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7Shabab name new leader after US strike kills chief 20

Neymar stunner gives Brazil win over Colombia9

Obama delays acting on immigration reform3

Cebu Pacific launches direct flights to Manila

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014 THULQADA 12, 1435 AH www.kuwaittimes.net

Egypt charges Morsi with leaking secrets to Qatar

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Muslim Brotherhood slams ‘kangaroo trial’CAIRO: Egypt charged ousted president Mohamed Morsiand nine others yesterday with endangering nationalsecurity by leaking state secrets and sensitive documentsto Qatar, furthering a state crackdown on his outlawedMuslim Brotherhood. Relations between Qatar and Egypthave been icy since July 2013, when Egypt’s then-armychief Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi toppled Morsi after protestsagainst his rule. Qatar had supported Morsi, who isalready in jail along with thousands of Brotherhood mem-bers, many of whom have been sentenced to death onseparate charges.

Security sources had said last month that Egypt wasinvestigating Morsi in connection with documents theysaid were leaked to Qatarand its satellite newschannel Al Jazeera. TheEgyptian public prosecu-tor’s office said yesterdayits secret investigationhad unearthed enoughevidence of espionage tocharge Morsi and nineothers in a criminal court.The maximum penalty ifconvicted is death. “Theinquiries ... exposedhumiliating facts and theextent of the largest con-spiracy and treason car-ried out by the terrorist Brotherhood organisation againstthe nation through a network of spies,” it said in a three-page statement.

The public prosecutor said Morsi’s aides were involvedin leaking to Qatari intelligence and Al Jazeera, docu-ments which exposed the location of and weapons heldby the Egyptian armed forces and detailed the country’sforeign and domestic policies. The Qatari Foreign Ministryin Doha did not immediately respond to requests forcomment on the accusations. Al Jazeera, which has beenbanned from Egypt, has denied any bias in reportingevents there or any role in aiding the Brotherhood.

The Brotherhood dismissed the charges as political.“Today is the start of yet another kangaroo trial... Morsi’strials are politically motivated cases with trumped upcharges and a corrupt judiciary preciding over it,”Abdulla El-Haddad, a Brotherhood spokesman based inBritain, said by email. Morsi faces trial in five other casesas well, on charges ranging from violence to insultingthe judiciary.

Continued on Page 13

Mohamed Morsi

SRINAGAR, India: More than 230 people in Pakistanand northern India have been killed in torrential mon-soon rains which triggered flooding, landslides andhouse collapses, officials in the two countries said yes-terday. Troops and other emergency personnel weredeployed in both countries to help with relief opera-tions, with boats and helicopters being used to reachstranded people. Incessant rains in Pakistan havekilled at least 106 people over the past three days anddamaged thousands of houses, officials said asauthorities put four districts on red alert for floods.And in neighbouring India, torrential rains and flood-

ing have left at least 128 people dead and maroonedthousands more, according to officials.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired ahigh-level review meeting yesterday and orderedacceleration of relief and rescue efforts in the country,his office said. In worst-hit Punjab province, the deathtoll from rains and flooding over the past three dayshit 55 while 235 people were injured, rescue servicesdirector general Rizwan Naseer, told AFP. Another 48people have died in Pakistani-administered Kashmir,said Akram Sohail, chairman of the disaster manage-ment agency in capital Muzaffarabad. Three soldiers

also were killed in a mudslide Thursday near the de-facto border with India, known as the Line of Controldividing disputed Pakistani- and Indian-administeredKashmir.

Pakistan has been swept by deadly monsoonfloods for the last four years - in 2013, 178 peoplewere killed and around 1.5 million affected by flood-ing around the country. Rescue workers struggled toreach remote mountain villages in Pakistan’s scenicNeelum valley along the Line of Control but landslideshampered efforts.

Continued on Page 13

JAMMU, India: Residents look towards threatened houses as waters from the overflowing Tawi river rage past yesterday. — AFP

Rains kill 230 in Pakistan, India

TEHRAN: A charter plane carrying 100people, including Americans, out ofAfghanistan was ordered to land insouthern Iran because of errors in itsflight plan, a Tehran-based official saidyesterday. The rare incident prompted aflurry of reaction in the United States butthe problem was solved and the aircraftheaded on to Dubai, its original destina-tion, after a few hours on the ground.“We realized that the flight informationwas incorrect and to be sure there wasno problem, we asked to pilot to land,”said Mohammad Ali Ilkhani, head of theIranian Airports Organisation.

Flight FZ 4359, operated by flydubai,

landed at an airport in Bandar Abbas, aport city on the Gulf. The plane had earli-er left Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan,US officials said on Friday. The StateDepartment quickly refuted US mediareports that Iran had scrambled fighterjets and forced the charter plane to land.Ilkhani said airport officials had not beenaware that Americans were on board butthe plane was asked to land because itwas in Iranian airspace and there was aproblem with its route information.

“We interviewed the pilot and verifiedhis flight documents. The pilot acknowl-edged there had been errors.

Continued on Page 13

Iran forces plane to land

KUWAIT: Children head to school in this file photo. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Schools start the new aca-demic year today by welcoming 638,496students in both public and privateschools including 82,646 kindergartenand 54,410 elementary students, withthe expectation of traffic jams returningto the streets despite preventive meas-ures announced by the interior ministry.

Statistics by the planning depart-ment at the ministry of education onthe 2014/2015 school year show thenumber of students in public schools is360,845 and 252,779 students in private

schools. The number of learners at liter-acy centers is 20,308, 2,801 students areundergoing religious education andspecial needs schools have 1,763 stu-dents.

Assistant Undersecretary for PublicEducation Khalid Al-Rashid said resultsof the second round tests wil l beannounced on Sept 13, 2014, while con-firming that public schools (803schools) are ready to receive studentsafter construction works are completeand air conditioners installed. — Al-Rai

Back to school!

DUBAI: A Bahrain court ruled yesterday that promi-nent rights activist Maryam Al-Khawaja be kept behindbars for an extra 10 days despite a UN call for herrelease, her lawyer said. The Bahraini co-director of theGulf Centre for Human Rights, who also has Danishnationality, was arrested for assaulting a police officerafter arriving at Manama airport on Aug 30. Her lawyerMohammed Al-Jishi told AFP the judge ordered thatKhawaja be kept in custody on that charge.

In a hearing held in the judge’s office, and attendedonly by Jishi and a Danish diplomat, Khawaja insistedthe charges against her were “vindictive and fabricat-ed”, according to lawyer. Her arm in a sling, she coun-tered by accusing police of attacking her at the airport.Jishi said Khawaja had to see a doctor during her cus-

tody due to her apparenttrauma. If convicted,Khawaja could face a max-imum of two years in jail,Jishi said.

On Friday, the UnitedNations called for Bahrainto release Khawaja, amember of the islandkingdom’s Shiite majorityand the daughter ofprominent opponentAbdulhadi Al-Khawaja. Hewas jailed for life follow-

ing 2011 protests against authorities in the Sunni-ruledstate across the Gulf from Shiite Iran. RavinaShamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN HighCommissioner for Human Rights, said Friday theagency was “seriously concerned” that Khawaja hadbeen arrested. “We urge the government to takeimmediate steps to release Ms Khawaja and all humanrights defenders and individuals detained for thepeaceful exercise of their rights,” she said in a state-ment.

Khawaja has been very active abroad in criticisingBahraini authorities since the crackdown in 2011 onShiite-led protests that took their cue from Arab Springdemonstrations demanding democratic reforms.

Continued on Page 13

VENICE: Director Roy Andersson shows his Golden Lion for the best film for hismovie ‘A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence’ during the awards cer-emony of the 71st edition of the Venice Film Festival yesterday. — AP

VENICE: Swedish director RoyAndersson’s film “A Pigeon Sat on aBranch Reflecting on Existence”, a seriesof comedic sketches exploring thehuman condition, won the Golden Lionfor best movie at the Venice film festivalyesterday. The eccentric film, which fea-tures salesmen flogging novelty items,singing bar women and a sex-mad fla-menco dancer, was hailed by critics inVenice for its distinctive look and movingexploration of what it means to behuman.

Collecting the prize, Andersson toldthe audience in English that he had beeninspired by Vittorio De Sica’s 1948“Bicycle Thieves” - an emblem ofNeorealism filmmaking - particularly thescene in the pawnshop, because thecharacter “discovers Rome’s poor”. “It’s ahumanistic scene, it ’s true empathy.That’s what a movie should be,” he said.US actor Adam Driver, from the HBOseries “Girls”, won best actor for his por-trayal of a desperate father trying to save

his baby son’s life in Italian SaverioCostanzo’s New-York based tale “HungryHearts”. Italian actress Alba Rohrwacherwon best actress for her performance inthe same film, where she played a moth-er who believes her child is a ‘chosen’ onebut risks killing him with her love.

The Grand Jury prize went to JoshuaOppenheimer’s powerful “The Look ofSilence”, his second documentary on theIndonesian genocide, in which the broth-er of a murdered man confronts hiskillers. “Adi made this film because hewanted to meet the perpetrators andhave them accept what they’d done sohe could pardon them,” Oppenheimersaid by video link about the protagonistof his work. The only person in the docu-mentary who accepts responsibility,however, is the daughter of an ageingmurderer. “We in the West should followthis daughter ’s example of dignity,acknowledge our own role in the geno-cide and our collective responsibility forthese crimes,” Oppenheimer said. — AFP

Swedish film winsVenice Golden Lion

Bahrain extends activist custody

Zainab Al-Khawaja

L O C A LSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

NEW YORK: The upcoming UN honoring of His Highnessthe Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for hisglobal humanitarian work will be a recognition of Kuwait’sextraordinary partnerships with the United Nations andother international organizations, a senior UN official saidyesterday. Kuwait has recognized the importance of sup-porting the global humanitarian effort through the part-nerships it developed, the Undersecretary forHumanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief CoordinatorValerie Amos told KUNA.

Amos said that, for the last five years, Kuwait had hostedtwo regional donors’ conferences on Syria which had reallygrown in importance, adding that the GCC nation hasraised billions of dollars to support the Syrian refugees anddisplaced.

The UN official affirmed that the donors conferenceswere very successful, leading the establishment of a topdonors group, countries and organizations who have givenUSD 50 million plus. The group holds regular meetings inKuwait to make sure the resources raised are being spentwith transparency, accountability and reports.

Leading the Arab Group, Kuwait pushed the issues ofIraq, Gaza, and Syria, keeping them high on the globalagenda not only seeking for a solution to the humanitarianconsequences of regional conflicts, but also boostingefforts for political solutions, she said.

Kuwaiti diplomats to the UN in both New York andGeneva have been very active in working with their col-leagues and the UN system in terms of keeping thoseissues high on the agenda, along with the support that hasbeen given -not only financially- but also in terms of part-nership with our work, she added.

The spread of ISIL across Syria and Iraq has made thedelivery of urgently needed humanitarian suppliesextremely difficult, yet the contribution made by Kuwait to

the Iraq has been of significant benefit to the UN, in termsof ability to get as much aid in.

The UN official also took a chance to thank Kuwait for itslatest USD five million donation to World HealthOrganization (WHO) in order to tackle the Ebola outbreak.

Source of prideMeanwhile, Mohammad Al-Hashel, Governor of the

Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK), said that naming HH theAmir as “global humanitarian leader” and Kuwait as a “glob-

al humanitarian hub” is a great source of pride.Naming HH the Amir and Kuwait is well-deserved due

Sheikh Sabah’s efforts, initiatives, and humanitarian work,Al-Hashel told KUNA. He also praised the role of HH theAmir and the long list of humanitarian initiatives and con-tributions which helped millions around the globe.

The Information Ministry’s permanent celebrations com-mittee is coordinating efforts with both the Foreign Ministryand the office of the UN permanent representative to mergecelebrations at the UN on September ninth. — KUNA

UN hails Kuwait as ‘extraordinary partner’

Valerie Amos Mohammad Al-Hashel

UNHRC tackles humanrights in Arab world

GENEVA: The United Nations Human Rights Council’s 27thsession, scheduled to begin tomorrow, will tackle humanrights issues in Arab countries, said Kuwait’s permanentenvoy at the UN.

Ambassador Jamal Al-Ghunaim told KUNA the 47-mem-ber body will hear a presentation by the Commission ofInquiry on human rights violations in Syria and a reportabout the same issue in the occupied Palestinian territo-ries, Iraq, Sudan and Somalia.

Assigned experts will address the session, due to pro-ceed till September 28, on human rights affairs in Ukraine,South Sudan, North Korea, Central Africa, Cambodia andSri Lanka.

“Kuwait deals with these files in line with its foreign poli-cy bases,” Ghunaim said in part, underscoring the veryharsh conditions in the occupied territories as well as thedeteriorating human rights situation in other regionalcountries such as Syria and Iraq.

Conferees will have a chance to get acquainted withplanned approach of the new UN High Commissioner forHuman Rights, Zaid Ra’ad Bin Al-Hussein, the first Arabserving in the senior post.

The session will witness dialogues with 19 experts inhuman rights, namely the rights of old people, indiscrimi-nation, impact of hazardous waste on the rights issue,boosting democracy through fair governance, the right toattain development and peace.

Seminars, to be held within framework of the session,will address internet privacy along with related topics.

The council was established in 2006. The current sessionis headed by Gabon. — KUNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Consul General in Hong Kong and MacauKhalid Al-Mutairi discussed yesterday with Assistant ExecutiveDirector of Hong Kong Trade Development Council Raymond Yip,ways to develop trade cooperation between the two countries.

Yip said that there were opportunities to increase tradeexchange between the two countries in a number of fields,including trade of food commodities and fish, Al-Mutairi toldKUNA via a phone call. He also stressed the need to raise the levelof trade cooperation with Hong Kong through the exchange ofexperiences and increase the volume of trade exchange, Al-Mutairi added. The Assistant Executive Director confirmed thatthe council has more than 40 branches worldwide to developtrade between Hong Kong and various countries around theworld. He also added that these branches provided businessopportunities for companies that take Hong Kong as headquarter.

Strengthening economic relationsMeanwhile, members of Kuwait-Vietnamese Parliamentary

Friendship Committee discussed Friday with Vietnamese parlia-mentary Foreign Affairs Committee chairman and officials fromVietnam Union of Friendship Societies on ways to strengthenbilateral relations.

Kuwait-Vietnamese Parliamentary Friendship CommitteeChairman MP Khalil Abdullah said in a telephone call with KUNAthat the Vietnamese chairman of Foreign Affairs Committeeasserted during their meeting on the need to strengthen ties, par-ticularly economic relations citing volume of trade at about USD800 million. Kuwait is involved in an oil refinery projects inVietnam.

MP Abdullah noted also that the Vietnamese MP expressedhope that such meetings and visit would boost bilateral relationsand lay the foundation for good cooperation between the twoparliaments. He said he handed over a formal invitation on behalfof Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim to theVietnamese counterpart Nguyen Sinh Hung.

Meanwhile, MP Abdullah said that the other meeting with offi-cials from the Vietnamese Union of Friendship Societies havetouched on the consolidation and strengthening of relationsbetween the peoples of the two countries.

MP Abdullah added that the goal of this meeting was also topromote and activate bilateral agreements signed previouslybetween the two nations, namely in the public and diplomaticsectors. The Kuwaiti delegation also include MPs Ahmad Lari,Adnan Abdulsamad and Faisal Al-Duwaisan — KUNA

Kuwait-Hong Kong meetingdiscusses trade cooperation

MPs meet Vietnamese counterparts

KUALA LUMPUR: Consul General Khalid Al-Mutairi (left)with Assistant Executive Director of Hong Kong TradeDevelopment Council Raymond Yip. — KUNA

Mashhad willingto lend expertise

MASHHAD: Mashhad city is willing to lend its expert-ise to Kuwait on all possible levels, Mayor of MashhadSolat Mortazavi said.

Speaking at meeting with a Kuwaiti delegation ofjournalists and other figures late Friday, Mortazavi saidthat Mashhad was willing to share its experience withKuwait in all possible domains, namely the transporta-tion, the media, and tourism domains.

Members of the delegation, including Adnan Al-Rashed, the mission’s coordinator, Mohammad Al-Sanousi, a former minister of information and KawtharAl-Jawaan, a lawyer and chief of the Kuwaiti Women’sDevelopment Institute, expressed mutual interest indeveloping relations with Mashhad city, noting thatthey would convey this message to officials back inKuwait.

Importat stepMeanwhile, Cultural Attache at Iran’s Embassy in

Kuwait Dr Abbas Khamayar lauded the Iranian-Kuwaitifriendship league, saying that its formation is regard-ed as an important step to bolster relations.

In a statement to KUNA, he wished that the four-day visit of the Kuwaiti media delegation to Mashhadwould give impetus to bilateral relations especially atthe popular level.

Khamayar pointed out that the delegation foundthat Iran has a great civilization, indicating that Iranianreligious, economic and cultural capabilities areregarded as an additional support to Kuwait and allstates in the region.

The delegation, which included senior officials, meta number of Iranian officials, NGO prominent figuresand media people.

The name Mashhad comes from Arabic, meaningthe place of martyrdom, the place where Ali ar-Ridha(Persian, Imam Reza), the eighth Imam of ShiiteMuslims, was martyred and so his shrine was placedthere.

Mashhad is the second most populous city in Iranand is the capital of Razavi Khorasan Province. It islocated in the northeast of the country close to theborders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its popula-tion was 2,772,287 according to the 2011 populationcensus. It was a major oasis along the ancient SilkRoad. — KUNA

KHARTOUM: Sudanese Foreign Minister AliKarti received a letter yesterday fromKuwait’s First Deputy Prime Minister andForeign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-KhaledAl-Hamad Al-Sabah dealing with Arabissues and coordination for bolstering jointArab action.

The message was handed over to minis-ter Karti by the Kuwaiti Ambassador in

Khartoum, Talal Al-Hajri, who affirmed toKUNA after the meeting with the ministerthat Kuwait, as current chairman of theArab summit, would seek strengtheninginter-Arab action trough continuous con-tacts with the Arab states.

He added that his talks with the ministerdealt with economic, cultural and humani-tarian issues of common concern. — KUNA

AMMAN: A Kuwaiti media delegationmet yesterday with its Jordaniancounterpart where they discussed awide range of issues centering onmedia cooperation between the twocountries, officials from both sidestold KUNA.

The Kuwaiti delegation’s visitcomes within the mutual interests ofboth Kuwaiti and Jordanian mediapersonnel to get to know one anoth-er up close and to establish long-ranging ties among themselves, saidKuwait’s Ambassador to Jordan DrHamad Al-Duaij, in a statement toKUNA.

He added that cooperation ofboth countries on media affairs haverecently taken a turn for the best andthis visit by the Kuwaiti delegation isa further testimony to that.

The visit comes also upon thedirectives of the Kuwaiti Minister ofInformation Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah to increase con-tacts with the Jordanian state radioand TV establishment with the objec-

tive of exchanging expertise with it inthe realm of broadcasting and pro-ducing programs, said head of theKuwaiti delegation Mohammad Al-Awash, assistant secretary for mediaservices at the ministry of informa-tion.

He said what came out of today’smeeting was bilateral agreement toexchange radio and TV programs andpersonnel visits.

The Director of Jordanian Radioand T V establishment RamadanRuwashda, who was present attoday’s meeting, told KUNA that bothsides agreed to exchange literary andmusic-based radio and TV programsas well as to produce joint works ofdrama and soap operas.

He said more such agreements willmaterialize when a Jordanian mediadelegation visits Kuwait in Decemberto attend the general assembly meet-ings of The Arab States BroadcastingUnion (ASBU). He praised the mediacooperation between his country andKuwait. — KUNA

Sudanese FM receivesKuwaiti message

KHARTOUM: Ambassador Talal Al-Hajri (left) with Sudanese Foreign Minister AliKarti. — KUNA

GCC parliaments discuss laws unificationKUWAIT: Representatives of legislative and legal affairs com-mittees at Arab Gulf legislatures meet today in Muscat to dis-cuss laws unification among GCC states, Kuwaiti Parliament’sLegislative and Legal Affairs Committee stated yesterday.

The meeting also aims at unifying laws related to GCCGeneral Secretariat such as labor and trade laws, as well assecurity laws and measures among GCC States, MP MubarakAl-Harees, Chairman of the committee told KUNA.

Kuwait, represented by Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem, stands behind the idea of holding this meeting ascurrent president of GCC, Al-Harees said. — KUNA

Jordanians, Kuwaitismeet on media matters

KUWAIT: First Deputy Prime Minister andForeign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah arrived in Cairo yesterday toattend the 142nd Arab foreign ministersmeeting, slated for today and tomorrow.

Sheikh Sabah was accompanied by seniorofficials, including Sheikh Sabah’s office man-ager Ambassador Sheikh Dr Ahmad NasserAl-Mohammad Al-Sabah.

Upon his arrival, Sheikh Sabah wasreceived by Kuwaiti Ambassador to EgyptSalem Al-Zamanan and Kuwait’s PermanentDelegate to the Arab League AmbassadorAziz Al-Dihani.

