21 Sep

ON IP TI SC R SU B

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

Explosion kills three in Turkish capital

Driverless vehicle navigates Berlin

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Opposition set to stage rally over graft scandal Adwah insists published cheque fake

By B Izzak

Turban bomb kills former Afghan prez KABUL: A Taleban suicide bomber with explosives hidden in his turban yesterday assassinated Afghanistan’s former president Burhanuddin Rabbani, who was leading efforts to talk peace with insurgents. The attacker had been invited into Rabbani’s Kabul home with an accomplice because it was thought they were emissaries bringing “special messages” from the Taleban. The bomb was detonated as the attacker hugged Rabbani - head of Afghanistan’s High Peace Council estabRabbani lished last year

by President Hamid Karzai - in greeting.

His death is the most high-profile political assassination since the 2001 US-led invasion ousted the Taleban from power.

The High Peace Council has made little clear progress towards peace talks with the Taleban and Rabbani’s assassination seems to have dealt a serious blow to its chances of doing so anytime soon. But Karzai along with the United States and other countries insisted the Continued on Page 13

NEW YORK: US President Barack Obama (right) meets Libyan Transitional National Council (TNC) Chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil during a meeting at the United Nations North Lawn Building yesterday. — AP

the rally to press for the resignation of the prime minister, insisting that “we should not let the prime minister and the government continue for another day”.

The rally comes as a number of MPs are suspected of receiving huge funds from unknown sources, allegedly to buy their votes on crucial voting in the National Assembly. Saadoun estimated the funds to be more than KD 90 million. The rally will culminate an anti-corruption campaign that also included a number of gatherings which began yesterday night, with speakers representing all opposition groups.

MP Saleh Al-Mulla told a gathering that the revelations on the alleged corruption scandal represent “just the tip of the iceberg” Continued on Page 13

New Libyan flag flies at UN, leaders hailed BENGHAZI: Libya’s former rebel leaders basked in praise yesterday at the United Nations while fugitive strongman Muammar Gaddafi issued an audio message calling the new government a “charade”. With the new Libyan flag flying at the UN headquarters, interim government leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil thanked all nations who aided with the “success of the Libyan revolution” which he revealed had left at least 25,000 dead. US President Barack Obama hailed a “new chap-

ter” for Libya as the victorious rebels’ red, black and green flag was hoisted at the United Nations ahead of the annual General Assembly.

But Obama warned Gaddafi loyalists still putting up resistance in their remaining bastions to lay down their arms, promising that NATO-led air strikes would continue as long as the fighters remained a threat.

“Today, the Libyan people are writing a new chapter Continued on Page 13

Al-Jazeera TV head resigns

RIYADH: Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz (right) meets Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Monday where the leaders discussed ongoing violence in Yemen in their first meeting since the latter arrived in the Gulf kingdom for medical treatment following an explosion that targeted his presidential compound. — AFP

Death toll hits 76 as violence rocks Sanaa SANAA: Raging battles between government forces and military units opposed to Yemen’s president killed 12 people in the capital yesterday as a crisis over a violent state crackdown on popular unrest drifted towards civil war. Despite an order from the vice president for a ceasefire, the afternoon calm was broken by explosions and machinegun fire.

Witnesses said two mortars hit at the end of a street where thousands of protesters have camped out for eight months to demand an end to President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s 33-year rule. “The whole place shook with the explosion and clouds of

KUWAIT: Opposition political groups plan to stage a major protest late today to protest the corruption scandal involving a number of MPs and to press for the resignation of the government and the prime minister. Liberal, Islamist and nationalist political groups will be joined by independent MPs and their supporters at the rally which analysts and local observers describe as very crucial for the country’s future.

It will be the first time in several months that all opposition groups, which have more than 20 MPs in the house, will be using the same platform to press for the resignation of the government. Veteran opposition MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun has appealed to Kuwaitis to attend

Max 43º Min 26º Low Tide 11:29 & 23:35 High Tide 03:55 & 19:31

dust shot up in the air when the second mortar hit,” protester Badr Ali said.

The death toll has risen to around 76 people since Sunday, when frustration boiled over at Saleh’s refusal to accept a mediated power transfer plan even after he suffered serious wounds in a June assassination attempt. That has turned the violence prevalent in the street revolt against Saleh from shooting at protesters increasingly into a military showdown between forces loyal to him and troops and tribes who have defected to the opposition.

Continued on Page 13

DOHA: Al-Jazeera’s top executive, Wadah Khanfar, resigned yesterday after eight years as the head of the satellite news channel and was replaced by a member of the Qatari ruling family, the company said. “For some time I have been discussing my desire to step down with the chairman of the board,” Khanfar wrote on Al-Jazeera’s website. “He has kindly expressed understanding and has accepted my decision. The public probably doubted that Al-Jazeera would fulfil its promise of independent journalism ... We managed to pleasantly surprise them by exceeding all expectations,” Khanfar wrote in a two-page farewell to fellow employees.

Khanfar was appointed managing director in 2003 and was later promoted to director general. He is to be succeeded by Sheikh Ahmad bin Jasem bin Muhammad AlThani, who has industry experience in France and the United States and holds degrees from Imperial College in London and the Carnegie Wadah Khanfar Mellon Tepper School of Business in the United States.

Khanfar’s resignation came amidst a Wikileaks controversy in which the whistle-blowing website leaked a US government cable that suggests the Al-Jazeera executive agreed to alter the content of the channel’s website after a US request to do so. The US embassy cable from Doha says Khanfar agreed to “tone down” objectionable content on the station’s website and promised to “remove it over the subsequent two or three days.” The cable, from last year, was released by Wikileaks on August 30. — AFP

KUWAIT: Kuwaitis gather outside the Palace of Justice yesterday demanding the release of Kuwaiti Shiite blogger Nasser Abul.

— Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Palestinians confident on UN, but veto looms UNITED NATIONS: The Palestinian foreign minister said yesterday he was confident the U.N. Security Council would vote to recognize Palestinian statehood and urged the United States to reconsider its veto threat as efforts to resolve the impasse appeared deadlocked. As diplomats scrambled to contain a political crisis looming over this year’s meeting of the UN General Assembly, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Malki said he believed at least nine of the 15 members of the Security Council would endorse the Palestinian move.

“We’re working towards it and I think we’ll manage it,” Al-Malki told reporters after meeting his Venezuelan counterpart. “We hope the United States will revise its position and be on the side of the majority of nations or countries who want to support the Palestinian right to have self determination and independence,” Malki said. A veto by the United States, one of the five permanent members of the council and a firm ally of Israel, would still block approval even if most other members agree.

But securing the nine votes necessary to claim a Security Council majority would allow the Palestinians to highlight that the US veto is an obstacle, a public relations coup that carries

real diplomatic risks for Washington during a period of unprecedented political turmoil in the Middle East. “I would expect ... that there would be large demonstrations again around Arab capitals in the context of the Arab Spring,” said Marwan Muasher, a former Jordanian foreign minister and now vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment. “A US veto ... will be seen by the region as once again a double-standard policy of selectively standing by certain people in the region yearning for freedom, but not others,” he told reporters.

Senior diplomats from the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations - the Quartet of Middle East mediators - are meeting throughout the week in hopes of a last-minute breakthrough. The Quartet has for months been trying to put together guidelines for future peace talks, so far without result. British Foreign Minister William Hague, speaking before a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said yesterday there had been no progress. “There is no progress (within the Quartet) to report as we speak,” he said. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said that even if the Palestinians Continued on Page 13

in the

news

Amir sends Rashed to US for treatment

Bahrain’s king sets compensation fund

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah ordered the allocation of an airplane to take Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ali Al-Rashed to the US to continue treatment, the Health Ministry undersecretary said yesterday. Dr Ibrahim Al-Abdulhadi, speaking to KUNA, said after AlRashed underwent a successful cardiac catheterization procedure, Sheikh Sabah ordered the airlifting of the minister to the US to continue treatment and recuperate. Al-Rashed will be discharged from Al-Amiri Hospital tonight and will Ali Al-Rashed head to New York.

MANAMA: Bahrain established a special fund yesterday to pay compensation to civilians and others harmed “physically or morally” by public officials or security forces, in a decree by King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa aimed at easing tensions before a highly charged parliamentary election this week.

The new fund would apparently cover all Bahrainis - including security officials and public officials - who would be considered victimized during the unrest. It also said money would be set aside for those injured while helping people hurt in the demonstrations - a gesture to medical teams and emergency crews. The report on the new compensation fund said it would follow UN guidelines on reparations, and cases would be determined by a “specialized court”, but gave no further details on the process or the possible payout amounts.

KUWAIT: A migratory bird holds a dragonfly in its mouth yesterday. — KUNA

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

local

Iraqis support right of Kuwaiti ‘brothers’ to demonstrate ‘Beginning of a new phase’ KUWAIT: Two Iraqi politicians have voiced their support for anti-corruption demonstrations held by Kuwaiti activists, announcing that they will be holding a rally on Friday “in support of our Kuwaiti brethren in their demands to attain their legitimate rights.” MP Suzan AlSaad who represents the southern Basra Province, asserted that the Kuwaiti government had “failed in its attempts to take away the focus of Kuwaitis’ attention through the Mubarak AlKabeer port issue”, describing the Kuwaiti demonstrations as “the beginning of a new phase based

on freedom of expression.”

Al-Saad insisted that the demonstrations “prove that Kuwait is not isolated from regional developments regarding public revolutions to demand rights,” saying, “The Kuwaiti voices which demand changes in the current political situation deserve all the support of the Iraqi people, especially citizens in Al-Basra who share a historical bond with their brothers in Kuwait.”

Al-Saad added that Kuwaitis “have all the characteristics to build a state which protects freedom of expression.”

The Iraqi MP ended her state-

ment by urging the “free people of Kuwait to call upon their government to stop violations against the Iraqi people,” while demanding that the Iraqi parliament “announce official support for the Kuwaiti people’s demonstration as they supported the demonstrations in Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain and Libya.”

Another Iraqi MP, Aliya Nassif of the White Iraqiya Party, called the Kuwaiti demonstrations “a continuation of the Arab Spring which has broken down all the barriers separating Arab people and their ambitions to live a decent and free life.”

In a statement issued by the White Iraqiya Party’s offices on Monday, Al-Nassif continued, “ The demonstrations by our brothers in Kuwait reflect a democratic culture that believes in the freedom of expression and in people’s right to criticize their government and demand reform.” She added that the Iraqi people “will not hesitate” to support the Kuwaiti demonstrations, “especially if Kuwaitis pressure their government to abandon plans to build the Mubarak AlKabeer Port out of their commitment to avoiding hostility towards Iraq.” — Al-Rai

US Embassy warden message

BEIRUT: Opening of a hall in dermatology department of the American University Hospital named after of Dr Abdul-Wahhab Al-Fozan and Dr Ibrahim Kaldari.

AUH opens new facility named after former Kuwaiti minister BEIRUT: The American University Hospital (AUH) has opened a new section of its dermatology department jointly named after former Kuwaiti health minister Dr. Abdul-Wahhab AlFozan, and his counterpart from the UAE, Dr Ibrahim Kaldari.

Following the opening of the new facility, Dr. Abdulghani Kebbe, the head of the dermatology department, praised “the generous donation provided to the university hospital by Dr Al-Fozan, and Dr Ibrahim Kaldari. ” The new facility, which is considered one of the best at AUH, is equipped with the latest technology and electronic equipment, with a capacity for 40 patients,” he added.

Dr. Kebbe said that Kuwait and Lebanon share strong historic ties, hailing Kuwait’s support for the country in various fields.

Dr Al-Fozan, who was present at the inauguration ceremony, said that this donation is a humble donation offered for the Lebanese scientific institutions which contribute towards

the progress of society. He expressed great admiration of the affiliated university, the American University in Beirut (AUB), which is considered one of the best and oldest universities in the region.

The opening ceremony was also attended by the Ambassador of the UAE to Lebanon Yousef Al-Esaimi, the representative of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) in Lebanon, Nawaf Al-Dabbous, and the second secretary of the Kuwaiti embassy in Beirut, Fahad Al-Masoud, as well as a large number of doctors and other staff.

Dr Al-Fozan is also the SecretaryGeneral of the GCC Dermatology Association, as well as being the director of the Arab Board of Skin Disease Specialists, and serving as a jurist with the American Academy of Dermatology.

He is also Editor-in-Chief of the specialist medical publication, AlKhaleej Journal for Skin and Venereal Diseases. — KUNA

KUWAIT: An anti-corruption demonstration is planned for the early evening hours at Determination Square today in downtown Kuwait City. An increased police and security presence is expected in and around the capital.

There are also reports of possible demonstrations in support of Bidoon rights today in the cities of Jahra, Sulaibyah and Ahmadi. An increased police and security presence is also expected in these areas. Spontaneous and planned demonstrations take place in Kuwait from time to time in response to world events or local developments. At times, even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. Do not let curiosity get the best of you; avoid the areas of demonstrations and exercise caution if within the vicinity of any large gatherings. Please stay current with media coverage of local events, be aware of your surroundings, and practice personal security awareness at all times.

For the latest security information, US citizens living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet website, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, as well as the Country Specific Information for Kuwait can be found.

Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202501-4444. These numbers are available from 8 am to 8pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except US federal holidays). You can also download our free Smart Traveler App for travel information at your fingertips and follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well. The US Embassy is located at Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa Street, Block 6, Plot 14, Bayan, Kuwait.

If you are a US citizen in need of emergency assistance in Kuwait, you may reach the US Embassy by calling +9652259-1001 and requesting the duty officer.

US citizens living or traveling in Kuwait are encouraged to enroll in the Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security. US citizens without internet access may enroll directly with the nearest US Embassy or Consulate. By enrolling, US citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. For additional information, please refer to “A Safe Trip Abroad”. This message may be accessed on the Embassy website, http://kuwait.usembassy.gov

UNITED NATIONS: Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah holding talks with his Bulgarian counterpart Nickolay Mladenov.

Kuwait, Bulgaria discuss boosting ties UNITED NATIONS: Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah discussed with his Bulgarian counterpart Nickolay Mladenov ways to boost bilateral relations in all sectors between the two countries.

Sheikh Mohammad is accompanying His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who is representing His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the meetings of the UN General Assembly.

“Bulgaria and Kuwait have very strong friendship which has been there for many, many years. We spoke about furthering our bilateral relations because there is an increasing number of Kuwaitis who come now to Bulgaria for holidays,” Mladenov

said following the meeting.

“I hope this will continue to increase, and our companies will re-engage again much more actively, because many Bulgarians know Kuwait well and many Kuwaitis have been to Varna and Bulgaria over the last years and they need to start coming back,” he added.

Varna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia, the capital, and Plovdiv. He noted that Kuwaitis go to Bulgaria for both tourism and business and other purposes, like medical treatment.

He added that both officials also spoke a lot about the situation in the Middle East in general and Syria in particular, about the Palestinian bid for UN full membership and items inscribed on the agenda of the UN General Assembly’s 66th session. —KUNA

Another KFH report referred to prosecution office KUWAIT: The Acting Public Prosecutor Counselor Dherar Al-Assoussi received a third report from Kuwait Finance House (KFH) about the cash deposits made to an MP’s bank account. It will add up the total number of MPs involved in the scandal to nine, including one legislator against whom two reports were issued by both KFH and The National Bank of Kuwait (NBK).

Officials said that the Public Prosecution’s Office referred the two reports filed by NBK against five MPs and

by KFH against four others to the Central Bank’s investigation unit.

Moreover, officials highlighted that more local banks might follow on the heels of KFH and NBK, reporting about MPs’ bank accounts to avoid being blamed for failing to report if the Central Bank can examine the accounts.

Meanwhile, a number of lawyers will file complaints with the Public Prosecutor’s Office against other MPs, accusing them of receiving bribes and abusing powers.

Commenting on the issue, Kuwait University law professor, Dr Faisal Al-Kandari stressed that the Public Prosecution Office was responsible for investigating and proving suspects’ involvement in money laundering crimes by monitoring bank accounts and tracing any sudden inflows that might be way beyond defendants’ income limits after checking with the Central Bank.

On the other hand, Al-Kandari stressed that it was the defendant’s responsibility to prove the legitimacy and source of any increase in his/her bank account balance. He added that according to law, the defendant was fully aware of the real sources of his money in order to be convicted in money laundering crimes, reported Aljarida.

Al-Kandari added that, in most cases, money laundering can take place after initial crimes like receiving bribes, abuse of authority or involvement in public fund crimes are condemned in such cases.

LONDON: Yousef Mustafa pictured with Natasha Hussein after the meeting.

Information ministry to use BBC news archives LONDON: A senior official from Kuwait’s Ministry of Information met yesterday with a top level official from the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) marketing department to discuss using the BBC’s extensive archive footage to help improve the performance and production skills of Kuwaiti media personnel.

Speaking after meeting with Natasha Hussein, the director of the BBC’s Middle East and Africa Marketing Department, Yousef Mustafa, the Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information’s News and Political Programming Division, said that the ministry is particularly interested in the BBC’s archived programs, documentaries and other footage from the past half-century which are related to Kuwait.

He added that another subject of

tremendous interest is material related to development in the Arabian Gulf and the wider Middle East region.

On her part, the senior BBC official said that all the corporation’s material has been digitally archived and is accessible through a special website. She explained that the BBC could provide the Kuwaiti ministry with access to all the material, with over 50,000 relevant items archived there, which would allow the ministry’s news and current affairs personnel to access all the corporation’s footage, even rare and little-seen material.

During their visit to the UK, the members of the Kuwaiti ministry delegation, headed by Mustafa, have also visited the headquarters of the Associated Press (AP) news agency and toured a number of live broadcast studios in central London. — KUNA

Syrians face dilemma as visas near expirtion KUWAIT: Hundreds of Syrian residents in Kuwait face a unique situation with local regulations preventing them from extending residence permits. They prefer not to return to their home countries where a likelihood of unlawful detention exists.

Migration departments around Kuwait witness a regular scene

where Syrian residents who arrived here three months ago on visit visas, seek desperate measures to legalize their stay. Syria is one of six countries, whose nationals have been banned from obtaining visas.

The Syrian residents are pleading for a ‘humanitarian gesture’ by allowing them an exception

because the ban was enforced while their visas were still valid.

However, officers at migration departments insist on their helplessness to make powerful decisions.

This problem is even worse for Syrian children who can’t join schools because they do not pos-

sess valid residence visas, being unable to return to home countries, thereby losing an entire academic year, reported Al-Qabas. Syrian residents say that authorities in their home country are likely arrest them in connection with staging demonstrations in Kuwait against the ongoing violence in Syria.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

LOCAL

Vehicle status can be checked online Expats perplexed about reclaiming impounded vehicles

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: Acting Prime Minister, First Deputy Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah yesterday formally promoted a number of Kuwaiti Army Brigadiers, to the rank of Major General, as decreed by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

Fingerprint attendance system to remain in use

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: The Kuwait Fire S er vices Directorate (KFSD) has confirmed that it will retain the fingerprint attendance system while reviewing recent complaints made by directorate personnel. In a press release issued yesterday, the KFSD said that it intended to continue using the system in order to avoid errors before tak ing the necessar y legal steps to amend it. Senior KFSD officials held a meeting earlier in the day, which was attended by Direc tor General M ajor Jassem Ali Al-Mansouri, Deputy Director General for Fire Fighting and Human Resources Development Brigadier Yousef Al-Ansari, Deputy Director General for Financial and Administrative Affairs

Khalid Al-Tarkeet, Kuwait Labor Union Secretary Abdulrahman Al-Ghanim, and several firefighters, in order to discuss a number of issues raised during the recent sit-in. The statement further clarified that the KFSD is attempting to address most of the demands, which are also on the CSCís agenda, with the commission intending to study them as soon as possible. It added that it has been agreed that a committee should be established consisting of KFSD officials, several firefighters, along with the secretaries of the Kuwait Labor Union and the firemen’s union, in order to reach an agreement on the demands and to present its conclusions to the State M inister for Parliamentary Affairs, Al-Said Ali Fahad Al-Rashid.

MP fined for verbally abusing official KUWAIT: The Criminal Court has sentenced MP Dr Waleed Al-Tabtabae to pay a KD 1,000 fine after finding him guilty of verbally abusing Major General Khalil AlShamali, Ministry of Interior’s Assistant Undersecretary for Correctional Institutions Affairs. Violent clashes took place after police intervened to disperse a gathering outside the diwaniya of MP Jamaan AlHarbash where lawmakers held a seminar in December last year.

The ruling was passed in absentia during a recent trial led by Counselor Hesham Abdullah. In addition to charges of slander, Al-Tabtabae was also convicted of participating in an illegal gathering, as well as refusing to comply with police’s demands, in addition to resisting arrest. He was found

not guilty of three other charges, reported Al-Qabas.

In other news, the Appeals Court adjourned the trial of members of a sleeper cell that were found guilty of performing undercover work for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Three of the cell’s seven members were sentenced to death by the Court of First Instance, while two others were sentenced to life imprisonment. The sixth and seventh suspects were not convicted. The next appeal trial will be held on November 20.

In other news, the Criminal Court found MP Faisal Al-Duwaisan not guilty of verbal abuse in charges pressed by former Information Ministry undersecretary Faisal Al-Malik.

Approval for new MEW projects KUWAIT: The Central Tenders Committee (CTC) has approved a number of new Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) projects, all of which aim to improve services and maintain production quality.

Amongst the newly approved projects are one to equip, operate and provide maintenance for new seawaterdesalination and purification unit, whilst another concerns the purchase of spare parts for the Sabbiya power

station’s turbines.

The C TC has also approved the opening of a tender for the supply and repair of 400-kilovolt earth-insulated underground power cables and accessories in Sabah Al-Ahmad.

Other tenders for the supply and maintenance of various spare parts, as well as for heating and chilling equipment have also been approved, and will be opened for bidding shortly. — Al-Anbaa

Kuwaiti ambassador honors new Bahraini, UAE envoys RIYADH: Kuwait’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Sabah hosted a banquet on Monday evening here in honor of the new ambassadors of Bahrain and the UAE to the Kingdom, respectively Sheikh Humoud Bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa and Mohammed Bin Saeed Al-Thahri.

The formal dinner was also attended by a number of other distinguished figures, including a number of other Arab ambassadors to the kingdom, senior Saudi officials and high-level staff from the Gulf Cooperation Council’s Secretariat General.

Amongst the prestigious media figures attending the event were the chairman of the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) Sheikh Mubarak Duaij Al-Sabah and the chairman of the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) Abdullah AlHussein.

In his address during the banquet, Ambassador Sheikh Hamad Jaber welcomed his new Bahraini and Emirati counterparts, wishing them every success in their new posts as representatives of their countries in the kingdom.

The senior Kuwaiti diplomat added that he considered the brotherly event itself to be a great opportunity to make new acquaintances and to lay the foundation for cooperation amongst the Arab nation’ ambassadors.— KUNA

KUWAIT: To be robbed of one’s prized vehicle can be an unpleasant experience. The situation is even more perplexing if you are not an Arabic speaker and the car has been impounded. Many expats do not know how to reclaim their vehicle.

Tony, an Indian citizen claimed that his vehicle was impounded because it emitted smoke, “ The police intercepted me while I was driving and told me that my car let out a thick smoke. When I pressed on the pedal to demonstrate, the policeman asked me to get out of the vehicle, and pressed the pedal vigorously to let out more smoke.

They then impounded my car.

When I asked him the place I could release it from, he just replied with a smug ‘I don’t know,’” Tony told the Kuwait Times.

After collecting information for several days, Tony learnt that his vehicle was placed in vehicle impound facility in Amghara, Jahra.

He went there many times but was asked to return after a few days.

“When I finally picked my car, I was asked to pay a fine of KD 2 for each day that the car was kept in the facility, in addition paying a fine for violating a safety condition. Also, my technical license, which had not expired had to be renewed. I had to fix it and renew the technical license as well,” added Tony.

According to the staff at the Traffic Department, vehicle owners

KUWAIT: Going by traffic statistics released by the Ministry of Interior, at least 283 vehicles in the six governorates were impounded last week . — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat can check their vehicle’s status on the Ministry of Interior’s website : www.moi.gov.kw the same day it was confiscated. There are five impound facilities in Kuwait: In Shuwaikh near the Traffic Department, Sharq, Amghara, Sabhan, and Mina Abdullah (Shuaiba).

Vehicles can be confiscated if traffic laws are flouted. The driver will have committed a serious viola-

Municipal Council resumes session with criticism of minister KUWAIT: Municipal Council members on Monday strongly condemned the Minister of Public Works and State Minister of Municipality Affairs Dr. Fadhil Safar, accusing him of dishonesty and of seeking “to show himself off in the media” during the first session of the council’s third term. A majority of the councilors also publicly rejected Safar’s invitation to attend a joint meeting, scheduled for September 23rd, demanding that the minister first approve all the demands made by the council members during previous meetings.

The session also saw the members invoking Article 14 of the Municipality Regulations, which allows them to appeal against a ministerial decision, doing so in response to the minister’s rejection of recommendations made by the Municipal Council regarding the renaming of streets. Municipal Council members further accused Safar of not wishing to see the council receive credit for an achievement that stands to benefit Kuwaiti citizens.

Kuwait Municipality director Ahmad Al-Subaih, who also attended the session, insisted that both the council and the municipality are “in the same boat.” —Al-Rai

Divorce rate falls slightly KUWAIT: Divorce rates in Kuwait fell by 3.4 percent in the first half of 2011, according to a new report from the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) official authentication department.

The new figures show that 170 divorces were granted in the first six months of this year, whilst 4,941 weddings took place in the same period.

The majority of the both the divorces and marriages during the period, 115 and 3,933 respectively, took place between Kuwaiti couples, the report reveals.

Commenting on the new figures, Bader Al-Zamanan, the MoJ’s Assistant Undersecretary for Legal Affairs, said that the 3.4 percent fall in divorce rates is normal and indicates that, whilst still unfortunate, divorce is not as much of a social problem in Kuwaiti society as it was previously, adding that the average divorce rate has more than halved from the figure of 8.78 percent seen in 2006. —Al-Qabas

tion like crossing the red signal for instance. Going by traffic statistics released by the Ministry of Interior, at least 283 vehicles in the six governorates were impounded last week. Out of this, 34 vehicles were confiscated in Hawally governorate, 32 in Farwaniya, 11 in Ahmadi, 11 in Asima, 43 in Jahra and eight in Mubarak Al-Kabeer. The rest of the confiscated vehicles were impounded by the Operations

Department.

The confiscated vehicles may then be sold in a public auction if the owner does not claim it. This is done after the number plate of the confiscated vehicles and the names of its owners are published in the press, radio station, and TV. The owners should approach the facility to meet the committee within two weeks to pay fines and take back their vehicles.

Info, communications conference begins on Oct 3 KUWAIT: Kuwait’s serving Minister of Information and of Communications, Salem Al-Othaina, is set to inaugurate the Arabian Conference on Information and Communications Security (ACICS) at 9am on Oct 3 at the Al-Raya Conference Hall in Kuwait City.

Al-Othaina, who is also the Minister of Electricity and Water, will be attending the event on behalf of its patron, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser AlMohammed Al-Sabah.

Abdullatif Al-Suraie, the director of the Central Agency for Information Technology’s (CAIT) higher steering committee, which is organizing the event, said yesterday that information and communications security has become a top priority for both individuals and organizations.

“ACICS is a response to the downsides and risks that come with the advancement of the information age we live in,” he explained. “These risks range from simple to extremely dangerous; hacking and intrusions, often with serious implications.

Individuals, organizations and even countries could be the targets of such information security hazards.”

Al-Suraie continued, “The CAIT has prioritized information and communications security from day one. Moreover, CAIT officials have realized the scale of the challenge faced and the effort required to serve a connected government infrastructure.”

On the objectives of the conference, the CAIT head explained that it aims to present the latest in information and communications security trends and technology. The event will also feature expertise from trendsetting specialists in these fields, along with vendors showcasing their solutions to information and communications security chal-

lenges at the accompanying exhibition.

Al-Suraie explained that the conference will allow ordinary and corporate computer users, experts and vendors to: Exchange ideas on information security on best business practices in this field.

Improve awareness of the importance of information security and the continuous efforts necessary to overcome the increasingly sophisticated methods used by hackers and other online intruders.

Discuss the legislative aspects of building and implementing a legal foundation for information and communications security.

Become acquainted with the latest cutting edge solutions to challenges faced in this area. The CAIT head said that he expected numerous high-level government and private sector officials to attend the event, with invitations already sent to the IT and information/communications divisions of state bodies, financial institutions, telecom firms and legislative bodies. Senior officials from government agencies in other Gulf and Arab states are also expected to take part in the important event, he added.

“This event is taking place as a result of genuine cooperation between public and private sectors,” Al-Suraie went on. “Special thanks go to the ‘United Marketing & Organizing Exhibitions Company’ (UNIEXPO), which took responsibility for organizing the conference. We are also delighted at the positive response of local and international technology companies who agreed to enrich the conference with their industry-specific research and studies.” The CAIT head concluded by expressing his gratitude to the conference’s scientific committee and the other CAIT teams whose efforts he said would ensure the event’s success.

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kuwait digest

kuwait digest

Long live local banks

Corruption on every side

By Abdullah Barrak

By Abdullatif Al-Amairi he current sorr y saga began with the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) and the Kuwait Finance House (KFH), which both allegedly reported the presence of suspiciously large - multimillion dinar - deposits in nine MPs’ accounts to the Public Prosecutor, who is now investigating these allegations.

We have said several times that those MPs have a problem. It is not logical that they side with the government right or wrong without any price on their loyalty. It is not possible that the government somehow gets off the hook on every grilling. To the extent that the government tramples over the public, then the MPs elected by the public who side with the same government are helped by the public which voted for them in assisting the government to do so. Ultimately, however, these MPs are a great danger to this state, with legislation and supervision falling into the hands of a number of corrupt MPs, who take bribes, and with a deeply suspicious government that benefits from bribing them.

I t i s s t ra n ge that t ho se MPs w ho are allegedly taking bribes have become deaf and speechless, which is surely proof of their involvement in something. How can one explain that while their names have been published somewhere, none of them have denied the allegations. I can only describe them as dishonest people who have betrayed their nation and their fellow citizens who trusted them enough to elect them as representatives.

It is time to say ‘Enough!’ to this parliament and this government; you have shamed the name of Kuwait, besmirching it in front of the world. I don’t know how long this continuing scandal will go on, but it seems it will not end for as long as we continue with the current parliament and government.

Are they really worthy of remaining in power? Are they worthy of entrusting our futures and the futures of our children to? Is it logical that all these shameful events are taking place and the authorities are look ing on whilst doing nothing? The authorities should show their positive intentions and take constructive measures to protect the state of Kuwait and its future from those who allegedly take bribes; if the y d o n ot , G od al one k nows w hat w il l become of us.

I am not exaggerating when I say that the current situation is very dangerous and that pra c t i c a l s te p s m u st b e t aken to p ro tec t Kuwait from its corrupt government and corrupt MPs who are concerned solely with how much wealth they can acquire. — Al-Anba

he National Bank of Kuwait and the Kuwait Finance House upheld their national and professional duties when they approached the Public Prosecution over suspicious multimillion-dinar deposits in their accounts.

It is only a matter of time before other banks do the same in light of the 2002 anti-money-laundering law.

These actions are considered to be routine procedures - 111 cases of this kind have been filed with the Public prosecution since 2005 - and all are subjected to investigations by relevant authorities. It’s important to note that, after the case pertaining to suspiciously large deposits in MPs’ bank accounts first emerged, local banks have had nothing to do with any political malpractice, which is expected to be the focal point of the case.

Therefore, it’s irrational to point the fingers of blame at local banks when they only are doing their jobs by referring suspicious accounts to the authorities.

Those who ignore the main focus of the case, criticiz-

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Where is the return on our investments?

By Sarah Alzouman n Monday evening, the National Democratic Alliance held a political rally to discuss the accusations of corruption that have been plaguing Kuwait’s National Assembly. Or rather, the most recent accusations of corruption, involving ‘million dollar accounts’ that have sprung up seemingly overnight in the names of different MPs. I went along, hoping to hear some new facts, or at least a real plan to address this corruption, but I was disappointed on both counts.

The most popular theme of the night was placing the entire blame for mounting corruption on the back of the government, and demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister. This gross oversimplification of the challenges facing Kuwait made it difficult to take any other comments the speakers made seriously.

There were vague allusions to backroom deals, kickbacks, and ‘suitcases of cash,’ but no new information was shared and no evidence was provided.

One speaker referred to a story involving people ‘we all know’ trading money for favors ‘we are all aware of,’ so I guess that leaves me as the uncool kid not invited to the party. I hear interesting rumors, and I want to know the truth, but no one wants to tell me.

One speaker referred to the men accused of accepting bribes using a Kuwaiti word that roughly translated means something like a ‘sheikh’s lapdog’

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kuwait digest

kuwait digest

Probing the cash deposits scandal

The Thukhur initiative

By Khalifa Al-Khurafi he name ‘Thukhur’ has been chosen for the Kuwait Initiative for Leaders Development, and it is an Arabic word that means building and nurturing valuable and precious assets that can be used at a time of need. The initiative originated with the intention of carefully selecting and training 100 professionals that are part of an elite network (Leaders Club) with the right skills to manage projects that carry forward Kuwait’s development plans.

Selecting applicants to join the initiative goes through a careful and unbiased observation made by international experts to ensure neutrality and precision. If this mechanism is adopted while selecting state leaders and senior officials, Kuwait would’ve been a productive country as strong as Germany or Japan.

The mechanism to select members to the Thukhur initiative. It is based on three criteria: First is the applicant’s academic level, second is the general persona that is assessed by an internationally accredited testing method carried out by a neutral party. The third is the technical experience is assessed through an interview carried out by a specialized team from the United Kingdom.

Graduates of the Thukhut initiative are expected to be capable to running major projects in the public, private and oil sectors based on high quality international standards. The initiative’s training program includes several activities such as an introduction to Kuwait’s development plan as well as a course on project management held in the United States.

Unfortunately, some media figures in Kuwait have questioned the criteria based on which applicants are selected to join the Thukhur initiative, alleging that unlawful mediation is involved. I hope that we hear a response from organizers of the initiative in the form of interviews held with young men and women. They were selected from all categories of the Kuwaiti society, through which they explained the process by which they were chosen.

I’d like to express gratitude and support to everyone who has made contributions that led Thukhur initiative to see the light. It is the best thing that the state has offered in the past thirty years. Kuwait has all the assets to become a prosperous nation, but is only short of highly professional leaders which the Thukhur initiative aims to provide.

The Thukhur’s youth are Kuwait’s hope for a better future.

The initiative needs all the possible support to ensure success. — Al-Qabas

or ‘puppet’. Whether or not the characterization is accurate, it is not suitable for political discourse.

This political incorrectness was made even more jarring by the sheer volume of the speeches. The public speaking philosophy that equates shouting with passion needs to be re - evaluated.

Unfortunately, I already see the love of loud voices in tomorrow’s political stars, so I’m not holding my breath for that one.

Despite an hour-and-a-half of political grandstanding, none of the speakers offered a real solution to the corruption charges, or even concrete facts about those charges and the steps being taken to address the problem. The MPs wanted our help and support, but seem to forget that we gave our help and support when we elected them to higher office, and now we want a return on our investment. In a word, dear parliamentarians, do your jobs. The most salient statement of the night was made, rather uncharacteristically, by MP Jamaan Al-Harbish. “We failed to deal with the corruption in the National Assembly,” Al-Harbish declared, asking the people of Kuwait to take a stand against corruption on Wednesday evening by assembling in Al-Erada Square. You certainly did fail, and though that sounds like a terrible ending to a political rally, it’s the perfect beginning to a resignation letter. What do you say Mr. Al-Harbish?

You finally have the chance to lead by example.

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Those who ignore the main focus of the case, criticizing instead local banks for submitting complaints, only subject themselves to suspicion. Not only that, but they also question the integrity of the banking sector without concrete evidence and harm the country’s economic security in the process. Kuwait’s banks have earned prestigious international renown and they are ranked very highly by many global banking agencies vis-a-vis their neutrality. ing instead local banks for submitting complaints, only subject themselves to suspicion. Not only that, but they also question the integrity of the banking sector without concrete evidence and harm the country’s economic security in the process. Kuwait’s banks have earned prestigious international renown and they are ranked very highly by many global banking agencies vis-a-vis their neutrality. Their transactions are monitored by the Central Bank of Kuwait, which further solidifies the strength of the financial sector, i.e. the backbone of the national economy.

Local banks are major contributors to the country’s economic growth, proven by giving a total of KD25 billion in loans to companies and individuals in addition to financing major developmental projects in Kuwait. The top level service that local banks provide to investors has allowed Kuwait to assume its place among the best countries in the world in terms of quality service.

The multimillion deposits’ case is currently being investigated by the authorities and requires people to avoid making public speculations which could be interpreted as an attempt to question or affect the judicial procedures.

National responsibility requires us to support local banks in their efforts to expose the truth behind this sensitive case. We raise our hats to local banks for always being a financial safe haven and a crucial element in the existence of any development project. Banks are the cornerstone of Kuwait’s economy, so messing with them is equivalent to messing with one of the main foundations on which the country stands.

The reputation of local banks directly reflects that of the state. The public must thwart therefore all attempts to damage the reputation of local banks because this will also damage the reputation of the country’s citizens.

There’s no need to raise questions over the integrity of local banks, because we all know exactly where the main problem lays. — Al-Qabas.

By Thaar Al Rashidi he National Assembly Council’s deci- ‘dangerous’ case will affect the state which sion to question the government on has not taken a suitable extension of its the truth behind multi-million dinar political size. I mean, the case of loss stands deposits made to some MPs’ accounts will at KD 37 billion. It has been allocated for the strike a chord with the honest. They will sup- growth plan, and approved by the National port it regardless of whether it is a grilling Assembly Council.

The plan, which we saw nothing out if it, motion, seminar, or even a protest to force government to reveal information about the must be held accountable. If the door is opened for political responsibility, it will case. affect the prime If a closed-session minister and all interpellation motion is ministers without initiated against His Regardless of what happens exception. Even Highness the Prime later, the ‘dangerous’ case will government comMinister, it is the best and shortest way to lay affect the state which has not panies and other enterprises the case bare. The govtaken a suitable extension of private will be investigaternment will not need its political size. I mean, the ed. to pay even a single fils This case should to get the necessary case of loss stands at KD 37 bilbe raised today, voting results. lion. It has been allocated for and I don’t underAs there are many the growth plan, and approved stand why opposiMPs that are ready to tion MPs go to the vote for the session, by the National Assembly tant ’ case. the important thing is Council. The plan, which we ‘impor They leave the not about who saw nothing out if it, must be ‘most impor tant ’ received and paid the loss of billions in 25 million as this sum held accountable. growth projects. of money. That aspect The first case will is, in fact, nothing but hold as many 15 the peak of an ice mountain, hidden behind political curtains. individuals responsible.

Their close associates like ministers, MPs, It is expected during the next session, if it is held, that the millions that disappeared will merchants, banks will fall into hot soup. If pessimists believe that 25 the multi-million appear.

The pessimists expect that this scandal deposits scandal will lead to the National will lead to the National Assembly’s Council. Assembly Council’s demise, the nature of Those who are less pessimistic expect the scandalous incidents reported in the country government’s resignation before the session might change. It is enough to say that the is held. While being optimistic, I am not one plan and the expenses are enough to disof them, they expect the session to be held solve eight National Assembly Council. At even if it is closed one. It will stop corrup- least, a majority of self-styled bigwigs will tion even if the corrupt individual remains disappear from ministries. Any discussion on the development plan might takes us obscure.

Regardless of what happens later, the back to 1986. — Al-Anbaa

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kuwait digest

Unite, but don’t fall divided

By Ahmad Y Al-Duaij he performance of the current government, an extension of the past ones that have been in power since 2006, is totally weak. This is due to the government’s inability to face the country’s problems. Many major decisions were taken haphazardly, including decisions that flirt dangerously with the state’s budget and kowtow to unions’ demands. The NGOs (representing various professions), in addition to some groups of state employees do not have a union or a society. The unwise government could avoid inflicting grave harm.

It should take the initiative to conduct a comprehensive study and review the salaries of the state employees, with reference to comparisons made to GCC countries’ salaries. Agreeing to all the demands put forward to a professional society or a union to avoid a strike, will make them more haughty. The Constitution guarantees equality to all citizens.

Reports state that Kuwait is home to more than 20 labor unions, associations and societies, and the numbers may rise. Those that have demands they are threatening to hold strikes - like workers in the oil sector met. A piece of advice to all struggling for their rights - unite but don’t fall divided. In order for your strike to be realized , you must carry out the strike on the scheduled date and time in different places . The government will them fall into trouble and hold an extraordinary meeting during which demands are approved.

There is no need to remind you that it is not necessary to gather MPs support. They are ready to grab any opportunity to show off nonsense.— Al-Watan

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‘Pent-up frustrations lead to outbursts’ Labor strikes threatening public sector

UNITED NATIONS: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, received yesterday the head of the National Union of Kuwaiti Students-USA Branch (NUKS), Fahad Al-Subaiee, and the union administrative staff. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah.

Kuwait urges Syria to cooperate with UN inquiry GENEVA: In an address delivered before the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) yesterday, the State of Kuwait urged Syria to cooperate with the international inquiry committee and all the UNHRC’s bodies and functions in order to help satisfactorily resolve the current crises there and put an end to the current situation and escalating violence, which are “painful for all parties.”

Ambassador Abdulrazzaq Razzooqi, Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, stressed that for the Syrian leadership to make the wrong decisions would have grave repercussions and could lead to disastrous results. Kuwait, he added, continues to fully stress the importance of respecting Syria’s unity and territorial integrity.

The ambassador pleaded with the Syrian authorities to put an immediate and complete end to the shootings and bloodshed in order to spare the Syrian people more violence.

He indicated that Kuwait is gravely

concerned at the continued deeply troubled situation in the fellow Arab country which has left many dead and injured among the civilian population, urging wisdom and the adoption of a rational approach to tackle the root causes of the unrest. This approach would involve the introduction of immediate reforms and meeting the expectations of the people, he said. The ambassador also called upon the Syrian authorities to begin a comprehensive national dialogue involving all opposition and other parties to attain the required change and reform. “The stability of Syria is crucial for the stability of the region as a whole,” he asserted.

Al-Razzooqi expressed his condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the confrontations of the past six months, stressing Kuwait’s commitment to the UNHRC’s statement following the extraordinary session on Human Rights in Syria held last month. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The current wave of labor strikes threatening several departments in the public sector is the culmination of workers’ pent-up frustration at the government’s hesitation to address laborers’ financial demands. The statement was made

by Fayez Al-Mutairi, Chairman of the Kuwait Trade Union Federation (KTUF) in a press statement. Citizens are left with little choice but protest “as the increasing cost of living that continues to eat into their incomes while not being paid proportionate salary raises.”

“The series of strikes and protests reflect the fact that state employees have had enough of demanding equal financial benefits,” said AlMutairi, warning that “bottled up pressure erupts after a while.”

Furthermore, he called the Cabinet to form a joint committee in association with civil bodies that include the Civil Service Commission and the KTUF. These reportedly study the demands put forward by public sector employees and devise best

solutions that both sides can approve.

In a second statement released on Monday, it warned against “questioning the Ministry of Justice employees for taking part in the sitin that was staged on April 14.” This strike is different from the held at the ministry’s premises recently.

According to Hathal Al-Mutairi, Head of the Labor Union, it will be suspended until October 16, “after we receive a signed undertaking from Dr Mohammad Al-Afasi Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Justice and Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, to approve allowances paid to legal staff.”

Protests began springing up recently after the Cabinet approved a pay rise to oil sector employees last week. It had threatened to hold a mass strike on Sunday had their demands not been met. The same day, a call to hold a meeting was held with the Civil Service Council the body that frames regulations based on which the Civil Service

Kuwaitis fear media crackdown as police summon Twitter users KUWAIT: A large number of Kuwaitis have reportedly been summoned by the Kuwaiti security authorities for questioning concerning statements posted on their Twitter accounts. Speaking on condition of anonymity, several Kuwaitis told local daily AlQabas that they had received calls from the police asking them to report to the relevant authorities for questioning over statements they posted on the social networking site.

The individuals said that these calls would suddenly end whenever they requested a legal warrant for their arrest, but stated that others had already complied with the requests and undergone questioning. MP Dr. Hassan Jowhar has already submitted a number of parliamentary questions to interior minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Sabah in connection with the issue, asking the minister to explain the reasoning behind the security authorities’ decision to investigate people for stating their opinions online. The reports have renewed concerns that the government may be considering stringent new media laws which could even see transgressors sentenced to prison or given large fines. These concerns have also been fueled recently by news that the Ministry of Information brought charges against two local dailies which published reports on a top-level meeting of senior members of the ruling family. —Al-Qabas

Commission pays salaries and allowances to state employees -to discuss the demands submitted by labor unions in several state departments. However, the it was never convened with the Council responding that it was “studying demands more thoroughly.”

Meanwhile, a source who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that some departments can use expatriate labor forces to replace Kuwaiti workers stage strikes. It insisted that this concept can only be exercised for a limited period of time thanks to other constraints faced.

Twelve expatriates have already been asked to replace protesting Kuwaiti employees at several departments in the Ministry of Justice, according to a statement released by Sheikh Mubarak AlSabah, Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee .

Meanwhile, Chairman Hamad AlWardan stated that legal staff in state departments will continue to hold strikes until their demands including

ensuring payment of equal financial benefits are met. The staff members who work at legal departments in ministries argue that their colleagues at the Fatwa and Legislative Department who possess similar academic qualifications receive significantly better pay accusing the Civil Service Commission of paying salaries based on nepotism instead of qualifications, reported Al-Qabas.

In other news, a group of security personnel assigned to work at the Kuwait University colleges canceled plans to hold a demonstration against the contracting company.

According to a source, officials warned that termination letters would be served to striking employees who will be subsequently deported. The source said that the employees accuse their company of deducting KD 70 from their salaries to renew residence permits. The workers also protest against being paid a KD 120 monthly salary, including squalid accommodations that the company provides.

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LOCAL

Phony ‘cops’ steal KD3,000 from Asian in Shuwaikh Two dead, two hurt in car accidents KUWAIT: A hunt is underway for two Arab men who posed as police officers to steal KD3,000 from an Asian expatriate just after he withdrew the money from a Shuwaikh bank.

The thieves, who claimed to be plainclothes detectives, approached the victim just after he left the bank, flashing what looked like police badges and demanding to see his ID. When he handed it over, they seized his wallet and took out the money he had just withdrawn, telling him that they were confiscating it since it was counterfeit before getting into their car and driving away. The victim immediately went to Shuwaikh police station to report the incident.

Road accidents One man was killed and two others critically injured in an accident involving a bus carrying Asian workers which overturned on Abdally Road on Monday. Emergency services personnel rushed to the scene, with paramedics pronouncing the man dead at the scene and rushing the two seriously injured men to Jahra Hospital. The dead man’s body was removed for autopsy and an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash. Meanwhile, a young male driver died in another car crash, this time on Fahaheel Highway on the same day. The victim’s body was removed for autopsy, and an investigation is underway to reveal the cause of the accident.

Suspicious deaths An investigation is underway to determine the cause of death of a Kuwaiti woman who died in Jahra Hospital where she had gone for a kidney dialysis session. The victim reportedly complained of massive pain whilst waiting for the procedure shortly before falling unconscious. Despite medics’ frantic attempts

to revive her, she was pronounced dead at the scene. The body was removed for autopsy to determine the cause of death. In another unexplained death, the body of an Asian man who worked as a servant for a family in Sabah Al-Salem was discovered in his bedroom by his employer, who immediately called the emergency services hotline. Although paramedics rushed to the house, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. The body was removed for autopsy to determine the cause of death and an investigation has been launched into the incident.

Karma for harasser A young motorist who followed and repeatedly harassed a Kuwaiti woman as she drove back to her family’s home in Sulaibiya got a shock when he followed her into the driveway of the home only to find her four furious brothers, who she had called on her way to inform them of the harasser, awaiting him. They dragged the lecherous would-be lothario from his car before administering a beating to him, after which they called police.

The battered harasser, who suffered a broken nose and heavy bruising in the attack, faces charges of sexual harassment, whilst the young woman’s brothers have been charged with assault.

Leftover missile Bomb squad officers safely detonated a large anti-aircraft missile found by construction workers excavating a site in Sabah AlAhmad. On uncovering the suspicious item, which had evidently been buried there for some years, workers immediately called the emergency services hotline. Police and bomb squad experts were quickly at the scene, sealing it off and evacuating the workers before successfully detonating the 250 kilogram

rocket from a distance. The missile is believed to have been left there following the 1990-91 Iraqi invasion and occupation.

Bootleggers busted Patrol officers who grew suspicious of a vehicle that fled when they approached ended up arresting the three occupants - a man and two women - who turned out to be bootleggers in possession of impor ted liquor which they were planning to sell.

When the officers initially approached the vehicle while it was parked in an isolated spot in Salmiya, the driver immediately took off, with a car chase ensuing which ended in Hawally when the car was forced to stop.

Although the male driver and the two female passengers attempted to flee on foot, they were quickly apprehended, with the police officers discovering six bottles of impor ted liquor in the vehicle. The detainees admitted that they had been on their way to sell the alcohol and had earlier sold a similar number of bottles to individuals attending illicit parties. The bootleggers are being held at Rumaithiya police station pending further action.

Junkies jailed Three Kuwaiti men, aged 39, 45 and 51, were arrested in Omairiya for drug possession, with subsequent investigations determining that all three were wanted in connection with previous drug-related offences. Police initially found the men in the Omairiya Co-op’s parking lot after receiving a report that they were using drugs there. On searching them, officers discovered a quantity of heroin and a total of 143 narcotic tablets in their possession. They were taken into custody and referred to the General Department of Drug Control (GDDC) for further action. — Al-Rai, Al-Watan

KUWAIT: His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receiving Dr Saadi Suleiman Al-Traad at Seif Palace yesterday. Dr Al-Traad presented to HH a copy of his PhD thesis on the single GCC currency and Gulf economic correlation from a Kuwaiti perspective.

Kuwaiti, Syrian MPs clash at Arab Parliament meeting KUWAIT: The head of the Arab Parliament’s foreign affairs committee Abdulaziz AlHassan of Syria, has reportedly resigned in protest following a heated argument with fellow committee member Mubarak AlKhurainej of Kuwait over the ongoing turbulent situation in the Arab republic.

During the argument, which reportedly took place at the committee’s latest meeting at the Arab Parliament headquarters in Cairo, Al-Khurainej apparently strongly condemned Al-Hassan, demanding that he resign from his position for failing to commit to neutrality in his leadership of the committee.

“Al-Hassan used a strident tone and threatened the committee members, which prompted us to demand his resignation”, AlKhurainej told Kuwaiti daily Al-Rai.

Al-Khurainej said that Al-Hassan, who is also a member of the People’s Council of Syria, asserted following the incident that he had resigned due to feeling that he was disrespected as chairman by the current committee members.

“These types of representatives are hurting the image of the Syrian government rather than attempting to reflect a positive image,” said the Kuwaiti MP, referring to AlHassan, who he claimed had also insulted the other committee members during the altercation. During Monday’s meeting, the foreign affairs committee also called on the Arab League to suspend Syria’s membership in order to put pressure on the regime there to introduce the essential changes which the Syrian people are demanding. — Al-Rai

KUNA releases new biannual economic report

KUWAIT: The Indian bootlegger pictured after his arrest.

Wedding reception theft

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A total of KD6,000 in cash, given as wedding gifts, was stolen from a wedding hall in Andalus whilst a wedding reception was taking place there for the new bride and her female relatives and friends.

The bride’s father told officers at Andalus police station that he had given the money to his wife for safekeeping during the event.

When the celebration was over, he explained, his wife discovered that the money had disappeared. The complainant did not name any particular person as being responsible for the theft, but said that given the nature of the event he suspected that the thief is female. An investigation is underway to catch the callous thief.

Car accidents Five men - three Egyptians, a Sri Lankan and a Bangladeshi - were taken to Adan Hospital after suffering various injuries, including broken bones, in a car crash under Shuaiba Bridge. In a separate incident, two Kuwaitis aged 18 and 60 sustained heavy

bruising in a car accident in Kheitan. Both were taken to hospital.

