28th Sep

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NO: 15582- Friday, September 28, 2012

Syria hangs over UN summit See Page 13

NEW YORK: Syrian Americans protest against Syrian President Bashar AlAssad during a demonstration outside the United Nations in New York. — AP

Local FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

In my view

Kuwait’s own Hyde Park

By Abdellatif Al-Duaij

I

am among those who are for reducing the number of votes a voter can cast in the five constituencies system to one, or at the maximum, two. I am sure that reducing the number of votes will really guarantee free and fair voting and will collectively help prevent the sectarian or tribal divisions that mar the system currently. However, I do think that the five constituencies and four votes system remains much better than the one constituency, lists and parties system which some people are advocating and which is being supported, regrettably, by some groups and even patriotic people, with disregard to its obvious repercussions. It will further divide our society and add to the culture of exclusion. The one constituency system simply means that 15 or 20 percent of the voters will be able to decide who the 50 or the majority MPs will be and thus such a miniscule number of people will be representing the nation. If the balloting reaches 50 percent, these 15 or 20 percent voters will be able to impose their views on everyone. In the absence of awareness of true democracy, violation of constitutional articles and democratic principles will become possible, given the current mindset’s dominance.

Speaking for myself, we were all for accepting the government’s power to amend the election law through a decree, as there was a precedent to it in 1981, and also because the amendment would have served national interest and helped the country’s development and unity. However, the government sought a

constitutional cover for this amendment. Some people convinced the government that this was possible due to the constitutional loopholes in the election law but things did not go as the government had wished. Rather, the constitutional court ruling protected the election law. This, in turn, has taken away any opportunity to amend it from the government.

The government promised through the information minister to dissolve the 2009 Assembly and hold the elections based on the current election law based on five constituencies and four votes, but it preferred to wait to discuss the constitutionality of the election law. The waiting period is now over and the constitutional court’s ruling has committed the government to have the elections as per the existing law. So, let us now do so.

Speeches at Irada Square have transformed it into a sort of Kuwait’s own Hyde Park, and the truly democratic groups should now be changing it legally into a free opinion square where every citizen has the right to express his views without any legal or social restrictions. There should be absolute freedom as stipulated in the constitution, and nothing should be excluded from the purview of this freedom except the Amir, since the constitution criminalizes any insult towards him. This is a test case for all the groups who champion freedom and defend the constitution. So, is anyone ready to adopt a proposal to organize discussions at Irada Square on the basis of absolute and unconditional freedom? - Al-Qabas

Kuwait’s my business

How to avoid the personality pigeonhole

By John P Hayes

local@kuwaittimes.net

S

o what are you? A Dominant, an Influencer, a Steady, or a Compliant personality? It’s important to know because the descriptors provide insight to the way people perceive you and, more importantly, respond to you.

If you’re wondering, “Why do people always say that to me?” or “treat me like that?” you will find the answer in your personality profile. More importantly, if you’re in touch with your personality, you can change the way people respond to you.

Even better: If you understand the personalities of the people closest to you, including your spouse, family and friends, and the people who work with you, you can get along better with them. If you want to, you can help them achieve more. Or less!

Who wouldn’t want these capabilities?

Lots of people! Lazy people, for example. They don’t see the point of learning this information. Nor do folks who like to be victims. If they learn how to get people to treat them more favorably, they’ll no longer be victims!

Plus, some people claim that personality profiling limits them. They say, “I don’t want to pigeonhole myself.” That always makes me laugh because they’ve already been pigeonholed. We all are!

You cannot live without your personality - it’s always there. It’s like DNA. And as soon as other people recognize it - whether it’s D, I, S or C - they respond accordingly. People respond instinctively to different personalities, regardless of what they know about personality profiling. You do it all the time.

Within moments of meeting someone, you know if you like them or not. You arrive at your conclusion based on your assessment of their personality. You might not say, “He’s a D and I don’t like Ds,” or “She’s an S, so I’m safe with her,” but instinctively you know what you like and don’t like. And you respond accordingly.

So instead of worrying about being pigeonholed, it’s smarter to worry about how to escape the pigeonhole that your personality creates for you! And you can only do that by recognizing your own personality style and making changes where and when necessary.

You want to be more effective? Want people to treat you differently? Do you wish that you could say just the right thing to help other people respond more favorably to you? You can do all of that if you understand your own and the other person’s personality.

Want your business to operate more effectively?

Would you like to see your employees or co-workers to gel and get things done faster and with less drama?

Teach them about their personality profiles, and help them understand how to interact more effectively.

This article is the final instalment of a series that discusses personality profiling. Previous articles are available at http://news.kuwaittimes.net. It will help if you have completed a free DISC profile, which you can find at: http://tinyurl.com/664mgw5.

Dr. John P. Hayes is a marketing professor at Gulf University for Science & Technology. Contact him at questions@hayesworldwide.com or via Twitter @drjohnhayes. Invite him to teach your organization about personality profiling.

Local FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Local Spotlight

The real problem facing Kuwait

By Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net

H

ere is a simple truth: We in Kuwait are not going anywhere, certainly not forward. In fact, I am not worried about when the next election will take place because the problem is not with any election process, or procedure or any such thing.

The issue is, as I see it, that neither our people nor our rulers know how to bring all the issues to the table and deal with them. Yes, we need every Kuwaiti, in power or otherwise, to have a navigator to enlighten him or her about their objectives and the motives behind any initiatives. We need all the powers in the country to come to a decision about whether we are going to move forward or stay where we are. In order to achieve that goal, we need

to be as transparent and straight-forward as we possibly can be.

We are not doing well on the education front and yet we expect our youth to usher in a miracle. I don’t see many calls for change in the curricula or advocating more tolerance towards other religions and rituals. I think it is a mistake not to call for changes that should start from the school and extend right into our homes. We blame the people and the former National Assembly, but what is the government’s role in all this?

The government has to share the blame since it allowed the people to use the name of their tribes as a family name. I understand the pride that people take in their tribes and their roots. There is nothing wrong with it but when it becomes a yardstick for displaying loyalty and claiming privileges, it becomes an obstacle. It is akin to being labeled, and at times people find themselves socially isolated or having to suffer blame, no matter how hard they try to escape that fate. That, I think, is not fair.

All through its history, Kuwait never discriminated among its citizens because it would have been a viola-

Just kiddin’, seriously

Traffic! Traffic! Traffic!

By Sahar Moussa

sahar@kuwaittimes.net

T

raffic in the morning, traffic in the afternoon and traffic in the evening. These days all you hear about is traffic everywhere.

Now the schools are open and the students are back to school, the traffic situation is getting worse and worse every day.

If you go out at seven in the morning, the traffic will drive you insane. It will be your worst nightmare. The school buses, local buses, cars and taxis; if you put them together at the same time at the same place, you get a bunch of angry people fighting with each other to reach their destination. Traffic seriously changes people and brings out their primitive nature.

They become aggressive, insensitive, and hostile. The roads become junglelike, and it’s just a case of survival of the fittest. The big cars like jeeps and Hummers become like dinosaurs trying to step on anything in their way, including pedestrians, smaller cars and maybe even prams. The small cars try to sneak whenever they find a small gap and try to escape the big monsters and stay alive.

At three o’clock, the same disaster happens and the nightmare repeats itself, when the parents bring their children back from school and employees return from their work. At six o’clock, traffic does not magically disappear.

People hope that it will, since there are no school buses or people going to work but to their disappointment, the traffic stays strong unlike their nerves.

We cannot blame the students because they are going to school, but we can blame the government for not obliging to have parking inside every school, so that parents’ cars will not cause a traffic jam outside the schools and block the roads.

We cannot ask people not to go to work, but we can ask the government to come up with better and smarter roads to fix the problem, instead of closing and opening a new road every single day.

We cannot ask people not to go out shopping or have fun, but we can spread awareness amongst families and friends to carpool. This will not only help the traffic but also keep the environment clean.

Another way we can avoid traffic is by building a decent, clean and air-conditioned metro in the future that can save us a lot of hassle. Last but not the least, here are some tips to manage road rage: First, remember we are not living in a jungle. Second, try and listen to slow music or anything that calms you down when you’re driving. Third, try to be positive and meditate (not when you’re behind the wheel) and finally, if all else fails, buy a magic carpet!

tion of their constitutional rights.

The problem in Kuwait now is the heightened tone of extremism among political groups and the powerful influence they hold over the people. We need to know that Kuwaitis are smart people and are not less educated or aware. Kuwait’s media provides an open space and its expats provide a great environment for many ideas. All this has an impact on the people.

The change that is being talked about is not just about seeing one National Assembly go and another one come in. That is not the change we all want to see. The problem in Kuwait now is that no one wants to hear the truth. No one wants to take reforms seriously and act.

No one is calling for economic development, although that is what we really need. At the same time, everyone is looking towards the next election, which will not be able to bring any change as long as rivals remain unable to share the same table. Time will reveal that such a change is not on the horizon and the problems will continue. twitter@munaalfuzai

Local FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Molten cake erupts in lava of taste

The cousins behind the success of Chocolateness. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

The crew at Chocolateness pose for a picture.

‘Chocolateness’ plays with combos of chocolates, peanut butter, caramel and cookies

By Ben Garcia chocolate recipe traditionally served by a well-known family in Kuwait during parties and large family gatherings has become the most sought-after recipe by many in Kuwait today. The traditional molten cake being served by the family is now the main recipe for success for a restaurant eventually opened based upon the family tradition. The newest generation of business entrepreneurs in the family eventually came up with the idea and name for the restaurant: ‘Chocolateness’.

Many have described Chocolateness as the only restaurant serving ‘best of the best’ dessert in town. The family chocolate recipes were unveiled during an exhibition organized

by Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) in November 2007. “We displayed the chocolate molten cake during the GUST expo in November 2007. It was a small booth at first.

With our four partners [cousins] in business,

A

two of us were students at GUST. We displayed our homemade chocolates just for fun, but they received the highest ratings in the food reviews and people liked them a lot,” Jassem Al-Homaizi recalled of their first venture. “So, then, we repeated the homemade chocolate display in May of 2008,” he recalled.

“When we saw the growing interest of our

Jassem Al-Homaizi schoolmates in our products, we contemplated starting a new business based upon the homemade molten chocolate cake.”

At first, Al-Homaizi and his classmate received and delivered orders to friends. But demand grew considerably. “So, we started the business by hiring one employee, a deliv-

ery man. We agreed to start the business that way because we wanted to know how the public accepted the idea and how they were going to react to our new concept. It was exciting though. We were taking calls from our friends and schoolmates and then we delivered to them,” he told Friday Times. Their first kitchen was, in fact, their own home somewhere in Kuwait City. From one employee, there are now 40 employees. “We started the first store in this location [Jassim Tower-Kuwait City], then we opened the second store in Abu-Halifa. The third store opened in Khaldiya area close by Kuwait University. The business is growing tremendously thanks to the old family tradition which we use which is a part of the huge success,” Al-Homaizi added.

Nowadays, Chocolateness boasts cafés and Chocolateness Express. The café serves more than chocolates. “We added some specialty menus from appetizers to main course created

by Chef Danah Al-Toura. The Chocolateness

Local FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Express, on the other hand, concentrates on home delivery and pickup services,” he explained.

From the original one molten cake recipe, Chocolateness developed several chocolate molten cakes, and now has seven new mouth-watering flavors. Their main ingredients are combinations of chocolates, peanut butter, caramel and cookies. To make it more appetizing and appealing to local residents, Chocolateness has developed a new recipe that uses ‘rahash’ [a Kuwaiti traditional favorite sweets which is made from sesame oil]. “The menu with rahash is very popular among Kuwaitis,” Al-Monaizi admits.

And expansion continues. In fact, according to Al-Homaizi, Chocolateness will open four more branches in Kuwait in about the next two years; one in Avenues and branches in Dubai, as well as Lebanon. “Our chocolate products are made out of love and passion for great chocolate flavors. Just imagine the love shared with us by our parents when making the molten cake; the same love is shared

with our customers. That makes our molten cake outstanding,” AlHomaizi said. Chocolate ingredients are imported from Switzerland, France and Korea. “I cannot share the recipe because it is a company privilege, but you can always try and taste our products. Once tasted, I assure you, you will want another bite again and again,” he said.

The business, which is now being run by four cousins, started with just KD 140. Their customers learned about the business only by word-of-mouth and, especially, by free advertisements using new technologies such as BlackBerry, Facebook and Twitter. Besides molten chocolates, they now serve various types of mouth-watering menus from appetizers to main course. The restaurants were designed by a Kuwaiti friend who came up with the colorful boxes, bags and containers used to pack their take-home orders.

Local FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Bourashed’s character is pictured on the cartoon “Buqutada Wu Bunabeel”.

By Nawara Fattahova

T

Thamer Al-Dakheel a.k.a. Bourashed

hamer Al-Dakheel, known as Bourashed, is a popular Kuwait news critic and the Editor-inChief of Asrar Magazine. He began his foray into the news business about six years ago with three telecommunication companies. “On the first day, when I officially started the news services, I got over 500 subscribers. The service costs just 500 fils per week, and I clearly am not making any profits from it.

It is more of a hobby for me; a passion that is taking all my time,” he told the Friday Times.

To begin with, he used to send news to a group of his friends and relatives as short text messages (SMS) from his mobile. “I was paying for all of it from my own pocket, and at times my monthly cell phone bill would reach KD 800. Now I am happy and I enjoy doing this for free. Earlier, the service was limited to 150 people only, as the system didn’t allow me to send more,” Bourashed recalled.

He said in the initial days, some of the members of his group lent support by paying their subscription in advance for an entire year. “The group of my friends and relatives, whom I was sending the SMSs earlier, were among the first to subscribe to the service.

Earlier, my focus was on being first with the news, but now we are focusing on verifying the news. People approach me to find out whether a piece of news or information was, indeed, credible,” he said.

Bourashed does not reveal his sources and crosschecks information before releasing it. “It mostly depends on the source that provides the information and also on the nature of the information itself. For instance, if we get any news about a serious political development, such as an assassination, I have to be

very careful before putting it out there. If, however, it was just a car accident, it is not that serious, and even if we go wrong, no one will be harmed,” he explained.

Bourashed was chosen by Forbes Magazine as the second most influential personality on Twitter in the Arab world. “The first was Al-Qasimi from the United Arab Emirates. The main reason for him being first was that he tweets in multiple languages. I, too, sometimes tweet in English as well, but it all depends on the news or the person who sent it. My character was also used in the popular cartoon serial Buqutada Wu

social media such as Twitter, and I have to practice self-censorship. Not all news can be released, and I know that the press laws are now also applicable to the social media. In the past, some people filed cases against me but so far, I have won all the cases and never had to pay any compensation to anyone,” he stated.

Bourashed thinks that news spreads faster through the social media and SMSs, compared to traditional media like press or TV. “People are busy most of the time and cannot carry the news channels with them

Bourashed chosen by Forbes Magazine as the second most influential personality on Twitter in the Arab world Bunabeel,” he explained. Bourashed works with AlWatan TV channel where he reads the news and also some information from Watan newspaper.

While releasing the news, he remains neutral like any professional. “Just like anyone else, I do have my own opinions on current political and other issues.

But when giving out the news, I do so without adding my opinion. Of course, at times I have to shorten it to fit it into the restricted format of Twitter, but without changing its meaning. At times, after releasing the news, I write my own opinion as a personal comment, and that is my right. Basically, I don’t publish news sent by MPs or their statements unless they send it to me from their own mobile phones; this is one of my rules,” stressed Bourashed.

He also filters out certain news. “It is a great responsibility to publish news, even if it is only on

or watch these constantly, even if they have Internet on their mobile phones. But with Twitter or through SMS, they get the news alerts as soon as the news is released, and it becomes convenient for them to read the same,” he elaborated.

He also posts his personal news and daily life experiences on Twitter. “On Twitter, I let my followers know about my daily routine and what I am doing at any given point of time. I don’t really care to woo followers or follow others. I also like to take photographs of the meals I try at any restaurant. In fact, this works as advertising for some,” he said jokingly.

Currently, Bourashed is following just four people his two sons, and their two businesses - but he has 150,000 followers from Kuwait and outside. He did receive offers to sell his account, but he said he won’t think of it. “Not for a million KD”.

Local FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

By Sajeev K Peter KUWAIT: The death of an Indian at the hands of an armed gang has sent shockwaves among the residents of Salmiya. The horrifying tragedy highlights the ever-increasing crime rate and violence in this largely Asian neighborhood where people today live in fear.

The residents are worried that despite a rise in robberies and armed attacks over the last few months, police authorities have so far not taken any effective measures to curb the lawlessness in the area. “Incidents of robbery at knife-point, chain and pursesnatching, and violent attacks by armed gangs have become the order of the day,” said an engineer with a private company, on condition of anonymity.

According to many residents, there has been no let-up in armed robberies, even after the death of the Andhra Pradesh native who was killed on September 20 in a gruesome attack.

Also, at least six to seven incidents have occurred since that incident, though some incidents go unreported as the victims fear reprisal attacks by gang members and subsequent legal consequences.

“Salmiya used to be a very peaceful and secure place for residents, but things have changed dramatically. Terror and fear stalk its streets today,” said a school teacher. “Women and school chil-

dren are the most vulnerable. These criminals can even emerge from your shadows,” he added.

According to residents, incidents are taking place on a daily basis. For instance, a child walking behind his parents near the Indian Community School sustained neck wounds as a gang pounced on him, snatched his gold chain and fled. Also, a supermarket staff member was robbed at knife-point near Edee Store last week. Another person was attacked near Udupi Palace Restaurant. And a staff member of a money exchange was brutally attacked and robbed near Amman Bhelpuri Restaurant by ‘unknown assailants’ who came in a car.

With each passing day, more stories of armed attacks pour in, creating panic among the residents in the locality. Many people admit they no longer wear gold chains or ornaments or carry large amounts of cash in their wallets. Some have even begun to give their routine jogging a miss at the Salmiya Garden, which has become another hot-spot for attacks.

“In most cases, it is the same old trick. They will approach you posing as CIDs to verify your Civil ID. When you take out your wallet to show the card, they will snatch your purse and escape in their vehicle. And if you try to resist, you will be attacked,” said Rasheed, a resident.

Eye-witnesses told the Friday Times that the attack on the Indian national in his early 20s took place near the Red Flame

Restaurant, Salmiya, around 6:45 pm. According to the witnesses, a red car stopped near the Indian, who was walking along the road. The front passenger side door of the car opened and a man in dish-dasha asked the Indian to show his Civil ID for verification.

When the man showed it, the person in the car grabbed his wallet, but the Indian held onto it. The car began to speed away, dragging him on the road for about 50 meters before he was pushed away. Thrown off, the Indian fell on the road, sustaining a head injury leading to profuse bleeding and eventual death.

Residents say that five police cars and one ambulance rushed to the scene immediately after the crime. According to local residents, officials identified the victim as a Goan native.

Further, Vidhu P Nair, Charge d’ Affaires, Indian Embassy in Kuwait, told the Friday Times that he would take up the matter with the interior ministry authorities soon.

With each passing day, more stories of armed attacks pour in creating panic among the people in the locality. Echoing the sentiment of the parent community, ICSK Parent Advisory Council member Suresh K P said, “Though these gang robberies are going on for quite some time, no effective action has been taken by the authorities so far to check the crimes. There are more than eight schools in Salmiya alone. Thousands of school children are moving in and around the area every day to attend schools and tuitions. Now we are very worried about their security”.

Local FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Kuwait Internet firm blasts price cuts, infrastructure DUBAI: Ageing fixed-line infrastructure is to blame for Kuwait’s low broadband penetration, and price cuts ordered by the government this week will do little to boost subscription numbers, an executive at a top Internet provider told Reuters. The Ministry of Communications is the de facto regulator in the absence of an independent watchdog, and also ultimately owns and operates the country’s fixed-line infrastructure, with the four major Internet service providers (ISPs) paying the government to use this.

But the largely copper-based network cannot carry sufficient bandwidth to satisfy consumer demand, according to Essa Al-Kooheji, general manager at Qualitynet, which is 44 percent owned by Bahrain Telecommunications (Batelco) and has an estimated 45 percent market share for fixed Internet.

On Tuesday, the Ministry ordered the ISPs to cut prices by at least 40 percent, slashing the price of an annual subscription for a 1 megabyte per second (mbp) connection to 48 Kuwaiti dinars ($170), while 8 mbps will now cost 200 dinars. That means Kuwait is considerably cheaper than other Gulf countries; in Bahrain, for example, Batelco charges 120 dinars ($320) annually for a 1 mbp line and 360 dinars for 8 mbps. But that will do little to improve fixed broadband take-up, said Qualitynet’s Kooheji, with Kuwait’s penetration of about 5.5 percent half that of the United Arab Emirates. “We receive lots of calls from customers who want to upgrade and take the maximum speed for the price available, but they cannot do so,” said Kooheji. “The government should put more effort into improving the telecom infrastructure rather than cutting prices.” — Reuters

Kuwait oppn eyes fresh poll Khorafi says 2009 assembly effective until Amir’s decision KUWAIT: National assembly speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi has said the 2009 assembly which was revived as a result of the landmark court ruling in June remains effective until the Amir makes a decision. Speaking at a press conference yesterday after the constitutional court ruled in favour of the existing constituency law, Khorafi called upon the opposition to remain patient and rather work in the interest of the country and listen to the Amir’s advice.

Meanwhile, the liberal National Democratic Alliance and the Kuwait Democratic Forum, in a joint statement demanded that the 2009 national assembly should be immediately dissolved and a fresh election called. They warned that political stability would remain elusive without dissolution of the assembly.

The two groups warned that any change in the electoral constituency law after the constitutional court’s confirmation of the legislation will signal a political failure for the govern-

ment “which we will resist by all means”. They said Kuwait, which is passing through a crucial phase in its democracy, has tripped repeatedly in the past because of a government that did not believe in wider public participation and a legislature that had deviated from its duties.

The two groups also urged the ruling family to end all internal disputes and appealed to the people to elect their MPs without any sectarian, tribal or factional considerations. The constitutional court had on Tuesday rejected the government’s petition which had argued that the electoral constituency law was in breach of the constitution.

The ruling meant that the law, amended in 2006, was constitutionally valid and that the election must be held on the basis of the five constituency system, with each voter allowed to cast a maximum of four votes. The verdict was welcomed by the opposition whose members demanded that the government

immediately dissolve the 2009 assembly and call for fresh polls.

During the press conference, Khorafi indirectly criticized the statements made by a number of opposition leaders, especially those by former speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun and Islamist MP Waleed Al-Tabtabei.

Khorafi said that all Kuwaitis seek reforms but it was also important that all sides listen to the Amir.

Responding to Tabtabei statement that the next premier should be chosen from outside the ruling family, Khorafi said that the appointment of the prime minister was the sole prerogative of the Amir.

Khorafi also said that he cannot take any decision on the 2009 assembly before he knows about the Amir’s decision. The 2009 assembly, which was dissolved last December but later revived in June by the court, failed to meet on two occasions, first in late July and then on August 7, prompting Khorafi to send a letter to the Amir.

CORRECTION

New Turkish law allows Kuwaitis to buy property KUWAIT: In accordance with a new law passed in Turkey, Kuwaiti citizens can purchase property in Turkey and register it under their own name. There is no longer a need for having a sponsor or company to buy property in Turkey. The total area of the property may not exceed 30 hectares. Also, Kuwaiti citizens who purchase Turkish property may now leave those properties to their heir.

If the property is on agricultural land, permission should be obtained from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock of the Republic of Turkey. If it is on protected area, permission should be obtained, either from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism or from the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning of the Republic of Turkey, depending on the land’s characteristics. Further, the transaction can only be completed after Turkish authorities clarify that the property is neither located on a military nor on a strategic area. Additionally, if no buildings exist on the purchased land, a project to construct a building or facility should be developed within two years after the date of purchase and authorization should be obtained from the relevant Ministry. The land should not be left without buildings on it for more than two years.

DUBAI: The College of Medicine at Kuwait University won the prestigious Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences 2011-2012 as the best Arab medical college yesterday. — KUNA

‘Best medical college in Arab world’ Kuwait Medicine College wins award

Kuwait must end ‘abusing’ stateless KUWAIT CITY: Three global human rights organisations yesterday urged the ruler of the Gulf state of Kuwait to end alleged abusing of more than 100,000 stateless people, locally known as bedoons. In an unprecedented move, Refugees International, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International jointly wrote a letter to HH Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, highlighting the plight of bedoons and urging a solution. “The bedoons are not treated equally before the courts and continue to be denied protection conveyed through nationality and residency, and have been subjected to repeated abuse and discrimination,” the letter said. Since the start of protests in early 2011, the government’s treatment of bedoons has “deteriorated to such an extent that it has eroded Kuwait’s ability to fulfill its international human rights commitments,” said the letter, a copy of which was obtained by AFP. The letter said that police has used excessive force against peaceful bedoon protesters who were demanding rights and citizenship, and detained dozens who have claimed abuse during detention. Close to 200 stateless men are facing trial for illegal assembly, resisting and assaulting police. —AFP

DUBAI: The College of Medicine at Kuwait University won yesterday the prestigious Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences 2011-2012 as the best Arab medical college. Declaring the winners of the 7th round of the international Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid AlMaktoum Award for Medical Sciences at a global press conference, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Finance Minister said the Kuwait College of Medicine shared the award for the best medical college/institute/center in the Arab world with the Riyadh-based Prince Salman Center for Disability Research. The prize, worth AED 900,000 ($245,000), is to be awarded equally to the two institutions from the Arab world.

The award, meant for recognizing a prominent institution among Arab

countries, is aimed at providing an incentive for the development of excellence in research and education in the Arab countries that enables them to conform to international standards and compete effectively with other global institutions.

Sheikh Hamdan announced all the winners of other awards, and said the prize-presentation ceremony would be held in Dubai on December 10.

The Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid AlMaktoum Award for Medical Sciences was launched in 1999 under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum to honor scientists from all over the world who tirelessly pursue medical research that serves the larger interests of humanity.

The award is divided into three categories, namely, the international awards, Arab awards and the United

Arab Emirates awards.

The International awards comprise Grand Hamdan International Award, Hamdan Award for Medical Research Excellence and Hamdan Award for volunteers in humanitarian medical services.