Syrian oppositionMeanwhile, Secretary General of the

National Coalition of Syrian Revolution andOpposition Forces, Nasr Al-Hariri, announcedthat the coalition will take part in the meet-ing, to be held at Arab League headquarters

in Cairo. The President of the NationalCoalition Hadi Al-Bahra is to speak at theLeague’s ministerial meeting, presided byMauritania, Al-Hariri told reporters followinghis meeting with League’s Secretary GeneralNabil Al-Araby.

He unveiled that he discussed with Al-Araby recent developments in Syria, in addi-tion to the UN Security Council (UNSC)Resolution (2171) on conflict prevention andoutcome of NATO summit in Wales on Friday.

On taking the Syria seat at the ArabLeague, Al-Hariri said that the coalition didnot take Syria’s seat at the pan-Arab organiza-tion as it has no recognized government or aforeign ministry.

He also said that Al-Araby informedthe coalition that it is entitled to partici-pate at League’s meetings and not totake a seat according to Kuwait summit’sresolution. — KUNA

FM in Cairo for Arab League meetingSyrian opposition to participate

CAIRO: Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah is received upon arrival inCairo yesterday. — KUNA

Mubarak Al-Harees

Ambassador Jamal Al-Ghunaim

L O C A LSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: The Philippines’ largest airline Cebu Pacific (CEB)is now flying thrice weekly from Kuwait to Manila.Philippines Ambassador to Kuwait Lamberto Monsantoinaugurated the maiden flight that departed Kuwait at 4:40am on Wednesday. On Thursday evening, a ‘gala night’ was

organized at Sheraton Hotel to thank their partners inKuwait and introduce Cebu Pacific and explain its services.Monsanto welcomed the historic entry of the biggestbudget airline in the Kuwaiti market which could ease pas-senger traffic from this part of the world.

“Congratulations Cebu Pacific - Filipinos has been wait-

ing for this great moment,” said Monsanto as he openedthe gala night. “Some of us have to go to Dubai or otherneighboring countries to travel to the Philippines. Yourentry with a non-stop flight will be very rewarding toFilipinos,” he asserted. Monsanto said Cebu Pacific’s it willhelp not just Filipinos, but other expatriate and local travel-ers who wish to visit the Philippines. “It will help us in pro-moting the Philippines as a remarkable tourism destina-tion and promoting cultural and commercial exchangesbetween the two countries,” the ambassador mentioned.

CEB’s thrice weekly flights from Kuwait to Manila departat 4:40 am (Kuwait time) and arrive in Manila at 7:20 pm(Manila time) every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. CEBflights from Manila to Kuwait depart at 9:30 pm (Manilatime) and arrive in Kuwait at 3:10 am (Kuwait time) everyTuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Cebu Pacific is the only airline offering non-stop flightsfrom Kuwait to Manila. CEB flights to Manila utilize brandnew Airbus A330-300 aircraft with a configuration of 436all-economy class seats. It offers fast and convenient same-terminal connecting flights for guests taking advantage ofCEB’s extensive Philippine network.

Ghazi Yousef Abdul Lateef Al Abdul Razzak, Chairman ofthe Caesars Group of Companies, also welcomed CEB andstressed that Cebu Pacific’s entry will surely boost tourismby Kuwaitis and will encourage other expatriates to visitthe Philippines. “Most of Kuwaitis do not know much aboutthe Philippines as a tourist destination. There are plenty ofbeautiful resorts over there, but are quite far from the capi-tal. With Cebu Pacific coming to us here, it will boosttourism in the Philippines,” he opined. “The challenge nowis not about the passengers - we have the support ofFilipinos - but to sell the Philippines as a tourism destina-tion. We have lots of chances and possibilities to make thishappen, and we need the help of other travel agencies tomake our wishes come true,” he said.

Since Cebu Pacific is a budget airline, passengers mayopt to purchase baggage allowance, seat selection, inflightWi-Fi connectivity and hot meals. In his presentation, AlexReyes, General Manager, Cebu Pacific Long Haul Division,told attendees the airline’s services can be purchasedonline. “We are proud to offer the fastest, most affordableway for Filipino expatriates to come home. Through CebuPacific’s direct, non-stop service, travelers from Kuwait candiscover all the best that the Philippines has to offer, andenjoy CEB’s trademark lowest fares,” Reyes, said

The airline also took delivery of its third Airbus A330-300 this year. The brand-new Airbus-A330 arrived at theNinoy Aquino International Airport in Manila on Sept 2,2014. With this delivery, CEB now operates five wide-bodyAirbus A330 aircraft for its long haul operations. CEB is alsoset operate flights from Sydney to Manila four times a weekfrom Sept 9. CEB’s longhaul division operates direct, non-stop flights from Manila to Dubai, Kuwait and Sydney.

For bookings and inquiries, guests can go to www.cebu-pacificair.com. The latest seat sales can also be found onCEB’s official Twitter (@cebupacificair) and Facebook pages.CEB’s 51-strong fleet is comprised of 10 Airbus A319, 28Airbus A320, 5 Airbus A330 and 8 ATR-72 500 aircraft. It isone of the most modern aircraft fleets in the world.Between 2014 and 2021, Cebu Pacific will take delivery of11 more brand-new Airbus A320, 30 Airbus A32lneo, and 1Airbus A330 aircraft. Also in attendance at gala night werePhilippine Consul General Raul Dado, Consul JabbarAdiong and Vice Consul Sheina Tesorero.

CEB boosts tourism, culture and commercial exchange

Cebu Pacific flying direct,non-stop flights to Manila

KUWAIT: Ambassador Monsanto poses here with Cebu Pacific and Caesar Travel. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Lamberto Monsanto

Ghazi Y.A.L.Al Abdul Razzak

Alex Reyes

Kuwait partakes ininvestment forum

KUWAIT: The FirstInvestment Forum washeld September 4-5 inthe Dominican Republicwith Kuwait representedby Ambassador to Cubaand non-resident toDominican Bader Al-Awadhi. President of theDominican Republic,Danilo Medina, openedthe forum which focusedon tourism industry ofthe Dominican, saidAmbassador Al-Awadhi ina press release.

Ambassador Awadhisaid that the Kuwaiticompanies and privatesector were keen attract-ing investment from therepublic of Dominicanespecially in the fields oftourism, real estate, and

industries. The forum gave participants a clear picture of allavailable investment opportunities in the Republic and the eco-nomic environment provided by the government to attractinvestment, the ambassador said.

Meanwhile, Awadhi held bilateral meetings on the sidelinesof the forum with a number of officials from the Ministry ofForeign Affairs of the Dominican, discussing issues of commoninterest. —KUNA

GCC healthmeeting in Kuwait

KUWAIT: The GCC Health Ministries under-secretaries meeting will be held in Kuwaittoday with important issues on the agenda,such as unifying mechanism for abroad treat-ment in Gulf states and the combat of theEbola virus being on the agenda, saidMinister of Health Dr Ali Al-Obaidi yesterday.

In a press release, the minister said thatother issues concerning unifying health careprocedures for Gulf citizens would be dis-cussed , adding that GCC measures to counterthe Ebola outbreak would be touched uponduring the meeting. It is important to holdsuch meetings to unite the GCC health carefront, affirmed the minister who indicated thatthe meeting would contribute to the develop-ment of health care in the region. — KUNA

Dr Ali Al-Obaidi

Ambassador Bader Al-Awadhi

L O C A LSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

CrimeR e p o r t

Changing name a ‘nightmare’ in Kuwait

CrimeR e p o r t

Prosecutor has right to reject request

No injuries in scrap fireFire broke out in the wood scrap area in Amghara,so occupational, Jleeb and backup fire centersresponded. The fire, which covered an area of 1,000square meters, was contained and kept fromspreading further. No injuries were reported.

Man killed inhighway crash

Burn injuriesA citizen accused an owner of a beauty salon ofleaving her with burn injuries, and submitted amedical report to support her claim. A securitysource said the woman said that the salon owneradvertised a herbal product claiming it strengthenshair roots and prevents hair fall. She said shebought the product for KD 65, and after few days ofuse, she discovered that she had patches of burnedhair. Investigations are underway. —Al-Rai

DUIPolice in Maidan Hawally arrested three citizens for pub-lic drunkenness when they were driving at dawn errati-cally. The suspects were referred to the proper authori-ties to face charges.

Maid accused of theft

A citizen in his thirties accused his domestic workerof stealing KD 230 from his room when she enteredto clean it. The housemaid denied any wrongdoing,and detectives are working on the case.

Missing wife located

A Salmiya police patrol arrested a man and a womanwho was reported missing by her husband more than amonth ago. Both were under the influence of alcohol.Police called her husband, who told them he haddivorced her after she left the house, and denied anyrelation with her. Police informed her family that shewas found, and sent both to criminal evidence to testthe level of alcohol in their blood.

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: Some people decide tochange their name as they are not sat-isfied with the one given to them bytheir parents. Others want to add thename of their family or tribe. Somenon-Arab expats are also forced tochange or correct their names in offi-cial documents due to a mistake intranslation and spelling, as their origi-nal documents are not in Arabic.

Changing the name of her daugh-ter was a nightmare for Americanexpat Jane, who spent a lot of timerunning from one department toanother just to fix a mistake of theemployee who issued the birth certifi-cate of her daughter. “They wrote herfamily name wrong and I couldn’tissue her civil ID, so we filed a case incourt. This certificate is only for Kuwaitas I issued her American one too. Thenwe traveled, and during that periodthe case was brought to court, whichblocked my husband from enteringthe country. He was then obliged tosign the papers for this change. It wasa mess, and without wasta (connec-tions) we wouldn’t have been able tofinish this complicated case that wasnot our fault in the first place,” she toldKuwait Times.

In order to change the name, a per-son has to file a case of ‘changing

name’ at the ‘names correction prose-cution’ department in Hawally. “Thisdepartment is in charge of this issuefor people from all governorates.Usually when people want to changetheir name, the prosecutor checks iftheir original name is common or not.

If it’s a strange or unknown name, theprosecutor will easily change it. But ifhis name is a common one, the prose-cutor may refuse the change. I tdepends on the decision of the prose-cutor and his assessment,” said attor-ney Hussein Al-Asfour.

If the change demand is refused bythe prosecution, then the applicantcan file a case in court. “People havevarious reasons for changing theirname. So they can still insist in chang-ing their name even if the prosecutorrefuses. After the case is over and thechange is approved, the names ofpeople who demanded the changewill be published in the officialgazette Al-Kuwait Al-Yawm, and theycan receive their new documentsfrom the birth and death recordsdepartment of the Ministry of Health,”he explained.

The majority of name changingcases are for adding the family name.“The majority of clients filing such cas-es are Kuwaitis, especially of tribal ori-gins whose tribe name is not men-tioned in their civil ID. This mostlyhappened in 1962 when theyobtained Kuwaiti nationality and wereonly registered with four names with-out the final family name,” stressedAsfour. “In order to file such a case, theapplicant has to bring the IDs of all hisfamily members and they have tosupport his demand. I don’t think anymember will refuse if the case is notrelated to money. The prosecution willinvestigate and research old docu-ments to make sure the applicant real-ly belongs to the family he is claimingto belong to,” he concluded.

Woman beats up hubby’s date

Offensive messages

Detectives are looking for a citizen who sent awoman in her twenties messages urging her tocommit vice acts with him. The woman complainedto police in Fahd Al-Ahmad and told them that hedid stop his messages although she asked him to,and gave them his phone number.

KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti woman began punching a womanas soon as she saw her with her husband at a restaurant.When the husband failed to stop the fight, he left theplace. A security source said the wife found her hus-band with the woman by accident in a Salmiya restau-rant, so she attacked her. Police were called in and tookboth women to Salmiya police station.

KUWAIT: The two vehicles involved in yesterday’sfatal accident.

Lawyer Hussein Al-Asfour

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: An accident took place on King Fahd Roadnear Um Al-Haiman. Abdullah Port fire departmentresponded and discovered a fatality, and they contact-ed concerned authorities.

KUWAIT: The detained attackers in a picture made available by the Interior Ministry yesterday.

KUWAIT: The Security Information Department said in astatement about an attack on an officer and a non-commis-sioned officer from the northern borders’ security by a groupof suspects who attacked them with sharp objects and stolesome security objects, as the suspects refused to stay awayfrom the restricted area.

The statement said that criminal detectives arrested 5 sus-

pects including the main suspect, while the rest of the sus-pects are being sought. The arrested suspects gave detailedconfessions about the attack and injury of the two securitymen severely with sharp objects that were found and kept asevidence. The statement said the interior ministry and its menare protected by law and cannot be attacked in any shape orform, and any such attack will be met with severely.

Police attackers arrested, search ongoing for accomplices

Jail inspectorarrested for

smuggling attemptKUWAIT: A jail inspector was arrested for attempting tosmuggle contraband into the women’s prison, the InteriorMinistry announced yesterday. The woman was caughtduring routine check with cigarettes that were intended tobe smuggled to female prisoners, the ministry’s JailSecurity Department said in a statement.

KUWAIT: The cigarettes that the jail inspector wascaught trying to smuggle.

By A Saleh

KUWAIT: Following the resignationsof education and awqaf ministersAhmad Al-Mulaifi and Nayef Al-Ajmirespectively more than 5 monthsago, a new scenario is being con-templated to get around parliamen-tary grilling threats and cool thingsdown.

Sources said that the govern-ment will ask Commerce andIndustry Minister Abdelmohsen Al-Mudej to take over the educationand higher education ministriespermanently, and another candi-date will be appointed at the com-merce ministry. They said this pro-posal is logical as the educationministry suits minister Mudej,besides he is facing a grilling ascommerce minister that the govern-ment does not want because it willaffect the relationship between thetwo authorities, though it is confi-dent the minister will defeat it. Thesources said Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khalid will not stay at the awqafministry to pay full attention to theinterior ministry.

Committee meetingsMeanwhile, parliamentary

sources said the “judiciary independ-ence law will be completed in thenext term as the government toldthe legislative committee it will notobstruct it. They said the law will beon top of the legislative committeepriorities in the coming period. The

committee will discuss a proposal byMP Abdulrahman Al-Jeeran that if anexpat harbors an absconder, theexpenses of his deportation fromKuwait will be borne by the personwho harbors him.

The committee will discuss thebuilding of a new airport outsideresidential areas, as well as parlia-mentary proposals to increasesalaries of state employees by 25percent who do not have specialcadre. Also, the parliamentary

health committee will hold a meet-ing to discuss the government pro-cedures to start the implementationof the health insurance law that wasapproved by the National Assemblyin its last term.

Parliamentary sources said com-mittee members and other MPswant to hasten the implementationand start calling insurance compa-nies before the end of the year, sothe retirees’ health insurance beimplemented during the first period

of 2015, in addition to includingother groups in other periods. Thesources said that MPs are disap-pointed because of the health min-istry’s slowness, and it did not tellMPs about anything it did in thisregard contrary to the promises ofminister Dr Ali Al-Obaid.

ICM discussionsIn another development, the

Islamic Constitutional Movementwitnessed heated discussions asmembers exchanged blamebecause of the movement’s situa-tion after not participating in theNational Assembly elections.Sources said discussions were overdecisions issued by SheikhMohammad Al-Khalid Al-Sabah atthe Ministry of Awqaf and IslamicAffairs that affected some leaderswho belong to the ICM, and otherdecisions will be taken that will sig-nificantly affect others. The sourcessaid members blamed the previousICM secretariat under the leadershipof Nasser Al-Sane for going alongwith the disorganized oppositionand not having a clear agenda, forwhich ICM paid the price withoutgaining anything.

The sources said that some mem-bers will ask during a general meet-ing of the movement that ICMadopt a decision and declare themovement’s participation in thenext one-vote elections because it isconstitutional according to thecourt ruling.

Mudej could step down as commerceminister, take over education

Scenario to avoid grillings

Abdelmohsen Al-Mudej

Foreign recruitment

opened soon?KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Manpower considersallowing local companies to recruit labor from outside inthe near future.

Hiring foreigners from abroad to work in the privatesector is currently closed pending a decision from the man-power authority which was formed earlier this year. No offi-cial timetable is set, as the state-owned body works oncontrols to regulate the process.

Original plans called for hiring to resume early next year,according to unconfirmed reports, but a report publishedyesterday seems to suggest that a decision could happenat an earlier date. The authority is coordinating with theCentral Statistical Commission to reopen foreign recruit-ment through a criteria that does not negatively affectKuwait’s demographic structure, Al-Watan reported quot-ing informed sources.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the sourcesadded that the plan is to start issuing new work permits tocompanies in all sectors instead of a list of twenty whereissuance is currently limited. The sources did not provide aspecific date for when a decision is expected. “There arecontinuous meetings in order to reach results that servethe country’s best interest,” they said.

Several companies had complained of lack of skilledworkers in the labor market, and made their demands clearregarding the need to recruit workers from outside.

Traffic coordinationMeanwhile, the same sources said that the authority

launched cooperation with the Interior Ministry’s GeneralTraffic Department to establish connection between theirrespective databases, in order to control the issuance of carownership documents. The measure can help preventmanipulation in this field, the sources explained.

In addition to setting foreign recruitment controls, themanpower authority also holds discussions to determineits main tasks that are said to include sponsoring the expa-triate labor forces in Kuwait, while phasing out the flawedkafala (sponsorship) system in the process. - Translatedmaterial from Al-Watan was used in this report.

Stateless residentsreceive driving

licenses KUWAIT: Authorities have granted up to 1,140 drivinglicenses to illegal residents in first six months of 2014.

The driving permits were issued in coordinating withthe traffic department of the Ministry of Interior, saidAbdullah Al-Farhan, the information director of the CentralApparatus for Illegal Residents Affairs, in remarks to KUNA.

The period between January first and end of June wit-nessed issuance of 1,140 licenses for the illegal residents,he said, indicating that Al-Jahra topped the districts, with658 permits.

He has affirmed that this segment of the society is enti-tled to apply for the driving license, with approval of thecompetent authorities. —KUNA

L O C A LSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

Refinery blaze Protecting students Peaceful protestKUWAIT: MP Dr Abdullah Al-Turaiji sent questions toMinister of Oil Dr Ali Al-Omair about recent accidentsreported at refineries operated by the KuwaitNational Petroleum Company (KNPC). The lawmakerasked about last week’s fire at the sulfur warehousein Ahmadi refinery, the reason it took days before itwas extinguished and precautionary measures takento prevent similar fires that he said happen everysummer. — Al-Qabas

KUWAIT: MP Dr Abdurrahman Al-Jeeran urged studentsto launch a ‘new era’ of education in Kuwait at the start ofthe school year, and focus on ‘protecting students fromforeign ideologies.’ To do that, Jeeran said teachersshould ‘anchor Islamic values and social traditions’ withinstudents, side by side with improving their educationalattainment. — Al-Qabas

KUWAIT: Former opposition MP Musallam Al-Barrakreiterated Kuwaitis’ constitutional right of publicdemonstration, saying that the idea of requesting alicense from the government to hold a protestagainst its practices is ‘illogical.’ The outspoken oppo-sitionist urged protesters to keep their demonstra-tions peaceful, and called authorities to ‘honor inter-national treaties’ that ban crackdowns on peacefuldemonstrators. — Al-Watan

Photoo f t h e d a y

KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti saqqar (falconer) poses with a rare albino falcon at a local function. Practiced for generations, falcon training remains a popular hobby in the Arabian Gulf region today. Trainers breed and train fal-cons on hunting smaller birds, mainly the houbara; another native bird of the Arabian Peninsula. The term Saqqar comes from the Arabic word ‘saqr’, which means falcon. — Photo by Joseph Shagra

NBK organizes healthawareness program

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) organizesa health awareness program for its employees. Theprogram aims to increase the employees’ aware-ness towards avoiding health problems, includingbreast cancer awareness, dental checkup, consulta-tions and advice in order to raise awareness abouttheir health.

“The health awareness program comes as partof a comprehensive agenda aiming at building up ahealthy lifestyle among NBK employees focusingon raising awareness on serious health threats”,said Yaqoub Al-Baqer, NBK Public Relations Officer.

Baqer added “The Health awareness program isheld under the supervision and direction of spe-cialized doctors who constantly follow up with theemployees and monitor their progress.”

This program includes breast cancer awarenessthat aims at protecting female staff against breastcancer by encouraging them to go through med-ical checkups. The nutrition campaign offers a dietplan to achieve the per fect weight for eachemployee and raising awareness about seriousthreats caused by being overweight, in addition tothe awareness day on eye care, examination ofhealthy eyes and the treatment of eye diseases.

NBK strongly supports health care awareness.Throughout the years, NBK also organized severalsocial awareness programs including blood dona-tion drives and breast cancer awareness cam-paigns.

Solo drama awardKUWAIT: The Thought and Creativity Center announced the 4thsession of the Dr Haifa Al-Sanousy Annual Monodrama Award,which encourages Kuwaiti writers to engage in the art of mon-odrama writing. Monodrama is considered one of the finest formsof theater, and one of the hardest when it comes to writing, saidDalal Al-Hubaishi, head of the center’s cultural committee.

