29th Oct 2013

CR IP TI ON BS SU

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

Saudi ‘no woman, no drive’ video goes viral

Five killed in China Tiananmen Sq car crash

40 PAGES

NO: 15970

150 FILS

13

www.kuwaittimes.net

THULHIJA 24, 1434 AH

12

‘Lost world’ discovered in remote Australia

Lions surprise Cowboys, Chiefs go to 8-0

29

20

Govt’s gloom and doom welfare program blasted MPs slam ‘austerity’ warnings as new Assembly opens

Max 30º Min 17º High Tide 05:59 & 20:35 Low Tide 00:47 & 13:25

By B Izzak conspiracy theories

No more pampering

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

N

o more pampering. No more lavish cars.

No more weekly travels to Dubai or farther. No more Gucci bags and Prada shoes.

No more French perfumes. No more 101 things. In 2021 we will become just like any other normal nation. Of course, by this I mean beyond the borders of the Gulf where 90 percent of the people belong to the lower middle class, if not on the borderline of poverty.

Wow! This is very scary. At last, our dear government slammed us in the face with the thunderous news. But many of us still cannot absorb it. We think that the government is either exaggerating or provoking us. Let’s get serious now. It is high time the government starts to realize that Kuwait has been going in the wrong direction. In my opinion, it is a bit late. The government maybe did all it could with good intentions, but I have no idea. Let’s give them the benefit of doubt. They harmed the nation in a way they did not realize would be so detrimental.

A rich oil country with a small population. The government applied the “indulge the nation thinking” by subsidizing many things. Why not?

We should all be living comfortably if not in luxury. But there are rules and regulations even when it comes to comfort. There is something called responsibility. Unfortunately, our education system failed to teach us that.

All is fair. Why not! It is the money of Kuwait. It is the people’s petrol and money. Why can’t we live comfortably. When there was no oil, we all lived in poverty and even without the bare necessities. When we were blessed with oil, it changed our life. There was a 100-degree change in our lifestyles. We did not take advantage of our rich richness. That part falls on the shoulders of the government. Governments lead the nations. But, but, but.

Our government has committed the mistake of over-spoiling us. There was the issue of responsibilities. We could have been pampered in a more appropriate manner. We should have been taught to care and be more responsible and get many things based on merit and not only because we are Kuwaitis. The government should have been fair and square. There should have been punishment. You cannot let people get away with wrongdoing and forgive them later. A lot of corruption took place in our ministries and authorities. People cashed in millions and we never heard of anyone being properly punished. When you do this, you encourage others to embrace corruption as a way of life.

On the other hand, no serious development was done besides building luxurious houses.

Where are the industries? We are an oil-rich country. We should have been one of the world leaders in the petrochemical industry, so when the oil runs out, we can have other options. We should have been trained to work hard and be more serious.

Where are all the development projects in Kuwait that bring income? Why has nothing been made in the span of decades. We do not have even good infrastructure like our neighbouring countries. We do not have even a first-class airport or hospitals. Where did our money go?

Even our national carrier is almost grounded.

Now the government is crying that if our spending spree continues in the same way and with the same speed, we will end up in a budget deficit.

Now we are crying and saying that there won’t be any more cradle-to-grave pampering. This has been an emergency wake-up call. It is never too late. Kuwait is still an oil-rich country with a lot of income and if the government is serious, it is not too late to implement strong rules and measures to develop the country and the nation.

KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah grants visiting Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Medal, Kuwait’s highest medal of honor, at Bayan Palace yesterday. The move aims to further promote and reinforce distinguished fraternal relations between Kuwait and Qatar, and to show appreciation for the emir and people of Qatar. — KUNA

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir today opens the new National Assembly term with a speech expected to focus on the internal situation in the country following a second election in under eight months as MPs and activists strongly blasted the government for its new program which said the welfare state is over. The new Assembly term is the actual beginning of the new Assembly elected in July as the previous term consisted of just one session and the election of speaker, deputy speaker and committees. At the start of the new eightmonth term, new committee members will be elected who are expected to tackle highly important issues, especially those related to the new government’s fouryear program running until 2016/2017.

And as things looked promising for fruitful cooperation between MPs and the government especially after discussing priority issues that need to be debated, the government dropped a bombshell with its program that explicitly told Kuwaitis that cheap or free services are things of the past. The government had repeatedly tried in the past to convince citizens that it was time to reduce subsidies and raise charges in a bid to stop high consumption rates of key services and commodities like electricity, water and fuel.

The call this time comes at a time when the country is enjoying the best-ever financial and economic indicators with the largest foreign investments ever estimated at $400 billion and when oil revenues set an all-time record high in the past fiscal year, crossing the $100 billion mark for the first time ever. The government’s austerity measures also come when Kuwait has had 13 consecutive years of budget windfalls and is set to post a healthy surplus for the 14th year, accumulating well over $300 billion in surpluses.

MP Faisal Al-Duwaisan said the government program is rhetorical and “exempts me from any commitment to cooperate with the government”, adding that the Continued on Page 13

Hardliners object to mixed-company cafes KUWAIT: One of the traditional pleasures of the Middle East - leisurely puffing on a water pipe filled with aromatic tobacco - has become ensnared in another of the region’s customs: that of Islamic conservatives decrying what they see as liberal Western decadence. Hardliners are denouncing some shisha cafes as a “moral menace” because they allow young men and women to mix freely. The pastime of smoking shisha - also known as nargile, hubbly-bubbly, hookah or by other names across the Mideast - may seem like an unlikely subject for a showdown over values. In Kuwait, however, little is off limits to the increasingly influential Islamists and their conservative allies.

Such ideological skirmishes flare often across the region, with Turkey witnessing battles over headscarves and Saudi clerics denouncing the temptations of the Internet. But Kuwait has emerged as a particularly noisy battleground. Islamists in Kuwait have stepped up their challenges to Kuwait’s Western-backed ruling family in recent years, first in the Assembly and now mostly from the outside after boycotting elections. They have demanded death sentences for anyone convicted of insulting Islam, opposed women’s participation in sports and forced art galleries to cancel shows of artKUWAIT: In this July 22, 2013 photo, works depicting hypocrisies such as Arab men enjoying an Arab woman smokes a water pipe a scotch. Earlier this month, conservative members of during the holy month of Ramadan at parliament lauded a government proposal to screen a restaurant in Kuwait. — AP Continued on Page13

Blasphemous tweeter’s 10-yr jail term upheld KUWAIT: The court of appeals yesterday upheld a 10-year jail term against a Shiite tweeter for remarks deemed offensive to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), his wife and companions.

Hamad Al-Naqi, 23, who has been in jail since March 2012, was found guilty of the religious insults and of criticising the leaders of neighbouring Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, according to the court ruling. He was handed the heavy sentence by a lower court in June last year. The ruling can still be challenged in the supreme court.

Naqi was tried on charges of insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), in addition to his wife Aisha and several companions, who are revered by Sunni Muslims. He posted the offensive messages on two Twitter accounts in February and March of 2012, according to the ruling. Naqi claimed his Twitter accounts were hacked dur-

Deadly storm lashes Europe LONDON: At least eight people died and more than 300,000 homes were left without power yesterday as a fierce storm swept across northern Europe. Four people were killed in Britain, two in Germany, one in The Netherlands and another in France as heavy rain and high winds battered the region overnight and into the morning. The rough conditions at sea also forced rescuers to abandon the search for a 14-year-old boy who disappeared while playing in the surf on a southern English beach on Sunday.

British Prime Minister David Cameron described the loss of life as “hugely regrettable”.

Winds reached 159 km per hour on the Isle of Wight off the southern English coast, according to Britain’s Met Office national weather centre. Heavy rain and winds of 80 mph elsewhere brought down thousands of trees and caused the mass cancellation of train services across southern England and The Netherlands, as well as in parts of Germany. In Britain, a 17-year-old girl died after a tree fell onto the parked caravan where she was sleeping, while a man in his LONDON: A contractor works on clearing the debris after a tree fell fifties died when a tree fell on his car, police said. — AFP (See Page 9) on a car during a storm yesterday. — AFP

Hamad Al-Naqi ing that period. In recent months, Kuwait has jailed tweeters and activists amid sectarian tensions between the emirate’s Sunni majority and Shiite minority. Opposition activists have also been jailed for using Twitter to insult HH the Amir. — AFP

Video of Saudi beating Asian worker probed RIYADH: A Saudi rights group said yesterday it is investigating a video appearing to show a local man brutally beating up an Asian worker in the kingdom that hosts millions of foreign labourers. The video posted online shows a man dressed in the traditional Saudi white thawb cloak, slapping, lashing and kicking an Asian man. The National Society for Human Rights is “investigating the issue”, its head Mefleh Al-Qahtani told AFP. The semi-governmental organisation would demand the perpetrator be punished if the case is confirmed. “We do not have enough details about the identity of the man, or on where the incident took place,” he said.

But another rights activist said the Saudi man lives in Riyadh and had punished the worker for having spoken to his wife. A third man is heard in the 1:53-minute video, apparently while filming, as the victim was pushed to the floor by his attacker, in what appeared to be a living room.

The worker screamed repeatedly as the man flogged him.

It is not clear when the video was first posted online, but one copy on YouTube dates back to Friday. International human rights groups frequently accuse the oil-rich kingdom and other Gulf monarchies of mistreating foreign workers, especially South Asians who make up the bulk of low-paid labourers. — AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

LOCAL

KUWAIT: Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani and his accompanying delegation left here yesterday, ending a one-day state visit to Kuwait where he held talks with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. He was seen off at the airport by HH the Amir, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah and several other senior state, army and police officials.

MP urges govt to take action against Halloween ‘travesty’ A stab at Kuwaiti society’s identity KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti lawmaker asked the government to take action against what he called a ‘travesty’ regarding local shops selling Halloween items in the state. “Many shops in local malls are selling stickers, scary masks and strangely designed candies to celebrate the so-called holiday of ‘Haloween’,” MP Hamdan Al-Azmi said in a statement published by Al-Rai yesterday. He warned Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khalid AlSabah and Minister of Commerce and Industry Anas Al-Saleh against showing leniency towards what he described as the “travesty and mockery of our religious sensibilities”.

Al-Azmi argued that the commerce ministry “bears responsibility for allowing shops to sell such items which are commonly known to be signs of Satanism”. “Allowing shops to continue selling these items is a stab at the Kuwaiti society’s identity, and we cannot accept this,” he added.

Al-Azmi is asking the commerce ministry to confiscate Halloweenrelated items, issue warnings to shops selling them and inflict ‘severe penalties’ against such shops. “This issue will not go unnoticed and officials will be held accountable for failing to perform their responsibilities,” the lawmaker said.

Meanwhile, former speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi reiterated calls for joint work “to achieve what best serves the common interest” in messages directed to lawmakers, ministers, Municipal Council members and the media.

Khorafi made these statements during a visit on Sunday to the Municipal Council where he met President Muhalhal Al-Khalid and several members.

“Kuwait deserves all our efforts to see achievements that can be accomplished through coordination,” Khorafi said in a message to councilors. He made similar comments while direct-

ing his speech to MPs who return to their seats today following an extended summer recess. “You are tasked with the duty to safeguard Kuwait’s security, stability and the future of its young generation,” he said.

And in his message to the government, Khorafi wished that ministers see success in teamwork “and focus on swift decision making in addition to taking the right decision at the right time while at the same time achieve cooperation with the parliament”. The former speaker urged media outlets to “provide support” to state officials through dialogue and observation.

Meanwhile, Khalid reiterated commitment to “push the development process forward and contribute by approving developmental projects in coordination with the executive body in the Municipality”. “We are committed to achievement in service of the nation and citizens,” he said.

Govt records 105 public funds cases this year KUWAIT: More than a hundred cases affecting public funds were recorded in state departments during the first nine months of 2013, a local daily repor ted yesterday quoting a report released by a government committee whose job is to follow up with public funds cases. According to the report sent by committee chairman, Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Sharida Al-Maosherji, to Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim, the 105 cases include theft, embezzlement, seizure, forgery and fake employments.

The Ministr y of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs came on top of the list of state departments featuring violations 35 violations including theft and embezzlement, followed by the Manpower and Government

Restructuring Program with 9 cases recorded against companies that practiced fake employment. The Ministry of Justice came third with 7 cases that ranged between forgery and error that led to squandering and loss of public funds, says the report which was published by Al-Rai. The report further indicates that 25 cases pertaining to public funds were filed with the Cour t of Ministers against ministers, while the Zakat House announced 4 cases of unlawful seizure of funds.

Meanwhile, the Public Institution for Social Security recorded four 4 cases, while the Interior Ministry reported 3 embezzlement cases.

The Public Authority for Industry and Kuwait Por ts Association recorded 3 cases each, whereas the

Ministry of Public Works and Public Authority for Applied Education and Training reported 2 each. A single case was reported by each of the Foreign Ministry, Information Ministry, the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, the Public Authority for Civil Information and Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.

The repor t adds that the Ministry of Electricity and Water reported “a myriad of cases pertaining with theft of high voltage cables at electricity transformers”.

The report was prepared according to a 2009 ministerial decision that indicates that the Cabinet is required to send biannual reports on public funds cases to the parliament on February and October of each year.

Wataniya ‘Best Telecom Brand in Kuwait’ KUWAIT: Wataniya Telecom continues to provide its customers in Kuwait with the best services and the latest in communications technology. On Oct 27, Wataniya was awarded the title of the best brand in the telecommunications sector in Kuwait for the year 2013, by the Board of “Superbrands” at a ceremony in the JW Marriott Hotel.

This honor was provided in the presence of Assistant Undersecretary for Foreign Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Nimr Al-Malik Al-Sabah and the Ambassador of the United Kingdom in Kuwait, Frank Baker and the former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information of Tourism, Nabila AlAnjari and members of the Board of Superbrands.

Superbrands is a globally recog-

nized institution renowned for its independent evaluation of brands.

Wataniya Telecom was awarded the title by Superbrands for being a distinguished organization which nurtures a close relationship with its customers.

Wataniya Telecom feels privileged in joining the Annual Superbrands record for the current year of 2013 along with a group of other brands that have been selected from Kuwait.

In a speech on behalf of the company during the ceremony held on this occasion, Wataniya’s Public Relations Manager, Fatemah Dashti expressed her thanks for this recognition in obtaining the award and said, “This award is an honor for Wataniya as we have always been seeking to provide better services and products

to our customers. We have always strived to offer the best experience and will always continue to do that even in the future. This year witnessed challenges and achievements of which the most important were the expansion of our branches network to 32 stores in residential and commercial areas and the investment in the network infrastructure which was developed to accommodate the latest technological innovations. To ensure customers are always satisfied, Wataniya enhanced network efficiency in all areas of Kuwait recently”.

Wataniya Telecom thanks and appreciates all its customers, partners and shareholders and promises them to continue to provide the best in the market.

Cabinet tackles local, regional issues

Man found dead in car

By Hanan Al Saadoun KUWAIT: A security source said that a 36-year-old Kuwaiti was found dead in his car. His eye had some marks, and it is expected that the death was due to an overdose. Concerned authorities are investigating.

Separately, detectives stormed a flat in Salmiya and arrested 60 men and women indulging in immoral acts. The police action came after complaints from neighbors. A security source said the suspects are bedoons, citizens and expats. All will be charged with committing indecency and immoral acts.

KUWAIT: The Cabinet held its regular weekly session yesterday, under chairmanship of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, during which the ministers were briefed about various issues.

Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Minister of Health Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, said the government welcomed a planned visit by Egyptian Interim President Adly Mansour to the country, due on Wednesday.

The ministers, who convened at Kuwait International Airport, were briefed about contents of two messages, addressed to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, from Turkish President Abdullah Gul, and President of the Comoros Ikililou Dhoinine, dealing with bilateral relations between the State of Kuwait and these two friendly countries and means of boosting these ties in various sectors. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah informed the ministers about the outcome of the recent visit to Kuwait by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who chaired his country’s delegation in the first session of the Kuwaiti-Turkish Commission. This joint committee, at its latest meeting, tackled mutual cooperation between Kuwait and Turkey by the public and private sectors and issues of common concern, prospected to contribute to the two countries’ progress, prosperity and realization of common interests of the two friendly peoples. Moreover, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid briefed the executives about results of his recent visit to Russia, namely his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other senior officials, dealing with means of boosting political dialogue and mutual cooperation in divergent fields. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid’s talks with Lavrov had also touched on regional, international and Middle east issues, namely the Syrian crisis, aspired settlement to the broad Middle East question and conditions in the Gulf.— KUNA

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

LOCAL

Govt plan to stop subsidies draws mixed reactions Give a chance to private companies

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: A plan to stop subsidizing some government services drew mixed reactions from Kuwaitis and expatriates. Speaking to Kuwait Times, Kuwaiti economist Dr Hajjaj Bukhudur said cutting subsidies is never a question if one is enjoying its benefits. Bukhudur noted the best thing the government should do is to improve its services before starting talks on stopping the subsidies. “Come to think about some of the services provided at subsidized rates. Transportation for example. Because the government is providing us subsidized gasoline, transportation services are minimal. Are we satisfied with these services? The answer is obvious - people are not enjoying these services so expatriates and Kuwaitis alike prefer to have their own cars instead of using public transportation,” he argued.

“The question is whether the government is benefiting. You want the truth? No! The government is encouraging people to spend more unnecessarily. We are technically helping create more problems on the roads because we are increasing traffic jams. Look at the pollution; look at the growing discontentment in public transportation sectors. Now, does it help solve the country’s traffic problem even if we are enjoying subsidized rates - no,” he said.

Another sector he mentioned was the subsi-

dized health sector. “Are we benefiting from it or are we just getting more headaches. If we are given best healthcare services, why do expats and Kuwaitis go for private medical services?

Because they are unsatisfied. If you improve services, maybe 10 hospital visits will be reduced to just one per year. Can you imagine the savings you can enjoy by providing us better health services? Lesser drugs and lesser time and effort, which you can use somewhere else,” Bukhudur pointed out.

He urged the government to facilitate better but quicker improvement of its services and facilities. “To date, subsidies in healthcare are more costly. They should perhaps ask private companies to help them improve it. Give a chance to private companies and sub-contractors to encourage competition. If they do so, there will be more good services because in order to win clients, everyone must observe the highest standards. Good economists and managers think of better ways to improve the quality of life of everyone, not to cut subsidies just for the sake of cutting it. They should study the proposal carefully,” he added.

Kuwaiti sreceive most of the subsidized services including food and sometimes even writingoff of their debts. Expatriates too receive subsidies through services in health, oil and gas and water and electricity. The government warned

subsidized services are unsustainable and must be stopped or face bigger deficits in the near future. “Real budget deficit will start from 2021 if the government does not introduce reforms.

“Defending on various scenarios, the budget deficit will accumulate to reach between a staggering KD 51 billion and KD 414 billion by 2035, which will take all Kuwait’s foreign assets estimated currently at $400 billion,” the PM warned. “It is necessary that the Kuwaiti government must transform from a consumer of the nation’s resources to a producer,” he noted.

Kuwaiti citizens commented: “The problem with the government is that they are good in targeting our benefits as citizens but they are slow on curbing corruption, amassing public funds and giving favors to huge syndicates or big businesses. They should do their job properly not blame us for their mismanagement.” The citizens also added: “Why the government has been asking us to cut spending while they continue giving aid to some countries that don’t deserve our money.” An expat said he’s ready to spend more if he gets better services. “We don’t know the plan as yet, but there is nothing we can do about it.

The question for me as an expat is what do we get in return. If the government can improve health services, education, infrastructure, quality of life and the economy, we are all ready to embrace the changes.”

GCC domestic labor contract inapplicable in Kuwait KUWAIT: Well-informed sources at the ministry of social affairs and labor stressed that the unified GCC domestic labor contract - known as the ‘ideal contract’ - suggested by the GCC social affairs ministries’ meeting, was inapplicable in Kuwait due to the absences of legislations regulating the work of this particular category. “If applied, this contract will have no legal support,” stressed the sources.

The sources added that law number 6/2010 pertaining work in the private sector had excluded domestic labor from those covered by its provisions and ignored protecting their rights, which means that if this contract is applied in Kuwait, it would be useless and will not stand nor taken into consideration before Kuwaiti courts. The sources also explained that if the unified GCC contract was applied in Kuwait, it would protect domestic labor rights such as defined working hours, proper salary, a weekly day off, suitable accommodation and a flight ticket back home after the contract is concluded, which are not, so far, ensured by Kuwaiti laws.

Notably, MSAL’s assistant undersecretary for labor affairs Jamal Al-Dousary met last week with a Human Rights Watch delegation in the presence of MoI representatives to discuss this issue.

Separately, Minister Thekra Al-Rasheedi issued two ministerial decisions pertaining the proclamation of two Islamic charity organizations. On his part undersecretary Abdul Mohsen Al-Mutairi issued a decision on regulating the need for labor in the livestock business limiting the number of workers needed to one shepherd for herds comprising of 1-50 heads of sheep, two workers for herds comprising of 51-300 heads, three workers for herds comprising of 301-600 heads while herds of more than 600 heads will require special authorization from PAAAFR. The decision also stressed that one worker would be allowed for cattle and camel herds comprising of 15-30 heads, two for herds comprising of 31-60 heads, three for herds comprising of 61-100 heads while herds of more that 100 heads will require special authorization from PAAAFR.

KUWAIT: Acting Director General of the General Directorate of Non-commissioned Officers Training Brig Abdelaziz Al-Mutawa received new students at the police school, Batch 28 Lance Coporal and the 81 batch of policemen.

Arts exhibition opens KUWAIT: National Assembly Speaker Marzouq AlGhanim inaugurated yesterday the 2nd Kuwait Art Salon, “Colored Poems,” organized by Kuwait Arts Association, due until Oct 31.

In the opening speech, Al-Ghanim said that “we are proud for the large number of Kuwaiti artists who were able through their beautiful work to highlight the name of Kuwait in international forums.” The Speaker added that societies are measured by various standards, most notably plastic art, considered one of the highest forms of arts.

He thanked artists who participated in the Salon.

For his part, Kuwaiti Arts Association President Abdulrasool Salman said that the association is one of the most active organizations locally and internationally in hosting such activities which contribute to assisting the human beings discover their talents and capabilities.

Salman added that this exhibition was sponsored by association activities every year. —KUNA

Tenders for hospitals constructions cancelled KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works and Minister of Electricity and Water Abdulaziz Al-Ibrahim said Sunday fraudulent figures, discovered in the tenders for the construction of four hospitals, prompted cancellation of the bids.

“The Central Tenders Committee (CTC) is still probing the matter,” Al-Ibrahim said in a press conference at the Ministry of Public Works.

“I’ve nothing to conceal in this affair and any statements in this regard will be supported by documents. I’m ready to face any interpellation by the MPs,” he made clear.

“The tenders for the four hospitals were handled by the former leadership of the

ministry. When we felt something was wrong, we set up an external fact-finding panel consisting of representatives of the Ministr y of Electricity and Water, the Ministry of State for Housing Affairs, and Kuwait University,” the minister disclosed.

Upon the discovery of inconsistencies in the tenders, including failure to include provision of medical equipment, the panel recommended cancelling the four tenders as a prelude to fresh bidding, he went on.

There are big differences in the figures charged by the bidders, he added.

The tenders concern the expansion projects of Jaber, Maternity, Al-Razi and Ibn Sina hospitals. —KUNA

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

LOCAL

Policeman charged with rape of Chinese woman in Salmiya Two hurt in Gulf Road crash

BEIRUT: Lebanese officials at the inauguration of new wards at Al-Najda Al-Shaabia Hospital yesterday.

Kuwaiti-funded hospital in Lebanon expanded BEIRUT: A member of the Lebanese Parliament, on occasion of expanding a Kuwaiti-funded hospital, yesterday lauded Kuwait for supporting Lebanon in various spheres namely financing construction of medical centers and hospitals.

Yassin Jaber, member of the parliamentary Liberation and Development Bloc, expressed admiration for Kuwait while inaugurating new wards of Al-Najda Al-Shaabia Hospital, built in 1982 with Kuwaiti financial support.

Construction of this hospital was quite sig-

nificant because it was built in South Lebanon at a time the country was “in the darkest times and because its presence was quite helpful for steadfastness of the natives,” said Jaber, alluding to the 1982 Israeli invasion that had peaked with the Israeli forces taking control of the whole south and encircling the capital, Beirut.

Jaber also lauded Kuwait’s aid for rebuilding the Lebanese houses and properties, demolished in Israeli offensives on the country in 2006. Kuwait had also built the public hospital in the southern town of Nabatiyah.—KUNA

KUWAIT: A police officer was released on bail following questioning in rape charges pressed in Salmiya recently. The case was filed by a Chinese woman who said that the man kidnapped her outside a mall in the area then sexually assaulted her before escaping. The suspect was identified through the license plate number of his car and summoned for questioning during which he denied the accusations. Investigations are ongoing at the Criminal Investigations Department.

Drug smuggling Investigations are ongoing to arrest people who tried to smuggle 7,300 drug pills found hidden in shipment that arrived from Egypt Sunday. Land customs officials in Sulaibiya put a shipment of furniture and utensils under extensive inspection and found the pills hidden inside a large pot. Orders were given to summon an Egyptian man identified as the person who ordered the shipment. (Rai) Emergency landing A Dubai-bound aircraft made an emergency landing in Kuwait following technical problems during a flight from New York. Authorities at the Kuwait International Airport were put on high alert in anticipation of the plane whose captain request-

ed permission to land on Saturday afternoon. 493 passengers waited for four hours until a second aircraft arrived and took them to their destination.

ment after crime scene investigators examined the scene. Detectives are waiting for the autopsy report to reveal the cause of death.

Phone thief A man was arrested for stealing smart phones which he sold approximately four times less than their original prices. The arrest happened in Salmiya where the suspect sold three iPhones to an undercover agent for KD 55. After verifying through the serial number that the phones were stolen, the Kuwaiti man confessed of breaking into phone shops in Abu Halifa after midnight and then sold the stolen phones outside the Ahmadi Governorate to avoid raising suspicions. The man added that he made as much as KD16,000 from his thefts. He was referred to the authorities to face charges.

Road accident Two people were critically wounded in an accident late Saturday night on the Gulf Road. Police and paramedics rushed to the scene near Bneid AlGar following an emergency call about a car that crashed into a lamppost. The driver, a 27-year-old Kuwaiti man, was rushed to Amiri Hospital and admitted inside the intensive care unit. His companion, a 25-year-old Kuwaiti woman, was taken to the same hospital and diagnosed with a broken pelvis and head injury. A case was filed to investigate the circumstances behind the accident.

Body found Investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances behind the death of a middle-aged man found dead in his Mangaf house. Paramedics pronounced the 53-year-old Saudi national dead inside his bedroom where he was found unconscious by his family before making an emergency call. The body was taken to the forensic depart-

MPs mediate At least two MPs stepped in to allow a blacklisted man to enter Kuwait on Sunday, Al-Watan daily reported yesterday. The UAE national reportedly called a Kuwaiti lawmaker soon after officials at the Saad Al-Abdullah Airport informed him that he is not allowed to enter the country as per a ban enforced in 2008. The man was allowed entry two hours later after another MP he called spoke to officials, according to the report.

Dutch PM visits Kuwait Petroleum refinery in Rotterdam

KNPC launches KD 68mn tender to expand Ahmadi fuel depot

new training program KPE is able to better educate and train its new employees,” said Salmeen.

KPE has invested more than USD 120 million in the “Turnaround” at the refinery which is necessary to maintain a safe and reliable operation.

Turnarounds are scheduled events wherein an entire process unit of a refinery is taken offstream for an extended period for revamp and renewal. The scope of this Turnaround is the highest in the history of KPE, stressed Salmeen. The refinery will now run for five years continuously without any planned mechanical activities.“ We have been working for more than two years on preparations and proper planning. The start of the Turnaround was very promising. All units have been shut down without any safety incidents, without environmental impact and on time,” he added. - KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) has launched a KD 68 million (USD 241 million) tender for the expansion and renovation of Ahmadi fuel depot, KNPC Public Relations Director Mohammad Mansour Al-Ajmi said here yesterday. The project aims at increasing the storage capacity of the depot, by building 11 additional storage units, to hold larger amount of fuel to meet future market demands. The depot will be equipped with the latest automatic control systems, he said.

The tender was launched with the goal of completing the project by the end of 2017, AlAjmi noted. KNPC is working on a strategic plan to supply future fuel needs until year 2030 through studying various projects, such as building new fuel depots in Mitla’a area to provide fuel for Kuwait’s northern and westerns parts. KNPC has three major refineries: Mina Abdullah, Mina Al-Ahmadi and Subhan with a collective production capacity of 936,000 barrel a day that supplies local markets of its petroleum needs. — KUNA

BRUSSELS : Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte accompanied by high level government officials and representatives from Dutch employer and employee associations visited the Kuwait Petroleum Europort (KPE) refinery in Rotterdam yesterday.

“KPE had been selected for this visit by the Dutch government because it is a well-known employer in the port of Rotterdam,” Wael Salmeen, Managing Director of KPE, told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

After a bus tour on the refinery premises, Rutte and his delegation were welcomed in the Maintenance Rotating Workshop by KPE Management and technicians.

“In addition to the investments in the refinery itself, KPE also invests heavily in the education of its employees. KPE has recently developed a new Maintenance training program for its Maintenance Technicians. With this

National Assembly Office holds weekly meeting KUWAIT : The National Assembly Office held its weekly meeting yesterday under chairmanship of Speaker Marzouq AlGhanim, with members of the office attending. During the meeting, the office reviewed preparations of the National Assembly General Secretariat for the inauguration of the second ordinary parliamentary session of the 14th legislative term of the Kuwaiti National Assembly.

The session will be inaugurated by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah today, the Office’s Secretary Abdulmehsen Al-Saneaa said in a press statement. Also, Al-Saneaa added that the Office decided to revoke the project of a new building for members, as well as the information center for the Ministry of Public Works. — KUNA

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

LOCAL

Zain hails sponsorship of NUKS ceremony KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, hailed its Platinum sponsorship of the Diamond Jubilee ceremony and annual conference of the National Union of Kuwaiti Students (NUKS) - United Kingdom and Ireland branch. A gala ceremony was held last Saturday, concluding the three-day event, in the presence of Kuwait’s United Kingdom Ambassador, Khaled Al Duwaisan representing His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Subah. The ceremony also witnessed the attendance of Undersecretary of Higher Education Rashed Al Nuehid, members of the Kuwaiti embassy and offices in London, as well as over than 700 students.

During the three day event, students and their families enjoyed multiple activities including social and cultural programs, academic meetings, sports competitions and entertainment for all ages. Al-Duwaisan visited Zain’s booth at the exhibition and highlighted his pride in having an important Kuwaiti company present on ground at the event. In his speech at the ceremony, Waleed Al-Khashti, Zain Kuwait’s Corporate Communications and Relations manager said, “This prominent event celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the inception of the Union gives us the opportunity to meet with bright Kuwaiti students living abroad in the UK and Ireland. By supporting and maintaining our relationship with upcoming business leaders, we play our role in contributing to Kuwait’s future economic progress.”

“Zain’s presence in this event was sprung from its core belief that no Kuwaiti youth in local and international forums would walk alone. Their voices are heard, and will be transferred to the entire nation to echo the sense of pride and success they deliver to our beloved country,” added Al Khashti. It is worth mentioning that NUKS United Kingdom and Ireland branch’s events are one of the major events that take place outside Kuwait in terms of attendance by prominent individuals and business leaders of the Kuwaiti society, offering an unique educa-

Numerous health development plans in progress in Kuwait All due priority to prevention MUSCAT: Kuwait is implementing several health development programs it was keen to review, with the purpose of sharing expertise, at the 60th Session of the Regional Committee for the East Mediterranean of the World Health Organization (WHO) hosted here yesterday. Issues given priority at the ministry at present include the challenge of preventing and curbing the spread of non-contagious diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancers, and chronic respiratory diseases, Health Undersecretary Dr Khalid Al-Sahlawi said. The ministry is also giving high priority to programs addressing factors connected to such diseases including smoking, poor diet, obesity, and environmental pollution.

The official said the state assigned all due priority to prevention since adopting the UN Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases. A corresponding item was included in the government’s working program, he added.

The ministry is coordinating and cooperating with other ministries and state bodies as well as civil community organizations to draft a comprehensive national program on prevention, to be implemented with help of efforts to increase awareness on healthy life styles and attitudes, alongside the upgrade of health policies and strategies and more care to implementing early health checks, screenings, and detection programs. Listing some recent initiatives, Al-Sahlawi said the ministry had expanded clinics providing care for chronic conditions and introduced latest diagnostics and medications, in addition to providing continued education programs for doctors in all specialties.

There are ambitious plans on injuries and traumas resulting from accidents and plans to support and strengthen the ambulance and medical emergencies departments as well as plans to

tional platform for all outstanding students and society leaders to meet each other.

The unity of the Kuwaiti society, patriotism, and acknowledging our future leaders is one thing Zain is proud to have supported in this prestigious NUKS event, one of the biggest Kuwait related events held abroad.

Two-day Islamic students conference in Kuwait

By Sajeev K Peter KUWAIT: A two-day Islamic students conference will be held in Kuwait on Nov 1 and 2 under the patronage of the Awqaf ministry at the Masjid Al-Kabeer auditorium.

To be held under the motto ‘Knowledge for Enlightenment and Salvation’, the second Islamic Students Conference (ISCON) 2013 is organized by Kuwait Islamic Students Movement (KISM), the students wing of the KKIC. The two-day program will commence with an august inaugural ceremony on Friday evening in which renowned guests from the ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Heritage Society will attend. In addition, well-known educationists, experts and guest lecturers from in and out of Kuwait will also participate in the conference, organizers said.

Leading Kuwaiti guests attending the inaugural ceremony include Shaikh Dawood Al-Asoosi, undersecretary for Cultural Affairs, the ministry Awqaf, Parliament member D Abdulrahman Al-Jeeran, Shaikh Tariq Al-Essa, Chairman, Jamiyath Ihyau Thurasil Islami, Shaikh Falah

Tablets could be useful to children’s development, if right balance found KUWAIT: Parents have been somewhat forced to offer smartphones or electronic tablets as a reward or pacifier to their children in spite of their detrimental effects during formative years of development.

Due to the widespread use of these gadgets, the majority of parents have turned to tablets, most famously the iPad, as a tool to distract or appease their children — some as young as two — when they are being naughty or disobedient.

You see parents, then, praising their kids’ skills of pinching and swiping the touch-screen effortlessly and continuously, possibly not knowing or ignoring the fact that these devices could affect the development of the child’s brain, shrink their attention span, hamper the development of their social skills or even ruin their eyesight.

In a recent study by Barnard College Center for Toddler Development in New York, child development experts observed several young kids and monitored their reaction to traditional toys versus the iPad. The center tested for “distractibility ” by having researchers call out the names of the children who were using the iPad in order to note how readily they responded.

Zainah Al-Zebin Many of the kids were so zoned in on the apps they were playing with, that they did not respond to the researchers at all. However, once the iPads were confiscated, the researchers believed the toddlers transformed into more verbal, more social, and more creative creatures.

The tablet’s interactiveness makes children immersed and focused and this is considered one of its strengths and

weakness at the same time. Children need their imagination to be exercised in order for creativity to be developed.

However, the use of tablets limits tactile interaction and the three-dimensional perception of objects which is critical at the early years of a child’s life, psychologist at Kuwait’s Al-Soor Center, Zaina Al-Zabin said. These touchscreen devices can decrease focus and attention on tasks which are less visually yet audibly stimulating.

“The overuse of electronic devices can eventually interfere with social development skills,” she said, leading to addiction and over-obsession.

Some of the apps on these tablets are designed to stimulate dopamine releases, a chemical in the brain often associated with pleasure, hence, they encourage children to keep playing by offering rewards or exciting visuals, she added.

On this addiction, Jumana Al-Awadhi, a published writer who is the creator of the “We Love Kuwait” book series, which target children’s development, explained that “some of these apps are built solely for a commercial purpose.

“Some companies just want to make money off of children’s obsession with these apps, regardless of the children’s mental and cognitive development.

“You see kids totally immersed in these apps because they want to level up in the game. This causes brain numbness. It is as harmful as watching TV, especially, in the formative years in a child’s life,” she added.

Nonetheless, both Al-Zabin and Al-Awadhi agree that toddlers can learn better from interactive media.

Al-Zabin suggested that “toddlers are experiencing the world at this stage, and tactile learning is still critical, therefore, it is important now to compliment learning by providing multiple ways of teaching. Using an iPad is a good tool that can aid learning, if used correctly.

“Tablets should be used as a complimentary means of teaching and entertainment, and not the only way,” she added.

Al-Awadhi, herself a mother of three, also emphasized the importance of having some parental guidance when children use the iPad. “They are diving headfirst into a vast world full of the good and the bad; therefore, it is important for parents to have some guidance to which contents their kids should view or engage in.”

The good side of iPads, and other similar tablets, is that they provide a direct and interactive learning environment.

Kids get immersed in the content because these tablets use sound, video and other forms of interaction to bring children right into the content.

Thus, Al-Awadhi stressed that parents should take the best out of these devices by creating a “bonding time” with their kids. “Tablets can create a medium where parents and their children get to engage and interact, hence, extending not only the learning process but also enhancing their social and emotional development.”

It is a fact that children are increasingly learning through tablets and smartphones yet it is essential to find the right balance to avoid any harmful effects of using this technology. — KUNA

organize training courses for the public on First Aid and life saving techniques and maneuvers.

The ministry is also committed to the constant improvement of the health system, as health is fully recognized as a key stone in sustainable development, he stressed. The state is keen on the exchange of expertise and interaction with specialists from other countries and at the WHO. Al-Sahlawi also noted there is particular interest in cooperation to build on the progress achieved to date in the areas of reducing child mortality rates, reducing deaths at childbirth, curbing the spread of AIDS and TB, and providing comprehensive health care.

The undersecretary remarked that Kuwait is making big strides in implementation of the international health guidelines and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and is in constant contact with the organization regarding procedural matters and participates in all meetings and conferences.

Al-Sahlawi saw it fit to recall the great support by the state to research and studies in the area of countering non-communicative diseases, with many awards allocated to encourage and shed light on unique work and contributions under the umbrella of the WHO, such as the award established in 2003 for distinguished research and initiatives in this field. On the ongoing session here, the undersecretary pointed out that the summiteers are to look into and consider possibly better means to channel financing into investments in effective interventions and new technologies, made possible through a fully integrated health system with sufficient numbers of sufficiently qualified health workers. The session, he said, also looks into several reports on specific phases of previously initiated programs and plans and on progress related to the millennium goals. — KUNA

Khaled Al-Mutairi, head of the Indian Continental Committee and Shaikh Yousuf Al-Shuaib, supervisor, Community Affairs, Masjid Al-Kabeer. Senior Advocate from Kerala High Court Mayinkutty Mather will be the keynote speaker of the conference.

It may be recalled that hundreds of students had attended last year’s workshops and other activities during the conference. The organizers expect the participation of a large number of students at this year’s conference. “Knowledge will guide us to lead a well-balanced life. It will make us happy and content in this world and the life hereafter. It is the way to attain salvation, the supreme success in the everlasting world to come,” said a member of the organizing committee explaining the motto of the conference.

Several sessions such as students workshops, parenting, butterfly meetings and presentations will be held during the two-day conference. Students will be admitted through registration. A souvenir will be released on the occasion, they added. The inaugural session will be open to all irrespective religious affiliations.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

LOCAL kuwait digest

Local Spotlight

Tax collection in Kuwait?

Traffic ticket on Eid holidays

K

By Ali Al-Fairouz

ing Abdullah of Jordan gave instructions to local authorities to avoid issuing traffic tickets to Jordanian citizens and tourists during national holidays starting in this past Eid Al-Adha.

And simultaneously with this humanitarian gesture, the Traffic General Department in Kuwait launched sudden and extensive campaigns throughout the country during which they announced issuing around 32,000 tickets.

Imagine what it feels like receiving a traffic ticket during the holiday. It would definitely ruin the spirit of Eid, and would probably make you consider staying at home and deprive your family from enjoying the holiday in order to avoid more tickets.

Some countries have already started considering the circumstances of citizens and their families, and showed tolerance that helps people enjoy happy times during holidays. I truly admire King Abdullah’s step and hope that similar tolerant decisions are taken in Gulf states. I am not calling for law enforcement to be stopped altogether, but organizing unscheduled campaigns in the country’s six governorates during the Eid Al-Adha holiday left a negative impact among people in Kuwait.

This has happened because people are still suffering because of a clear lack of commitment to providing traffic services such as sufficient parking spaces at state departments, educational facilities and markets.

Today, drivers continue spinning over and over again looking for a parking space outside a college, ministry building or shop. Meanwhile, after accidents happen, drivers often wait for an hour for a police officer to arrive at the scene and assess damages.

What I am trying to say is that while the Traffic General Department is strongly committed to issuing traffic tickets during holidays, it fails at the same time to show similar commitment to providing basic traffic services. I urge Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khalid Al-Sabah to make a humanitarian step and instruct senior traffic officials to show tolerance during national holidays. — Al-Rai

kuwait digest

Development plan a hoax

K

By Khalid Al-Awadhi

uwait’s Finance Minister Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah said in a statement to Al-Arabiya TV last week that Kuwait’s development plan was designed on ‘incorrect bases’ and is an error that is currently being dealt with “by putting a new development plan into effect by April 2014”. The five-year development plan was tabled by the government and approved by the parliament to start in 2010 with an estimated budget of KD 37 billion, which is equal to some countries’ budgets for a decade or two.

It is really hard to think or say anything about this situation. As the multibillion plan has nearly a year to go before it finishes, the government suddenly realizes that development promises they have been making were a ‘mistake’, and that statements of former and current ministers about projects and funds spent in the past four years were all false. All the talk about improving education, restructuring the Kuwaiti economy, diversifying the national income — 93 percent of which currently depends on oil - restoring demographic balance, improving the infrastructure, ending the housing crisis

As the multibillion plan has nearly a year to go before it finishes, the government suddenly realizes that development promises they have been making were a ‘mistake’, and that statements of former and current ministers about projects and funds spent in the past four years were all false.

All the talk about improving education, restructuring the Kuwaiti economy, diversifying the national income — 93 percent of which currently depends on oil - restoring demographic balance, improving the infrastructure, ending the housing crisis and transforming Kuwait into a financial hub... all this was nothing but a hoax that the Kuwaiti people fell for all these years! and transforming Kuwait into a financial hub... all this was nothing but a hoax that the Kuwaiti people fell for all these years!

How else can the minister’s statements be interpreted? The development plan provided hope for the Kuwaiti people who put pressure on their representatives in the parliament to approve it and legislate necessary regulations to execute it. For many Kuwaitis, the development plan was the lifeboat which they believed is going to help the country ride the wave of development that is sweeping through the world. But after the minister’s statements, Kuwaitis came to realize that the plan was a mirage. And after admitting their failure and confirming that the plan was doomed to fail, does the government expect people to listen or believe their promises again? One last word to Finance Minister Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah, who is an experienced economist and financial expert: While Kuwait could be able to afford such a lost opportunity today, it might not be able to do the same tomorrow. Protect Kuwait and its resources before it is too late. — Al-Qabas

By Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net

I

n t a Jus uiry q in

f ber o Mem ment parlia

ent

rnm

e Gov

kuwait digest

Where are watchmen?

“A

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

ccusations of corruption and thefts raised in days ago. Either that, or they deliberately turn a blind recent years were in most cases allegations eye on what the undersecretary mentioned because promoted without proof. In my opinion, they they are among the most important contributors to the are promoted to cover the real corruption that citizens situation that Mershed uncovered.

In fact, instead of criticizing the thefts happening at practice, or natural reaction to a feeling of remorse. A the M inistr y of Parliament citizen who breaks the law Affairs which were emphaand abuses state funds proPolitical hiring, or appointing a sized by its undersecretary, motes allegations and overblown statements about person through a lawmaker or former MP Musallam Al-Barrak recently reiterated old fiery thefts in order to cover their own crimes”. government official’s influence, statements about thef t of public funds. This, if anything, This is what I wrote in my previous article commenting has been an issue we often hear, proves the notion that the claims are mainly proon the bombshell dropped by especially around parliamentary theft moted to cover for the thefts Undersecretar y of the Ministry of Parliament Affairs election times. Many rumors or that citizens practice and provide ‘justification’ to those Ahmad Al-M ershed who revealed that there are hun- claims about ‘allocating’ thou- who take part in these practices. dreds of inactive employees Political hiring, or appointand managers in the ministry sands of jobs in different state which has a maximum num- departments for certain individu- ing a person through a lawmaker or government offiber of 370 staff workers who carry out tasks that require a als are spread. But Undersecretary cial’s influence, has been an issue we often hear, especially few dozen. Among the inactive employees are people Mershed came to confirm that around parliamentary elecwho work in state depar t- three out of four employees in his tion times. Many rumors or claims about ‘allocating’ thouments outside Kuwait. In other words, people with dual cit- ministry were hired for election sands of jobs in different state departments for certain indiizenships who receive benefits from t wo countries. purposes and do not report regu- viduals are spread. But y M ershed According to Mershed, they larly to work. The worst part is that Undersecretar came to confirm that three continue to receive salaries, allowances and incentives some of them have dual nationali- out of four employees in his ministry were hired for elecfrom Kuwait despite not even knowing the way to the min- ty and some others work simulta- tion purposes and do not report regularly to work. The istry’s building.

I also wrote that I expected neously in companies inside and worst par t is that some of strong reaction to the under- outside Kuwait in clear violation of them have dual nationality and some others work simulsecretary’s statements, espetaneously in companies inside cially from politicians who are the law. and outside Kuwait in clear self-proclaimed ‘watchmen of violation of the law. Despite public funds’ and their supporters. But it turns out that they are in deep sleep, or that, the only thing said in all of Kuwait, even on the similar to the majority of citizens of Kuwait, are yet to Internet, is about allegations of merchants stealing return back from the long holiday that ended a few public funds. —Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

Are women parts of herds?!

T

By Arwa Al-Waqian

hese are the same women, who are despised by marriage, pregnancy, labor and hemorrhaging to death. some and treated as mere parts of herds, who This phenomena is spread in all Arab countries, not only brought men up and took care of them. Men would in Yemen, but other Arab countries dare not declare any not exist today had it not been for women. The whole related statistics. Women suffer from various kinds of world would have disappeared. Generations have been physical and sexual violence in Afghanistan and many other countries worldwide. multiplying, no thanks to men Seven women get assaulted because the greatest role and sufferings in the process have Who believes that while per hour in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, either by a spouse or an been done by women. They are the ones who get pregnant, approaching the year 2014, ex.

Human trafficking, namely give birth, breastfeed and take care of children while men only some female children are being with women, is still at its highplay a complementary role in married to men of the same age est rates where women are forced to serve or practice prosbringing up the kids and paying the expenses, which has of their fathers. The ‘death titution everywhere around the globe. Women are still considalso become a joint responsibilbrides’ phenomena in Yemen is ered secondar y creatures ity lately.

What is painful is that you the cause of 8 deaths per day despite development, the number of human right organizawomen are your own selves’ enemies because others treat because of early marriage, tions and the amount of openness. It is all because of the you like this as you have no choice about your own life and pregnancy, labor and hemor- family that implants seeds of in their sons enhancing become but part of a herd; rhaging to death. This phenom- evil their manliness and superiority when you are deprived from any kind of authority, even on ena is spread in all Arab coun- to women. This mainly happens because of a mother who had your own body, you are but part of the herd and when you tries, not only in Yemen, but oth- been oppressed by a man herself, or has old psychological are forced to marry someone you do not want to, you are er Arab countries dare not complexes she wishes to have definitely nothing but part of a declare any related statistics. her daughter go through and suffer as well. Our world needs herd.

All this is alien to Islam. It is Women suffer from various a real stand and a candle lit for each woman who fought for only the result of futile traditions and habits. Women used kinds of physical and sexual vio- her rights. So many men to take part in all fields, fight lence in Afghanistan and many deserve appreciation for supporting women at a time when and practice medicine in Islam. many women gave up their Yet, nowadays, she is being other countries worldwide. own rights. It is high time banned from driving. She is women are treated as indebeing deprived of her right to self-determination and free will. She has no rights except pendent individuals who have the right to plan their own future. A woman should be the only person responsible those set for her by a man, whoever that man is!

Who believes that while approaching the year 2014, for her own body, not her family or tribe. It is time for some female children are being married to men of the women to love, appreciate and treat themselves with same age of their fathers. The ‘death brides’ phenomena much pride. It is time for them to feel proud and not in Yemen is the cause of 8 deaths per day because of early ashamed of being women anymore. — Al-Jarida

s it time to collect taxes in Kuwait? Suddenly, new voices came to assume that it’s about time to have a new system to control unsupervised spending by people and their incomes, which can be managed by taxes. Kuwait has no system for personal income tax or sales tax or wealth tax. For many years, all these amounts of money were paid in the name of fees. It did encourage many expatriates to work and live here to avoid the blow of taxation back home. There is no shame in this.

Nevertheless, everyone, Kuwaitis or not, have to pay for the other face of the coin which is called fees for any services at governmental departments. No fees, no services - it is as simple as that. Somehow, itis the same as taxes. But let’s not forget that the fees everyone pays goes to the treasury of the government and not to finance any government sector projects. The only taxes payable are taxes on foreign companies or import duties on essential items, imposed at 4 percent of the value of most products. The percentage is low, yes, but it was not constructed as a tool to develop services or finance or benefit anything.

