned spending cuts could trigger new recession LONDON: The euro-zone has stepped backfrom the brink of disaster for now, but the global economy could soon be staring into another abyss if US politicians fail to head off $600 billion in automatic austerity that all but guarantees a new recession. The long-term fate of the single currency remains unclear, but nerves have calmed since the European Central Bank promised on Sept 6 to act as the buyer of last resort for Spanish and Italian bonds.

Now, exactly six weeks before the US general election, fiscal gridlock in Washington is coming back on the global economy’s risk radar.

If opinion polls hold steady and prove accurate, President Barack Obama, a Democrat, will defeat Republican Mitt Romney on Nov 6. The House of Representatives is likely to stay in the hands of the Republicans, who have a chance of seizing control of the Senate.

On the surface, with power split, that could make it harder to avert $600 billion in spending reductions and expiring tax cuts, equal to 4 percent of gross domestic product, that will kick in at the start of 2013 unless a deal is struck to shrink the US budget deficit by at least $1.2 trillion over the next decade.

“The level of political partisanship in Washington is higher than it’s ever been, and that it is making it much harder to deal sensibly with some of the economic and other problems America is facing,” said Xenia Dormandy, a senior fellow at Chatham House, a think tank in London.

“The American system is designed to have checks and balances and that’s what’s happening. But it does mean that in times like this, when strong responses are needed, they’re not forthcoming,” she added.

The consensus among US and other politicians, policymakers and businessmen at a recent conference organised by Oxford Analytica, another research group, was that Washington would avoid plunging off the fiscal cliff - or at least falling all the way down. But some were downright pessimistic that the political gulf could be bridged any time soon, with potentially ominous consequences for America’s growth and credit rating. One European economist said he feared America as a whole was becoming like California - a dynamic economy suffering from political sclerosis. “The dysfunctionality of democracy in the United States is the most important problem America faces in coming years,” he said. To encourage a frank exchange of views, reporters were not allowed to identify the speakers at most of the conference sessions.

BRINKMANSHIP, AGAIN A North American former politician said the US political system had astonishing powers of renewal. Deadlock would not last forever. But he said there was global disquiet that the logjam was preventing America from capitalizing on its strengths in high-technology, science and advanced manufacturing. “Brinkmanship is no way to run public policy,” he said.

Tightening on the scale envisaged is unprecedented in recent US fiscal history, and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has said the shock would imperil an already fragile economy. The Congressional Budget Office has warned of recession.

Indeed, slowly and quietly, Congress is groping for ways to dodge the cliff plunge by putting off its own deadline for most of

the major year-end budget and tax decisions. Compromise is also the scenario seen by a number of banks - though they do not rule out an initial, limited cliff dive to concentrate politicians’ minds.

austerity and debt reduction, fiscal tightening would amount to 1.1 percent of GDP in 2013. But that would still leave the budget deficit in fiscal year 2013 at 6 percent of GDP, one of the highest on record,

ATHENS: People walk past various union posters in front of the Greek Parliament in Athens, calling for a 24-hours strike. —AFP Economists at Citi led by Nathan Sheets expect lawmakers to delay tax increases and to recast spending cuts, resulting in fiscal drag of about one percentage point and a relatively benign near-term growth outlook. “Nevertheless, with general government debt already topping 100 percent, this leaves the US dangerously exposed to an abrupt loss of market confidence and a fiscal crisis as near-term debt continues to outrun GDP,” they said in a study. HSBC reaches a similar conclusion.

On a muddling through scenario of some

Kevin Logan, the bank’s chief US economist, said in a report.

TRADE POLICY, CHINA The prospect of continued political polarization would seem to bode ill for the two candidates’ promise to promote trade. But a former State Department official noted that Obama managed last October to push through a trio of free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea that had been bogged down for four years. “If we’re on stronger

domestic ground we might see a flowering of free trade with bipartisan approval,” she told the Oxford Analytica conference.

On China, there was widespread skepticism that a President Mitt Romney would make good on his promise to punish China by declaring it a currency manipulator on his first day in office.

Doing so would antagonize a country that is the biggest holder of US Treasuries and is now America’s third-largest export market, after Canada and Mexico.

Between 2000 and 2011, US shipments to China rose 542 percent, while exports to the rest of the world rose 81 percent, according to Andy Rothman, an economist at CLSA in Shanghai. Like Romney, Obama has been tough on China during the campaign, launching a World Trade Organization challenge against Beijing’s subsidies on autos and car parts. The two candidates are attuned to public opinion: the Pew Center found 59 percent of Americans regard China as an economic threat compared with 45 percent of Europeans.

While 67 percent of Americans say that international business ties are good for the U.S. economy, this was the lowest level of backing for trade among 21 countries surveyed by the Center in 2011. The figure in France, a sometimes ambivalent supporter of free trade, was 83 percent.

“None of this will necessarily translate into protectionist actions by the next administration that could inhibit world growth,” the Pew Center’s Bruce Stokes said in an analysis. “But it does suggest that Washington’s offensive efforts to promote trade my be met with public skepticism, while defensive actions may find public support.” —Reuters

G20 deputies eye global economy with concern Central bank fix not enough for ailing economy

BERLIN: President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Mario Draghi (center) arrives to attend the annual meeting of the BDI (Federation of German Industries) yesterday. —AFP

Coal exports make US cleaner, EU polluted BRUSSELS: Shale gas has jolted traditional roles in the planet’s climate drama, giving cleaner fuel to the United States, whose displaced coal has headed to Europe to pollute the old continent. It is an ironic twist for the European Union, whose energy policy is largely based on promoting renewables and a target to cut emissions b y 20 percent by 2020. The US did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol to combat global emissions and its national goals are far less ambitious than Europe’s.

Analysts at Point Carbon, a Thomson Reuters company, estimate increased EU coal-use will drive a 2.2 percent rise in EU carbon emissions this year, after a 1.8 percent drop in 2011. US emissions, meanwhile, are expected to fall by roughly the same amount - 2.4 percent - chiefly because of reduced coal use, according to estimates from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Still the US remains a bigger emitter than the EU as a whole, ranking second in the world after China, and the 2012 trend is not expected to last as US coal burn will rebound and the share of renewable sources in Europe will rise, cutting carbon emissions. “The renewable energy sector is to a large extent politically-determined. EU member states have committed to legallybinding renewables 2020 targets and therefore, we expect to see renewable energy capacity grow,” Morten Hultberg Buchgreitz, acting deputy chief executive of DONG Energy’s wind power division, said.

EUROPEAN POWER PRODUCERS While shale gas production has provided a glut of cheap energy in the US it has also driven out an oversupply of lower-cost coal to Europe. US coal exports to Europe rose 29 percent in the first quarter of this year compared with the same time in 2011, a trend that has curbed European gas demand by around 3 billion cubic feet per day, according to Bernstein Research.

European gas demand, on the other hand, has dipped in power plants as prices rose, driven by a pricing link to a rising oil market and increased competition for liquefied natural gas as Japan replaces lost atomic power following its nuclear disaster last year. Germany offers a stark illustration of this price difference. Its power producers have so far this year earned an average of 6.5 euros per megawatt-hour (MWh) for power produced the following month in coal plants, compared with a 7.9 euro per MWh loss when burning gas, Reuters data

showed. Coal burn varies as utilities constantly assess profit margins of gas compared with coal-fired plants. Figures depend on costs for fuel, carbon permits and electricity prices. “In Europe it would take a 50 percent increase in coal prices to erase the price advantage over natural gas,” said Paolo Coghe, senior analyst at Societe Generale. In France, which is mainly powered by nuclear plants but uses coal and gas when demand dictates, coal plants generated 44 percent more electricity over the first eight months of 2012 than in the same period in 2011. Britain’s coal use was 43 percent higher in the first half of this year compared with a year ago, grid operator data from both countries showed.

TREND COULD END AFTER WINTER Although compelling, the trend might not outlast the winter. Some of the coal plants in question are set to shut at the end of the winter as generators expect to race through operating hours allocated under the EU’s Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD) on curbing harmful emissions. “Coal generation has been running hard, boosting emissions across Europe, but to such an extent that opted-out LCPD coal plant are using up their allocated hours bringing forward the expected closure of these plants,” said Andrew Horstead, head of research at energy consultancy Utilyx. In Britain, for instance, coal plant owners E.ON, RWE and Scottish Power have announced plant closure dates for the end of March 2013, also influenced by higher British carbon allowances prices from April next year when a price floor will take effect.

The EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), which earlier this year hit a record low and at around 7 euros per ton is still far too weak to discourage coal burning, is also expected to rally. From the next phase of the market (2013-2020) most permits will be auctioned rather than allocated for free, which will add to the cost of coal. In addition, the European Commission has put forward proposals to remove some of the surplus allowances generated by recession.

At the same time, the US government’s EIA predicts coal burning in the United States will rebound, driving up fossil fuel emissions by 2.8 percent in 2013 as shale gas becomes less cheap - it sees a 19 percent rise in the cost of gas for power, while coal generation costs are flat. —Reuters

MEXICO CITY: Central bank stimulus is not enough to fix the ailing global economy and governments must increase their efforts to boost growth, Group of 20 officials agreed on Monday.

Deputy finance ministers and central bankers of the G20, which is made up of wealthy nations and leading emerging economies, met in Mexico City on Sunday and Monday amid a deepening sense of doom around the global economic outlook.

An index of German business sentiment fell to its lowest since early 2010 this month, showing that even the strongest of Europe’s economies is succumbing to an economic downturn despite the European Central Bank’s recently announced bond-buying plan. Growth is slowing in China and the United States, too. Mexican Deputy Finance Minister Gerardo Rodriguez said new asset-buying plans from the ECB, the Bank of Japan and the US Federal Reserve had helped to calm markets but were not enough.

“There’s worry about the (economic) environment and there’s a conviction that monetary policy by itself is not sufficient,” Rodriguez told Reuters on the sidelines of the meeting. Mexican central bank board member Manuel Ramos said the extra stimulus did not cancel out downside risks from the euro zone’s debt crisis, impending fiscal tightening in the United States and slowing growth in emerging markets. “Monetary relaxation buys time, but the risks are still there,” he told a news conference after the meeting.

Other delegates who spoke on condition of anonymity said that given increased concern about the global outlook, the Fed’s bond-buying

program - criticized by emerging market powers in the past - was a necessary evil. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development cut its growth forecasts for major developed economies this month, and the International Monetary Fund warned it was set to scale back expectations for global growth, too. OECD Chief Economist Pier Carlo Padoan, who attended a seminar about the world economy before the G20 gathering, said the outlook was clearly worse since the leaders’ summit. “The US is weaker, the emerging economies are visibly weaker, and the euro area crisis has not improved so far,” he said in an interview on Friday.

LIMITED ROOM TO MOVE? Rodriguez urged governments to speed up steps promised at a June G20 leaders meeting to boost demand, support growth and cut unemployment, given the deteriorating outlook, but for many the room to move is limited. Italy was forced to sharply raise budget deficit projections after revisions to growth forecasts showed the economy is expected to shrink by 2.4 percent this year, double its previous forecast, and there is no sign growth will return in 2013. Spain, another country in the spotlight, has just raised value-added taxes and might freeze pensions as part of a deal for support from its euro-zone partners - moves that are needed to regain investor confidence but will likely deepen a recession that began at the end of last year.

Delegates said emerging market economies had not made a big issue of a possible revival of the “currency wars” that followed previous rounds

of central bank stimulus when countries tried to avoid cheap money pushing up their currencies.

Before the meeting, Brazil vowed it would not let its real currency appreciate as a result of aggressive monetary stimulus in advanced economies, but G20 officials said other emerging economies did not raise similar concerns.

“There was an almost resigned reaction to the monetary easing - on the basis that other measures that should have been taken were not, so it was up to the central banks to do something,” one G20 official at the meeting said. “There is a perception that the spillover effects should be smaller than the last time.” Unlike the last time the Fed undertook a round of stimulus in late 2010 and early 2011, some emerging market currencies, including China’s yuan and Russia’s rouble, are depreciating. Brazil has also cut rates to a record low of 7.5 percent in contrast to the 10.75 percent benchmark rate it had in late 2010, making the country less attractive as an investment destination and a less likely target of speculative flows.

Mexico’s Rodriguez said countries had agreed that improved trade and more transparency in markets could help tackle high food and commodity prices, which have pushed up inflation.

Turning to the subject of International Monetary Fund quota reform, Rodriguez said there was widespread agreement that gross domestic product (GDP) should play a bigger role in how emerging markets are represented in the IMF. The quota formula currently includes a blend of GDP at market rates and GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) as well as takes into account a country’s trade and international reserves. —Reuters

Spain borrowing costs rise in short-term debt auction MADRID: Spain’s borrowing costs surged in a short-term debt auction yesterday as the government resisted pressure to quickly seek a full-blown sovereign bailout. The Treasury sold 3.983 billion euros ($5.1 billion) in three- and sixmonth bills. Investors showed moderate interest, with demand outstripping supply by more than two-to-one, and the government managed easily to meet its target of raising 3.0-4.0 billion euros. But borrowing costs, which had slumped in previous weeks after the European Central Bank outlined plans to buy the bonds of stricken euro-zone states, climbed sharply.

Compared to the previous similar sale on August 28, the threemonth rate rose to 1.203 percent from 0.946 percent and the sixmonth rate to 2.213 percent from 2.026 percent, Bank of Spain figures showed. Spain has cut a deal with the European Union for a rescue loan of up to 100 billion euros ($125 billion) for banks hobbled by bad loans extended before a 2008 property market crash. But it

has refused to be rushed into seeking a full-blown sovereign bailout until it knows the conditions.

The European Central Bank said September 6 it would buy

government bonds to lower troubled states’ borrowing costs but only in return for strict conditions set by euro-zone bailout funds.

That announcement alone sent borrowing costs for Spain tum-

MADRID: Police stand guard outside the parliament ahead of a demonstration against austerity measures announced by the Spanish government in Madrid, Spain. —AP

bling, but in past days interest rates have crept higher again as investors begin to doubt whether Madrid will ask for the rescue.

“Investors remain concerned by the situation in Spain. Many are beginning to get impatient because the Spanish government has not taken the step and asked for a full-blown rescue, something that has been discounted for weeks as being inevitable,” said a report by brokerage Link Securities.

“Nevertheless, all the signs are that the Spanish executive is trying to avoid that possibility,” it said. Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria defended the government’s position of waiting to see the attached conditions before making a decision. “It is like when you buy a house,” she told Cadena Ser radio. “You don’t decide to buy a house in the same way as you buy a T-shirt. You think carefully about the mortgage, the conditions and this is the same procedure and mentality that the government is taking.” —AFP

24

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

business

Euro dips as worries about Spain persist Growth worries check euro, share gains

UAE lender FGB plans benchmark bond sale ABU DHABI: First Gulf Bank (FGB), the second-largest lender by market value in the United Arab Emirates, has hired five banks for a new benchmark-sized bond sale, three sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. FGB picked Citigroup Inc, HSBC Holdings, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Deutsche Bank and Standard Chartered Plc for the deal, which is expected to be at least $500 million in size.

Strong demand for high-rated regional names and narrowing spreads in recent weeks is prompting firms like FGB to tap bond markets as they look to bring their borrowing costs down. Two sources said the deal could be announced as early today this week. The sources declined to be identified as the bond issue plan is not yet public. All of the above banks are helping arrange an $800 million loan for FGB, which is majority-owned by Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, to fund its growth and expansion.

FGB’s last two forays into the global debt markets have been through the sale of Islamic bonds, or sukuk, due to the pricing advantage offered by the more stable asset class during market volatility in the

last two years. The bank last tapped global debt markets in January when it raised $500 million through a five-year Islamic bond, or sukuk, as part of a $3.5 billion Islamic bond program it established last year. The sukuk was yielding 2.6 percent yesterday afternoon, down from nearly 3 percent about a month ago, according to Thomson Reuters data. Yields on its $650 million sukuk issued last August have dropped about 23 basis points in the last 10 days.

The lender has a separate $3.5 billion euro medium term notes program under which it issued a $500 million bond in 2009. That three -year bond is due to mature in November, and was bid close to par yesterday. It also has an $825 million term loan maturing in late November.

Shares in FGB were trading 0.2 percent higher at 0830 GMT. The stock is one of the best performers on the Abu Dhabi bourse this year, with year-to-date gains of nearly 30 percent.

The company reported a forecast-beating increase in second-quarter profit on the back of increased lending and a better net interest margin. — Reuters

LONDON: Uncertainty over Spain’s next move to tackle its funding problems and renewed worries about the global growth outlook capped moves in shares and the euro yesterday.

Investors have turned cautious after a strong rally in riskier assets which followed new policies unveiled earlier this month by the world’s major central banks to stimulate growth and support efforts by Europe to resolve its debt crisis.

“The near term outlook is likely to remain one of caution until some progress in the euro-zone is in evidence,” said Mitul Kotecha, head of global FX strategy for Credit Agricole.

That next move is expected to come from Madrid where the government is due this week to present its draft budget for 2013, outline new structural reforms for the economy and release results of stress tests on the health of Spain’s banks.

Jittery investors have also become nervous about the Greece, which is due to hear soon from the “troika” of international lenders - the IMF, ECB and European Commission - on the prospects of further loans to finance government outlays. “Fears about Europe’s situation remain among investors, with the focus mostly on Spain, but Greece is also still a concern,” said Kimihiko Tomita, head of foreign exchange for State Street Global

Markets in Tokyo. However, the euro was down only 0.1 percent at $1.2920 yesterday as it retraces gains which saw it hit a 4-1/2-month peak of $1.3173 last week after the US Federal Reserve announced aggressive quantitative easing.

The rally in the single currency had also been supported by the European Central Bank’s offer to provide bailout funds to indebted governments - if they seek its help and are willing to

accept tough conditions.

Top European shares, which have surged in the third quarter due to the Fed’s decision and the offer from the ECB, were largely unchanged in early trade yesterday. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 index of top European shares was down just 0.05 percent at 1115.15 points. Several traders said the recent moves by the ECB and the Fed should ensure that any equity market pullback would be relatively limited while

SHANGHAI: An investor looks at the stock price monitor at a private securities company in Shanghai yesterday.

Asian stock markets were held in check yesterday by a host of concerns about the global economy. — AP

some fund managers have taken the view that the latest moves are the start of major recovery in prices.

“The majority of central banks are in total, outspoken reflationary mode.

That’s a big story,” said Didier Duret, chief investment officer at ABN Amro Private Banking. “They are intervening actively for a very clear reasons: to support the economy in the US, to support the funding in Europe and to support also the economies in emerging markets.” But Duret admitted the timing of a renewed equity rally is highly dependent on signs the slowdown in the global economy has bottomed out; after surprisingly weak data from Germany on Monday, those signs have yet to appear.

GROWTH CONCERNS In commodity markets, concerns about the global growth outlook sent prices sharply lower across the board on Monday and most markets were still struggling to recover. Copper prices had hit a one-week bottom after the September reading on German business sentiment dropped for a fifth successive month to the lowest since 2010. They rebounded yesterday to be up 0.6 percent at $8,237.25 per ton.