Participants are required to hand over their works before aDecember 15th deadline, Hubaishi said. She added that the win-ner will be awarded with a KD 500 cash prize and a memorialplaque during a special ceremony.

The Thought and Creativity Center was established in 2012 asa nongovernmental organization that encourages creativity inacademic and field research. — KUNA

Yaqoub Al-Baqer

Dr Haifa Al-Sanousy Dalal Al-Hubaishi

L O C A LSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

You may be the reason or the originator, and you maybear the result without knowing what the reasonsare. But in all cases, the cause remains, which is our

case today is “disturbance”. The majority have been com-plaining from “short breath” because of annoyance,whether the source is people in your life or at work. It mayalso come from stagnation that we see in our daily life andthe issue remains suspended without solutions on how toremove the source.

Let us start with the definition of the reason, which areknown according to dictionaries as anxiety and annoyance,and out of those terms, we find that there is action and reac-tion, and understanding that will lead us to remove the rea-sons and stay away from the source. Our example today willbe about one place that the human being feels most annoyedin - at work, regardless of the place. You find many employeeshit with anxiety when they head to work in the morning, andthat anxiety comes from the annoyance of their colleagues,superiors or patrons. The treatment stage starts here as well asthe removal of the state of anxiety from oneself.

Our words may somewhat be philosophical, but theyare objective, because of what we see all day from such cas-es of anxiety in our government departments, and here we

go back to our example, and how to deal with the link inwhich so much anxiety intertwines with annoyancebetween the two sides. The first is the employee, and thesecond are the reasons that are making him anxious. If yoursuperior is the reason of your annoyance, smile at him, andspeak with him calmly, and if this does not work, ask for atransfer to get your comfort.

If the reasons of the annoyance are coming from yourcolleagues, try to get close to them, and if this does notwork, go along with their talk, laughs, or get them to yourside with your generosity through breakfast or sweets youbring with you, and make this a habit, not just once. It wassaid in proverbs “feed the mouth and the eye will be shy”.

If the reasons behind your annoyance are your patrons,deal with them like you do with your family. Greet themwith a smiling face and good words, because this bringspsychological calmness for you and them. If this does notwork, do not be disturbed and ask them to return the nextday to receive the transaction, and here ends our examplewhich took us to search for the reasons to solve the cause,not freeze it and pile in your mind.

In conclusion: Why fear? There is no reason for that. —Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Anbaa

Cause of disturbancekuwait digest

By Nermin Al-Hoti

“As the international media is fixated onthe struggle between the military andthe Muslim Brotherhood, few reporters

are focusing on Syria. But a spate of kidnappingsof foreign journalists in Syria has made the coun-try a mini-Iraq that few want to venture into. ‘It’sdangerous and getting worse by the day,’ says acorrespondent for a major Western publication. Ifno one is asking for articles, why should we riskit?” - One of Steven Sotloff ’s final reports for TheMedia Line news agency, July 30, 2013. Sotloff waskidnapped in Syria about a week later.

If Steven Sotloff could express his frustrations,no doubt atop the list would be that the worldthat, post-mortem, is hanging on every word hewrote, failed to read his stories and heed his warn-ings several years before.

As a freelance journalist, Steven Sotloff was inthe Middle East by choice rather than by assign-ment. Driven there by his fascination with theregion and affection for its people, Sotloff, whowas fluent in Arabic, quickly developed an uncan-ny sense not only of what was, but what wasgoing to follow as well. He traced the evolution ofthe jihadi takeover of Syria and Iraq; the spawningby Al-Qa’ida of the Nusra Front and the IslamicState; all while chronicling the early steps towardthe carving-out of the ISIS caliphate and the dan-gers it presented to the Western world. When themedia world was focused on Libya, Steve wasthere, writing about Darna, calling it “the Jihadicapital,” and already admonishing that “the Libyandilemma will impact the Syrian crisis.” He warnedin a personal email that “voices of support forintervention will be drowned out.”

Fearless journalistSotloff f irst came to The Media Line - an

American news agency covering the Middle East -in 2009. His pitch for full-time employment didn’twork out because I felt his need to travel through-out the region and not be assigned to a singlebeat. But in 2012, Sotloff reached-out again afterhe had spent time living in Bahrain, Egypt, Libya,Qatar and Yemen; and became a freelancer for TheMedia Line, reporting from Egypt, Libya, Turkeyand Syria; filing insightful stories that eerily pre-dict today’s headlines.

Sotloff was fearless to the point where heappeared to believe he would not be harmedbecause potential foes would somehow sense hisattachment to the Arab world and its people. InJanuary 2013, in answer to a query regarding

women’s involvement, Sotloff wrote from Aleppo,“Movement in general is becoming more difficult.Three Spanish journalists were kidnapped out ofthe media center. The situation is now hostile toWesterners since our governments are not involv-ing themselves. We are now restricting movementonly with fighters we trust. They certainly won’t betaking us to any weddings and women’s gather-ings. Just having an Aleppo byline these days is aluxury. Open to suggestions, though. Imams aredo-able.”

In true journalistic fashion, Sotloff eschewedthe desk for the street. Syrians returning fromTurkey were reporting that the US was preparedto fund anti-Assad rebels, but Sotloff was quotingSyrians who were asserting that, “We don’t needfood; we need weapons. Where are our weapons?”

In May 2013, Sotloff wrote that, “Syria’s peaceful

revolution has become a military inferno.” Twomonths before he went missing, he wrote a storyabout Syrian activists and their Friday demonstra-tions. “With the rebel-led Free Syrian Army lockedin a stalemate with regime forces, Al-Qa’idajihadists pouring in from neighboring countries,and lootings and kidnappings prevalent, Syriansare trying to figure out what went wrong withtheir pristine revolution.” He quoted 28-year oldMazin Al-Masri lamenting, “We had so much hopewhen we began protesting, but today we feel ourpeaceful revolution has been hijacked by gang-sters and jihadists.”

In one of Sotloff ’s final stories written for TheMedia Line, he wrote about a four-day Syrian-American medical conference in Gaziantep,Turkey, where American physicians conducted aworkshop for Syrian doctors training them in theuse of computerized equipment in trauma cases

and cases of limb-loss. He struggled successfullyto obtain video, and had difficulty transmittingquality film due to intermittent Internet.

Going into SyriaOn August 2, Sotloff communicated with me for

the last time from the Turkish border-town of Kilis,discussing the dangers of going into Syria. Iwarned him not to trust his “fixer” (the local mak-ing the introductions and guiding his way), butSotloff insisted that he did. Sotloff said a few jour-nalists were still going in and that it was his hopeto return and write a book about his experiences.

Shortly thereafter, Sotloff dropped off the radar.Threatening to go public to whomever might bereceiving Steven’s emails, I finally heard from ananonymous organization seeking his release whotold us of the abduction and that a gag order (ofunexplained jurisdiction) was in place.Subsequent conversations with parents Arthurand Shirley Sotloff and others close to the familyconfirmed the worst of fears even though it is stillnot known what group originally pulled-off thekidnapping. What is certain is that Sotloff eventu-ally wound up in the hands of ISIS, perfectly-timeto be used in its ghastly anti-American demonstra-tion.

For more than one year, our utmost concernbeyond Steven’s ultimate safety was that it not bediscovered that he held dual US-Israeli citizenship.The consequences, all concerned agreed, wouldbe a windfall for his captors that would prove irre-sistible.

Sotloff grew up in south Florida and afterattending University of Central Florida, movedIsrael in 2008 where he enrolled in theInterdisciplinary Center at Herzliya.

Many months were to pass before Art Sotloffconfirmed that Steven was still alive. But only twoweeks ago, when the world witnessed the horrificspectacle of James Foley’s beheading and sawSotloff displayed as the “next victim” did concernthat his Israeli connections become known sky-rocket.

Steven Sotloff was a courageous journalistwhose insights were clearly “on-the-mark.” Hisreadings of events-at-hand and events-in-the-making constitute a sounding of the alarm that noone answered. Perhaps the mass outpouring overhis barbaric slaying will prompt the sort of actionthat would be worthy of Steven Sotloff’s contribu-tion to civil society.

—The Media Line

Sotloff’s unanswered alarm about ISin my view

By Felice Friedson

Al-A

nbaa

In May 2013, Sotloff wrotethat, “Syria’s peaceful revo-

lution has become a mili-tary inferno.” Two monthsbefore he went missing, hewrote a story about Syrianactivists and their Friday

demonstrations.

The aim of subsidizing basic goods and state-provid-ed necessary services is to ensure that certain socialcategories duly receive them, namely those with

medium and low incomes. Government subsidies arebecoming very necessary to reduce the disastrous effectsof a fluctuating market and injustice in distributing wealthand income, because without strict regulations and gov-ernment subsidies, only those who already get highincome and possess their own fortunes would be able toget basic goods and services. Things, of course, get worsewith inflation and price increases that have very negativesociopolitical impacts on the society and the state as awhole.

The government has been talking for long about itsintention to stop subsidizing basic goods and services.Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh recently stated that thegovernment intends turning product subsidies into cashones to be directly given to needy citizens as part of agovernment strategy to resolve financial and economicimbalances.

Though the minster said that the reason behind shift-ing to cash subsidies is the low efficiency of the currentsubsidization system, he did not explain how such a pre-sumption was reached, especially since product subsidiesare far much better than cash for two reasons. The firstreason is the difficulty of determining all the categoriesthat deserve cash subsidies. The second reason is the pos-sibility that cash subsidies that are subject to marketdemand and supply rules may drop, and accordingly,those getting them may not be able to purchase their nec-essary needs.

Anyway, even if we assume that the government willbe capable of administrating the cash subsidies despitethe lack of modern, developed administrative equipments,highly qualified manpower and a huge budget such aprocess requires, the state budget imbalances will not befairly resolved by only focusing on subsidizing basic goodsand necessary services. This issue has to be given top pri-ority at a time when other major structural shortcomingsare being neglected and ignored.

—Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Jarida

Subsidizations between cash and goods

kuwait digest

By Dr Bader Al-Daihani

The United States knows and also announcesthat terrorist organizations receive financesupport from Arab regimes, and of course,

Arab oil regimes are in the forefront, with which theUnited States is working hard these days to form aninternational alliance against terrorism, with itsbase being the states and regimes of these thestates and regimes of countries that are officiallyaccused by the United States and internationalmonitoring systems for financing terrorism!

How can the United States put its hands in thehands of those who just recently put millions in thehands of Nusra or IS?! Maybe they are desperatebecause this is the best there is. The real danger ofterrorism makes the United States strike an alliancewith the devil to face it. Then if this is the case, whythe hesitance towards supporting Egypt? And whywork on the other side to topple the Syrian regime,which is the only Arab regime in the region that ispractically and tragically preoccupied with receiv-ing terror hits?!

I do not imagine that American administrations,with all the research, eavesdropping and intelli-gence, do not know the continued cooperationbetween some establishments and Arab regimes, itsrich people and some organizations the UnitedStates is getting ready to charge with claims of ter-rorism. So it is clear that the Americans are dream-ing of finding means to tame terrorism, or at leastpreoccupy it with the region’s domestic issues, orthey may think that they can return the genie intothe bottle and place it under control as the case wasin the last decades of the previous century.

I think this is like the hope of Satan to enterheaven - because the terrorist organizations, afteryears of support and financing, became independ-ent to a certain extent from traditional financialsupport. It is a fact that religious initiation andteaching that were practiced by most Arab regimesand forced in the region for decades resulted in theexistence of popular powers that support terrorismwith conviction and belief. This makes it difficult tocontrol these popular powers, or even convincethem to shrink their supplies to terrorism and ter-rorists.

The genie is out of the bottle, multiplied andspread, and it is no longer possible to control ordirect it, so the United States can only face the truthwith terrorism, and maybe face its allies in fightingit instead of cooperating with them.

—Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Qabas

Pampered child is out of control

kuwait digest

By Abdellatif Al-Duaij

By Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net

Human rights at stake

It is indeed a tough time for human rights activists, espe-cially those in conflict zones like Iraq and Syria, areasthat turned into open theatres for daily massacres and

abductions at the hands of Islamic State. Women, men andchildren of all ages and religions are being subjected to allkinds of torture, rape and humiliation. Moreover, ISbeheaded American journalist James Foley last month andothers in front of the whole world with no real action beingtaken by anyone, not even their own governments.

Does that make human rights at stake and will we everwitness an end of this nightmare called IS? Hello! This is aglobal threat and no one should think he/she is safe. So far,it is clear that some of the IS murderers are not Arabs, butcame from other countries and settled in an area wherethey can release all their craziness against innocents.

What did Western governments do? So far nothing -not even when the US watched its citizens executed infront of cameras! I’m from the Middle East and I know thatcondemning and expressing angry statements meansnothing in reality. In the Arab world, it is common for pow-ers to kill or jail people but the fact that the US and UKwatched their people slaughtered like sheep and did noth-ing but make statements is a shame and history books willremember this. Amnesty International accused IS of ‘ethniccleansing’ in Iraq and I cannot agree more. It is a crimeagainst humanity with thousands of innocents simply dis-appearing or shot to death.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Mesar made astatement that we should not underestimate the role ofEuropean fighters in IS in Syria and Iraq. One dissident fromIS expressed fears of the possibility that Western fighterswould commit terrorist operations in the United States andWestern Europe. Such a claim is logical.

The administration of President Obama announced anintention to form a coalition of 10 countries, includingGermany, to fight IS. The Republican leaders are callingObama to present a comprehensive plan to Congress toconfront this terror group. This means more people will getshot in the head and beheaded until this coalition isformed. While politicians are considering their options andchoices, human rights will be violated, and more humanswill die because of their miscalculation.

Letters to Muna

Dear Muna,Greetings to you!

I thought I needed to pen a short note of appreciationin specific response to your religious wars’ piece in theKuwait Times. I believe what you wrote was important forpeople to hear, and as always I feel you give a vital voice,and I wish people would hear what you say and respondaccordingly. Please accept my thanks and deep gratitude.

You mention the European religious wars and theyserve to remind us all have far people can move away fromthe ideals, instructions and intent of the original goals or inthis case words of Jesus. How hard is for Christians toremember “Blessed are the peacemakers!” or “Love as Ihave loved!” but sadly we do to our shame. I’m reminded inthe prophetic book of Revelation John records his vision ofJesus and his sad indictment on the church at Ephesus,“You have forgotten your first love!” Many say they aredoing something in the name ofGod/Allah/Jesus/Church/Islam etc, and clearly they are not!They have forgotten and moved far from the purpose offaith. Thank you for highlighting such important mattersand challenging us readers!

May God continue to work in your life and bless you.Stewart

Local spotlight

Regional conflicts’ solutions

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

A child of Guatemala seeks seat in Congress

Page 9

Iraq welcomes US plan for coalition against ISPage 8

NAIROBI: A handout file picture released by the Kenyan presidency shows a destroyed section of the Westgate mall on Sept 26, 2013. — AFP

MOGADISHU: Somalia’s Al-Qaeda-linkedShabab rebels yesterday confirmed theirleader Ahmed Abdi Godane has died in a USair strike, their first official comment on hisfate since the attack. In a statement posted onjihadi forums, the rebels announced theappointment of Ahmad Umar to replaceGodane and renewed their pledge to Al-Qaeda, the private terrorism monitoringgroup SITE said yesterday. “The Shabab leaderhas been killed by a US drone on Monday,alongside two other comrades,” the Shabab’smilitary spokesman Abdulaziz Abu Musabtold AFP in a brief statement.

On Friday the Pentagon confirmed thatGodane, the leader of Al-Qaeda’s main affiliatein Africa, was killed in a Monday attack inwhich US drones and manned aircraft rainedHellfire missiles and laser-guided bombs on agathering of Shabab commanders. US officialsdid not specify how Godane’s death was con-firmed, but in similar cases in the past, USintelligence agencies have tested DNA sam-ples and used information gleaned fromeavesdropping.

“Avenging the death of our scholars andleaders is a binding obligation on our shoul-ders that we will never relinquish nor forget nomatter how long it takes,” SITE quoted theShabab statement as saying. “By the permis-sion of Allah, you will surely taste the bitterconsequences of your actions ...” The group alsorenewed its pledge of allegiance to Al-Qaedachief Ayman Al-Zawahiri, according to SITE.

Earlier, Somalia’s government warned yes-terday of a wave of retaliatory attacks byShabab rebels. The Horn of Africa nation’spresident also offered Shabab fighters achance to lay down their arms and seize on a45-day amnesty, telling them governmenttroops and the African Union’s AMISOM forcewere on the brink of overrunning their territo-ry.

Somalia’s national security minister said hebelieved Shabab were now bent on revenge.“Security agencies have obtained informationindicating that Al-Shabab is now planning tocarry out desperate attacks against medicalfacilities, education centres and other govern-ment facilities,” Kalif Ahmed Ereg toldreporters. “The security forces are ready tocounter their attacks and we call on people tohelp the security forces in standing againstviolent acts,” he said, adding nevertheless that“we congratulate the Somali people” on

Godane’s death. Godane had been fighting to overthrow

the war-torn country’s internationally-backedgovernment, carrying out a wave of suicidebombings, brazen commando attacks, assassi-nations and kidnappings. Godane, 37, whoreportedly trained in Afghanistan with theTaleban, had also overseen the group’s trans-formation from local insurgency to majorregional guerrilla threat, widening the group’sreach with attacks in countries that contributeto AMISOM. He claimed responsibility for theJuly 2010 bombings in the Ugandan capitalKampala that killed 74 people, and the groupalso claimed the Sept 2013 massacre in theKenyan capital’s Westgate mall, a four-dayseige in which at least 67 people were killed.

Reacting to Godane’s death, KenyanPresident Uhuru Kenyatta offered his “heart-felt thanks” to the United States for “finallyallowing us to begin our healing process”. Hesaid the operation had provided “a smallmeasure of closure” for victims of theWestgate attack.

‘Chance to Embrace Peace’ In Washington, White House spokesman

Josh Earnest said Godane’s demise represent-ed “a major symbolic and operational loss tothe largest Al-Qaeda affiliate in Africa”. US offi-cials did not specify how Godane’s death wasconfirmed, but in similar cases in the past, USintelligence agencies have tested DNA sam-ples and used information gleaned fromeavesdropping. The State Department hadlisted Godane as one of the world’s eight topterror fugitives, and a top US intelligence offi-cial said there was no obvious successor in thewaiting.

“He was a strong leader of Al-Shabab... andhad basically taken care of rivals pretty effec-tively,” said Matthew Olsen, director of the USNational Counter-Terrorism Center. The groupis deeply divided and “there are a number ofpotential candidates” who could succeedGodane, Olsen told reporters, adding it will becrucial to “keep up the pressure” - with ana-lysts unsure of the group will do next. “It is toosoon to declare the demise of Al-Shabab, butthe group will now face difficult decisionsabout how to replace a brutal but effectiveleader,” said Joe Temin of the US Institute forPeace.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamudsaid the death was “a chance for members ofAl-Shabab to embrace peace”. “While anextreme hardcore may fight over the leader-ship of Al-Shabab, this is a chance for themajority of members to change course andreject Godane’s decision to make them thepawns of an international terror campaign,” hesaid. He said the government was “willing tooffer amnesty to Al-Shabab members whoreject violence and renounce their links to Al-Shabab and Al-Qaeda - but for the next 45days only”. “Those who choose to remainknow their fate. Al-Shabab is collapsing,” heasserted.

The strike against Godane came days afterAfrican Union troops and Somali governmentforces launched “Operation Indian Ocean”, amajor offensive aimed at seizing key portsfrom the Shabab and cutting off one of theirkey sources of revenue: multi-million dollarexports of charcoal. AU forces are targetingShabab on several fronts, with Ugandantroops leading the offensives against themain port of Barawe, south of Mogadishu.Ugandan army spokesman Paddy Ankundaalso told AFP that his forces had given “theintelligence that enabled the decisive target-ing” of Godane. — AFP

Shabab appoint new leaderGroup confirms Godane dead • Somalia on high alert

An undated and unlocated file handout pic-ture provided by US website ‘Rewards forJustice’ shows slain Shabab leader AhmedAbdi Godane. — AFP

I N T E R N AT I O N A LSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

CAIRO: In this image made from video broadcast on Egypt’s state televi-sion President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi speaks in a nationally televised pro-gram yesterday. —AP

BAGHDAD: I raq yesterday welcomed USPresident Barack Obama’s plan for an interna-tional coalition against jihadists as a “strongmessage of support”, after repeatedly callingfor aid against the militants. Obama outlined aplan at a NATO summit Friday for a broad coali-tion to defeat the Islamic State (IS) jihadistgroup, which led an offensive that overranchunks of five Iraqi provinces in June and alsoholds significant territory in neighbouringSyria. International concern has been buildingfor some time over IS - which has carried outnumerous atrocities including killings, kidnap-

pings and attacks on minorities in areas it con-trols in Iraq and Syria.

But the beheading of American journalistsJames Foley and Steven Sotloff, which ISclaimed, have sparked significantly more out-rage in the West than its other abuses, provid-ing increased impetus for action against it. TheUnited States has sent military advisers to Iraqand launched a campaign of air strikes againstthe jihadists, while it and a string of othercountries have promised arms for Iraqi Kurdishforces battling IS militants.