The Arab awards comprise Hamdan Award for the best medical college or institute or centre in the Arab world and Hamdan Award for honoring distinguished personalities from the Arab world. The UAE awards comprise Hamdan Award for an outstanding clinical department in the public sector in the UAE, Hamdan Award for honoring individuals working in the field of medicine and health, Hamdan Award for original research paper published in the Journal of Medical Sciences in the UAE or outside, and Hamdan Award to support medical research in the UAE. — KUNA

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Women suffer behind veil of silence in Mali

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Gaddafi death as tragic as US envoy’s: Mugabe

13

In American soldier’s death, window into insider killings

18

News

in brief

Indonesia jails 4 soldiers MADIUN: Four Indonesian soldiers yesterday were sentenced to between five and six years in prison for helping to smuggle illegal migrants to Australia. The Madiun district military court in East Java province found them “legally and convincingly guilty” of people-smuggling last December, when an asylum-seeker boat capsized en route to Australia, killing over 200 people. “They had worked together in an organized manner to carry out people-smuggling,” presiding Judge Muhammad Afandi said. Second Sergeant Kornelius Nama, 37, was sentenced to six years in jail for helping to plot pick-up points for the migrants and source boats to pick them up from the shore, he added. Three other officers were sentenced to five years in jail for their role as lookouts, he added. All four were dismissed from the military and fined 500 million rupiah ($52,000) each, Afandi said. Their sentences followed Monday’s conviction of Second Sergeant Ilmun Abdul Said, who was jailed six years over the same incident. Said was the first Indonesian military officer in history to be convicted of people-smuggling, according to the judges. Previous convictions involved civilians.

AL-ARQUB: A rebel fighter is carried down a ladder from his position in a third story apartment after being critically wounded by a Syrian government tank shell during an intense battle between rebels and Syrian army forces. — AFP (See Page 13)

Clocks tick on Tehran’s nuke projects, US election Netanyahu presses for Iran ‘red line’ JERUSALEM: Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu argued for the need to set a “red line” for Iran’s nuclear program in his UN speech yesterday, a confidant to the prime minister said, playing down differences with Washington. Netanyahu faces the world body a day after US President Barack Obama disappointed some Israelis by imposing no ultimatum to the Iranians in his own address, though he did warn that time for diplomacy with Tehran “is not unlimited”. Israel sees a mortal threat in a nuclear-armed Iran and has long threatened to strike its arch-foe pre-emptively, agitating war-wary world powers as they pursue sanctions and negotiations.

Complicating Netanyahu’s strategy have been his testy relations with Obama as a US election looms, and the reluctance of many Israelis to trigger an unprecedented conflict with Iran, which denies that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons and has pledged wide-ranging retaliation if attacked. “The prime minister has already presented red lines in the past. But we have yet to persuade the entire world to present those same red lines,” Environment Minister Gilad Erdan, an influential member of Netanyahu’s rightist Likud party, told Israel’s Channel Two television.

He said Netanyahu, in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, “will present them again, will explain why there is a danger not just to Israel, but to the whole West, to the United States, to the whole free world, should Iran pass a certain (nuclear) threshold”. Netanyahu has said that Iran could have enough low-enriched uranium by early 2013 to refine to a high

level of fissile purity for a first nuclear device. Israel worries that this final step, if taken, could happen too quickly or quietly to be prevented.

Iran has said it has no plans to enrich uranium beyond the 20 percent purity required to run a reactor producing medical isotopes. That level, however, brings raw uranium exponentially closer to the 90 percent enrichment required for a bomb.

Though reputed to have the Middle East’s sole nuclear arsenal, Israel’s forces would be hard-put to deliver lasting damage to Iran’s remote facilities and handle a multi-front war. Locating a completed nuclear warhead in Iran, Erdan said, “would be almost impossible, whereas today we still know where the production facilities of that nuclear warhead are”.

Netanyahu’s public calls for a US ultimatum have deepened acrimony with Obama, a Democrat accused by his Republican rivals of being soft on the Jewish state’s security. The Israeli prime minister denies meddling in the November presidential election in the United States, and Erdan shrugged off his spats with Obama. “I have no intention of whitewashing and say there are no disagreements between Obama and Netanyahu. But it still doesn’t mean anything. Even between a married couple there are sometimes difficult disagreements. It still doesn’t mean the pact between them becomes less solid,” Erdan said.

Netanyahu, who heads a broad-based, conservative coalition government, said he would take the UN podium for an Israel “united in the goal of preventing Iran from achieving nuclear weaponry”. —Reuters

Intelligence worker steals information GENEVA: A Swiss intelligence agency employee stole documents earlier this year, but the theft was detected immediately and no information leaked to a third party, the defense department said yesterday. “Data was stolen internally in May, but due to our safety procedures we detected it right away,” Sonja Margelist, a spokeswoman for the Swiss defense department said. “There was no damage,” she insisted. The agency refused to reveal any information about the employee or the stolen documents. According to the Le Temps daily, however, the thief was a 43-year-old technician and he had stolen millions of pages worth of data, which were found in his home. The paper reported that, due to security concerns, regular VBS employees are barred from copying data using their work computers, but that restriction does not apply to the agency’s chief technicians. VBS said it has brought criminal charges against the employee, who reportedly spent six weeks in preventive detention, and a probe was launched by Switzerland’s chief prosecutor.

Storms deluge British city LONDON: Britain’s most severe September storms for 30 years flooded homes and businesses in the historic city of York on Thursday and threatened chaos for much of northern England. Residents took to boats to navigate the picturesque streets of the city dating from Roman times but officials said flood defenses would cope as the River Ouse reached near record levels, three meters higher than normal.

City of York Council insisted the centre was “very much open for business” despite 80 properties being flooded while defenses in the nearby village of Cawood were bolstered overnight by 4,000 sandbags. “Loads of staff have been working through the night to protect the city,” said Sally Burns from the council, who said experts believed the river levels had peaked. “We need to be careful and make sure we are giving (sandbags) to the people who are a priority, we can see on the monitors where the problems are.” The Met Office issued more than 50 flood warnings-indicating flooding is expected-and 80 flood alerts - meaning flooding is possible-in England and Wales.

International FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Failed power grab puts PM in tight spot Strains grow in Romania governing alliance BUCHAREST: After four months in power and a failed attempt to oust the president, Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta is under fire at home and abroad, with his coalition under strain before an election in December when victory is now far from assured. Ponta, a leftist Social Democrat, seemed to have it all when he became the European Union’s youngest prime minister in May, his alliance with liberals enjoying a robust parliamentary majority and opinion poll ratings above 60 percent.

Now the man who was supposed to represent a change of guard for his party, successors to the Communists of late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, is under strain. Rather than tackling the many problems of the EU’s second poorest country, Ponta’s term so far has been dominated by his party’s attempt to overthrow President Traian Basescu, which has provoked conflict with the judiciary, concern in Brussels and uncertainty among investors over a deal with the IMF.

“The governing parties have come across as trying to secure all the levers of power without regard to democratic checks, and the very negative reaction of western states has shaken confidence,” said Sergiu Miscoiu, an analyst at the CESPRI political think-tank. Five years after joining the EU, Romania has made little progress under a series of shortlived governments in reforming its state-dominated economy and fighting widespread corruption.

Basic problems which most EU countries overcame decades ago, such as running water supplies for all, remain unsolved.

Instead, many Romanians feel sidelined within the EU. Brussels is monitoring its respect for the rule of law and its drive against corruption, and the country remains excluded from the passport-free Schengen area. “We hope that following the elections in December, the political turmoil will end and the authorities will focus more on improving the country’s economic situation,” said Grzegorz Konieczny, who runs Fondul Proprietatea, a 3.4 bil-

lion euro fund that holds stakes in dozens of Romanian companies.

AUSTERITY AND CRONYISM Ponta, a former prosecutor and amateur motor rally driver who turned 40 last week, won power in a parliamentary confidence vote which toppled the previous centre-right prime minister after just three months in office. His Social Liberal Union (USL), a fragile alliance of social democrats and liberals, drew on discontent with austerity and cronyism to dispatch the old Basescu-allied government. Then it set its sights on the president himself.

The new government issued more than 40 emergency decrees in its first two months, allowing it to bypass parliament and limiting the powers of the Constitutional Court. Ponta accused Basescu, a former oil tanker captain, of blocking government policies and turning a blind eye to corruption. The USL used its parliamentary majority to suspend the centre-right pr e sident and called a referendum in

July on his impeachment. Of those who voted, 88 percent backed Basescu’s impeachment but the turnout was only 46 percent. The Constitutional Court, which had ruled that at least half the electorate should vote, threw out the result and the president was re-instated. As tensions rose between the government and judiciary , the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe said the Constitutional Court had asked for help in protecting its independence from political pressure.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso also expressed his deep concern to Ponta about allegations of pressure being applied to judges on the court. With Basescu back in office, Ponta has tried to portray the incidents as mere fallout from disputes at home. “I don’t like those who come to make denunciations in Brussels or Strasbourg hoping this will help them at home, but on the other hand I don’t think we should battle the European Commission over our domestic wars,” he said. —Reuters

International FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

UN members divided over response to Mali Tuareg rebels seize nearly two-thirds of the country UNITED NATIONS: UN members appeared deeply divided as they sought to resolve the crisis in Mali, with France and some of Mali’s neighbors backing possible military intervention, while the United States said the West African nation must first have an elected government. A special UN session on Mali, held on the sidelines of the annual General Assembly, was intended to devise a plan for a nation that descended into chaos in March after a military coup toppled the president, leaving a power vacuum that enabled local Tuareg rebels to seize nearly twothirds of the country.

Islamist groups have since hijacked the rebellion in the north, imposing strict Islamic law in regions under their control and spurring fears that religious extremist fighters could further destabilize the region. Islamist groups including the Al-Qaeda-linked Ansar Dine have carried out public whippings of alleged adulterers and destroyed UNESCO-listed shrines of local saints in the ancient town of Timbuktu, arguing such worship was unIslamic. “There is an urgency to act to end the suffering of the people of Mali and to prevent a similar situation that would be even more complicated in the Sahel and the rest of the world,” Malian Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra told the General Assembly. France, Mali’s former colonial power, called on Wednesday for the UN Security Council to adopt as soon as possible a resolution enabling military intervention in northern Mali, a call that has been supported by some West African nations that fear Mali’s chaos will spread beyond its borders. French

President Francois Hollande warned that Mali’s territorial integrity should be restored as soon as possible and that any lost time would only complicate matters. He said he wanted a resolution on Mali to be approved within weeks. France has ruled out intervening directly, but has promised logistical and intelligence support. Hollande’s calls were echoed by some of Mali’s neighbors, including Niger, whose foreign minister, Mohammed Bazoum, told delegates that only an armed intervention supported by friendly powers could eradicate insecurity in the region.

‘A POWDER KEG’ But US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signaled caution, saying immediate efforts should concentrate on putting a legitimate government back in power in Mali before its internal divisions are addressed. “This is not only a humanitarian crisis; it is a powder keg that the international community cannot afford to ignore,” Clinton said in her remarks.

“In the end, only a democratically elected government will have the legitimacy to achieve a negotiated political settlement in northern Mali, end the rebellion and restore the rule of law,” Clinton added. The fragile interim government that now holds Mali’s capital, Bamako, requested a UN Security Council resolution earlier this month, and the West African regional body ECOWAS has said it would be ready to send in troops.

But diplomats say the Security Council remains unlikely to provide a mandate for military intervention until

ECOWAS outlines a more detailed strategy, including troop numbers and costs of the operation. The Mali conflict has exacerbated a deteriorating humanitarian and security situation in the turbulent Sahel region - a belt of land spanning nearly a dozen of the world’s poorest countries on the rim of the Sahara - where drought has pushed millions to the brink of starvation. African Union Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra told Reuters on Tuesday that Mali’s interim leaders were capable of managing the crisis and needed full international backing. “How can we organize elections when northern Mali is occupied by terrorist movements that don’t apply democracy?” Hollande said when asked if elections should be held first.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon cautioned that any military action could have serious humanitarian consequences. More than 400,000 people already have been forced to flee their homes. Ban said the United Nations was developing a strategy on the Sahel that would look as a whole at issues including security, response to large-scale crises, and the promotion of democratic governance. Ban said he would appoint an envoy to manage the process, but did not name the person. Britain said it had also appointed an envoy to the region. On July 5, the Security Council endorsed political efforts by the 15-nation ECOWAS - the Economic Community of West African States - to end the unrest in Mali, but stopped short of backing military intervention there. — Reuters

Women suffer behind veil of silence in Mali’s north GAO, Mali: It was just six months ago that Toula, a young woman from Gao in northeastern Mali, could swim and do her laundry in the nearby Niger River. Not anymore. Since late March, her dusty desert town and others like it across Mali’s massive north have been under the control of hardline Islamists who have imposed tough sharia law. “These barbarians have refused everything. They don’t want to see girls bathing,” says Toula who, like other residents, asked her last name not be used. The freedoms formerly enjoyed by Toula and other women in Gao, previously one of the region’s most cosmopolitan and lively towns, disappeared almost overnight.

Most noticeably, women are now forced to wear the hijab, a broad scarf that covers the entire head and neck but leaves the face exposed. “I can’t stand how I am at the moment, covered in a veil from head to toe. It’s as if I was in prison,” 15year-old Aicha said. Toula and Aicha were part of a group of girls and young women who recently spoke to AFP in Gao, one of the key cities to have been seized by the country’s Islamist advance after a March 22 coup in the capital Bamako left Mali’s army in disarray. “We are no longer free. That’s all there is to it. Nobody for the moment wants to free us,” Toula said. “I don’t want sharia. Mali is a secular country and should stay that way.”

Mali this week asked the United Nations for authorization for a West African-led military force to seize back the massive north, an area larger in size than France or Texas. When that mission could begin has not been agreed. All the girls who spoke to AFP said they have been living a nightmare since the introduction of sharia law. Among the many new restrictions: They cannot smoke or drink alcohol and anything considered “haram”, or against Islamic law, is forbidden, including publicly listening to Western music or having sex outside marriage.

Transgressors have suffered punishments unthinkable in the West.

Suspected robbers in Gao have had hands and feet amputated. In the small town of Aguelhok, the armed Islamist group Ansar Dine (Defenders of the Faith) publicly stoned an unmarried couple to death, and have whipped smokers and drinkers.

Three main Islamist groups control northern Mali, though other armed rebels are also playing a role. Gao is ostensibly under the control of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), an offshoot of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, but is under the de facto control of another AlQaeda-linked boss from Algeria. Ansar Dine and Al-Qaeda in

GAO: This picture shows a young veiled girl studying in a classroom in Gao, northeastern Mali. — AFP the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) itself are the other main players, but delineations between the groups are often porous.

SUFFERING IN SILENCE “We are totally against the implementation of sharia. But we can’t say that in public, for security reasons,” says Mimi, her eyes hidden behind a black veil. Her neighbor fled town “because she could no longer handle the situation. Even at 45 degrees (Celsius, 113 Fahrenheit), we have to dress up as if it was cold. It’s just too much,” Mimi said. Another of the girls, Fatoumata, said they send supportive texts to each other as they endure the new regime. “Keep well, thanks to God this will end,” one message states. —AFP

Teen bitten by world’s most venomous snake SYDNEY: An Australian teenager was critically ill in hospital yesterday after being bitten by the world’s most venomous snake, with detectives probing how he came into contact with the desert reptile. The 17-year-old walked into a hospital in the small town of Kurri Kurri, north of Sydney, on Wednesday afternoon with a bite to his left hand. According to local reports, his friend was carrying a plastic tub containing the snake responsible, which was later identified as the toxic inland taipan.

Also known as the fierce snake due to the strength of its venom-one drop of which is enough to kill 100 adult men-the inland taipan typically lives in central Australia’s arid deserts and is not normally seen on the coast. Detectives had been called in to investigate where the snake had come from, with speculation it could have been an illegal pet. “The youth... is reported to be in a stable condition,” police said in a statement. “Police are now attempting to establish how the youth came to be bitten, and hope to speak to the young man once he is considered well enough.”

Police said the incident was not believed to be linked to a nearby zoo break-in at the weekend, when thieves made off with four pythons and two alligators. “No taipans were reported stolen from the zoo,” police said. According to doctors, the teen’s rapid treatment with anti-venom had been crucial to his survival, as inland taipan venom can kill someone in as little as 45 minutes. “We had anti-venom in stock, we keep what’s called polyvalent anti-venom and that covers all of our snakes,” said toxicologist Geoff Isbister, who is treating the teen at the Mater hospital in the city of Newcastle.

“We had access to it immediately, and he was treated very early,” Isbister told ABC radio.

The snake’s poison is neurotoxic and can cause gradual paralysis and compromise breathing if not treated, with an anticoagulant element meaning victims can also internally haemorrhage to death. Myotoxins in the bite also dissolve muscle and other tissues, meaning the wound site can cause significant kidney damage. Isbister said it could take weeks to recover from such a severe bite. Inland taipans can grow up to 2.5 metres (8 feet) in length and have 12-millimetre fangs.

Because it typically lives in sparsely populated areas and is shy by nature few humans have ever been bitten by an inland taipan, and there have been no recorded deaths. — AFP

International FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

‘Bloodiest day’ of Syria conflict hangs over UN meet DAMASCUS: More than 305 people were killed across Syria on Wednesday, making it the bloodiest day of the 18month revolt, a human rights group said, after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged action from the “paralyzed” UN Security Council. A total of 14 people were killed when twin bombs rocked the headquarters of the armed forces general staff in the heart of Damascus in one of the most spectacular attacks of the uprising, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

An Islamist rebel group said its men carried out the attack, and five of its fighters, including a suicide bomber, died during the assault. Its claim was impossible to verify.

The Syrian Observatory said that 199 of Wednesday’s dead were civilians. “This is the highest toll in a single day since March 2011. And this is

only counting those whose names have been documented. If we count the unidentified bodies, the figure will be much higher,” Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. The previous highest death toll of the uprising was on July 19, when 302 people were killed, according to the Britain-based watchdog. More than 30,000 people have been killed in violence since the outbreak of the revolt against the rule of President Bashar Al-Assad in March last year, according to the Observatory’s figures. All senior commanders and other officers escaped injury in Wednesday’s attack on army headquarters, the military said. State television showed video footage of a white van exploding beside the military headquarters, and a second blast inside the compound. It said the bombings came 10 minutes apart, and that 14 people were wounded.

A spokesman for the Free Syrian Army’s Military Council in Damascus, Ahmed al-Khatib, said the attack was staged with two car bombs. Syria’s military said the “terrorist explosions around and inside the army headquarters were caused by two car bombs driven by suicide attackers.” It was the biggest attack on the security apparatus since a July 18 suicide bombing against a heavily guarded headquarters in Damascus killed four top regime officials, including defense minister General Daoud Rajha and Assad’s brother-in-law, Assef Shawkat. The strike came as the bloodshed dominated proceedings at the UN General Assembly in New York. “The atrocities mount while the Security Council remains paralyzed and I would urge that we try once again to find a path forward” so that the council can try to end the violence, Clinton said.—AFP

Syria’s rebel band of brothers ALEPPO: They are a band of eight Syrian brothers, the youngest just 18 and the oldest 34, who have chosen to battle side by side for their nation against the powerful military of President Bashar Al-Assad. Now they are in Aleppo, the northern commercial hub of Syria and its second city, the latest stop on their odyssey aimed at ridding their homeland of an oppressive regime. They are still together, and all still alive.

But that could change, and they know and accept it. “If one or more of my brothers are killed, I will die with them. We carry the same blood and it would be an honor to die with them for the sake of freedom,” says Reda, the youngest, who just recently turned 18.

“It’s been more than a month since we arrived here, and ever since, we only put down our guns when we want to pray,” he said of Aleppo, the main focus since July 20 of the fight between the rebels and government troops.

Reda’s dream is to “study computer science” at university, he says, but it is an ambition he has had to consign to the back-burner. “Today it’s more important to finish off Assad. My study plans can wait. For us young Syrians, our place is on the battlefield.”

His 20-year-old brother Rifaat, who has also abandoned his university studies, agrees. “We young people are the future of Syria and that future lies on the streets,” he says, clutching an anti-tank rocket. “We should be in the classroom, but because of the dictator we have had to take up arms. We’re fighting so the next generations can enjoy a peaceful and free future.”

Rifaat says he finds it frustrating that the West seems unable to draw a line between faith and terrorism.

“You think we’re all in Al-Qaeda because we chant ‘God is Great’! No-we believe in God, that’s all. He is now the only one helping us, and it is He who will lead us towards victory.” The brothers greet Rifaat’s words with a resounding “Allahu akbar,” chanted in unison. The eight left their home town of Sarmada in nearby Idlib

province 17 months ago, nearly a month after the uprising that began with peaceful protests before degenerating into armed conflict when the regime launched a relentless crackdown.

‘Many of our friends were killed’-The spark for the uprising came in March 2011, when several young boys were arrested and cruelly tortured for daubing walls in the southern city of Daraa with anti-government graffiti. Thirty-four year old Anas, the eldest, remembers the first weeks of peaceful demonstrations that quickly became deadly. “The army opened fire. Many of our friends were killed. Police would throw us in jail on the slightest pretext.” Anas left behind a mobile phone shop that he owned as well as his children “four adorable little girls”-to join the rebellion. “Bashar thinks he’s the master and we are his slaves. But these slaves have had it with serving the master,” he says.

Ahmad, 24, is not as outspoken. Standing a little behind, he smiles timidly, occasionally elbowing one of his brothers and whispering something in his ear. Young Reda speaks out for him and about him-with pride. “Ahmad was taken during a demonstration and thrown into prison. They beat him up for days... When they told us to go and get him, we didn’t recognize him at first, he was so disfigured.” In July 2012, the US-based Human Rights Watch spoke of “systematic patterns of ill-treatment and torture” by Syrian forces of opponents, identifying 27 detention facilities run by the regime across the country.

Since they joined the rebellion, the eight brothers have been from one hot spot to the next-”Homs, Idlib, Aleppo... We won’t stop until the regime collapses,” says a determined 26year-old Issam. The siblings say their father supported their decision to join the revolt. “He wasn’t afraid we would die because he knows this is the only way to liberate Syria,” says Reda. “He prays for us, and for our victory. But if we do die he will be proud , for we will become martyrs.”

Duty interrupts.—AFP

ALEPPO: Eight Syrian rebel brothers, the youngest just 18 and the oldest 34, pose for a picture in Aleppo. The brothers have chosen to battle side by side for their nation against the powerful military of President Bashar Al-Assad in the war-torn country’s commercial hub. — AFP

NEW YORK: Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe addresses the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters. — AP

Gaddafi death as tragic as US envoy’s: Mugabe Mugabe delivers ironic critique of Obama’s speech UNITED NATIONS: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said the death of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was as tragic as that of US Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens, as he delivered a scathing critique of US, UN and NATO actions. Speaking firmly, if occasionally stumbling over words, the 88-year-old president accused the United States of “rushing to suck oil from Iraq” when it invaded the country in 2003 on the erroneous grounds that it possessed weapons of mass destruction.

He said the UN Security Council had allowed itself to be “abused” last year by authorizing “all necessary measures” - diplomatic code for military intervention - to protect civilians in Libya in a NATO operation that eventually toppled Gaddafi’s government and led to his death at the hands of rebels. Speaking with deliberate irony, Mugabe opened an address to the UN General Assembly by praising as “most glowing and most moving” a speech by US President Barack Obama on Tuesday in which he rued Stevens’ death.

Stevens and three other Americans were killed during what Washington has called a “terrorist” attack on the US mission in Benghazi on Sept 11.

The assault forced the evacuation of US personnel from the eastern city that was the hub for the Libyan rebel movement. “I am sure we were all moved, we all agree, that it was a tragic death indeed and we condemn it,” said Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980 and is among Africa’s longest-serving leaders. “As we in spirit join the United States in condemning that death, shall the United States also join us in condemning that barbaric death of the head of state of Libya - Gaddafi? It was a loss, a great loss, to Africa, a tragic loss to Africa.”

‘A HUNT, A BRUTAL HUNT’ The Zimbabwean accused the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the 28member Western security alliance whose air strikes helped Libyan rebels defeat Gaddafi’s forces, of acting under false pretenses. “The mission was strictly to protect civilians, but it turned out that there was a hunt, a brutal hunt, of Gaddafi and his family,” Mugabe said. “In a very dishonest manner we saw ... Chapter 7 being used now as a weapon to rout a whole family.”

Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter allows the UN Security Council to authorize actions ranging from diplomatic and economic sanctions to military intervention. “Bombs were ... thrown about in a callous manner and quite a good many civilians died. Was that the protection that they had sought under Chapter 7 of the Charter? “So the death of Gaddafi must be seen in the same tragic manner as the death of Chris Stevens. We condemn both of them.” Mugabe, a long-standing critic of the West, is himself widely criticized for turning what was once one of Africa’s strongest economies into a basket case and has been accused of hanging on to power through vote-rigging.

Other speakers at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday - notably Bolivia’s leftist president, Evo Morales, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - also criticized the United States for what they see as economic and political bullying.

A US official had no immediate comment on Mugabe’s remarks. The Zimbabwean leader appeared to be in reasonable health despite questions about his wellbeing sparked by Zimbabwean media reports that he has traveled to Singapore eight times in the past year to seek medical attention. —Reuters

International FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

US-led ‘war on drugs’ questioned at UN 60,000 Mexicans perish in drug violence UNITED NATIONS: The presidents of Mexico, Colombia and Guatemala all called for a vigorous global debate of anti-narcotics laws at the United Nations on Wednesday, raising new questions about the wisdom of the four-decadeold, US-led “war on drugs.” Although none of the leaders explicitly called for narcotics to be legalized, they suggested at the UN General Assembly that they would welcome wholesale changes to policies that have shown scant evidence of limiting drug flows while contributing to massive violence throughout Latin America.

“It is our duty to determine - on an objective scientific basis - if we are doing the best we can or if there are better options to combat this scourge,” Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said. Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who leaves office on Dec. 1 after spending much of his presidency locked in a bloody battle with drugsmuggling gangs, called on the United

Nations to lead a global debate over a less “prohibitionist” approach to drugs.

Guatemala’s President Otto Perez Molina echoed Calderon’s call and went even further, saying that “the basic premise of our war against drugs has proved to have serious shortcomings.” The speeches, which were a few hours apart, constituted some of the most public challenges to date of anti-drug policies that have been mostly unchanged since the 1970s. Mexico and Colombia are two of Washington’s firmest allies in Latin America and both work closely with US anti-drug efforts. While the subject of legalization was discussed at an Americas-wide summit in Colombia attended by US President Barack Obama earlier this year, raising the once-taboo subject at the 193-nation meeting in New York amounts to an escalation of the debate. Obama has ruled out any major changes to drug laws, but some US diplomats privately concede that the consensus around Latin America is clear-

Mexico captures Zetas cartel boss MEXICO CITY: The Mexican navy said it had captured one of the leaders of the Zetas drug cartel, a notoriously brutal gang reported to be breaking apart due to an internal feud. The navy said it had caught the man it believed to be Zetas boss Ivan Velazquez in the central state of San Luis Potosi, in a boost to outgoing President Felipe Calderon’s efforts to crack down on the violent cartels. The Zetas have perpetrated some of the most sickening acts of Mexico’s drug war and continued to expand even as rival gangs joined forces against them. They are now regarded as one of the two most powerful drug cartels in the country. Velazquez is due to be paraded before the media on Thursday morning as is customary with such captures in Mexico.