Spot gold was little changed at $1,765.10 an ounce, having dropped to a one-week low of $1,755.30 in the previous session. — Reuters

Kingfisher looks to greener customers to spur growth French political uncertainty leads to ‘pause’ BRUSSELS: Kingfisher, Europe’s biggest home improvement retailer, is saving millions by cutting energy usage and avoiding waste, and is counting on equally green and costconscious customers to help it beat the economic downturn, its chief executive said. Speaking in Brussels, where EU officials are finalizing a new EU law on energy efficiency, Ian Cheshire said Kingfisher’s B&Q chain in Britain had saved 34 million pounds ($55 million) over the last five years by, for example, reducing tax payments on landfill, as well as cutting fuel bills.

Kingfisher, which also runs Castorama and Brico Depot stores in France, has said it is worried about trading conditions in that market, its most profitable. Cheshire said there was “a pause” while France assessed the impact of its change of president.

“There is quite a lot of uncertainty until we know the totality of what they (the ruling Socialists) are saying,” he said in an interview late on Monday. “Potentially, some is helpful.”

French President Francois Hollande has unnerved business by saying he will raise taxes, but has also shifted

the emphasis towards a greener, more sustainable approach, which could present an opportunity for Kingfisher.

Kingfisher earlier this year announced its latest marketing strategy “net positive”, underlining a sustainable approach, including energy saving and sustainably-sourced timber. The EU struggled to agree an Energy Efficiency Directive in June as governments raised objections to the upfront costs of measures such as building insulation.

EU EFFICIENCY This month, the European Parliament rubber-stamped the law and now work begins on implementing it across the bloc. Cheshire “absolutely” welcomed it, even though the EU directive has been criticised for being a messy compromise.

“The EU legislation is very important because it gets things moving,” he said. “It’s such a triple win,” he added, referring to the potential for savings from lower energy costs, lower carbon emissions and for generating cash and jobs.

Government grants can mean free energy-saving insulation for con-

sumers, but he said homeowners often carried out related improvements at the same time, generating sales for Kingfisher. Sustainability and efficiency are generally as much about hard-headed survival as ideals.

“We have this massive impact on timber. We use a forest the size of Switzerland every year, so you’d better have a business model that allows you to do that,” Cheshire said. B&Q already only sells certified, sustainable timber, Cheshire said, and the plan is to replicate that across the group, which in Europe extends into Poland and Spain.

Less than 10 percent of world supply is sustainable, meaning Kingfisher has to help with reforestation if it wants to ensure its continuing supplies. While nature is “economically invisible”, there was a shift towards markets valuing sustainability, Cheshire said. Increasingly, it was a competitive disadvantage to ignore it.

“There are serious initiatives around banking and insurance companies trying to break away from a onedimensional view (of profitability),” he said. “People are going to push for more data.”— Reuters

Google shares hit a new high SAN FRANCISCO: Google shares rose more than two percent to a new high of $749.38 at the close of the Nasdaq exchange on Monday and continued to rise in after-hours trading. The stock price has climbed steadily this year as the Californiabased company bolstered its positions in key Internet growth areas with its dominant search engine, Android mobile operating system, and YouTube video venue. The shares got a boost from a Citigroup note advising investors that the Google stock price could “rise significantly in the 12 months ahead.”

Citigroup raised its target for Google to $850 from $740, saying that concern was abating regarding the cost of the Motorola Mobility acquisition, making money from ads on smartphones or tablets, and competition from Facebook. Google shares were $751.09 in after-hours trades on Monday. Recent public comments by Facebook chief and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg were credited with easing investor concern about a threat to Google’s dominance in online search by Facebook, possibly in a partnership with Microsoft.

Zuckerberg said during an onstage interview at a TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco that the social network’s spin on search was likely to be answering questions with input from people’s networks of friends. For example, getting insights about restaurants, shops, films and more from those whose opinions are trusted. But Zuckerberg was emphatic that Facebook had no interest in building its own smartphone and said the company was opting to focus on ways to make its service available on any devices people want to use to link to the Internet.

Smartphones powered by

Android or Apple software accounted for an unprecedented 85 percent of the global market in the second quarter of this year, industry tracker IDC reported last month. “ The mobile OS (operating system) market is now unquestionably a twohorse race due to the dominance of Android and iOS,” IDC senior research analyst Kevin Restivo said in the firm’s quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report. “There is still room for some mobile OS competitors to gain share, although such efforts will become increasingly difficult as

smartphone penetration increases.”

Google-backed Android accounted for a “commanding” 68.1 percent of all smartphones shipped in the three -month period; while BlackBerry and Symbian saw their shares slip to 4.8 and 4.4 percent respectively, according to IDC. Google’s Android mobile gadget operating system, which is free to device makers, is seen as a shrewd way to make it natural for people to use the firm’s money-making products and services on smartphones or tablet computers.— AFP

TOKYO: A woman holds a Google Nexus 7 tablet computer equipped with a 7-inch LCD display and a quad-core Tegra processor in its 340g body in Tokyo yesterday. Google said it was launching its Nexus 7 tablet computer in Japan, aiming to take on Apple’s iPad in one of the most lucrative markets in the world. — AFP

25

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

BUSINESS

Shell, SPE hold International Professionals in Energy Conference Company outlines importance of gender equality KUWAIT: For the first time in the GCC countries, Kuwait Shell in collaboration with the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) held the inaugural International Professionals in Energy Conference (IPEC) under the theme “Empowering Women’s Leadership” from 25 to 26 September. Shell outlined during the conference, that by providing equal opportunities and appreciating the diversity of ethnicity, age and gender, a working culture where differences are valued will be will created.

The conference addressed interesting topics focusing on the exciting opportunities as well as challenges for women to further their careers, especially in the oil and gas sector. It also profiled women’s success stories and experiences that proved that women are accomplished leaders holding key positions in their respective companies.

Shell had a major participation with speeches given by senior women leaders from the organization. Clare Harris, Vice presi-

dent of Gas Development from Shell Qatar, Mrs. Marietta Vroon, Manager of Reservoir Modeling from Shell International, and Mrs. Sana Bardawil, Manager of External Affairs for Middle East from Shell Dubai.

As part of Shell speaker’s presentations, women leaders spoke about the benefits of equality in the oil and gas industry and the challenges women face to develop their careers in the industry. They highlighted the positive role of the Shell Women’s Network, a voluntary internal initiative which helps to create forums to assist in the development and growth of female employees.

This initiative has been very successful for Shell, and it is now operating in eight Shell locations around the world. They also shed light on Shell’s global policy to encourage a more inclusive and balanced working environment to support the attraction and retention of women, as well as helping them reach senior management roles.

An example of taking this

step seriously is that Shell have designed the “Women Career Development Program” which is an internal training program

women’s evolvement in an organization, which included limited senior female role models, incorrect perceptions

work and personal life, and the vital need for more developmental assignments for further career growth.

that aims to help women take lead in planning a successful career path. They also outlined the challenges that affect

with regard to women’s roles and capabilities, assumptions about women’s abilities to overcome challenges between

Speaking about Shell in Kuwait’s support for the conference, Ahmad Atallah, Chairman and Managing Director of Shell

companies in Kuwait said, “Our decision to sponsor the first International Professionals in Energy Conference (IPEC) comes from our strong belief in diversity and inclusion. In order for Shell to face the challenge of securing energy for the future, we will need to work with a diverse team which represents various ethnicities, genders and backgrounds.

Active participation in this conference by several Shell female leaders from various disciplines is an important evidence of the effective and broad contribution women can make to the oil and gas business, if they are offered equal opportunities.”

Atallah concluded that “Shell embedded diversity and inclusion within its structure and processes to attract and develop the best and most innovative women and men who will contribute to Shell’s future as a leader in delivering the best energy products and solutions to our partners and customers.”

Japan’s Sharp to slash 11,000 jobs, sell assets Standard & Poor’s cuts Sony ratings TOKYO: Troubled Japanese consumer electronics giant Sharp is to cut 11,000 jobs worldwide and sell $2.7 billion worth of assets and factories in a bid to turn its finances around, a report said yesterday. The company, best known for home appliances, including LCD televisions, will also cut wages, Kyodo News said, citing a company plan presented to creditor banks on Monday.

Once the new plan is finalized, the banks are expected to offer fresh loans totaling 360 billion yen ($4.6 billion) to the cash-strapped firm, which faces a huge bill for the redemption of commercial paper this year and bonds the next. Under the new plan, Sharp will shed 19 percent of its 57,170-strong global workforce, by the end of March 2014, Kyodo said. The company will also cut wages and bonuses to save almost 50 billion yen in personnel costs in the year to March 2013, Kyodo said.

Sharp announced in early August that it was slashing 5,000 jobs worldwide and the new reported figure appeared to include that original round of lay-offs. The report comes amid growing speculation that the company may receive a cash injection of more than $380 million from US chip giant Intel, and as its ties with Taiwanese partner Hon Hai begin to sour.

HANOI: A man sells star-sharped lanterns at the mid-Autumn festival’s toy market in downtown Hanoi yesterday. —AFP

Seaport delay highlights shaky Vietnam economy HANOI: All that remain of Vietnam’s plan to build a major deep-water port are 114 exposed pilings trailing into the South China Sea and a barge full of rusty machinery. Foreign investors stayed away from the $3.6 billion project and the indebted state-owned company overseeing it bungled the job. The government accused the company of “financial incompetence” and suspended the project this month. The prospects for ever reviving it are dim. The abandoned port 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 stateowned enterprises weighing down a oncebooming economy.

Critics say it also shows how provincial governments and state-owned 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 Washingtonbased 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 large-scale economic reforms that will weed out the most inefficient state businesses. “There’s nothing inherently wrong about having state-owned enterprises involved in big, capital-intensive projects like ports,” said Thanh, whose advocacy group represents 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 - 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 connected 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 North 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 USfunded Fulbright Economics Teaching Program in Ho Chi Minh City. “The central government needs political support 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 industry 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

Sharp, which expects a huge 250 billion yen ($3.2 billion) loss in the year to March 2013, sought help from Hon Hai, which promised in March to take a stake of around 10 percent in the Japanese firm. However, Sharp shares plunged shortly after the deal was signed, pushing Hon Hai, best known for its Foxconn brand producing Apple gadgets, to demand Sharp reduce the investment price. As Sharp’s relations with Hon Hai cooled, Intel has emerged in the media as a possible tie-up partner to help the 100-year-old Japanese company. Sharp, which has seen its mainstay television, liquid crystal display and solar panel products struggle, has promised to return to the black in the next fiscal year starting in April.

Japan’s Sony ratings Meanwhile, ratings agency Standard & Poor’s yesterday lowered its long-term credit ratings on Sony by one notch, citing a slow recovery of its mainstay consumer electronics businesses. The agency downgraded its longterm corporate credit ratings on the Japanese electronics giant and its subsidiaries from ‘BBB+’ to BBB. The move keeps them two steps above junk status.

However, the outlook on long-term corpo-

Indonesia regulators no stiff test for Bumi JAKARTA: The Indonesian coal miner accused of irregularities by Bumi Plc, the London-listed coal venture co -founded by financier Nathaniel Rothschild, is unlikely to face intense regulatory scrutiny at home, industry sources said yesterday.

While Indonesia’s Capital Market and Financial I nstitution Super visor y Agenc y - k nown as Bapepam-LK - is responsible for supervising any probe into the finances at PT Bumi Resources , it lacks the teeth needed to force Asia’s biggest thermal coal exporter into action.

“There tends to be weak enforcement of capital markets rules in Indonesia, so the direct regulatory impac t will probably be limited,” said Kevin O ’Rourke, an independent risk consultant in Jakarta. Sarjito, head of Bapepam’s investigation bureau, said his agency had not yet received anything on the matter from Bumi. That suggests a slow start to the probe launched by Bumi Plc into potential irregularities in more than $500 million of funds at its Indonesian subsidiaries, which could reinforce growing uncertainty over its troubled stock, which tumbled 25 percent on Monday.

Bumi Plc shares recovered nearly 6 percent on Tuesday, having lost over half their value in the past five sessions. The stock is down 82 percent this year, compared to an 18 percent rise in the UK midcap stock index. In Jakarta, Bumi Resources fell as much as 13 percent on Tuesday on a perception the crisis could drag on, before closing up 1.5 percent. Analysts at UBS still expect more selling pressure. “We worry about Bumi’s ability to meet interest cost obligations over the next 12-18 months,” they said in a client note. Nomura analyst Patrick Jones downgraded the stock to ‘reduce’, noting challenges in servicing Bumi Resources’ $4.1 billion gross debt.

FUND WRITEDOWNS Bumi, co-founded by Rothschild, on Monday commissioned an independent investigation after allegations concerning the use of company funds at its affiliates, including its 29 percent-owned Bumi Resources, one of several foreign-owned, Londonlisted miners that have raised corporate governance concerns among investors over the past year. It is the latest problem to plague Bumi, listed in London last year via a reverse takeover engineered by Rothschild, the 41-year-old scion of the centuries-old European banking dynasty, in a $3 billion deal with Indonesia’s powerful Bakrie family. They aimed to create an international coal-mining titan with mines in Indonesian Borneo, and one of the biggest listed companies on the London exchange. —Reuters

rate credit ratings is negative. “The pace of recovery in earnings of Sony’s mainstay consumer electronics businesses in fiscal 2012 (ending March 31, 2013) will remain slow,” Standard & Poor’s said in a statement. “And a strong recovery is not likely to occur until at least fiscal 2013,” it said. “We could lower the ratings further if Sony fails to demonstrate solid signs of recovery in weakened measures of its credit quality within the next 12 months.”

The Japanese firm lost a whopping 456.66 billion yen ($5.81 billion) in the year to March, its fourth consecutive annual loss.

It also reported a widening loss in its latest quarter and cut a profit forecast for the year as the struggling firm overhauls its business.

Standard & Poor’s also said it remains “neutral on Sony’s acquisition strategy” following news reports that Sony plans for a 50 billion yen capital injection into scandal-wracked Olympus.

“Historically, Sony has made active strategic investments to maintain competitiveness and realign its business portfolios, in our view,” it said. Olympus, which suffered massive losses following a series of bad investments, is expected to finalize the deal with Sony as early as the end of the month, according to news reports. —Agencies

MS & RY Behbehani unveils SEAT Ibiza FR KUWAIT: Mohammed Saleh and Reza Yousuf Behbehani Company recently unveiled the next generation of the popular Spanish car maker SEAT in Kuwait, the Ibiza FR and the Ibiza ST 2013. The Ibiza FR had undergone a major facelift last year and the 2013 version is a step further. The Ibiza is available in the 3 door sports coupe, the 5 door hatchback and 5 door station wagon variants and buyers can also opt for the high per formance spor ts version - SEAT Ibiza FR. The new model retains its predecessor’s turbocharged and supercharged engine and combined with the dual shift gearbox, it offers a torque superior in its class.

The Ibiza FR has been equipped with the latest LED lights and boasts of the 150 BHP TSI Twincharged Engine which won the “Engine of the Year 2010”. The new version comes with 7 speeds gear box and offers very attractive options and colors like panoramic sunroof, front & rear LEAD lights, leather sporty interior with contrast stitching and much more. The sleek design of the SEAT Ibiza FR includes eye-catching exterior accents, including bumpers and stunning 17” alloy wheels. The SEAT Ibiza FR also offers the latest generation safety technology features, including the electronic differential lock (XDS).

“The new SEAT Ibiza FR and the Ibiza ST are now available at our showroom.

The Ibiza FR which was launched earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show has met great success. We are confident that SEAT car lovers will enjoy driving these new and upgraded versions of the SEAT cars on the Kuwaiti roads,” said Abdul

Ghani Behbehani, Director at Behbehani. At the MS & RY Behbehani showroom is also available the new Ibiza ST offering larger families with extra space. The car has a dynamically new look including cur ved bonnet, sporty roof rails, state-of-the-art technology and a range of efficient, powerful engines.

Designed on the corporate philosophy of ENJOYNEERING, SEAT cars offer

innovative technologies, improved functionality, quality and a fun-to-drive zest. Built on the German Auto manufacturer Volkswagen Group’s platform, SEAT cars offer unmatched driving comfort, stability and a higher standard of safety. The new Ibiza signifies smart engineering simply based on the unique understanding of how technology enables people to live a life full of sensation and joy.

26

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

business

Australian central bank warns against risky lending SYDNEY: Australia’s central bank yesterday warned against banks lowering their lending standards as a means of overcoming weakened profits given the lingering effects of the eurozone crisis. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said the profitability of major banking systems globally remained subdued, and Australian institutions were experiencing a slower rate of profit growth.

“While this has prompted a renewed focus by banks on cost containment, at this stage, it has not spurred inappropriate risk-taking,” the RBA

said in a financial stability review. “With demand for credit likely to remain moderate, a challenge for firms in a competitive banking environment will be to resist the pressure to ease lending standards to gain market share in the pursuit of unrealistic profit expectations.” The review said that while Australian banks had little direct asset exposure to the most troubled euro area countries, they remained exposed to swings in global financial market sentiment associated with the problems in Europe. “ They should be more resilient to such

ABK and Al Sayer offering the best in car financing KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait is proud to announce another great partnership agreement with the Al Sayer Group, a name at the forefront of car dealerships in Kuwait. Visit any of the many Al Sayer showrooms, strategically positioned throughout Kuwait and you will be greeted by an ABK representative. They will help you make the right financial decision whilst choosing the perfect car to suit your lifestyle. Whether you are Kuwaiti or an expatriate you can take advantage of the best deals that car financing has to offer.

With ABK and Al Sayer you can enjoy free 3rd party insurance cover, 1,000 litres of petrol absolutely free of charge, free car registration and a massive 30,000kms free service value or up to 2 years free service. Stewart Lockie, GM, Retail Banking at ABK commented, “This is truly one of the best car financing deals available in Kuwait! Not only do we offer free insurance, free petrol, free registration and free service deals but we can now also offer our customers the best trade-in deals for their vehicles.”

Lockie added, “It gives ABK great pleasure knowing that we provide this added value to our customers and prospective clients with confidence, considering that with brands such as Lexus and Toyota the Al Sayer dealership is among the best in Kuwait, as is ABK is among the leading banks in the country.

episodes though, given the improvements they have made to their funding, liquidity and capital positions over recent years,” it said. The RBA said households and businesses were showing a prudent approach towards their finances, which would also help in the event of future shocks.

“Many households continue to prefer saving and paying down their existing debt more quickly than required, which has contributed to household credit growth being more in line with income growth in recent years,” it said.

“Although there are some isolated pockets of

weakness, aggregate measures of financial stress remain low,” it added.

Australia, which escaped recession during the global financial crisis, has a banking industr y dominated by the so- called “big four ” lenders-the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank, ANZ and Westpac. After rate cuts earlier in the year - 50 basis points in May and 25 points in June-the RBA held interest rates steady at 3.50 percent last month, but analysts are tipping a further rate cut by the end of the year. — AFP

Sanofi slashes fewer jobs than planned French drugmaker under pressure from govt

Stewart Lockie Together we offer our valued customers the very best in car financing.”

Customers wishing to take advantage of this offer will be offered 15 times their salary to support their car financing with a maximum amount of KD 15,000. This offer is also available to non-ABK customers without having to transfer your salaries.