Western governments collect taxes to finance public sector expenditures with two elements in mind - those who will benefit and those who can pay. This is the basic understanding for taxes around the globe. I know that this theory has gone too far to the extreme and the middle class had been widely affected to move down to the poverty line because they were the first to be hit over the head with taxes. Rich people were barely affected in fact even during hard times like wars, not so many billionaires went broke.

Who will benefit and who will pay. Yes, here in Kuwait we have people who own millions if not billions and their wealth is still growing while we have people who are in jail because they could not pay their rent or put bread on the table. Taxes are not set as punishments but more as guidelines to set a balance and provide services to all.

So are taxes applicable to Kuwait? We pay fees. Does applying taxes cancel these fees we pay everywhere?

But how good are the services we all receive. If applying taxes will not cancel the fees, then this would be a contradiction of understanding what is this system and how it works and against whom. You pay for the services which you will be provided by the government and if these services are not up to your satisfaction, then you are free to protest and call for better services and development.

I believe that spreading calls without clear vision and strategy is a complete foolishness. Who will benefit? I guess in our case it will hit the middle class.

kuwait digest

A great ruler of Kuwait

T

By Bader Khalid Al-Bahar

he people and their leader Sheikh Abdullah AlSalem Al-Sabah were victorious when the constitution that is in effect until now was issued, so is it too much to name the First Ring Road after him?!

Consultant Khalil Al-Awadhi is the founder and member of many international medical societies, has several international prizes and is a patriot to the bone. If he becomes health minister, our hospitals would have been much better than what we have now in the form of total chaos.

Dr Khalil said: There is a small street downtown named after Abdullah Al-Salem, but is this the status of one of the greatest Kuwaiti rulers?! Dr Khalil who possess an encyclopedia of Amir Abdullah Al-Salem, wants to launch a campaign to name First Ring Road as “1st Ring Road - Abdullah Al-Salem”, before it gets snatched like many of Kuwait’s streets and roads that were named after people who have nothing to do with achievement or history, and we join Dr Khalil’s campaign and all those who support it.

We also think, as we mentioned last week, that another campaign must be launched to file a complaint against the government to cancel 36 names that were issued at random on streets without justification, and the government did not ask itself how much it will cost to change the metal sign plates, civil IDs, documents and other things? What is the cost citizens will incur, including wonderment towards some names? Names that do not include one single woman, as if Kuwait is void of women who were part of its history.

A great ruler whose name is Abdullah Al-Salem AlSabah responded during his reign to his people’s wish to establish a democratic system in which they participate in governing, and he helped in writing a permanent constitution for Kuwait by electing individuals from the society to put the text of this constitution to be a popular constitution. On Aug 26, 1961, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem issued an Amiri decree no. 22/1961 calling for the election of the constituent council in order to establish a democratic system, and it held its first session on Jan 20, 1962.

Abdellatif Alghanim was elected speaker and Dr Ahmad Al-Khateeb deputy speaker, and a committee of five members was asked to write the constitution, chaired by Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah, and they wrote Kuwait’s constitution that is in effect until now. And on Oct 27, 1962, the constitution committee held its final session and sent the constitution proposal to the Assembly for discussion. Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem ordered family members who were members of the constituent council to refrain from voting on any item of the constitution, and leave that to the elected members, so that the constitution can be truly popular.

On Nov 11, 1962, members of the constituent council handed HH the Amir Abdullah Al-Salem the constitution proposal in Sief Palace, which was approved, the biggest victory by the Kuwait people and by a great leader named Abdullah Al-Salem. — Al-Qabas

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

High-profile British phone hacking trial begins Page 10

3 dead as fierce storm lashes northern Europe Page 9

WASHINGTON: A woman wearing oversized sunglasses lettered with the words “stop spying” listens to speakers during the Stop Watching Us Rally protesting surveillance by the US. —AFP

Spain enraged over US phone taps MADRID: Spain yesterday denounced newly reported mass US eavesdropping on its citizens’ telephone calls, calling it “inappropriate and unacceptable” as outrage spread over the worldwide espionage programme. The Spanish government delivered the message to US Ambassador James Costos, summoned to explain the latest revelations in a growing scandal over US snooping on telephone and online communications of ordinary citizens and world leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The news emerged just as a European Parliament delegation began a three-day mission to Washington to probe the impact of the surveillance on EU citizens’ “fundamental rights” and to discuss a threat to suspend an EU-US agreement on the transfer of banking data. A senior Spanish foreign ministry official met with the US envoy hours after the El Mundo daily published a classified document purportedly showing that the US security services tracked 60.5 million Spanish telephone calls in a single month.

The National Security Agency recorded the origin and desti-

nation of the calls and their duration but not the content, said El Mundo, which printed a classified graph showing 30 days of call tracing up to January 8 this year. The graph illustrated the daily volume of calls monitored in the period, peaking at 3.5 million on December 11. Though not shown on the graph, the newspaper said such systematic trawling of huge volumes of digital information-or metadata-would include intercepting personal details through Internet web browsers, emails and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

The article was jointly authored by US blogger Glenn Greenwald, who said he had access to previously secret documents obtained by former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden. The Spanish foreign ministry said it had underscored with the US ambassador its concern over the reported snooping.

“Spain conveyed to the United States the importance of preserving the climate of trust that governs bilateral relations and of knowing the scale of practices that, if true, are inappropriate and

unacceptable between countries that are partners and friends,” it said in a statement. Spain’s state secretary for the European Union, Inigo Mendez de Vigo, “urged the US authorities to provide all necessary information about the supposed tapping in Spain”, it said.

During a visit to Poland, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo, told journalists that if the reported espionage was confirmed “it could mean a break in the climate of trust that has traditionally reigned in relations between the two countries”.

The US ambassador said in a separate statement that some of the security programmes played a “critical role” in protecting Americans and were also instrumental in protecting allied interests.

He promised to work to address Spain’s concerns. El Mundo urged Spanish prosecutors to charge the NSA with spying, saying such tracing of telephone calls without the proper judicial authority amounted to a criminal offence. In Washington, US law-

makers sought to soothe injured European feelings as they held talks with the parliamentary mission from Brussels.

“We hope for an open dialogue today,” US House of Representatives intelligence committee chairman Mike Rogers told reporters as he entered the meeting. “We’re going to find some common ground here today.” The Wall Street Journal said yesterday that the NSA had tapped the phones of some 35 world leaders including close ally Merkel, who last week branded the snooping as unacceptable between friends.

President Barack Obama learned of the espionage programme only after an internal mid-year review, and the White House then ordered an end to the spying on some leaders, including Merkel, the Wall Street Journal said. NSA spokeswoman Vanee Vines flatly denied reports in Germany that NSA chief General Keith Alexander had briefed Obama on the operation against Merkel in 2010 but that the president let the spying continue. — AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

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

Iran offers ideas to end rift with UN nuke watchdog VIENNA: Iran’s deputy foreign minister said he had made proposals to the UN nuclear watchdog chief yesterday after pledging “a new approach” to easing international concerns about indications of illicit nuclear bomb research by Tehran. UN inspectors want to resume an investigation, long stymied by Iranian non-cooperation, into what it calls the “possible military dimensions” of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme. Tehran says it is enriching uranium solely for electricit y g e n e r a t i o n a n d m e d i c a l t re a tm e n t s. H o p e s o f ove rco m i n g t h e s t a l e m a te b e t we e n I ra n a n d t h e

International Atomic Energy Agency over the nature of the nuclear programme have risen since the election of a moderate president committed to e a s i n g Te h r a n’s i s o l a t i o n . D e p u t y Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said he had had “very useful” discussions with IAEA Direc tor General Yuk iya Amano and had made proposals to him to be addressed in detail by senior IAEA and Iranian experts later in the day.

“I am ver y hopeful that we can come out with a good result,” Araqchi told reporters in Vienna. Araqchi’s session with Amano was the first high-

level IAEA-I ranian meeting since Iranian President Hassan Rouhani took office in August pledging conciliation in the place of confrontation in the Islamic Republic’s foreign relations.

“It is very important for all of us that we can show concrete progress,” Amano said, seated across a table from Araqchi at IAEA headquarters as the talks began. “We think this is the time to take a new approach to resolving (questions) between Iran and the IAEA and look to the future for further cooperation in order to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme,” Araqchi said.

He g ave no details, a lthou g h added, “It is peaceful and it will remain peaceful forever.” Expectations for yesterday’s Vienna talks were relatively high and diplomats believed I ran might soon offer some concessions, perhaps by allowing UN inspectors to visit its Parchin military base southeast of Tehran - long an IAEA priority.

Taking advantage of the diplomatic opening enabled by Rouhani, Iran and six world powers are pursuing separate negotiations towards a broader political settlement to the dispute to head off any risk of a new Middle East war. Their last meeting was held in

October in Geneva, and another one is scheduled for November.

An end to I ran’s higher- grade enrichment of uranium is a central demand of the powers. Refining uranium to 20 percent is sensitive as it is a relatively short technical step to raise that to the 90 percent needed for making a nuclear weapon. Rouhani has promised to engage with the West in return for an easing of economically damaging sanctions against Iran, a dramatic departure from eight years of ideological belligerence under hardline conser vative predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. —Reuters

Gaza rockets spark Israel raid on eve of prisoner deal Hamas slams ‘terrorizing’ raid

MARDIN: The world’s tallest man Sultan Kosen (left) poses with his new wife (right) on October 27, 2013, in Mardin during his wedding ceremony with a Syrian woman.

Sultan Kosen is eight foot three (2.51 meters) high. — AFP

Iran bans reformist newspaper Bahar TEHRAN: Iran’s press watchdog has imposed a ban on reformist newspaper Bahar for publishing an article seen by critics as questioning the beliefs of Shia Islam, media reported yesterday.”Based on the verdict issued by the press supervisory board, Bahar newspaper has been banned and its case has been referred to the judiciary,” Mehr news agency quoted press watchdog head Alaedin Zohourian as saying. Bahar has issued an apology note, saying publishing an article last week was an “unintentional mistake”, and it temporarily suspended activities on Saturday to “ease the tensions”.

“The article which has sadly hurt the feelings of the believers was published due to a technical error ... Editorial has apologised several times and criticised the article to show it was contrary to Bahar (political) line,” read its statement.

Iran’s Culture Minister Ali Janati also condemned Bahar daily for publishing the article which “foments religious conflicts”, adding the daily had received earlier warnings.

“Besides deviating the histor y of Islam, it played a role in creating religious conflict in the country,” official news agency IRNA quoted Janati as saying. A leading reformist, Mohammad Reza Aref, also criticised the article. “Reformist media should act wisely and should not give an excuse to rivals who seek to undermine the reformist camp,” he said.

Iran’s new president Rouhani, who has the support of reformists and moderates, pledged to work for more social freedom during his election campaign. Several reformist journalists and political activists have been released since he took office in August. — AFP

GAZA CITY: Israeli warplanes raided the northern Gaza Strip yesterday after militants fired rockets over the border, as Israel readied to free a new batch of long-term Palestinian prisoners. It was the first air strike on Gaza in more than two months and came shortly after two rockets were fired towards southern Israel.

Despite the flare-up along the Gaza border, which has been quiet for months, Israeli officials said it was unlikely to affect the prisoner release which is due to take place today night as part of the ongoing direct peace talks with the Palestinians.

Witnesses said the air strike targeted a training ground west of Beit Lahiya that was used by militants from the armed wing of Gaza’s ruling Hamas movement. Hamas slammed the Israeli raid as “an escalation which aims to terrorise our people,” adding that it held Israel “completely responsible for any effects or deterioration.” Neither the air strike nor the earlier rocket attacks on southern Israel caused any damage or casualties.

The Israeli military said the air force had struck “two concealed rocket launchers” in northern Gaza following an earlier cross-border attack. Earlier yesterday, militants fired two rockets at the southern Israeli port city of Ashkelon, one of which was shot down by the Iron Dome missile defence system, the army said.

And on Sunday, a mortar shell was fired over the border that also caused no damage or injuries. In September, there were two instances of rocket fire, but Israel did not respond. It was the first Israeli air strike since August 14 when the air force hit targets in the same area, also in response to rocket fire. That attack occurred just hours after Israel released a first batch of 26 Palestinian prisoners in line with commitments which led to a resumption of direct peace talks in late July, following months of sus-

GAZA CITY: Relatives of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails congratulate each other yesterday at the Red Cross office in Gaza City after Israel approved the release of 26 Palestinian prisoners. — AFP tained US pressure.

21 prisoners from West Bank, five from Gaza But yesterday’s scuffle along the Gaza border was not expected to have any impact on plans to free a second batch of prisoners, with a senior official telling AFP it “won’t delay” the release of 26 another inmates. The list of prisoners slated for release, 21 of them from the West Bank and five from Gaza, was approved yesterday by senior Israeli ministers.

The names were published later that night, giving victims’ families and groups 48 hours to mount a legal challenge before the release goes ahead. All but one of them were arrested before the signing of the 1993 Oslo peace accords, which won the Palestinians limited selfrule but failed to bring about an independent state.

All were convicted of murdering Israelis, according to the details published by Israel’s prison service. A Fatah official told AFP that 19 of the prisoners set to be freed were members of its movement, which is led

by Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, while four belong to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and three to Hamas.

Meir Indor, head of Almagor, a group representing Israeli victims of Palestinian attacks, told AFP his organisation would be petitioning the high court against the impending release. He said the release showed “double standards” because it was a result of American and European pressure on Israel, which unlike the Jewish state, he said, “do not release terrorists.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to release a total of 104 Palestinians in four

stages in line with commitments which brought about a resumption of US-brokered direct talks on July 30 after a hiatus of nearly three years. Netanyahu reiterated yesterday at a meeting of his ruling rightwing Likud party that “we must take into account the weight of reality” and fulfill those commitments to release prisoners.

Israeli public radio also quoted International Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz as saying: “We can’t say yes to the Americans one day, and three months later say no.” Last week, an Israeli official said that in parallel with the release, a new batch of tenders would be announced for construction in settlements in the West Bank and annexed east Jerusalem, in a move allegedly coordinated in advance with the US and the Palestinians. The Palestinians have denied any such link. — AFP

Peace envoy visits Syria as Russia slams rebel threats DAMASCUS: UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi arrived in Damascus yesterday to seek support for a Syria peace conference, as Russia slammed rebels for threatening those planning to attend the so-called Geneva II talks.

Brahimi, who travelled overland to the Syrian capital after flying in to Beirut airport from Tehran, arrived at the Sheraton hotel accompanied by Syrian deputy foreign minister Faisal Moqdad.

The envoy has been on a regional tour, taking in Turkey but not Saudi Arabia which opposes the peace initiative and takes a hard line against President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime. The Syria leg of his mission to drum up support for Geneva II is the most sensitive as he needs to persuade a wary regime and its hostile opponents to attend the talks. It is his first visit to Syria since last December. In Tehran, Brahimi said it was “necessary” for Iran, a key ally of the Damascus regime, to take part in the Geneva conference slated for next month and aimed at ending Syria’s twoand-a-half-year conflict. The initiative’s backers, Washington and Moscow, have struggled to win the support of the warring parties in Syria, where more than 115,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the 31-month conflict.

In the latest blow, 19 Islamist groups fighting to topple Assad issued a statement Sunday saying the Geneva conference “is not, nor will it ever be our people’s choice or our revolution’s demand.”

“We consider it just another part of the conspiracy to throw our revolution off track and to abort it,” said the statement read out by Suqur al-Sham brigade chief Ahmad Eissa Al-Sheikh in a video posted online. The statement went on to say that anyone who attends such talks would be committing “treason” and “would have to answer for it before our courts,” implying they could face execution.

Russian FM: Outrageous threats Russia yesterday issued a stinging rebuke to the rebels. “It is outrageous that some of these extremist, terrorist organisations fighting government forces in Syria are starting to make threats,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in televised comments. “The threats are directed at those who have the courage to attend the proposed Geneva conference being offered by Russia and the United States with the entire world’s support.”

For Thierry Pierret, an expert on Islam in Syria, the rebel statement covers a wide range of opposition groups

from radical Salafists to moderates who form the backbone of the mainstream rebel Free Syrian Army. “So you can say that Geneva II is almost totally rejected within rebel ranks,” said the expert at Scotland’s Edinburgh University. “If some of the opposition does take part and reaches an accord, it will be worthless.” Al-Watan newspaper in Damascus linked the rebels’ rejection to the cooling in ties between Washington and Riyadh over both the Syrian conflict and ties with its regional rival, Iran.

“In the context of the ‘conflict’ between Washington and Riyadh, the Saud (ruling) family has instructed the terrorist groups fighting on the ground to announce that participation in Geneva II is treason,” it said. Under pressure from its Western backers to attend, the National Coalition opposition group is to meet on November 9 to decide whether to take part. But it has insisted it will only do so if there are guarantees Assad will step down, and its leader Ahmad Jarba has also said no talks can take place unless the regime frees women and children from its jails. Assad has said “the factors are not yet in place” for such talks, and has repeatedly rejected negotiations with any group tied to the rebels or to foreign states.— AFP

In Libya, former rebel commander tests Tripoli BREGA: For Libyan militia leader Ibrahim Al-Jathran, shutting down half the country’s oil production with an armed militia is not a crime, it is the start of a just battle for a fair share of country’s petroleum wealth. From his base near the Mediterranean oil terminal of Brega, the 33-year-old war hero from the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi has taken control of the main oil ports to demand more autonomy and oil for his eastern region from faraway Tripoli.

He commands several thousand fighters from his white single-storey

building, the former headquarters of Libya’s petroleum protection force, which he seized with his men when he defected from the unit in July. His airconditioned office is crammed with aides and his men patrol the large compound. A Toyota pickup truck mounted with anti-aircraft guns is parked at the front gate. His militia also mans the gates at Brega and other ports along the coast.

The rise of Jathran as a self-styled regional leader reflects the anarchy of postwar Libya, where Prime Minister Ali

Zeidan is struggling to control a country bristling with armed tribes, militias and radical Islamists. But the standoff over the oil ports shows the limited power the central government has to curb former fighters who chased out Gaddafi and now believe they deserve to be the beneficiaries of the uprising two years ago.

“Oil exports are supposed to benefit the Libyan people but the opposite is true,” Jathran said in an interview in Ajdabiyah, his home town near the Mediterranean coast.— Reuters

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

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

Poland’s first post-communist PM Mazowiecki dies WARSAW: Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Eastern Europe’s first democratic prime minister after communism, key adviser to Poland’s Solidarity freedom movement and UN human rights envoy to Bosnia in the 1990s, has died. He was 86.

Mazowiecki’s personal secretary, Michal Prochwicz, told The Associated Press that the former prime minister died early yesterday in hospital. Prochwicz said Mazowiecki was taken to hospital on Wednesday, with high fever.

A lawyer by training, a writer and thinker by temperament, Mazowiecki was well equipped for his role in ousting communism from Poland and shaping a democracy. As prime minister, he called for drawing a “thick line” to separate the communist past from new Poland, a much-criticized position which contributed to his ouster after a year in office.

He made a crucial decision in August 1980 to join thousands of workers on strike at the Gdansk Shipyard to demand restitution of a job for fired colleague, Anna Walentynowicz, better pay and a

monument to workers killed in the 1970 protest. Within days, their action grew into a massive wave of strikes that gave birth to Solidarity, Eastern Europe’s first free trade union and a nationwide freedom movement, led by a charismatic shipyard electrician, Lech Walesa, whose name quickly became known around the globe.

Walesa later said that “everybody was very glad that the intellectuals are with the workers. It was a very important signal for the authorities.” From the days of the strike until well into Poland’s democracy in the 1990s, Mazowiecki was among Walesa’s closest counselors. He advised Walesa in the tough yet successful negotiations with the communists, who granted union and civic freedoms in 1980.

Politicians and friends said yesterday his death was a great loss to Poland’s politics. Fighting back tears, President Bronislaw Komorowski said the Poles should think with gratitude about everything that has happened in Poland since 1989. National flags on government

buildings were lowered at half-staff.

Walesa said it was a “pity that such great people are dying. We could have used his wisdom today.” Poland’s last communist leader, Gen Wojciech Jaruzelski, who was president when Mazowiecki was prime minister in 198990, said he “appreciated Premier Mazowiecki’s wisdom, moderation and presence of mind in assessing difficult situations, and his stubborn insistence on things that he considered to be key.”

“He was prime minister at a very difficult time,” Jaruzelski said. “It required a lot of wisdom and tact to lead Poland through the great reforms.” Like Walesa, and many Solidarity activists, he was detained for months under martial law that Jaruzelski imposed on Dec 13, 1981, to curb the freedom that had irritated Moscow.

After one year in confinement, Mazowiecki returned to Walesa’s side and wrote reports about the stagnation of social and economic life under martial law. The hardships inspired a new wave of strikes in 1988. Mazowiecki walked

arm in arm with Walesa at the head of angry workers in Gdansk. The renewed protests brought the communists to the negotiating table with Solidarity, to discuss the terms of democratization.

Mazowiecki authored many of these terms. The parliamentary election on June 4, 1989 that gave Solidarity seats in parliament and -hard to believe at the time - paved the way for the first democratic government in the cracking communist bloc. In September, Mazowiecki became the region’s first democratic prime minister. His V-for-victory sign to the chamber on appointment became the symbol of Poland’s triumph over communism. Poland’s peaceful revolution initiated changes in the region - climaxing in the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989.

Mazowiecki started as a journalist for Catholic magazines in the late 1940s. A declared believer, he tried to reconcile ethics and religion with politics under the anti-church communist system, imposed on Poland as a result of World War II. The 1970s marked Mazowiecki’s

growing involvement in independent, often clandestine think tanks that educated Poles toward democracy. — AP

Tadeusz Mazowiecki

8 dead as fierce storm lashes northern Europe Heathrow cancels 130 flights in high winds

LONDON: Visitors in period costumes pose for a photograph at the Churchill War Rooms in central London during the ‘Secrets and Spies’ event. — AFP

Churchill’s London bunker welcomes wannabe WWII spies LONDON: Deep in the bowels of London’s Churchill War Rooms, shadowy figures are learning how to defuse bombs, crack codes and rooting out hidden microphones. But the 300 people, some in their sharpest 1940s outfits, are not real spies but enthusiasts trying their hand at being members of the World War II Special Operations Executive. The night-time event in early October was completely sold out as Londoners in search of the latest way to fill up an evening enjoy a bit of living history.

The War Rooms were the nerve centre of Britain’s war effort, where Prime Minister Winston Churchill directed operations against he Nazis, and were converted into a succesful museum in 1984. The wannabe secret agents are greeted by staff sporting bright red lipstick, hair curlers, berets and retro outfits, before being taken under the streets housing Britain’s government buildings and into the nerve centre of its wartime operations.

Among the guests for the special evening, which features three pretend spy missions, are the vintage 1940s band The Polka Dot Dolls, a female trio who sing period songs. But before gaining access to the heart of Churchill’s bunker-where official wartime staff worked and where Clementine Churchill and her husband had their separate rooms-the budding James Bonds are called for a “top-secret briefing”.

“Welcome, you are in the most secret place in London,” says their host “Major Ashdon Wade”, dressed in military uniform and leather gloves and with a neat moustache on his top lip. “I’m sure your parachute session went very well. And of course, I’m sure your French is fluent so congratulations-Felicitations! You are nearly done. You have three missions left tonight.”

‘Dream in morse code’ He reveals their first challenge: to find secret microphones planted in the museum by the enemy. The apprentice agents are given a small detector that makes a noise when it detects a bug, and advance carefully as they wave the sensor over portraits from the Churchill era, extracts of speeches and propaganda posters that hang from the walls.

All this spy business can be thirsty work, so there’s plenty of alcohol on hand to steady the nerves. “It’s so much funnier to visit museum like this, plus there is a bar,” says Simon Clarke, one of the guests. For the second mission, they are given a box with six wires, and each contestant has three minutes to follow 11 instructions for defusing the bomb. “If you need to unplug the red before the black and the blue before the red, it means the order is blue, red, black,”, explains Kimberly Harwood to her companion Jeremy, who is deep in concentration. After two minutes and 15 seconds, their time is up. A few beat the clock but most recruits receive a note saying “DNC”-”Did Not Complete”. For the third and final mission, cracking a secret code, participants join “Millicent Fawcett”, a blonde in khaki uniform and a cap. She tells her character’s story of being recruited into the SOE, the secret British army charged with using espionage, sabotage and local resistance movements to fight the Nazis in occupied Europe.—AFP

LONDON: More than 300,000 homes were left without power across northern Europe yesterday and trains and planes cancelled as a fierce storm battered the region, leaving at least 8 people dead. Falling trees killed a teenage girl and a middleaged man in southern England as well as a woman in Amsterdam, as the storm swept across Britain, France and the Netherlands overnight and into the morning. The rough conditions at sea also forced rescuers to abandon the search for a 14year-old boy who disappeared while playing in the surf on a southern English beach on Sunday.

Winds reached 99 miles per hour (159 kilometres per hour) on the Isle of Wight off the southern English coast, according to Britain’s Met Office national weather centre. Heavy rain and winds of 80 mph elsewhere brought down hundreds of trees and caused the mass cancellation of train services across southern England and the Netherlands. In Britain, a 17-year-old girl died after a tree fell onto the parked caravan where she was sleeping, while a man in his 50s died when a tree fell on his car, police said.

The woman in Amsterdam was walking along a canal when she was killed, Dutch police said. The Energy Networks Association, an industry body, said 270,000 homes were without electricity across Britain, while a power cut also hit a nuclear power station in the southeast of the country. Dungeness B station automatically closed down both its reactors, leaving its diesel generators to provide power for essential safety systems.

In northern France meanwhile the storm left some 65,000 homes without power, according to the ERDF distribution network, after wind gusts reached 139 kilometres per hour.

Commuters sit it out Train operators across southern England had already cancelled services for yesterday morning ahead of the storm, following days of warnings by forecasters and the media. Many commuters delayed their journeys until the bad weather passed mid-morning, leaving central London stations eerily quiet during what normally would have been the rush hour.

Trading on the FTSE 100 started slowly as many traders stayed at home, according to one analyst. And Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg had to cancel his monthly press conference because the government building where he works was closed after a crane fell on the roof. London’s Heathrow airport cancelled 130 flights, about 10 percent, while delays were reported on the Eurostar cross-Channel train service due to speed restrictions.

Not far from Heathrow, in Hounslow in west London, three houses collapsed in a gas explosion suspected to have been caused by a gas main damaged by a falling tree. An elderly woman was taken to hospital, the fire service said. “Clearly this has been a difficult night for many Londoners, and continues to be an incredibly trying morning,” said mayor of London Boris Johnson.

More than 450 people were stranded on two ferries outside the port of Dover after it closed for more than two hours early morning, as huge waves lashed the coastline on both sides of the Channel. The Met Office said 50 millimetres (almost two inches) of rain fell in some areas overnight, while the Environment Agency issued around 130 flood alerts across England.

The storm-named Christian in France and dubbed St Jude by the British media, after the patron saint of lost causes whose feast day is yesterday-had been predicted to be the worst for a decade. Met Office forecaster Helen Chivers had told AFP the expected damage was likely to be comparable with a storm seen in October 2002, although stronger winds have been recorded since then.However, the devastation was not as bad as had been feared, and fell far short of that caused by the “Great Storm” of October 1987 when winds hit 115 mph. That storm left 18 people dead in Britain and four in France and caused damage worth £1 billion ($1.6 billion or 1.2 billion euros at current exchange rates). There had been far fewer warnings back then, however-BBC weatherman Michael Fish famously assured viewers just hours beforehand that no hurricane winds were expected. — AFP

New mass graves raise hope for the missing in Bosnia TOMASICA: Suad Zeric stares expectantly at a corpse exhumed from a gaping, freshly-dug hole where hundreds of Muslims and Croats massacred in the Bosnian war were tossed two decades ago. The body, surrounded by forensic experts, may be his uncle or his cousin, both of whom disappeared in the ethnic-driven mayhem of the 1992-95 conflict that followed the breakup of the old Yugoslav federation. “I hope with all my heart that they will be found here,” said the 57-year-old, a survivor of the most notorious Serb-run detention camps set up during the war.

The grave was discovered in April in a disused mine in the village of Tomasica in the northwestern region of Prijedor.

Exhumation work started in September in what is the biggest mass grave found in the region. “One of my four uncles who were murdered by cowards, Fehim, was discovered here, thank God,” he said in a whisper, his voice breaking with emotion.

“Kasim, his son Emsud, my uncle Salih and another, Latif, are still missing,” said Zeric, whose father’s remains were only found a few years ago in another mass grave. The Bosnian, who now lives

in the eastern French town of Mulhouse but returns home two or three times a year, was held in both the Omarska and Keraterm camps. These, with the Trnopolje camp, formed what became known as the war’s “triangle of horror” from which many detainees never reappeared.

Bosnian Serb forces set up the three camps, all in the northwest, at the start of the war, which claimed 100,000 lives and left a legacy of ethnic and political divisions that carry on today. It was photographs of emaciated prisoners at Omarska-reminiscent of Holocaust victims in Nazi death camps-first broadcast in the summer of 1992 that shocked the world and drew international attention to the Serb campaign of so-called “ethnic cleansing”.

Zeric was detained in May 1992 in Kozarac, near Prijedor, a month after Bosnian Serbs began their siege of Sarajevo. He was first sent to Keraterm camp then transferred a week later to Omarska, a site in an old iron mine he describes as “hell”. Later on he was taken to Manjaca, another camp set up by the Bosnian Serb wartime authorities.—AFP

BRIGHTON: Waves batter the sea wall of a marina in Brighton, south England yesterday. — AP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

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

Mexico towns lose power in suspected cartel sabotage MORELIA: Unidentified assailants armed with guns and Molotov cocktails attacked power stations in a violence-torn western Mexican state Sunday, causing blackouts in 14 towns after the suspected drug cartel attack. The interior ministry said in a statement that national power company equipment, six fueling stations and a convenience store were targeted in the state of Michoacan, but nobody was hurt. More than 420,000 people were left without power, including the state capital Morelia, but service was restored to 60 percent of customers late Sunday, said Federal Electricity

Commission spokesman Estefano Conde.

Conde said 14 towns were affected, up from 11 reported by the government earlier.

The interior ministry statement did not identify the assailants, and its spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said authorities were investigating the attacks. But a government official told AFP that authorities suspect that the Knights Templar drug cartel launched the brazen assault to send a message to the population and self-defense forces that have formed in the state.

The attack on the power grid came one day after vigilante groups marched in the

town of Apatzingan, a Knights Templar bastion, in a protest that left one person injured.

The cartel accuses the self-defense forces of being backed by their rivals, the Jalisco New Generation cartel. “I think it’s an issue between rival gangs, the Knights Templar and the Jalisco cartel,” the source said on condition of anonymity. “It’s a territorial dispute.”

The attacks on the power grid were a “sanction against the people,” the official said.

“More than revenge, it was a message that they won’t allow people to mess with them.”

The federal government deployed thousands of troops to Michoacan in May to bring peace

to the state after months of cartel violence that prompted several towns to take up arms.

Residents of Michoacan say they formed vigilante groups to counter the wave of extorsion, kidnappings and murders perpetrated by the purportedly religious Knights Templar cartel. Sunday’s attacks cut out power in several towns that formed self-defense forces, including Buenavista Tomatlan, Uruapan and La Piedad. Four of the six fueling stations that were targeted were in the state capital. The assailants fired guns of “various calibers” during the attacks, the interior ministry said.

Local media reported that five people were

killed in a separate clash between an armed group and vigilantes in Apatzingan on Sunday while two more died in a shootout between gunmen and soldiers in Turicato.

More than 77,000 people have been killed in drug-linked violence across Mexico in the past seven years. Acts of gruesome violence have continued in Michoacan despite the military reinforcements. In September, police found three human heads on a traffic circle while a local lawmaker was hacked to death by machete-wielding assailants. A vice admiral and his assistant were shot dead in a suspected Knights Templar attack in July. —AFP

UK hacking trial begins Explosive evidence expected against Murdoch aides

TBILISI: Georgia’s president-elect Georgy Margvelashvili (right) and Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili attend a press conference yesterday. — AFP

Georgia PM ally secures crushing electoral win TBILISI: A loyalist of Georgia’s billionaire Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili basked yesterday in his presidential election victory to replace pro-Western moderniser Mikheil Saakashvili after a decade in charge of the ex-Soviet nation. Giorgi Margvelashvili, a once obscure academic from Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream coalition, won around 62 percent of the vote in Sunday’s poll, the election commission said after ballots from 99.68 percent of polling stations had been counted. His nearest challenger, ex-parliament speaker David Bakradze from Saakashvili’s United National Movement (UNM), trailed behind with just under 22 percent, official results showed. Margvelashvili had claimed victory before cheering supporters at a rally in the capital Tbilisi on Sunday. “I thank you all so much. It is our shared victory,” Margvelashvili said as balloons were released to chants from the crowd.

Savouring the win, Georgia’s richest man Ivanishvili-who wrested power from Saakashvili’s party in parliamentary polls last year in the country’s first smooth transfer of power-said he had been certain of victory.

“All together we will build a Georgia which we dream about,” Ivanishvili said. “I congratulate you all.”

Sunday’s vote marked the end of US ally Saakashvili’s second and last five-year term and his bitter year-long cohabitation with his bete noire Ivanishvili, who has promised to also step down. In a televised address, Saakashvili urged his supporters to respect the outcome of the poll, while calling it a “serious deviation” from Georgia’s path towards development.

“The Georgian voters have expressed their will. I want to tell those who are not happy with the results: we must respect the majority ’s opinion,” Saakashvili said.

Margvelashvili will assume a weaker role than Saakashvili because constitutional changes will see the prime minister take over many key powers from the president and become the dominant force.

The lower stakes meant this election saw a final turnout of just 46.6 percent, according to official figures. Ivanishvili has promised to name his replacement as premier and step

down shortly after the polls, arguing that he has achieved his goals. “This is now the most important thing as the president is no longer the central figure and the next prime minister is now much more powerful,” said Koba Turmanidze, Georgia director for the Caucasus Research Resource Centre.

Ivanishvili has hinted his replacement will be a member of his cabinet but has so far kept silent about his or her identity.

‘Positive and transparent’ OSCE election observers yesterday hailed the vote as “positive and transparent”. “This clean election following a political cohabitation tells me that Georgia’s democracy is maturing,” Joao Soares, a senior member of the OSCE observer mission, said in a statement. Georgia under Saakashvili made joining NATO and the European Union a main priority, and Margvelashvili has pledged to press on with that drive. He has also promised to try to mend ties with Moscow shattered by a brief 2008 war that saw Georgia effectively lose two breakaway regions.

Russia yesterday voiced cautious optimism over the new leadership. “We will be hoping that these authorities will pursue a policy towards Russia that is friendly and good-neighbourly,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in televised comments. Western allies have expressed concern over perceived selective justice that has seen a string of Saakashvili’s close allies imprisoned since his party lost power.

Speculation is mounting over whether Saakashvili-who has said he wants to remain active in politics-could himself face criminal charges. A Georgian court yesterday found ex-defence minister Bacho Akhalaia guilty of abuse of office and sentenced him to three years and nine months in jail.

Ivanishvili, whose coalition will retain control of the government, has labelled Saakashvili a “political corpse” and warned that he could face prosecution. Saakashvili has pledged not to quit Georgia but a close ally of the president told AFP on condition of anonymity that top US officials were encouraging him to travel to America-at least temporarily.— AFP

Argentina’s ailing Kirchner takes hit in midterm vote BUENOS AIRES: Midterm elections Sunday dealt a tough new loss to Argentine President Cristina Kirchner’s political movement in the country’s biggest voting district, officials said. Exit polls cited by local television said her wing of the Peronist party would not win in Buenos Aires province, home to 40 percent of the nation’s 30 million-plus voters. It also stood to lose in the federal capital; the second city of Cordoba; and the cities of Santa Fe and Mendoza, the reports showed.

Opposition lawmaker Sergio Massa, mayor of Tigre and a former cabinet chief for the current president, defeated the Kirchner wing candidate in Buenos Aires province, the reports said after polls closed at 2100 GMT. That makes Massa, 41, a likely presidential hopeful for general elections in 2015 — Kirchner is not eligible to stand herself. While Kirchner ’s wing of the Peronists was likely to remain the single largest political movement at federal level, it was not clear by late Sunday if they would hold on to majorities in both houses of Congress. Voters were eligible to cast ballots to elect half the lower chamber of Congress and a third of the Senate. The standard bearer of the populist-nationalist Peronists, Kirchner is barred from running for a third term in 2015 and many see Sunday’s vote as the start of the race to replace her. Her Front for Victory faction is expected to lose seats to both Massa’s

Peronist movement and to the divided right- and left-wing opposition parties.

A polarizing figure, Kirchner has seen her popularity sag in recent months, despite a health crisis which some thought might bolster her public support. Her oldest son Maximo, told AFP that Kirchner on Sunday was “well, and in good spirits” after surgery this month to remove a blood clot on her brain. She was not, however, quite well enough to cast a ballot, and continues to rest and heal at the presidential residence north of Buenos Aires.

Argentina’s first democratically-elected female president, Kirchner has seen her approval rating slide to about 30 percent since she was swept back into office for a second term in 2011. Mariel Fornoni, head of pollster Management & Fit, said the election was a key barometer of support-or lack of it-for the Argentine leader. “It is a cycle that is ending, and a point of departure.

Yesterday is the beginning of the race for the presidential election of 2015 and control of Peronism,” Fornoni said.

Argentina’s business class has been angered by Kirchner’s failure to control inflation and protectionist economics, import restrictions, the nationalization of companies such as energy giant YPF and foreign exchange controls. Critics are also skeptical of her foreign policy alignment with anti-Western governments in Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela.—AFP

LONDON: Rupert Murdoch’s former British newspaper chief and Prime Minister David Cameron’s ex-media head went on trial for phone hacking yesterday at the start of one of Britain’s most high profile court cases in years. Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson, both former editors of Murdoch’s now defunct News of the World tabloid, are accused of conspiring to illegally access voicemail messages on mobile phones belonging to politicians, the rich and famous, and victims of crime and ordinary people, to obtain exclusive news.

The two, who face trial with six others, deny all charges. The scandal sent shockwaves through the British establishment and shook Murdoch’s News Corp empire. It revealed the close ties between press barons, police chiefs and senior politicians. The media industry is still at loggerheads with Cameron’s government over how it should be regulated.

“This trial concerns allegations of criminal conduct at the News of the World and the Sun newspapers which preceded the closure of the News of the World,” the judge, Justice John Saunders, said as jury selection began for the trial.

“It’s an important case. The trial we are about to start will take a considerable length of time. It’s estimated the case may last until Easter.” Detectives launched an investigation in January 2011 and since then more than 125 people have been arrested and more than 40 charged. The most prominent are Coulson, 45, and Brooks, a close friend of Cameron. He attended her wedding in 2009 along with

the then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Brooks, 45, was the first female editor of Murdoch’s topselling Sun paper and had risen to become head of News International, News Corp’s British newspaper arm, when the furore over phone-hacking led to her resignation.

Distraction for government Coulson, who quit the News of the World in 2007, had acted as Cameron’s communications chief until he resigned in 2011 saying the issue had become a distraction for the government. They were both arrested in July 2011 and later charged with conspiracy to illegally intercept communications. Brooks is also accused of two counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office during her time at the Sun, and two counts of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by hampering the police inquiry.

Coulson is additionally charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. They sat next to each other in the dock as jury selection began in a small, modern cour troom packed with media and about 20 of Britain’s top lawyers. The judge warned the potential jurors they must ignore any of the mass of details about the allegations that have appeared in the media and decide the case only on the evidence that would be put before them. Joining Coulson and Brooks in the dock are Stuart Kuttner, the long-time former managing editor of the News of the World, Ian Edmondson, the tabloid’s ex-news

LONDON: Andy Coulson walks past a billboard as he arrives at The Old Bailey law court yesterday. — AP editor, Clive Goodman, the paper’s former royal editor, Cheryl Carter, Brooks’s personal assistant, Brooks’s racehorse trainer husband Charlie, and Mark Hanna, News International’s head of security.

They all deny similar charges to those against Brooks and Coulson.

The trial will get fully under way on

Tuesday when prosecutors outline their case. Dozens of other journalists are due to go on trial in connection with hacking next year following the conclusion of this case, while police are also actively considering bringing corporate charges against Murdoch’s British newspaper business.— Reuters

Fears of ‘brat-ocracy’ in child-centred Sweden STOCKHOLM: Sweden had a head start in the good parenting debate as the first country to outlaw smacking but some argue that its child-centred approach has gone too far and children now rule the roost. “In some ways Swedish kids are really ill-mannered,” David Eberhard, a leading psychiatrist and father of six, told AFP. “They shout if there are adults speaking at the dinner table, they interrupt you all the time and they demand the same space as adults.”

Eberhard recently published a book entitled “How Children Took Power” which argues that over the years Swedes have effectively extended their 1979 smacking ban-now adopted in more than 30 countries-to a ban on correcting children in any way. “Of course you should listen to your children but in Sweden it’s gone too far. They tend to decide everything in families: when to go to bed, what to eat, where to go on vacation, even what to watch on television,” he said, adding that the permissive approach to child-raising leaves young Swedes ill-equipped for adulthood. “Their expectations are too high and life is too hard for them. We see it with anxiety disorders and self harming which has risen dramatically.”

A question of culture That view is contested by several experts including family therapist Martin Forster who says that on the whole Swedish youths still top international rankings of well-being.

“Sweden was very much inspired by ideas that children should be more in the centre and they should be listened to,” he said. “ That children decide too much-that’s a matter of values. Different approaches to parenting and children produce different cultures.” Nonetheless, there is a lively debate about how the approach has influenced schools with falling grades and complaints about rowdy classrooms.

“Two boys were swearing at each other-I didn’t think seven-year-olds even knew words like that-and when I tried to intervene they swore at me and told me to mind my own business,” said Ola Olofsson, a journalist at a southern Swedish newspaper, describing a visit to his seven-yearold daughter’s classroom.

When he wrote a column about

STOCKHOLM: Swedish family Maerestad sit at their kitchen table in their home. —AFP the chaos he witnessed at the school, cooperate the best way is to have a ter with the children-but she added the paper’s website was inundated close relationship so the child will that children do often tend to domiwith hundreds of comments from want to cooperate with you,” said nate in Swedish homes. “You can see exasperated parents and teachers. psychologist Kajsa Loenn-Rhodin, it with many of our friends, that it’s One preschool teacher from one of the architects of the course, the children who are in charge, it Stockholm wrote that the four and rejecting the idea that children have feels like.” five-year-olds she teaches regularly taken over.

Parents are not pals “I think it’s a bigger problem when say “You think I care!” when asked to Hugo Lagercrantz, a professor of do something. “Just the other day a children are treated badly... when four-year-old spat at me when I asked there’s harsh parenting,” she said. pediatrics at Karolinska University him to stop climbing on some Marie Maerestad and her husband Hospital, believes Swedish parenting took the course in Stockholm in 2012 owes a lot to the country’s emphasis shelves,” she added. when their daughters were aged two on democracy and equality. “Swedish and three. At meal times the children parents try to be too democratic...

Parenting a political issue But what is it that makes Swedish often ran about and pushed toys They should act like parents and take decisions and not try to be popular parenting different? Family therapist around the kitchen table.

“We found we were nagging them all the time.”

Martin Forster says it’s more of a However Lagercrantz also sees an political issue and that all the public all the time, they were fighting a lot... debate about right and wrong may we had a lot of disputes in the morn- upside to the Swedish approach. leave parents more confused than ing when it was time to get dressed,” “Swedish children are very outspoken elsewhere. Following a government said the energetic 39-year-old per- and can express their opinions,” he inquiry on child welfare in 2010, a sonal trainer. “Our youngest would said, adding that the country’s tradifree parenting course, called “All have tantrums and nothing worked... tion of equality helped spawn homeChildren in the Centre”, was offered We had a pretty tough time so we grown multinationals like H&M and by local authorities to support par- thought it would be a good idea to Ikea, known for their flat manageget some tips and advice,” she added, ment style, where there are fewer layents struggling with young children.

Its main message is that punish- pouring coffee as her daughters ers of middle management. “Sweden ing children does not make them played with Lego on the birchwood is not very hierarchical and in some behave in the long run and setting floor of their suburban house. She respects that’s very good, it’s one of boundaries is not always the right said the course helped them “pick the reasons why the country is doing approach. “If you want a child to their battles” and communicate bet- fairly well economically.” — AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

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

Pak assailant knifes 25 women victims this month ISLAMABAD: A young man has stabbed at least 25 women this month in a small Pakistani town, police said yesterday, and many women and girls are afraid to leave their homes. “Most of the incidents have happened after sunset, but some schoolgirls were also attacked while going back home after school,” said Haseeb-ul-Hassan, the spokesman for Sahiwal District in eastern Punjab province. “We cannot confirm

the total number of incidents, but it’s between 25 to 30.” Doctors say most of the women in the town of Chichawatni, 450 km (300 miles) south of the capital, were stabbed on the legs, stomach or back. The attacker’s motives are unclear, although police said he may be insane.

“Most of the women were stabbed after sunset, while two of them were wearing a burqa at the time they were attacked,” Dr.

Asim Waqar at Chichawatni hospital said by telephone. He was referring to the head-totoe garment with a mesh opening for the eyes that women in conservative areas must wear in the overwhelmingly Muslim country. His hospital received its first case on Oct 6 and has seen two or three cases a day since. Some victims have required stitches or surgery.

In the most recent attack, a man on a

motorbike dismounted and stabbed a 22year-old woman multiple times as she was standing outside her house with her sister, Waqar said. The police are hunting a single attacker, Chichawatni Station House Officer Tahir Aijaz told Reuters. They have announced a reward equivalent to $2,000 for his arrest.

Many victims who sought treatment have not reported the attacks because the

police have a poor reputation and they are forbidden by tradition to speak to strange men. Police said that many women or girls now feared to go out at night or to school. Violence against women is common in Pak istan and activists say several are murdered each day. Underfunded police rarely solve the cases, which can take years to work their way through congested courts.— Reuters

India opposition eyes tighter safety for Modi after blasts Attacks could win sympathy for Modi in polarized campaign

DHAKA: Bangladeshi police officials stand guard on a street during a general strike yesterday. — AP

4 dead as fresh violence erupts across Bangladesh DHAKA: Fresh violence erupted across Bangladesh yesterday, leaving at least four people dead as rival party activists clashed on the second day of a strike amid a mounting political crisis. Police said street battles broke out throughout Bangladesh between thousands of supporters of the ruling party and the opposition, which is demanding the prime minister quit and make way for elections under a caretaker government. A bomb blast in the western Harina Kundu town killed a local opposition official, while elsewhere two activists were killed in separate clashes and a truck driver died after being pelted with bricks, police said.

“Apparently the bomb was hurled, targeting him (the local official). He died on his way to the hospital,” local police chief Mohibul Islam told AFP. At least 16 people in total have now died in the unrest that has escalated since Friday, when the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its Islamist allies staged mass rallies over arrangements for the elections.

Television footage yesterday showed protesters barricading highways, exploding crude bombs and attacking political party offices in dozens of towns, with police responding in some cases with tear gas and rubber bullets. Lastminute talks on Saturday between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her bitter rival, BNP leader Khaleda Zia, failed to halt the three-day strike and defuse the crisis over the polls set for January 2014.

Hasina’s appeal to call off the strike occurred during a 40-minute phone conversation-believed to be the first time in at least a decade that the two “battling begums” have spoken. “Begum” is an honorific for a Muslim woman of rank.

Zia, who has twice served as premier, has since Friday branded the government “illegal”, citing a legal provision that requires a neutral government to be set up three months before elections.

Hasina said such an arrangement is unconstitutional, proposing instead an all-party interim government led by her to oversee the January polls. But the

BNP rejected the proposal, claiming it would allow Hasina to rig results.

Bangladesh has been ruled alternately

by Hasina and Zia since 1991, although a military-backed government headed the country between 2007 and 2008.

Schools, shops and other businesses remained closed yesterday in towns and cities for the strike, which started on Sunday, while thousands of extra police and paramilitary officers have been deployed on the streets, police said. In the western district of Joypurhat, police fired rubber bullets and tear gas during clashes between some 3,000 activists from the BNP and the ruling Awami League, a police official told AFP. Police said BNP activists hacked a ruling party supporter to death with machetes in a northern town, while the truck driver died after he was hit by bricks from protesters in the southeastern coastal town of Satkania.

A BNP supporter was also killed during clashes with ruling party supporters in the central district of Chandpur, local police chief Amir Jafar told AFP. BNP deputy chief Fakhrul Islam Alamgir accused police of opening fire on the party’s supporters during yesterday’s protests, inflaming tensions. He also said the opposition was ready for “talks and compromise” on the issue of who would oversee the upcoming elections.

Private station Independent TV said at least 200 people were injured in clashes with police yesterday, bringing the number of injured in two days of strike to over 500. The last time the two main parties fought street battles was in late 2006, when dozens were killed, causing the country to shut down for weeks before the army stepped in to cancel elections and set up a military-backed caretaker government. While the nation has a long history of political violence, this year has been the deadliest since Bangladesh gained independence in 1971. At least 150 people have been killed since January after a controversial court began handing down death sentences on Islamist leaders allied to expremier Zia. — AFP

NEW DELHI: India’s main opposition party demanded yesterday protection for its candidate for prime minister, Narendra Modi, after a series of small blasts killed six people shortly before he addressed a packed weekend rally.