Meanwhile, a 50-year-old Egyptian man was taken to Farwaniya Hospital after sustaining heavy bruising when he was hit by a car in Kheitan.

Bootlegger busted Patrol officers in Hawally who became suspicious of the behavior of an Indian motorist, who appeared to panic when he saw their vehicle, discovered that there were a number of bottles of homemade liquor on the back seat of his car and others in the trunk, a total of 273 bottles in all. The bootlegger was taken into custody whilst the liquor was confiscated.

Salwa blaze Two Kuwaiti men in their twenties were taken to Mubarak Hospital after suffering burns to their hands and breathing problems from the effects of smoke inhalation whilst tackling a blaze at their family’s home in Salwa. The fire was successfully extinguished with no other injuries reported.

KUWAIT: Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) has issued a new biannual economic report on the latest developments of Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE), local banks and real estate during the first half of 2011. The report includes reliable information and statistics on stocks, banks and property, together with interviews with relevant experts and specialists.

In Chapter One, the economic report showed that the Kuwaiti bourse nosedived in the first six months of this year owing to the global economic crisis, local political events and geopolitical situations in the Middle East region. The market value of the Kuwaiti bourse consequently fell to KD 31.4 billion, down 13.5 percent, it said. The indexes of the market reported a mixed performance in January, given deteriorating regional political and security conditions.

In February, the market sustained serious losses because of uncertainty and concerns over continuing political tensions in the Middle East region, according to the biannual report. The situation got worse when Zain rejected three offers to sell off 25 percent of shares of its branch in Saudi Arabia, a move which consequently led to the cancellation of its deal with UAE’s Etisalat, it indicated.

The negative performance of the bourse continued in March, having been affected by marked fluctuations in the Saudi market. By the end of the first half of 2011, the market value of Kuwaiti companies dwindled away by KD 4.90 billion (USD 17.8 billion) compared to 2010.

In Chapter Two, which focuses on local banks, the report noted Kuwaiti banks posted profits in the first half of this year in spite of hard economic circumstances that seriously affected the world banking sector. Local banks attached much attention to retail services at the local market following the global financial crisis in mid-2008, the report, compiled by KUNA, said. National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) retained its top place among other local banks in view of net profits, as it posted profits worth KD 146.7 million, or 50 percent of the banking sector’s net profits, it added. Kuwait Finance House (KFH) also remained on the top of other banks in terms of operating revenues, having gained KD 277.5 million in the first half of 2011, or 30.4 percent of the banking sector’s total earnings.

In Chapter Three, which is related to real estate, the report said the property market was marked by cautious activity in the second quarter of this year. The value of sold properties in the second quarter of 2011 rose by 73 percent compared to the same period of 2010, the economic report said. The value of real estate transactions involving housing, investment and commercial sectors, hit around KD 1.32 billion worth of 2,343 housing units against KD 597.9 million worth of 2,482 properties in the same period of 2010. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The lucky winners with VIVA officials.

VIVA grants two customers a trip to Manchester KUWAIT: Kuwait Telecommunications Company VIVA granted two customers the chance of a Dream Trip to Old Trafford to attend the Manchester United vs Chelsea match live at Old Trafford on Sunday, whereby winners Abdulla Al-Shammari and Dakheel Al-Dyooli celebrated with Manchester United fans the win against Chelsea 3-1.

VIVA awarded a fully paid trip to AlShammari and Al-Dyooli as part of its sponsorship of Manchester United, the trip included a return ticket from Kuwait to Manchester, accommodation and match ticket. A representative from the Ministry of Commerce attended the draw that took place earlier this month and revealed the two new winners, in the draw that allowed thousands of VIVA customers who paid their bill on time or used their credit to participate and win the chance to attend the historic match in the Old Trafford.

Both winners thanked VIVA for the magnificent opportunity and its hospitality during the trip, as they demonstrated gratitude and appreciation of VIVA’s continuous gestures towards its customers and partners.

Earlier this year, and celebrating the sponsorship of Manchester United, VIVA CEO, Salman Bin AbdulAziz Al-Badran stated, “VIVA is honored with this historic partnership with Manchester United, and very excited with the 2011-2012 season as the agenda full of promotions, activities and surprises for VIVA customers, football fans, and most importantly, Manchester United fans continues.”

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Arab Producers Union adopts Kuwaiti proposals AMMAN: The ongoing fifth session of the Arab Producers Union here adopted Kuwaiti proposals regarding marketing of Arab media productions at international festivals and encouraging youth-focused production, as well as agreed on the theme for the next session as awareness of audience.

The participants praised the Kuwaiti call for stress on provision of property rights protection and that the next session focuses on audiences; what do we produce, and for the benefit of whom?

Head of the Kuwaiti delegation Mohammad Abdelmehsin Al-Awwash said there was much appreciation and support of this and many other Kuwaiti proposals and interjections during the event, which concludes today. The Kuwaiti side sees a great and urgent need for more youth-focused and youth-appropriate programming in the young Arab region, and noted to the great volume of interaction and popularity of FM stations’ programs as proof this is a great viable venue to guide and inform the young.

Al-Awwash, who is assistant undersecretary for radio affairs at the Information Ministry, remarked that it is important to provide intellectual property protection for Arab productions while seeking to promote and market them at international media production festivals and events, and most particularly in Asia and Europe.

The proposal to adopt identity and specific-audience needs and expectations as focus for the next round of meetings reflects a belief in responsible, aware, and clear-mission media; there should always be a message in support of current Arab and Islamic issues in any genre of production, he stressed.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of the GCC Joint Programming Production Corporation Abdelmihsin Al-Bannai said it was important for Kuwait to partake in the ongoing meetings. This is, among other reasons, because Kuwait is a major producer of dramas, documentaries, and culture focused media. It is very important for us,

therefore, to seek better exposure and promotion.

The ultimate objective is exchange of expertise, finding means to support and better manage the field, and work for integration and coordination in production.

Along with Al-Awwash and Al-Bannai, the Kuwaiti delegation includes Kuwait TV Channel One Coordination Director Jassem Al-Sharif, Kuwait Radio Professional Supervisor Yousef Al-Srayye’, Kuwait Radio Media Affairs Supervisor Mansour Al-Ajmi, and Kuwait Radio Undersecretary Office Director Bader Al-Enizi.

The meetings began yesterday with discussion on a host of issues related to development of production in both mechanisms and technicalities and in quality and message of product.

The participants include ministers of culture and of media, diplomats, media figures and professionals, artists, producers, media channel owners and managers, and representatives of a host of Arab and other media

production bodies and cities, both state and private. The three-day meetings are to touch on issues of financing and legislation required to protect intellectual property rights, as well as discuss creation of translation centers.

The current session was launched under the theme of Al-Quds; Capital City of the Arab Palestine. The event was stressed as an opportunity to collect a million signatures and endorsements for a petition that is addressed to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon calling for recognition of an independent Palestinian state with AlQuds (Jerusalem) as its capital.

The petition is accessible on the Arab Producers Union website, where there is an option to spread the plea via social media including Twitter and Facebook as well.

The plea is featured in pages and spread by 11 Arab media bodies and channels in Kuwait, Ramallah, Gaza, Cairo, Khartoum, Dubai, Sharjah, Amman, Irbil, Baghdad, Damascus, and Lebanon. — KUNA

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

Italian scientists go on trial over 2009 quake

Israel settlers march to protest Palestinian UN bid Page 8

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Syrian forces kill three in raids Around 300 men arrested since morning AMMAN: President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces killed three villagers yesterday in raids on rural regions across the country, activists said, and two members of the security personnel were reported shot dead in separate attacks.

Security forces also defused a bomb planted under a crude oil pipeline near the city of Homs, state news agency SANA said.

The villagers were killed in Al-Kiswa region 8 miles south of the capital, where hundreds of police raided houses looking for protesters, Deir Baalbeh near the city of Homs and in Jabal al-Zawiya region near the border with Turkey, where army defectors have been taking refuge, activists and residents said.

In recent weeks those areas have seen major demonstrations demanding Assad’s overthrow. The 46-year-old president has responded to six months of unrest with a militar y crackdown in which the United Nations says 2,700 people have died.

Tens of thousands of people have also been arrested, activists say, and French Foreign M inister Alain Juppe said on M onday Syrian leaders would have to answer for crimes against humanity that he said were being committed in Syria.

Assad, who succeeded his father 11 years ago, has said he is resisting a foreign conspiracy to divide Syria and the use of force has been limited. Despite their resilience in the face of Assad’s crackdown, Syria’s opposition movement has struggled to close ranks and create a unified platform for protesters.

But last week opposition figures meeting in Istanbul took a major step towards bridging their differences when they announced

the formation of a Syrian National Council.

That body won the important backing yesterday of the Local Coordination

Committees, a grassroots activist group at the centre of the protest movement. “We support the SNC out of our commitment to

unify the opposition and to eliminate the opposition’s fragmentation,” the LCC said.

Residents of Kiswa, mostly inhabited by

DAMASCUS: A photo released by the Syrian official news agency (SANA) shows Syrian soldiers carrying the coffins of comrades Ahmed Mahmud Aslan and Hassan Yussef Mehdi, allegedly killed in recent violence in the country, as they are taken for burial from Teshrin military hospital in Damascus yesterday. — AFP

refugees from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, said in a posting on Facebook that security police fired rifles from rooftops to scare people, pickup trucks armed with machineguns patrolled streets, firing randomly, while houses were raided.

“Around 300 men were arrested since the morning,” one of the residents said. In the northern Jabal Al-Zawiya region a policeman was shot dead by unidentified gunmen, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. SANA said a member of the security forces was shot dead by an “armed terrorist group” in Homs. It said three others were wounded.

Activists and diplomats say protests in Syria have been overwhelmingly peaceful, but there have been increasing reports of attacks on security forces by gunmen and clashes with army deserters. Authorities say 700 soldiers and police have been killed, and the same number of civilians.

SANA said army engineering units dismantled a bomb containing 25 kg of explosive which had been placed under a pipeline delivering crude oil to Homs refinery. In late July Syria said saboteurs blew up an oil export pipeline linking Syria’s oilfields to the Mediterranean.

A resident of Homs, who gave his name as Fares, said more barricades and checkpoints manned by troops and gunmen loyal to Assad had been set up in densely populated central districts on the outskirts of the city in the last 24 hours.

That followed large demonstrations on Monday and fighting between army defectors and much larger Assad loyalists in the countryside, during which two deserters were killed.— Reuters

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Absent judge keeps US hikers in Iran jail: Lawyer TEHRAN: Two US hikers convicted of spying in Iran are still in a prison in Tehran as a judge who is to authorise their release has yet to return from leave, their lawyer said yesterday. “I went to the court today and they told me that the... judge is not here. I waited a while and after some time I left.

They told me that they will call me” when the judge returns, the lawyer, Masoud Shafii, told AFP. The release on bail of the two Americans, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, has already been approved by one judge, and Shafii had been told on Sunday to expect the second judge to return to work yesterday.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told US media last week that the pair, who have been held since being arrested near the moun-

tainous border with Iraq on July 31, 2009, would be released imminently.

But the judiciary, dominated by ultra-conservatives, said later that no decision had yet been taken and that it was studying a request by the lawyer to post bail. Bauer and Fattal were arrested along with a third hiker, Sarah Shourd, who left Iran in September last year after being granted bail on humanitarian and medical grounds.

As with her two jailed friends, Shourd’s bail had also been set at $500,000 and was paid through Oman, a US Gulf ally that maintains friendly relations with Iran. “Everything is in place to post bail (for Bauer and Fattal) and to have them released, except for the signature of a judge” to post bail, Shafii said on Saturday.

Shafii previously told AFP he had

been officially notified by the court his clients can be released after posting bail, but that he still lacked the signature of one of the two judges. He did not specify who would pay the bail, as the United States has no diplomatic relations with Iran.

On August 21, Bauer and Fattal were each sentenced to eight years in prison by a revolutionary court in Tehran on charges of espionage and illegal entry. They have appealed against the ruling.

Meanwhile, Iran hanged a man yesterday for killing a doctor he thought had caused his mother’s death, and a 17-year-old, convicted of killing the country’s strongest man, will be executed tomorrow, Iranian media reported.

The two cases have caught the

public’s imagination in a country which has the highest per capital death penalty rate in the world, according to rights groups. Iran dismisses criticism of its justice system, saying it is an effective deterrent.

Sajjad Karimi was convicted of killing Gholamreza Sarabi, a cardiologist, after his mother died. He was hanged in one of the capital Tehran’s main squares.

“In the presence of the police and the people, the killer of Dr. Sarabi was hanged this morning in Haft-Houz square,” the official IRNA news agency reported.

Seventeen-year-old Alireza was convicted of stabbing to death Rouhollah Dadashi, a two-time champion of Iran’s Strongest Men competition, Haft-e Sobh daily reported. He

will be executed today if Dadashi’s family chooses not to pardon him.

Iran hanged 22 people convicted of drug trafficking on Monday, the latest mass executions by Iran. Amnesty International said in April the Islamic state had sharply stepped up its use of public executions to intimidate its citizens. Iran denies this, saying its chosen form of justice leads to less crime. “ Those who disturb the public peace in any way will be executed in public upon the order of the judiciary if the branch finds it expedient,” Fars quoted Fereydoun Amirabadi, a judicial official, as saying. Murder, adultery, rape, armed robbery, drug trafficking and apostasy-the renouncing of Islamare all punishable by death under Iran’s Islamic law practised since the 1979 revolution. — Reuters

Israel settlers march to protest Palestinian UN bid ‘This is our land, and there will never be a Palestinian state’

BEIRUT: A handout picture from the Lebanese Internal Security Forces shows ISF Commander in Chief, Brigadier General Ashraf Rifi, inspecting evidence collected from an overnight raid and a car shootout between the police and men suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of seven Estonians in Lebanon, in Beirut yesterday. — AFP

Lebanese forces kill men linked to Estonians’ kidnap BEIRUT: Lebanese security forces killed two men yesterday involved in the kidnapping of Estonian tourists in the Bekaa Valley earlier this year, officials said.

Security sources named the two as Mohammad Zarifi and Kinaan Yassin, saying they were killed shortly after midnight in an exchange of fire in the eastern Bekaa. Two members of the Internal Security Forces were also wounded.

Zarifi was from Syria and Yassin was a Lebanese national. The seven Estonian cyclists were kidnapped in March shortly after crossing into Lebanon from neighbouring Syria. They were released unharmed four months later, though the

circumstances of their kidnapping-a rarity since the end of Lebanon’s civil war in 1990 — remain unclear and officials did not say whether any ransom had been paid. A Lebanese security source familiar with the case said the Estonians were released after negotiations but gave no details.

The area where they were kidnapped is known for lawlessness and many gangs involved in car thefts operate there. In April, Lebanese authorities charged 11 people-four of whom they said at the time were still at large-with kidnapping the tourists at gunpoint and shooting at a security force patrol. —Reuters

BEIT EL: A few hundred Israeli settlers were yesterday marching through the northern West Bank to protest against Palestinian plans to seek full membership of the United Nations. One group of several dozen people marched from Beit El settlement near the city of Ramallah towards a military base, waving Israeli flags and singing, while around 150 people joined a march from the Itamar settlement to a nearby military outpost south of Nablus, AFP correspondents said.

The Itamar marchers were escorted by a heavy military presence. “This is our land, and there will never be a Palestinian state on the homeland of the Jewish people,” said Michael Ben Ari, the ultra-nationalist member of parliament who led the Beit El march.

Earlier yesterday, a group of about 100 settlers entered the Palestinian village of Asira alQibiliya near Nablus and began attacking residents, witnesses said. An AFP correspondent said stones were being thrown by both sides and that some of the settlers were armed and had fired their weapons.

Shortly after wards, Israeli troops and border police arrived and fired rubber bullets and tear gas to try and control the situation, the correspondent said, adding that several villagers were injured, including a Palestinian journalist who was beaten by set-

WEST BANK: Israeli settlers from the Yitzhar settlement throw stones at Palestinian villagers during clashes yesterday in the West Bank village of Asira al-Qibiliya, south of Nablus. According to locals, clashes started after a group of about 100 settlers from the northern West Bank attacked Palestinians and their homes. — AFP tlers.

He also said a 14-year-old boy was taken to hospital after being hit by a tear-gas canister, with the account corroborated by a watchdog group which is monitoring settler attacks as part of a new campaign called “Eyes of Resistance”. The marches came as the Palestinians prepare to formally ask the United Nations on

Friday to admit a Palestinian state as a member of the world body.

The move is fiercely opposed

by Israel, and particularly by the settler movement which has vowed to stop a Palestinian state becoming a reality on the ground. Earlier this month, rightwing parliamentarians and radical settler activists met to mull a plan of action for September,

Bombers kill 4 at govt centre in Iraq’s Anbar FALLUJA: Suicide bombers hit a government complex in the capital of Iraq’s mainly Sunni Muslim Anbar province yesterday, killing four people and wounding at least 15 others, officials said. Two suicide bombers wearing explosive vests and a third driving a car blew themselves up at the provincial government buildings in central Ramadi, officials said.

Anbar, the vast desert province to the west of Baghdad that saw some of the fiercest fighting of the war, has been the scene of sectarian tensions in recent days after the killing of 22 mainly Shi’ite pilgrims. Government buildings and security forces have been frequent tar-

gets of a still lethal Sunni insurgency trying to destabilise Iraq’s nascent democracy.

“Two suicide bombers wearing vests blew themselves up at the government building. The other one was a car bomb on the other side of the complex,” said Mohammed Fathi, spokesman for Anbar’s governor. The complex, which houses the provincial council offices and police headquarters, has been a frequent target, including two attacks last December that killed two dozen people.

Yesterday’s explosions killed four and wounded at least 18, an interior ministry source said. A health official put the toll at four dead and 15 wounded.

Anbar Governor Qassim Mohammed said security forces “shot at one of them.

He tried to escape and they shot him again, the second one moved forward, they shot at him and blew him up and the third blew himself up.”

Violence has dropped sharply in Iraq since the peak of sectarian fighting in 2006-07 but bombings and other attacks still occur daily as the army and police battle Sunni insurgents and Shi’ite Muslim militias.

Hundreds of people took to the streets in cities and towns across Anbar last Friday to protest the arrest of eight local men suspected in the Shi’ite pilgrim killings. Gunmen attacked two

buses carrying pilgrims from the Iraqi city of Kerbala to Syria on Sept. 12, killing 22 men while sparing 15 women, 12 children and two elderly men.

The killings and the arrests sparked angry exchanges between Anbar and neighbouring Kerbala province and prompted Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and other officials to try to defuse tensions by meeting tribal leaders.

Sectarian tensions still simmer in Iraq more than eight years after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein as Iraq’s government tries to decide whether to ask U.S. troops to stay past a year-end deadline for their departure. — Reuters

‘Israel fuels instability’ AMMAN: Jordan’s King Abdullah II has warned that Israel’s stance in peace talks with the Palestinian is fuelling instability in the Middle East, in remarks published yesterday in The Wall Street Journal.

“If we can’t get the Israelis and Palestinians together in this next couple of days, then what signal is that for the future process?” King Abdullah asked in a WSJ inter view in New York ahead of the UN General Assembly. The Jordanian ruler said that while he had been encouraged at times by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “positive statements,” the reality on the ground was disappointing.

“I think my best way to describe my view toward Israel is my increasing frustration because they’re sticking their head in the sand and pretending that there’s not a problem,” said the monarch, whose country signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994.

His comments came as Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas vowed to seek a vote on UN membership for a Palestinian state this Friday, setting up a collision with the United States and Israel. Washington has already said it will use its veto if the UN Security Council votes on the issue, while Netanyahu on Monday urged Abbas to hold direct talks in New York ahead of the showdown.

In the interview, King Abdullah also said the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was contributing to the instability in the region. “I have talked to him (Assad) twice in the first part of the year to discuss about the challenges we are facing and how we could

be supportive in lessons learnt, but at that point the Syrians were not really interested in what we had to say,” he told the WSJ. According to UN estimates, at least 2,600 people, mostly civilians, have been k illed in the Syrian regime’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests since mid-March. King Abdullah meanwhile expressed optimism about his own country’s reform programme.

“On the issue of political reform, yes and again four months from now, God willing, I want to feel much better,” he said. Jordanian MPs are currently debating constitutional amendments proposed by a palaceappointed committee and announced by the king last month.

The recommendations include the creation of an independent commission to oversee elections, lowering the age of candidates for parliament from 35 to 25 and limiting the jurisdiction of the military state security court, accused by activists of being illegal, to cases of high treason, espionage and terrorism.

“I think that we are way ahead of the cur ve because we have a plan, and the job of the leaders is to make sure that government and parliament stick to those benchmarks so that we have a new Jordan as quickly as possible,” the king said. “I do not know if that could be said for a lot of countries in the region, some of them maybe going from an Arab Spring to an Arab Summer to an Arab Winter and maybe it takes a while for them to come back up to the Arab Spring again.”— AFP

BEIRUT: A woman wearing the trademark Keffiyeh worn by the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, joins some 2,000 demonstrators gathered outside the United Nations’ offices in Beirut yesterday, in a show of support for a Palestinian bid to secure full UN membership. — AFP

promising to stage mass demonstrations and rallies against the Palestinian bid.

None have so far materialised.

The Palestinians are planning a series of rallies and marches across the West Bank to support their bid, which they say will be entirely peaceful and will stick within areas under their control. — AFP

Marrakesh bomb trial to resume RABAT: The trial in Morocco of nine suspects in a bomb attack in April that killed 17 people, mainly European tourists, is set to resume tomorrow with bereaved relatives in attendance.

The main suspect, 25-year-old Adil El-Atmani, and his accomplices face the death penalty if proven guilty. The trial opened on June 30 but was then adjourned to August 18 and further postponed to September 22 in order to allow the plaintiffs to prepare their case.

“So far the trial is taking place in normal conditions. The judicial guarantees are there and personally, I’m ready. So I don’t wish for another postponement,” Omar Abouzouhour, a lawyer for nine of the victims’ families, told AFP. The nine suspects are accused of “seriously undermining public order, premeditated murder and laying an ambush, the possession of and making of explosives, and belonging to a banned religious group.”

The victims, most of them tourists, included eight French nationals as well as citizens of Britain, Canada, Switzerland, Portugal and The Netherlands. Relatives of the victims of the April 28 attack on the terrace of a cafe on Marrakesh’s bustling Djemaa El-Fna square are in Morocco for the hearing. The Marrakesh bombing was the most deadly in the north African kingdom since attacks in the coastal city of Casablanca in 2003 which killed 33 people and 12 suicide bombers. Security sources have alleged that El-Atmani, wearing a wig and carrying a guitar, left two bags containing bombs on the cafe terrace and triggered the blasts with a mobile phone just after leaving.

“Morocco wants this trial to wind up by the end of December, they want it to finish as quickly as possible because every time you talk about the attack, it doesn’t do any good to the tourism industry,” said Jacques Sombret, one of the French victims’ father.

He argued that the attack revealed major cracks in Morocco’s anti-terror surveillance system. “When you see that El-Atmani left Morocco three times with a passport to go to Afghanistan or Libya and was sent back to his country three times ... Moroccan police never saw fit to monitor him,” Sombret said.

During the August hearing, Atmani claimed he was innocent and asked for King Mohammed VI to intervene in his favour. “Mister El-Atmani has not yet told me why he changed tack. As you know, after his arrest he admitted to the charges against him in front of investigators and of the prosecutor,” his lawyer, Abderrahman Al-Abidine, told AFP by phone. The lawyer added that during the last visit he paid to his client, El-Atmani had asked him for a Quran.

Police have described some of the suspects in the Marrakesh attack as “admirers of Al-Qaeda” and Moroccan authorities had initially blamed Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) for the bombing.

AQIM, behind a series of attacks and kidnappings in north Africa, denies responsibility. — AFP

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Clemency denied in US death row case Witnesses changed their original testimonies ATLANTA: A Georgia parole board denied clemency yesterday to Troy Davis, clearing the way for his imminent execution in a case that has made him an international cause celebre for death penalty opponents.

Davis was convicted of shooting to death an off-duty police officer who intervened in a brawl in a parking lot in Savannah, Georgia in 1989, but no physical evidence linked him to the crime and several witnesses recanted their testimony.

Despite an international campaign that made him a cause celebre for death penalty opponents, Davis is set to be executed at 2300 GMT today after the Georgia parole board turned down his appeal. “The board denied clemency,” the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles said in a statement yesterday. “It is unconscionable that the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles has denied relief to Troy Davis,” said a statement from the human rights watchdog, which has been helping with his defence.

“Allowing a man to be sent to death under an enormous cloud of doubt about his guilt is an outrageous affront to justice.”

Davis, 42, has repeatedly claimed his innocence and his supporters say the evidence supports that. No

murder weapon was ever found, no DNA evidence or fingerprints tie Davis to the crime, and other witnesses have since said the murder was committed by another man-a witness who testified against Davis.

“The case against Davis unraveled long ago. Seven out of nine original state witnesses recanted or changed their original testimonies,

This undated file photo provided by the Georgia Department of Corrections shows death row inmate Troy Davis. — AP some alleging police coercion,” said Amnesty. “Ten people have pointed

to one of the remaining witnesses as the actual killer. There is no murder weapon that links Davis to the crime. Any notion of physical evidence that demonstrates Davis’ guilt has been debunked.”

But Anneliese MacPhail, mother of slain police officer Mark MacPhail, said she believed Davis was guilty in her son’s death, and that the courts have validated this. She said the execution should take place.

“I will never have closure,” the mother told CNN. “But I may have some peace when he is executed.”

Davis is scheduled to die by lethal injection at a prison in Jackson, Georgia, south of Atlanta. The parole board was made up of five members and it takes just a simple majority to decide a case. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the panel’s decision.

Among those calling for clemency are former US president Jimmy Carter, Pope Benedict XVI and US actress Susan Sarandon. The Davis cause is also supported by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Amnesty International and many other organizations.

Amnesty called on the Georgia parole board to reconsider its decision immediately and urged

District Attorney Larry Chisolm to seek to vacate the death warrant.

“Should Troy Davis be executed, Georgia may well have executed an innocent man and in so doing discredited the justice system,” it said.

In the latest protest outside the parole board’s closed-door meeting on Monday, an estimated 150 to 200 demonstrators carried signs saying, “Justice, Free Troy Davis,” and “We are Troy Davis.”

Another placard read: “ Too much Doubt. Save Troy Davis.” The case became internationally famous as the face of what critics call a corrupted justice system in the deep US south, with a black man wrongly and hastily convicted of killing a white officer.

The US Supreme Court became involved in 2009 and ordered a federal judge in Savannah to convene a hearing to consider new evidence. In August 2010, however, a US District Court in Georgia ruled that Davis had failed to prove his innocence and denied him a new trial. The top US court turned down a subsequent appeal.

Davis supporters say close to one million people worldwide have signed petitions calling for clemency, with petitions last week delivered to state authorities containing about 650,000 signatures.—AFP

Mexico says high-level drug smuggler captured MEXICO CITY: Mexican authorities have captured a highlevel smuggler in charge of transporting drugs from Central America to the United States on behalf of drug baron Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

The national defense ministry said Jose Carlos Moreno Flores, arrested in Mexico City on Sunday, was based in the southern state of Guerrero, where he was in contact with drug traffickers in Costa Rica and Guatemala.

Previous high-profile arrests have done little to stem the crime wave in Mexico, where some 35,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence since the government launched a massive crackdown on the cartels in 2006.

On Monday eight suspected cartel gunmen were killed in a shootout with police in the western state of Michoacan, which borders Guerrero, according to a local official.Guzman, who has eluded Mexican authorities since 2001, is the head of the Sinaloa cartel and is considered the country’s most powerful drug trafficker. —AFP

MEXICO CITY: Mexican Army officers escort three members of the cartel of drug traffickers and gunmen Los Caballeros Templarios, Saul Solis (C), aka El Lince; Mario Alberto Gordillo (L) and Jose Cuitlahuac Ramirez, during a presentation at the Mexican Army Headquarters in Mexico City, yesterday. — AFP

US troops in Afghanistan shrug off end of gay ban COMBAT OUTPOST MONTI: US soldiers on the frontline in Afghanistan shrugged off yesterday’s expiry of a ban on openly gay troops, instead concentrating on their gruelling fight against the Taleban. At remote Combat Outpost Monti in the northeastern province of Kunar, some were unaware of the day’s significance and others unwilling to discuss it, burying their heads in magazines, shrugging their shoulders or walking away.

Soldiers who did speak at the all-male US base up in the mountains near the volatile border with Pakistan said the ruling would have scant impact on their day-to-day lives in what is now America’s longest overseas war.

“Makes no difference to me. It’s not going to affect me or send me home any quicker,”

Staff Sergeant Ben Marquez, 35, told AFP as he wandered through the base that has come under regular mortar bomb attack. Private First Class Edward Lanning, 21, said he felt “nothing” about the repeal as he took a quick cigarette break. “I don’t care,” he said.

The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law was adopted in 1993 and required gay troops to keep quiet about their sexual orientation or face dismissal. It also banned service personnel from asking fellow soldiers if they were gay.

An estimated 14,000 troops were expelled from the armed forces under the ban before it expired yesterday. Some 2.25 million troopsvirtually the entire military-have undergone training to ensure a smooth transition, the Pentagon has said.— AFP

SOUTH Africa honeymoon murder trial CAPE TOWN: Two South Africans allegedly hired by a British newlywed to kill his Swedish bride on their honeymoon in Cape Town will have their case heard by a higher court, a judge ruled yesterday.

At a brief hearing at a magistrate’s court, Mziwamadoda Qwabe, 25, and Xolile Mngeni, 23 were ordered to appear before the High Court on Feb. 10. More serious cases are usually tried in the High Court.

They have not yet been asked to respond to charges of kidnapping and murder.

The victim’s British husband also has been implicated in the shooting death of 28-year-old Anni Dewani whose body was found in an abandoned taxi in Cape Town’s impoverished Gugulethu township in November. Prosecutors say Dewani’s husband, Shrien, hired Qwabe and Mngeni to kill her. The trial has been postponed several times due to the poor health of Mngeni who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, who had surgery to remove a brain tumor in June.

Prosecutors still await the requested extradition from Britain of Shrien Dewani, a British businessman. A British judge ruled last month that he should be sent to South Africa to face trial. Dewani is appealing that decision, which awaits the approval of the British home secretary.

Meanwhile, his supporters and detractors have set up two competing Internet petitions for and against his extradition.

Dewani, 31, has said that his 28-year-old bride was killed in a carjacking in an impoverished Cape Town neighborhood. During extradition hearings in London, South African lawyers said Dewani told a witness six months before the murder that he felt pressured into getting married and wanted a way out. The unnamed witness is willing to give evidence if he stands trial, according to South African authorities.— AP

Muslim students’ trial nearly in hands of jury SANTA ANA: Prosecutors argue that 10 Muslim students acted as censors when they shouted down a speech by an Israeli diplomat at the University of California, Irvine, while the defense says the students acted within the law.

The case, with defense closing arguments under way, has stoked a spirited debate about free speech not just in the courtroom but in the affluent suburban community south of Los Angeles. Many of the facts are not in dispute: The students carefully planned their February 2010 protest during Ambassador Michael Oren’s speech about US-Israel relations and were escorted out by security officials.

Jurors will be asked to decide whether students broke the law or were exercising a right to demonstrate freely. The students face misdemeanor charges of conspiring to disrupt a meeting and disrupting a meeting. If convicted, they could face sentences ranging from probation with community service and fines to a year in jail.

The case also raised questions about prosecutorial discretion, with some members of the public calling the trial a waste of taxpayers’ money. Other community members have said the defendants were

being singled out because they are Muslim.

In his closing argument Monday, prosecutor Dan Wagner told jurors the students acted as censors to block the free flow of ideas and infringed on the rights of 700 people who had gone to the campus that evening to hear Oren. He said emails among members of the Muslim Student Union showed students were aware they could be arrested before the protest. “ The right to free speech is not absolute,” Wagner said before a packed courtroom of more than 180 people in Orange County, with more observers waiting outside. “If hecklers’ vetoes were allowed, then nobody, nobody, none of us would have the right to free speech.”

Defense attorney Reem Salahi - who represents two of the defendants - said the students followed a series of protests at UC Irvine and elsewhere during which demonstrators shouted during lectures but weren’t arrested or sanctioned. In this case, UC Irvine officials expressed their displeasure with students’ actions during the demonstration but didn’t give hard rules on what was or wasn’t permitted, she said.—AP

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Pope visiting homeland with mixed views on church BERLIN: When Benedict XVI arrives in Berlin this week, he will be greeted in his homeland by a Lutheran chancellor, a gay mayor and a divorced, remarried Roman Catholic president. The breadth of potential social and religious conflicts represented by the German leadership reflects the state of a nation that is proud of, but also sometimes indifferent and antagonistic toward, the German-born pontiff and the church he represents.

In a weekend address on German television ahead of his Sept. 22-25 visit Benedict told viewers he was especially excited to visit Berlin and speak in the German parliament. “All of this is not religious tourism, even less a show,” the 84-year-old pope, born Joseph Ratzinger, said an address broadcast on ARD television late Sunday. “It is about bringing God back into our field of view; God who is often missing, but so very needed.”

Not all Germans are so convinced.

Protests have been organized at all the pope’s planned stops during his four-

day trip. Some opposition lawmakers have said they will not attend his address to parliament and gay and student groups have announced demonstrations to be held in Berlin and Erfurt.

“We are against discrimination, unequal treatment, against the banning of condoms and we want to make that clear,” Joerg Steinert, director of the German Gay and Lesbian Association told Associated Press Television News. “We will be visible when the pope addresses parliament.”

Berlin’s openly gay mayor, Klaus Wowereit, has said that he welcomes the pontiff’s visit to the capital and will meet with him personally. He has also expressed understanding for the protests planned by gay, leftist and other groups in Berlin.

“It is to be expected that in a city such as Berlin, people will be critical in their view of the Catholic Church and want to express that,” said Wowereit.

Unlike Benedict’s Bavarian homeland, Berlin is largely Protestant, or secular -

a leftover of decades of Communist rule.

Yet even in the more staunchly Catholic southwestern city of Freiburg - the final stop on the pope’s journey a group calling itself “Freiburg Without the Pope” has been printing T-shirts depicting the city’s historic cathedral sheathed in a bright pink condom.

Church organizers say the pontiff is aware of the planned protests, but is choosing instead to focus on the 260,000 people who are expected to attend Masses in Berlin’s Olympic stadium and at an airfield in Freiburg, as well as a historic ecumenical service to be held with German Lutherans in the home of the Reformation.

Roughly 30 percent of Germany’s 82 million inhabitants are Catholic - an equal number are Lutheran - but the Church has been losing members in recent years. The Vatican’s views on contraception, the role of women, homosexuality and its handling of the sexual abuse scandal that rocked Germany last year are seen by many

here as outdated and out -of-touch.

“We are in an ongoing crisis, a shift in society, but also in the church,” said Christian Meisner, a spokesman for We Are Church, a movement that calls for reforms in the Roman Catholic Church and has planned protests at all three of the pope’s stops. The group was launched in Germany and Austria, but has spread to other nations.

Even an issue such as the refusal to allow remarried divorcees, such as German President Christian Wulff, to accept communion sparks heated discussions over how the Church can hold up its claims of mercifulness and forgiveness. A recent poll indicated most Germans don’t think the papal visit is particularly important. Only 14 percent of 1,008 Germans surveyed by the Forsa institute between Sept. 8-9 said the visit was of personal importance to them, compared with 55 percent that said it held “no importance whatsoever.”

“There is a great potential in religion, when it is able to carry a mes-

sage of hope, but that is not happening right now,” Meisner said. The potentially most sensitive topic in Germany is the church’s handling of last year ’s sex abuse scandal.

Hundreds of Germans came forward with claims that they had been sexually or physically abused by Catholic priests.

The claims sparked soul-searching within the Church and prompted Archbishop Robert Zollitsch, who heads the German Bishops Conference, to call for a process of dialogue in the church here. Asked in an interview with the news agency dapd whether the pope would meet with abuse victims, as he has done on trips to the United States and Great Britain, Zollitsch refused to comment, although local media have reported that such plans have been made.

“The pope knows the reality of this issue in our country. I cannot say whether and, if so, how he will address it,” Zollitsch said. Kirsten Grieshaber contributed to this report. — AP

Riots erupt in tight Zambian election Confusion over delivery of ballots

AQUILA COURT: Bernardo De Bernardinis, former vice chief of the technical department of Italy’s civil protection agency, right, and his lawyer Alfredo Biondi wait for the start of the trial in the Aquila Court, Italy, yesterday. De Bernardinis in one of seven scientists and other experts who went on trial on manslaughter charges for allegedly failing to sufficiently warn residents before a devastating earthquake that killed more than 300 people in central Italy in 2009. — AP

Italian scientists go on trial over 2009 quake L’AQUILA: A group of Italian scientists went on trial yesterday for failing to predict an earthquake that killed more than 300 people in central Italy in 2009 despite signs of increased seismic activity in the area. The seven defendants-six scientists and one government official-are accused of manslaughter in a case that some see as an unfair indictment of science.

Prosecutors say residents around the city of L’Aquila in the mountainous Abruzzo region should have been warned to flee their homes in the days before the quake.

“We simply want justice,” L’Aquila prosecutor Alfredo Rossini told reporters. The injured parties are asking for 50 million euros ($68 million) in damages. The defendants were members of a panel that had met six days before the April 6 quake to assess risks after hundreds of tremors had shaken the medieval university city.

At that meeting, a committee analysed data from the low-magnitude tremors and determined that the activity was not a prelude to a major earthquake. The only one of the seven defendants present at yesterday ’s hearing was Bernardi De Bernardinis, a former senior official in the Civil Protection Agency. “I think it’s important to be here because I am own my own turf. I am from Abruzzo and I owe it to the people here,” Bernardinis told the court.

The other defendants include top scientists like Enzo Boschi, the former director of Italy’s prestigious National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology, as well as Claudio Eva, a physics professor at Genoa University in northern Italy.

“This is a trial which opens on very shaky foundations. You cannot put science on trial,” Alfredo Biondi, Eva’s lawyer, told AFP. Biondi said his client had told the 2009 meeting that a major earthquake could not be ruled out. The experts are accused of giving overly reassuring

information to residents who could have taken adequate protective measures if they had been properly informed.

According to the indictment, the seven are suspected “of having provided an approximative, generic and ineffective assessment of seismic activity risks as well as incomplete, imprecise and contradictory information.” The experts had made it clear that it was not possible to predict whether a stronger quake would occur but had recommended stricter enforcement of anti-seismic measures, particularly regarding building construction.

Yesterdat’s hearing consisted of technical discussion on the list of witnesses and the civil parties involved. The next session was scheduled for October 1. In an open letter sent to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, more than 5,000 scientists said the defendants essentially face criminal charges for failing to predict quakes, even though this remains technically impossible.

But Vincenzo Vittorini, a doctor who founded the association “309 martyrs” and lost his wife and daughter in the disaster, said: “I hope that this trial will change mindsets and will lead to greater attention given to communication on risks.” “No one expected to be told the exact time of the quake. We just wanted to be warned that we were sitting on a bomb,” he added Some 120,000 people were affected by the 6.3 magnitude quake, which also destroyed the city’s historic centre and medieval churches as well as surrounding villages.

In the September 14 issue of the science week ly Nature focused on the L’Aquila trial, Thomas Jordan, head of the International Commission on Earthquake Forecasting (ICEF), said the case raises a fundamentally important issue about risk assessment. — AFP

Chernobyl veterans seek to storm Ukraine’s parliament KIEV: Thousands of Ukrainian veterans of the Soviet Afghan war and the Chernobyl nuclear disaster clean-up tried yesterday to storm parliament in Kiev in outrage at planned benefit cuts, an AFP correspondent reported.

Organisers said some 10,000 people had joined the protests, which subsided when several ruling party legislators walked out to meet the mostly-elderly group, local media reports said.

The demonstrators broke through barriers manned by helmeted riot police and managed to break glass panes on the main entrance to the Verkhovna Rada parliament building before retreat-

ing. The rally was organised after lawmakers gave initial approval last week to a bill cutting back benefits paid to those who helped clean up the April 1986 nuclear disaster and those who still live on the affected lands.

The measure also slashes spending on war veterans and some other groups of citizens as a part of new austerity measures aimed at steering Ukraine safe of the economic turmoil now rocking Europe. The measure is being backed the by the ruling Regions Par ty of President Viktor Yanukovych which is keen to show it has the budget under tight control. —AFP

LUSAKA: Stone-throwing mobs smashed cars and blocked roads during voting yesterday in Zambia’s capital, after opposition leader Michael Sata accused President Rupiah Banda’s rival camp of rigging the ballot.

Crowds of mainly young people set flaming tyres in the streets, smashed cars belonging to elections officials, set buses alight, and threw stones at police who tried to charge the mobs from their vehicles.

Police declined to comment but AFP reporters saw at least four people being arrested. The unrest was scattered around the city. In the slum of Lilanda, voters said they went on the rampage because polling stations were slow to open. Sata’s car was smashed, while Banda’s posters were ripped down.

In the Kanyama slums, confusion over the delivery of ballots resulted in a crowd of Sata’s Patriotic Front supporters beating a man who they believed was carrying pre-marked papers.

Election monitor Kalenga Lemba said the incident brought voting to a standstill, but balloting resumed a short while later.

“When I went there, I didn’t find any ballot papers which was already marked,” he said. Ian Miyoba, the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s returning officer for the area, said election workers had been delivering voting material when they were mobbed. All the sides eventually agreed that the ballots were blank.

The unrest erupted just a few hours after polls opened at 6:00 am (0400 GMT), but by mid-afternoon the streets were quiet and voting had resumed. Polling stations were due to close at 6:00 pm. Sata is waging his fourth presidential bid, after losing by just two percentage points to Banda in 2008. Sata also had claimed the last election was

LUSAKA: Zambians line up to cast their vote in the presidential elections in Lusaka, Zambia, yesterday. Ten candidates are on the presidential ballot, but only Zambia’s President Rupiah Banda and Michael Sata who has lost three previous presidential votes, including in 2008 are considered contenders. — AP The PF says if elected they will rigged, and his supporters rioted running on the back of what has emerged as one of Africa’s most crack down on corruption and for days to protest his defeat.

“It’s becoming very difficult. dynamic economies, with growth bring back a windfall tax on minBoxes without covers, papers recorded at 7.6 percent last year ing firms in a bid to help more without serial numbers, those are and 6.4 the year before, accord- Zambians benefit from the countr y ’s huge copper reser ves. all the difficulties we have,” Sata ing to the IMF. The campaign for his Zambia last year was the largest told journalists after casting his ballot, shortly before the rioting Movement for Multipar ty copper producer in Africa and began. Banda made a televised Democracy (MMD) has centred the seventh-largest in the world.

Despite Sata’s tough rhetoric, speech on Monday warning on growth and development, against unrest during the polls, with Banda pointing to new analysts expect few major poliand police were ordered to arrest roads and hospitals as proof of cy shifts if he wins. Once known anyone found in public with a his achievements. Sata, a fiery for his fierce criticism of China’s slingshot, axe or other potential nationalist whose biting rhetoric growing presence in the counearned him the nickname “King try, Sata has more recently said weapon.

The presidential, parliamen- Cobra”, has attacked Banda as that he would work with foreign tar y and local elections have soft on corruption and criticised investors, including Chinese. been hotly contested, though him for failing to do more to About 5.2 million voters are regSata’s fortunes dimmed when his spread the wealth in a country istered to take part in the polls, alliance with smaller opposition where 64 percent of people still which will decide the country’s parties fell through even before live on less than two dollars a leadership for the nex t five years. — AFP campaigning began. Banda is day.

Explosion kills three, wounds 15 in Ankara ANKARA: An explosion from a suspected car bomb ripped through a street in the Turkish capital Ankara yesterday near a neighbourhood housing government buildings, killing three people and wounding 15, Interior Minister Naim Sahin said.

The blast struck the central Kizilay neighborhood less than a kilometre from the prime minister’s office, the headquarters of the chief of general staff and several ministries. Sahin said a parked car had exploded, setting off a chain of blasts as other vehicles blew up on a busy street. The vehicles, like many in Turkey, were powered by liquified petroleum gas, mak ing them more likely to explode, he said.

“It is highly probable that it’s a terror attack,” he said. “ The explosion took place in a parked car, and was followed by explosions of other cars because they had LPG.” President Abdullah Gul, visiting Germany, condemned what he said was a terrorist attack.

“ Those who have had no share of humanity carried out a terror attack against civilians in Ankara. We have fatalities. I send them my condolences and with hatred condemn the terror,” Gul said, according to state -run Anatolian news agency. A plume of thick smoke rose above the heart of the city after the blast.

Reuters reporters at the scene said a line of parked vehicles had been destroyed and an adjacent row of shops was damaged, across the street from a primary school.

Ambulances and fire engines rushed to the scene and police set up a security cordon while bomb disposal teams’ sniffer dogs searched for any possible secondary device. Sahin said the three people who were killed had been in nearby buildings.

O f the 15 people who were wounded, five were in a critical condition. “Kumrular street is a busy place in terms of human and vehicle traffic. It’s seen that the explosion mainly targeted people,” he said. Kurdish sepa-

ratists, leftists and Islamist militants have carried out bomb attacks in Turkish cities in the past. Prime M inister Tay yip

Erdogan was in the United States and was due to hold talks with President Barack Obama later in the day. — Reuters

ANKARA: Burnt and damaged cars are seen at the site after a suspected car bomb exploded in a busy street in the Turkish capital Ankara, Turkey, yesterday. A car bomb went off near a high school in the Turkish capital yesterday, killing three people in a nearby building and wounding 34 others, authorities said. — AP

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Ex-prisoners urge Singapore to scrap security law SINGAPORE: Former political prisoners in Singapore have demanded the abolition of a British colonial law allowing detention without trial after neighbouring Malaysia vowed to repeal similar legislation.

In a rare public message, carried by an independent website and reported in pro-government media yesterday, 16 former detainees held under the Internal Security Act (ISA) said it was time to abolish the controversial law. “Singapore inherited the ISA from Malaysia. This law has been in existence for more than half a century and its impact on society is both crippling and pernicious,” the petitioners said.

The ISA, first implemented by Britain after World War II to fight communist insurgents in colonies

collectively known as Malaya, was retained by Singapore after it became independent from the Malaysian federation in 1965.

The ISA has been denounced by critics in both nations as a tool to stifle dissent, but Singapore rejected calls for its abolition after Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announced last week that his government would repeal it.

In a statement on Friday, Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs said the ISA remained “relevant” against threats of subversion, racial and religious extremism, espionage and terrorism. “No person has ever been detained only for their political beliefs,” the ministry said.

The Singapore petitioners included Chia Thye Poh, who spent 26 years in detention and was one

of the world’s longest-held political prisoners along with South Africa’s democracy icon and former president Nelson Mandela.

Chia was a 1960s socialist intellectual and opposition MP who was accused of being a communist subversive, a charge he firmly denied. Seven of the signatories were detained in 1987 for an alleged Marxist conspiracy against the government of Singapore’s founding leader Lee Kuan Yew, who was prime minister from 1959 to 1990.

Lee, 88, stepped down in May as an adviser to the cabinet of his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, following a general election in which the ruling party lost six seats and garnered an all-time low of 60 percent of the vote.

Since the campaign for the May polls, govern-

ment critics have become increasingly bolder in their demands for greater political freedom in Singapore. Last month’s presidential election, in which former deputy prime minister Tony Tan won by a slim margin against three rivals with just 35 percent of the vote, was seen as a further sign of public support for reforms.

“Singapore has many existing laws that will deal with acts of terrorism,” the petitioners said, citing the penal code and laws specifically directed at terrorism, firearms and explosives possession and illicit fund transfers.

“These laws provide severe punishments which include death, life imprisonment and caning.”

There was no immediate reaction from the home ministry to the petition. — AFP

Himalayan quake rescuers blast route to epicentre Rescuers find more casualties

SEOUL: Members of environmental and civic groups participate during a news conference denouncing imported agricultural and marine products from Japan without radioactivity test in front of the government building in Seoul, South Korea, yesterday. — AP

S Korea court rejects bid to shut nuke reactor SEOUL: A court yesterday rejected a bid by local residents to force South Korea’s oldest nuclear reactor to shut down immediately over fears of radioactive leaks. The court in the southern city of Busan said the 30-year-old Gori-1 reactor is safe and being properly managed by its operator, staterun Korea Hydro-Nuclear Power Co, Yonhap news agency reported.

A group of 97 Busan residents had sought an injunction in April after the company decided in 2008 to extend the operations of the reactor, originally designed for only 30 years, for 10 more years. The residents said extended use could lead to radioactive leaks. Fears over nuclear power grew worldwide after Japan’s earthquake and tsunami on March 11 badly damaged the Fukushima Daiichi plant. Germany in May became the first major industrialised

power to agree an end to nuclear power, with a phase-out to be completed by 2022.

“It is accepted that Korea Hydro is currently conducting proper technical management to keep under control potential risks stemming from the continued operation of the Gori-1 reactor,” Judge Park ChiBong said in his ruling. The court said major parts prone to wear have been replaced and new technology had been added to improve resistance to an earthquake or tsunami.

South Korea operates 20 nuclear plants, which generate some 35 percent of its electricity needs, and plans to build 12 more over the next 14 years. The nation has vowed to stick to its atomic power development programme despite heightened concern following the Japanese crisis. — AFP

HYDERABAD: Pakistani flood affected villagers block a Hyderabad-Badin road during a protest against the mismanagement of food distribution by the local administration near Hyderabad city yesterday. Official figures show the floods have killed nearly 350 people and affected 7.1 million since monsoon rains began last month — leaving hundreds of thousands living under open skies on hills and along highways. —AFP

Philippine troops kill 3 militants, rescue trader MANILA: Dozens of army troops killed three Abu Sayyaf militants and rescued a kidnap victim in the southern Philippines, while a 7-year-old girl was freed unharmed after negotiations with another group of gunmen, officials said yesterday.

The rescued businesswoman, Luisa Galvez, an army soldier and at least seven militants were wounded in the gunbattle Monday on Basilan Island, regional military spokesman Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang said. Three army platoons were searching for gunmen when they stumbled on Abu Sayyaf militants, setting off a clash that killed three militants. The others fled and troops later found Galvez abandoned, Cabangbang said.

“The soldiers were unaware that the Abu Sayyaf men were holding a hostage in the area,” Cabangbang said. The stunned Galvez, who was slightly wounded in the leg, was taken to a military camp, he said.

Troops were pursuing the fleeing militants in predominantly Muslim Basilan, the birthplace and a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf located about 550 miles (880 kilometers) south of Manila.

Galvez, 34, was seized Sept. 4 by three gunmen who posed as customers at her beauty salon in Ipil town in Zamboanga Sibugay province, police said. Desperate for funds, the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf has resorted to kidnappings, targeting people who struggle to pay ransom. Last year the group carried out at least 11 kidnappings and raised about $704,000 in ran-

som, according to a confidential government report seen by The Associated Press in February.

They killed at least six hostages whose families failed to pay for their release, the report said. The Abu Sayyaf, which has close to 400 fighters, remains without a central leader after several of its top commanders were killed or captured by troops in recent years. Its two biggest factions are based in Basilan and in nearby Sulu province.

The Abu Sayyaf still holds two Americans of Philippine descent, an Indian, a Malaysian and a Japanese convert to Islam. Meanwhile, an army statement said gunmen released unharmed a 7-year-old girl Monday night after nearly nine hours of captivity in North Cotabato, a southern province where other Muslim rebel groups and kidnap gangs are active.

The girl and her mother were walking near their home in Pikit township when two gunmen grabbed the child, North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Mendoza said. The army said no ransom was paid and the release took place after troops backed by armored vehicles cordoned off and searched the area while the town mayor’s wife negotiated with the kidnappers.

Gunmen disguised as policemen also abducted a farm supply store owner in southern Cagayan de Oro City on Monday.

The kidnappers barged into the store, disarmed a guard and took Manuel Boniao at gunpoint. No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction, police said. — AP

PHINGLA: Rescue teams backed by army engineers using explosives tried to force their way yesterday to the remote epicentre of a powerful Himalayan earthquake that killed 83 people in India, Nepal and Tibet.

Before the grim search for more victims can even begin, the main challenge after Sunday’s 6.9-magnitude quake is to reach the isolated, mountainous impact zone on the border between India’s northeastern Sikkim state and Nepal.