Financing is available with a flexible payment offer of up to 5 years and can be approved immediately making the purchase of your new and luxurious car a truly enjoyable one.

PARIS: French drugmaker Sanofi SA scaled back planned layoffs under pressure from the French government, which has been struggling to contain a burgeoning unemployment rate. Sanofi, France’s No 2 company by market value after Total , said it could shed around 900 jobs in France in the next three years, fewer than the 2,500 predicted in July by trade unions, as part of the company’s planned reshuffle of its research operations. The French government, which had strongly criticized Sanofi’s cutback plans amid rising unemployment and similar plans by troubled car maker PSA Peugeot Citroen, said it had made Sanofi Chief Executive Christopher Viehbacher listen to reason.

French Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg told reporters Sanofi had “followed the government’s recommendations” after a meeting on Monday evening, where the company initially offered to shrink its plan to 1,370 layoffs from an initial figure of 2,300. Montebourg said he asked Sanofi to further reduce that number.

“A company that’s earning money cannot behave like a company in trouble,” Montebourg told journalists. “A fter a meeting with the CEO, whom I saw again last night, I explained that

this layoff plan was abusive and that it needed to be reduced, which has been done in two waves.”

Sanofi’s plan, first mooted in early July, attracted the wrath of French politicians, with Montebourg calling the layoffs “unacceptable” and Pierre Cohen, mayor of the southern town of Toulouse which faced around 600 layoffs at a research centre, labeling the company’s top management “gangsters”. Sanofi aims to achieve the 900 cuts through early retirement, voluntary redundancies and redeploying people within the company, it said in a statement yesterday.

CONCRETE SOLUTIONS The group added it does not plan to move any of its sites or reduce the number of industrial locations it has in France.

The future of its cancer research centre in Toulouse, however, remains uncertain. Sanofi said it had found potential stakeholders to maintain operations at the site and it would strive to find “concrete solutions” in coming months. Trade unions are calling for a strike on Oct 3, when a further meeting between Sanofi and staff representatives is due to take

place, and said they are seeking contact with Montebourg.

“The only news is the 900 cuts, which doesn’t take into account staff in Toulouse,” Pascal Vially, a representative for the CFDT trade union, told Reuters. “In total, 1,500 jobs are at risk, which is at the lower end of our expectations but still too much.” Unions had predicted that Sanofi would seek to axe between 1,200 and 2,500 of its 28,000 jobs in France.

The company employs around 110,000 worldwide.The company had declined to provide details of its planned reshuffle ahead of consultations with staff and meetings with staff representatives. Like other major drugmakers, the company is under pressure from patent expiries as well as government cuts in healthcare spending.

It has also struggled to bring new drugs to market. The French plan is part of a wider 2 billion euro ($2.6 billion) cost-cutting drive that Sanofi announced in September 2011 and follows a series of job cuts in the United States and Europe. Shares in Sanofi were trading flat at 0929 GMT, slightly outperforming the French blue-chip CAC 40 index, which was down 0.3 percent. — Reuters

KIB and KIA Motors extend promotion KUWAIT: Kuwait International Bank (KIB) has announced the extension of its campaign launched recently in collaboration with Abulaziz Al Ali Al Mutawa CompanyKIA Motors Agent in Kuwait until the end of October 2012. The promotion has achieved high turnout from customers interested in the convenient financing facilities along with many other privileges offered exclusively from KIB for those who wish to purchase a car from KIA Motors.

Commenting on the extension of the promotion, RK Nair Assistant GM of Retail Banking Department said: “KIB’s campaigns aim at providing offers and pro-

motions with features and benefits to customers meeting their needs and desires. Through this collaboration, the customer will enjoy a special package with exclusive privileges when financing a KIA car from KIB. These exclusive privileges include discounted profits for Islamic financing, warranty for 5 years or for 100,000 KM and free traffic registration.”

Nair concluded by confirming the bank’s commitment to developing its Shariah Compliant services and products to assist customers in choosing the best deals and offers that most suit their preferences.

BMW Group ‘sector leader’ in Dow Jones Sustainability Index World’s most sustainable automotive company

Sameer Sehgal

Farouk Soussa

Citibank holds trade roundtable for corporate and financial institutions KUWAIT: Citi Transactions Services (CTS), a Division of Citi, recently held a Trade Roundtable in Kuwait, featuring key financial institutions as well as top coprorates. Event was an opportunity to discuss latest macroeconomic developments in the region as well as emerging trends in global trade and their direct and indirect effects on Kuwait’s economy.

Both Farouk Soussa, Citi’s Chief Economist for Middle East, and Sameer Sehgal, Trade Head for EMEA, addressed the Roundtable. Farouk provided the global outlook which included an overview of the advanced economies and emerging markets with special focus on the Euro crisis, China and the US. Sameer alluded to about the “new normal” which covered the political elections in most of the countries during 2012, the realities in Europe post the economic situation of GIIPS, adjustment to greater global complexities, and global shift in trade business as well as Basel III and impact of new regulatory environment on trade..

“Citi has always been keen on using its experience and insight to add valuable knowledge to our customers and pro-

vide them with consistent, high quality service as their loyal banking partner. We continue to research the market to know what our customers need to maintain their high position as leading financial institutions in Kuwait and the region”, said Ozgur Kutay, Chief Executive Officer of Citibank NA Kuwait.

“This was an excellent client-focused conference with a combination of Global and Regional awareness,” said Sabir Hasan, Credit Manager at EQUATE, who attended the event. “Drawing on Citi’s 200 year old heritage, Farouk and Sameer delivered thought-provoking presentation material that provided a clear insight into global trade trends and how this can affect our business”.

Citi has been in the Arab World for nearly 50 years and views the region as critical to its global franchise. It currently offers full scale corporate banking services across ten Arab countries including Egypt, UAE, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait as well as Pakistan. Its consumer banking services cover UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain, while it maintains close relationships with high networth clients in the region through the Citi Private Bank.

KUWAIT: The BMW Group has been named the world’s most sustainable automotive company for the eighth consecutive year in the ranking published earlier this month by the SAM Group for the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI). Among the three automotive industry enterprises listed each year, the BMW Group is the only one to feature in the renowned index every year for the past 14 years.

“We strongly believe that sustainability is a key factor in the long-term economic success of the BMW Group. For that reason, we are delighted to be recognized once again by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. We are proud to be the sector leader in this important ranking for the eighth consecutive year- at the same time, it motivates us to continue to be a pioneer in corporate

sustainability in the future,” said Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. Sustainability is firmly embedded in the BMW Group’s culture and corporate strategy. In 2001, the BMW Group committed itself to the United Nations Environment Program, the UN Global Compact and the Cleaner Production Declaration.

It was also the first company in the automotive industry to appoint an environmental officer back in 1973. Today, the Sustainability Board, comprising all members of the Board of Management, defines the strategic alignment through binding targets.

The positive rating in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index marks the second occasion in a week that the company has been recognized for its commitment to

sustainability. The BMW Group was also listed in the Global 500 Leadership Index, by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), achieving its all-time best score.

With 99 of 100 possible points, the BMW Group is not only sector leader but is also among the top three companies from all sectors worldwide.

27

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Facebook to delete European users’ facial recognition data Barron’s slams Facebook, stock falls

NEW YORK: Electronic screens show the price of Facebook shares after they began trading. —AP

Apple’s Wozniak wants to become Australian SYDNEY: Steve Wozniak, who co-founded Apple with the late Steve Jobs, revealed yesterday his fondness for Australia and said he hopes to become a citizen. “I actually like this country and want to become a citizen,” he told the Australian Financial Review, saying he was particularly impressed with plans to roll out a national broadband network across the country.

Wozniak, who quit Apple in 1987 after 12 years, told local radio in Brisbane last week that he enjoyed his regular visits to Australia. “I am... on the way to become an Australian citizen, that’s a littlenown fact,” he told station 4BC on Friday after queuing up to buy the new generation iPhone 5. “It turns out that I get to keep my American citizenship,” he added. “I intend, you know who knows what will follow through in the next five years, I intend to call myself an Australian and feel an Australian, and study the history and become, you know, as much of a real

citizen here as I can.” In the interview with the Financial Review, Wozniak said the national broadband network was one of the reasons he wants to become a citizen.

Australia’s ambitious Aus$35.9 billion ($37.4 billion) National Broadband Network (NBN) aims to connect all Australians to superfast Internet by 2021 in a move the government hopes will transform the country ’s economy.

Wozniak said his home in California was not connected to a broadband service and there was no “political idea” to bring it to everyone in the United States.

“There’s only one set of wires to be on and I’m not going to pull strings to get them to do something special for me,” he said. Under the NBN scheme, 93 percent of homes, schools and businesses will be linked by fibre optic while those in more remote regions of the vast nation will receive their service by fixed wireless and satellite technologies. —AFP

Kindle Fire HD ‘no’ iPad-killer NEW YORK: The new Kindle Fire HD may not stir you to pass along your old iPad as a hand-me-down. But if you own an earlier small tablet running on Android or another operating system, or even last year’s original Kindle Fire, you’ll want to take a close look. The Fire HD isn’t for everyone. Like its predecessor, it still draws potshots for seeming, as one critic put it, “like a shop window onto the world’s biggest content department store.” Yet Amazon.com Inc has refined an already-impressive $199 device, while foreshadowing what it promises before Thanksgiving: an 8.9-inch Fire HD, including a 4G wireless version, that will compete more directly with Apple’s 9.7-inch iPad. What has Amazon accomplished so far? For starters, the Fire HD addresses some of the first Fire’s rough edges - literally as well as figuratively. It has the same 7-inch screen, but in a case that’s slightly longer and wider yet thinner and lighter, and with rounder corners and edges. The Fire HD also comes with a built-in microphone and a frontfacing, high-definition camera - a camera designed with Skyping in mind.

The lack of those features in last year’s Fire contributed to the idea that Amazon had cut corners to keep the price below $200. And, of course, the Fire HD boasts a high-def LCD screen, 1280 by 800 pixels, compared with the original Fire’s 1024-by-600-pixel resolution.

I had a chance to examine the sum of those and other improvements, with a Fire HD provided by Staples, which has begun promoting Amazon’s small tablets - including an updated non-HD Kindle Fire selling for $159 - at its office-supply stores. Physically, the Fire HD seems less boxy and somehow softer to the touch. Perhaps it’s no surprise that it feels much more like a small iPad than last year’s Fire did, since Amazon may be laying a marker against the “iPad Mini” — a rumored companion to Apple’s pathbreaking tablet that many analysts expect to arrive this fall.

But it’s the refinements to the Fire’s technology, and to Amazon’s version of its Android operating system, that should make the Fire HD glow noticeably brighter than last year’s version.

Amazon has improved on the old Fire’s list of features, not just with the HD display, camera and microphone but also by adding robust Dolby Audio stereo speakers, dual-band Wi-Fi, and other enhancements. And it has built the Fire HD on Android 4.0, also known as “Ice Cream Sandwich” - not the very latest

version, Android 4.1 “Jelly Bean,” used by the well-regarded Google Nexus 7, but two steps past the original Fire’s software based on Android 2.3 “Gingerbread.”

That highly refined Android “skin” the layer above the open-source operating system _ is what will likely distinguish the experience for most Fire HD owners. PC Magazine’s Sascha Segan, source of the “shop window” criticism, dubs Amazon’s operating system “Amdroid” and says that its focus “is on letting you easily play with the stuff you download from Amazon” - a critique that, ironically, points to a competitive advantage that Amazon and Apple share.

Like Apple with its iTunes and App Stores, Amazon doesn’t make money just by selling devices. Though it started as a bookstore-slaying Web bookseller and morphed into a retailerkilling superstore, Amazon also profits from selling media - not just the ebooks that it pioneered on the original kindles, but also music, movies and TV shows. Just like Apple. One difference is that Apple, as a pioneer of devices more than of sales models, has taken a high-end path on pricing. The thirdgeneration iPad starts at $499, and ranges to $829 for a tablet with 64 gigabytes of memory and 4G LTE connectivity.

Amazon, by contrast, clearly follows the “razors and blades” strategy: Sell razors at a discount, and make your money on blades. One sign of what must be its razor-thin margins for its Fire HD is that it delivers home-screen text ads, which purchasers can vanquish forever by paying Amazon an extra $15. Another Fire feature sure to frustrate some users is that Amazon still bars access to the full universe of apps offered by Google Play, the renamed marketplace for Android apps developed by a burgeoning industry of outside developers. Like Apple’s App Store, Google Play boasts of selling more than half a million apps.

That’s an astounding number, but in Amazon’s view a somewhat meaningless one. Its Appstore claims to offer more than 30,000 apps, all tested to ensure compatibility with Kindle Fire and “tablet-optimized” - not simply blown-up smartphone apps. Amazon’s theory is that it can offer the most popular apps, games, and media - almost anything you might want, for a lot less money than an iPad and more smoothly than other non-Apple tablets. It’s a powerful argument from a powerhouse of a company. Don’t count it out. —MCT

SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook Inc has agreed to delete all the facial recognition data it has collected from European users and switch off the feature in Europe by Oct 15. The move follows a review of the facial recognition feature that prompts users to “tag” friends in photos uploaded to the service. Ireland’s privacy regulator, Billy Hawkes, said Facebook would not turn it back on without agreeing with his office on “the most appropriate means of collecting user consent.” He said Facebook was “sending a clear signal of its wish to demonstrate its commitment to best practice in data protection compliance.”

Hawkes’ office, which began reviewing Facebook’s compliance with Irish and European Union data protection rules in 2011, has urged Facebook to give users a better understanding of how their personal data is handled and increased control over privacy settings. He said that the “great majority” of the recommendations had been implemented to the regulator’s satisfaction. “This audit is part of an ongoing process of oversight, and we are pleased that, as the Data Protection Commissioner said, the latest announcement is confirmation that we are not only compliant with European data protection law but we have gone beyond some of their initial recommendations and are fully committed to best practice in data protection compliance,” Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes said in an emailed statement.

Germany’s Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection also issued an administrative order that Facebook can only create and store facial recognition data with the consent of users. The German data protection official reopened an investigation into Facebook’s facial recognition technology in August, saying that Facebook was saving images of users’ faces in a database without their explicit consent in violation of European privacy laws. At the time, Facebook said it notified European users of the data collection.

Stock falls In another development, Facebook Inc’s stock took a hit Monday after an article in the financial magazine Barron’s said it is “still too pricey” despite a sharp decline since its initial public offering. Though Facebook’s stock has plunged since its May IPO, Andrew Bary at Barron’s said the stock trades at “high multiples of both sales and earnings, even as uncertainty about the outlook for its business grows.”

At issue is the shift of Facebook’s massive user base to mobile devices. The company is still figuring out how to advertise to people who use their mobile phones and tablet computers to access the social network. Bary said success in the mobile space is “no sure thing” for the company. Mobile ads must fit into much smaller screens, which doesn’t give Facebook “much room to configure ads without alienating users,”

with Monday’s drop. “That would be roughly 24 times projected 2013 profit and six times estimated 2013 revenue of $6 billion, still no bargain price,” he wrote.

Facebook declined to comment. Last week, research firm eMarketer said it expects Google Inc to surpass Facebook in US display advertising revenue this year. In February, eMarketer predicted Facebook would stay ahead of

NEW YORK: This combination of Associated Press file photos, show advertising for the financial magazine Barron’s on display in New York on July 23, 2007, and the Facebook logo on an iPad in Philadelphia on May 16, 2012. —AP Bary said.

Facebook also has what Bary called “significant” stock-based compensation expenses. Last year, the company issued $1.4 billion worth of restricted stock and $1 billion so far this year, he noted. Yet technology companies such as Facebook “routinely encourage analysts to ignore stock-based compensation expense and most comply. This dubious approach to calculating profits is based on the idea that only cash expenses matter,” Bary wrote. “That’s a fiction, pure and simple.”

Menlo Park, Calif.-based Facebook’s stock fell $2.03, or 8.9 percent, to close at $20.83 on Monday. The company went public on May 18 at a share price of $38, which it has not matched since. Bary said he thinks Facebook’s stock is worth $15, well below its current price even

Google. The social networking company had surpassed Google in 2011. But Facebook’s ad revenue has fallen short of the expectations eMarketer set in February.

That said, some analysts are still bullish on Facebook. Last week an analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald started coverage of its stock with a “Buy” rating and a target price of $26. The analyst, Youssef Squali, said he’s “positive on the stock long-term” despite its botched IPO and the worry that Facebook’s stock will be held down as employees become eligible to sell their stock in the coming months. “We see significant opportunities ahead of Facebook, largely from brands moving online seeking mass reach and user engagement and from the explosion of mobile advertising in the next 2-5 years,” Squali said in a note to investors. —Agencies

YouTube-funded show makes first leap to TV

CALIFORNIA: This combination of Associated Press file photos shows a Verizon store on June 12, 2012, left, and the Tivo logo on display at a Best Buy store on March 6, 2007, both in Mountain View.—AP

TiVo settles lawsuit against Verizon for $250.4M CALIFORNIA: Verizon will pay Tivo Inc at least $250.4 million to license its digital video recording technology and settle a patent lawsuit. It is the third settlement that Tivo has gotten in major patent cases. That “bodes well for its future litigation,” said Alan Gould, an analyst with Evercore, in a research note.

Tivo, based in Alviso, Calif., is set to go to trial in patent lawsuits over DVRs made by Google Inc’s Motorola unit and Cisco Systems Inc. next year. Gould reiterated his “Overweight” rating on shares with a $13 price target.

News of the settlement sent Tivo shares up 41 cents, or 4.2 percent, to $9.96 in midday trading after rising as high as $10.45 earlier in the session. Its shares traded at a 52week high of $12.37 in late March. Shares of New York-based Verizon Communications Inc fell 6 cents to $45.58. The two companies agreed to dismiss all pending litigation. They had been scheduled to go to trial in October.

The deal with Verizon is the latest in a string of patent settlements for TiVo, which developed the first commercially available DVR. The device made it easy for people to record

programs and watch them later, skipping over ads.

Last year TiVo settled with satellite TV company Dish Network Corp and its set-top box provider EchoStar Corp. for $500 million, and earlier this year resolved a lawsuit against AT&T Inc for $215 million. The payments from those settlements are also staggered over several years. The company has said that the settlements bring its operations closer to profitability. TiVo has posted an annual loss in eight of the past 10 years.

Under the settlement with Verizon, TiVo will get an initial cash payment of $100 million and quarterly payments totaling $150.4 million through July 2018. Verizon will also pay monthly license fees through July 2018 for each of its DVR subscribers above a certain level. If the companies work together on certain joint initiatives, $29.4 million of the payment would be subject to a credit. The companies may also make Internet video services developed through Verizon’s joint venture with video rental kiosk Redbox accessible through TiVo’s DVRs. —AP

SAN FRANCISCO: US TV network ABC will in October start broadcasting a cooking show that began as part of YouTube’s “Original Channels” initiative, the first such deal to take a YouTube-funded program to national TV. For Google-owned YouTube, the deal is a milestone in its effort to rebrand itself as a place to watch high-quality video, able to compete with traditional TV for advertising dollars as well as audiences.