The suspected gang leader surrendered to the navy in the city of San Luis Potosi without a shot being fired, an eyewitness said. Known as “Z-50” or “El Taliban,” Velazquez has been one of the leading figures in the Zetas. Formed by a group of army deserters in the late 1990s, the gang acted as enforcers for the Gulf Cartel before splitting with their employers in 2010.

Longstanding rivalry between the Ivan Velazquez Zetas’ top leader, Heriberto Lazcano, and his second-in-command Miguel Trevino has exploded into violence, raising fears the hostilities could bring a fresh wave of bloodletting.

The Zetas boast 10,000-plus gunmen, and the prospect of them fighting for control of local trafficking networks and smuggling routes has alarmed security experts. However, the split also brings benefits for the government, as members of the gang inform against former colleagues. Earlier this week, Mexican news magazine Proceso reported that Velazquez had switched his allegiance to the Gulf Cartel due to a rupture with Trevino, citing messages posted online. Velazquez is listed by the government as one of the country’s most-wanted drug kingpins. The Mexican government has offered a reward of up to 30 million pesos ($2.34 million) for information leading to his arrest. Since 2009, more than 20 drug lords have been caught or killed. The most recent capture came two weeks ago, when the navy arrested Gulf Cartel head Jorge Costilla, alias “El Coss.” Earlier on Wednesday, the navy announced the capture of 18 suspected Zetas in the northern state of Nuevo Leon. How to contain the threat posed by the drug gangs is one of the main challenges facing Calderon’s successor Enrique Pena Nieto, who is due to take office on Dec 1.

About 60,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence during Calderon’s six-year term. — Reuters

ly swinging against the status quo, and that some degree of change is imminent.

All three leaders were careful to say they were not proposing giving in to smuggling gangs that have made Latin America one of the world’s most violent regions. Mexico has been particularly hard hit in recent years, with an estimated 60,000 people killed in drug-related violence during Calderon’s six-year term as he attempted to crack down on cartels. “We won’t cede an inch” to the gangs, Calderon said.

ESCALATING THE DEBATE Calderon and Santos have suggested on other occasions that they might be open to legalization of narcotics if that helped reduce violence. Colombia remains one of the world’s biggest producers of cocaine despite a decade of US-sponsored eradication efforts, while Mexico has seen unprecedented violence as a transit point for drugs into the United States, the world’s biggest con-

sumer of narcotics. An influential group of former Latin American leaders including Brazilian ex-President Fernando Henrique Cardoso has openly advocated decriminalization of some drugs as a way to reduce violence.

The small, relatively prosperous South American nation of Uruguay has gone the furthest, sending a bill to Congress last month that would allow the state to grow and sell marijuana. In his comments on Wednesday, Santos described the debate over drug policy as “a discussion that the world has avoided for many years, and one we hope will produce concrete results.” “The debate on drugs must be frank, and without a doubt, global,” Santos said. Calderon repeated his calls for Washington to tighten gun controls to stop weapons flowing from the United States into the hands of Mexican drug cartels. He has also urged Washington to revive a ban on assault weapons in the United States that expired in 2004. — Reuters

Student shoots self at Oklahoma school STILLWATER: A gunshot rang out at an Oklahoma junior high school before classes began Wednesday, terrifying teenagers who feared a gunman was on the loose.

Soon, though, students learned no one else was in danger. One of their eighthgrade classmates had taken his own life, shooting himself in the head with a handgun in the hall, authorities said.

“Throughout the entire thing, we all thought someone shot someone else,” said student Paiton Gardner, 14. “We didn’t know it was a suicide. We were freaking out.” Some students bolted outside Stillwater Junior High. Staffers quickly locked down the building and evacuated the rest of the school’s 700 eighth- and ninth-graders, along with students from an adjacent elementary school, police Capt. Randy Dickerson said.

Dickerson said the 13-year-old didn’t leave a note, and authorities said they don’t know why he killed himself.

Superintendent Ann Caine, who oversees the district about 70 miles west of Tulsa, said there weren’t any reports that the teen had been bullied.

“There is no indication that that’s what occurred,” Caine said. She said the teen was a good student who got along with other kids. About 120 people attended a vigil Wednesday evening at Highland Park United Methodist Church. Hana Sumpter, a 14-year-old eight-grader, said she was friends with the boy and was standing nearby when the student shot himself.

“I heard the gunshot. I turned around and he was on the floor,” Sumpter said, adding that he had given no indication of problems beforehand. The Rev Derrek Belase led the group in prayer. Members of the student’s family did not attend the service. Police wouldn’t say where the weapon came from or how the eighthgrader got it into the school. Caine said there aren’t any metal detectors but

OKLAHOMA: Autry Johnson, a Junior at Oklahoma State University active in Junior High Young Life in Stillwater, buries his head in his hands after singing hymns at Highland Park United Methodist Church in Stillwater during a memorial service to the eighth grade student killed on Wednesday, Sept 26, 2012. — AP expects there will be discussions about the policy. Gardner said she realized something was wrong early Wednesday when students began to run past her. “People looked terrified,” said Gardner, a ninthgrader. “The football coach was like, ‘Get out, get out! Someone’s been shot.’”

She and other students sprinted down the hallway, passing blood on the wall and floor as she ran to a nearby playground.

Another ninth-grader, Jake Green, said he heard the single shot ring out after he and dozens of other students gathered to pray before school. “We heard this loud boom and everyone just got quiet,” Green said.

“No one said a word.” A teacher told the students to get out of the building, Green said. “Everyone was really scared. We didn’t know if the kid shot himself or if there was a shooter outside the school who shot

in,” Green said. “Everyone didn’t know what was going on, so they were screaming and running as fast as they could to get to the playground.”

Some students wore superhero costumes Wednesday as part of an effort to raise cancer awareness, but Dickerson said the student who shot himself didn’t appear to be dressed up. “If was wearing a costume, it wasn’t evident to me,” Dickerson said. Green said students who were already in their classrooms were locked in the building for about an hour.

Parents were told to pick up their children at a nearby shopping center. “It was really scary,” Green said. “Everyone’s kind of traumatized and doesn’t know how to act or respond.” Kenny Monday said that his son, Kennedy, heard the gunshot but did not witness the shooting. — AP

International FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

WikiLeaks’ Assange mocks US president UNITED NATIONS: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, speaking via a choppy video feed from his virtual house arrest in London, lashed out at US President Barack Obama on Wednesday for supporting freedom of speech in the Middle East while simultaneously “persecuting” his organization for leaking diplomatic cables. Assange, who has been holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy since June to avoid extradition, made the comments at a packed event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Assange mocked Obama for defending free speech in the Arab world in an address to the United Nations on Tuesday, pointing to his own experience as evidence that Obama has “done more to criminalize free speech than any other US president.” “It must have come as a surprise to the Egyptian teenagers who washed American teargas out of their eyes (during the Arab Spring) to hear that the US supported change in the Middle East,” Assange said. “It’s time for President

Obama to keep his word ... and for the US to cease its persecution of WikiLeaks,” he said.

Assange’s combative comments, plus statements made by Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino and his other allies at the event, suggested no solution is in sight to the diplomatic standoff surrounding the 41year-old Australian. British authorities have surrounded the Ecuadorean Embassy and said if Assange sets foot outside, they will arrest him and extradite him to Sweden to face rape and sexual assault allegations. Assange’s lawyers and Ecuador’s government fear that could lead in turn to extradition to the United States, where they say he would face “inhumane” prison conditions and even the death penalty.

Assange, who looked to be in good health as he sat at a desk in front of a bookshelf and addressed the 150 or so people at the event, said Britain and Sweden have so far refused to provide guarantees he would not be extradited to the United States. US and European government

sources have countered that the United States has issued no criminal charges or launched any attempts to extradite Assange.

Patino is scheduled to meet with British Foreign Secretary William Hague in New York on Thursday to discuss Assange, and he said there are “multiple paths” that could lead out of the standoff. Yet, in an interview with Reuters following the UN event, Patino made clear that Ecuador is not willing to cede much ground. “The ball’s in their court right now,” Patino said. Patino held in his hands a mimeographed copy of an 1880 agreement signed between Britain and Ecuador, which he said prohibits extradition in cases such as Assange’s. He said he would show the document to Hague on Thursday.

Patino rigorously defended Ecuador’s decision to grant political asylum to Assange, expressing disbelief that Britain is “determined” to arrest the former computer hacker even though he said there are no criminal charges against him. —Reuters

Chinese court upholds fine against Ai Weiwei BEIJING: A Chinese court upheld a $2.4 million tax evasion fine against China’s most famous dissident Ai Weiwei yesterday, ending his long legal battle with the authorities but paving the way for him to be jailed if he does not pay. The loss of Ai’s second appeal in a higher court means that the worldrenowned artist could risk arrest if he does not pay a remaining fine of around 6.6 million yuan ($1.05 million), in a case that has further tarnished China’s poor human rights reputation. He has paid a bond of 8.45 million yuan already lodged with the tax authorities to contest the tax charge.

Ai, whose 81-day detention last year sparked an international outcry, told Reuters he will not pay the remaining fine as that would be tacit acknowledgement of the case’s legality, which he has always maintained is trumped up. Ai said he is uncertain whether he faces arrest if he doesn’t do so. “If I need to go to jail, there’s nothing I can do about it,” Ai said. “This country has no fairness and justice, even if I’ve paid the 6 million yuan, I still could possibly go to jail. They don’t need an excuse to arrest me - they can always find another excuse at any time.”

The case is widely seen by activists as an attempt to muzzle the outspoken artist, who has repeatedly criticized the Chinese government for flouting the rule of law and the rights of citizens. Ai, 55, had asked the Chaoyang District Court to overturn the city tax office’s rejection of his appeal against the 15 million yuan ($2.38 million) tax evasion penalty imposed on the company he works for, Beijing Fake Cultural Development Ltd, which produces his art and designs. Ai, who has waged a near five-month long legal battle with a Beijing tax agency, said he could not appeal further and has not enough cash to pay the remaining 6.6 million yuan, adding that the tax agency has not given him a deadline to pay.

Government efforts to silence Ai have frequently backfired, as demonstrated by an outpouring of public sympathy - and cash - in response to the tax penalty. Ai had collected more than 9 million yuan, he says he will start to return, from about 30,000 donors, to pay the bond. Many of Ai’s supporters folded money into paper planes that were flown over the walls of his home. Earlier, an angry Ai, who was allowed to attend court in person for the first time and without an obvious police presence, said he scolded the judge for being a “shame and a disgrace”. “It (the court) didn’t respect the facts or give us a chance to defend ourselves; it has no regard for taxpayers’ rights,” he told reporters.

He said the court had flouted Chinese law by not providing a written notification of the appeal verdict three days in advance, and only notifying his wife, Lu Qing, by telephone earlier this week. One of his lawyers, Pu Zhiqiang, is in France and could not make it back in time. Ai’s loss of his appeal is a predictable outcome in a country where the courts, controlled by the ruling Communist Party, toe the government line. It also underscores Beijing’s increasing intolerance of dissent ahead of a tricky transition of power later this year. —Reuters

COLORADO: Republican vice presidential candidate, Rep Paul Ryan, R-Wis, speaks during a rally at America the Beautiful Park in Colorado Springs. — AP

Wooing workers, Romney bashes Obama and China As poll brings more bad news, GOP shows empathy BEDFORD HEIGHTS: The race for president focused squarely on the battle for working-class votes on Wednesday, as Republican Mitt Romney scrambled to make up ground on Democratic President Barack Obama in the crucial battleground state of Ohio. On a day when the rivals held dueling events across the state, Romney mixed empathy for the unemployed - at one point, he said his “heart aches” for the jobless - with attacks on Obama’s trade policy toward China. Foreign trade is a sensitive subject in a state where thousands of manufacturing jobs have gone overseas.

Romney’s cause was made more urgent by a new Quinnipiac University/New York Times poll that indicated Obama led the former Massachusetts governor by 10 percentage points in Ohio and was ahead by similar margins in two other important states - Florida and Pennsylvania. Other troubling signs: Obama held nearly a 20point lead in Florida among women, while Romney’s lead among men had dwindled to 3 points.

Ohio and Florida are politically divided states central to Romney’s hopes to amass the 270 electoral votes needed for victory in the Nov. 6 election. Losing either state could be disastrous for the Republican, who trailed Obama in the nationwide Reuters/Ipsos daily tracking poll of likely voters by 49 to 43 percent. The Quinnipiac survey suggested that Romney, who was trailing Obama by a smaller margin at the beginning of last week, had been significantly damaged by the disclosure of a secretly taped video of his remarks at a private fundraiser in May. In the video, Romney - a former private equity executive with a fortune estimated at up to $250 million - tells wealthy donors to his campaign that 47 percent of Americans are “victims” who depend

on government, do not pay federal income taxes and are unlikely to support him. The airing of the comments last week sent Romney’s campaign into crisis mode. Democrats were quick to point out that the “47 percent” to whom Romney referred - those who receive some form of government benefits - included not just the poor but working-class families, members of the military and the elderly, some of whom Romney has depended upon for support.

So in a sense, Romney’s bus tour in Ohio this week has had the feel of a damage-control operation. At a stop in Westerville, Romney told an enthusiastic crowd: “I’ve been across the country. My heart aches for the people I’ve seen. “There are so many people in our country that are hurting right now,” he said. “I want to help them. I know what it takes to get an economy going again and creating jobs.” Romney also took aim at Obama, chiding him for not labeling China as a “currency manipulator,” and blaming the president for not creating more jobs.

“You can be extraordinarily eloquent and describe all the wonderful things you can do,” Romney said, clearly referring to Obama.

“But when you cut through the words, you can look at the record.

And when you can see policies that have not created jobs America needs, then you know it’s time to choose a new leader.” Romney fought back against claims by Obama’s campaign that the Republican’s proposed across-the-board 20 percent tax cut would benefit mostly the wealthy. Romney also said his plan might not significantly lower tax bills for many Americans because unspecified tax deductions would be cut. “By the way, don’t be expecting a huge cut in taxes,” Romney said, “because I’m also going to be closing loopholes on deductions.”—Reuters

International FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Vatican readies for historic trial of pope’s butler VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict XVI’s former butler goes on trial tomorrow for leaking secret papers in the Vatican’s biggest court drama in decades, revealing intrigue at the heart of the Catholic Church. Paolo Gabriele was one of the people closest to the 85-year-old pope, serving him meals every day and accompanying him on extensive foreign travels before his shock arrest for passing confidential documents to a journalist.

The arrest in May rattled the close-knit community of the Vatican where Gabriele resided with his wife and three children-a world hidden behind the Vatican walls where the butler said he saw rampant “evil and corruption”. The 46-year-old told investigators that he thought of himself as an “agent” of the Holy Spirit acting to help the pope by revealing apparent fraud in the daily running of the Vatican and rows over prestigious nominations.

The leaks focused on the divisive figure of the Vatican’s Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone and some Italian press reports said the documents could have been part of an attempt by some rival Italian cardinals to unseat him. None of the reports of a wider conspiracy have been confirmed.

Gabriele has been accused of theft with aggravating circumstances because of the trust that his post carried and he faces up to six years in prison under a late 19th century criminal code that is still in force in the Vatican.

The trial will take place in a Vatican court. When Vatican police raided Gabriele’s home in May, they discovered

copies of some of the confidential documents as well as electronic copying equipment. They also uncovered three gifts intended for the pope: a cheque for 100,000 euros ($129,000), a gold nugget and a 16th-century edition of the Aeneid. Gabriele said that the objects had been given to him for safekeeping. If convicted and sentenced, Gabriele would have to be sent to an Italian jail as the Vatican has no prison of its own but experts say it is far more likely that the married father-of-three would receive a pardon from the pope.

Gabriele has written a personal letter to the pope to ask forgiveness after Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said the ageing pontiff felt “hurt” by the leaks allegedly carried out by someone he “knew, loved and respected”. The butler is being tried with Claudio Sciarpelletti, a computer technician at the Vatican accused of aiding and abetting. But the investigation is ongoing and there are still many unknowns, including the possibility of whether there will be a second trial. In his only interview, with the investigative journalist he is accused of leaking the documents to when his identity was still a mystery, Gabriele said there were “around 20 people across the Vatican” who were sympathetic.

Gabriele and Sciarpelletti are however the only two defendants and prosecutors said they were dropping far more serious charges of breaching state secrecy against Gabriele in order to speed up their investigation. —AFP

US to lift import ban on Myanmar goods NEW YORK: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Myanmar President Thein Sein yesterday that the United States would take steps to ease the US ban on imports from the country, a major boon to the Southeast Asian nation as it emerges from years of political and economic isolation. “In recognition of the continued progress toward reform and in response to requests from both the government and the opposition, the United States is taking the next step in normalizing our commercial relationship,” Clinton told Thein Sein in a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

“We will begin the process of easing restrictions on imports of Burmese goods into the United States. We hope this will provide more opportunities for your people to sell their goods into our market.” Clinton’s announcement marks a further step in the US rapprochement with Myanmar, which offers economic and strategic benefits to both sides and is a political boost to the former general now leading Myanmar’s reforms.

“We now have diplomatic relations at the ambassador level and the people of Myanmar are very pleased with the easing of economic sanctions by the United States,” Thein Sein said at the meeting, which took place at a New York hotel. “We are very grateful for the actions of the United States,” he said, handing Clinton a letter that US officials said was addressed to US President Barack Obama. The US Treasury Department last week removed individual sanctions against Thein Sein, a 67-year-old former junta member who emerged as the unlikely catalyst for a wave of reforms that were unthinkable a year ago.

The next step will remove more of the restrictions that isolated his country for two decades, squeezed its tattered economy and pushed it closer into China’s orbit. A senior US official told reporters the administration would work with Congress to determine how to proceed, but that the process would mirror the sector-by-sector approach of earlier US moves to relax financial sector sanctions. “It’s a process that will take some time,” the official said, adding that the easing of the import ban would remove the last major category of US sanctions on Myanmar.

Congress has approved a bill that would allow Obama to waive a ban on US participation in providing development loans from international financial institutions like the World Bank to the former British colony also known as Burma. But ending the US import ban promises far larger benefits, paving the way for greater foreign investment that could create urgently needed jobs. “We want people to feel tangible benefits” of the reform process, a second senior US official said.—Reuters

VATICAN CITY: In this file photo, Pope Benedict XVI arrives in St Peter’s square at the Vatican for a general audience as his then-butler Paolo Gabriele (bottom) and his personal secretary Georg Gaenswein sit in the car with him. — AP

Ads, negativity flood US election campaign Presidential race enters its most intense phase WASHINGTON: The 2012 presidential race, now entering its most intense phase, has already set records for the number of ads and their negativity, according to experts. Among the reasons: more money than ever to spend by a larger number of spenders, like “Super PACs,” which are outside groups formally unaffiliated with campaigns. Put together, the Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns and about a dozen groups backstopping them have invested almost $600 million in advertising, heavily concentrated on just a handful of competitive states that hold the key to victory this year, including Iowa, Ohio, Colorado, Florida, Virginia, Nevada and, lately, Wisconsin.

The barrage is just getting started. As of early September 2012, TV viewers in local markets had seen 1.3 million political ads, according to a Sept 13 article in Advertising Age magazine by Elizabeth Wilner, who tracks political ad spending at Kantar Media’s CMAG. By her calculation, there could be another 2.3 million before the Nov 6 election.

Campaigns and backers of both President Barack Obama, a Democrat, and Mitt Romney, a Republican, are introducing close to a video a day-some for TV, some for the web. They are able to react almost instantly to the racing news cycle, and their ads reflect an overall feel of a contest marked by incessant attacks and few constructive policy proposals.

In the past two weeks alone, Obama and Romney campaigns each introduced at least a dozen new ads. By comparison, Ronald Reagan aired 27 ads in his entire 1984 campaign, according to John Geer, political science professor at Vanderbilt University and a top expert on negative advertising. “If you talk about the TV era, since 1952 forward, I think 2012 will go down at this point in time as the most negative on the record,” Geer said. “You’ve got an incumbent with a mixed record, you’ve got a challenger with a mixed record, the parties that are highly polarized, and you have a lot of money-the combination offers a perfect cocktail for negativity.”

The ads are not above getting personal. One Obama spot, defending his record on trade with China, asks: “How can Mitt Romney take on the cheaters, when he’s taking their side?” In a Romney ad released last week, a woman welcomes her newborn daughter to the world, where her “share of Obama’s debt is over $50,000” and women struggle with high rates of poverty and unemployment. “We dislike candidates now,” said Michael Franz, who studies political advertising at Bowdoin College in Maine. Instead of being a “struggle of ideas,” he said, “elections are now about convincing people that the other guy is dangerous for America.”

Negativity in political ads is nothing new, as research continues to prove it does not deter voters and, Geer said, often yields more substantial ads that provide context or hold politicians accountable.

What’s fanning the flames this year is the amount of cash available, thanks in part to both campaigns foregoing public financing with its

spending limits and unlimited spending by outside groups such as “super” political action committees or tax-exempt advocacy organizations. It is the costliest campaign cycle in history, with presidential and congressional races widely forecast to attract some $6 billion in spending.

GOING FOR THE KILL Academic Wesleyan Media Project, co-chaired by Franz, earlier this month reported that the 2012 campaign was more negative than the presidential contest of 2008 and that more ads were solely attack ads, those that mention only the opponent and not the candidate on whose behalf the ad aired. Pro-Romney spots, fed by conservative Super PACs and non-profit groups, were “overwhelmingly negative,” according to the research. It found 72 percent of them focusing solely on Obama and 13 percent contrasting the two candidates. With proObama spots, 46 percent were pure attacks on Romney and a quarter offered a contrast. Romney has honed in on Obama’s record on economic recovery, trying to link lagging job growth with anti-business attitudes, excessive regulation and a timid attitude toward China.

One recent ad campaign accused Obama of undermining the coal industry, important to the swing state of Ohio, for example. American Crossroads, the Super PAC run by a veteran Republican operative Karl Rove, echoes the message in an ad. “Obama has made a lot of bad decisions. He treats us like we are his enemy,” says Bill Schams, introduced in the Crossroads ad as running a business that’s been in the family since 1949. The anti-Romney ads focus largely on his wealth and his background as a private equity executive, seeking to portray him as not caring about nor understanding ordinary people.

Many of Obama’s latest ads focus on the healthcare plan proposed

by Romney’s vice presidential running mate, Paul Ryan, that would revamp the Medicare program for seniors. Priorities USA Action, the Super PAC run by former Obama aides, is responsible for perhaps the most memorable ad of the race: the spot that insinuated that Bain Capital, the private equity firm Romney used to run, had something to do with the death of a woman from cancer. The suggestion was based entirely on the fact that the woman’s husband, Joe Soptic, had lost his job at a steel plant closed by Bain five years before her death.

The power of negative ads was showcased in North Carolina earlier this year when Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich won the state’s vote for his nomination after a multimillion-dollar ad campaign by the Super PAC backing him pounced against Romney. Even more recently, Obama’s allies at Priorities USA took credit for some of Obama’s resurgence in polls after its string of anti-Bain ads. Negative ads use “scare tactics,” said Michael O’Brien, vice president of broadcast sales at E W Scripps Company, “and it works. The people who are undecided are impacted by it.”— Reuters

International FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Nigeria’s ‘robust’ approach on Boko Haram paying off UNITED NATIONS: Nigeria’s “robust” approach to neutralizing a threat posed by Islamist sect Boko Haram using military force, holding indirect talks with the group and improving education in the north is paying off, the Nigerian president said on Wednesday. Boko Haram, which wants to carve out an Islamic state in northern Nigeria, has been blamed for more than 1,000 deaths since its insurgency intensified in 2010. The United States has designated three of Boko Haram’s senior members as terrorists.

In an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s annual gathering of world leaders, President Goodluck Jonathan also played down the significance of the government forces’ killing of the sect’s spokesman, Abu Qaqa, in a gun battle in Kano on Sept 16. “If I look at it, the trend is coming down,” he said about the threat posed by Boko Haram. “It’s not because Abu Qaqa is dead.

Abu Qaqa is just one person. If one Abu Qaqa dies, it can generate 10 Abu Qaqas. “The issue is not the death of one person,” Jonathan said. “The issue is that the robust approach that government is taking, exploiting all possible means ... is paying off, and we believe it will continue to pay off.”

Nigeria’s military has been accused of using heavy-handed tactics in the past and previous operations targeting Boko Haram have resulted in civilian deaths. But Jonathan made clear that the military approach could only be one part of the solution. Much more important, he said, was a push to improve agriculture, job prospects and access to Westernstyle education in the predominantly Muslim north. “The whole approach, both the security aspects, both the indirect talks, and the job opportunities that we are creating. We are giving hope to the people. The education institutions we are establishing are giving hope to the people,” Jonathan said.

“One links up with the other to get to the respite we are seeing now,” he said. “I cannot credit it to only one approach.” This week, Nigeria’s military said it killed 35 members of Boko Haram and arrested several during an overnight gun battle in Damaturu, capital of northeastern Yobe state.

Jonathan’s spokesman said last month that Nigeria’s government was reaching out to Boko Haram and talking with some of its members via “backroom channels” as it seeks a peaceful way out of the north’s conflict.

SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND Wearing his trademark wide-brimmed black hat, Jonathan also spoke about the Nigerian government’s plan to put oil revenues into a sovereign wealth fund, a move state governors vowed last week to go to court to prevent.

“Yes, we can go to court. But we believe it’s not the best to solve certain problems through a court,” he said. “We are discussing, and I believe at the end of the day we will get to a point where both parties will win.” Africa’s top crude producer has been moving closer to joining its OPEC partners in creating a sovereign wealth fund for long-term investment of its oil cash. “They are not arguing because they know that the issue of the sovereign wealth fund is transparent, they trust the minister of finance,” he said. “They feel that some of the states have challenges and they want to decide what percentage they can put in. But we feel no, it’s better we do it collectively.”

Jonathan also talked about his push to abolish a muchcriticized fuel subsidy. He tried to halt the subsidy in January but had to reinstate it partly in response strikes. “Besides the issue of corruption, it was being abused,” he said. “All over the world, people advised that states should no longer subsidize hydrocarbons, because when you subsidize hydrocarbons, those who gain are not the ordinary people.” “Quite a lot of Nigerians agree that subsidies must go,” he said, adding that he expected to again try a gradual phase-out to soften the impact of price increases. “This time around we will properly involve the people and give a robust timeline.”