Air force helicopters flew rescue workers to a remote Himalayan region in search of survivors of a strong earthquake. Convoys of vehicles carrying rescue workers, medical teams and emergency supplies left the Sikkim capital Gangtok at daybreak yesterday. But progress was tortuously slow over the narrow, badly damaged roads more often frequented by groups of adventurous tourists heading for Himalayan trekking trails.

After covering just a short section of the 60kilometre (40-mile) route to the worst-affected districts of Mangan and Sangthan, the convoys came to a complete halt near the town of Phingla, where the path was blocked by a huge rockfall. As army engineers drilled holes for explosives to try and blow apart the largest boulders, rescuers could only wait in frustration along with distraught locals trying to get through to relatives-unsure whether they were alive or dead.

“I’ve been here for six hours, waiting for the army to clear the road,” said Pema Doma, 37, who has heard nothing from her parents or 16year-old son in Mangan since the quake hit. “I’d walk if they would let me,” she said. “The anxiety is killing me. What if he’s screaming for me?

What if he’s calling for me and I can’t even hear him?”

Those who did attempt walking around the rockfall were stopped by soldiers. “I know many shortcuts to reach Mangan but the army says it’s not safe,” said P. Sherpa, 62, whose son is a student at the North Sikkim Academy, a private school in Mangan. “So all we can do is sit here and stare at the rocks.”

One army official told AFP it could take up to 48 hours to clear the entire stretch of road to the quake epicentre. But on a positive note, a break in the monsoon weather allowed a

GANGTOK: Indian patient Sanu Tamang, 20 is cared for by a relative as she rests on a hospital bed in Gangtok yesterday, after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit the region on September 18. Rescue teams backed by army sappers using explosives tried to force their way to the remote epicentre of a powerful Himalayan earthquake that killed 83 people in India, Nepal and Tibet. — AFP resumption of helicopter flights which had been grounded most of Monday by heavy rains and low cloud.

Air force officials said food packages and small medical teams with doctors and paramedics had been air-dropped into Mangan and Sangthan. The death toll from building collapses and landslides in Sikkim stood at 50, but Indian Home Secretary R.K. Singh warned the number could rise as emergency relief workers reached far-flung villages.

Officials said around 300 people had been admitted to hospitals across the state. More than 5,000 army troops were mobilised to help clear roads and assist with the relief operation.

The Press Trust of India said 26 tourists, including 15 trekkers, had been rescued and taken to army encampments for their own safety.

Around a million people visit Sikkim every year and an estimated 60 percent of the state’s tiny population of 500,000 rely on tourism for

Japan steps into South China Sea territorial feud MANILA: Japan has held discussions with Philippine diplomats on resolving territorial disputes in the South China Sea, wading into a contentious debate involving China. Philippine and Japanese diplomats recently discussed in Tokyo the need to ensure that the disputes are resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law.

The Philippines proposed that the two countries set up a “permanent working group” that would regularly tackle the disputes and other Asian maritime concerns, a Philippine official said yesterday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.

Japan is not a party to the conflicting claims in the vast South China Sea and its entry into the debate is likely to anger Beijing.

China claims the entire potentially oil-rich region, which is also claimed in part by five other countries or territories.

China has called for bilateral negotiations on the disputes, a strategy that would effectively shut out other countries like the United States or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to which the Philippines and three other claimants belong.

Washington, which says a peaceful resolution of the disputes is in its interest, has offered to help the claimants settle the row, but Beijing has fiercely resisted. Japanese Ambassador Toshinao Urabe said Tuesday that Japan has an interest in ensuring

that the vast ocean remains safe and open to commerce. Japanese officials will “exchange notes” with their Philippine counterparts and assess how they can help ensure that the disputes are resolved peacefully, he said.

“These kinds of issues are dealt basically between the parties concerned,” Urabe said at a news conference. However, he added that “since there is this legitimate interest about the safety of the sea, we also have an interest in how things are developing.” About 88 percent of the oil that powers Japan’s industries passes through the South China Sea from the Middle East, along with other Japanese imports and exports, the Japanese Embassy says.

“We want a peaceful solution under the international framework,” Urabe said. “It is very clear that a lot of traffic goes through that area.” Japan and the Philippines have separate territorial disputes with China. Urabe said any discussion between the two countries about the South China Sea does not mean they are ganging up on Beijing, which is “a very important partner for both of us.”

“We are not having an alliance against China,” Urabe said. “The objective is to create a win win relationship among us.” Philippine President Benigno Aquino III is to visit Japan next week but it remains unclear whether he will raise the territorial spats in his talks with Japanese leaders, including Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, aides say. — AP

their livelihood. “Business will be severely affected,” said state tourism official Sam Ten. Hundreds of Gangtok residents spent a second night out in the open, too frightened to sleep in homes badly damaged by the quake.

Many saw out the night in the city’s football stadium, slinging plastic sheets over the goalposts or sleeping on the terraces. “The stadium is our kitchen and bedroom for the night. We’re honestly just too scared to consider anything else,” said 32-year-old Amrita Laqandri.

In Nepal, eight people were killed and hundreds of homes destroyed or damaged in the east of the country, where rescuers faced the same problems as their Indian counterparts with rains and mudslides blocking the only highway.

Eighteen other people died in the Indian states of Bihar and West Bengal, while China’s official Xinhua news agency said seven people had been killed in southern Tibet, near the border with Sikkim. — AFP

Pakistani gunmen kill 26 Shiite pilgrims QUETTA: Gunmen shot dead 26 Pakistani Shiite Muslim pilgrims travelling to Iran yesterday, the deadliest attack on the minority community in Pakistan for more than a year, a local official said. There are fears the death toll yet rise further after the attack in Mastung, a district 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Quetta, the capital of the Baluchistan province, the local deputy commissioner Saeed Imrani told AFP. “Armed men stopped, then opened fire on their bus,” Imrani told AFP identifying all the dead as Shiite pilgrims. “The death toll has risen to 26. At least six people were wounded, four of them are in a critical

condtion,” he added, after earlier saying 20 died.

Baluchistan is a flashpoint for sectarian violence between Pakistan’s majority Sunni Muslims and minority Shiites. The province is also experiencing a surge in violence linked to a separatist insurgency and Taleban militants.

Local separatists rose up in 2004, demanding political autonomy and a greater share of profits from the region’s natural resources. It was the deadliest attack on Shiites in Pakistan since September 4, 2010 when a suicide bomber killed at least 57 people at a Shiite rally in Quetta. — AFP

NAGOYA: Evacuees walk through floodwaters in Nagoya, Aichi prefecture, in central Japan yesterday. Hundreds of thousands of people in Japan were warned to leave their homes as an approaching typhoon brought heavy rain and fears of landslides and flash flooding. — AFP

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NEWS

LONDON: An art installation entitled ‘REDDRESS’ designed by Korean artist Aamu Song is pictured at York Hall yesterday. REDDRESS is an installation in the form of a colossal red dress. Made from over 550 m of Kvadrat’s classic Divina wool fabric, the dress is worn by a performer who will climb a concealed staircase to immerse herself into the material. Reaching 20 m in diametre, the dress can accommodate up to 238 people within the gigantic pockets of its folds. REDDRESS will be exhibited in London from Sept 22 to 25, 2011. — AFP

Palestinians confident on UN, but veto looms Death toll hits 70 as violence rocks Sanaa Continued from Page 1 file their Security Council application on Friday, an immediate vote was unlikely - which could allow more time for diplomacy aimed at restarting peace talks. “There’s a procedure for dealing with such requests and it can take a few days or weeks more, which means there is room for other initiatives,” Juppe told Europe 1 radio. “We hope to find a way of convincing all involved to get back around the negotiating table, and in a serious fashion.”

US President Barack Obama is due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today on the sidelines of the General Assembly meeting. White House officials say Obama has no meeting planned with Abbas, but note that the schedule may still change. Israel, which has called for renewed direct talks with the Palestinians, opposes the UN move and says it is aimed at de-legitimizing Israel. The Palestinians say their UN bid will open the door to new peace talks among two equals -

both of them sovereign states.

Direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians collapsed a year ago after Israel refused to extend a moratorium on new settlements in areas the Palestinians want for a future state. Israel has occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip since the 1967 Middle East war. The two sides remain divided on borders, the status of Jerusalem, the future of Palestinian refugees and whether Israel should be acknowledged as a Jewish state. US officials have repeatedly threatened to veto any Palestinian move at the Security Council, saying instead that the only way forward is to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table.

But Abbas would not be deterred, and told UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon on Monday he could ask on Friday for a Security Council vote. The Palestinians may also ask the UN General Assembly to upgrade them from an “entity” to a “non-member state” - a step they believe would be backed by at least 126 members of

the 193-member body and give further legitimacy to their claim. The Palestinian decision to go to the United Nations has raised the prospect that traditional US support for Israel may stoke new Arab anger against the United States, turning back the Obama administration’s effort to harness the “Arab Spring” uprisings to forge a new set of relationships.

Netanyahu’s government is also navigating uncertainly through the new political landscape, and has seen old certainties swept away as tensions rise with the Palestinians and with neighbors such as Egypt and Turkey.

The Palestinians, for their part, could see financing for their struggling government drop if donors such as the United States withhold funds, as some US lawmakers have proposed. Others, including Saudi Arabia, may yet step in to plug the hole, but Abbas’ Palestinian Authority remains vulnerable and may struggle to deliver on the promise of full statehood for an increasingly restive population. — Reuters

TURBAN BOMB KILLS FORMER AFGHAN PREZ Continued from Page 1 peace process would not be derailed. The Afghan president called Rabbani an “Afghan patriot who sacrificed his life,” adding: “This will not deter us from continuing down the path we have started.” President Barack Obama said the killing was a “senseless act of violence” that would not crush the Afghan drive for freedom while NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen added that those behind the killing “will not prevail”.

The attackers arrived at Rabbani’s house with Mohammad Masoom Stanikzai, one of Rabbani’s deputies, for a meeting before the turban bomber detonated his explosives, according to one source amid conflicting reports of the incident. Kabul criminal investigations chief Mohammad Zaher said two men “negotiating with Rabbani on behalf of the Taleban” arrived at his house, one with explosives hidden in his turban. “He approached Rabbani and detonated his explosives.

Rabbani was martyred and four others including Masoom Stanikzai (his deputy) were injured.”

A member of the High Peace Council, Fazel Karim Aymaq, said the men had come with “special messages” from the Taleban and were “very trusted”. “One of them put his head on the shoulder of Rabbani and detonated the explosives hidden in his turban, martyring Rabbani,” he added. The bomber was killed while the injured accomplice was arrested, a source close to Rabbani who spoke on condition of anonymity said. Police said three others including Stanikzai were also injured in the attack. Interior ministry spokesman Siddiq Siddqui said Stanikzai’s condition was “better and we hope he will recover”.

The anonymous source said Rabbani had been in Dubai when he had been called and asked to come

back and meet two senior Taleban leaders. “He just came from the airport from Dubai when he was attacked and killed,” the source added. The Taleban were not immediately reachable for comment, but the insurgency led by its militia has hit Kabul increasingly hard in recent months. There are 140,000 international troops in Afghanistan fighting the Taleban, mainly from the US and under NATO command, but all combat forces are due to leave by the end of 2014.

Rabbani’s house where the bomber struck is very close to the US embassy, making it the second attack within a week in Kabul’s supposedly secure diplomatic zone. Last week, 14 people died in a 19-hour siege targeting the embassy. The latest killing prompted Karzai to cut short his visit to the United States for the United Nations General Assembly, his spokesman said. A scheduled meeting with Obama did go ahead before he left.

Rabbani, 71, was president of Afghanistan from 1992 until the Taleban took power in 1996 during the country’s civil war. Karzai’s brainchild, the High Peace Council was intended to open a dialogue with insurgents who have been trying to bring down his government since the US-led invasion overthrew their regime but has seen little success. The 68-member council, hand-picked by the president, was inaugurated in Oct 2010. Delivering his acceptance speech, Rabbani said he was “confident” that peace was possible, according to a statement from the palace. “I hope we are able to take major steps in bringing peace and fulfil our duties with tireless effort and help from God,” he was quoted as saying. According to Human Rights Watch, Rabbani was among prominent Afghans implicated in war crimes during the brutal fighting that killed or displaced hundreds of thousands of Afghans in the early 1990s. — AFP

Opposition set to stage rally over graft...

Continued from Page 1 about the true picture of corruption in the country. Other speakers insisted that the government must resign but differed on whether there is a need to dissolve the Assembly and call for fresh elections, with Mulla insisting that this will only serve to protect the MPs who received the funds.

MP Mubarak Al-Waalan yesterday sent a series of questions to the prime minister inquiring if he or any of his ministers has any connection in any way to the illegal deposits that have triggered the corruption scandal. The lawmaker asked the premier if he had any information about referring the bank accounts of a number of MPs to the public prosecution for investigation over the suspicious deposits. He also asked the premier if he or any of his

Cabinet ministers have ordered a probe or the formation of panels to look into the suspicious accounts, and inquired if the prime minister is aware why the banks have taken a long time to refer such suspicious accounts.

In a related development, MP Khaled Al-Adwah, whose name had been mentioned as one of the MPs who received the deposits, yesterday strongly denied that a photocopy of a cheque published by many websites was genuine. Adwah said he has been a target of slander, lies and fabrications by “political foes” because of his moderate but strong political stances. He said that websites on the Internet and those on Twitter have been publishing a photocopy of a cheque attributed to him, insisting that the cheque is “fake and fabricated”. Adwah stressed that he will file lawsuits

against those who have been working to discredit him and tarnish his clean image.

Also, independent MP Faisal AlDuwaisan said yesterday that he has submitted a statement of his bank accounts to the speaker of the Assembly in a bid to clear his name from the ongoing scandal. Duwaisan called on other MPs to submit similar statements. The Assembly’s legal and legislative committee has been studying a set of anti-corruption bills including a wealth disclosure draft law that requires ministers, bureaucrats and MPs to disclose their wealth before and after assuming their posts.

Liberal MP Aseel Al-Awadhi meanwhile called for implementing the law on all regardless of their position and also called on the Assembly to focus on passing all needed anti-corruption laws.

Continued from Page 1 World powers fear that spreading chaos in Yemen, home to AlQaeda’s most powerful regional branch and flank ing No. 1 oil expor ter Saudi Arabia, could imperil international oil shipping and raise the risk of militant strikes on Western targets. Opposition and government sources said they were in talks on a political solution to the crisis. A Western diplomat told Reuters mediators were trying to hang on to the positive direction talks had been heading only a few days earlier. “All the evidence is that we are continuing with Yemeni politics and conflict as usual. They will sit down and talk, but without a deal, it will kick off again in the future,” the diplomat said.

Heavy shelling and machinegun fire rocked Sanaa before dawn yesterday and snipers lurked in the upper stories of buildings near the protester camp, which they call “Change Square”. Four defector soldiers were killed in street fighting with pro-Saleh forces and two civilians died when three rockets crashed into a protest camp just after morning prayers at around 5 am (0200 GMT ), witnesses said. “ We were walk ing back from prayers. All of a sudden a rocket hit close by from out of nowhere, and some people fell down. And then a second one came and that’s when we saw the two martyred,” Manea Al-Matari, a protest organiser, told Reuters by telephone.

Government officials and opposition groups have traded accusations over who was responsible for the violence of the past two days of which ac tivists at Change Square, who number in the thousands, were the main victims. But

a consensus was emerging among sources on all sides that government forces clashed with those of defected General Ali Mohsen, who has pledged to defend protesters, after his men took control of territory previously under government control.

The opposition said Mohsen’s troops took the area to fend off securit y forces they believed would enter the protest camp. A source at Mohsen’s office said his forces were holding off fire at the request of Saleh’s Vice President Abd Al-Hadi Mansour but warned that protesters would be harder to control. “I don’t think the youth protesters can be reined in until this regime leaves power,” the source said. Some 400 protesters have been killed since protests began in January.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said yesterday it had reports of shooting at Al- Gomhori Hospital, one of Sanaa’s main hospitals, as violence reached “unprecedented” levels in Yemen’s capital. In Geneva, ICRC spokesman Hicham Hassan told Reuters: “Armed men are inside the hospital, it is one of the main hospitals.” He had no further information on who the gunmen were or whether there had been any casualties.

I n Change S quare, crowds flocked to the sites of the blasts that killed the two protesters earlier on Tuesday. Stones were laid around a dark pool of blood near a metal storefront that was ripped open. Around the corner, tattered shoes lay scattered next to a patch of blood. At the field hospital in Change S quare, the wounded were carried in on blood-streaked stretchers while doctors sought to make room for more casualties.

Doc tors said the hospital had calmed down as fighting slowed through the evening, but two in critical condition had died and two more were killed by what they believed were sniper shots.

Protesters thronging the streets initially headed towards the “Kentucky Roundabout”, an area where they have been trying to ex tend their reach, but were forced to turn back by fierce fighting bet ween government and Mohsen forces. Protest organisers called for a mass funeral march down a main highway today.

Government forces in the past two days have responded to escalating street marches with heavy fire, while snipers shot at protesters from roof tops, according to Reuters witnesses.

Mohsen’s forces started clashing with pro -Saleh troops on Monday, though it was unclear who started the fighting. Mohsen, a top Yemeni general, dealt a major blow to Saleh when he and his troops defected after a March attack on demonstrators by security forces that killed 52 people.

Government officials denied responsibility for the deaths and said opposition “militias” were targeting protesters.

A high-ranking ruling party official dismissed the idea of talks for an official ceasefire under current conditions, saying government forces may need to act in selfdefence. “ There are spoilers on both sides who are not looking for a compromise or maybe aren’t getting what they want from a compromise,” said April Longley Alley, senior analyst for Arabian Peninsula at the International Crisis Group in Abu Dhabi. “Maybe they feel they could achieve more by escalating right now.” — Reuters

New Libyan flag flies at UN, leaders hailed Continued from Page 1 in the life of their nation,” the US president told world leaders at a UN meeting on Libya being held on the sidelines of the General Assembly. “After four decades of darkness, they can walk the streets, free from a tyrant,” he told the meeting.

Credit for the “liberation of Libya, belongs to the people of Libya,” he insisted, but stressed the international community was not pulling out yet. “So long as the Libyan people are being threatened, the NATO-led mission to protect them will continue. And those still holding out must understand the old regime is over, and it is time to lay down your arms and join the new Libya,” the US commander-in-chief said. Obama met Abdel Jalil, Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) chief, for the first time yesterday and the US leader said the focus should also now turn to a democratic transition after 42 years of dictatorship, including “free and fair elections”.

The United Nations and world leaders all promised to help the new government with its campaign to take remaining territory held by Gaddafi fighters and to rebuild the country and organize elections. “For the past seven months, you have fought courageously for your fundamental rights and freedoms,” UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told Abdel Jalil as he launched the summit. Amid new battles for towns still in the hands of Gaddafi loyalists, Ban said “the first priority must be peace and security.”

Abdel Jalil praised the NATO-led coalition for its assistance in the uprising in which he said some 25,000 people had died, and he promised fair trials for captured members of the ousted regime. The new Libyan leader vowed that the new government would be a “vibrant” democracy that respects regional peace and security. The NTC chairman said many Gaddafi regime members had been detained and some had been freed again. Many would face justice but Jalil insisted all would get a “fair trial”.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy made a plea for support for all of the Arab countries where people have stood up against strongarm leaders. “When we saw the

people taking to the Arab streets to call for liberty and democracy we took some time to respond as we were astonished at what we were seeing” in Tunisia, Egypt and then Libya, Sarkozy said. He said the Arab demonstrations had given the international community a “responsibility to take action”. Sarkozy indicated that the action in Libya and UN action in Ivory Coast this year should be a warning to other strongarm leaders.

“Henceforth the international community is not just going to speak, but will take action and where necessary will take action with weapons in their hands in the service of democracy,” he told the summit.

The red, black and green of the new Libya also took its place among the flags of UN member states at the world body’s European headquarters in Geneva in a ceremony yesterday, replacing the green flag of the Gaddafi era. “It is a really emotional moment to see the flag,” said ambassador Ibrahim Aldredi, who with other members of the Libyan delegation in Geneva defected to the rebels in February, barely a month after the uprising began.

Meanwhile, Gaddafi told his remaining loyalists in Libya that the new regime was only temporary. “What is happening in Libya is a charade which can only take place thanks to the (NATO-led) air raids, which will not last forever,” he said in the message aired by Syria-based Arrai television. “Do not rejoice and don’t believe that one regime has been overthrown and another imposed with the help of air and maritime strikes,” Gaddafi added.

The recording was the first by Gaddafi since Sept 8, when he denied reports he had fled to Algeria or Niger.

It was released after the new regime’s forces said they captured the airport and a garrison in his southern redoubt of Sabha, and fighting raged in two of his northern strongholds. The NTC fighters pushed on to within 25 km of the Gaddafi stronghold of Sirte yesterday, establishing a new frontline where intense artillery and heavy machine-gun exchanges erupted, an AFP correspondent reported. The African Union, which had long held out against according Libya’s seat to the NTC, yesterday finally announced it was recognizing the new leadership. — AFP

14

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

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BRICs aid for Europe tough sell in Asia

By Emily Kaiser razil will have a tough time convincing its riskaverse fellow BRICs to bankroll a European rescue no matter how the aid is structured. Funneling the money through the International Monetary Fund instead of buying European debt directly offers a layer of protection against default. But India, China and Russia have already pledged a combined $70 billion to augment the IMF’s lending power, and may be reluctant to do more. A Brazilian official told Reuters that Finance Minister Guido Mantega would propose that the BRICs bloc of fast-growing economies make billions of dollars in new funding available to the IMF. The BRICs are scheduled to meet in Washington on Thursday, ahead of the IMF’s twice-yearly gathering.

With more than $4 trillion in reserves all together, it is not surprising that China, Brazil, India and Russia have been cast in the role of Europe’s potential saviours should the debt crisis there deteriorate dramatically. They may be financially able, but their willingness is in doubt. “It would be extraordinarily difficult for officials managing the overseas assets of what are still relatively poor developing countries to justify putting those assets at risk if Europe fails to get its own act together,” said Julian Jessop, chief international economist with Capital Economics in London.

Even if Brazil got all the BRICs on board, the funding would probably amount to only a tiny portion of the IMF’s worst-case scenario lending needs. The Brazilian official suggested Brazil might be able to provide $10 billion to help Europe. IMF staff members estimated the fund had about $390 billion it could comfortably lend now, but might need to lend as much as $840 billion, Reuters reported on Sept 9. This is not the first time Brazil has tried to rally its BRICs brethren around a cause. Earlier in September, Brazil’s call for the big emerging markets to buy more European debt drew a lukewarm response from Asia. “Brazil has the tradition of coming up with catchy headlines,” said Wei Yao, an economist with Societe Generale in Hong Kong, adding that Brazil’s latest proposal may not be politically practical in China.

Beijing has had some friction with the IMF, particularly over the fund’s assessment of whether the yuan currency is substantially undervalued. There is also the matter of clout within the fund. China secured its first top IMF management post just two months ago, even though it is the world’s second largest economy. All of the BRICs fought hard for greater IMF voting power and more say in decision making. Last year, they won at least some of the additional power they sought. Ironically, it was Europe that put up the biggest objections and now finds itself needing emerging market support.

Much of Asia remains leery of the IMF and its advice, a hangover from the 1990s Asian debt crisis when IMF loans came with tough conditions that forced sharp government spending cuts. That is a primary reason why many emerging economies built up vast reserves - as a form of self-insurance so that they would never again have to rely on the IMF. A decade later, many of those emerging markets found the IMF looking to them for additional funding.

The People’s Bank of China signed an agreement in 2009 to buy $50 billion in IMF notes, a move the fund heralded at the time as a decision that would be “beneficial to all”. The purchase was part of a Group of 20 pledge in 2009 to triple the IMF’s lending capacity to $750 billion. Only two countries - the United States and Japan put up more money. India, Russia and Brazil each pledged to buy up to $10 billion in IMF notes in 2009 and early 2010. But China might face a backlash at home if it commits to any more funding, especially if it were earmarked for assisting European countries that investors consider risky borrowers. Ill-timed investments in some US banks in the early days of the financial crisis were a costly embarrassment for China’s sovereign wealth fund.

As for India, it has earned a reputation for being riskaverse in managing its $316 billion worth of reserves.

About 20 percent of that total is invested in euro debt, and an Indian Finance Ministry official said last week the proportion would not change.

To be sure, the BRICs have a vested interest in a stable Europe. A full-blown European financial crisis would spare no one. China exports more to the European Union than it does to the United States.— Reuters

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‘Crazy’ world of India infra bids

By Matthias Williams hen DP World was vying to build a fourth container terminal at Mumbai’s main port this year, the Dubai-owned giant made what it thought was a solid bid, proposing to share onefifth of the terminal’s income with the government. Then a rival came along with a bid that beat all-comers, offering to hand over 51 percent of the port’s takings to New Delhi to secure the project estimated to cost 67 billion rupees ($1.4 billion). Such generous terms are part of an emerging pattern of companies making ambitious - some say unrealistic - bids in a race to cash in on a massive push by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government to lure private funding into infrastructure.

“The bid competitiveness is increasing to the ex tent that the projec ts will become unviable,” said Devang Mankodi, finance director for South Asia at DP World. “There is a lot of hype about India’s growth story and probably that is pushing some of the entrepreneurs to bid aggressively,” he said. “No one wants to miss the bus.” PSA International, the Singapore state company that is the preferred bidder for the Mumbai port deal, declined comment.

While India hopes that half its targeted $1 trillion in infrastructure spending over five years is privately built, attractive projects are scarce, making for fierce bidding.

That means the government may get an

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attractive deal in the near-term, but it puts heavy pressure on companies and poses a longer term risk if such projects are delayed or derailed due to over-optimistic assumptions on costs or revenue.

Winning bids can sometimes be ten times the second place offer, said S Nandakumar, a sector specialist at Fitch Ratings. Some projects attract dozens of bids. Such aggression has prompted major Indian firms such as Reliance Infrastructure, owned by tycoon Anil Ambani, to focus on bigger projects such as expressways. “In small projects the competition intensity is completely crazy,” said Lalit Jalan, chief executive of Reliance. “So we will focus on the large projects where we will have fewer and more rational competitors,” said Jalan, whose company built a slick high-speed rail link to Delhi airport, the first of its kind in India.

Strapped for cash, New Delhi is pushing a model known as build-operate transfer (BOT). Firms bid to build a road or a metro and operate it for a fixed period, collecting toll or ticket fares before handing it over to the government. To win, bidders compete to maximise the government’s share of revenue or minimise the contribution New Delhi must cough up to ensure projects are viable. “Today you have four or five players who are aggressively fighting for a project. So basically they have no choice but to tr y and increase the financial revenue share ... as high as they can to win the project,” DP’s

Mankodi said. “The risk associated with that is that once the long term sustainability of the project is being tested, you will have issues,” he said.

The risk of that happening hasn’t deterred a slew of companies pitching for infrastructure projects, however. GMR Infrastructure Ltd, which built Delhi’s swanky airport and will soon build India’s biggest highway, for example, bid on 25 projects last year and won exactly one, according to a spokesman. “Earlier we were looking at around 6-10 people getting qualified for a bid. Now around 40 normally get qualified,” the spokesman said. Newcomers to the BOT model are creating problems, said Shashank Shek har, vice president for business development at KMC Construc tions.

“Novice players means very new guys who don’t have experience of BOT, they are getting into the BOT, which is actually spoiling the market today,” he said.

Builders of roads, power plants and other big projects are bidding in part because of optimism over the sheer demand in an economy growing at roughly 8 percent a year with a severe infrastructure deficit. New Delhi expects an annual average of $100 billion of private investment in infrastructure between 2012 and 2017, although the government has consistently missed its targets for both funding and construction.

A slump in India’s real estate sector and a drying up of work in parts of the Middle East amid unrest in several coun-

tries, means Indian builders are turning to domestic infrastruc ture. A dear th of attractive projects is another factor. The fallout from a spate of corruption scandals, red tape and land acquisition hassles have slowed the award of bids and subsequent construction work. In roads, for example, India managed to build about 5 km a day in the last fiscal year, far short of New Delhi’s target of 20 km a day.

The Indian government, which unlike China is not flush with government funds to spend on big projects, welcomes the competition. For its part, China has much larger state resources and a much better record of execution on infrastructure projects, although now Beijing appears to face a different sort of headache. The state has accumulated a mountain of bad loans for infrastructure projects - part of a stimulus package during the economic slowdown - leaving a clutch of redundant works. “We want an aggressive bidding climate,” Montek Singh Ahluwalia, a top adviser to the government, told Reuters.

“It’s the job of the private sector to make intelligent bids.”

Some builders have called on the government to shut out bids that look outlandish and end a mentality in New Delhi that they say is more keen on getting things done cheaply than done well. “We need to move out of the syndrome that the cheapest is the best. It’s rarely the best,” Shahzad Nasim, Singapore-based global CEO of the engineering firm Meinhardt, told Reuters. — Reuters

US-Taiwan F-16 sale aims at compromise

By Matthew Pennington aiwan, China and Congress won’t be cheering the Obama administration’s decision to upgrade Taiwan’s fleet of F-16 fighter jets but not sell it new planes. But it may be a compromise they can all live with. The US is obligated under a bill passed by Congress in 1979 to sell weapons for Taiwan’s self-defense, and as China has invested heavily in its military over the past decade, the strategic balance across the 100-mile-wide Taiwan Strait has lurched in the mainland’s favor.

That’s left the self-governing island outgunned and Washington in an awkward position. Selling the fighter jets that Taiwan first sought in 2006 risks damaging the administration’s intense efforts to deepen relations with China.

After the US agreed in early 2010 to sell Apache helicopters to Taiwan, China cut militar y ties for several months.

According to congressional aides, the Obama administration now plans to offer to upgrade Taiwan’s existing fleet of 145 F-16 A/Bs sold by the US in the 1990s. A senior administration official says the administration will notify Congress today. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

In Taiwan, that will be seen as a rebuff to President Ma Ying-jeou, who also wants to purchase 66 more advanced F16 C/D planes which he says will strengthen his negotiating position with Beijing. He faces a tough fight for reelection in January, and opponents accuse him of skimping on militar y spending and moving too fast to build ties with the mainland.

In Congress, both Republicans and Democrats suppor t the sale of new planes to Taiwan. They accuse Obama of

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giving ground to an increasingly assertive China - and passing up on an arms deal that would sustain thousands of American jobs. But for the Obama administration, it probably looks like the least-worst option and one that offers a little something for everyone. For Ma,

offensive capabilities, the improved A/Bs could be nearly equivalent to the more advanced C/Ds. However, it leaves unresolved the question of how to replace Taiwan’s French made Mirage jets and US-made F-5s that are virtually obsolete and would have been replaced by the

A picture taken on May 25, 2011 shows an F-5 jet parked on the tarmac at an airbase in Taiwan’s eastern Hualien city. — AFP the F-16 upgrades will mean concrete progress in boosting Taiwan’s air power.

According to a US Defense Intelligence Agency assessment last year, Taiwan has fewer than 400 combat aircraft and far fewer of these are operationally capable.

China has about 2,300 operational combat aircraft augmented by at least 1,100 missiles pointed across the Taiwan Strait.

The upgrades can be completed more quickly than acquisition of new planes, and depending on what is offered in terms of radar, avionics and

C/Ds. Perhaps just as impor tant, it reflects a degree of US political commitment. The hard reality is that the island’s forces cannot match China’s, and it would depend on US help if it were to withstand an invasion attempt.

The Obama administration defends its record on supporting Taiwan, saying that if the F-16 upgrades go ahead, weapons exports to the island since 2009 would be double the sales during the previous four years under President George W Bush’s administration. Yet

Obama’s compromise may still go part way to placating Beijing, which wants smooth relations with Washington as it faces its own leadership succession next year. Beijing’s initial response to reports of the upgrades appeared relatively muted. Chinese Foreign Ministr y spokesman Hong Lei said Monday that the US should refrain from selling arms to Taiwan “to avoid impairing bilateral relations as well as the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.”

China also has an interest in not seeing Ma damaged politically. The Taiwanese president has vowed to push ahead with his engagement with Beijing if he wins a second term. His opponent, Tsai Ing-Wen, comes from a party which has had tense relations with Beijing and talked in the past of seeking formal independence, although Tsai is emphasizing the importance of cross-strait stability. In Congress, a compromise will be widely seen as a cop-out by Obama, but lawmakers have succeeded in prodding the administration into a decision it had dithered over. And it would be odd for lawmakers to push back the F-16 upgrades, particularly if the administration keeps open the option of supplying new planes in the future.

But Congress could yet throw a wrench in the works. Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, where the Lockheed Martin plant that would build the F-16s is located, has taken the unusual step of introducing legislation demanding that Obama authorize the sale of the new planes. Decisions over foreign arms sales are typically delegated to the president. A study commissioned by Lockheed estimates the C/D sales could generate $8.7 billion in economic output and 16,000 jobs.

Advocates say the F-16 production line will close without the Taiwan deal. — AP

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

Years

sp orts Barca president: ‘Back Qatar deal’ MADRID: Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has urged members to back the club’s lucrative sponsorship deal with Qatar Sports Investment or risk the cash being invested elsewhere, including potentially in great rivals Real Madrid. Barca members will vote on the record five-year deal, worth as much as 170 million euros ($232 million), at a general assembly on Saturday amid criticism officials have compromised the club’s ideals for material gain. The Spanish and European champions were one of the few sides in world soc-

cer not to have a corporate logo on their shirts, instead displaying the name of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), for which they paid the organization 1.5 million euros ($2 million) a year. However, since the Qatar deal their shirts have carried the name “Qatar Foundation” on the front, with UNICEF relocated to the back below the player’s name.

“I would vote yes to Qatar Foundation,” Rosell was quoted as saying in local media.— Reuters

Radcliffe’s marathon record

Neymar quells rumors SAO PAULO: Star Brazilian striker Neymar on Monday put paid to rumors linking him to a big money transfer to Spain saying he was staying with Santos. The 19-year-old had been linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid and also to a lesser extent their bitter rivals Champions League holders Barcelona. “What is certain is that I am not going to leave at the next transfer window (Europe’s transfer window in January),” said Neymar at a specially-convened press conference. “I am going to stay here till the centenary (of the club on April 14 2012).

I am a Santos player and I am not negotiating with anyone. “If I had my

LONDON: Marathon bodies opposed yesterday a move by the governing IAAF to reclassify Paula Radcliffe’s 2003 women’s world record and replace it with a slower time. The International Association of Athletics Federations agreed in Daegu, South Korea, last month to acknowledge as women’s world records only those times set in all-women competitions.

Performances achieved in mixed fields would instead be referred to only as a “world best”. The rule change, due to come into effect in January next year, would see Radcliffe’s record of 2:15.25 set in London in 2003 downgraded to a world best while the Briton’s time of 2:17.42 - set in London in 2005 -

way, I would stay at Santos for a long time. “I am happy here and I have no reason to leave. “To be happy is what is important. Here I have my friends and family,” added Neymar, who is father of a newly-born baby boy. In early August it had been reported by the usually well-informed Spanish Madrid-based sports daily newspaper Marca that Neymar had signed and would arrive after the World Club Championship in December.

However, he appeared to put that in doubt only a couple of days later when in an interview he praised Barcelona and also said he would be staying with Santos, with whom he won the Libertadores Cup earlier this year. — AFP

Cards gain ground Lohse outpitches Halladay one run and two hits in six innings, striking out a career-high eight. He ended a five-game losing streak with his first win since May 19.

PHILADELPHIA: Kyle Lohse outpitched Roy Halladay as the St Louis Cardinals held off the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 on Monday to gain ground on Atlanta in the National League wild-card chase. Lance Berkman homered and had an RBI single for the surging Cardinals, who moved within 2 1/2 games of the wild card-leading Braves. Atlanta lost at Florida. St Louis, which took three of four in the series, has won 10 of 12 overall. Despite the loss, the NL East champion Phillies clinched homefield advantage throughout the postseason when Milwaukee lost to the Chicago Cubs. Lohse (14-8) tossed 7 1-3 strong innings, allowing an unearned run and seven hits.

Philadelphia scored two runs in the ninth off Jason Motte, but Octavio Dotel retired Hunter Pence with a runner on to earn his second save with the Cardinals.

Marlins 6, Braves 5 At Miami, Omar Infante hit a tworun homer off Craig Kimbrel with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as Atlanta lost to Florida. Atlanta has dropped three of four games. Infante drove a 1-0 pitch to left for his first game-ending homer. His sixth homer of the season came against his former team and handed Kimbrel (4-3) his seventh blown save in 52 chances.

Dan Uggla and Jason Heyward homered for Atlanta, which scored four runs in the seventh to take the lead.

Infante had a costly error at second base in the inning, allowing the Braves to score the tiebreaking run.

Mike Stanton homered twice for the Marlins and Logan Morrison added a two-run shot. Clay Hensley (6-6) pitched two scoreless innings.

Astros 3, Reds 2 At Cincinnati, Matt Downs hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning as Houston beat slumping Cincinnati. Downs greeted Nick Masset (3-6) with a leadoff drive to left, sending the Astros to their second straight win after a three-game skid. Six Houston pitchers combined for a four-hitter. Brandon Phillips hit a leadoff homer in the first for Cincinnati, which has lost four straight. David Carpenter (1-3) earned his first career win by getting Phillips to ground into a forceout with two on in the seventh. Mark Melancon worked the ninth for his 19th save.

PHILADELPHIA: Chase Utley #26 of the Philadelphia Phillies fields a ground ball during the game against the St Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. — AFP Diamondbacks 1, Pirates 0 At Phoenix, Ian Kennedy pitched eight dominant innings to become the NL’s first 20-game winner and Justin Upton hit a broken-bat home run as Arizona moved a step closer to its first NL West title in four years with a victory Pittsburgh. Kennedy (20-4) allowed one hit, walked one and tied his career high with 12 strikeouts to become the fourth Diamondbacks pitcher to reach 20 wins. Upton led off the sixth with his

MLB results/standings Results and standings in baseball’s National League after Monday’s games: St Louis 4, Philadelphia 3; Florida 6, Atlanta 5; Houston 3, Cincinnati 2;Chicago Cubs 5, Milwaukee 2; San Diego 8, Colorado 2; Arizona 1, Pittsburgh 0; Baltimore 6, Boston 5 (1st GM); NY Yankees 6, Minnesota 4; Seattle 12, Cleveland 6; Toronto 3, LA Angels 2 (10 innings); Boston 18, Baltimore 9 (2nd GM).

National League Eastern Division W L X-Philadelphia 98 54 Atlanta 87 67 NY Mets 73 80 Washington 72 79 Florida 70 84 Central Division Milwaukee 90 64 St Louis 84 69 Cincinnati 74 80 Chicago Cubs 68 86 Pittsburgh 68 86 Houston 53 100 Western Division Arizona 89 65 San Francisco 83 70 LA Dodgers 76 76 Colorado 70 83 San Diego 66 88 American League Eastern Division NY Yankees 92 60 Boston 88 66 Tampa Bay 85 67 Toronto 78 75 Baltimore 63 90 Central Division X-Detroit 89 64 Cleveland 75 76 Chi White Sox 74 78 Kansas City 67 87 Minnesota 59 93 Western Division Texas 88 65 LA Angels 83 70 Oakland 69 84 Seattle 64 89

PCT .645 .565 .477 .477 .455

GB 12 25.5 25.5 29

.584 .549 .481 .442 .442 .346

5.5 16 22 22 36.5

.578 .542 .500 .458 .429

5.5 12 18.5 23

.605 .571 .559 .510 .412

5 7 14.5 29.5

.582 .497 .487 .435 .388

13 14.5 22.5 29.5

.575 .542 .451 .418

5 19 24

31st homer off Jeff Karstens (9-9), snapping off his bat on a shot to left that was upheld by a video review. JJ Putz stranded Alex Presley at third to close out the two-hitter with his 42nd save, dropping Arizona’s magic number to four over idle San Francisco.

Cubs 5, Brewers 2 At Chicago, Geovany Soto hit a pair of two-run homers and drove in all of Chicago’s runs in a victory over

Milwaukee. The loss and St Louis’ win over Philadelphia kept the Brewers’ magic number at four for clinching the NL Central. They are looking for their first division title in 29 years.

The Cubs snapped a six-game losing streak to the Brewers. All three of Soto’s two-homer games have come against Milwaukee. He hit one off starter Chris Narveson (10-8) in the third and the second against reliever Marco Estrada in the sixth. Cubs starter Casey Coleman (3-8) allowed

Padres 8, Rockies 2 At Denver, Cory Luebke took a no-hitter into the sixth inning as San Diego got homers from Cameron Maybin and Aaron Cunningham to beat slumping Colorado. Mark Ellis homered for Colorado’s only hit. The Rockies have lost five straight and six of seven. Colorado shor tstop Troy Tulowitzki (left hip), first baseman Todd Helton (back) and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez (right wrist) were out of the lineup. The Padres have never thrown a no-hitter in their 43year history, but Luebke (6-9) took a run at it before Ellis connected for a two-run shot with two outs in the sixth. Luebke, lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth, struck out a careerhigh nine. Ernesto Frieri pitched two hitless innings to finish up. — AP

Rivera sets MLB saves record NEW YORK: New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera set Major League Baseball’s career saves record with his 602nd on Monday by retiring the Minnesota Twins in order in the ninth inning. Rivera got Trevor Plouffe to ground out to second, Michael Cuddyer to fly out to right and then struck out Chris Parmelee, caught looking on his signature cutter, to preserve New York’s 6-4 win for his 43rd save of the season. “I couldn’t even dream about this,” Rivera said during an on-field interview while even the Twins players looked on from their dugout.

“From what it was back home in Panama to now it’s a tremendous journey.

“All I can say is thank God for my team mates, they give me the opportunity.” The 41-year-old Rivera surpassed former San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman, who became the saves leader in September 2006 when he recorded his 479th save to pass Lee Smith. Hoffman would register another 122 saves before retiring last offseason with 601 career saves.

His team mates rushed out of the dugout to congratulate Rivera and later his longtime catcher Jorge Posada and slugger Alex Rodriguez pushed him out to the mound at Yankee Stadium to stand alone and acknowledge the cheers of the fans. The milestone came in a make-up game against the Twins, who made a special one-day trip to New York to play a contest that was rained out in April. As it got closer to Mariano time, fans were cheering outs made by the home team in hopes they would not increase the lead past three runs thereby denying Rivera a save opportunity.

“I don’t think I’d ever hear the day when people would cheer for us to make outs,” noted Yankees manager Joe Girardi. “But obviously the people who came to the game today - it wasn’t a sched-

uled game - they got a treat.”

Rivera, who took over the closer’s job from John Wetteland in 1997, was caught in his first seasons in New York by manager Girardi, who said being around Rivera all these years was something special. “It’s an honor, to have the privilege to catch him and to coach him and to manage him,” said Girardi. “It has really been a lot of fun for me and enjoyable, and it’s also been very peaceful.

When Mo comes in a game there is such a great feeling about that.”

The slender Panamanian with the deceptively quick fastball, diabolically late-breaking cutter and pinpoint control has been the most efficient closer over his long career. In addition to his regular season exploits, Rivera has been superlative in the postseason, registering 42 career saves, which do not count toward the saves record, on his way to collecting five World

NEW YORK: Mariano Rivera #42 of the New York Yankees throws a pitch in the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2011 in the Bronx borough of New York City. — AFP

Series rings. “To see the level that he’s done it at, whether it’s been in the American League East, or in the playoffs or in the World Series and to see how humble the guy is,” added Girardi about his closer, who he believes may never be overtaken. “I’ll be shocked if it happens in our lifetime.”

Orioles 6, Red Sox 5, 1st game At Boston, the reeling Red Sox lost for the 12th time in 15 games when Jeremy Guthrie pitched last-place Baltimore to the victory.

Boston’s AL wild-card lead was cut to 11/2 games over idle Tampa Bay. The Red Sox lost three of four games against Tampa Bay this past weekend. Robert Andino hit a two-run homer in the opener of a day-night doubleheader and Nolan Reimold followed with his 12th, putting the Orioles ahead 51 in the fourth. JJ Hardy led off the fifth with his career-high 28th home run. Guthrie (9-17) pitched into the seventh inning for his first career win in Fenway Park.

Mariners, 12, Indians 6, 7 innings, rain At Cleveland, Mike Carp hit a grand slam into the second deck in right field and drove in five runs during Seattle’s nine-run third inning. The Mariners came in for one day to make up a rainout from May 15, and played in a steady drizzle before the field was covered at the start of the eighth.

After waiting 44 minutes, it was called. Carp connected against reliever Chad Durbin for a 455foot shot to put Seattle ahead 114. He doubled home the first run in the inning off David Huff (2-6).

Cleveland scored three times in the first against Charlie Furbush (4-9). Asdrubal Cabrera hit a tworun homer and Carlos Santana followed with another drive.

Furbush allowed six runs and 10 hits over five innings, but managed to snap a personal fivegame losing streak. — Agencies

would become the new record. World Marathon Majors ( WMM) and the Association of International Marathons (AIMS) said in a joint statement that they felt the IAAF Congress decision “does not represent what is required by the sport of road running.

“They further believe that there should be two world records for women’s road running performances, separately recognizing those achieved in mixed competition and women’s only conditions,” it added. The WMM is made up of the Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York marathons while AIMS represents more than 300 races worldwide.

— Reuters

Ainge and Rivers eager for end of NBA lockout WESTON: Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers and general manager Danny Ainge have been playing a lot of golf lately. They may have extra time to play more. With the N B A l oc kout i n p rogre s s, t he scheduled opening of training camp next week remains in jeopardy. Rivers and Ainge fended off q ue s t i ons M ond ay a b out t he l a b or p rob l e m s b e t we e n t he league and its players association. Last Tuesday, a meeting between the executive committe e of t he N B A P l aye r s As s oc i a t i on a nd t he ow ne r s’ labor relations committee produced no progress.

Ainge was the coach of the Phoenix Suns during the last NBA lockout and has sour memories.

“Ever ybody wants to play and everybody wants to work. It’s not fun for anybody,” he said during the team’s annual charity golf tournament. The Celtics have just seven signed players and cannot add to their roster while the lockout continues. They’re also working with a revamped coaching staff “We’re just getting organi ze d,” A i nge s a i d. “I t gi ve s us some time to step back and reevaluate the entire league and European players worldwide and anticipate the draft. So, we’ve j us t b e e n d oi ng a l l t he l i t t l e things and getting organized with our staff.”

During the offseason, assistant coach Lawrence Frank became head coach of the Detroit Pistons and took along another member of the Celtics staff, Roy Rogers, as an assistant. Frank ’s duties in coaching the Celtics defense will be assumed by assistants Mike Longabardi and Kevin Eastman.

Armond Hill will replace Rogers i n coa c hi ng t he b i g m e n.

“Defensively, Longo will be the leader,” Rivers said. “Everyone will have the same input they had before. Kevin Eastman was really i m p or t a nt for Law re nce a nd Tibbs (former assistant coach Tom Thibodeau, now head coach of the Chicago Bulls) and that role won’t change much at all.”

Rivers said having a coach in charge of defensive responsibilities allows him to concentrate on coaching the entire team. “You just have to let go,” he said. “It took me years to do it, but it’s the right thing to do.” Ainge said the Celtics have been scouting international competitions, such as the recent FIBA Americas and EuroBasket tournaments. They have several spots to fill on their roster, although some of their own players who became free agents after the season could return. “We have seven signed players,” Rivers said. “The tough part is not knowing the rest of your roster.”

Both Ainge and Rivers spent part of their summers following their children’s dreams. “I’ve been following my boys around the AAU circuit,” said Ainge, who has six children. The lockout allowed R i ve r s to a ccom p a ny hi s s on Aus t i n, a f re s hm a n gua rd a t Duke, as the Blue Devils traveled to China and Dubai in August. He said he has enjoyed the time off but hopes the labor difficulties will end soon. “Decompressing is always good,” Rivers said, “but we’re b e gi nni ng to ge t a nt s y again.”— AP

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Giants punish error-prone Rams Boley shines as Giants grab first win EAST RUTHERFORD: The New York Giants took advantage of some stumbling and bumbling by the St Louis Rams to post a 28-16 victory in the National Football League on Monday.

Eli Manning made Greg Salas pay for a fumbled punt return in the first quarter, the Giants quarterback throwing a three-yard touchdown pass to Hakeem Nicks after Rams cornerback Bradley Fletcher had been called for pass interference on Nicks two plays earlier.

The Giants stretched their lead to 14-6 in the second quarter following a blunder in the backfield by the Rams. Quarterback Sam Bradford fired a quick pass through the hands of Carnell ‘Cadillac’ Williams that was deemed a fumbled lateral since Williams was a step behind Bradford.

Giants linebacker Michael Boley scooped up the ball and ran down the sideline for a 65-yard touchdown.

“When they gave us a little opening, we seemed to jump in there and get

points and score touchdowns and not settle for field goals,” Manning told reporters.

The Rams, meanwhile, twice drove inside the Giants’ 10-yard line but failed to convert the opportunities to touchdowns as the New York defense stiffened and held them to field goals. “Just too many mistakes in the red zone,” Bradford said. “When you get down there you have to come away with touchdowns.” Manning got off to a sluggish start and threw an interception on their opening drive while missing on nine of his first 11 passes.

CIRCUS CATCH However, he started clicking with his offense towards the end of the first half and led the Giants to a more conventional touchdown at the end of the first half. The former Super Bowl MVP connected on six-for-six on an eight-play, 86-yard drive that culminated in a juggling, 22-yard catch

by Domenik Hixon in the end zone.

The highlight reel grab made it 21-6 with 21 seconds left before half-time, and virtually made the game safe for the Giants. “Hixon made a great catch in the end zone, a big momentum changer right there,” said Manning.

Manning completed 18-of-29 passes for 200 yards, including two touchdowns and one interception.

Bradford was 22-for-46 passing for 331 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown to Danario Alexander in the third quarter.

Defensive captain Justin Tuck, who missed New York’s opening loss to the Redskins due to a neck injury, said the Giants had room to improve but were relieved to win. “The win tonight was important,” said Tuck, who had a lively season debut with 1 1/2 sacks, four solo tackles and three hits on the quarterback. “There’s no such thing as an ugly win. With all the parity in this league they are hard to come by. Obviously there’s some

NFL fines Robinson $40,000

EAST RUTHERFORD: New York Giants wide receiver Domenik Hixon is defended by St Louis Rams’ Craig Dahl during the second quarter of an NFL football game, in East Rutherford. — AP

NFL result/standings Result and standings after Monday’s National Football League game: New York Giants 28, St. Louis 16.

American League Eastern Division W New England 2 Buffalo 2 NY Jets 2 Miami 0

L 0 0 0 2

T 0 0 0 0

PCT 1.000 1.000 1.000 .000

PF 73 79 59 37

PA 45 42 27 61

Baltimore Cincinnati Cleveland Pittsburgh

Northern Division 1 1 0 .500 1 1 0 .500 1 1 0 .500 1 1 0 .500

Houston Jacksonville Tennessee Indianapolis

Southern Division 2 0 0 1.000 1 1 0 .500 1 1 0 .500 0 2 0 .000

57 19 40 26

20 46 29 61

Oakland Denver San Diego Kansas City

Western Division 1 1 0 .500 1 1 0 .500 1 1 0 .500 0 2 0 .000

58 44 45 10

58 45 52 89

48 49 44 31

33 41 46 35

Washington Dallas Philadelphia NY Giants

National League Eastern Division 2 0 0 1.000 1 1 0 .500 1 1 0 .500 1 1 0 .500

50 51 62 42

35 51 48 44

Green Bay Detroit Chicago Minnesota

Northern Division 2 0 0 1.000 2 0 0 1.000 1 1 0 .500 0 2 0 .000

72 75 43 37

57 23 42 48

Atlanta New Orleans Tampa Bay Carolina

Southern Division 1 1 0 .500 1 1 0 .500 1 1 0 .500 0 2 0 .000

47 64 44 44

61 55 47 58

San Francisco Arizona St. Louis Seattle

Western Division 1 1 0 .500 1 1 0 .500 0 2 0 .000 0 2 0 .000

57 49 29 17

44 43 59 57

NEW YORK: Dunta Robinson will pay for his flagrant hit on the Eagles’ Jeremy Maclin. He won’t be suspended. The NFL on Monday fined the Falcons cornerback $40,000 for the hit in which he led with his helmet and crashed into Maclin in the third quarter of Atlanta’s 35-31 win over Philadelphia on Sunday night. Robinson was penalized 15 yards for unnecessary roughness. The league did not suspend Robinson although it has said hits like the one he put on Maclin could lead to such action. Robinson is a repeat offender, having being fined $25,000 last year for a similar hit on the Eagles’ DeSean Jackson that left both players with concussions.