Obama said regional involvement was“absolutely critical” for the anti-IS effort,although the State Department added therewere “no plans” for military coordination withIran in the fight. “We’re going to degrade and

ultimately defeat (IS),” Obama said. He saidthere was “unanimity” among NATO membersthat the group “poses a significant threat”. ButEuropean allies of the United States, while sup-portive of Obama’s initiative, were more cau-tious.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebaripraised Obama’s remarks as a strong responseto Baghdad’s long-standing appeals for aid.“We welcome that, and we have repeatedlycalled on our international partners for helpand support because this threat is a very dead-ly threat... not only to the people of Iraq or the

region, but to Europe, to America, to NATO,”Zebari told AFP yesterday. “This is basically ourfight... but we need the support-our capacity islimited, and we need the support to enhanceour capacity.

“Nobody’s thinking of any ground troops atthis stage - they are calling for air support, fortactical support, for arming the forces on theground, like the (Kurdish) peshmerga, the Iraqisecurity forces, and also to provide... intelli-gence, reconnaissance,” said Zebari.

Syrian Air Strikes American officials were quick to distance

the process of forming an anti-IS coalition fromthe heavily-criticised “coalition of the willing”that was formed ahead of the 2003 US-led

invasion of Iraq. “When we talk about what weare doing today, in no way do we want toresemble anything that was done in 2003,”State Department spokeswoman Marie Harfsaid. “We’re certainly not using that playbook.”

Yesterday, Syrian air strikes in the jihadist-held northern city of Raqqa killed 31 people,15 of them IS fighters. Syrian warplanesbombed a bakery run by IS in the air raids thatalso hit a major training camp used by theinsurgent group for a second day running, agroup monitoring the war said. The air strikeson Raqqa, Islamic State’s stronghold some 400km northeast of Damascus, also hit a buildingused as an Islamic court, and another of thegroup’s offices, the Syrian Observatory forHuman Rights said.

Rami Abdulrahman, founder of theObservatory, said the bakery was run by themilitant group. In a headline bar, Syrian stateTV said army units had destroyed weapons andammunition stores used by Islamic State fight-ers in Raqqa, “eliminating a number of themand wounding others in a number of areas”. Itgave no further details. Raqqa is the mainSyrian foothold of Islamic State. The group hasbeen overseeing most aspects of civilian life inthe city including bakeries, banks, schools,courts and mosques.

Washington has said that operations in Syriawill be needed to defeat IS, but has thus farruled out any cooperation with the govern-ment in Damascus. Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime carried out a bloody crackdownon opponents of his rule, sparking a civil warthat has destroyed cities and provided fertileground the rise of jihadists.

In Iraq, IS militants shot dead two doctorswho allegedly refused to treat jihadists and awoman who ran for parliament earlier this yearin the northern city of Mosul, a morgueemployee and witnesses said. Mosul was thefirst city to fall to the initial IS-led militant drivein June, which swept Iraqi security forces aside.Baghdad won its first major victories of theconflict when federal troops, Shiite militiamenand Kurdish fighters broke a months-longsiege of one town on August 31 and thenretook other nearby territory.

In the town of Sulaiman Bek, which hadbeen held by IS since June but was retaken onMonday, Kurdish fighters and Shiite militiamendiscovered mass graves containing 35 bodies,an officer and a doctor said Friday. It was notclear when the killings took place, as the townnorth of Baghdad has fallen from governmentcontrol several times this year. —Agencies

Iraq welcomes US plan for coalition against IS

Syrian warplanes hit bakery, training camp

MAKHMOUR, Iraq: A Kurdish peshmerga fighter waves a Kurdish flag at a combatoutpost on the outskirts of this city. —AP

CAIRO: In a nationally televised speech yester-day, Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi askedthe public to be patient and grasp the extent ofthe challenges facing the country following amassive power outage that struck the capitaland other cities. The hours-long power outageon Thursday, which halted the Cairo subway andknocked TV stations off the air, was a hugeembarrassment for the government, and offi-cials struggled to offer a coherent explanation toan angry public.

The failure of Sisi’s predecessor, IslamistPresident Mohamed Morsi, to address regularsmall-scale power outages contributed to thepublic anger that built up during his year inpower and culminated in massive protestsdemanding his ouster. Sisi, who was militarychief at the time, removed Morsi from office inJuly 2013. Less than a year later, Sisi ran for office,winning by a landslide and promising to restorelaw and order and improve daily life after threeyears of turmoil following the 2011 uprising thattoppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

Authorities have meanwhile cracked downhard on Morsi’s supporters since his ouster andimprisonment, detaining and sending thou-sands of people to trial, killing hundreds in streetclashes and effectively banning most publicdemonstrations through a draconian protestlaw. The Brotherhood denies it is behind a risingwave of violence since Morsi’s ouster that hasmainly targeted police and military. Radicalgroups have claimed the attacks, saying they areavenging the death and jailing of protesters.Egypt’s security woes are compounded by aneconomy that is reeling from three years of

unrest and decades of mismanagement. Sisi ranon a ticket focusing on economic improvement.

In his half-hour speech yesterday, Sisi said hisgovernment is working to eradicate the threat ofterrorism, but he focused his “heart-to-heart” onThursday’s power outage, which he said was themost severe blackout in the country since the1990s. The Thursday outage halted the capital’ssubway, disrupted airport operations, took TVstations off the air and left entire cities withoutelectricity for hours. Sisi said it was largely due tocrumbling infrastructure that needs billions ofdollars and time to fix. He estimated the countryneeds about $12 billion over five years toupgrade and build new power plants to meetincreasing demand, adding that he is alreadyreaching out to investors. “Why am I telling youthis?” Sisi said, speaking off the cuff from hisoffice in colloquial Arabic. “We must know this isnot going to happen overnight.” Sisi said heunderstood the public’s frustration but beggedfor patience. He said he wants to engage thepublic so as not to be taken to task in a year’stime for lack of results.

“I am talking now to remind myself and toremind each other that we said we had manyproblems, and we said we will treat themtogether,” he said. “Please be patient. You mustbe sure that we will overcome all this but not ina month or two or three.” Sisi said saboteurswere partially to blame for some of the recur-rent power cuts, saying they aim to “stir thepublic’s anger”. Government officials haveaccused Morsi supporters of aggravating thepower crisis through loyalists in the electricitysector. —AP

Egypt president asks for patience over power cuts

LAGOS: When Nigeria’s new chief ofdefence staff was appointed earlierthis year, he promised a swift end tothe deadly violence being waged byBoko Haram Islamists. “If we do ourwork cohesively, I can tell you we willfinish that thing (the counter-insur-gency) in no time,” Air Marshal AlexBadeh said at his investiture on Jan20. Eight months on, Boko Haramlook stronger than ever, havingseized towns and villages in Nigeria’snortheast at a rate which has drawncomparisons to Islamic State mili-tants’ rapid gains in Iraq.

The military in contrast seems farfrom cohesive: Some soldiers havereportedly refused to deploy, com-plaining they are ill-equipped to fightthe better-armed rebels. Hundreds ofothers are said to have shoulderedarms and fled their posts; salarieshave reportedly gone unpaid; andsoldiers left without proper food.The military denies the claims. OnThursday, US Assistant Secretary ofState for African Affairs LindaThomas-Greenfield warned that theworsening security situation must bereversed. “The reputation of Nigeria’smilitary is at stake,” she told a bilater-al security meeting in Abuja. “Butmore importantly, Nigeria’s and itschildren’s future is in jeopardy.“Failure is not an option.”

‘It is Shameful’ Africa’s most populous nation and

leading economy also has one of itslargest militaries. There are 80,000personnel on active ser vice and82,000 paramilitaries, according tothe International Institute of SecurityStudies’ “The Military Balance 2014”.Out of this year’s federal budget of4.962 trillion naira ($30 billion, 23 bil-lion euros), 968 billion naira or nearly20 percent went to defence - thehighest since the 1967-1970 civil war.Boko Haram is estimated to havebetween 6,000-8,000 fighters and islargely reliant on criminality for fund-ing and looting the places it attacks,including military barracks.

Why the militants appear to havethe upper hand has left manyNigerians baffled and politiciansdemanding answers. “This is not themilitary that we used to know,” saidone former officer, who participatedin Nigeria’s first military coup in Jan1966. “How can a ragtag group of dis-sidents overpower trained Nigeriansoldiers? It is shameful,” he told AFP.“Our military are just wallowing inself-denial.”

Years in the Making? Nigeria’s military woes are all too

predictable for some. Former armygeneral-turned-lawmaker AhmedSaleh believes the rot set in after afailed coup attempt against militaryruler Ibrahim Babangida in 1990.Babangida got rid of experiencedsenior officers and handed more con-trol to the military high commands inAbuja, leading to “decay” in the ranksin terms of training and skills, he said.Frontline operations were impossiblewithout weapons and ammunitionshortages, he was quoted as sayingin Nigeria’s media on Friday. “Wehave a duty to rebuild the armedforces and unless we understandthese basic facts, we are not goinganywhere,” he added. The IISS saidthat despite refit and repair programsin recent years, much of Nigeria’sdefence equipment is “unfit to bedeployed for prolonged periods oftime”.

Procurement has not focused oncounter-insurgency while analystsblame widespread graft and man-agement fai lures for the lack ofimprovement, despite the increases

in defence spending. Some reportshave said less than $100 million ofthe nearly $2 billion defence budgetactually gets to deployed troops.Ryan Cummings, chief Africa analystwith Red24 risk consultants, said thefact that members of Nigeria’s “anti-Boko Haram” unit - the 7th infantrydivision - had refused to deploy wastelling. It showed “just how poorlythe insurgency is being addressedfrom a military perspective”, he said.

Demoralising Effect Virginia Comolli , a West Africa

security and extremism specialist atthe IISS, said she was unsurprisedthat the military was demoralisedand struggling to defeat Boko Haram.The better equipped rebels weregaining confidence and beginning tofight more like a conventional army,“intimidating (and possibly) over-whelming.. . the soldiers battlingthem”, she added. Rights abuses,including extra-judicial killings, arbi-trary detention and torture, havemeanwhile eroded civilian trust inthe military, losing them a vital intel-ligence asset. —AFP

Nigeria military under fire over Boko Haram response

Iran never agreed to nuke deadline

VIENNA: Iran said yesterday it never agreed to a deadline to provide answerson its controversial nuclear program, after the UN atomic watchdog accusedTehran of failing to deliver on time. “Iran had warned the International AtomicEnergy Agency that because of the complexity of the issues, implementing allfive points by August 25 was not possible,” said Behrouz Kamalvandi,spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, quoted by state newsagency IRNA. “The IAEA was aware of this,” he said. “We do not have any com-mitment on a date... But we have always said we will try to deliver all the clarifi-cations as soon as possible.”

The Vienna-based IAEA said Friday Iran had failed to meet an Aug 25 deadlineto provide information on five points to allay concerns it was developing nuclearweapons, something it denies. Not answering the long-standing questions overthe allegations could harm the chances of a potentially historic deal betweenIran and world powers focused on Tehran’s current activities. New talks betweenIran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germanyare due to resume in New York on Sept 18 ahead of a Nov 24 deadline. Themooted deal, after a decade of rising tensions, would kill off fears that Iran mightuse its nuclear facilities - which it says are for peaceful purposes - to developatomic weapons. To do this the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France andGermany want Iran to scale back its nuclear program in exchange for relief frompainful sanctions. Vital to the deal is the IAEA’s probe into what it calls the “possi-ble military dimensions” of Iran’s atomic program - work on developing a nuclearweapon that the watchdog suspects took place before 2003 and possibly since.

In May, Tehran agreed to exchange information on large-scale tests of explo-sives that could be used in a nuclear bomb, and calculations on the size of anuclear explosion. It is these two areas that Iran has so far failed to provideanswers, with the IAEA saying Friday that the two sides had merely “begun dis-cussions”. —AFP

I N T E R N AT ION A LSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

ARRIAGA, Mexico: The Salvadoran migrant was try-ing to skirt new police patrols in southern Mexicowhen a band of criminals shot him in the neck. WithMexico cracking down on a tide of illegal crossingsat its southern border with Guatemala, CentralAmerican migrants like Albert have to take new, andin his case riskier, routes to hide on their trek to theUnited States. The authorities are now stopping afreight train known as “The Beast” that migrantshave been riding for decades on their way northdespite the risk of deadly falls on the tracks.

The new measures were announced in July afterthe United States declared a humanitarian crisis dueto a surge of unaccompanied Central American chil-dren who have been caught at the US-Mexico bor-der. For Albert and two relatives, this cat-and-mousegame led to a near fatal run-in with a band of crimi-nals as they headed to Arriaga, a town in the state ofChiapas known as a transit point for CentralAmericans heading north.

Recuperating at the Good Pastor Shelter formigrants in the nearby city of Tapachula, Albert, a

29-year-old who refused to give his last name,recounted his near-death experience. His group washiding away from the train tracks when they wereambushed by criminals who wanted to take $70 offhis pockets. “We wanted to avoid immigration offi-cials but didn’t expect we would run into criminals,”Albert said, relieved that he managed to escape theassailants alive.

‘Things Got Ugly’ An estimated 200,000 migrants cross Mexico’s

southern border every year and face the risk ofextortion, kidnapping and even murder at the handsof drug cartels and other criminals on their waynorth. Authorities say they deported some 6,000Central Americans in August. The Mexican govern-ment says the new measures seek to protectmigrants who risk their lives on top of The Beast. USofficials say fewer unaccompanied children havebeen caught at the US-Mexico border in the pasttwo months. Migrants and workers at shelters sayagents from the National Migration Institute and sol-

diers have been operating in Arriaga since earlyAugust, often at night. “Things got ugly, withmigrants running everywhere, on the train tracksand into modest hotels” along the railway, said ahotel manager. El Salvador has asked Mexico’sNational Human Rights Commission to investigatean Aug 6 operation in which 25 girls, 16 women andeight men were detained, said the Salvadoran gen-eral consul in Chiapas, Herbert Guzman.

“They were taken violently, treated like criminals,without being explained why they were detained,”Guzman said, adding that they were denied immedi-ate consular aid. Some said they were struck withstun guns and others claimed their money wasseized, the consul said as he fielded a steady streamof calls and reviewed documents in his small con-sular office.

‘Fighting Fear’ The road between Arriaga and the Suchiate River,

which serves as a natural border between Mexicoand Guatemala, is patrolled by immigration police

vehicles that indiscriminately stop buses to checkpapers of migrants. Some migrants now trek acrosshills for days instead of taking speedier drives toavoid a second customs control 60 km from the bor-der. Three other migration posts and a militarycheckpoint have also been installed to review vehi-cles. The Misericordia Migrant House in Arriaga hasreceived around 40 percent fewer migrants in recentweeks than in June, said its director, Carlos Bartolo.The crackdown has made it more expensive to travelnorth, with smugglers demanding $9,000 for thejourney, Bartolo said. “It’s a question of supply anddemand,” he said. Last week, only 50 migrants wait-ed to board The Beast compared to the hundredswho normally hitch a ride. “It’s hard getting here.There’s a fistful of checkpoints,” said a 37-year-oldHonduran man whose feet were red and swollenfrom walking barefoot to Arriaga in the bushesunder a storm. Melvin Humberto, a Honduran, ranbetween the tropical vegetation to hop on thefreight train in the dead of night. “Even with fear wewant to get to the United States,” he said. — AFP

Migrants try to skirt Mexico crackdown

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama hasdecided to delay any executive action on immigra-tion until after the November congressional elec-tions, abandoning his pledge to act on the issue bythe end of summer, White House officials said. Themove instantly infuriated immigration advocateswhile offering relief to some vulnerable Democratsin tough Senate re-election contests. Two WhiteHouse officials said Obama concluded that circum-venting Congress through executive actions onimmigration during the campaign would politicizethe issue and hurt future efforts to pass a broadoverhaul.

The officials, who spoke on the condition ofanonymity to discuss the president’s decisionbefore it was announced, said Obama made hisdecision Friday as he returned to Washington froma NATO summit in Wales. They said Obama called afew allies from Air Force One and informed them ofhis decision, and that the president made morecalls from the White House yesterday. The officialssaid Obama had no specific timeline to act, but thathe still would take his executive steps before theend of the year. In a Rose Garden speech on June30, Obama said he had directed Homeland SecuritySecretary Jeh Johnson and Attorney General EricHolder to give him recommendations for executiveaction by the end of summer. Obama also pledgedto “adopt those recommendations without furtherdelay.” Obama faced competing pressures fromimmigration advocacy groups that wanted promptaction and from Democrats worried that actingnow would energize Republican opposition againstvulnerable Senate Democrats. Among those consid-ered most at risk were Democratic Sens Mark Pryorof Arkansas, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and KayHagan of North Carolina who represent states car-ried by Republican Mitt Romney in the 2012 presi-dential election.

Obama advisers were not convinced that anypresidential action would affect the elections. Butthe officials said the discussions around the timinggrew more pronounced within the past few weeks.Ultimately, the advisers drew a lesson from 1994

when Democratic losses were blamed on votes forgun control legislation, undermining any interest inpassing future gun measures. White House officialssaid aides realized that if Obama’s immigrationaction was deemed responsible for Democraticlosses this year, it could hurt any attempt to pass abroad overhaul later on.

Political WillImmigration advocates blasted Obama and

Senate Democrats over the decision, saying bothhave shown a lack of political will. “We are bitterlydisappointed in the president and we are bitterlydisappointed in the Senate Democrats,” said FrankSharry, executive director of America’s Voice. “Weadvocates didn’t make the reform promise; we justmade the mistake of believing it. The president andSenate Democrats have chosen politics over peo-ple, the status quo over solving real problems.”

Cristina Jimenez, managing director of UnitedWe Dream, said the decision was “another slap tothe face of the Latino and immigrant community”.“Where we have demanded leadership and couragefrom both Democrats and the president, we’vereceived nothing but broken promises and a lack ofpolitical backbone,” she said. Partisan fightingerupted recently over how to address the increasedflow of unaccompanied minors from CentralAmerica at the US border with Mexico. The officialssaid the White House had not envisioned such abattle when Obama made his pledge on June 30.Obama asked for $3.7 billion to address the bordercrisis. The Republican-controlled House ofRepresentatives, however, passed a measure thatonly gave Obama a fraction of what he sought andmade it easier to deport the young migrants arriv-ing at the border, a provision opposed byDemocrats and immigration advocates. In the end,Congress adjourned without a final bill. The numberof unaccompanied minors caught illegally crossingthe Mexican border into the United States has beendeclining since June. That decrease and Congress’absence from Washington during August has takenattention away from the border for now.

Larger DebateStill, the dispute over how to deal with the surge

of Central American border crossers threatened tospill over into the larger debate over immigrationand the fate of 11 million immigrants in the UnitedStates who either entered illegally or overstayed theirvisas and have been in the US for some time. TheDemocratic-led Senate last year passed a broad over-haul of immigration with support from someRepublicans that boosted border security, increasedvisas for legal immigrants and a provided a path tocitizenship for immigrants illegally in the country. Butthe Republican-controlled House balked at acting onany broad measure and House Speaker JohnBoehner informed Obama earlier this year that theHouse would not act in 2014. That led Obama todeclare he would act on his own by issuing executiveorders. During a news conference Friday in Wales,Obama reiterated his determination to act on hisown even as he avoided making a commitment ontiming. He also spelled out ambitious objectives forhis executive actions.

Obama said that without legislation fromCongress, he would take steps to increase bordersecurity, upgrade the processing of border crossersand encourage legal immigration. He also said hewould offer immigrants who have been illegally inthe United States for some time a way to becomelegal residents, pay taxes, pay a fine and learnEnglish. “I want to be very clear: My intention is, inthe absence of ... action by Congress, I’m going to dowhat I can do within the legal constraints of myoffice, because it’s the right thing to do for the coun-try,” he said. The extent of Obama’s authority is a mat-ter of debate among legal experts and in Congress.Some Democrats say it would be best for Obama tolet Congress act. But pro-immigrant groups called onObama to stick to his end-of-summer deadline, andweighed in with a strongly worded appeal to him onFriday. “Being a leader requires making difficult andcourageous decisions,” said the letter, whose signersincluded the National Council of La Raza and theLeague of United Latin American Citizens. “It is yourtime to lead, Mr President.” — AP

Obama to delay actionimmigration reforms

WILTSHIRE, England: US President Barack Obama tours Stonehenge in Amesbury on Friday. — AFP

Immigration advocates infuriated

WASHINGTON: Norma Torres sees herselfin some of the Central American childrenwho have flooded into the United States inrecent months. More than four decadesago in Guatemala, Torres’ parents told hershe was going to the United States on avacation. They declined to tell her shewould not be coming back. Now 49, Torresis the favorite in a race between twoDemocratic candidates to represent a LosAngeles-area district in the House. “In manyways, I see the decision these children havemade ... like the decision my parents madefor me,” Torres said in a recent telephoneinterview. “They wanted an opportunity forme to grow up and be a successful person.”