Nigeria’s cities are expected to add 200 million people by 2050, more than doubling the country’s current population, the United Nations forecast in April. But Jonathan said he was wary of forecasts based on current trends and suggested that the country’s population growth would eventually slow down. “That (growth forecast) is based on the present statistics in terms of a pattern of reproduction, which may not continue that way,” he said. “As more people become more educated and more aware, they tend to reduce the size of their population.”— Reuters

Japan, China dig in on islands row Japanese PM vows no compromise NEW YORK: Japan will not compromise on the islands at the heart of a dispute with China as Tokyo already has sovereignty over them, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said on Wednesday after China’s foreign minister angrily declared the islets were “sacred territory.” “As for the Senkakus, they are an inherent part of our territory in light of history and also under international law,” Noda said of the rocky islets China claims as the Diaoyu Islands in a bitter spat between Asia’s two biggest economies. “There are no territorial issues as such. Therefore, there cannot be any compromise that represents a retreat from this position,” he told a news conference in New York after attending the UN General Assembly. Earlier on Wednesday, Chinese state media said China had claimed the uninhabited and remote islands in the East China Sea as its “sacred territory since ancient times” in talks between the two countries’ foreign ministers in New York. SinoJapanese relations have deteriorated sharply since Japan bought the islands from their private owner, hurting bilateral trade ties and tourism while sparking protests across China.

In hour-long talks on the sidelines of the United Nations on Tuesday night, Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba urged China to exercise restraint over the dispute. Japanese diplomats described the meeting as “tense,” as Gemba endured a stern lecture from Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. Noda noted that Taiwan also claimed the islands - believed to be located in waters rich in natural gas deposits - which Japan has administered since 1895. He said Tokyo would handle the dispute carefully to protect relations with its neighbors. “We will make sure that these cases will not affect adversely our bilateral relationship. We shall maintain reason and try to resolve the issues calmly and make sure there is good communication

between us,” he added. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura told a news conference in Tokyo the two sides had agreed to keep talking. “There is no magic bullet in foreign diplomacy. We need to hold talks through various channels taking into account of broad perspective,” he said. Noda voiced frustration that he had “repeatedly explained to China our reason for purchasing the islands, but regrettably this has to this day not been accepted by China,” and instead led to attacks on Japanese citizens and businesses in China. “I must say clearly to China that there is no excuse for violence and strongly urge China to protect Japan’s citizens and business,” Noda said.

Japanese automakers Toyota Motor Corp, Nissan Motor Co Ltd and Suzuki are curtailing production in China as a result of the protests, which have forced the shuttering of dealerships and darkened their sales prospects in the world’s top car market. China’s meetings with Japanese diplomats - both at the United Nations and in Beijing - suggest that Beijing does not want the row over the island chain to lead to a rupture in relations, in what has been dubbed the Year of Japan-China Friendship.

However, patrol vessels from Japan and China have been playing a tense game of cat-and-mouse in the waters near the disputed islands, raising concerns that an unintended collision or other incident could escalate into a broader clash. And the unyielding tone of China’s published remarks suggests the dispute is far from over. “The Japanese move is a gross violation of China’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, an outright denial of the outcomes of victory of the world anti-fascist war and a grave challenge to the post-war international order,” China’s official Xinhua news agency quoted Foreign Minister Yang as saying.—Reuters

IWAKUNI: Local officials prepare to take a test ride on an Osprey aircraft at Iwakuni Air Base in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi prefecture, southern Japan yesterday. The MV-22 Osprey aircraft are temporarily deployed before being transferred to Okinawa amid months of protests there over safety concerns. — AP

2 Sudans reach deals on border security, oil ADDIS ABABA: Sudan and South Sudan were to ink agreements yesterday on a demilitarized border zone and oil production but other key issues that nearly brought the two countries to war remain unresolved. The partial breakthrough after four days of talks should allow for the resumption of oil exports after a stoppage that has crippled the economies of the rival nations.

However the limited agreement between President Omar AlBashir of Sudan and his Southern counterpart Salva Kiir fails to address other contentious issues such as the border of the contested Abyei region and other disputed oil producing areas.

Those issues would be addressed during another round of talks, officials said. A press conference was to be held in Addis Ababa later yesterday with the two presidents flying out after the signing of the deal, which comes after UN Security Council deadlines for an agreement were missed. “There is agreement on some areas,” South Sudan Delegation spokesman Atif Kiir said late Wednesday, and his Sudanese counterpart Badr el-din Abdullah Badr spoke of “progress on many issues”. While few details have emerged, the two sides said a demilitarized border buffer zonewhere troops must withdraw 10 kilometers from the de facto line of control along the undemarcated frontier-had been agreed.

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. Economic agreements were also reportedly reached, building on an oil deal last month to ensure South Sudan’s stalled production would resume. The talks-originally billed as a one-day summit-had been hoped to provide a comprehensive solution to the festering disputes that took the rivals to the brink of war earlier this year. But they did not reach agreement on the flashpoint Abyei region or on a series of border zones claimed by both sides. “The two countries failed to reach an agreement on two issues-that of Abyei... (and) the second issue is that of the border,” Kiir told reporters after the talks ended late Wednesday. “The two countries have agreed to have another round of talks... mainly on the issue of the border, on the disputed and unclaimed areas,” he added. Sudan’s Abdullah said that the issues would be addressed in the future. “We have overcome many differences... but here are some differences on Abyei,” he said, adding that resolving border areas claimed by both sides “is going take time”. No dates were given for a potential further round of talks. “Only the final touches remain,” Abdullah added.—AFP

International FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

In American soldier’s death, a window into insider killings Afghan shooter apparently groomed by Taleban WASHINGTON: In the weeks before his death, 21year-old Mabry Anders had grown increasingly worried that he might not come home from Afghanistan. The Army specialist was battling insomnia and would send brief, worried messages back to his family. “He talked to me in the day, which would be in the middle of his night,” his father, Dan Anders, said. “He didn’t sleep. He was just worried.” There were good reasons for concern.

During his six-month tour, the Taleban staged a major attack at his base, a suicide bomber had killed one of his brigade’s most revered leaders, and an Afghan villager threw a fire-bomb at a vehicle he was traveling in.

But what Anders may not have expected is that his killer would be an Afghan army soldier, one of those the US military is supposed to be training to take over security of the country ahead of the withdrawal of most US troops by the end of 2014. A surge in insider attacks (also known as green on blue attacks) has prompted NATO to temporarily curtail some joint operations. The move casts doubt on what exactly international forces can accomplish in those places where they cannot work alongside their Afghan allies.

Interviews in Afghanistan and the United States have uncovered new details about the attack on August 27, which also took the life of another US soldier, Sergeant Christopher Birdwell. These include Taleban claims that the insurgents prepared the Afghan soldier for the killings. “After the shooting incident a group of Taleban came to my house and said that Welayat Khan was their man,” said Nazar Khan, the brother of the Afghan soldier who was killed by US forces after he opened fire on the Americans. “We have trained him for this mission and you must be proud of his martyrdom,” the brother quoted a local Taleban commander as saying. Interviews with Afghan officials suggest that Welayat Khan was not properly vetted. He was admitted to the force seven months before the attack, despite presenting a fake birth certificate and having gotten a flimsy recommendation from a commander who vouched for him simply because the two men were ethnic Pashtuns, according to Afghan sources speaking on condition of anonymity. Insider attacks now account for one in every five combat deaths suffered by NATO-led forces in Afghanistan, and 16 percent of all American combat casualties, according to 2012 data. The rising death toll has alarmed Americans and raised new, troubling questions about the unpopular war’s direction.

The Pentagon is promising better vetting of Afghan recruits like Welayat Khan, and NATO last week announced it was scaling back cooperation with Afghans to reduce risk to Western troops. That includes Anders’ unit, stationed at Combat Outpost Xio Haq in Laghman province, in eastern Afghanistan, which, for the moment, has halted joint operations. But it’s unclear whether the United States or NATO or the Afghan government forces they’re training will be able to stop the next Welayat Khan before he strikes.

SAVE US FROM THE INFIDELS Khan was raised in a deeply religious family in the mountain village of Shor Khil, a collection of about 100 mud-built houses near the Tora Bora mountains not far from the Pakistan border.

Relatives said they were taken by surprise when he joined the Afghan army. His cousin Rahman recounted that Welayat had lambasted Western military forces. “Welayat had a small radio and liked to listen to news about Afghanistan. He became very upset and angry when there were reports about civilians being killed by air strikes,” Rahman said. “‘May Allah save us from the hands of these infidels,’” he quoted Welayat as saying.

According to family members, Welayat had

shown signs of mental instability since an accident at work when he slipped on a mountain while breaking rocks for construction. Nazar Khan, Welayat’s older brother, said he would suffer mental breakdowns and “get angry at minor things.” In Welayat’s pictures, provided by his brother Nazar Khan, he appears clean-shaven, young, stern looking, with a mass of thick black hair. He has a long face and slender build. In one picture he is gently holding his green beret in his right hand, with his left hand resting on the barrel of a machine gun.

Work with the Afghan army meant steady paychecks of about $240 a month, helping his 15-member family. Still, his relatives asked him to quit out of fear of reprisals by the Taleban, who have warned

Birdwell, Welayat Khan took aim at the Americans and fired. “The rest of the Afghan soldiers at that point laid their weapons down” to avoid being shot, Woydziak said. Welayat Khan then jumped out of the Afghan vehicle and started to run. But he didn’t get very far.

An American helicopter arrived in minutes and shot Khan dead less than a kilometer away, according to a US Army spokesman. Khan’s older brother said the body was so riddled with bullets that it was unrecognizable. “The coffin was sealed,” Nazar said, adding that the government declined to provide any money for the funeral because of Khan’s links to the Taleban. In hunting for an explanation, Reuters learned of an alternative narrative. Khan’s brother

NANGARHAR: Afghans shout anti-US slogans in the Gushta district of Nangarhar province, east of Kabul, Afghanistan yesterday during a protest against an anti-Islam film. — AP villagers not to join the Afghan security forces. “We have all warned him to leave the army and find another job,” Rahman said. Reprisals from the Taleban, it turns out, wouldn’t be a problem.

IN COLD BLOOD Although the Taleban claim to have trained Khan for his mission, there is nothing to suggest at this point that he knew where, when or even if he would strike on the morning of August 27. By all accounts, he did not know the two US soldiers he shot. Anders, an Army mechanic from a small town in Oregon, and Birdwell, from Windsor, Colorado, were part of an early morning clearance mission near the Afghan town of Kalagush when the lead vehicle in their convoy hit a bomb.

Improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, are hardly a novelty and, after 11 years of war, troops know how to respond. Soldiers in the convoy quickly secured the area and Anders went to help load the damaged vehicle for transport. The American patrol had the road blocked to ensure security. But the Afghan soldiers approaching in another convoy were not seen as a potential threat, and were allowed to pass. On board that convoy was Welayat Khan. “They are trained to trust the Afghan soldiers,” Anders’ mother, Genevieve Woydziak, said.

Welayat Khan was sitting at the gun turret mounted on a vehicle in the Afghan convoy. At 8:10 in the morning, as his vehicle passed Anders and

heard from Afghan forces and an Afghan eyewitness that there was a dispute at the American roadblock, involving a pregnant women who needed to pass. In this scenario, an American at the scene told her to wait and Khan retaliated.

“My brother is a martyr and the whole family is proud of his martyrdom but we blame the Americans for inciting him to shoot,” Nazar Khan said. But a US Army spokesman said there was no indication so far that Khan had any interaction with the American soldiers he killed, or with any of the other American forces, for that matter. The Army investigation is ongoing. The Taleban appears to be claiming they were in on the attack from the start, before Welayat Khan even joined the army.

“Mullah Abdul Samad and his men came to my house a day after I buried my brother and they were saying that Welayat joined them before enrolling in the army,” Nazar Khan said, referring to the village Taleban commander. It’s unclear what, beyond perhaps Welayat Khan’s fake birth certificate, NATO might have caught with its newly enhanced steps to weed out dangerous Afghan soldiers, announced in the weeks after the shooting. Many of the attacks are chalked up to personal grudges, in a country where disputes are frequently settled at gunpoint and where asking after a wife’s health could be seen as offensive.

Brigadier General Roger Noble of Australia, deputy chief of staff of operations in Afghanistan,

said NATO was working on creating “shooter profiles” from past cases to see if it is possible to identify worrying traits or characteristics. Ryan Crocker, US ambassador to Afghanistan until July, warned that “the Taleban have found a niche.” “I think they’re finding that ... relatively easy to do,” he said at an event hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “And our own vetting in the US military is not that great, let’s face it.” Taleban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, speaking by phone from an undisclosed location said that “a large number” of fighters have infiltrated the Afghan security forces.

A HERO COMES HOME Anders’ mother was at her office on August 27 when she got a call from workers at her house in Baker City, Oregon. They told her that two Army soldiers had arrived at her doorstep. “I served in the Army myself. We knew why they were there,” she said. It was a long, 15-mile drive back to her home, where she would learn with certainty about her son Mabry’s death earlier that day on the other side of the world. She has learned more details about it since then.

The parents are still wrestling with agonizing questions. Dan Anders, Mabry’s father, who lives in Wyoming, is concerned about the US rules of engagement - saying, for example, that he had learned the helicopter that shot Welayat Khan as he attempted to flee had to request authorization to fire, even though Khan had just killed his son and Birdwell. His mother is deeply concerned about the insider threat itself, saying that her son’s Army friends in Afghanistan are afraid of some of the Afghans they serve with. “They’re training with these Afghan people and they’re doing their thing and they know it’s wrong,” she said. “They know who they can trust. They know who they can’t trust.

They are in fear. Every day.” Some analysts see NATO’s decision last week to scale back some joint operations as a worrying sign.

Nora Bensahel at the Center for a New American Security think tank said it raised serious questions about the US strategy in Afghanistan. “This will create a vicious cycle, where an emboldened Taleban increases its threats against any future joint patrols in order to make this temporary suspension permanent,” Bensahel wrote. Other critics of the war, including in Congress, have seized upon the insider attacks as an additional reason to accelerate the American withdrawal from the country. Still, the Afghan conflict is not a top issue in the US presidential election campaign and the insider attacks have not yet sparked widespread national outrage.

Mabry Anders’ home town of Baker City, Oregon appears to have been largely untouched by the war until his death. His hometown newspaper noted in an editorial that Anders’ killing had “erased our collective complacency” about the 11-year-old Afghan war. The newspaper, the Baker City Herald, estimated that some 2,000 people turned out on the streets for Anders’ funeral procession. Hundreds held tiny flags.

Anders was just 10 years old at the time of the Sept 11, 2001 attacks, and he enlisted in the Army shortly after graduating from high school. He posted lots of photos on Facebook - many showing his sense of humor, even in Afghanistan. (www.facebook.com/mabry.anders) On the day of his service, the Herald wrote a touching article called “A Hero Comes Home,” noting the different ways people in the community paid tribute to Anders. Among them was a story about a man who went to a bar after the procession and bought a shot for Anders. He left it untouched, along with a handwritten note. “It said: ‘Mabry Anders, thank you, all gave some and some gave all,’” bartender Sarah Heiner told Reuters. She kept the shot until it evaporated, days later — Reuters

Business FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Paris car show opens amid gloom

Kuwait stocks rally to new 15-week high PAGE 20

PAGE 22

ROME: A man begs for money on the Sisto bridge in downtown Rome yesterday. Markets have been breathing easier since the European Central Bank said earlier this month it would buy unlimited amounts of government bonds to help countries with their debts. — AP

Euro-zone economic outlook darkens Business climate indicator lowest since Oct 2009 BRUSSELS: The outlook for Europe’s economy darkened yesterday with euro-zone business confidence falling to a three-year low and a range of economic indicators across the continent pointing towards recession. Shrinking lending and rising unemployment in Germany, until now a mainstay for growth in the euro zone, added to the gloom, with economists saying there was now no hope of growth for the region in the third quarter of the year. “It is bad. Everything is down, we are heading towards another quarterly economic contraction,” said Carsten Brzeski, economist at ING bank in Brussels.

The euro zone economy stagnated in the first three months of the year and contracted 0.2 percent in the April-June period. Economists expect another contraction in the third quarter. Two consecutive quarters of contraction is considered to mark recession. “While the (European Central Bank’s) promise of bond buying and the German court ruling (endorsing the euro-zone’s permanent bailout fund) did a lot to calm financial markets, there is still the big issue of non-existent growth,” Brzeski said.

The European Commission’s monthly econom-

ic sentiment survey showed the index for the 17 countries sharing the euro falling to 85 points this month from 86.1 in August. Economists polled by Reuters had expected no change. “It’s yet another blow to euro-zone growth hopes, especially as it follows on from the purchasing managers’ surveys indicating that services and manufacturing output contracted at the fastest rate for 39 months in September,” said Howard Archer, economist at IHS Global Insight.

“Consequently, it appears that the euro zone has suffered further, appreciable GDP contraction in the third quarter. This would put the euro-zone officially into recession.”

The European Commission’s business climate indicator for the euro area, which points to the phase of the economic cycle, fell to -1.34 points in September from -1.18 in August, against market expectations of -1.19 points. The September reading was the lowest since October 2009.

More evidence of economic gloom in the third quarter came from European Central Bank data on lending to households and companies, which showed credit to the economy fell more than expected in August. Loans to the private sector

fell 0.6 percent from the same month a year ago, data released by the European Central Bank showed yesterday, coming in below the expectations of economists polled by Reuters for no change. The flow of loans to non-financial firms fell 10 billion euros after rising by 8 billion euros in July. The monthly flow of loans to households showed a gain of 7 billion euros after a drop of 1 billion euros in the previous month.

The Commission sentiment survey showed euro zone sentiment in industry declined to -16.1 in September from -15.4 in August, and to -12 in the services sector from -10.8. “The country breakdown signals a sharper deterioration in the core than in the peripheries, the latter, however, remained at extremely low levels,” said Evelyn Herrmann, European economist at BNP Paribas.

Germany, long the main engine of the euro zone economy, was suffering too.

“German economic sentiment posted another deterioration to an index level of 94.7 from 95.8, which, again, was mostly driven by the manufacturing sector, but also by the services sector,” she said. German unemployment rose for a sixth month running in September, suggesting domes-

tic demand might not be able to compensate for weakening exports amid the euro zone crisis and power growth in the bloc’s number one economy.

Joblessness remains near to its lowest level since German reunification more than two decades ago, and the unemployment rate held steady at 6.8 percent, contrasting starkly with the sickly labour market in many peers, including France and Spain.

But it rose by 9,000 in September, as the global slowdown and the euro zone’s three-year-old crisis weigh on exports and prompt companies to hold back on investment, and economists said they saw it rising more in the months ahead. The Commission data showed sentiment among euro zone consumers - the buying public - fell to -25.9 from -24.6 and to -18.6 from -17.2 in retail trade.

Construction was the only sector where confidence improved marginally, to -31.9 from -33.1 in August. The data also showed that inflation expectations rose among producers, the services sector and households alike, potentially complicating any possible decision by the European Central Bank to cut interest rates and help the economy. — Reuters

Business FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Oman plans to boost budget spending 10% MUSCAT: Oman plans to boost its 2013 budget spending by 10 percent compared to this year’s plan to fund new infrastructure projects, an official source familiar with the government’s financial planning said yesterday.

“A 10 percent hike in spending will take care of our growth to fund development projects such as airports, ports, roads, hospitals and in the energy sector,” said the source, who declined to be identified. The 2013 budget plan would be based on an oil price of $85 per barrel and assume a deficit of about the same size as the shortfall originally projected for this year, he said.

Oman approved expenditure of 10 billion rials ($26 billion) for 2012 with a deficit forecast at 1.2 billion rials, based on an assumed oil price of $75 per barrel.

But high oil prices, currently above $110 per barrel , are now expected to help Oman run a comfortable surplus this year. Analysts polled by Reuters this week forecast the small non-OPEC oil exporter would show a budget surplus of 8.1 percent of its economic output in 2012. The sultanate’s budget surplus rose to 2 billion rials in January-July, data showed earlier this month.

The country, which depends on crude oil for 77 percent

of the budget income, sold its oil for $113 per barrel on average in that period.

The International Monetary Fund forecast in December that Oman’s budget break-even oil price would be $81 per barrel this year. But that level is expected to rise to $105 by 2016, according to the IMF. The Gulf Arab country, which faces a pressing challenge to create tens of thousands of jobs every year for its fast-growing population, boosted spending last year following public protests demanding more jobs and an end to corruption. — Reuters

Kuwait stocks rally to new 15-week high MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS

AHMADABAD: An Indian shop owner arranges grains as he waits for customers at a food market in Ahmadabad yesterday. The rates of food decreased after the recent revival of late monsoon rains. — AFP

India’s Iran imports fall 5% NEW DELHI: India’s oil imports from Iran fell nearly 5 percent in August from July, tanker discharge data made available to Reuters showed yesterday, in a third straight monthly drop that supports the country’s case for renewal of a waiver from US sanctions.

Imports rose by about a fifth from a year ago, however, when Iran cut supplies to its second-biggest market as Indian firms had still not found a stable way to pay for oil after New Delhi ended a clearing mechanism under US pressure in December 2010.

The United States and Europe have imposed tough sanctions on Iran to choke off Tehran’s oil revenues and halt a disputed nuclear program the West thinks is aimed at building atomic weapons-a claim Iran has repeatedly denied.

One of Tehran’s biggest Indian clients, MRPL, has not been able to import all its contracted volumes since July, when European sanctions banning shipping and insurance cover for Iranian vessels took effect. Washington this year issued 180-day waivers to all of Iran’s major crude buyers from sanctions targeted at financial institutions after they cut imports significantly.

This month it renewed waivers for Japan and 10 EU nations, while those for China and India will be reviewed in the next few months. China, Iran’s biggest oil client, raised imports from Tehran in August to 463,000 barrels per day (bpd) from 454,000 bpd in July although its purchases from the sanc-

tions-hit nation declined by nearly a fifth from a year ago.

India shipped in about 192,000 bpd of oil from Tehran last month versus about 202,000 bpd in July and about 161,000 bpd in August 2011, when only MRPL had managed to ship in Iranian oil, the data showed. Iran had already slipped to third place among India’s oil suppliers in 2011/12, replaced by Iraq and ceding a position it had held for five years, as the sanctions bit into its exports.

India, the world’s fourth-largest oil importer, is diversifying its crude slate and gradually reducing dependence on Iran. Overall, Asia’s third-largest economy shipped in nearly 4 percent more oil in August than a year ago, at 3.38 million bpd, while imports in the JanuaryAugust period rose 8.5 percent to 3.5 million bpd as the country expanded its refining capacity.

Oil shipments from Iran in the January-August period fell nearly 1 percent to 324,000 bpd as refiners significantly raised imports in the January-March quarter to meet commitments under annual deals that ended March 31, 2012. To replace Iranian volumes, India imported about 55 percent more oil from Latin America in the January-August period, with the region accounting for about 14 percent of overall imports, up from 10 percent a year ago. The Middle East region continued to supply about twothirds of India’s oil imports in January to August. — Reuters

DUBAI: Kuwait’s bourse rose to a fresh 15-week high yesterday on talk of state-linked buying and on hopes the political deadlock in the Gulf state may soon reach a resolution, while other Gulf markets finished mixed. Large-cap stocks rose in heavy trading. Telecom operator Zain climbed 1.4 percent, Kuwait Finance House gained 2.7 percent and Gulf Bank added 1.2 percent. Market sentiment lifted this week on talk the Kuwait government institutions are buying blue-chip stocks, helping support the market which is up 5.5 percent from August’s eight-year low.

Trading volumes surged to 525 million shares, the highest daily count since May 8. The index rose 0.8 percent to 5,991 points, its highest close since June 12. Kuwait’s finance minister, Nayef Al-Hajraf, appeared to confirm state intervention in the market. “Everyone sensed National Portfolio activity in the Kuwait Stock Exchange whose role was to capture good investment opportunities in bourse,” Hajraf was quoted as saying on state-news agency KUNA on Wednesday.

“The market (Kuwait) broke the previous top of 5,920, which was a major resistance both for the short and for the medium time frame,” said Zeki Muderrisoglu, fund manager and senior technical analyst at National Bank of Abu Dhabi’s asset management division. “So far, it looks like a healthy uptrend especially if it manages to stay above 5,920. If the uptrend is sustained, next possible targets are at 6,020, 6,120 and 6,430.”

Also boosting market sentiment are signals the political situation in Kuwait is moving toward resolution. This is taken as a good sign by investors, who are waiting for economic development projects to move forward. Kuwait will

not try to convene parliament again and will refer the country’s political standoff to its ruler, assembly speaker Jassim Al-Kharafi said.

In the UAE, markets rebounded as bargain hunters stepped in, but these were lower for the week. Dubai’s index climbed 0.4 percent, rising from a two-week low, and losing 2.2 percent since last Thursday. Drake & Scull, the top traded stock on the index, gained 1.2 percent, Emaar Properties ended flat and courier firm Aramex climbed 1.5 percent.

Gulf markets lost ground this week as global growth concerns spooked local investors. “There are signs of economic recovery in the UAE, but the medium-term outlook globally is uncertain,” said Ali Adou, portfolio manager at The National Investor. “There are a lot of unsolved issues in Europe, US and China and governments are trying (with stimulus measures) but these are short-term remedies and not a fix for the underlying problem.” Abu Dhabi’s index gained 0.2 percent, also easing away from a two-week low.

Elsewhere, Doha’s benchmark lost 0.1 percent to close at 8,494 points. The market is down 1.8 percent from Sept 17’s four-month peak as investors book gains ahead of third-quarter earnings.

“The index faced some resistance at 8,650 and is falling toward the next support of 8,450,” said Mohabeldeen Agena, head of technical analysis at Cairo’s Beltone Financial. “Traders are advised to continue taking profits.

We are expecting the bears to continue pushing the level down towards 8,350.” Qatar Electricity and Water slipped 0.2 percent, Doha Bank shed 1.4 percent and Barwa Real Estate declined 1 percent. — Reuters

ATHENS: Finance Ministry, tax office and customs employees march in central Athens to protest new austerity measures yesterday. Greece’s three-party coalition government agreed yesterday on the “main points” of 13.5-billion-euro ($17.4 billion) austerity package, tied to the release of vital EU-IMF rescue loans. — AFP

Business FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

China underestimated slowdown: CB advisor Cuts to rates, RRR hinge on external situation

MADRID: Protesters take part in a demonstration organized

by Spain’s “indignant” protesters yesterday in Madrid, a day after a mass protest in which police beat and fired rubber bullets at demonstrators. — AFP

Spain unveils new austerity budget MADRID: Spain’s government met yesterday to take an axe to spending in a new budget for 2013, unswayed by angry protests but bowed by markets anticipating a full sovereign bailout, and soon. Spain has said it will lop spending and boost taxes to rake in 39 billion euros ($50 billion) in the budget, adding to the pain that sent thousands of protesters into Madrid’s streets on the previous two nights.

The formulation of the 2013 budget, to be followed by the release of an audit of Spain’s sickly banking system on Friday, is seen on the markets as one of the final acts before a sovereign bailout. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s right-leaning Popular Party government has already accepted a eurozone rescue loan for the banks of up to 100 billion euros. If the Spanish cabinet adopts a budget with labour market and other key reforms sought by the IMF and European Union, Madrid could be a step closer to a broader bailout.

Once Spain formally requests the bailout, it would benefit from a bond-buying program for troubled states that was outlined by the European Central Bank (ECB) on September 6.