While Modi was not in the vicinity of any of the blasts in the state of Bihar on Sunday, they were a reminder of India’s bloody political history, that includes the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi at a 1991 election rally. The Hindu nationalist Modi is seen as a target of Islamist militants who hold him responsible for riots in 2002, during his first term as chief minister of Gujarat state, in which at least 1,000 people, most of them Muslims, were killed.

Sunday’s violence was a sign of heightened tensions in the early stages of a campaign that has already coincided with an uptick in communal clashes between Hindus and Muslims. India is due to elect a new government by May 2014 in a contest pitting the political outsider Modi, favoured by business, against the ruling Congress party’s Rahul Gandhi, the scion of a political dynasty stretching back more than 60 years.

Modi denies any role in the 2002 riots or bias against minority Muslims. He has gathered momentum in recent weeks and opinion polls suggest his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could win enough seats to form the next government in a coalition. He used Sunday’s rally to call for unity between poor people of both faiths and pundits predicted he could enjoy a ratings boost because of sympathy after the attack.

The BJP accused the Bihar government of failing to secure the ground where tens of thousands of supporters gathered and demanded that authorities overseeing the election do more to stop attacks. One party leader, Subramanian Swamy, said he wrote to the prime minister demanding Modi be given secret-service-style security, currently reserved for serving and former prime ministers and close relatives.

“I think he should have special protection,” Swamy told Reuters. “It appears to me that the huge crowds that turn out to see Narendra Modi upset those who have much to lose from him gaining power.” Modi is already given a large security detail made up of a mixture of “Black Cat” commandos and Gujarat police.

At least six crude bombs exploded near the rally ground in Bihar’s capital, Patna, after an initial blast at its railway station. Police recovered

PATNA: Part of an Indian flag is projected behind as India’s main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, addresses a rally in Patna, India, Sunday, Oct 27, 2013. — AP four unexploded devices inside the ground, none close to the stage where Modi spoke.

Television images showed flames shooting several metres into the air when one of the devices exploded. Despite the bloodshed, Modi spoke for about an hour after rally organisers decided cancelling the event would risk triggering a stampede.

Modi’s likely main challenger in the next election, Rahul Gandhi, the son of Rajiv Gandhi, said last week that he too was worried about assassination. Rahul’s grandmother, Prime Minister India Gandhi, was assassinated in 1984. Police said they had arrested a suspect after the railway station blast and said he had given details of the operation. They said they found a piece of paper on him listing seven other suspects.

Police also said they had found a suspicious substance at the suspect’s residence and were testing to see if it was an explosive. A senior police officer in Patna told Reuters they were investigating the possibility that a home-grown Islamist militant group, the Indian Mujahideen, was behind the attack, but the suspect has not

admitted any connection to the group.

India holds the Indian Mujahideen responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people in numerous attacks over the last eight years. The organisation, which has links to Pakistan-based militants, often uses multiple small bombs in attacks. Tensions between Hindu and Muslim communities tend to rise before elections, often stirred for political gain. Rioting killed close to 50 people in India’s most populous state a few weeks ago.

The BJP first rose to national prominence during the destruction by Hindus of the Babri Masjid mosque in 1992, an event that sparked rioting that killed some 2,000 people. Modi’s conciliatory tone on Sunday stood in contrast to the violence around him, and the attacks could help him win over some undecided voters. “This will benefit Modi by polarising things even more. People will see that an attempt was made to stop him and that will win him sympathy,” said Neerja Chowdhury, political commentator and former political editor of the Indian Express. — Reuters

Renewed Congo fighting risks engulfing region PARIS: The United States said yesterday renewed fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo between the army and M23 rebels risked dragging neighbouring countries into the conflict and it urged all sides to return to the negotiating table. Following two months of relative calm in the region, fighting flared last Friday after peace talks in neighbouring Uganda broke down when M23 rebels demanded an amnesty for their leaders.

President Joseph Kabila has ruled out a blanket pardon. Three days of army victories have raised the prospect that it could defeat Congo’s most important rebel group, ending a 20-month uprising which has displaced tens of thousands of people, but Washington’s special envoy for the region urged restraint. “There are enormous risks in simply moving forward believing that a military solution is a full answer,” Russell F Feingold told reporters in Paris after returning from a trip to Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. “It risks bringing in other forces in this matter that could lead to a cross-national war.”

Feingold said he backed Kinshasa’s view that

those who had committed “serious crimes” could not go unpunished and he also said the army’s successes were positive in showing it had a credible presence on the ground. But he said peace talks must resume. “My belief is that this is not a situation for a military solution,” he said.

M23 has been weakened by factional infighting and a stream of defections, fuelling a belief that Congo’s army - notoriously disorganised, undisciplined and under-supplied - could defeat it. But diplomats say M23 remains a credible fighting force. On Sunday M23 threatened to withdraw its delegation from the Kampala talks unless there was a quick end to hostilities.

Congo’s army, supported by a new UN intervention brigade, scored its first victories against the rebel movement in late August, forcing the rebels away from the eastern city of Goma.

Feingold said neither the intervention brigade nor the UN mission in Congo (MONUSCO) were prepared to join the Congolese army in a regional war. “To rely on that scenario would be a mistake,” he said. — Reuters

KIBATI: Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) soldiers are pictured near Kibati. — AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

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

Security alert in deadly Philippine village elections MANILA: Police and troops were on high alert across the Philippines yesterday as millions of voters went to the polls to choose village leaders, with 22 people killed in pre-election violence. Poll officials said about 336,000 village chief and councillor posts were up for grabs in the country’s dynamic but corrupt brand of democracy, where politicians are infamous for employing private armies to kill or intimidate rivals. While villages are the smallest government units, they are hotly contested because they allow major political parties to cultivate a grassroots network and widen their support base. “ There has been violence due to intense political rivalry, with emotions running high on the ground between

rivals,” national police spokesman Reuben Theodore Sindac told AFP. He said 22 people had been killed in the four-week runup to the polls, half of them incumbent politicians running for re-election. The latest reported fatality was the brother of a candidate for village chief, who was gunned down Sunday on Basilan, a violence-plagued island in the south of the country that is a stronghold of Islamic militants.

Twenty-seven other people were hurt in election-related violence across the country, including two policeman and two election officers who were ambushed by unidentified gunmen in the central island province of Masbate on Sunday.

Despite efforts by President Benigno

Tiananmen Square: Symbolic centre of the Chinese state BEIJING: Here is some background on the historical and political significance of Beijing’s vast Tiananmen Square, where three people died yesterday when a vehicle crashed into a crowd and caught fire: Q: What is the significance of Tiananmen Square?

A: The Forbidden City, home for centuries to China’s imperial rulers, sits on the northern end and the square has always been the country’s symbolic heart of power. Mao Zedong proclaimed the foundation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 from the Forbidden City’s Tiananmen Gate, and today the square is home to imposing sites of Communist Party authority including Mao’s mausoleum at the southern end.

Yesterday’s incident took place close to a giant portrait of Mao that hangs from the Tiananmen Gate. Smoke from the burning vehicle billowed high as police imposed a major security clampdown on the sensitive site.

Q: Why is the Communist Party so sensitive about the square?

A: Because of its historical significance, the square is guarded heavily by the state, but for the same reason it is also a magnet for protestors, including most famously in the student-led demonstrations of 1989. There have been a number of incidents since then.

In October 2011, a 42-year-old man set himself on fire close to Mao’s portrait, following a legal dispute. He survived

the incident, which came four years after a man from Xinjiang, the far western region home to the Muslim Uighur population, tried to set fire to the portrait itself. In 2001, state media said five members of the Falungong religious sect had set themselves alight in the square, although the group accused authorities of staging the incident. Selfimmolations as a form of protest against the Communist Party have become a regular occurrence in recent years in and around Tibet, and fire extinguishers are today dotted around Tiananmen Square.

Q: What happened in 1989?

For many outside China, Tiananmen Square is most associated with a military crackdown in June 1989, when army tanks opened fire on the student protestors who had occupied the plaza for weeks demanding democratic reform.

China’s government has so far provided no official toll for the repression, which was condemned throughout the world and led to the temporary isolation of Beijing on the international stage.

Unofficial estimates of the numbers killed range from around 200 to more than 3,000.

The Communist Party continues to brand the incident a “counter-revolutionary rebellion” and mentions of the Tiananmen crackdown are routinely censored on weibo websites, China’s version of the banned Twitter. The censorship happened again yesterday, as authorities got to work deleting photos of the burning SUV. — AFP

GOYANG: An employee of South Korean Aerospace and Defense company, LIG Nex1, operates “Chiron,” a potable surface-to-air missile, at the firm’s booth during a media day of Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2013 in Goyang, South Korea yesterday. — AP

S Korea stages major live-fire drill SEOUL: South Korea yesterday deployed destroyers, jet fighters, attack helicopters and rocket launchers in a major live-fire drill against the threat of North Korea landing troops, the defence ministry said. “The joint live-fire drill was aimed at repelling landings by enemy forces along the east coast,” a ministry spokesman told AFP. South Korea has carried out a series of recent military exercises-both alone and jointly with allied nations-sparking angry condemnations from the North and threats of counter-attacks that have not materialised. Earlier this month, Pyongyang threatened “all out war” following a two-

day drill involving a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier alongside South Korean and Japanese vessels began off the southern coast of the Korean peninsula. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been blowing hot and cold for months. They soared at the beginning of the year after the North’s third nuclear test in February, but then appeared to enter a rapprochement stage that saw the two rivals agree to reopen their joint industrial park in Kaesong. The mood quickly soured again when Pyongyang cancelled a scheduled reunion last month for family members separated by the Korean War. — AFP

Chinese hospital staff protest after doctor slain BEIJING: Several hundred hospital workers in white coats and surgical masks staged a rare protest in eastern China against attacks on medical workers after a patient stabbed three of their doctors, killing one. The staffers assembled yesterday outside the Wenling City No. 1 People’s Hospital hoisting signs that said “uphold justice” and “guarantee medical staffers’ safety.” The staffers wanted their safety and dignity as medical workers to be guaranteed, said a woman who refused to give her name when reached by phone at the facility’s emergency department, where a doctor named Wang Yunjie was killed Friday.

“We are still protesting and demanding that the government and the hospital management ensure the safety of the doctors,” the staffer said. The protest came after a knifewielding patient, who was being treated in the emergency department, stabbed the three doctors on Friday. One died while the other two were wounded, according to statements

by Wenling police on their official microblog.

Attacks on hospital staff by patients have

becoming increasingly common in China, where overcrowded facilities and rampant medical corruption fuel frustration that sometimes boils over into violence. Doctors have urged Chinese authorities to protect medical workers and fix problems in the medical system that have caused corruption to take root.

Despite the government’s injection of several hundred billion dollars of extra funding into the system over recent years, patients are still faced with high expenses and often substandard care. Photos of the protesting staffers - in some images featuring rows of white lab coats facing off with black uniformed and helmeted riot police - circulated widely on Chinese microblogs and were getting prominent play on Internet news portals. An official at the hospital director’s office who refused to give her name said staffers started protesting on Sunday afternoon over a misunderstanding that police intended to forcibly remove the victim’s body from his family. The woman said only a small proportion of hospital staff participated in the protest. —AP

Aquino to curb the power of political warlords and their private armies, Sindac said this year’s violence was worse than the last village polls in 2010, when 15 people were killed.

“We have intensified our efforts to protect the security of everyone,” Sindac said.

The armed forces deployed about 6,000 soldiers to four provinces in the restive southern region of Mindanao that were perennial “hot spots” of violence, said regional military spokesman Colonel Dickson Hermoso. Still, this did not deter armed supporters of some candidates from carrying out “isolated cases of intimidation and coercion of voters”, he said.

He said troops were particularly watching a remote village in the town of

Buldon, where 17 rivals were vying for the single post of village chief. “Unidentified gunmen razed to the ground the elementary school there that was to serve as a polling precinct,” Hermoso said. “But voting still continued elsewhere, so they instead let off rounds of gunfire to scare off voters today.”

He said troops gave chase but the suspects escaped. Police were also guarding polling booths across the country. Unlike the last presidential and congressional elections, where vote tallying was done automatically, yesterday’s polling reverted to manual counting. The automatic polling had been widely considered a success in reducing violence, as it largely denied politicians the opportunity to

tamper with ballot boxes.

The election commission said there were already reports yesterday morning of some candidates’ supporters snatching ballot boxes in far-flung communities in remote islands well-known for election cheating. In November 2009 58 people were killed in the Philippines’ worst political massacre when followers of one powerful Muslim clan and journalists were gunned down by a rival political family.

The Commission on Elections said up to 800,000 candidates contested positions yesterday in over 42,000 villages spread across the country. It said it expected more than 70 percent of the country’s 54 million registered voters to go to the polls. — AFP

Car crash at Beijing’s Forbidden City kills 5 Speculation over incident being ‘intentional’ BEIJING: Five people including a Philippine tourist were killed and 38 were injured after a vehicle ploughed into crowds in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square yesterday and caught fire, police said. The blaze sent clouds of smoke billowing into the air near a giant portrait of Mao Zedong that hangs at one end of the square, the site of pro-democracy protests in 1989 which were brutally crushed by the authorities.

Witnesses and reports said the SUV vehicle drove along the pavement outside the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace, before crashing-prompting speculation the incident was intentional.

Immediately afterwards a security operation swung into force on the vast plaza, the symbolic centre of the Chinese state. “I saw a car turn a bend and suddenly it was driving on the pavement. It happened fast but looked like it knocked people over,” one eyewitness, who did not want to be named, told AFP. “I heard an explosion and saw fire. The scene was very frightening,” he added. “There were paramilitary police who told people to get back into their cars and stop taking pictures.”

Images posted on Chinese social media sites showed the blazing shell of the SUV and a plume of black smoke rising near a portrait of communist China’s founder that hangs on the Forbidden City’s towering wall, while crowds looked on.

Several pictures posted online were deleted within minutes, streets leading to the square were blocked off and barriers were erected. Two AFP reporters were temporarily detained close to the site and images were deleted from their digital equipment.

“The incident led to five deaths and 38 injuries,” Beijing police said on their verified account on Sina Weibo, a Chinese equivalent of Twitter. The driver of the vehicle and two passengers were killed, along with two tourists, one a woman from the Philippines and the other a man from Guangdong province in southern China, they said. Three Philippine tourists and one Japanese were among the injured, police added, saying the vehicle had crashed into the guardrail on Jinshui Bridge, which

BEIJING: Police cars block off the roads leading into Tiananmen Square as smoke rises into the air after a vehicle crashed in front of Tiananmen Gate yesterday. —AFP crosses the moat around the Forbidden City, and then caught fire.

The Southern Metropolis Daily quoted an injured Philippine woman named Francesca as saying: “I heard the car’s horn honking, but I noticed it too late. My mind went completely blank, and when I woke again I was completely on the ground.” One 58-year-old Italian tourist said he was touring the Forbidden City when officers came in around noon and ushered everybody out.

Tiananmen Square is generally kept under tight security, with both uniformed and plain-clothes personnel deployed. Many are equipped with fire extinguishers.

Social media users speculated that the car was crashed intentionally.

“Is this the 2013 Tiananmen selfimmolation incident?” asked the writer of one post. “There’s still a person inside the car!” Around 120 Tibetans have set themselves alight

since February 2009 in Tibet itself and adjoining regions of China, in protest against what they see as oppression by Beijing.

The writer of another post pointed out that the vehicle had driven through a pedestrian area, adding: “It couldn’t have been a car accident but was a premeditated event.” Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she did not know “the specifics” when asked whether there was any evidence of a terrorist attack. State broadcaster CCTV did not mention the incident on its flagship evening bulletin.

The first reports of the crash trickled online yesterday afternoon from Chinese social media users at the scene. Soon afterwards police erected high curtain-like barricades directly in front of the Mao portrait, blocking passers-by from viewing the scene. Police stopped people from entering the square and said an “event” was happening there,

while an officer in a van blared orders to leave through a loudspeaker.

Vehicles were later allowed back on to the main road in front of the Forbidden City, a world heritage site that sees 14 million visitors a year. As well as the 1989 student demonstration, Tiananmen Square has been the scene of other protests. In January 1982 a woman taxi driver who had been fined for failing to fulfil her quota of fares drove her vehicle into a crowd at the Jinshui bridge, killing five people and injuring 19 more. She was executed 20 days later. State media said in 2001 that five members of the Falungong religious sect had set themselves on fire on the square, but the group accused authorities of staging the incident.

In May 2007 a man from Xinjiang, the far-western region home to Muslim Uighurs, tried to set fire to the Mao portrait but was immediately detained. — AFP

Japan nuclear agency urges drastic steps at Fukushima TOKYO: In their first meeting since Japan created a new, more independent nuclear agency 13 months ago, the top regulator urged the head of the utility that runs the crippled Fukushima power plant yesterday to take “drastic steps” to mitigate a spate of mishaps at the complex. Nuclear Regulation Authority Chairman Shunichi Tanaka summoned Tokyo Electric Power Co President Naomi Hirose to his office to express concerns about growing problems at the plant, including human errors that have led to a series of leaks of contaminated water used to cool the damaged reactors.

Human mistakes are mostly to blame for the recent mishaps, as workers deal with a string of

crises. Tanaka said earlier this month the repeated “silly mistakes” are a sign of declining morale and sense of responsibility. TEPCO acknowledged a systemic problem in a recent report, saying workers under tight deadlines tend to cut corners, making mistakes more likely, and at times don’t fully understand their assignments or procedures.

Hirose acknowledged that TEPCO is having trouble finding a stable pool of workers at the plant, but promised to send more staff from other sites to Fukushima, where three reactors melted after a March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. TEPCO has acknowledged that more than 700 employees have left the company in the last year alone. Later yesterday, TEPCO Vice President

TOKYO: Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) President Naomi Hirose (right) speaks as vice president Zengo Aizawa (second from right) listens during a meeting with Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority Chairman Shunichi Tanaka (left) yesterday. — AP

Zengo Aizawa said the company sees no problem in obtaining enough workers over the next two to three years, but that uncertainty remains over the long-term decommissioning process.

“We are not sure about our long-term staffing situation during the upcoming process of debris removal, which requires different skills,” Aizawa told a news conference. Asked if the company may have to consider hiring foreign workers, he said TEPCO is open to that idea even though it’s not an immediate option.

It was the first time that Tanaka has met with a utility president, in part because of his attempt to counter criticism that the previous nuclear regulator, which was under the wing of the trade and industry ministry, was too close to the utility sector. Such criticism contributed to the creation last year of a separate, independent nuclear regulator that Tanaka now heads. Agency officials said the meeting indicated Tanaka’s grave concerns. Tanaka and other commissioners have said they plan to step forward to provide more proactive instructions in the future.

Tanaka told Hirose that resolving the problems requires “drastic steps” with a long-term vision, not procedural changes as TEPCO has suggested, Katsuhiko Ikeda, administrative head of the agency, told reporters after the talks, which he attended. The meeting was closed except for few minutes at the beginning.

Masashi Goto, a nuclear reactor engineer and lecturer at Meiji University, was skeptical about how effective the meeting would be. “What matters is what they really talked about,” he said. “To me it seems the regulatory side was just trying to smooth things out and make it look like the situation should start improving.”— AP

NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

People watch a boat from the shore as a storm passes over the beach in Scheveningen in the Netherlands yesterday. — AFP

As Brotherhood retreats, Saudi ‘no woman, no risk of extremism rises drive’ video goes viral ALEXANDRIA: In Egypt’s second city, medical student Ahmed Nabil lives in fear that the police may come and arrest him any day. As a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, he is part of a movement facing an onslaught by the security forces which toppled Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July. “These days we can be picked up at any time,” said Nabil, whose parents are also members of the organisation, Egypt’s oldest Islamist movement and a supporter of Morsi.

The Brotherhood’s discipline and hierarchy helped it win elections after the 2011 popular uprising that ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak, eventually propelling Morsi into power.

But now the army-led government and its supporters regard the Brotherhood as a terrorist group and enemy of the state.

The security forces and police, feared and despised under Mubarak, are lauded for cracking down on the organisation.

The Brotherhood denounces violence and says it is committed to peaceful protest. But as members go into hiding, its key building blocks - local groups of seven members known as usras - are under pressure. “The most important person for me is the head of my usra,” said Nabil. “I get everything from him.” In Nabil’s eyes, the usras, which provide everything from Quran studies to marriage counselling, are crumbling. That raises the risk the organisation will fracture, and that some members will abandon peaceful activism to take up arms.

In a sign of how the Brotherhood is retreating, Nabil has bought a new, unregistered mobile phone. He encrypts text messages and is careful about what he writes on Facebook, fearful that the authorities are monitoring communications.

Nabil said he has lost five friends killed in demonstrations and that he narrowly escaped arrest when he took part in a protest. He worries about survival and avoiding jail. The clampdown, he said, could radicalise some members.

This month suspected militants killed six Egyptian soldiers near the Suez Canal, fired rocket propelled grenades at a state satellite station in Cairo and exploded a car bomb near an Egyptian army intelligence building in the city of Ismailia. More than 50 people have been killed and more than 270 wounded in recent clashes between the police and protesters supporting the Muslim Brotherhood.

Even as questions remain over who mounts such attacks, it seems clear the recruitment pool for radicals has grown significantly since Morsi’s overthrow. “Not all people in the opposition can go on resisting peacefully if this unbelievable pressure continues, especially the detentions of leaders who pushed the movement to remain peaceful,” said Nabil.

Before they were imprisoned, top Brotherhood leaders often told followers that avoiding violence would give the movement the moral high ground against the government. “All these military actions against us, including killing and torture and arrests, push us to respond with force. One prays that God ends the crisis before we reach the situation in Syria,” he said, referring to civil war in that country. “As our grand guide (top leader) said, ‘Our peaceful ways are stronger than a bullet.’”

The government makes no distinction between the Brotherhood and Al-Qaeda-inspired militants based in the Sinai Peninsula who have sharply stepped up attacks against soldiers and police since Morsi was overthrown. The authorities say the Brotherhood’s members are terrorists out to spread an Islamic caliphate across several nations, not focus on Egypt’s well-being. A top security official who has monitored the Brotherhood for decades told Reuters: “The usra has been destroyed in a very big way. The Brotherhood member is taught not to think on his own, just to take orders. This is how the group functions. So if there is no one to give them orders it means the group is in trouble.”

Cell Decay The usra was devised by Hassan Al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, to indoctrinate and mobilise followers.

Usras typically used to meet once a week for at least three hours, usually at the home of a member. The usra leader could be so pivotal that members sought their permission to travel to Cairo. During past crackdowns, the usra survived by adapting. Its size was reduced to three members when restrictions were tightened. Those small units avoided arrest by speaking while walking down streets or meeting in teahouses, not homes. In prison, the usra became the number of men in each cell.

After Morsi fell, the Brotherhood had hoped to mobilise millions of protesters; but the army reacted forcefully, bulldozing a protest camp at Rabaa Al-Adawiya in eastern Cairo on Aug. 14, killing hundreds of Morsi’s supporters. Security forces have arrested many top Brotherhood leaders, includ-

ing Morsi, on charges of inciting or perpetrating violence.

Before the leaders were detained, they sent messages to Brotherhood officials urging them to ensure that usras continued, according to the head of an usra and other Brotherhood members. But members are struggling.

In Alexandria, Abu Bakr Al-Masri is the head of an usra and worships in a spartan Brotherhood mosque on the bottom floor of an apartment building. For decades, the Brotherhood has used such mosques in rundown neighbourhoods across Egypt to deepen its influence and raise funds. Masri’s usra has not met since Morsi fell. He is proud of his position but worried because he can no longer guide young men. “I gave people advice on everything. Even if you have trouble with your wife you come to me,” he said, sitting in his apartment, a block from the mosque. “The usra is under a lot of pressure now. I speak to people in the usra by phone, but it is always brief and we never have a chance to speak about the important issues.”

There are usras for women and Masri’s wife, Um Abdullah, heads one. It, too, has not met since July and she is a member of another that has stopped gathering. “I am sitting here doing nothing,” she said, complaining about the Brotherhood’s isolation. Um Abdullah, who was veiled, is tasked with spreading the Brotherhood’s views of how Muslim families should approach life. There is little scope for that now. “I used to be able to go out in the streets and tell other women about our vision, about the true Muslim family,” she said. “Now I can only wander in our building and speak to my neighbours.”

The Brotherhood has few options. Many Egyptians turned sharply against the organisation during Morsi’s year as president. He was accused of trying to give himself sweeping powers, entrenching the Brotherhood in the institutions of state and mismanaging the economy. The Brotherhood denies those charges. While limited protests by Morsi supporters continue, General Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, head of the military, has announced a political roadmap promising new elections. The transition includes rewriting the constitution that was drafted by an Islamist-dominated assembly, passed in a referendum and signed into law by Morsi. The most contentious feature of the new constitution may be a clause banning religious political parties.

The Brotherhood wants nothing to do with the transition and its supporters are retreating. In one tight-knit Brotherhood community in Alexandria, four families have already fled for fear of arrest after the security forces and army began conducting overnight searches of apartment buildings, according to local Brotherhood supporters.

Extremist Risk In the office of Ahmed Fahim, a lawyer in Alexandria who represents Muslim Brotherhood members, stands a photograph of a past leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, an offshoot of the Brotherhood. It’s a small sign of Fahim’s defiance. His day usually starts with a brief walk to the courthouse, which he believes treats the Brotherhood unfairly. “Why do they let common criminals see their day in court while Muslim Brotherhood detainees are seen as a security risk and are only allowed hearings in jail?” he said.

A Justice Ministry official said security forces advise the ministry that taking Brotherhood members to a courthouse poses a security risk because there could be protests and other problems. For Fahim, all around are reminders of the Brotherhood’s steep fall from power. In the street a young boy sells posters showing army chief Sisi with Gulf Arab leaders who pumped billions of dollars into Egypt after Morsi fell. At the courthouse, overlooking the sea, a blue police truck displays a poster showing Sisi beside Gamal Abdel Nasser, a former president of Egypt who ordered a crackdown on the Brotherhood after an attempt to assassinate him. Fahim seemed resigned to the idea that the Brotherhood will experience hardship. “We knew from the beginning that our path would not be lined with roses, but thorns,” he said. He no longer thinks it is realistic to demand Morsi’s reinstatement. He worries about the fate of the usra but also the possibility that members of the Muslim Brotherhood may turn to armed struggle. “People won’t be able to hold back,” he said, though he calls for restraint. At his modest apartment, Fahim spoke proudly about how his son Muiz, 10, and daughter Amena, 7, joined him at the demonstration at Rabaa Al-Adawiya, which at times swelled to tens of thousands of protesters. The family laughed when the daughter said she didn’t like Sisi or Mubarak. But the mood soured when they recalled how the Rabaa protest was crushed.— Reuters

RIYADH: A Saudi video mocking the kingdom’s unique ban on female driving has gone viral, featuring a male performer singing “no woman, no drive”, an adaptation of Bob Marley’s famous song. Nearly 3.5 million people had seen the 4:15minute video by yesterday, two days after the adaptation of the reggae legend’s “no woman, no cry” had been posted on YouTube. “Say I remember when you used to sit, in the family car, but backseat,” sings Hisham Fageeh, a Saudi who introduces himself as an artist social activist, dressed in traditional white thawb cloak and checkered red headgear.

The video that sarcastically tells women not to consider getting behind the wheel was posted on the day set by female activists to launch an new campaign to defy the kingdom’s ban on women driving. At least 16 women were stopped by police while at the wheel on Saturday. They were fined and forced along with their male guardians to pledge to obey the conservative-kingdom’s laws.

Fageeh goes on to mock a claim by a Saudi cleric that driving would hurt women’s ovaries and bring “clinical disorder” upon their children. “Ovaries are safe and well, so you can make lots and lots of babies,” he sings. “In this bright future, you can’t forget your past, so put your car key away,” the song continues.

An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube on October 26, 2013 shows Saudi social artist Hisham Fageeh singing ‘No woman, no drive’, an adaptation of Bob Marley’s famous song. — AFP Women who in the past have defied the ban, which is not even enshrined in law, have run into trouble with the authorities. In 1990, 47 women who got behind the wheel in a demonstration against the driving ban were stopped by the authorities. In 2011, police arrested a number of women who defied the ban and forced them to sign a pledge not to drive again.

Saudi women are forced to cover from head to toe and need permission from a male guardian to travel, work and marry.

The New York Arab-American Comedy

Festival this month introduced Fageeh as an up-and-running stand-up comedian who performs in Arabic and English. On his YouTube account, “HishamComedy”, Saudi-based Fageeh has posted many of his earlier videos, including 16 episodes of “Isboiyat Hisham,” or Hisham Weeklies, including some reflecting on the lives of Saudi students in the United States. “A simple contribution by me and my colleagues on the occasion of the” women driving campaign, Fageeh wrote on his Twitter account, on October 26. — AFP

Govt’s gloom and doom welfare program...

Continued from Page 1 government can impose taxes but it should then behave like a civilized government by treating people equally. MP Abdullah Al-Turaiji called on Development Minister Rola Dashti to step down “because this is not a plan but a load of rhetoric and cheating of people”. MP Safa Al-Hashem said the government presented a very weak program that is not based on economic realities, saying that the government has warned of incurring a

real budget deficit in 2021 while it should be held responsible for the situation and not the people.

In its program, the government said that it was not possible to continue with the current generous welfare system and there is a need to review subsidies and charges on public services. MP Abdulkarim Al-Kundari said the government program is an acknowledgment that it has failed to run the country. The program is expected to become a flashpoint in the new term as many MPs are expected to oppose the program.

Hardliners object to mixed-company cafes Continued from Page 1 applicants for entry visas and bar gay or transgender workers. Kuwait has remained strongly in the Western fold. But recent friction between the Gulf Arab states and the US over its Syrian policies and outreach to Iran could open rifts with the West and embolden hardliners in Kuwait and elsewhere. Tensions in Kuwait resonate strongly in Washington and across the Gulf. The Pentagon has thousands of soldiers in Kuwait as its main Gulf hub for ground forces.

The latest rumblings have been over shisha cafes in Jahra. Protesters say the sites - mostly dimly lit dens inside malls, specializing in shisha and coffee - have crossed the line by opening women’s sections or allowing couples to puff away together. In other parts of Kuwait, this wouldn’t cause a stir. But religious hardliners in Kuwait are making a stand in Jahra against what they see as pernicious Western influence.

“Close down the women cafes!” chanted dozens of protesters during a rally earlier this month that included current and former parliament members from Jahra. “I think they are right to protest this,” said Jahra resident Saad Al-Enezi. “We in Jahra are more conservative than other parts of Kuwait. We don’t accept places where women can mingle with men or sit in the same place and smoke shisha. Girls shouldn’t be doing that, anyway.”

Some MPs have threatened to demand public ques-

tioning of government ministers over the shisha cafes.

“How could the owners of these businesses not care about the conservative families who visit these malls?

How can they have sections that serve shisha to women openly, when these malls are visited by parents and children?” conservative lawmaker Saud Al-Heraiji was quoted as saying in the pro-government newspaper AlAnbaa. “That is very disrespectful to family values.”

Others are bemoaning the expanding reach of Islamic conservatives into how people spend their free time. “It’s a blatant invasion of privacy,” said Shafiq Ghabra, a Kuwait-based political science professor.

“People who don’t want to be at mixed coffee shops don’t have to go to them.” Similar fights brew on other fronts, big and small. A group calling itself Thawabit alUmmah, or Pillars of the Islamic Word, is objecting to Kuwait’s plans to host an international women’s soccer tournament next year, saying the event is more “Westernization” and “an insult to all conservative people and the values they hold dear”.

Amnesty International has denounced the proposal to require unspecified medical tests to identify and ban gay or transsexual applicants for labor visas. Kuwaiti officials have backed off the proposal, but it could be raised for discussion at a Nov 11 meeting of the sixnation Gulf Cooperation Council. Last week, a Kuwaiti children’s center called off a Halloween event after it came under an onslaught of criticism on social media as blasphemous. — AP

14

ANALYSIS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961

Founder and Publisher

YOUSUF S. AL-ALYAN Editor-in-Chief

ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-ALYAN EDITORIAL : 24833199-24833358-24833432 ADVERTISING : 24835616/7 FAX : 24835620/1 CIRCULATION : 24833199 Extn. 163 ACCOUNTS : 24835619 COMMERCIAL : 24835618 P.O.Box 1301 Safat,13014 Kuwait.

E MAIL :info@kuwaittimes.net Website: www.kuwaittimes.net

Washington Watch

Iraq needs new strategy to curb violence

By W G Dunlop raq’s disjointed array of security measures are failing to control rampant violence, and it needs to make longer-term efforts that build trust among citizens, especially Sunnis, experts say. And while current security efforts have yet to curb the worst violence to hit Iraq since 2008, some measures are making life more difficult for Iraqis. Iraq has been hit by deadly attacks every day for over five months, and an average of almost 18 people per day have been killed since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.

Bombs rip through markets, mosques, weddings and funerals, citizens are gunned down by militants at home and in the street, and security forces are frequently attacked. Widespread discontent among Iraq’s minority Sunni community, which complains of being politically isolated and unfairly targeted by security forces, has been a major factor in the unrest, along with the civil war in neighbouring Syria, which has bolstered militants. The Iraqi government has responded with an array of measures, including wide-ranging operations targeting militants, increasing the number of anti-Al-Qaeda militiamen, restricting vehicle use in Baghdad, and curfews.

But such efforts have yet to bring the violence under control. “Iraqi security strategy currently consists of a lot of flailing around in an effort to create the facsimile of progress,” said Michael Knights, a fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “There is no real effort to separate the diehard insurgents from less committed neighbourhood militiamen,” Knights said.

“Instead, government policy pushes uncommitted Sunni men back into violence.”

Samuel Brannen, a senior fellow in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, also pointed to problems with Iraq’s security efforts. While violence is worsening, “Iraq lacks a plan to deal with this at a strategic, operational, and tactical level,” he said. Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki “should focus on finding a way to reach out to the average Iraqi Sunni and make him feel a part of the state and reject the growing sectarian violence,” Brannen said. “I would say that the government is currently imposing short-term measures,” said John Drake, a security specialist with risk management firm AKE Group. “If it wants to tackle this situation, it needs to take a long-term view at the same time.”

“This conflict has its roots in community grievances, and these can be solved through consultation, mediation, job creation, trust-building, investment and sustained, visible improvements in standards of living,” Drake said. “The government needs to earn the trust of the local population in the areas where some of the fighting is worst,” he said, and embark on longterm efforts to bolster the Sahwa, anti-Al-Qaeda militiamen who played a key role in reducing attacks in past years.

He also noted that the large number of arrests in recent months could backfire, particularly if people, especially Sunnis, are held for extended periods on little evidence.

Maria Fantappie, an Iraq analyst with the International Crisis Group, said Iraq should “surgically” target militants in their safe havens instead of implementing wide-ranging measures that affect large numbers of citizens. She said it should also work to improve its intelligence-gathering by cultivating better relations with Sunni communities and improving cooperation with locally recruited security forces.

Iraq’s security measures have not managed to bring the violence under control, but some have made life more difficult for citizens. Checkpoints in Baghdad, for instance, cause major traffic jams that, combined with periodic street closures, can make crossing the city an hours-long affair. And because checkpoints are often manned by inattentive police or soldiers who use bomb “detectors” that have long since been proven to be fake, they stand little chance of uncovering weapons or explosives.

Since last month, many Baghdad residents have been restricted to using their vehicles every other day - a measure that has failed to prevent dozens of car bombings but has angered those who must pay for taxis out of already-meagre salaries. Some Iraqis, especially those living in more volatile areas, must endure raids and searches of their homes by security forces. And as the government has failed to curb the violence, trust in it has fallen, including among its Shiite Muslim base. The situation has “slipped from (the government’s) hand,” said a 41-yearold man named Mehdi, standing near the place where a car bomb killed his 17-year-old cousin in Baghdad this month. “The situation now deteriorates day by day.”

When “you go out, you don’t know when an explosion will happen (and) you will die.” — AFP

I

All articles appearing on these pages are the personal opinion of the writers.

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

Bachelet set to return, but obstacles await

By Rosalba O’Brien and Antonio De la Jara ichelle Bachelet is a safe bet to return to power in Chile’s presidential election, but she is now promoting a more ambitious program of leftist reforms and will need every ounce of her political skill to push them through. A physician by training and a moderate socialist by conviction, Bachelet has unfinished business from her first term in 2006-2010. She wants to raise corporate taxes to pay for an education overhaul and rip up Chile’s dictatorship-era constitution as well as the electoral system.

Bachelet, the only woman ever to lead Chile, has between 30 and 40 percent support in polls, well ahead of her nearest opponent, Evelyn Matthei of the rightist Alianza coalition.

Matthei is polling between 12 and 23 percent, hampered by links with the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet, who took power in a 1973 military coup and led Chile for 17 years. Memories of the coup and the violent repression that followed still resound 40 years later. The presence of Matthei’s father in Pinochet’s junta, as well as her own support for Pinochet in a 1988 plebiscite on his continued rule, have tainted her in the minds of many Chileans.

Seven other candidates jostling in the first round on Nov 17 will likely push the election to a run-off in December, and Bachelet should comfortably win, polls suggest. She could then be hampered, however, by an electoral system that gives heavy weighting to the second-placed party, so she needs to win big, or face four years of tough bargaining with the right. While the other candidates scrap for second place, Bachelet has toured the South American country with a simple message: don’t just vote for me, vote for my coalition. “I ask you to mobilize, to get people to vote for the coalition, to vote for Congress because I need a Congress that will take the plunge on the changes that Chile needs,” she said last week in Rancagua, a town in central Chile that could be a symbol for the export-led economy, bumping up as it does against a large copper mine and vineyards.

Bachelet’s pledges to address social inequalities by increasing corporate taxes, closing tax loopholes, spending more on healthcare and reforming an education system that favors those who can pay and has been the focus of sometimes violent student protests. She also wants to help design a new constitution that she says would be “born of democracy.” It would be drawn up after debate but Bachelet wants to reduce the high number of votes needed to pass laws, introduce a new electoral system that is more representative of voting patterns, and lure more women into politics.

Bachelet’s supporters say she is in a stronger position now than in her first term. Some in the Alianza bloc’s more moderate Renovacion Nacional arm feel the voting system has put them at a disadvantage, so they may be ready to support electoral reform. And Bachelet herself has matured as a leader. “She feels much more secure in what she’s doing,” said Sergio Bitar, who helped run her 2005 election campaign and served as one of her ministers. “Now you see somebody who’s a leader, who knows where she’s heading,

M

who’s responding to what people are asking, telling people where to go, listening to everyone - a much stronger personality nationally and internationally.”

Still, to change the constitution under the current system would require the backing of two-thirds of Congress.

Although the entire lower house and 20 of the 38 seats in the Senate are also up for grabs in November, Bachelet’s coalition would need a substantial swing to win a twothirds majority and that is seen as unlikely. Even with a convincing win in the presidential vote, Bachelet would have to keep in check her own Nueva Mayoria coalition, which ranges from moderate leftists to communists who were brought in for the first time in the hope that their links with protesters and community groups will help keep the peace.

“I think it’s going to be very difficult,” said political scientist and columnist Robert Funk. “She’s going to have a great challenge to manage a coalition which is increasingly unmanageable, the economy is going to be in rough shape, the social movements are not going to go away.”

Investors are also keen for assurances that the businessfriendly model of recent years, including in Bachelet’s first term, will not be abandoned, especially as investment in the crucial mining industry is slowing and dragging economic growth down with it. The central bank forecasts the economy will grow by between 4 and 4.5 percent in 2013, compared to 5.6 percent last year.

A poll by the Universidad Diego Portales last week showed that some 80 percent of Chileans said they do not identify with any political party, the lowest since the survey began in 2005. They do identify with the 62-year-old Bachelet, however. “She has a marked social empathy. She is tuned into people, that is something that other politicians don’t have,” said political analyst Guillermo Holzmann.

Bachelet’s father was an air force general who remained loyal to socialist President Salvador Allende after he was elected in 1970. When Allende was toppled from power in Pinochet’s coup, her father was imprisoned and tortured.

He died in prison. Michelle Bachelet and her mother were also tortured and later forced into exile.

Divorced, with two children from her marriage and a third from a later relationship, Bachelet is an avowed feminist who in her first term appointed a cabinet made up exactly equally of women and men. Her background is a strong selling point for her. “They don’t just see her, they don’t just see her government, they know her story,” said Funk. “If you compare her popularity to that of her government, hers was always much, much greater.”

Just before Bachelet left office in Jan 2010, she had an 83 percent approval rating, according to pollsters Adimark, despite early mistakes that included the messy implementation of a new transport network in Santiago. Barred constitutionally from ruling for two consecutive terms, Bachelet could not contest the 2009 election and her coalition lost to Alianza and its candidate, Sebastian Pinera.

In the last weeks of her administration, Bachelet came under criticism for her handling of a devastating earthquake and tsunami that killed 551 people. It tarnished her legacy, but didn’t heavily impact her long-term popularity. She has

been the runaway favorite to win this election since before she even declared that she would run. Pinera, a billionaire whose stand-offish manner contrasts with Bachelet’s common touch, has been an unpopular president and faced a surge in popular discontent with many of the poor feeling they have not benefited from Chile’s copper riches.

If elected, Bachelet will join Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff and Argentina’s Cristina Fernandez to give a distinctly female face to political leadership in traditionally machista South America. Like Fernandez and Rousseff, Bachelet was politicised in her youth under an oppressive military dictatorship.

While Fernandez has taken a populist, hard-left tack in power, both Rousseff and Bachelet follow more pragmatic, business-friendly policies. Improved public education has become a major demand in both Brazil and Chile, with students regularly taking to the streets, and Bachelet is focusing heavily on education reform as a way of tackling inequality.

“I think today the conditions are right to do new things,” Bachelet told the local woman’s magazine Cosas after her return to Chile from New York this year, where she headed the United Nations body dedicated to gender equality, UN Women. “Chile needs structural reforms, and there is more political and social force to do it. It’s not that I saw the light in New York. On much of this, I already had a clear conviction in the past. But today the conditions for progress are better.”

When she took office in 2006, Bachelet was seen as politically naive and she struggled to make decisions. She developed her political skills throughout her presidency and people in her circle say she is now much more savvy. “I think she has internalized now that a country’s problems, carrying out deep reforms or important changes that the people want, needs dialogue with the leaders directly,” said Holzmann.

“She needs to talk to the opposition leaders and get a faceto-face dialogue going, which will end up in the kind of political agreements that were the essential element she did not have clear in her first government.”

Perhaps mindful of where she will need future allies, Bachelet has largely refrained from joining the other candidates in mudslinging during the campaign. She will need all her political talent to persuade politicians from left and right to back her, and analysts say she will probably have to water down some proposals. It is not clear how far Alianza leaders will be willing to support her. They acknowledge that the education system needs to be shaken up but they want less wide-reaching reforms, paid for through growth rather than taxes.

They argue that Chile’s successful economic model should not be tampered with and want action to secure the energy supply for its mining industry, a thorny topic on which Bachelet has said little. Investors seem largely resigned to the fact that Bachelet will win and taxes will rise.

“I think the market has priced it in,” said Santander Chile head Claudio Melandri. He said Chile, like Brazil, has a dearth of qualified professionals and that better education and stronger training programs would be good for the country.

“Putting up taxes without a clear idea of where the money is going worries me more, but if it’s a good project for education there’s no problem,” he said. — Reuters

Egypt Islamists turn to campus protests

By Haitham El-Tabei ressed by police at every turn, Egypt’s Islamists have turned universities into protest hubs to galvanise their flagging movement four months after a military coup toppled president Mohamed Morsi. Morsi’s loyalists have made no headway in trying to reinstate the jailed former president, but they continue almost daily protests nonetheless in a bid to force concessions from the military-appointed government. “The coup authorities do not allow us to protest in the streets without cracking down,” said Mahmud Sabry, a student at Al-Azhar University in Cairo. “Universities are now our main battlefront.”

In Al-Azhar University, long seen as the highest seat of Sunni-Islamic learning, students have skirmished with police who fired tear gas from outside the university premises. In another protest at the university, students stormed classrooms to force an end to studies under what they called “military rule”. The university is a short walk from Rabaa AlAdawiya square, which Morsi’s supporters transformed into a vast protest camp for weeks before police unleashed a deadly Aug 14 crackdown on the sit-in.

More than 1,000 people, mostly Islamists, were killed in the police operation and ensuing clashes, and 2,000 Islamists have been arrested in an extensive crackdown on Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement. Sabry said he wished he had been at the Rabaa Al-Adawiya protest, but

P

his father forbade him from going. “Protesting at universities is a recompense,” he says. Since universities opened in September, students have held regular protests in campuses across the country, sometimes clashing with classmates who oppose Morsi. On Sunday, hundreds of students protesting in Cairo University chanted “Morsi is my president” before scuffling with opponents inside the university as police and soldiers were stationed outside. Clashes on campuses elsewhere have left dozens wounded, some by birdshot. The unrest has angered students who, like a sizable portion of the population, despise the Islamists, and school authorities have tried to restrict the protests. “What the (Muslim) Brotherhood are doing in universities is terrorism. They provoke us into clashes then use violence against us” said one student at Cairo University, Sharif Harb.

The Supreme Council of Universities, which regulates state universities, issued guidelines banning students from protesting near classrooms. The minister for higher education, Hossam Eissa, told reporters his government respected the right to peaceful protest. “But obstructing the educational process will not be tolerated,” he warned.

Universities have been a haven for activists since a court decision banned guards belonging to the interior ministry from campuses in 2010. Students played a leading role in overthrowing veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak in early 2011, and in mobilising protests that helped oust Morsi in July. Some campuses, particularly Al-Azhar, had been bas-

tions of support for the Muslim Brotherhood - which has a long history of campus organising and student protests -but as in much of the rest of the country, the tide has turned against the Islamists. Despite the arrest of Morsi, his senior aides and much of the Brotherhood’s top leadership, the group says it will persist in protests, hoping the rallies will attract ever larger numbers. “Universities are a way to combine the energy of youths in one place,” said Amr Adel, an organiser with the Brotherhood-led Anti-Coup Alliance. But the crackdown on their top cadres, and the hostility of compatriots who often turn out to confront the Islamists at their demonstrations, have affected their ability to mobilise.

The Islamists say they are peaceful and that it is the police and civilian “thugs” who attack them. But they have not always shied away from confrontation. On Oct 6, Islamist protesters tried to march on Cairo’s Tahrir Square as the military and thousands of supporters commemorated the anniversary of Egypt and Syria’s 1973 war with Israel. Almost 60 people were killed in clashes with police around the country, most of them in Cairo. The government has cited such violence to justify a state of emergency and a restrictive draft law regulating protests. “The danger of what is happening in universities now is that maybe all student rights will be repressed, under the guise of confronting the Muslim Brotherhood,” said American University in Cairo professor Ahmed Abd Rabou, blaming the Islamists’ “violent approach”. — AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

S P ORTS

IOC president praises Russia’s Winter Olympics preparations SOCHI: International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach praised Russia’s preparations for the 2014 Winter Games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi during an inspection visit with President Vladimir Putin yesterday.

Russia is spending more than $50 billion on the February Games, a top priority for Putin to showcase the country’s modern face to the world.

“We are fully confident that the Games will be on a magnificent level,” Bach said in comments translated into Russian as he sat next to Putin.

“We are extremely grateful to you for magnificent cooperation we developed in recent years. Sochi and the whole region completed a very big, successful development tour and we have been deeply impressed with this path,” he said before holding more talks with Putin.

The praise was welcome for Putin, who has staked his reputation on the success of the Games. Preparations have been marred by over-running costs and delays and organisers have faced criticism from rights groups over the treatment of migrant workers engaged in large-scale construction works.—Reuters

‘Phantom goal’ game will not be replayed BERLIN: Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-1 Bundesliga win over Hoffenheim last week helped by a phantom goal will not be replayed despite the ball going in through a hole in the netting, Germany’s sports court said yesterday. In a decision which the court admitted may not be satisfactory to fans, the Hoffenheim appeal was rejected because there was at no point a violation of the rules by the referee.

Leverkusen striker Stefan Kiessling’s 70th-minute header flew just wide of the post and hit the side netting but went through a hole and ended up in the goal.

Referee Felix Brych awarded a goal after consulting his assistants, putting Leverkusen 2-0 ahead at the time and triggering an outcry over the blatant mistake and the need for goalline technology in Germany, a tool already in use in other domestic and international competitions.

“The decision may be unsatisfactory from a sporting point of view but it is according to the rules and laws,” judge Hans Lorenz, who heads the German football association’s (DFB) sports court told reporters in Frankfurt. “Referee Felix Brych took an incontestable factual decision.

The claim that he broke rules was dropped by Hoffenheim even during the process.”—Reuters

UEFA chief Platini calls for 40 team World Cup LONDON: UEFA chief Michel Platini wants the World Cup finals expanded to 40 teams from 2018 to allow more African and Asian countries into the tournament without reducing the number of European nations represented. Europe currently provides 13 of the 32 teams at the finals, compared with five from Africa and four or five, depending on the winners of a playoff against a South American team, for the most populous continent Asia.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter wrote last week that Africa and Asia deserved more representation at soccer’s showpiece event because they had more member associations than Europe and South America. Former France international Platini, widely regarded as the most likely successor to Swiss Blatter in the FIFA job, said by his own calculations that adding eight more teams would require extending the tournament by only three days.