Torres’ candidacy takes place asHispanics gain increasing political influ-ence in the United States and as Congressstruggles over how to proceed on immigra-tion policy. Hispanics make up nearly 70percent of the district that she seeks to rep-resent, and nationally, Latinos overwhelm-ingly support Democrats. But in the House,Democrats are expected to remain in theminority after the November midterm elec-tions.

Like others flowing north to the US,Torres’ family had abundant reasons toleave their home in Escuintla, a medium-size city in southern Guatemala. Her father,an electrician, already had brothers livingin the US. Her mother was gravely ill with aheart condition. The country was also inthe midst of a civil war that would kill anestimated 200,000 people. Thousandsmore disappeared and authorities werecracking down on union activity. “We hadthe idea to emigrate to improve our situa-tion, and also the political situation therewas not very clear. I was a union leader,”Torres’ father, Samuel Barillas, now living inCalifornia, said in Spanish.

At the time, Barillas said, children had lit-tle trouble traveling to the United States.Torres received a temporary visa and livedwith her uncle in Whittier, California. Sheoverstayed that visa, but her family helpedher obtain legal residency while she was inher teens. She became an American citizenin the months leading up to the 1992 presi-dential election. After sending her to theUS, Torres’ parents planned for the rest ofthe family to join her. But Torres’ motherpassed away about a year after her daugh-ter left. Her father eventually traveled tothe US with a second daughter after he wasoffered a job by a cousin who had a work-

shop in Los Angeles. Torres worked for 18years as a dispatcher for the Los AngelesPolice Department and ran for local officein 2000, serving first as a councilmemberand then as mayor of the city of Pomonabefore moving on to the CaliforniaLegislature. She’s running for the congres-sional seat being vacated by Democraticfreshman Gloria Negrete McLeod andgained nearly two-thirds of the vote in thestate’s June primary. Four other candidatesdivided the rest of the vote.

‘Little Monster’During her service in the California

Senate, colleagues gave Torres the nick-name “Little Monster” for her fierce style.Her approach to the more than 66,000unaccompanied children, mostly fromHonduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, whohave been caught crossing the bordersince October, is molded in part by her ownexperiences. Torres says she agrees that theUS cannot take in all people suffering fromhardships. But she believes the children areentitled to certain legal protections as theyseek asylum.

Under existing law, youths who comewithout authorization into the US, exceptfrom Mexico or Canada, are turned over tothe Department of Health and HumanServices, and then are generally placedwith family members or others while await-ing an asylum hearing. Democrat ChristinaGagnier, Torres’ longshot opponent in thegeneral election, also supports the 2008protections. “It was an example of a biparti-san effort rooted in what America is allabout, being a global leader not just forpower, but on the humanitarian front,”Gagnier said.

Some lawmakers are skeptical that thechildren are fleeing persecution or torture.As Rep Bob Goodlatte, the Republicanchairman of the House JudiciaryCommittee, put it during a June hearing:“Apparently, word has gotten out that onceencountered by Border Patrol agents andprocessed, thanks to this administration’slax enforcement policies, one will likely nev-er be removed.” President Barack Obamasays the problem stems from a brokenimmigration system and from dangerousconditions in the children’s home countries.Torres has met with some of the childrenwho have crossed the border. “Turningthem back,” she said, “you are sending themback to a death sentence.” — AP

SACRAMENTO, California: In this Aug 28, 2014 photo, state Sen Norma Torres posesin the Senate Chambers at the Capitol. — AP

A child of Guatemalaseeks seat in Congress

Unresponsive planecrashes off Jamaica

KINGSTON: A small US private plane with an unresponsivepilot crashed off the east coast of Jamaica on Friday afterveering far off its course toward southwest Florida and trig-gering a US security alert that prompted a fighter jet escort.A New York county official said that Larry Glazer, a real-estateexecutive from Rochester in New York, and his wife, JaneGlazer, were aboard the plane. Both were killed, the officialsaid. It was not yet known if anyone else was on the plane.Search and rescue teams, including a military plane and ahelicopter, were dispatched to the crash site about 22 kmnorth of the tourist town of Port Antonio, Jamaica’s CivilAviation Authority said.

The US Coast Guard also joined the search with an HC-130 Hercules airplane and a helicopter, as well as a CoastGuard Cutter en route. “At this time we have not located theaircraft or debris,” a US Coast Guard spokesman said late onFriday afternoon. The pilot stopped responding to radio callsabout an hour after take-off from Greater RochesterInternational Airport in New York and was headed to NaplesMunicipal Airport in Florida, a spokeswoman for the FederalAviation Administration said. The single-engine, seven-seaterplane, a Socata TBM700, flew for several hours at an altitudeof 25,000 feet (7,620 m) southbound down the Florida eastcoast and south over Cuba, the FAA said. —Reuters

I N T E R N AT I O N A LSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

MARIUPOL: A picture taken yesterday on the outskirts of the key southeastern port city of Mariupol shows adestroyed tank the day after Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels signed a ceasefire in their five month conflict,which has plunged relations between Russia and the West into their worst crisis since the Cold War. —AFP

BARCELONA: Sick of drunken, naked visi-tors cavorting in the streets, residents ofone seaside neighborhood in Barcelonaare fighting back, complaining that theSpanish city has fallen victim to its owntourism success. Long popular with foreignmerrymakers, the beachside district of LaBarceloneta surged to notoriety last monthwhen newspapers published photographsof smirking tourists shopping stark nakedin a supermarket there. Local families soontook to the streets themselves in angrydemonstrations, condemning a masstourism industry that they say packs visi-tors into cheap, unregulated rental flats intheir district. “La Barceloneta rebels,” readsigns waved by the locals. “Stop mass wildtourism... My building is not a hotel.”

“It’s a daily ordeal for us. At night theplace fills up with illegal parties, peoplegetting drunk and shouting in the street. Itis disgraceful and unbearable,” said ManelSerrano, 59, pushing his mother in awheelchair at one of the demonstrations.Formerly an old fishing district, LaBarceloneta’s beachfront became one ofthe finest spots in the city when Barcelonawas renovated to host the 1992 OlympicGames. Its kept its local character however,with the same deeply rooted community

living in small houses and hanging outwashing from the balconies overlookingthe narrow streets.

Now these locals say so-called “touristapartments” are driving up housing pricesin their home district. “They are speculat-ing with the apartments and rents are ris-ing,” said Pilar Lozano, an unemployedwoman of 42. “We have lived in this neigh-borhood all our lives. We cannot allowthat.” Barcelona’s city hall has boostedpolice patrols in the district and steppedup inspections of suspected illegal flat-rentals. It has not granted any new licens-es to let out tourist flats in the centre sinceMay. “We have been working for sometime on promoting tourism but it has notbeen properly regulated until now. Nowwe are addressing that,” said SoniaRecasens, the city’s top economic official.

‘Theme park’ Barcelona’s tourism problems stretch

beyond La Barceloneta, however.Overcrowding has long afflicted the oldcentre and the areas around the SagradaFamilia cathedral and Park Guell, a pair ofstar attractions with designs by therenowned Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi.When the city polled its residents in July,

they cited tourism as their fourth-biggestworry, after unemployment, the economyand security. The number of tourists toBarcelona shot up from 1.7 million in 1990to 7.5 million in 2013 — but that figureonly includes those who stayed in licensedhotels.

The city hall puts the figure at about 27million if day-trippers and other categoriesof visitor are included-in a city with a pop-ulation of 1.6 million. “This tourism modelbased on unlimited growth is unsustain-able,” said Lluis Rabell, president of aBarcelona neighborhood association. “Itseriously alters neighborhood relationsand the lives of locals. It transforms the cityinto a theme park.” Among the worstaffected areas overall in the city are the oldGothic quarter and the Raval, near thepopular central avenue Las Ramblas,where locals have been protesting latelytoo.A professor of tourism at the CataloniaOpen University, Oriol Miralbell, warnedthat tensions over tourism in the city couldeventually put visitors off.

“A study needs to be made of howmuch tourism these areas can withstandand tourism needs to be decentralised sothat people visit other areas,” he said. SaidaPalou, author of a doctoral thesis on

tourism in Barcelona, said: “The problem isnot the number of tourists, but the factthey are concentrated in the same fewplaces. “Barcelona cannot do withouttourism because 10 to 12 percent of the

city’s economic output depends on it,” sheadded. “It brings us a lot of life and culturalwealth, but if that comes at the price ofsocial discontent, something is being donewrong.” —AFP

Barcelona locals protest against ‘drunken tourism’

BARCELONA: Residents of Barceloneta shout slogans as they protestagainst “drunken tourism” in their neighborhood in Barcelona. —AFP

KIEV: Ukraine and pro-Kremlin insur-gents appeared to be observing a truceyesterday that could stem five monthsof bloodshed but still failed to head offfresh Western sanctions against Russiaand is unlikely to quell the separatistdrive in the east. The 12-point pactsigned on Friday in the Belarusian capi-tal Minsk is the first to be backed byboth the Kremlin and Kiev since bandsof Russian-speaking militias seized astring of government buildings acrossUkraine’s industrial heartland in earlyApril.

Yet highly skeptical Western lead-ers nonetheless decided to punishRussian President Vladimir Putin for hisefforts in supporting the rebels bybeefing up sanctions on Moscow’smost crucial state firms. “The only rea-son that we’re seeing this ceasefire atthis moment is because of both thesanctions that have already beenapplied and the threat of further sanc-tions,” US President Barack Obamasaid.

But with the rebels winningnotable gains in recent days andRussia outwardly defiant over theimpact of earlier sanctions there waslittle sign the ceasefire would put anend to the eastern insurgency. Theclosely coordinated steps byWashington and the European Uniontarget Russia’s cash-generating energyand defense sectors while taking aimat the overall economy by limitingMoscow’s ability to raise funds in theWest. Obama said these measureswere needed to ensure Russian “fol-low-through” on the peace plan.

EU diplomats said their “agreementin principle on new sanctions” wouldbe officially implemented in writingon Monday. And NATO also approveda “spearhead” force of several thou-sand soldiers that would maintain a“continuous” presence in easternEuropean nations that view Putin’s

intentions with dread. “This decisionsends a clear message-NATO protectsall allies at all times,” alliance’s outgo-ing chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen saidat the conclusion of a two-day summitin Wales. The Kremlin accuses NATO ofconcocting evidence about Russia’sinvolvement in the conflict as pretextfor expanding its own presence alongRussia’s western frontier.

‘Stealth Russian invasion’AFP reporters near the latest east-

ern Ukrainian hotspots said that gunsthat had been blazing in the earlymorning fell silent when both sidesordered a halt to fire on Friday at 1500GMT. The peace blueprint-its initialterms unveiled by Putin this week aftertelephone talks with his Ukrainiancounterpart Petro Poroshenko-couldleave separatists in effective control ofa region that accounts for one-sixth ofUkraine’s population and a quarter ofits exports. It was drawn up during asurge in tensions as the rebelslaunched a lightning counter-offensivethat saw a dramatic reversal of for-tunes for the Ukrainian army. NATOsays the rebels were bolstered byheavily-armed elite forces from Russia.

The deal brokered by the OSCEEuropean security body will see bothsides start pulling back their units frommajor flashpoints and exchangingprisoners yesterday. Russia was alsoallowed to supply stricken cities withhumanitarian aid that Kiev had previ-ously opposed out of fear the convoyscould be used to smuggle arms. Butthe agreement leaves Poroshenkoexposed to charges of signing off onhis government’s surrender and failingon his May election promise to reunifythe nation of 45 million under a singlebanner of building strong ties with theWest.

Kiev had little room for manoeuvre.Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy

Yatsenyuk said the agreementrequired US and EU backing becauseKiev could “not manage with Russia onour own”. Yet Washington appears tohave little appetite to get drawn indirectly into the post-Soviet conflictand responded cooly to Yatsenyuk’sappeal. “This obviously is a ceasefirethat has to be held between Russiaand Ukraine,” US State Departmentspokeswoman Marie Harf said. “We’veobviously been in contact with theUkrainians and other parties as wellabout it, but this is really somethingthat they need to hold to themselves.This isnt about the United States; this isabout them.”

East’s status uncertainThe pact has done little to calm the

separatist passions of insurgents whoremain deeply mistrustful of thenationalist-leaning team that ousted aRussian-backed leader in February. Thefighting has killed nearly 2,800 peopleand sent at least half a million fleeingtheir homes. Dozens of towns nowstand in ruin and once-powerful facto-ries and coal mines that form the back-bone of Ukraine’s economy haveground to a halt.

Rebel envoy Igor Plotnitsky saidonly a separatist government withplans to become a formal part ofRussia had the trust of locals afterweeks of heavy shelling by govern-ment forces. “(The) ceasefire does notmean a change in our goal to splitfrom Ukraine,” Plotnitsky told reportersin Minsk. OSCE officials said the futurestatus of the self-proclaimed rebel“republics” in Donetsk and Luganskwere not discussed in Minsk. Asource close to the negotiations toldKiev’s pro-government UkrainskaPravda news site that the frameworkagreement reserves “special status forparts of the Donetsk and Luganskregions”. —AFP

Guns silent amid Ukrainian truce

West lines up Russia sanctions

BERLIN: Germany, which has for two years been Europe’sleading destination for asylum seekers, is planning totoughen its immigration laws as it struggles to deal with agrowing influx of new arrivals. While Greece and Italy havecalled for more European funding to help deal with theflow of immigrants arriving on their shores, Germany isreadying steps to tighten rules for applicants from threeBalkan states. The Bundesrat upper house of parliament isdue to debate draft legislation later this month that wouldmake it easier for authorities to deport asylum seekersfrom the formerly war-ravaged states of Serbia, Macedoniaand Bosnia-Herzegovina. Berlin says it wants to focusinstead on refugees from more dangerous warzones suchas Syria and Iraq. Lawmakers in the lower Bundestag havealready approved the measure, which is opposed byhuman rights organizations. Ministers from Germany’s 16regional states held two days of discussions on the issue,ending on Friday.

Thuringia state’s interior minister Joerg Geibert said themeasure aimed to cover asylum seekers whose request “isobviously unjustified”. After a surge in applicants in recentyears, Berlin has argued that the three Balkan states aresafe and citizens don’t face persecution, torture, arbitraryviolence, or inhumane or humiliating treatment.Chancellor Angela Merkel said efforts now needed to befocused on refugees fleeing current hotspots. “We mustwatch that we concentrate on refugees who urgently needhelp or for whom there are grounds for asylum, such aspeople from Syria,” she told the Maerkische Allgemeineregional newspaper.

‘Restrictive asylum policy’Serbs, often from the impoverished Roma minority, are

among the biggest groups of asylum seekers in Germany.Even if their requests end up being rejected, they receivebenefits while their applications are being considered-pos-sibly for several months-that often exceed what they canhope to earn back home. Petra Follmar-Otto of the GermanInstitute for Human Rights said all the measures boileddown to a “restrictive” policy on asylum law that would“seriously change the way in which one deals with peoplewho are looking for protection”.

Since the end of 2010, the number of asylum requestsin Germany has soared. For the last two years, Europe’sbiggest economy has attracted more asylum requests thanany other country in the European Union. In 2013 requestsjumped 64 percent to 127,023, according to German gov-ernment data, making up 29 percent of the total numberof requests registered in the EU.The long and bloody con-flict in Syria has seen the number of Syrian asylum requestsin Germany increase almost threefold since the start of theyear, while those from Iraqis has doubled.

Many of the refugees have made a perilous journeyacross the Mediterranean and eventually arrive in big citiessuch as Berlin where centers are already feeling the strain.Some 6,141 refugees had arrived in the German capital bylate August, more than the figure for the whole of 2013.The city has now taken the unprecedented step of closinguntil the start of next week its arrival centre for refugees,forcing them to turn to relatives or rely on charities. In oth-er German cities asylum seekers are living in gymnasiums,bus depots or in tents, as is the case in the southeasterncity of Nuremberg. The German Institute for Human Rightshas complained about conditions in some centers, whilethe Pro Asyl organization warns such emergency solutionscannot drag on forever. —AFP

Feeling the strain, Germany tries to tighten asylum rules

I N T E R N AT ION A LSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

PARIS: Things can’t get much worsefor French President FrancoisHollande: The economy is lagging; hisnew government is already under fire;and his private life has just beenexposed in a ravaging book by theformer first lady. Adding to his con-cerns is the possibility that his chiefrival - conservative Nicolas Sarkozy -launching a political comeback thisweekend. The developments havehelped push Hollande’s popularity tonew record lows. Three polls releasedin recent days show that he has lowerapproval ratings than every otherFrench president in modern times.

This week, ex-partner ValerieTrierweiler described Hollande as amean liar in a book released sevenmonths after they broke up, amidreports that he was having an affairwith French actress Julie Gayet. Notonly did Trierweiler spread intimatedetails of Hollande’s infidelities, butshe also depicted the Socialist leaderas someone who despises the poor - agrave political sin for a left-wingleader who won election in 2012 onpromises of social justice. Accordingto Trierweiler, Hollande once disdain-fully referred to the poor as those with“no teeth” - a reference to people whocan’t afford dental care.

The expression shocked many andimmediately became the top hashtagon Twitter in France, seized upon byHollande’s critics. Some right-wingactivists dubbing themselves the “noteeth” movement held a small protestnear the Elysee Palace on Fridayevening. A visibly indignant Hollandedefended himself at a news confer-

ence, insisting that serving the poor ishis “reason for being.” This new politi-cal storm comes just days afterHollande appointed a new Cabinet tosilence ministers who had openly criti-cized his economic policy, and to senda pro-business signal to the EuropeanUnion.

But with unemployment over 10percent and no economic growth, thenew government had no grace peri-od. A remark by new EconomyMinister Emmanuel Macron that hewould be open to rethinking France’s35-hour workweek caused big uproarin the French left. A few days later,Labor Minister Francois Rebsamensaid he wanted the country’s unem-ployment services to better monitorjobseekers - causing uproar amongunions. And then Thursday, a junior

minister of the new Cabinet, ThomasThevenoud, was forced to quitbecause of problems with tax authori-ties, according to the prime minister’soffice.

Even once-popular Prime MinisterManuel Valls has seen his approval rat-ing plummet to around 30 percent inrecent weeks. He faces a confidencevote Sept. 16 at which dozens ofSocialist parliament members whodisapprove of Hollande’s spendingcuts could try to spread rebellionamong leftist ranks. Far right leaderMarine Le Pen asked for dissolution ofParliament to organize new elections.Another threat may come from themainstream conservatives, meetingthis weekend in Nice after a couple ofyears of division and tumult. Many arehoping that Sarkozy announces hiscandidacy for the party’s top job, afirst step toward a potential bid toregain the presidency in 2017 afterlosing it to Hollande in 2012.

Hollande insisted Friday he would-n’t let the avalanche of bad news gethim down. “I’ve been elected for 5years by the French people. There isno poll. . . that may interrupt (my)term.” Emmanuel Riviere of the TNS-Sofres polling agency linkedHollande’s unpopularity to largermalaise. “France has difficulties pro-jecting into the future, and has doubtsabout collective mechanisms thatmade France’s greatness in the pastyears. And this lost confidence appliesto the political class in general,” hesaid. “Not one party has more than 30percent of confidence. This is historic.It has never been seen before.” — AP

Hollande in trouble,‘public and private’Private life exposed in a ravaging book

President Francois Hollande

GLASGOW: HMS Astute, the British Royal Navy’s latest nuclear hunter killer submarine, sails up Gareloch on the Firth ofCylde to her new base at Faslane, in western Scotland. Astute is armed with 38 torpedoes and missiles. Britain’s futureas a nuclear-armed nation could be thrown into doubt if Scotland votes for independence on September 18. — AFP

LONDON: Britain’s future as a nuclear-armed nation couldbe thrown into doubt if Scotland votes for independenceon September 18, experts say, raising serious questionsabout its future status in the international community.The UK’s Trident nuclear submarines are currently basedat Faslane naval base on a sea loch west of Glasgow sur-rounded by dramatic mountain scenery. But the ScottishNational Party (SNP), leaders of the pro-independencecampaign which is gaining ground in opinion polls, wantsthem out of Scotland by 2020 if there is a “Yes” vote.

Some say the cost and complexity of a move couldforce Britain to re-open the debate about whether itneeds a nuclear deterrent at all. “The Americans like usbeing a nuclear power-it would cause problems withthem. In the NATO alliance it would cause alarm. Can youreally remain a permanent member of the SecurityCouncil? I don’t know,” said Lord Alan West, head ofBritain’s Royal Navy between 2002 and 2006 and an ex-security minister. His view is shared by figures includingScottish former NATO secretary general GeorgeRobertson.

“The forces of darkness will simply love it,” Robertsonsaid in April during a speech in Washington. “It mightmean the unilateral nuclear disarming of the remainder ofthe UK.” The SNP, Scotland’s ruling party led by FirstMinister Alex Salmond, describes Trident as “an affront tobasic decency with its indiscriminate and inhumanedestructive power.” Despite the possible upheaval,Britain’s government says it has not done any contingencyplanning for relocating the facilities at Faslane and nearbyCoulport, where warheads are loaded into missiles. Anysuch move would be extremely expensive, potentiallycosting £8 billion (ten billion euros, $13 billion).