In a letter sent to Robinson, NFL vice president of football operations Merton Hanks noted that “future offenses will result in an escalation of fines up to and including suspension.” Commissioner Roger Goodell was advised of the decision, and said “we felt this was the appropriate discipline.” Asked if this was an example of the hits the NFL is trying to get out of the game, Goodell said, “There’s no such thing as a perfect example. There are individual elements of each hit. We’re trying to identify the techniques that will make our game safer.”

The league said Robinson violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9 (a) (2) of the playing rules, which states: “It is a foul if a player initiates unnecessar y contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture.” The rule notes that players in a defenseless posture include “a receiver attempting to catch a pass; or who has completed a catch and has not had time

to protect himself or has not clearly become a runner.” On the play with 6:12 left in the third quarter, the league said Robinson lowered his head and made forcible contact to the head and neck area of Maclin, who still made the catch.

He was slow to leave the field but returned to the game.

Robinson can appeal to former NFL coaches Art Shell and Ted Cottrell, who are paid by the league and the NFL Players Association to handle those cases.

Their appeal must be heard by the second Tuesday following notification of the discipline. Replays clearly showed Robinson leading with his helmet, something the league has been adamant about eliminating. The NFL this year also banned players from launching themselves into a defenseless opponent. Falcons coach Mike Smith said after the game he thought it was a legal hit and “that’s the way we teach it.” “My opinion didn’t change,” he said Monday before the NFL made its ruling. Last October, the NFL sent head coaches memos listing those players on their teams who were called for two or more unnecessary roughness penalties since 2008. Ray Anderson, NFL executive vice president of football operations, told The Associated Press this summer the league uses the last two seasons as criteria to determine repeat offenders.

“Player safety is a priority and we will not relent on it,” Anderson said in August. “Let me make it very clear, particularly in regard to repeat offenders, that egregious acts will be subject to suspension. We will not feel the need to hesitate in this regard.”—AP

things we need to correct and get better at, but we’re still proud how we played tonight.” Both squads were hampered by injuries, with the Rams missing their leading rusher Steven Jackson and wide receiver Danny Amendola among others.

The Giants were missing passrushing defensive end Osi Umenyiora and tight end Travis Beckum, while wide receivers Hixon (calf) and Mario Manningham (concussion) were sent to the sidelines during the game. “We just have to keep playing, keep fighting,” Manning said about his depleted receiving corps. “We got off to a slow start. I had some throws that I missed. “We definitely are not playing as well as we need to, but at key moments when we needed some touchdowns, I thought we made some big plays.” The Giants (1-1) visit Philadelphia to face division rivals the Eagles (1-1) next week, while the Rams (0-2) host the Baltimore Ravens (1-1).—Reuters

Stewart opens Chase with 1st win of season JOLIET: Tony Stewart took himself out of title contention before the opening race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. A topsy-turvy season led the two-time NASCAR champion to cross his name off the list of drivers he believes are legitimate title contenders, and nothing he did on track at Chicagoland Speedway changed his mind.

Stewart picked up his first win of the season Monday - a day after rain washed out the opening round of the 10-race Chase - by flawlessly conserving fuel to the finish. The victory, his 40th career win in the Cup Series, tied him with Mark Martin for 16th on the all-time wins list. More importantly, it vaulted him from ninth in the standings to second, and he trails leader Kevin Harvick by a mere seven points. So, Smoke, you sure you aren’t in the mix for a third NASCAR championship? “One day doesn’t change the whole season,” he said. Stewart, who likely benefited the most from the rain out because he was plagued with a migraine headache all day Sunday, seemed subdued in his victory celebration.

He’s had, by his own admission, “a rough year,” and it was just last month when he said the No 14 team didn’t even deserve a spot in the Chase. But his Stewart-Haas Racing team has turned it up a notch, evidenced by three-straight top-10 finishes and, on Monday, the end of a 32-race losing streak. Round 2 of the Chase shifts to New Hampshire, where Ryan Newman led a 1-2 finish for SHR in July. So Stewart may not like his title chances, but this recent upswing has crew chief Darian Grubb believing the team is in the mix. “That’s Tony’s mind-set,” Grubb said. “We all work too hard to ever come to feeling that way.”

His rivals tend to agree with Grubb. “If you believed him when he said (that) ... you’ve never raced Tony Stewart,” said Steve Letarte, crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. “He’s a master of deflection. He seems to always be there.” “Counting Tony Stewart out?

That’s pretty funny that he counts himself out,” added Harvick. But there are likely some drivers wondering if Chicago didn’t crush their title chances. While Stewart was able to stretch his gas to the finish - ironic, since he ran out of gas while leading with one lap to go in last year’s Chase opener at New Hampshire - at least five Chase drivers ran their tanks dry in the closing laps.— AP

Miserable Miami falling out of love with lowly Dolphins MIAMI: There was little sign of protest as the Miami Dolphins fell to their sixth straight home defeat on Sunday - apathy rather than anger is the mood among Florida fans and that should worry team owner Stephen Ross. Ross and sponsors bought tickets for the Week 2 game with the Houston Texans to ensure the game avoided the National Football League’s (NFL) television blackout rules.

While the move ensured the game was shown live, there were still over 20,000 empty seats in the stadium even though season ticket holders were offered free tickets for family and friends. The ownership’s attempt to turn their stadium into an extension of South Beach - with a replica nightclub behind one end zone and an ‘orange carpet’ for celebrity arrivals - has merely added to the air of desperation.

It is a sorry state for one of the NFL’s most famous franchises - who under Hall of Fame head Coach Don Shula enjoyed an undefeated campaign in 1972 and once boasted record-breaking quarterback Dan Marino. Fans, who have seen playoff action just once since 2001, have stuck with the team throughout the past decade of decline where they have made a series of misjudgments in the draft, most glaringly in 2008 when they passed on quarterback Matt Ryan, now a hit with the Atlanta Falcons.

A run of 11 losses in the past 12 home games have taken their toll and even those loyal followers who sweated in the sun showed little fervor for a team that has made a 0-2 start for the fifth time in six years.

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall, one of the few Dolphins to excite the supporters with his quality, was frank about the sense

of failure after Sunday’s loss. “It stinks because our fans were trying to get things going here in this community and get that spirit back up in our stadium. You have to win at home to do that,” said Marshall.

“Every day I run into fans telling me they have been season-ticket holders since 1972, thirty-something years. You want to play for those people and it’s frustrating when you come up short. It’s embarrassing, really.”

After starting the season with a dreadful defensive display in a 38-24 home loss to the New England Patriots last week and following that with Sunday’s 23-13 defeat, Miami now face three road games-perhaps a blessing in disguise. Miami’s problems on the field are many - their defense was woeful against the Patriots while on Sunday, the offense failed to capitalize in the red zone while the normally reliable field goal kicker Dan Carpenter failed twice. Plenty to ponder then for head coach Tony Sparano, who looked set to be fired at the end of last season and now faces renewed talk over his future.

Linebacker Jason Taylor, in his third spell with the club, believes the responsibility lies with the players. “It’s not coaching, it’s not ownership, it’s not the fans. It’s the players in this room that are doing dumb things and kind of getting in our own way and until we stop doing that, we’re going to be sitting here with long faces and trying to figure this thing out,” said Taylor.

Taylor hinted that not everyone in the locker-room is aware of what is required.

“I’m not sure we all understand the magnitude of what we’re trying to do here and what’s at stake,” he said. “If you can’t get it, get out of the way, we’ll get somebody that will.” —Reuters

‘Test and Tune’ to flag off drag racing season MANAMA: Bahrain International Circuit, ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’, announced yesterday the launch of the muchanticipated 2011/2012 season of the Bahrain National Drag Racing Championship. The region’s leading drag racing series is being organized by Bahrain Drag Racing Club, which is under the umbrella of the Bahrain Motor Federation, and in collaboration with Bahrain International Circuit. The season is scheduled to start with a ‘Test and

Tune’ evening on Thursday, September 22. It will light up the circuit’s quarter-mile drag strip from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m.

That will be followed by another ‘Test and Tune’ on October 13, which will help drivers prepare for the first races of the championship, scheduled to take place from October 19 to 21. Fayez Ramzy Fayez, Circuit Operation Director at Bahrain International Circuit, said that all systems are go for the new campaign to flag off.

He added that all the drivers and their crews are looking forward to getting their cars on the strip, and that this season promises to be full of excitement, challenges and high-octane competition.

For his part, Yasser Abdullah, Secretary at Bahrain Drag Racing Club, said that the new year will see plenty of participants hailing from Bahrain and all over the Gulf.

He noted that from the first ‘Test and Tune’ event alone, fans will get a chance to see plenty of the

championship’s regular stars along with the many new faces who will be lining up at the start line, both in their suped-up cars and motorbikes. Abullah wished all the season’s competitors the best of success. He is upbeat about the battles ahead and their importance in winning points throughout the championship, and for the drivers to put on a spectacular show for the thousands of Bahrain’s drag racing fans.

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Italy maul Russia for WCup record win Samoa warned over ‘slavery’ tweet AUCKLAND: Italy put away Russia with a record World Cup score, and Samoa center Eliota FuimaonoSapolu escaped with a warning yesterday from organizers for some controversial tweets. Italy, a tournament regular since the first in 1987, achieved its highest cup score with a 53-17 win over cup first-timer Russia.

The only teams yet to score a try in this World Cup served up a 12-try show for an appreciative crowd of 12,415 in Trafalgar Park.

The Italians had failed to score a try in an opening 32-6 loss to Australia, and wanted a bonus-point win to have any chance of qualifying from Pool C for the quarterfinals.

They accomplished the mission quickly. Giulio Toniolatti scored his second try and Italy’s fourth in the 23rd minute. By halftime, they led 38-7. Fellow winger Tommaso Benvenuti also ran in a pair, and there were further tries for Edoardo Gori, Luke McLean, and replacement Alesssandro Zanni. Italy received a penalty try not long before halftime, just before hooker Fabio Ongaro was sin-binned for a late tackle.

Vladimir Ostroushko, Alexey Makovetskiy and replacement Alexander Yanyushkin crossed for

Russia. Fuimaono-Sapolu crossed World Cup organizers by describing their treatment of Samoa as akin to the Holocaust, slavery and apartheid. The vent on Twitter after Samoa lost to Wales 17-10 on Sunday has since been deleted, but his complaint that Samoa and other Tier Two and Three teams have an unfair schedule compared to the top-tier sides resonated in the rugby world.

He challenged the International Rugby Board to suspend him, saying it would be another injustice. But in a meeting with Rugby World Cup Limited, Samoa officials apologized on his behalf and the organizers let the England-based center off with a warning. “RWCL has accepted an official apology and is satisfied with the proactive measures that the union has outlined to RWCL to address the matter,” it said in a statement. “ There will be no further action and RWCL considers the matter to be closed.”

Fuimaono-Sapolu had yesterday off like the rest of his team and didn’t attend the meeting, but Samoa said when the players regroup today they will decide whether he should receive punishment from the team.

One who was punished yesterday was Fiji flanker Dominiko Waqaniburotu, who was issued a three-week suspension for a dangerous tip tackle on South Africa fullback Pat Lambie last weekend.

Waqaniburotu will miss the Fijians’ remaining pool matches against Samoa and Wales, and the quarterfinals if they make it.

In today’s only match, Tonga and Japan, both winless, meet in Whangarei. Neighbors South Africa and Namibia then meet for only the second time ever tomorrow in Auckland. Expected to win big, the Springboks have given first starts in this tournament to tighthead prop CJ van der Linde, utility forward Willem Alberts, scrumhalf Francois Hougaard and winger Gio Aplon.

Star winger Bryan Habana, recovered from a knee injury, has a chance to end an 11-test drought and become South Africa’s outright leading try-scorer. Habana has shared the record of 38 with Joost van der Westhuizen for more than a year.

“If that 39th try comes, it comes, and if the Springboks win 150-0 without me scoring a try and I’ve contributed, then I’ll be happy,”

Martin out to end Cancellara’s reign COPENHAGEN: Tony Martin will take inspiration from his recent beating of world time trial king Fabian Cancellara when he aims to end the Swiss’s reign at the world road championhips. But the German specialist won’t be alone, with Bradley Wiggins, compatriot Bert Grabsch and Cancellara himself all out to triumph in the 46.4 km race against the clock today. One-day classics king Cancellara rode into the history books last year when he won a record fourth time trial rainbow jersey at Geelong, Australia. Martin, however, has been knocking on the Swiss star’s door for several years and forced his way in with a sensational victory at the Tour of Spain several weeks ago.

On the 10th stage around Salamanca, a 47 km time trial, he beat the man known as ‘Spartacus’ by 1min 27sec. Britain’s Chris Froome was second at 59, with compatriot Wiggins third at 1:22. Rumor has it that Cancellara is not in his best possible condition for the race, held on two laps of a mainly flat but slightly technical 23.2 km circuit. The Swiss may also fancy his chances in Sunday’s blue riband event of the road race, describedbecause of it’s flat profile-as a ‘sprinter’s course’ but which, on closer inspection, leaves the way open for any number of riders.

Although Martin won’t rule out the fourtime champion, he believes Wiggins and his teammate, David Millar, will be his biggest obstacles to gold. “I would say Wiggins and Millar are my biggest rivals,” said Martin. “But I won’t rule Cancellara out.” Millar, who won

the world title at Hamilton, Canada in 2003 only to hand the gold medal back when he later admitted to doping-came closest to upsetting Cancellara last year when he took the silver behind the Swiss, when Martin won his second consecutive bronze.

However, the Scot believes that this year British hopes of a podium place lie with Wiggins, who rebounded from his crash misery at the Tour de France in July to finish third at the recent Tour of Spain. “I’m not as good as I’d like to be,” said Millar. “I’ll do my job, but I think Bradley (Wiggins) is going to be flying the flag for us.” He also refuses to rule out Cancellara, but said: “Obviously Cancellara is always good. But this course is one for the big (powerful) guys, like Grabsch and (Canada’s) Svein Tuft.” Grabsch, who was Germany’s last time trial world champion, on a relatively flat course in Varese, Italy, in 2008, is considered an outside bet for gold.

Squat and with powerful legs, he should excel on the course which features numerous corners and bends which will require the right mix of precision steering and speed. But, said Wiggins, there will be few opportunities for making up time on rivals meaning the more powerful specialists have a theoretical advantage. “It’s going to be really close as there’s not much give on the course. There’s not a place where you can lose a lot (of time),” said the triple Olympic pursuit champion. “It’s just real physical, and for whoever can sustain the best (pace) for an hour.” —AFP

Habana said. Coach Peter de Villiers loved the attitude: “If you can give me one player on this team that will put his interests above the interests of the team, then today I will personally send him home.” Ten of the Namibian team are set to start for a third straight Pool D match. France surprised in the team named to play New Zealand at Eden Park this weekend, dropping flyhalf Francois TrinhDuc and replacing him with regular scrumhalf Morgan Parra.

Feisty coach Marc Lievrement said he was not impressed with Trinh-Duc in the narrow wins over Japan and Canada and was challenging him to regain his old form.

Lievremont said Parra deserved to play outside scrumhalf rival Dimitri Yachvili. Parra played club rugby at flyhalf three years ago, but otherwise has appeared sparingly in the pivotal role. Only last week, Parra said he was struggling to see himself as a No. 10, despite an encouraging performance against Japan when he replaced the injured David Skrela. “I will give it my best, and try and do something good,” he said. “I have nothing to lose, I know that. I won’t ask myself too many questions and try to enjoy it.” —AP

NELSON: Russia’s Mikhail Sidorov leaps over a tackled Italian Luke McLean during their Rugby World Cup pool match at Trafalgar Park, Nelson, New Zealand yesterday. —AP

Arndt captures maiden world time trial crown Danes grab first gold of road worlds

COPENHAGEN: Judith Arndt of Germany competes in the women time trial competition in the UCI Road World Championships in Copenhagen yesterday. —AP

COPENHAGEN: Former world road race champion Judith Arndt defied the wet conditions to claim her maiden time trial gold at the world road championships yesterday.

Arndt scorched over a rain-hit and technical 27.8km course to clock a winning time of 37min 07.38sec, pushing Danish-born New Zealander Linda Villumsen down to second place. Villumsen timed 37:29.11 to take the silver medal while Britain’s defending champion Emma Pooley took the bronze in 37:31.51.

Arndt, who won the road race gold in 2004, has been attempting to win the worlds time trial for years and came close to her goal last year when she finished second behind Pooley on a far more difficult course in Australia. In 2010, it was the same three riders on the podium, with Villumsen finishing in third place. Pooley, a climbing specialist, came into the race playing down her medal hopes because of the flat and technical profile of the course in the Danish capital.

However the Swiss-based professional put in an impressive display, coming over

the halfway line in provisional second place and going on to challenge for a medal on the second of the two circuits. Canada’s women meanwhile were among the biggest losers on the day. In drier conditions former Olympic speed skater Clara Hughes had topped the provisional podium when she set an early benchmark of 37:44, and she survived for most of the race until being pushed into second by compatriot Tara Whitten. In the end, Whitten missed out on the bronze by 2.3sec, with Hughes finishing fifth a further 10secs off the pace.

Meanwhile, Denmark ’s Mads Wur tz Schmidt handed the hosts their first gold medal of the road world championships yesterday when he powered to victory in the junior men’s time trial. Schmidt, 17, clocked a winning time of 35min 07sec for the 27.8 km course, held over two laps in Copenhagen, to leave 18-year-old New Zealander James Oram in the silver medal position. Oram had set the early pace in 35:11. Australian David Edwards, 18, stopped the clock at 35:28 to secure the bronze medal. —Agencies

Captain Clarke leads Aussies to series win Australia coach Tim Nielsen resigns COLOMBO: Michael Clarke hit his 15th test century to lead Australia to a draw in the third and final test against Sri Lanka yesterday and a 10 win in his first series as captain.

The series victory came shortly before an announcement that Australia coach Tim Nielsen was stepping down after four-and-a-half years in the post rather than reap-

plying for his job. On Nielsen’s last day in charge, Clarke and Michael Hussey put together a record fifth wicket partnership of 176 to inflict a first home defeat in a test series on Sri Lanka since they lost to Pakistan in 2006.

The visitors, who had trailed Sri Lanka after the first innings by 157 runs, were dismissed for 488 in their

Scoreboard COLOMBO: Scoreboard at the end of the third and final test between Sri Lanka and Australia yesterday: Australia first innings 316 Sri Lanka first innings 473 Australia second innings (overnight 209-3) S. Watson lbw b Herath 21 P. Hughes c Thirimanne b Herath 126 S. Marsh c Thirimanne b Herath 18 R. Ponting c M. Jayawardene b Herath 28 M. Clarke c Paranavitana b Herath 112 M. Hussey c Welegedara b Dilshan 93 B. Haddin c Lakmal b Herath 30 M. Johnson c Eranga b Welegedara 4 P. Siddle lbw b Herath 26 T. Copeland c Paranavitana b Eranga 3 N. Lyon not out 1 Extras: (b 5 lb 11 w 6 nb 4) 26 Total: (all out; 138.5 overs) 488 Fall of wickets: 1-62 2-122 3-188 4-220 5-396 6-448 7-452 8-471 9-486 Bowling: Eranga 18.5-2-62-1 (1nb, 1w), Lakmal 22-2-86-0 (3nb, 1w), Welegedara 24-3-88-1, Herath 52-11-157-7, Dilshan 19-0-62-1, Thirimanne 1-0-7-0, Paranavitana 2-0-10-0.

Sri Lanka second innings T. Paranavitana not out 2 L. Thirimanne not out 4 Extras (w 1) 1 Total (for 0 wickets; 2 overs) 7 Did not bat: Dilshan, Sangakkara, M. Jayawardene, P. Jayawardene, Mathews, Eranga, Herath, Lakmal, Welegedara.

Bowling: Copeland 1-0-3-0 (1w), Lyon 1-0-4-0 Result: Match drawn Australia win the three match series 1-0

second on the final day. Sri Lanka were left needing 332 for victory off 17 overs and had made 7-0 in two overs when the match ended. “All the boys are pretty stoked. It’s been a fantastic tour,” Clarke told reporters. “Both the one-day series and test series have certainly gone to plan ... We got the two major results, we won both series. I am really proud how the boys have played and personally it was nice to finally get to those three-figures.”

Clarke and Hussey came together after Phil Hughes (126) was dismissed in the sixth over of the final day, and the experienced duo recorded Australia’s highest partnership for the fifth wicket against Sri Lanka. During his 178-ball stay at the wicket, Clarke escaped two stumping chances to wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene on scores of 14 and 71 and also survived a run out attempt on 13 when Kumar Sangakkara failed to hit the stumps from mid-off. Clarke, who hit 14 fours and three sixes, and former Sri Lanka captain Sangakkara were later involved in an exchange of words where the umpires had to intervene.

COLOMBO: Australian cricketers led by captain Michael Clarke (center) pose as they celebrate after victory in the Test match series against Sri Lanka at The Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground in Colombo yesterday. —AFP

‘VERY SPECIAL’ Soon afterwards Clarke lost his concentration and holed out to Tharanga Paranavitana at mid-on to give Herath his sixth five-wicket haul in an innings. “Throughout my career there’s been plenty of ups and downs but of late, in test cricket there’s probably been more downs than ups,” Clarke said. “I had a horrible Ashes series and to be able to help this team win this series by making some runs today is very spe-

cial.” Hussey, the leading run-scorer in the series with 463, missed out on a second century in the match when he was dismissed for 93.

The left-hander top-edged a sweep of Tillakaratne Dilshan to square leg where Chanaka Welegedera held on to a diving catch. Hussey hit 11 fours and a six in his 138-ball stay. Dilshan said Hussey had made the difference in the series where Australia won the first test at Galle by 125 runs and drew the second at Pallakele. “He

batted at Galle with the tailenders and got 95 and changed the complexion of the match,” Dilshan said.

“He did the same at Pallakele and got a hundred. Here in the third test he got another hundred. He is the main guy in their batting line up.

They are very strong with him in the middle and they bat around him.”

Herath continued to chip away at the Australian batting to end with career best figures of seven for 157. When he trapped Peter Siddle for 26, Herath became only the

fourth Sri Lankan bowler to capture 100 test wickets after Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga. The hosts captured the solitary wicket of centurion Hughes in the morning session when the left-handed opener went for a sweep against Herath but topedged it to Lahiru Thirimanne at deep square leg. Hughes added only four runs to his overnight score. He faced 220 balls and had 16 fours and a six during his innings. —Reuters

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SPORTS

What next for LPGA sensation Thompson?

MELBOURNE: Teenage prodigy Alexis Thompson has the golfing world waiting with bated breath in anticipation of what she might achieve next after becoming the youngest winner on the LPGA Tour. The 16-year-old American triumphed by five shots at the Navistar LPGA Classic in Alabama on Sunday, eclipsing the earlier achievements of Marlene Hagge and Paula Creamer on the US women’s circuit. Hagge was 18 years and 14 days when she won the 1952 Sarasota Open, an 18hole event, while Creamer was 18 years, nine months and 17 days when she clinched the fourround Sybase Classic in 2005.

What made Thompson’s breakthrough especially impressive was that it came just eight months after she was denied the chance to play more frequently on the LPGA Tour through sponsors’ invitations. She had petitioned the Tour for ‘limited membership’ and a doubling in sponsor exemptions from six to 12 but that request was turned down by commissioner Mike Whan after “careful consideration”. There is an 18-year-old age requirement for Tour membership. Whan had to balance Thompson’s petition against the needs of the Tour’s rank-and-file players, many of whom now struggle to compete in as many as 12 events each season because of limited fields and the economic downturn. There are only 25 events on this year’s schedule, with 13 of them held outside the United States. The

2008 LPGA Tour comprised 34 events.

LIFE-LONG DREAM While Thompson put the gloss on a life-long dream by winning her first LPGA title, she did not want to think too far ahead about her career plans. “I’m still in high school,” said the teenager, whose petition to compete in the LPGA’s qualifying school was granted earlier this year. “One more year left, so I’m definitely finishing high school. “As for college, I haven’t even thought of it. It’s always there, so I can definitely always do the courses.”

Thompson, who as a 12-year-old became the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open, was left almost speechless after winning her maiden LPGA victory by five shots over compatriot Tiffany Joh. “I can’t even describe the feelings that were going through my head,” she said. “It’s been an amazing experience for me. “It’s been my dream my whole life just to play out here, so getting a win right now, I can’t describe the feelings......” Thompson, whose oldest brother Nicholas is a former PGA Tour player, made her professional debut in June last year at the ShopRite LPGA Classic where she missed the cut. The following month she tied for 10th in the US Women’s Open at Oakmont before producing her best finish of the season two weeks later with a tie for second at the Evian Masters in France.— Reuters

Norman hunting locals to sink US in Presidents Cup

ALABAMA: Alexis Thompson plays an approach shot during the final round of the Navistar LPGA Classic at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Senator Course at Capitol Hill in Prattville, Alabama.

—AFP

Europe’s 53 football nations hold summit GENEVA: Europe’s 53 football countries will have the future and popularity of their national teams at the top of the agenda as a two-day summit meeting in Cyprus opened yesterday.

UEFA member federations are under pressure from influential clubs to play fewer matches by scrapping some international friendly dates and cutting the size of qualifying groups for the World Cup and European Championship.

Federation presidents and chief executives also will meet Europe’s eight representatives on FIFA’s 24-man executive committee four weeks before FIFA President Sepp Blatter unveils his detailed anti-corruption reforms to clean up world football.

First, UEFA President Michel Platini wants the brainstorming session in Limassol to help set priorities for his second four-year term in office, which he secured unopposed by acclaim last March. “I wanted to have the opportunity to reflect and to discuss with all the 53 member associations on the core issues affecting the future of European football,” Platini said in a

statement. “These two days are an excellent time to discuss openly, in a relaxed manner, around subjects like youth and women football, or the development of national teams competitions.” Platini is focusing on international football after he made reforming the club game the main goal of his busy first term.

The former France great pushed through “financial fair play” rules to curb club spending, helped create and fund the European Club Association, which has often challenged Blatter’s authority, and revamped the Champions League and Europa League competitions. Clubs made wealthier and more powerful by the Champions League also resent handing over their players for national team friendlies, and want June and August dates scrapped.

Europe’s federations are largely funded by the national team and want Platini to boost its status and secure their financial future. For this, they have handed UEFA centralized control of commercial rights to their qualifiers in hope of getting a better deal. At Platini’s request, UEFA

also expanded the 16-nation European Championship to 24 teams from Euro 2016 onward. Yet many commentators fear more teams means less drama in qualifying and poorer quality at the final tournament. The future of Olympic football - another source of club vs. country conflict - is also up for discussion in Cyprus. UEFA and clubs prefer a tournament for under-21 players, but FIFA has bowed to International Olympic Committee pressure to keep eligibility open to older, higher-profile players.

Platini is currently favored to succeed Blatter as FIFA president in 2015, and his position on world football issues is being watched. UEFA and FIFA are united in protecting their legal authority to run football, and recent challenges in civil courts by Swiss club FC Sion are likely to be noted as a warning sign on the sidelines of the Cyprus summit. Platini is scheduled to sum up the progress at the two-day meeting after a subsequent meeting of the UEFA executive committee ends Friday—AP

MELBOURNE: International team captain Greg Norman insists his two remaining picks for the Presidents Cup will be determined by form rather than nationality, but would have little hesitation picking two more Australians if it meant boosting the home crowd edge. Ten of the 12 places for November’s tournament between the United States and the non-European Internationals have been decided on points following Sunday’s final round of the BMW Championship, with three Australians already in the mix.

World number seven Jason Day, 10th-ranked Adam Scott and former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy will fly the home flag at the tournament’s return to Royal Melbourne, the venue for the Internationals’ sole victory over the Americans in 1998. “First of all, I’m picking the player not picking the flag, number one,” he told reporters in a conference call. “How they’ve been in the last 90-100 days is important to me.

“Obviously if you focus on the flag behind the player’s name, you need crowd favorites, people who can pull the crowd in and get the crowd going for you, so we’d like to have that because we really didn’t have that at San Francisco. “If you look at it that way, yes, you’d like to have two Australians on there.” The United States won their sixth out of eight editions of the biennial tournament at

San Francisco in 2009, with Tiger Woods sinking the winning putt to cap off a dominant week.

Norman has previously gone with home-town sentiment, controversially selecting Scott for the 2009 tournament despite the Australian struggling in a huge form slump at the time.

While conceding that Fijian former world number one Vijay Singh was on his short-list, Norman touted world number 55 Robert Allenby and 56thranked Aaron Baddeley for their knowledge of local conditions. “(Allenby’s) a Royal Melbourne lover.

He plays that golf course extremely well. He knows the way the golf course plays. “(Baddeley’s) in the cross-hairs, no question about it...

Conditions-wise, his ball-flight is very very suited to that golf course and he putts well.”

Norman was one of four Australians in the team for the Internationals’ triumph in 1998 and said he would enjoy passing on his intimate knowledge of the famous sand-belt course to his players. “What (1998) did for the Presidents Cup was huge and I think a victory now, this November, would also be huge if the Internationals team did it,” he added. “It’s not going to be easy, that’s for sure. It’s going to be more of a tougher battle than last time at Royal Melbourne. “With that being said, I think the guys are probably as inspired as what we were leading into 1998.”— Reuters

Ryder Cup captain slams Seve Trophy no-shows MELBOURNE: Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal has slammed the likes of major champions Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell for not making the effort to compete in the Seve Trophy. Olazabal was in France overseeing the biennial tournament won by Paul McGinley’s Great Britain and Ireland on Sunday by three points over a Continental Europe team captained by Jean Van de Velde.

Despite mailing letters to as many as three dozen prospective players on both sides, some of Europe’s leading players elected to skip the competition. Olazabal said that the next tournament in 2013 would be moved to a timeslot that would ensure players would have no excuse to miss the event.

“In two years time we are hoping this event moves to the week of the Presidents Cup, and after the end of the FedEx Cup, and if that is the case there will be no excuse not to be present,” Olazabal told

reporters. The biennial Presidents Cup has the United States playing an International team of non-European players. Olazabal said the players at the Seve Trophy had played out of respect for the late five-time major winner Seve Ballesteros, who died in May at the age of 54 after losing a long battle with brain cancer.

“We all know how instrumental Seve had been to the growth of the European Tour,” Olazabal added. “I know the younger generation did not have the chance to play when Seve was around but we are here playing on the European Tour in many ways because of Seve ... “But Seve was the first man who was instrumental in turning things around on the European Tour for the better and the younger players now on the European Tour need to remember that. “They should make a little extra effort and make this event what it deserves to be. “So that will be the idea of moving it so that there are no more excuses.”— Reuters

Wins, accolades lure Iran, China, S Korea Donald, not money unbeaten in Asians ATLANTA: World number one Luke Donald is spoilt for choice when it comes to incentives at this week’s Tour Championship but he says the $10 million bonus for the overall FedExCup winner is not among them. The Briton is much more interested in clinching his second PGA Tour victory of the season in a bid to secure Player of the Year honors on the US circuit for the first time. Donald lies fourth in the points standings going into the Tour’s fourth and final playoff event and should he triumph at East Lake Golf Club on Sunday, he would also land the prestigious FedExCup. “I’m not really thinking about the money,” the 33-year-old Englishman told reporters yesterday while preparing for Thursday’s opening round. “I’m really more concentrating on winning the tournament, picking up another trophy, winning the FedExCup, hopefully winning Player of the Year that comes with it.

“Where I am in my career, I have been very fortunate. (I’ve won) $25 million or something. The money is really the last thing I’m thinking about.” Any of the top five in the standings would clinch the FedExCup by winning the Tour Championship, and Donald knows he is ideally placed for a final push.

“I’m in a great position,” the Chicago-based professional said.

“Top five is pretty important; it gives me a lot more control going into this week.” Donald, who lies second behind American Webb Simpson in the PGA Tour money list, believes victory at East Lake could also decide Player of the Year honors in what has proved to be a hotly contested race.

SWAYING MINDS “A win this week would sway a lot of people’s minds,” he said. “No

Luke Donald of England one has really dominated (a season) pointing.

“I had a chance in two of them, as much as when Tiger (Woods) was winning (multiple times). “A couple which was an improvement on preof guys have won a few events, two vious years, but the other two events, but there’s no clear-cut win- weren’t that great. The goal is ner,” Donald added. Six players always to try and peak for those have each won twice on the PGA events.” Donald tied for fourth at Tour this season. Donald has the Masters and shared eighth place enjoyed a career-best year on both at the PGA Championship but he sides of the Atlantic, winning three labored to joint 45th at the US Open tournaments and contending for while he missed the cut at the the money list crowns on the PGA British Open. “I’ll look back at the Tour and also the European Tour. end of this year and realize maybe I His only blemish has been his failure played a little bit too much leading to claim a first major title. “The num- up to the US Open,” he admitted. “I ber one goal at the beginning of felt a little bit over-golfed. “I’m this year was to try and compete, be always thinking about new ways to in contention for majors,” Donald try and prepare and find the right said with a wry grin. “In that scenario. I’m not sure if I’ve found it regards, it was somewhat disap- yet.”— Reuters

WUHAN: Giant centre Hamed Haddadi had 12 points and 12 rebounds yesterday as Iran remained unbeaten at the Asian Championships with a 76-45 win over Lebanon, joining hosts China and South Korea in the ranks of the undefeated. The Memphis Grizzlies centre also anchored a defense that stifled Lebanon’s shooters all game, while Haddadi’s teammates Samad Bahrami and Hamed Afagh helped with the scoring load, netting 16 points apiece for the defending champions.

“This was a good game for us, we respect Lebanon, they play a very physical game,” said Iran point guard Mahdi Kamrany, “this will help us in the games to come.” Iran will play South Korea today in the final game of Group E play, with both teams remaining unbeaten here at five wins and no losses.

South Korea improved their record yesterday by beating Taiwan 82-61 behind 19 points from sharpshooter Cho Sung-Min, but Korea’s chances could be hurt after top scorer Oh Se-Keun and former Portland Trailblazer centre Ha Seung-Jin limped from the game due to injury.

“Iran is going to be a tough team,” South Korean coach Hur Jae said. “Our strategy will depend on whether our injured players can play. We will know their situations better tomorrow.” China also remained unbeaten fighting to a physical 93-60 win over Jordan to remain at the top of the table in Group F and keeping their hopes alive to win Asia’s only automatic spot to the 2012 London Olympics with a gold medal here. The hosts were led by Washington Wizard power forward Yi Jianlian with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Yi Li and Sun Yue scored 14 points apiece or the winners.

China have won 14 Asian championships and represented the region at every Olympics since 1976, but have struggled in recent years largely due to injuries to superstar centre Yao Ming, who announced his retirement in July. In an earlier Group F match, Marcus Douthit scored 25 points and grabbed 18 rebounds as the

Philippines ended Japan’s fourgame winning streak with a 83-76 victory. Japan face China today, while the Philippines can ensure a top quarter-final seed with a win over Syria. In other action yesterday, Malaysia beat Uzbekistan 34-33 in Group E, while Syria knocked off the United Arab Emirates 48-35 in Group F.— AFP

WUHAN: Yi Jianlian of China tries to control the ball during the second round match between China and Jordan at the 26th Asian Basketball Championships in Wuhan in China’s central Hubei province yesterday. China won 93-60.— AFP

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Asian big guns eye Olympic berths HONG KONG: Asian football giants Japan, South Korea and Australia are eyeing winning starts when the final round of Asian qualifying for next year’s Olympics gets under way today. The three heavyweights will be hot favorites to top their respective groups and secure qualification as 12 teams jostle for coveted slots at the London Games.

Australia, fresh from routing Yemen 70 over two legs in the previous round, face unfancied United Arab Emirates in Adelaide, with coach Aurelio Vidmar confident his side can reach the Olympics.

“There’s good spirit, the players are super

keen and what I like most is they’re a close, tight, group,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald. “The important thing is to win your home games, which is why we need to get off to a good start.” The other fixture in Group B is in Tashkent and sees Uzbekistan taking on Iraq, who reached the group stage by beating archrivals Iran.

In Group A, South Korea, 4-2 aggregate winners over Jordan in the previous round, take on Oman in Changwon while Saudi Arabia and Qatar meet in Riyadh.

South Korean coach Hong Myung-Bo sees the group opener as key to qualify-

ing for London and has stressed the importance of good preparation for the away games. “Our preparations will be important against those tough teams,” Hong said after the draw, according to Yonhap news agency. “There are no easy games in the final round.” Qatar, chosen to host the 2022 World Cup, are hoping new coach Paulo Autuori will inspire a strong campaign.

Speaking after his appointment the Brazilian said he was lured by the challenge of boosting the tiny desert nation’s footballing fortunes as it looks towards the World Cup. For Japan, who beat

Australia earlier this year in the final of the Asian Cup, the reward for beating Kuwait is a Group C home game in Tosu against Malaysia, who held out for a dogged win over Lebanon in the last round. Malaysia’s Coach Ong Kim Swee acknowledged his side are long-shots for qualification but identified home matches as the key to their chances. “We are aiming to get full points from all three of our home matches,” he said. “If we can do that we stand an outside chance to qualify.”

Syria take on Bahrain in Group C’s other game, which has been moved to the Jordanian capital Amman following a

bloody crackdown by Damascus on antigovernment protests. The teams are divided into three groups of four and play each other home and away. The winners qualify for the Olympics automatically, while runners-up in each group play a three-way round-robin. The winner of that contest enters a play-off with a side from the African confederation to advance to next summer’s showpiece event. Men’s football is played as an under-23 tournament at the Olympics, although the rules allow for three overage players. The group stage wraps up in March next year.— AFP

‘Firing Wenger not an option’ Arsenal back Wenger, deny crisis

Chelsea’s Portuguese manager Andre Villas-Boas

Villas-Boas cries foul over defeat LONDON: Chelsea manager Andre VillasBoas revealed yesterday he had made a complaint to the head of the Premier League referees body following the performance of officials in the defeat at Manchester United. Villas-Boas was left fuming on Sunday af ter Manchester United took a 2-0 lead to goals which replays suggested could have been disallowed for offside. The Chelsea manager told reporters he has lodged a complaint with referees chief Mike Riley since the match, eventually won 3-1 by United.

“Very, very unhappy with a poor performance from the referees, which in the end had a decisive role in the result, and I don’t take it very, very lightly,” Villas-Boas said. “You expect the linesman to do his job. “I already went further ahead with the situation by speaking to the correct

people. “We all feel very, very down when the referee had such an impact on the result.”

Villas-Boas meanwhile brushed off questions about the form of Fernando Torres, who missed one glaring opportunity to make the score 3-2, a blunder which has been described as one of the worst misses in Premier League history.

“It’s not a question about an individual player,” he said. “I’m very, very happy with how the team responded. Everybody is strong and with the correct frame of mind.” Villas-Boas was speaking ahead of today’s League Cup meeting with Fulham, a game which will see the Blues field several of their up-and-coming youngsters.

The Chelsea manager confirmed Josh McEachran, Romelu Lukaku, Oriol Romeu and Ryan Bertrand would all start.— AFP

LONDON: Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis insisted yesterday that Arsene Wenger’s future is not under threat, and dismissed fan complaints that the manager may have lost his touch following the club’s worst start to a season for 58 years. The Gunners are just a point above the relegation zone after losing three of their five Premier League matches and jeopardizing their hopes of a first title since 2004. The dismal start has raised tensions among fans, with Wenger facing the deepest crisis of a 15-year reign that has yielded three league titles.

But the club, which was recently bought by American sports tycoon Stan Kroenke, is not contemplating any knee -jerk reactions.

“Thinking spending money solves issues (or) firing a manager solves issues - these are short term cures that actually have tremendous costs for football clubs that are not often played out in the short term,” Gazidis said. “That’s a route we are not going to go down.” At a question and answer event for business leaders in London, Gazidis maintained that Arsenal is “fortunate” to have Wenger, whose transformation of the London club has been widely praised.

“The amount of admiration for Arsenal, the way we play the game, the technical dexterity is extraordinary,” Gazidis said at the Sport Industry Breakfast Club. “ That is something Arsene brought to the club.” And continues to bring, Gazidis insisted. “Believe it or not, he didn’t suddenly become a bad manager or someone who is out of touch with the game,” the former Major League Soccer deputy commissioner said. “It’s absolute nonsense.” While the 61-year-old Wenger has been characterized as struggling personally during the current turmoil, Gazidis said the Frenchman is holding up well.

“Arsene is not broken,” Gazidis said. “That is a portrayal that is black or white. You are either flying high and everything as great or you are a broken failure. To see him portrayed, because he is responsible, as some kind of idiot is profoundly damaging, not to Arsenal or Arsene but for the game. “We do this to people and we need to think about that. He is frustrated, he shares the same frustrations that we all do.”

Arsenal twice lost the lead at Blackburn on Saturday, conceding two goals in the 4-3 loss that left the side with just four points from a possible 15 so far.

“The potential is there and everyone can see

Gerrard poised for Liverpool comeback LIVERPOOL: Steven Gerrard is poised to make his longawaited comeback as Liverpool look to forget their Premier League problems by beating Brighton in their third round League Cup clash today. Gerrard has not played since suffering a groin problem in March which required surgery, but manager Kenny Dalglish is set to use the game to ease his influential captain back into action after six months on the sidelines.

Two successive league defeats, including a 4-0 hammering at Tottenham on Sunday, have marred Liverpool’s solid start to the season, but the return of the England midfielder will lift spirits. “I’ve said all along, he’s done fantastically well to get where he is,” said Dalglish when asked about the imminent return of Gerrard. “We’ll just monitor him and pick the right moment for him and us before we get him back. It’s natural everyone wants to chase Stevie, especially after you have lost 4-0. “But we’ll monitor it, take it how it goes and when both parties agree he’ll play.” Gerrard has not been seen in action since helping Liverpool defeat Manchester United 3-1 at Anfield on March 6.

He resumed full training two weeks ago and emerged unscathed after taking part in a practice match last week.

“Now I’m back in with the boys, it’s a completely different ball game - it’s a lot tougher, quicker and I’ve struggled the last two days, so I’m really tired at the moment,” said Gerrard earlier this month. “But I’m back in full training and looking forward to being involved with the lads in games in the coming weeks.” Teenagers Danny Wilson, John Flanagan and Jack Robinson are also expected to feature in a much-changed side from the one on duty at White Hart Lane, where Liverpool finished with nine men after Charlie Adam and Martin Skrtel were sent off. Both players will be suspended for the trip to the south coast as a result.

Brighton are currently third in the Championship after being promoted from the third tier last season, and manager Gus Poyet is confident his players can give a good account of themselves during a hectic 48 hours which also sees Brighton entertain Leeds on Friday. “I need to manage the squad and the team the right way, to have a decent team against Liverpool and a very, very good team against Leeds on Friday but it’s going to be tough,” said Poyet. Fullback Marcos Painter will miss the tie through suspension following his sending off for two bookable offences during the 1-0 defeat to Leicester last Saturday.— AFP

it - last year we played some of the most attractive football in the Premier League and yet we self destructed at key moments and we have seen that a couple of times again this season,” Gazidis said. “That is something we need to correct because the potential is there.” Wenger did respond to the poor start to the season and the loss of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri by veering from his policy of signing emerging talent by bolstering the squad with experienced players last month. Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta (29) arrived from Everton, Germany defender Per

BLACKBURN: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger (center) reacts during the English Premier League soccer match against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, Blackburn, England. — AP Mertesacker (26) from Werder Bremen and Israel captain Yossi Benayoun (31) on loan from Chelsea. “We have seen a tactical adjustment of bringing in more experienced players,” Gazidis said. “Our strategy continues to be to focus on young players.” Gazidis does not believe that “chasing after the same players as Manchester City or United would be sustainable” as the club looks to win its first trophy since the 2005 FA

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

Spanish League Real Racing v Real Madrid..............................21:00 Aljazeera Sport +2 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD Malaga v Athletic de Bilbao.............................21:00 Aljazeera Sport +8 Atletico de Madrid v Sporting Gijon...............21:00 Aljazeera Sport +6 Valencia v Barcelona .......................................23:00 Aljazeera Sport +2 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD

Italian League A AC Milan v Udinese...........................................21:45 Aljazeera Sport +1 Juventus v Bologna..........................................21:45 Aljazeera Sport +7

Asian Olympic Qualifiers Australia v UAE ................................................12:30 Abu Dhabi Sports 1 Aljazeera Sport 1 Japan v Malaysia..............................................14:00 Aljazeera Sport 2 Abu Dhabi Sports South Korea v Oman........................................14:00 Aljazeera Sport Global Abu Dhabi Sports Channels Uzbekistan v Iraq .............................................16:00 Aljazeera Sport 1 Iraqi Sports Channel Abu Dhabi Sports Channels Syria v Bahrain .................................................19:00 Aljazeera Sport Global Abu Dhabi Sports Channels Saudi Arabia v Qatar .......................................20:15 Dubai Sports 1 Aljazeera Sport 1 Saudi Sports 1 Abu Dhabi Sports Channels

Steven Gerrard

Cup. “I cannot accept it’s a total failure (the title drought) because actually we have been incredibly consistent over a long period of time - along with Manchester United and Real Madrid, the most consistent of clubs in Europe,” Gazidis said.

“We haven’t achieved what we want to achieve and we need to adjust.”

Gazidis sympathizes with anger among supporters. “We have fans at the core, season ticket holders for whom defeat is humiliation,” he said.

“When we have difficult, horrible defeats, it is impactful on their self esteem.” And he promised

that Kroenke will soon speak publicly for the first time since adding Arsenal to a porfolio that also includes the NFL’s St Louis Rams, the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche and MLS’ Colorado Rapids. “Throughout the transfer window, he was intimately involved in the discussions that we were having,” Gazidis said. “Stan has said that he will talk to the fans the next time he is in the UK and he will.”— AP

Stockholm derby starts in silence; Fans protest STOCKHOLM: AIK and Djurgarden fans stayed silent for the first 10 minutes of the Stockholm derby on Monday in protest against what they see as heavy-handed tactics by the Swedish FA and sensationalist reporting of crowd trouble. Such was the hush in the Rasunda stadium that conversations between the soccer players were clearly audible. It was almost as if the match was being played behind closed doors, but the ground was far from empty with 24,639 supporters inside.

Set up by 34 supporters’ groups representing soccer and hockey clubs from Sweden, the “Positive Terrace Culture” campaign hopes the silent protest will convince the FA and the media that things are not as bad as they seem. It will be an uphill struggle given the match became the latest this season to be held up due to fans’ misbehavior. Matches have also been abandoned with both Djurgarden and AIK among teams affected when supporters threw fireworks onto the field.

The derby between Malmo and Helsingborg was halted after Helsingborg goalkeeper Par Hansson was attacked by a fan while a ballboy, a linesman and a cameraman have all been injured by firecrackers during the campaign. Many fans though believe the FA has gone too far in banning fireworks from arenas altogether and fining clubs whose supporters sing demeaning songs about referees. Fan groups have also accused Swedish media of exaggerating the dangers associated with attending soccer matches, saying that Sweden’s football stadiums have never been safer.

AIK defender Nils-Erik Johansson said the silent protest at the Stockholm derby, won 1-0 by Djurgarden, had an effect on the players. “It wasn’t nice,” he told Reuters. “We understand that the fans want to make a point and they certainly did that today. It felt like the game only really got going after 10 minutes. “We are in this situation now where a few people make bad decisions and the bigger group gets punished. It’s not how it should be. A whole community should not be punished for what one or two guys are doing.” Whatever effect the silent protest had on the players or the media, it is likely to fall on deaf ears with the FA as once again a game was disrupted due to fans firing off pyrotechnics. At the start of the second half, both sets of fans ignited Bengal fireworks in a coordinated protest, delaying the game for six minutes. Referee Jonas Eriksson followed the FA’s fireworks policy to the letter and removed the players from the pitch as the arena was engulfed in a cloud of smoke. When the smoke cleared, the teams returned to the field and Djurgarden hung on to win thanks to a goal from Kennedy Igboananike.— Reuters

Italy maul Russia for WCup record

Giants punish error-prone Rams

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Arsenal CEO says firing Wenger not an option

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LEEDS: Leeds United’s English defender Tom Lees (right) wins a header during the league cup football match between Leeds United and Manchester United at Elland Road yesterday. —AFP

Man Utd rout Leeds 3-0 Arsenal avoid shock exit

English League Cup LONDON: Arsenal avoided a humiliating League Cup third round exit against Shrewsbury as the troubled Gunners came from behind to win 3-1, while Manchester United cruised to a 3-0 victory over old rivals Leeds yesterday. After Saturday’s 4-3 defeat at Blackburn condemned Arsenal to their worst start to a season for 58 years, chief executive Ivan Gazidis chose to publicly express the club’s support for boss Arsene Wenger.

But even Arsenal’s loyal board may have started to doubt Wenger when League Two Shrewsbury took a shock lead through James Collins at the Emirates Stadium. Wenger has never hidden his distaste for the League Cup, yet he could hardly afford such a shocking defeat so soon after that incredible 8-2 loss at Manchester United. So the

Frenchman, who gave South Korean forward Park Chu-young his debut among 11 changes, must have breathed a sigh of relief as goals from Kieran Gibbs, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Yossi Benayoun sent Arsenal, beaten by Birmingham in last year’s final, into the fourth round.

Arsenal were in chaos early on as Mark Wright fired against a post and Shrewsbury went ahead when Collins powered home a header from Marvin Morgan’s cross in the 16th minute. The turning point came when Reuben Hazel missed a golden opportunity to increase Shrewsbury’s advantage.

Arsenal equalized moments later through Gibbs’ header and young winger Oxlade-Chamberlain put the hosts ahead with a long-range shot that trickled past Shrewsbury goalkeeper Ben Smith.

That settled Arsenal’s nerves and a first goal for onloan Chelsea midfielder Benayoun killed the tie. At Elland Road, Michael Owen bagged a brace as Manchester United gained a measure of revenge for their shock FA Cup defeat against Leeds with a routine win. Sir Alex Ferguson’s team were left with red faces after Leeds, then languishng in League One, won 1-0 in the FA Cup third round at Old Trafford in January 2010. But there was no repeat of that shock scoreline this time as Owen’s double and a Ryan Giggs goal secured an emphatic success on United’s first visit to Elland Road for eight years.

However, reports of fighting between rival fans outside the ground rather spoiled the occasion.

Ferguson made 11 changes after Sunday’s 3-1 win

Chris Eagles put Bolton ahead with a long-range blast in the 54th minute and Gael Kakuta’s strike handed McLeish the first defeat of his Villa reign.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy made eight changes from the team beaten by QPR on Saturday, but his stand-ins still thrashed Millwall 50 at Molineux thanks to goals from David Edwards, Adam Hammill, George Elokobi, James Spray and Adlene Guedioura. Blackburn built on the momentum from Saturday’s win over Arsenal as Steve Kean’s team beat League One strugglers Leyton Orient 3-2 at Ewood Park, with their goals coming from a Jason Roberts penalty and strikes from Ruben Rochina and Simon Vukcevic. League Two Aldershot are the lowest ranked team left in the competition after beating Rochdale 2-1.— AFP

Sevilla held by Osasuna

Inter fall to Novara

Spanish League MADRID: Sevilla missed the chance to take provisional top spot in La Liga yesterday but nevertheless maintained their unbeaten run as they hung on for a 0-0 draw at Osasuna. The hosts had plenty to prove after their 8-0 thrashing by Barcelona at the weekend and attacked from the outset with Roland Lamah in particular causing plenty of problems for Sevilla who have their sights on a Champions League place this season.

Osasuna were torn apart at the Nou Camp on Saturday night and while this was a very different display they got no reward for their impressive attacking display. Juan Nino had excellent chances in both halves while Sevilla also survived a penalty claim when Diego Perotti appeared to handle the ball in the area.