“It’s good for everybody,” Platini told Britain’s Times newspaper in an interview. “I totally agree with Mr Blatter that we need more African and Asian (teams). But instead of taking away some European, we have to go to 40 teams.—Reuters

Vettel can challenge Schumacher records — Horner NEW DELHI: Sebastian Vettel has the talent to surpass Michael Schumacher’s record seven Formula One titles after becoming the sport’s youngest quadruple champion, according to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. Vettel, still only 26, chalked up his 36th career win in 117 races at the Indian Grand Prix on Sunday to seal his fourth successive crown. “His win record is quite incredible,” Horner told reporters when asked whether Schumacher’s astonishing records, which many people thought would last down the generations when he left Ferrari in 2006, looked vulnerable. Schumacher won 91 races, with Benetton and Ferrari, from 307 starts. “There’s so many things in this sport that determine that. It depends on being in the right machinery as well, but from

a skill point of view there’s absolutely no reason why not,” Horner added. Vettel led from pole position on Sunday, winning in India for the third year in a row, and both Horner and Red Bull design genius Adrian Newey said the German was still improving.

“I think Sebastian has grown this year. The way he’s driven, the level at which he’s delivered, it’s been his best ever year. He’s raised the bar continually,” Horner said.

Newey, who has won titles with three different teams (Williams, McLaren and Red Bull) in his stellar career and worked with greats like four times champion Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, had no doubt that Vettel was up there with them.

Numbers alone, he said, mattered less than the manner of

achieving that success. While reluctant to make comparisons, he highlighted the qualities found in all the greats.

“The great drivers that I have been lucky enough to work with, the thing they do all share in common is that they have that ability to drive and process at the same time,” he observed.

Like the others, Vettel learned from his mistakes. He had complete recall when he got out of the car and continued to analyse and learn from what had happened during the race.

“You see it with Sebastian all the time. I always have the impression that every time he gets in the car, he gets in with a bit more knowledge than he got out last time,” said Newey.

“His driving has gone from very talented but slightly raw at

times to incredibly well-rounded now. You could occasionally in 2009 and 2010 criticise him for making slightly ill-judged moves and having accidents. “You could criticise him possibly for not being able to overtake. I think a lot of people felt that if he didn’t start from pole and control the race from the front, then he was not so good. “I think you really can’t make those criticisms any more. It’s difficult to see a chink in his armour really. He learns all the time.” Schumacher was able to mould his Ferrari team around him as the clear number one and he reaped the benefits of that.

Even then, the German’s decision to leave Benetton for Ferrari in 1995 after winning two titles meant he had to wait another five years before becoming champion again.—Reuters

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

S P ORT S

Four weeks that could shape Europe’s Ryder Cup team SHANGHAI: Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano grew up watching the famed “Spanish Armada” team of Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal, so the Ryder Cup means everything to him. He still recalls the encouragement from Olazabal a year ago.

“Your time will come, and it will come when you’re ready,” Olazabal said to his fellow Spaniard. There is no better time to be winning than now.

The European Tour just began its richest month of golf, four tournaments called “The Final Series” that conclude the Race to Dubai. Every purse is at least $7 million and combined prize money is $30.5 million.

Throw out the majors and World Golf Championships, and they are the richest events of the year. That explains why Fernandez-Castano shot up to the top of the European points list for the Ryder Cup, leading by nearly 300,000 euros.

And it’s why European captain Paul McGinley is paying very close attention. With so much money at stake this time of year - good news for the European Tour, the hotbed of golf at the moment - if a player were to get on a roll this month, he could earn enough money to all but secure a spot on the Ryder Cup team. Trouble is, the matches are still 10 months away.

“We have to wait to see how it evolves,” McGinley

said at the BMW Masters. “The one thing that has worked in our favor is that we have a level playing pitch in terms of points are here, and then they spike for the majors. That was it. The worry would be if somebody plays great for four weeks. You can basically make the team these four weeks. Is that a good thing? Probably not.” McGinley speaks from experience. He effectively secured a spot on the 2006 team by Christmas, and he found it difficult to keep his form over the next nine months. Thankfully, it didn’t matter. Europe had one of its strongest teams for a home game in Ireland, and the Americans had a team that included Brett Wetterich and Vaughn Taylor. McGinley recalls playing his way onto the team in the months leading up to the 2004 Ryder Cup, and he went unbeaten in three matches at Oakland Hills.

Henrik Stenson had such an incredible run in America in September - two FedEx Cup playoff wins that he leads the world ranking points list by nearly 100. “I’m not saying it’s black or it’s white, or it’s a bad thing,” McGinley said. “If this Final Series were in August, it would be ideal. But it’s not. It will be interesting to see where it goes. If a guy plays great for four weeks, who’s to say he can’t carry it on? But if you were doing it to benefit the Ryder Cup, you’d have the series in August.”

That’s what the FedEx Cup has going for it in America.

Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but the start of the FedEx Cup in 2007 coincides with a resurgence in American performance at the Ryder Cup. They won in 2008. Only the heroics of Graeme McDowell and the unconscious play of Ian Poulter kept the Americans from winning the last three.

The next stop for Europe is the HSBC Champions and its $8.5 million purse, followed by the Turkish Open ($7 million) and the World Tour Championship in Dubai ($8 million). In some cases, even more Ryder Cup points are available than it seems. “No doubt, whoever wins is putting themselves in tremendous shape to make the team,” Padraig Harrington said. “Paul better hope it’s one of his stalwart players. You’d be surprised what one event can mean. Somebody like me, if I had come in and won this week, it puts me in all the world events.

Now I’m able to gather money for playing average because I’m in those events. It’s really difficult to make the Ryder Cup team if you’re not in the top 50 because you gather points more easily.”

Fernandez-Castano went from No. 60 to No. 32. That put him in two World Golf Championships over the next four months, and all but secured a spot in the Masters. Paul Lawrie doesn’t see it as a problem. Europe

is playing for big money. That’s a good thing. These four tournaments have about as much prize money as the next 15 regular European Tour events. And if someone were to get hot in November and secure a spot on a Ryder Cup that is played in September?

“That happens every year,” said Lawrie, who made his first Ryder Cup team by winning the British Open in 1999. “We want big tournaments. We want big prize money. And that’s what we’ve got.”

When the Ryder Cup was postponed one year to 2002 because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, half of both teams were not in the same form as when they qualified. McGinley made the team easily that year, and he was concerned about how he would perform at The Belfry. It worked out well for him in the end, of course.

McGinley became a part of Ryder Cup lore with an 8foot par putt to win his match and clinch the cup for Europe.

“I’m not being critical,” McGinley said. “But it’s going to be interesting to see how this evolves. This year we have a massive amount of points at the beginning of qualifying. Having said that, two years ago because the FedEx had so many points, our guys based in America had a great opportunity to earn ranking points. “And that,” he added, “worked out OK.” — AP

Moore wins CIMB Classic MALAYSIA: American Ryan Moore sank a birdie putt after a “perfect” approach shot on the first hole of a sudden death playoff to win the $7 million CIMB Classic in Malaysia on Monday for his third career win on the US PGA Tour.

The 30-year-old finished tied with compatriot Gary Woodland on 14-under-par on Sunday but had to wait overnight for the playoff after thunder storms delayed the final round for more than three hours.

Moore said the adrenaline rush he got from earning his place in the playoff by saving par at the final hole in near darkness on Sunday had carried him through the shootout.

While Woodland found the rough with his second shot on the par-five 18th, Moore’s approach shot took him to within three feet of the hole and he nervelessly sank the putt to earn a cheque for $1.26 million. “Playing a playoff with someone like Gary, I know I don’t want it to last very long,” said the world number 45.

“I had a great opportunity there on 18

with my third shot, and it was just an absolute perfect number. It was 158 yards, a little bit back up the hill, so for me that was just a perfect slightly choked down full eight iron.”

Woodland would have won his third PGA title if he had not missed a birdie putt by centimetres on the final hole of his fourth round on Sunday.

“It was tough. It was a long hole, and Ryan hit a great shot in there and obviously made a good birdie,” the 29-year-old said.

“But I thought I hit a pretty good shot on the third, just obviously coming out of the rough, I would have liked to have been in the fairway, came out of the rough and came up a little short.” Moore’s two previous PGA tour wins came at the Wyndham Championship in 2009, which he also won in a playoff, and at the 2012 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in his home town of Las Vegas. The CIMB Classic, which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, was added to the official PGA Tour schedule for the first time this year. — Reuters

LONGKOU: This handout photo taken by the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) shows Lee Changwoo of South Korea posing with the winner’s trophy after the final round. — AFP

Ashour aims to defend world title

Lee earns Masters invitation LONGKOU CITY: Lee Chang-woo of South Korea won the Asia-Pacific Amateur by three shots Sunday to earn a trip to the Masters in April.

Lee was worried that he would think more about going to Augusta National than his golf at Nanshan International. That was never a problem. He stretched his lead to as many as six shots on the back nine. Even with a bogey on the last hole, he finished with a 1under 70 to win by three over Shohei Hasegawa of Japan.

The winner of the Asia-Pacific gets an invitation to the Masters and is exempt until the final qualifying stage for the British Open. Hasegawa also gets into final qualifying for the British Open.

Defending champion Guan Tianlang shot 73 and finished eight shots behind. Lee tied for second along with Rory McIlroy last week in the Korea Open, and he kept his form all week in tough conditions at Nanshan. He finished at 3-under 281, the only player to break par.

Hasegawa birdied two of the last three holes for a 71.

“Playing in the Masters has been my dream since I started playing golf,” said Lee, who won the Dongbu Promi Open on the Korean tour last month. “I didn’t think I would have an opportunity, so this is a great honor, as is playing in International Final Qualifying for the (British) Open Championship. I have never been so excited.”

Lee made bogey on the second hole to briefly fall into a tie for the lead with 16-year-old Dou Zecheng of China. Dou bogeyed the next two holes, however, and Lee began to pull away. He went 10 straight holes without a bogey as his lead expanded, closing with a double bogey that only affected the final margin. “I have been looking at the leaderboard since the third round and I was a bit nervous,” Lee said. “I just tried to keep calm and it seemed to work. I knew I was going to win after the tee shot on the 17th hole. Everything worked well during the last two rounds.

“I can’t believe I am going to go to the Masters,” he said. “I think I will only realize it tomorrow.” Hasegawa made a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the silver medal as the runner-up, which got him into the final stage of British Open qualifying.

“My putting let me down over the weekend, and I hope to return next year to get the trophy,” Hasegawa said. “But I’m very glad to have a chance to qualify for the (British) Open. I think this is a great chance for my golfing career.”

Since the Asia-Pacific Amateur began in 2009, all but one winner has made the cut at the Masters - Hideki Matsuyama twice and Guan last year. Guan was 14 in April, making him the youngest player to make the cut in any major held over 72 holes.

Starting the final round five shots back, Guan failed to make a birdie Sunday. Oliver Goss, already in the Masters as the runner-up at the US Amateur, was making a move with a 34 on the front nine until taking a triple bogey on the 10th hole and a bogey on the 11th.

His 72 left him seven shots behind. — AP

KUALA LUMPUR: Ryan Moore of the US poses with the winner’s trophy after defeating compatriot Gary Woodland in a play-off during the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic golf tournament. —AFP

HAIKOU: Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy (left) and US golfer Tiger Woods look on during their one-on-one golf matchup at Mission Hills in Haikou. McIlroy won by one stroke with a 6-under 67. — AFP

McIlroy defeats Woods in 18-hole exhibition HAIKOU: Rory McIlroy won for the first time this year - even if it was an 18-hole exhibition against Tiger Woods. McIlroy made four birdies and an eagle over the last seven holes at Mission Hills for a 6under 67, giving him a one-shot win over Woods. It was the second straight year McIlroy has defeated Woods at the medal match in China.

“I would like to play all my tournaments in China where I can beat Tiger,” McIlroy said. Even an unofficial win has to count for something. McIlroy beat him last year at Jinsha Lake under far different circumstances. McIlroy was a major champion, No. 1 in the world and on his way to sweeping all the important awards. He signed a lucrative deal with Nike a short time later, and this season has been a struggle. McIlroy has had only one reasonable chance to win a tournament, and he didn’t even qualify for the Tour Championship on the PGA Tour.

He is using a new driver and a softer golf ball, even prompting Woods to say to him after one chip, “How did you do that?”

The banter was free and easy, mostly about equipment. Woods was trying to recover from a virus he picked up from his daughter, and spent most of the afternoon asking his caddie for cough drops.

The golf was spectacular over the final hour on the Blackstone Course, however.

Woods had a one-shot lead and hit a marvelous approach to 10 feet on the par-5 12th. McIlroy followed with a long iron into 5 feet, and both made eagle.

They both made birdie on the 13th, and McIlroy caught him with a 6-foot birdie on the 14th.

They birdied the 16th to reach 5under, and the match turned on the next hole. Woods came up short on his approach to the 17th, and after nearly flying his pitch into the cup, he missed a 5-foot par putt. Woods had a 20-foot eagle putt on the 18th for the tie. He missed, and McIlroy knocked in his 3-foot birdie. Woods could hardly raise his voice after the round.

“I don’t sound all that well now, but it was nice that it was warm out there today,” Woods said. “ That certainly helped because I think my fever broke and I can start feeling a bit better. But I tell you what, when you have kids, they bring home some strong bugs, and this one has definitely been kicking my butt for the last couple of days.”

McIlroy was headed back to Shanghai for the HSBC Champions. Woods is skipping the World Golf Championship, and will play next week in the Turkish Open.

“I’ve seen a lot of promising signs over the past few weeks in practice and also in competitive play,” McIlroy said. “I still have four tournaments left until the end of the season and I would love to finish 2013 strongly and get a little bit of momentum going into next season. But I think as I showed out there, I’m hitting the ball well.

“If I can just get the putter going a little bit more, then in these last four tournaments I can hope to contend and maybe pick up a win or two.” — AP

MANCHESTER: Ramy Ashour is seeking to transcend negative energy from a troubled Egypt by delivering a world title defence which will highlight him as the most dazzling new squash star in two decades. The champion from Cairo is returning to the scene of his career’s first major triumph next week to purvey sensational skills which have shone more brightly as his country’s crisis has deepened.

Five years ago an unpredictable young Ashour won the world title for the first time in Manchester; on Monday, as an emerging superstar, he will begin his bid to retain it in the same city having triumphed again in Doha in 2012.

The Egyptian will be aided by the momentum of an unbeaten 17-month run.

It is as if an emotional wave from the national predicament were bearing him onwards to greater achievements.

“I train hard despite any obstacles I might face as an athlete or by living here in Egypt,” was how Ashour carefully described his preparation back in Cairo for the sport’s biggest event.

Decoded, it means he has to keep those obstacles out of his mind if he is to remain mentally strong enough to succeed. These became all too painfully evident while Ashour was becoming the first Egyptian in nearly half a century to win the British Open earlier in the year.

“There was a lot of negative energy around me,” he volunteered then. “I experienced waking up each day with such a heavy heart and heavy spirit. I had a lot of hard times.”

Now, in an interview with The Squash Player, Ashour this week alleges that his recent successes have all been victories over “corrupted negative souls who were trying to bring me down”, and adds that he will continue doing his best “to keep my parents, my country, and people who truly support me proud.” That best has certainly

Ramy Ashour

been remarkable. Ashour has extended an unbeaten run to 45 matches, inducing comparisons with the legendary Khans of Pakistan who dominated squash in the 80s and 90s.

Asked again about the mood of fellow Egyptians, the 26-year-old resisted becoming sucked into a mire of emotions which in the past have helped motivate him to join protesters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.

“I get good appreciation everywhere I go and feel so happy when I see amazingly enthusiastic squash communities all around the world,” he responded, using his cosmopolitan identity to escape questions about the national agony.

“This season I went to some beautiful countries which I loved-Colombia, Argentina, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore.

And then San Francisco is an amazing place-and I won there.”

Which led him logically to Manchester.

“This is also a very special place as it’s where I won my first world title, and this is a good omen for me,” Ashour concluded.

He is now the strongest favorite since Jansher Khan won the last of his eight world titles in 1996. Five men may think they have chances of upsetting him. One is the Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, three times a runner-up, the US Open winner in Ashour’s absence, and seeded second.

Another is James Willstrop, the runnerup three years ago, who is seeded third, and a perennial rival of his fellow Yorkshireman, Nick Matthew, twice the world champion, and the last man to beat Ashour. At the age of 33 Matthew is seeded fourth. The other two are both Egyptiansthe sixth seeded Mohamed El Shorbagy, aged only 22, who came within three points of beating Ashour in last year’s final, and the eighth-seeded Amr Shabana, the 34-year-old squash legend who beat Ashour in the 2009 final to capture the last of his four world titles. — AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

S P ORT S Photo of the day

Red Sox dump Cards

Competitors race during the Red Bull Kart Fight Japan Final at MEGA WEB in Tokyo Japan on October 14, 2013. — www.redbullcontentpool.com

Misbah warns Pakistan not to get complacent SHARJAH: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq warned his team Monday not to get complacent with the absence of top South African players Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn in the one-day series.

Amla flew home after the first test to be with his pregnant wife, while Steyn has been rested for the first two one-day matches of the five-match series. “I always feel that after such news the team (Pakistan) gets complacent,” Misbah said. “If the (opposition) team is at full strength, it’s better for us. “South Africans have very strong replacements, we have to be mentally strong ... don’t look which player is playing and which is not.”

The series begins Wednesday at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, which also hosts the last game on Nov. 11. Dubai will host the second one-dayer on Nov. 1, while Abu Dhabi will organize back-to-back ODIs on Nov. 8 and 11.

South Africa bounced back to draw the test series 1-1 in Dubai last Saturday and preserved its unbeaten record of not losing a test series away from home since 2006.

“They are always tough,” Misbah said. “One-day cricket or test cricket, you really need to be on your toes while playing against them.” South Africa coach Russell Domingo said his team will go into the ODI series hoping to get used to the conditions in the United Arab Emirates after spending nearly a month in the gulf country.

“It is completely different format but we will take a little bit of confidence,” Domingo said. “Hopefully, we are used to the conditions in the UAE.” South Africa lost the one-day series 4-1 in Sri Lanka in July, but Domingo insisted his team had better results against Pakistan.

“We haven’t played well of late, especially in Sri Lanka, but we beat Pakistan in South Africa so a bit of confidence from that and obviously from the last test (victory),” he said.

Pakistan will be beefed up with the inclusion of its oneday cricket specialists - allrounders Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez, middle order batsman Umar Akmal and opener Nasir Jamshed. Fast bowler Wahab Riaz, rookie Sohaib Maqsood and wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed are the others to join the team for ODIs. “We’ve been playing together for a long time now,” Misbah said of the inclusion of experienced players. “You can’t say it’s a new team or it’s new faces ... these guys are really playing one-day cricket for the last 3-4 years, and most of them are playing even before that.”

Pakistan has fairly good results in limited-overs cricket this year. While it lost narrowly to the Proteas in South Africa, Misbah’s men went on to win the ODI series in the West Indies and Zimbabwe.

“We really played well in the ODIs against South Africa so that gives us a bit of confidence,” Misbah said. “The conditions (in UAE) always favor Pakistan, so we are looking forward to play good series.”

Pakistan is likely to extend its batting lineup and give Akmal duties of wicketkeeping like he did against the West Indies before missing the series against Zimbabwe due to health problems. South Africa legspinner Imran Tahir, who was born in Lahore, ran through Pakistan in Dubai with 8130 in the match that included 5-32 in Pakistan’s first innings total of only 99.

Misbah was wary of a legspinner’s inclusion in the ODIs, but hoped after playing Tahir for 42 overs in the second innings in Dubai his batsmen would not be bothered much. “On a day a legspinner can make really a big difference,” Misbah said. “Now we are used to him (Tahir) ... but at the same time legspinner is a kind of bowler who can give you wickets in the middle of the innings.” — AP

ST. LOUIS: There’s no telling how these wacky World Series games will end. One night after a rare obstruction call, Jonny Gomes hit a decisive homer when he wasn’t even in the original lineup and Koji Uehara picked off a rookie at first base for the final out Sunday in Boston’s series-leveling 4-2 win over St. Louis. An entertaining, even goofy World Series is level at two games each, ensured the title will be decided back at Boston’s Fenway Park.

“Emotional roller-coaster here, obviously,” Gomes said.

Inserted into the lineup about 75 minutes before the game, Gomes hit a tiebreaking, three-run shot off reliever Seth Maness in the sixth inning.

Felix Doubront and surprise reliever John Lackey, both starters during the regular season, picked up for a gritty Clay Buchholz to help the Red Sox hang on. And of course, another bizarre ending: Uehara picked off pinch-runner Kolten Wong - with postseason star Carlos Beltran standing at the plate. It was the first postseason game in history to end on a pickoff, according to STATS.Game 5 is Monday night at Busch Stadium, with Boston left-hander Jon Lester facing Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright in a rematch of the opener won 8-1 by the Red Sox. Gomes helped get Boston started in the fifth when he followed David Ortiz’s leadoff double with a 10-pitch walk that tired starter Lance Lynn, who had faced the minimum 12 batters through the first four innings. Stephen Drew’s sacrifice fly tied the score 1-all, erasing a deficit created when center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury’s third-inning error advanced Matt Carpenter into scoring position for Beltran’s RBI single. Ortiz, who homered in the first two games of the Series, had three of Boston’s six hits and was the club’s leader, smacking his hands together and screaming at teammates to get going when he pulled into second base on his double. Then, after the fifth inning, he huddled the Red Sox for a pep talk in the dugout.

Not long after, Gomes’ drive put Boston ahead 4-1 in the sixth. With adrenaline taking over, Gomes spiked an arm through the air as he rounded first base, yelled and banged his chest with a fist twice. Teammates tugged on Gomes’ beard for good luck when he got back to the dugout, including a two-handed pull by Mike Napoli. While talk of umpires’ calls dominated discussion following two of the opening three games, this one turned on a manager’s pregame decision. John Farrell’s original Red Sox lineup didn’t include Gomes, but Victorino’s back had been bothering him since Saturday, so Daniel Nava was moved from left field to right and from fifth to second in the batting order. Gomes was inserted into the No. 5 hole behind Ortiz.

“Since I signed up for this game, all I wanted was the opportunity,” Gomes said. “I just wanted to be in the box.”

Gomes had been 0 for 9 in the Series before the home run, and Red Sox outfielders had been 4 for 40 with no RBIs. Following Dustin Pedroia’s two-out single and a four-pitch walk to Ortiz by Lynn, Maness threw five straight sliders to Gomes, who sent the last one into the Red Sox bullpen in left as Matt Holliday kept running back only to run out of room.

“I take a lot of pride in the at-bat in front of me and behind me,” Gomes said. “Obviously, Big Papi is pretty much an intentional walk. I did what I could to give him a little protection.” Carpenter singled in a run in the seventh off Craig Breslow in the seventh after pinch-hitter Shane Robinson doubled with two outs against Doubront on a ball that skidded away from Gomes. Junichi Tazawa came in and got Holliday to hit an inning-ending grounder to second, a night after allowing a tiebreaking, two-run double to Holliday.

Doubront got the win with 2 2-3 innings of one-hit relief.

Lackey, the Game 2 loser and Boston’s probable Game 6 starter, pitched the eighth for his first relief appearance in nine years, overcoming a two-base throwing error by third baseman Xander Bogaerts - Boston’s seventh error of the Series - and a wild pitch. With a runner on third, Lackey got Jon Jay to pop up and David Freese to ground out. Uehara, Boston’s sixth pitcher, got three outs for his sixth save this postseason, completing a six-hitter. Lynn was the hard-luck loser, leaving with the score tied and two on for Maness, who allowed Gomes’ homer on his fifth pitch.

A night after one of the craziest endings in Series history - an obstruction call on Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks - Boston ensured the Series will return to Fenway Park for Game 6 on Wednesday night. “We stayed away from throwing the ball down the third base line tonight,” Gomes said. It was a special anniversary for both teams. Exactly nine years earlier, the Red Sox completed a four-game sweep of the Cardinals across the street at old Busch Stadium for their first championship since 1918. And two years earlier, Freese hit a tying, two-run, two-out triple in the ninth against Texas and a winning homer in the 11th to force a Game 7, which St. Louis won the following night.

Fielding for the Red Sox became trouble again in the third when Carpenter singled to center with one out, and the ball appeared to take a high hop and roll away from Ellsbury. Carpenter sprinted to second on the second error of the Series by Ellsbury - who had just three during the regular season.

Beltran singled into center field two pitches later, making him 8 for 10 with 12 RBIs with runners in scoring position during the postseason. There almost was another miscue in the fourth following a one-out walk to Jay. Freese bounced to Drew, and the shortstop grabbed the grounder on the run and flipped the ball with his glove high to Pedroia at second. He jumped and just got his left foot down in time to force Jay, who slid into him hard. After Ortiz’s double to the right-center field wall in the fifth, Gomes fell behind 0-2 in the count and then worked out his walk. Lynn appeared to be too fine with his pitches as he walked rookie Bogaerts, loading the bases, and Drew lofted a fly to medium left near the foul line.

Holliday’s one-hop throw home hit the sliding Ortiz in the back and bounced away. Lynn recovered to strike out David Ross and induce an inning-ending groundout from pinch-hitter Mike Carp. —AP

New Zealand to seek revenge in B’desh ODIs DHAKA: New Zealand will be seeking to avenge a humiliating loss to Bangladesh three years ago when the one-day international series against the hosts starts in Dhaka today.

New Zealand were stunned in 2010 when they went down 4-0 to a young Bangladeshi side, a drubbing that sparked repercussions back home with several team officials forced to quit.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum insisted yesterday that the current side has learnt the lessons from that defeat. “We certainly haven’t forgotten it, 4-0 was a very one-sided contest which Bangladesh thoroughly deserved to win,” McCullum said ahead of the first ODI. “We played some bad shots, we weren’t prepared for the series and we have tried to plan against that by having guys prepare a lot better.

“From our point of view we want to carve out our own performances, and it would be great for us to turn the tables from what happened the last time,” he said.

New Zealand were frustrated in the just finished Test series, with both matches against the hosts in Chittagong and Dhaka ending in a draw.

But McCullum said he was more confident of his side’s chances in the one-dayers, pointing to the experience and success of the players in the shorter game.

“We have got more experience in the one-day side,” he told a press conference in Dhaka. “I think, now the Test team we are developing as a Test team we are nowhere near the finished product. I think the one-day team is pretty set in how we play.”

“We have had more success in the one-day game of late, we probably feel a lot more confident in the one-day format at this point of time.”

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim was drawing inspiration from the Test series, which they dominated in phases, while also remembering their stunning success three years ago.

“If you see the overall results, we have earned a lot of positive things in terms of individual performances and the team as well,” Mushfiqur said. “So from this side, everyone is confident. The last time we played against them we won 40 in the ODIs, so we have good memories, although that is three to four years ago.

“I think in our own ground we are a strong side in ODIs. If we can play up to our potential in all the three departments then we will do well,” he said.

However, Bangladesh suffered an injury blow in the lead up to the series, with pace bowler Shafiul Islam ruled out with an twisted ankle to be replaced by Al-Amin Hossain.

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and batsman Mominul Haque were also suffering from fever, but Mushfiqur said both should be available for today’s first match at the Shere-Bangla National Stadium. The second and third matches will be held on October 31 and November 3 in Dhaka and Fatullah.

New Zealand (from) - Brendon McCullum (captain), Kane Williamson, Hamish Rutherford, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Anton Devcich, Grant Elliott, Tom Latham, Corey Anderson, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, James Neesham, Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan, Kyle Mills.

Bangladesh (from) - Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Shamsur Rahman, Mominul Haque, Naeem Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain Ziaur Rahman, Sohag Gazi, Abdur Razzak, Mashrafe Mortaza, AlAmin Hossain, Rubel Hossain. — AFP

DHAKA: New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum tries to catch a ball during a training session at the Sher-e Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka, in preparation for the first One Day International (ODI) cricket match against Bangladesh. — AFP

ST. LOUIS: Boston Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli applies the tag on St. Louis Cardinals pinch-runner Kolten Wong on a pick-off throw by closer Koji Uehara to end Game 4 of the World Series. — AP

Paris key to world top spot PARIS: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic take their battle to end 2013 as world number one to the Paris Masters next week while the desperate stampede to reach the World Tour Finals wraps up. Nadal, the comeback king of the year having romped to the French and US Opens, as well as deposing Djokovic as world number one, is seeking another landmark in the French capital.

The Spaniard is bidding to become the first player to win six Masters titles in the same season. But he has been showing signs of wear and tear in recent weeks as his efforts in clinching 10 trophies since his return from a seven-month injury lay-off in February begin to take their traditional late-season toll.

Despite losing his top ranking, Australian Open champion Djokovic has still been the form player of recent weeks, winning titles in Beijing and Shanghai.

“I put myself in a better position right now with back-toback wins,” Djokovic said of his hopes of returning to the top spot which may be slim with Nadal not having points to defend having missed the 2012 Paris Masters.

“My motivation is there always, especially when I’m playing finals of such a big event,” added the Serb who has a busy end of year on the cards with the Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic to be played in Belgrade.

Ahead of the Paris Masters, five of the eight places at the season-ending World Tour Finals had already been claimed with Nadal, Djokovic, David Ferrer, Juan Martin del Potro and Tomas Berdych all assured of being in London.

Roger Federer had hoped to join them on Sunday but his 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-4 defeat to Del Potro in the Swiss Indoors final kept him waiting.

He can now assure himself a place in the tournament by winning his opening second-round match in Paris where he faces the winner from Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny, the Valencia champion on Sunday, and South African Kevin Anderson. If he wins he will be into the London year-ender for a 12th straight edition where he would be bidding for a sixth title.

Federer’s Swiss compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka and French duo, Richard Gasquet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are expected to scrap for the last two entries. Gasquet, who was holding down the final qualification spot at ninth position in the race to London, was just 65 points ahead of his compatriot, 10th-placed Tsonga at the start of last week.

But the pair could potentially meet on Wednesday in the Paris third round and with eighth-placed Wawrinka in the

opposite half of the draw, it means that only one of them can qualify for London should Wawrinka win his first match.

Wawrinka is bidding to clinch a berth at the season-ending showpiece for the first time. Gasquet qualified in 2007, when the event was held in Shanghai, while Tsonga is aiming for his fourth qualification. The Paris Masters also sees the return to action of Marin Cilic, the Croatian player who had a nine-month doping ban cut to four months last week. The 25-year-old, now ranked 47 in the world, faces qualifier Igor Sijsling in the first round with a potential second round meeting against Del Potro. — AFP

Rafael Nadal

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

S P ORT S

Gordon grabs first win of season at Martinsville MARTINSVILLE: Jeff Gordon used an unprecedented chairman’s selection to get into the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship 48 hours before the opening race. Now Gordon is trying his hardest to parlay that exemption from NASCAR chairman Brian France into a fifth title. Gordon pulled into the championship picture Sunday with a win at Martinsville Speedway, his first of the season, to move from fifth to third in the Sprint Cup standings with three races remaining.

Not too bad for the guy who started the Chase as the 13th driver in the field when France decided Gordon had been denied the ability to fairly race his way into the 12-driver field by the manipulations of at least three other organizations at Richmond.

“I don’t like how we got in it, being an added 13th team,” Gordon said. “But we’re certainly not going to say ‘No, we won’t take it.’ We wanted to be in it. We feel like we were in a position to earn our way into it, and I think that this team would have performed like this whether we were in it or not.

“To me, that decision just meant that what we’re going to be racing for is a championship instead of for ourselves and pride.”

The win was Gordon’s eighth career victory at Martinsville, but first since he swept the two races at the track in 2005. He’s tied with Hendrick Motorsports

teammate Jimmie Johnson for Martinsville victories, but both trail Richard Petty (15) and Darrell Waltrip (11) on the career list.

Most important, though, is that he’s just 27 points behind the leaders in the race for the Sprint Cup. Matt Kenseth and Johnson left Martinsville tied atop the standings headed into Texas Motor Speedway.

Gordon is third in the standings, with Kevin Harvick 28 points out and Kyle Busch 36 points behind. “I do feel like it’s plausible,” Gordon crew chief Alan Gustafson said. “I think we can go win these next three races, and I think that anything can happen. It’s not going to be easy, never is easy, it’s not going to be easy for them, either.”

Kenseth led a race-high 202 laps and was out front on the final restart with 77 laps remaining and Gordon lurking in third. Gordon stalked him for more than 50 laps, thinking to himself, “What would Jimmie Johnson do, or better yet, what would Richard Petty do?” before finally making the pass for the lead with 21 laps remaining.

Gordon didn’t look back in snapping a 32-race losing streak dating to last year’s season finale at Homestead. “Matt drove a really first-class caliber race today and I didn’t know if we were going to get him, but it sure was awesome when we finally did and just

kind of hoped there were no cautions,” Gordon said.

The victory clinched the manufacturers’ championship for Chevrolet, which won for the 11th consecutive season and 37th time overall. Chevrolet did it this year in the debut season of its SS race car.

Kenseth tied his career-best with a second-place finish, closing the gap on Johnson, who was up four points as they came into one of Johnson’s best tracks and one of Kenseth’s worst tracks. He had to drive from the middle of the pack to save his finish after a call not to pit midway through the race backfired, but Kenseth was still a bit disappointed not to leave with the victory.

“Whenever your team puts you in front for that last run and you’re out there leading, you get beat, you’re always a little bit disappointed,” Kenseth said. “I just got beat by honestly experience and a better driver of this track. I was hesitant to change my line and do the things he was doing because what I was doing got me there. Just got too tight at the end. Wish I could do it over.” When it was time to leave, though, Kenseth had found the silver lining. “I mean, gosh, for how Martinsville has been for me, how could you not be pleased?” he said. “The only guy happier is Jeff. I feel like when my team is at its best and we do everything right, I feel like we can race anybody at these next

three tracks. Anything can happen, but man, we’re in it.”

Clint Bowyer finished third, his best finish of the Chase, and moved two spots in the standings to sixth.

Defending Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski, who is not part of the Chase, was fourth.

Johnson finished fifth and braced for an epic fight for his sixth championship. “It’s been a great battle with (Kenseth) and (Gordon) has really shown that he wants to be part of this deal as well,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be a dogfight to the end - the way I would like to race for a championship, and I know that’s what the fans want to see, so we’ll be digging hard.”

Harvick was sixth, followed by pole-sitter Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle and Jamie McMurray. Biffle angrily confronted Johnson on pit road after the race, accusing the five-time champion of running into him and tearing off his rear bumper.

“It takes a lot to get a rear bumper to come off,” Biffle said. “I’ve got to look back and see what happened. He claims he was inside of me, but it sure felt like he hit me from behind and rubbed it across.” Biffle grabbed Johnson’s shoulder to get his attention, exchanged words with him, and as he turned to walk away, Johnson reached to grab his arm to finish the discussion. Biffle ended the conversation. — AP

Moyes eyes League Cup prize for United MANCHESTER: Manchester United turn their attention to the League Cup today having narrowly avoided slipping up at home in the Premier League to Stoke City.

David Moyes’s side entertain Norwich City having come back from behind twice to win 3-2 at Old Trafford on Saturday. That relieved plenty of pressure on Alex Ferguson’s successor, although United are still only eighth in the table, and United manager Moyes made no secret of the fact he wants to go all the way in the League Cup as well as challenge for the more prestigious trophies.

“My idea was to come here and win all the trophies,” said Moyes, after Ferguson insisted recently that winning any silverware in his first season in charge would represent a major achievement for his fellow Scot. “From the first day I’ve set out to win everything I possibly can and if I come up short with some of that we’ll find out at the end.

“My thought is to win everything I go for, every trophy we win and every game we play.

So that’s the plan. “I don’t how many years it was before Sir Alex won his first trophymaybe four years (Ferguson took charge at Old Trafford in November 1986 but didn’t win his first trophy with the club until the 1990 FA Cup) — and I think someone told me Sir Alex went seven years before he won his first

David Moyes Premier League title (in the 1992/93 season).

“And he is the most successful manager in the land by a long, long way. It just shows you, it can take time to get things right. It certainly did for Sir Alex.” Javier Hernandez scored the winner against Stoke and the Mexico forward is likely to be given the opportunity to stake his claim for more regular first team against Norwich.

The Stoke goal was the 25-year-old’s first league goal of the campaign and his only other goal this season came in the last round of the League Cup when United beat Liverpool 1-0.

“I hope he can play from the start,” said Moyes. “We had to change, we got him on to try and find another way of scoring.

“We have got a squad of first team players

who are all capable of playing, everyone is used to that, the crowd see that and expect it.

We will see what we have got. We have one or two knocks and niggles, which we will assess.

But we are beginning to tick along, quite quietly.”

Norwich will travel north with problems of their own as an inability to take chances has left them in the relegation places.

Indeed, so desperate are they for a win that Leroy Fer, the midfielder, resorted to underhand tactics in Saturday’s goalless draw at home to Cardiff.

The Dutchman netted after Cardiff had put the ball out so a Norwich player could receive treatment for an injury and was aggrieved when the referee disallowed it, claiming he had not given permission for the throw-in to be taken.

Norwich are back in Manchester at the weekend for a league game with Manchester City and Fer insisted he was looking forward to the difficult double header.

“It’s going to be a hard week with two big games but we want to go to the next round so we will try to win the game in Manchester on Tuesday,” he said. “It’s a different game because it’s a cup game. We played really well against Cardiff and we need to take that to Manchester.” — AFP

Atletico thrash Betis LONDON: Chelsea’s Spanish striker Fernando Torres celebrates in this file photo. — AFP

Wenger to tinker again for Chelsea’s Cup visit LONDON: Arsenal, who suffered a humiliating Capital One (League) Cup quarter-final defeat by fourth tier Bradford City last season, will again rotate their squad when Chelsea visit the Emirates in the last-16 today. Manager Arsene Wenger has used the competition in recent years to blood youngsters and field fringe players and did so when a second-string side edged out West Bromwich Albion in a penalty shootout in the third round.

“I will rotate against Chelsea but play with a team that has a good chance to qualify as well. That will be the target,” Wenger told the club’s website (www.arsenal.com).

Arsenal have not won the trophy since 1993 when they beat Sheffield Wednesday. They lost to Chelsea in the 2007 final and to Birmingham City at the same stage four years later.

Adding spice to the tie is the Premier League positions of the two clubs, with Arsenal two points clear of their London rivals at the top of the table. Wenger’s team have a tough sequence of games coming up that will test their credentials as title contenders. Arsenal host third-placed Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday and then, after travelling to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, they take on Manchester United at Old Trafford.

“You worry about fatigue a little bit but not too much.

Sometimes when you play every three days you look tired and then in three days you are flying again. It goes a bit in cycles,” Wenger said. There are four other all-Premier League clashes. Manchester United, who came back from 2-1 down to beat Stoke City 3-2 on Saturday, should prove too strong for struggling Norwich City at Old Trafford today. Tomorrow, Newcastle United entertain Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur host Hull City again, three days after a 1-0 league victory for the Londoners at White Hart Lane.

Southampton also travel to Sunderland on Nov. 6.

Championship leaders Burnley will fancy their chances of causing an upset when they host West Ham United today.

Burnley, who spent one season in the Premier League in 2009-10, have won eight and drawn one of their last nine league games and manager Sean Dyche said Saturday’s home victory over promotion rivals Queens Park Rangers was their best performance so far.

Two other second-tier sides welcome Premier League opposition. Surprise 2011 winners Birmingham, who stunned Arsenal at Wembley with a late Obafemi Martins winner, entertain Stoke while Leicester City, who won the trophy in 1997 and 2000, take on Fulham. — Reuters

MADRID: Teenager Oliver Torres scored one of the fastest La Liga goals and David Villa struck twice as Atletico Madrid stayed hard of the heels of leaders Barcelona with a 5-0 drubbing of struggling Real Betis on Sunday.

Atletico’s thumping victory, their ninth in 10 outings this term, trimmed the gap to Barca back to one point after the champions had pulled four clear thanks to a 2-1 win at home to Real Madrid in Saturday’s ‘Clasico’. It also stretched their lead over third-placed Real to five points and was the latest evidence Diego Simeone’s side may be genuine contenders for the title alongside vastly wealthier rivals Barca and Real come the end of the season.

Joseba Llorente set the record for the quickest La Liga goal in January 2008 when he scored for Real Valladolid after seven seconds and many of the spectators at the Calderon had yet to take their seats when Torres struck. Playmaker Koke broke clear on the left of the penalty area and his low cross found its way to the 18-year-old midfielder, who calmly stroked the ball into the net with a mere 14 seconds on the clock.

Betis regrouped but struggled to create any chances for an equaliser before Villa, who joined Atletico from Barca in the close season, made it 2-0 with a superb glancing header eight minutes after halftime. The Spain forward finished off a sweeping breakaway move with a thumping shot four minutes later and then set up La Liga top scorer Diego Costa to score his 11th of the campaign in the 65th minute. Atletico captain Gabi capped a near-perfect night for the home side and brought another beaming smile to Simeone’s face when he drove home a loose ball in the second minute of added time to complete the rout. “I am happy above all for the goals and helping the team is always important,” Villa said

in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster Canal Plus.

The 31-year-old, Spain’s all-time record scorer, had warm words of praise for Torres, a Spain Under-21 international who was included in the Atletico starting lineup for the first time in his fledgling career. “The lad has a fantastic future ahead of him and that’s why it’s important not to rush him,” Villa said. “He put in a great performance today and people will have many, many years to enjoy this lad. “We have to be patient as he has all he needs to be a special player.”

Unbeaten Barca have 28 points, with Atletico on 27 and Real on 22. Betis, who are competing in the Europa League after finishing seventh last term, are 18th on eight points.

Fourth-placed Villarreal continued their impressive form since winning promotion back to the top flight and closed to within two points of Real when they thrashed regional rivals Valencia 4-1 at their Madrigal stadium.

It was an eventful afternoon for Villarreal’s Mexico forward Giovani Dos Santos, who scored a brilliant second goal after netting his first moments after fluffing a penalty.

Ikechukwu Uche and Hernan Perez also struck for the home side, while Ricardo Costa scored for Valencia as they slipped to a second straight defeat and are down in 11th position.

An Antoine Griezmann double set Real Sociedad on their way to a 3-0 win at home to Almeria that lifted the San Sebastian-based club, who have lost all three of their Champions League games this term, to ninth.

Sevilla won 2-1 at home to 10-man Osasuna and are 10th. There is a midweek round of La Liga games this week, starting with Barca at Celta Vigo today. Real host Sevilla tomorrow and Atletico play at Granada on Thursday. — Reuters

MADRID: Atletico de Madrid’s Diego Costa from Brazil, scores a goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match against Betis. — AP

Franck Ribery

Should Ribery get Ballon d’Or? GERMANY: Franck Ribery has settled down in the Bavarian capital so well that he looks right at home even in the ridiculous lederhosen he and his Bayern Munich teammates don for the annual junket at the Oktoberfest.

If Ribery stays in Munich until his contract expires in 2017, he would have spent a decade and his best playing years with the club. He will be 34 by then and Ribery has said he would have nothing against letting his career run out in Munich. Ribery has helped Bayern win every major trophy and he is arguably the key player in Pep Guardiola’s squad. The best player in the best team in the world.

But is Ribery good enough to take this year’s Ballon d’Or? Better than Lionel Messi? Better than Cristiano Ronaldo? Or for that matter, Zlatan Ibrahimovic?

Based on recent success, Ribery wins the argument. UEFA already made him the European player of the year in August. Messi, winner of the last four Ballon d’Or awards, was injured late in last season’s and could not prevent Barcelona being ripped apart by Bayern in the semifinals of the Champions League.

Ronaldo could not lead Real Madrid to the biggest title either. Instead, Bayern completed a sweep never before accomplished by a German team. It captured the Champions League, the Bundesliga and the German Cup. In addition, Ribery set a Bundesliga record of playing in 39 straight games without defeat on Saturday.

Ribery, although a winger, is not a natural scorer with the consistency of Messi or Ronaldo - he had 11 goals for Bayern last season and 23 assists, while also adding five goals for France.

But his overall presence on the field has become a lot more visible since Ribery started working

more for the team. He works hard and runs back to help out his defenders, something that was not a given a few season ago.

Ribery likes the ball, dribbles and shoots well and his sudden accelerations and changes of pace are his trademark moves. He is not as spectacular as Messi, Ronaldo or Ibrahimovic. His reluctance to stick with tactical discipline led to a falling out with previous coach Louis van Gaal and Ribery did not become the player he is now until Jupp Heynckes replaced the Dutchman.

Ribery has matured since his early days in Bayern, when his childish pranks - tying together the shoelaces of his teammates, smearing toothpaste on door handles and adding vinegar to tea - got more newspaper space than his exploits on the field.

There have been other issues as well. The club stood by Ribery when he was involved in a 2010 sex scandal surrounding an underage prostitute, while his popularity in France also took a huge blow that year for his role in Les Bleus’ implosion at the World Cup in South Africa. But since then, Ribery has kept his volatile character and aggression mostly in check, although it still surfaces occasionally in some illtempered harsh tackling. He missed the 2011 Champions League final after earning a needless red card in the previous round and Bayern lost 20 to Inter.

He then punched teammate Arjen Robben in a locker-room dispute at halftime of Bayern’s Champions League win over Real Madrid in 2012. The bust-up delayed Robben’s decision to extend his contract with Bayern. Former France coach Gerard Houllier said he was involved in an altercation with Ribery after France’s 6-0 victory over Australia earlier this month.—AP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

S P ORT S

Ex-Barcelona quartet plotting upset for Celta

MONACO: Monaco’s Colombian forward Radamel Falcao celebarates after scoring a goal during the French League football match against Lyon. — AFP

Falcao on target again as Monaco go on top PARIS: Radamel Falcao ended a three-game scoreless streak when Monaco beat Olympique Lyon 2-1 at home on Sunday to move top of the Ligue 1 standings.

Mounir Obbadi put the hosts ahead after 28 minutes with Colombia striker Falcao doubling the tally nine minutes from the break to put his team on 25 points from 11 games. Bafetimbi Gomis pulled one back shortly after the hour.

While the French league has turned into a two-way battle between the two biggest, foreign-owned big spenders, Olympique Lyon’s fall from grace continues.

Lyon, who were French champions from 2001-08, sold several top players during the close season and they have been paying for it with only three league wins. They lie 14th in the table on 12 points.

Claudio Ranieri’s side went ahead when Obbadi’s half-volley from a loose ball from just outside the area went under Anthony Lopes’s bar. Eight minutes later, Falcao neatly flicked the ball over Lopes after being set up by Layvin Kurzawa for his eighth goal of the season. Gomis reduced the arrears in the 62nd minute by heading home from Henri Bedimo’s cross. — Reuters

MADRID: A few familiar faces will stand between leaders Barcelona and a 10th win in 11 La Liga outings this season when the unbeaten champions take to the pitch at struggling Celta Vigo today.

The Galician club, who recorded only their second win of the campaign at Malaga on Saturday and are 15th after 10 rounds, are coached by former Barca and Spain midfielder Luis Enrique, who took charge of Barca’s B team in 2008 before an unsuccessful stint at Serie A club AS Roma.

In his first term in charge at Celta, the 43-year-old has three Barca academy graduates in his squad: forward Nolito, on-loan midfielder Rafinha - the younger brother of Bayern Munich playmaker Thiago Alcantara - and centre back Andreu Fontas.

Celta produced easily their best per formance of the season in thrashing Malaga 5-0 at the south coast club’s Rosaleda stadium but will be up against a Barca side on a high after overcoming bitter rivals Real Madrid 2-1 at the weekend.

“To beat Barca we will have to do our jobs extremely well,” Fontas said at a news conference on Sunday. “It’s almost impossible to get the ball off them and scarcely any team in the world manages it,” added the 23-year-old.

Fontas, whose career was set back by a serious knee injury last year, said the win against Malaga had brightened the mood at Celta and they were more confident of surprising Barca at their Balaidos stadium. However, the champions were even stronger under new coach Gerardo Martino, who took over from the ailing Tito Vilanova in the close season, than last term, he cautioned.

“He (Martino) has added certain things that before they didn’t have and that makes them more lethal.

“It’s a very dangerous team and are less predictable than in previous years.”

Third-placed Real Madrid, meanwhile, need to regroup for their match at home to Sevilla today.

Defeat in the ‘Clasico’ left Carlo Ancelotti’s men six points behind Barca and five adrift of city rivals Atletico, who play at Granada on Thursday.

Ancelotti has yet to mould his expensively assembled squad into an effective unit and his tactics against Barca have been questioned in the days since Saturday’s reverse at the Nou Camp.

The Italian started without a recognised striker, with Cristiano Ronaldo, record signing Gareth Bale and Angel Di Maria in a threepronged attack.

It was only when the ineffective Bale, who is coming back after a thigh strain, was replaced by Karim Benzema on the hour with Barca leading 1-0 that Real started to look more threatening and the France forward came close to an equaliser when he smashed a superb shot against the crossbar.

Real are expecting to have their Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso back soon and he has already returned to training with his team mates as he continues his recovery after a groin operation and a broken foot.

The 5-0 drubbing Atletico inflicted on visiting Real Betis on Sunday was the latest evidence Diego Simeone’s men could be contenders for the title, the first time in more than five years since Real and Barca, the world’s richest clubs by income, have faced a genuine challenger. — Reuters

Avalanche bury Jets

NHL results/standings San Jose 5, Ottawa 2; Tampa Bay 4, Florida 3 (SO); Anaheim 4, Columbus 3; Colorado 3, Winnipeg 2; Los Angeles 2, Edmonton 1 (SO).