This comes against a backdrop of austerity in Britain,where this year’s military budget is £33.5 billion as minis-ters implement eight percent defense cuts in the fouryears to 2014-15. “The defense budget couldn’t face that,”

said West, adding that extra money would need to befound. “There’s a distinct possibility that people could sayyou should just stop being a nuclear power.” Other prob-lems would include finding a suitable alternative site andthe timing of the move, likely to take longer than theSNP’s deadline. Professor Malcolm Chalmers of defensethink-tank the Royal United Services Institute said: “Ourestimate is that sometime around 2028 would be anappropriate time to complete the move.”

Ageing submarinesBritain’s nuclear-armed status has underpinned its

standing as a diplomatic power for decades. Under a dealsealed at the height of the Cold War, the US suppliesBritain with nuclear missiles. While formally only theBritish prime minister can authorize their use, they arepart of NATO’s collective deterrent. President BarackObama hinted at the importance of Trident to the US inJuly, saying he wanted Britain to remain “a strong, robust,united and effective partner”. There are four submarines inthe Trident fleet, at least one of which is on patrol some-where in the world 24 hours a day.

But the Scottish independence vote comes at what isalready a crucial moment in its history. The submarinesare ageing and ministers will take the main decisions onreplacing them in 2016. Even within the British govern-ment, this is controversial. Prime Minister David Cameron’scoalition partners, the Liberal Democrats, want to end 24hour patrols and procure one less submarine to replaceTrident. Despite the uncertainty, some play down theprospect of Britain giving up its deterrent anytime soon.Chalmers said London would not want to give up such asymbol of international prestige after such a “majorshock”. “There would be a sense of humiliation in the UK,fears about how the UK is seen internationally, so it wouldbe a big step to be seen to be giving up its nuclear force,”he said. — AFP

Scottish independencemay force Britain nuclear

deterrent rethink

NEW DELHI: Indian police said yesterday they had arrest-ed an alleged key member of a homegrown Islamic mili-tant group over a series of attacks, days after security wastightened following claims by Al-Qaeda that it hadlaunched an Indian wing. Police identified the man asAjaz Shaikh, 27, and said in a statement that he hadworked as “the logistics man” for transferring funds to thebanned Indian Mujahideen group.

Police accused Shaikh, arrested in northern UttarPradesh state, of being involved in several attacks includ-ing one outside India’s biggest mosque in Delhi’s oldquarter in 2010 that wounded two Taiwanese and serialblasts the same year in the Hindu holy city of Varanasithat killed one person and injured dozens. IndianMujahideen had claimed responsibility for the attacks.Police said the suspect was from the western city of Puneand had claimed at one time to be a “techie” working foran information technology outsourcing company.

Police accused the man of having sent out several“blood-curdling” emails to Indian media houses following

the blasts. No formal charges have yet been filed againstShaikh, who was being held in custody while police inves-tigated the allegations against him. Indian security agen-cies have put several cities on high alert after Al-Qaedachief Ayman Al-Zawahiri said in a video statementWednesday that Assam, Gujarat and Kashmir-Indianregions with large Muslim populations-along withBangladesh and Myanmar would be the organization’snew targets to “wage jihad (holy war)”.

The banned Indian Mujahideen came to public atten-tion in November 2007 following serial blasts in UttarPradesh. It is accused of a number of attacks since includ-ing in Mumbai, Bangalore, New Delhi and Pune. As well asbeing banned by India, the group was labeled a “terroristorganization” by the US State Department in 2011 whichsaid it had staged dozens of attacks and killed “hundredsof innocent civilians”. The group is believed to head a net-work of Indian Islamic militant groups with links to thepowerful Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed organizations. — AFP

India police arrest ‘Islamist militant’

DHAKA: Japanese Prime MinisterShinzo Abe flew to Bangladesh yes-terday for a two-stop tour of SouthAsia as the globe-trotting leaderasserts Tokyo’s interest in a regionwhere it has ceded influence toChina. Abe becomes the firstJapanese prime minister to visitBangladesh in 14 years and todaywill be the first to travel to Sri Lankain nearly a quarter of a century.Asian great-power diplomacy hasstirred to life since the rise to powerof Indian nationalist Narendra Modi,who announced his intent to play anactive role on the world stage byinviting regional leaders to his inau-guration in May.

Abe comes to India’s backyardafter hosting Modi for summit talksthat yielded a Japanese pledge toinvest $34 billion in India andlaunched a “special, strategic globalpartnership” to deepen securitycooperation. The Japanese premierpre-empts Chinese President XiJinping, who travels to India and Sri

Lanka later this month. “PrimeMinister Modi is weaving a complextapestry of relations with Asia,” saidDayan Jayatilake, a political scientist,author and former Sri Lankan diplo-mat.

From economic parity in 1980,China’s growth has outstrippedIndia’s fourfold and Beijing hassought to recycle some of its vastexport surpluses into foreign invest-ments in resources and infrastruc-ture in South Asia to feed its indus-trial machine. That rising economicpresence in the Indian Ocean regionhas stoked concerns in New Delhithat China is creating a ‘string ofpearls’ that surrounds India and pos-es a threat to its security.

In addition to reaching out toAbe, Modi this week welcomedAustralian Prime Minister TonyAbbott for the first solo visit by a for-eign leader since his election, sign-ing a deal for the supply of uraniumfor nuclear power generation inIndia. Although Modi seeks prag-

matic economic engagement withChina, in Tokyo he criticized coun-tries with an “expansionist” mindset,a coded jibe against Beijing’sassertive behavior in Southeast Asia.Modi “has a new equation withChina, which is reciprocated by theChinese leadership based on eco-nomic pragmatism,” said Jayatilake,“but he is also seeking closer tieswith Japan and Australia in the Asia-Pacific region. “So we can discernmulti-tiered Asian architecture in thenew foreign policy of Prime MinisterModi.”

Seeking attentionFor Bangladesh and Sri Lanka,

the increased attention of theregion’s largest economies createsthe opportunity to attract much-needed inward investment andpromote expor ts. BangladeshiPrime Minister Sheikh Hasina visit-ed Tokyo in May and Abe’s returnvisit should bring progress onJapan’s commitment to invest 600billion yen ($5.7 billion) over thenext four to five years. “The Japanvisit can...help Bangladesh leverageits geographic position betweenChina and Japan,” venture capitalistI fty Islam wrote in Bangladesh’Daily Star newspaper this week.

For Japan, which has to importmost of i ts energy, the I ndianOcean is a critical sea passage forsupplies of oil and liquefied natu-ral gas from the Middle East. SriLank an Pres ident MahindaRajapaksa will welcome the atten-t ion of Japan as a donor andinvestor and as a counterweightto China, which financed a $500million port terminal in Colombothat was opened last year. “They(the Japanese) are aware that weare beholden to China’s influencein many ways, so they would liketo counter that ,” sa id NandaGodaga, a ret i red Sr i Lank andiplomat who follows Japaneseforeign policy. — Reuters

Japan PM steals a march on China with South Asia tour

DHAKA: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Bangladesh PrimeMinister Sheikh Hasina pose for a photo after a signing ceremony at thePrime Minister’s office yesterday. — AFP

I N T E R N AT I O N A LSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

PYEONGTAEK: More than 70 aging womenlive in a squalid neighborhood between therear gate of the US Army garrison here andhalf a dozen seedy nightclubs. Near the frontgate, glossy illustrations posted in real-estateoffices show the dream homes that may oneday replace their one-room shacks. Theyonce worked as prostitutes for American sol-diers in this “camptown” near CampHumphreys, and they’ve stayed becausethey have nowhere else to go. Now, thewomen are being forced out of the Anjeong-ri neighborhood by developers and land-lords eager to build on prime real estatearound the soon-to-be-expanded garrison.

“My landlord wants me to leave, but mylegs hurt, I can’t walk, and South Korean realestate is too expensive,” says Cho Myung-ja,75, a former prostitute who receives monthlycourt eviction notices at her home, whichshe has rarely left over the last five yearsbecause of leg pain. “I feel like I’m suffocat-ing,” she says. Plagued by disease, povertyand stigma, the women have little to no sup-port from the public or the government.

Their fate contrasts greatly with a groupof Korean women forced into sexual slaveryby Japanese troops during World War II.Those so-called “comfort women” receivegovernment assistance under a special law,and large crowds demanding that Japancompensate and apologize to the womenattend weekly rallies outside the JapaneseEmbassy. While the camptown women getsocial welfare, there’s no similar law for spe-cial funds to help them, according to twoPyeongtaek city officials who refused to benamed because of office rules. Many peoplein South Korea don’t even know about thecamptown women.

In the decades following the devastationof the 1950-53 Korean War, South Korea wasa poor dictatorship deeply dependent on the

US military. Analysts say the South Koreangovernment saw the women as necessaryfor the thousands of US soldiers stationed inthe South. Some of the women went to thecamps voluntarily; others were brought bypimps. In 1962, the government formalizedthe camptowns as “special tourism districts”with legalized prostitution. That year, some20,000 registered prostitutes worked in near-ly 100 camptowns, and many more wereunregistered.

The women who became prostitutes sawfew other options, but the work made themsocial pariahs, unable to live or work any-where else, says Park Kyung-soo, secretarygeneral of the National Campaign for theEradication of Crimes against KoreanCivilians, a group that tries to uncover andmonitor alleged US military crimes againstSouth Koreans.

Pockets of former camptown womenexist throughout South Korea. Now in their60s, 70s and 80s, the women of Anjeong-rimostly live alone in tiny homes, struggling topay for food and rent on a monthly govern-ment stipend of 300,000 to 400,000 won($300 to $400). Activists say most of thewomen are in danger of losing their homes.“I’m so worried that I can’t sleep,” says acamptown woman who will only give hersurname, Kim, because she’s ashamed of herpast. The 75-year-old’s landlords have toldher she has a month to leave, and she looksnearly every day for a new home.

The camptown women’s predicamentbegan when Washington and Seoul agreedin 2004 to relocate the sprawling YongsanUS base, which takes up 620 acres of primereal estate in the center of wealthy Seoul, tothe base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers fromthe capital. The deadline, originally set for2012, is now tentatively 2016. At the end ofthe move, Camp Humphreys will have

tripled in size and house more than 36,000people, including troops, their family mem-bers and civilian staff. Investors are eyeingthe Pyeongtaek land in anticipation ofhomes for US military families and sites forbusinesses that will cater to the new flood ofpeople and wealth. Piles of rubble from

demolished homes sit next to new villas. Afew blocks from some of the remainingshacks, a partially built apartment buildingrises to the beating of hammers andwhirring of drills. Landlords eager to capital-ize on rising land prices are trying to forcethe women out with pressure and evictionorders, and have more than quadrupled themonthly rent, from 50,000 won ($50) to

200,000 won ($200), said Woo Soon-duk,director of the Sunlit Sisters’ Center, a localnon-governmental organization dedicatedto the women. Many of the women wantthe government to take greater responsibili-ty for their well-being and financial stability.They believe they played an important role

for South Korea.In June, 122 former camptown prosti-

tutes sued the South Korean government.They’re each seeking 10 million won (about$9,870) in compensation. A court date hasnot been set. Activists and lawyers for thewomen say police prevented prostitutesfrom leaving; that the government forcedthe women to undergo tests for sexually

transmitted diseases, then locked them up ifthey were sick; and that officials from the USmilitary and South Korean government reg-ularly inspected the prostitution operations.The government saw the camptowns as away to regulate prostitution, bring in muchneeded money and keep the US soldiershappy. It was also worried about a risingnumber of sex crimes committed againstSouth Korean women by US soldiers in the1950s and ‘60s, Park says.

A spokeswoman for the government’sMinistry of Gender Equality and Familydeclined to comment until after a courtreaches a decision. She wouldn’t give hername, saying office rules prohibited herfrom being named publicly. The US militarywouldn’t answer specific questions aboutthe women, saying in a statement that it wasaware of their case and has “zero tolerance”for prostitution. Many of the women feeltrapped. As Tom Petty and theHeartbreakers’ “Rebels” plays on an old radio,Kim Soon-hee, 65, a former camptown pros-titute, eats a piece of melon. Clotheslinescrisscross her room, which barely fits a bedand a dresser. The air smells strongly of themold that covers the walls.

She wants to move to a better place inthe same neighborhood, but she’s too poor.“In the winter, the water doesn’t flowbecause the pipes are frozen,” she says. Sheshares a courtyard with two other one-bed-room homes that are empty. Jang Young-mi,67, who was orphaned as a girl and workedin a military camptown for nearly twodecades, lives with three mangy dogs. A bitefrom one of them left the long white scar onher hand, but she refuses to abandon theoffending animal. “Maybe because I lived forso long with American soldiers, I can’t fit inwith Koreans,” Jang says. “Why did my lifehave to turn out this way?”—AP

At US base, S Korean ex-prostitutes face eviction

PYEONGTAEK: Jang Young-mi, 67, who worked in a military camptownfor nearly two decades, poses for a photo in her small one-room homewhere she lives with her three dogs, her only family, at Anjeong-ri inPyeongtaek, South Korea. —AP

Gunmen kill minority Sikh man in Pakistan

PESHAWAR: Unknown gunmen on a motorcycle yester-day shot dead a herbal medicine trader from the minoritySikh community in the northwestern Pakistani city ofPeshawar, officials said. The shooting took place in thecongested Nothia Bazaar of Peshawar which has seen fre-quent bomb blasts and suicide attacks by Taleban mili-tants active in the tribal belt along Afghan border.“Harjeet Singh, 28, a herbal medicine trader, was shotdead outside his shop,” senior police official FaisalShahzad said. Shahzad said that nobody immediatelyclaimed the responsibility for the shooting, but severalmilitant groups were active and now targeting minoritiesto create unrest. Local police station chief DostMohammad confirmed the incident and details.Minorities in Muslim-majority Pakistan make up sometwo percent of the country’s population of 180 million. InSeptember last year devastating double suicide attacksat the historic All Saints church in the main city area ofPeshawar left 82 people dead. Pakistan is rife with vio-lence against religious minorities as Al-Qaeda andTaleban-led militants regularly target Christian, Sikhs,Hindus, Ahmadi and Shiite communities in the country.

Australian man dies surfing in Indonesia

MATARAM: An Australian man has died after beinghit by a wave while surfing in Central Indonesia,police said, while another Australian surfer remainsmissing near the holiday island of Bali. Friends onFriday noticed the 54-year-old Australian man float-ing some 100 meters (300 feet) from the shore ofSorga beach on the island of Lombok, which lies justeast of the popular resort island of Bali, local policechief Arif Budiman said. “He went out Friday morn-ing and only surfed for a few minutes before he wasseen floating in the water,” Budiman said, adding heis believed to have been hit by a wave. The man,who had been staying on Lombok for three days,was still alive but in a “weak condition” when pulledfrom the water, and died on the way to a local healthcentre, Budiman said. Australian consular officialscould not be immediately contacted. Meanwhile,another Australia tourist, Peter Maynard from thestate of Queensland, has been missing since August27. His family, who arrived on the island on Friday tojoin the search, said that Maynard was last seengoing for a surf on August 27 off the island of NusaLembongan, a short boat ride from Bali.

Newsi n b r i e f

Search on in Greece for Europe’s oldest village

ATHENS: Archaeologists seeking traces of what could beEurope’s oldest settlement in waters off southern Greecesay they have located promising indications of humanactivity and sections of a deep-sunken prehistoric coast-line. Greece’s Culture Ministry said Friday the Swiss-Greekmission plans an undersea excavation in coming years inareas pinpointed during an initial survey last month.Archaeologists hope the investigation off the seasideFranchthi Cave, an important prehistoric site, will helpshow how the first farming communities spread throughEurope in Neolithic times about 9,000 years ago. Whilevery early stone tools, pottery and ornaments were foundin the cave, where they were made, remains a mysteryand the Swiss-Greek team believes the site lies underwa-ter. Last month’s survey also uncovered traces of the pre-historic coastline up to 225 meters (246 yards) deep.

Southwest China floods kill 44, leave 18 missing

BEIJING: Flooding in southwestern China over thepast week has left 44 people dead and 18 missing,and has caused massive damage to housing andcrops, the Civil Affairs Ministry said yesterday.Constant heavy rain beginning Aug 31 has causedwidespread destruction in Sichuan and Guizhouprovinces, as well as the mega-city of Chongqing,where all but one of the deaths occurred and all ofthe missing were reported.

HONG KONG: China may have won thelatest round in its long-running battlewith Hong Kong over genuine democra-cy, but in a city simmering with angerand ingrained with activism the issuewill not go away. Pro-democracy cam-paigners had threatened for more than ayear to take over the streets of the city’sfinancial district if their demands for fulluniversal suffrage were not met. ButBeijing called their bluff, insisting thefinancial hub’s next leader be vetted anddealing a major blow to Hong Kong’sdecades old democrac y movement .Ac t iv ists have s ince struggled torespond.

After initially vowing a new “era of civ-il disobedience”, leaders from OccupyCentral, the largest grassroots group,backtracked, admitting little can be doneto change China’s mind-and even hintingthat support for their cause was waning.But while senior officials in Beijing mightlook with glee at the discord in the ranksof Hong Kong’s democracy campaigners,the issues that fuel them-and encouragehundreds of thousands of protestersonto the city streets ever y year-st i l lremain.

Regardless of whether the city’s civildisobedience thrives or fizzles out, China’scrucial economic hub still faces a politicalcrisis brought on by deepening socialanger, analysts say. “My prediction is this(social unrest) will get worse because ofthe latest decision from Beijing,” SuryaDeva, a law professor at City University ofHong Kong said, adding that “Hong Konghas been experiencing a governance crisisfor a while”. Increasing income inequalityand the perceived cosiness between cityofficials and business elites have driventhe demand for a more representative andaccountable leader, he explained, addingthat the chief executive has always beenviewed as unaccountable. “Rather, he rep-resents Beijing and the elites, includingthe business community.”

‘Ungovernable’Unless Beijing does more to address this

anger, analysts warn, the city risks becom-ing ungovernable, with continued streetprotests and outraged pro-democracy law-makers promising to be a permanent thornin the government’s side. “The democratshave already said they will be fully uncoop-erative throughout, so how can you cope?

How could anyone run Hong Kong?” veter-an democracy campaigner Martin Lee toldAFP.”If the chief executive is... at least not aslave of Beijing... then we can work withhim.”

Ma Ngok, a professor at the ChineseUniversity of Hong Kong, said the demandfor greater democracy was just one mani-festation of a much wider anger overinequality and reduced opportunities.“Economic and social problems discreditthe current system in terms of the income

disparity. It seems that the government istoo pro-business so that adds to thedemand for democracy,” Ma said. Thewealth gap in Hong Kong, already one ofthe world’s widest, shows little sign of abat-ing. Anger also bubbles over rising livingcosts and skyrocketing property prices. Thegovernment last year found almost 20 per-cent of residents in the city of over seven

million were living in poverty.Pro-democracy groups recognize this.

Knowing they now have little chance ofdefeating Beijing over universal suffrage,networks like Occupy are changing tacticsand settling in for a much longer and pro-tracted fight with the mainland. “They willtry to turn back this humiliating defeat intoan opportunity to educate the public aboutthe fact that this would be a long drawnout struggle,” Chinese University of HongKong political analyst Willy Lam told AFP.

“They have admitted that it is impossiblefor them to change Beijing’s electoralmechanism, so I think the Occupy Centralmovement has morphed into a civic educa-tion campaign and mobilization campaign,”Lam said.

Delicate balance Occupy organizers know they tread a

difficult path between keeping popularanger simmering and not losing local sup-port through overly confrontational actionsin a city where economic stability is a gold-en calf. “On one hand we need to createdisturbance so that the authorities will payattention to what we are demanding... atthe same time we need to bring sympathyfrom the rest of the community,” Occupyco-founder Chan Kin-man said.

“All along, people talk so much aboutparalyzing Central, they only look at the dis-ruptive side of civil disobedience... we needto be very careful to strike this balance,”Chan added. The movement meanwhile hasgone into damage limitation mode since aseries of despondent interviews by its lead-ers, sending out fiery statements reaffirm-ing their commitment to direct action.Hong Kong University law expert SimonYoung said Occupy was caught between “arock and a hard place”-the rock China, andthe hard place Hong Kongers’ expectations.

“It (Occupy) is in a very difficult position,”he said. Meanwhile Hong Kong students-many of whom are at the more radical endof the political spectrum-have vowed topress on with their own civil disobediencecampaign. On Saturday, multiple studentgroups from different universities will voteon a plan to hold a week long strike laterthis month. “There is still a very real dangerthat those under age 30 will undertakeactions without direction from OccupyCentral organizers,” said Michael DeGolyer, aprofessor at Hong Kong Baptist Universityand commentator on local politics. “Buttheir isolated actions will just turn moreagainst them.” —AFP

China faces uphill struggle in Hong Kong democracy fight

New ‘era of civil disobedience’

HONG KONG: Protesters attend a pro-democracy rally next to the HongKong government complex. —AFP

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe mayhave hoped that a 40-year-old mother-of-twowith impeccable political pedigree might provethe acceptable face of nuclear power when heappointed her industry minister. But, sayobservers, Yuko Obuchi will have her work cut outconvincing a public still badly scarred by theFukushima disaster that it is safe to switch thecountry’s 48 atomic reactors back on.