Sevilla though could have stolen the points when Jesus Navas was denied from point blank range by

Italian League ROME: Inter Milan coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s position became increasingly untenable yesterday as the Serie A giants’ winless run continued with a shock 3-1 defeat at promoted Novara. Inter have not won away in five games this season putting increasing pressure on Gasperini as the humiliation against Novara, returning to Serie A after 55 years, follows last week’s home loss to outsiders Trabzonspor in the Champions Legaue. Inter are languishing in 17th position with just one point from three games.

Marco Rigoni’s double lifted Novara to their first win of the season and provisional fifth place. Inter danger man Giampaolo Pazzini started on the bench but was brought on by Gasperini at half time in place of an uninspiring Diego Forlan after Riccardo Meggiorini had put the hosts ahead after 38 minutes.

Pazzini had Inter’s best chance of the night, a shot at goal on 61 minutes, but it went wide. Inter’s defense were made to work by the pairing of Meggiorini and Andrea Mazzarini with the latter missing a chance for a second goal after 53 minutes.

Japanese striker Takayuki Morimoto, who caused endless headaches for Inter defender Andrea Ranocchia all evening, finally obtained a penalty for his side which Marco Rigoni transformed four minutes from time. And in a late scramble for goal Esteban Cambiasso reduced the deficit for the visitors with a minute to go before Rigoni got his second one minute into time added on. Leaders Napoli, who beat AC Milan thanks to a Edinson Cavani hattrick at the weekend, travel to Chievo today as second-placed Juventus host Bologna who are looking for their first points. AC Milan host third-placed Udinese as AS Roma look for their first win under Luis Enrique on Thursday against promoted Siena.—AFP

over Chelsea, with Owen and Dimitar Berbatov starting for the first time this season and midfielders Antonio Valencia and Michael Carrick deployed out of position at right-back and centre-back respectively.

There was also a debut for teenage defender Ezekiel Fryers and United’s unusual starting eleven were in front after 15 minutes when Owen met Park Ji-Sung’s pass with a close-range strike. Owen produced another cool finish for his second goal from Mame Diouf’s cross in the 32nd minute and Giggs put the result beyond doubt with a fine individual effort on the stroke of half-time. Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish won this tournament with Birmingham last season, but he won’t be going back to Wembley as Bolton won 2-0 at Villa Park.

keeper Andres Fernandez mid-way through the second half. Sevilla move up to third with eight points from four games, one point behind leaders Valencia and Real Betis. Real Sociedad, meanwhile, move up to fifth after beating Granada 1-0 in slightly fortuitous circumstances with a Daniel Estrada cross catching out the Granada keeper Roberto Fernandez who had come off his line. Meanwhile Villarreal hosted Real Mallorca in late game. Reigning domestic and European champions Barcelona face Valencia, who have won their three opening matches, and meet in Wednesday’s top of the table clash. Real Betis are another side with a 100 percent record and they meet Zaragoza while Real Madrid, who dropped their first points at the weekend with a surprise 1-0 defeat away to Levante, travel to Racing Santander. — AFP

Lille escape with draw French League

NOVARA: Inter Milan’s Argentine forward Milito (left) fights for the ball with Novara’s defender Andrea Lisuzzo during their Italian Serie A match yesterday. — AFP

PARIS: French champions Lille missed the chance to go level on points with Ligue 1 leaders Lyon yesterday as they drew 1-1 away with out of form Bordeaux. It could have been worse for Lille - who drew for the third successive match - as Bordeaux’ Chieck Diabate missed a penalty 12 minutes from time. Lille - who had let leads slip against both Sochaux in the league and CSKA Moscow in last week’s opening Champions League group game - had gone behind to a Diabate penalty in the third minute only for their Belgian star Eden Hazard to level in the 57th minute with a fine goal.

Lille lie fourth two points adrift of Lyon, who play away at Caen today while Bordeaux have only one win in their seven matches so far and are just three points above the relegation places. The hosts had taken an

early lead through Diabate’s well-executed penalty after referee Tony Chapron adjudged Florent Balmont to have knocked over Diabate.

Lille pressed the hosts throughout the half but Bordeaux ‘keeper Kevin Olimpa came to their rescue, especially in the 37th minute when he saved from veteran Czech defender David Rozehnal and then again from Moussa Sow who followed up the rebound.

Hazard struck shortly before the hour mark finishing off a neat move which began just inside the Bordeaux half and which saw English midfielder Joe Cole deliver him the decisive pass. The Belgian star still had work to do when he got the ball on the left side of the penalty box but he made light work of two Bordeaux defenders and placed his right-footed effort perfectly into the far corner. —AFP

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IATA raises 2011 airlines profit outlook, 2012 grim

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SINGAPORE: Pedestrians walk along the street of Orchard Road in Singapore’s upmarket shopping belt yesterday. The global economy is much weaker than believed just months ago, and growth should pick up only slightly next year, the International Monetary Fund said.—AFP

IMF downgrades outlook for US, Europe World economy enters ‘dangerous new phase’ WASHINGTON: The world economy has entered a “dangerous new phase,” according to the chief economist of the International Monetary Fund. As a result, the international lending organization has sharply downgraded its economic outlook for the United States and Europe through the end of next year.

The IMF expects the US economy to grow just 1.5 percent this year and 1.8 percent in 2012. That’s down from its June forecast of 2.5 percent in 2011 and 2.7 percent next year.

To achieve even that still-low level of growth, the US economy would need to expand at a much faster rate in the second half of the year than its 0.7 percent annual pace in the first six months. Most economists expect growth of between 1.5 percent and 2 percent in the final two quarters.

Though an improvement, it wouldn’t be enough to lower the unemployment rate. The rate has been 9 percent or higher in all but two months since the recession officially ended more than two years ago.

“The global economy has entered a dangerous new phase,” said Olivier Blanchard, the IMF’s chief economist.

“The recovery has weakened considerably. Strong policies are needed to improve the outlook and reduce the risks.”

The IMF has also lowered its outlook for the 17 countries that use the euro. It predicts 1.6 percent growth this year and 1.1 percent next year, down from its June projections of 2 percent and 1.7 percent, respectively.

The gloomier forecast for Europe is based on worries that euro nations won’t be able to contain their debt crisis and keep it from destabilizing the region.

“Markets have clearly become more skeptical about the ability of many countries to stabilize their public debt,” Blanchard said. “Fear of the unknown is high.” Overall, the IMF predicts global growth of 4 percent for both years. Stronger growth in China, India, Brazil and other developing countries should offset weaker output in the United States and Europe. Financial turmoil and slow growth are feeding on each other in both the United States and Europe, IMF officials say. Europe’s debt crisis is causing banks to reduce lending and hold onto cash. Sharp stock market drops in the United States over the

summer have hurt consumer and business confidence and will likely reduce spending. That slows growth, which leads many investors to shift money out of stocks and into safer investments, such as Treasury bonds.

In Europe, slower growth will make it harder for stressed nations to get their debt under control. US and European policymakers must act more decisively to cut budget deficits, the IMF said. European banks need to boost their capital buffers more quickly and beyond new minimum levels set to come into force in 2019, the IMF said.

European banks have seen their stocks slide sharply this summer on fears that their exposure to the government debt of shaky countries like Greece could result in big losses.

Having extra capital would bolster confidence in the banking sector and shield Europe’s economy from the impact of jitters in financial markets.

But the IMF’s demand clashes with the position of the European Union, which limits how much assistance member states can provide to their banks. The US economy faces longerlasting problems that go beyond high gas prices and disruptions caused by the Japan crisis, the IMF said.

Employers are adding few jobs and giving out meager pay raises. Many homeowners owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth. Banks are keeping credit tight.

All those trends are holding back consumer spending. Unemployment is likely to average 9 percent next year, the IMF’s report said, echoing a recent estimate by the Obama administration.

President Barack Obama’s proposal to cut taxes and spend more on infrastructure should provide much-needed short-term stimulus, the IMF said.

But it needs to be paired with a longer-term plan to reduce the deficit over, the report said. The timing of the budget cuts is key, Blanchard said.

Budget cuts “cannot be too fast or it will kill growth,” Blanchard said in a statement. “It cannot be too slow or it will k ill credibility.” President Obama on Monday proposed more than $3 trillion of tax increases and spending cuts over 10 years. His proposal will be considered by a congressional panel charged with finding $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction this year. —AP

Italy hits out at S&P after downgrade ROME: Silvio Berlusconi’s government, hit by a credit rating downgrade, blamed “polluted” analysis yesterday in another test for the euro-zone, deep in crucial rescue talks with Greece.

Standard & Poor’s ratings agency said Italy had a weak coalition trying to govern an economy with feeble growth prospects, but the government hit back saying its analysis was flawed and the coalition was “very stable.” The S&P statement came as the government headed by the 74-year-old Silvio Berlusconi, who is struggling to fight off new sex and blackmail scandals and whose popularity rating has dropped to an all-time low, has struggled to overcome infighting to agree on spending cuts.

The Italian government fired back at Standard & Poor’s, saying its evaluation “appears to have been dictated more by newspaper backchat than by the reality on the ground and it appears to have been polluted by political considerations.” The downgrade was a further setback for the euro-zone, which is struggling to contain the fallout from a debt crisis that has already pushed Greece, Ireland and Portugal to seek bailouts and is now threatening Italy and Spain.

“S&P has thrown another spanner in the works of the European sovereign crisis,” said economist Dermot O’Leary at Goodbody Stockbrokers in Dublin. The decision put pressure on Italy’s bond market, raising the rate differential between Italian and German bonds-a key risk indicator. Stock investors had already priced it in however and shares were relatively unaffected, with the index rising 0.77 percent in afternoon trading. The ratings agency downgraded Italy’s rating to “A/A-1” from a “A+/A-1+” on Monday, warning about fiscal and political weaknesses for Berlusconi’s government and pointing to “Italy’s weakening economic growth prospects.”

It was the first downgrade for Italy since the start of the euro-zone debt crisis which has spread from Greece, now locked in the latest round of rescue talks, and has forced Italy to introduce urgent budget measures.

The opposition has called repeatedly for Berlusconi to step down to avert a broader economic crisis and increasingly the criticism is coming from big business once allied with his centreright coalition. Italy “is a serious country. We’re

tired of being an international joke,” Emma Marcegaglia, the leader of the influential big business lobby Confindustria, said in a speech yesterday. “We don’t want to be mocked for things that are not our fault,” she said. Caught unawares by the downgrade, the government scrambled into action with Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti promising a new 10-year-plan for growth. “The situation is very complex but precisely because of that we have to give an idea of what this country will do for the next 10 years,” he said.

“We have to do a bit of marketing for Italy” to exit the crisis, he added.

But analysts said Italy’s problems were deeper and more urgent. “The situation is really dramatic.... There is a lack of confidence,” said Gian Enrico Rusconi, a professor of political science at Turin university. Business daily Il Sole 24 Ore issued a scathing editorial saying the government was “incapable of governing” and pointing to “the high price of decadence.”

The newspaper also said the government was preparing to revise down its economic growth estimates for 2011 and 2012. —AFP

DP World owner inks $850m refinancing

ATHENS: Greek public sector employees burn their tax notices yesterday outside the Finance Ministry in Athens to protest against austerity measures, reduced salaries and new taxes. — AFP (See Page 25)

DUBAI/LONDON: Dubai’s Port & Free Zone World (PFZW), the direct owner of global ports operator DP World, has signed an $850 million loan refinancing, two banking sources said yesterday. The deal, which replaces a $1.15 billion facility which matures this month, was signed by 15 banks in total and was split almost evenly between a conventional tranche and a shariacompliant piece.

Citi, Deutsche Bank, Emirates NBD and HSBC under wrote the transaction before it was launched into syndication in July. It had originally been a purely conventional loan but a sharia-compliant tranche was added last month to tap liquidity within the Islamic banking sector, bankers said at the time.

The facility has a five-year amortising tenor and carried a margin of 350 basis points, said the sources speaking on condition of anonymity.

It replaces a three-year deal of which $850m was the remaining net amount.

State-owned conglomerate Dubai World is the parent company of PFZW, which owns 80.5 percent of DP World. PFZW was not immediately available for comment. — Reuters

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Barclays Bank to open Islamic window at DIFC Banks to base Islamic products team in Dubai DUBAI: Barclays Bank plc announced yesterday that it has received approval to operate an Islamic Window in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), enabling it to base its global Islamic products team in the DIFC, and to offer Islamic financial products and services from there.

Well-established as a global leader in Islamic finance, Barclays has been active in promoting the Islamic banking sector for well over a decade.

This license endorsement, granted by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), positions the global bank to further expand, its already diverse offering, in the Sharia-compliant financial services space.

“We are extremely pleased to hold an Islamic window license from the DFSA,” said John Vitalo, Chief Executive Officer, Barclays Plc, MENA, “and we look forward to continuing to introduce innovative Sharia-compliant solutions from the DIFC”.

“As a long-standing international pioneer in Islamic finance, we have always recognized the importance of this industry,” Vitalo added.

“Today, we are even more strongly positioned to meet the evolving needs of clients in this dynamic market - here in the UAE, throughout the MENA region, and across the world.”

Abdulla Mohammed Al-Awar, Chief Executive Officer of the DIFC Authority, emphasized the importance of the Barclays license to the ongoing development and diversification of the emirate’s onshore financial centre and the wider regional economy. He said: “During this period of renewed financial stability and expansion, and at a time when the Islamic finance sector continues to experience especially notable growth, we are confident that Barclays will continue to make a unique contribution to the industry by providing world-class Sharia-compliant solutions from the DIFC.”

“Operating from a DIFC Islamic platform will greatly enhance our ability to meet the needs of our regional and international clients seeking Sharia-compliant products and services,” added Dr Dominic Selwood, Head of Islamic products at Barclays. “Based on our global track record and unique local insights, we will continue to focus on providing best-in-class customised Islamic solutions.”

In recognition of its outstanding contribution to the industry, Barclays received two awards at the Islamic Finance News Awards Ceremony 2011, which took place earlier this year in Dubai.

At this high-profile event, the investment bank collected both the “Sovereign Deal of the Year Award” for participating in the Government of Malaysia’s US$1.25 billion global sukuk and the “Syndicated Deal of the Year Award” for the US$1.4 billion project financing for the Jubail Refinery.

UAE’s Emarat in talks to lease Fujairah storage DUBAI: United Arab Emirates (UAE) fuel retailer Emarat is in talks with potential investors to lease out its storage tanks in the port of Fujairah, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday.

“They are collecting bids, applications from companies,” the source, who asked not to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media said. “There is good interest from companies,” he said, while declining to name them. In July, Emarat said it had completed its oil storage expansion project to boost capacity to 260,000 cubic meters from 50,000 cubic meters previously.

It is not clear if Emarat plans to lease all of its 13 tanks, which could store gas oil, gasoline and jet fuel. “The process (of leasing the tanks) could be completed by the end of the year,” the source said.Fujairah is one of the world’s top bunkering destinations, after Singapore and Rotterdam, and has emerged as an oil storage hub in a region where oil traders are looking to capture storage space to meet demand from Asia.

Al Ahliya Switch Gear chooses Seat Leon for its fleet KUWAIT: In its efforts to renew its fleet of cars, “Al Ahliya Switch Gear” recently chose Mohammad Saleh & Reza Yousuf Behbehani Company, the exclusive dealer for SEAT cars in Kuwait, by signing a contract by virtue of which the first batch of 10 SEAT LEON cars were delivered.

On this occasion, which took place at the company’s showroom in Al Rai area, Abdulghani Behbehani, The Director, reconfirmed the company’s commitment to adhere to the highest standards in serving the Kuwaiti automotive market vis-a-vis the diversity of model choices and keeping abreast of all new technological advances in the automotive

Skyline builders gets awards for finest homes in Kerala

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September 11, Union Minister for Civil Aviation and Expatriate affairs, Vayalar Ravi conferred golden shawl and memento to the award winners, who came from various industrial sectors. The function was presided over by Oommen Chandy, chief minister of Kerala.

Presently, Skyline has ventured in to the construction of a number of outstanding housing projects which are destined to change conventional concepts of apartment living. Skyline Princeton, coming up as a part of the 7 star rated Ivy League, Ranch Garden Bungalows coming up at Tripunithura and Alton Heights luxury apartments in Kottayam are just a few to name. The Skyline Home Care Solutions is an integrated part of Skyline Builders, all set to undertake Homecare, Interiors and After Sales Service. Sri. Abdul Azeez, CMD of Skyline Builders, stated that Skyline is firm on keeping up the exceptional standards it has set in home making. A team from Skyline, the most trusted and No 1 builders in Kerala is now touring Kuwait with a bunch of unique living concepts that exceed all your expectations. They can be contacted at Mob 65996732 / 55244941.

kyline Builders, with 22 years of expertise in creating value-added housing projects, is spanning new horizons in the realtor development segment. 92 projects in 7 cities across the Kerala State has been completed and handed over to date. Another 19 projects are getting readied at various locations in Kerala. Referred as the No.1 builder in the state, Skyline has several golden feathers on the crown of its credibility. 111 projects to testify the Skyline construction excellence, the highest CRISIL rated builder in the state, creator of the first CRISIL 7star rated project, a matchless track record in on time delivery, and winner of the CNBCAWAAZ Real Estate Award 2010; just a few reasons that took Skyline to the forefront of the construction scenario of Kerala.

Skyline’s credibility is studded with many glittering awards. After winning CNBC Awaaz Award for best real estate project in South India for its Topaz project, Skyline CMD, Abdul Azeez has been conferred with World Malayalee Council Award for outstanding contribution in the housing sector of Kerala. In the WMC function held at Gokulam convention centre on

Landmark Group’s customer loyalty program ‘Shukran’ completes a year

industry, to satisfy the aspirations of the local consumer, or simply meeting the constant quest of making the driving experience more comfortable and safe for both driver and passengers alike.

SEAT brand has maintained its reputation in the midst of the fierce competition which has been witnessed in the domestic automotive market due to the high specifications and performance enjoyed by all models alike thanks to adopting the legendary Volkswagen technologies, its attractive and sporty outer looks, and most importantly the company’s professional commitment to customer’s safety.

KUWAIT: Landmark Group, the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, announces its first year anniversary of the launch of “Shukran”, its rebranded loyalty initiative; offering double the loyalty points across several leading fashion, lifestyle, food, hospitality and leisure brands in Kuwait.

Across the nation, Landmark Group has been promoting the Shukran Card, previously known as Centrepoint Privilege Card (CPC), to the existing loyalty customer-base while aiming to add new members to the program.

On the occasion of Shukran’s first birthday in Kuwait, Landmark Group intends to double loyalty points for customers who shop between 22 & 24 September 2011 at local partner stores.

Centrepoint, Home Centre and Max are on sale during this period, allowing patrons to earn double points. The new loyalty program has 31 partners in Kuwait and can be used even in the sale

period unlike the old CPC program that had only 14 partners and could be used by customers only in the non sale period.

Saibal Basu, COO - Kuwait, Landmark Group, said: “We would like to thank our customers for their continued support in making Shukran immensely successful in Kuwait. The Shukran loyalty program, launched on 22 September 2010, has been so successful that it has managed to generate almost as many members in eleven months as CPC programs have done in ten years.

This is a clear testimony of the extent to which the special bond that we share with our customers has grown.”

In Kuwait, some of the most loved brands that offer rewards and benefits through the Shukran card include Centrepoint, Shoe Mart, Splash, Lifestyle, Home Centre, Max, Shoexpress, New Look, Bossini and Kurt Geiger.

Saibal Basu, COO - Kuwait Landmark Group,

also said: “Shukran will help customers maximise the value they receive with every purchase across a wider array of Landmark Group’s brands with our new partners. The team at Shukran has a lot of initiatives that are underway to improve customer experience in the future.”

Epitomizing the program, the rebranded Shukran loyalty card elicits members to shop, dine, play or simply indulge. For future promotion updates and enquiries, customers can contact the call centre at 1840567 or visit their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/ cplmg.

A leader in the Middle East retail industry, the Landmark Group has successfully established it’s self as a forerunner in providing high value for money to customers. Their rebranded loyalty program Shukran has been launched successfully in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain.

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2720000 .4290000 .3740000 .3090000 .2750000 .2790000 .0040000 .0020000 .0746320 .7271150 .3810000 .0700000 .7128040 .0040000 .0430000

.2790000 .4400000 .3820000 .3220000 .2845000 .2880000 .0072500 .0035000 .0753820 .7344230 .4010000 .0760000 .7199680 .0072000 .0530000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2749000 .2770000 .4317300 .4350290 .3761320 .3790050 .3117660 .3141480 .2776210 .2797410 .0505020 .0508880 .0411160 .0414300 .2818410 .2839940 .0352700 .0355390 .2175700 .2192320 .0035910 .0036180 .0000000 .0057710 .0000000 .0025200 .0000000 .0031660 .0000000 .0036980 .0748740 .0754460 .7294680 .7350400 .0000000 .3917960 .0733260 .0738860 .7143040 .7197610 .0000000 .0063680

US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.630 5.730 3.145 2.505 3.596 218.350 35.463 3.690 6.329 9.032 0.271 0.273

GCC COUNTRIES 73.709 75.948 717.940 734.160 75.266

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal/for 1000 Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira/for 1000 Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham

ARAB COUNTRIES 47.600 46.336 1.265 195.330 390.340 1.854 5.967 34.111

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 276.300 Euro 378.530 Sterling Pound 435.310 Canadian dollar 280.080 Turkish lire 152.990 Swiss Franc 313.980 Australian dollar 282.380 US Dollar Buying 275.950 GOLD 327.000 165.000 85.000

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

SELL CASH 286.300 734.440 3.870 282.200 542.400 36.700 54.200 167.800 47.330 381.000 36.090 6.200 0.034 0.242 0.240 3.710 391.790 0.187 92.660 47.700 4.250

230.900 1.872 52.600 717.300 3.250 6.640 76.400 73.730 219.020 38.530 2.608 437.800 43.700 316.700 5.700 9.520 198.263 75.290 270.500 1.230

10 Tola

GOLD 1,848.400

229.400 717.120 3.155 6.350 75.970 73.730 219.020 38.530 2.504 435.800 315.200 5.700 9.240 75.190 278.100

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 435.800 276.100

Sterling Pound US Dollar

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees

New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

SELL DRAFT 284.800 734.440 3.695 280.700

219.000 46.359 379.500 35.940 5.740 0.033

390.320 0.186 92.660 3.610

Currency Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 287.07 282.83 317.64 380.27 435.53 3.66 3.706 5.726 2.507 3.596 3.183 75.16 734.41 46.36 392.81 717.56 76.13 73.72

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank

Selling Rate 275.300 282.625 435.410 382.225 314.520

Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

729.915 74.930 75.565 73.375 387.515 46.322 2.497 5.831 3.143 3.694 6.362 675.285 3.680 9.155 5.795 3.755 91.445

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. Currency US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Yemeni Riyal Jordanian Dinars Syrian Pounds Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

Rate per 1000 (Tran) 276.100 3.160 5.745 2.520 3.705 6.390 75.275 73.780 734.100 46.335 439.900 3.190 1.550 392.300 5.750 381.500 284.600 3.690

Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 275.750 Euro 380.000 Pound Sterling 435.600 Canadian Dollar 280.500 Japanese Yen 3.625 Indian Rupee 5.740 Egyptian Pound 46.300 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.504 Bangladesh Taka 3.680 Philippines Peso 6.320 Pakistan Rupee 3.150 Bahraini Dinar 734.375 UAE Dirham 75.100 Saudi Riyal 73.650 *Rates are subject to change

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

business NBK ECONOMIC REPORT

Kuwait records KD 5.3bn surplus Oil boosts income, surplus despite 44% rise in spending KUWAIT: The closing statements for Kuwait’s fiscal year 2010/2011 (FY10/11) were released recently and revealed a massive surplus of KD 5.3 billion before the transfer to the reserve fund for future generations (RFFG). The surplus, the 12th consecutive came despite a 44% annual increase in spending, thanks to higher oil prices and revenues. NBK expects another large surplus in the current fiscal year, KD 9 billion.

Total spending came at KD 16.2 billion rising 44% compared to FY 09/10. Compared to budget it came just over 100%. The overall spending rate compared well to historic averages but most expenditure categories were short of the budgeted figures (table below). The unbudgeted KD 1.2 billion Amiri grant (KD 1000 per person last February) however drove the spending rate to 100%.

Demand-impacting spending, those spending categories deemed more crucial to economic activity, saw an impressive 27% increase (13.4% excluding the Amiri grant). At KD 10.8 billion, that spending closed the year at 101% of budget (91% excluding the Amiri grant, in line with typical patterns).

Spending on chapter 1, “wages and salaries”, at 96% of budget, totaled KD 3.4 billion rising 7.2% compared to the previous year (FY09/10).

Spending on chapter 2, “goods and services” reached KD 2.8 billion and came at 95% of budget. The cost of fuel incurred by the Ministry of

Burgan Bank offer for cards holders at True Value KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday the launch of its new tie up with True Value, a family shopping depot, to provide all its credit card holders a 10% cash discount. The promotion will run for one year, and will expire in September 2012.

Burgan Bank’s Chief Retail Banking Officer- GM Muneera Al-Mukhaizeem said, “True Value provides a family oriented shopping atmosphere, with the concept of everything under one roof. It includes a vibrant collection of products that are essential to the house. We urge our credit card holders to benefit from this promotion that will run for one whole year. At Burgan Bank, we understand the dynamic needs of our customers, which reflect our continuous efforts to provide value added and innovative tie-ups across the country.”

Burgan Bank is committed to providing more convenience to its customers by ensuring the continuous use of their cards, as well as taking advantage of great discounts and offers from various outlets.

To find out more about Burgan Bank’s latest promotions, customers can visit www.burgan.com and/or call 1804080 for assistance and guidance regarding the bank’s latest offers.

Gulf states in renewed push for rail projects ABU DHABI: Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are pushing ahead with multi-billion dollar railway projects, and key contracts are set to be awarded soon as the energy-rich Gulf states seek to boost local infrastructure to meet rising demand.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, is expanding its railway network by adding 300-plus kilometres of railway lines after commissioning the 1,400-km North South Minerals line earlier this year. The new lines comprise three projects-the Ras al Khair to Jubai, the Jubail to Dammam line and an internal Jubail network. Tenders for the first of these projects will be launched in two weeks, while tenders for the remaining two will be out in December and early next year, Rumaih a-Rumaih, chief executive of Saudi Rail (SAR) told reporters at the MEED rail conference.

“So far we have signed 17 billion riyals ($4.5 billion)of contracts for our railway projects, from stations to wagons, locomotives and buildings since we started and more will be awarded,” he said.

“Expansion is a must to meet our transport needs for freight and passengers as well as for creating an integrated gulf railway.” SAR also plans to award the construction contract for six passenger stations for the North South Minerals line in the fourth quarter, he said, adding passenger operations will start in 2014 between Riyadh and AlHaditha on the Jordanian border.

The line now serves freight operations carrying 10,000 tons in 104 wagons. Gulf states, under pressure to meet the infrastructure demands of growing populations, have announced multi-billion dollar plans in recent years. The UAE will start construction work on its $11 billion federal railways projects before the year-end, with contracts to be awarded within weeks,” Etihad Rail chief executive Richard Bowker told the conference. The first phase of the project will link the port of Ruwais to Shah and Habshan in the western region of Abu Dhabi. The first train will run in 2013, Bowker said, adding phase two will connect Abu Dhabi to Jebel Ali in Dubai while the third phase will connect the northern Emirates.

Gas-rich Qatar is also pressing ahead to build a $35 billion countrywide railway network ahead of the soccer world cup in 2022. The 350-km network, which includes a metro in Doha, a country-wide rail line and a light rail is scheduled to be complete by 2020, said Geoff Mee, deputy CEO of Qatar Rail.

The first construction contracts, which include nine packages for the metro and elevated railway line, will be awarded next July. “We are on track and we are going to the market place in early 2012 to pre-qualify companies,” he said. The metro will account for about 50 percent of the total project cost, he said, adding the project was fully financed by the government.

“The railway is important for trade between Qatar and Saudi and the rest of the Gulf and once you have it, everything is possible,” Mee said. A planned Gulf-wide railway network is in the design stage, with construction to commence in 2014, Rumaih said. — Reuters

Electricity and Water (MEW) accounts for most of this chapter’s spending. Spending on this chapter rose 29% mainly because of a higher oil price assumption in FY10/11 compared to the previous year. Expenditures of chapter 3, “vehicles and equipment”, at 68% of budget totaled KD 153 billion falling 33% on the year (the latter remains a

small chapter with minimal effect on total spending).

FY 10/11 marked the first year of the muchtouted development plan. On-budget capital spending, spending on chapter 4, “projects, and maintenance” amounted to KD 1.7 billion, rising a remarkable 56%. Spending on this chapter closed

the year at 80% compared to a historic average of 76%, and in line with recent years. It is certainly hoped that this pace of spending and implementation will go rising in the coming years.

Spending on chapter 5, “transfers and miscellaneous expenditures”, rose by 78% to KD 8.1 billion. A special transfer to social security (PIFSS), transfers abroad, higher fuel subsidies and the Amiri grant were behind the increases there.

While the KD 1.2 billion unbudgeted Amiri grant drove spending on this chapter to 114% of the original budget.

Total revenues were KD 21.5 billion, up 22% compared to the previous fiscal year thanks in large part to higher oil prices. Kuwait export crude averaged $83 pb in FY10/11 compared to $69 pb in FY09/10. Oil receipts were almost KD 20 billion, up 20% on the year.

Non-oil revenues reached KD 1.6 billion, up 41% compared to the previous fiscal year. Note; the bulk of the increase in non-oil revenues came from “miscellaneous revenues and fees” which increased by KD 422 million thanks to the United Nations Compensation Committee (UNCC), for losses arising from the 1990 war. The recent pickup in real estate activity generated higher “property fees” which were up a good 20% to reach KD 11 million. Meanwhile “custom fees” contributed a good 6% to the total increase in non-oil revenues and grew 15% reflecting the improvement in the trade sector and the economy at large in 2010.

GCC markets volatile on rising global jitters KAMCO GCC RESEARCH REPORT KUWAIT: Rising concerns over the state of the global economy; limited scope for fiscal stimulus and monetary policies in the developed economies to provide relief along with persistent debt distress across Europe and the complications of slowing growth and weakened manufacturing outlook on the prospects of austerity in Europe and the US were the major themes that drove the international and GCC equity markets during August.

The GCC equity markets have become increasingly correlated with the developed markets, especially the US and Europe. Heighted volatility in GCC equity markets was evident during August compared to its levels since the beginning of the year.

Although economic linkage remains a significant factor in the GCC markets reaction to the S&P Downgrade of the US Long Term Debt Rating from AAA to AA+, the physiological factor has been rising since the beginning of the year to become one of the major drivers of the GCC equity markets.

Investors in the GCC region have become more nervous over international issues and tend to set off panic selling trends in reaction to bad international economic developments. As a result, it is hard to expect the GCC markets to rationalize in reaction to local cheap valuations as long as the international scene remains negative.

The impact of the downgrading of US debt rating, persistent European sovereign debt turmoil along with deteriorating US fiscal position and growth outlook was evident on the GCC equity markets performance during August, especially on the banking sector stocks, oil prices, and therefore affecting the prospects of the petrochemical industries sector.

But the more fundamental impact on the GCC stems from the US dollar peg that is practiced by most GCC countries, except for Kuwait that is pegged to a basket of currencies. Additional impact may also stem from the fact that most GCC sovereign wealth funds are exposed to the US Treasuries, especially after the most likely negative implications of the downgrade on the USD and the confidence in the largest economy in the world. On the corporate earnings front, 569 out of 636 companies listed on the GCC equity markets have announced their 1H-11 results that reached $27.6bn in comparison with 1H-10 earnings of $23.8bn; representing a 16 per cent increase over the period. The largest increase in earnings came from the Saudi companies where the aggregate market earnings surged 26 per cent from $10bn in 1H-10 to $12.7bn in 1H-11 on strong earnings from the banking and petrochemical sectors. With 64 banks announcing their 1H-11 results, combined net profit of the

GCC banking sector surged 19 per cent to $10.5bn during 1H-11 in comparison with $8.8bn in 1H-10.

Saudi Stock Exchange (TADAWUL) US downgrade, pressured international markets along with fall in oil prices continued to weigh down on market performance: the Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) witnessed its index continue its previous month negative trend and shed an additional 412.83 points or 6.46 per cent to close the month at 5,979.30. International rating agency’s Standard and Poor’s downgrade of U.S.A’s ‘AAA’ rating to ‘AA+’ with a “Negative outlook”, falling oil prices, ensuing regional political tensions coupled with concerns over the Euro zone debt crisis weighed on investor

sentiments and shaped the performance of the market during the month. The Petrochemical sector witnessed its market cap shed 10.2 per cent to SAR 443.9 bn mainly on the back of concerns that increased volatility in oil prices coupled with the debt crisis lingering in Europe and the US would disrupt the global economic recovery and thereby impact the sector’s future profitability. Losses incurred during the month led the TASI to extend its YTD-11 losses to 9.69 per cent from a loss of 3.45 per cent in July.

Kuwait Stock Exchange Poor market conditions, thin trading and fears from European and US debt issues kept investors on the sidelines: the bourse ended the month of August on significant further losses mainly due to the downgrade of US long term debt rating from AAA to AA+ by S&P, poor market conditions, fears surrounding the European sovereign debt crisis, weaker than expected 1H-11 earnings and tight liquidity conditions along with continued unrest in the Arab World which could put further pressure on Kuwait’s investments

abroad and expose local banks to further risk, weighing down on investors’ sentiments as the KSE Weighted and KAMCO TRW Indices continued their losing trend to shed 3.21 per cent and 2.16 per cent, respectively.

Liquidity in the stock market remained weak due to the absence of market makers from the market scene which results from the uncertainty surrounding the implications of applying the CMA bylaws and regulations which forced such large investors to develop a wait and see approach. The average daily traded value retreated to nearly KD 13.3mn in August-11 as compared to KD 26mn recorded since the beginning of the year. Losses incurred during the month pushed the KSE Weighted Index and KAM-

CO TRW Index to extend their losses for the first eight months of the year to 16.92 per cent and 12.54 per cent, respectively, and ending the period as the GCC least performer since the beginning of the year.

Dubai Financial Market Stalled global economic recovery, lack of positive market catalysts along with thin trading pushed the index further down: the DFM General Index retreated to its lowest level since March as global financial markets slumped amid concerns that Standard & Poor’s downgrading of the US’s credit rating along with fears from the contagion of European debt crisis to major members may stall the global economic recovery.

After a positive performance during the first week of August, the DFM General Index started a wave of declines due to fears of repercussions of the US downgrade along the scarcity of any positive market catalysts and thin trading during the month. Positive developments surrounding Dubai GRE’s debt restructuring failed to sustain the Index’s increasing trend witnessed during the first week where the index ended the month

with a decline of 1.66 per cent closing at 1,492.44. Furthermore, renewed fears regarding European debt in Italy and Spain, geopolitical tension in the Arab World and absence of large institutional investors continue to weigh down on sentiment as trading activity is still significantly low.

Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange Weak investors’ appetite, lack of market catalysts and volatile oil prices led investors to remain on the sidelines: sell offs in global and regional equity markets, volatile oil prices coupled with renewed investor concerns over the fragile state of the global economy weighed on sentiments as the ADX General Index continued its previous month negative trend to drop 0.14 per cent and close at

2,616.02. In addition, the lack of any market catalysts and weak investor’s appetite led investors to remain on the sidelines during the month. Aggregate 1H-11 net profits rose 19 per cent to AED 16.3bn as compared to AED 13.7bn in 1H10, mainly on the back of a onetime capital gain of AED 1.3bn recorded by Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB). The heavyweight banking sector witnessed its total market cap drop 0.2 per cent to AED 117.9bn mainly on the back of below par 1H-11 earnings. On the other hand, despite announcing a 53.2 per cent rise in 1H-11 earnings, the Energy sector witnessed its market cap drop 5.4 per cent to AED 11.2 bn.

Qatar Exchange Renewed buying interest on the banking sector failed to boost the market performance due to poor international market performance and slow economic growth: the QE 20 Index witnessed its index drop 288.37 points or 3.43 per cent as compared to its previous month close of 8,402.86 on 15 Aug-11, renewed buying interest witnessed on the heavy-

weight banking sector led the QE 20 Index to claw back during the remaining trading sessions and minimize its losses to 0.61 per cent and close at 8,351.77 points during August. During the month, in a move to spur activity in the local banking sector and to revive private sector credit growth, the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) slashed key interest rates by 25-50 basis points. In terms of corporate earnings, 40 out of 42 listed companies have announced their financial results for 1H-11. Aggregate corporate earnings rose 17.3 per cent to QAR 17.7 bn as compared to QAR 15.1 bn recorded for 1H-10.

During August, the aggregate market capitalization dropped 2.03 per cent to QAR 438.6 bn as compared to QAR 447.7 bn at the end of the previous month. Losses incurred during the month led the QE 20 Index’s YTD-11 losses to 3.80 per cent after incurring losses of 3.21 per cent during the first 7 months of the year.

Bahrain Bourse Seventh consecutive month of losses amid a volatile global and regional investment climate: the Bahrain All Share Index ended the month with a 2.59 per cent fall to a record low of 1,258.25 and a seventh consecutive month of losses, almost equalling its 9-month losing streak in 2008, amid a very tense global and regional investment sentiment. The nervousness of global investors coupled with the general political unrest in the MENA region are the drivers of the Bahrain Bourse’s performance for the year leading to a record low close for the fourth consecutive month as the Bahrain All Share Index shed 12.15 per cent since the beginning of the year. Losses for the month stemmed mostly from the heavyweight Banking and Investments sector plunging 3.2 per cent and 3.1 per cent, respectively, while key Services sector also slumped 3.5 per cent on the back of a sharp 4.8 per cent plunge in price for heavyweight company Bahrain Telecommunications Co. Muscat Securities Market Lack of local market catalysts, thin Trading weak state of global economy weighed down on market sentiment: financial misconduct and the lack of local market catalysts coupled with the US credit rating downgrade and the rising concerns over the state of the global economy shaped market performance during August adding more downside pressure on the MSM 30 Index to extend its downtrend for the fourth consecutive month. The Omani bourse followed the trend of its GCC peers, falling 0.70 per cent in August and extending its YTD-11 loss to 14.62 per cent to become the second worst performing market so far during the year.

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Kuwait equities drop on fifth day in a row GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) concluded a five retreating sessions yesterday with the market weighted, Global General Index losing 0.29 percent from its value during the day. Heavyweight banks and services stocks were major draggers of the index with the two largest listed National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) and Zain ending the day at lower values.

Global Large Cap (Top 10) Index ended closed with a 0.59 percent retreat, however, it remained up by 2 percent for this month. Trading activity started fade ahead of the 3Q2011 results. On the other hand, KSE Price Index showed marginal improvement.

Market Breadth During the session, 105 companies were traded, 33 equities advanced versus 32 that declined and 150 unchanged. Trading activity was down during the session.

Total volume traded was down by 9.67 percent with 200.73mn shares changing hands at a total value of KD18.57mn (4.59 percent lower compared to Monday’s session).

Services sector was the volume leader, accounting for 35.32 percent of total shares exchanges. Al Safwa Holding Group was the session’s most traded stock for the second day in row with 22.24mn shares exchanged. While the Investment sector was the value leader, accounting for 25.78 percent of total traded value. National Industries Group was the most active in terms of value traded, with KD1.38mn worth of shares traded.

In terms of top gainers, Privatization Holding Company was the top gainer for the day, adding 8.62 percent to its share value and closing at KD0.063. On the other

hand, Kuwait National Cinema Company shed 8.93 percent and closed at KD1.020, making it the biggest decliner in the market.

Sectors Sector indices had mixed performance with four ending with losses against three gainers and one ending flat. Heavyweight Banking and Services Sector Indices were the biggest losers, shedding 0.49 percent and 0.63 percent, respectively. Kuwait Finance House (KFH), was the only gainer in the banking sector. The scrip added 1.09 percent to its value, closing at KD0.930. NBK and Ahli United Bank were the only other moving stocks in the sector, shedding 1.85 percent and 1.06 percent and closing at

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

BUSINESS

KD1.060 and KD0.930, respectively.

On Banks news, KSE announced that Kuwaiti shareholder Mohammad Yousuf Behbehani has received central bank’s approval to raise his stake in Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait to 15 percent from his currently owned 4.9 percent stake in the lender. The approval is valid for three months, the statement said.

Looking at the services sector, Zain lost 1.01 percent from its share price, closing at KD0.980 while Agility, another heavyweight in the sector, lost 1.52 percent from its share value, closing at KD0.325.

Global Investment Sector Index was the biggest gainer for the day, adding 0.62 percent to its value.

Heavy trading on the largest investment stock, National Investment

Company lifted the scrip higher by 1.89 percent, to close at KD0.216.

The stock saw KWD0.98mn worth of shares traded. The Industrial sector was also a notable gainer, adding 0.59 percent to its value, as measured by Global Industrial Index. Heavyweight National Industries Group (Holding) and Gulf Cables & Electrical Industries Company supported the sector index, adding 2.70 percent and 1.28 percent, and closing at KD0.228 and KD1.580, respectively.

Oil News The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at $106.84 pb on Monday, compared with $108.50pb on Friday, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations

Oil bounces from sell-off on Europe economic woe LONDON: Brent rose yesterday, recovering from heavy losses as worries over the global economy were seen to have been factored into current prices.

Brent crude rose $1.37 to $110.51 a barrel by 1130 GMT, cutting its losses of more than $3 on Monday to $109.14, the lowest closing price since Aug 22. US crude for October was up 76 cents at $86.46 a barrel. Volume was relatively thin ahead of the contract expiry later yesterday. The more actively traded November contract was at $86.67.

Mark Thomas, head of energy in Europe with brokerage Marex Spectron, said oil prices were mainly moving in reaction to the previous day ’s loss in most commodities.

“Selling of commodities apart from gold was pretty indiscriminate. Oil is just bouncing from that,” Thomas said.

Earlier in the day, oil prices fell due to increasing concerns over the European economy as ratings agency S&P downgraded Italy and as Greece held talks with creditors to avoid running out of cash within weeks. .

“I think economic Armageddon is already well built into current prices and that upward move will come as the continued growth in other economies comes into focus again,” Christopher Bellew, an oil broker at Jefferies Bache said. Greece, still in the centre stage of Europe’s debt crisis, fully paid two bond coupons amount-

ing to 769 million euros ($1.04 billion) that came due yesterday, a government official told Reuters.

The news pushed up the euro against the dollar.

The gain in oil prices may be limited, however, by run cuts and extended maintenance in European refineries, and the restart of Libyan crude output, which have offset support from output problems at key North Sea oilfields, Bellew added. Libya, a member of producer group OPEC, resumed oil production at some oilfields earlier in September and a limited volume has been offered for export.

Qatar, the smallest member of OPEC, said it was too early to say whether the group would trim production as Libya gets back on its feet.

The comment followed remarks by OPEC Secretary General Abdullah AlBadri that producers who had increased output to make up for the shortfall from Libya will reduce production as Libya gradually comes back online. Ahead of the release of two sets of US weekly oil data, analysts forecast on average that crude stocks would be down 1.3 million barrels for the week ended Sept. 16.

Industry group American Petroleum Institute (API) and the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) would release figures late yesterday and today, respectively. —Reuters

Dinar stable against dollar KUWAIT: The exchange rate of the Kuwaiti dinar was unchanged against the US greenback, KD 0.275 per dollar yesterday, yet went down against the euro at KD 0.374, said the daily bullet-

ing of the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK).

The rate was KD 0.431 against the Sterling pound, KD 0.003 against the Japanese yen and KD 0.310 against the Swiss franc, CBK added. —KUNA

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

business

Recession clouds in Germany as confidence slumps FRANKFURT: The euro-zone debt crisis and concerns about a global slump sent investor confidence in Germany to a three-year low yesterday, fuelling fears of recession in Europe’s largest economy, analysts said.

The ZEW economic think-tank said in a statement that its closely watched economic expectations index fell by 5.7 points to stand at minus 43.3 points in September, its lowest level since December 2008.

The index had already plummeted by 22.5 points the previous month and it was the seventh month in a row that the indicator has fallen.

“The smouldering debt crisis in a number of euro-zone countries and

fears for a renewed weakening of the global economy are behind the drop,” ZEW chief Wolfgang Franz explained in a statement.

Nevertheless, the decline was not so sharp as expected: analysts polled

by Dow Jones Newswires had been pencilling in a reading of minus 45 points for September.

The number “points to a recession risk,” said Jennifer McKeown, senior European economist at Capital Economics in London. The decline “is another sign that the economy is suffering from slowing global demand growth and troubles in the eurozone’s periphery.” In fact, she saw the reading as “broadly consistent” with

German gross domestic product growth slowing from 2.7 percent in the second quarter of this year to “about minus 1.0 percent.”

The ZEW index is the only barometer of investor confidence in Germany and this month’s reading was based on responses from 289 analysts. But it has not always proved particularly reliable in the past in forecasting accurately the magnitude of economic downturns or upturns.

“However, it has been a good guide to the timing of turning points and clearly suggests that the recovery is long gone,” McKeown said, noting that “the more reliable business surveys have turned down more recently too.”

In all, she was forecasting a slowdown in German growth from 3.0 percent this year to “as low as 0.5 percent in 2012. And as the burden of losses from the peripheral economies worsens, Germany will struggle to expand at all in 2013,” the analyst said.

For Fabio Fois of Barclays Capital Research, the problem with the ZEW index is that it is “biased towards the financial sector ’s sentiment with around 70 percent of respondents falling within this category... (so) we think it should be taken with a pinch of salt when it draws conclusions concerning the relative state of the real business cycle in the euro area.”

Other business confidence indices,

such as the purchasing managers’ index or the all-important Ifo survey, which is based on as many as 7,000 responses in the real economy, are scheduled to be published later this month. Pending the outcome of those, Commerzbank analyst Ralph Solveen also saw increased recession risks. But Felix Eschwege at Natixis was not so pessimistic. “We expect positive GDP growth in the third quarter, mainly driven by domestic demand. In particular we assume a rebound of private consumption and furthermore significant contributions by construction and equipment investment,” the economist said, adding: “Nevertheless, uncertainty remains high.” —AFP

US Aug housing starts fall more than expected Residential construction slump to continue

NEW DELHI: A shop window displays a poster advertising reduced prices in New Delhi yesterday. India’s benchmark wholesale price index — the closest watched cost-of-living monitor —hit a 13-month-peak of 9.78 percent in August. Overall, India’sinflation is the highest of any large global economy. — AFP

IMF cuts growth forecast for India, warns on inflation NEW DELHI: The International Monetary Fund has cut its growth forecast for India and warned that Asia’s third-largest economy is flirting dangerously with double -digit inflation. In its World Economic Outlook released Tuesday, the IMF projected growth of 7.8 percent in 2011 and 7.5 percent next year, led largely by private consumption among India’s 1.2 billion population. The projection was down on the IMF’s June forecast of 8.2 percent growth in 2011 and 7.8 percent in 2012.

The report said that “a drag from renewed global uncertainty”-highlighted by a sharp increase in global financial market volatility and investor risk aversion-was behind the revision. While the forecast is high compared to anemic expansion in Western economies, it is still short of the double-figure growth India is targeting to lift hundreds of mil-

lions out of poverty.

India logged 8.5 percent growth in the fiscal year to March 2011, according to government figures.

A key challenge for Indian policymakers is inflation, which is currently running close to double digits, despite 12 interest rate hikes in the past 18 months. The “risks around inflation continue to point up,” the IMF warned, adding that price rises had spread from the food sector and become “generalized” throughout the wider economy. Inflation is a major political headache for India’s ruling Congress Party as the cost of living increases have hit its key support base in the country’s rural hinterlands.

The IMF report also predicted “sluggish” investment growth in India, partly due to “corporate sector governance issues”-a reference to anxiety about widespread corruption. —AFP

WASHINGTON: US housing starts fell more than expected in August as groundbreaking for both single-family and multifamily units dropped, suggesting the economy will not get help from residential construction anytime soon.

Housing starts decreased the most since April, down 5.0 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 571,000 units, the Commerce Depar tment said yesterday. Offering a glimmer of hope for the sector, permits for future construction rose 3.2 percent. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast housing starts to fall to a 590,000-unit rate in August. Housing starts are at less than a third of their peak during the housing boom.

“The housing market is not only bad, but still missing low expectations,” said Sal Catrini, a managing director for equities at Cantor Fitzgerald & Co in New York.

An overhang of previously owned homes on the market has lef t builders with little appetite to break ground on new projects and is frustrating the economy’s recovery from the 2007-09 recession. On Monday, the National Association of Home Builders said already depressed US homebuilder sentiment dipped in September. “It (the housing market) won’t improve until the labor market improves substantially and that doesn’t look like that would happen this year,” said Scott Brown, chief economist at Raymond

LAS VEGAS: A carpenter carries lumber while framing a new home, in Las Vegas. Builders broke ground on fewer homes in August. Fewer apartments fueled the decline and Hurricane Irene contributed to a big drop in the Northeast. —AP

James in St Petersburg, Florida.

US Treasuries prices pared early losses after the disappointing data, while stock futures rose as investors waited to see if the Federal Reserve would offer aid to a sputtering US economy after a two-day policy review that begins today.

July ’s housing star ts were revised down to a 601,000 unit pace, which was previously reported as a 604,000 unit rate.

Housing starts and completions may have been affected by tropical storms in August, including

Hurricane I rene which pummeled the East Coast at the end of the month.

Starts in the Northeast fell 29.1 percent last month, a bigger decline than any other region. New residential construction fell 3.3. percent in the South. Compared to August of last year, total starts were down 5.8 percent. Housing starts for multi-family homes fell 13.5 percent to a 154,000-unit rate.

Single-family home construction-which accounts for a larger share of the market-dropped 1.4

Greece vows to cut state jobs, second bail-out call looms ATHENS: Greece promised further cuts to its bloated public sector yesterday before a second conference call with its international lenders, whom Athens must convince to extend more loans to avoid bankruptcy next month.

Anger over austerity among ordinary Greeks is matched by bail-out fatigue among north European creditor countries, especially Germany, Finland and the Netherlands, which are taking the toughest line on strict conditions for more money.

Protests against cuts have dwindled since early this year when the Greek capital saw bloody clashes between police and rioters, but frustrations are growing again as the crisis worsens.

“They have crippled us,” said 44year-old public sector employee Niki Playannakou, also a single mother.

“We accepted the cuts last year, we put up with some things for the sake of the country. But as time goes by we don’t see things improving. How much can a family take?”

Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos will discuss austerity plans with EU and IMF inspectors at 1700 GMT, his office said.

Greek government officials said a first call on Monday had been “productive and substantive” and they expected to clinch the release of an 8 billion euro ($11 billion) aid tranche despite consistently missing the tar-

gets of its bailout deal.

The European Union and International Monetary Fund are losing patience and increasing pressure on Athens to deliver on pledges to slash its deficit even as the economy heads towards a fourth year of recession. “Our primary target is to shrink the state,” deputy government spokesman Angelos Tolkas said on NET radio. “The Greek state budget has stopped paying the wages of some 200,000 civil servants in the last two years. And we are continuing.”

The IMF has told Athens to cut the public sector workforce and payroll, shut inefficient state entities and fight tax evasion. The government has cut public sector pay and pensions but so far balked at sacking more civil servants, a key component of the governing Socialist party’s electorate.

Venizelos has pledged to take on as much austerity as needed to avoid a default that would be likely to trigger deeper turmoil on already shaky global markets and push other indebted countries in the euro-zone periphery closer to the brink.

Officials close to the so-called troika of the EU, IMF and European Central Bank said Greece still had work to do before Tuesday ’s call, including fleshing out details of how to prevent slippage from next year’s budget deficit target of 6.5 percent of annual output.

Demand was strong at the Greek

debt agency’s auction of 1.25 billion euros of 3-month T-bills, but the yield rose to 4.56 percent. The short-term debt market is Greece’s sole source of market funding and is seen as a barometer of foreign sentiment.

Athens also denied a report that it was considering holding a referendum on the country’s membership in the euro-zone.

Citing unnamed sources, Kathimerini daily wrote that Prime Minister George Papandreou was mulling a plebiscite on whether Greece should continue to tackle its debt crisis within the single currency or outside of it.

The government has long said it was planning a referendum this autumn on political reforms but has repeatedly denied it would concern the country’s euro membership.