Nasser Bin Khalifa Al-Atiyya

Al-Atiyya hails new Sirb Circuit in Kuwait

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The recently launched Sirb Circuit at the Kuwait Historical, Vintage, and Classic Cars Museum in Shuwaikh has started hosting different motorsports activities for individuals and companies. Local and international champions from the field have also visited the circuit. On Sunday, Nasser Bin Khalifa Al-Atiyya, Head of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), Deputy of the International Motorcycling Federation (The Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme - FIM), and president of the Cross-country Committee of the Federation Internationale D’Automobile (FIA), visited the circuit and praised this new addition to motorsports in Kuwait and the region.

After a tour of the circuit and its facilities, Atiyya thanked Sheikh Nasser AlMohammed Al-Sabah for his support of this sport and building this circuit. “No doubt this circuit will provide awareness and education to youth by providing them a safe place to practice their hobby.

Kuwaitis are known among the region as leaders in drifting and motocross, and they will definitely benefit from this circuit,” he said after his tour.

Atiyya is visiting Kuwait to cooperate with Kuwait in this field. “We will discuss the suggestions and ambitions of the motorsports clubs in both countries. I’m amazed at the high standard of the Sirb Circuit. The design is very nice and it also includes restaurants and a cafe. This circuit is the start of motorsports in Kuwait, and I hope fans of this hobby will take advantage of it far from the dangers and risks on the roads,” he added.

Mustafa Maqseed, General Manager of the Car Museum, described the Sirb Circuit as a dream come true. “The fans of

motorsports described this circuit as their dream. Although the size of this circuit is not of international specifications as it measures only 920 meters, it’s enough to hold the biggest car racing events in Kuwait including drifting, motocross, karting and others. The barriers at the circuit are of the best quality from Schumacher Company. It also includes a small track measuring 180 meters for 4x4 vehicles,” he pointed out.

“We achieved part of the Kuwaiti dream with launching this circuit. People and teams are happy with it. We have invited all Kuwaiti champions from different motorsports to see the circuit who were very happy and thanked us for realizing their dream. The champions come to the circuit to train for championships they will be participating in. Some companies also come to test-drive their new vehicles at the circuit as it’s a safe and suitable place to do so,” Maqseed added.

Zakariya Dashti, Executive Director of the Car Museum, noted that the Sirb Circuit was launched on Oct 10, 2013 and it has already started holding activities. “We are glad that Nasser Al-Atiyya visited the circuit and praised it as he is specialized in this field. We hope that the Sirb Circuit will be the beginning of developing motorsports in cooperation with local federations. We also started regional and international cooperation with federations from Arab countries and will expand to other countries in the future,” he explained.

Rally champion Salah Bin Eidan thanked the organizers for establishing this circuit, which has a special location. “This circuit is suitable for all ages, even children. We are proud of this circuit and we really needed it to protect our youth from street racing. I hope this will be a beginning of a complex city for motorsports,” he noted.

San Jose Anaheim Vancouver Phoenix Los Angeles Calgary Edmonton

Colorado Chicago Minnesota St. Louis Nashville Winnipeg Dallas

Tampa Bay Toronto Boston Detroit Montreal Ottawa Florida Buffalo

Pittsburgh Carolina NY Islanders Columbus Washington New Jersey NY Rangers Philadelphia

Western Conference Pacific Division W L OTL GF 10 1 1 48 9 3 0 39 8 4 1 38 7 3 2 40 8 4 0 35 5 4 2 34 3 8 2 36 Central Division 10 1 0 6 2 3 6 3 3 6 1 2 6 5 1 5 6 2 4 5 1

GA 20 31 37 39 30 39 50

SPAIN: Barcelona’s defender Gerard Pique holds the ball in this file photo. —AFP

PTS 21 18 17 16 16 12 8

35 34 29 35 23 32 26

16 32 26 23 32 37 31

20 15 15 14 13 12 9

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division 8 3 0 39 8 4 0 40 7 3 0 30 6 4 2 27 6 5 0 33 4 5 2 30 3 7 2 26 2 10 1 20

31 30 17 33 22 32 42 37

16 16 14 14 12 10 8 5

Metropolitan Division 7 4 0 35 4 4 3 25 4 4 3 35 5 6 0 31 5 6 0 32 2 5 4 24 3 6 0 15 3 7 0 18

28 33 36 29 35 36 33 27

14 11 11 10 10 8 6 6

DENVER: Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist in the third period and Semyon Varlamov stopped 24 shots as the streaking Colorado Avalanche beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Sunday night. Matt Duchene and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who under coach Patrick Roy are 10-1 for the first time in franchise history. Gabriel Landeskog added two assists. Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little had a goal and assist each for the Jets.

The Avalanche trailed 2-1 entering the third but came out strong at the start of the period.

They put nine quick shots on goalie Al Montoya before Hejda tied it with 12:47 left on an assist by Stastny. Stastny netted the winner with 5:28 left to give Colorado its fourth straight victory. Montoya stopped 33 shots before being pulled for an extra skater with 1:30 left.

DUCKS 4, BLUE JACKETS 3 Corey Perry scored with 2:25 remaining to help Anaheim end Columbus’ three-game winning streak. Perry wristed a shot over sprawled goalie Sergei Bobrovsky for his sixth of the season. The Ducks lost Saku Koivu late in the second period on a hit that resulted in the ejection of Columbus’ Brandon Dubinsky.

Artem Anisimov scored twice, rebounding from a first-period hit by Francois Beauchemin, and Blake Comeau scored his first of the season for Columbus, which went 3-1 on its homestand. Bobrovsky, last season’s Vezina Trophy winner, stopped 28 of 32 shots. Ryan Getzlaf, Peter Holland and Emerson Etem scored for Anaheim. Anaheim is 2-2 halfway through its eight-game road trip after starting the season by winning seven of its first eight games. Rookie Frederik Anderson made 18 saves to improve to 3-0.

SHARKS 5, SENATORS 2 Alex Stalock stopped 38 shots in his first NHL start to lead San Jose over Ottawa. The 26-year-old Stalock made 16 saves in the first period and helped the Sharks jump out to a 31 lead.

Tomas Hertl, Andrew Desjardins, Tommy

Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

Kuwait gears up for shooting tourney

\Chairman of the Board of Kuwait Shooting Sports Club Mohammad Mustafa Karam

KUWAIT: Deputy Chairman of the Board of Kuwait Shooting Sports Club Mohammad Mustafa Karam commended the preparations being made by the organizing committee of HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Shooting Tournament to start on Thursday.

Karam said that on behalf of the chairman and board members and the shooting community, he thanked HH the Crown

Prince for his generous support to the sport of shooting and his continued motivation to the shooters to continue their outstanding achievements for Kuwait.

He said this season starts with Kuwait’s shooters outstanding results during the Third Asian Shooting Tournament in Kazakhstan recently, returning with 12 medals including four gold. Karam wished participants all success.

Paul Stastny in action in this file photo.

Wingels, James Sheppard and Joe Pavelski scored for the Sharks (10-1-1), who played the fourth game of a five-game road trip.

The Senators (4-5-2) got goals from Erik Karlsson and Marc Methot, who netted his first of the season. Craig Anderson made 24 saves.

The Sharks were outshot for the first time this season.

LIGHTNING 4, PANTHERS 3 Steven Stamkos and Valtteri Filppula both scored in the shootout to give Tampa Bay a win over Florida. Stamkos made some nice moves and slipped the puck past Jacob Markstrom for the deciding goal.

Stamkos, Radko Gudas, and Martin St Louis all scored in regulation for Tampa Bay, which has won five of six. Anders Lindback stopped 29 shots and turned aside three of four Florida shooters in the tiebreaker. Stamkos also had an assist. Brad Boyes, Nick Bjugstad and Shawn Matthias scored, and Markstrom made 25 saves for Florida. Boyes also had a shootout goal. Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov, and Dmitry Kulikov all missed.

The Panthers lost for the fifth time in seven games, including two shootouts. Florida rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the third period to tie it.

KINGS 2, Oilers 1 Anze Kopitar scored the deciding goal in a shootout as the Los Angeles Kings beat the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 for their seventh victory in nine games. The Kings outshot the Oilers 4818 in regulation and overtime. Nail Yakupov scored for Edmonton on a power play in the second period and Mike Richards tied it less than 14 minutes later.

The Kings are 5-0 in games that have gone past regulation. Jonathan Quick improved to 4-0 in shootouts, having stopped 10 of 11 shots he’s faced in tiebreakers. In 2010-11, he led the NHL with 10 shootout wins and had an .818 save percentage.

Richard Bachman made a career-high 47 saves in his Oilers debut after getting recalled Sunday from Oklahoma City of the American Hockey League. — AP

Moyes eyes League Cup prize for United

Moore wins CIMB Classic

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

16

18

New Zealand to seek revenge in B’desh ODIs

Page 17

DENVER: Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris (46) is stripped of the ball by Denver Broncos outside linebacker Danny Trevathan (59) and strong safety Mike Adams (20) in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game. — AP

Lions edge Cowboys, Chiefs roll DETROIT: Matthew Stafford’s 1-yard lunge over a pile of linemen with 12 seconds left and Calvin Johnson’s 329 yards receiving lifted the Detroit Lions to a 31-30 comeback win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

Stafford threw a 22-yard pass to Johnson, who had the second-most yards receiving in NFL history, to set up his winning score. The quarterback seemed to catch his hometown Cowboys by surprise - some of them appeared to expect him to spike the ball.

Johnson’s total trails only the 336 yards receiving Flipper Anderson had for the Los Angeles Rams against New Orleans on Nov. 26, 1989, in a game that went into overtime. The Lions (53) overcame four turnovers and a 10point deficit in the fourth quarter against Dallas (4-4).

CHIEFS 23, BROWNS 17 Alex Smith threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns and helped the Kansas City Chiefs hold off the scrappy Cleveland Browns late in the fourth quarter to preserve a victory and remain the NFL’s lone undefeated team.

The Chiefs (8-0), off to their best start since 2003, built a 20-7 lead late in the first half before the Browns (3-4) made it a game.

Jason Campbell, starting in place of the ineffective Brandon Weeden, threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns for the Browns. The Chiefs kept stopping the Browns down the stretch. They forced a turnover on downs with just over 2 minutes left, and Ryan Succop kicked his third field goal in the closing seconds to help seal the victory.

BRONCOS 45, REDSKINS 21 Peyton Manning overcame four turnovers and Denver scored the last 38 points against former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan and his new team. Manning finished with 354 yards and four touchdown passes to offset his three interceptions and lost fumble.

His first two turnovers led to points that gave the Redskins (2-5) a 21-7 lead

early in the third quarter. From there, Manning led the Broncos (7-1) on two long scoring drives, then the go-ahead score on a 35-yard touchdown pass to Knowshon Moreno.

Robert Griffin III finished with 132 yards passing, one score and two interceptions for Washington before hurting his left knee.

Griffin’s replacement, Kirk Cousins, threw an interception that Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie returned 75 yards for Denver’s final points.

PACKERS 44, VIKINGS 31 Aaron Rodgers threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns to lead Green Bay over Minnesota. Rodgers completed 24 of 29 passes and Jordy Nelson had 123 yards receiving for the Packers. Micah Hyde returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter, and Eddie Lacy rushed for 94 yards and a score for Green Bay (5-2).

Cordarrelle Patterson set an NFL

record with a 109-yard return on the opening kickoff and Adrian Peterson rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings (1-6). But Christian Ponder struggled again in his return to the starting lineup and the Packers scored on every possession until they took a knee to end the game.

SAINTS 35, BILLS 17 Drew Brees passed for five touchdowns and 332 yards, and the New Orleans Saints pulled away for a victory over the Buffalo Bills.

Saints tight end Jimmy Graham played after missing practice most of the week with a left foot injury and scored on 13- and 15-yard passes over the middle, powering through tackles at the goal line both times. Rookie Kenny Stills had touchdowns of 69 and 42 yards for the Saints (6-1) and Lance Moore snagged a 15-yard scoring pass in his return from a hand injury that sidelined him three games.

Thad Lewis was sacked four times,

intercepted once, lost two fumbles and appeared shaken up at times, but stayed in the game for the Bills (3-5), finishing with 234 yards passing and one touchdown. Buffalo’s Fred Jackson scored on a 1-yard run.

BENGALS 49, JETS 9 Andy Dalton threw a career-high five touchdown passes, four of them to Marvin Jones. Jones set a Bengals record for touchdown receptions, scoring on catches of 9, 6, 17 and 6 yards.

Dalton’s five touchdown passes gave him 11 in his last three games, his best such span. He’s the first quarterback to throw for five TDs against the Jets since Dan Marino in 1988.

The Bengals (6-2) won their fourth in a row and padded their AFC North lead. New York (4-4) took its most lopsided loss since 2010. Rookie quarterback Geno Smith threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns.

NFL results/standings San Francisco 42, Jacksonville 10; Kansas City 23, Cleveland 17; New England 27, Miami 17; New Orleans 35, Buffalo 17; Detroit 31, Dallas 30; NY Giants 15, Philadelphia 7; Oakland 21, Pittsburgh 18; Cincinnati 49, NY Jets 9; Arizona 27, Atlanta 13; Denver 45, Washington 21; Green Bay 44, Minnesota 31.

New England NY Jets Miami Buffalo Cincinnati Baltimore Cleveland Pittsburgh Indianapolis Tennessee Houston Jacksonville Kansas City Denver San Diego Oakland

American Football Conference AFC East W L T OTL PF 6 2 0 1 179 4 4 0 0 143 3 4 0 0 152 3 5 0 1 176 AFC North 6 2 0 0 197 3 4 0 0 150 3 5 0 0 148 2 5 0 0 125 AFC South 5 2 0 0 187 3 4 0 1 145 2 5 0 1 122 0 8 0 0 86 AFC West 8 0 0 0 192 7 1 0 0 343 4 3 0 0 168 3 4 0 0 126

PA 144 211 167 213

PCT .750 .500 .429 .375

144 148 179 153

.750 .429 .375 .286

Green Bay Detroit Chicago Minnesota

131 146 194 264

.714 .429 .286 0

New Orleans Carolina Atlanta Tampa Bay

98 218 144 150

1.000 .875 .571 .429

Seattle San Francisco Arizona St. Louis

Dallas Philadelphia Washington NY Giants

National Football Conference NFC East 4 4 0 0 230 3 5 0 0 176 2 5 0 0 173 2 6 0 0 141 NFC North 5 2 0 0 212 5 3 0 0 217 4 3 0 0 213 1 6 0 0 163 NFC South 6 1 0 0 196 4 3 0 0 170 2 5 0 0 166 0 7 0 0 100 NFC West 6 1 0 0 191 6 2 0 0 218 4 4 0 0 160 3 4 0 0 156

186 211 229 223

.500 .375 .286 .250

158 197 206 225

.714 .625 .571 .143

120 96 184 163

.857 .571 .286 0

116 145 174 184

.857 .750 .500 .429

RAIDERS 21, STEELERS 18 Terrelle Pryor ran 93 yards on the first play from scrimmage for the longest touchdown run by a quarterback, and the Raiders won following a bye week for the first time since 2002.

Darren McFadden added two touchdown runs and the defense did the rest for the Raiders (3-4), who had been outscored by more than 13 points a game in losing their last 10 games out of the bye.

Ben Roethlisberger struggled against heavy pressure from Oakland’s front, and Shaun Suisham missed two short field goals as Pittsburgh (2-5) squandered any momentum gained during back-to-back wins following an 0-4 start.

CARDINALS 27, FALCONS 13 Rookie Andre Ellington rushed for 154 yards on 15 carries, including an 80-yard touchdown run, and the Cardinals intercepted Matt Ryan four times.

Ellington’s big run, tied for third longest in Cardinals history, was part of a 21-point second quarter that put the Cardinals (4-4) in control for good.

Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald caught four passes for 48 yards and a touchdown, in the process becoming the youngest player - at 30 years, 57 days in NFL history to reach 800 career receptions.

Ryan had thrown three interceptions total in the first six games of the season for the Falcons (2-5). Rashad Johnson had two of Arizona’s interceptions. The Cardinals picked off Ryan five times when the teams played last season.

PATRIOTS 27, DOLPHINS 17 The New England Patriots shook off a dismal first half and another mediocre performance by Tom Brady to beat the Miami Dolphins.

Trailing 17-3 after gaining just 59 yards in the half, the Patriots quickly turned the game around in the third quarter with two touchdowns in a span of seven plays.

The Patriots (6-2) outscored the

Dolphins (3-4) in the third quarter 17-0.

Miami lost its fourth straight game.

Brady completed 13 of 22 passes for just 116 yards, but threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Dobson with 6:32 gone in the third quarter that began the comeback.

49ERS 42, JAGUARS 10 Colin Kaepernick led the way with his arm and with his feet, throwing for one touchdown and running for two more to lead the San Francisco 49ers over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium.

Kaepernick ended up with 164 yards passing and 54 yards rushing, and Frank Gore also ran for two scores for the 49ers (6-2).

The Jaguars (0-8) were the “home” team at London’s iconic soccer venue, playing in the British capital for the first of their four-year run of regular-season NFL games in London. It was the eighth regular-season NFL game at Wembley, the home of England’s national soccer team, and the second this year. The Minnesota Vikings beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-27 last month.

GIANTS 15, EAGLES 7 Josh Brown kicked a career-high five field goals, Eli Manning played error-free and the New York Giants beat the Philadelphia Eagles.

Michael Vick returned for the Eagles (3-5) after missing 21/2 games with a hamstring injury, but clearly wasn’t healthy and was removed for rookie Matt Barkley late in the second quarter.

The Giants (2-6) snapped an eightgame road losing streak while extending Philadelphia’s home losing streak to 10 games. The Eagles’ last win at the Linc was over the Giants on Sept. 30, 2012.

Chip Kelly’s high-flying offense that racked up at least 425 yards in each of the first six games has been grounded.

The Eagles followed a 17-3 loss to Dallas with another poor offensive effort. They had just 201 yards of offense and have totaled 479 the past two weeks. — AP

Business

Worst over for Mideast banking: Morgan Stanley Page 22 Jazeera Airways Group reports 23% increase in YTD net profit

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

Page 23 All-new Fusion, EcoSport debut at Dubai Motor Show

Egypt regulator plans rules revamp to spur trade Page 24

Page 26

HONG KONG: This long exposure picture shows apartment buildings and office blocks clustered tightly together in Hong Kong’s Kowloon district yesterday. Home prices in the crowded city have risen by 120 per cent since 2008, and by more than 30 per cent from their previous peak in 1997, with prices in the luxury market being pushed up by wealthy buyers from mainland China. — AFP

KSE to launch derivatives trading in 2014 KIA hires ex-BofA banker as infrastructure head KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Stock Exchange plans to launch derivatives trading in the first half of 2014 using its new Nasdaqbacked trading system, a senior stock exchange official told Reuters.

Kuwait’s bourse, one of the oldest in the Gulf region, launched the “X-stream” trading system in May last year at a cost of around KD18.3 million ($65 million), part of its biggest technical overhaul in nearly two decades. The main aims of the Nasdaq OMX Group Inc system were to launch the trading of financial instruments and to clamp down on dubious market activity.

The exchange hopes to launch derivatives trading in the first six months of next year “if things proceed as expected,” Stock Exchange Projects Manager Issam Alusaimi told Reuters in an interview. “By the end of this year we will have finished everything related to IT infrastructure...the next step is to take advantage of the technology.” A Kuwaiti investment firm has already expressed interest in trading

options, Alusaimi said, saying that the company’s request had now been sent to the financial market watchdog. He declined to give the name of the firm.

The system will also be ready for trading futures, exchange-traded funds and Islamic bonds if similar requests are made, he said. Local and international investors will be able to use the system, he added. The stock market suffered heavy losses during the global financial crisis but has seen a surge in activity since the start of this year, thanks to renewed optimism about government infrastructure plans that may benefit Kuwait companies.

Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), the Gulf state’s sovereign wealth fund, has appointed a head for its newly-created infrastructure arm, seeking to bolster its investments in the sector, two sources familiar with the matter said.

Hakim Drissi-Kaitouni, previously a vice president at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in London, has joined as a managing director of Wren House Infrastructure

Saudi extends losses, Gulf markets dip

Management, a fully-owned unit of KIA, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the matter is not public.

The Wren House arm, which was set up in April by the wealth fund and housed under its London-based Kuwait Investment Office (KIO), also hired Marc Keller, another BofA Merrill banker, to assist Drissi-Kaitouni in identifying investments in the sector, one of the sources said.

Both KIO and BofA were not immediately available for comment. Sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf Arab region, which hold about $2 trillion in assets, are beefing up their infrastructure investments, lured by stable returns and seeking to diversify their investment portfolios which have been traditionally heavy on equities. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, hired John McCarthy, a senior Deutsche Bank AG executive to head its division that handles global infrastructure investments, it said in May.

Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) hired Deven Karnik, the most senior managing director of Morgan Stanley’s Asia infrastructure fund, to head its new infrastructure business, a banking source told Reuters in April. KIA’s unit will initially look for infrastructure investments in Britain, and plans to slowly spread its wings to elsewhere in Europe and other global opportunities, the first source said.

KIA, which has estimated assets of between $300-$400 billion, was part of a consortium that bid for British water company Severn Trent earlier this year but the parties walked away in June after the company refused to engage in talks before a bid deadline expired. The fund has more than doubled its investment in Britain over the past 10 years to over $24 billion, Bader Mohammed Al-Saad, managing director of KIA said in June. The KIO arm manages more than $120 billion globally compared with only $27 billion 10 years ago, Al-Saad said at the time. — Reuters

Survey points to pick-up in global M&A

MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s shares extended losses yesterday as earnings disappointed investors, while most other Middle East bourses retreated in profit-taking. Saudi’s retail and telecom sectors led declines after key companies’ profits missed analysts’ expectations.

Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair posted an 11.8 percent rise in second-quarter profit to 282.08 million riyals ($75.21 million), trailing a forecast average of 299.9 million riyals, despite higher sales. Analysts blamed Alhokair’s lower-thanexpected profit growth on ebbing revenue growth. NCB Capital said Alhokair’s 13.5 percent revenue growth year-on-year was the lowest quarterly growth in 15 quarters.

“We believe this set of numbers reflects more accurately the core, organic business and without continued aggressive expansion in Saudi and abroad, could be the new-norm,” Farouk Miah, analyst at NCB Capital said in a note.

Alhokair fell 5.6 percent, trimming 2013 gains to 94.7 percent.

Telecom operator Zain Saudi fell 4.1 percent.

The company posted a narrower loss for the third quarter, but still missed forecasts. Saudi Arabia’s index retreated 0.8 percent, down for a second session since Thursday’s two-month high. In Egypt, retail investor selling weighed as the bourse fell 2 percent from Sunday’s 33-

month intraday high. “It’s normal profit-taking dominated by locals and retail there is minimal involvement from international investors and institutional volumes are lower than usual,” said Ashraf Akhnoukh, co-head of sales trading at CIBC Brokerage.

The market rose on Sunday after the United Arab Emirates signed an agreement for $4.9 billion worth of aid to Egypt, $1 billion of which was sent in July. The deal added to the $12 billion already promised from Gulf states. “The new aid from the UAE is positive for Egypt and market sentiment but we need concrete political actions - we need to see the constitutional draft passed and the parliamentary elections to take place,” said Akhnoukh. “That’s when we’ll see real interest from investors.”

Egypt’s interim government is working on a draft constitution and will hold parliamentary elections after the document is approved.

Elsewhere, UAE markets edged lower. Dubai’s index slipped 0.4 percent, coming off Sunday’s five-year high, but still up 79.5 percent this year.

“Valuations on a trailing basis look like they’re filling up but you have to factor in earnings growth momentum,” said Amer Khan, fund manager, Shuaa Asset Management. “I don’t think we’re stretched in any shape or form yet.” — Reuters

LONDON: Growing optimism over the global economy is likely to lead to a marked pick-up in the number of mergers and acquisitions over the coming months, a survey of executives found yesterday.

In its half-yearly repor t into the M&A sector, consulting firm Ernst & Young said it expects both the volume and size of deals to improve over the coming year, with 35 percent of companies sur veyed likely to pursue acquisitions compared with just 25 percent a year ago. The more favorable backdrop is attributed to growing optimism among executives. “All of this is underpinned by growing confidence in a global economy on sounder footing - improving economic conditions in mature economies and more stabilization in the major emerging markets,” said Pip McCrostie, Ernst & Young’s global head of M&A. O ver the past few months, the sense of caution over the global economy has abated, par ticularly in Europe, where many countries have emerged, or are about to emerge, from recession. Fears of a Chinese slowdown have eased, while the US is

still expected to post solid growth rates despite the recent budget stalemate that brought the world’s largest economy to the brink of default.

The survey found that 65 percent of executives expect the global economy to improve over the coming year, up from just 22 percent a year ago. One encouraging aspect of the survey is that companies are expected to use more debt and equity to finance deals as opposed to relying on cash. That suggests executives are more willing to take on risk.

Since the financial crisis that started in 2007-8 and the ensuing recession, many companies around the world pulled back on risky investments and sought to rebuild their finances. That involved paying down debts and rebuilding their cash positions. Potentially risky undertakings such as M&A fell out of vogue and deal volumes and values slid sharply.

“Companies have weathered a prolonged period of uncertainty during which time they strengthened their balance sheets,” said M cCrostie.

“Having warehoused cash for a number of years and with ready access to

credit, leading corporates are in a strong financial position to do deals they now have more confidence to pull the trigger.” The survey comes amid signs of a pick-up in the M&A market, which could be a boon to stock markets as well as the many advisers and facilitors involved in such deals.

The most notable recent deal was Vodafone’s sale of its 45 percent stake in Verizon Wireless to Verizon, for $130 billion, which should be completed next year. And only last week, San Francisco -based pharmaceutical wholesaler McKesson announced an agreed takeover of Celesio in a deal that values the German company at $8.3 billion.

Ernst & Young found that the top 5 destinations for would-be deal-makers are China, India, Brazil, the US and Canada. Sectors expected to see the highest level of deals are life sciences, oil & gas, automotive, consumer products, automotive and technology.

The survey was based on interviews with 1,600 senior executives from large companies around the world and across industry sectors. — AP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

BUSINESS

Worst over for Mideast banking: Morgan Stanley Market for M&As in Gulf picks up

MADRID: A man sleeps inside a cardboard box in Madrid yesterday. The unemployment rate for the July-September period fell from 26.3 percent to 26.0 percent, leaving the total number of jobless at a rounded 5.9 million, the Spanish National Statistics Institute said.—AP

Greeks can give no more, president tells creditors ATHENS: Austerity-hit Greeks have nothing left to give, Greek President Karolos Papoulias told the country’s EU-IMF creditors yesterday ahead of a fiscal audit tied to fresh loans. “(Greeks) today have given what they can to overcome the crisis, and this must be respected by Europe,” 84-year-old Papoulias said at the close of a military parade in Thessaloniki honouring Greece’s resistance to fascism. “The Greek people can give no more ... this is our message.

And they should not think that we will succumb to blackmail. (We) never have,” said Papoulias, who often admonishes the country’s EU-IMF creditors in his speeches.

A team of auditors from Greece’s socalled creditor troika-the European Union, International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank-are to resume an inspection of the country’s bailout reforms early in November.

Their report will determine the release of a 1.0-billion-euro ($1.38-billion) loan

instalment from Greece’s outstanding rescue package. According to the troika’s estimates, Greece is facing a financial shortfall of 10.9 billion euros by 2015, including 4.4 billion euros in 2014. They are expected to push for more cuts, but the fragile coalition government of Antonis Samaras has warned that the recession-hit country cannot afford to lower wages and pensions any further. Greece plunged into recession in 2008, when the global economic crisis hit, and rising borrowing costs on its massive debt forced the country to seek financial aid in 2010. So far, the EU and International Monetary Fund have committed a total of 240 billion euros in two bailout deals to Greece. Banks have taken losses on debt owed. In order to tap the bailout loans, the Greek government had to raise taxes while cutting benefits, wages, and jobs over the past three years. Since 2008, the unemployment rate has tripled to 27.6 percent while the economy has contracted by 22 percent. —AFP

ADIB Q3 net up 20% on higher revenue, asset growth DUBAI: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) yesterday beat analysts’ forecasts with a 20 per cent rise in third-quarter net profit, helped by higher revenue from its core business and strong year-on-year asset growth. Abu Dhabi’s biggest sharia-compliant bank by market value made a net profit of 395.5 million dirhams ($107.7 million) compared with 328.5 million in the same period last year, it said in a statement. Three analysts polled by Reuters had on average forecast a net profit of 346.3 million.

UAE banks had been expected to continue posting strong profit growth in the third quarter after bumper earnings in the first half of the year, aided by a positive economic backdrop and falling provisions.

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Emirates NBD , the two largest banks to have reported third-quarter numbers so far, posted year-on-year net profit growth of 47 and 21

percent respectively.

ADIB’s profit increase reflected a 9.9 percent gain in revenue over the same three months of 2012 to 1.02 billion dirhams, with income from fees and commissions up more than 50 percent.

Total assets climbed 18.2 percent to 96.4 billion dirhams as at Sept. 30, with customer deposits up 12.5 per cent to 70.2 billion. Loans and advances increased 5 percent to 58.9 billion dirhams, while provisions were slightly lower at 193.5 million in the three months to Sept. 30 versus 202.1 million in the corresponding period of 2012.

“On the back of three quarters of sustained asset and profitability growth, our outlook for the full year is positive and we remain committed to our growth strategy,” said Tirad Al Mahmoud, CEO of the bank, in the statement. — Reuters

DUBAI: Morgan Stanley Inc is seeing a resurgence in investment banking activity in the Gulf Arab region and expects an end to large-scale retrenchments by global lenders as financial markets improve, senior executives at the bank told Reuters.

As the market for mergers and acquisitions (M&A), equity and debt offerings in the Middle East picks up after years of sluggish activity, the bank is targeting clients looking for advice on complex transactions that require global expertise, more than just a financial commitment such as underwriting. “We want to lead with ideas rather than with the price of our balance sheet, and try to bring real value in areas that involve complexity - especially across international borders,” said Sammy Kayello, chairman and chief executive for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and a veteran at the bank.

“It’s all about return on equity. That’s what we think about and that’s what we aim to constantly improve,” Kayello told the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit.

Finding a business model for the Middle East has long been a challenge for global banks which flocked into the region during the early part of the century lured by its oil reserves, cashrich sovereign wealth funds and fast economic growth. But in the wake of the global financial crisis, the multi-billion dollar deals dried up, while the sector got increasingly crowded, forcing the banks to sharply reduce their staffing and reassess regional business strategy.

Several senior bankers at global lenders were laid off or relocated to other regions where business prospects were better, while some banks

stopped operating business lines such as commodity trading, fixed income business or M&A advisory. Morgan Stanley itself made tweaks to its business in the region shifting MENA commodities coverage to London and equities trading to Riyadh last year.

Deal activity is now showing signs of revival on the back of improving financial markets and strong economic growth. Investment banking fees for banks operating in the Middle East reached $535.9 million during the first nine months of 2013, a 22 percent increase over the same period last year, and the best first nine months for fees in the region since 2009, according to Thomson Reuters league tables data.

“The markets are looking better. Volumes in exchanges are higher, the investment banking mix is better, and the appetite of investors for different asset classes is growing,” Kayello said.

“If this trend continues, then I don’t foresee such industry reductions that we had seen previously.”

Morgan Stanley is the top M&A adviser in the region, mainly thanks to its role in the $15 billion state-backed merger of two aluminium producers in the United Arab Emirates. The bank expects to see more such consolidation in the region as companies look for economies of scale and better efficiency in their operations.

“We are seeing real, fundamentally strategic transactions such as industry consolidations or other transactions, which were previously put on hold amid the financial crisis and the impact of the Arab spring,” Klaus Froehlich, the bank’s investment banking head for MENA, said.

“This in-market consolidation is very healthy

as it has not been pronounced before.” Morgan Stanley was one of the advisers on a merger between Abu Dhabi’s Aldar Properties and Sorouh Real Estate early in January, another transaction where the government stepped in to consolidate struggling property firms.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai have also hired banks to advise on a possible merger of their two main stock exchanges, sources familiar with the plan said earlier in October. In debt capital markets, Froehlich said the bank was seeing increased sophistication among clients who are looking for innovative deals such as hybrid offerings - debt issues with an equity component - as well as high-yield bonds and other capital-raising instruments such as perpetual bonds.

The bank was an adviser on a $1 billion sharia-compliant hybrid Islamic bond, or sukuk,

by Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank in November last year, the first such sale in the region which triggered a wave of such offerings. “You have the hybrid space finally opening up not just in the banking space but also in the corporate space,” Froehlich said. “We are also seeing high-yield bonds coming to the market which provides a new financing avenue especially for newer and non-government companies.”

Topaz Marine, a unit of Oman’s Renaissance Services , priced its $350 million debut bond last week in a high-yield transaction from the Gulf Arab region. UAE malls operator Majid AlFuttaim raised $500 million from a hybrid bond earlier this month, while dairy producer Almarai sold a 1.7 billion riyals Islamic hybrid bond in September, the first such issue in the Gulf. —Reuters

Qatar spend to boost Barwa Bank profit: CEO DUBAI: Barwa Bank, a sharia-compliant Qatari lender, expects a sharp increase in its 2013 net profit, driven mainly by billions in infrastructure spending by the Gulf state and growth in its debt advisory and asset management business.

“For the first half of 2013, we were 85 percent up on the same period last year. And for the full year we’re moving along very strongly and expect a positive and material improvement in net profit over 2012,” Chief Executive Steve Troop said in an interview as part of the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit. The unlisted lender is awaiting regulators’ approval a public floatation as part of two share sales planned to raise more than 2.05 billion riyals. It posted a profit of 345 million riyals ($94.75 million) for 2012, a 41 percent increase from the previous year.

The company’s biggest shareholder, Barwa Real Estate , by contrast, yesterday reported a 40 percent drop in profits for the first nine months of 2013, having drawn on state aid earlier this year.

The four-year old bank, effectively controlled by an arm of the state’s sovereign wealth fund

Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), is seeing a pick-up in infrastructure development in the country after a slowdown in the last two years, Troop said.

The tiny gas-rich state of Qatar launched plans to spend about $140 billion over the next decade on a rail system, a new airport, a seaport, and hundreds of kilometres (miles) of major new roads, in addition to stadiums that will host the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament. Barwa outlined a fundraising plan in April which includes the public issue and a similar sized rights issue to existing shareholders.

“We understand that stock market regulators want to manage the runway and make sure we’re not all trying to go public on the same market at the same time so we’re waiting for the appropriate time slot,” Troop said.

“We are in contact with the authorities to liaise on the perfect timing,” he added. Barwa Bank is 37.3 percent owned by Barwa Real Estate Co , while Qatar Holding, the investment arm of the Gulf state’s sovereign wealth fund, has a 12.1 percent stake. The remaining shares are owned

by several individuals and corporations, according to the bank’s results statements.

Barwa Bank, through its fully-owned investment banking arm, The First Investor (TFI), plans to partner with local investors in Qatar to invest in the healthcare sector, TFI Chief Executive Khalid al-Subeai said in the interview.

“We’re focused on Qatar and we are looking to replicate our venture in the education sector into the healthcare sector,” Al-Subeai said.

The bank in June set up an education company in Qatar and is now developing two private schools at a cost of 230 million riyals, yielding 8 percent annually, he added.

The bank also manages a sharia- compliant Gulf equities fund, with 113 million riyals in assets. The fund has returned 19 percent to investors since inception in late 2012.

“We continue to see AUMs (assets under management) grow as we see the Gulf equity markets are more attractive for investors compared to money market products and the sukuk space,” Al-Subeai, who previously ran Morgan Stanley Inc’s business in Qatar, said. —Reuters

Aldar eyes rentals, smaller projects DUBAI: Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi’s biggest real estate developer, will focus on rental income and smaller projects instead of large developments in order to avoid the risk of becoming overstretched again, a senior executive said.

Majority state-owned Aldar piled on debt after being tasked with building trophy assets for the Abu Dhabi government, including a Formula One circuit, the Yas Island entertainment district and lavish waterfront developments.

Then the company and other developers were hit hard when a property bubble burst in 2008-2010, pushing real estate prices down by more than 50 percent. The government stepped in with a $10 billion rescue for Aldar and last year moved to merge Aldar with smaller rival Sorouh Real Estate to create a business with $13 billion of assets.

The post-merger firm will focus more on earning income from malls, hotels and other rental properties which it owns, along with building small phased developments, Gurjit Singh, the company ’s Chief Development Officer, told the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit. “We are looking at a larger and more expansionary recurring income theme,” Singh said. “We have refocused ourselves on very small phased developments. Whatever Aldar did in the past, in terms of creating destinations, is now providing a multiplier effect by improving value of locations for us and the end user.”

Aldar’s strategy mirrors that of many other property firms in the wake of the UAE’s property market crash, which pushed Abu Dhabi’s neighbor Dubai close to defaulting on its debt. Dubai’s largest developer Emaar Properties, for example,

has shifted some focus from residential projects to retail and hospitality sector business that generates rental income.

Executives hope the new approach, including the emphasis on phased developments which can be slowed or suspended in response to market conditions, will reduce the risk of another boom-and-bust cycle. Aldar has seven hotels on Yas Island and is building the UAE’s secondlargest shopping mall, Yas Mall, which is expected to bring in more rental income on opening next year. “The old Aldar had a specific mandate to build up a strong destination infrastructure for Abu Dhabi. The new Aldar has a strong footing, it’s deleveraging well and whatever Aldar did well in terms of destination build-up for Abu Dhabi is helping the company now,” said Singh.—Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES 2.895 4.592 2.649 2.155 2.877 228.980 36.431 3.626 6.559 9.105 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES Saudi Riyal 75.350 Qatari Riyal 77.639 Omani Riyal 733.920 Bahraini Dinar 750.500 UAE Dirham 76.951 ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 40.950 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.544 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.318 Tunisian Dinar 174.190 Jordanian Dinar 399.030 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.896 Syrian Lira 3.070 Morocco Dirham 35.306 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 282.450 Euro 391.480 Sterling Pound 458.560 Canadian dollar 271.590 Turkish lira 142.650 Swiss Franc 317.360 Australian Dollar 272.420 US Dollar Buying 281.250 GOLD 20 Gram 248.000 10 Gram 125.000 5 Gram 65.000 Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal Irani Riyal

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

SELL DRAFT 275.52 274.65 320.91 393.26 281.85 460.19 2.95 3.624 4.588 2.162 2.872 2.655 76.81 750.17 40.90 401.14 732.99 77.83 75.29

SELL CASH 276.000 274.000 321.000 396.000 284.600 464.000 3.000 3.700 4.850 2.600 3.400 2.750 77.100 751.000 41.000 406.200 739.100 78.200 75.500

Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

Bahrain Exchange Company CURRENCY Belgian Franc British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Romanian Leu Slovakia Swedish Krona Swiss Franc Turkish Lira Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen

Selling Rate 282.200 273.175 457.715 390.670 316.630 745.145 76.810 78.360 76.120 397.805 40.907 2.160 4.589 2.646 3.625 6.546 693.140 3.890

10.085 3.045 3.865 90.230

Canadian Dollar US Dollars US Dollars Mint Bangladesh Taka Chinese Yuan Hong Kong Dollar Indian Rupee Indonesian Rupiah Japanese Yen Kenyan Shilling Korean Won Malaysian Ringgit Nepalese Rupee Pakistan Rupee Philippine Peso Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar South African Rand

BUY

SELL Europe 0.007340 0.008340 0.450858 0.459858 0.006598 0.018598 0.048176 0.053176 0.384660 0.392160 0.043917 0.049117 0.081499 0.81499 0.008080 0.018080 0.040651 0.045651 0.310218 0.320418 0.141250 0.148250 Australasia 0.263044 0.274544 0.228416 0.237916 America 0.265393 0.273893 0.278350 0.282700 0.278850 0.282700 Asia 0.003402 0.004002 0.044955 0.048455 0.034343 0.037093 0.004490 0.004891 0.000021 0.000027 0.002810 0.002990 0.003409 0.003409 0.000256 0.000271 0.086016 0.092016 0.003011 0.003181 0.002503 0.002783 0.006421 0.006701 0.000069 0.000075 0.225323 0.231323 0.022897 0.031397

Sri Lankan Rupee Taiwan Thai Baht Arab Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Iranian Riyal Iraqi Dinar Jordanian Dinar Kuwaiti Dinar Lebanese Pound Moroccan Dirhams Nigerian Naira Omani Riyal Qatar Riyal Saudi Riyal Syrian Pound Tunisian Dinar Turkish Lira UAE Dirhams Yemeni Riyal

0.001848 0.009496 0.008757

0.002428 0.009676 0.009307

0.742748 0.038363 0.000078 0.000182 0.394155 1.0000000 0.000138 0.022571 0.001194 0.727603 0.076872 0.074683 0.001923 0.169458 0.141250 0.075919 0.001283

0.750748 0.041463 0.000079 0.000242 0.401655 1.0000000 0.000238 0.046571 0.001829 0.733283 0.078085 0.075383 0.002143 0.177458 0.148250 0.077068 0.001363

Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 281.850 Euro 392.000 Pound Sterling 458.600 Canadian Dollar 272.100 Indian Rupee 4.585 Egyptian Pound 40.890 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.152 Bangladesh Taka 3.622 Philippines Peso 6.545 Pakistan Rupee 2.648 Bahraini Dinar 750.650 UAE Dirham 76.800 Saudi Riyal 75.300 *Rates are subject to change

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

BUSINESS Talabat.com ranks first choice for GCC online food delivery KUWAIT: Talabat.com, the leading online food delivery provider in Kuwait and GCC countries proudly announces that the Talabat.com mobile applications on App store ranks first in downloads across the GCC with over 250,000 downloads.

Keen to embrace the latest updates in applications’ technology; Talabat.com has upgraded its application to match the developed features of IOS 7 on App store which has replaced IOS 6.

So, being an IPhone, iPad,Android user or Mobile site visitor, Talabat.com customers can today enjoy downloading the upgraded Talabat online food ordering applications and enjoy the following state-of -the-arts features: • Menus with high-res pictures.

• Updated restaurant promotions and offers.

• Order food online and add special instructions based on your preference.

• Place an order now or at on a later time • Live Support chat service • Pay for your order by cash or by ATM cards • Register for an account and keep a track of your placed orders.

• Update your account and your address information.

• Reorder your favorite dish with ease.

• Rate and review your orders.

In his statement, Mohammed Nabil Jaffar, Talabat.com CEO said: “We are proud to lead the market when it comes to embracing the latest technologies’ innovations out of which we primarily aim to catering to our customers’ needs with efficiency and professionalism” “With over 500,000 downloads of Talabat.com applications on Google Play Store and Apple App Store across the GCC, Talabat.com pioneers the industry and constantly seeks to empower its customers with new user friendly applications enabling them to order their favorite dishes by only one click while choosing amongst over 700 member restaurants offering different authentic cuisines”, he added.

Jaffar added that Talabat.com application has been rated 4.8/5on Google Play Store which is an outstanding rating that only few Android applications in the market enjoy.

With the aim to enrich customers’ experience, today Talabat.com is fur-

Embattled G4S rejects $2.5bn offer for unit LONDON: G4S, the world’s largest security services firm that is fighting to restore its reputation after a series of contract scandals, has rejected a $2.5 billion offer for its cash transportation business.

G4S said yesterday that the 1.55 billion pound bid from British private equity group Charterhouse Capital Partners was “highly opportunistic” and undervalued the unit.

The offer comes as the group attempts to salvage its relationship with the British government, one of its biggest clients, after a series of blunders, including its failure to supply enough security guards for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

G4S, which has 620,000 employees in 120 countries providing security services ranging from managing prisons and immigration centres to guarding tennis players at Wimbledon, said cash handling was an important part of its growth strategy. The unit, which distributes notes and coins for banks and shops using high-security vans, accounted for about 18 percent of the group’s 7.3 billion pound turnover last year.

“We think G4S was right to reject the bid, on both valuation and strategic grounds,” JP Morgan analysts said. The analysts said the

offer, after taking into account the company’s debt, valued the unit at 7.1 times enterprise value to earnings before interest, tax and amortisation, compared to the 2013 valuation of 12.1 times for the whole group.

Britain’s government put all of its G4S contracts under review in July after it discovered that it and rival Serco had charged for tagging criminals who were either dead or in prison. Last week, the chief executive of G4S’s UK and Ireland business resigned.

Panmure Gordon analyst Mike Allen said cash handling was a stable business that had not produced to its full potential in recent years because of low interest rates.

“At the moment G4S needs a business like that while they’re trying to find their feet when there’s so much uncertainty with the UK government,” he said. Chief Executive Ashley Almanza, who was promoted from finance chief in June, is expected to unveil a detailed plan for how the company will cut debt and focus on emerging markets next month. Shares in G4S, which fell to a fouryear low of 203 pence after its British government contracts were put under review in July, were trading up 1 percent at 261 pence at 1029 GMT. — Reuters

Indian central bank hints at rates rise MUMBAI: India’s central bank hinted in a report yesterday that it would further raise interest rates this week as inflation remains high. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which holds its monetary policy meeting in Mumbai today, said in its macroeconomic report on the eve of the decision that inflation remains “above comfort levels”.

Annual inflation in September jumped to a seven-month-high of 6.46 percent, led by surging food and fuel prices. “Various surveys, including those by the RBI, show that business confidence remains weak, while inflation expectations have risen again,” the central bank report said.

“The monetary policy will need to aim at anchoring inflation expectations, while appropriately addressing growth risks,” it added. The report supports the widely held expectations of economists that the RBI will raise interest rates today, in what would be its second rise in two months.

The RBI said it expects “a modest improvement in growth” in the second half of the fiscal year to March 2013 “on

Jazeera Airways Group reports 23% increase in YTD net profit

Mohammed Nabil Jaffar, Talabat.com CEO

ther boosting its user friendly solutions. Recently the innovative website has started to offer a unique time saving feature based on which customers’ orders are automatically being recorded and could be re-ordered and amended with ease.

Another new facility by Talabat.com is “Talabat Credit” which is customized to save customers the hassle of carrying cash money to settle their orders’ payment. Today Talabat.com frequent visitors have the option to open an account with Talabat.com online, charge it with a certain amount of credit either KD 5,10,10,50 or 100, and upon ordering, the value of their orders will be deducted directly from their account, if they choose so.

Talabat customers can pay for their orders cash on delivery or online using debit / credit cards.

Moving forward, Talabat.com offers customers the opportunity to gift their beloved ones a Talabat voucher with an amount of money they decide upon to use it in ordering food from their favorite delivery restaurants.

(Localize country for PR going on specific countries i.e. delivery restaurants in Bahrain) “We haven’t spared an effort in maximizing on our offerings to customers in order to make their experience with the online food delivery marked with quality and convenience.”, ended Jaffar. Add an image of Jaffar “ Tagged as CEO of Talabat.com”.

Images make content more compelling, boost visibility for the message generally in search engines and on social sites such as Facebook that also favor multimedia.

the back of a good monsoon and some improvements in industrial growth”. The economy grew by 4.4 percent year-onyear in the April to June quarter, the slowest quarterly expansion in four years. Last month new central bank governor Raghuram Rajan-who had warned he was prepared to take unpopular steps to bring the economy back on track-surprised markets by increasing interest rates to help control inflation.

Wholesale inflation has been above the RBI’s comfort zone of 5.0 percent for four successive months. But business leaders have long been seeking a cut in rates to help revive sluggish domestic growth. “RBI’s primary objective is to guard against a build-up of inflationary pressures and rein in inflation expectations,” said Sonal Varma, economist at brokerage Nomura, predicting a 25 basis points rise to 7.75 percent today in a “hawkish” policy. The scandal-tainted Congress-led government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is anxious to tame inflation and revive the economy as it seeks a third term in office, with elections due by May 2014.—AFP

9-month net profit of KD14.1million, up 23% from 2012 KUWAIT: In a webcast attended by local and international analysts, Jazeera Airways Group yesterday announced a record year-to-date (YTD) net profit of KD14.1 million, making the first nine months of 2013 the airline’s most profitable nine-month period in history.

YTD 2013 Highlights Revenue: KD50.8 million, up 4.4 percent from 2012 • Operating profit: KD17.2 million, up 13.1 percent from 2012 • Net profit: KD14.1 million, up 23 percent from 2012 • Load factor: 70 percent, up 5.6 percent from 2012 Percentages shown are calculated based on the absolute results, not on the displayed rounded figures.

H1 2013 Balance Sheet • Hard assets of KD152 million • Cash reserves of KD50 million, exceeding share capital • Equity improved by KD35 million since Q3 2012 Jazeera Airways Group Chairman, Marwan

•

Boodai, said, “Despite the political unrest in some parts of our network for the last three quarters and the holy month of Ramadan impacting this year’s summer travel trends, we were still able to carry more passengers than last year and at higher average yields resulting in increases in most of our financial KPIs. Our YTD net profit was up 23 percent, our YTD revenue was up 4.4 percent, our YTD operating profit was up 13.1 percent, and our YTD flown passengers figure was up 1.2 percent”.

Jazeera Airways operated the first three quarters of 2013 with an average load factor of 70 percent and with a 4.2 percent increase in average yield compared to the first three quarters of 2012.

Year-to-date business highlights

• Jazeera Airways Group secured funding for the three remaining aircraft on an order of 15 A320s. The structured loan was led by Kuwait’s NBK and DVB Bank SE. As a result of the loan, the company has secured its financial commitments for the next two years.

• Jazeera Airways Group received a brand new Airbus A320 from the manufacturer. To

date, Jazeera Airways Group has taken delivery of 13 Airbus A320s since 2005, as part of an order for 15 aircraft of the same type. The remaining two aircraft the order are scheduled to be delivered this month and in May of 2014.

• Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) inducted Jazeera Airways into the ‘Kuwait 15 index KSX15’ - an index of the 15 top performers on the KSE. The KSX15 is defined by the KSE as their “flagship index ... designed to be a bellwether indicator of the Kuwaiti economy and to track the performance of the Kuwait stock market”.

Established in 2005, Jazeera Airways Group is a Kuwait Stock Exchange-listed company with a fleet of 13 fully-owned Airbus A320s, distributed between its airline business, Jazeera Airways (seven aircraft), and its fully-owned leasing-arm Sahaab Aircraft Leasing (six aircraft). Jazeera Airways is based in Kuwait and operates a network comprising high-demand business, leisure, family, and weekend destinations such as Dubai, Bahrain, Beirut, Alexandria, Amman, Istanbul, Sharm El Sheikh, Assiut, Luxor, Mashhad, Sohag, Jeddah, Riyadh, Cairo and Al Najaf. Jazeera Airways is an IATA-member airline and operates one of the youngest Airbus A320 fleets in the Middle East.

US manufacturing output barely rises WASHINGTON: US manufacturing output slowed in September as the production of computer and electronic goods fell, suggesting business spending ended the third quarter with less momentum. Manufacturing production edged up 0.1 percent last month after advancing 0.5 percent in August, the Federal Reserve said yesterday. The report comes on the heels of a report last week showing a gauge of business spending tumbled in September.

While manufacturing accounts for only about 12 percent of the economy, these reports, taken together with data on employment and home sales, suggest the economic activity ended the July-September quarter on a weak note.

Manufacturing production was held back by a 0.5 percent drop in computer and electronic goods output. Production of electrical appliances also fell as did the output of nonmetallic mineral products. While automobile output increased 2.0 percent, that was a sharp slowdown from the 5.2 percent rise logged in August.

Economists expect manufacturing slowed in October as a partial shutdown of the federal government earlier in the month hurt business confidence. In September, a rebound in utilities output lifted overall industrial production 0.6 percent, the largest increase since February.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected industrial output would rise 0.4 percent.

“With manufacturing sector activity likely to moderate even further in October, on account of the fallout from the protracted government shutdown, we expect some of this unexpected buoyancy in industrial output to be surrendered

FORT WORTH: Workers man the Motorola smartphone plant in Fort Worth, Texas. US factories barely boosted their output in September, adding to other signs that the economy was slowing even before the government shutdown began on Oct 1. —AP next month,” said Millan Mulraine, senior economist at TD Securities in New York. For the third quarter, production at the nation’s factories, mines and utility plants rose at an annual rate of 2.3 percent, accelerating from the second-quarter’s 1.1 percent pace.

Utilities rebounded 4.4 percent in September after five straight months of declines. Mining production rose 0.2 percent last month, but that was a slowdown from August’s 0.6 percent increase.

Last month, the amount of industrial capacity rose to 78.3 percent, the highest level since July 2008, from 77.9 percent in August.

Industrial capacity utilization - a measure of how fully firms are using their resources - was 1.9 percentage points below its long-run average. Officials at the Fed tend to look at utilization measures as a signal of how much “slack” remains in the economy, and how much room growth has to run before it becomes inflationary. — Reuters

IMF team visits Pakistan to jumpstart reforms ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faces the first formal test of his economic policies this week during a visit by the International Monetary Fund. It won’t be easy.

Sharif swept to a landslide victory in May after promising to fix a sluggish economy whose growth has averaged 3 percent over the last five years.

Voters are hungry for jobs. Power cuts and minimal social services trigger frequent violent protests.

Last month the IMF saved Pakistan from a possible default by agreeing to loan it $6.7 billion over three years, but its condition of quarterly reviews means the cash is not guaranteed. A team led by the IMF’s regional adviser, Jeffrey Franks, is visiting this week to see if Pakistan is trying to meet conditions intended to promote reforms.

The government has begun to tackle Pakistan’s fiscal problems, but true success will come only when tax evaders are punished, said one Western diplomat.

“Their willingness to do the painful but necessary things up front suggests they’re more willing to tackle this problem than their predecessors,” said the diplomat, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the topic. “The next six months is crunch time.”Eleven out of 12 IMF programs since 1998 have been scrapped or abandoned because Pakistan failed to institute reforms.

“Governments have tried to “game” the IMF, and achieved partial success each time,” two former Fund officials concluded in a recent paper. This time round, Sharif has promised the IMF to privatize loss-making state industries, reform a faltering energy sector, expand Pakistan’s tiny tax base and cut government borrowing. Just 0.57 percent of Pakistani citizens paid income tax last year, contributing to one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the world, which leaves public services woefully underfunded.

Sharif also plans to privatise 32 state-run com-

ROME: Employees of American aluminum producer giant Alcoa take part in a sit-in outside the Italian Industry Ministry in Rome yesterday as they demonstrate against the closing of the Portovesme and Fusina melting plants located on the Italian Mediterranean island of Sardinia, which employ around 2,000 people. —AFP

panies, including two huge gas companies, the state oil company, several banks, the national airline and power distribution companies.

During Sharif’s previous term as prime minister - ended by a coup in 1999 - he helped successfully privatise several banks, said Muhammad Jameel, executive vice president at United Bank.

“Now we have a good banking sector that is about 85 percent private,” he said. “The global financial crisis hardly touched us.” Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have dwindled to about $4 billion, or the equivalent of four week’s worth of imports, and several large repayments fall due in the next six months. Many economists argued that the IMF loan package had aimed to save Pakistan from the consequences of its financial recklessness because the nuclear-armed nation of 180 million was considered too important to fail.

But considerations over Afghanistan also matter. Western allies want to use Pakistan as a route to withdraw equipment from Afghanistan during the NATO drawdown in 2014, and are keen to ensure political stability.

Daily blackouts have crippled the economy, knocking two percentage points off annual GDP last year. Sharif has started to tackle the problem by paying off government debts to energy companies and slashing populist subsidies for power. But the debts are already piling back up.

Potential investors worry that the country’s gas and electricity regulators move at a glacial pace.

Some also fear the government may hold a fire sale, with state-owned assets stripped of liabilities and sold cheaply to cronies. Industrial power customers now pay higher rates but hikes for domestic consumers are being held up by an activist Supreme Court. Rival political parties have denounced the increases. “The previous government took little action over the last five years, but this one seems to be trying to come to grips with the problem,” said Jamil Masud, director of energy consultancy Hagler Bailly Pakistan. “It’s unclear yet if they will or not.” —Reuters

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

BUSINESS

Egypt regulator plans rules revamp to spur trade CAIRO: Egypt’s financial regulator plans measures by early next year that would allow the launch of exchange-traded funds, spur bond trading and cut red tape to stimulate growth in an economy hammered by nearly three years of political turmoil.

Sherif Samy, the new chairman of the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority (EFSA), said smoothing the operations of the capital markets were one way to restore investor confidence.

“The biggest problem for those dealing with the authority is the lack of adequate speed in completing transactions, and this is a challenge for us,” he said in an interview at the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit. “We are working on it as well as simplifying measures such as listing regulations.”

Much activity in Egypt’s capital markets froze up during the political instability which followed the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. Egypt’s last initial public offer of shares was in November 2010. The weakness of the stock market deprived companies of a source of funds, pressured

balance sheets and hurt business confidence. The market has recovered only partially since Islamist President Mohamed Mursi was overthrown in July this year; the main index is up 38 percent from this year’s low, but still 15 percent below its 2011 peak.

Many foreign portfolio managers have pulled money out of the Egyptian market, which suffered another blow this year when the Dutch-listed parent of Orascom Construction Industries , the Cairo market’s biggest blue chip, bought out almost all outstanding shares in OCI. This effectively cut the market’s capitalization, making it even less attractive to foreigners.

So encouraging other Egyptian companies to list their shares and boost the stock market’s capitalization will be an important part of drawing foreign portfolio investors back to the country.

The EFSA may cancel the requirement for a listed firm to seek the regulator’s permission to split its shares or call a general assembly prior to a capital increase, as long as it complies

with pre-set rules, said Samy, who was appointed in August.

“Listing regulations are in dire need of additions, omissions and amendments. We have communicated with active market participants and received suggestions from the bourse,” he said. “We have a draft that I want to present to the (EFSA) board.”

He added that he expected the regulations to be revised before the end of this year.

The EFSA is also drafting rules that would pave the way for the launch of the country’s first exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which are listed investment funds. It hopes these will be approved this year. “There was a workshop that included the authority and the bourse...I believe they have reached a final draft for it that must be presented to the board of directors,” Samy said.

“We have two firms that have expressed interest in issuing exchange-traded funds... I believe with the success of the first we will see more of them.” The first to express interest was Beltone Financial . The Cairo-based investment bank plans to

launch a fund mirroring the performance of the EGX 30 stock index, Beltone said on its website. By early next year, the EFSA hopes to complete a project that has been 10 years in the making: the introduction of rules for bond trading that would make it easier for investors to buy and sell securities on the bourse.

“Today we are a limping market that depends only on stock trading...We have been talking about this issue for 10 years but sooner or later it has to click, and I hope it clicks...It is feasible,” Samy said.

A small number of bonds already trade on the Egyptian stock exchange, but activity is light because once banks and investors buy government securities, they tend to hold onto them until maturity. A few corporate bonds trade as well. Samy said the new rules would not interfere with the existing interbank market for bonds, where activity can be heavy, but banks would need to offer some of the bonds they bought to be traded on the bourse. “There must be an acceptance or a moral obligation from banks to be the creator of the market by offering a minimum number of issues,” he said. — Reuters

JALALABAD: An Afghan laborer works in an outdoor traditional factory extracting and preparing pinenuts for sale on the outskirts of Jalalabad yesterday. One of the main products of Afghanistan is the export of dried fruit and nuts. — AFP

Russia’s miner Alrosa to raise $1.3bn in IPO MOSCOW: Russian state-owned diamond miner Alrosa expects to raise $1.3 billion in a share sale, a figure at the bottom of a previously announced range, in a government privatization drive that has been hit by delays and weak investor sentiment.

Market sources said US investors, including asset management group Lazard, were the biggest buyers of the shares, purchasing up to 60 percent of the 14 percent stake in Alrosa, which vies with Anglo American-owned De Beers as for the mantle of the world’s largest diamond miner.

It is the government’s only sale this year in a multi-year privatization program to boost the $2.1 trillion economy, which is growing at its slowest pace in four years. The program has failed so far to meet revenue targets, forcing the Finance Ministry to reduce its expecta-

tions, because of weak investor sentiment and disputes over which companies should be sold. The ministry had hoped to get $13.44 billion from sales this year, but reduced its expectations to just over $1.5 billion - a figure the Alrosa stake has now fallen short of. Alrosa’s offer price of 35 roubles per share puts the company’s market capitalization at 258 billion roubles ($8.12 billion). It had been pegged at between 35 roubles and 38 roubles a share.

The company, which accounts for 25 percent of global diamond production by value, is selling an additional 2 percent stake of treasury shares in the public offering, which would lift the publicly listed stake in the company to 23 percent. The book for the sale of the stake on the Moscow Exchange was closed on Oct. 25 after a two-week marketing process. — Reuters

Dar Al-Arkan sees strong Saudi housing sector RIYADH: The supply of housing in Saudi Arabia may lag demand for at least the next five years, creating lucrative opportunities for developers who can benefit from rapid population growth and a new mortgage law, the chairman of the kingdom’s largest listed developer said. “Official numbers refer to a need for 1.25 million units from 2010 through 2014 and for sure the market has not provided these units, which has led to a rise in prices,” said Youssef Al-Shelash, who heads Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Development Co. “Supply remains well below demand which is expected to rise to 4 million units in the next 10 years...For developers this is definitely an opportunity.” Saudi Arabia’s housing gap is an example of the market distortions that can open up in the wealthy country, where rapid growth of population and income coexist with sometimes inefficient industries and government agencies.

Some 60 percent of nearly 20 million local citizens in Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, are estimated to live in rented accommodation. Home ownership is below rates in many developed and even developing countries. Local firms have struggled to meet demand, partly because of limited bank financing for developers and home buyers, while ownership restrictions make it hard for foreign companies to enter the Saudi real estate sector.

Keen to ease social tensions, the government has intervened; in 2011 King Abdullah announced a $67 billion program to build 500,000 homes over several years. But the scheme has been slow to get underway because of bureaucratic delays and difficulties with the complex process of obtaining land.

The result is weak competition in the residential real estate market which will make the market very attractive for at least the next five years, said Shelash, who with over 20 years of experience is known as a pioneer of the Saudi property industry.

Satisfying demand for housing “is a big challenge for the country”, he said in an interview at the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit.

Partly because of the distortions in the market, responding to the demand does not guarantee rising profits for Saudi developers. Last week Dar Al Arkan posted its fifth straight decline in quarterly profit, citing lower margins and sales; net profit for the three months to

end-September dropped 17 percent from a year earlier to 183.3 million riyals ($48.9 million).

But the company’s shares are up 21 percent year-to-date, slightly outperforming a 19 percent rise in the main Saudi stock market index.

Shelash said that after suffering in 2009-2012 from the global financial crisis, Dar Al Arkan had focused this year on stabilizing cash flow and diversifying income sources, which limited profit growth. Construction firms in Saudi Arabia have faced rising cost pressures this year as the government, aiming to boost employment among its citizens, has cracked down on unregistered employment of cheaper foreign workers.

“We don’t face direct labor problems, but contractors and suppliers do, and they are the two legs we walk on - their problems are ours,” Shelash said.

But he said Dar Al-Arkan was now well placed to capitalize on growing demand for residential real estate, partly because a long-awaited package of new mortgage laws introduced last year would gradually make life easier for home buyers. “We expect 2014 to be the year of real growth and we seek growth of not less than 10 percent,” he said.

Early next year Dar Al-Arkan plans to launch a multi-billion riyal, mixed-use real estate project inside Saudi Arabia and will need at least 1.2 billion riyals of financing for this, which could be raised via a sukuk (Islamic bond) issue, he said.

The company does not expect to need this money for at least six to eight months, he added without giving further details of the project. In May this year, Dar Al-Arkan sold a $450 million, five-year sukuk, its first international bond sale since 2010. Shelash said company’s financial position was now very strong, with an asset base worth 24 billion riyals at end-June and debts worth only 15 percent of total assets, making it easy to afford payment of two sukuk issues maturing in 2014 and 2015. To ensure stable revenue, Dar Al Arkan has set a diversification plan which aims to obtain 50 percent of revenue from selling housing units and land, 40 percent from leasing housing and commercial units, and 10 percent from investments in equities and deposits. As part of the diversification, the company is studying the possibility of making two relatively small-scale investments in projects in Europe and Turkey, he said without elaborating. — Reuters

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

BUSINESS

All-new Fusion, EcoSport debut at next week’s Dubai Motor Show Ford to parade strongest line-up ever DUBAI: The wait is over. Ford Middle East is debuting the highlyanticipated all-new Fusion mid-size sedan and India’s best-selling EcoSport compact SUV at next week’s Dubai International Motor Show kicking off November 5, bringing to life the next generation of more expressive vehicles from Ford expected to deliver top fuel economy and an engaging driving experience.

This year’s lineup is the strongest ever for Ford in the region, featuring models in all segments from the sub-compact Fiesta through Taurus, the EcoSport thru Expedition SUVs and F-Series pickup trucks. Visitors to the Ford stand located inside Hall 1 of the Dubai World Trade and Convention Center are also in for a big treat thanks to the massive and award-winning Ford Atlas truck concept which promises to wow everyone.

The new Ford Fusion Featuring a sleek silhouette and fresh face, the all-new Fusion is the latest in a series of vehicles from Ford developed to satisfy customers everywhere who want leading fuel efficiency, helpful technologies and game-changing looks.

Larry Prein, Ford Middle East’s managing director said: “Our vision for Fusion was clear - deliver the very best of what One Ford stands for. As Fusion debuts in the Middle East, we are proud to bring a groundbreaking design and jaw-dropping fuel economy sedan that is also packed with featured technologies to help make our customers safer and better drivers.

The all-new Fusion offers an unprecedented portfolio of driver assistance and convenience technologies based on sensors, cameras and radar that enable the car to see and respond.

Fusion can help drivers maintain proper lane position, adjust vehicle speed to changing traffic conditions, identify suitable parking spaces and help park, even aiding drivers backing out of parking space where visibility is obstructed. Specific technologies include: • Lane Keeping System: This class-exclusive technology consists of three elements to help a driver maintain proper lane position. Using a small, forward-facing camera behind the inside rearview mirror, the system “looks” down the road, monitoring lane lines to determine that the car is on course. The system will alert a driver if drowsiness or erratic lane-keeping is detected. The second element warns a driver with a steering wheel vibration if the Fusion drifts too close to lane markings. Finally, lane keeping aid will actually apply pressure on the steering to help bring the car back into proper lane position • Adaptive cruise control: Using forward-looking radar, this system “looks” down the road when activated, slowing the Fusion when slower traffic is detected ahead. Adaptive cruise control enables collision warning with brake support to help slow the car if the potential of a crash is detected • Active park assist: Employing sensors, this technology can identify a suitable parallel parking space, calculate the trajectory

and steer the car to properly position it within the spot. All a driver need do is operate accelerator and brake pedals • Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with cross-traffic alert: Sensors in both Fusion rear quarter-panels are able to detect traffic in a driver’s blind spot, providing both audible and visual warnings if traffic - unseen by the driver is detected. BLIS technology enables cross-traffic alert, warning the driver of oncoming traffic when backing out of a parking space with obstructed views, such as between two large vans.

“It is quite an exciting time for us to showcase the allnew Ford Fusion in response to a great demand from our

Ford EcoSport The all-new Ford EcoSport, arrives in the Middle East as a strong contender in the compact SUV segment. The all-new model keeps up to Ford’s commitment to deliver a stunninglooking product that packs in outstanding value and raises the bar in the region’s fastgrowing compact utility segment with its compelling valuefor-money proposition and features.

Hamad bin Mejren, Executive Director of Business Tourism DTCM Our on-going strategy is to position Dubai as the destination of choice for businesses within the Americas to exhibit to and trade with businesses in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region and further afield to China and India.

We were delighted to share and exchange our thoughts, insights and ideas with our BestCities Global Alliance partners and to join with our partners from the Emirate to represent Dubai at IMEX America, continuing a busy year for the DCEB, which will have taken part in more than 32 international road shows by the end of 2013.”

The BestCities Global Alliance consists of convention bureaus that deliver the world’s best service experience for international association meeting planners. As well as Dubai, these world premier meeting destinations include Berlin, Cape Town, Chicago, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Houston, Melbourne, Singapore and Vancouver. With Houston having joined the Alliance one and a half years ago, this was the first time the Texas city has hosted BestCities Association Client Workshop, providing DCEB delegates with the opportunity to to inspect the city’s meeting infrastructure first-hand and share knowledge regarding Dubai’s own capabilities.

Dubai is ranked as first in the Middle East by the International Convention and Congress Association (ICCA). In 2013, Dubai has hosted prestigious events such as Sibos, which is the world’s premier financial services event with more than 7,500 delegates and the World Congress on Low Back and Pelvic Pain. In 2014, Dubai looks forward to events such as Congress of the International Society for Gynecologic Endoscopy and the World Engineering Education Forum.

Ford EcoSport comes with an attractive price and consumers will have the power of choice with a selection of three trim levels (Ambiente, Trend and the high end Titanium), as well as the option of a manual or automatic transmission paired with a fuel efficient 1.5L engine.

Anderson continued: “EcoSport sets new standards in the compact SUV segment through its design, development and sensible value proposition. With the launch of the EcoSport we stand true to our commitment to offer the best of Ford. EcoSport’s competitive pricing and market positioning underscores our commitment to offer world-class models with outstanding value.”

The stunning urban SUV is the successful outcome of the $142 million investment that Ford committed to enhance its capability at its manufacturing facility in Chennai, India. With the launch of the EcoSport, Ford has aggressively positioned itself in the compact utility segment, which is expected to grow five-fold by 2020.

“Stylish, robust and dynamic, the fun-to-drive Ford EcoSport fuses ample versatility and a ‘can do’ attitude to appeal to a newer range of customers. The EcoSport’s substantial package underscores both desirability and versatility and brings a new sense of value and ingenuity to the Ford brand,” Anderson added. “We are thrilled to bring the exciting new Ford EcoSport in the Middle East market,” said Prein. “The Ford EcoSport speaks to the young generation expressing style, sense and boldness. It has fantastic looks true to the Ford SUV heritage, while displaying outstanding handling and featuring a great interior space as well as features that will surprise and delight its owner. Here’s another irresistible product offering from Ford to our customers.”

Compact, contemporary and capable, the all-new EcoSport epitomizes urban life and urbane aspirations such as practicality, efficiency, drivability, reliability and attractiveness in a compelling package.

Clever capability with several firsts The all-new Ford EcoSport makes driving addictive and intuitive with an array of smart segment-first features. The urban SUV offers Ford SYNC, the voice-activated in-car connectivity system.

The award-winning system enables drivers to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel while choosing their favorite music and making phone calls using voice commands, without compromising on safety.

The Ford EcoSport’s cabin also has 20 practical storage spaces, including a glove box that can keep up to six beverage cans cool.

Its cargo space at the back is just as versatile. The rear seats can be reclined in select models for greater comfort or easily folded down for additional cargo space. With the rear seats tumbled against the front seats, the boot space increases to 705 litres, big enough to fit a washing machine. On the Trend series and above, the rear seats can be split 60:40 to transport long objects such as flat-pack furniture while still carrying passengers at the back.

The all-new Ford EcoSport

Dubai Convention and Events Bureau attends 2 business exhibitions in US DUBAI: A delegation from the Dubai Convention and Events Bureau (DCEB), a division of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), recently attended two of the premier exhibitions of the international business events sector - as part of the continual strategy to build partnerships within the sector and further Dubai’s reputation as a major business events destination.

Attending the BestCities Client Workshop, held in Houston, Texas, and IMEX America, in Las Vegas, Nevada, the delegation met with prospective clients and shared knowledge, techniques and best-practice with other leading groups from around the world.

The BestCities Global Alliance Workshop (October 10-13, Houston, Texas) provided the opportunity to liaise with some of the world’s leading practitioners in the planning of international association meetings and to share knowledge and best-practice with other leading groups from around the world. A key focus of DECB in the coming years is to further improve Dubai’s position as a destination for international association meetings since hosting such events has a considerable economic impact as well as strengthening the Emirate’s reputation as an international knowledge hub.

During the Workshop, the delegation met with nine association executives from industries ranging from pharmacology to journalism. Attending the workshop provided a valuable chance to present Dubai’s offerings as a business events destination and to build important relations with the association executives. As a result of attending the Workshop, DCEB were given the opportunity to bid for at least five significant medical congresses, demonstrating Dubai’s growing reputation as the host of events within the global medical industry.

The DCEB delegation then travelled to Las Vegas for the 3rd edition of IMEX America (October 15-17), one of the world’s most prominent exhibitions for the incentive travel, meeting and events sector. Leading a group of 19 partners from Dubai’s business events sector, including hotels, Destination Management Companies and Professional Congress Organizers, DCEB highlighted Dubai’s status as the regional events hub for the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. A highlight of DCEB’s participation in the exhibition was partnering with Emirates Airline to host a cocktail reception and Cirque du Soleil show for selected planners, demonstrating the close partnerships which exist between private and governmental entities within Dubai: a key strength of the Emirate’s destination offering.

Hamad Mohammed bin Mejren, Executive Director of Business Tourism for the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) commented: “These two events presented a wonderful opportunity to both share and understand the latest advances in the international business event sector and to promote Dubai’s superior business events destination offering. Our location, accessibility, infrastructure, hospitality facilities, integrated city-wide approach to hosting events and knowledge-base, provides us with the opportunity to move beyond being the regional events hub and become known as a global destination for business events.

customers - both existing and new, eagerly anticipating its regional debut. Ford Fusion is a proven winner overseas, with leading technologies and smart features, further adding to its attractiveness,” said Paul Anderson, Ford Middle East’s marketing director.

Huawei inks strategic alliance with Drake & Scull International DUBAI: Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, and Drake & Scull International PJSC (DSI), a regional market leader in the integrated design, engineering and construction disciplines of General Contracting, Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP), Water and Power, Rail and Oil & Gas, have announced the signing of a strategic partnership that will see the two companies working together to assist organizations across the Middle East and North African (MENA) region harness the growing potential of data center technology through a new jointly-created turnkey solution.

The strategic alliance signed during GITEX Technology Week 2013 and will combine Huawei’s expertise in enterprise ICT infrastructure with DSI’s operational capabilities in data center development as well as their wealth of regional experience as an integrated engineering service provider. The new agreement was formalized by Dong Wu, Vice President of Huawei Enterprise Middle East, and Khaldoun Tabari, CEO of Drake & Scull International PJSC (DSI).

“We are living in an era of big data with organizations in the region demanding infrastructure and networks that need to be highly secure, scalable and reliable,” commented Dong Wu, Vice President of Huawei Enterprise Middle East. “As part of Huawei’s commitment to crossindustry collaboration and customer-centric innovation, this latest alliance with DSI will enable Huawei to further apply over a decade of experience in data center solutions to help customer fully maximize their IT potential for delivering on the bottom line.”

“Creating a robust and scalable data network requires a high level of precision not just in core IT hardware, but also in the design and deployment of that technology within a set project to offer 24-hour operational service,” added

Khaldoun Tabari, CEO of Drake & Scull International PJSC (DSI).

“Together with Huawei, we look forward to combining the best practices of both our organizations in supporting partners across the MENA region to get the most out of their ICT investments.”

In particular, the alliance will see Huawei focus on providing ICT solutions covering IP networking, Unified Communications & Collaborations (UCC) and Data Centre Solutions. DSI will emphasize providing Turnkey EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) Design & Build solutions, and to undertake all aspects of the supply and installation of data centers in collaboration with Huawei. The integration of Huawei & DSI services will provide companies with a one-stop turnkey solution to develop large scale data centers across all vertical sectors.

Today, organizations dependent on legacy IT infrastructure in the MENA region are being challenged to handle an exponential growth of their digital assets as well as the demands of real-time operational visibility. Many are eager to look at ways to efficiently share and protect those assets via emerging data center solutions. According to market intelligence firm IDC, over 40 per cent of CIOs in the Middle East have reported that they are scoping

investments in analytics and big data technologies in 2013, which includes investments in data center infrastructure.

Research group Gartner recently estimated that global spending on data centers will hit $143 billion in 2013 and $149 billion next year1, a steady growth trend albeit slower than earlier forecasts.

Along with the advancement of cloud computing and virtualization technology, Huawei has rapidly developed its own data center portfolio now serving local organizations in the government, healthcare, education, transportation, and energy sectors, to name a few. Some of the company’s most recent endeavors have also included a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Intel to develop collaborative offerings for server, storage data centers and cloud computing.

As a global engineering and construction conglomerate expert for more than a century, DSI capabilities and expertise range from offering one-stop turnkey EPC design and build solutions to all aspects of the design and installation of data center plans. Backed by the global network of DSI PJSC offices, the company can fast track data center projects with quick mobilization capabilities of resources and personnel and accelerate the construction to completion.

Saudi construction sector poised for massive growth RIYADH: With the recent announcement of the Saudi government to allocate a social benefit package of SR 487.5 billion for the development of housing, infrastructure and transport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the construction sector is set to see a surge driven by increasing private and public investments. The government has earmarked a total of SR 247.5 billion for housing development and SR 61.875 billion for transport expansion while an estimated SR 7.5 billion has been allocated to road projects under construction. Moreover, the General Authority of the Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia has set aside a fund of SR 2497.5 million for construction of 34 airports across the Kingdom in the next five years and a budget of SR 101.25 billion has been

approved for the rail projects that are either underway or at the bidding phase.

Celebrating its silver jubilee as the region’s premier construction show, Saudi Build 2013 - the 25th international construction technology and building materials trade exhibition - will be a perfect gateway to explore the lucrative Saudi construction sector as the exhibitors display latest technologies, machineries and equipment as well as offer complete business solutions to real estate agents, contractors and developers. The 25th edition of Saudi Arabia’s largest business-to-business construction fair will run from November 4 to 7, 2013, at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Zeyad Al-Rukban, Deputy General Manager, Riyadh

Exhibitions Company, the organizers of Saudi Build, said, “Since its inception a quarter of a century ago, Saudi Build has been the foremost construction show in the region offering a platform to both exhibitors and visitors to leverage business opportunities in the region. The 2013 edition will proudly mark 25 years of continuous success of the show along with the record growth achieved during the recent years. This year’s event promises to be a special celebration as Saudi Build continues to enjoy a strong local, regional and global following, attracting high-profile personalities, decision makers, trade missions and key government officials from all over the world.”

Saudi Build 2013 will witness strong local and foreign participation from 28 countries. It is the only construction

trade show in Saudi Arabia accredited by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. Supported by diamond sponsor Rajhi Steel, Saudi Build 2013 will showcase the latest products and services related to Building Materials and Equipment, Architectural Finishing Products, Stone, Marble and Granite Products, Construction Tools and Technology, Engineering Services, Infrastructure Materials, and Security and Safety Systems, among others.

Saudi Build 2013 will host two concurrent events: Saudi Build PMV 2013 - The 3rd International Exhibition for Construction Equipment, Plant, Machinery and Vehicle; and Saudi Stone-Tech - The 15th International Stone and Stone Technology & Machinery Exhibition.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

technology

EU seeks comment on Google’s latest anti-trust remedies BRUSSEL: The European Commission said yesterday it is seeking comment on revised remedies by US Internet giant Google to complaints it has abused its dominant position in the search market.

Google, under anti-trust investigation since 2010, submitted new proposals in September which EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said earlier this month showed “significant improvements.” Almunia spokesman Antoine Colombani said the Commission was now “seeking feedback from com-

plainants and other relevant market participants on the improved commitments.” “Information is sought, in particular, from complainants in the ongoing proceedings and from all those who responded to the initial market test of Google’s proposals which the Commission launched in April,” Colombani said in an emailed statement.

Almunia has said that if Google’s remedies are judged satisfactory, the 2010 probe could be concluded formally “next spring.” If there were objections,

the anti-trust investigation would continue.

The Commission, the EU’s executive arm, has four main grievances against Google. These are that it gives unfair preference in search results to its own services, copies content without permission, ties up publishers with exclusivity deals, and discourages clients from using other advertising platforms.

Google has offered remedies on all points, such as making search results show rival websites more prominently,

but first reaction was cautious and critical. The FairSearch alliance of companies which have pushed Brussels to act against Google said it saw very little new in its revised remedies, at least initially.

“It seems that no genuinely significant changes have been made to the initial proposal so it is difficult to see how the new package can hope to solve the competition concerns Almunia has declared must be addressed,” FairSearch spokesman Thomas Vinje said.

Vinje noted that the Commission had

marked its information requests as ‘Confidential’ and this “limits our ability publicly to describe the new proposal and to express our concerns about it.”

Brussels launched its investigation of Google in November 2010 following a complaint by several companies, including Microsoft. Google holds about 70 percent of the search engine traffic in the United States and 90 percent in Europe. In Januar y, US authorities absolved Google of non-competitive practices in a similar case. — AFP

Doctors to parents: Limit kids’ texts, tweets, online ‘Kids are getting way too much computer time’

Procons-4it presents SAP Business One HANA at Gitex DUBAI: Procons-4it, a leading business consulting and IT services organization providing value added IT solutions introduced SAP Business one solution running on the next generation in - memory platform SAP HANA during Gitex 2013 which is currently underway at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

SAP Business one HANA brings together enterprise recourse planning (ERP) and analytics into a single in - memory platform for smarter business innovations, faster business processes and simpler business interactions.

Mr.Wassim Al Hassanieh, Managing Director of ProCons 4it, said: “The release of SAP HANA Business platform is a major step forward for our company, which reinforces our commitment to extend scalable and world-class products. GITEX is an ideal platform to promote our technologies, increase brand awareness and sign new partnerships.”

The launch of SAP B1 HANA comes amidst aggressive expansion plans of ProCons 4it across the region. The company aims to spread its presence across other Gulf countries, namely KSA and the UAE. Recently it announced the opening of its new offices in Turkey.

“We are witnessing amazing growth across all the SME business and we are eyeing aggressive expansion in the region and beyond,” added Al Hassanieh.

Over the last few years, ProCons 4it has built a strong network of channel partners and resellers across the Middle East and Africa. A leading provider of IT solutions, ProCons 4it was established in 2007 with offices in UAE, KSA, Lebanon, Qatar & Kuwait. The company provides turnkey solutions based on leading technologies from SAP and has delivered many solutions across numerous disciplines and sectors, and has a proven track record of providing full life-cycle projects.

CHICAGO: Doctors 2 parents: Limit kids’ tweeting, texting & keep smartphones, laptops out of bedrooms. #goodluckwiththat.

The recommendations are bound to prompt eye-rolling and LOLs from many teens but an influential pediatricians group says parents need to know that unrestricted media use can have serious consequences.

It’s been linked with violence, cyberbullying, school woes, obesity, lack of sleep and a host of other problems. It’s not a major cause of these troubles, but “many parents are clueless” about the profound impact media exposure can have on their children, said Dr. Victor Strasburger, lead author of the new American Academy of Pediatrics policy “This is the 21st century and they need to get with it,” said Strasburger, a University of New Mexico adolescent medicine specialist. The policy is aimed at all kids, including those who use smartphones, computers and other Internetconnected devices. It expands the academy’s longstanding recommendations on banning televisions from children’s and teens’ bedrooms and limiting entertainment screen time to no more than two hours daily.

Under the new policy, those two hours include using the Internet for entertainment, including Facebook, Twitter, TV and movies; online homework is an exception. The policy statement cites a 2010 report that found US children aged 8 to 18 spend an average of more than seven hours daily using some kind of entertainment media. Many kids now watch TV online and many send text messages from their bedrooms after “lights out,” including sexually explicit images by cellphone or Internet, yet few parents set rules about media use, the policy says.

“I guarantee you that if you have a 14-yearold boy and he has an Internet connection in his bedroom, he is looking at pornography,” Strasburger said. The policy notes that threequarters of kids aged 12 to 17 own cellphones; nearly all teens send text messages, and many younger kids have phones giving them online access.

“Young people now spend more time with media than they do in school - it is the leading activity for children and teenagers other than sleeping” the policy says. Mark Risinger, 16, of Glenview, Ill., is allowed to use his smartphone and laptop in his room, and says he spends about four hours daily on the Internet doing

GLENVIEW: In this Oct. 24, 2013 photo, Mark Risinger, 16, checks his Facebook page on his computer as his mother, Amy Risinger, looks on at their home in Glenview, Ill. The recommendations are bound to prompt eye-rolling and LOLs from many teens but an influential pediatrician’s group says unrestricted media use has been linked with violence, cyber-bullying, school woes, obesity, lack of sleep and a host of other problems. Mark’s mom said she agrees with restricting kids’ time on social media but that deciding on other media limits should be up to parents. — AP homework, using Facebook and YouTube and that deciding on other media limits should be up to parents. “I think some children have a watching movies.

He said a two-hour Internet time limit “would greater maturity level and you don’t need to be be catastrophic” and that kids won’t follow the quite as strict with them,” said Risinger, who runs advice, “they’ll just find a way to get around it.” a communications consulting firm.

Her 12-year-old has sneaked a laptop into Strasburger said he realizes many kids will scoff at advice from pediatricians - or any adults. “After bed a few times and ended up groggy in the all, they ’re the experts! We’re media- morning, “so that’s why the rules are now in Neanderthals to them,” he said. But he said he place, that that device needs to be in mom and hopes it will lead to more limits from parents dad’s room before he goes to bed.”

Sara Gorr, a San Francisco sales director and and schools, and more government research on mother of girls, ages 13 and 15, said she welthe effects of media.

The policy was published online yesterday in comes the academy’s recommendations. Her the journal Pediatrics. It comes two weeks after girls weren’t allowed to watch the family’s lone police arrested two Florida girls accused of bully- TV until a few years ago. The younger one has a ing a classmate who committed suicide. Police tablet, and the older one has a computer and say one of the girls recently boasted online smartphone, and they’re told not to use them about the bullying and the local sheriff ques- after 9 pm.

“There needs to be more awareness,” Gorr tioned why the suspects’ parents hadn’t restrictsaid. “Kids are getting way too much computer ed their Internet use.

Mark’s mom, Amy Risinger, said she agrees time. It’s bad for their socialization, it’s overstimwith restricting kids’ time on social media but ulating, it’s numbing them.” — AP

LG unveils curved screen smartphone

KAZAKHSTAN: Wearing his spacesuit Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata attends the preflight training in the Russian leased Kazakhstan’s Baikonur cosmodrome yesterday. The three-man crew, including Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, US astronaut Rick Mastracchio and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin, is scheduled to blast off to the International Space Station (ISS) from Baikonur on November 7. — AFP

Japan’s NTT buys US cloud computing firms for $875m TOKYO: NTT Communications said yesterday it would pay a combined $875 million for two US-based cloud computing firms, marking the latest major overseas acquisition by a Japanese firm. The telecoms giant said it had agreed to buy Virtela for $525 million, while it would shell out $350 million for an 80 percent stake in RagingWire as it looks to boost its ability to supply online access to software and data storage for big global clients.

The deals come as NTT looks to counter a slowdown in its mainstay long-distance telecom business. “The acquisition (of RagingWire) will more than double NTT’s data centre space in the US, which will enable the company to respond to high demand for data centre services in North America,” it said in a statement. It added that the deal was “critical to increasing our overall capacity”. The global cloud

services market for corporate users is expected to reach $31.9 billion in 2017, a 70 percent jump from last year. NTT owns undersea cables and other lines between Europe and the US, but to meet the needs of corporate clients seeking global networks that link offices and plants in different markets, it must obtain line access in each nation from individual providers.

However, Virtela has data networks connecting companies in about 190 countries through partnerships with local data communications providers.

By acquiring the company, NTT would gain instant access to data communication networks that straddle national borders. That would make it easier to set up communication infrastructure for customers scattered worldwide, and cut costs linked to dealing with individual providers.

The deal announced Monday is the

latest in a string of acquisitions by Japanese firms, including mobile carrier SoftBank’s $21.6 billion takeover of US-based SprintNextel earlier this year.

Last month, drinks giant Suntory said it would buy the top-selling Lucozade and Ribena brands from British drugs firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for $2.1 billion, while bathroom giant Lixil Group agreed to scoop up Germany’s Grohe in a $4.1 billion deal.

The moves are aimed at expanding beyond Japan’s borders, where firms are wrestling with unfavourable demographics as the population rapidly ages while the birth rate falls.

Despite a sharp decline in the yen since the star t of the year, the Japanese currency’s historically high levels in recent years made firms’ overseas acquisitions relatively cheaper. — AFP

SEOUL: LG Electronics unveiled yesterday a curvedscreen smartphone, taking on rival Samsung in a niche market seen as a first step on the road to fully flexible products. Despite its name, the “G-Flex” does not bend, but uses flexible OLED (organic light-emitting diode) to produce a curved six-inch display.

The model is “the best representation yet of how a smartphone should be curved,” the president of LG’s mobile unit Park Jong-Seok said, in a clear dig at Samsung. Earlier this month, Samsung started retailing its “Galaxy Round”-a 5.7inch (14.5 centimetre) handset with a display that curves from side-to-side to fit the contour of the hand.

The “G-Flex” is curved on the vertical axis in order to, the company said, “follow the contour of the face”. Curved displays are already commercially available in largescreen televisions offered by both Samsung and LG. The displays are supposed to offer a more immersive viewing experience but are significantly more expensive than standard screens. The Galaxy Round is currently only available in South Korea and retails at 1.08 million won ($1,000).

Curved screens are still at a nascent stage in display technology, which is shifting towards flexible panels that are bendable or can even be rolled or folded. LG said the G-Flex would be available to South Korean consumers from November, but did not provide a price estimate.

Meanwhile, a patent filing shows Samsung Electronics Co. is working on a device it calls sports glasses in a possible response to Google’s Internetconnected eyewear.

A design patent filing at the Korean Intellectual Property Office shows a Samsung design for smart-

phone-connected glasses that can display information from the handset.

It said the glasses can play music and receive phone calls through earphones built into the eyewear’s frame. It also gives hands-free control over the smartphone.

Reminiscent of the Google Glass design, Samsung’s sketch shows a thumbnail-sized display over the left eyeglass. Google’s eyewear has a tiny display over the right eyeglass that shows information and websites.

It was not clear from Samsung’s sketch and description whether its eyewear would be equipped with a touch control and a camera like Google Glass nor whether it would connect directly to the mobile Internet or be a slave to a smartphone.

The name and the description specify the Samsung product is designed for outdoors activities or sports. Samsung did not respond to an email and a call seeking comment.

Google Inc. is testing an early version of Google Glass with 10,000 people in the US after giving the public a first look at its Internet-connected eyewear in June last year. The early version can take pictures, record videos, navigate maps and works without a smartphone.

Other tech companies are also exploring ways to bring mobile computing to everyday objects such as watches and glasses. Samsung introduced a smartphone-connected watch called the Galaxy Gear last month. Sony also announced a smart watch.

Samsung filed the application for the eyewear design patent on March 8. — AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

California elderly care home closes, 14 patients left CASTRO VALLEY: Detectives are investigating an assisted living facility in the San Francisco Bay Area that closed last week and left behind 14 sick and elderly patients, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said.

Paramedics called to the Valley Manor Residential Care center in Castro Valley found a notice on the door from the state Department of Social Services ordering the site to be closed.

The San Francisco Chronicle and other media outlets reported (http://bit.ly/1dyvplR) that paramedics also found bedridden patients attended by a handful of staff members who stayed to help them, despite not being paid. The facility closed Thursday. Sheriff’s Sgt. J.D. Nelson said the staff members who stayed included a cook, janitor and a single caretaker who felt bad for the patients.

Nelson said an investigation could potentially

result in elder abuse charges. The patients were transported to other homes Saturday for temporary care while new places are found for them.

The facility came to the attention of law enforcement that day after paramedics responding to an emergency call found a small staff struggling to care for the residents, Nelson said.

Michael Weston, a spokesman for the California Department of Social Services, told KPIX-TV that

social service officials had checked on the facility and were told the patients would be cared for over the weekend. “I can tell you that the department has been engaged with this facility for quite a while and there is a history of concerns,” Weston said. “Apparently, what happened is that the facility staff felt that they were starting to lose the capability to care for these individuals, so they called for help.” — AP

EU environment ministers call for action on climate US, China embracing green growth

SAN DIEGO: In a Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013 photo, a United States Marine who failed the so-called “tape test” works up a sweat while lifting a 30 pound ammunition case during a workout to improve his conditioning to remain in the military, at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. Doctors say a number of military personnel are turning to liposuction to remove excess fat from around the waist so they can pass the Pentagon’s body fat test. — AP

Bulky US soldiers turn to liposuction to pass fat test SAN DIEGO: The soldiers often call Dr Adam Tattelbaum, a plastic surgeon, in a panic. They need liposuction, and fast. A number of military personnel are turning to the surgical procedure to remove excess fat from around the waist so they can pass the Pentagon’s body fat test, which can determine their future prospects in the military.

“They come in panicked about being kicked out or getting a demerit that will hurt their chances at a promotion,” said the Rockville, Md., surgeon.

Some service members say they have no other choice because the Defense Department’s method of estimating body fat is weeding out not just flabby physiques but bulkier, muscular builds.

Fitness experts and doctors agree, and are calling for the military’s fitness standards to be revamped, including the weight tables the Pentagon uses. They say the tables are outdated and do not reflect that Americans are bigger, though not necessarily less healthy.

Defense officials say only a small fraction of those who exceed body fat limits perform well on physical fitness tests. “ Those incidences are far and few between,” said Bill Moore, director of the Navy’s Physical Readiness Program. “We want everybody to succeed. This isn’t an organization that trains them and says, ‘Hey, get the heck out.’” The checks are designed to ensure troops are ready for the rigors of combat. Pentagon officials say the military does not condone surgically altering one’s body to pass the test, though liposuction is not banned. The Defense Department uses what is called a “tape test” to make a body fat estimate by taking measurements of the waist and neck.

Those who fail are ordered to spend months in a vigorous exercise and nutrition program, which Marines call the “pork chop platoon” or “doughnut brigade.” Even if they later pass, failing the test once can halt promotions for years, service members say.

Failing three times can be grounds for getting kicked out, military officials say.

The number of Army soldiers booted for being overweight has jumped tenfold in the past five years from 168 in 2008 to 1,815. In the Marine Corps, the figure nearly doubled from 102 in 2010 to 186 in 2011 but dropped to 132 last year.

The Air Force and the Navy said they do not track discharges tied to the tape test.

Still, service members say they are under intense scrutiny as the military trims its ranks amid budget cuts and as the Afghanistan war winds down.

Dr. Michael Pasquale of Aloha Plastic Surgery in Honolulu said his military clientele has jumped by more than 30 percent since 2011, with about a half-dozen service members coming in every month.

“Some see this as unethical but I say, ‘What? It’s liposuction, for God’s sake,’” the former soldier said. “They have to worry

about their careers. With the military downsizing, it’s putting more pressure on these guys.” Some go on crash diets or use weights to beef up their necks so they’re in proportion with a larger waist. Pasquale said liposuction works for those with the wrong genetics.

“I’ve actually had commanders recommend it to their troops,” Pasquale said.

“They’ll deny that if you ask them. But they know some people are in really good shape and unfortunately are just built wrong.”

Fitness expert Jordan Moon said there is no reliable, economical way to measure body fat, and troops should be judged more by physical performance so they’re not feeling forced to go to such lengths to save their careers.

“We’re sending people away who could be amazing soldiers just because of two pieces of tape,” said Moon, who has a doctorate in exercise physiology and has studied the accuracy of body fat measurements.

“Ninety percent of athletes who play in the NFL are going to fail the tape test because it’s made for a normal population, not big guys,” he added.

Marine Staff Sgt. Leonard Langston, 47, said he can only blame himself for weighing 4 pounds over his maximum weight of 174 pounds for his 5-foot-7 frame.

“I think we’ve gotten away with keeping ourselves accountable. Especially the older Marines have let things go,” he said after sweating through 75 crunches with others ordered to the exercise program. “And unfortunately, I’m an example of that.”

Studies have shown a correlation between waist size, body fat and physical endurance, military officials say, and the tape test is the best, most cost-effective tool available, with a margin of error of less than 1 percent. Air Force Gen. Mark Walsh noted only about 348 of 1.3 million airmen have failed the tape test but excelled otherwise. Even so, his branch heeded the complaints and modified its fitness program in October. The Air Force obtained a waiver from the Pentagon so airmen who fail the tape test but pass physical fitness exams can be measured using the Body Mass Index, which is a chart based on an individual’s weight and height.

Marine Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Smith applauded the move. Smith said he has won five Navy achievement medals but has not been promoted since failing the tape test once in 2009. “They call you names like ‘fat bodies,’” Smith said. “They talk a lot of trash to you and put you down quite often.”He launched an online White House petition this summer to talk to leaders about the tape test.

The 1,700 signatures fell short of the 100,000 needed to get a response, but Smith said the Air Force gives him hope other branches might also heed the complaints. “There’s got to be something better for Marines who are working hard but just born like a tree stump,” Smith said. — AP

SAN DIEGO: A group of sailors and Marines who failed the so-called “tape test’’ are led by an instructor on a three mile run as they work to improve their fitness and remain in the military, at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. — AP

BRUSSELS/LONDON: Thirteen European environment ministers urged the European Union yesterday to adopt ambitious energy and climate goals for 2030 or risk falling behind the rest of the world.

In a 40-page document released in Brussels, they also called on the 28-nation bloc to reform the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) and said environmental action need not clash with efforts to limit energy prices.

On the contrary, some EU nations with high levels of renewable energy have relatively low energy prices and are also benefiting from exporting renewable technology, they said.

“The EU has been leading this market, but the Chinese and USA are seeing this as an opportunity and are catching up,” Ed Davey, Britain’s energy and climate change secretary, told a Brussels conference.

“My concern is that the EU is not moving anywhere near fast enough, but for a number of reasons political and economic, we are not getting our act together this time around.”

Britain has said the European Union as a whole needs to promise a 50 percent cut in emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 levels in the context of an expected UN deal to be agreed in 2015 in Paris.

Of that, 10 percent could come from international carbon offsets, and the rest would be a cut

in domestic EU emissions. While the 13 ministers, who call themselves the Green Growth Group, agree on the need for action, they differ on detail. Britain wants only one carbon-cutting goal, while Denmark favours three targets - on carbon, renewables and energy savings. Portugal also wants a fourth goal to improve energy infrastructure.

So far, the European Union has three 2020 targets - to cut emissions by 20 percent from 1990 levels, increase renewable use to 20 percent of the total and improve efficiency to reduce energy use by 20 percent from projected consumption levels.

For 2030, Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said the Commission, the EU executive, was analysing the impact of respective EU cuts of 35 percent, 40 percent and 45 percent.

Depending on that analysis, it will propose a target as part of a package of climate and energy legislation, probably early next year.

EU leaders will then discuss the proposals at a Brussels summit in March ahead of a September summit hosted by U.N. Secretary General Ban KiMoon, which is meant to pave the way for the next global U.N. deal in 2015.

Hedegaard said it was imperative that business help to spur debate at EU level, or policy uncertainty otherwise could drag on for years, particularly in view of elections in the European

Parliament and a change-over of Commissioners next year.