“I too am raising children,” Obuchi told apress conference shortly after being madeJapan’s first female minister of economy, tradeand industry. “If people say they are worried, Ithink it is only natural. If you are a mother, I thinkit is a kind of feeling that everyone has. The cen-tral government must offer a full explanation tothese sentiments. ”Naming a young mother tothe job was “a cunning move by Mr Abe”, saidGreenpeace Japan’s Kazue Suzuki, because theimplicit message is that if someone who has chil-dren says nuclear power is safe, it sounds morecredible.

But Suzuki said people would not fall for thatkind of sleight of hand, and that if Obuchi wantsto represent them she should speak out againstnuclear restarts. “When (Obuchi) makes decisions,she should consider the reaction of ordinarywomen, the majority of whom do not wantnuclear power stations reactivated,” Suzukisaid.Obuchi, the daughter of one-time prime min-ister Keizo Obuchi, is a rising star in the establish-

ment Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and, havingfirst been a minister at the age of 34, holds therecord as the youngest woman ever to make thegrade. Now, as industry minister, her portfolioincludes overseeing the power industry.

Hostile communitiesSince the 2011 disaster at Fukushima, where a

tsunami knocked out cooling systems and sentreactors into meltdown, Japan’s entire nuclear sta-ble has gone offline, taking with it more than a

quarter of the country’s electricity supply. That hasleft resource-starved Japan reliant on expensivefossil fuel imports, which has played havoc withthe balance of payments and has pushed upprices for hard-pressed consumers. At her inaugu-ral press conference, Obuchi repeated the Abeadministration line that policy remained “toreduce our reliance on nuclear plants by activelyintroducing renewable energy and thorough ener-gy saving”. But, she added: “We will restart (nuclearplants) by making safety our priority”.

The new minister highlighted the importanceof earning the “understanding

of hosting communities”, who may be hostileto the prospect of firing up nearby reactors,despite beefed up safety rules and-by Japaneseregulatory standards-a ferocious new watchdog.Obuchi is expected to visit the crippled Fukushimaplant in the coming days, as well as the Sendainuclear power station in southwestern Kyushu,whose two reactors are the most likely candidatesfor restart in the coming months. Japan’s nuclearregulator could confirm the two units’ safety assoon as next week, having considered the nearly17,000 public comments received since itannounced the Sendai plant’s re-evaluation in July.

Junichi Takase, politics professor at NagoyaUniversity of Foreign Affairs, dismissed speculationthat Obuchi’s appointment was a cynical ploy.Rather, he says, she got the job because she is acapable individual with a bright future. —AFP

Japan places political star at heart of nuclear revival

TOKYO: Newly appointed Economy, Trade and Industry Minister YukoObuchi arrives at the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo. —AFP

N E W SSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

Continued from Page 1

While Sisi has gone on to election as president, Morsiand other Brotherhood leaders as well as the leadinglights of the 2011 popular uprising that toppled autocratHosni Mubarak, many of them secular activists, now lan-guish in jail. Hopes of democratic change inspired by therevolt in the most populous Arab country have since fad-ed. Sisi promised during his election campaign that theMuslim Brotherhood would cease to exist under his rule.

Egyptian security forces killed hundreds ofBrotherhood supporters during protests against Morsi’souster and thousands of others have since been jailed.Egypt’s oldest Islamist movement, once among Egypt’smost formidable political forces, has been branded a ter-rorist group and its assets have been seized by the state.The Brotherhood formally renounced violence as a meansof political change decades ago and has denied any rolein more recent bloodshed.

In a detailed statement, the prosecutor said his inquiryhad found that Morsi’s secretary Amin Al-Srifi abused hisposition to slip documents from Egypt’s security agenciesto Jordanian Al Jazeera journalist Alaa Sabalan via his own

daughter Karima and four other intermediaries. It saidSabalan later flew to Doha and met with Al Jazeera newseditor Ibrahim Hilal and a senior Qatari intelligence officerand a deal was reached for Morsi’s aides to hand over thedocuments in return for $1 million.

It added that part of that sum was paid after docu-ments were handed over at Doha airport by an Egyptairsteward who acted as a go-between. Subsequent interro-gations had also linked Morsi and his office managerAhmed Abdelatti to the case, it said. Egypt’s public prose-cutor charged Morsi and his two aides, Abdelatti and Srifi,as well as seven others including Sabalan and the airsteward in the case. Three of the accused, includingSabalan and senior Jazeera editor Hilal, are at large andthe prosecutor called for their arrest pending trial.

Egypt’s rulers are deeply suspicious of Qatar and any-one who supports the Brotherhood. Egyptian authoritieshave long since closed down the Al Jazeera office in Cairo.Earlier this year, an Egyptian court jailed three Al Jazeerajournalists for up to 10 years on charges of aiding “a terror-ist group” by broadcasting misinformation that harmednational security. Al Jazeera has said the charges are base-less. — Reuters

Egypt charges Morsi with leaking secrets...

Continued from Page 1

“The landslides caused by rains have damaged 4,000 hous-es in Kashmir -more than half have been destroyed,” Sohailsaid.

Hardest hit on the Indian side was Indian Kashmir wherethe heaviest rains and flooding in at least half a century haveclaimed at least 107 lives since last Tuesday. “The floods havecaused a lot of damage,” Indian home affairs minister RajnathSingh said after being driven around Kashmir’s main city,Srinagar, by state chief minister Omar Abdullah. “If this is thecondition of city, what will be the situation in rural areas?”Singh asked. Many key roads and the lone highway linking theKashmir region to the Indian plains were closed, communica-tion lines and railway services disrupted, while several bridgeswere washed away.

Some 30 bodies were pulled from a river in the mountain-ous Rajouri region of south Kashmir, a senior state official said.The victims were among at least 63 people aboard a bus sweptinto a gorge last Thursday by fast-flowing flood waters.

Rescuers are still searching for the 33 other people who wereon the bus. “Apart from the bus victims, 66 people have died inflooding incidents in the Jammu region (in the south of IndianKashmir),” said Jammu divisional commissioner Shantmanu,who uses only one name.

Another 11 people were killed in the Kashmir valley as res-cuers struggled to move thousands of people stranded byfloods to higher ground, officials said. The usually slow-flowingriver Jhelum, which meanders through Srinagar, is running farabove the danger levels, swollen by pounding rains. In India’sPunjab state, at least 21 people died as a result of house cave-ins and landslides. Most deaths were reported from villagesnear Amritsar, home to the Golden Temple Sikh shrine.

Eight members of one family died in their sleep when theroof of their dilapidated home collapsed, administration offi-cial Rohit Gupta told AFP. In Pakistan, rescue official Naseer saidwaters were receding in many areas of Punjab provincial capi-tal Lahore and other districts. But “a red alert” has been issuedin four districts - Jhelum, Sialkot, Nankana Sahib and Narowal -where the situation was still precarious, he said. — AFP

Rains kill 230 in Pakistan, India

Continued from Page 1

“Maryam is really being targeted because of her inter-national advocacy work, including in Washington,” saidBrian Dooley of Human Rights First. She has been a familiarfigure in Washington over the past three years, said the USrights group, pointing out that she has regularly met withmembers of Congress and administration officials.

In 2011, she testified as a witness at a congressionalhearing on Bahrain. “The US government should makeclear to its military ally Bahrain that there should be noreprisals against congressional witnesses,” Dooley said. Tinybut strategic Bahrain, home base for the US Fifth Fleet,

remains deeply divided three years after the authoritiescrushed month-long protests with Saudi-led military back-ing. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, who was convicted of plottingto topple the monarchy, has been on hunger strike alongwith other inmates since Aug 25. He staged a 110-dayhunger strike in 2012 in protest against his imprisonment.

Yesterday, Khawaja voiced determination to continuehis hunger strike, in a phone call to his wife from prison,according to tweets posted by his daughter Zainab.“Emotionally I am strong (but) physically it’s not in myhands anymore,” he said in a weak voice, according to hisdaughter, who goes by the handle angry arabiya onTwitter. — AFP

Bahrain extends activist custody Continued from Page 1

He was then allowed to leave,” Ilkhani said. After severalhours on the ground, the plane was back in the air, deputyState Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said separately.Washington and Tehran have not had formal diplomatic rela-tions for three decades, since the 1979 storming of the USembassy in Tehran and the subsequent 444-day hostage crisis.

In recent months, the two countries have been holdingface-to-face negotiations on Iran’s suspect nuclear program,but ties remain tense. Several Americans, including a USMarine, are being held by Tehran despite pleas fromWashington to send them home. “We have nothing to indi-cate there was more to it,” Harf told CNN television, adding:“We really do view this as purely a bureaucratic issue.” CNNreported that the plane was told to land by Iranian authori-ties and warned that if it did not comply with the order, it

would be intercepted.It was not immediately clear who was on board the fly-

dubai plane, but defence officials confirmed it had beenchartered by the US-led NATO International SecurityAssistance Force. It was not disclosed if it was carrying anyUS troops flying from the sprawling Bagram military airbase just outside the Afghan capital, Kabul.

Officials confirmed however that there were Americancitizens as well as other US government contractors of dif-ferent nationalities on board. Jasem Jaderi, the governor ofHormozgan province, where Bandar Abbas is the capital,told Iranian news website yjc.ir that out of 140 passengerson the diverted flight, 110 were American. Iranians radioedthe plane’s crew to say they did not have the proper paper-work and to return to Bagram, a US official said Friday. Thepilots said they did not have enough fuel to return so theIranian authorities told them to land in Iran. —Agencies

Iran forces plane to land

NEW YORK: Part cowboy, part dandy anddressed entirely in denim, Michael Bastianis a rising star in American men’s fashion.And when he thinks about the future, hesmiles. The era of the fashion-conscious,accessory- and jewelry-loving man hasdawned. And it’s all thanks to bloggersand style-conscious stars like Kanye Westand Jay-Z. Across the United States, cloth-ing brands are multiplying, fulfillingincreasing demand for smart and casualwear, accessories and jewelry and miningthe potential in a market on the rise.

“Previously, it has been marginalized,”said Mark-Evan Blackman, assistantmenswear professor at the FashionInstitute of Technology, one of New York’smost prestigious design schools. “Peoplewere not thinking of it as being vibrantand sexy and fun. That really has changedwithin the last decade, and it’s really hit-ting its stride now,” said Blackman.Commentators now predict that New Yorkcould get its own fashion week just formen in July, attributing the revolution insartorial demand to bloggers followed bymillions online.

“It’s been driven by the menswearblogs,” said Bastian, a designer with aneponymous label and former men’s fash-ion director at luxury department storeBergdorf Goodman in New York. “Men arecatching up to the women... they’re moreinterested in style and in fashion and howthey look,” he said. Behind him, modelsdressed in suede and slim-fit shirts fromhis spring/summer 2015 collection

inspired by Arizona and New Mexico arefilmed and photographed by designersand critics alike.

A feathered bronze chain hangsaround the neck of one. Another sports asnakehead bracelet. Bastian says anentirely new generation is excited aboutmenswear - be it heritage, classic, tailoredor streetwear - and for every fascinationyou have, “there is a blog for it”. “Withsocial media and Instagram, men are somuch more exposed to fashion and need-ing to look good and stay in shape,” agreesTodd Magill, design director of menswearbrand Jack Spade.

Then there is the inevitable trickle-down effect wielded by global musicsuperstars Jay-Z, who wrote a rap songnamed after American designer Tom Ford,or the fashion-obsessed West. West tookto the stage in 2012 wearing a leathermen’s Givenchy skirt with leather leggingsand a big cotton hoodie. If a man can weara skirt with a hoodie, why not add a bag, anecklace or a ring? Once sneered at forbeing effeminate, accessories are beingembraced online and on the street.

Jake Gallagher, fashion blogger atAContinuousLean.com, says the passionfor men’s fashion is a “sea change”. “I don’tknow if menswear will ever surpass wom-enswear but the excitement aroundmenswear right now is certainly larger,” hetold AFP, calling New York the epicenter ofthis new trend. “Things are a lot rougher, alot less exact here than... over in France, orin London, or in Milan, but the excitement

in what is happening here is really some-thing that can’t be matched.”

Bastian launched his eponymous labelin 2006, joining the likes of Thom Browne,Rag and Bone or Band of Outsiders to findsuccess despite competition from heavy-weights such as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Kleinand Tommy Hilfiger. Along with theseyoung, trendy brands, bigger fish from the

women’s fashion world are seeking to tapinto this new market. “We are taking themen’s business very seriously,” John Idol,chairman and CEO of high quality pret-a-porter brand Michael Kors Holdings Ltd,said in May.

With a market value at more than $16billion on the stock exchange, the groupplans to open a large new boutique in

New York’s Soho with an entire floor dedi-cated to men later this year, followed byother dedicated menswear shops.Building on leather goods, sportswear andwatches, the “MK” brand hopes for a $1 bil-lion men’s business. “We view menswearas a huge opportunity for us,” Idol toldWomen’s Wear Daily in an interview thissummer. — AFP

Men’s fashion thriving in US

NEW YORK: Models pose at the Haspel Spring 2015 Collection during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at ‘TheEsquire’ at 286 Spring Street on Friday. — AFP

By Peter Martell

The US missiles that smashed into Somalia’s Islamistchief this week ended the life of the one of the world’smost wanted men, but not the danger of his Shabab

insurgents, analysts warn. Ahmed Abdi Godane, declareddead by the United States after an air strike earlier thisweek, was a ruthless kingpin of Al-Qaeda’s main Africanaffiliate. As he had purged potential rivals, there is no clearleader for the fighters, although the Shabab have survivedbefore: Godane himself took power after the last Shababchief was also slain in a US missile strike in 2008.

“Removing him will significantly weaken the Shabab, atleast in the short term,” said Cedric Barnes of theInternational Crisis Group. But his death could be pivotal inthe direction the Shabab now take: the group could swingback to being focussed on Somalia and mired down in thecountry’s complex clan rivalries, or, as Godane tried to push,as insurgents pursuing a wider jihadist agenda by stagingattacks across the region.

Will McCants, Director of Brookings Project on USRelations with the Islamic World, said Godane’s death was a“very big deal”, branding him a “ruthless killer” who mergedShabab with Al-Qaeda. Godane led the extremists with a“macabre mix of unbridled brutality and striking charisma”,said Abdi Aynte, who heads the Mogadishu-based HeritageInstitute think tank. With the whine of drones a commonsound in southern Somalia, Godane must have been all tooaware of his possible sudden death, but it is unclear if hehad tapped a successor.

“The irony is that Godane killed his would-be obvious

successor in a major internal rift last year,” Aynte added.“Without Godane as its leader... it is difficult to imagine Al-Shabab remaining a cohesive entity. He made no obviousattempts to groom a successor.”

The Shabab have not commented on who will replaceGodane - let alone even confirm his death - but analystsand intelligence sources say potential successors includethe man thought to be Godane’s nominal deputy, MahadDiriye, and the head of the group’s feared internal securitywing, Mahad Mohamed Ali, also known as Karate. Another,known as Ikrima - believed to have been a key plotter in theShabab’s attack on Kenya’s Westgate mall last September,and who US special forces reportedly tried to capture in araid on southern Somalia last year - remains at large.

Another influential Islamist, Muktar Robow, also remainspowerful - but he was believed to have split from Godane’swing. It is also unclear who else was killed in the US airstrike, which is believed to have killed six or seven Shababfigures.

What Next? Clint Watts, fellow of the Homeland Security Policy

Institute at George Washington University, said the groupmay splinter. Shabab foot soldiers, often economic con-scripts and not committed idealogues, could be temptedby a government amnesty, while a hardcore elite - includingskilled foreign fighters - may intensify attacks to show offthe group is still there. “I suspect many of Godane’s lieu-tenants already had plans of their own... My estimatewould be the most hard core of Godane’s adherents willbreak off and form a particularly violent element of Al-

Shabab,” Watts said.According to estimates by intelligence sources and ana-

lysts, the Shabab are believed to have anywhere between5,000 and 9,000 fighters, but it is unclear how many of theseare part of a hardcore cadre and how many are linked withindividual warlords who are nominally affiliated to the group.Shabab commandos carried out the four-day seige in theKenyan capital’s Westgate mall last September, slaughteringat least 67 people, as well as bomb attacks in Uganda andDjibouti. A Western security source said that while the deathof Godane was a “step forward” in terms of defeat of theShabab, it also “opens up a wide door of what it will do next.”Shabab gunmen are expected to retreat in face of AUassaults in Somalia, but attacks elsewhere may be moredeadly. In the face of a renewed push in the 22,000-strongAfrican Union force’s seven-year military campaign againstthe Shabab, few expect fighters to soon hold any majortowns.

But with vast rural regions still under the sway of Shabab,many fear the fighters will use the lawless zones to plot largescale attacks across the region. “With Godane dead, Al-Shabab’s deadly external operations forces might be lookingto either retaliate, relocate or both,” Watts said. “I suspect theywill either wreak havoc by accelerating operations theyalready have in motion, or will rapidly move to a new battle-field and affiliate if they believe their Somalia safe haven iscompromised.” Watts said the key question was “Will Shabab’snew leader swear allegiance to Zawahiri and ‘Old Guard Al-Qaeda, to Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi and ISIS, or will he pursue anindependent track for Shabab in Somalia independent oftoday’s jihadi politics?” —AFP

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A N A L Y S I SSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

By Zeina Karam

BEIRUT: The US and its allies are trying tohammer out a coalition to push back theIslamic State group in Iraq. But any seriousattempt to destroy the militants or evenseriously degrade their capabilities meanstargeting their infrastructure in Syria. That,however, is far more complicated. If itlaunches airstrikes against the group inSyria, the US runs the risk of unintentionallystrengthening the hand of President BasharAssad, whose removal the West has activelysought the past three years. Uprooting theIslamic State group, which has seizedroughly a third of Syria and Iraq, maypotentially open the way for the Syrianarmy to fill the vacuum.

The alternative would be to finally getserious about arming the mainstreamWestern-backed rebels fighting to toppleAssad. But there is a reason the administra-tion of President Barack Obama has beendeeply reluctant to throw its weight behindthem. The relatively moderate rebel fac-tions fighting in Syria are in tatters. Thereare no secular groups, and the strongestfactions are Islamic groups, many of whichwork with Al-Qaeda’s official branch inSyria, the Nusra Front.

The Nusra Front, which has somewhatdropped from international headlinesbecause of the Islamic State group’sexceeding brutality, is on the US list of ter-rorist groups and is still very active. It andother rebels recently seized the Quneitraborder crossing between Syria and theIsraeli-held Golan Heights, taking 45 UnitedNations peacekeepers hostage. It was alsoamong a group of militants that recentlyoverran a Lebanese border town and isholding several Lebanese soldiers andpolicemen captive.

While the US and its allies are now arm-ing Kurdish peshmerga fighters in Iraqagainst the Islamic State group, Syrianrebels complain they are largely on theirown, battling both the militants and thetyranny of Assad. The Syrian oppositionand many Syria observers are convincedthat the rapid rise of the Islamic Stategroup is a result of the US having left theSyrian conflict fester for so long.

No StrategyObama kicked up a storm of criticism

late last month when he said “we don’thave a strategy yet” for dealing with theIslamic State group in Syria. “It is veryimportant from my perspective that whenwe send our pilots in to do a job, that weknow that this is a mission that’s going towork, that we’re very clear on what ourobjectives are, what our targets are,”Obama said. His statement epitomizes thecaution that many say has been at theheart of US foreign policy on Syria the pastthree years. For better or for worse, Obamahas avoided wading into the Syria mud,resisting pressure to directly arm the rebelsin part because of fears the weapons wouldonly end up in extremists’ hands.

Last year, the US threatened to bombAssad’s forces following a deadly chemicalweapons attack last year blamed on hisgovernment. It backed away at the lastminute. Though he had to give up hischemical weapons stockpile, an embold-

ened Assad made significant advancesagainst outgunned rebels in key areas, par-ticularly around the capital, Damascus.

Members of the Obama administrationhave said they recognize the need toaddress the Syria side of the equation.While meeting with NATO foreign anddefense ministers on possible action inIraq, US Secretary of State John Kerry saidthere are obviously “implications aboutSyria in this”. A senior Obama administra-tion official said Thursday that the USwanted to establish a credible groundforce in Syria by training more moderaterebels before taking military action there.

The US signaled back in June that ithopes to enlist moderate Syrian opposi-tion fighters in the battle against militantextremists. Obama sent Congress a $500million request for a Pentagon-run pro-gram that would significantly expand pre-vious covert efforts to support rebels. The

request is still pending. Still, such a pro-gram faces the same questions hangingover US policy the past three years - howto distinguish “moderate” rebels from oth-ers in an increasingly radical landscapeand how to ensure weapons only reachthose groups.