Such a program would curb Spain’s borrowing costs but to qualify Madrid would have to formally apply for help from European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and submit to its conditions.

“Spain hopes that with this budget it is doing enough to qualify for support from the ESM and hence the ECB if need be,” said Holger Schmieding, analyst at German private bank Berenberg.

“The Rajoy administration remains ready to do what it takes to turn Spain around but apparently wants to present all that it has to do as Spanish decisions, not as conditions imposed on Spain by outsiders,” he said in a report. Spanish borrowing costs fell after the ECB plan was unveiled but rates picked up again recently as doubts resurfaced about when Madrid would seek help. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal in New York this week, however, Rajoy said that if Spanish borrowing costs were too high for too long, “I can assure you 100 percent that I would ask for this bailout.” After weakening the day before, markets barely budged in the hours before the unveiling of the budget.

In early afternoon trade, the Madrid stock exchange’s IBEX 35 index eased 0.2 percent to 7,852.8 points and the rate on Spanish 10-year bonds hovered above 6.0 percent, a level seen as unsustainable over the long term. On Wednesday, markets took a hit as investors watched the growing protests in Spain and Greece.

Markets fretted, too, over the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia, which has called snap elections on November 25 in a drive for more independence from the rest of the crisis-hit nation and for greater control over its own finances.

But perhaps the greatest concern on the markets was a joint statement by the German, Dutch and Finnish finance ministers on Tuesday “which cast doubt on whether the rest of the euro-zone will bear any of the costs of providing support to Spain’s banks”, said Ben May, London-based analyst at Capital Economics. If Spain has to foot the bill for restructuring of its banks, weakened by a 2008 property crash, its overall sovereign debt will rise and its deficit-cutting task will become even more urgent. Already on the austerity menu for 2013: an increase in sales tax and other taxes to rake in 15 billion euros and cuts in the regions to find another seven billion euros. Other savings come from lowering unemployment benefits and social assistance. Unions say there will also be a hiring and wage freeze in the public sector.—AFP

BEIJING: China severely underestimated this year’s global economic slowdown and further cuts to Chinese interest rates or bank reserve requirements hinge on any new deterioration in the external environment, a central bank adviser said yesterday.

Chen Yulu, a professor at China’s Renmin University and an academic adviser to the monetary policy committee of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a conference in the capital on global economic conditions and capital flows.

“We have indeed underestimated the severity of the external economic situation,” Chen said, adding that the global economy could remain sluggish for an extended period. Asked whether the PBOC would opt to boost the economy by further cutting interest rates or required reserve ratios (RRR) for banks to spur commercial lending, Chen said: “It will hinge on the degree of deterioration of the external situation.”

The PBOC cut interest rates twice in June and July and lowered RRR three times since late 2011 freeing an estimated 1.2 trillion yuan ($190 billion) for new lending.

But it has held off on more aggressive easing measures since then, despite further signs of cooling demand at home and abroad. Instead, it has opted to pump shortterm cash into money markets to ease credit strains, a move analysts say reflects Beijing’s concerns about renewed property and inflation risks.

The central bank said on Tuesday that it will “fine tune” policy to cushion the economy against global risks while closely watching the possible impact from recent policy loosening in the United States and Europe.

PBOC Vice-governor Liu Shiyu, speaking at the same event as Chen, said support for economic growth must be balanced by the need to curb inflation. Chen reiterated the point, saying that policymakers were acutely aware of the risk of loosening policy too far and setting off another round of house price inflation in China.

“Monetary policy faces a dilemma. On the one hand it (the central bank) needs to stabilize economic growth and on the other hand, it’s very worried about the problem of

property prices,” Chen said. Chen said the use of money market operations was more reflective of the PBOC’s push for financial sector reforms that let the markets take a more active role in setting the price of capital, saying the central bank could not simply loosen policy to boost the economy as it needed also to spur structural change.

“The adoption of reverse repos reflect this policy consideration,” he said. China’s central bank injected a net 365 billion yuan into money markets this week, traders said,

this year was a desirable outcome of macroeconomic adjustments. China’s government has said repeatedly that it wants to steer growth lower to complete structural economic reforms after three decades of breakneck development that has seen annual growth average 10 percent.

Export growth this year is averaging around 7.8 percent versus 2011. August’s growth slumped to 2.7 percent compared with a year ago and the Commerce Ministry sees a risk that things could get worse in the

Workers on a scaffold at a construction site in Hefei, central China’s Anhui province.

China has approved a massive infrastructure package worth more than $158 billion, state media said on September 7, as the government seeks to boost the flagging economy. — AFP the largest-ever weekly injection, as regulators struggle to maintain liquidity without producing inflation as forex inflows slow.

Investors broadly welcome Beijing’s plans for reform, but are concerned that the government’s timing is off and that the economy could be derailed by a global economic downturn that has sapped overseas orders for exports from China’s factories.

Liu sought to play down the risks facing China’s economy, saying slowing growth

months ahead, jeopardizing the official target of a 10 percent year-on-year expansion of trade.

Exports generated 31 percent of gross domestic product in 2011 and supported an estimated 200 million jobs. China’s annual economic growth could ease to 7.4 percent in the third quarter - the seventh consecutive quarter of slowdown, before picking up to 7.6 percent in the final three months, according to the latest Reuters poll. — Reuters

Malaysia to lower deficit target, hold off on big reforms

DUISBERG: People entering the entrance of the jobless center in Duisburg, western Germany. Germany’s Federal Labor Agency said yesterday. — AP

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will target a lower fiscal deficit for next year but the budget to be unveiled today will still be slightly expansionary and likely stop short of major reforms on tax and subsidies, a senior government official said yesterday.

“This will be a budget that is mildly expansionary but fiscally responsible,” the official, who asked not to be identified, said ahead of the budget announcement by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The budget for 2013 will target a reduction in the deficit target from this year’s goal of 4.7 percent, the official said, sending a signal to markets that the government is committed to keeping its rising debt levels in check. Fueled by robust domestic consumption and investment, the economy should expand by between 4.5-5 percent this year and 4.5-5.5 percent in 2013, the official said, despite the “challenging external environment.” Najib, facing a close election he must call by next April, is widely expected to announce a fresh round of handouts to poorer citizens today as he tries to maintain an economic feel-good factor ahead of the polls.—Reuters

Business FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

PARIS: Dr Ralf D Speth, Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar LandRover Limited, poses next to a new Jaguar F-Type during the press day at the Paris Auto Show yesterday. — AP

PARIS: German carmaker Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller talks to the press at the end of his presentation during the press days ahead of the opening of the Paris Motor Show yesterday. —AFP

Paris Motor Show

Car show opens amid gloom PARIS: The Paris Motor Show opens with the automobile sector in crisis mode amid deep gloom over the future of the European market, key to the survival of several top manufacturers.

The continent’s debt crisis and the ensuing sluggish growth has wreaked havoc on many automobile manufacturers and the outlook is gloomy for the year ahead.

The head of PSA Peugeot Citroen yesterday forecast zero growth next year in the European market, which accounts for the bulk of its sales, while the head of Renault underscored the need for more competivity to remain afloat.

“I don’t think one can hope for an upturn next year,” in Europe, said PSA Peugeot Citroen chief Philippe Varin, adding that growth would be “around zero” or even “slightly negative.”

Forecasting an 8.0-percent decline in the European market this year, Varin said the firm was making huge production losses. “We have lost 350 euros per car in operational costs,” Varin said, adding: “Some of our rivals have lost between 500 and 600 euros.”

PSA Peugeot Citroen, the biggest French car maker and second-biggest in Europe after the German Volkswagen group, is set to close a landmark plant north of Paris and shed 8,000 jobs across France.

An expert appointed by the government concluded that the group must restructure urgently and tie up with a global group, saying

its crisis was the result strategic errors over two decades, notably in not seizing opportunities offered by globalisation. Renault chief Carlos Ghosn highlighted a dilemma for manufacturers of mid-level models in Europe, which are squeezed by a growing luxury segment dominated by German manufacturers and Asian firms

PARIS: Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn poses on the stand of the car maker during the press days ahead of the opening of the Paris Motor Show yesterday. — AFP

Ex-Credit Suisse trader arrested in Britain LONDON: A former Credit Suisse executive wanted in the US on fraud charges linked to distorting the value of mortgage securities during the financial crisis has been arrested in Britain, authorities said yesterday.

US Federal prosecutors have alleged that Kareem Serageldin conspired with two of his employees to hide the deteriorating condition of the US housing market in 2007 in order to keep the value of bonds based on subprime mortgages artificially high, thereby fattening their bonuses.

He was slated to receive more than $7 million in compensation in 2007 before the company learned about the alleged fraud and withheld $5.2 million of his pay. The fraud, which prosecutors

cutting into their niche with cheaper models produced in eastern Europe.

“Today, the main subject for us, our main priority is our competitivity in France which is a question of survival,” he said. US automaker Ford has said it was planning to slash “several hundred” salaried positions from its workforce

described earlier this year as “a tale of greed run amok,” was blamed as responsible for a portion of the $2.65 billion write-down Credit Suisse announced in March 2008.

Serageldin - Credit Suisse’s former managing director and global head of structured credit - has been charged with conspiracy, falsifying books and records, and wire fraud in the US. The charges carry a potential penalty of 45 years in prison. Two other Credit Suisse traders pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in cooperation deals with prosecutors in February. At the time, US prosecutors urged Serageldin, an American citizen living in England, to return to the US and answer the charges against him. —AP

in Europe but that all the cuts would be voluntary. Ford called the cuts part of an ongoing program “to achieve greater efficiencies in all areas of the Ford of Europe business in the current business environment.”

Ford currently employs about 66,000 workers in Europe, the largest proportion of them in Germany. All the major automakers operating in Europe have been undertaking staff reductions to cope with the contracting European economy and a sizable production over capacity.

The ACEA European manufacturers association said that new car sales in the European Union were down 7.1 percent for the first eight months of 2012 compared with the same period in 2011. Even Volkswagen, Europe’s biggest carmaker whose launch of the new Golf VII is one of the star turns at the Mondial de l’Automobile 2012, has admitted taking a hit.

Since the start of September, the owner of 12 brands including VW, Seat, Skoda, Porsche and Audi, said it would have to make “adjustments” to sales in Europe “due to the persistent tensions in markets of Western Europe.”

Greenpeace activists on Thursday hijacked a VW press conference at the Paris show, brandishing a banner that said “Volkswagen is choking us with smoke.”

They also accused the auto giant “of throwing its weight to weaken future European legislation” on CO2 emission norms.

With stimulus effect over, analysts see cheaper oil LONDON: Slowing global economic growth and receding worries over a loss of Middle East supply are likely to bring lower oil prices for the rest of this year and in 2013, a Reuters poll shows.

Hopes that economic stimulus measures and new rounds of monetary easing by the world’s big central banks would boost asset prices have also faded and analysts now expect a period of relative stability for oil prices. A Reuters monthly poll of 32 analysts forecast North Sea Brent crude would average $109.90 per barrel this year, up just 40 cents from last month’s poll and $2.10 below its average so far this year.

For 2013, Brent was seen averaging $106.90 a barrel, a fall of 30 cents from the estimate in Reuters’ August oil price poll.

“We believe that both Brent and WTI are likely to experience further weakness in the weeks/months/quarters ahead,” said Chris Tevere, a strategist at GAIN

Capital. “Our overriding outlook continues to foresee further global growth concerns which would have a downward impact on demand.” Societe Generale oil analyst Michael Wittner said the announcement of a third round of US bond purchases by the Federal Reserve, also known as quantitative easing or QE3, had not given the market as much support as expected. “The medium and long-term impact of QE3 as an oil market price driver is limited. Even in the short-term, QE3 is mostly priced in already,” Wittner said. Only four of 31 analysts expected Brent crude to average less than $100 in 2013, and six of 25 analysts were expecting the same in 2014. “We don’t expect QE3 to have much impact on oil prices over any horizon. The clue is partly in the name - this is the third round of QE and the bulk of the benefits from large-scale asset purchases have already been achieved,” said Capital Economics analyst Julian Jessop, who expects Brent to average $85 both in 2013 and 2014. —Reuters

THEY ARE THE 99!

99 Mystical Noor Stones carry all that is left of the wisdom and knowledge of the lost civilization of Baghdad. But the Noor Stones lie scattered across the globe - now little more than a legend. One man has made it his life’s mission to seek out what was lost. His name is Dr. Ramzi Razem and he has searched fruitlessly for the Noor Stones all his life. Now, his luck is about to change - the first of the stones have been rediscovered and with them a special type of human who can unlock the gem’s mystical power. Ramzi brings these gem - bearers together to form a new force for good in the world. A force known as ... the 99!

THE STORY SO FAR : Tired of depressing stories, TV reporter Nicole Avenegne travels to northern Finland, hoping to film a nice quiet feature about a local lighthouse. But she finds the lighthouse half-collapsed, and THE 99 engaged in rescue operations. Jabbar resolves to show Nicole that heroes still exist...

The 99 ® and all related characters ® and © 2012, Teshkeel Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

www.the99.org

Opinion FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Erdogan to consolidate grip Ruling party congress to set agenda for next decade

By Nick Tattersall and Can Sezer

S

urveying the street lights sparkling like jewels on the plain below, Tahir Akyurek looks back with satisfaction on his first eight years as mayor of this central Turkish city.

Two-lane highways have been widened to six, a fast train line has put Ankara just an hour and a half away, and there is a new park where students and the elderly chat over tea or wander among pristine lawns in the shadow of elegant minarets. More so than the teeming streets of cosmopolitan Istanbul, the ordered avenues of Ankara or the resorts of the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, this conservative industrial city on the Anatolian plateau epitomises the reformist ambitions of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party.

“Konya is connected with its traditions and embraces the new ... Being conservative, being devoted to tradition, does not mean being reactionary,” Akyurek told Reuters, sipping tea and chewing almonds on a cafe terrace overlooking the city. His sentiments reflect the self-image of the Islamistrooted AK Party as it prepares for its biggest overhaul since sweeping to power in Turkey a decade ago. Critics are less charitable, viewing it as a threat to the modern secular republic founded

by Kemal Ataturk on the ruins of the Ottoman Empire 90 years ago.

The party’s Sept 30 congress is unlikely to offer any sign Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, viewed by many Turks as their strongest leader since Ataturk, is loosening his grip on a heavily-centralised party or on the country as a whole. AK, its initials spelling out the word for purity, is Erdogan’s child. New members of the party’s administrative body will be picked to steer it through an election cycle beginning next year, but Erdogan will make sure those close to him remain in charge, helping smooth his way to an expected bid for a newly-constituted executive presidency in 2014.

“The importance of this convention is that it will determine the people who will be at the core of the party after Erdogan becomes president,” said Koray Caliskan, associate political science professor at the Bosphorus University and a columnist for the liberal daily Radikal. “He will want the leader to obey him but at the same time to balance different opinions in the party.”

Authoritarian Figure Erdogan created the AK Party as Turkey slid into a financial crisis in 2001, rallying around himself an array of centre-right democrats and nationalists as well as religious conservatives. The party swept to its first victory a year later as an angry populace rejected long established parties tainted by corruption, personal rivalries and economic mismanagement. The past decade has seen per capita income nearly triple and re-

established Turkey as a regional power, with Western nations seeing its mix of democratic stability and Islamic culture as a potential role model in a volatile region. It has been Turkey’s longest period of single-party government for more than half a century, ending a history of fragile coalition governments punctuated by military coups.

But while he may be a towering figure of Turkish politics with three successive landslide victories, Erdogan’s autocratic style makes him loved and loathed with equal passion. Hundreds of politicians, academics and journalists are on trial as part of a five-year investi-

in Ankara. Egypt’s Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, who was swept to power last year after a popular uprising, is among the regional leaders invited.

Erdogan, a devout Muslim who once served a brief prison sentence for religious incitement, championed the prodemocracy uprisings of the “Arab Spring”, which saw decades-old dictatorships unseated in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. “There was great interest in Prime Minister Erdogan when he visited Egypt and Libya,” said Idris Bal, an AK Party deputy and member of parliament’s foreign affairs commission, when asked about Morsi’s invitation.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of his Justice and Development Party in Ankara in this Sept 5, 2012 photo. —AFP

gation into an alleged secularist network known as “Ergenekon”, accused of plotting against the government. More than 300 army officers were handed long jail terms last Friday for an alleged plot to topple Erdogan almost a decade ago. “Democracy is not making progress in this country. It is regressing in terms of the separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary and freedom of expression,” said Faruk Logoglu, vice chairman of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). “(Erdogan’s) primary aim will be to conduct a congress that will navigate him to the presidency and to a new constitution which he hopes will be of his making and design.”

The CHP, the party of Ataturk, has struggled to mount any effective opposition to AK, in parliament or on the streets. Some observers contend that the only real threat to the party might come when Erdogan relinquishes power. Without him, they say, it could dissolve into the many and disparate political parts from which he forged it. Party officials expect as many as 30,000 people at the convention in a sports arena

“The main attraction of our party is that it is not based on religious or ethnic nationalism,” Bal said.

But after a decade in power, Erdogan has failed to bring about much hope of an end to a 28-year-old war with Kurdish militants in Turkey’s mountainous southeastern border region with Iraq, a topic likely to be high on Sunday’s agenda. The government has broken taboos with some reforms such as authorising Kurdish language teaching and broadcasting. But recent fighting with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) - considered a terrorist organisation by Ankara, the United States and European Union - has been some of the heaviest since it took up arms in 1984 with the aim of carving out a Kurdish state. Thousands of pro-Kurdish trade unionists, politicians, academics and journalists have been detained since 2009, accused of links with the PKK. Masoud Barzani, president of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, has been invited to the party congress, as has Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, whose Shi’ite-led government in Baghdad has been irritated by Ankara’s

courting of Iraqi Kurds.

Creeping Conservatism Senior figures from smaller rival parties look set to be given roles in the AK Party administration as part of the overhaul, a bid to consolidate its support base for the coming electoral cycle.

Numan Kurtulmus, head of the former Islamist-rooted HAS Party, and Suleyman Soylu, one-time leader of the conservative Democratic Party, have joined the AK Party in recent weeks and could be rewarded with senior administrative roles. “What they are trying to say is we want to agree with everyone on the political right and centre, we are taking them into our ranks. The prime minister’s initiative is trying to portray the party as inclusive,” said Tarhan Erdem, the head of Turkish polling company Konda. “(The congress) is a major turning point for the AK Party. But it will not be a turning point because of ideas put forth by party members ...

New policies will be formed and implemented by the party leader. That is all there is to it. One shouldn’t see this as a part of democratic activity,” he said.

Erdogan’s taming of the military, selfappointed guardians of Turkish secularism, has fuelled suspicions in Westernfacing cities like Istanbul and other coastal towns that the AK Party has a hidden agenda of creeping Islamic conservatism. Some disdain the appearance of the Islamic headscarf in public institutions, something banned since the foundation of secular Turkey nine decades ago. Revellers complained tighter alcohol restrictions meant there was little other than drinking yoghurt or soda on offer at a recent Madonna concert in Istanbul, seeing it as another sign of diminishing freedoms. But in the bars, restaurants and clubs of the historic Beyoglu district there are few such signs. Thousands of tourists and locals party into the small hours, spilling out into the narrow back streets to a soundtrack of thumping dance music.

Mayor Akyurek’s conservative Konya can seem a world away. Here, few restaurants serve alcohol, the Islamic headscarf is more in evidence, and the tourists are descending on the tomb of Rumi, a widely-read 13th century Sufi mystic who founded the order of the Whirling Dervishes. Konya is one of the “Anatolian Tigers”, cities whose industries and small businesses have thrived over the past decade of AK Party rule and whose electorate can be counted on to deliver solid support for the status quo. There is little fear of creeping conservatism here. Talk of an AK Islamist agenda is rarely heard and eyes, rather than turning inward, look to export markets beyond Anatolia, in the Middle East and Europe.

“Turkey, like Konya, is devoted to its traditions but also open to the rest of the world,” said Akyurek, who won a second term in 2009 with one of the highest majorities ever recorded in a Turkish local election. — Reuters

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 www.kuwaittimes.net

Italian actress Monica Bellucci poses during the photo call to promote her film ''Rhino Season'', at the 60th San Sebastian Film Festival, in San Sebastian northern Spain, yesterday. — AP

Food FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

H

ere’s raising a toast to smoothies and milkshakes! A delicious alternative to sugar laden soda pop are tasty milkshakes and smoothies. Whether you’re on a diet or just trying to eat healthier, you’ll find healthy smoothie and milkshake recipes here.

Even if you’re not handy in the kitchen, you’ll see how easy it is to make a smoothie with these easy smoothie recipes. Or, if you’re a big milkshake fan, how easy it is to make a quick, ice cold milkshake.

You’ll find a variety of low fat, low calorie smoothie recipes to suit every taste. You can choose one of several fruit smoothie recipes and make a smoothie drink - all you need is some fruit, ice

and a smoothie blender or mixer for a great back to basics smoothie.

If you’re a milkshake fan, you’ll find that making them at home is twice as good as the fast food version. There’s plenty of fantastic milkshake eecipes here that will show you how to make a delicious chocolate, strawberry, banana, or vanilla milkshake with a variety of fun ingredients and your favorite ice cream.

1 cup milk 6 scoops strawberry ice cream 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon strawberry ice cream topping 1 tablespoon whipped cream, optional Fresh strawberries, sliced, optional

1 cup milk 1 pkg. (4-serving size) Jello, any flavor 1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened Directions Place milk and ice cream in blender. Add Jello. Blend 30 seconds.

3 scoops vanilla ice cream 2 tablespoons chocolate chips 1/2 banana 1 tablespoon instant coffee 2 tablespoon chocolate syrup 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions Blend on medium for 1 minute.

Directions Combine first 5 ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with whipped topping and sliced strawberries.

Food FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

1/3 cup frozen grape juice concentrate, thawed 1 banana, peeled and sliced 1 cup milk 1/2 cup ice cubes Directions In a blender container combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth.

4 scoops vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt 3/4 cup cold milk 1/4 cup chocolate syrup 3 maraschino cherries, stems removed Whipped topping and additional cherry Directions Place ice cream, milk, chocolate syrup and cherries in blender. Blend until smooth.

Garnish with whipped topping and cherry.

3 scoops vanilla ice cream 1-1/2 cups milk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons sugar Directions In a blender combine ice cream, milk, vanilla and sugar. Blend until smooth.

4 oz. canned pumpkin, chilled 1-1/2 cups cold low fat milk 8 teaspoons sugar 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions Combine all ingredients in blender.

Blend until smooth. Top with a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg.

Beauty FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Enhance your eyes with the right eyeshadow A

pplying eyeshadow is a quick way to change up your look and enhance your natural beauty. When you know how to apply eyeshadow, it is easy to create a variety of looks that will compliment your beauty and look appropriate for all occasions.

Learning how to apply eyeshadow is quick and easy and will have you looking great in no time.

Wearing makeup is tricky for beginners, so a few tips can help a lot. When you first begin to experiment with makeup, try neutral colors that are easy to work with. Selecting an eyeshadow primer and eyeshadow in shades of brown, bronze, taupe and champagne or mushroom colored eye colors will give you a polished, natural look that is forgiving of mistakes. Add a highlighting shade in white or cream, an angled and a flat eyeshadow brush, some mascara and an eye pencil in gray or charcoal, and you have the beginnings of a great eyeshadow look. Once you have mastered the basics with neutral colors, you can switch up the colors for bolder, more dramatic looks for evenings or special events.

Best eyeshadow looks start with primer To begin your eyeshadow application, apply the eyeshadow primer to your entire lid. The primer will provide a base for your eyeshadow and prevent it from creasing during the day. Once the primer has been applied, using your flat brush, apply the taupe or bronze shadow to your lid from the eyelashes to the crease. Then, with the angled brush, dip into the highlighting shade you have selected and apply that shadow into your crease and up to your brow bone. Use the brush to blend the colors downward so you have no harsh lines of color change. Once blended, use your angled brush to apply the darkest of your shadows into the crease and outer third of your eye lid. Once again, use your brush to blend the colors and to achieve a seamless blend and contouring of your eyeshadow. Taking your eyeliner, trace a series of small dashes across your lash line as close to the lashes as possible. Once you have the dots across the lid, use your finger or a cotton swab to blend the line and connect the dots while creating a sexy, smoky eye effect. Line the bottom row of your lashes with the eyeliner and smudge it so it does not look harsh or severe. Follow by curling your lashes and applying at least two coats of mascara.

When you are first learning how to apply eyeshadow, a great tip to try is to use loose powder under your eyes as you apply your eye color.

Applying a lay-

er of loose powder under your eyes will catch any shadow as it falls and will prevent it from smudging your makeup or skin and creating darkness, shadows or an unflattering tone.

Once your eyeshadow application is complete, simply dust off the loose powder along with any fallen eyeshadow and you will never have to worry about eye makeup smudges, mistakes or runs ruining your look.

Follow the basics above on how to apply eyeshadow and use the three colors technique to create a classic look that is always in style and flattering. Buy neutral shades and apply them in the manner described above to enhance your natural beauty and create a look you love. www.howtoapplyeyeshadownow.com

Before applying eyeshadow Colors - Choose eyeshadow colors that complement your eye color. Physicians Formula makes it easy with their Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow and Liner, $9.32, walmart.com, in

colors that enhance your eye color. Just choose the set that is for your eye color.

Eye Shadow Base - Now that you’ve got the right color of palette for your eyes, choose an eyeshadow base. The eyeshadow base helps your colors last longer and stay in place. Try L’Oreal Paris DE-CREASE Eye Shadow Base, $7.47, walmart.com.

Tips Start with a clean face.

Apply the base to your entire eyelid area up to the brow. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Choose three complementing eyeshadow colors that are light, medium, and dark in intensity. The medium color is the base, the lightest color is the highlighter, and the darkest color is the contour.

Using the supplied applicator, apply the base, or medium color, onto the main area of your eyelid that is directly over your eyeball; go slightly into the crease with it.

Sweep the eyeshadow slightly out at the outside edge.

Now apply the lightest color, or highlighter, above the base and up to the brow.

Sweep it out slightly at the outside edge as you did with the first color.

Apply the darkest color, or contour, to the crease using the pointed tip of your applicator and a light hand. Apply a bit of the dark color just to the tip of the applicator, then apply a thin line starting at the inside corner of the eye and make the line wider as you move toward the outside of the eyelid.

Continue with the darkest color just past the edge of the crease of your eyelid and bring the tip back to touch the outside edge of your lashes.

Soften the line of the dark contour color with either a Q-tip or a clean applicator tip and smudge it into the lashes slightly.

You’re finished! www.dailyglow.com

Books FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

A

great way to save time is to check out our top 10 books on time management. We are dedicated and devoted readers of books to help you create more time. If you have ever thought, “I should read some books to help me get control of my time, BUT I don’t have the time!” Then this is for you.