The deal comes nearly a year after YouTube launched a $100 million campaign to shed its image as a repository for blurry, home-made cat videos, by paying producers to make slick, professional programs like “Recipe Rehab”, the show that will make the jump to T V. Although episodes will be re-shot for the 22-minute TV format, the show is being helmed by the same executive producer as the Web version, and two of its star chefs from YouTube will migrate to the small screen.

“Recipe Rehab is the latest example of how creators are now harnessing the combined attributes of TV and the web to build scaled, engaged audiences,” said Alex Carloss, YouTube’s global head of original programming.

Recipe Rehab, which teaches viewers familiar recipes, will be broadcast on Saturday mornings on 200 ABCaffiliate stations across the United States, and also continue as a standard YouTube channel. The show was the brainchild of Mark Koops, a veteran TV producer who created shows including “The Biggest Loser” on NBC, and Fox’s “Masterchef”, starring celebrity cook Gordon Ramsay. “Digital has shown its capacity as a proving ground,” Koops said. “Now everyone is working out how to monetize the content.”

Last year Koops’ digital production outfit, Trium Entertainment, teamed up with Everyday Health Inc, a New York-based multimedia company, and jointly pitched YouTube for a chunk of the Original Channels funding. YouTube ultimately funded roughly 100 channels, including Everyday Health and many others that boasted tie-ins with stars like actors Ashton Kutcher and Amy Poehler, and former basketball star Shaquille O’Neal. In May, YouTube threw a glamorous party in an attempt to woo advertisers, and present its channels as serious media brands. At the time, it said it would invest another $200 million to market its new channels.

“It’s a sign of the emerging times,” Koops said.

“Television is no longer just the television.” —Reuters

Myspace gives peek at website redesign SAN FRANCISCO: Myspace has provided a glimpse at a major overhaul of the music-centric online community striving to reclaim lost glory. A message atop the myspace.com home page promised: “Coming soon.

The new Myspace,” and provided a link to video showing a redesigned user interface that deeply integrates Facebook and Twitter. “We’re hard at work building the new Myspace, entirely from scratch,” a message at the website said.

“But we’re staying true to our roots in one important way-empowering people to express themselves

however they want,” Myspace continued. “So whether you’re a musician, photographer, filmmaker, designer or just a dedicated fan, we’d love for you to be a part of our brand new community.” Visitors could leave email addresses to be sent invitations to the redesigned Myspace service. The pioneering online social network transformed itself into an Internet community for music lovers and makers after being eclipsed by Facebook. Early this year, Myspace launched a new music player that it said attracted a flood of new fans.

Myspace is vying with hot Internet music services

such as Spotify, Pandora, and Rdio as people increasingly go online for entertainment content. Myspace claims the largest library of online music with about 42 million tracks. News Corp sold Myspace in June for $35 million, just six percent of its $580-million purchase price, to Specific Media, a digital ad-targeting platform.

News Corp’s purchase of Myspace in 2005 was a “huge mistake” and the social network was mismanaged “in every possible way” following the acquisition, chief executive Rupert Murdoch said at a shareholders meeting late last year. —AFP

28

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

health & science

Five-year-olds put to test as KG exams gain steam CHICAGO: With school in full swing across the United States, the littlest students are getting used to the blocks table and the dress-up corner - and that staple of American public education, the standardized test. A national push to make public schools more rigorous and hold teachers more accountable has led to a vast expansion of testing in kindergarten. And more exams are on the way, including a test meant to determine whether 5-year-olds are on track to succeed in college and career. Paul Weeks, a vice president at test developer ACT Inc, says he knows that particular assessment sounds a bit nutty, especially since many kindergarteners aspire to careers as superheroes. “What skills do you need for that, right? Flying is good. X-ray vision?” he said, laughing.

But ACT will soon roll out collegeand career-readiness exams for kids age 8 through 18 and Weeks said developing similar tests for younger ages is “high on our agenda.” Asking kids to predict the ending of a story or to suggest a different ending, for instance, can identify the critical thinking skills that employers prize, he said.

“There are skills that we’ve identified as essential for college and career success, and you can back them down in a grade-appropriate manner,” Weeks said. “Even in the early grades, you can find students who may be at risk.”

At least 25 states now mandate at least one formal assessment during kindergarten. Many local school districts require their own tests as well, starting just a few weeks into the academic year. The proliferation of exams for five-year-olds has sparked a fierce debate that echoes a broader national divide over how much standardized testing is appropriate in public schools.

Advocates say it’s vital to test early and often because too many kids fall irre-

trievably behind in their first years of schooling. The most recent national exams for fourth graders found just 34 percent proficient in reading and 40 percent proficient in math.

Opponents counter that testing puts undue stress on 5- and 6-yearolds and cuts into the time they should be spending playing, singing and learning social skills. They also contend that most tests for kindergarteners are unreliable because the children have short attention spans and often find it difficult to demonstrate skills on demand.

‘We Should Know Better’ Formal tests give a narrow picture of a child’s ability, said Samuel Meisels, president of the Erikson Institute, a graduate school in Chicago focused on child development. He urges teachers instead to assess young children by observing them over time, recording skills and deficits and comparing those to benchmarks.

But Meisels fears such observational tests won’t seem objective or precise enough in today’s data-driven world; he says he too often sees them pushed aside in favor of more formal assessments. “I am worried, yes,” he said. “We should know better.” Kari Knutson, a veteran kindergarten teacher in Minnesota, has seen the shifting attitude toward testing play out in her classroom. During her first two decades of teaching, Knutson rarely, if ever, gave formal tests; kindergarten was about learning through play, music, art and physical activity.

These days, though, her district mandates a long list of assessments.

Knutson started the year by quizzing each of her 23 students on the alphabet and phonics, through a 111-question oral exam. Last week, she brought the kids to the computer lab for anoth-

er literacy test. Each kindergartener wore headphones and listened to questions while a menu of possible answers flashed on the screen. They were supposed to respond by clicking on the correct answer, though not all could maneuver the mouse and some gave up in frustration, Knutson said.

This week, it’s on to math - and a seven-page, pencil-and-paper test. “It’s supposed to show them what they’ll be learning in first grade,” Knutson said.

“Like they really care.”

In her view, the kids are far too young to tackle formal exams, especially in their first weeks of what is for many their first school experience.

“Half of them are crying because they miss mom and dad. When you tell them to line up, they don’t even know what a line is,” Knutson said. Despite her frustration, Knutson acknowledges the tests have some advantages. The results help shape her lesson plans, she said, as she can quickly group kids by ability. Now and then, the exams reveal hidden strengths or unexpected weaknesses in her students. Plus, when scores rise, both she and her students feel a genuine pride. “At the end of the year, it’s like ‘Wow, we really improved.’

It’s cool because you can see it,” Knutson said.

Accountability Testing young children is not a new concept. In the 1980s, many states assessed children to determine whether they were ready to enter kindergarten or first grade. Experts in child development denounced the practice as unfair and unreliable and it faded out. In recent years, however, the federal law known as No Child Left Behind has put pressure on schools to raise scores on the standardized reading and math tests given to students starting around age 8. Schools that

post poor scores are labeled failing; principals and teachers can lose their jobs.

With the stakes so high, many administrators have decided to start testing in the earlier grades, to give kids practice and to identify students who need help.

The Obama administration accelerated the trend in 2011 with a $500 million competitive grant to bolster early childhood education. States that pledged to assess all kindergarteners earned extra points on their applications. After all, taxpayers are investing more than $500 billion a year in public education and “we need to know how children are progressing,” said Jacqueline Jones, a deputy assistant secretary in the US Department of Education. “There has to be some accountability,” she said.

The administration’s grant guidelines encouraged states to develop holistic assessments that measure the 5-year-olds’ social, emotional and physical development as well as their cognitive skills. About a dozen states, including Georgia and Maryland, have developed such broad assessments, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Others states, though, focus more narrowly on reading and math skills; some are even beginning to evaluate kindergarten teachers in part on how well their students do on those exams.

The format of kindergarten assessment varies widely. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills, which is used by schools across the United States, runs more than an hour as a teacher reads dozens of questions aloud and kindergarteners mark their response on a multiplechoice answer sheet.

A typical question asks kids to pick the picture that illustrates the word ‘sharp’ from choices including a piggy bank, a glove and a pair of scissors. On

the other end of the spectrum, the Brigance kindergarten screen is set up as a game that students play one-onone with a teacher, who may ask them to stand on one foot for 10 seconds, to count to 30, or to copy complex shapes like a diamond. The test takes 10 to 15 minutes and costs about $4 per child.

In addition to these comprehensive tests, curriculum writers are now incorporating multiple shorter exams into kindergarten lesson plans. Consider the 68-page manual recently published by New York City education officials to guide kindergarten teachers through a math unit aligned to the new Common Core academic standards rolling out nationally.

The unit, meant to introduce 5-yearolds to algebraic thinking, includes three short pencil-and-paper exams, culminating with a test that asks students to calculate all the ways they could divide six books between two shelves.

Some parents welcome all the tests as an indication that their kids are truly being challenged. If their children spend too much time finger-painting or playing at the sand table, “parents will say, ‘This isn’t academic enough,’” said Peggy Campbell-Rush, a longtime kindergarten teacher in New Jersey.

But other parents want kindergarten to be the way they remember it, as a time of relaxed exploration. Dao Tran, a mother in New York City, said her heart sank when she learned that her neighborhood school emphasized standardized testing even in kindergarten. She scoured the city to find an alternative for her daughter.

The public school she chose requires a 45-minute commute each way, but Tran says it’s worth it. The kids there, she said, “seemed happy, and that seemed like the most important thing.” — Reuters

Military leaders point to schools in US fat fight US school kids eat 400 billion excess calories a year

KATHMANDU: Italian mountaineers Silvio Mondinelli, 54, (left) and Christian Gobbi, 42 who were rescued from Mount Manaslu after the deadly avalanche talk at their hotel yesterday. — AFP

Nepal deaths revive fears over Himalayan safety KATHMANDU: A surge in the number of mountaineers flocking to Nepal is leading to dangerous overcrowding on the Himalayas as impatient climbers attempt some of the world’s most demanding peaks, experts warn. One of the deadliest seasons on the world’s highest mountain range, which includes Everest, claimed more victims at the weekend when an avalanche killed nine climbers and left three missing near the peak of Mount Manaslu. There has been a five-fold jump in the number of people coming to Nepal to climb the Himalayas since the 1970s, a trend that concerns many.

The problem is especially acute at Everest, the world’s highest peak. Experts say the sheer number of climbers exacerbates the already substantial dangers of tackling Everest, which has now claimed more than 220 lives - half of those in the past 20 years. “With the numbers of climbers growing, the casualties have also significantly increased,” said Ang Tshering Sherpa, vice-chairman of the Nepal Mountaineering Association.

Sherpa said he worried that climbers were often not listening to the best advice on weather and climate when choosing dates for their expeditions.

The Manaslu avalanche has reignited debate over mountain safety which flared in May with hundreds of people attempting to scale Mount Everest over just two weekends, raising fears of perilous overcrowding on the unforgiving peak. Blog posts and reports sent by satellite telephone from base camp spoke of queues at precarious ridges and jostling as people tried to pass each other, and four climbers died while descending from the crowded 8,848-metre summit.

Sunday’s avalanche, the deadliest for seven years, pushed the death toll on the Himalayas to 23 so far this year, already more than the final total for every year since 2006, when 33 died. And experts warn that more such tragedies can be expected as cash-hungry but impoverished Nepal welcomes ever more adventurers to scale the peaks. “ The more climbers there are, the chances of someone dying from avalanche or fall

increase,” said John Stifter, the editor of US-based ski magazine Powder, who witnessed a deadly snowslide in Washington state in February.

The number of climbers attempting to scale Manaslu has tripled in five years to 2,813 last year, according to figures by Nepal’s immigration department. The pattern is repeated across the Himalayas.

While fatalities have decreased over the last two decades to the current rate of about 14 a year, experts have warned that Nepal may be at a tipping point. New snowfall, associated with the autumn season which comes after the monsoon, is the most frequent cause of avalanches and poor timing was key in the Manaslu disaster, Sherpa said.

“On the climbers’ side, it was too early to attempt the summit. Though the monsoon season usually ends by midSeptember, they were a little early. One should attempt the summit in late September or early October,” he said. “I spoke to my sherpas and they said there was a hanging glacier. It might have been broken due to high snowfall. The avalanche seems like a mixture of solid ice and fresh snow,” he added. “It seems to have started at 7,700 metres and swept below to 6,000 metres. The entire camp three has been swept away. So this was huge.”

Nepal is among the poorest nations on Earth and its record on mountain safety is facing increasing scrutiny. The climbing industry is a lucrative cash cow for Nepal, with permits for Everest costing up to $25,000 per person and $5,000 for the other Himalayan mountains over 8,000 m in the high spring season. The mountaineering association has complained that the increase in commercial expeditions is compromising safety, putting more people each year in situations where they can be killed by bad weather, falls and avalanches.

Expeditions have increased again this year, the group’s president Zimba Zambu Sherpa said, after Chinese authorities restricted tourist visas, making access to Cho Oyu or Shishapangma from the Tibet side difficult. —AFP

WASHINGTON: Former US military leaders have identified a latent threat to the potential for a leaner, more agile fighting force: the school vending machine. In a report released yesterday, a group of 300 retired military officers said school-age children are eating 400 billion excess calories a year - the equivalent of 2 billion candy bars - from junk food sold in such machines as well as in snack bars and cafeterias that should be off-limits. Those extra calories from candy, chips and sugary drinks amount to about 130 calories a day, which over a student’s school years can lead to extra pounds.

“The calories add up,” the US generals and admirals said in their report, which calls for tougher standards on the snacks schools can sell. “While limiting the sale of junk food is not a solution by itself for the childhood obesity epidemic, it is part of the solution,” wrote the retired officers, who are part of a nonprofit group called Mission: Readiness, focused on youth issues. Military experts have long been worried that rising obesity is making it difficult to find fit recruits. But the report places new pressure on government officials to revamp nutritional guidelines for foods sold in US schools.

“The folks that are going to enter the military in 2025 are in school right now. So it’s up to us to ensure that when those children reach the age of between 17 and 24 that they are ready or eligible to join the military,” Retired Air Force Lieutenant General Norman Seip, a member of the group, told Reuters.

The number of overweight or obese children keeps rising and more than one third of

American children and teenagers are too heavy, government statistics show. Other data shows that such children are also more likely to be heavier as adults. “It’s a strong reminder of the seriousness and the extent of the obesity epidemic, showing how far reaching it is that even the military is concerned about it,” said Margo Wootan, who oversees nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group.

The US Department of Agriculture is considering new standards for so-called “competitive” foods sold outside of traditional school meals. USDA officials have said they are still working on the new rules, which were due in December. They have not said when the rules will be released.

Doctors, public health experts and consumer advocates want the USDA to update limits on calories, fat and sodium in snack foods and to restrict beverage sales to healthier options such as naturally sweetened fruit juices and low-fat or non-fat milk. Food and beverage manufacturers have said they support efforts to revamp school nutrition guidelines, but they cite lack of exercise and other issues as part of the problem.

“Recruiting is always a challenge,” said Eileen Lainez, a Defense Department spokeswoman. Only 25 percent of young US adults qualify to enlist in the military. Among the remaining 75 percent, more than a third have weight-related problems, she said, adding that the military is still meeting its recruiting goals. It is still alarming that so many are too fat and that future enlistees are likely to follow suit, Seip said. “And we’re not talking a couple

pounds here, we’re talking about an average of 30 pounds (13.6 kg),” he said of the overweight recruits who do not make the cut. “The trend is not slowing down,” said Seip, a who retired in 2009 after joining the US Air Force about 30 years ago.

Over those three decades, the number of obese American children has more than tripled. Drinks sold in schools, especially sugary sodas, have been a particular concern. The beverage industry launched voluntary guidelines in 2005 to limit student access to full calorie sodas that it says is working. Various studies have shown mixed results on the impact of children’s soda consumption. But last week, three published studies offered the strongest evidence yet that sugary drinks play a leading role in expanding US waistlines.

According to yesterday’s report, some students are consuming about 45 fewer calories a day from such beverages on average, even though they are still widely available in many schools. USDA data has shown students consuming about 177 extra calories from school snacks and sugary drinks, but without such beverages the remaining more than 130 calories a day appear linked to junk food, it said.

Wootan said that reflects the steps a number of school districts have taken to limit sugary drinks.

“There has been some improvement in beverages, but for snack foods there hasn’t been as much progress,” she said. As for those 2 billion hypothetical candy bars? Their 400 billion calories would weigh more than the US Navy’s longest aircraft carrier, the 70,000-ton Midway, the report said. — Reuters

Rare tiger gives birth to 3 cubs JAKARTA: A rare Sumatran tiger has given birth to three cubs at an Indonesian zoo, an official there said yesterday, giving hope for the survival of the endangered species.

The eight-year old big cat named Uni gave birth at Taman Rimba zoo in Jambi province on Sumatra island on Saturday but one of the cubs later died, the zoo’s head Adriyani, who goes by one name, said. “We are very happy with the birth even though one of them died because of its weak condition,” she told AFP, adding that Uni first mated with sixyear old male tiger named Peter in 2010.

“This is the second birth. I hope that the pair will give us more cubs in the future. They are perfectly matched,” she said, adding that Uni gave birth to four cubs in 2011 but only two survived. There are now eight tigers in the zoo, Adriyani said.

Fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers are left in the wild with several dying each year as a result of traps, poaching or other human actions. — AFP

JAMBI, Indonesia: Newborn Sumatran tiger cubs lie inside a cage with their mother at the Taman Rimba zoo yesterday. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

health & science

Einstein’s brain is now interactive iPad app CHICAGO: While Albert Einstein’s genius isn’t included, an exclusive iPad application launched yesterday promises to make detailed images of his brain more accessible to scientists than ever before. The application will allow researchers and novices to peer into the eccentric Nobel winner’s brain as if they were looking through a microscope. A medical museum under development in Chicago obtained funding to scan and digitize nearly 350 fragile and priceless slides made from slices of Einstein’s brain after his death in 1955.

“I can’t wait to find out what they’ll discover,” said Steve Landers, a consultant for the National Museum of Health and Medicine Chicago who designed the app. “I’d like to think Einstein would have been excited.”

After Einstein died, a pathologist named Thomas Harvey performed an autopsy, removing his brain in hopes that future researchers could discover the secrets behind his genius. Harvey gave samples to researchers and collaborated on a 1999 study published in the Lancet. That study

showed a region of Einstein’s brain - the parietal lobe - was 15 percent wider than normal.

The parietal lobe is important to the understanding of math, language and spatial relationships. The new iPad app may allow researchers to dig even deeper by looking for brain regions where the neurons are more densely connected than normal, said Dr Phillip Epstein, a Chicago-area neuroscientist and consultant for the museum. But because the tissue was preserved before modern imaging technology, it may be difficult for scientists to figure out exactly where in Einstein’s brain each slide originated.

Although the new app organizes the slides into general brain regions, it doesn’t map them with precision to an anatomical model.

“They didn’t have MRI. We don’t have a three-dimensional model of the brain of Einstein, so we don’t know where the samples were taken from,” said researcher Jacopo Annese of the Brain Observatory at the University of California, San Diego. What’s more, the slides on the app represent only a fraction of the entire brain, Annese said.