Not all companies are as progressive as those such as Dong Energy and Royal Dutch Shell that lent their voices to Monday’s call for action, she said.

“My concern is that there are some organised interests that are too much advocating business as usual,” Hedegaard said.

Ahead of EU and global climate decisions in 2014 and 2015, EU member Poland will host climate talks in Warsaw in November.

With its coal-dependent economy, Poland has resisted deeper emissions cuts and anything else that could drive up the EU carbon price and make it more expensive to burn coal.

But earlier this month, Poland promised to lead the call for deeper international emissions cuts, and Hedegaard said she hoped a shortterm fix to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme would be agreed “in weeks rather than months”, paving the way for deeper reform.

The carbon market is trading at below 5 euros a tonne , nowhere near enough to engineer a shift to green fuel use, because of a glut of permits following economic recession. One reform under consideration is a mechanism to regulate the supply of EU carbon permits. On that issue, Hedegaard said the Commission had not taken a firm decision. — Reuters

Patients, firms shop for better health care deals OKLAHOMA: Paul Freeman drove 600 miles last year to save himself - and his employer - thousands of dollars on his surgery. Freeman’s insurer covered his travel costs and the entire bill because a medical center in Oklahoma City could remove the loose cartilage in his knee for about 70 percent less than a hospital closer to Freeman’s Texhoma, Okla., home.

At first, the community bank CEO hesitated because he thought the lower price would mean lower quality. But he knew if he didn’t make the roughly 10-hour roundtrip trek, he’d pay about $5,000 out of pocket. “You immediately think, ‘Oh they’re going to take me into a butcher shop and it’s going to be real scary,’” Freeman, 53, says, noting that instead he had a “wonderful experience.” People shop for deals on everything from cars to clothes to computers. Why not for health care, too?

Insurers, employers and individuals are shopping around for health care as they try to tame rising health care costs. Companies are doing things like paying for workers to travel if they agree to have a surgery performed in another city where the cost is cheaper. They’re also providing online tools to help people search for better deals in their home market.

And some patients are bargain-hunting on their own. Through a website called MediBid, people who pay out of pocket are soliciting doctors, hospitals and medical centers to bid to perform knee surgeries and other non-emergency procedures.

Patients who shop for care represent a tiny slice of the roughly $2.7 trillion spent annually on health care in the US, said Devon Herrick, an economist who studies health care for the National Center for Policy Analysis. But he and other experts expect this trend to grow, especially as more companies offer insurance plans that require employees to pay thousands of dollars before most coverage starts. These so-called high-deductible plans also will be among the cheapest options available on the public exchanges set up as part of the health care overhaul to enable millions of uninsured people to shop for coverage.

Advocates say all the shopping will help control medical spending. “We waste an enormous amount of money in this country by overpaying for health care,” says John Goodman, an economist and CEO of the National Center for Policy Analysis. “The only way to get rid of waste is to have people compete in a real marketplace.”

Searching for health care deals is a big change for many patients who’re used to paying whatever their insurer didn’t. Just figuring out an appropriate price for a procedure can be difficult for the average person. Surgeries and other major procedures have different prices based on a variety of factors, including whether it’s performed in a big city where care can cost more or in a hospital. And the portion that patients pay can vary widely. A lot depends on the type of insurance coverage and other factors like the leverage a provider has in negotiating rates. For instance, a patient in Detroit with high-deductible health coverage provided by an employer could pay $920 or $2,791 out of pocket for a colonoscopy, according to research done by health care technology firm Castlight Health. Same patient. Same insurance coverage.

Only difference:

Where the procedure is performed. “You can be a highly educated consumer now and still not understand what bill is going to hit you,” says Dr. Giovanni Colella, CEO of Castlight, which designs an application that insurers or employers can give to patients to help them shop for health care based on price and quality.

It’s also tough for patients to measure quality versus price. “You may find something (more expensive), but it doesn’t mean it’s better, safer, or more efficient,” says Arthur Caplan, a medical ethicist at NYU Langone Medical Center.

Insurers and employers are encouraging workers to become more educated. They say quality is a priority when they ask patients if they want a better deal.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the largest private US employer, provides health coverage for 1.1 million employees and their dependents. It runs a

but the insurer expects use to pick up as it includes more members next year.

Some patients are deal-hunting on their own. The website Medibid, which launched in 2010, connects patients who are paying out of pocket with doctors who bid to provide care.

The website’s founders say they’ve helped about 1,800 people find care.

Patients register with the site and pay either $25 per request or $4.95 a month for a year so they can post their medical needs on the site to solicit bids. Care providers, who register and pay fees of either $24.90 per month or about $250 annually, respond to patients with a bid.

Tess St. Clair, Medibid’s chief operating officer, says the site helps people weigh their health care options: “The hardest thing for an American to do is ask the question, ‘How much will this cost?’ and get an answer.”

OKLAHOMA: Dr Keith Smith, right, an anesthesiologist who started Surgery Center of Oklahoma, looks on as Dr Don McGinnis, left, and physician’s assistant Steve Popielec, right, perform a surgery at the center in Oklahoma City, Thursday. Through a website called Medibid, some patients who pay out of pocket for their care are soliciting doctors, hospitals and medical centers, including this one, to bid to perform non-emergency procedures. — AP voluntary Centers of Excellence program that sends people to one of six hospital systems around the US for certain heart, spine and transplant surgeries at no cost to the patient.

Wal-Mart spokesman Randy Hargrove says the program can save a patient between $5,000 and $10,000 in out-of-pocket costs, depending on their coverage. He says so far, dozens of patients have used the program that includes care providers at nationally-recognized places such as the Mayo Clinic.

The retailer also recently said it would start offering no-cost knee and hip replacement surgeries for employees who travel to one of four US hospital systems. Wal-Mart is doing this through a national Employers Centers of Excellence Network that it joined with other big companies like the home improvement chain Lowe’s.

Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield, Alaska’s biggest health insurer, started a program in January that will pay expenses for some of its members to fly to Seattle for some procedures that come with huge price breaks. For instance, a knee surgery that costs $27,100 in Alaska can be performed for $13,000 in Seattle, according to the insurer. A Premera spokesman says only a couple of people have used the program so far,

Dr. Keith Smith, with the Surgery Center of Oklahoma, bids often on Medibid requests.

Smith says his physician-owned center can offer better rates than some competitors because it doesn’t charge a high facility fee like many hospitals do. The center competes on price and cuts out insurers.

Smith says this approach forces it to offer good care: The center cannot hide in an insurer’s network and continue to receive patients regardless of the job it does. n”If we started cutting corners and worrying about our pocketbook before doing the right thing, we’re going to lose our business,” he says. Rick Matthews, a motivational speaker, saved money on his hernia surgery last year by putting it up for bid on Medibid and having the procedure at Surgery Center of Oklahoma. Matthews, 62, decided to use Medibid after he learned that the care would cost about $20,000 without insurance at a hospital close to his Milaca, Minn., home.

Matthews pays for health care through a Christian cost-sharing ministry in which members chip in to help cover medical bills. He didn’t want to stick them with a big bill. A doctor on Medibid said the surgery would cost about $3,600, including removing a cyst on his knuckle.—AP

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

‘Lost world’ discovered in remote Australia SYDNEY: An expedition to a remote part of northern Australia has uncovered three new vertebrate species isolated for millions of years, with scientists yesterday calling the area a “lost world”.

Conrad Hoskin from James Cook University and a National Geographic film crew were dropped by helicopter onto the rugged Cape Melville mountain range on Cape York Peninsula earlier this year and were amazed at what they found.

It included a bizarre looking leaf-tail gecko, a goldcoloured skink-a type of lizard-and a brown-spotted, yellow boulder-dwelling frog, none of them ever seen before. “The top of Cape Melville is a lost world. Finding these new species up there is the discovery of a lifetime-I’m still amazed and buzzing from it,” said Hoskin, a tropical biologist from the Queensland-based university. “Finding three new, obviously distinct vertebrates would be surprising enough in somewhere poorly explored like New Guinea, let alone in Australia, a country we think we’ve explored pretty well.”

The virtually impassable mountain range is home to millions of black granite boulders the size of cars and houses piled hundreds of metres high, eroded in places after being thrust up through the earth millions of years ago. While surveys had previously been conducted in the boulder-fields around the base of Cape Melville, a plateau of boulderstrewn rainforest on top, identified by satellite imagery, had remained largely unexplored, fortressed by massive boulder walls.

Within days of arriving, the team had discovered the three new species as well as a host of other interesting finds that Hoskins said may also be new to science. The highlight was the leaf-tailed gecko, a “primitive-looking” 20 centimetre-long (7.9 inches) creature that is an ancient relic from a time when rainforest was more widespread in Australia.

The Cape Melville Leaf-tailed Gecko, which has huge eyes and a long, slender body, is highly distinct from its relatives and has been named Saltuarius eximius, Hoskin said, with the findings detailed in the latest edition of the international

CAPE MELVILLE: An undated handout photo taken by Conrad Hoskin of James Cook University Queensland and released yesterday shows a new shade skink in the rugged Cape Melville mountain range, northeastern Australia’s Cape York Peninsula. An expedition to a remote part of northern Australia has uncovered three new vertebrate species isolated for millions of years, with scientists calling the area a “lost world”. Conrad Hoskin from James Cook University and a National Geographic film crew were dropped by helicopter onto the rugged Cape Melville mountain range on Cape York Peninsula earlier this year and were amazed at what they found. It included a bizarre looking leaf-tail gecko, a golden-coloured skink and a boulder-dwelling frog, none of them ever seen before. — AFP journal Zootaxa.

“The second I saw the gecko I knew it was a new species.

Everything about it was obviously distinct,” he said. Highly camouflaged, the geckos sit motionless, head-down, waiting to ambush passing insects and spiders.

The Cape Melville Shade Skink is also restricted to moist rocky rainforest on the plateau, and is highly distinct from its relatives, which are found in rainforests to the south.

Also discovered was a small boulder-dwelling frog, the Blotched Boulder-frog, which during the dry season lives deep in the labyrinth of the boulder-field where conditions

are cool and moist, allowing female frogs to lay their eggs in wet cracks in the rocks.

In the absence of water, the tadpole develops within the egg and a fully formed frog hatches out. Once the summer wet season begins the frogs emerge on the surface of the rocks to feed and breed in the rain.

Tim Laman, a National Geographic photographer and Harvard University researcher who joined Hoskin on the expedition, said he was stunned to know such undiscovered places remained.

“What’s really exciting about this expedition is that in a

place like Australia, which people think is fairly well explored, there are still places like Cape Melville where there are all these species to discover,” he said. “There’s still a big world out there to explore.”

According to National Geographic, the team plans to return to Cape Melville within months to search for more new species, including snails, spiders, and perhaps even small mammals. “All the animals from Cape Melville are incredible just for their ability to persist for millions of years in the same area and not go extinct. It’s just mind-blowing,” Hoskin said. — AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

“G

ood things come to those who wait,” or so the saying goes. But when the thing’s that good, sometimes you just want to jump the line. Well, get ready to move up to the front with advance bookings, exclusive rates and guaranteed fun at the most beloved place on earth!

That’s right, the much-buzzed-about Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort doesn’t open until 2014, but groups booking 10 rooms or more can reserve now and guarantee special pricing on luxury rooms, world-

W

hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! Let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

class golf and ahhh-inspiring Spa treatments. Oh, and did we mention there are pools, lazy rivers and a 17th floor steakhouse with towering views of the nightly fireworks at the Magic Kingdom(r) Park and Epcot?

Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort is a truly magical spot for kids and adults, making it the perfect venue for multi-generational family gatherings, bachelorette parties, guys’ golf weekends or work retreats. So don’t delay - secure your spot before December 15, 2013.

Announcements Arpan Onam venue changed rpan, a Socio Cultural Organization, will celebrate Onam-Eid Al-Adha- Kerala Piravi on Friday, November 1st from 10 am onwards at the Indian Community School - Senior Branch, Salmiya. The inaugural meeting will be followed by various cultural events presented by Arpan members.

A

Issue of online visa by Indian embassy oreigners requiring visas for India need to apply it online from 16th June 2013. Applicants may log on to the Public portal at ww.indianvisaonline.gov.in.

After successful online submission, the hard copy, so generated, has to be signed by the applicant and submitted with supporting documents in accordance with the type of visa along with the applicable fee in cash at any of the two outsource centres at Sharq or Fahaheel.

It is essential that applicants fill in their personal details as exactly available in their passports. Mismatch of any of the personal details would lead to non-acceptance of the application. Fees once paid are non-refundable. All children would have to obtain separate visa on their respective passports.

F

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

Enjoy the taste of true Espresso at Vergnano Cafe at Olympia Complex

T

he superior quality of the blends comes from the meticulous selection of the best raw materials available, and from an extraordinary production process. Cafe Vergnano is the first to introduce an innovation that brings all the passion and pleasure of the perfect

espresso to everyday life at home.

Espresso is now available in Kuwait, through Al-Sanabel Al-Thahabiya Est. Tel: 22413795/98. Espresso Vergnano can be ordered through www.taw9eel.com Espresso Vergnano capsules are compatible with other espresso machines.

GUST awards GUST Media Club as club of the year

T

he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) Office of Student Life (OSL) awarded the GUST Media Club as the Club of the Year in a grand ceremony in the center of the esteemed Mishref campus. Dr. Raghad AlKazemi, Dean of Student Affairs at GUST was present at the event.

The Office of Student Life members: Anwar Al-Sabah, Aseel Abou Nemah and Yasmeen Abdul rahim stressed on the importance of this event and the need to encourage, motivate and inspire all the GUST student clubs to keep

performing and sharing their talent and experience with the rest of the student body.

The Media Club were the clear winners of this year’s award due to their outstanding presence on campus all year round and their organization of creative and warmhearted events including: Mother’s Day tribute, Citizen Journalist Workshop, GUST experience video, Media Week, Marina FM tour and not to mention their continuous support of other clubs and their events.

The Media Club was founded by dedicated students

among them: Ibrahim Al-Mutawa, Joanne Al-Abdul jalil and Mohammad Al-Ali, under the supervision of Dr Masoud Asad, Director of the PR & Marketing at GUST. The current members of the club are: Fatema Al Qenai (President), Nouf Al Khubaizi (Vice President), Amsa’a al Adwani (Treasurer), Sara Bashier (General Secretary), Hasan Al-fadhli, Thunaiyan Al-Rshoud, Abdulaziz Salem, Abdulaziz Al Obaid, Aysha Al najdi, Bedour Albedaiwi, Marwa Marafie, Reem Al Saif and Fatema AlDuaij.

The purpose of the event was not only to recognize the

Club of the Year, but also to motivate the other over 12 student run clubs and acknowledge their hard work throughout the years.

There GUST stude nt clubs include: Islamic Finance Club, Media Club, Ruwwad Business Club, Anime Club, Talent Club, Management Club, Photography Club, Sports Club, Al-Rawafed, iGive, Expressions Society, and others.

‘Agony aunt’ Dr Nuna leaving Kuwait

D

r Nuna, a prominent figure in the socio-cultural gatherings of Indian expat organization programs and friendly groups, a charity helper and a popular counselor of fame is leaving Kuwait after 39 years of spending her life here.

Dr Nuna who likes to call Kuwait her second home came to Kuwait in 1974 when her husband Goel got a job at KOC. She is moving to the United States where her second daughter is settled with her American husband. Dr Nuna is all praise for Kuwait and Kuwaitis. “My mom had told me your home is where you live, even if it’s a rented house”, Dr Nuna said.

Dr Nuna, initially a shy housewife, slowly began to come out as a teacher helping expatriate students with Hindi. After achieving the requisite certificates in counseling from the US, she began helping friends with personal problems. Dr Nuna’s

popularity grew as an agony aunt and soon she was brought to the limelight by her fast growing friends circle. She began inaugurating cultural events, giving felicitation speeches and writing numerous articles in event souvenirs.

In 2012, when Goel, Dr Nuna’s husband died she was greatly supported by the company her husband had worked for. “I’m very thankful for the support they gave me. There were no other financial support”, she said. Dr Nuna also admits she embraced a simple life, surviving on onemeal a day and frugal on spending. She sold her jewelry and car.

Despite her struggles as a widow, she learned to be independent and stood on her own. “Because my husband was a respectful person and Iwanted to maintain the same status”, she said. She did not stop charity works she had been doing and still continues to help those who are in need.

“I’ve no expectations. My policy is live happily and truthfully”, she said. “I will often

visit Kuwait as my husband’s resting place is Sulaibikat cemetery”, Dr Nuna, 67, said.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

TEC holds workshop on Arabic handwriting

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF ARGENTINE For the Argentinean citizens who had not already enlisted in the embassy’s electoral register, and taking in consideration the elections which was held on Sunday 11/08/2013, it is necessary to justify they no vote by presence at our embassy which located in (Mishref - Block 6 - Street 42 - Villa 57) and should present the DNI and/or the Argentinean Passport. The Embassy of the Argentine Republic in the State of Kuwait avails itself of this opportunity to renew the assurances of its highest consideration. nnnnnnn

The Touristic Enterprises Company organized the second workshop on the art of Arabic handwriting and Islamic decoration, and that in coordination with the Arabic Handwriting and Islamic Decoration Dewan. The workshop took place at the Shaab Sea Club featuring TEC officials, in addition to Nourah Al-Majed from the Arabic Handwriting and Islamic Decoration Dewan who gave Level 1 training to club members’ children.

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Embassy of Australia has announced that Kuwait citizens can apply for and receive visit visas in 10 working days through www.immi.gov.au. All other processing of visas and Immigration matters are handled by the Australian Visa Application Centre located in Al Banwan Building, 4B, 1st Floor, Al Qibla Area, Ali Al Salem Street, Kuwait City. Visit. www.vfs-augcc.com for more info. The Embassy of Australia does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters is conducted by the Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: Info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VIS), immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office), Tel: +971 4 205 5900 (VFS), Fax: + 971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). Notary and passport services are available by appointment. Appointments can be made by calling the Embassy on 22322422. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada in Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visa and immigration matters including enquiries is conducted by the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Individuals who are interested in working, studying, visiting or immigrating to Canada should contact the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca or www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-imenquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is open from 07:30 to 12:30. Consular services for Canadian citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00, Sunday through Wednesday. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF GREECE The Embassy of Greece in Kuwait has the pleasure to announce that visa applications must be submitted to Schengen Visa Application Centre (VFS office) located at 12th floor, Al-Naser Tower, Fahad Al-Salem Street, Al-Qibla area, Kuwait City, (Parking at Souk Watia). For information please call 22281046 from 08:30 to 17:00 (Sunday to Thursday). Working hours: Submission from 08:30 to 15:30. Passport collection from 16:00 to 17:00. For visa applications please visit the following website www.mfa.gr/kuwait. nnnnnnn

Hotel Missoni brings BBQ Nights back!

E

very year when the weather is just right, Hotel Missoni Kuwait once again operates it’s out of the ordinary BBQ evenings! With the hotel’s unique pool terrace setting and atmosphere, guests are welcome to lounge, listen to soothing chill out music, and enjoy a spectacular view of the Arabian Gulf.

BBQ Nights are hosted ever y Wednesday, starting on the 23rd of

October, till December. From 7 pm till 11 pm, offering a wide variety of live cooking stations, Arabic mezze’s and an assortment of International food.

Located on the second floor of the property, Hotel Missoni Kuwait’s pool terrace includes a spectacular view of the Arabian Gulf, and a large pool holding the signature Missoni stripes at its base.

Ice Skating Rink reopens

I

ce Skating Rink and Fountain Park Supervisor at the Touristic Enterprises Company Omar Al-Samaraei announced that the main skating hall at the Ice Skating Rink was reopened after maintenance operations, as it welcomes

visitors everyday from 8:30 am to 10:00 pm. Meanwhile, Al-Samaraei announced that the main hall will be closed again from the 18th through the 24th of November when it is set to host the ‘Shadow Land’ show.

Open day for Egyptian community at Cape Club with 50% discount

W

ith the aim of cementing social bonds between its members, the Egyptian Community Council announced its intention to hold an open day activity for Egyptians at the Cape (Ras Al-Ardh) Club on Friday, November 1, 2013, said the council’s assistant secretary general, Alaa Seleem

pointing that a 50 per cent discount will be offered on admission tickets, that is KD 1.5 instead of the usual KD 3. Seleem added that participants would have access to enjoying the club’s clean beaches, the yachts marina, a musical concert starting at 7 pm in addition to outstanding dishes at the Classicana Restaurant at rea-

sonable prices.

Seleem added that tickets are available with Mustafa Farouq who could be reached at mobile number 66501602 and that the Egyptian ambassador, his family, the embassy and consulate staff would be invited to the event.

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE The Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait would like to inform that submission of the documents for tourist visa is temporary closed (from August 26 till September 26). Within the above-mentioned period, the visa will be issued only in the case of emergency. In the case of planning travel to Ukraine, please apply for visa before August 20. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF US

The US Embassy in Kuwait has new procedures for obtaining appointments and picking up passports after visa issuance.

Beginning August 9, 2013, we now provide an online visa appointment system, live call center, and in-person pick-up facilities in Kuwait.

Please monitor our website and social media for additional information. This new system offers more flexibility for travelers to the US and to meet the increase in demand for visa appointments.

The general application steps on the new visa appointment system are: 1. Go to www.ustraveldocs.com/kw (if this is the first time on ustraveldocs.com, you will need to create a profile to login).

2. Please complete your DS-160 Online Visa Application which is available at ceac.state.gov/genNIV. 3. Please print and take your deposit slip to any Burgan Bank location to pay your visa application fee.

4. Schedule an appointment for your visa interview online at www.ustraveldocs.com/kw or by phone through the Call Center (at +9652227-1673).

5. If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please do so 24 hours beforehand, as a courtesy to other applicants. For more information, please visit the US Embassy website - kuwait.usembassy.gov - as it is the best source of information regarding these changes. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF VATICAN The Apostolic Nunciature Embassy of the Holy See, Vatican in Kuwait has moved to a new location in Kuwait City. Please find below the new address: Yarmouk, Block 1, Street 2, Villa No: 1. P.O.Box 29724, Safat 13158, Kuwait. Tel: 965 25337767, Fax: 965 25342066.

Email: nuntiuskuwait@gmail.com.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

03:25 Queens Of The Savannah 04:15 Too Cute!

05:05 America’s Cutest Pets 05:55 Predator’s Prey 06:20 Lion Man: One World African Safari 06:45 ER Vets 07:10 ER Vets 07:35 Call Of The Wildman 08:00 Monkey Life 08:25 The Magic Of The Big Blue 09:15 The Most Extreme 10:10 Breed All About It 10:35 Breed All About It 11:05 Queens Of The Savannah 12:00 Animal Cops Houston 12:55 Predator’s Prey 13:20 Call Of The Wildman 13:50 Roaring With Pride 14:45 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 15:40 Queens Of The Savannah 16:30 Lion Man: One World African Safari 17:00 Monkey Life 17:30 The Most Extreme 18:25 Too Cute!

19:20 Too Cute!

20:15 Monkey Life 20:40 Snow Leopards Of Leafy London 21:10 Predator’s Prey 21:35 Lion Man: One World African Safari 22:05 Queens Of The Savannah 23:00 Bondi Vet 23:55 ER Vets 00:25 ER Vets 00:50 Animal Cops Houston 01:45 Swimming With Monsters: Steve Backshall 02:35 Untamed & Uncut

03:30 Roger & Val Have Just Got In 04:00 Little Britain 04:30 My Family 05:00 Me Too! 05:20 Teletubbies 05:45 3rd & Bird 05:55 Nuzzle & Scratch: Frock n Roll 06:15 Me Too! 06:35 Teletubbies 07:00 3rd & Bird 07:10 Nuzzle & Scratch: Frock n Roll 07:30 My Family 08:00 Little Britain 08:30 Peckham Finishing School For Girls 09:25 Eastenders 09:55 Doctors 10:25 Outcasts 11:15 Roger & Val Have Just Got In 11:45 My Family 12:15 Peckham Finishing School For Girls 13:10 Little Britain 13:40 Eastenders 14:10 Doctors 14:40 The Weakest Link 15:25 Outcasts 16:15 Peckham Finishing School For Girls 17:10 Eastenders 17:40 Doctors 18:10 The Weakest Link 19:00 Last Of The Summer Wine 19:30 Roger & Val Have Just Got In 20:00 South Riding 20:55 Rev. 21:25 Dinnerladies 21:55 Mistresses 22:45 Dead Boss 23:15 The Weakest Link 00:00 Last Of The Summer Wine 00:30 Outcasts 01:20 Eastenders 01:50 Doctors 02:20 Roger & Val Have Just Got In 02:50 Dead Boss

03:10 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 03:55 Great British Menu 04:50 Cash In The Attic 05:35 Bargain Hunt 06:20 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 07:05 Great British Menu 08:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 08:45 Bargain Hunt 09:30 Marbella Mansions 10:25 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill 10:50 Come Dine With Me: South Africa 11:40 Come Dine With Me 12:30 Celebrity MasterChef 13:30 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 14:15 Antiques Roadshow 15:05 Homes Under The Hammer 16:00 Homes Under The Hammer 16:50 Bargain Hunt 17:35 Cash In The Attic 18:20 Antiques Roadshow 19:15 Homes Under The Hammer 20:10 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill 20:35 A Taste Of Greenland 21:30 Come Dine With Me 22:20 Antiques Roadshow 23:15 Bargain Hunt 00:00 Cash In The Attic 00:45 Homes Under The Hammer 01:40 Come Dine With Me 02:30 Celebrity MasterChef

03:00 Mythbusters 03:50 Border Security 04:15 Storage Hunters 04:40 Baggage Battles 05:05 How Do They Do It? 05:30 How It’s Made 06:00 Sons Of Guns 07:00 Mythbusters 07:50 Flying Wild Alaska 08:40 American Chopper 09:30 Border Security 09:55 Storage Hunters 10:20 Baggage Battles 10:45 How Do They Do It? 11:10 How It’s Made 11:35 Deadliest Catch 13:15 Deadliest Catch – Behind The Scenes 14:05 Border Security 14:30 Storage Hunters 14:55 Baggage Battles 15:20 Yukon Men: Last Chance 16:10 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 17:00 Ultimate Survival 17:50 Dirty Jobs 18:40 Mythbusters 19:30 Sons Of Guns 20:20 Auction Kings 20:45 Baggage Battles 21:10 How Do They Do It? 21:35 How It’s Made 22:00 Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell 22:50 Dual Survival (Brazil) 23:40 Car vs Wild 00:30 Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell 01:20 Dual Survival (Brazil) 02:10 Car vs Wild

03:10 04:00 04:45 05:30 06:20 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:30 11:20

Deadly Devotion Deadly Sins I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting Nightmare Next Door Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Solved

12:10 13:00 13:50 14:15 14:40 15:30 16:20 16:45 17:10 18:00 18:50 19:40 20:30 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:25 23:50 00:40 01:30 02:20

Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Disappeared Solved Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn On The Case With Paula Zahn Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill Dates From Hell Dates From Hell Deadly Women I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting

03:45 X-Machines 04:35 Thunder Races 05:25 How The Universe Works 06:15 Gadget Show - World Tour 06:40 The Tech Show 07:05 Kings Of Construction 08:00 Ldrs (Large Dangerous Rocket Ships) 08:50 Unchained Reaction 09:40 Gadget Show - World Tour 10:05 The Tech Show 10:30 Sport Science 11:25 Kings Of Construction 12:20 Thunder Races 13:10 How The Universe Works 14:00 Unchained Reaction 14:50 How Do They Do It? 15:20 Gadget Show - World Tour 15:45 The Tech Show 16:10 Ldrs (Large Dangerous Rocket Ships) 17:00 Sport Science 17:55 Kings Of Construction 18:45 Da Vinci’s Machines 19:35 Through The Wormhole 20:30 Large Dangerous Rocket Ships 2011 21:20 Unchained Reaction 22:10 Gadget Show - World Tour 22:35 The Tech Show 23:00 Large Dangerous Rocket Ships 2011 23:50 Unchained Reaction 00:40 Dark Matters: Twisted But True 01:30 How Do They Do It? 02:00 Gadget Show - World Tour 02:25 The Tech Show 02:50 Large Dangerous Rocket Ships 2011

03:30 Legend Detectives 04:25 I Shouldn’t Be Alive 05:20 Classic Car Club 05:45 Ultimate Cars 06:15 Raging Planet 07:05 Trashopolis 08:00 I Shouldn’t Be Alive 08:50 Classic Car Club 09:15 Ultimate Cars 09:45 Inventions That Shook The World 10:35 Crime Scene Wild 11:30 The Rise And Fall Of The Japanese Empire 12:20 Trashopolis 13:10 Classic Car Club 13:35 Ultimate Cars 14:05 Inventions That Shook The World 14:55 Raging Planet 15:50 Altered Statesmen 16:45 Ultimate Warfare 17:40 Trashopolis 18:35 Inventions That Shook The World 19:25 I Shouldn’t Be Alive 20:20 History Cold Case USA

VACANCY ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

21:10 21:35 22:05 23:00 23:55 00:50 01:45 02:35

Classic Car Club Ultimate Cars Bomber Boys History Cold Case USA Legend Detectives Murder Shift Bomber Boys History Cold Case USA

03:00 03:20 03:45 04:05 04:30 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:45 07:10 07:35 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:25 11:50 12:15 12:35 13:00 14:20 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:10 17:00 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:30 18:55 19:20 20:05 20:30 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:10 23:35 00:00 00:20 00:45 01:05 01:30 01:50 02:15 02:35

The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Sonny With A Chance Sonny With A Chance Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Austin And Ally Austin And Ally A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Jessie Good Luck Charlie Sofia The First Doc McStuffins Mickey Mouse Clubhouse A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Jessie Jessie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Gravity Falls Shake It Up Shake It Up Twitches Too Prank Stars Shake It Up Wolfblood That’s So Raven Jessie Violetta Dog With A Blog Austin And Ally Gravity Falls Shake It Up That’s So Raven A.N.T. Farm Violetta Jessie My Babysitter’s A Vampire Austin And Ally Shake It Up That’s So Raven Jessie A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Sonny With A Chance Sonny With A Chance Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place

03:00 Little Einsteins 03:25 Special Agent Oso 03:40 Special Agent Oso 03:50 Imagination Movers 04:20 Handy Manny 04:40 Special Agent Oso 04:50 Special Agent Oso 05:00 Timmy Time 05:10 Imagination Movers 05:35 Little Einsteins 06:00 Jungle Junction 06:15 Jungle Junction 06:30 Little Einsteins 06:50 Special Agent Oso 07:00 Special Agent Oso 07:15 Jungle Junction 07:30 Jungle Junction 07:45 Handy Manny 08:00 Special Agent Oso 08:15 Jungle Junction 08:30 Higglytown Heroes 08:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 09:10 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 09:35 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 09:50 Doc McStuffins 10:05 Doc McStuffins 10:20 Zou 10:35 Henry Hugglemonster 10:50 Henry Hugglemonster 11:00 Sofia The First 11:25 Doc McStuffins 11:40 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 11:55 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 12:20 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 12:45 Mouk 13:00 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 13:05 Higglytown Heroes 13:20 The Hive 13:30 Doc McStuffins 13:45 Doc McStuffins 14:00 Zou 14:15 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 14:30 Henry Hugglemonster 14:45 Henry Hugglemonster 14:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 15:20 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 15:45 Higglytown Heroes 15:55 The Hive 16:05 Doc McStuffins 16:20 Zou 16:35 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 16:50 Mouk 17:05 Art Attack 17:30 Goof Troop 17:55 Tarzan 18:20 Quack Pack 18:45 Lilo And Stitch 19:10 Henry Hugglemonster 19:25 Doc McStuffins 19:35 Sofia The First 20:00 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 20:05 Pajanimals 20:25 Doc McStuffins 20:40 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 20:45 Zou 21:00 Pajanimals 21:15 Jake And The Neverland Pirates

09:00 Why Did I Get Married Too? 11:15 Katy Perry The Movie: Part Of Me 13:00 Gnomeo & Juliet 15:00 A Dog Named Duke 16:30 Why Did I Get Married Too? 18:45 Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows 21:00 Margaret 23:30 The Campaign 01:00 Cash

04:30 Ben 10: Race Against Time 06:00 Cinderella 08:00 Muppets From Space 10:00 Super Buddies 11:30 The Elf Who Stole Christmas 13:00 Bushwhacked 14:30 The Ugly Duckling In Tales Of Mystery 16:00 A Cat In Paris 18:00 Super Buddies 20:00 Three Investigators And The Secret Of Terror...

22:00 The Ugly Duckling In Tales Of Mystery 23:30 A Cat In Paris 01:00 Muppets From Space 02:45 Three Investigators And The Secret Of Terror...

HIGH SCHOOL ON OSN MOVIES COMEDY 21:30 Goof Troop 21:55 Tarzan 22:20 Quack Pack 22:45 Lilo And Stitch 23:10 Sofia The First 23:35 Doc McStuffins 23:50 Pajanimals 00:05 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 00:10 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 00:35 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 00:50 Zou 01:10 Doc McStuffins 01:25 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 01:50 Jungle Junction 02:10 Handy Manny 02:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 02:55 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship

07:00 Max Steel 07:25 Phineas And Ferb 07:50 Slugterra 08:15 Crash & Bernstein 08:40 Kickin IT 09:05 Kickin IT 09:30 Phineas And Ferb 09:55 Phineas And Ferb 10:20 Lab Rats 10:45 Lab Rats 11:10 Pokemon Bw: Adventures In Unova 11:35 Max Steel 12:00 Zeke & Luther 12:25 Zeke & Luther 12:50 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 13:15 Scaredy Squirrel 13:40 Pair Of Kings 14:05 Pair Of Kings 14:30 Phineas And Ferb 14:40 Phineas And Ferb 14:55 Phineas And Ferb 15:05 Phineas And Ferb 15:20 Pokemon Bw: Adventures In Unova 15:45 Max Steel 16:10 Pair Of Kings 16:35 Crash & Bernstein 17:00 Lab Rats 17:30 Kickin IT 18:00 Kickin IT 18:25 Phineas And Ferb 18:50 Phineas And Ferb 19:00 Phineas And Ferb 19:15 Slugterra 19:40 Crash & Bernstein 20:05 Ultimate Spider-Man 20:30 Marvel Avengers Assemble 20:55 Pair Of Kings 21:20 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 21:45 Phineas And Ferb 22:10 Phineas And Ferb 22:35 Lab Rats 23:00 Kickin’ IT 23:30 Scaredy Squirrel 00:00 Programmes Start At 7:00am KSA

03:10 03:35 Feasts 04:00 Feasts 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:30 07:10 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05

Siba’s Table Andy Bates American Street Andy Bates American Street Food Wars Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives United Tastes Of America Chopped Iron Chef America Food Network Challenge Unwrapped Unwrapped Food Crafters Kid In A Candy Store Red, Hot And Yummy Barefoot Contessa

10:30 11:20 11:45 12:10 12:35 13:00 13:50 14:15 14:40 15:05 15:30 15:55 16:20 16:45 17:35 Basics 18:00 Basics 18:25 18:50 19:15 19:40 20:05 20:30 20:55 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:25 23:50 00:15 00:40 01:05 01:30 01:55 02:20 02:45

The Next Food Network Star Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam Aarti Party Unwrapped Unique Sweets Halloween Wars Reza’s African Kitchen Barefoot Contessa Charly’s Cake Angels Siba’s Table Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Symon’s Suppers Halloween Wars Barefoot Contessa - Back To Barefoot Contessa - Back To Andy Bates Street Feasts Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Guy’s Big Bite Reza’s African Kitchen Siba’s Table Charly’s Cake Angels Chopped Chopped Reza’s African Kitchen Reza’s African Kitchen Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Food Wars Recipes That Rock Outrageous Food Reza’s African Kitchen

03:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 03:30 South Park 04:00 Brickleberry 05:00 The Simpsons 05:30 Last Man Standing 06:00 Seinfeld 06:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 07:30 Two And A Half Men 08:30 Friends 09:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 10:00 Seinfeld 10:30 Two And A Half Men 11:00 The Simpsons 11:30 Community 12:00 Modern Family 12:30 Friends 13:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 14:30 Seinfeld 15:00 Two And A Half Men 15:30 Friends 16:00 Last Man Standing 16:30 Community 17:00 Modern Family 17:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 18:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 19:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 20:00 Hot In Cleveland 20:30 Raising Hope 21:00 The Crazy Ones 21:30 Arrested Development 22:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 23:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 23:30 The Colbert Report 00:00 Louie 00:30 Brickleberry 01:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 02:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

06:00 07:00 08:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00

24 Parenthood Covert Affairs Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Covert Affairs 24

16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 00:00

Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Covert Affairs Once Upon A Time Grey’s Anatomy Homeland House Of Cards 24

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:15 18:00 20:00 22:15 00:00 02:00

Suspect Zero Ice Quake The Tourist Blackthorn Darkman Courageous Blackthorn The Apparition Courageous Vacancy Company Of Heroes Boogeyman

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:15 16:00 18:00 20:15 22:00 00:00 02:00

Ice Quake The Tourist Blackthorn Darkman Courageous Blackthorn The Apparition Courageous Vacancy Company Of Heroes Boogeyman Vacancy

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 Star 22:00 23:45 02:00 Star

Turner & Hooch Who Framed Roger Rabbit The Giant Mechanical Man Blame IT On The Bellboy Turner & Hooch Drop Dead Fred Blame IT On The Bellboy Larry Crowne Bucky Larson: Born To Be A

03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 World 12:45 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:45

04:00 American Girl: McKenna Shoots For The Stars 06:00 Pitch Perfect 08:00 The Big Year 09:45 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part One 11:15 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part Two 12:45 Pitch Perfect 14:45 Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted 16:30 The Big Year 18:15 Midnight In Paris 20:00 Leaves Of Grass 21:45 The Grey 23:45 Dungeons & Dragons: The Book Of Vile Darkness 01:30 Midnight In Paris

04:50 06:25 08:00 09:30 10:50 12:20 13:50 15:20 17:00 20:25 23:00 00:40 02:25

Rich, Young And Pretty Many Rivers To Cross The Scapegoat Bad Day At Black Rock Son Of A Gunfighter The Naked Spur Tom Thumb Key Largo Ben-Hur The Four Horsemen Of...

Dark Of The Sun Key Largo Dark Of The Sun

03:00 05:00 07:00 11:00 11:30 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 20:00 21:00 01:00 01:30 Cup

Currie Cup ITM Cup Darts Grand Prix ICC Cricket 360 Champions League Twenty20 Total Rugby Inside The PGA Tour European Tour Weekly Live PGA European Tour Trans World Sport Live Darts Grand Prix Total Rugby Amlin European Challenge

05:00 UFC - The Ultimate Fighter Season 18 06:00 UFC - Unleashed 07:00 The Rugby Championship 09:00 ICC Cricket 360 09:30 NRL Full Time 10:00 Futbol Mundial 10:30 Total Rugby 11:00 Darts Grand Prix 15:00 UFC - Primetime 2011-13 15:30 UFC Prelims 17:30 UFC - Maia vs. Shields 20:30 UFC - The Ultimate Fighter Season 18 21:45 Live Amlin European Challenge Cup 00:00 Live PGA Tour

High School Midnight Run Bucky Larson: Born To Be A

My Week With Marilyn Another Harvest Moon Blue Lagoon: The Awakening Shadow Dancer You Got Served: Beat The The Terminal Waiting For Forever Now Is Good Les Miserables Lawless

03:15 Summer Of Sam 05:45 The Prey 07:30 Christmas Comes Home To Canaan 09:00 Out Of Sight 11:00 The Inkwell 13:00 The Trial 14:45 Thorne: Sleepyhead 17:00 The Inkwell 19:00 A Better Life 21:00 Intolerable Cruelty 23:00 The Daughter 01:00 The Scarlet Letter

03:00 Big Miracle 05:00 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 07:00 The Darkest Hour

03:00 Off Limits 04:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 05:00 Rock My RV With Bret Michaels 05:30 Rock My RV With Bret Michaels 06:00 Bert The Conqueror 06:30 Bert The Conqueror 07:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 08:00 Globe Trekker 09:00 Departures 10:00 Airport 24/7: Miami 10:30 Airport 24/7: Miami 11:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 12:00 Bert The Conqueror 12:30 Bert The Conqueror 13:00 Eden Eats 14:00 Bizarre Foods America 15:00 International House Hunters 15:30 International House Hunters 16:00 International House Hunters 16:30 International House Hunters 17:00 Hotel Impossible 18:00 Soul Seeker 19:00 Eden Eats 20:00 Bizarre Foods America 21:00 International House Hunters 21:30 International House Hunters 22:00 The Food Truck 22:30 The Food Truck 23:00 Bizarre Foods America 00:00 Airport 24/7: Miami 00:30 Airport 24/7: Miami 01:00 Bert The Conqueror 01:30 Bert The Conqueror 02:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides

Classifieds TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

Kuwait

ACCOMMODATION

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (24/10/2013 TO 30/10/2013)

SHARQIA-1 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (DIG) DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

SHARQIA-2 SIR BILLI (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

SHARQIA-3 UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

MUHALAB-1 DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) NO FRI BHAI (DIG) (TELUGU) FRI QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC)

7:15 PM 9:30 PM

MUHALAB-2 SIR BILLI (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) DIANA (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM

MUHALAB-3 THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:45 PM

1:45 PM 4:15 PM

7:00 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

FANAR-4 ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) THE FOURTH STATE(DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) THE FOURTH STATE(DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

FANAR-5 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 GRAVITY GRAVITY GRAVITY NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

MARINA-1 GRAVITY (DIG) DIANA (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

4:15 PM

FANAR-1 GRAVITY (DIG) DIANA (DIG) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) DIANA (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG) DIANA (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

FANAR-2 SIR BILLI (DIG) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) SIR BILLI (DIG) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

FANAR-3 RUSH (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG)

THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) RUSH (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:30 PM

MARINA-2 QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM

MARINA-3 ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 4:30 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

AVENUES-1 DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) DIANA (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:30 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:30 PM

AVENUES-2 UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) UPSIDE DOWN (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 1:00 AM

AVENUES-3 THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG)

2:15 PM 4:45 PM

THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

7:15 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

AVENUES-4 ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

AVENUES-5 GRAVITY (DIG-3D) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) GRAVITY (DIG-3D) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:30 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 11:00 PM

360ยบ- 1 THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:15 PM 3:45 PM 6:15 PM 8:45 PM 11:15 PM

360ยบ- 2 QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:45 PM 7:15 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

360ยบ- 3 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 THE FOURTH STATE(DIG)

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM

360ยบ- 4 SIR BILLI (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) SIR BILLI (DIG) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) QALB AL ASAD (DIG) (ARABIC) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 1:00 AM

AL-KOUT.1 ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) RUSH (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) RUSH (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) ESCAPE PLAN (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.2 KHUMBA (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) DIANA (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG) DIANA (DIG) THE FIFTH ESTATE (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:15 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

Sharing accommodation available in Hawally Tunis Street, dowra Sadique, near bank Tijari, with attach bath for single executive or couple. Contact 69302121.

(C 4545) 26-10-2013

CHANGE OF NAME I, Santhosh Kumar Oommen S/O Oommen Anjilikattadiyil Kochitty, holder of Indian Passport No. E8128729 hereby change my name to Santhosh Kochitty Oommen. (C 4549) 28-10-2013 FOR SALE Pathfinder 2003 model, in good condition, white, Serious buyer may contact 97277135.

29-10-2013 A lady maid is needed to work for a single ArabAmerican man in a house located in Salmiya. Time 2-8 pm. Salary KD 100. Call 66417504. (C 4550) 28-10-2013 2007 KIA ex carnival white color, full options, 8 passengers, leather seats, DVD, power doors, safety sensors, in excellent condition.

KD 2950. Tel: 66714700/99123411.

(C 4548) 27-10-2013

am to 4 pm serious buyer please.

(C 4542)

Mercedes Benz, model E350 2006, 146,000 mileage, leather interior full options. Price KD 4,200.

Contact: 97293066.

(C 4546) 26-10-2013

Marriage proposal invited from boys for a PG teacher Protestant 29, divorced girl.

Email: shaadimeonly@gmail.com (C 4543) 26-10-2013

Mitsubishi Pajero for sale 1996 model, color red, passing up to Aug 2014, used by a lady, need little work.

Contact: 97277139.

Prayer timings

Toyota Camry GL 2011, pearl white, full options, 60,000 km, excellent condition, KD 4000. Tel: 99439037, 9

MATRIMONIAL

Fajr: Shorook Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

04:38 05:58 11:32 14:41 17:05 18:23

SITUATION WANTED M.Com (finance) graduate, pursuing MBA 10 years of experience in company accounts, preparations of financial statements, reconciliation of bank accounts, payroll management, transferable visa, Kuwait driving license. Mob: 65008377.

(C 4547) 27-10-2013

112

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Airlines BBC JAI JZR JZR KLM QTR DLH ETH GFA THY PIA UAE ETD OMA MSR RJA QTR FDB JZR THY DHX FDB KAC BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE KAC KAC ABY QTR ETD FDB IRA GFA DHX MEA JZR TMA UAE JZR MSR SYR KAC FDB

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 29/10/2013 Flt Route 04 DHAKA 574 MUMBAI 539 CAIRO 267 BEIRUT 411 AMSTERDAM 1084 DOHA 637 DAMMAM 620 ADDISABABA 211 BAHRAIN 764 SABIHA 239 SIALKOT 853 DUBAI 305 ABUDHABI-INTL 643 MUSCAT 612 CAIRO 642 AMMAN-QUEENALIA 1076 DOHA 067 DUBAI 503 LUXOR 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 069 DUBAI 416 JAKARTA 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 206 ISLAMABAD 053 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 352 COCHIN 332 TRIVANDRUM 855 DUBAI 362 COLOMBO 284 DHAKA 125 SHARJAH 1070 DOHA 301 ABUDHABI-INTL 055 DUBAI 619 LAR 213 BAHRAIN 870 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 213 BEIRUT 871 DUBAI 561 SOHAG 610 CAIRO 341 LATAKIA 514 TEHRAN 057 DUBAI

Time 00:05 00:10 00:40 00:40 00:30 00:55 01:10 01:45 02:10 02:15 02:20 02:35 02:45 03:05 03:10 03:15 03:45 04:20 05:50 05:35 05:40 05:50 06:25 06:40 06:45 07:40 07:50 07:55 08:10 08:15 08:40 08:45 08:50 09:00 09:10 09:20 09:40 10:05 10:40 11:15 11:55 11:30 12:10 12:50 12:55 13:00 13:40 13:45 13:50

QTR KAC JZR KAC SVA KNE QTR UAE QTR FDB ETD KAC RJA UAL SVA ABY GFA KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC GFA OMA FDB MSR JAI AXB ABY IRA DLH ALK MEA ETD UAE GFA QTR FDB KLM JAI UAL AIC JZR JZR JZR

1078 672 325 546 500 472 1072 857 1080 063 303 562 640 982 510 127 215 542 742 177 786 678 618 166 674 774 104 217 647 061 618 572 393 129 605 634 229 402 307 859 219 1074 059 415 576 981 981 135 239 185

DOHA DUBAI NAJAF ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH JEDDAH DOHA DUBAI DOHA DUBAI ABUDHABI-INTL AMMAN-QUEENALIA AMMAN-QUEENALIA WASHINGTONDCDULLES RIYADH SHARJAH BAHRAIN CAIRO DAMMAM DUBAI JEDDAH MUSCAT DOHA PARIS DUBAI RIYADH LONDON BAHRAIN MUSCAT DUBAI ALEXANDRIA MUMBAI KOZHIKODE SHARJAH ISFAHAN FRANKFURT COLOMBO BEIRUT ABUDHABI-INTL DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI AMSTERDAM COCHIN BAHRAIN CHENNAI BAHRAIN AMMAN-QUEENALIA DUBAI

13:55 14:00 16:05 14:05 14:30 14:35 16:40 16:40 18:40 18:45 16:50 16:50 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:25 17:30 18:05 18:20 18:20 18:45 18:55 19:00 19:10 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:30 19:55 20:05 20:05 20:10 20:15 20:20 20:25 20:55 21:10 21:20 21:35 21:40 21:45 22:00 22:00 22:05 22:10 22:25 22:30 22:05 22:20 23:20

Airlines AIC AXB JAI KLM BBC DLH ETH THY PIA UAE ETD OMA MSR QTR FDB QTR JZR FDB JZR RJA THY GFA KAC THY FDB BAW KAC KAC ABY KAC UAE ETD QTR FDB IRA GFA KAC KAC KAC KAC JZR MEA DHX KAC TMA JZR MSR UAE FDB

Departure Flights on Tuesday 29/10/2013 Flt Route Time 976 GOA 00:05 490 MANGALORE 00:15 573 MUMBAI 01:10 411 AMSTERDAM 01:45 044 DHAKA 01:45 637 FRANKFURT 02:10 621 ADDISABABA 02:45 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 02:55 240 SIALKOT 03:20 854 DUBAI 03:50 306 ABUDHABI 04:00 644 MUSCAT,OMAN 04:05 613 CAIRO,EGYPT 04:10 1085 DOHA,QATAR 04:25 068 DUBAI05:00 1077 DOHA 05:15 560 SOHAG 06:20 07 DUBAI 06:30 164 DUBAI 06:55 643 AMMAN 07:05 765 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 07:05 212 BAHRAIN 07:15 545 ALEXANDRIA 07:15 771 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 07:30 054 DUBAI 08:30 156 LONDON 08:45 513 IMAMKHOMEINI 09:25 671 DUBAI 09:30 126 SHARJAH 09:40 101 LONDON 09:50 856 DUBAI 09:55 302 ABUDHABI10:05 1701 DOHA,QATAR 10:10 056 DUBAI10:20 618 LAR,IRAN 10:55 214 BAHRAIN 11:25 561 AMMAN 11:25 541 CAIRO 11:30 165 ROME 11:50 677 MUSCAT 12:20 324 ALNAJAF 12:40 405 BEIRUT 12:55 521 BAGRAM 13:00 785 JEDDAH 13:00 223 DUBAI 13:45 176 DUBAI 13:45 611 CAIRO,EGYPT 14:00 872 DUBAI 14:15 058 DUBAI 14:30

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

SYR QTR KAC KAC KAC KNE SVA KAC JZR ETD QTR UAE JZR RJA ABY SVA GFA UAL JZR JZR JZR FDB QTR GFA KAC FDB OMA ABY KAC MSR JAI KAC AXB IRA KAC DHX ALK MEA ETD GFA KAC FDB UAE KAC KAC JZR KLM JAI QTR JZR KAC

342 1079 673 741 617 472 501 773 238 304 1073 858 538 641 128 511 216 982 184 266 134 064 1081 218 283 062 648 120 361 607 571 351 3942 604 343 171 230 403 308 220 301 060 860 381 205 554 415 575 1075 528 411

LATAKIA DOHA DUBAI DAMMAM DOHA JEDDAH JEDDAH RIYADH AMMAN ABUDHABI DOHA DUBAI CAIRO AMMAN SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT BAHRAIN DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN DHAKA DUBAI MUSCAT SHARJAH COLOMBO LUXOR MUMBAI KOCHI KOZHIKODE ISFAHAN CHENNAI BAHRAIN COLOMBO BEIRUT ABUDHABI BAHRAIN MUMBAI DUBAI DUBAI DELHI ISLAMABAD ALEXANDRIA DAMMAM ABUDHABI DOHA,QATAR ASYUT,EGYPT BANGKOK

14:40 14:55 15:05 15:20 15:30 15:30 15:45 16:05 16:55 17:35 17:40 17:50 17:50 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:40 18:50 19:10 19:25 19:40 20:15 20:30 20:45 20:55 21:00 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:10 21:15 21:20 21:30 21:50 22:10 22:20 22:20 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:50 22:50 22:55 23:00 23:05 23:10 23:10 23:25 23:55

34

stars CROSSWORD 351

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) ARIES It is possible to overdo the exercise program--careful. Keep an ever-watchful eye on balance in your life now. This means a reasonable amount of exercise, balanced nutrition, play, work, rest and volunteer time. This is one of your best overall days. You may find yourself turning out any emotional pockets and working with your feelings. A very strong time--do not push too hard. Your support system such as your family and friends becomes more secure now. You are able to dispense with some of those unessential items and develop what is most basic and true in your environment. You encourage better support. It is easy to see what you value. Your sense of appreciation is sharp and in high focus. The evening will bring with it good luck.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) This may be a challenging day in which you can use your skills and expertise to solve problems and feel successful. Take your breaks and use them wisely. Sorting things out and getting them organized to utmost efficiency keeps you busy. There is a lot of mental energy churning around; it may be hard to put it to work. Circumstances may prove difficult regarding communication but you are willing to learn and understand whatever instructions or needs are directed your way. A break for a bit of exercise before lunch is a good thing. This afternoon you display a practical and conscientious desire to be helpful and as a result you gain many clients for your company. Take care of your physical well-being this evening with a light dinner and friendly conversations.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. Cut off from a whole.