The 80-20 Principle

by Richard Koch

Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy

T

he 80-20 principle was discovered by Pareto a couple of hundred years ago and it still applies-in fact it is more relevant than ever. The 80-20 rule is that 80 percent of your results will come from 20 percent of your effort. In managing your time this means about 80 percent of your achievements will come from 20 percent of your actions or 20 percent of your time. To implement the 80-20 principle STOP. STOP doing what you are doing now and ask, “Is this task in the 20 percent that gives 80 percent of the results?” If not DO NOT do it. Eliminate the 80 percent of “waste” and do the 20 percent.

T

o round out our 10 time management books we have included a short fun book. Brian Tracy gives us short simple and practical stories and ideas for improving productivity and time management (like how to eat that frog). It is a great time management tool you can refer to at anytime and get some practical suggestions, without having to read through a long book. One of our favorite tips is “before you eat the frog, set the table”-in other words get clear about want you really want BEFORE you start taking action.

Mind Gym - Give me time The Seven habits of Highly Effective People

by Stephen Covey

W

e think This is one of the best time management books because you can use as much or as little as you like AND all of the ideas and tips can help you save time. The book is well organized into sections and it starts with a great short chapter title “I don’t have time to read this book!” The best idea we got from this book was about how our personal style impacts on our time. The key concepts covered are: Your Relationship with Time, Do the right things, Take Command and Other People and Your Time.

T

his is one of our favorite time management books because it is about creating an on purpose life. This is not a quick fix-it is a way of life.

Adopting the Seven Habits, though challenging, will enrich your life and give you a sense of satisfaction, control and calmness. The key message on time management is spend time on proactive important tasks rather than being reactive.

Getting Things Done - GTD The Art of Stress Free Productivity by David Allen

T

his book and system has massive following. The subtle effectiveness of GTD lies in its common sense notion that a complete and current inventory of all your commitments, organized and reviewed in a systematic way allows you focus on what needs to be done at any given time. The step-by-step method includes, Capturing anything and everything that has your attention: Defining actionable things into outcomes and concrete next steps; Organizing reminders and information in categories; Keeping current with frequent reviews of the six horizons (purpose, vision, goals, areas of focus, projects, and actions).

The One Minute Manager Meets The Monkey

by Ken Blanchard

T

his is a great story about how most managers and supervisors operate and why they don’t have enough time.

Indirectly this is a book on time management because the outcome from using their suggestions about managing tasks and responsibilities means you will find you have lots more time! And the story behind “who’s got the monkey” is entertaining too!

Te c h n o l o g y FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Good gaming is a matter of control(ler)

A

good gamer needs to be able to do several things at once, which means a gamer is only as good as his or her controller. “At the top levels, we’ve registered 500 actions a minute,” says Ibrahim Mazari of Turtle Entertainment, a company that organizes gaming tournaments. Mazari has seen gamers get through games like Starcraft II by simply flooding their controller with clicks. But the strategy will only work if the gamer has the right controller.

That means a choice between mouse, keyboard or gamepad, to name a few options.

“Players all bring their own devices with them,” says Mazari.

That means the kind of controller matters. So does weight. That’s why some gamers have a mouse with a special opening they can use to load down or lighten the mouse. While that’s more fuss than the average gamer might need, it’s still important to find something that suits.

Ergonomics also shouldn’t be ignored, says Frank Stoewer of the German magazine PC Games Hardware. “The best mouse is no good to me if my hand hurts after using it for an hour.”

That means, where some get by just fine with small, flat devices, others want a bulky mouse. It’s always best to test one out before purchasing. The same applies to keyboards: if a player notices problems after a long gaming session, it might be best to consider one with a trackball controller. And there’s no need to pay a lot, say experts, especially not with off-the-shelf models.

“You can get three buttons and a clickwheel for 20 to 30 euros (25 to 38 dollars),” says Stoewer. But more buttons will mean more money: The same applies to keyboards. Versions that come with programmable buttons cost more, but are useful in role-playing games where a player might want to unleash a torrent of spells with the push of a button. Prices can also rise if controllers are made of special materials or are designed to be especially sensitive. Some gamers swear by mechanical keyboards.

Others say the devices make noise that distracts from the game.

Stoewer says more people are buying extremely sensitive mice. But not every player is well-served with those. “With

some of these, you touch the mouse once and then you’re at the other end of the screen.” Gamers also need to consider steering wheels or flightsticks, which can turn a desk into a cockpit. Stoewer says its best to spend a little more money on these and that such controllers should have force feedback. “That way the shaking of the controller can let you know you’re going around a curve,” he says.

Nonetheless, these are mostly for true purists. “A hardcore tennis player would buy himself a special tennis racket,” explains Anika von Ribbeck, who works for GAME, the German federal association of the computer gaming industry. Players should also consider gamepads, which they will likely have experienced if they play games on consoles like the XBox. “For quick reactions, gamepads are often better. For

long distances, go with a mouse,” says Stoewer. Mazari recommends checking out various versions before committing. Many PCs now support gamepads, especially for games that originated on consoles. Also consider the freeware programme Xpadder, which lets gamers come up with their own key array for a controller. — dpa

Custom-made or off-the-shelf: Your own homepage

L

ong gone are the days when one had to know programming to create a personalized webpage. Still, the more complicated you want your page, the longer the journey will be. Many do-ityourself websites have made it simple. It’s just a matter of picking a ready-made design, a basic structure and a colour before plopping in content and colours. Such options have also become relatively cheap.

“Everything runs itself,” promise providers. Indeed, it’s no longer necessary to know about source code or HTML. The providers even take care of security updates. It’s also affordable, with monthly costs generally ranging from 5 to 10

euros (6.50 to 13 dollars).

Advertising even allows some services to offer websites for free. “But this isn’t the way to go,” says web designer Patrick Dohmen. He believes people quickly reach their creative limits with the options on offer. People also make themselves dependent on the provider: If a user decides to swap services, he or she will likely have to recreate the whole website with the new provider.

“Toolbox systems are practically only useful if the homepage is only designed for a limited circle of friends,” says Dohmen. Of course, there are still things - especially small and medium projects - people can do with the toolkits. “But you

can’t really influence the structure and the layout,” says Dieter Dorth, who teaches web design in Germany. “You need that if you want to create a unique structure.”

More complex projects - like setting up an online shop - are nearly impossible with toolkits. That means anyone who wants to set himself apart from the masses with his webpage must consider other, more complicated options. Usually that means familiarizing oneself with HTML - hypertext markup language. Good HTML programming is time-consuming and can be expensive, says Dohmen. “But you also get better search engine results.”

Additionally, these sites are built more flexibly and are easier to

access on smartphones. WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) editors are another useful tool. These sometimes free editing programmes allow people to intuitively create a website inside a graphics programme. Whatever is designed in the site is eventually created online when the programme translates the image into source code.

But this can be a messy option, with images sometimes not working in certain browsers.

User friendliness is another option that needs to be considered, right along with appearance.

“Overloaded sites are often a reason users leave them immediately,” says Dohmen. “When you’re creating a site, less is more.” Also focus on

colours and how they work together. “Black text on a dark red background should be avoided,” says Dohmen.

Be sure to provide the necessary legal information required in the country where the website is created, warns German lawyer Udo Vetter. That usually means a link with the owner’s contact information. Also, be careful about borrowing logos or designs.

“It might look good, but it will lead to problems,” warns Vetter.

The same applies to images found online, since almost all pictures are copyright protected. Photo agencies routinely search the web to find violations. That means its best to use one’s own photos. — dpa

Lifestyle FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

A girl sits in front of a statue of Hindu deity Swet Bhairav as Nepalese Hindu and Buddhist devotees erect a wooden pole in front of the ancient Royal Palace on the first day of the Indra Jatra festival in Katmandu, Nepal, yesterday. The festival marks the end of the monsoon season. — AP

Nigeria’s Achebe returns with long-awaited memoir N

igeria’s Chinua Achebe, often called the father of modern African literature, and released his first major work in years yesterday with a long-awaited memoir centered on the war that nearly destroyed his nation. “There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra” chronicles Achebe’s experiences during Nigeria’s 1967-1970 civil war, which saw his native eastern region, dominated by the Igbo ethnic group, secede as the Republic of Biafra. The split came largely in response to massacres of Igbos in Nigeria’s north and saw Achebe, author of the revered novel “Things Fall Apart,” speak out forcefully in support of the move.

His memoir was released in Britain on Thursday and will be available in Nigeria shortly after, said publishers Allen Lane, a division of Penguin. Its release in the United States is set for October 11.

The tensions that ignited the Biafran conflict, which left around one million people dead, including many from starvation, are largely settled. Today, sporadic calls for greater Igbo autonomy have limited impact in Nigerian politics.

Experts, however, say a Biafra memoir from the 81-year-old Achebe is File photo shows Nigerian urgently needed in a country that writer Chinua Achebe smiling remains deeply fractured on other during a welcoming ceremony levels, despie the book’s focus on upon his return to Nigeria for events that happened more than the first time in 10 years. — AFP four decades ago. “Achebe is sustaining the debate on integration, on unity and on oneness,” said Dapo Thomas, a history professor at Lagos State University. “Until there is a sovereign agreement from the peasants to the elite that we want to remain as one, we must continue that debate. A nation cannot remain comatose while these issues are unresolved.” Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with 160 million people, groups around 250 ethnic groups and is roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south. Though speculation persists over whether the country will eventually break up, many say such predictions are overblown. Yet fault lines

remain, notably between the north and south, a division that has had immeasurable impact on Nigeria since independence in 1960. Religiously and ethnically divided communities in the so-called “Middle Belt” in the country’s centre have seen waves of clashes that have killed thousands in recent years.

‘Failure of leadership’ Beyond that, Islamist group Boko Haram is blamed for killing more than 1,400 people since 2010 in an insurgency which it says is aimed at restoring an Islamic state in the north and stripping power from the secular government. During the Biafra war, “what we are finding is a new nation going through the pangs of nationhood,” said the writer and literature professor A E Eruvbetine. “The truth is, in Nigeria here we are still going through the trauma of trying to forge a nation.” Achebe strongly backed his native Biafra in the civil war and even toured to speak on its behalf. Echoes of the conflict emerge in his writing, including his collection “Christmas in Biafra and Other Poems.” The octogenarian remains a towering figure in Nigerian and African literature, though he has been based in the United States in recent years where he has been a professor at Brown University in Rhode Island. He travels infrequently due to a 1990 car accident that left him in a wheelchair. Achebe’s novel “Things Fall Apart”, about the collision between British colonial rule and Igbo society, remains a landmark work 54 years after its release.

“Just as we read Shakespeare, it’s not possible for any student in this department to graduate without reading the works of Chinua Achebe,” said the head of the English department at the University of Lagos, Adeyemi Daramola. Earlier in his career, Achebe fiercely criticised Nigerian leaders, notably in his widely read 1983 essay “The Trouble With Nigeria”, whose first sentence is still often cited here. “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership,” it reads.

Achebe has limited such commentary in recent years, unlike his great Nigerian literary rival Wole Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel prize for literature, who has stayed on the political front line throughout his career.

However, during January protests over a fuel price hike, Achebe issued “A Statement of Solidarity with the Nigerian People” that gained attention back home. His legacy is secure in Nigeria but his absence has been felt, said Daramola. “For Achebe to have been away for so long, we have indeed missed him.” — AFP

Phoenix filmmaker jailed in grenade launcher hoax

A

Phoenix man has been accused of dressing his 16-yearold nephew in a sheet and sending him into a busy street with a fake grenade launcher, then filming the masked teenager pointing the faux weapon at passing cars.

Authorities said it was all to see how fast city police would react to a mock terrorist act. Michael D Turley was arrested Monday, nearly two months after the bizarre film was posted to YouTube. He posted $5,000 bond and was released.

In the film, the narrator who police identified as Turley, said he wanted to see how long it took authorities to respond.

The introduction to the video mentions the July 20 theater shooting in Aurora, Colo, that killed 12. “Given this event, I wanted to run a little test here in Phoenix, Arizona,” Turley said. “I want to find out how safe I really am, and I want to know the response time of the Phoenix police department.”

The YouTube clip showed the masked teen marching back and forth at an intersection with the rocket-propelled grenade launcher on his shoulder.

The first officer found Turley and the teen in a neighborhood, standing in Turley’s driveway. The officer calmly told the boy to put down the weapon and Turley to put down the camera. He didn’t draw his gun. Officer James Holmes, a police spokesman, said Turley told the officer they were just filming a movie, and the officer took down their names and left. After interviewing people who called 911 and later seeing the video posted on YouTube, police arrested Turley. “It surprised us that he actually put that video on YouTube,” Holmes said. The police response took just over three minutes from the first call, and a helicopter and SWAT team was dispatched as backup, Holmes said.

Turley, 39, doesn’t have a listed phone number. He didn’t immediately respond to messages sent Wednesday through the YouTube account. Police said Turley was charged with creating a false impression of a terrorist act, endangerment, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and misconduct involving simulated explosives. Holmes said police are recommending charges of endangerment and knowingly giving a false impression of a terrorist act for a juvenile court to decide whether to file against the teen, whose name was not released because he is a minor. — AP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Jay-Z: Bringing Nets to Brooklyn an American dream

J

ay-Z has accomplished a lot in his career, but his latest feat has him feeling that like he’s living the American dream. The 42-year-old music mogul and entrepreneur says when he was a poor kid in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, he never imagined that he’d someday own a basketball team. Now Jay is part owner of the Brooklyn Nets and instrumental in moving the franchise from New Jersey. He feels his rags-to-riches story embodies all that is possible in America. “Yeah I think I’m the American dream,” Jay-Z said. “That whole thing that you could come here and pull yourself up by the bootstraps, like that whole thing what America has always put up to the world that we represent. I feel that. Yes, I’ve lived that.”

Jay-Z made the comments at the

launch party for the upcoming NBA 2K13 video game, where he acted as the game’s executive producer. As a child, he says, he dreamed of glory on the basketball court. “You know the three-twoone, oh, he hits the winning shot,” Jay-Z said. “But no one was ever on the court saying I was gonna own the Knicks. Yes, it’s way beyond any of my wildest dreams.”Now as part owner of the Nets, he’s even designed the team’s black and white logo. Brooklyn has not had a professional sports team since the Brooklyn Dodgers left for Los Angeles after the 1957 baseball season.

Rapper Bow Wow, who appears in the video game, says he’s always looked up to Jay-Z, but the move to bring the Nets to Brooklyn immortalizes him. “I think that’s the biggest inspirational thing for any kid growing up in any

ghetto and any suburb, and you can do whatever you want to do as long as you put your mind to it. That’s a great man to follow, right there,” Bow Wow said.

As for his success with music, fashion with his brand Rocawear and now a video game, Jay says his creativity is all over the place. “When you’re an artist, you can see greatness in all things, and you say, man, I wonder if I can try and tinker with that and maybe if we put the music into (NBA)2K and bring those two cultures” together, Jay Z-said. They “were cousins already, so why not bring the family together and let them sit at the same table?” The Brooklyn Nets will play in the newly built Barclays Center.

But before his new team takes the court for the first time, the rapper will christen the new arena with an eight-show run beginning Friday. — AP

File photo shows Jay-Z attending the groundbreaking ceremony for the Barclays Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York, new home to the Brooklyn Nets NBA basketball team. —AP

Bieber mourns cancer death of six-year-old ‘wife’ T

Rapper Lil Wayne performs before accepting the Best Rap Solo Performance award during the 51st annual Grammy awards held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in this February 8, 2009 file photo. — AFP

Wayne tops

een idol Justin Bieber on Wednesday mourned the death of a six-year-old cancer patient who snagged his heart after she became his make-believe wife.

“One of the greatest spirits I have ever known is gone... RIP Avalanna.

I love you,” said Bieber on his Twitter account after the family of Avalanna Routh announced her passing on the microblogging site.

Routh, a native of Merrimac, Massachusetts, was nine months old when she was diagnosed with atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor, or AT/RT, a rare brain disorder that usually kills its victims within a year.

Doctors at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, using a multi-prong therapy regimen that

in some cases has overcome the tumor, succeeded in prolonging the child’s life. In August 2011, the hospital staged a pretend wedding at which Routh, a passionate Bieber fan, became “Mrs Bieber.”

Six months later, after a Facebook campaign, Bieber invited her to New York to spend Valentine’s Day with him. She said afterwards how she and her “husband” ate cupcakes and played Candy Land, a children’s board game, leaving her parents with the more grown-up task of raising public awareness of her disease. Only about 30 new cases of AT/RT are diagnosed in the United States every year.

Patients have a survival rate of just 10 percent. — AFP

File photo provided by the Dana Farber Cancer Institute shows Avalanna Roth at the Boston hospital. — AP

Presley’s Billboard record

L

il Wayne is not only making rap history, he’s rock ‘n roll history: the rapper has surpassed Elvis Presley as the leading male with the most entries on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Lil Wayne now has 109 songs on that chart with the debut of Game’s song “Celebration,” where he is a guest alongside Chris Brown, Tyga and Wiz Khalifa. Of his 109 charted songs, only 42 are led by Lil Wayne; 67 are songs where he is the featured act.

Elvis Presley totaled 108 songs on the Hot 100 since it launched in 1958. Presley’s career kicked off before that and several of his songs - like “Heartbreak Hotel” - could not be included in his total number. The “Glee” cast has the most Hot 100 entries with 204. —AP

Canadian singer, Justin Bieber, performs at an exclusive acoustic concert in Frankfurt, central Germany. —AP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

It’s a

boy-girl thing at Paris fashion shows

T

artan checks, boxy shorts and perfecto jackets met sheer silks and fluid silhouettes in Paris on Wednesday as designers played a boy-girl game with their looks for next spring. The Belgian Dries Van Noten, who drew a glitterati crowd as the first big name of the nine-day Paris fashion shows, returned to his favoured masculine-feminine hunting ground, but with a tartan twist.

Models wear creations by Belgian fashion designer Dries van Noten for the fashion house’s Spring Summer 2013 ready to wear collection, for Fashion Week, in Paris, Wednesday. — AP/AFP photos

“It’s more masculine, more couture and more grunge,” the designer told AFP backstage after the show. “Ultrafeminine couture and masculine grunge.”

Lumberjack checks formed the backbone of the collection, with a shiny silver tartan spelled out on a pencil skirt, boxy shorts or a waistcoat. Van Noten confidently matched tartan checks of different hues or textures, like thick white and blue on the pants and sheer red and blue for the blouse. And the designer paired tartan with delicate Japaneseinspired floral prints, like on a lightas-air spaghetti-strap dress, with wine red check at the front and pale turquoise print at the back.

Billowing floor-length capes in floral-print sheer silk were laid over tartan pants and long-sleeved blouses, glimpsed in transparency beneath. Or the designer cut the sleeves and back of a navy blue coat from sheer red-and-blue tartan silk.

The French designer Alexis Mabille also played on the masculine and feminine-but here the look was more “boyfriend”, with outsized shirts cinched at the waist to accentuate the silhouette. Checks also defined the collection, but this time it was gingham, in pale pink, blue or black, cut into blouses, skirts, drawstringwaisted dresses or pants-and paired with clumpy black boots for a slightly punky look.

The Croatian-born Damir Doma also played on a-hers register, pairing fluid silks with military-inspired coats and perfecto detailing. Many

pieces like boxy, wide bermuda pants in buttery tan leather, with matching sleeveless tunic, modeled with hands thrust into deep pockets.

A pair of black shorts and wraparound jacket offered a rich contrast of textures, with backs in mat, papery silk, and fronts in lustrous leather, while desert pants in billowing blue silk were paired with a structured white jacket. Yet others were sweetly feminine, like wispy little silk dresses circled by wide belts beneath the ribs, or a flimsy short white skirt with thicker folds wrapping apron-like round each side to the front.

“I wanted a collection full of power,” the designer, better known for loose, flowing silhouettes, explained backstage. “This season is a very urban person, a very confident, precise and structured human.” The German-raised, Paris-based designer, who just opened his first own-name store in the capital, edited his palette right down, working with blacks, navies and white, lifted by panes of olive, splashes of turquoise, sapphire and rust. On Tuesday the Paris-based South Korean Moon Young Heewhose familiar register is ultra-feminine-also sent out a delicate look built on contrasts of masculine and feminine, opaque and sheer, structured and draped fabrics. These ranged from a charcoal grey suit in wide pin-stripe, boxy wide skirt slashed high up the back, to dresses and tunics in linen and organza, demure necklines and skirts at mid calf, modeled above flat black patent lace-ups. —AFP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

High drama from Britain’s Gareth Pugh at

Paris

fashion

Models present creations by Gareth Pugh during the Spring/Summer 2013 ready-to-wear collection show. —AP/AFP

B

lack veils, cock fighting, a soaring a capella soundtrack and torrents of rain beating on the roof: the mood could hardly have been more dramatic at Gareth Pugh’s Paris fashion show Wednesday. The British designer said he drew inspiration from the worlds of flamenco and cockfighting for his latest spring look, built around a sober palette of black, white, ice blue and blood red. “It was about a hard femininity. Something quite beautiful,” he explained backstage, with little spurs on the model’s shoes meant to suggest the intensity of fighting birds “circling each other before they pounce”.

Leather capes and jackets opened the show, with high, formed shoulders, folded mantilla-like around the neck, worn over black leather pants-and under black face veils. There followed a series of dresses and pantsuits in cream, red or black silk, with unhemmed lengths of silk wrapped around the neck or draped at the shoulders. Silhouettes

were contoured at the waist, with flared forearms that suggested the folds of a gypsy skirt.

A high-necked blood-red suede dress, cut on the knee, had fine fringes draped all across its back. And another showstopper, also blood red, paired slender pants with a dramatic flounced blouse, and a jacket whose sleeves joined at the back to form a cape. For his soundtrack, Pugh went for the jugular with an a capella rendition of the Spanish song “Llorando”-made famous in David Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive”. So when the rain started pounding deafeningly on the glass roof above, the added drama fitted the mood so perfectly, many in the crowd assumed it was part of the show. — AFP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Models present creations by Manish Arora during the Spring/Summer 2013 ready-towear collection.

Lady Gaga sends Paris new rap song

L

ady Gaga has sent a musical message to the Paris fashion crowd on Wednesday night, giving a preview of her first rap song at the Mugler show by Nicola Formichetti, who is also her personal stylist.

Entitled “Cake”, the track-on which the diva’s voice is barely recognizable-has been doing the rounds on the Internet for the past 10 days, but the star had yet to acknowledge it

as her own. The song’s highly offensive lyrics led Slate.com to write last week that it hoped Gaga-if confirmed as the author-was acting tongue-in-cheek, in order “to highlight the awfulness of certain rap lyrics.”

Gaga was in Paris last week for her first concert in the country but was not at the late-night Mugler show-she was performing in Zurich at the time. For his new spring-sum-

mer collection, Formichetti sent out “chic and fearless” women, their adventurer’s wardrobe inspired by the humid rainforests of Asia or Latin America.

Ultra-short dresses, in ochre or burnt sienna, paired built-up shoulders with elaborate pleats on the skirt, taking turns with second skin black pants worn above towering reptile sandals. — AFP

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Al-Madena Al-Shohada’a Al-Shuwaikh Al-Nuzha Sabhan Al-Helaly Al-Fayhaa Al-Farwaniya Al-Sulaibikhat Al-Fahaheel Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh Ahmadi Al-Mangaf Al-Shuaiba Al-Jahra Al-Salmiya

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(C 4148) 25-9-2012 Single room accommodation for 2 Keralite bachelors (nonsmoking) in CAC flat (single tenant occupies portioned hall) at Abbassiya opposite to Jas Cargo (opposite side of police station), reasonable rent. Call 66349475. (C 4176) 23-9-2012

SITUATION WANTED 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 salary, transferable visa 18 (license with pick up permit). Call 97970965. (C 4150) 25-9-2012 Australian Project 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 SITUATION VACANT House driver needed, preferably Philippine nationality,

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Pets FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Animal trainer from Gatorland, Chris Sears, puts alligators into the aquarium. — MCT

See ya later, alligator!

Doctor’s office gets young gators as waiting-room pets

lligators have been calling Florida home since before the first humans arrived, but lately they’re expanding their range into some unlikely places - such as the waiting room of a doctor’s office. The wranglers at Gatorland are branching out, offering to install and maintain glass tanks with young, footlong gators for businesses and homeowners. For the past several years, the vintage tourist attraction near Kissimmee has provided the gators living in the elaborate atrium of Gaylord Palms Resort. Since last year, Angel’s Lobster and Seafood Buffet in Kissimmee has had six of the reptiles in a 120-gallon tank.

But the newest - and perhaps most unusual - gator habitat is at Dr James Scelfo’s Windermere medical practice.

Scelfo grew up in southern Louisiana and fondly remembers having a pet gator as a boy. He mentioned the idea of having a gator to his wife, who - perhaps with the couple’s three young children in mind - was unenthusiastic.

“She put her foot down because she obviously has some sense,” Scelfo said. There was also red tape to consider. “The laws for exotic pets are much more stringent in Florida than they were 40 years ago on the bayou in Louisiana,” Scelfo discovered. The dream of having a pet gator was on hold until Scelfo, 41, started planning the expansion of his Personalized Primary Care practice from Celebration to Windermere. His wife suggested having Gatorland provide some reptiles for the office.

“I thought it’d be really cool,” Scelfo said. “The gators reflect my roots, and it’s a conversation piece.” Once the permitting paperwork is finished, Scelfo’s office lobby will be home to four juvenile gators. A Gatorland staffer will come by to feed the reptiles and maintain the tank once a week.

A

The rest of the time, they’ll be safely behind glass.

Gatorland owns the gators and handles the permits.

Scelfo pays $50 a week to enjoy his four new office-mates.

Chris Sears, who is in charge of off-property shows for Gatorland, brought the footlong gators by the office last week to check out their future home, and he brought a larger gator cousin along for the ride.

Helen Sing dropped by for an appointment Thursday afternoon - and stopped dead in her tracks on seeing the four young gators in their new home by the front door. “I like it a lot,” she said, after getting over the surprise. The gators will provide a welcome distraction for patients awaiting their appointments, she said, and they’ll keep kids occupied, too.

“It’s fascinating to see them up close,” she added, after checking out the 75-gallon tank. When complete, it will remain locked except when Gatorland personnel are on hand. In addition to feeding and caring for the gators, Gatorland will switch them out when they outgrow their tanks. Although gators can grow to more than 10 feet long, this crew will be replaced with new youngsters within a year.

The park also deals with state inspections and will be on call in case of emergency, even swinging by to retrieve the reptiles if a hurricane threatens.

Sears said hotels, schools and even homes could someday be mini-gator sanctuaries. “Hopefully, this is something we’ll be able to mainstream shortly.” For Scelfo, the return of college-football season gives an extra reason to be excited about the arrival of his new tenants.