Annese has preserved and digitized another famous brain, that of Henry Molaison, who died in 2008 after living for decades with profound amnesia. Known as “H M” in scientific studies, Molaison participated during his life in research that revealed new insights on learning and memory.

A searchable website with images of more than 2,400 slides of Molaison’s entire brain will be available to the public in December, Annese said. “There will be another Einstein and we’ll do it like H M,” Annese predicted.

For now, he said, it’s exciting that the Einstein brain tissue has been preserved digitally before the slides deteriorate or become damaged. Some may question whether Einstein would have wanted images of his remains sold to non-scientists for $9.99.

“There’s been a lot of debate over what Einstein’s intentions were,” museum board member Jim Paglia said. “We know he didn’t want a circus made of his remains. But he understood the value to research and science to study his brain, and we think we’ve addressed that in a respectful manner.” — AP

This digitized image made from a screen shot of a new iPad app shows an image of brain tissue from renowned theoretical physicist Albert Einstein. — AP

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

W H AT ’ S O N

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

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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

Greetings

Al-Sanabel Al-Thahabeyah Company gave a demonstration to a group of Safeco Hypermarket about Sebamed products available in Kuwaiti market. The demonstration was given by Med Representative Hiba Hashem, as well as Marketing and Sales Manager Ayman Al-Shara’a.

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appy birthday to Eisha Elizabeth Ninan. Wishes from Appacha, Ammachy, Ammama, Appa, Amma, Ammuchechi, Chickookutty, Ammachan, Ammayi, Ruhaan & Vivaan, uncle, Badi Bua, Kunjumanichechi & Kichu Achachan, Nebu Achachan, Bua & Kuttu & all friends.

Kuwait Cricket to organize open tourney for schools

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li Naim Khan Jimi (General Secretary of Gopalgonj Jila Krira Sangstha) roses are red violetes are blue as you are so special. Happy birthday to you. From Kuwait based Bengali journalist & cultural activists.

Expat Mums’ Autumn Bazaar

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xpat Mums in Kuwait will hold its autumn bazaar on Saturday, September 29th by 10:00 am - 1:00 pm at Rumaithiya Block 9, Street 96, House 1, Basement. Free entry! This autumn we’re excited to support our members who hand make crafts, who have home business and who provide services to the expat community in Kuwait. Expat Mums in Kuwait is a group of nearly 400 mums from over 42 countries around the world. We meet online and in person and provide friendship, information, advice, reviews, support and networking opportunities to fellow expat mothers.

American Women’s League of Kuwait to hold drop-in breakfast

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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.

Movenpick Hotel - FTZ organizes fire fighting training for employees

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ovenpick Hotel Kuwait Free Trade Zone conducted “Fire Safety Procedures” training for the team-members. The drill aim to verify the actual technical preparation of the hotel, should such emergency occur. It also allows evaluating emergency plans and considering improvements to be more effective during emergencies.

Mohamad Anwar Chief of Security and Joel Maghirang Residence Engineer of the hotel, has been developing and implementing fire fighting training programs for years. This systematic approach to leadership development begins with entry-level fire-fighter training programs and extends all the way to the position of the fire. The key conditions in all cases of fire are the availability to use the appropriate fire extinguisher for each fire type.

This training is launched in line with the hotel directions and approved policies to ensure adopting the highest safety procedures for its facilities, staff and guests to preserve lives and properties. The

hotel management supervised this practice as it usually does every year. They briefed all staff and

international chain is always keen on developing evacuation scenarios and plans from its facilities and

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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guests about the importance of security and safety instructions should any emergency may occur.

It is worth mentioning that Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, an

buildings for staff and guests as part of predetermined programs in case of fire to ensure security and safety.

Jalalabad Social Welfare Society Kuwait host farewell party

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APAK Onam Fest

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ngamaly Pravasi Association Kuwait (APAK), the association of the migrants in Kuwait from the Angamaly Legislative Constituency of Kerala, functioning for the socio-cultural welfare of its members is scheduled to hold its Apak Onam Fest-2012 on September 28, 2012 at 10:30 am to 5 pm at the United Indian School Auditorium, Abbassiya. It gives us immense pleasure to inform you that Ports and Excise Minister of the State of Kerala, K Babu is scheduled to be in Kuwait to grace the Onam Fest-2012 and Family Fest of the Angamaly Pravasi Association Kuwait.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

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alalabad Social Welfare Society (Jalalabad Association) Kuwait had convened on a farewell reception in honor of it’s advisor Manna Ahmed Jaigirdar who is going home very shortly. The program took place on 20th September. President in charge of the Society Alim Uddin presided over the program. The chief advisor to the society Abdul Khalik Chowdhury along with the departing advisor Manna Ahmed Jaigirdar were the special guests of honor.

Among other honorable guests were vice president of the society Mayub Ali Mahbub and Anhar Mia. The program was thoroughly presented by Moynul Al Islam General Secretary of the society.

It commenced with the recital of verses from the Holy Quran recited by religious affairs secretary of the society Maoulana Nazmul Hoque.

Speeches were delivered by Foyaz Ahmed, Moynul Al Islam, Akhlakul Ambia Bahar and Moyub All Mahbub and representatives from expatriate Bengali Political, social, cultural organizations. The executives of Jalalabad Social Welfare Society (Jalalabad Association) honored it’s departing advisor with a plaque. The home bound advisor to the society Manna Ahmned Jaigirdar thanked all for their kind notes and honor bestowed on him.

Joint Secretary Nurul Amin

‘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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Ragolsavam 2012 anithavedi, Kuwait is celebrating Onam ‘Ragolsavam-2012’ on Friday, September 28, 2012 at Khaitan Indian Community School, from 9 am onwards. Famous classical musician Dr Omanakuttyamma will be the chief guest for the day.

Ragolsavam will be a full day program starting with ‘Athapookalam’ competition followed by variety of cultural programs. Musical concert by Dr Omanakuttyamma is the highlight of the program.

Under the leadership of Valsamma George (President) and Syamala Narayanan (Secretary), various committees have been formed for the successful conduct of Ragolsavam 2012.

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.

Focus Kuwait 6th annual day s a part of the 6th anniversary celebrations, Forum of Cadd Users (FOCUS Kuwait), a nonpolitical, 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 2011-2012.

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Joynal, Vice President Saad Uddin, Gias uddin khushi, Anhar Mia, Akhlakuzzaman, Shahab Uddin Shahin, Moynul Al Islam,

Salahhuddin, Fayez Ahmed, Moyob Ali Mahabub and all the honorable members of Jalalabad Social Welfare Society thanked all attendees.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

W H AT ’ S O N

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. nnnnnnn

Starbucks community reaches out

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s part of the Starbucks Community Outreach Programme, Kuwait National English School hosted representatives this week who had come to enrich the environment of the KG garden area with a number of plants for bedding in. Representative students from Secondary and Primary are seen assisting in the bedding in process. In addition, Starbucks presented children from Reception and Year 1 with a tasty snack box and some items of stationery. Kuwait National English School looks forward to maintaining the association with Starbucks.

GULF SPIC celebrates 15 years of business excellence

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ulf Spic General Trading & Contracting Co. W.L.L., had a pleasant evening with BBQ nite celebrating the 15 years completion of business excellence on 20th September at Safir Hotels & Residence beach garden, The Director-Finance PT. Narayanan has delivered a warm welcome address with a presentation on progress of Gulf SPIC followed by N. Krishnan DirectorEngineering shared his experience in Gulf SPIC.

The Chief Operating Officer Dr Fouad addressed the gathering and thanked everybody for their contribution and detailed at length the company’s future plans. It was a grand evening and there is no doubt the Gulf SPIC is a leading EPC contractor in Kuwait and their focus, vision and values definitely leads all their employees towards completion of 25th year. The event was concluded with photo session and all employees had a great moment to remember.

FAIPS winners in quiz competition

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ahaheel Al-Watanieh Indian Private School (FAIPS), Ahmadi, asserted their supremacy in the Kuwait school quizzing circuit once again by winning the 16th KITCO Interschool Quiz Contest held on 21 September in Safir International. It was hosted by quizmaster Andrew Scolt of Derek O’Brien Associates, India and organised by the Bengali Cultural Society (BCS), Kuwait.

The winning team, comprising Adithya Ashok of Class VII and Dwaipayan Bhattacharya of Class VIII, mesmerized the audience with their confidence and deft answering, especially in the roller coaster final buzzer round.

Out of the 24 teams that participated in the preliminary round held on 20 September only six teams moved on to the finals.

Ending the first three rounds on a modest note, the FAIPS team scored significantly in the remaining three

rounds and engaged in a closely fought battle to finish first. The final round was much akin to a suspense thriller in which the FAIPS students proved their mettle.

Quiz Master Andrew Scolt had the audience glued to their seats for more than an hour. The audience got its own share of fun and thrill along with some awards reserved specially for them.

Each of the winners received an ipad 3, a blue ray DVD among many other gifts and won a prestigious trophy for the school.

Answering questions that ranged from the mountains in Bhutan to ‘Mankad-ing’, an unusual way to get out in cricket; it appears that the school has unraveled the biggest secret of success, of gaining knowledge through fun. Maintaining a lead for the past so many years is a challenging feat indeed.

McDonald’s Kuwait prepares to spend ‘A Day Offline

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ith less than a week to go until McDonald’s Kuwait’s highly anticipated ‘A Day Offline’ campaign, families from across the country, and throughout the entire GCC are encouraged to turn off their mobile phones, computers and television sets all day on Friday September 28th.

Officially launched in early September, the campaign has already caught the attention of thousands on social media channels, and is expected to impact families across the region.

A 2012 study conducted by Regus, revealed 45 per cent of workers in the Middle East are experiencing higher stress levels than they were just one year ago. Roughly 70 per cent of respondents agreed that flexible working practices would reduce workplacerelated stress, and over half (52 per cent) agreed that flexible working practices would allow them to spend more time with family.

George Khawam, Marketing Director of McDonald’s Kuwait commented: “Kuwait is undoubtedly a family-oriented country, and one that greatly values the importance of family relationships. However, increased workplace demands often result in decreased time for family bonding”.

“We at McDonald’s have developed the A Day Offline initiative to bring mums, dads, children and loved ones together to enjoy uninterrupted family time. We believe in cultivating family relationships and are demonstrating our commitment by providing venues and opportunities to spend quality time together.”

In the lead up to the event, McDonald’s will be distributing phone vaults - phonesized containers with adhesive closures - to

help Kuwaiti families plan for the special day and spend uninterrupted time together through fun outdoor and indoor activities throughout McDonald’s branches across Kuwait.

Khawam commented on the importance of uninterrupted family time. He said: “Simply spending time around family is not enough - especially when mobile devices may be flickering in the background and creating unwanted distractions. To make the most of the time we spend with our loved

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. nnnnnnn

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. nnnnnnn

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. nnnnnnn

ones, we must mentally and physically switch off the triggers that cause us to disengage.

“Spending time in the presence of loved ones has been shown to dramatically reduce stress, and the McDonald’s’ A Day Offline initiative is providing opportunities for families to join together and reconnect without interruptions. A concept like this is long overdue in Kuwait, and I see tremendous potential for this to become an ongoing event with fantastic results for families.”

Based on the incredible success of last year’s campaign, McDonald’s has committed to make this an annual initiative whereby the organization will devote one day every September to celebrating the importance of uninterrupted family time.

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). nnnnnnn

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. nnnnnnn

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. nnnnnnn

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. nnnnnnn

Jacob Channapetta, patron of Punalur NRI Association releases coupons of the 7th annual get together of the association.

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 24hour operational telephone in case of emergency the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” - (+ 965) 972-79-206.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 I’m Alive 01:35 Untamed & Uncut 02:25 Jaws Comes Home: Return Of The...

03:15 Animal Airport 03:40 Animal Airport 04:05 New Breed Vets With Steve Irwin 04:55 Cheetah Kingdom 05:20 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 05:45 Wild Africa Rescue 06:10 Wild Africa Rescue 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Karina: Wild On Safari 07:25 Corwin’s Quest 08:15 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 08:40 Breed All About It 09:10 Baby Planet 10:05 Shark City 11:00 Wildlife SOS 11:25 Bondi Vet 11:55 Animal Cops Houston 12:50 RSPCA: Have You Got What It Takes?

13:15 RSPCA: Have You Got What It Takes?

13:45 Animal Precinct 14:40 Shark City 15:30 Karina: Wild On Safari 16:00 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 16:30 The Really Wild Show 16:55 The Really Wild Show 17:25 America’s Cutest...

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

00:20 Ty Pennington’s Homes For The Brave 01:05 Rachel’s Favourite Food For Living 01:30 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 02:00 Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey 02:55 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 03:20 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 03:50 Living In The Sun 04:45 MasterChef 05:15 Living In The Sun 06:05 MasterChef 06:35 Open House 07:05 Ty Pennington’s Homes For The Brave 07:50 MasterChef Australia 08:40 MasterChef Australia 09:05 Open House 09:35 Holmes On Homes 10:25 Bargain Hunt 11:10 Antiques Roadshow 12:05 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 13:20 What Not To Wear 14:15 What Not To Wear 15:05 Bargain Hunt 15:50 Antiques Roadshow 16:45 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 18:00 Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets 18:25 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 18:50 Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey 19:45 James Martin’s Champagne 20:10 Come Dine With Me

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 Story 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 22:30 23:00

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

Psychic Detectives Psychic Detectives Snapped Snapped Born To Kill Psychic Detectives Psychic Detectives Crime Stories Conmen Case Files The First 48 Crime Town USA Crime Town USA Snapped Crime Stories Conmen Case Files Crime Stories Double Murder: The Inside Psychic Detectives Psychic Detectives The First 48 Crime Town USA Crime Town USA Snapped Crime Stories Conmen Case Files The First 48 Psychic Detectives Psychic Detectives Crime Stories Snapped Snapped The Devil You Know

Hillbilly Handfishin’ Eyewitness Life On A Wire Finding Bigfoot Rattlesnake Republic 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 Life On A Wire Finding Bigfoot Raging Nature 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

00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:05 03:30 03:55 04:20 04:45 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:40 07:05 Fairies 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:10 09:25 09:35 09:45 10:00 10:25 10:50 11:15 11:25 11:40 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:05 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:00 18:25 18:45 18:55 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50

Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck The Adventures Of Disney Recess So Random Timon And Pumbaa Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny The Hive Mouk Jonas Los Angeles So Random Hannah Montana Fish Hooks Fish Hooks Kim Possible Shake It Up Wizards Of Waverly Place Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Timon And Pumbaa Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Austin And Ally Shake It Up Phineas And Ferb Jessie A.N.T. Farm Frenemies Austin And Ally Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Jessie Suite Life On Deck Lemonade Mouth

00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:55 Guy’s Big Bite 01:20 Guy’s Big Bite 01:45 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 02:10 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 02:35 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 03:00 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 03:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:50 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 Unique Sweets 21:35 Unique Sweets 22:00 Unique Eats 22:25 Unique Eats 22:50 Food(Ography) 23:40 Guy’s Big Bite

01:35 Mgm’s Big Screen-PG 01:50 Jinxed!

03:30 The War At Home 05:30 Knightriders 07:30 Stone Cold 09:00 Stagecoach-PG 10:35 Another Pretty Face-PG 12:05 Blacula-PG 13:35 Billion Dollar Brain 15:20 Timestalkers 16:55 A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy 18:20 Mgm’s Big Screen-PG 18:35 Who Was Geli Bendl?-PG 20:05 Viva Maria!

22:00 Juggernaut-PG 23:50 Welcome To Woop Woop

00:00 The Known Universe 01:00 Megastructures 02:00 Megastructures 03:00 The Known Universe 04:00 Blowdown 05:00 Alaskan Killer Shark 06:00 Great Migrations 07:00 Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) 08:00 The Known Universe 09:00 Megastructures 10:00 Megastructures 11:00 The Known Universe 12:00 Clash Of The Continents 13:00 Shark Nicole 14:00 Great Migrations 15:00 Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) 16:00 A Traveler’s Guide To The Planets

17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Megastructures Megastructures The Known Universe My Brilliant Brain In The Womb Nat Geo Amazing!

Is It Real? S3 (1 hour)

00:00 Philly Undercover 01:00 Hooked 01:55 The Living Edens 02:50 Animal Superpowers 03:45 Crocs Of Katuma 04:40 Strike Force 05:35 World’s Deadliest 06:30 The Living Edens 07:25 Animal Superpowers 08:20 Crocs Of Katuma 09:15 Animal Underworld 10:10 Animal Underworld 11:05 Hunter Hunted 12:00 Monster Fish 13:00 The Living Edens 14:00 Animal Superpowers 15:00 Monster Crocs 16:00 Octopus Volcano 17:00 Manta Mystery (aka Project Manta) 18:00 Hunter Hunted 19:00 The Living Edens 20:00 Animal Superpowers 21:00 Crocs Of Katuma 22:00 Animal Underworld 23:00 Animal Underworld

00:00 The Daisy Chain-PG15 02:00 The Transporter-PG15 04:00 Transporter 2-PG15 06:00 Game Of Death-PG15 08:00 Twins Mission-PG15 10:00 The Reunion-PG15 12:00 Tomorrow, When The War Began-PG15 14:00 Twins Mission-PG15 16:00 Enter The Phoenix-PG15 18:00 Tomorrow, When The War Began-PG15 20:00 AVP: Alien vs Predator-PG15 22:00 Street Kings 2: Motor City-18 OSN CINEMA 01:00 Honey 2-PG15 03:00 Every Jack Has A Jill-PG15 05:00 Marley & Me: The Puppy Years 07:00 The Dukes-PG15 09:00 Honey 2-PG15 11:00 Green Lantern-PG15 13:00 Bangkok Adrenaline-PG15 15:00 13-PG15 17:00 Water For Elephants-PG15 19:00 Hanna-PG15 21:00 Final Destination 5-18 23:00 Spread-R

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 The League 02:30 Hot In Cleveland 03:00 30 Rock 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:30 30 Rock 09:30 The Cleveland Show 10:00 The Office 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 14:30 The Office 15:00 The Cleveland Show 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 30 Rock 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 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

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 PG15 11:00 13:00 15:00 PG15 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Hawthorne Breaking Bad Homeland Greek Grey’s Anatomy Private Practice Hawthorne Emmerdale Coronation Street The Closer The Ellen DeGeneres Show Grey’s Anatomy Private Practice Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Closer Hawthorne Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Closer Bunheads Franklin & Bash Combat Hospital Supernatural Greek

Empire-18 Transporter 2-PG15 Arachnophobia-PG15 Inside Out-PG15 True Justice: BrotherhoodArachnophobia-PG15 The Warlords-PG15 True Justice: BrotherhoodMetro-PG15 Icarus-18 Carriers-PG15 Don’t Look Up-18

00:00 The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy-PG 02:00 Kung Fu Dunk-PG15

04:00 Kuffs-PG 06:00 Baby Geniuses-PG 08:00 Kung Fu Dunk-PG15 10:00 Cool Runnings-PG15 12:00 Fat Albert-PG 14:00 The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy-PG 16:00 Cool Runnings-PG15 18:00 Nothing To Lose-PG15 20:00 Just Go With It-PG15 22:00 Greenberg-18