Asked if the referendum would be about staying in the euro zone, deputy government spokesman Tolkas said: “No. We haven’t discussed such an issue, definitely not.”

He said the government had put a bill to parliament on Monday aimed at allowing the country to hold referenda but without specifying any issue.

Ratings agency Fitch criticized a failure by euro zone leaders to deal with the crisis and said an aura of ambivalence to Greece staying in the bloc had raised doubts over the political commitment to the single currency. —Reuters

Spain pays higher rate for new short-term borrowing

PARIS: The buildings (IN background) of the French bank Societe Generale headquarters in the Paris business district of La Defense. German industrial giant Siemens transferred a large sum of money from Societe Generale to the European Central Bank, but not because of doubts on the safety of French banks.— AFP

Debenhams trades its way to profit upgrade LONDON: Debenhams, Britain's No 2 department store group, said it would beat forecasts for full-year profit and net debt after price cuts drove sales and won it market share in a tough trading environment.

Shares in Debenhams, which trades from 169 stores in Britain, Ireland and Denmark, and 64 franchised outlets in 25 countries, rose 2.5 percent after it also said on Tuesday

it expected to make further progress in its 2011/12 year. "In this sort of market there are inevitably winners and losers, and I believe Debenhams is well positioned to continue to be one of the winners," chief executive Michael Sharp, who succeeded Rob Templeman earlier this month, told reporters.

Debenhams, ranked second after

percent to a 417,000-unit pace.

New building permits rose to a 620,000-unit pace last month.

Economists had expected overall building permits in August to fall to a 590,000-unit pace.

Permits were boosted by a 4.5 percent rise in the multi-family segment. Permits for the construction of buildings with five units and more increased 0.6 percent. Permits to build singlefamily homes climbed 2.5 percent. New home completions fell 2.7 percent to a 623,000-unit pace in August. —Reuters

employee-owned department store chain John Lewis , said while its gross margin for the 53 weeks to Sept. 3 would be flat to slightly down versus 2009/10, underlying pretax profit should be ahead of a market forecast for about 158 million pounds ($247 million).

Finance director Chris Woodhouse said he expected a new consensus to settle at

about 164 million pounds. Year-end debt would be about 385 million pounds, down 130 million since the start of the year and compared with previous guidance for about 400 million.

Debenhams' strategy is to drive profits by investing some of its gross margin into pushing top-line sales. Sharp said this strategy could change in the key Christmas trading

MADRID: Spain paid a higher borrowing rate yesterday to raise 4.457 billion euros ($6.1 billion) in new short-term debt, as tensions grew over the euro-zone debt crisis.

The auction of government bills was a major test, coming just hours after Standard & Poor’s cut the sovereign credit rating of Italy, which together with Spain is a major source of concern for the debt markets.

Spain auctioned 12- and 18-month bills to easily meet its target of raising 3.5-4.5 billion euros, the Bank of Spain said in a statement.

Demand by investors outstripped supply by more than two to one, with requests amounting to 12.3 billion euros.

But Spain lured them by paying higher rates of return, meaning costs are rising to finance its d e b t , w h i c h gre w to 6 5 . 2 p e rce n t o f gro s s domestic product as of June 30 from 57.2 percent of GDP a year earlier. The Treasury paid a return of 3.591 percent on the 12-month bills, up from 3.335 percent at the last similar auction August 16; and 3.807 percent on the 18-month bills, up from 3.592 percent August 16.

As markets reel after Standard & Poor’s cut Italy’s credit rating, Spain is waiting nervously to hear from Moody’s Investors Service, which has promised to decide by the end of October on a possible downgrade.

“I hope Moody’s will take into account the reforms that are ongoing such as the constitutional reform,” Finance Minister Elena Salgado told Antena 3 television yesterday.

This month, the government passed a constitutional reform to limit future budget deficits, trying to prove its determination never to slide deep into the red again. It is now scrambling to raise extra money in 2011 to meet a deficit-cutting target: telling firms to pay tax installments early, lowering state spending on medicines and stimulating new home purchases with a tax cut.

Spain has promised to reduce its annual public deficit from the equivalent of 9.2 percent of gross domestic product last year to 6.0 percent of GDP this year, 4.0 percent in 2012 and 3.0 percent in 2013. —AFP

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BUSINESS

GM agrees EV tie-up in China amid pressures SHANGHAI: General Motors Co agreed yesterday to deepen cooperation with its flagship Chinese partner on development of electric vehicle know how amid pressure from Beijing to hand over proprietary technology.

Investments and other details of the plan were not provided, and it was unclear if the agreement was the result of a renewed push by China to acquire advanced technology its own automakers still lack.

GM is due to launch sales of the Chevrolet Volt electric car in China later this year. But its market prospects are clouded by the possibility Beijing may withhold hefty new energy vehicle subsidies unless GM satisfies the technology demands.

The issue has raised complaints from US lawmakers who contend such requirements are unfair and may violate world trade rules. The cooperation agreement was signed

during a meeting of the US automaker’s board in Shanghai - a visit underscoring China’s importance to the company’s future.

“We can accomplish far more by working together than we can by working separately,” Tim Lee, president of GM International Operations, said as GM and state-owned partner Shanghai Automotive Industrial Corp. signed an agreement on developing a next-generation electric vehicle platform.

The agreement “to co-develop electric vehicle architecture is further proof of GM’s and SAIC’s plan to lead the auto industry in new energy vehicle technology,” he said, describing the plan as a “very aggressive and challenging project.”

Yesterday’s agreement follows an earlier memorandum of understanding on GM-SAIC cooperation signed in November. The choice of China for the board meeting reflects the country’s crucial status as the world’s

biggest market for sales of new vehicles, despite a recent decline from double-digit growth.

GM’s chairman Dan Akerson met Monday with more than 700 employees at GM’s campus in Shanghai’s eastern suburbs.

Shanghai is the site of GM’s international headquarters and its highly successful venture with state-owned SAIC, which on Monday rolled out the 5 millionth vehicle since production began in late 1998.

The push for more advanced technology reflects China’s frustrations with its continued weakness in automotive technology, analysts say.

After 25 years of auto joint ventures that require local partners to hold at least a 50 percent stake, domestic automakers still lag behind their global rivals as they struggle to master the complexities of 21st century automotive engineering.

“China is not a technology leader in virtually any industry. The country

has developed around low cost production,” said Bill Russo, president of the consultancy Synergistics Ltd. “This is the irony, that the largest and biggest growth market has relatively weak domestic manufacturers,” he said.

An explosion in Chinese demand and sluggish sales in the recessionstricken West helped China overtake the US as the largest car market in 2009. Last year, sales of passenger vehicles, excluding large buses, jumped by a third to 13.7 million vehicles.

Although growth in the overall market has slowed in recent months, GM’s sales in China still jumped 13.4 percent in August from a year earlier to a record 205,885 vehicles for the month. A large share of the company’s growth has come from sales of its minivehicles in another venture, SAIC-GM-Wuling. But strong demand for foreign-brand sedans and sportutility vehicles has also helped. —AP

SHANGHAI: A GM Chevrolet division employee is reflected on the floor as she stands next to a Chevrolet Volt model on display at the 14th Shanghai International Auto Show in Shanghai, China.

General Motors Co agreed yesterday to deepen cooperation with its flagship Chinese partner on development of electric vehicle know how amid pressure from Beijing to hand over proprietary technology. —AP

IATA raises 2011 airlines profit outlook, 2012 grim Strong passenger numbers offset weak economy

MUMBAI: A foreign tourist counting US dollars at a foreign exchange center in Mumbai. India’s rupee slid to a two-year low against the US dollar as worries over the deepening European debt crisis has boosted US currency’s appeal. —AFP

Germany’s Lufthansa issues profit warning BERLIN: Germany ’s biggest airline, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, issued a profit warning yesterday, blaming a disappointing performance in August and wider economic uncertainties. Shares in the company dropped 5 percent to 10.26 euros after the company revealed that its target of increasing operating earnings in 2011 from last year’s 876 million euros ($1.2 billion) “no longer appears to be achievable.” Lufthansa was the only stock on the benchmark DAX index in Frankfurt to trade lower in early afternoon trading.

The company said it now expects an operating profit “at the upper end of the three-digit million euro range” but

didn’t give a specific figure. Lufthansa blamed the warning on a weaker-thanexpected performance by its passenger airline operations in August, one of the biggest months of the year for airlines.

“In view of ongoing economic uncertainties, further booking trend expectations were also adjusted,” it added in a brief statement. It also said its executive board decided on a package of measures which “provides for a fur ther reduction in scheduled capacities” this winter.

The Lufthansa group includes Swiss International Airlines, Austrian Airlines, budget offshoot German wings and Britain’s BMI. —AP

‘Thug’ claims as strike sees Qantas flights cancelled SYDNEY: Unions yesterday accused Qantas of “sending out thugs” to intimidate staff as thousands of passengers faced disruptions from strike action by the airline’s ground workers.

A nationwide walkout by about 4,000 baggage handlers, caterers and freight staff in a dispute over pay and conditions saw staggered four-hour stoppages throughout the morning peak period.

Twenty-eight domestic flights were cancelled and 27 delayed, Qantas said on its website, with some 6,000 passengers affected. But the chaos was limited by the airline deploying larger aircraft and using management staff in ground roles, with services back to normal by the afternoon.

The strike follows a breakdown in contract talks and the airline’s recent announcement of a major Asia-focused restructure that will see 1,000 staff sacked.

Transpor t Workers Union ( T WU) national secretary Tony Sheldon claimed Qantas representatives visited employees’ homes at midnight on Monday to deliver letters condemning the action.

“We want to reach an agreement but sending thugs around to employees’ homes at midnight is not required by law,” he told reporters. “It’s only required if you want to intimidate and stand over your own workforce and their families,” he said.

“The Fair Work Ombudsman needs to investigate families having their doors bashed on at 12 o’clock at night,” he said.

Qantas denied Sheldon’s claims of intimidation.

“We have a legal obligation to advise in writing how we intended to respond to the TWU bans,” the airline said in a statement. “We issued these letters to employees during the day while they

were working. For those not at work, the letters were sent to their homes.

“This letter was in no way threatening and was in accordance with our legal requirements under the Fair Work Act. “Rather than making misleading claims, the TWU should return to sensible negotiations.” Olivia Wirth, Qantas group executive of government and corporate affairs, earlier said progress could only be made if the union returned to talks and stopped striking.

“What it does take is for this sort of action to stop,” she told reporters. “If they are serious about these discussions and representing their members they need to continue their negotiations.”

She added that the airline’s focus yesterday had been “very much on assuring we can run as many services as possible”.

Qantas, which last month reported an annual net profit of Aus$250 million ($254.7 million) — double that of the previous year-is also locked in a bruising industrial dispute with pilots and engineers over pay and conditions. They are already undertaking low-level industrial action but have threatened to escalate their campaign.

Another contentious issue has been chief executive Alan Joyce being awarded a 71 percent pay increase to Aus$5 million as jobs are being axed, with unions describing it as “hypocrisy”. TWU spokesman Mick Pieri said workers only wanted “a fair go”. “We are negotiating for job security. I mean we’re asking for a five percent pay rise and one percent on superannuation (pension),” he told reporters. “At the same time Joyce gets a 71 percent pay rise-if Joyce got a 50 percent rise he might have paid for everything we’re asking for. How is that fair?

“Let’s face it, all these profits, they’re making them on the back of all these workers.” —AFP

SINGAPORE: Airlines globally are expected to post a net profit of $6.9 billion this year as stronger passenger numbers offset the impact of the weak global economy, industry group IATA said yesterday.

The new forecast by the International Air Transport Association was better than its last projection of $4.0 billion, made in June, but is still far off the $16 billion airlines earned in 2010. And net profit in 2012 is predicted to weaken further to $4.9 billion due to the expected deterioration of world economic conditions, IATA director general and chief executive Tony Tyler told a news conference in Singapore.

“Why are we doing better than previously expected? It’s about travel volumes,” Tyler said at IATA’s Asia Pacific office.

“Despite the economic doom and gloom, people are travelling.”

In the seven months to July, passenger volumes were up 6.4 percent over the year before, Tyler said, adding however that cargo had stagnated because of a slowdown in world trade.

Cargo volumes expanded only 1.0 percent in the first seven months of the year compared to the same period last year.

Revenues for the full year are forecast at $594 billion, but fuel prices continue to be a drag, with a projected total fuel bill of $176 billion seen to account for 30 percent of industry costs.

This is based on crude prices at $110 a barrel, which would translate into jet fuel at $126.50.

Airlines are expected to run into fiercer turbulence next year amid fears over the impact of the euro-zone debt crisis and the struggling US economy. Global

airline revenue next year is projected at $632 billion. “In our first look at the 2012 outlook, we conclude that it will be a year of sluggish growth and weak profits,

increase fuel to 32 percent of costs,” Tyler said.

“And for the first time, the industry fuel bill is expected to exceed $200 billion.”

$1.4 billion. Middle East airlines should book a net profit of $800 million this year as they weather the impact of political unrest in the region and Latin American

SINGAPORE: International Air Transport Association Chief Executive Tony Tyler speaks to reporters yesterday in Singapore. Tyler told reporters yesterday in Singapore that the industry’s earnings will likely fall to $4.9 billion in 2012 from $6.9 billion this year. —AP with net profits forecast at $4.9 billion,” IATA said. While developing economies are in much better shape, the majority of the air transport market is still linked to developed countries, according to IATA. “The fourth quarter of this year and early 2012 may well see the weakest point of markets.”

Oil prices are expected to fall slightly to an average $100 a barrel next year, “but due to the impact of hedging, it will actually

Asia Pacific carriers are expected to turn in a profit of $2.5 billion this year, $400 million better than IATA’s June forecast, although earnings are weighed down by weak cargo volumes due to the impact of the Japanese tsunami and earthquake in March on the supply chain.

North American airlines are expected to deliver a net profit of $1.5 billion, while their European counterparts are likely to make

carriers should earn $600 million.

African airlines may well slip back to losses of around $100 million next year. For European carriers, “the weak euro is helping the industry on volumes-encouraging inbound travel and boosting exports,” Tyler said. But next year, the profitability of European airlines is expected to fall sharply to $300 million, with the decline accounting for over half of the projected drop in profits for the industry worldwide, he said. —AFP

Japan unveils yen mitigation package

TOKYO: A woman passes before a share prices board in Tokyo yesterday. Japan’s share prices fell 124.43 points to close at 8,739.74 points at the morning session of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, amid worries over Europe’s stability after a major ratings agency downgraded Italy’s sovereign debt. —AFP

TOKYO: The Japanese government yesterday unveiled an interim report on a series of measures aimed at preventing the persistently high yen from squeezing the nation’s economy and industry.

“The package is aimed at not only cushioning the (yen’s) impact but also at reinforcing the economy so it is not swayed by currency fluctuations,” said Motohisa Furukawa, state minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy.

“It is also intended to make the most of the merits of the strong yen,” Furukawa told a news conference.

The interim report said Japan would be ready to take “decisive steps whenever necessary,” indicating possible interventions on the forex markets.

The package included measures to substantially increase subsidies for companies that want to establish facilities in Japan. The interim report also included a plan to set up “eco subsidies for energy saving” to push forward demand for such facilities as lithium ion batteries and solar power generation systems for housing. Most of the measures, also including financial support to small- and mediumsized firms struggling with the strong yen, will be included in the forthcoming third supplementary budget for the current fiscal year.

“The size of the measures will be decided in the process of compiling the third extra budget. We intend to decide on details as soon as possible,”

Furukawa told a news conference.

The strength of the Japanese currency, which in August hit a postwar high against the dollar, has walloped outward-facing manufacturers in a country that is heavily dependent on exports.

A high yen makes Japanese products expensive for overseas buyers and diminishes the value of repatriated profits. But it also makes foreign purchases more attractive for companies wishing to expand overseas. In his inaugural policy speech last week, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said the rise of the unit meant Japan was facing “a crisis of unprecedented industrial hollowing-out”.

He warned that unless measures were taken “domestic industries could go downhill and jobs could be lost. If that happens, it would be almost impossible to break out of deflation and reconstruct areas” affected by the March 11 quake and tsunami.

The yen has rocketed in value over recent months as financial uncertainty in Europe and the United States continues to send global traders scurrying into the safe-haven currency.

Despite three interventions in the markets in the past year, two of which were carried out by Tokyo alone, the yen has remained strong.

Yesterday, the unit was trading at 76.56 yen to the dollar. —AFP

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Years

TECHNOLOGY

Are Netflix’s best days behind it?

NEW YORK: Netflix is trying to boost business by chopping its services into two separate parts.

Unfortunately for investors, the company’s stock price is what’s really been cleaved. The company that once seemed like it could do no wrong has seen its stock lose half its value in the last two months. Netflix tumbled another 7.4 percent to $143.75 on Monday, on the same day that chief executive Reed Hastings sent an email to Netflix customers, announcing that the DVD-by-mail business that defined the company for much of its history will become a separate, renamed service called Qwikster. Customers who subscribe to both streaming and DVDs will soon see two separate charges on their credit card statements and have to log on to two different websites.

It’s a hard landing for a company that made many investors rich while remaking the way that households watch movies. It was only ten months ago that Netflix’s success prompted Standard and Poor’s to add the company to its S&P 500 index, a broad measure of the stock market that is the basis for most US mutual funds. Since then, Netflix shares have dropped 26 percent. Some analysts now think the stock’s best days are behind it, beset by increased competition and its recent corporate blunders.

“Clearly the company is not going to grow at the rate that it has in the past few years,” said Michael Corty, an analyst at Morningstar who covers Netflix.

Two years ago, the company traded at around $45 a share. Its subscriber base was swelling at a rate of 25 percent a year as customers were drawn by the value of rental plans that included no late fees for DVDs and unlimited streaming of movies and television shows. The company was so successful at adding new customers that some analysts predicted it wouldn’t be long until consumers cut their cable cords and relied on Netflix alone for content. Rising profits and a booming subscriber base helped lift Netflix’s stock price 219 percent last year to $175.70.

As recently as February, investors were willing to pay $93 for $1 in the company’s profits. The broad S&P 500 index, meanwhile, traded at a price to earnings ratio of 16.

But the last two months have upended those rosy growth scenarios. Since announcing higher prices on July 12, the company’s stock has plunged 51 percent from a high of $298.73. Netflix announced on September 15 that its subscribers will fall to 24 million US households at the end of the month - only the second time in the company’s history that its subscriber base has dropped from one quarter to the next. And the company faces increased competition from Amazon, Apple and a host of others, which will likely drive its costs higher.

“Netflix was basically a monopoly in the streaming business until about six months ago, and the

effect was that content providers were underpricing their products,” said Charlie Wolf, an analyst who covers the company at Needham. On Feb 22, Amazon announced that it would stream 5,000 movies and television shows at no additional charge to customers who signed up for a Prime membership, which costs $79 a year.

Wolf said that increased competition among streaming companies meant that the balance of power was tipping back to the movie studios and networks that produce entertainment. These companies can now play Netflix and its competitors off of one another, creating higher profits for themselves and forcing streaming companies to raise their prices or cut into their margins. Netflix recently lost its license to stream popular movies from Starz Entertainment over a dispute over fees.

Streaming isn’t the only aspect of Netflix’s business that is coming under fire. Its traditional DVD business is also being challenged by Redbox, a division of Coinstar Inc that rents DVDs at 33,330 kiosks in supermarkets and other retailers. Coinstar’s stock is up 6 percent over the last six months, compared with a 32 percent drop for Netflix. Wolf thinks Netflix shares should trade at a fair value of $130 -a 10 percent drop from Monday’s closing price.

Other analysts believe Netflix is bungling Qwikster’s rollout. “Netflix has built such a strong

brand name, so to switch the name of the website now doesn’t make a lot of sense to me,” said Corty, the analyst at Morningstar. He said any marketing or executive missteps could come back to hurt the company as its business faces more competition and potentially higher costs. Corty said, the new emphasis on streaming means Netflix will have to constantly renegotiate its licenses to stream movies, giving the companies that produce entertainment more leverage.

Corty says that he wouldn’t recommend buying Netflix until its shares fall to $90 -a 37 percent drop from its current price. But even amid the gloom about Netflix’s future direction, there are some investors sitting on gains and holding onto the stock because they assume more are to come. Jeanie Wyatt, the chief investment officer for South Texas Money Management, a firm with $1.9 billion in assets under management, began buying Netflix when it was trading at $120.

Her investment was once up 150 percent. Now it’s up just 25 percent. Even so, she attributed the company’s recent tumbles to growing pains. She believes the company will continue to perform better than the overall stock market over the next several years, in part because Qwikster will also rent video games by mail - a first for the company. “I don’t think that this is a growth story that’s broken,” she said. — AP

Finding right manpower can be a challenge: HCL Company building base of consultants in Kuwait

By Lisa Conrad

BERLIN: Autonomos Labs assistant Paul Czerwionka touches a 360 degree laser scanner on top of a car on Sept. 16, 2011. — AP

Driverless vehicle navigates streets BERLIN: It can talk, see, drive and no longer needs a human being to control it by remote. The car of the future - completely computer-controlled - is on the streets of Berlin. All summer, researchers from the city’s Free University have been testing the automobile around the German capital. The vehicle maneuvers through traffic on its own using a sophisticated combination of devices, including a computer, electronics and a precision satellite navigation system in the trunk, a camera in the front, and laser scanners on the roof and around the front and rear bumpers.

“The vehicle can recognize other cars on the road, pedestrians, buildings and trees up to 70 meters (yards) around it and even see if the traffic lights ahead are red or green and react accordingly,” Raul Rojas, the head of the university’s research group for artificial intelligence, told reporters at a presentation Friday. “In fact, the car’s recognition and reaction to its environment is much faster than a human being’s reaction.”

The scientists have worked on their research car, a Volkswagen Passat worth €400,000 ($551,800) with lots of built-in special technology, for four years. Several other groups have also been working on such technology recently, notably Google, which has been testing a robotic Toyota Prius in Nevada. “There’s a big trend for completely computer-controlled cars many companies and research centers in several countries are working on it and it is hard to say, who’s got the most-developed vehicle at the moment,” Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, a professor for automotive economics at the University of DuisburgEssen, told AP yesterday.

Dudenhoeffer estimated that with the technology advances, it could only take another decade for the fully automatic cars to start becoming available for consumers.

“Even today’s cars are often partially computer-controlled, for example when it comes to parking or emergency brakes”.

However, he said, that besides the technological issues, the legal challenges would be another issue that needed to be regulat-

ed: “Who will be responsible when there’s an accident - the owner or the passenger of the computer-controlled car or the company that produced it?” “However, all in all, one can definitely say that computer-controlled cares will be much safer than human drivers,” Dudenhoeffer said.

“Especially if you keep in mind that most of today’s accidents are caused by human error.”

In Berlin, the university researchers received a special permit from the city’s security and safety controllers in June to use it in regular traffic - under the condition that a safety driver sits behind the steering wheel, even if he doesn’t touch anything - not the steering wheel, gas pedals nor brakes. On a special testing ground, the team has also been allowed to let the car run without anyone on board. “This kind of technology is the future of mobility,” Rojas said, who had a more conservative estimate than Dudenhoeffer, saying that it may be 30 to 40 years before they become available to the average consumer.

The key to the automobile’s intelligence is in the way the computer program runs.

“In the beginning with had trouble with the robotic driving style of the car,” said Rojas. “But we’ve worked on the programming and now its driving style is as smooth as a human being.” Rojas estimates that once the technology - specifically the sensors - gets less expensive, such cars will eventually conquer the roads. It is similar to the beginnings of the computers: 40 years ago, only research labs could afford computers, now everybody is walking around with a computer in his pocket.”

Ideally, the car will respond to orders by remote control, for example on an iPad or an iPhone. With a click or a touch, the passenger can call the car to his personal location and then order the car to drop him off at his desired destination. “This kind of car is actually perfect for car sharing,” said Rojas. “There will be no more need for owning a car - once the automobile has dropped off its passenger it will drive on to the next passenger.” — AP

KUWAIT: The world is advancing technologically each year, but keeping up with the pace can pose a challenge, “Technologies have to be upgraded often, but this is difficult for many companies. In the Middle East especially, manpower with enough experience to handle such tasks are becoming increasingly expensive,” says Virender Aggarwal, Regional Head for HCL Technologies for Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Turkey.

Aggarwal adds that his company has capitalized on this by building up a base of consultants in Kuwait who work to assist companies in managing services within their businesses, “We provide whatever is needed to fulfill the tasks, because sometimes the main problem is finding the right people to tackle specific issues,” he adds, “there are various ways to improve on this situation in Kuwait.

Firstly, outsourcing can be a way to remedy the situation quickly. Making the countr y more appealing to potential expatriates is another way, but Kuwait is looking to cut down on expatriate population levels. We have 50 high calibre consultants who are laying the foundation of our work in the country.

However, going forward, we have plans of investing in Kuwaitis in terms of skill enhancement, so that we can be less reliant on expats.

Virender Aggarwal HCL is committed to the Gulf region and its continual development as a competitive and dynamic place to do business.”

Despite this, Aggarwal adds that appealing to educated, experienced expatriates can be

VMWARE VIEW 5.0 BOOTS 500 DESKTOPS IN 5 MINUTES DUBAI: EMC Corporation, the number one choice of customers for information infrastructure in VMware virtualized and cloud environments according to a recent Wikibon survey, extended its leadership with added support of EMC VNX unified storage for VMware View 5.0 (also announced today by VMware). The VNX Family - including EMC VNX and EMC VNXe -support VMware View deployments in businesses of any size and scale - ranging from hundreds to thousands of desktops.

The EMC VNX Family delivers VMware View 5.0 customers with new levels of performance, efficiency, and simplicity, enabling customer to: • Boost Performance during log-in storms. Early test results have shown the ability to boot 500 VMware View 5.0 desktops on VMware vSphere 5.0 over NFS to steady state - in 5-minutes.

This is 40 percent faster than previous published VNX and FAST Suite results on VMware View 4.5, and enabled by EMC VNX and the EMC FAST (Fully Automated Storage Tiering) Suite.

• Maximize Efficiency by leveraging the EMC FAST Suite to deliver the highest performance and capacity efficiency automatically for VMware View 5.0.

EMC FAST Cache allows customers to significantly reduce the number of drives used in a VMware View environment while providing exceptionally fast boot time performance.

Additionally, customers can further reduce their storage space requirements in VMware View deployments with EMC VNX deduplication capabilities.

•

Simplify Management by deploying VMware View 5.0 with confidence whether in NFS or Fibre Channel environments.

“The EMC VNX Family is designed from the ground-up to optimize virtual environments. We’ve seen great results in early testing with VMware View 5.0, and look forward to helping customers to deploy View 5.0 in environments ranging from hundreds to thousands of desktops,” said Eric Herzog, Vice President, Unified Storage Division at EMC. “Applying EMC’s unique FAST technology to a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) enables customers to maximize the full potential of their VMware View deployment. With EMC VNX, SMBs to enterprises can benefit from the solution’s simplicity, efficiency, performance and affordability.”

In addition to new support of VMware View 5.0 with the VNX Family, EMC’s professional services experts are delivering Desktop Virtualization Services to help customers plan, design, and implement desktop computing environments that are secure, compliant and flexible enough to meet the needs of their businesses.

Experienced and VMware-certified experts have all the virtualization skills required to ensure a successful implementation, including desktop deployment, security, systems management, and storage.

Google adds Visa, Amex, Discover cards to Wallet NEW YORK: Google’s Wallet is getting thicker. The company is adding Visa, American Express and Discover to its payment system, which aims to make cellphones the credit cards of tomorrow. Google Inc on Monday said it has licensed the right to add virtual “cards” from the three payment networks to its Wallet application. MasterCard Inc, the other major payment processor, is already part of the project. The Wallet application Google released on Monday, so far, only works on one Sprint smartphone. The Wallet can be loaded with a Citibank MasterCard or a prepaid debit card from Google. With a card in the Wallet, owners can pay in stores by tapping their phones on wireless-capable payment terminals, instead of swiping credit cards. There are more than 135,000 such terminals in stores and other retail loca-

tions, but that’s a small fraction of the total number of terminals.

Google’s vice president of payments, Osama Bedier, couldn’t say when cards from Visa Inc, American Express Co and Discover Financial Services would work with the wallet. In the case of Visa, not only does Google need to work out the technical details of making its wallet compatible, it also needs to get the banks that issue the cards to sign on to the project, like Citigroup Inc. did for its MasterCard. Google also needs more phones that work with the wallet. Bedier said Google is working with all major manufacturers of smartphones that run on Google’s Android software to incorporate chips that communicate with payment terminals.

Samsung Electronics Co makes the Nexus S phone that works with the wallet today.

Visa plans to bring out its own, competing mobile wallet application. The competition isn’t about getting a cut of the money that flows through the credit card accounts - Google isn’t directly tapping into that stream - but about who gets to reach people when and where they shop. The applications are conduits for advertising in the form of coupons and loyalty cards.

These opportunities are the real reason companies like Google and Visa are pushing to have cellphones replace credit cards.

Sprint Nextel Corp is collaborating with Google, but the other three national wireless carriers - Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile USA - have formed a joint venture to create their own digital wallet. They, too, are working with Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. — AP

very beneficial for a country and may well be worth investing in, “At HCL, we concentrate on keeping our staff happy with the different locations they travel to, so we avoid long-term full-scale relocations, instead giving them a few years in each. This is beneficial because it makes things less daunting. Nevertheless, the more appealing the country is, the more people will be willing and even wanting to work there. Just look at Dubai now.”

While business in the Middle East, according to Aggarwal, is looking up, further investment in technology and infrastructure are important for continued advancement and development goals, “The government in Kuwait appears to have increased spending in the public sector. It will bring about more work for the private sector. Kuwait is small, but it’s also wealthy.

Investing in infrastructure would make it more competitive, allow the private sector to reach their full potential and encourage foreign investment.”

HCL has been expanding their business in the Middle East and continuing to provide professional management consultation, which it feels works toward advancing business, “There’s still a lot of caution surrounding the Arab Spring, but we’re seeing good growth again within the region with 100 percent year on year growth in Kuwait and we’re looking forward to our future here,” added Aggarwal.

‘Heavenly Palace’ to pave way for China space station BEIJING: China will next week launch an experimental craft paving the way for its first space station, an official said yesterday, bringing the growing Asian power closer to matching the United States and Russia with a long-term manned outpost in space. The Tiangong 1, or “Heavenly Palace”, will blast off from a site in the Gobi Desert around Sept. 27-30, adding a hightech sheen to China’s National Day celebrations on Oct 1, the Xinhua news agency said. The small, unmanned “space lab” and the Long March rocket that will heave it skyward have been readied on a pad at Jiuquan in northwest Gansu province, Xinhua said, citing an unnamed spokesperson for the country’s space program.

It will be the latest show of China’s growing prowess in space, and comes while budget restraints and shifting priorities have held back US manned space launches. The big test comes weeks after its launch, when the eight tonne craft attempts to join up with an unmanned Shenzhou 8 spacecraft that China plans to launch. “The main task of the Tiangong 1 flight is to experiment in rendezvous and docking between spacecraft”, said the Chinese spokesperson, who added that this would “accumulate experience for developing a space station.”

China’s government will hope to set a successful Tiangong mission alongside other trophies of its growing technological prowess, including the launch of a trial aircraft carrier. And the launch, just before China’s National Day holiday, is sure to come accompanied by a blaze of proud publicity. “I would say there’s a lot of political pressure to make sure that it’s launched before the birthday party,” said Morris Jones, a space analyst based in Sydney. “The real test of Tiangong doesn’t come with its flight as a solo mission. The real objective of this mission will come later on when it tries to dock with another spacecraft,” said Jones. “Without rendezvous and docking, you really cannot run an advanced space program. You’re confined to launching small spacecraft that just operate by themselves,” he told Reuters.

Russia, the United States and other countries jointly operate the International Space Station, to which China does not belong. But the United States will not test a new rocket to take people into space until 2017, and Russia has said manned missions are no longer a priority for its space program, which has struggled with delays and glitches. Beijing is still far from catching up with space superpowers. The Tiangong launch is a trial step in Beijing’s plans to eventually establish a space station.

“Tiangong-1 is, I think, primarily a technology test-bed,” said Joan Johnson-Freese, an expert on China’s space program at the US Naval War College on Rhode Island, in emailed answers to questions. “Technically, it has been compared to where the US was during the Gemini program,” she added, referring to NASA’s manned space flights in the mid-1960s.

Over the next two years, China will probably attempt a Tiangong mission piloted by astronauts only after two initial missions, Gregory Kulacki, the China Project manager for Union of Concerned Scientists, wrote. — Reuters

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Paraguay halts beef exports, detects foot-and-mouth 5,000 employed in meat-packing industry will lose jobs

SACRAMENTO: Nurse Susan Peel gives a whooping cough vaccination to a student at Inderkum High School, Sacramento, on Monday. — AP

Whooping cough vaccine fades after 3 years: Study CHICAGO: The vaccine for whooping cough commonly administered to young children loses its effectiveness after three years, according to the preliminary results of a new US study. The results released on Monday come from a survey of 15,000 children in Marin County, California, where an outbreak of the bacterial disease killed 11 infants and infected more than 8,000 people in 2010.

“When we first started having a pertussis outbreak, we assumed that this would be primarily in the unvaccinated population,” Dr David Witt, of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Rafael, California told a conference in Chicago, using the scientific name for the once-common childhood disease.

“What we pretty quickly identify is that the bulk of the outbreak was in fully vaccinated children” in the 8-12 age group, he said. “Older kids and younger kids seemed to be pretty well protected but the age of eight to 12 was the vast bulk of the cases. And when we examined that, it was correlated to being more than three years from the last vaccine booster dose.” He added that a lot of the children did not seek care because the vaccine mitigated the symptoms. He

cautioned that more research was necessary as he presented the preliminary results at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) organized by the American Society of Microbiology. In the group of 15,000 children surveyed, doctors found 171 confirmed cases of whooping cough across all age groups, including 103 in the group of eight to 12year-olds.

These children were up to 20 times more likely to become infected than those whose last booster injection was more recent, Witt said. He insisted, however, that parents should get their kids vaccinated, saying the vaccine provided good protection for the first two to three years and appeared to mitigate the symptoms of those who became infected. The infection causes coughing fits lasting up to 10 weeks and can be fatal, especially in infants. It is commonly treated with antibiotics, which are used to reduce symptoms and prevent the spread of the disease. The disease infects 30-50 million people worldwide each year and kills some 300,000, according to the US-based Center for Disease Control (CDC). — AFP

Real-time tracking of diseases helps to improve diagnosis WASHINGTON: The doctor doesn’t think your sore throat is bad enough yet to order a strep test - unaware that a dozen people across town were diagnosed with strep throat just last week. Doctors rarely know what bugs are brewing in the neighborhood until their own waiting rooms start to fill.

Harvard University researchers reported Monday that getting them realtime information on nearby infections could improve patient care - for strep throat alone, potentially helping tens of thousands avoid either a delayed diagnosis or getting antibiotics they didn’t need. “ The risk you have is based on where you live and what the people around you have,” explains Dr. Kenneth Mandl of Children’s Hospital Boston, affiliated with Harvard. His analysis of 82,000 patient visits found that knowing how much strep throat is circulating can help improve the accuracy of the next patient’s diagnosis. Today, hundreds of hospitals, clinics and health departments automatically report certain symptoms and diagnoses to the government. That practice has a wonky name - biosurveillance - but it’s how officials track the spread of flu, detect the latest whooping cough outbreak, and watch for weird symptoms that might signal a brand-new disease or even bioterrorism. But until there’s an outbreak, that information is a one-way street.

There’s no easy way for doctors to learn what their colleagues nearby diagnosing. Instead, doctors often call the health department to ask if anyone’s heard of a case of this or that disease as they puzzle over a patient’s symptoms, says Dr. Alfred DeMaria of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Giving doctors a fast, ongoing snapshot of disease “would be very helpful,” says DeMaria, who wasn’t involved in Mandl’s research but praises the approach. “The key is to make the system entirely automated and real-time.”

Work is beginning on technology to do just that, trying to link local biosur veillance to electronic health records, maybe even mobile apps.

First, the question is whether such tracking could make a real difference.

So Mandl and his colleague Dr Andrew Fine, an emergency medicine physician, examined strep throat, an infection frequently misdiagnosed in adults. Because strep throat is more common in young children, those with red, sore throats are given either a while-you-wait rapid test or, because

that test sometimes misses the bug, a throat culture that can take a day or two for results. For anyone 15 or older, guidelines say doctors shouldn’t order a test or prescribe antibiotics unless sore-throat sufferers rise to a certain level of suspicion because of other symptoms: fever, enlarged lymph nodes, tonsils with swelling or pus, and a lack of coughing. People with none or just one of those symptoms probably have a virus and are supposed to be sent home. A patient with a lot of those symptoms often are given antibiotics automatically, and those in between get tested.

Mandl and Fine turned to records from CVS MinuteClinics in six states where all sore-throat patients are tested and symptoms are recorded. What the government-funded study found: Knowing how prevalent strep is in a particular area is a strong enough predictor to count as an extra symptom in the test-or-treat decision. In other words, if little strep throat is circulating, the chances that someone with several strep symptoms really has it drops enough that it’s worth testing them before prescribing antibiotics.

Considering there are 10.5 million annual health-care visits for suspected strep throat, that change could prevent unnecessary antibiotics for more than 166,000 patients, the researchers reported. On the flip side, someone with just a sore throat and fever usually wouldn’t get tested but if the strep germ is prevalent in their community, testing could spot 62,000 previously missed patients nationally, the researchers calculated. Their study appeared Monday in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. Strep isn’t the only example. In smaller studies, Mandl and Fine have found that knowing how much whooping cough and bacterial meningitis are spreading locally can improve diagnosis of those diseases, too.

The challenge is how to disseminate such information fast enough for doctors to use. MinuteClinic, for example, says it doesn’t record test results in real time yet but may be able to share that kind of data in the future.

Broadening the concept, federal health officials are working to create an easy-to-use Web tool that would let doctors search for local surveillance information. They also are testing how to automatically send alerts about disease outbreaks to the electronic health records of patients with similar symptoms. — AP

ASUNCION: Paraguay ordered an immediate halt to beef exports Monday after detecting foot-andmouth disease in cattle from a farm northeast of Asuncion, in a potentially devastating blow to its cattle industry. The outbreak sent tremors through a region famous for its beef production, with neighboring Argentina and Uruguay closing borders to Paraguayan livestock to prevent the spread of the highly contagious disease, and Brazil also stepping up border controls.

Leading beef exporter Argentina issued a food health alert and suspended imports, as well as transit to third countries, from Paraguay.

The discovery occurred during a test of 13 cows at a farm in San Pedro department some 400 kilometers north of the capital Asuncion, according to national animal health inspectorate Senacsa. “Meat exports are suspended for 80 days,” said Senacsa spokesman Manuel Cardozo, citing codes set by the International Organization for Animal Health (OIE). At a news conference Monday, Paraguayan Meats Industry Chamber president Mari Llorens described the outbreak as “a blow to the national economy.”

Beef is the sparsely populated, largely rural country’s number two export, with $650 million worth of exports last year. Llorens estimated it will take six to eight months to return to a normal health status, with projected losses of $70 million a month.

The outbreak also raised concerns among the country’s cattleraising neighbors-Brazil, the world’s second largest supplier of beef, and Argentina, number six in the world. Uruguay, whose

number one export is beef, immediately closed its borders to animals, animal byproducts and certain goods from Paraguay.

Brazil said it has increased its vigilance and heightened controls at border crossings. It offered to Paraguay help in managing the crisis. San Pedro, where the outbreak occurred, is in the middle

ate measures in this case,” the inspectorate said. President Fernando Lugo declared a health emergency in an 85 kilometer radius from the scene of the outbreak. Foot and mouth (also known as hoof and mouth) disease is one of the most contagious animal diseases known, infecting mainly cattle and pigs

POZO HONDO: This handout picture, released by Paraguayan newspaper ABC Color, shows cattle with footand-mouth disease being buried in an attempt to avoid the spread of the outbreak along Paraguay’s border with Argentina and Bolivia in Pozo Hondo, 700 Km northeast of Asuncion. — AFP of the country, nearer to Brazil than to Argentina. Paraguay immediately communicated data about the foot-and-mouth detection to OIE, Senacsa said in a statement.

“Senacsa is taking all appropri-

but also sheep and goats, according to the OIE. The disease can be spread with dust, animal-toanimal in herds, through consumption of contaminated animal products, and even with farm implements and vehicles.

Though the disease normally does not kill adult animals, they must be destroyed once infected to keep it from spreading.

The disease was last detected in Paraguay in 2002, when the South American nation also suspended beef exports. Argentina was declared free of foot-andmouth after an extensive vaccination program in 2003. It had a small outbreak in a northeastern province in 2006 that was brought under control.

Paraguay’s Senacsa said there were several possible explanations for the latest outbreak. “The cold chain might have been broken, vaccinations may have failed.

We are going to determine the cause with scientific precision,” Cardozo said. The Rural Association of Paraguay said it had immediately begun to take measures to contain the disease.

It called for a “profound review” of the government’s system of inspections to avoid a repeat of the current crisis “whose impact, unfortunately, will affect thousands of families.”“We urge the government to take immediate measures to reestablish national and international confidence in Paraguayan beef, otherwise it will be impossible to return to the place where we were.” The European Union had authorized imports of Paraguayan beef in August 2008. Paraguay also exports beef to Chile, Russia, Israel, Venezuela and Brazil. The Rural Association warned that the suspension of beef exports would have a broader ripple effect in the economy. About 5,000 people employed in the meat packing industry will lose their jobs, the Paraguayan Meats Industry Chamber said. — AFP

German ophthalmologist to treat eyes in Kuwait KUWAIT: As part of the visiting doctors/surgeon program, Inaya German Medical center has invited DR Chris Lohmann, a German consultant-ophthalmologist to do eye treatments for eye diseases.

Diabetes mellitus is affecting more and more people. In the Middle East, the prevalence of diabetes is almost three times higher than anywhere else in the world. Diabetes accounts for almost 15 percent of total blindness and for around 30 percent of total visual impairment in the Gulf region.

People with diabetes mellitus do not feel the vision-impairing changes for a long time.

It is not until the diabetes harms the centre of the retina (macula) or until a bleeding in the eye occurs that patients feel visual disorders such as distorted or blurred vision, blind spots or a total loss of the eyesight.

The early diagnosis of diabetic disorders together with a good blood-sugar regulation is the best precondition for optimal protection and preservation of the eyesight. Besides the clinical examination of the retina there is a modern diagnostic procedure called the OCT. The OCT is a non invasive harmless procedure which only takes a few minutes. The OCT is used to see if there is any macula edema which causes reduced or loss of vision. With the OCT you can grade the severity of diabetic changes in the retina and control the success of the treatment like intravitreal avastin or lucentis injection. The pictures show the OCT image of a normal retina, a retina with the diabetic macula edema and after treatment with avastin.

A clinical examination combined with an OCT examination should be performed in any

patient with diabetes mellitus once a year and in patients who are known to have diabetic changes in the retina every three month.

The Inaya German Medical Center (IGMC) offers the most modern diagnostic technology to examine patients’ eyes and the retina for diabetic changes. In addition, the centre is to host one of the leading ophthalmologists in the world specialized in retina, Prof. Dr. Chris Lohmann from the eye clinic of Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University in Munich, Germany. Lohmann is a visiting consultant at IGMC’s medical team and will be with the team from September 29th until October 3rd, 2011. His main focus during this upcoming visit aims to examine diabetic patients and to recommend treatment if necessary.

For booking an appointment call IGMC at 25750777 - ext: 171 - 172.

Bird flu batters South African ostrich farms

KABUL: 23-year-old Najia takes rest holding her one-day-old baby Subhanallah at the Mailala Maternity hospital in Kabul yesterday. The wartorn country of Afghanistan with a population of some 29,835,392 people, is one of the worst places in the world to be pregnant. It is estimated that one woman dies every 30 minutes from complications relating to pregnancy, according to a UNICEF report. — AFP

OUDTSHOORN: Once filled with hundreds of ostriches, the fields of the Klein Karoo are strangely empty. An outbreak of bird flu has forced South African farmers to slaughter thousands of ostriches, undermining the economy of this valley in the south of the country. First detected on April 9, bird flu spread quickly through the ostrich stock, raised mainly for their meat. South Africa accounts for 77 percent of the global ostrich market, and the EU buys 90 percent of its exports. Or did, until Brussels banned the meat because of the outbreak. “The birds won’t look sick or anything. If you look at them, they look healthy. The virus can’t be transmitted to humans, and it is destroyed while cooking,” said Anton Kruger, head of the South African Ostrich Business Chamber. “The primary risk is that the virus could mutate and then affect poultry.” The virus afflicting South African farms is known as H5N2, related to the highly contagious H5N1 virus that struck Asia in 2004.

A single positive test results in an entire farm going under quarantine, and all the ostriches are slaughtered. About 33,000 have been killed so far, about a quarter of the region’s total population. They end up as fertilizer. Farms spared the disease were barred from taking birds to the abattoir before July, meaning they had to be fed for longer than expected. Any transport of the birds was banned. Normally South Africa produces 250,000 birds per year, earning 2.1 billion rands ($284 million ) a year in exports. Most of that comes from the meat, but also their eggs and leather, which are sought after by designers. And South Africa sends 15 tons of ostrich feathers to Brazil each year for Carnival.

Now the industry is losing 108 million rands ($14.6 million) a month, Kruger said.

Johan Keller had to sacrifice 4,500 birds in early May when the virus was found on his sprawling farm. The government paid him

2,000 rands a head, or about 80 percent of the bird’s value, but he’s still waiting for aid that was promised to help him keep his 44 employees on the payroll. “So far we have not received anything,” he said. “We are not really sure we need to try to become a big ostrich farm again, as we used to be,” given the health risks, he said. Johan van Niekerk, an ostrich butcher on the main street in Klein Karoo’s main town Oudtshoorn, said the outbreak is dragging down the regional economy. “ The ostrich industry is quite labour-intensive. There are less people working on the farms. The economy of the whole district is going down,” he said. His own business is down about 20 percent, he said. “The poorer people are suffering the most,” he added. Bird flu has also frightened tourists, who provide another source of income on farms like Keller’s, where he runs a guesthouse-now serving ostrich steaks bought from his competitors. “Lots of people misunderstood the health situation. We got lots of cancellations, some people bypassed Oudtshoorn because they thought that there are no more ostriches here,” Keller said. The town holds a prominent spot on the tourist circuit, offering visitors a chance to learn about the birds, watch them race, and even ride them. One of the biggest farms, Highgate, closed its doors in June as its sick birds were culled.

Now the farm that once brought in busloads of tourists is deserted. About 40 people lost their jobs, said Eudes Etsala, a Congolese man who now directs tourists to another farm. The industry hopes that the latest battery of tests will give them a clean bill of health. Even then, exports couldn’t resume until December, said Kruger. “It will take us at least thee years to rebuild the industry,” he said. In the meantime, South Africans hope that Brussels will agree to allow exports from other parts of the country.— AFP

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US Scientists test quake early warning systems Warnings provide minimal, but vital signs

PASADENA: After years of lagging behind Japan, Mexico and other quake-prone countries, the US government has been quietly testing an earthquake early warning system in California.

Elizabeth Cochran belongs to an exclusive club of scientists who receive a heads up every time the state shakes. She was sitting in her office this month when her computer suddenly sounded an alarm. Beep. Beep. Beep. A map of California on her screen lit up with a red dot, signaling an earthquake had struck. A clock counted down the seconds until shock waves fanning out from the epicenter north of Los Angeles reached her in Pasadena: 5-4-3-2-1. Right on cue, Cochran felt her chair quiver from a magnitude-4.2 that rumbled through Southern California on Sept 1.

“If I hadn’t known it was an earthquake, I would have thought it was a truck going by,” she said.

The alert system is still crude and messages are not yet broadcast to residents or businesses.

With more testing and funding, researchers hope to build a public warning system similar to the Japanese that has been credited with saving lives during the March 11 magnitude-9 disaster. Since earthquakes are unpredictable, supporters of early warning say it’s the next best thing to prepare people and businesses before the ground rocks.

Even a 5-second advance notice can be precious, they contend. “You want to get under a sturdy table before things start falling off the wall,” said University of California, Berkeley, seismologist Richard Allen, a project participant. “We don’t want people to start running out of buildings.”

Early warning is designed to sense the first pulses

of energy after a fault breaks and estimate the magnitude. This is possible because of the different speeds at which seismic waves travel.

A sprawling web of underground sensors can detect the faster-moving and less damaging primary “P” waves before the secondary “S” waves that can cause buildings to pancake. A warning is issued ahead of the arrival of the stronger waves. How much warning - a few seconds to tens of seconds - depends on the distance from the epicenter. The farther away, the more lead time. Project chief Doug Given of the US Geological Survey ticked off actions that can be taken: Trains can be slowed or stopped. Air traffic controllers can halt takeoffs and landings. Power plants and factories can close valves.

Schoolchildren can dive under their desks and cover their heads. Early warnings are useless at the quake’s origin because the tremors radiate out almost simultaneously. Japan invested in a public alert system after the deadly 1995 magnitude-6.9 Kobe earthquake. Development began in 2000. Seven years and $500 million later, Japan unveiled the world’s first early warning network. Parts of Mexico, Taiwan and Turkey also have embraced early warning, but their systems are less sophisticated.

The Japanese got their big test in March when a massive quake hit off the northeast coast and spawned a tsunami. A public emergency announcement was sent out 8 seconds after sensors detected the first inkling of the quake, interrupting regular TV and radio programming, and buzzing cell phones. Millions received 5 to

40 seconds of warning depending on how far they were from the epicenter. Tokyo - about 230 miles away - got about 10 to 30 seconds of notice before high-rises swayed. A dozen trains were stopped in their tracks without derailing.

There were glitches. Sensors underestimated the quake at a magnitude-8.1 when it was actually 22 times stronger. Because of the error, warnings were not sent to certain cities. The jolt was so violent that it knocked 55 seismic stations offline and there were no warnings sent for aftershocks for several hours. Still, USGS director Marcia McNutt told US lawmakers the Japanese early warning system saved thousands of lives.

“Shame on us if we do not learn from their misfortune,” she testified.

Since 2006, the US has been testing three alert systems and launched a prototype internally known as “ShakeAlert” in February, a month before the Japan devastation. For now, messages are only blasted out to about 30 scientists at the USGS, California Institute of Technology and University of California, Berkeley, where they are working out software bugs on a small budget. Where possible, the US has borrowed aspects of Japan’s warning system. Researchers said it’s not possible to just replicate it because of differences in the countries’ seismic sensor networks.

“It’s not perfect,” said Berkeley’s Allen of the US effort. “Frankly, it’s stuck together with duct tape, but it’s operational.” The next steps are to partner with businesses to test the system in the real world later this year and work on a more robust network. The Southern California Earthquake

New New e H Hope ope …

New Life

PASADENA: Anthony Guarino Jr, a seismic analyst at the California Institute of Technology, demonstrating an early earthquake warning system in Pasadena, Calif. — AP Center, made up of 55 research institutions budget environment when there are lots of worldwide, has been chosen to independently trade-offs that have to be considered,” said David Applegate, associate director for natural rate how it’s working.

Technology hurdles aside, the work suffers hazards at USGS headquarters. It’s been a long from lack of funding. The USGS has spent $2 wait for Caltech engineering professor Tom million and is seeking help from private foun- Heaton, who has studied early warning for dations and industry groups. Scientists estimate more than three decades and finally got it runit will cost $80 million over five years to create a ning in his house on his 60th birthday. “My statewide public alert system and millions more hope is that it happens before I die. That’s my annually to maintain it. “That’s tough in this goal,” Heaton said. — AP

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NECK to host preschoolers’ motivation program

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

W H AT ’ S O N

Kuwait Banks Club conclude summer program

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t. Johns Mar Thomas Church, Kuwait, is set to hold a brief pre-school Motivation Program (Ezhuthiniruthu Sisrusha) for children about to begin school or nursery for the first time. All children in these categories and their parents and guardians are invited and cordially welcomed to participate in the special service, which will be held on September 23 at 10:00 AM in the National Evangelical Church of Kuwait’s (NECK) church and parish hall. Certificates will be given to all the children attending the program.

Those who are interested in taking part in the event are kindly requested to contact the Vicar on 65563486, the Convener on 66742985 or the Secretary on 66546705.