“I’m an LSU fan, and I have to put up with Florida Gator fans all the time,” he said. “And now I’ve got gators in my tank under my control.”— MCT

Animal trainer from Gatorland, Chris Sears, holds an alligator at Personalized Primary Care in Orlando, Florida.— MCT

Stars

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Aries (March 21-April 19) An opportunity comes up now to pull in some extra funds. It could be that a little overtime will be quite welcomed. The energies are strong for you to bring in a little extra money.

Publishing, teaching, travel, foreign trade, law, hospitals or churches are in need of your services and when you are not working in your regular job, you have options. New appliances at home or machinery at work can make life easier and ease your workload. This is a good time to join a professional or union association. You can join a medical or health care plan, find a new doctor, lawyer or accountant, improve your diet and provide yourself with a better wardrobe. Avoid laziness and get busy with some of those unfinished chores you promised to complete.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You may want to improve or remake the power structure and strategies of your business or profession. You could find an increased dealing with corporate business and matters related to joint finances, corporate money and shares, insurance, pensions and taxes.

Through hard work and prudent organization, you will gradually build up your professional status as well as your savings and wealth. For the next few weeks you may look for times of privacy for the purpose of introspection, meditation and tapping the subconscious mind. You may be concerned with psychology and be more sympathetic toward those in need. You and your family may soon be involved in some important volunteer work. This is a great way to grow in spirit.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Important issues concerning the public may become of interest to you. During the noon break you and your coworkers may decide to do some type of charity work and take that responsibility on as a group of you are deeply impressed with the positive outcome. Your company may be likely to get written about in the local paper; smile. New projects and a little distraction from the usual may be presented to you today. Some of those projects could be product safety, new ways to recycle. Your hobby gets a lot of attention this afternoon and you may discover ways to trade or sell some of your items in order to add to your collection later. You might want to consider exhibiting your hobby. Think about settling any outstanding debts soon.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) With honesty and integrity, you can enjoy your responsibilities. Carrying out your responsibilities just gets you closer to your goals. You could find that there are opportunities opening up to move into a place that will benefit you highly. This could be a new office or a new position. Whatever the case, you will be catching a glimpse of future events today and for a reason . . . make sure what you say yes to, is something you really want. You feel optimistic, tolerant and secure. There is a renewal to your sense of optimism and spiritual growth. You can release the old thinking and discover hidden truths and wisdom. Family and domestic conditions improve. You can relax this evening—clear your mind.

Leo (July 23-August 22) There is a treasure trove of information available for you today, more than usual. If you work at a desk you will appreciate a new system or program to learn. If you are in charge of young people, you will find a whole new and easy way of teaching opening up for you. Perhaps your thing is the world of design and a new avenue opens up for sales or delivery or patterns. To get to the point is not easy here as you are a talented person. Suffice it to say, fun, intrigue and treasures come to you today. You may begin to develop an interest in artistic, musical, psychological, therapeutic or mystical fields. Using what comes to you today in the best way possible is where an extraordinary healing will take place. You may devote time to serve a higher purpose or ideal.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You have an increased concentration and perception into the motives of others. The time is favorable for any research or for revealing hidden factors. If there are secret manipulations or conspiracies, they can surface where you can gain control.

Older people and those in positions of power tend to give you their approval and trust. Your straightforward approach is appreciated and people learn to trust you. Your attitude is positive and you may be asked why and your response is usually why not. In addition, you will be looking forward to new relationships. Although you are tolerant of others’ viewpoints, you do not let them invade your space. In fact, you will tend to let everyone know your limits so that you are not stressed.

Libra (September 23-October 22) This can be a day of improved communication with friends, groups and organizations. Your interest turns toward scientific and humanitarian thoughts. Research and study is important now. You may give or receive advice and you may have sudden intuitive ideas. Your personal charm increases. You tend to take more initiative in teamwork. You are more apt to give attention to improving your personal appearance—a new hairstyle, perhaps. 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. You are more energetic and competitive now. You have plenty of initiative to put your plans into action.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You have increased concentration and perception into the motives of others. The time is favorable for any research or for revealing hidden factors. If there are secret manipulations or conspiracies, they can surface where you can gain control.

Older people and those in position of power tend to give you their approval and trust. This afternoon can be a relaxed time of imaginative meditation, healing and spiritual inspiration. You feel optimistic and hospitable—able to help those less fortunate. It is a favorable time for a vacation, a religious pilgrimage, artistic pursuits and cultural or educational improvement. Pay debts and invest in your future. This weekend would be a good weekend for a garage sale; plan ahead.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) If you are working on a report for the workplace, take it easy. Plan to dedicate just a certain amount of hours to the project; perhaps you can work in the library later this afternoon; you will be undisturbed. You begin an interest in novel forms of art and architecture. It may be possible that a return to some formal education, particularly where your talents are concerned, would be a wise thing to do. This day should end pleasantly for you. You can rest assured your report, speech, lecture, etc., is going to be well received.

You can expand your enjoyment of life with a bit of recreation, entertainment or creative pursuits. You may decide to bicycle ride through the neighborhood. There are opportunities for romance this evening— someone with like interests.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You are diplomatic in a group gathering or meeting today. It is your words of wisdom that help solve difficulties, be they disputes or missed orders, you seem to know what to say and what to do and this is the day to come to the aid of the confused.

Professional dealings may seem unsuccessful but do not push any particular issue, program, project or product just now . . . you will see success soon. Your access to ideas, information, goods and services improves. The time is favorable for study, teaching, lecturing, writing and publishing. If you have always wanted to write a book, you might think seriously on the amusement that life situations birth. Avoid intellectual prejudices concerning personal religious, philosophical, cultural or educational views.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) At work and home, you can be quite innovative—if there is a problem, you find the answer. You will find more ways to make your creativity and inventiveness work for you. During a lunch break you can do a little research on a new project, perhaps on how to insulate your home better or to spiff up a room. Friends may have ideas but your best research will come at the bookstore, as there are some creative and fun ways to improve and update your surroundings without having to make a big move. Adding a room or creating new shelving for the garage is also a smart thing to do. No matter your gender, this undertaking is something you will want to brag about for some time to come. Try to use what you have without spending too much money.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) As you develop more patience, persistence, skill, efficiency and organization in your work, you will find opportunities to advance. This next weekend would be a good time to build up your clothing attire. There are plenty of opportunities in real estate, farming, building and domestic or consumer products and services.

Participating in community religious, educational or cultural gatherings can be very rewarding. You can easily expand your home environment and enlarge your family circle. You may entertain friends often or conduct business from the home. You are interested in improving your living conditions soon. It will soon be a good time to move to a bigger house, make additions or improvements to your living quarters or buy new furniture.

COUNTRY CODES Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African Republic 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands)0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062 Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686

Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland)0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK)0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677 Somalia 00252 South Africa 0027 South Korea 0082 Spain 0034 Sri Lanka 0094 Sudan 00249 Suriname 00597 Swaziland 00268 Sweden 0046 Switzerland 0041 Syria 00963 Taiwan 00886 Tanzania 00255 Thailand 0066 Toga 00228 Tonga 00676 Tokelau 00690 Trinidad 001868 Tunisia 00216 Turkey 0090 Tuvalu 00688 Uganda 00256 Ukraine 00380 United Arab Emirates00976

Stars

C R O S S W O R D

8 1 0

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Yesterday始s Solution

ACROSS 1. Characteristic of a mob.

4. A member of a people inhabiting the Arctic (northern Canada or Greenland or Alaska or eastern Siberia).

10. A gonadotropic hormone that is secreted by the anterior pituitary and stimulates growth of Graafian follicles in female mammals, and activates sperm-forming cells in male mammals.

13. Any of various primates with short tails or no tail at all.

14. A baseball deliberately thrown at the batter's head.

15. A hospital unit staffed and equipped to provide intensive care.

16. Having leadership guidance.

17. The fifth month of the Hindu calendar.

19. A fraudulent business scheme.

21. (British) A waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric.

22. (of a young animal) Abandoned by its mother and raised by hand.

23. A virtually extinct Caucasian language spoken exclusively in Turkey.

26. Make amendments to.

29. The branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively.

30. An acute but unspecific feeling of anxiety.

34. A pilgrimage to Mecca.

36. An enclosed space.

38. An association of countries in the western hemisphere.

39. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

42. A member of an agricultural people of southern India.

43. (astronomy) The angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing.

44. A living organism characterized by voluntary movement.

46. A stiff straw hat with a flat crown.

47. Open-heart surgery in which the rib cage is opened and a section of a blood vessel is grafted from the aorta to the coronary artery to bypass the blocked section of the coronary artery and improve the blood supply to the heart.

49. United States writer of poems and plays about racial conflict (born in 1934).

57. Jordan's port.

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

61. Psychoactive substance present in marijuana.

62. The 3 goddesses of fate or destiny.

64. The United Nations agency concerned with international maritime activities.

65. Grass mowed and cured for use as fodder.

66. Naked freshwater or marine or parasitic protozoa that form temporary pseudopods for feeding and locomotion.

67. The compass point that is one point west of due north.

DOWN 1. A master's degree in library science.

2. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

3. English monk and scholar (672-735).

4. The compass point that is one point south of due east.

5. Morally degraded.

6. New Zealand timber tree resembling the cypress.

7. A genus of Nymphalidae.

8. The force of workers available.

9. A state in northwestern United States on the Pacific.

10. A tax on employees and employers that is used to fund the Social Security system.

11. Any of a number of fishes of the family Carangidae.

12. Unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or

scope.

18. The act of scanning.

20. Tough Asiatic grass whose culms are used for ropes and baskets.

24. A bachelor's degree in religion.

25. Tropical American tree producing cacao beans.

27. Produced by a manufacturing process.

28. Tropical starchy tuberous root.

31. Any of numerous agile ruminants related to sheep but having a beard and straight horns.

32. Having wisdom that comes with age and experience.

33. A male monarch or emperor (especially of Russia prior to 1917).

35. Date used in reckoning dates before the supposed year Christ was born.

37. A French abbot.

40. A member of an Indian people formerly living along the Gulf coast of Louisiana and Texas.

41. A graphical recording of the cardiac cycle produced by an electrocardiograph.

43. Fallow deer.

45. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

48. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

50. A Loloish language.

51. Full of zest or vigor.

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

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

54. Characteristic of false pride.

55. A metrical unit with unstressed-stressed syllables.

56. Beside one another in a row or rank.

58. In favor of (an action or proposal etc.).

59. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

63. Before noon.

Yesterday始s Solution

Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Brewers thrash Reds Tigers maul Royals DETROIT: Jhonny Peralta brought home the go-ahead run when Andy Dirks’ hard slide broke up a potential inning-ending double play in the eighth inning and the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 Wednesday night.

Triple Crown candidate Miguel Cabrera was robbed of a tiebreaking homer in the fifth inning by Alex Gordon’s catch above the left-field wall. Detroit, which started the day tied with the Chicago White Sox atop the AL Central for the first time since Sept. 2, found a way to break through the eighth, though.

Delmon Young hit an infield single with one out in the eighth off Kelvin Herrera (4-3) and was replaced by Kelly, who stole second base and took third on Dirks’ single. Alex Avila hit a two-run homer and Austin Jackson had a solo shot in the fourth inning to tie the game. Luis Marte got two outs in the fifth and Al Alburquerque gave up only one hit over 2 1-3 innings. Joaquin Benoit (4-3) allowed one hit in the eighth. Jose Valverde closed the game for his 32nd save in 37 chances.

Orioles 12, Blue Jays 2 In Baltimore, Chris Davis and Manny Machado each connected twice and the Baltimore Orioles tied a team record with seven home runs and stayed within 11/2 games of the AL East lead.

The Orioles ended a two-game losing skid against the Blue Jays and remained close to the division-leading New York Yankees, who won 8-2 in Minnesota. Nate McLouth hit a leadoff shot in the first inning and Jim Thome and Mark Reynolds also homered. Baltimore has hit seven home runs three times, most recently on Aug. 26, 1985. Davis finished with a careerhigh five RBIs. Davis’ three-run drive gave the Orioles a five-run inning and finished Carlos Villanueva (7-7). Miguel Gonzalez (8-4) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings. He allowed Edwin Encarnacion’s 42nd home run with two outs in the top of the first.

Indians 6, White Sox 4 In Chicago, the slumping Chicago White Sox fell out of the AL Central lead for the first time in two months, walking 12 batters in a loss to Cleveland.

Chicago, which has lost seven of eight, had been in sole possession or tied at the top every day since July 24. But Detroit moved ahead by a game, beating Kansas City 5-4 with a week left in the regular season. The White Sox have lost 7 of their last 8 and have seven games remaining - four at home against Tampa Bay and three at Cleveland next week. They’ll need to regroup in a hurry.

Shin-Soo Choo had a go-ahead RBI grounder in the seventh off Matt Thornton (4-9) and Vinny Rottino hit his first homer for Cleveland in the eighth off Brett Myers.

The Indians - who are 21-50 since the AllStar break - won two of three at U.S. Cellular Field. Tony Sipp (1-2) pitched onethird of an inning for the win and Chris Perez finished in the ninth for his 38th save in 42 chances. He issued the Indians’ sixth walk of the game and after a throwing error by shortstop Brent Lillibridge, he retired Paul Konerko on a fly to shallow left to end it.

DETROIT: Tigers’ Andy Dirks makes Kansas City Royals second baseman Irving Falu jump after tagging second base on a Detroit Tigers’Jhonny Peralta fielder’s choice in the eighth inning.—AP Rays 4, Red Sox 2 In Boston, Carlos Pena and Ben Francisco hit back-to-back, tape-measure homers in the fifth inning on Wednesday night to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to their seventh consecutive victory, 4-2 over the Boston Red Sox. The Rays remained 3 1-2 games behind Baltimore for second place in the AL East. Tampa Bay began the day three games behind Oakland for the second wild-card spot. It was the final home game of the season for the Red Sox, and perhaps the last at Fenway Park for Boston manager Bobby Valentine. Hired to inspire a fractious clubhouse after the team went 7-20 last September under Terry Francona, Valentine instead presided over what could be the worst Red Sox team since 1965. Alex Cobb (10-9) allowed one run on three hits and a walk, striking out five in five innings as the Rays matched their longest winning streak of the season.

Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 45th save in 47 chances.

Jon Lester (9-14) gave up three runs on four hits and a walk, striking out five in six innings. He didn’t allow a hit until Jeff Keppinger singled to left with one out in the fifth, then he gave up back-to-back home runs.

Yankees 8, Twins 2 In Minneapolis, CC Sabathia struck out 10 batters over eight innings and New York beat remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Baltimore in the AL East.

The Orioles beat Toronto 12-2 on Wednesday night. The Yankees visit the Blue Jays for four games starting Thursday.

Baltimore, after an off day, plays Boston at home this weekend. Sabathia (14-6) threw 89 of his 118 pitches for strikes. Robinson Cano hit a two-run double and Curtis Granderson added a two-run triple during a six-run third inning against Brian Duensing (4-11), and Sabathia took care of the rest. The burly lefty gave up six hits, two runs and one walk.

CINCINNATI: Ryan Braun hit his NL-leading 41st home run on Wednesday night, and Milwaukee kept its wildcard chances flickering with an 8-1 victory over Cincinnati. Milwaukee moved within 3 1-2 games of St. Louis for the final NL wild-card spot, a long shot that left them with no margin for error. The Cardinals lost 2-0 to Houston. Shaun Marcum (6-4) went six innings for his first victory since returning from an elbow problem, allowing four hits, including Joey Votto’s RBI double. Norichika Aoki homered to start a three-run third inning off Bronson Arroyo (12-9) and added an RBI double. Braun, the NL’s MVP last season as the Brewers won the NL Central, hit a two-run shot in the seventh off Logan Ondrusek.

Jonathan Lucroy also homered and had three hits.

The Reds played all of their healthy regulars even though they have clinched the NL Central.

Braves 3, Marlins 0 In Atlanta, Martin Prado homered and Paul Maholm combined with three relievers on a six-hitter as Atlanta showed no hangover from their champagne celebration after clinching an NL wild-card spot the night before. The Braves remained four games behind first-place Washington in the NL East. The Nationals beat the Phillies, 8-4. Prado hit a first-inning homer off Josh Johnson (8-14) and drove in Jose Constanza with a third-inning single. The Braves had only four hits. Miami has lost six straight and eight of nine. Maholm (13-10) earned only his second win in his last seven starts. The left-hander gave up five hits with no walks and six strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings. Chad Durbin recorded the final out in the seventh. Eric O’Flaherty pitched the eighth. Craig Kimbrel earned his 40th save, matching Jason Motte for the NL lead, with a perfect ninth inning. Johnson allowed three runs, two earned, four hits and five walks in six innings.

Nationals 8, Phillies 4 In Philadelphia, Bryce Harper hit his 20th homer, Ian Desmond and Kurt Suzuki also connected and Washington moved closer toward winning its first division title since moving to Washington.

The 19-year-old Harper joined Tony Conigliaro as the only teenagers to reach 20 homers in big league history. The Nationals reduced their magic number in the NL East to four, holding a four-game lead over Atlanta, which beat Miami 3-0, with seven remaining.

John Lannan (4-0) gave up two runs and five hits in 5 1-3 innings to win his second start since taking Stephen Strasburg’s spot in the rotation. Strasburg,

the All-Star righty, was shut down after reaching his innings limit. The Phillies, who closed within three games of St. Louis for the NL’s second wild-card spot following a late push, are on the verge of elimination.

The five-time defending NL East champions are 51/2 games behind the Cardinals. Kyle Kendrick (10-12) got roughed up, allowing five runs and five hits in twoplus innings. Jimmy Rollins hit a solo homer, his teamleading 23rd, to snap an 0-for-19 slump.

Dodgers 8, Padres 2 In San Diego, Matt Kemp had four hits, falling a triple shy of the cycle, and four RBIs as Los Angeles used a rare offensive outburst to keep its slim playoff hopes alive. Los Angeles, which has scuffled for the better part of a month, remained tied with Milwaukee, 4 1/2 games behind St. Louis for the second NL wildcard berth. Kemp singled and scored in the first inning, hit a two-run double in the fourth and drove a two-run homer well over the fence in center in the sixth, his 20th. His four hits and four RBIs tied his season highs. In 17 games against San Diego this year, he’s hitting .407 with seven homers and 19 RBIs. The Dodgers won for just the 13th time in 33 games since Aug. 19, the last time they were in first place in the NL West. Aaron Harang (10-10), San Diego’s opening day starter in 2011, held San Diego to four singles in 5 1-3 innings, walked four and struck out three.

Mets 6, Pirates 0 In New York, David Wright broke the Mets’ record for hits and Jeremy Hefner bounced back from a horrendous start in a victory that eliminated Pittsburgh from playoff contention.

Ruben Tejada tied a career high with four hits, including two RBI singles, and Scott Hairston doubled home a run as the Mets took advantage of some shoddy Pittsburgh defense to win for the fifth time in six games. Jeff Locke (0-3), still searching for his first major league win after nine starts, was chased in the fourth inning. Tied for the NL Central lead a week after the All-Star game, the Pirates have faded quickly in the second half for the second consecutive year. They have dropped 19 of 25 and must go 5-2 the rest of the way to avoid a 20th straight losing season.

Wright reached on an infield single during a fourrun third inning for his 1,419th hit, snapping a tie with Ed Kranepool atop the team’s career list. A six-time All-Star, Wright accomplished the feat in 1,256 games from 2004-12. Kranepool played in 1,853 games from 1962-79.—AP

MLB results/standings NY Yankees 8, Minnesota 2; LA Dodgers 8, San Diego 2; Baltimore 12, Toronto 2; Detroit 5, Kansas City 4; Washington 8, Philadelphia 4; Tampa Bay 4, Boston 2; Atlanta 3, Miami 0; NY Mets 6, Pittsburgh 0; Milwaukee 8, Cincinnati 1; Oakland 9, Texas 3; Houston 2, St. Louis 0; Cleveland 6, Chicago White Sox 4; Colorado 6, Chicago Cubs 0; LA Angels 4, Seattle 3; San Francisco 6, Arizona 0.

American League Eastern Division W L NY Yankees 90 65 Baltimore 89 67 Tampa Bay 85 70 Boston 69 87 Toronto 68 87 Central Division Detroit 83 72 Chicago White Sox 82 73 Kansas City 70 85 Cleveland 65 91 Minnesota 65 91 Western Division Texas 91 64 Oakland 88 67 LA Angels 86 69 Seattle 72 83

PCT .581 .571 .548 .442 .439

GB 1.5 5 21.5 22

.535 .529 .452 .417 .417

1 13 18.5 18.5

.587 .568 .555 .465

3 5 19

Washington Atlanta Philadelphia NY Mets Miami Cincinnati St. Louis Milwaukee Pittsburgh Chicago Cubs Houston San Francisco LA Dodgers Arizona San Diego Colorado

National League Eastern Division 94 61 90 65 78 77 71 84 66 89 Central Division 93 62 84 72 80 75 76 79 59 96 51 105 Western Division 90 65 80 75 78 77 74 81 61 94

.606 .581 .503 .458 .426

4 16 23 28

.600 .538 .516 .490 .381 .327

9.5 13 17 34 42.5

.581 .516 .503 .477 .394

10 12 16 29

Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

ASC to discuss new ISSF rules

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: The Asian Shooting Confederation Technical and judges committee will hold its meetings in Kuwait on

Engr Mohammad Al-Ghurba

Sept 29-30, 2012 to discuss the new ISSF rules which will be in effect with the start of the new year. President of the Asian and Kuwait Federation Vice-president of ISSF Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem AlHumoud Al-Sabah welcomed the meetings at the ASC premises in Kuwait, as 15 Asian experts in shooting in addition to two international experts Aado Maranik from Australia and John Dayson from the UK. Sheikh Salman lauded the support of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah of sports in general and shooting in particular, which enabled the shooting community to make the technical and administrative achievements regionally, and internationally.

Director General of ASC Engineer Mohammad Al-Ghurba said the ASC Technical Committee which includes experts from Hong Kong, India, Bangladesh, Korea, Pakistan, Iran, Thailand and Singapore will discuss all issues related to the new ISSF rules that are due to come into effect from January 2013, so that regional Asian federations can adopt and

implement them on time.

Al-Ghurba said will also discuss preparations for the Asian Youth games 2013, and Youth Olympic 2014 in Nanjing, including age, events and all related issues.

He added that the committee will also discuss the ASC youth camp in shotgun to be held in January 2013. The committee will also discuss giving instructions through elearning on the pistol on the ASC site, which already have this service on the rifle.

Al-Ghurba said the ASC development and planning committee made of Mongolia, Jordan, Indonesia and Iraq, will review the performance of ASC training academy, and study the proposals on its development to make it an effective institute in getting Asian shooters to new levels in addition to discussing the confederations system on officiating and training courses. He said the ASC will have a link on its website to allow the follow up of the technical committee’s meetings.

Engineer Mohammad Al-Ghurba thanked HH the Amir, HH the Crown Prince and HH the Prime Minister for their contin-

Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud ued support of the shooting community.

He also thanked Kuwait Shooting Federation for hosting the ASC Technical Committee meetings, as well as the Public Authority for Youth and Sports for its support and cooperation in ensuring the success of all events held in Kuwait and abroad.

Ravens’ Flacco a major obstacle for Browns

Brett Finch

Wigan’s Finch eyes perfect send-off LONDON: Former Sydney Roosters stand-off Brett Finch is desperate to end his stint at Wigan Warriors on a high and he claims one last hurrah at Old Trafford would be the perfect send-off.

The 31-year-old and his Warriors teammates are just 80 minutes away from the 2012 Grand Final in Manchester, but in their way stand old rivals Leeds Rhinos in the semi-final today.

With Finch set to depart for pastures new next season back in Australia - whether that’s on a rugby field or not is yet to be decided - he still remains committed to the Cherry and Whites cause. Indeed, when he pitched up in Lancashire in 2011 it was the prospect of these big games that whetted his appetite.

“When I was first speaking to Wigan about the possibility of coming over here one of the great attractions was to play at Wembley and play at Old Trafford, so to get to Old Trafford for my last game in a Wigan shirt would be magnificent,” said Finch.

“This has been a great opportunity for me over the past two years to be playing here in the Super League and I’m looking to leave in the best possible way. “But we know what’s coming and we know we’re going to have to play somewhere near our best to get through to the Grand Final.” Friday’s clash at the DW Stadium also gives Finch and company the chance to gain revenge for their 3928 humbling against the Rhinos in the Challenge Cup semi-final in July. “Leeds are a good side and they’ve been in this position before and we know how hard it is going to be,” he added. “They have been here and done it time and time again, we played them in the semi-final of the Challenge Cup and they knocked us out pretty easily, we know what to expect on Friday. “It was very disappointing, we were outplayed and outclassed from a better side on the night and if we don’t turn up and do our best on Friday it will be the same result.” Elsewhere, ex-Australia international Trent Waterhouse claims the pressure is all on St Helens’ shoulders ahead of Warrington Wolves’ trip to Langtree Park tomorrow.—AFP

NEW YORK: Regular referees will be back in action after a deal was struck to end their lockout ahead of late yesterday’s game between Baltimore and Cleveland, with the Browns now likely to be more concerned with Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco than the officiating.

National Football League referees have dominated headlines since the widely criticised touchdown call on the final play of Monday’s primetime game between the Seattle Seahawks and visiting Green Bay Packers. Baltimore’s Flacco had been among the most outspoken players on the issue of the replacement referees, saying last week that they were “affecting the integrity” of the game.

However, following a breakthrough deal between officials and the league on Wednesday, Flacco’s ability to run the Ravens offense will represent the biggest obstacle for winless Cleveland heading into the AFC North division clash. In Sunday’s dramatic 31-30 win over the New England Patriots, Flacco threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns while looking increasingly comfortable in a no-huddle offense.

“I’ve always been a Joe Flacco fan,” Browns coach Pat Shurmur said on Tuesday. “I always thought he’s been a good quarterback, a top-level quarterback in this league.”

While the focus with the Ravens is so often on their bone-crunching defense, Shurmur said he was not surprised at all about the form of Flacco and the Ravens offense this season.

“Someone was trying to kind of council me up about Joe Flacco, if he’s taken the next step? I mean you’re looking at a quarterback that’s led his team to the playoffs the last four years,” Shurmur said.

“They have (running back) Ray Rice, they’ve got a veteran receiver in Anquan Boldin and then Torrey Smith. They’ve got some outstanding players and they’re playing extremely well.

Joe Flacco “When you watch them play I think they’ve made an effort to become more explosive as an offense and I think that’s showed up in the first three weeks.”

The Browns are relying largely on two rookies - quarterback Brandon Weeden, who has six interceptions and three touchdowns from his opening three weeks, and running back Trent Richardson - to cope with the threat of a defense featuring 13-time Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis and eight-time Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed.

Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees is particularly impressed with Richardson’s rushing. “Richardson is everything that everybody talked about in the draft and coming out of Alabama.

The guy is physical, he’s strong. He’s never going backwards. He’s always falling forwards,” Pees said.