KNCC PROGRAM FROM 20/09/2012 TO 26/09/2012 01:15 04:45 07:00 09:15 11:00 13:00 15:00 16:45 19:00 21:00 23:00

03:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Square Grouper-18 Eat Pray Love-PG15 Another Year-PG15 Lies In Plain Sight-PG15 Brighton Rock-PG15 Espions-PG15 Lies In Plain Sight-PG15 Miracle-PG15 The Gray Man-PG15 Uncorked-PG15 Body Of Evidence-R

Flash Of Genius-PG15 The Birth Of Big Air-PG15 Muhammad And Larry-PG15 Alabama Moon-PG15 The Spy Next Door-PG Ice Age-FAM Unmatched-PG15 Kings Ransom-PG15 Toast-PG15 The Spy Next Door-PG Rabbit Hole-PG15 Final Destination 5-18 Friends With Benefits-18

00:00 Lego: The Adventures Of Clutch Powers-FAM 02:00 Marco Macaco-FAM 04:00 Spy Kids: All The Time In The World-PG 06:00 Lego: The Adventures Of Clutch Powers-FAM 08:00 The Nimbols: Part I-FAM 10:00 Paws-PG 12:00 Spy Kids: All The Time In The World-PG 14:00 Emperor’s Secret-PG 16:00 Rh+ The Vampire Of Seville-PG 18:00 Paws-PG 20:00 Blue Elephant 2-FAM 22:00 Emperor’s Secret-PG

00:00 Fish Tank-PG15 02:03 The Winning Season-PG15 04:00 Quest For Zhu-PG 06:00 Call Of The Wild-PG15 08:00 Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage Of The Dawn Treader-PG 10:00 The Winning Season-PG15 11:45 The Help-PG15 14:15 The Dragon Chronicles: Fire & Ice-PG15 15:45 Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage Of The Dawn Treader-PG 17:45 Real Steel-PG15 20:00 Kick-Ass-18 22:00 Rabbit Hole-PG15

00:00 Trans World Sports 01:00 AFL Premiership 03:30 Premier League Snooker 07:00 Top 14 09:00 America’s Cup World Series Highlight 10:00 Futbol Mundial 10:30 Live Rugby Union ITM Cup 12:30 PGA European Tour Highlights 13:30 Senior European Tour Highlights 14:30 Challenge Series Golf Highlight 15:00 Futbol Mundial 15:30 Premier League Snooker 19:00 Rugby Union ITM Cup 21:00 Rugby Union Currie Cup 23:00 Trans World SportX

00:00 WWE Experience 01:00 Rugby Union Currie Cup 03:00 Rugby Union Currie Cup 05:00 America’s Cup Highlights 06:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 07:00 WWE This Week 07:30 Ryder Cup Official Film 08:30 PGA European Tour Highlights 09:30 Challenge Series 10:00 Senior European Tour Highlights 11:00 AFL Premiership 13:30 WWE This Week 14:00 Rugby Union ITM CUP 16:00 Senior European Tour Highlights 17:00 Trans World Sport 18:00 Challenge Series 18:30 Ryder Cup Official Film 19:30 Super League 21:30 PGA European Tour Weekly 22:00 Trans World Sport 23:00 NRL Premiership

00:00 Golfing World 01:00 ITU World Triathlon Series 03:30 City Center Races 04:00 City Center Races 04:30 City Center Races 05:30 City Center Races 06:00 NRL Full Time 06:30 Futbol Mundial 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 NRL Premiership 10:00 IronMan 10:30 IronMan 11:30 IronMan 12:30 IronMan 13:00 Golfing World 14:00 Challenge Series Golf Highlights 14:30 AFL Highlights 15:30 Mobil 1 The Grid 16:00 NRL Full Time 16:30 NRL Premiership 18:30 Darts World Match Play 20:30 Squash PSA World Series

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 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

Request for VIP Business Man

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw

-With International & continental cuisine experience -Can speak either English or Arabic -Presentable & neat -Good character

Prayer timings 04:19

Duhr:

11:40

Asr:

15:06

Maghrib:

17:41

Isha:

18:57

-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

112 Fajr:

Driver

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

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

No:

with Battery Grip and an extra battery, all with original package. Call or what’s app 66603401 25-9-2012

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 No: F3613218 have changed my name Shaik

Required driver for a Kuwaiti family.

Call: 99854312. (C 4144) 22-9-2012

15580

SITUATION WANTED Sri Lankan lady looking for house cleaning part time job, English family only.

Call 55680045. (C 4149) 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 Australian

Project

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR QTR JZR JZR ETH GFA UAE ETD FDB MSR QTR THY DHX JZR KAC BAW JZR KAC KAC ETD QTR FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY GFA QTR FDB IRA ETD BAB GFA UAE MEA JZR MSR IRM JZR CLX KNE MSR RJA GFA KAC FDB IRC

Arrival Flights on Wednesday 26/9/2012 Flt Route 185 DUBAI 148 DOHA 539 CAIRO 267 BEIRUT 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 555 ALEXANDRIA 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 529 ASSIUT 206 ISLAMABAD 382 DELHI 933 ABU DHABI 6130 DOHA 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 352 COCHIN 284 DHAKA 344 CHENNAI 362 COLOMBO 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 223 BAHRAIN 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 603 SHIRAZ 301 ABU DHABI 436 BAHRAIN 213 BAHRAIN 871 DUBAI 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 606 LUXOR 5066 MASHAD 561 SOHAG 792 LUXEMBOURG 472 JEDDAH 610 CAIRO 640 AMMAN 219 BAHRAIN 672 DUBAI 57 DUBAI 6791 MASHAD

Time 0:15 0:20 0:30 0:50 1:45 2:20 2:25 2:30 3:10 3:20 3:25 4:35 5:00 6:00 6:15 6:30 6:40 7:15 7:30 7:35 7:45 7:45 7:50 8:05 8:15 8:20 8:20 8:25 8:30 8:40 9:00 9:20 9:25 9:30 9:35 10:00 10:45 10:55 11:05 11:10 11:55 12:25 13:15 13:20 13:30 13:40 13:40 13:40 13:45 14:10

QTR KAC SVA KAC QTR JZR KAC IYE ETD UAE UAL SVA GFA JZR JZR ABY KAC QTR BAB KAC KAC FDB KNE MSR RBG JZR KAC KAC JAI KAC KAC AXB FDB OMA MEA QTR GFA ALK KLM UAE JZR BBC ETD ABY QTR AIC FDB GFA UAL JZR DLH MSR THY

140 790 500 788 134 535 538 824 303 857 982 510 215 177 777 127 542 144 438 786 166 63 460 620 3553 787 618 674 572 102 774 393 61 647 402 146 221 229 417 859 135 43 307 129 136 975 59 217 981 239 636 614 772

DOHA MEDINAH JEDDAH JEDDAH DOHA CAIRO SHARM EL SHEIKH SANAA ABU DHABI DUBAI WASHINGTON DC DULLES RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI JEDDAH SHARJAH CAIRO DOHA BAHRAIN JEDDAH PARIS DUBAI MEDINAH ASSIUT ALEXANDRIA RIYADH DOHA DUBAI MUMBAI NEW YORK RIYADH KOZHIKODE DUBAI MUSCAT BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN COLOMBO AMSTERDAM DUBAI BAHRAIN DHAKA ABU DHABI SHARJAH DOHA CHENNAI DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN AMMAN FRANKFURT CAIRO ISTANBUL

14:25 14:25 14:30 15:00 15:15 16:00 16:10 16:35 16:35 16:55 17:10 17:20 17:20 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:15 18:20 18:40 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:45 18:55 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:25 19:35 19:35 19:40 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:15 21:25 21:25 21:30 21:35 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:55 23:10 23:35

Airlines AIC UAL DLH MSR PIA THY ETH UAE FDB ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR JZR GFA THY KAC BAW FDB KAC ABY ETD JZR QTR KAC GFA KAC UAE KAC KAC QTR FDB ETD BAB IRA GFA KAC MEA MSR JZR UAE KAC KAC JZR IRM KNE GFA FDB MSR RJA CLX

Depature Flights on Wednesday 26/9/2012 Flt Route Time 982 AHMEDABAD 0:05 981 WASHINGTON 0:25 637 FRANKFURT 0:30 615 CAIRO 0:35 206 LAHORE 1:25 773 ISTANBUL 2:15 621 ADDIS ABABA 2:45 854 DUBAI 3:45 68 DUBAI 3:50 306 ABU DHABI 4:05 613 CAIRO 4:20 139 DOHA 4:50 149 DOHA 5:40 560 SOHAG 6:00 164 DUBAI 6:55 212 BAHRAIN 7:05 771 ISTANBUL 7:10 537 SHARM EL SHEIKH 8:20 156 LONDON 8:25 54 DUBAI 8:25 175 FRANKFURT 8:55 126 SHARJAH 9:05 934 ABU DHABI 9:05 534 CAIRO 9:10 6131 DOHA 9:15 671 DUBAI 9:20 224 BAHRAIN 9:25 787 JEDDAH 9:35 856 DUBAI 9:40 789 MADINAH 9:45 117 NEW YORK 10:00 133 DOHA 10:00 56 DUBAI 10:05 302 ABU DHABI 10:15 437 BAHRAIN 10:25 602 SHIRAZ 10:25 214 BAHRAIN 10:45 541 CAIRO 11:30 405 BEIRUT 11:55 619 ASSIUT 12:10 776 JEDDAH 12:15 872 DUBAI 12:20 103 LONDON 12:30 785 JEDDAH 13:10 176 DUBAI 13:20 5065 MASHHAD 13:25 461 MADINAH 14:10 220 BAHRAIN 14:25 58 DUBAI 14:25 611 CAIRO 14:30 641 AMMAN 14:35 792 GIALAM 14:45

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

KAC IRC SVA KAC JZR QTR KAC ETD JZR IYE JZR QTR UAE GFA JZR ABY UAL SVA JZR QTR FDB BAB KNE RBG MSR JZR KAC KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC OMA MEA KAC GFA JZR DHX ALK KLM ABY KAC ETD UAE QTR KAC KAC JZR BBC QTR AXB FDB GFA KAC

673 6792 503 617 786 135 773 304 238 824 538 141 858 216 134 128 982 511 266 145 64 439 477 3554 621 184 283 361 571 62 331 351 648 403 543 222 502 171 230 417 120 381 308 860 137 301 205 554 44 147 394 60 218 415

DUBAI MASHHAD JEDDAH DOHA RIYADH DOHA RIYADH ABU DHABI AMMAN SANAA CAIRO DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN SHARJAH BAHRAIN RIYADH BEIRUT DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA DUBAI DHAKA COLOMBO MUMBAI DUBAI TRIVANDRUM KOCHI MUSCAT BEIRUT CAIRO BAHRAIN LUXOR BAHRAIN COLOMBO DAMMAM SHARJAH DELHI ABU DHABI DUBAI DOHA MUMBAI ISLAMABAD ALEXANDRIA DHAKA DOHA KOCHI DUBAI BAHRAIN KUALA LUMPUR

15:05 15:10 15:45 15:45 15:50 16:15 16:25 17:20 17:30 17:35 17:40 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 18:50 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:45 19:55 20:05 20:15 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:50 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:35 21:45 21:50 21:55 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:05 23:10 23:10 23:15 23:30 23:50

34

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

s ta rs CROSSWORD 808

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) You will be working hard to achieve specialized knowledge that will give you the freedom to advance your professional goals. You may apply yourself to extensive job retraining. You may pursue formal studies, especially in history, teaching, religion, law or philosophy. You could publish your most ambitious and difficult work. You could also decide to embark on strenuous work to earn some fast money in order to travel. Whatever you do, you will develop a personal philosophy of life as you address difficult moral, religious and ethical questions. With effort, you will eventually attain the tolerance, loyalty, honor and goodwill that you seek. You will be focused on the larger issues of your life and will begin to see successful results.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You have increased self-confidence to try new things that are daring, unusual and inventive as well as plotting your path to greater independence. It is a time for change, stimulating friends and new acquaintances.

Favorable enterprises in the technology and entertainment fields are possible.

You may develop an interest in spiritual studies and self-improvement. You feel optimistic, tolerant and secure. You may find travel to be rejuvenating, bringing renewal to your sense of optimism and spiritual growth. You can discover hidden truths and wisdom once the old thinking is set aside. You make steady progress toward your career and social goals now. Your social life can be happy and stimulating in the most positive of ways. You will meet interesting people.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. The bill in a restaurant.

4. An isogram connecting points having equal barometric pressure at a given time.

10. The act of hauling something (as a vehicle) by means of a hitch or rope.

13. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.

14. Not in a specified place physically or mentally.

15. Any of various primates with short tails or no tail at all.

16. A genus of Ploceidae.

18. Precipitation of ice pellets when there are strong rising air currents.

19. The basic unit of money in Albania.

20. The content of cognition.

22. Genus of tropical plants with creeping rootstocks and small umbellate flowers.

24. Aircraft landing in bad weather in which the pilot is talked down by ground control using precision approach radar.

26. Any of a number of fishes of the family Carangidae.

35. Type genus of the family Arcidae.

37. Wheelwork consisting of a connected set of rotating gears by which force is transmitted or motion or torque is changed.

38. Mature female of mammals of which the male is called `buck'.

41. A federal agency that supervises carriers that transport goods and people between states.

45. A leisurely walk (usually in some public place).

48. The seventh month of the Moslem calendar.

50. A Russian prison camp for political prisoners.

51. The mother of Jesus.

55. A peninsula between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

57. Of or relating to or involving an area.

58. (informal) Roused to anger.

59. A port city in southwestern Iran.

62. A drug combination found in some over-the-counter headache remedies (Aspirin and Phenacetin and Caffeine).

63. Fermented alcoholic beverage similar to but heavier than beer.

64. West Indian tree having racemes of fragrant white flowers and yielding a durable timber and resinous juice.

65. Seed of a pea plant.

DOWN 1. A native American tent.

2. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

3. A Chadic language spoken in northern Nigeria.

4. A plant hormone promoting elongation of stems and roots.

5. A metallic element having four allotropic forms.

6. A law passed by US Congress to prevent employees from being injured or contracting diseases in the course of their employment.

7. A small ball with a hole through the middle.

8. Black tropical American cuckoo.

9. The elapsed time it takes for a signal to travel from Earth to a spacecraft (or other body) and back to the starting point.

10. A fine grained mineral having a soft soapy feel and consisting of hydrated magnesium silicate.

11. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

12. Flightless New Zealand rail of thievish disposition having short wings each with a spur used in fighting.

17. (Irish) Chief god of the Tuatha De Danann.

21. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

23. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

25. A logarithmic unit of sound intensity.

27. Electronic equipment that provides visual images of varying electrical quantities.

28. (informal) Of the highest quality.

29. The cry made by sheep.

30. A public promotion of some product or service.

31. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

32. Injure or wound seriously and leave permanent disfiguration or mutilation.

33. Predatory black-and-white toothed whale with large dorsal fin.

34. United States writer (born in Poland) who wrote in Yiddish (1880-1957).

36. A person forced to flee from home or country.

39. Resembling or characteristic of or appropriate to an elegy.

40. Type genus of the Majidae.

42. Loose or flaccid body fat.

43. The 11th letter of the Greek alphabet.

44. Little known Kamarupan languages.

46. Of or relating to walls.

47. Especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole.

49. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River.

52. A less than average tide occurring at the first and third quarters of the moon.

53. The back side of the neck.

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

56. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

60. A silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite.

61. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) This can be a progressive cycle of unexpected and favorable change, bringing you a greater choice of independent activities.

Your inventive energies are steady and the time is favorable for hi-tech enterprises. Now is a favorable time for job change or a move. Friends and colleagues tend to give you their approval—business affairs go smoothly. You have increased selfconfidence to try new things that are daring, unusual and inventive and you work to pursue your goals. Any health problems that come to your attention will have a curious antidote and you may want to study alternative health techniques for future needs. An acquaintance will help you and this may be the opportunity to take on a new friendship.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

You feel an expanded sense of self-confidence and you are encouraged. You may receive appreciation for the goals you have attained and you may broaden your contacts with successful, professional people. It’s a good time to improve your education or broaden your experience through travel. You may be overly optimistic in most things but consider working on a calmer approach so that if you are not allowed a leave at this time, there will be a better time in a few months. You can feel increased self-confidence and courage. You command the support of others through leadership and generosity.

You take pleasure through physical activity, such as sports, games and dancing.

Later today you share an encouraging word with a friend.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Yesterday’s Solution

It can be a time of increased dealings with corporate business, insurance, taxes or inheritance. You may have intuitive insight into business or professional affairs and want to organize new methods or restructuring. You can be aware of political and professional power struggles and intrigues. There could be some drastic and irrevocable changes in your professional environment. A profitable part-time business has come to your attention.

You seek the trust and confidence of others and must be prepared to compete in business transactions. You begin constructive efforts to improve whatever you feel needs improvement. You have a deepened emotional sensitivity and insights drawn from memory. This evening is favorable for reading and study.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) It’s a favorable time for seeking employment or a promotion as well as for learning new duties and travel related to your work.

You have an increased concentration and perception into the motives of others.

Now is a favorable time for any research or study. If there are secret manipulations or conspiracies, they can surface where you can gain control. Visiting with a friend this afternoon you may enjoy planning a wedding, a shower or a birthday party for someone special to the two of you. Insight is available to work through details and share thoughts on how to handle any complaints or situations that may arise.

You discuss the seating and the food and the atmosphere, etc. Your happy outlook makes you a very popular person.

Libra (September 23-October 22) You have a great deal of confidence today. Your ability to get the most out of other people in order to accomplish a project is always strong. However, you may be unintentionally not giving others their fair share of you. A co-worker with health problems may confide in you today. You are able to help and the two of you will not have to be afraid of work problems because you can help guide this person in the right direction. This afternoon, you may be temperamental and really need a little rest. Get feedback from roommates or family members on ways to improve living conditions. This is a good time to try to foster a sense of togetherness. You should try hard to squelch the desire to do everything by yourself. There are conversations about travel.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Your ambition and self-control are driven by the enthusiasm you feel today. You can accomplish much now toward your goals through careful, hard work. Officials and people in authority give you their support—you can deal effectively with business and professional affairs. Work with tools or machines move along rapidly and smoothly. You can make progress in managerial and administrative areas. Health improves as tensions ease and therapies can have a beneficial effect. Your intuitive and imaginative powers are stimulated and you can focus on worthwhile goals and productive enterprises. The time is excellent for psychological, psychic or spiritual studies. Vacations and artistic pursuits can be inspiring. Friends are supportive and stimulating.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) A specific woman can be a powerful influence in the workplace. If you are new, guidance is very helpful; if you are a longtime professional in your field of work, you may be the one to do the guiding. This is a day of one person helping another and the people you may not be amiable with today are the ones you will need tomorrow. There are important social and professional agreements now. You may also find yourself involved in some political issue. The only way you will gain supporters however, is to keep listening and take notes while others talk. Athletic fervor is high today. This afternoon is a great time to jog around the park or shoot some baskets, perhaps with a friend. Your family relationships are improving.