Announcements Balamurali to perform for VOICE music As part of its Youth Wing’s first anniversary, VOICE Kuwait will hold a classical music evening on Friday, Sept 23 at United Indian School, Abbassiya. Renowned musician Prof Ayamkuti Mani will present a vocal program accompanied by distinguished violinist Karunagappally S Balamurali, Arun Arunapuram on mridangam, Aranmula Harilal on ghatam and Manoj Mavelikkara on morsing.

Karunagappally S Balamurali, a violinist for 25 years and music director for several TV serials and music albums is new in Kuwait and Friday’s performance is his maiden presentation in Kuwait, as the launch of his musical career in Kuwait. Viswakarma Organisation for Ideal Career & Education (VOICE) invites all music lovers to this program.

For details, please contact: PG Binu 97964375; Balamurali 99584182 Tulukoota talent hunt Tulukoota Kuwait will hold a “Talent Hunt 2011” a chance to prove an inborn trait in you that confirms your individuality, uniqueness. So step forward to grab this opportunity to show your caliber and entertain. Dance, music, art or any special talent- now is your chance to showcase it - and be part of this year’s Talent Hunt & Tulu Parba. Talent Hunt event is open to all Tuluvas. For more information and registration form kindly log on to our Website: www.tulukootakuwait.org or visit our facebook page Tulukoota Kuwait Talent Hunt 2011. You could also email your form request to: secretary@tulukootakuwait.org or contact our area coordinators mentioned below. Mangaf, Fahaheel, Abuhalifa : Ronald Dsouza- 60035824, Shalini Alva- 23726164, Suma Bhatt- 97834578 Salmiya & Hawally: Swarna Shetty- 99006934, Kripa Gatty- 66044194 Kuwait City, Jahra, Sharq : Rekha Sachu- 65044521,97862115 Farwaniya, Abbassiya, Shuwaikh & Khaitan: Sathyanarayana- 66585077 Sanath Shetty- 67712409.

Pazhayidom to supervise NSS Ona-Sadya Master of the Kitchen, Pazhayidom Mohanan Namboothiri, will be supervising NSS Kuwaitís Ona-Sadhya this year.

More than 2000 people are expected to attend the OnaSadhya (grand onam feast) and program to mark NSS Kuwaitís Onam Celebration 2011, the harvest festival of Kerala at Indian Community School, Khaitan on Sep 23, 2011. NSS Kuwait Ona-Sadhya coupons are already under circulation and the committee has requested all the guests to collect the Ona-Sadhya coupons in advance to avoid last minute disappointment. For more details please contact : Abbasiya / Hasawi : 67064679 / 99466829; Fahaleel / Mangaf : 66120051 / 66059471; Abuhalifa / Mehboula : 94067350 / 99504851; Salmiya / Sharq : 65595479 / 99722317; Rigai / Farwaniya : 97601637 / 99570668 Arpan Onam on Sept 23 Arpan Kuwait will celebrate Onam, Kerala’s harvest festival, on September 23 at the Indian Community School, Salmiya (Senior Girls) from 10 am onwards. Various cultural programs have been scheduled to make the celebration a success. Traditional attractions like athappookkalam, mohiniyattom, kaikottikali, folk songs, dance and songs and skits will be presented by Arpan members.

A program committee headed by K Mahadevan is overseeing the preparations.

The celebration will come to an end with a sumptuous ‘Onasadya.’

The Kuwait Banks Club concluded activities of a summer program held in cooperation with the Gulf English School during the summer break.

IKEA Kuwait’s Ozone Preservation Day celebrations record successful results

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KEA Kuwait’s Ozone Preservation Day celebrations continue on as families with children of all age groups have been visiting the showroom to participate in the globally celebrated event. The event, which commenced on September 15thand will conclude on September 22nd,

was a strong platform for children to obtain their free educational games, as a token of appreciation to understanding the importance of preserving the environment.

During the Ozone Preservation week, children can also look forward to other fun-filled and interactive

games aimed at supporting positive environmental action in people’s daily lives. IKEA Kuwait is encouraging visitors to visit its store in the Avenues Mall, and take part in this globally renowned event to receive free informative gifts on the importance of the Ozone.

ENOC retail systems to expand its presence in Kuwait

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NOC Retail Systems Holding (ERS) LLC, the retail division of Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), the Dubai Government-owned oil and gas group, has announced plans to expand its presence in Kuwait by franchising its signature ZOOM convenience-stores, its Pronto fresh food and gourmet coffee concept, Saquella Esspresso Club, an Italian Cafe concept founded in 1856 and Esspresse, its latest fresh and healthy Italian fast food offer.

ENOC Retail operates a network of 170 ENOC and EPPCO service stations in Dubai and the Northern Emirates and has established its strong credentials as a retailing leader in the UAE. With over 25 years of experience in retail operations, ENOC/EPPCO pioneered the convenience store retailing concept within the UAE through service stations before expanding its portfolio to include standalone restaurants and convenience stores associated with the Dubai Metro.

Currently, ENOC Retail meets the needs of over 600,000 satisfied customers a week.

Saeed Abdullah Khoory, ENOC’s Group Chief Executive, said that expansion plans are part of a long term strategy to establish ZOOM and Pronto as premier providers of retail experiences across the Middle East.

Under the new franchising scheme, ERS LLC will provide its franchisees with total support including training, a comprehensive franchise operations manual, supervisory support for the ongoing programme, and marketing expertise.

Pronto, a fresh bakery and coffee shop concept established in 2008, operates 21 outlets within ENOC/EPPCO service stations, and exists as a standalone unit at KidZania, a children’s edutainment centre in The Dubai Mall, and at the Tasjeel Vehicle Testing and Registration Center in Dubai. It offers freshly baked products and brewed coffee and made-to-order sandwiches.

Saquella Cafe, first established in Italy in 1856, has a distinctive lineage and legacy and is renowned globally as one of the finest coffee brands. The Saquella Espresso Club in Dubai was inspired by

the latest trends in contemporary, elegant and welcoming meeting places where guests can sip a tasty espresso in an environment marked by Italian hospitality and warmth. ENOC holds the master franchise for Saquella in the Middle East.

Esspresse, a partnership between

ENOC and Mr Stefano Brocca, of the highly-successful Stefano’s chain around the UAE, guarantee’s freshness and original Italian taste through imported ingredients from Italy, patented and exclusive equipment, and by using minimal oil to offer quality affordable Italian food.

NAFO Onam celebration NAFO Kuwait to celebrate Onam on September 30, 2011 at the Indian Community School (Senior for Girls) auditorium Salmiya. Cultural activities such as dance,skit, nadan pattukal, vallapattukal etc will be held which will be followed by the traditional onasadhya. All NAFO members are requested to make this program a grand success by participating in various activities. Please register your name at Contacts@nafoglobal.com.said the convener of the program Rajasekaran Nair. For details please contact Nandakumar 99559416, Udayakumar 66464577 or Rajasekharan Nair 97824780.

Gulf Express Co awards technician of the month

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ulf Express Co. (a subsidiary of Al Babtain Group) distributor of Dunlop tyres in Kuwait which is known to provide excellent services to their customer with prompt care, timely, fast & quality services to the customers and has a special customer service for ladies in terms of care, fast & quality service.

In order to increase the customer service level & improve customer satisfaction Gulf express co. has started a competition amongst their technicians.

The evaluations were done on the basis

of accuracy in the job, faster service time, team work, equipment maintenance, personal hygiene, attendance, customer delight etc.

Jayaprakash Gangadhar Kaimal- Tyre technician won the “Technician of the month” award for the month of August & has been honoured by the company by giving appreciation & a mobile.

This activity has resulted in improving our service quality, improved productivity, create competition amongst our branches & ultimately to achieve customer satisfaction targets.

Seminar on real estate in Delhi NCR

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uper tech, one of the leading real estate developers in North India, in association with The Prudent Group, a premier realty investment and services firm in Kuwait, organized an exclusive seminar on ‘Current Real Estate Scenario in Delhi NCR’, at the Holiday Inn Downtown, on Wednesday, 14th September. The guest speakers for the evening’s event were Mohit Arora, Owner and Managing Director of Super tech and Arun K apoor, Chief Marketing Officer at Supertech.

Accompanying the guest speakers on the dais were Abhishek Mundra and M ohammed Sheece, Par tners and co founders of The Prudent Group. Beginning the evening’s program, the compere, Vishal Edward, introduced the members on the podium to the large gathering of specially invited attendees.

Outlining the main reasons behind holding the seminar, Arora, a second generation entrepreneur and Managing Director of Supertech said that recently, several land acquisition and related issues in India have come to public attention through a lot of media publicity and political involvement.

Understandably, this has caused anxiety among real estate investors across the country, as well as abroad.

As responsible real estate developers committed to complete transparency in all our dealings, we want to inform customers through this seminar, about prevailing real estate conditions in Delhi NCR. Through this

seminar, we also want to reassure our customers about the safety of their investments in Supertech and rebuild confidence in Indian real estate.

He pointing out that North India and Noida in particular were currently the best real estate investment opportunities in the country, Arora said, “With development of real estate properties around attractions like Formula1, Night Safari or Supertech’s own Upcountry, a beachfront property surrounding an artificial beach, there has been an upsurge in interest in North Indian realty.

Moreover, real estate prices in Noida and many other North Indian cities are among the lowest in the country and the growth potential is immense. “ With more than 33 million square feet of residential and commercial projec ts, Supertech has several landmark completed and upcoming projects in their portfolio, including North Eye, the tallest residential tower in North India.

The project developers are now embarking on their latest venture - ORB Towers. The new towers, which features high-end luxury residential apartments, is located adjacent to North Eye and is another Supertech project that looks set to become a much sought after property in Noida area.

Arora said, “Investors abroad, especially in Kuwait, UAE and UK, have responded very encouragingly to all our projects so far.

The reasons for this appreciation among customers are many, but mainly this has

been due to the quality of our construction, the reliability of our deliveries and the total transparency in all our dealings. We look forward to upholding the trust placed in us by our customers and assure them that properties at Supertech are one of the best real estate investments they can currently make”.

Supertech is exclusively represented in Kuwait by The Prudent Group, a multifaceted company providing real estate suppor t and investment advisor y ser vices.

Offering a spate of bespoke services, The Prudent Group provides their valued clients in Kuwait with effective solutions to many of the challenges involved in managing real estate assets in India.

The seminar came to a close with a vote of thanks by Abhishek Mundra, in which he announced thanks to the guest speakers for providing an informative view on the current real estate scenario in Delhi NCR. He then went on to thank the attendees and hoped they found the seminar beneficial and that they received answers to some of their most pressing real estate questions.

He also showed his appreciation to the attendees in coming in large numbers despite it being a week day.

Mundra also thanked all his colleagues, Ak ash S oneja, Ak ash Panwar, John, Chiranjiv, Ms Sakina and Ms Kaynath for their relentless efforts in making the seminar a resounding success. The seminar was followed by a delicious dinner.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

W H AT ’ S O N

Embassy

Konkani drama

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uwait Goan Association (KGA) after presenting popular Konkani tiatrs ‘Ghor Bandlem ghorabo Modlo’ and ‘Tujea Moga Passot’, now all set to present Tragedy King Mario Menezes most popular Konkani drama “Hatachim Panch Bottam” in Kuwait on Friday, 18th November 2011 with full troupe.

Await for more details or email: kgakuwait@gmail.com

Information EMBASSY OF ARGENTINA In order to inform that 23rd of October 2011, will be Argentine national election where all Argentinean citizen residents permanently in Kuwait can vote only if they are registered at the Electoral Register of the Argentine Embassy. The procedure of inscription ended on 25 of April 2011. To register it is necessary that Argentinean citizens should come personally at the Argentinean Embassy (Block 6, street 42, villa 57, Mishref ) and present the DNI and four personal photos (size 4x4, face should be front on white background). For further information, contact us on 25379211.

Free Arabic courses provided by IPC

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ake your opportunity to learn and improve your Arabic skills. The women section of Islam Presentation Committee will be conducting FREE Arabic Language Course in Basic & Advance Level for non-Arab LADIES commencing on September 30, 2011.

Islamic subjects and Quran classes are also offered in different languages. Classes are offered only once a week.

Register now! For more information: Rawdah-22512257-97290278; Salmiya25733263-97533263; Khaitan-2473013799285459; Mangaf-23723002; Jahra-2455883067720696.

Study in Canada Fair 2011

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rganized by the Embassy of Canada, the sixth annual Middle East Education Initiative (MEEI) will be visiting Kuwait from Oct 1 to 4, 2011.

Representatives of 20 leading Canadian universities and colleges will be available to meet students, parents, teachers and guidance counsellors to present the advantages of studying in Canada. On Sunday, Oct 2, 2011 a Study in Canada exhibition will be held at the Marina Hotel, Salmiya from 6-9:00 pm for potential students and their parents to attend. The Canadian institutions will also be visiting local schools to speak to interested students about opportunities to study in Canada.

Merit scholarship

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ulu Koota Kuwait is pleased to announce its Merit Cum Means Scholarship Award to be awarded during Tulu Parba which will be held on 4th November 2011 in American International School Auditorium, Maidan Hawally.

Tulu Koota Kuwait firmly believes in the great value of education and is strongly committed to helping needy students to achieve their educational goals. Application accepted from minimum one year valid members children studying either in State of Kuwait or in India, scoring high grades at X and XII standard Board Examination held during Academic year 2010-2011. Contact Tulukoota Kuwait Welfare officer Suresh Shyam Rao on 65976789 or email: shyamson@yahoo.com to submit the copies of marks sheet & proof of income with the application. Candidates obtaining high grades but not eligible for merit cum means scholarship shall be honored with Merit Certificate and Medal. For further information please contact: Harish Bhandary Tel. 50264416

YMCA Onasangamom YMCA Kuwait is conducting Onam Sangamom & Arts nite on Thursday 29th September at 6.30pm at Indian Community Senior Girls School Salmiya. The programs include Comedy Skit “Pravasa Charitham Onnam Bhagam”, Vanchipattu, Thiruvathirakali, Maveli, Chendamelam, Ganamela etc.

OnaSadhya is also arranged for the attendees.

For Onasadhya please take the coupon before the program. For details please contact.97542985, 99498369, 99046751, 99607230.

YMCA membership YMCA Kuwait is conducting membership campaign from 1st September to 31st November, 2011. Persons who wish to become a members of YMCA Kuwait and person who would like to contribute their time, efforts and services for the society and humanitarian causes may pl contact: 97542985, 99498369, 99046751, 99607230, 55120208.

BrainBang Calling all students aged 11 and above, Support Group for Accelerated learning Under the umbrella of FOCC (Friends of CRY Club, Kuwait), BRAIN-BANG invites you to join us in our fortnightly Friday Class from 11.45 am to 13.45 pm in Salmiya starting October 7th for the next 6 months.

Successfully running for the seventh consecutive year.

Areas of development are : l Memory tools to Understand and Learn Better lTools and Techniques to empower your mind l Activity, fun, games and worksheet based assignments lPractical Experiments lMind Gymnastics l Application of Learning Techniques to conventional study. Register before October 5th 2011. Limited seats. Register early to avoid disappointment. Website: www.focckwt.org E-Mail: brainbang@focckwt.org Phone no: 25660835/25618471/97677820 Inter School recitation competition The Don Bosco Past Pupils Association (DBPPA) will organize on 25th November 2011 (Friday) the Annual Inter School Choral Recitation Competition. The competition is one of the programmes popular among the school students and parents alike among. The large Indian community and will be held at the IEAS premises, Salmiya. Await for more details.

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Frontliner’s web holds get-together

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he Frontliner’s team of Kuwait, organized a gettogether at Mughal Mahal, Fahaheel to discuss about its future services. The gathering was graced by many dignified guests and patrons, including Asad Khan of Kuwait Swedish Cleaning Co., Ashok Kalra of Mughal Mahal, Kuppana of Kuwait India International Exchange, Mrs Santha Maria of Central School, Ibrahim Kutty of Shifa Al Jazeera Medical Center (1)- Fahaheel.

Velu, Vice-President of Frontliners, welcomed the audience and announced various good deeds one by the Frontliners. His speech covered the details of IRS 7.5 Lakhs dona-

tion done in this year (total of IRS 1.1 crores from the beginning), the many endless social work done by Frontliners worker Welfare Wing led by K. Mathi, Secretary of Frontiners.

Laxmi Narayanan, a patron, associated with Frontliners for many years, explained the charity activities done by Frontliners from the date of inception. He was followed by Dr Rumane and Arasu, who recounted their association with Frontliners.

The guests and patron on dais appreciated the various social works and donations done by Frontliners Association, whose motto is “SERVICE, SERVICE AND SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY”.

They also praised the Founder of Frontliners, Mohandoss, for his vision and initiative taken in forming the association with such a noble cause. The guests were honoured with shawl by the team members.

During this meeting, the new face of the Frontliners Web Site www.frontlinerskuwait.com was launched. This site is planned to focus on the prominent Indians who are supporting Indian community in many aspects. It will give space to the talents, youth achievers, award winners, to encourage them. The site will also have many useful links, interesting and valuable materials that will be helpful to the common man.

Beat Peter joins Movenpick

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he Movenpick Hotel Kuwait recently announced the appointment of Mr. Beat Peter as the hotel’s new General Manager. Peter followed Marco Saxer, the previous GM and comes to Movenpick Kuwait with almost 16 years of experience in the hotels & tourism industry.

Beat Peter, a Swiss national, holder of a university degree from Luzern and a Higher Diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management, commenced his career in Switzerland with a cross training in different hotel activities, i.e. Food & Beverage and Front Office. In 1999, Peter was appointed as Font Office Manager at The Omnia Hotel.

Then he moved to Gsell & Partner Hotels as a Sales & Marketing Manager. He earned an extensive experience in Sales & Marketing, Strategic Planning & Feasibility Studies.

After that, Peter moved to the renowned Seiler Hotel Nicoletta Zermatt in Switzerland as a Hotel Manager, then to Kempinski Hotel St. Moritz as a Resident

Manager. Afterwards, Peter travelled to the UAE to be appointed as the Resident Manager at Kempinski Hotel Ajman, and then he was promoted to General

career, Peter was keen to attend several training courses that took him too many countries such as France, Italy, Switzerland and the UAE.

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EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca.

Canada offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that Consular Officials can contact and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian Citizens to register online through the Government of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca. The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait. Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.UAE.gc.ca.

Effective January 15, 2011, the only Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) application form that will be accepted by CIC is the Application for Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside of Canada [IMM 5257] form. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF JAPAN The Embassy of Japan in the State of Kuwait announces that it will be closed to the public today, September 19, 2011 on the occasion of respect of the Aged Day. The Embassy will reopen again on Tuesday, September 20. Official working hours in the embassy are from Sunday to Thursday, from 08:00 am to 04:00 pm. nnnnnnn

Manager at Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah, Dubai.

At Kempinski Hotel Palm Jumeirah, Peter supervised the pre-opening phase that involved the Development, Operation of F&B outlets, rooms, spa and recreation in addition to Quality Control and Budget, besides Sales & Marketing. Throughout his

Beat Peter expressed his happiness and feels proud to join Movenpick Hotel Kuwait Free Trade Zone - He confirmed his great motivation and willingness to maintain and to develop further the leading position of Movenpick Hotel Kuwait locally and within Movenpick Hotels & Resorts worldwide.

Kozhikode District Association Mahilavedi conducts medical seminar

M

ahilavedi of Kozhikode District Association conducted a medical seminar on 16 September 2011 at United Indian School, Abbasiya.

Well known Gynaecologist Dr. Saritha Poomarithil talked on’ Gynaecological Problems’. The audience listened to the talk with rapt attention and got clarified their doubts on various gynaecological problems. Free medical tests were provided from 5pm to 9pm as part of the medical seminar. The Seminar attracted huge crowd who made use of the opportunity to have medical tests and also actively participated in the medical seminar.

Sreeja Santhakumar, Mahilavedi President presided over the meeting held in connection with the seminar. Shabeer Mandoly, Patron of the Kozhikode

EMBASSY OF BRITAIN The Visa Application Centre (VAC) will be closed on the same dates above. The opening hours of the Visa Application Centre are 0930 - 1630 Application forms remain available online from the UKBAs’ website: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk or from the Visa Application Centre’s website: www.vfs-ukkw.com. And also, from the UK Visa Application Centre located at: 4B, First Floor, Al Banwan Building (Burgan Bank Branch Office Building), Al Qibla area, opposite Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City. For any further inquiries, please contact the Visa Application Centre: Website: www.vfs-uk-kw.com E-mail:info@vfs-uk-kw.com Telephone:22971170. The Consular Section will also be closed on the same dates. For information on the British Embassy services, visit the British Embassy website: www.ukinkuwait.fco.gov.uk

EMBASSY OF GERMANY The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kuwait wishes to announce that as of 1 May 2011, the external service provider Al Qabas Assurex is operating a Visa Application Centre in support of the German Embassy. Short-term visa applications for travels to Germany (e.g. for tourism, visits, business) are to be submitted to the service provider Al Qabas who for your convenience will ensure that all relevant documents are included in your application. Your personal appearance at the Application Centre is not required. Address of the Visa Application Centre: Al Qabas Assurex Sanabel Tower (Al-Babtain) Mezzanine (M3) opposite Sharq Mall Kuwait 22924444 Fax: 22924442 Further information are available on the following websites: www.kuwait.diplo.de www.qavisa.com nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF INDIA Embassy of India, would like to inform that application forms for passport/visa services and labour contracts that are on its website, www.indembkwt.org, have been upgraded to include the facility for online data entry. Affidavit forms on the Embassy website have had this facility since May 6, 2009. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF KENYA

District Association offered felicitation. Mrs Asma K Abdulla, Secretary of Mahilavedi welcomed the gathering and Mrs. Neenakumari.N, former President of Mahilavedi expressed vote of thanks. Besides representatives from ladies’ wing of other organisations in Kuwait, prominent personalities who attended the meeting include Malayil Moosakoya, Siddiq Valiyakath, Adv. Sumod, Mr. Ibrahim

Thottamkandy, Mr. Babu (First Kuwaiti Gen. Trading Co.), Mr. Muhammed Haneefa C., Mr. Fasil A.V. and Mr. Sathar Kunnil.

Kozhikode District Association’s office bearers, executive members and Mahila Vedi executive members controlled the function and organised the medical tests in a systematic manner. Mahilavedi profusely thanked all those who helped to make the Medical seminar a big success.

The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to request all Kenyans resident in or training through Kuwait to register with the Embassy. We are updating our database. This information is necessary in order to facilitate quick assistance and advise in times of emergency. Kindly visit in person or register through our website www.kenyaembkuwait.com. The Embassy is located in: Surra Area - Block 6 - Street 9 Villa 3 Tel: 25353362 - 25353314; Fax: 25353316. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF PERU Embassy of Peru in Kuwait has the honor to announce the opening of its office soon in Sharq area, Ahmed Al-Jaber street, Al-Arabiya Tower, 6th Floor, Kuwait City.

Moreover, please be notified that there will be “Peru Expo-Tour, Trade & Invest” and the working hours will be from 09:00 till 14:00 (SundayThursday). You are cordially invited to visit us in order to know why Peru should be your new touristic destination and your best business partner.

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Years

00:45 Untamed & Uncut 01:40 Shark Invasion 02:35 Karina: Wild On Safari 03:30 Buggin’ With Ruud 04:25 Cats 101 05:20 Animal Cops Houston 06:10 America’s Cutest...

07:00 Meerkat Manor 07:25 The Really Wild Show 07:50 Animal Crackers 08:15 Safari Sisters 08:40 Breed All About It 09:10 Dogs 101 10:05 Cats 101 11:00 Animal Cops Houston 11:55 E-Vets: The Interns 12:20 Wildlife SOS International 12:50 K9 Cops 13:45 Crocodile Hunter 14:40 Shark Invasion 15:30 Escape To Chimp Eden 16:00 The Really Wild Show 16:30 Chris Humfrey’s Wildlife 17:25 Bad Dog 18:20 Breed All About It 18:45 Crocodile Hunter 19:40 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 20:10 Cats 101 21:05 Shark Attack File 3 22:00 Monster Bug Wars 22:55 I’m Alive 23:50 Return Of The Prime Predators

00:10 00:40 01:40 02:30 04:00 04:30 04:50 05:05 05:25 05:40 05:45 05:50 06:10 06:25 06:45 07:00 07:20 07:35 07:55 08:10 08:20 08:40 08:55 09:15 09:30 09:40 10:40 11:25 12:15 12:45 13:15 14:10 15:40 16:30 17:15 17:45 18:15 19:10 20:00 20:45 21:15 21:45 22:40 23:30

Blackadder Last Of The Summer Wine Holby City Freefall Last Of The Summer Wine Balamory The Roly Mo Show Me Too Jackanory Junior Poetry Pie Poetry Pie Balamory The Roly Mo Show Me Too Jackanory Junior Balamory The Roly Mo Show Me Too Jackanory Junior Poetry Pie Balamory The Roly Mo Show Me Too Jackanory Junior Poetry Pie Last Of The Summer Wine The Weakest Link Full Circle With Michael Palin Doctors Eastenders Holby City Last Of The Summer Wine Full Circle With Michael Palin The Weakest Link Doctors Eastenders Holby City Full Circle With Michael Palin The Weakest Link Doctors Eastenders Casualty Lark Rise To Candleford The Royle Family

00:00 New Scandinavian Cooking With Claus Meyer 00:25 New Scandinavian Cooking With Claus Meyer 00:55 Come Dine With Me 01:45 What Not To Wear 02:40 Come Dine With Me 03:35 Coastal Kitchen 04:00 The Naked Chef 04:30 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 04:55 James Martin’s Brittany

05:20 Holmes On Homes 06:10 Antiques Roadshow 07:10 Daily Cooks Challenge 07:40 Come Dine With Me 08:30 Coastal Kitchen 08:55 The Naked Chef 09:20 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 09:45 James Martin’s Brittany 10:10 Holmes On Homes 10:55 Antiques Roadshow 11:50 Come Dine With Me 12:40 Daily Cooks Challenge 14:40 Bargain Hunt 15:25 Antiques Roadshow 17:10 Come Dine With Me 18:00 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 18:25 Coastal Kitchen 18:50 The Naked Chef 19:20 James Martin’s Brittany 19:45 Come Dine With Me 20:35 Holmes On Homes 21:25 Antiques Roadshow 22:15 Come Dine With Me 23:05 Masterchef Australia

00:00 BBC World News 00:30 World Business Report 00:45 Sport Today 01:00 BBC World News America 01:30 Asia Business Report 01:45 Sport Today 02:00 BBC World News 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 Newsday 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 04:00 Newsday 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 Newsday 05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Sport Today 06:00 Newsday 06:30 Hardtalk 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 Sport Today 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 Sport Today 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Hardtalk 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 World Business Report 12:45 Sport Today 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 World Business Report 13:45 Sport Today 14:00 GMT With George Alagiah 14:30 GMT With George Alagiah 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 World Business Report 15:45 Sport Today 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 BBC World News 18:30 Hardtalk 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 World Business Report 20:45 Sport Today 21:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Business Report 22:45 Sport Today 23:00 BBC World News America 23:30 Hardtalk

00:20 00:45 01:10 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:15

Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones Johnny Bravo Duck Dodgers King Arthur’s Disasters The Scooby Doo Show Popeye Classics Tom & Jerry Popeye The Jetsons The Flintstones

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

TV PROGRAMS 04:35 05:00 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:40 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:15 08:35 09:00 09:25 09:50 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:30 11:55 12:05 12:20 12:45 13:10 13:35 14:00 14:25 14:50 15:15 15:35 16:00 16:20 Doo 16:45 17:10 17:35 18:00 18:25 18:50 19:15 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:55 23:05 23:30 23:55

Looney Tunes Pink Panther & Pals Scooby Doo Where Are You! New Yogi Bear Show The Garfield Show The Addams Family Popeye Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes The Scooby Doo Show Wacky Races The Garfield Show Dastardly And Muttley The Flintstones Tom & Jerry Pink Panther and Pals Puppy In My Pocket New Yogi Bear Show The Scooby Doo Show The Garfield Show Tom & Jerry Top Cat Popeye The Jetsons Duck Dodgers Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Tom & Jerry The Perils of Penelope Pitstop Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races Scooby-Doo and ScrappyDastardly And Muttley The Flintstones Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show Pink Panther and Pals Puppy In My Pocket New Yogi Bear Show Looney Tunes Tom & Jerry Top Cat The Scooby Doo Show Wacky Races Dastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Johnny Bravo Dexters Laboratory The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Perils of Penelope Pitstop

00:05 Robotboy - Elements 00:30 Squirrel Boy 00:55 George Of The Jungle 01:20 Cramp Twins 01:45 Chop Socky Chooks 02:10 Best Ed 02:35 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 03:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 03:25 Generator Rex 03:50 Adventure Time 04:15 Flapjack 04:40 Chowder 05:05 The Powerpuff Girls 05:30 Ed, Edd n Eddy 05:55 Cow & Chicken 06:20 Squirrel Boy 06:45 I Am Weasel 07:00 Eliot Kid 07:25 Angelo Rules 07:50 Best Ed 08:15 Flapjack 08:40 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 09:05 Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 09:30 Courage The Cowardly Dog 09:32 Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 09:40 Courage The Cowardly Dog 09:55 Cow & Chicken 10:20 I Am Weasel 10:35 Adventure Time 11:00 Ben 10 11:25 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 11:50 The Secret Saturdays 12:15 Samurai Jack 12:40 Ben 10: Alien Force 13:05 Codename: Kids Next Door 13:30 Skunk Fu! 13:50 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 14:15 Flapjack 14:40 Ed, Edd n Eddy 15:05 Camp Lazlo 15:30 Chowder 15:55 Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 16:25 Cow & Chicken

8 MILE ON OSN ACTION HD

16:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog 17:15 I Am Weasel 17:40 Adventure Time 18:05 Codename: Kids Next Door 18:30 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 18:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 19:20 Generator Rex 19:45 Star Wars: The Clone Wars 20:10 Hero 108 20:35 Bakugan: New Vestroia 21:00 Total Drama Island 21:25 Adventure Time 21:50 Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 22:00 Ben 10 22:25 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 22:50 The Secret Saturdays 23:15 Samurai Jack 23:40 Megas Xlr

00:00 00:30 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 Call 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 23:00

Backstory World Sport The Situation Room World Report World Business Today Piers Morgan Tonight Anderson Cooper 360 World Sport Inside Africa World Report Backstory World Report World Report World Sport Revealed World Business Today American Morning: Wake-Up Talk Asia World One Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk The Brief World Sport Prism International Desk Revealed Quest Means Business Piers Morgan Tonight Connect The World

00:15 Flying Wild Alaska 01:10 Extreme Fishing With Robson Green 02:05 Dirty Jobs 03:00 Ultimate Survival 03:55 Wheeler Dealers 04:20 Mythbusters 05:15 How Do They Do It? 05:40 How Stuff’s Made 06:05 Dirty Jobs 07:00 Wheeler Dealers 07:25 Fifth Gear 07:50 Flying Wild Alaska 08:45 How Do They Do It? 09:10 Mythbusters 10:05 Cake Boss 10:30 Border Security 10:55 Auction Hunters 11:25 Weird Or What?

12:20 Mythbusters 13:15 Ultimate Survival 14:10 Extreme Fishing With Robson Green 15:05 Sons Of Guns 15:30 Cash Cab Us 16:00 Wheeler Dealers 16:25 Fifth Gear 16:55 Mythbusters 17:50 Flying Wild Alaska 18:45 Cake Boss 19:10 Border Security 19:40 Auction Hunters 20:05 How Stuff’s Made 20:35 How Do They Do It? 21:00 Cash Cab Us 21:30 Stan Lee’s Superhumans 22:25 Mythbusters 23:20 Weird Or What?

00:05 00:55 01:45 02:35 03:25 04:15 04:45 05:40 06:10 07:00 07:55 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:35 11:30 11:55 12:25 13:15 14:05 14:30 14:55 15:45 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:15 18:40 19:30 20:20 21:10 21:35 22:00 22:50 23:40

Smash Lab Superships Stephen Hawking’s Universe How the Universe Works Thunder Races How Does That Work?

Superships One Step Beyond Superships Thunder Races Cosmic Collisions The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Smash Lab Brainiac Sci-Fi Science How Does That Work?

Stephen Hawking’s Universe How the Universe Works One Step Beyond Stunt Junkies Superships Weird Connections Thunder Races Cosmic Collisions Sci-Fi Science The Gadget Show Extreme Bodies Killer Outbreaks Smash Lab The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Extreme Bodies Killer Outbreaks The Gadget Show

00:00 00:25 01:15 02:00 02:50 03:35 04:25 05:15 06:00 06:20 06:45 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:35 09:00 09:10 09:20 09:30

Kim Possible Fairly Odd Parents Stitch Replacements Emperor’s New School Stitch Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Emperor’s New School Suite Life On Deck Phineas And Ferb Wizards Of Waverly Place Suite Life On Deck Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jungle Junction The Hive Handy Manny

09:40 10:05 Cody 10:35 10:50 11:15 11:35 12:00 12:25 12:45 13:10 13:30 13:55 14:20 14:55 15:20 15:45 16:10 16:35 17:00 17:25 17:50 18:15 18:45 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:35

Imagination Movers The Suite Life Of Zack And Phineas And Ferb Good Luck Charlie Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Sonny With A Chance Good Luck Charlie Hannah Montana Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Suite Life On Deck Good Luck Charlie Phineas And Ferb Fish Hooks Shake It Up Jake & Blake Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks Shake It Up Suite Life On Deck Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Jake & Blake Hannah Montana Sonny With A Chance Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up Suite Life On Deck Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Jonas Los Angeles

00:25 Kendra 00:55 Style Star 01:25 E!es 02:20 E! Investigates 03:15 25 Most Stylish 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Extreme Hollywood 06:00 40 (More) Crimes Of Fashion 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 09:45 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 10:15 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Giuliana & Bill 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:35 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane 15:30 THS 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 THS 17:55 E! News 18:55 THS 19:55 Fashion Police 20:55 Chelsea Lately 21:25 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 21:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 22:25 E! News 23:25 Fashion Police

00:30 01:20 02:10 03:00 03:50 04:45 05:15 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:05 09:30 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:50 13:40 14:30 14:55 15:20 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:05 19:55 20:20 21:10 22:00 23:40

The Haunted A Haunting Deadly Women Couples Who Kill Dr G: Medical Examiner Amsterdam Vice The Haunted Diagnosis: Unknown Murder Shift Forensic Detectives Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Diagnosis: Unknown I Almost Got Away With It FBI Files On The Case With Paula Zahn Ghost Lab Diagnosis: Unknown Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls I Almost Got Away With It FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Diagnosis: Unknown Street Patrol On The Case With Paula Zahn Ghost Lab I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:30 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:30 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00

A World Apart Warrior Road Trip Banged Up Abroad Going Bush Bluelist Australia Weird & Wonderful Hotels The Frankincense Trail The Best Job In The World A World Apart Warrior Road Trip Banged Up Abroad Going Bush Bluelist Australia Weird & Wonderful Hotels The Frankincense Trail The Best Job In The World A World Apart Eccentric Uk First Ascent Endurance Traveller Departures Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Eccentric Uk First Ascent Endurance Traveller Departures

00:00 01:00 01:05 01:20 02:00 03:00 03:10 03:30 04:00 04:30 04:55 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:20 09:00 09:30 09:40 10:00

A World Apart Warrior Road Trip Mgm’s Big Screen Audrey Rose Banged Up Abroad Going Bush A Prayer For The Dying Bluelist Australia Weird & Wonderful Hotels The Frankincense Trail Holiday Heart The Best Job In The World A World Apart After Dark, My Sweet Warrior Road Trip Banged Up Abroad Strictly Business Going Bush Bluelist Australia Lawman Weird & Wonderful Hotels

THE LAST STATION ON OSN CINEMA 10:30 11:15 11:30 12:00 13:00 13:05 13:30 14:00 15:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 18:45 19:00 20:00 20:10 20:30 21:00 22:00 22:00 23:25

The Frankincense Trail Hickey And Boggs The Best Job In The World A World Apart Eccentric Uk The Bridge At Remagen Eccentric Uk First Ascent Endurance Traveller The Horse Soldiers Departures A Matter Of Justice Departures Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Mgm’s Big Screen Haunted Honeymoon Eccentric Uk First Ascent The Perez Family First Ascent Endurance Traveller Border, The Departures Caged Fury

00:30 02:15 04:00 06:00 08:15 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

The Tripper-18 The Alphabet Killer-PG15 Patriot Games-PG15 Lost In Space-PG15 Annihilation Earth-PG15 Evolution-PG15 The Fan-PG15 Annihilation Earth-PG15 Hardwired-PG15 The Fan-PG15 8 Mile-PG15 Splinter-18

01:15 03:15 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 12:45 14:45 16:45 PG15 18:45 21:00 23:00

Sinners & Saints-PG15 Furry Vengeance-PG15 Stone Of Destiny-PG15 Mee Shee-PG Leap Year-PG15 Furry Vengeance-PG15 Planet 51-PG Hurricane Season-PG15 Beyond A Reasonable DoubtThe A-Team-PG15 Peter And Vandy-18 The Last Station-PG15

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Sarah Silverman Program 02:00 The Cleveland Show 02:30 The Big C 03:00 Friends 03:30 Friends 04:00 Dharma And Greg 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Will And Grace 06:00 Coach 06:30 The Drew Carey Show 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Dharma And Greg 08:30 Friends 09:00 Will And Grace 09:30 Raising Hope 10:00 Cougar Town 10:30 Coach 11:00 The Drew Carey Show 11:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:30 Dharma And Greg 13:00 Friends 13:30 Will And Grace 14:00 Coach 14:30 Raising Hope 15:00 Cougar Town 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 The Drew Carey Show 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Friends 18:30 Friends 19:00 Parks And Recreation 19:30 The Simpsons 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Louie 22:30 The Big C 23:00 Sarah Silverman Program 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00

Private Practice House Drop Dead Diva Grey’s Anatomy

04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

One Tree Hill Good Morning America Persons Unknown Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Private Practice Grey’s Anatomy Live Good Morning America One Tree Hill The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Warehouse 13 Supernatural Supernatural Drop Dead Diva Persons Unknown

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

The Event Game Of Thrones House Grey’s Anatomy Private Practice Alias The Event Two And A Half Men Coronation Street Off The Map Alias Grey’s Anatomy House Two And A Half Men Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Off The Map The Event Two And A Half Men Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Off The Map Warehouse 13 Supernatural Supernatural Game Of Thrones Big Love

01:00 Gothika-18 03:00 The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations-18 04:45 Public Enemies-18 07:15 Ballistica-PG15 09:00 Shanghai Knights-PG15 11:00 The Day After Tomorrow-PG15 13:15 Star Runners-PG15 15:00 Shanghai Knights-PG15 17:00 Independence Day-PG15 19:30 Killshot-18 21:15 Case 39-18 23:15 Battlestar Galactica: The Plan18

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 PG 16:00 18:00 PG15 20:00 22:00

Checking Out-PG15 Patch Adams-PG15 Just Married-PG15 500 Days Of Summer-PG15 Someone Like You-PG15 Garfield-PG The Bounty Hunter-PG15 Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid-

01:00 03:00 05:15 09:00 11:00 13:15 15:15 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:15

Frenzy-PG15 I Am Sam-PG15 Spartacus-PG15 Joueuse-PG15 The Rookie-PG15 Make It Funky!-PG15 Return To Rajapur-PG15 Maneater: Part I-PG15 Romeo + Juliet-PG15 Mary, Queen Of Scots-PG15 Fireflies In The Garden-PG15

01:30 03:30 05:30 07:30 09:00 11:30 13:00 15:00

Hanging Up-PG15 Daddy Day Care-PG A Christmas Carol-PG Napoleon Dynamite-PG Tron: Legacy-PG15 The Sunset Limited-PG15 16 To Life-PG15 Mean Girls-PG15

Checking Out-PG15 Return To Sleepaway CampRoommates-PG15 The Ugly Truth-PG15

17:00 19:30 21:00 23:00

Tron: Legacy-PG15 Girl, Positive-PG15 Peter And Vandy-18 The Final Destination-18

01:15 Rugby World Cup 03:30 Trans World Sport 04:30 WWE Tough Enough 05:30 Le Mans Series Magazine 06:00 Speedway FIM World Championship 07:00 UFC 135 Countdown 08:00 Rugby World Cup 10:15 Live Rugby World Cup 12:30 RWC Weekly Highlights 13:00 UFC 135 Countdown 14:00 Speedway FIM World Championship 15:00 Powerboats F1 H2O World Championship 16:15 RWC Highlights 16:30 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 17:30 UFC 135 Countdown 18:30 RWC Weekly Highlights 19:00 Rugby World Cup 21:15 Trans World Sport 22:15 RWC Highlights 22:30 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 23:30 RWC Weekly Highlights

00:00 Golfing World 01:00 Scottish League Cup 03:00 Super League 05:00 Rugby Union Currie Cup 07:00 Scottish League Cup 09:00 Trans World Sport 10:00 RWC Highlights 10:15 Live Rugby World Cup 12:30 AFL Highlights 13:30 Trans World Sport 14:30 Mobil 1 The Grid 15:00 European PGA Tour Highlights 16:00 Golfing World 17:00 Scottish League Cup 19:00 Rugby World Cup 21:15 Golfing World 22:15 Trans World Sport 23:15 ICC Cricket World 23:45 European Tour Weekly

01:45 PGA European Tour Highlights 02:45 Beach Volleyball 03:15 Futbol Mundial 03:45 NRL Full Time 04:15 Rugby World Cup 06:30 Futbol Mundial 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 Rugby Union Currie Cup 10:00 Premier League Snooker 12:00 Mobil 1 The Grid 12:30 Golfing World 13:30 ICC Criket World 14:00 Rugby World Cup 16:15 The Challenge Series Golf 16:45 NRL Full Time 17:15 Trans World Sport 18:15 RWC Highlights 18:30 Golfing World 19:30 Euro Tour Weekly 20:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 21:00 Futbol Mundial 21:30 RWC Highlights 21:45 AFL Premiership

02:00 03:00 05:30 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 12:00 13:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:30 22:00 23:00

UFC 135 Countdown UFC Fight Night 25 UFC All Access UFC Unleashed WWE Tough Enough Speedway Prizefighter WWE Tough Enough WWE SmackDown Intercontinental Le Mans Cup V8 Supercars Championship Speedway Mobil 1 The Grid UFC 135 Countdown UFC Fight Night 25 UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed

Classifieds WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation in Mahboula near McDonald in sea side, 2 bedroom flat, 2 bathroom central A/C, looking for executive bachelor or couple. Contact: 66216713. (C 3631) Room for rent in Farwaniya for small family or working ladies, available starting 01-10-2011 with small Indian family.

Call: 99051353, 97823565.

(C 3633) One room available in two bedroom flat behind Crowne Plaza near Dar AlQuran, for Pakistani and Indian bachelor. Please contact: 50129393 / 66490857.

(C 3634) 19-09-2011 Single room with separate bathroom available in 3 bedroom 3 bathroom deluxe C-AC flat with small Muslim family in Hawally Tunis street, near Sadique roundabout, behind Commercial Bank, for single executive or decent couple or 2 working ladies.

Contact: 97794619.

(C 3626) 15-9-2011 Accommodation available in Salmiya, Amman St, CA/C new building, for two Indian/ Sri Lanka bachelors with another Indian.

Contact: 99467432.

(C 3622)

SITUATION WANTED Fresh dynamic Mechanical Engineer with immaculate English language skills looking for opportunities, in engineering, media or related fields. Transferable residence.

Phone: 67078742. (C 3639) 21-9-2011 Oracle ERP Specialist (Project Lead, Apps DBA, Techno-Functional), 15+ years exp in IT (6+ yrs in Ebs R11/R12, 3 full cycle implementation) Oracle Certified, Indian, Transferable residence. (M) 99316737.

(C 3637)

No: 15216

CHANGE OF NAME SITUATION VACANT I have change my surname from my old surname Mithu Habibullah Ismail to my new Surname Mitha Habibullah Ismail. I am holding Indian Passport No. Z026492 (C 3636) 20-9-2011 I, VADAKKE VEEDU DAMODARAN VINODAN holding Indian Passport No: Z1846634 has changed my name to VADAKKE VEEDU DAMODARAN VINOD as on 19-9-2011. (C 3632) 19-9-2011

A Kuwaiti family wants an Indian driver. Tel: 97949776.

(C 3638) 21-9-2011

FOR SALE Brand new Nissan Altima 2011 for sale, will offer good discount, car still in showroom.

Contact: 66947732. (C 3635) 20-9-2011

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR THY ETH UAE DHX FDB GFA QTR JZR JZR THY JZR FCX JZR KAC BAW BBC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE QTR ABY IRA ETD GFA FCX RBG MEA JZR JZR IRM JZR SVA SVA KAC MSR IRC UAL RJA MSR FDB KAC KAC QTR SVA

Arrival Flights on Wednesday 21/9/2011 Flt Route 267 BEIRUT 772 ISTANBUL 620 ADDIS ABABA 853 DUBAI 370 BAHRAIN 67 DUBAI 211 BAHRAIN 138 DOHA 529 ASSIUT 241 AMMAN 770 ISTANBUL 503 LUXOR 201 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 412 MANILA/BANGKOK 157 LONDON 45 DHAKA 1541 CAIRO 206 ISLAMABAD 382 DELHI 284 DHAKA 302 MUMBAI 53 DUBAI 352 COCHIN 344 CHENNAI 362 COLOMBO 855 DUBAI 132 DOHA 125 SHARJAH 603 SHIRAZ 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 203 DUBAI 3555 ALEXANDRIA 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 121 BAHRAIN 5066 MASHAD 561 SOHAG 9301 JEDDAH 9303 JEDDAH 672 DUBAI 610 CAIRO 6791 MASHAD 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 640 AMMAN 621 ASSIUT 57 DUBAI 802 CAIRO 790 MEDINAH 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH

Time 0:35 1:15 1:45 2:25 2:55 3:10 3:15 3:20 3:35 3:55 4:10 5:15 5:25 6:10 6:15 6:30 6:45 7:10 7:15 7:20 7:40 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:20 8:20 8:25 9:00 9:10 9:25 9:30 9:35 10:30 10:35 10:55 11:10 11:15 11:50 12:30 13:00 13:00 13:15 13:20 13:25 13:30 13:40 13:40 13:50 14:00 14:05 14:15 14:30

CLX QTR KAC JZR JZR KNE SYR ETD UAE GFA SVA JZR RBG JZR ABY KAC KNE JZR FDB ALK JZR IYE KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC AIC JAI FDB JZR OMA VOS MEA MSR DHX UAE GFA QTR UAL JZR JZR MSR DLH SAI AXB JZR KLM PIA

792 134 546 201 535 701 341 303 857 215 510 777 3558 239 127 550 745 481 63 227 177 824 166 502 542 618 786 614 674 102 774 975 572 61 787 647 81 402 618 372 859 217 136 981 135 185 612 636 441 393 539 447 215

LUXEMBOURG DOHA ALEXANDRIA DAMASCUS CAIRO RIYADH DAMASCUS ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH JEDDAH SOHAG AMMAN SHARJAH SHARM EL SHEIKH/SOHAG JEDDAH SABIHA DUBAI COLOMBO/DUBAI DUBAI SANAA/DOHA PARIS/ROME BEIRUT CAIRO DOHA JEDDAH BAHRAIN DUBAI NEW YORK/LONDON RIYADH CHENNAI/GOA MUMBAI DUBAI RIYADH MUSCAT BAGHDAD BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI CAIRO FRANKFURT LAHORE KOZHIKODE/COCHIN CAIRO AMSTERDAM/BAHRAIN KARACHI

14:50 15:15 15:30 15:45 15:50 16:00 16:30 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:25 17:35 17:35 17:40 17:45 17:50 17:50 17:55 18:00 18:00 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:50 18:55 19:00 19:20 19:25 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:35 20:00 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:15 20:55 21:00 21:15 21:25 21:35 22:00 22:10 22:35 22:50 23:00 23:05 23:15 23:30 23:35 23:55

Airlines TimeJZR AXB DLH AIC PIA THY ETH SWT UAE FDB DHX QTR THY JZR JZR GFA KAC BBC JZR BAW KAC FDB JZR KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY KAC QTR KAC JZR ETD GFA JZR IRA RBG FCX MEA JZR KAC JZR KAC KAC IRM KAC JZR MSR IRC SVA RJA FDB

Departure Flights on Wednesday 21/9/2011 Flt Route 1540 CAIRO 390 MANGALORE/KOZHIKODE 637 FRANKFURT 982 AHMEDABAD/CHENNAI 206 LAHORE 773 ISTANBUL 621 ADDIS ABABA 94 DUBAI/KANDAHAR 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 139 DOHA 771 ISTANBUL 560 SOHAG 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 801 CAIRO 46 DHAKA 120 BAHRAIN 156 LONDON 545 ALEXANDRIA 54 DUBAI 534 CAIRO 177 FRANKFURT/GENEVA 671 DUBAI 789 MEDINAH 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 549 SHARM EL SHEIKH/SOHAG 133 DOHA 117 NEW YORK 480 SABIHA 302 ABU DHABI 214 BAHRAIN 200 DAMASCUS 602 SHIRAZ 3557 SOHAG 204 DUBAI 405 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 541 CAIRO 238 AMMAN 103 LONDON 501 BEIRUT 5065 MASHAD 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 6792 MASHAD 2301 JEDDAH 641 AMMAN 58 DUBAI

0:20 0:25 0:40 1:05 1:10 2:15 2:45 3:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 5:00 5:10 5:55 6:55 7:10 7:20 8:00 8:20 8:25 8:35 8:40 8:50 8:55 9:00 9:25 9:40 9:50 9:55 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:20 10:20 10:25 11:15 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:00 12:10 12:30 13:00 13:20 13:30 13:40 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:35 14:35

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

MSR UAL KAC SVA KAC SVA KAC QTR CLX KAC JZR JZR KNE SYR ETD QTR UAE GFA RBG ABY JZR JZR KNE SVA FDB JZR JZR ALK IYE KAC KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC OMA MEA MSR DHX UAE GFA FCX KAC QTR KAC KAC JZR JZR JZR UAL MSR KAC SAI

622 982 673 2303 617 503 773 141 792 613 786 538 704 342 304 135 858 216 3556 128 184 266 746 511 64 204 134 228 824 283 361 571 62 331 351 648 403 619 373 860 218 102 381 137 301 205 502 554 268 981 613 415 442

ASSIUT BAHRAIN DUBAI JEDDAH DOHA MEDINAH/JEDDAH RIYADH DOHA HONG KONG BAHRAIN RIYADH CAIRO MEDINAH DAMASCUS ABU DHABI DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA SHARJAH DUBAI BEIRUT JEDDAH RIYADH DUBAI DAMASCUS BAHRAIN DUBAI/COLOMBO SANAA DHAKA COLOMBO MUMBAI DUBAI TRIVANDRUM COCHIN MUSCAT BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DELHI DOHA MUMBAI ISLAMABAD LUXOR ALEXANDRIA BEIRUT WASHINGTON DC DULLES CAIRO KUALA LUMPUR/JAKARTA LAHORE

14:40 14:45 15:10 15:30 15:35 15:45 16:05 16:15 16:20 16:20 16:35 16:40 16:45 17:30 17:35 17:45 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 18:35 18:40 18:55 19:10 19:10 19:40 20:00 20:20 20:35 20:40 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:55 22:00 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:55 23:05 23:10 23:25 23:40 23:50 23:50 23:59

34

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

stars CROSSWORD 445

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) It is easy to overdo today. Your energies are high and you may feel that you can do anything. You are smooth when there is a need to solve problems. However, do not try to reorganize a business or reroof the house in one day! Set your priorities and pace yourself. Your patience may be tested after work today. You may complain of never having any privacy, or time to think—even though you are the one choosing the amount of social and professional contact. Being an extrovert, you may have difficulty understanding reclusive types; you may long to suffer in solitude—a balance is needed. Your mind is ever on communicating well: how you present yourself and are understood. This evening it is time to do only the most relaxing things; laugh!

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Stressful conditions or difficult people in the workplace this morning may cause you to question your choice of profession but with patience and a little counting to ten several times, the morning proceeds harmlessly and you are, once again, saving the day. Do not resent the part you play; without the stress you would not be motivated to the next step up the corporate ladder. You may want to take a short trip or visit a new friend. Perhaps you and your friend could shop together this evening. Purchasing, selecting colors and so on are at a high this evening. You want to look your best regarding an upcoming social engagement. This engagement may be very important to you in the future. You are interested in connecting with new, stable, trustworthy people.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. A man who serves as a sailor.