4. American gurnard.

12. A doctor's degree in dental medicine.

15. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

16. An imaginary place of great wealth and opportunity.

17. A plant hormone promoting elongation of stems and roots.

18. Joint capital (with Riyadh) of Saudi Arabia.

20. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.

21. Showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering.

23. German mystic and theosophist who founded modern theosophy.

24. The capital and largest city of Mongolia.

26. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

28. Capital of modern Macedonia.

30. (botany) Of or relating to the axil.

33. The inner and thicker of the two bones of the human leg between the knee and ankle.

35. Wood of a sumac.

39. The act of paying money.

41. Squash bugs.

42. A United Nations agency to promote trade by increasing the exchange stability of the major currencies.

43. Being ten more than one hundred forty.

44. (old-fashioned) At or from or to a great distance.

47. Resonance of protons to radiation in a magnetic field.

48. Prevent from being included or considered or accepted.

50. Goddess of dawn.

54. A French marshal who distinguished himself in the War of the Austrian Succession (1696-1750).

55. (Japanese) Rice (with raw fish) wrapped in seaweed.

56. The basic unit of money in Nigeria.

57. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

59. A large number or amount.

61. A silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite.

62. A dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage.

65. A person who announces and plays popular recorded music.

67. Submerged aquatic plant having narrow leaves and small flowers.

69. Affected manners intended to impress others.

72. Bottle that has a narrow neck.

75. The Fate who spins the thread of life.

76. A genus of Ploceidae.

79. Aircraft landing in bad weather in which the pilot is talked down by ground control using precision approach radar.

80. A complex red organic pigment containing iron and other atoms to which oxygen binds.

81. The father of your father or mother.

83. A barrier constructed to contain the flow or water or to keep out the sea.

84. The sixth month of the civil year.

85. God of wisdom or prophesy.

86. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. Young sheep.

2. A spread made chiefly from vegetable oils and used as a substitute for butter.

3. The rate of moving (especially walking or running).

4. Joint consisting of a line formed by joining two pieces.

5. Angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object).

6. 1 species.

7. A deep prolonged loud noise.

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

9. The dialect of Malay used as the national language of the Republic of Indonesia or of Malaysia.

10. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.

11. A wooden pin pushed or driven into a surface.

12. The face of a timepiece.

13. Made from residue of grapes or apples after pressing.

14. An informal term for a father.

19. Make a vibrant noise, of grasshoppers or cicadas.

22. A republic on the west coast of Africa.

25. A user interface based on graphics (icons and pictures and menus) instead of text.

27. A sharp pointed device attached to the cartridge of a record player.

29. North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

31. A subsidiary proposition that is assumed to be true in order to prove another proposition.

32. A linguistic element added to a word to produce an inflected or derived form v 1.

34. (informal usage) A general feeling of boredom and dissatisfaction.

36. A member of a nomadic people of the northern Ural mountains.

37. The capital of Eritrea.

38. Of the appetites and passions of the body.

40. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

45. Of a temperature scale that registers the freezing point of water as 32 degrees F and the boiling point as 212 degrees F at one atmosphere of pressure.

46. Of or relating to or characteristic of Asia or the peoples of Asia or their languages or culture.

49. The driver of a team of horses doing hauling.

51. Leather with a napped surface.

52. The Palestinian uprising (beginning in 1987) against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

53. (botany) Especially of leaves.

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

60. The syllable naming the fourth (subdominant) note of the diatonic scale in solmization.

63. Aroused to impatience or anger.

64. Any property detected by the olfactory system.

66. A string of more than 3,000 islands east of Asia extending 1,300 miles between the Sea of Japan and the western Pacific Ocean.

68. (Irish) Chief god of the Tuatha De Danann.

70. Scottish writer of rustic verse (1770-1835).

71. A native or inhabitant of Denmark.

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

74. God of love and erotic desire.

77. A doctor's degree in dental surgery.

78. The longer of the two telegraphic signals used in Morse code.

82. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

This is a gratifying day and there are many more days like this ahead. You will be reaping the rewards of your hard work, even though it may only be the good feeling that comes when you do your best. There is a greater than usual interest in relationships, social connections and the arts. If you are not showing your creative work, you may be working to help someone else show a creative work. You are successful in selling for others and may find yourself on call to work in contract type of work. Vases, paintings, handmade productions--all get your attention and approval. You are not afraid to present yourself to most anyone. People are people, no matter what their titles, and you are able to work for just about anyone.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) The planets are placed in just the right place to help push you to sign contracts and make big money deals--wait twenty-four hours before signing on the dotted line. This is a great time to be with others and to work together. You may be sought after as just the person for a particular job. New ways to communicate or an easy manner will make conversations and interactions go well. You may find yourself more talkative and accomplished than usual. A dialogue with an older person may take place. It may be your turn to give guidance. You have time to listen and the time you give to this person is important. Take a little trip or get outside today. You may want to break that routine and try something new or different. You may discover valuable insights.

Leo (July 23-August 22) As you look back over last week you will see that you have made good progress with what you want to accomplish. Some timing may have to be adjusted but you are coming near to reaching a successful end result. This week will be even better so dig in and get going. Financial savvy and a practical turn of mind are qualities that take on a great deal of importance. You have a natural way of knowing how to put people, ideas and things together to work profitably. Playing the role of a facilitator can be rewarding.

This afternoon you will have an opportunity to get rid of what does not serve you well.

You can plan your path to even better and greater possibilities. You could receive unexpected backing and, in general, your efforts are successful.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) There is a yearning to broaden horizons and reach for the ultimate. New goals are stimulating and propel you forward. You may feel restricted as you make your way through certain projects, today, but patience will win and positive results are inevitable. Law, politics, education, travel and religion are some of the areas where an emotionally charged performance will be played. Your friends may need your help this evening and you may find yourself helping someone move or make decisions regarding their job, school or family. All of this should go rather smoothly. Good luck blesses all of your relationships at this time. If you are single you may find this a good time to converse with someone that you might like to get to know better.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) This is a great time to be with others and to work together. You may be sought after as just the person for a particular job. Your management and directional abilities are in high focus. Instant gratification is one of the temptations to which you are subject now: when you want things, you want them now. This is a practical and materialistic kind of focus, one that emphasizes the making and spending of money.

Learning what really counts is an important lesson that could be learned the hard way.

Everything conspires to reveal you at your most elegant, particularly in social situations this evening. You will have a grasp for abstract and spiritual ideas and the ability to present or communicate these to others. Romance is possible this evening.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Your emotional drive and sense of things may be at odds with your best interests, the way to proceed. You could make some bad decisions, be too generous or squander your resources. Most of this day presents opportunities to be in social situations with friends and loved ones. However, keep a close rein on the expenses.

A love relationship may be somewhat strained for what seems like no reason at all. Keep busy and always ready to lend a listening ear to your loved one. This frustration should clear by early november. The past and the future intermingle and the barriers between people dissolve. Patience is the key to the greater psychic and spiritual sensitivity you feel now. Lovers, children are emphasized at this time.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) A vacation is favored this week and it may be that instead of you taking the vacation a family member is visiting you. This whole week is positive and if you are working and not able to take off to visit until evening, your company may surprise you with some offering of love. They may be visiting but you will be happy about a dinner invite almost every night this week. In the workplace, this is a period of great mental activity and heightened communication. You will find an interaction with others and an exchange of ideas showing off your business expertise--you are smart as a fox. You will find yourself wanting to really buckle down and consolidate your career. General good feelings and a sense of support and harmony make this a happy time.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Be prepared for debates and walk softly. Others could challenge your nonconforming attitude in some situation that results in opposition and blockage. Not perhaps a good time for you to try out new things or break away from the old routine. Your own surroundings work against you in this. If you need a loan, now is the time to check out the possibilities. Material things and the whole concept of value take on more importance for you now. Financial security and enjoying the finer things in life, appreciating and creating things others long to have, assumes high priorities now. You have just enough time to freshen up and perhaps change clothes for the evening. You and your loved one may enjoy attending a social function this evening. Enjoy a little music.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Making your mark on the world has special significance for you now.

Achievement, ambition and authority take on greater importance now.

Organizing and administering people and projects will become central to your lifestyle.

You make a lot of money for other people through your advice and through your accounting abilities. Why not take some of your own advice and turn some of that paperwork into good cashresist the idea of resigning yourself to accepting your life as it is. If it needs changing then do what it takes to make those changes. Faith can put a light around many things but you are the one that has to make the final decision regarding your choices. This evening you might enjoy a romantic dinner for two.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Today and tomorrow are the best times to start a diet or exercise program.

This is a significant day, which you can use to your best advantage. A day that is not too lazy or too stressful--a time for accomplishing tasks or setting things up to work in your favor. Everything may be pouring in at once and it's all good news. Your career direction will get encouragement and life's problems should find easy solutions.

This just may be the time to take risks and dare to be a little unconventional. You will prosper through new insights, inventions and an independent point of view. Your career could open up by daring to take a new approach. You may benefit from an older person's suggestions this evening. Relax with a good book or a recorded movie tonight.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

Al-Madeena

22418714

Al-Shuhada

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Al-Jahra

25610011

Khaldiya

24848075

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

22451082

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

Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Omariya

24719048

N Khaitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

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

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

36

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Fleetwood Mac cancel Australia tour as McVie battles cancer

Wilde and Sudeikis expecting 1st child

O

R

livia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis are expecting their first child. Wilde’s publicist, Joy Fehily, confirmed the news Sunday. This will be the first child for both actors. The baby news was first reported by People.com. The couple became engaged in January. This will be the second marriage for both actors. Wilde’s divorce from documentarian Tao Ruspoli was finalized in 2011. Sudeikis and “Pitch Perfect” screenwriter Kay Cannon divorced in 2010. Wilde, 29, is known for her roles on TV’s “House M.D.” and in films like “Tron: Legacy” and “Cowboys & Aliens.” She recently appeared in Ron Howard’s “Rush.”

Sudeikis, 38, rose to fame while starring on “Saturday Night Live.” His latest film was “We’re the Millers” with Jennifer Aniston.

ock group Fleetwood Mac yesterday cancelled their tour of Australia and New Zealand after founding member John McVie was diagnosed with cancer. The band, who have just completed the European leg of their hugely successful world tour, were due to play 14 shows in Australia and New Zealand from November 10.

“John McVie, one of the co-founding and original members of Fleetwood Mac, is now scheduled to be in treatment for cancer during that period of time,” promoters Live Nation Entertainment said. In a statement, the group apologized to their fans. “We are sorry to not be able to play these Australian and New Zealand dates. We hope our Australian and New Zealand fans as well as Fleetwood Mac fans everywhere will join us in wishing John and his family all the best,” they said. British-born bassist McVie, 67, has been in the group since 1967.

Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis

Fashion studies program renamed for

John McVie

Brooks plans live broadcast

Pamella Roland

of one-man show

T

G

he Kendall College of Art and Design’s new fashion studies program is being renamed in honor of fashion designer Pamella Roland. An event in Grand Rapids to dedicate the Pamella Roland DeVos School of Fashion at KCAD, which is part of Ferris State University. The designer has roots in Grand Rapids and the naming is in honor of a $1 million gift from the Dan and Pamella DeVos Foundation. She says in a statement the program is “is poised to take off and we are thrilled to be participating at the ground level.” The donation aims to help the program grow and raise its national profile. It also will allow KCAD to give it a home in the Woodbridge N Ferris building in Grand Rapids.

Ciara, Future announce engagement

Pamella Roland

arth Brooks is taking his intimate one-man Las Vegas show to live television. A news release issued Monday says CBS will broadcast Brooks’ performance at the Wynn Las Vegas live on Nov 29. Brooks came out of retirement in 2009 for a series of occasional gigs at Steve Wynn’s invitation. Brooks formally ended that run after three years, but has played occasionally since. The broadcast will be his final performance of the show, which has mostly been Brooks with just his guitar exploring his musical influences with fans.

Brooks has mostly been out of music since 2001, when he became a stay-at-home dad. But fans remain fervent, helping to set a record viewership for the Academy of Country Music Awards earlier this year when Brooks performed with George Strait.

Morrison to get married in 2015

Garth Brooks

The Future and Ciara

C

iara’s future is Future: The R&B singer and the rapper-producer are engaged. Future surprised the Grammy-winner with a 15-carat diamond ring over the weekend, their publicist, Chris Chambers, told The Associated Press on Sunday night. She was already celebrating her 28th birthday in New York when he proposed. Future and Ciara have been dating for a year. No wedding date has been set. Future is also a producer who has collaborated with Rihanna and his future wife. He’s currently on tour with Drake. Besides the recent hit “Body Party,” Ciara’s hits include “Goodies,” “Promise” and “Like a Boy.”

M

atthew Morrison is planning to get married in 2015.

The ‘Glee’ star has predicted he won’t tie the knot with his fiancée model Renee Puente - who he proposed to in June - for another two years because he wants to take his time with the preparations in order to make sure it’s the perfect ceremony. Speaking to People magazine, he said: “It’s [the wedding] is going good. We’re a little way off. Probably not until like 2015, so we’re just taking our time. But we’re well into it.” However, the 34-year-old actor has decided the event will be filled with lots of music and will be very theatrical because he wants everyone to enjoy themselves. He explained: “I want my wedding to kind of be a bunch of performances. I want all my friends to get up and sing. I have very musical friends so I just want it to be a fun night where everyone just, you know they want to step up to the mic and sing a song.” Matthew previously revealed he can’t wait to wed Renee, but admitted they may have to wait a few years before they start a family. Asked if he will marry the singer/songwriter, he said: “I hope so, then maybe working on kids. Who knows? I’ve always wanted to have children, but when the holidays are here and I’m around kids more, I’m like; do I really want a kid? “It’s great to be able to enjoy them and then I’m like, OK, bye! Although when I’m 80 years old, I’m going to want kids and grandkids. That would be awesome.”

Matthew Morrison

Kardashian

wants more children

K

Cole has learned how to tattoo

T

im Kardashian wants more children with Kanye West. The ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ star says she is “definitely” looking to expand her family with the ‘New Slaves’ rapper following the birth of their daughter North in June. Kim has previously spoken about her difficult pregnancy - which resulted in North being born five weeks premature - but she says giving birth to her first child left her feel elated and she recommends all men and women should experience parenthood. During an interview with US chat show Extra, she gushed: “[Becoming a parent is] everything you could ever imagine and more.” “It’s the best feeling [and] it’s the most rewarding job. I recommend everyone go through the process.” Kim also revealed she was left “shaking” after Kanye rented out the entire AT&T Park in San Francisco to propose to her with a 15-carat diamond engagement ring from famed jeweller Lorraine Schwartz, on her 33rd birthday. The brunette beauty wasn’t the only one caught off-guard as her friends and family who were invited to the celebrations by Kanye were fooled into thinking it was her birthday party. She explained: “I was shaking so much, shaking the entire time! Like, ‘Is this really happening? It was like an out-of-body experience. [Everyone] thought it was a surprise birthday party. Everyone - my sisters - it was such a surprise.”

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

he ‘Call My Name’ singer took charge of the needle to ink famed tattoo artist Nikko Hurtado who willingly let her etch a shaky a pair of sunglasses, a heart, two stars and her signature onto his right leg in a bid to help her practice. In a series of pictures posted to her Instagram account, Cheryl is seen in deep concentration while taking direction from the expert and it seems the 32-year-beauty was impressed by her bespoke design as she took to Twitter to share her excitement. She wrote: “Today I learned from the best how to tattoo ... You learn something new everyday!!! “I got to tag the best tattoo artist with my first and last tattoo @ nikkohurtado designed bespoke by yours truly. (sic)” Cheryl shares a close relationship with her tattoo artist Nikko, who famously inked a large vine of roses onto her lower back and buttocks earlier this year. The tattoo - which reportedly took a total of 50 hours to complete - received massive attention and was criticized by many commentators and fans on social media. However, the former Girls Aloud star brushed off the backlash, saying: “People are entitled to their own opinion. I’ve never really concerned myself with other people’s body parts.”

Cheryl also has several other tattoos, including tribal tattoos on her right hand and lower spine, a ‘Mrs Cole’ marking on the back of her neck, a treble clef and vine leaves wrapped around her right thigh.

Cheryl Cole

37

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s

Richard Clayderman wows audiences in Kuwait

T

wo scintillating performances for the first time ever in Kuwait by the legendary pianist Richard Clayderman left audiences ecstatic with his musical brilliance. The concert was held by Al-Mulla International Exchange for special invitees over the weekend at the Regency Hotel.

A packed ballroom of different nationalities and ages sat spellbound as they listened to the genius musician amidst constant applause and ovations. Clayderman was accompanied by a local orchestra who supported him ably to produce what many attendees revealed was one of the best concerts held in Kuwait in recent memory.

The program began with Hormuz Davar, Director of Financial Services at Al-Mulla Group, welcoming the guests and briefing them on the Al-Mulla Exchange services and customer engagement programs. This was followed by an introduction of Richard Clayderman, also called the Prince of Romance by former United States First lady Nancy Reagan.

Living up to his huge reputation Clayderman overwhelmed the audiences with his renditions that were classics and priceless to hear live in perfect stage and sound settings. A large gathering of ambassadors, dignitaries and other special invitees had the rare privilege of being entertained to an evening of rhapsodic music that is bound to linger their memories for a long time to come.

Known as the ‘Prince of Romance’, for his versatility in playing poignant tunes on the piano, Richard Clayderman was born in Paris in 1953. Learning the basics of piano from his father, who was a piano teacher, he joined the Conservatoire de Paris at the young age of 12 and on graduating began supplementing his income with earnings from piano recitals. “From the age of 15, I was earning a living playing the piano and somewhere

Givenchy’s

along the line record producers recognized my work and the rest as they say is history,” said Richard Clayderman during an interview.

The legendary pianist was in Kuwait, at the invitation of Al-Mulla International Exchange, to participate in two-day concert for special invitees of the company. Clayderman has recorded close to 1,500 melodies, and has created a new romantic style that juxtaposes his trademark originals with classics and pop standards. He has devoted much of his time to performing concerts, going as far as playing 200 shows in as many days. “I have played in more than 65 countries around the world, even in the MiddleEast; I was in Lebanon, in Syria, in Dubai and now, for the first-time in Kuwait. I am keenly awaiting the response to my first recital in this country,” said the pianist.

“The success of any pianist lies in their ability to faithfully transfer their emotions using their fingertips to the keyboards and to share it with audiences through the sound waves. I have noticed that audiences in this part of the world, in Asia in particular, are subdued in their response, their applause might be muted but they imbibe and appreciate the music more deeply. You might be playing to an audience of 35 or 40 thousand people in a stadium in China or Japan, but you wouldn’t know that from the applause at the end of a recital.”

When Richard’s first album was available on mail order, thousands of besotted women sent their cheques and fan letters. Nancy Reagan, the widow of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, was credited with giving him the title of ‘Prince of Romance’. He has clocked up worldwide record sales of approximately 100 million, and has 267 gold and 70 platinum discs to his credit. He is popular in Asia and is noted by

Damas launches exciting Diwali

pre-fall collection: A modern vision by Riccardo Tisci

R

iccardo Tisci faces his roots with some nostalgia. The pre-fall collection is a modern vision of his native Italy of the 1970s. The masculinity of Walter Albini comes across the Milanese architecture of GioPonti. The synthesis of these elements is a strong graphic masculine collection expressing a confident femininity.

Geometry reaches a new level as it ranges from contour to cuts, layering, prints and embroidery techniques. A neo-classical aesthetic graces the entire collection. Square panelling appears on asymmetrical dresses, tunics, straight skirts and slim boyish short pants. Signature blazers with softly squared shoulders are mixed with delicate tuxedo blouses with micropleated sleeves and front. Ruffles, lace and transparent organza add sensuality. Second skin dresses in silk

the Guinness Book of World Records as being “the most successful pianist in the world”.

Accredited to his brilliance is a vast discography of over 200 albums, where he has infused his soulful touch to Andrew Lloyd Webber love songs, Bollywood movie soundtracks, and the folk music of Germany, Turkey, and Japan. Clayderman’s popularity resurged with the release of his 2013 album, ‘Romantique’ which features a mélange of film music, pop and light classical standards, as well as a re-recording of his best-known tune, ‘Ballade pour Adeline’.

A phenomenal star following the rendering of ‘Ballade Pour Adeline’, one of the biggest selling recordings of all time, Clayderman, has never allowed these accolades to go to his head. “What would I have become if not a pianist? Well, sports has always interested me, so probably a tennis or football player; but at the end of the day I would still love to play the piano,” added the pianist.

Propelled by hard work and dedication to his career, he has been in front of a piano every day practicing perfection, “They even have a piano in my hotel room and this morning I had the pleasure of playing on it while watching the waters of the Arabian Sea, lapping gently on the white sands below my hotel window. I am an enduring romantic at heart and this is reflected in all my recitals, said the Prince of Romance in conclusion.

stretch cady and jersey enhance the body.

A graphic motif made of white, black and skin inspired by buildings and furniture designs from the 1970s animates the silhouettes. Printed, embroidered or assembled the mosaic-like effect feature patchworks of lace, nappa leather, mink or cable knit.

The flat men-inspired shoes rework the best Givenchy shapes. They range from plimsole shoes, hybrid trainer-sandals, derbies and ankle boots. Their backs continue the story of the last show. They show wood and metal details including gold nails, chains, eyelets and heels. Bags include the Lucrezia, the hard version of the Pandora and the new HDG – House de Givenchy.

collection with over 20 new designs

D

amas, the Middle East’s leading jewellery and watch retailer, has today launched its biggest ever Diwali festival, unveiling over 20 new designs from renowned collections, and revealing exciting promotions in celebration of the festival of lights.

Ajit George, Deputy COO Damas, said, “Diwali is one of the most joyous occasions of the year – it is a celebration of happiness, and we are thrilled to offer a wide selection of jewellery, alongside exciting promotions to our loyal customers. Damas’ Diwali creations continue to showcase our position as the region’s leading jeweller and will guarantee that this Diwali will be most special for you and your loved ones.”

To enhance the celebration, Damas is offering weekly raffle draws with prizes including five BMW cars and five kilos of gold to be given out over the period of five weeks – one per week. There will also be daily electronic draws to win 10 diamond jewellery sets, as well as free gifts with purchases over 1000 AED, which include gold coins, gold bracelets, pendants and diamond watches.

For every AED 1,000 spent on purchases of diamond or gold jewellery at selected Damas outlets, customers will receive two raffle tickets; one valid for the BMW raffle draws, and one for the kilo of gold raffle draws. The purchase will also enter the customer into the electronic raffle for one of 10 diamond sets to be won during the first 11 days of the promotion.

Furthermore, a free gift of one gold coin will be given for every AED 1000 spent on diamond jewellery or AED 3,000 on gold jewellery (in multiples).

Purchases of diamond jewellery worth AED 5,000 or gold jewellery worth AED 7,000 will entitle customers to receive 5 gold coins (for diamond purchases) or two gold coins (for gold purchases) and an exclusive diamond watch. Purchases of AED 10,000 on diamond jewellery or AED 15,000 on gold jewellery will entitle customers to 10 gold coins (for diamond purchases)

five gold coins (for gold purchases), and an exclusive 22k gold pendant.

Lastly, purchases of AED 15,000 on diamond jewellery or AED 25,000 on gold jewellery will entitle customers to 15 gold coins (for diamond purchases) or 8 gold coins (for gold purchases) and an exclusive 22k gold bracelet.

Damas’ new Diwali offering consists of a large array of jewellery sets embellished with emeralds, rubies, diamonds and pearls set in 18k and 22k yellow and white gold, and designed to meet all tastes and budgets.

The two piece Legacy sets reflects the vivacious colours of the Diwali festival, with the 22k gold pendant and earrings featuring rose cut diamonds and Tourmaline stone. The set can also be accompanied by a pair of matching Legacy bangles, also in 22k gold accented by beautiful uncut diamonds and Tourmaline stones.

The two piece Gehna sets encompasses a stunning, bold 22k gold necklace and earrings studded with beautiful Kundan stones.

Colour your Diwali with the elegant two piece Rangoli sets available in 22k yellow gold adorned with precious stones including rubies and emeralds.

Rangoli bangles, also available in 22k gold, are a perfect compliment for the set with a beautiful matching design.

A stylish reproduction of classic Victorian jewellery, the two piece rose cut ‘Mira’ jewellery sets are available in 18k gold and 925 silver, featuring rose cut and single cut diamonds. The Mira bangles, are bound to be a perfect match for this striking set.

The elegant two piece Ananya sets created in 18k gold, and studded with diamonds and precious rubies, exudes elegance and femininity.

Light up your Diwali with Damas’ Diwali collection. The collection and promotion is now available in selected Damas stores across the UAE.

38

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

LIFESTYLE M u s i c

&

M o v i e s

Rogers, Bare inducted into Country Hall of Fame K

enny Rogers, Bobby Bare and the late “Cowboy” Jack Clement - three men whose influence still ripples across the surface of modern music - are now members of the Country Music Hall of Fame. The three were saluted by stars Garth Brooks, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, Barry Gibb, John Prine and others during a ceremony Sunday at the newly expanded Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Each of the three inductees had a profound effect on music in his own way, and one could argue each deserved a place among the genre’s greatest names long ago.

“I’m flattered, I’m honored and I’m nervous,” Rogers said before the ceremony. “I mean I didn’t know that I would be. Very few things make me nervous. But I’ve never done this before, so it’s pretty exciting.

What I’ve realized is that success is not a happening, it’s a journey. So as I run back through my history and look at all the things that happened to me and how I got to where I am, this is like the culmination of my career because I’ve done pretty much everything else. And I think without this it would have been incomplete.”

Rogers helped push country music farther into pop music territory than it had ever been. He could go deep country with songs like “The Gambler,” “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” and “Lucille,” but he also had crossover pop hits like “Islands in the Stream” and “Lady,” foreshadowing today’s more pop-friendly country sounds. Rogers remains a popular figure in the country music world. Alison Krauss said of his induction, “Justice has been done,” and Garth Brooks gives him credit for taking him on the road on his first major tour as an opening act: “If there was an entertainer university, when it comes to Entertainer 101, I can vouch firsthand that Kenny Rogers would be the professor of that class.”

Darius Rucker recalled a lifetime of being a fan of the 75-year-old Rogers before singing “Lucille.” “The thing I’ve always thought was crazy as a kid was he was about the only guy where you flip through the channels and you’d hear a Kenny Rogers song and a Buck Owens song,” Rucker said before the ceremony.

“And then you’d flip to another channel and you’d hear a Kenny Rogers song and a

Cheap Trick song would come after it. He was that guy who was everywhere.”

Bare scored dozens of hits like “Deetroit City” and “How I Got to Memphis,” mining the work of left-of-center Nashville songwriters like Tom T. Hall, Kris Kristofferson and Shel Silverstein. Though he was never really part of the so-called outlaw movement in country music, he was close friends with many artists who were and his insistence on controlling his own musical choices was an inspiration for others like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. “He has been responsible for a lot of things that have happened in the country music business,” singer John Anderson said.

“I remember one day I was talking to my old friend Waylon, and I asked Waylon, ‘Man, what caused you to pack up and move to Nashville?’ He said, ‘Hoss, Bobby Bare had a whole lot to do with it.’” Known also for his sense of humor, the 78-yearold Bare answered characteristically when asked what being inducted means: “It means that I will forever be referred to as a hall of famer. It sounds real good.” Clement’s resume as producer, songwriter, performer, inspiration, raconteur and bon vivant is too lengthy to list, but he veered all across popular music over the last half century.

He was Sam Phillips’ first producerengineer at Sun Records in Memphis. He wrote some of Johnny Cash’s early hits, putting those unforgettable mariachi horns on “Ring of Fire,” and was a repeated touchstone for The Man in Black. He helped Jerry Lee Lewis shape his protorock approach and was at the soundboard for the recording of “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.” Also among his many career highlights was the discovery of Charley Pride and their 13-album association.

Clement found out in February that he would be inducted into the hall of fame, about five months before he passed away in August from liver cancer at 82. “We do have a message from Cowboy,” hall of fame director and CEO Kyle Young said.

“He says, ‘By all means, relax.’” Two trumpeters then walked on stage and played the horn intro to “Ring of Fire.”—AP

Country music star Kenny Rogers thanks the audience at the ceremony for the 2013 inductions into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday in Nashville, Tenn. –AP photos Alison Clement daughter of the late “Cowboy” Jack Clement tips a hat in honor of her father at the ceremony for the 2013 inductions into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday.

Country music star Bobby Bare was inducted by Tom T Hall, right, after he was presented with his County Music Hall of Fame medallion and plaque at the ceremony for the 2013 inductions into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday.

Doctor convicted in

Michael Jackson death leaves prison

M

ichael Jackson’s personal physician, convicted of manslaughter for administering a lethal dose of anesthetic to the pop singer, was released from a Los Angeles prison yesterday after serving half of his four-year sentence.

Conrad Murray was released to his representatives, Los Angeles County Sheriff spokesman Steve Whitmore said shortly after Murray left the county jail. The release came under a California state plan to reduce prison overcrowding. Murray’s six-week trial grabbed global attention after “Billie Jean” singer Jackson, preparing for a series of comeback concerts in London, died unexpectedly in 2009 at age 50.

Reporters waited outside the jail for Murray, but he was whisked out through a back exit away from view.

A few Jackson fans were also were present, one playing music from his 1982 album “Thriller,” the top-selling album of all time with more than 50 million copies sold. Jackson’s death prompted an outpouring of support for the “King of Pop” after years of bad publicity, stemming from his increasingly bizarre behavior and a child molestation trial in which he was acquitted. Today, he is the top-earning dead celebrity, according to Forbes.

Prosecutors successfully argued that Grenada-born Murray, who was hired by concert promoter AEG Live as Jackson’s general practitioner, was grossly negligent in administering propofol, a drug that was used to help the singer sleep. Murray, 60, was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter - or unintentional killing without malice - and received the maximum four-year penalty.

Murray’s attorneys presented the case that Jackson had injected himself with the powerful anesthetic.

A California appellate court has yet to hear oral arguments in Murray’s bid to overturn his conviction. “He’s prepared to keep fighting this as long as it takes,” Murray’s attorney Valerie

Country music star Charley Pride uncovers a plaque of “Cowboy” Jack Clement after paying tribute to him at the ceremony for the 2013 inductions into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Hobbit fans to get sneak peek at Smaug event

From left, director Jeff Tremaine, screenwriter and actor Spike Jonze, actor Jackson Nicoll, front, Johnny Knoxville and producer Van Tofler, attend a special screening of “Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa” at the Sunshine Landmark Theater on Monday, Oct 21, 2013, in New York.—AP

File photo shows Michael Jackson’s former doctor Conrad Murray sits in a courtroom during his involuntary manslaughter trial in Los Angeles.—AP

Wass said ahead of her client’s release.

AEG Live was cleared earlier this month, in a civil lawsuit brought by Jackson’s children and mother, of negligently hiring the cardiologist. The jury in that case found Murray had acted outside of the role for which he was hired. Wass has said the physician wants to practice medicine again after his release from prison. Murray’s license to practice has been suspended in California, Nevada and Texas, each of the states where he had been able to work prior to Jackson’s death. His license in Hawaii lapsed in 2010.

Murray has kept his name in the headlines during his time in prison by releasing sometimes rambling messages to the media and granting live telephone interviews to NBC’s Matt Lauer and CNN’s Anderson Cooper within the past year. In one instance, Murray began singing on Cooper’s “AC360” program, and in another he told Jackson’s teenage daughter Paris that he loved her like a father and recited part of Jackson’s song “You Are Not Alone” in a message meant for her.—AP

H

obbit fans will get a sneak peek at the second film of the trilogy—“The Desolation of Smaug”— after director Peter Jackson announced a global live presentation next month. Cinemas in London, New York, Los Angeles and Wellington will be satellite-linked on November 4 for an event including a question and answer session with cast members, Jackson said on his Facebook page. The time difference means it will be November 5 for Kiwi fans. Jackson did not say who would be involved, but the official Hobbit website yesterday said cast members would include Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans and Andy Serkis.

Additional cinemas will be set up in select locations worldwide where fans can gather to watch the event live. It will also be streamed on the Internet. Jackson, a New Zealander, said further details on locations and timings would be released in coming days on the official Facebook and Twitter pages. “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” is not due to be officially premiered until December 13. The first film in the series, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”, was released in December last year with the final chapter “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” scheduled to come out in July next year. According to the Hobbit website, production of the trilogy has so far cost US$561 million. “An Unexpected Journey” took in just over US$1 billion at the box office.—AFP

‘Bad Grandpa’ tops N American box office

W

acky Jackass comedy “Bad Grandpa” elbowed space flick “Gravity” out of the top spot at the North American box office, preliminary weekend data showed Sunday. The Johnny Knoxville road movie about an 86-year-old granddad and his eight-year-old grandson, netted $32 million and the top spot on its first days in theaters. “Gravity”—with Oscar winners Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as astronauts adrift in space after a devastating accident—scored $20.3 million, taking its gross takings to $199.8 million since its premiere.

The third place finisher, “Captain Phillips,” based on a true story and starring Tom Hanks as a cargo ship captain captured by Somali pirates, earned $11.8 million. Another star-studded premiere “The Counselor” with Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt, brought in $8 million. In fifth place this weekend was “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2” which earned $6.1 million and $100.6 million total since its release.

And the reprise of “Carrie,” the latest film adaptation of the Stephen King supernatural horror tale about an outcast high school girl out for revenge, earned $5.9 million, falling to sixth from last week’s third place. Action flick “Escape Plan,” starring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger as inmates trying to break out of the world’s most secret and secure prison trailed with $4.3 million in seventh-place.

Steve McQueen’s “12 years a Slave” earned $2.2 million between Friday and Sunday, trailed by romantic comedy “Enough Said,” featuring the late Sopranos star James Gandolfini, which took $1.6 million in ninth place. The thriller “Prisoners,” starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, rounded out the top 10, earning $1.1 million.—AFP

39

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

LIFESTYLE M u s i c

In this Jan. 17, 1996 file photo, Lou Reed takes the podium as the Velvet Underground, the group he once headed, is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during a ceremony in New York s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

&

M o v i e s

In this Sunday, Aug 9, 2009 file photo, Lou Reed performs at the Lollapalooza music festival, in Chicago.

In a June 24, 2003 file photo, music icon Lou Reed has his hands imprinted as supporters cheer in the background as he is inducted into Hollywood’s Rockwalk, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.

Legendary rocker Lou Reed dead at 71

S

ongwriter and musician Lou Reed, one of the most influential US rockers in decades, died Sunday of complications from a recent liver transplant. He was 71. Seen as the godfather of punk, Reed and the Velvet Underground—the band he formed with Welsh musician John Cale in 1965 -- influenced generations of rock bands such as The Who, REM, Nirvana and Sonic Youth among others. “Lou Reed’s influence is one that there are really only a tiny handful of other figures who you can compare to him,” said Simon Vozick-Levinson, a senior editor at Rolling Stone, which first reported Reed’s death.

“He spoke incredibly frankly about the realities of being an artist, being a person who lived life on one’s own terms. He didn’t prettify things. He didn’t sugarcoat things. He showed life as it really is, and that’s something that made him a true original, and one of our great all-time artists,” he said.

Reed’s literary agent Andrew Wylie said the singer-songwriter died on Long Island, the sprawling New York area that includes the borough of Brooklyn where he was born. “The reason was complications following the liver transplant,” Wylie told AFP, referring to the operation Reed underwent in May, without which his family said death was certain given how poor his condition had become.

Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground was well regarded though not particularly successful commercially during the 1960s. Reed’s association with the era’s pop art luminary Andy Warhol helped the band gain a hip following, with the colorful artist doing the instantly iconic banana cover art for the Velvets’

Singer Lou Reed performs on the stage the 20th edition of the Vielles Charrues Music Festival in this July 17, 2011 file photo in Carhaix, Brittany.

Chris Brown

self-titled debut album. Warhol became the group’s manager in 1965, and they provided music for his multimedia roadshow the Exploding Plastic Inevitable, and became the house band at his famed New York studio, The Factory.

“The Velvet Underground & Nico,” featured the pounding beat of “I’m Waiting for the Man,” and the much slower “Heroin,” which was regarded as a dark testament to the drug’s extraordinary power over its users. One such artist, Lenny Kravitz, the singer and guitarist, tweeted in tribute: “Lou, rest in peace on the wild side.” “The world has lost a fine songwriter and poet...

I’ve lost my ‘school-yard buddy,” musician Cale wrote on his website. British rockers The Who, on their official Twitter account said: “R.I.P. Lou Reed.

Walk on the peaceful side,” while Hollywood stars also wrote messages of condolence.

“NY lost one of its originals with Lou Reed’s passing. So sad. RIP,” tweeted the actress Susan Sarandon. Reed left the Velvet Underground in 1970, and many regard his solo works as even greater achievements. “Transformer,” produced by David Bowie, in 1972, included “Perfect Day,” and “Walk on the Wild Side,” arguably his best-known song, an ode to the underground sex- and drug-fueled lifestyle of a cross-dresser, with brooding lyrics and a thumping drum-and-bass shuffle. But for all the accolades, not everyone was a fan of Reed’s work.

He infuriated critics—as well as some of his dearest fans—when he released in 1975 his “Metal Machine Music,” a 65-minute noise opus drenched in guitar feedback deemed unlistenable by most who heard it. In 1979, Rolling Stone magazine derided it as “ear-wrecking electronic sludge.” An

US singer and composer, Lou Reed attends the opening of his photographic exhibition, “Romanticism”, at the Congress Center of Estoril during the Estoril Film Festival 2010 in Estoril, outskirts of Lisbon, in this November 5, 2010 file photo.

admitted heavy drinker and drug user, Reed adopted a cleaner lifestyle in the 1980s and even began the practice of Tai Chi. The ageing rocker however remained cool as ever in the eyes of music aficionados, often seen decked out in leather sipping chamomile tea.

‘Perfect Day’ heralded a renaissance Reed enjoyed something of a renaissance in 1996 when “Perfect Day,” his 1972 hit was used in “Trainspotting,” the Edinburgh-based film about heroin addiction which spurred success for its then little-known leading actor, Ewan McGregor. A special version of the song, featuring Reed at the start but filled with the voices of Bono of U2, David Bowie, Elton John and other stars, went on sale as a charity single the following year in Britain and it topped the charts for three weeks.

The Velvet Underground was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Reed had in recent years toured with Metal Machine Trio, a group he formed in 2008 with two other artists and whose stage performances were always improvised. Reed underwent the transplant after his wife, the artist and musician Laurie Anderson, said he was dying of liver failure, a condition which she later remarked that her husband could never fully recover from.—AFP

This Oct 31, 1974 image released by Mark Goff shows Lou Reed in concert in Milwaukee.

–AP/AFP photos

In Wednesday, Jan 17, 1996 file photo, members of the band the Velvet Underground, from left, Maureen Tucker; Martha Morrison, attending for her late husband, Sterling Morrison; John Cale and Lou Reed pose backstage after their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York’s WaldorfAstoria Hotel.

expected in US court on assault charge

C

hris Brown was expected to appear in court yesterday on an assault charge after a fight broke out over the weekend near a Washington hotel, which could further snarl the award-winning R&B singer’s ongoing legal troubles. Brown and another man were charged Sunday with felony assault in the altercation that started just before 4:30 am, DC police spokesman Paul Metcalf said. It happened near the W Hotel, not far from the White House.

The man who was attacked received treatment for his injuries at a local hospital and was released Sunday.

Police wouldn’t elaborate on his injuries but said the felony charge was based in part on the extent of the injuries. The victim’s name wasn’t released. Christopher Hollosy, 35, was also charged with felony assault, police said. Police wouldn’t say how Brown and Hollosy may have known each other.

Brown and Hollosy were being held pending a court hearing yesterday, Metcalf said. Neither Brown’s publicists nor his attorney Mark Geragos responded to messages left Sunday. Brown remains on probation for assaulting his on-again, off-again girlfriend Rihanna just before the Grammy Awards in 2009. The photos of Rihanna’s bruised face caused outrage among many fans.

Brown pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault and received five years’ probation. His probation was briefly revoked earlier this year after a traffic accident.

A hit-and-run charge was dropped against him, but the judge gave him 1,000 more hours of community service when he reinstated his probation.

Brown was in Washington to perform Saturday night at an event billed as a “Homecoming Weekend” party at a downtown club. Howard University was celebrating its homecoming, though a university spokeswoman said the party was not sponsored by or affiliated with the school. Brown, who lives in Los Angeles and is originally from Virginia, has been involved in other altercations since 2009. Police have said a 2012 brawl at a New York nightclub began when members of rapper

In a Friday, Aug 30, 2013 file photo, Chris Brown performs on NBC’s “Today” show in New York.—AP Drake’s entourage confronted Brown on the dance floor. Neither was charged in the fight that turned into a bottle-throwing free-for-all.

Brown also tussled with singer Frank Ocean and others during an argument about a parking space outside a recording studio in Los Angeles, according to witness accounts given to deputies at the time. Ocean said he suffered an injured finger, but no charges were filed.

Brown’s arrest could affect his probation in the Rihanna assault case. Brown is due back in court Nov 20 in Los Angeles to update a judge on his probation. Prosecutors could seek a revocation of his probation or ask a judge to impose additional penalties.

Steve Cron, a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, said prosecutors and a judge may wait to see how the Washington case plays out before taking any action against Brown. “Just the fact that some guy says ‘he hit me’ doesn’t mean he’s in violation” of his probation, Cron said. The potential penalties would depend on the exact wording of Brown’s sentence, he said.—AP

(From left) Indian Bollywood music director Uttam Singh, Indian Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, actress Kangana Ranaut, music composer Khayyam and director Vishwas Patil pose during the music launch for the forthcoming Hindi film ‘Rajjo’ directed by Vishwas Patil in Mumbai late October 27, 2013.—AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

Legendary rocker Lou Reed dead at 71

39

Tranquil pic of flamingoes wins kudos

Sherif Ismail

‘R

eflection’ by photographer Sherif Ismail won the Most Popular award on Saturday by the 500 website which assesses works of photographers from around the world.

The picture, which shows the reflection of a group of migratory flamingoes in Kuwait

taken in the morning, was previously selected as one of best 100 snapshots by a National Geographic-Abu Dhabi competition.

‘Afghan girl’ photographer tells stories behind images

P

hotographer Steve McCurry remembers exactly how he got his famed 1983 shot of two Pakistani waiters passing a tea tray precariously along the outside of a moving train. “I leaned out the window and someone was holding my legs but I was thinking, ‘Oh no this is not going to end well’,” he said, recalling the photograph he took one morning three decades ago as breakfast was served between Peshawar and Lahore.

Hanging perilously from hand rails between the dining car and first class, the waiters dressed in white uniforms and green and gold turbans were passing the tray along the outside of the carriages because the connecting doors had been locked for security reasons. McCurry, 63, whose many memorable images have earned him a reputation as one of the foremost photographers of his generation, says he weighed up the risk and decided it was worth it.

“I’d rather take the risk than not take the risk and then always wonder if I should have. I think there’s nothing worse than being timid,” he told AFP in an interview in Paris. “Sometimes you just have to evaluate the risk and say ‘you know what, I have to do this’,” he said. It’s just one of many stories behind the photographs recounted in McCurry’s latest book, “Steve McCurry Untold”.

In it, he revisits not only some of his best-known images but also decades’ worth of notes, letters and other ephemera such as tickets and receipts.

Packed away and forgotten in drawers and cupboards after returning from assignments over the years, they give a sense of the planning and technical difficulties involved in capturing such pictures. “It’s almost like archaeology, things, layers, stacks of things accumulated as years and decades passed,” he said. “Documents and pictures that were not part of the story, that were never published, but were still a piece of the puzzle,” he said.

‘Everything was perfect’ McCurry’s career has taken him all over the world but he says the majority of his time has been spent between Afghanistan and Burma and in Sri Lanka and Tibet. Arguably his best-known image is that of the young “Afghan girl” he photographed in 1984 in a refugee camp in north-west Pakistan at the time of the Soviet occupation.

Camps had sprung up along the Afghan-Pakistan border and many

refugees had been living there for years in conditions of great hardship.

Between August and November 1984 McCurry visited most of the 30-odd camps.

It was on a visit to one of these that he encountered the girl, whose name he later learned to be Sharbat Gula, and whose photograph appeared on the front cover of National Geographic magazine in June 1985. Coming across her in a class at a camp school, he immediately noticed her piercing green eyes and set about taking her portrait. “For a few seconds everything was perfect, the light, the background, the expression in her eyes”, he recalled in the book.

In fact, that photograph nearly did not make the front cover as another of the same girl had been selected. But the magazine’s editor-in-chief made a habit of viewing the photographs that had been considered and discarded for the cover and was immediately struck by his other shot. The image prompted an immediate reaction from readers and was later voted the most recognized photograph in the magazine’s history.

McCurry says he has always gravitated towards portrait photography. “I love portraits, I love examining the human face,” he said. In 2002, without even knowing her name—the photographer went back to Pakistan with a film crew to try and find Gula. In the intervening years her image had come to symbolize the suffering of the Afghan refugee but her life in Afghanistan had been hard and she was unaware of its impact. The family did not ask for money but McCurry and the magazine made it clear they wanted to help.

Over the subsequent years they were able to ensure in various ways—such as medical treatment and a pilgrimage to Mecca—that she and her family also shared in photograph’s success. McCurry said meeting people in such conditions of suffering or hardship and then leaving without being able help them materially or change their plight was something all photographers and journalists had to grapple with.

“It’s a terrible thing and it probably affects you deeply,” he said. “But the only way we really know what is happening in the world is by people reporting on it... so I guess we just have to think ‘how can I contribute?’. “And the way I can contribute is by photography and raising awareness so people are informed,” he said.—AFP

People stand next to a painting by Turkish Jordanian princess Fahr Al-Nissa Zeid displayed at Emirates Towers in Dubai on October 27, 2013, before being auctioned by Christie’s later in the week.

This work could be the most expensive painting by an Arab artist to be sold

by Christie’s in the Middle East with a price estimate ranging from three to four million dollar.—AFP