Word Search

Yesterday’s Solution Capricorn (December 22-January 19) There are opportunities for regeneration through personal power. Opportunities are available to make the world around you a better place for all and you are the driving force. It will be quite easy to bring about the changes you want and you should use this ability to benefit yourself and others. You can use this cycle to achieve professional success, increase your finances or simply straighten out areas of your life that have given you problems in the past. Your potential for success in any area of your life is limited only by the options you do not give yourself. Now is a good time for adventurous travel, sports, outdoors and contact with foreigners. Be alert—you might be able to swing a good deal on an important purchase this evening.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) There could be some tense communications around the workplace today and could conflict with your own plans. Wait awhile and hear everyone’s opinions before you make any comments. You might be pleased to find the frustrations calm with honest feedback. The results of these conversations may have you looking for more opportunities to problem solve. You can make steady progress toward your career goals with a concentrated effort on the work at hand. With integrity, you will enjoy your responsibilities and meaningful ambitions. Your superiors tend to give you their approval and trust. You can pay off old debts and obligations soon. This afternoon may call for a shopping expedition—you are very organized and intuitively know the best buys.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Your interests turn toward the scientific and humanitarian thoughts where your work is concerned. Your personal charm seems to have increased recently. You tend to take more initiative in social situations and teamwork. You give a lot of attention to improving your personal appearance. You may seek self-expression through music, or other artistic means.

You can win! You can come in first in sports, a contest or even an election. Become a leader or a pioneer—learn a new skill or begin a self-improvement program.

You are more energetic and competitive now. You have plenty of initiative to put any number of your plans into action. Emphasize your personality, skill or productivity; be aware of any reckless activity on your part.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 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 GEN OF CIVIL AV VIA ATION T METEOROLOGICAL DEP PA ARTMENT

2627 - 2630 Ext.: 26

WWW.MET.GOV V..KW

BY Y NIGHT:

Fair with moderate becoming light gradually north westerly to northerly wind, with speed of 15 - 38 km/h

BY Y DA AY:

Hot with light to moderate north westerly to northerly wind, with speed of 15 - 38 km/h

WA ARNING

No Current Waarnings arnin

MIN. N. EXP P.

KUW WA AIT CITY

39 °C

28 °C

22451082

KUW WA AIT AIRPOR RT

40 °C

23 °C

Al-Mirqab

22456536

NUW WA AISEEB

38 °C

24 °C

Sharq

22465401

WAFRA A

40 °C

21 °C

Salmiya

25746401

SALMI

38 °C

23 °C

Jabriya

25316254

ABDAL LY

40 °C

23 °C 24 °C

25623444

JAL ALIY YA AH

39 °C

Maidan Hawally

FAILAKA A

40 °C

25 °C

Bayan

25388462

AHMADI POR RT

38 °C

28 °C

Mishref

25381200

UMM AL-MARADEM

37 °C

32 °C

W.Hawally

22630786

WARBA A A - BUBY YAN A

41 °C

18 °C

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

DA AY

DA ATE T

WEA AT THER

West Jahra

24772608

Weednesday

26/09

hot

South Jahra

24775066

Thursday

27/09

hot +r.humaid pm

39 °C

24 °C

VRB-SE

06 - 26 km/h

Friday

28/09

hot and humid over coasts

39 °C

24 °C

VRB-SE

10 - 30 km/h

North Jahra

24775992

Saturday

29/09

hot and humid over coasts

39 °C

24 °C

VRB-SE

06 - 26 km/h

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

SFC. CHART

25/09/2012 1200 UTC

4 DA AY YS FORECAST

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

Temperatures MAX.

MIN.

40 °C

23 °C

Wind Speed

Wind Direction

15 - 38 km/h

NW-N

RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WAIT A AIRPOR RT

PRA AY YER TIMES Fajr

04:19

MAX. Temp.

Sunrise

05:38

MIN. Temp.

41 °C 31 °C

Zuhr

11:40

MAX. RH

21 %

Asr

15:05

MIN. RH

08 %

Sunset

17:40

MAX. Wind

N 50 km/h

Isha

18:58

TOT TAL AL RA AINF FA ALL L IN 24 HR.

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

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

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

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

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

lifestyle G o s s i p

Akshay Kumar

has a baby girl ollywood star Akshay Kumar and his wife Twinkle Khanna have become parents of a baby girl. Yesterday the actor tweeted that his new daughter “looks just like her mother and grandmother & I have no words to express my happiness.” This is the couple’s second child. They also

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are parents of a 10-year-old son. Kumar is an action star and has been acting for close to 20 years.

Twinkle Khanna, a former actress, is the daughter of two Bollywood actors - Dimple Kapadia and the late Rajesh Khanna. They were married in 2001.

Rai becomes

.

UN AIDS ambassador

ndian Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been named as an ambassador by the United Nations AIDS agency and will be tasked with raising awareness to prevent HIV among children. One of Hindi cinema’s most famous faces abroad, Rai Bachchan in her new role will be mainly advocating for the Global Plan, launched in June last year and focused on India and 21 countries in subSaharan Africa. The scheme aims to eliminate new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keep their mothers alive, partly through improving access for women to HIV prevention and treatment services. “Spreading awareness on health issues, especially related to women and children, has always been a priority for me,” the actress said in a statement from UNAIDS after her appointment as a goodwill ambassador on Monday. “And now, as a new mother, I can personally relate to this-the joys and concerns of every mother and the hopes that we have for our children. I strongly believe that every baby should be born free from HIV.” Rai Bachchan took the Miss World crown in 1994 and made her debut in Bollywood in the late 1990s. She has since gone on to star in more than 40 mostly Hindi films as well as a few foreign movies, including The Pink Panther 2. She married fellow actor Abhishek Bachchan in 2007 and is well-known for her appearances on the red carpet at the Cannes film festival. She had her first child in November last year.

I

hile ‘ The Hunger Games’ actor Liam Hemsworth popped the question to his 19year-old girlfriend earlier this summer, Miley says she already feels married and doesn’t feel any urgency about walking down the aisle. She said: “I already feel married. I know we are forever. I don’t need the paper right now.” Miley wants to concentrate on her career for the next few months and just enjoy being engaged. She is busy working on a new album and then plans to go on tour, but once her work commitments lessen Miley will start planning the nuptials with Liam, 22. She said: “I don’t know when we will get married yet.

We are still enjoying being engaged. I’ve got so much planning to do with the tours and getting my record out. First I have my movie, then my record - then I’ll do my wedding planning.” Miley recently changed her appearance dramatically by chopping her hair off and bleaching it blonde and despite negative reaction from others, friends say Liam loves Miley’s edgy style. A source said: “Liam loves that she doesn’t let others dictate who she is.”

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Cyrus isn’t in a rush to get married

Minaj says meeting fans is a celebration

icki Minaj is always surprised by the love her fans have for her. The ‘Starships’ singer came face-to-face with 300 excited admirers at the launch of her new scent Pink Friday at Macy’s Herald Square in New York City on Monday and she insists it always feels like a

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“celebration” when she meets them.

Speaking at the event, she said: “When I get to meet my fans, it’s a celebration. My fans have seen me come from absolutely nothing to get here, so it’s inspirational for them.

When I talk to them, they’re usually telling me, ‘We’re so proud of you, Nicki,’ as if they’re my parents or something. It’s weird the bond that we have. Today, we’re celebrating.”

Nicki has just joined the judging panel of ‘American Idol’ alongside Keith Urban, Mariah Carey and Randy Jackson and she intends to approach the auditions like a music fan rather than an established recording artist. The rapper is very excited about appearing on the talent show and is looking forward to

finding the next big pop star. She added to WWD: “I’m going to watch it as a fan. What draws me to the show is that I feel like a lot of people who don’t know me will get to know me, my real personality outside of what everyone thinks of me. I’m also going to play a part in making a new superstar. When you think of people like Carrie Underwood and Fantasia and Jennifer Hudson - all these amazing people who’ve come from ‘American Idol’ - it’s a big deal. It’s a credible brand. It’s not like a game show.”

Lawrence is scared of horror ennifer Lawrence decided to star in a horror movie to overcome her fear of scary films. ‘The Hunger Games’ actress made a unusual career choice by agreeing to appear in new film ‘House at the End of the Street’ so she could try and beat her aversion to the genre.

She told More! magazine: “In real life I’m terrified of horror movie. If I want to watch one, I have to plan out the next three months of my life, because I’ll know I’m going to be afraid of everything - afraid of the dark, afraid of my own shadow. “I thought if I had the experience of actually being in one it would make me less afraid seeing them. I’ll have to see how that one works out.” The 22-year-old star has recently changed her hair to a much darker color for the next installment in the ‘The Hunger Games’ franchise, but she is still getting used to the change and sometimes she doesn’t recognize her own reflection because of the style switch.

She said: “The color is hard for me to get used to because I’ve always been blonde. If I wake up in the middle of the night to pee and catch myself in the mirror, I think, ‘Whoa! Who’s that?’

I scare myself.” Jennifer also admits to living a less than glamorous life off set, adding: “I eat junk food and watch reality TV. I’m kind of an old lady, aren’t I? But being young means I still have that meltdown potential to come, so stay tuned!” —Agencies

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Sarah Michelle Gellargives birth to boy arah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr have added a boy to their family. Publicist Leslie Sloane says the baby was born in Los Angeles.

His name and details of the birth weren’t released.

The couple also has a 3-year-old daughter named Charlotte. They celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary this month. Gellar and Prinze have costarred in two “Scooby-Doo” films along with the thriller “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” Last year, the 35-year-old Gellar starred in the CW drama “Ringer.” The 36-year-old Prinze had a role on the final season of Fox’s “24.” Us Weekly first reported the birth.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

lifestyle M U S I C

&

M O V I E S

Bieber mom Pattie Mallette writes of painful past

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A screen shows a music video of South Korean rapper PSY, who sings the popular “Gangnam Style” song, as South Korean army soldiers take a rest. (Inset) South Korean singer Park Jae-sang, aslo known as Psy, performs during the press conference after returning from a US trip, in Seoul yesterday.—AFP photos

Psy to dance half-naked if ‘Gangnam Style’ tops US chart

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outh Korean rapper Psy pledged yesterday to perform his signature horseriding dance “half-naked” somewhere in his home city Seoul if his global hit “Gangnam Style” tops the US Billboard chart. The song is currently ranked 11 on the chart’s “Hot 100” list. “If I do become number one on Billboard, I’d dare to dance half-naked in front of a large crowd of people,” Psy told a packed press conference on his return from a triumphant promotional tour in the United States. “I would pick a place, preferably in front of Seoul City Hall,”

said the singer, whose real name is Park Jae-Sang.

The chubby 34-year-old shot to international fame when his “Gangnam Style” video went viral shortly after being posted on YouTube in mid-July. It has since notched up more than 270 million views on the video-sharing site. Recent appearances at the MTV awards in Los Angeles and on numerous prime-time US talk shows boosted his profile even higher, pushing “Gangnam Style” to the top of the US iTunes Chart.

Psy told reporters he was still stunned by the success of the catchy single, which is sung almost entirely in Korean. “This is my heyday, in 12 years since I debuted as a singer... This is just unbelievable, and I’m thankful for everything,” he said.

Commenting on his trip to the United States, which saw him teaching the horse dance to a bemused Britney Spears on television, Psy confessed to feeling homesick at times as well as mentally exhausted.

“Nostalgia is the biggest thing, and another thing has to use English all the

time. Translating the interviews from Korean to English and vice versa in my head gave me a bad headache,” he said.

Nevertheless, he said he had plans for a new release which he said could be a mix of his previous Korean hits sung in English.”I’d like to be more than a wacky Korean guy doing the horse-riding dance, and be branded as a Korean singer who can have, and give, non-stop fun for hours,” he said.—AFP

‘Walking Dead’ Writer, Artist Settle Lawsuits

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obert Kirkman, author of “The Walking Dead” comics that inspired the hit AMC zombie series,has reached a settlement over payments for the work of their original artist, Tony Moore.

The two childhood friends said they had resolved to “move on in their lives.” Moore sued Kirkman in February, accusing Moore, a frequent comic collaborator, of tricking him into surrendering his rights to the early issues of “Walking Dead” in 2005 in exchange for payments that never came.

Kirkman called the allegations “ridiculous,” and in turn sued Moore.

The gritty, realistic series - well, realistic except for the walkers - became a huge success and inspired the massive cable drama. Its third season will premiere next month. Kirkman had made a joke months before the lawsuit was filed that Moore’s lawyer suggested could come back to haunt him if the case went to trial. In an

interview for the Nerdist podcast, Kirkman was asked by an aspiring comic writer how to find an illustrator, and recommended, with tongue-in-cheek, “trickery and deceit.”

When TheWrap brought the remark to the attention of Moore’s lawyer, Devin McRae, McRae responded: “As the saying goes, in all humor there’s truth. And also, I think from my client’s perspective, Mr Kirkman is clearly speaking from experience.” But the conflict is buried now.

“Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore are pleased to jointly announce that they have reached an amicable agreement in their respective lawsuits and all parties have settled the entire matter to everyone’s mutual satisfaction,” the said in a joint statement.

“Neither side will be discussing any details but will instead happily and productively spend their time focused on their own work and move on in their lives.”—Reuters

Former California Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers the keynote address at the inaugural symposium sponsored by the Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy, at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles Monday.—AP

Schwarzenegger back-this time as think tank guru

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Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, center, Italian film director Sergio Catellitto, left, and Italian film screen writer Margaret Mazzantini, right, arrives for the photo call to promote their film “Venuto al Mondo”, at the 60th San Sebastian Film Festival, in San Sebastian northern Spain yesterday.—AP

Busan film festival invites N Korean director, actors

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rganizers of South Korea’s Busan film festival said yesterday they have asked the director and cast of a North Korean romantic comedy to attend a screening of their movie, the first ever invitation made to the communist nation. Director Kim Gwang-Hun and the cast of “Comrade Kim Goes Flying” have been invited to Asia’s top film festival to be held from October 4 to 13, a festival spokeswoman told AFP. The comedy, which was co-directed by Nicholas Bonner of Britain and Anja Daelemans of Belgium and filmed in Pyongyang, will be screened at the annual event in the southern port city which first began in 1996. It tells the story of a perky female coal miner from the countryside who yearns to join a state circus trapeze troupe and a trapeze star who first mocks her ambition but eventually falls in love with her. “We once screened a documentary made by the Belgian director and that’s how we got to know about the latest movie...we are still waiting (for a response from the North),” the spokeswoman said. Invitations to the North were sent via the Beijing-based Bonner, she added. There

are no direct mail or phone exchanges between two Koreas which technically remain at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice. The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month, was also to be screened during the week-long Pyongyang International Film Festival ending on Thursday, said a pro-North newspaper published in Japan.

“Some of the scenes from the movie were shown during an opening ceremony, garnering much attention from the audience,” the Chosun Sinbo said Monday. Most films and art forms in the North are aimed at praising communism and idolizing the ruling Kim family that has ruled the impoverished and isolated state with pervasive personality cult and an iron fist for some 60 years. Cross-border ties have been icy since Seoul accused Pyongyang of torpedoing its warship at a loss of 46 lives in March 2010.

The North denied involvement but went on to shell a border island that left four South Koreans dead in November the same year.—AFP

e’s been a governor, a movie star and the world’s greatest body builder, but Arnold Schwarzenegger isn’t done yet. The man who never tires of telling people he’ll be back returned again Monday, this time as a global policy wonk and statesman dedicated to leading America into what he calls a new post-partisan era.

Schwarzenegger, in a dark suit, crisp white shirt and red tie, appeared at the University of Southern California to officially launch the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy with a symposium featuring some of the most notable names in politics and entertainment. For the former Republican governor, the symposium marked a sudden public re-emergence after leaving office nearly two years ago with a mixed record that he suggested Monday accomplished about half of what he had set out to do. He’s hoping that through the institute, created with a $20 million commitment from Schwarzenegger and others, he can accomplish the rest, tackling issues such as hunger, health care and global warming.

Officials say he’ll also take an active role in teaching at USC. The institute’s academic director, Nancy Staudt, referred to him several times as “professor Schwarzenegger.”

Schwarzenegger is also publishing his autobiography next week and has a pair of movies in post-production. One of them, “The Tomb,” co-stars his old buddy Sylvester Stallone. The other, “The Last Stand,” opens in January and got a brief plug at the symposium’s afternoon panel discussion on Hollywood and culture. His return to the spotlight will also include a segment Sunday on “60 Minutes” to promote the book and discuss, among other things, the affair he had with his maid that resulted in a son out of wedlock and destroyed his marriage to Maria Shriver. No questions were taken during the symposium’s first panel, which was attended by about 700 people and featured Schwarzenegger in an hour-long discussion of partisan politics that was moderated by Cokie Roberts and featured Sen John McCain, R-Ariz, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-SD, and others. The former governor doffed his tie for the second panel, where he was joined by recording industry executive Jimmy Iovine in a Bruce Springsteen shirt. Other panelists included studio Brian Grazer and Ron Meyer, and director James Cameron, who helmed Schwarzenegger’s first two “Terminator” films.

A handful of questions from USC students were taken, but none was addressed to Schwarzenegger. No mention was made of the maid scandal or the huge budget deficit that Schwarzenegger, who had promised to bring fiscal accountability to politics, allowed to run up during his seven years as governor. His successor, Jerry Brown, has said he’ll drastically cut services if voters don’t approve tax increases in November.

Schwarzenegger did make a brief reference to Shriver’s politics when he said cooperation among Republicans and Democrats is key to solving the nation’s problems. “I never looked at the Democrats as villains,” he said.

“Remember, I was married to a Democrat for 25 years.” He called repeatedly for bipartisan cooperation, as McCain called the current presidential campaign the most bitter he has ever observed. “You cannot just do it my way or the highway. I tried that and I failed,” Schwarzenegger said at one point, noting his lack of success when he tried early in his administration to bypass the state Legislature by bringing his agenda directly to the voters in a series of failed ballot initiatives.

Overall, however, he painted a bright picture of his time as governor. During his welcoming remarks, he said his administration took the lead in pushing to stem global warming, provide health care to its citizens, and rebuild the state’s infrastructure while the federal government was gridlocked on those issues. He also noted that California committed $3 billion to stem cell research when he was governor and created an independent, citizenled commission to more fairly draw state legislative districts. He said he wants the Schwarzenegger Institute to continue to take on those issues and others, collaborating with innovators of all political backgrounds to come up with solutions for the problems of the nation and the world. “No ideology has a monopoly on solutions,” he said. chwarzenegger showed he could still charm a crowd with one-liners, even though he didn’t use his signature phrase, “I’ll be back,” or even the modified version, “I’m back,” from his latest action film, “The Expendables 2.” Introduced by USC President CL Max Nikias, who called him a larger than life hero, Schwarzenegger said, “Thank you for that fantastic introduction, President Nikias, that’s exactly how I wrote it.”—AP

attie Mallette was 18, living in a home for pregnant girls after years of unrelenting sex abuse and depression when she gave birth to a boy she thought she’d name Jesse, a boy whose first cry sounded like a song. Well, the baby seemed more like a Justin after he popped out. And his last name isn’t Mallette.

It’s Bieber. You’d have to be firmly under a rock not to know at least a little bit about Justin Bieber’s YouTubeto-riches story, his loyal fan base of Beliebers, 28 million Twitter followers or the hordes of screaming girls who pack his tours.