4. Flightless birds having flat breastbones lacking a keel for attachment of flight muscles.

10. Inquire about.

13. The month following March and preceding May. 14. Type genus of the Agonidae.

15. The longer of the two telegraphic signals used in Morse code.

16. The cry made by sheep.

17. United States tennis player (born in Czechoslovakia) who won several singles championships.

18. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

19. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves.

21. Antelope with white markings like a harness and twisted horns.

23. A barrier constructed to contain the flow or water or to keep out the sea.

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

27. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

30. Mentally or physically infirm with age.

31. annoy continually or chronically.

34. (criminal law) Money that must be forfeited by the bondsman if an accused person fails to appear in court for trial.

38. The syllable naming the sixth (submediant) note of a major or minor scale in solmization.

39. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

42. A detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work.

44. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

45. Harsh or corrosive in tone.

46. A Chadic language spoken in the Mandara mountains in Cameroon.

48. Take off a hook.

52. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.

55. A basketball shot made with one hand from a position under or beside the basket (and usually banked off the backboard).

60. Capital of Armenia.

62. The 7th letter of the Greek alphabet.

63. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

64. West Indian tree having racemes of fragrant white flowers and yielding a durable timber and resinous juice.

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

DOWN 1. An amino acid that is found in the central nervous system.

2. A translucent mineral consisting of hydrated silica of variable color.

3. (informal) Exceptionally good.

4. A rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders).

5. How long something has existed.

6. A monarchy on a Polynesian archipelago in the South Pacific.

7. Give free rein to.

8. Eurasian perennial bulbous herbs.

9. A radioactive transuranic element produced by bombarding plutonium with neutrons.

10. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

11. A region of Malaysia in northeastern Borneo.

12. Botswanan statesman who was the first president of Botswana (1921-1980).

20. A French abbot.

22. A flexible container with a single opening.

24. Being ten more than one hundred ninety.

25. An esoteric or occult matter that is traditionally secret.

28. A collection of objects laid on top of each other.

29. United States tennis player who was the first Black to win United States and English singles championships (1943-1993).

32. A hard gray lustrous metallic element that is highly corrosionresistant.

33. A small cake leavened with yeast.

35. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

36. Being one more than two.

37. A digital display that uses liquid crystal cells that change reflectivity in an applied electric field.

40. An awkward stupid person.

41. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).

42. A radioactive transuranic element produced by bombarding plutonium with neutrons.

43. The imperial dynasty of China from 1122 to 221 BC. 47. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River.

49. Horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits.

50. Type genus of the Hylidae.

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

53. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

54. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

56. A unit of length equal to one thousandth of an inch.

57. Any of various coarse shrubby plants of the genus Iva with small greenish flowers.

58. A former agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States.

61. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You feel a love of order and law—an appreciation for responsibilities and duty. Discipline is no problem, but you may want to be careful of becoming too authoritarian. Your sense of responsibility is well developed and you may successfully help a co-worker overcome some difficulty or change some difficult situation in their life. Taking care of an older person or tending to the little problems around your living area may hold your attention after work today. Problems are few and far between for you and you seem more than happy to help in any opportunity that comes to your attention. There is a renewed interest in a hobby this evening, perhaps in writing or cooking. This has been a successful and pleasant day.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

Beyond whatever external considerations may be present, you exude a contagious thankfulness and fondness for things and people. These inner, loving qualities are experienced as a very real good. You seem to gravitate to those things which last and hold true and are always separating the false from the true. You manage to find the truth in most matters. Matters of law, religion and philosophy of the most resolute kind hold your interest. You may find yourself reading and catching up on the latest business technology at the library, bookstore or news stand. New ways to organize and better discipline are possible as well. Here is an opportunity to get some insight into some techniques of solving problems that may prove of great value in the years to come.

Leo (July 23-August 22) You will find that you can really use your mind to make clear choices and think things through today. Any career decisions are straightforward and easy to make. You make your way through ideas, concepts and your ability to communicate and express them to others. Outer circumstances and the flow of events make it easy for you to make clear decisions, see the road ahead and move forward. Things seem to fall into place and progress is easy. Be careful not to take on more than you can process. There is a major life event now that marks the end of a formative period and the beginning of more independence. You are on your own and this marks the start of increased responsibility and accountability. This is a time for deep thought.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Smiles are easy to find—you will find yourself in a social mood most of this day and although you work and get a lot done, it is easy to respond with conversations to co-workers and to customers. Connections that last a lifetime and networking opportunities that help you to expand your knowledge on some hobby make this day quite interesting. New and unusual ways of working may be possible through some of your communications and perhaps, a higher paying job opportunity is within your reach; pay close attention. Like the artist that depicts a beautiful scene, you have an artful way in which you express yourself. If you are not careful, company may still be around your place a week after the time expected. A trip may be in order soon.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Support and recognition should be available from the public and from family and friends. A new project is at hand. Perhaps some monetary rewards are in the forecast. You feel at home in the world and it more than takes care of you. You could have deep insights into your own feelings and inner spirit. You may be attending or giving an art show this evening. Some shopping may be in order. Your taste in art and appreciation in general are heightened. You may be motivated to make some decisions about your creative expression today. Your sense of value is active just now. This is a good time to select furnishings, colors and so on—the finer things of life. Sit back and enjoy what you have; share your good mood with a loved one.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Listening becomes important today as you try to understand new ways of working. Ideas and thoughts are important for the art of creation and will not come easily if you are stressed. A round table discussion presents the perfect forum for your presentation as well as gives you the opportunity to add to your own creative mind; be patient and bide your time before making yourself known. After you make your presentation, make sure you take notes on what you have heard and how you want to grow and achieve. You are successful in your efforts; keep moving forward by adapting and adjusting. You have no idea what people really think, so do not feed any feelings into the matter. A cycle of nostalgia and domesticity begins this evening.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

Yesterday’s Solution

You have great insight into matters of personal freedom. When communicating with supervisors today, you may have insight into their world and what they must do to succeed in their profession. Finding a way to serve or volunteering to help in some charity project from the workplace will help you in your climb up the ladder as well as give help to others. You come up with brilliant ways to help your co-workers and you are appreciated. Communication after work seems focused on young people. New methods of raising kids or caring for animals are yours. You relax with children, sports, acting, singing and such this afternoon. A reservation may have to be made ahead of time if you enjoy horseback riding or some other interest.

You could be moody, even dreamy today. Relaxation techniques will benefit your frame of mind by giving you positive avenues where you can release any negative feelings. It is easy for you to find the proper motivation now to change any negative to a positive. Generally, this is a creative and successful time in your life—one of healing. Problems could lose some of their definition and appear less difficult. You might have a sense of living in a dream world or of being awake in your own dream this evening. Everything seems less solid and definite. The spirit world seems real and possible. Enjoy observing all the things you can see that really make the world a pleasant place.

Enjoy the sunset. You may even have ideas for encouraging others.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Everything works together to reveal you at your best today— particularly in group gatherings. You will have a grasp for abstract as well as practical ideas which is one reason you are usually included in solving problems or brain-storming meetings. Whether it is you or someone else that comes up with a clever idea, you can usually create the practical side to the situation making the idea workable or showing the difficulties. With this talent, you may find that some days you are received well by all your co-workers and some days you are keenly unappreciated. Go with the flow and you will fare better. A picnic in the park might be fun early this evening, if weather permits; whatever the case, an early dinner with good conversation is satisfying.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

This is quite a busy day, one that seems to be pulling you in many directions. Prioritize and don’t skimp on your breaks, those breaks legally belong to you. If the company has added work, they may need to hire a temporary helper; if a project is into a tight schedule, it may mean some overtime but the breaks are important for your sanity as well as your job performance. After work there is an opportunity to become involved in some athletic activity; join in to relieve any tension leftover from the workday. There is a strong need for nurturing and to be nurtured. This could evolve from needed rest but it could also be an indication that it is your time for getting into a volunteer group or in a religious group that visits shutins or the handicapped.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

i n f o r m at i o n

FIRE BRIGADE

112

Al-Madena

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

24812000

Al-Jahra

25610011

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

POLICE STATION Al-Madena Police Station Al-Murqab Police Station Al-Daiya Police Station Al-Fayha’a Police Station Al-Qadissiya Police Station Al-Nugra Police Station Al-Salmiya Police Station Al-Dasma Police Station

Clinics Rabiya

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

AIRLINES

PHARMACIES ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Psychologists /Psychotherapists

22547272

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist 25340300

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

Dr Anil Thomas

3729596/3729581 22641071/2

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Salem soso

22618787

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

Neurologists

Dr. Adnan Ebil

22639939

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Mousa Khadada

22666300

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists

25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291 22666288

Rheumatologists:

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

Dentists

Internists, Chest & Heart

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25655535

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

General Surgeons

22433377 177 22924455 22414400 22423888 22425747 22434940 22420002/9 22418064/5/6 22433388 22425635 22430224 22425566 22438184 22424444 22421578 22421516 22426306 22423073 22422493 22421044 22414427 22416474 22452977/8 22417901/ 2433141 22456700 22958787 22453820/1 22404838/9

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

Kuwait Airways Jazeera Airways Jet Airways FlyDubai Qatar Airways KLM Air Slovakia Olympic Airways Royal Jordanian Reservation British Airways Air France Emirates Air India Sri Lanka Airlines Egypt Air Swiss Air Saudia Middle East Airlines Lufthansa PIA Alitalia Balkan Airlines Bangladesh Airlines Czech Airlines Indian Airlines Oman Air Turkish Airlines Aeroflot

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

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M o v i e s Review

Amy Winehouse shines on Tony Bennett’s ‘Duets’ T

o contend that Amy Winehouse walks away with Tony Bennett’s “Duets II” album isn’t just to give in to posthumous sentimentality. Even if Winehouse were up and bounding like a young gazelle, you’d still have to count her three-and-a-half minutes with the

In this CD cover image released by RPM/Columbia Records, the latest release by Tony Bennett, “Duets II,” is shown. —AP octogenarian partner who outlived her as the album’s most precious. That’s not to say none of the still-living singers filling out Bennett’s dance card on his seconds “Duets” project make an impression. Lady Gaga is a perfectly engaging vamp on the album’s opener, “Lady Is a Tramp,” and Norah Jones’ participation in “Speak Low” adds up to nothing short of

autumnal sublimity.

But it’s Winehouse’s last will and testament, “Body and Soul,” that’s the album’s serious keeper. It would have been the saddest sounding choice on “Duets II” even without the added baggage sudden death brings to lines like “My life, a wreck you’re making” and “Are you pretending, it looks like the ending.” Never has Winehouse sounded more like the brassier Billie Holiday she was predicted to become at the beginning of her career.

Her unusual phrasing stands in stark contrast to the sheer professionalism of crooners who populate the later, less interesting stretches of the project, like Carrie Underwood and Faith Hill. Here, you immediately recognize, besides the host himself, is the album’s only true jazz singer.

Though her vocals aren’t as remarkable, Gaga is the other up-and-comer you can imagine Bennett actually sharing a beer with.

Conversational hardly begins to describe their rapport on “Tramp,” where Gaga amends the lyrics to say “I love to rowboat with you and your wife” and emphatically exclaims “Yes, I do!” when Bennett voices Rodgers & Hart’s amazement over a gal’s ability to stay awake through opera. “I love the Yankees” is also a well-proven fact in Gaga’s case (even if Jerry Seinfeld and some Yankees fans don’t love her back), with Bennett name-checking Derek Jeter to timestamp the recording.

It’s in interplay like this that the contrast to Sinatra’s artistically failed “Duets” projects becomes most apparent: The singers actually met. Photos in the CD booklet pointedly reinforce that in-the-same-room fact, with every guest appearing in a dual shot (except Queen Latifah, who either phoned in her part or came in on the photographer’s sick day).

The choice of participants might be moot if the arrangements of these sometimes slightly less familiar standards weren’t so top-notch.

Jorge Calandrelli handles the ones that emphasize a basic quartet and/or orchestration, and Marion Evans takes the reigns on the numbers employing more elaborate horn sections, both to beauteous effect.

Inevitably, over the course of 17 tracks, some dullness sets in. The audience that’s most into Bennett is going to be the demographic most into purchasing entire albums, but maybe they (we?) aren’t too old to learn how to cherrypick singles off iTunes.

Certain choices of partner are either too predictably on-the-nose (Latifah, Natalie Cole, Michael Buble) or too formal and stylistically afield (Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban).

Sometimes you wish the revolving door would jam shut just so you could hear Bennett sing “Blue Velvet” all by himself, even if the celebrity interrupter is as estimable as kd lang.

Problems can arise when songs not written as duets become exchanges. On “One for My Baby (And One More for the Road),” Bennett and John Mayer play barstool buddies, with the elder singer muttering “You, too?” when the younger relays his lonely tale of alcoholisminducing woe. Oddly, these two guys don’t have as much drinking-partner chemistry as Tony and Gaga do.

On “The Girl I Love,” Bennett plays father figure rather than romantic counterpart to Sheryl Crow. It’s a fix that works, sort of. But when he counsels Crow, “Maybe you will meet him someday,” that’s the kind of promise that sounds awfully unsure when placed in the mouth of an older third party instead of a wistful ingenue.

Even so, “Duets II” is remarkable for getting right what Sinatra and other mass dueters have gotten wrong. And Bennett’s implacable goodold-New-York-boy spirit ensures a joviality that permeates even the most somber numbers (except, maybe, Winehouse’s). Not many 85year-olds could sing lines as potentially rueful as “Time is so old and love so brief”-as Bennett does with Norah Jones-and have it come off like a victory lap.—AP

Top 10 songs and albums on the iTunes store

Krist Novoselic, left and Dave Grohl, center, former members of the band Nirvana, pose with Butch Vig, producer of the band’s landmark 1991 album “Nevermind,” in Los Angeles. —AP

Top Songs: 1. “Moves Like Jagger (Studio Recording from ‘The Voice’ Performance) (feat. Christina Aguilera),” Maroon 5 2. “Someone Like You,” ADELE 3. “Pumped Up Kicks,” Foster the People 4. “Stereo Hearts (feat. Adam Levine),” Gym Class Heroes 5. “Paradise,” Coldplay 6. “You Make Me Feel...(feat. Sabi),” Cobra Starship 7. Party Rock Anthem (feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock),” LMFAO 8. “Cheers (Drink to That),” Rihanna 9. “You and I,” Lady GaGa 10.“Without You (feat. Usher),” Usher, David Guetta Top Albums: 1. “Own the Night,” Lady Antebellum 2. “21,” ADELE 3. “Tha Carter IV,” Lil Wayne 4. “Mylo Xyloto,” Coldplay 5. “1,” The Beatles 6. “Staind,” Staind 7. “Halfway to Heaven,” Brantley Gilbert 8. “Watch the Throne,” Kanye West, Jay-Z 9. “Something Like This,” Ben Rector 10.“Torches,” Foster the People—AP

Grohl, Novoselic reminisce about ‘Nevermind’ I

t’s been 20 years since the release of Nirvana’s “Nevermind.” The album, which included cultural anthems like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Come As You Are,” marked the beginning of the alternative rock explosion of the 1990s and transformed drummer Dave Grohl, bassist Krist Novoselic and singer-guitarist Kurt Cobain into the posterboys of Generation X, until Cobain’s suicide in 1994.

On a recent afternoon inside 606 Studio, the sprawling headquarters for Grohl’s band Foo Fighters, Grohl and Novoselic, while slumped on a couch near the same soundboard that they used to record “Nevermind,” reminisced with producer Butch Vig about how they made the album that forever changed their lives and the music world.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of “Nevermind,” which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, Universal is reissuing the remastered album Sept 27 with various special editions. Bonus material includes obscure B-sides, alternate mixes, live recordings and video of the band’s 1991 Halloween concert at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre. A limited super deluxe edition features rehearsal recordings captured on a boombox (“It was in the bottom of a box of stuff that was gonna get thrown out,” Novoselic recalls) and the original unused “Nevermind” mixes that Vig hoarded until the group began planning for the album’s anniversary last year.

AP: What was your a-ha moment when you realized that “Nevermind” had become bigger than you?

Grohl: I’d say “Saturday Night Live.” Being asked to be on “SNL” was without a doubt that moment for me. That’s when I thought, “Oh my God. We’re one of THOSE bands now.” Then, in the dressing room, that’s when (expletive) “Weird Al” Yankovic calls and asks if he can do a parody of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” That was a weird weekend. That was it for me.

Novoselic: It was shocking to be famous. I bought a house to deal with it. Then, of course, there was Kurt, who was thrust into being the spokesman of a generation. That was hard for him. He had some personal things going on that were happening just as fast. He was in a whirlwind.

Kurt didn’t necessarily identify with Generation X or mainstream values.

AP: What was it like going back and listening to “Nevermind” after all these years?

Vig: It’s still out there. It’s omnipresent, but this is the first time I’ve listened to from a critical perspective. The remastering sounds great. The album holds up really well. It’s timeless. I think part of that is because the songs are really good. The production isn’t gimmicky. It’s just bass, drums and guitar. There’s not any sort of trendy sound.

Grohl: “Nevermind” represents more than just an album with music on it to me. It was a specific, exciting time in my life. Personally, my life is split by the release of that album.

My entire life is pre-”Nevermind” and post-”Nevermind.”

When it came out, my whole (expletive) world was changed forever. There’s something about the innocence of it all.

AP: How do you think music has changed since “Nevermind” was released?

Grohl: Honestly, if you look at what was going on back then, outside of technology, all of that stupid (expletive) that was going on is still going on today. You’ve got stupid shows on TV to make people famous so they can sell records. The top 10 is full of crap. It’s the same (expletive).

You’ve got all these rock bands trying to make it in a van somewhere.

Vig: With information moving so fast, the whole world has ADD You only grab onto something for a second before you discard it. When “Nevermind” happened, it was still a slower time. That record really took off from a grass-

roots level. The label printed something like 40,000 copies.

Word of mouth was faster than the Geffen publicity machine could handle.

AP: How do you feel about the impact “Nevermind” had not just on music but on culture?

Grohl: I have this shut-off valve. When I start getting to that place where I consider the impact of the album, I just turn off because it’s hard to imagine something so innocent and simple turning into something that’s out of your hands. I think that album came out at a time when a lot of kids didn’t have anything to believe in and Nivrana was entirely real.

Novoselic: I remember at the time when Nirvana was just breaking and we were still very idealistic about it. We thought, “Yeah, we’re gonna change the world!” It’s like when I first heard punk rock music and even hard rock music, it spoke to me, but then again, revolutions get coopted, and it never really turns out the way you think it would turn out.

AP: If there was some rip in the space-time continuum, do you think you could have made “Nevermind” today?

Vig: I don’t think it would sound the same. There’s a feel on the record that you can’t really manipulate. These days, I love computers and moving stuff around and (expletive) with the sound. I feel technology would somehow get in the way of the kind of record we made back then. I know it wouldn’t make it better. It’s impossible to imagine that happening now.

Grohl: With technology these days, we could have been one of those bands who recorded it by ourselves in a garage and uploaded it to YouTube and bypassed any of the conventional industry routes. Who knows? I know that if Krist and I went in that booth right now and recorded on that board, we could sound exactly the same. That’s how simple the whole thing was. —AP

Jon Cryer poses with his star on the Hollwood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. —AP

Cryer receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

“T

wo and a Half Men” star Jon Cryer on Monday received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and thanked former co-star Charlie Sheen and the show’s co-creators for intervening during last season when troubles arose. Cryer, 46, was honored with the 2,449th star on the famed walkway. Among those who attended were “Two and a Half” creator Chuck Lorre and co-stars Ashton Kutcher and Angus T Jones.

Kutcher has replaced Sheen on TV’s top-rated comedy after Lorre and the Warner Bros studio feuded with their erratic, hard-partying star. They fired Sheen last March, cutting the series short. Sheen, however had well wishes for his former show on Sunday during the Emmys. After recognizing Sheen, Cryer gave props to Lorre and co-creator Lee Aronsohn who “when they saw somebody clearly in distress, they took every possible means to try and help their friend,” he said. “When it came time to make the ultimate decision, which was some place nobody wanted to go, did something that, in my belief, saved my friend Charlie Sheen’s life.”

Cryer made his film debut in the 1984 romantic comedy “No Small Affair,” and was best known for his role as Phil “Duckie” Dale in “Pretty in Pink” before landing a spot on CBS’ “Two and a Half Men.” He has received six consecutive Emmy nominations for supporting actor in a comedy series, winning two years ago. Cryer also has performed on Broadway in “Brighton Beach Memoirs” and “Torch Song Trilogy.” —AP

Review

Sensitive Gavin DeGraw gets rascally on ‘Sweeter’

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hen Gavin DeGraw was attacked for no obviously apparent reason on the streets of New York’s East Village last month, it was hard not to flash back to that famous scene from “National Lampoon’s Animal House” where John Belushi beat up Stephen Bishop for the mere crime of being a sensitive singer/songwriter. DeGraw definitely has a femalefriendly reputation as a lover, not a fighter. But he’s got more moxie than his image might suggest. On his new album, “Sweeter,” DeGraw is never exactly pugilistic, but that outer sweetness definitely masks some more interesting shades to his musical personality.

Take the opening title track, an almost rocking stomper in which an uncharacteristically rascally DeGraw threatens to steal someone’s girl. For once, the guitar is turned up as loud as the frontman’s own keyboards, and producer Ryan Tedder (doing some of his least cloying recent work) distorts the singer’s voice, pushing the piano man almost into Lenny Kravitz territory. The music lightens up over the course of the album, but the thoughts don’t always. DeGraw turns in several superior breakup songs on “Sweeter,” and occasionally even casts himself as the relative bad guy, as in “Run Every Time,” where he confesses, “I know a woman’s nature/There’s nothing you can save here/Me, I run every time.” It almost sounds there like DeGraw is taking lyrical cues from lite-rock’s king of commitment-phobia, Counting Crows’ Adam Duritz.

If it’s wedding songs you want, well, don’t worry ... he’s still got those in his arsenal. “Soldier” sounds just a little too tailor-made to serenade tuxes and gowns with its promises of eternal protection. With its similar promises of all-time love, “Where You Are” is a slightly more realistic piece of nuptials bait. But on a few other darker-hued songs, DeGraw proves surprisingly adept at digging into themes of conflict avoidance and romance wrung dry.

He can even get borderline-nasty, as in “Radiation”- given a big, thick production by funk-rock enabler Butch Walker — which has a sexually enthralled but psychologically repulsed DeGraw admitting: “I only give in when I get the need/I only come around ‘cause I get to leave/If you get an invitation, I’m probably drunk/You’re just as hot as radiation.” Hey, the man can pick a fight. The bulk of the material still relies on very lightly evoked R&B influences and smooth keyboard melodies, with assistance from additional producers like Eric Ivan Rosse (an old hand at this stuff after his work with piano women Sara Bareilles and Tori Amos). A character like Bluto would probably still want to smash a Steinway over DeGraw’s head, but who knows? “Sweeter’s” insensitive songs might even warm a hater up to the sensitive ones. —Reuters

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Pitt coaches underdog ‘Moneyball’ onto big-screen

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rad Pitt’s about as free a free agent as they come in Hollywood, a superstar so big he could play ball with just about any team, on any film project he likes. Yet he wanted to make “Moneyball” so much that he stuck with it for years, even after pal Steven Soderbergh, his director on the “Ocean’s Eleven” flicks, departed the film in a script squabble

Soderbergh had submitted dramatic revisions to the script from Academy Award-winning screenwriter Steven Zaillian (“Schindler’s List”), and Sony was unwilling to go along with the changes, which reportedly included interview segments with real players and team officials and re-enactments to tell the story as realistically as possible. Just as Beane had to rebuild his

wasn’t going to happen,” he said.

“Moneyball” probably wouldn’t have happened either without Pitt going to bat for it, Miller said. “It needed a champion for it to happen, because there’s not a ton in the book that screams box office. It’s not an obvious translation to film. Baseball movies are not really attractive to investors because the markets are

Brad Pitt waves as he arrives at the Paramount Theatre of the Arts for the premiere screening of the movie “Moneyball” Monday.—AP with Sony Pictures.

Pitt was obsessed with making a movie out of Michael Lewis’ best-seller “Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game,” which chronicles Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane’s revolutionary experiment to build a winning team out of unlikely prospects and castoff players chosen because they could be had cheaply and fit new mathematical models that ran counter to traditional baseball scouting stats.

“I couldn’t let go of the book,” Pitt said in an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival, where “Moneyball” premiered ahead of its theatrical release Friday. “It was just something I wanted to put out there.”

The Soderbergh-directed version of “Moneyball” fell apart two years ago after Sony pulled the plug on it a few days before filming was to start.

team in 2002 after losing key players to free agency, Sony brought in fresh talent to revive “Moneyball.”

Hollywood heavyweight Scott Rudin joined producers Pitt, Michael De Luca and Rachael Horovitz to help jump-start the film. Aaron Sorkin, who collaborated with Rudin on last year’s “The Social Network” and won an Oscar for the screenplay, did a new draft of the “Moneyball” script, sharing the writing credit with Zaillian.

The studio took a risk on a director to replace Soderbergh, choosing Bennett Miller, a 2005 Oscar nominee for his fiction feature debut “Capote.”

Miller came from the artsier, lowerbudgeted independent world and had made only one film, a documentary, before “Capote.” The timing was right for Miller, who had spent a few years trying to get a film of his own off the ground and “had just conceded it

limited once you get out of the United States,” Miller said. “Unless you have Brad Pitt saying, ‘I want this to happen, and I’m going to see this thing through,’ I’m sure it goes away.”

So Miller and Pitt met, they connected, and “Moneyball” was back in play. The result is impressive. Like “The Social Network,”“Moneyball” crackles with sharp, insightful dialogue. Like “Capote,” it’s a rich character portrait of a driven figure (and it doesn’t hurt to have Philip Seymour Hoffman, who won the best-actor Oscar in the title role of Miller’s Truman Capote drama, on board as the A’s skeptical field manager). And Beane is a character Pitt wears like a second skin, the actor applying all his charm and charisma as he cuts deals, butts heads with the team’s scouting staff, absorbs the reproaches of scornful fans and sports commentators and champions

the unorthodox numbers crunching of his new aide (Jonah Hill). “It speaks to the power of a role fitting someone so powerfully,” said co-star Chris Pratt, who plays one of Beane’s new acquisitions, player Scott Hatteberg. “Put them in a room together, you’re like, wow. If you’re looking at Billy Beane, the first person you’re going to think to play him is Brad Pitt.”

Hill plays Peter Brand, a composite of a number of economic analysts Beane enlisted as the A’s adopted sabermetrics, a system that places more value on a player’s ability to get on base and produce runs than on such traditional statistics as batting averages. A small-market team, the A’s had to find a way to compete with deep-pocketed franchises such as the New York Yankees, who had the money to go out and buy the talent they wanted. “I’m very interested in equality, and here you had a team with $38 million, and how are they going to compete with a team that has $140 million?” Pitt said. “How do you level that playing field? So by necessity, they had to tear it all down and question everything, and then the (crap) they took for doing it.

They were called heretics and fools and boobs. And yet they punched through and did something that just altered the game a couple degrees.”

Among Beane’s unconventional moves recounted in the film: trading for former Atlanta Braves star David Justice, who was injury-prone and aging; signing catcher Hatteberg and retraining him as a first baseman, a position he had never played; and bringing in relief pitcher Chad Bradford, who had an unusual sidearmed delivery and not much speed to his fastballs. The moves pay off as the A’s earn the American League West title, with Hatteberg the surprise hero as the team wins an AL record 20-straight games along the way. The story of that pioneering season, finding a way to win against the odds, parallels the story of how “Moneyball” made it to the screen after most in Hollywood had written it off. “This whole idea of failure, and how failure can be a tombstone written as the end,” Pitt said. “To me, there’s no win without failure. Failure becomes impetus for the next win. It’s this ongoing part of your trip.” —AP

Charlie Sheen presents the award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles. —AP

Sheen, Warner Bros near deal on ‘Men’ lawsuit

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harlie Sheen and Warner Bros are close to a settlement on the actor’s $100 million lawsuit against the studio over his firing from “Two and a Half Men,” a source with knowledge of the situation said on Monday.

Sheen, who has been sounding contrite in recent days regarding his troubles with the makers of his old television show, sued Warner Bros in Los Angeles Superior Court in March and the case has been in arbitration.

A Warner Bros spokesman said no final deal has been reached and declined to comment further. Sheen’s lawyer was not immediately available to comment. Sheen was the highest-paid actor on US television for the role of womanizing bachelor Charlie Harper. But he was fired after several trips to rehab and for publicly insulting creator Chuck Lorre and makers Warner Bros. Television.

In the months afterward, Sheen posted videos in which he claimed he was always winning while others were losing, boasted he had “tiger blood” and toured a live show called “My Torpedo of Truth: Defeat is Not an Option”. The show met with mixed results. But in the last few days, he seems to be on a tour of contrition, culminating in his appearance at Sunday night’s Emmy Awards, US TV’s top honors.

“From the bottom of my heart, I wish you nothing but the best for this upcoming season,” he said, addressing the cast and creators of the revamped comedy in front of a TV audience of more than 12 million people. “We spent eight wonderful years together, and I know you will continue to make great television.”

Sheen told “Today” show host Matt Lauer last week that he regrets claiming he had “tiger blood” and “Adonis DNA,” calling them jokes and metaphors that he never really believed. He told Jay Leno that he would have fired himself, given his behavior. The reports of a settlement came hours before the premiere on Monday of “Two and A Half Men” starring newcomer Ashton Kutcher, and a Comedy Central roast of Sheen. —Reuters

Scandal as Russia picks box office flop for Oscars

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Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Thomas attend Tony Bennett’s 85th bir thday gala in New York, Sunday. —AP

Alec Baldwin explains his Emmy no-show

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lec Baldwin’s decision to bail on Sunday night’s Emmy Awards was no joke. Or rather, it wasn’t over the cutting of a joke from the ceremony’s opening segment. Though reports circulated over the weekend that the “30 Rock” star had decided not to attend the Emmys because a joke about NewsCorp’s phone-tapping scandal had been axed from the segment, Baldwin set the record straight.

According to the actor, he couldn’t make the show because he had a previous commitment to attend singer Tony Bennett’s 85th birthday party at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House that night.

“I didn’t skip the Emmys because of [the cut joke],” Baldwin told reporters at the birthday soiree. “I skipped the Emmys because of this-because I wanted to be here.”

In the taped segment, Baldwin joked that Rupert Murdoch was eavesdropping on his phone conversation-a reference to the phone-tapping scandal that has ravaged NewsCorp, the parent company of Fox, which broadcast the Emmys. The gag was subsequently cut, which did cause Baldwin to withdraw entirely from the skit (he was replaced by Leonard Nimoy).

Baldwin acknowledged his displeasure over the situation via his Twitter account Sunday, writing, “Fox did kill my News Corp hacking joke. Which sucks because I think it would have made them look better. A little.” Later on he-somewhat-tempered his assessment, adding, “I understand News Corp killing that joke ... If I were enmeshed in a scandal where I hacked phones of families of innocent crime victims purely 4 profit, I’d want that 2 go away, 2.”

According to an individual familiar with the situation, the Murdoch joke was included in the initial script for the skit, but it was suggested that the gag be cut when the script made the rounds of approval. For reasons that aren’t clear, Baldwin told the joke anyway. Network officials say they chose to excise the joke because they don’t want to make light of the scandal, which so far has led to the multiple arrests and high-level departures in the company, as well as the closing of the 168-year-old tabloid News of the World.

ussian movie critics and filmmakers expressed the Venice Film Festival-as well as “Elena” by Andrei bewilderment yesterday after the country picked a Zvyagintsev, which won a special jury prize at Cannes, critically-panned film by veteran pro-Kremlin direc- Menshov noted.

Five of eight members backed it, tor Nikita Mikhalkov as its entry for the said Menshov, who himself won the Oscars. The head of the country’s Oscar Oscar for his “Moscow Does Not Believe committee, Vladimir Menshov-himself an in Tears” in 1981. The US Academy Oscar-winning director-publicly spoke Awards committee then decides out against the decision by his own whether to nominate Russia’s entry in organization to nominate Mikhalkov’s the best foreign film categor y. unloved war epic “Citadel”.

“Everything depends on Mikhalkov’s “The film had an absolute critical personal power,” Menshov told the drubbing, it was never shown anywhere Interfax news agency. Mikhalkov heads internationally,” Menshov told the Echo of the Union of Cinematographers, a basMoscow radio yesterday. “And most tion of the film establishment, and held importantly, it was a catastrophe at the the premiere of his first “Burnt by the Russian box office.” The film cost around Sun” sequel in the Kremlin. $40 million to make, but made only $5 His film “12” was Russia’s Oscar entry million, Menshov added. Mikhalkov himin 2008 and shortlisted for the award. self is a member of the committee that “Yet again the Russian Oscar committee picks Russia’s Oscar entries, while many has preferred cronyism to common other members have close ties to the sense,” the Moskovskiye Novosti daily bombastic director, who won an Oscar wrote scathingly. “This is a shameful situwith “Burnt by the Sun” in 1994. ation,” film critic Valer y Kichin told Capitalizing on that film’s success, Vladimir Menshov Moskovsky Komsomolets tabloid. Russia Mikhalkov has made two World War II-set sequels to “Burnt by the Sun,” the second of which is feels humiliated by its lack of Oscar success in recent years, “Citadel”. As well as directing the films, he also played the but its state-backed film establishment has failed to lead role. The committee passed over arthouse filmmaker embrace arthouse talents feted in the West such as Alexander Sokurov’s “Faust”- crowned with the top prize at Sokurov and Zvyagintsev.—AFP

Feds say music label was used as cocaine drop-off station

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he federal government is accusing a music manager of smuggling cocaine in tour equipment and musical instrument cases-and using Lady Gaga’s label Interscope Records as a drop-off station. Documents obtained by TheWrap show that James Rosemond, the founder of Czar Entertainment, a music and management company, is accused of a number of federal crimes between Jan. 1, 2007 and June 21, 2011. The documents show that Rosemond was indicted on 20 counts of drug trafficking, money laundering, firearm charges and obstruction of justice.

The Smoking Gun has posted documents outlining the alleged logistics. Rosemond supposedly “directed that his organization hide contraband in ‘road cases’ used to transport music equipment. In light of Rosemond’s position as the CEO of Czar Entertainment Rosemond was able to disguise these shipments as legitimate freight that was ostensibly needed by the performance artists he

managed.”

The documents said Rosemond sent music cases full of cocaine to music studios in New York, where members of his organization picked up the cocaine for distribution. His underlings, the documents say, then filled the cases with bundles of money — $100,000 per bundle-in vacuum-sealed plastic and sent them to Los Angeles. Interscope, owned by Universal Music Group, is not accused of wrongdoing. The label, home to Lady Gaga, Blink-182, Mary J Blige, 50 Cent and others, is mentioned in a Sept. 12, 2011 letter from federal prosecutors.

The instrument cases were sent through Rock-It Cargo, which specializes in shipping musical instruments and equipment. Rock-It did not own the cases and is not accused of wrongdoing.

Representatives of Interscope did not return calls for comment Monday. Rosemond’s lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, told TheWrap Monday that “we deny and have denied all of the charges.” —Reuters

In this 1955 file photo, entertainer Bob Hope, right, and his wife Dolores attend the premiere of Hope’s movie “The Seven Little Foys” at a Paramount Theater in Los Angeles.—AP

Bob Hope’s wife Dolores dies at age 102

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olores Hope, the wife of late entertainer Bob Hope, died on Monday of natural causes at the age of 102, a family spokesman said. Hope, a singer who put her career on hold after her marriage, died in the Toluca Lake area of Los Angeles, said spokesman Harlan Boll. Bob Hope, her husband of almost 70 years, died in July 2003 at the age of 100.

Dolores Hope had a singing career in New York before she met her entertainer husband and married him. Together, they moved to Los Angeles so he could pursue a career in film and television. The couple raised four children and Dolores often accompanied Hope on his many visits to entertain U.S. troops overseas.

At the age of 83, she revived her singing career, recording several albums and performing with Rosemary Clooney. She made her last visit to US servicemen at age 84, during the 1991 Gulf War, when she performed “White Christmas” from the back of a truck in the Saudi desert. Bob Hope is among the most beloved US entertainers of the 20th Century. He got his start on vaudeville, worked on radio, acted in movies where he was perhaps best known for his road films with Bing Crosby, and in later years appeared in numerous TV specials.

Hope would frequently mention his marriage to Delores on TV talk shows.

Like her husband, Delores Hope was a keen golfer and received multiple awards for her humanitarian work, especially for causes that benefited the poor. She leaves two children, three grandchildren and a great grandson. Boll said funeral services would be private and Dolores would be buried next to her husband at the Bob Hope Memorial Garden at the San Fernando Mission outside Los Angeles. —Reuters

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lifestyle F a s h i o n

A woman walks past a Prada store in Hong Kong yesterday. — AP

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talian luxury fashion house Prada says first-half profit surged on strong sales of leather goods such as bags and wallets to Chinese and other Asian customers. Prada said net income jumped 74 percent to 179.5 million euros ($244 million) in the six months to July 31.

Revenue rose 21 percent to 1.13 billion euros. It was Prada’s first earnings report since the company listed on Hong

Kong’s stock exchange in June. The company said Asia-Pacific sales grew an “outstanding” 35.4 percent in the first half, with the Greater China region making the biggest contribution. Prada said leather goods played a big role in boosting sales in Asia. — AP

Models display Spring/Summer designs by Juanjo Oliva during the Pasarela Cibeles fashion show, in Madrid, Sunday.

— AP photos

Models display Spring/Summer designs by Carlos Diez.

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lifestyle T r a v e l A lack of tourists have left many camels and their guides waiting for business at the pyramids in Giza.

In transition:

By Lisa Krieger

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xploring Egypt months after a revolution rocked the Middle East, the only conflict we witnessed was between a taxi and carriage driver, furiously arguing over our business. The sidewalk scene was unsettling to a pair of tourists simply seeking a ride down the street. But it was nothing compared to our pre-travel fears, fueled by media reports of violence.

And it revealed a larger truth: In a nation so dependent on tourism, these are very tough times.

Curious to explore a nation in transition, my 22year-old daughter and I discovered that Egypt’s loss was our gain.

The turmoil in January caused visitors to rush for the exits-and they’ve stayed away, through the long, hot summer. The ongoing trial of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, triggering clashes between supporters and detractors, won’t fix things quickly-rather, it is one step in a long process of building the new Egypt, with elections and constitutional reforms still ahead.

But the nation’s Pharaonic treasures and pyramids are as stunning as ever. And there’s a new tourist attraction: Cairo’s Tahrir Square, where demonstrators gathered in anti-government protests. Although not much to look at, it is a symbol of peaceful resistance, ringed by vendors doing a brisk trade in “25th January” T-shirts, flags, caps and bumper stickers.

We also admired triumphant graffiti, marveled at Mubarak’s burned-out headquarters of the National Democratic Party and toured an art display dedicated to the revolution.

It’s not necessary to line up for hours, as is customary, to enter the carved tombs in Luxor’s Valley of the Kings. Instead, we experienced what English archaeologist Howard Carter must have felt in 1923, peering down lonely tunnels for that first glimpse of Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus.

Riderless camels and horses ringed the empty sand-swept parking lots of the pyramids at Giza, where hundreds of tour guides, postcard sellers and trinket sellers also waited for customers.

Vendors sell T-shirts, bumper stickers and flags along Tahrir Square, site of the January 25 demonstrations in Cairo.

There was no jostling for snapshots of the Sphinx. At the famed Egyptian Museum, about 200,000 people a day once paraded past dimly lit cabinets of antiquities. We were free to stroll around and linger at favorite sights.

Along the Nile, many traditional falouka sailboats were roped to the docks.

Even the touristy Red Sea beach resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, far from Cairo’s turbulence, offered deeply discounted rooms. So did the more charming smaller towns north to Jordan. “It is very safe and very quiet here,” said Ali Osman, front office manager of the stunning Coralia Club Hotel in the sleepy south Sinai Peninsula beach town of Dahab.

Like its next-door neighbors-the Meridian, Hilton and other upscale hotels-this elegant Sofitel hotel closed its doors in late January, rather than operate at a loss. In February, only 35 percent of rooms were filled.

“We drop our rates to keep reasonable occupancy,” Osman said. Our lovely ocean view room, with a delicious breakfast and dinner included, cost only

slow to recover, especially in tourism

$95. Yet the hotel was half empty. As always, Russians are everywhere. Australians have begun to venture back, along with New Zealanders. We saw a scattering of French and Brits.

But there were no signs of Americans. One morning at dawn, I climbed aboard the small motorboat of naturalist Mohamed Arabi-”The Birdman of Aswan”-and had a personal introduction to exotic Nile species such as sunbirds, gallinules and storks.

“Because of all the American propaganda outside, only you, you’re the only one here!” he despaired. “What kind of problems you see today?

There is not any problem. There is no problem at all.” Back home in Palo Alto, Calif., while we packed for our trip, worried friends asked: “What about Lara Logan?”-the CBS war correspondent who was stripped by a mob and then sexually assaulted, requiring four days of hospitalization, while a crowd of 100,000 celebrated the fall of Mubarak in Tahrir Square; she was saved by women, who closed ranks around her.

Privately, family members questioned my parenting skills. It is true that Egypt has no head of state. The civil police, symbols of Mubarak’s repression, abruptly have withdrawn. Political unrest continues in neighboring nations. Thousands of troops have been moved into the Sinai Peninsula as part of a major operation against Al-Qaeda inspired militants, increasingly active there since Mubarak’s ouster. Authorities have blamed these militants for the Aug. 18 attack of Israelis on the southern IsraelEgypt border, as well as pipeline bombings in the north. The violence does not appear to be targeting tourists.

But of this I was sure: Opportunities don’t wait for perfect timing. My daughter had just graduated from college and had an entire month free. My work at this newspaper, covering higher education, had slowed for the summer. Plus, we already had under our belt other memorable adventures in edgy nations within Africa and Latin America. So we went. Cautiously.

We steered clear of political gatherings in Cairo, particularly after the mosques emptied on Fridays.

We were careful to dress conservatively, to not walk alone or venture into the poorest neighborhoods, or look strange men directly in the eye. The US Embassy has received increasing reports during the past several months of foreign women being

Few tourists mean empty chairs and quiet beaches at Coralia Club Hotel in Dahab, Egypt. — MCT photos

who owns Aswan’s lovely and newly renovated Philae Hotel.

If the economy improves, it could help consolidate democracy; if it falters, it could undermine progress. In our own modest way, we were happy to help and witness, with few other tourists, both the old and newly emerging Egypt. “This is the moment for everyone who wishes the Egyptian revolution well to visit,” Egyptian novelist and political commentator Ahdaf Soueif recently wrote in the London Guardian. “Everyone who’s interested in the great experiment we’re living through should come and be part of it.” “It will settle down,” Attiatallah predicted. “But for now, guests who like to take this adventure, they should come here now.”

Camels await riders at the pyramids in Giza, Egypt. harassed, or groped in taxis and in public places.

We encountered no threats-just frequent catcalls that grew annoying, like mosquitoes. When hounded, it’s permissible to be loud and offensive, saying “Bas!” (“Stop!”). When confronted, no one wished to make a scene. (“Tourist police” were everywhere; in exchange for help, they asked for spare change.) Traffic jams have intensified since the departure of the police, creating chaotic streets in Cairo. We found it faster to walk, or take the subway. But we experienced no pick pocketing or property crime, so common elsewhere in the world. Perhaps because Egypt is so dependent on tourism, it seems to take the safety of visitors seriously.

“My biggest fear is that I’ll turn a corner and bump into a camel,” said Renate Emmler, a German electrical engineer who now works as an instructor at the Black Rock Dive Centre in Dahab. Anti-US anger was targeted toward American politicians, not average citizens-an important distinction. And while locals anxiously wanted to discuss politics, we avoided debates involving Israel. The biggest nuisance was the vendors, desperately trying to sell their wares. Who could blame them? Tourism is the lifeblood for this country of more than 85 million people.

Egyptians hoped that the overthrow of Mubarak would improve their lives, but many in the tourism industry are economically worse off than before the revolution. After January’s uprising, revenues from tourism collapsed, putting pressure on the balance of payments and starting a slide in foreign reserves, according to a recent analysis by the Economist.

Hopes were high; now restless young men who lost their hotel or taxi jobs sit around cafes, with cellphones in hand, waiting for any odd work.

Unemployment is highest among 15- to-20-yearolds.

“Before, I made money and could feed my horses and family. We were busy all day, going here, going there. I had two people working for me,” said one man, who asked not to be identified, seeking to sell horseback rides to tourists along a Dahab beach. “Now look, there are only 30 or 50 people on the beach-for three hotels! I am scared.” Egypt’s economic growth is expected to slow to just 1 percent this year, a sharp drop from a 5.5 percent rate in the second half of 2010, according to a report in April by the International Monetary Fund.

The drop in tourist revenue is a big part of the problem; only ship traffic through the Suez Canal brings in more money. “It’s not just the hotels, but all the workmen related to the hotel-the maintenance people, the electricians, the plumbers ...” said Hanan Attiatallah, a German-educated woman

If you go SECURITY: On April 29, the US Department of State lifted the ordered departure for the US Embassy, which has resumed normal operations in Cairo. But during the trial of former President Hosni Mubarak, the state department recommends avoiding the immediate vicinity of the Police Academy and exercise caution on the Ring Road that passes in front of the building. Because Egyptian security services have not yet fully redeployed, the state department warns of possible sporadic unrest.

Police response to emergency requests for assistance or reports of crime may be delayed. The Egyptian government also continues to enforce a countrywide curfew from 2 to 5 am. The security situation in Luxor, Aswan, and the Red Sea resorts, including Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab, remains calm. Find the latest security alerts at http://travel.state.gov.

Food and water: It is generally safe to eat properly prepared, thoroughly cooked meat and vegetables in tourist hotels and restaurants and on Nile cruise boats. Avoid eating uncooked vegetables. Tap water in many locations is not potable.

Instead, drink bottled water or water that has been boiled and filtered.

Driving: Egypt has one world’s highest rates of road fatalities per mile driven. Impatient drivers routinely ignore traffic rules. Most traffic lights in Cairo appear not to function. Pedestrians should exercise extreme caution when crossing roads.

Trains and subways (divided by gender) are usually a safe means of transportation in Egypt. The US embassy recommends against public minibuses.

Travel documents: A passport and visa are required. Tourists can obtain a renewable 30-day tourist visa on arrival at an Egyptian airport for a $15 fee, payable in US dollars.

Miscellaneous: Egyptian society is conservative and women should dress modestly. When photographing local women, ask permission first; many will object. — MCT

Post-revolutionary graffiti decorates walls in Cairo.

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Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, center, poses with members of the Bolshoi Theater company involved in the Sleeping Beauty ballet, after a rehearsal, in the Bolshoi Theater that underwent renovation, in Moscow, Russia, yesterday. — AP

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urrounded by leggy tutu-clad ballerinas, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev yesterday took to the stage of the historic Bolshoi Theatre to hail its reconstruction after half a decade of closure. His business suit rather starkly contrasting with the frilly costumes of the Bolshoi’s world famous ballet troupe, Medvedev expressed his satisfaction with the reconstruction of the Moscow theatre which has been shut since 2005. Medvedev watched a

rehearsal of an updated revival of a classic Soviet version of the Tchaikovsky ballet “The Sleeping Beauty” by choreographer and controversial exBolshoi chief Yuri Grigorovich.

“It’s good that this (the reconstruction) has finally been finished. At some point there was the feeling that this would be a never-ending story,” Medvedev told the cast after taking to the stage. “The spirit of the theatre has been preserved. I hope that here you will feel like before

or even better,” he added. The ballet stars included the Bolshoi’s prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, famed worldwide for her astonishing extensions and who also finds time to sit in the Russian parliament as a lawmaker for the ruling United Russia party. “The Sleeping Beauty” is to be one of the first new productions in the revamped Bolshoi in November and Russia is hoping the reopening will reestablish its reputation as one of the greatest dance troupes in the

world. The theatre, a landmark of Moscow built in the 1820s, closed in 2005 and was due to reopen in 2008, but the opening was repeatedly postponed. In the interim the company has been performing at the smaller “New Stage” theatre nearby. The first performance will be a gala by the opera and ballet troupes on October 28 followed by a production opening November 2 of Glinka’s opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila”. “The Sleeping Beauty” is due to open on November

18. Medvedev was accompanied at the rehearsal

by Grigorovich, one of the great names of Soviet ballet who ran the Bolshoi with a notoriously iron first for three decades from its Soviet heyday until 1995.—AFP

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Karishma, a 13-year-old female Asian elephant, and also Whipsnade Zoo’s ‘resident artist’ uses her trunk to wield a brush and paint on canvas at Whipsnade Zoo, in Bedfordshire, central England, yesterday. The Zoo will be hosting Elephant Appreciation Day on the weekend of Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 September 2011. — AFP

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om Wilson Sr, the creator of the hard-luck comic strip character Ziggy, has died, his family said Monday. He was 80. Tom Wilson Jr, who took over the comic in 1987, said his father died Friday of pneumonia at a Cincinnati hospital. The elder Wilson had moved from Cleveland to a Cincinnati nursing home about eight years ago to be near his family, his son said.

Wilson was an artist at American Greetings card company in Cleveland for more than 35 years and first published Ziggy in a 1969 cartoon collection, “When You’re Not Around.” Ziggy was launched in 15 newspapers in 1971 and now appears in more than 500 daily and Sunday newspapers. It also has appeared in books, calendars and greeting cards. Tom Wilson Jr said the name Ziggy derived from his father’s school experience of being the last alphabetically.

When a new classmate arrived with a last name beginning with “Z,” the idea took root with the friendly sounding “y”

ending, such as Billy or Tommy.

“Ziggy is a last-in-line character,” the son said in a phone interview. “The last picked for everything and kind of a lovable kind of loser character.”“I had a ‘y’ at the end and ‘z’ at the beginning, so the word Ziggy just fell into place. That became his name,” was the way Tom Wilson Sr described it, according to his son. Tom Wilson Jr said his father was always optimistic.”He was a passionate and charismatic man, it came out in everything he did,” he said. “He loved ideas and he loved creating - that was really what drove him. He wasn’t a loser in that sense because his passion just came out and inspired everyone around him.”

Wilson was “a visionary cartoonist,” said John McMeel, chairman and president of Andrews McMeel Universal, which owns Universal Uclick, formerly known as Universal Press Syndicate. “Tom leaves behind a wonderful legacy in Ziggy, a hard-luck comics page hero who serves as a reflec-

hieves stole John Travolta’s vintage Mercedes-Benz while he was gone for only minutes-visiting a Jaguar dealership-police said Monday.

The “Grease” and “Pulp Fiction” star left his vintage Mercedes-Benz 280SL parked in a residential district in Santa Monica on Sunday, said Sergeant Richard Lewis. But when he returned from the nearby car dealership the sports car was gone.

“He parked the car in a residential street, and went to a nearby auto dealers for about 10 minutes, Lewis told AFP, saying he did not know if the thief or thieves followed Travolta or just chanced on the car. Travolta estimated the car’s value at $35,000 dollars, he said, while adding: “It is my understanding that it could be worth more” because it was a vintage model.

Travolta’s spokesman said the star had no comment on the theft.—AFP

tion of Tom’s endearing wit and optimism in the face of adversity,” he said in a statement. Ziggy also starred in the ABC Christmas special, “Ziggy’s Gift,” which won a 1983 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program and was re-released on DVD in 2005.

Universal Uclick, which syndicated the Ziggy column, said Wilson also was head of a creative team that developed the Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears character licensing.

“Tom Wilson had a unique gift for producing creations that stirred imaginations and touched people’s lives,” said Hugh Andrews, chief executive officer and president of Andrews McMeel Publishing. Besides his son, Wilson is survived by his wife, Carol, and daughters Ava and Julie.Funeral services will be private.—AP In this June 23, 2006 photo, Artist Tom Wilson Jr draws a Ziggy cartoon celebrating the strip’s 35th anniversary at his home in Loveland, Ohio. — AP