“You get in a short-yardage situation, he’s really exceptional. He is an exceptional, exceptional back. He’s going to be something to deal with for probably a long, long time.”—Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Daihani wins double trap bronze

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Olympian Fuhaid AlDaihani returned to Kuwait early yesterday from Maribor in Slovania, after winning the double trap bronze medal in the World Cup championship in which the best shooters of the world participated in this event.

Al-Daihani said upon his arrival that he was very proud and happy that he was able to win the bronze using the same shotgun that failed him at the London 2012 Olympics, as it was repaired in Italy.

He said “there were five days of training only before the championship started” but with hard work and determination it was possible to win a medal.

Meanwhile, the team’s physiotherapist said Fuhaid was suffering from a recurrent shoulder injury which made it

hard for him to maintain the same level of intensity and performance during the final round.

First place and the gold medal went to USA’s Joshua Richmond, who won a neck and neck race against India’s Sodhi and Kuwait’s Al-Daihani.

Ronjan Sodhi is the winner of the last 2010 and 2011 ISSF World Cup finals, ended up in second place with a final score of 191 hits just one target behind the American.

Meanwhile, Olympic bronze medallist Fuhaid Al-Daihani closed the match in third place with 190 hits, 2012 Olympic bronze and silver medallist Vasilyn Mosin of Russia and Hakan Dahlby of Sweden finished in fourth and fifth place with 187 and 186 hits respectively. London Olympic champion Peter Wilson did not participate in the final.

Al-Daihani speaking to the media upon his arrival

Loeb will not race for title next season

TOKYO: Samantha Stosur of Australia follows her return shot against Maria Sharapova of Russia during their women’s singles quarter-final match at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament. — AFP

Azarenka pulls out, Sharapova upset TOKYO: World number one Victoria Azarenka pulled out of the Pan Pacific Open citing chronic fatigue while Maria Sharapova was stunned by Samantha Stosur as the event lost its top two seeds yesterday. French Open champion Sharapova, Tokyo winner in 2005 and 2009, was upset by Australian Stosur 6-4 7-6 in a quarter-final filled with drama and high-quality tennis.

Azarenka withdrew before her quarter-final with German Angelique Kerber, having come into the WTA premier five event complaining of health issues.

The Belarusian, who won this year’s Australian Open and reached the final of the U.S. Open earlier this month, struggled to complete her third round match the previous day.

“Before the tournament I wasn’t feeling very good,” said Azarenka, who had her blood pressure checked during Wednesday’s win over Roberta Vinci. “I had low energy. I wasn’t myself. It wasn’t possible today. Maybe it was tiredness from the whole season. I need to have some tests. It’s a little bit unknown what it is.” Stosur next faces Russian Nadia Petrova, who ousted sixth seed Sara Errani 3-6 7-5 6-3 after battling back from a set and 4-1 down against her Italian opponent. Eighth seed Stosur had won just one of her previous 11 meetings with Sharapova but seized the initiative by taking the first set when the Russian blasted a backhand long. —Reuters

PARIS: Eight-times rallying world champion Sebastian Loeb, who is heading for a record ninth consecutive title, will not take part in all of next season’s races, his Citroen team said yesterday.

“After eight, possibly soon to be nine, consecutive world titles, Sebastien Loeb and (co-pilot) Daniel Elena will not be defending their title in 2013,” Citroen Racing said on their website (www.citroen-wrc.com).

“They will therefore be taking part in a partial racing programme next year, starting at the legendary Rally Monte Carlo, which opens the 2013 season between 15th and 20th January.” The 38-year-old Frenchman, who has always said he wanted to quit rallying at his peak, leads the world championship standings on 219 points, 61 ahead of his Citroen team mate Mikko Hirvonen from Finland, with three races to go.

Hirvonen will become Citroen’s main driver next term with an announcement in due course about the second crew that will compete in the absence of Loeb. A Citroen DS3 WRC will also be entrusted to the United Arab Emirates driver Khaleed Al-Qassimi.

Loeb, who has had 74 wins in his career, will continue competing with Citroen, who had agreed a partnership with Abu Dhabi in order to cut their costs, the French carmaker said.

“In these tough economic times, Citroen has taken the view that it is essential for it to remain involved in motorsport... At the same time, it was equally important to find a way of reducing the brand’s financial commitment to the team’s operating costs,” Citroen said. PSA PeugeotCitroen announced restructuring plans in July which involve 8,000 job cuts and the closure of one its biggest plants in France. “In this context, we

Sebastein Loeb

are particularly proud to welcome Abu Dhabi on board,” Citroen Racing Team principal Yves Matton was quoted as saying on the website.

“This partnership will provide us with the means of continuing our programme and entering three DS3 WRCs in 2013.” Citroen have won seven team championships with Loeb, whose eight consecutive titles constitute a record in all motor racing competitions.

The Frenchman won his first race in 2002 in Germany, where he eventually clinched nine victories, a world record for a rallying event.

Loeb, who combines an aggressive style with a scientific and efficient approach to driving, has been one of the most popular figures in French sport for years. Regarded by the pub-

lic as a simple, honest and hard-working man, he was voted France’s favourite sports personality three times in an annual poll conducted for daily newspaper L’Equipe. Loeb set up his own team with a friend and successfully competed in the Porsche Matmut Carrera Cup, an event solely for the German sports cars, earlier this year.

“Rallying represents a big part of my life, something I will always love and it is for that reason I will continue with it,” he said at the time.

“But in years to come, when I have a little more free time, I want to discover a new universe.”Loeb, who also raced twice at Le Mans, had been considering entering the World Touring Car Championship in 2014 with Citroen, the company said. — Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Players enjoy the calm before Ryder Cup storm MEDINAH: In the relative calm before the Europe and the United States resume their fierce Ryder Cup rivalry, players made the most of a chance to catch their breath at a sun-kissed Medinah Country Club on Wednesday.

European captain Jose Maria Olazabal put his men through a light trot, sending them out to play nine holes before giving them the rest of the day off to relax and forget about the battle to defend the trophy that lies ahead.

“They saw the course yesterday, they saw every bit of it yesterday,” Spaniard Olazabal said. “Now it’s just a matter of taking it a little bit easier today and tomorrow because Friday, 36 holes. Saturday, 36 holes, a lot of pressure, a lot of tension.

“I want them just to take it a little bit easier than usually.” The US team put in some serious practise but by the end of the day it was their table tennis prowess that was the focus of attention.

American captain Davis Love III has stressed the need for his players to have fun this week in order to defuse some of the pressure and so the ping pong tables were brought into the US team room.

Even if Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson blew the competition away in tandem on the table tennis table, they were not trying to pretend they have done the same as a Ryder Cup partnership.

Famously at Oakland Hills in 2004, captain Hal Sutton played the ultimate hunch by matching Woods with his long-time rival in a combination that failed miserably.

“We’ve not had much success together on the course but I will say that as partners on the pong table, he and I are delivering,” a smiling Mickelson told reporters.

“We are serving it up and there are not many guys that can match us on the pong table.

“Although we didn’t play well together in ‘04 on the golf course, put us together on that table and we’re rocking it.” The excitement and tension will be ratcheted up

another notch on Thursday when the captains unveil the all-important pairings.

The resulting match-ups for Friday’s opening foursomes have been the source of tremendous speculation since the players arrived at Medinah.

One possible US pairing that Love must consider is Woods and Steve Stricker, who formed a successful partnership two years ago in Wales and won two of three matches against the Europeans in a losing cause.

Woods, still struggling to rediscover the form that once made him peerless in tournament play, has a less impressive record with other partners over his long Ryder Cup career of 7-12-1.

“I think his confidence level is growing all the time,” Stricker said of his 2010 partner. “We can see it just from his year that he’s had and the way he’s going about his business, the way he’s carrying himself, the type of shots that he’s hitting.

“And he’s won three times, so you can see that growing.”

US rookie Brandt Snedeker, winner of the Tour Championship and the $10 million FedExCup playoffs bonus prize, also sees big things for Woods, who won a pair of PGA Championship titles at Medinah in 1999 and 2006.

“I played a practice round with him yesterday, he’s playing great,” said Snedeker. “I don’t see any panic in him at all. I think he’s going to be a very, very tough guy to beat this week. “He knows this golf course very, very well. He’s got a little edge to him.”

After spending the first part of week in press conferences and functions talking about the event, the prevailing feeling from both teams on Wednesday was one of impatience to get the 39th Ryder Cup underway. “I feel like I’m wasting time getting ready the rest of the week,” said Snedeker. “I’m ready to go. I’d love to tee it up tomorrow and play 36 a day and let’s go.” —Reuters

MEDINAH: Europe’s Lee Westwood hits out of a bunker on the 10th hole at the Ryder Cup PGA golf tournament. — AP

PALLEKELE: New Zealand players celebrate the run-out of Sri Lanka’s batsman Lahiru Thirimanne (on ground) on the last ball of the ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup Super Eight match. — AP

Sri Lanka defeat Kiwis in a Super over finish PALLEKELE: Sri Lanka beat New Zealand in a one over eliminator after the 40-over Super Eights contest was sensationally tied at Pallekele stadium yesterday. With both teams tied on 174 runs at the end of 40 overs in the match, a Super over round was played for the result.

New Zealand paceman Tim Southee restricted Sri Lanka to 13-1 but Lasith Malinga managed better, finishing the New Zealand innings five short of his team’s total. It was the seventh tied match in all Twenty20 cricket, with New Zealand involved in four of them.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (76) had put Sri Lanka on course for a successful run chase before New Zealand pulled back through some accurate bowling and fielding.

Sri Lanka were in a spot of bother when they lost Kumar Sangakkara (21) and Jeevan Mendis (eight) in quick succession, needing 38 from the last four overs.

With Sri Lanka needing 21 off the final two overs, Dilshan hit James Franklin for a six off the first ball before he was run out off the next, leaving Sri Lanka to make 15 off the final 10 deliveries.

It boiled down to eight off the final over. Lahiru Thirimanne hit a boundary off Southee’s penultimate delivery but was run out off the final ball, luckily for New Zealand the ball hitting the stumps after coming off Ross Taylor’s knee.

Dilshan hit three sixes and five boundaries during his 53-ball knock. New Zealand owed their total to a career best fifty by opener Rob Nicol.

Nicol hit Ajantha Mendis for three sixes in the 15th over during his 40-ball 58 after New Zealand won the toss and batted.

The 29-year-old, who in all hit four sixes and three boundaries, put on a brisk 57 for the opening wicket with Martin Guptill (38) and 42 for the second with Brendon McCullum (25) before he fell in the 16th over. Nicol’s previous T20 highest was 56 against Zimbabwe at Hamilton earlier this year.

Mendis, who took 6-8 in the first round match against Zimbabwe to register the best bowling figures in all Twenty20 internationals, went for 48 runs for his only wicket in four overs, his last costing 24. In contrast newcomer Akila Dananjaya took 2-32. Taylor chipped in with a brisk 23. — AFP

SCOREBOARD PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka: Scoreboard from the New Zealand v Sri Lanka Super Eight stage of the Twenty20 World Cup at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

New Zealand R. Nicol c Thirimanne b Dananjaya 58 M. Guptill c Perera b Dananjaya 38 B. McCullum c Perera b A. Mendis 25 R. Taylor b Kulasekara 23 J. Oram c Dilshan b Kulasekara 6 N. McCullum b Malinga 3 J. Franklin not out 8 K. Williamson run out 4 Extras (lb-4, w-5) 9 Total (7 wickets; 20 overs) 174 Fall of wickets: 1-57 2-99 3-137 4-154 5-159 6-164 7-174.

Bowling: Kulasekara 4-0-33-2, Mathews 2-0-14-0, Malinga 4-0-30-1, A Mendis 4-0-48-1, Dananjaya 4-0-32-2, J Mendis 2-0-13-0.

Sri Lanka M. Jayawardene c Vettori b Oram 44 T. Dilshan run out 76 K. Sangakkara run out 21 J. Mendis c Taylor b Franklin 8 A. Mathews not out 12 T. Perera b Franklin 5 L. Thirimanne run out 5 Extras (lb-1, w-2) 3 Total (6 wickets; 20 overs) 174 Did not bat: N. Kulasekara, L. Malinga, A. Mendis, A Dananjaya.

Fall of wickets: 1-80 2-119 3-131 4-161 5-167 6-174.

Bowling: McCullum 3-0-25-0, Mills 2-0-15-0, Southee 4-044-0, Oram 3-0-26-1, Vettori 4-0-29-0, Franklin 4-0-34-2.

Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Terry gets four-match ban for racial abuse LONDON: Chelsea captain John Terry was given a four-match ban by the Football Association (FA) after being found guilty of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers’ Anton Ferdinand yesterday. An FA statement said an independent regulatory commission had issued a suspension for a period of four matches and a fine of £220,000 ($356,722, 276,000 euros) pending appeal. Terry has 14 days from receiving the written reasons for the decision to lodge an appeal against a decision relating to an incident that took place during Chelsea’s match away to QPR at Loftus Road on October 23 last year.

The ban will not come into force until the appeals procedure is complete. In the short term, that means central defender Terry, who played in the 6-0 English League Cup rout of Wolves on Tuesday, is

available for Chelsea’s Premier League match away to London rivals Arsenal tomorrow. Terry’s representatives said he was “disappointed” by the decision and would consider his position before deciding whether to appeal.

Their statement said: “Mr Terry is disappointed that the FA Regulatory Commission has reached a different conclusion to the clear not guilty verdict of a court of law. “He has asked for the detailed written reasons of the decision and will consider them carefully before deciding whether to lodge an appeal.”

European champions Chelsea responded to Thursday’s verdict by saying: “Chelsea Football Club notes and respects today’s decision by the Football Association regarding John Terry.

“We also recognise that John has the

right to appeal that decision. It is therefore inappropriate for us to comment further on the matter at this time. The FA’s statement said the commission had found a charge of misconduct against Terry “proven”.

It added the FA had charged Terry on Friday, July 27, with using “abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards Queens Park Rangers’ Anton Ferdinand and which included a reference to colour and/or race contrary to FA Rule E3 (2)”.

The statement explained the charge was placed on hold pending the outcome of the criminal trial.

Former England skipper Terry, 31, was cleared of racially abusing Ferdinand in a criminal case in July over allegations relating to the same incident.

Terry dramatically announced his

retirement from international football on Sunday, the day before what turned out to be a four-day hearing started. He effectively accused the FA of forcing his hand after the governing body pressed on with charges following the court case. “I feel the FA, in pursuing charges against me where I have already been cleared in a court of law, have made my position with the national team untenable,” he said in a statement issued last week. Terry had hoped his courtroom acquittal would be the end of the matter, as the FA’s rule book states that the result of any previous legal action concerning the same matter will be “presumed to be correct”. He admitted in court that he used racist language against Ferdinand but said he was merely repeating what he believed Ferdinand had accused him of saying.—AFP

All eyes on Terry for Chelsea’s first ‘big game’

Radamel Falcao

Atletico Madrid lurk as early-season contenders MADRID: Atletico Madrid have quietly crept up the standings to second and suddenly find themselves being talked about as possible challengers to the La Liga hegemony of Real Madrid and Barcelona. Fired by the goals of Colombia striker Radamel Falcao and inspired by their intensely charismatic Argentine coach Diego Simeone, they are only two points behind leaders Barcelona following Wednesday’s 4-2 win at Real Betis.

“Scare for Barca,” blared the front-page of Madrid-based sports daily Marca on Thursday next to a shot of Falcao celebrating one of his two goals in Seville.

The Europa League champions, who are known as the “mattress makers” and who last won the title in 1996 with Simeone in the side, have a chance for a rare taste of life at the top if Barca slip up at Sevilla on Saturday and Atletico can win at Espanyol.

Simeone told reporters after the Betis victory he and his players were not about to let their impressive early run go to their heads. Atletico have yet to test their title credentials against Real or Barca, although their 4-1 destruction of Champions League winners Chelsea in last month’s European Super Cup, when Falcao netted a hat-trick, suggests they may have what it takes to succeed on the big occasion. “We are not paying attention to the points but to the opponents we have to play against,” said Simeone, a tough-tackling former Argentina captain who was a fan favourite at Atletico and also had stints at Inter Milan and Lazio. “The Spanish championship is very tough, above all to win away,” the 42-year-old added. “Our focus is already on Espanyol.”

Falcao’s double in Seville took his league tally for the season to seven in five matches, one more than Barca’s World Player of the Year Lionel Messi, last season’s top scorer with a record 50 goals. Real forward Cristiano Ronaldo has three and Atletico fans will have to pinch themselves when they see their bitter city rivals, who have had a woeful start to the defence of their title, down in seventh on only seven points.

As Atletico celebrate an impressive start to the season, however, speculation about Falcao’s future continues to swirl and the cash-strapped club may be hard pressed to hold on to him, even beyond the January transfer window.

Falcao, who has a minor muscle strain and may be a doubt for Sunday’s game, is refusing to feed the rumours and said on Wednesday he was completely focused on Atletico.“We are just thinking about each match at a time and we are not making any general evaluation,” he told reporters. —Reuters

LONDON: Chelsea captain John Terry has been under the spotlight all week and there will be no change when the Premier League leaders play Arsenal tomorrow, the European championss’ first big game of the season according to team mate Branislav Ivanovic.

Terry shocked English football on Sunday when he retired from international football ahead of this week’s FA tribunal into allegations that he racially abused Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand last season.

The 31-year-old, acquitted in a law court in July of racial abuse, said his position in the England set-up was “untenable” because the FA were pressing ahead with the hearing.

He shrugged off the extra attention when he featured in Chelsea’s 6-0 League Cup romp on Tuesday against Wolverhampton Wanderers, but London rivals Arsenal will provide a bigger test of the defender’s resolve.

Terry will need to be at his most focused if Chelsea’s unbeaten start remains intact against Arsenal, one of three other top-flight teams yet to lose five games into the season.

“This is the first actual big game for us this season. Our performances and quality - we know how it is. But we have to show everyone and we have to show it every game,” said Serbian defender Ivanovic.

Chelsea have yet to play a title rival and have made the most of an inviting start to the Premier League season, racking up wins against Wigan Athletic, Reading, Newcastle United and Stoke City as well as drawing with QPR. They were not totally convincing in a 2-2 Champions League draw at home to Juventus and Arsenal offer a similar threat after an impressive showing in a 1-1 draw at champions Manchester City last weekend. “This is the biggest challenge. I think Arsenal will be a great challenge for us, and we have to really be ready for that,” added Ivanovic.

Terry had a woeful time against Arsenal in last season’s first league encounter between the pair, slipping to gift Robin Van Persie a late goal and the lead from which Chelsea never recovered in the 5-3 rollercoaster ride.

Assistant manager Eddie Newton said the robust defender was in a good frame of mind despite spending a chunk of his week at the FA hearing at Wembley Stadium.

“We’ve been talking to John to see what his mindset is and he’s been very positive and upbeat. He’s been dealing with the situation at hand,” Newton told reporters on Tuesday.

While Chelsea are buzzing following their promising start to the season and their League Cup confidence boost, champions Manchester City stumbled out of the same competition on Tuesday.

City are also unbeaten in the league but three draws from their opening five games and some defensive lapses have left manager Roberto Mancini with a furrowed brow.

They travel to Chelsea’s in-form neighbours Fulham on Saturday (1400) hoping to rediscover the winning habit after the 4-2 extra time defeat in the League Cup by Aston Villa.

“The second year after winning a championship is always

difficult and I hope we start to win in our next league game, because we need a win. But we need to improve if we are to do that,” said City manager Roberto Mancini.

Manchester United have also failed to hit the heights but have moved into second place behind Chelsea with slowly improving Tottenham Hotspur the visitors to Old Trafford for Saturday’s late kickoff (1630).

United received a boost on Wednesday when Wayne Rooney made an impressive return to action in the 2-1 League Cup victory over Newcastle United after being out for four weeks with a badly gashed thigh. Tottenham, who eased into the last 16 of the League Cup with a 3-0 win at Carlisle United, are unbeaten since the opening day of the season but have not won at Old Trafford since 1989.

Struggling Norwich City and Liverpool will be both be seeking their first league wins when they clash on Saturday (1400), while third-placed Everton will be confident of another three points at home to promoted Southampton, who have shipped 15 goals so far this season-the most in the division. Sunderland, whose own unbeaten run comprises of four consecutive draws, welcome Wigan Athletic tomorrow. —Reuters

Branislav Ivanovic

Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Bayern must keep their focus, says Rummenigge BERLIN: Bayern Munich’s perfect start to the Bundesliga season must not go to their heads or they risk repeating the mistakes of last year, the club’s CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge warned.

Bayern have won their opening five matches to sit two points clear at the top of the league ahead of Saturday’s game against improving Werder Bremen (1330 GMT), with champions Borussia Dortmund seven points adrift.

The situation was similar last season when, after six games, the difference between the two was eight points before Dortmund roared back for a successful title defence. “I will keep both feet firmly

on the ground and will not start flying,” Rummenigge said. “We are on a roll, we are playing good football but there is no place for euphoria.

“The main aim is the Bundesliga title.

There are another 29 match days and it is a long and potentially bumpy road, so we cannot repeat the mistakes of the past.”

Bayern spent heavily in the off-season and have more depth in the squad following a string of transfers including central defender Dante, midfielder Javi Martinez and forwards Claudio Pizarro and Mario Mandzukic. With winger Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery back fully fit and in fine form, last season’s Champions League

finalists are eager not to have another season without silverware.

“We were eight points clear last season and then we gifted the title away,” Bayern captain Philipp Lahm told reporters. “This cannot happen this season again. We have been warned.”

The prospect of hosting a fired-up Bayern, who have scored 17 goals and conceded two, should be daunting for Bremen’s young squad. “Bayern are the clear favorites and we can go into the game very relaxed. I am eager to see how our team will handle this situation,” said Werder sporting director Klaus Allofs after his side came from a goal down to beat

Freiburg 2-1 on Wednesday.

“We have to reduce our mistakes because Bayern will punish us,” he said.

Bremen are in seventh place on seven points. Dortmund, in sixth on eight and looking for their first win in three games, host Borussia Moenchengladbach (1630).

The champions squandered a two-goal lead on Tuesday to draw 3-3 with Eintracht Frankfurt. Coach Juergen Klopp will have forward Marco Reus fit after an ankle injury scare against Frankfurt. Fellow Champions League competitors Schalke 04 travel to promoted Fortuna Duesseldorf, who have yet to lose this season and are in fifth place, for their game today. — Reuters

Marseille still haunted by last season’s ‘ghosts’ PARIS: Olympique Marseille’s perfect start to the Ligue 1 season has not yet banished the “ghosts” which haunted their dreadful campaign last term, left back Jeremy Morel has warned. Marseille, who visit mid-table Valenciennes on Sunday (1200 GMT), finished a dismal 10th last May but are enjoying their best league start in more than 50 years after taking a maximum 18 points from six games under new coach Elie Baup.

The leaders are four ahead of second-placed Olympique Lyon but Morel reckoned the 2010 French champions, who were not expected to challenge for the title this term, have to keep working harder than ever.

“We are fully aware that we cannot afford to ease off, otherwise we will quickly be struggling again,” Morel told a news conference.

“The ghosts have not gone away yet. Everything will be ruined if we stop making an effort.” Despite his caution, Morel suggested Marseille are already eyeing their next week’s home clash with arch-rivals and title favorites Paris St Germain. “In order to prepare for the PSG game as well as we can, we know we cannot bungle at Valenciennes,” he said.

Marseille are six points ahead of third-placed PSG, who are unbeaten and will seek a fourth consecutive victory at home to modest Sochaux on Saturday (1530).

The 2011 champions Lille visit 18th-placed Stade Rennes on Friday (1845) aiming to clinch their first league win since the season’s opener.

Lille bounced back last weekend after a shock 3-1 home loss to Belarus’ BATE Borisov in the Champions League by producing a convincing display in a 1-1 draw with Lyon.

They will still be without injured forward Salomon Kalou and playmaker Marvin Martin for the trip to the European hopefuls. Rennes have also suffered a disappointing start but Lille coach Rudi Garcia, whose team have not recorded a clean sheet so far in Ligue 1, fears their fire power. —Reuters

Jeremy Morel

David Pizarro

Fiorentina enjoy new lease of life after overhaul MILAN: Fiorentina signed a remarkable 18 players during the close season and their drastic overhaul appears to be paying off after a lively start to the new campaign.

After two turbulent seasons following the departure of former coach Cesare Prandelli, Fiorentina, who visit Inter on Sunday, are once again looking capable of challenging for a place in Europe at the very least. Sixth in the table with eight points from five games, they outplayed defending champions Juventus on Tuesday and would have ended the titleholders’ 44-match unbeaten league run had they been sharper in front of goal.

Their new South American contingent was especially impressive with David Pizarro, signed from AS Roma, dominating the midfield and Argentine pair Facundo Roncaglia and Gonzalo Rodriguez unflappable in the three-man defence.

Roncaglia, signed as a free agent from Boca Juniors, also looked dangerous going forward, nearly scoring after a mazy run which took him past four Juventus players.

Another player with huge potential is Pizarro’s fellow Chilean Matias Fernandez, signed from Sporting, who has not quite fulfilled the early promise he showed as a precocious teenager with Colo Colo. The contrast to the same fixture last March, when Juventus won 5-0, could not have been greater, although coach Vincenzo Montella, another newcomer, did not want to get carried away.

“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves,” said the former Sampdoria and AS Roma striker, who led Catania to a respectable 11th in the table last season.

“We have 18 new players and we have to keep on this road with determination and conviction. The club has made our choices but there is still a long way to go.”

Prandelli was at the club for a record five seasons, leading them to the last sixteen of the Champions League in 2010, before leaving to take charge of the Italian national side following the South Africa World Cup. He was replaced by Sinisa Mihajlovic,

who led Fiorentina to a modest ninth but never won over the fans and left amid angry protests in November, roughly one third of the way into his second season in charge. Delio Rossi replaced him but was fired after a bizarre incident when he lashed out at forward Adem Ljajic, one of the few survivors from last season, after substituting him against Novara.

Inter have lost their first two home games of the season at San Siro but are one point ahead of Fiorentina thanks to three away wins. Titleholders and leaders Juventus, who had won their first four games before the Fiorentina draw, are at home on Saturday to AS Roma, who have won their first two away games. The only other unbeaten teams meet on Sunday when Sampdoria, third on 10 points, host Napoli. Napoli went level on 13 points with Juventus by beating Lazio 3-0 on Wednesday and appear to have overcome the departure of forward Ezequiel Lavezzi, sold to Paris St Germain in the close season. — Reuters

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 , 2012

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Sri Lanka defeat Kiwis in a Super over finish Page 45

PALLEKELE: New Zealand’s bowler Tim Southee (right, in black) reacts as the umpire (below) signals a wide in the Super Over of the ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup Super Eight match against Sri Lanka. —AP

Local FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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