What you probably don’t know are his mother’s struggles, starting with the painful divorce of her parents, through years of emotional turmoil and hard partying that made school a blur, and her eventual turn to God after a suicide attempt about six months before Justin was conceived. Mallette, 37, has laid bare her past in a new book, “Nowhere but Up: The story of Justin Bieber’s Mom,” out recently from the inspirational publisher Revell.

It’s a powerful, plainspoken story, written in collaboration with AJ Gregory, a mother herself. A portion of proceeds have been promised to shelters like the one that harbored Mallette in Canada when her mother kicked her out of the house after she got pregnant.

Her troubles began well before that, however, and Mallette has forgotten little. “Writing the book was part of my healing process,” she said in an interview. “Just having to relive things as I’m writing it down. There are parts that are still painful to go over.” She was 2 when she watched her alcoholic, abusive father walk out the door. She was about 3 when she was first sexually abused by someone she knew. Mallette doesn’t identify her numerous abusers, including a male baby sitter and the grandfather of a friend, but the last words of her book’s acknowledgments speak volumes. “To my abusers: I forgive you.”

“I was sexually violated so many times that as the years went by it began to feel normal,” wrote the petite Mallette. “It’s a strange marriage - knowing something is wrong yet at the same time finding it familiar and commonplace.” Fear, self-loathing and the notion that she was an unlovable, “dirty girl” stretched through her life, and she says the “void of having a father in my heart” led her down rough paths - drinking and drugging to oblivion, beginning at age 14.

There was pot smoking and LSD. She left home at 16.

To support herself and pay for her habits, she turned to petty crime and pot dealing and the toxic, on-again-offagain, four-year relationship she had with Justin’s father, Jeremy Bieber, that began when she was 15. At 17, she threw herself in front of a truck and landed in a mental ward. It was there that she found a Christian life, though her faith faltered soon after and she fell back into her old life. Sex with Jeremy left her pregnant. She resisted intense pressure from those around her to have an abortion: “I knew that I had to do what it took. I just couldn’t abort him.” There was no returning home, so she struggled after Justin was born with the help of government assistance. She worked part-time jobs for diapers and rent, wondering how to proceed without a high school diploma, wondering how she could go back to school with no one to care for Justin. With the help of a neighbor who paid for a year’s worth of daycare, Mallette slowly earned her degree, followed by college training in website design on scholarship. Meanwhile, her son’s perfect rhythm on the drums, his guitar playing and singing talent, surfaced early, along with a hyperactive nature and love of soccer and hockey. He earned extra cash as a busker on guitar and a djembe drum he had received as a gift. Singing on the streets for money is something Mallette said she never forced him to do but earned them thousands of dollars after the first time he tried for fun at age 6. Success snowballed when Justin was 12 on the strength of YouTube videos Mallette posted for faraway relatives that were quickly discovered by young people and exploded with millions of views. Along came Scooter Braun, a persistent manager who launched Justin’s career at barely 13, fresh out of junior high. He’s 18 now, his mother’s age when she had him. Mallette said he’s pushing for his independence, moving alone into a house he bought in Calabasas, Calif. Mom wasn’t invited to join him but lives nearby.

“He doesn’t want me in his space so much but he’s doing really well for himself,” said Mallette, who once traveled with him everywhere. Justin has a fancy sports car that was a gift from Braun and earned him a speeding ticket in July as he was chased by paparazzi. He also has a girlfriend, Selena Gomez, whom Mallette adores. “She’s just a sweetheart. She’s kind and generous and loving,” said mom, who’s often called just that by fans on Twitter.

Mallette first told Justin about her past when he was about 12, after she began sharing at small-group meetings. “I felt like he was old enough, mature enough to hear my story, and, you know, talk about it,” Mallette said.

“I feel like it’s really important for us to talk, and I’ve always asked him a lot of questions and always tried to protect him from going through the same sort of thing.”

At 21, Mallette made a choice to abstain from sex outside of marriage. Still never married and holding strong, she IS ready let go of another promise, this one to Justin when they first moved to the states that she wouldn’t date until he was 18. “It’s time to start dating,” she smiled. Will Justin have a say over suitors? “I think he’s going to be a tough one to please,” Mallette said. “He’s pretty protective, but yeah, definitely, he would have to approve.”—AP

This book cover image released by Revell Books shows “Nowhere but Up: The Story of Justin Bieber’s Mom,” an autobiography by Pattie Mallette.—AP

lifestyle

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

F a s h i o n

Show behind iconic clock-face starts fashion week I

Models present creations by Impasse de la Defense during the Spring/Summer 2013 ready-to-wear collection show yesterday in Paris. —AFP

Fatima Lopes

t was a secretive and rather low-key start to Paris’ ready-to-wear week with post-punk design house Impasse de la Defense, whose colorful spring-summer 2013 show took place tucked away behind the iconic clock face of the Gare de l’Est train station. The central loudspeaker - announcing train information - punctuated the show. Aside from provoking chuckles from fashion insiders, this added a street feel to the eclectic and contemporary mix of vibrant patchwork dresses, outre tulle bridal skirts and large shawls printed with images of clock architecture.

The “soundtrack” - a single harmonica played from the sidelines by a man who looked like a busker - provided a nice dash of boho insouciance for the many the casual and loose-fitting splash-dyed mid-length dresses. Designer Karim Bonnet said he’d channeled German street style after a holiday there last summer - but at times, the clock seemed to turn right back to early seventies flower power.

The nicest elements were the imaginative prints of cameras and the spines of novels that featured on large shawls - an Impasse de la Defense signature. At times, though, the sheer size of the shawls - which models had wrapped around them - made them look clumsy. The message of the prints would have been effective had Bonnet featured them on the dresses themselves. —AP

Moon Young Hee

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

lifestyle F a s h i o n

Models presents creations by Moon Young Hee during the Spring/Summer 2013 ready-to-wear collection show yesterday in Paris. —AFP

Italy’s crisis-hit weavers look to foreign buyers A

s a glitzy Milan fashion week wrapped up yesterday, Italy’s hard-hit textile artisans said they were looking to foreign buyers to kickstart growth in a domestic sector gripped by the economic crisis. Demand for high-end materials in recession-hit Italy has withered, but the country’s family-run textile firms are banding together to attract clients from further afield-helped by renewed popularity for “Made in Italy” products.

The figures are certainly bleak: one in four companies in the sector risks closure according to Valeria Fedeli from the textile, energy and manufacture federation Filctem Cgil, due in part to Italy’s high energy prices. The country’s 90-percent reliance on imported natural gas means companies pay among the highest

electricity bills in Europe-up to 40 percent more than competitors-and the sector has repeatedly called on the government for help.

“It’s a massive problem, we’re heavily penalised by unsustainable energy costs.

We’re all trying to beat the crisis but it’s tough to compete,” said Rodolfo Botto from the Biella textile processing centre in northern Italy.

Revenue for the fashion sector is forecast to drop 5.6 percent in 2012 as domestic demand drops away, and textile exports were down 5.0 percent in the first quarter, according to the national textile and clothing federation (SMI).

But Italy remains the world’s biggest exporter of wool and the second-biggest exporter of linens and silks, and workshops across the country are hoping to attract buyers among

the fashion-hungry consumers outside Europe. From China to Russia, Brazil and South Africa, growing sophistication among fashion shoppers has led to a greater demand for Italy’s artisan quality.

While China used to be seen as a huge threat to the industry-producing garments quickly and cheaply-it is now opting increasingly to import wool, loden, silks and linens produced by specialist Italian spinners and weavers. Demand for Italy’s teased cotton and wool fabric was up 3.7 percent in the first quarter-with China and Hong Kong among the top four buyers-and exports of combed cotton and wool yarn were only slightly down (-0.2 percent). “Textiles are suffering, but wool in general has held up quite well. China used

to spell disaster, now it may offer a way out of the crisis,” Botto said.

Wool producers from the Biella region are set to take part in a fair in Shanghai in October, and there was a big increase in visitors to Italy’s textiles salon from China and Hong Kong during the run up to fashion week.

The increase in demand for wools such as merino, cashmere and mohair is boosted by the staple fabric’s comeback on the catwalk: among others, Prada, Gucci and Armani all featured wool in their autumn/winter 2012 collections.

While some companies hope to establish themselves as key suppliers abroad, however, many small or family businesses do not have the resources to do so.

The response for some has been to club together. The Wool Combing Centre in Verrone has upped its Made in Italy stakes by pulling in the Loro Piana, Marzotto and Zegna companies-experts in cashmere and made-to-measure suits. Michela Loberto, an up-and-coming designer presenting her work on the sidelines of fashion week, said she had used merino wool to line the coats in her collection, praising it as a more environmentally friendly fabric. “The crisis is everywhere, but I think the industry is strong and will pull through. Who else can compete with the expertise of Made in Italy?” —AFP

An enchanting range of lifestyle collection now in store

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his season, the hottest picks can be found at Lifestyle stores, across the region with lifestyle’s homegrown brand, Adore, offering a range of classic totes and stylish satchel bags. The must-have designs are available in gorgeous beige and cream shades that will complement any outfit. To make arm-swinging statement ladies can pick up one of the beautiful Adore satchel bags. With elegant weaved detailing the bags can be used from day to night, for work or party time.

From catwalk to high street, the brand new Makgio collection from Lifestyle embraces the bold and bright tones of orange and pinks. The color-pop shades, a current fashion-favorite, will brighten any outfit and ensure you stand out in the crowd.

NYX cosmetics offer stunning make-up sets that are perfect for every woman! NYX Spring-Fling collection and NYX Bohemian

Chic - Nude Matte Collection offers a color palette that ranges from the most classic to the most glamorous.

NYX Spring-Fling collection consists of 12 blossoming eye shadows that reflect spring-

time’s favorite pastel hues. A rosy dual blush and 2 flushed lip glosses complete the splendid set that complement every springtide look! To get a gorgeous free-spirited look, use the NYX Bohemian chic color palette that includes 24 soft matte eye shadows that vary in subtle earth tones, 2 hearty blushes, and 2 duo ended eye shadow applicators to create any look. This portable make-up kit is your ultimate companion to take wherever you go.

Choose your desired look from these two impressive sets from NYX that are a perfect match to your outfit and personality!

So whether you are looking for passive tones or flamboyant shades in eye make-up or stylish satchel bag, do visit our Lifestyle stores in Centrepoint - Salmiya, Hawally, Al Rai, Fahaheel, Kuwait City, Fintas, Sulaibikhat and Jahra.

Schwarzenegger back-this time as think tank guru

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

37 Aritsts of the action theatre “Dulce Compania” perform in front of the Semperoper opera house in Dresden, eastern Germany, yesterday to promote the Semperoper opera ball 2013. The ball, that is taking place on February 1, 2013, is themed “Dresden verzaubert” (Dresden enchants).—AFP

Sex, drugs and village politics in Potter author’s new novel

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arry Potter author JK Rowling bids goodbye to the boy wizard on Thursday when she releases her first novel for adults, a gritty tale of poverty and politics in an idyllic English village. With more than 450 million copies of the Potter books sold and fans feverishly excited about the British author’s first major work since 2007, her new black comedy, titled “The Casual Vacancy”, is already a guaranteed success. Pre-order sales have reportedly topped a million copies and British booksellers expect it to be the best-selling fiction title of the year. “It’s one of the biggest releases of the 21st century,” Philip Stone, charts editor at The Bookseller magazine, told AFP. “I think 99.9 percent of us (in the industry) are predicting it will go straight to number one.” And as the world’s first billionaire author, 47-year-old Rowling has the luxury of not needing to worry about paying the bills if her first foray into “grownup” fiction is panned by the critics. “I am the freest author in the world. I can do whatever the hell I like,” she told Britain’s Guardian newspaper.

“If everyone says, ‘Well, that’s shockingly bad-

File photo shows Harry Potter author JKRowling attends the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 in central London.—AFP

back to wizards with you’, then obviously I won’t be throwing a party. But I will live.” Rowling’s publisher Little, Brown has released some details of the plot, while a few more have emerged from the few journalists allowed advance access to the

book, under tight security reminiscent of the height of Pottermania. Set in the fictional village of Pagford in southwest England, the story opens with the death of a member of the local parish council.

Middle-class villagers soon begin plotting to fill the vacant seat with someone sympathetic to their cause-ridding Pagford of its responsibility for the Fields, a squalid housing estate. “We’re a phenomenally snobby society,” Rowling told the Guardian, “and it’s such a rich seam. The middle class is so funny.” Tackling themes including heroin addiction, prostitution, single parenthood and adolescent lust, the book is a radical departure from the sanitised fantasy of her seven novels pitting teenage wizards against the evil Lord Voldemort.

Rowling said she had been itching to cover more adult topics.

“There are certain things you just don’t do in fantasy,” she told the New Yorker magazine. “You don’t have sex near unicorns. It’s an iron-clad rule.

It’s tacky.” Today, Joanne Rowling is a glamorous blonde with palatial homes in Edinburgh and London. She is worth £560 million ($907 million, 703 million euros) according to the Sunday Times Rich List, with a business empire spanning eight blockbuster films, theme parks, toys and videogames. But in the early 1990s she was battling depression and surviving on state handouts, struggling to raise her daughter alone as she wrote the first Potter novel in Edinburgh cafes.

Her experience of poverty and lone parenthood, following the breakdown of her short, disastrous marriage to a Portuguese journalist, was one influence on the plot of “The Casual Vacancy”. The book was also partly inspired by her youth, spent in villages similar to Pagford. “This was very much me vividly remembering what it was like to be a teenager, and it wasn’t a particularly happy time in my life,” Rowling told the Guardian.

Her mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when Rowling was 15 and she had a difficult relationship with her father-the two have not spoken for around nine years. These days, she can bring up her own three children-she has two more with second husband Neil Murray, a doctor whom she married in 2001 — in the utmost comfort. But she insists that with money and fame, her problems have changed, rather than evaporated altogether. “I am so grateful for what happened that this should not be taken in any way as a whine, but you don’t expect the pressure of it,” she told the Guardian. Giving evidence to an inquiry into press ethics last November, she blasted the British press for invading her children’s privacy. Rowling is currently working on two more books for young children. Where she goes from there may depend on her mode of transport-Harry Potter was dreamed up on a train, while the idea for “The Casual Vacancy” struck her while she was on a plane.

“Obviously I need to be in some form of vehicle to have a decent idea,” she has said.—AFP

Met opera opens season with sweet ‘Elixir’ T

hat most endearing of all comedies, Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore,” opened the Metropolitan Opera season on Monday night in a modest new production made memorable by an outstanding cast.

Soprano Anna Netrebko, headlining her second consecutive opening night here, starred as Adina, the willful but kind-hearted farm owner who toys with the affections of the peasant Nemorino for most of the opera, until she finally confesses her affection. She was lovely to listen to and riveting to watch, as always, but the triumph of the evening was tenor Matthew Polenzani’s performance as the lovesick Nemorino. In a role identified with the likes of Enrico Caruso and Luciano Pavarotti, Polenzani gave his finest performance yet at the Met. His fullthroated singing was imbued with sweetness and warmth, and in his many soft phrases he caressed the vocal line with great delicacy.

All these qualities combined to make his show-stopping aria, “Una furtiva lagrima,” especially winning. Polenzani is also noticeably slimmer than in recent seasons, a fact that enhanced his delightfully relaxed and animated comic performance. Providing stellar support were two baritones: Mariusz Kwiecien, as the self-admiring Sergeant Belcore who competes for Adina’s affections; and bass Ambrogio Maestri as the lovable quack, Doctor Dulcamara, who sells Nemorino the fake potion that he thinks will win her heart. Kwiecien, dashing and arrogant, sang with rich tone and put on a fine display of rapid-fire patter in his second-act duet with Nemorino. Maestri savored every syllable of the buffo role of Dulcamara, and his high notes rang out with unusual vigor.

In the small role of Adina’s friend Giannetta, soprano Anne-Carolyn Bird chirped becomingly. As for Netrebko, she reined in her increasingly voluptuous voice remarkably well, matching her colleagues with sparkling coloratura. Still, the effort showed at times, and it’s no surprise that she recently told The Wall Street Journal she is giving up the “-ina” roles, a reference to soubrette parts like Adina that are written for lighter

(From right) Anna Netrebko performs as Adina alongside Matthew Polenzani, second from right, performing as Nemorino, Mariusz Kwiecien, left, performing as sergeant Belcore and Anne-Carolyn Bird performing as Giannetta during the final dress rehearsal of Gaetano Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore”at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. —AP photos lyric sopranos. Her future clearly lies in the more dramatic heroines of Verdi, Puccini and even Wagner, since she plans to sing Elsa in “Lohengrin” in four years. The production, directed by Bartlett Sher with sets by Michael Yeargan and costumes by Catherine Zuber, was pleasant to look at and surprisingly traditional, given Sher’s reputation for quirkiness.

The Met badly needed a new production, since the previous one was more than 20 years old and looked skimpy even when Mariusz Kwiecien performs as sernew. This one may be not much more than geant Belcore alongside Anna serviceable, but it’s an improvement. There Netrebko. were to be sure one or two odd touches like the black top hat Adina wore at times. canto style and kept the score bubbling merPerhaps it symbolized her domineering rily along. From one point of view, “L’Elisir” side, since she discarded it when she sucwas an odd choice for a Met opening, since it cumbed to Nemorino’s charms. And there has neither the novelty nor the spectacle was an annoyingly long pause between usually associated with a gala occasion. Yet, scenes in Act 1 as the action moved from Adina’s farm to the town square. In Act 2 the really, what better way to kick off the season than with a tuneful, humane comedy that set change was handled more deftly as sends the audience out of the opera house stagehands in costume removed the fursmiling. There are nine more performances nishings of a barn and replaced them with a this season, with the matinee on Saturday, courtyard and an outdoor field while the Oct 13, to be televised live in HD to movie music continued. Maurizio Benini conducttheaters around the world.—AP ed the orchestra with a sure sense of bel

Goebbels love letters, fiction go to auction

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oems, love letters and works of fiction written by Joseph Goebbels before he became Adolf Hitler’s propaganda chief went on sale this week near New York.

Alexander Historical Auctions described the archive of Goebbels’ pre-war literary efforts as “the most important cache of World War II autographs to ever become available for sale.”

The collection, which is said to be in perfect condition and is estimated to be worth $200,000-$300,000, reveals a little-known side

of the man who later joined the inner circle in Germany’s Nazi Party. In plays, a novel and other writings, Goebbels displayed his resentment and sensitivity, but also his rapidly hardening attitudes. The auction house in Stamford, Connecticut, said the works trace the development of a “shy, romantic and easily-swayed college student with Marxist leanings” into “a radical Nazi and rabid anti-Semite, a brilliant propagandist at the right hand of the man who would within a decade conquer-and

destroy most of Europe.” Bill Panagopulos, the auction house’s president, added: “It sums up the formative years of the number two man in the Third Reich, who was responsible for motivating the masses in Germany to back Hitler. “It shows how this rather simple, shy and lovestruck college student really just became radicalized.” Included are school report cards and essays, personal letters, love letters, poetry and anti-capitalist dramas focusing on downtrodden workers in a corrupt world.—AFP