Airstrikes alone would likely do little totruly defeat the Islamic State if there is noforce on the ground to seize territory asthe radicals retreat. Western leaders havecategorically rejected the notion of part-nering up with Assad, whom they accuseof committing war crimes on his own peo-ple. So that means greater coordinationwith rebel factions. “Unless such groupsare able to capitalize on any airstrikesagainst the Islamic State in Syria, the Syrianarmed forces may be able to fill the vacu-um,” said Torbjorn Soltvedt, a senior ana-lyst at the British risk analysis firmMaplecroft. —AP

US wary over hitting Syrian militants

Shabab wounded but dangerous, unpredictable

We have every reason to be concerned with the fate of theChristian communities of the Arab World. From Egypt toIraq, these ancient churches have not only survived

through centuries of hardship, foreign invasions, and domesticrepression, they have also played an important role contributing toArab culture and Islamic civilization.

Given the unsettling hostilities of the post-Iraq and post-ArabSpring Middle East, the region’s minority religious and ethnicgroups find themselves at great risk. Caught in the midst of sectari-an conflicts brought on by war, occupation, repression, and severesocial and political dislocation, vulnerable communities have paida terrible price, most especially in Syria and Iraq. Whether forced toflee the violence of the civil wars that have ravaged these coun-tries, or expelled by murderous extremists as part of genocidal“cleansing” campaigns, the size of these once vibrant Christiancommunities have been so depleted, that some rightly fear theirextinction in their homelands. Because these ancient churchesdate back to the time of Christ and have added richness and tex-ture to the culture of the Arab East, it is inconceivable to imagineEgypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, or Iraq without their Copts,Maronites, Assyrian/Chaldeans, and other Catholic and OrthodoxChristian communities. In a real sense, what is at stake is not justthe survival of these important minorities; it is the future of theregion, itself. In a word, intolerant and violent extremist groups likeIS and their kin, pose an existential challenge not only to Christians,but to all Arabs and Muslims - asking them to look to the futureand imagine the kind of society they want to emerge from the cur-rent turmoil. Of course, given the onslaught of IS in Syria and Iraqand their horrific displays of violence and intolerance, the immedi-ate question before us is what is to be done now to defendChristians and other minorities put at risk by the raging conflict.This will be the topic of a conference, “In Defense of Christians”,which will take place in Washington next week. The event willbring together the leaders of six of the churches of the Middle East,lawmakers, and activists from a number of non-governmentalorganizations devoted to human rights and religious freedom.

For several reasons, I am participating in the event both as anadvisor to the group and a speaker. In the first place, I am aMaronite Catholic and an Arab American, deeply committed to myheritage and the land of my father and forefathers, and concernedabout the survival of my rite and that of the other Christian com-munities in the Arab World. I am also participating because I am anAmerican who believes that my country, and the West in general,has, on too many occasions, negatively contributed to the conflictsthat are unsettling the Middle East today. I am concerned lest weerr again taking steps, out of blind ignorance or sheer folly, whichwould only make the regional situation more volatile and precari-ous. I am concerned, for example, that some of the loudest voicescalling for action to defend the Christians in Iraq today come fromthe far right. It is disturbing, of course, that a decade ago as theBush Administration blundered its way into Iraq, this wing of thepolitical spectrum was too busy beating the drums of war to hearthe warnings coming from Iraq’s Christians about the impact thatthe war and the pathetic misguided occupation would have ontheir communities. This same crowd went deaf again to the plightof Iraq’s Christians during the brutal civil war that followed, with its“ethnic cleansing” that reduced the country’s Christian populationfrom 1.4 million to 400,000.

Does defending Christians mean that Saddam should havebeen tolerated because he provided more protection forChristians than the sectarian pogroms that followed? Most certain-ly not. But because those who are now the most strident advo-cates for a US military-led assault on Iraq and Syria are the verysame folks whose policies led to the current crisis, I believe weshould, at the very least, be wary of their advocacy.

Just as it is important that we be concerned not to allow thedefense of Christians to serve as a cover for the agenda of the war-hawks, we must not allow it to degenerate into Muslim-bashing.Islamophobes may draw applause from some in Washington, buttheir inflammatory rhetoric will only harm the fate of Christians inthe Middle East. In the end, they appear to be more focused onfomenting a “clash of civilizations” then contributing to a reformedand reconstructed Arab World.

What should also be of concern are those who either want todefend only some Christians -ignoring for example, the hardshipsfaced by Palestinian Christians living under Israeli occupation - orthose whose advocacy is limited exclusively to Christians. As aChristian and an Arab American, I reject both approaches. I cannotimagine Palestine without its Arab Christian community. All toooften, American evangelicals come to the Holy Land to see thesights, while ignoring the indigenous Christians struggling to survivein the face of an unrelenting occupation. The famed little town ofBethlehem has lost most of its land to Israeli land-grabs, and its peo-ple are hemmed in by a 30’ concrete wall. It is easier for an Americantourist to travel thousands of miles to visit Jerusalem, then it is for aBethlehemite to go a few miles to pray in the Holy City.

NOTE: Dr James J Zogby is the President of the Arab American Institute

By Dr James J Zogby

Washington Watch

In defense of Christians

In this undated image posted on June 30, 2014, fighters from the Islamic State group parade in Raqqa in north Syria. —AP

S P O RT SSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

TAIPEI: Taiwanese Ching-Kuo Wu, who failed in a bid to become presidentof the International Olympic Committee last year, is to stand for a third termas head of the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA). The 68-year-old architect was first elected AIBA president in 2006 after taking overfrom Pakistani Anwar Chowdhry, who was ousted after allegations of cor-ruption, and wants another term to continue his revolutionizing of thesport. Wu is credited with modernizing amateur boxing, revamping scoringmethods, instigating the launch of the AIBA Pro BoxingCompetition, ditching head guards and bringing women’sboxing into the Olympics. He wants to “govern all levels ofboxing worldwide” and sees the new pro boxing competi-tion, which launches next month and allows professionalfighters with fewer than 20 bouts to take on amateur ath-letes for a place at the 2016 Olympics, as the latest phase ofthat. “Therefore, I have decided to run again for the AIBApresidency to serve another four years and to continueenhancing all the AIBA programs together withyou for more great achievements in all areas,” hetold AIBA members in a letter published by thebody yesterday. — Reuters

Taiwanese Wu seeking 3rd term as AIBA head

LONDON: Coventry City marked their return home after a 13-monthexile in the perfect style with a 1-0 win over Gillingham on Friday.Steven Pressley’s League One team had been forced to spend the pastyear playing their ‘home’ fixtures some 35 miles from Coventry inNorthampton after a row with the owners of their Ricoh Arena stadi-um. But that rent dispute was finally settled last month, allowing the1987 FA Cup winners to come back home. Average attendances of just2,287 watched Coventry at Northampton’s Sixfields Stadium as fansrefused to back the decision to quit the city. But supporters turned outin force for the first match at the Ricoh Arena since April 2013, with a27,306 crowd forcing the kick-off to be delayed by 15 minutes. The SkyBlues’ attendance on their return to the Ricoh was almost 5,000 morethan all their 10 home gates for the second half of last season atSixfields put together. Frank Nouble ensured the celebration ofCoventry’s return was a resounding success as the debutant striker’s10th minute goal saw off Gillingham to the delight of City’s long-suf-fering fans. Nouble’s winner lifted Coventry to eighth in the third tiertable as City extended their unbeaten run to six matches. —AFP

Coventry return from exile in winning style

MEXICO CITY: Brazilian legend Ronaldinho made a surprise move toMexico’s first division on Friday, joining the White Roosters of Queretaro ona two-year deal. The 34-year-old former World Cup winner and two-timeworld player of the year had been without a club since leaving Brazilian out-fit Atletico Mineiro in late July. “I chose Mexico for the affection I havealways received here. I am very motivated to represent” Queretaro, he wroteon Twitter. The former Paris St-Germain, Barcelona and AC Milan playmaker,

whose full name is Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, said hewould be wearing the number 49 jersey, sporting hislucky number.

“I am pleased to share with you that from today,the star @10Ronaldinho is a rooster,” team ownerOlegario Vazquez wrote on Twitter.

“It strengthens a great team, the fans deserve it,”he said. Ronaldinho joins the club as it fights to

retain a playoff spot in the Liga MX 2014Apertura tournament. Seven games into theseason, Queretaro currently sit in eighthplace, the last playoff place. —AFP

Brazil’s Ronaldinho joins Mexican club Queretaro

MLB ROUNDUP

American LeagueEastern Division

W L PCT GB Baltimore 80 57 .584 -NY Yankees 70 66 .515 9.5Toronto 70 67 .511 10Tampa Bay 67 72 .482 14Boston 61 77 .442 19.5

Central DivisionKansas City 76 61 .555 -Detroit 76 62 .551 0.5Cleveland 70 66 .515 5.5Chicago White Sox63 75 .457 13.5Minnesota 60 78 .435 16.5

Western DivisionLA Angels 83 54 .606 -Oakland 79 59 .572 4.5Seattle 74 63 .540 9Houston 60 79 .432 24Texas 53 85 .384 30.5

National LeagueEastern Division

Washington 78 59 .569 -Atlanta 72 67 .518 7Miami 67 70 .489 11NY Mets 65 74 .468 14Philadelphia 64 74 .464 14.5

Central DivisionSt. Louis 75 63 .543 -Milwaukee 73 65 .529 2Pittsburgh 71 67 .514 4Cincinnati 66 72 .478 9Chicago Cubs 63 76 .453 12.5

Western DivisionLA Dodgers 78 61 .561 -San Francisco 76 63 .547 2San Diego 66 71 .482 11Arizona 57 81 .413 20.5Colorado 55 84 .396 23

MLB results/standings

Baltimore 5, Cincinnati 4; Detroit 4, Cleveland 2; Boston 9, NY Yankees 4; Philadelphia 4,Atlanta 0; NY Mets 8, Miami 6; Toronto 8, Tampa Bay 2; Chicago Cubs 7, Milwaukee 1; KansasCity 2, Texas 1; Chicago White Sox 6, Minnesota 3 (10 innings); Houston 8, LA Angels 3; St.Louis 6, Pittsburgh 4; San Francisco 12, Colorado 7; Seattle 6, Oakland 5; LA Dodgers 4,Washington 1; San Diego 2, Arizona 1.

DETROIT: San Francisco pitcher Jake Peavywas in such dominant form that he evenresumed after a rain delay of almost threehours and steered the Giants to an 8-2 winover Detroit in Friday’s key interleague clashof playoff aspirants. The victory moved theGiants within two games of the NationalLeague West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers,while the Tigers slipped two games behindAmerican League Central leader Kansas City,which prevailed in a defensive struggleagainst the New York Yankees.

New York missed an opportunity to makeup some ground on runaway AL East leaderBaltimore, which lost to Tampa Bay, while thekey NL clash saw Milwaukee end a run ofnine-successive defeats by beating St Louis,which had won its previous six. San Franciscoscored six runs in three innings and led 6-0when a severe storm came through, delayingthe game for two hours and 40 minutes.When play resumed, Peavy (4-4) surprisinglywent back to the mound and did not give upany earned runs in his six innings.

Kansas City capitalized on Detroit’s defeatby beating the Yankees 1-0, with a superbperformance by pitcher James Shields. Twostarts after putting in one of his worst out-ings this season against New York, Shields (137) showed his best by retiring his first 11 bat-ters. It was one of his two 11-batter stretchesof the game, and he induced 12 groundoutsin 8-1/3 scoreless innings. Nori Aoki’s run-scoring single in the third proved the winneras the Royals notched a fourth-straight winand moved 17 games over a .500 record forthe first time in 25 years.

Baltimore remained 9-1/2 games ahead ofNew York atop the AL East after a 3-0 loss atTampa Bay. Rays’ starter Alex Cobb and tworelievers combined for Tampa Bay’s AL-best19th shutout this season. Cobb didn’t get thedecision despite going seven innings andallowing two runs or less for the 11th consec-utive start; a team record. He gave up onlyone walk and struck out six. Reliever BradBoxberger (4-1) pitched a perfect eighth totake the win. Milwaukee finally got back onthe winners’ list by beating St Louis 6-2, clos-ing back within three games of the NLCentral-leading Cardinals.

Scooter Gennett had a two-run single inthe third inning and drove in another runwith a double in the fifth. Brewers’ starterMike Fiers (5-2) gave up two runs in 6 2-3innings, improving to 5-1 since being calledup from the minors. Los Angeles’ KoleCalhoun had three hits and scored four times,sliding into home for the go ahead run in the10th inning to give the Angels a 7-6 victoryover Minnesota. Calhoun singled to start the10th, and two walks loaded the bases. A flyball by Erick Aybar was caught by OswaldoArcia but his throw from right field to homeplate was a bit off line and not in time forcatcher Josmil Pinto to tag the speedyCalhoun. The Angels moved six games clearatop the AL West. Washington’s RafaelSoriano blew another save, and an error byBryce Harper on a routine fly ball in the 11thinning led to the go-ahead runs, givingPhiladelphia a 9-8 win over the Nationals. ThePhillies rallied from a five-run deficit with twounearned runs in the eighth and then three inthe ninth off Soriano, who was booed off thefield as his late-season slump continues. Thencame a pair of runs in the 11th, which startedwith a two-base error when Harper ran smackinto center fielder Denard Span, who hadclearly called for a fly ball.

The Nationals stayed seven games clearatop the NL West because Atlanta lost 11-3 atMiami. Marlins starter Jarred Cosart (4-1),who came into the game with the lowest ERA(0.65) in the majors over the past four weeks,retired 13 batters in a row during one stretchand allowed two runs in 72/3 innings, withsix strikeouts and only one walk. MarcellOzuna had four hits and four RBIs for theMarlins, who had a season-high 18 hits.Houston’s Chris Carter hit his 36th homer ofthe season and drove in three runs againsthis former team to help the Astros beatslumping Oakland 4-3. Carter added an RBIsingle, Jon Singleton also homered and JoseAltuve had two hits for Houston, unbeaten inthree games since firing manager Bo Porteron Monday. It was the Astros’ fifth-straightwin overall, two shy of their season high.

The A’s had the best record in the majors amonth ago but have gone 7-17 since and awild-card berth increasingly looks like theironly passage into the playoffs. Los Angeles’Dan Haren pitched well on two extra days ofrest to steer the Dodgers to a 2-1 win overArizona. The game between Pittsburgh andthe Chicago Cubs was suspended by rainwith the game tied 3-3 in the top of the sev-enth inning and will resume on Saturday.

MINNEAPOLIS: Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout hits the wall in a futile effortto catch a two-run double by Minnesota Twins’ Trevor Plouffe that tied the baseball gamein the ninth inning on Friday, Sept 5, 2014. — AP

Giants win at Detroit with Peavy in command

DALLAS: Ron Washington made a surprise res-ignation announcement Friday, leaving hispost as manager of the Texas Rangers for “per-sonal” reasons, the Major League Baseballteam announced. The 62-year-old had led theclub since the start of the 2007 season. But heguided the Rangers to a 53-87 record in 2014,the worst record in any of his more than sevenseasons as the manager. On the day of hisannouncement, Texas was in last place in theAL West, their lowest standing sinceWashington was named manager.

“I have submitted my resignation from thejob I love-managing the Rangers-to devote myfull attention to addressing an off-the-fieldpersonal matter,” Washington said.

“As painful as it is, stepping away is what’sbest for me, my family.” Tim Bogar has beenappointed interim manager for the remainderof the season. “We accept Ron’s decision andare grateful for his many contributions to theRangers organization over the last eight years,”Rangers GM Jon Daniels said. “This has cer-tainly been a difficult season for our major

league club in terms of on-field performance,but we were looking forward to moving aheadwith Ron as our manager in 2015.

“We wish Ron the best as he deals with thismatter.” The Rangers had enjoyed some suc-cess under Washington. They had finishedfourth in 2007, going 75-87, then placed sec-ond two consecutive years before winningback-to-back division and league crowns in2010-11.

Washington, of New Orleans, leaves theclub having posted a 664-611 record and ledthe Rangers to three playoff berths. “Over thepast eight seasons, it’s been a privilege to bepart of some of the best years in club historyand I will always be grateful for the opportu-nities I’ve had here, and for the great manage-ment, players, and coaches who have madeour time here a success,” he said. He askedthat people respect his privacy. Along withTampa Bay’s Joe Maddon, Washington wasthe only other manager to guide a team tofour straight seasons with 90 or more winsfrom 2010-13. — AFP

Washington resignsas Rangers manager

MONZA: McLaren are in no rush to decidetheir 2015 Formula One driver lineup, andJenson Button’s future, but will do so beforethe end of the season, group chairman RonDennis said yesterday.

“When there is a decision to take we willtake it...it won’t be in the next few days andit won’t be at the end of the season, it willbe something in between,” he told reportersat the Italian Grand Prix. He indicated alsothat it could ultimately remain unchanged.“We really respect both of them, they’redoing a great job,” said Dennis of 2009 worldchampion Button and Danish rookie KevinMagnussen. “The drivers’ role in the future isan open issue and will only be decided asand when we know where the marketstands,” he said.

Button, 34, is out of contract at the endof the season but has said he wants to con-tinue and is ‘very relaxed’ about the situa-tion. Dennis, speaking after announcing asponsorship with Italian coffee companySegafredo Zanetti, reiterated that McLarenalways had the best drivers available butstressed the key word was ‘available’. “So thefirst thing you have to establish, before youhave any process of selection - and that isnot derogatory, detrimental or negative toyour existing drivers - is who is available,” headded.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull’squadruple champion Sebastian Vettel haveboth been spoken of as targets for McLaren,who are starting a new partnership withHonda next season. Both drivers have saidthey are happy where they are but Dennis,who is remodelling the team after retakingcontrol in January from the ousted Martin

Whitmarsh, would not be drawn on themand indicated there might be other options.Former McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton, the2008 champion, is currently in his secondyear at Mercedes and battling German teammate Nico Rosberg for the title.

Talks on extending his three-year con-tract have been put on hold with somemedia speculation about his future startingto spread. “No-one could have predicted thetension inside Mercedes-Benz...we can allimagine a range of scenarios that could seeone of those drivers on the market by theend of the year,” said Dennis. “That does notmean we would automatically reach for thatdriver, or any other driver, in preference towhat we have. “What it means is you are try-ing to understand what is available, andthen you make a decision. And it could bethat decision is not to change.”

McLaren have not won a race since 2012,when Hamilton and Button were teammates but Dennis said the team were ingood shape and fighting back. He said theSegafredo sponsorship was “the firstannouncement of many” and more partnerswill be introduced over the coming months.“You will see as things unfold over the nextfew months, McLaren is going to be verymuch back in every aspect of Formula One,”he added. “We have been making systemat-ic and very structured forward progress. Allof the people who have been joiningMcLaren or were going to join are now inte-grated into the organization,” declaredDennis. “We are now a much more focusedand dynamic organization...I can absolutelyand categorically assure you that we areback.” — Reuters

MOTOR RACING

McLaren in no rush to decide 2015 F1 drivers

MINNEAPOLIS: Danny Santana #39 and Jordan Schafer #1 of the Minnesota Twins chaseafter a ball hit by Tony Campana #22 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim during theninth inning of the game on September 5, 2014. — AFP

Cleveland’s David Murphy drove in the win-ning run with a bases-loaded single in the10th inning to five the Indians a 2-1 victoryover the Chicago White Sox.

Boston’s Yoenis Cespedes had four hits,including a game-winning single thatcapped a three-run 10th inning, as the RedSox rallied to beat Toronto 9-8. New York’sCurtis Granderson and Travis d’Arnaud eachhit three-run homers and drove in four runs,

powering the Mets to a 14-5 thrashing ofCincinnati and a third-straight victory.Seattle’s Kendrys Morales hit two of histeam’s four homers as the Mariners beatTexas 7-5, handing the Rangers their sev-enth-straight loss only hours after managerRon Washington resigned unexpectedly.Colorado’s Tyler Matzek pitched his firstcareer shutout, steering the Rockies to a 3-0win against San Diego. —AP

S P O RT SSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

BRUSSELS: After a sensational sprint dou-ble at the Diamond League finale,American Justin Gatlin admitted TomHanks’ film character Forrest Gump hadbeen an inspiration as he battled back froma four-year doping ban. Gatlin rolled backthe years to scorch to a rare 100-200m dou-ble on Friday and immediately stated hewanted to establish a rivalry with Jamaicanstar Usain Bolt, who has already called timeon his season after a short-lived comebackfrom injury.

Belying his 32 years, Gatlin, the 2004Olympic 100m gold medalist and doublesprint world champion in 2005 before serv-ing a 2006-10 doping ban, first raced the100m and won by setting a season’s fastesttime of 9.77sec. Amazingly, the American’stime matched his world record-equallingmark set in Qatar in 2006 — later rescindedbecause of his doping infraction. Only fourmen have ever run faster: Bolt, AmericanTyson Gay, and Jamaican duo Yohan Blakeand Asafa Powell.

Gatlin then returned to the track just anhour later and blasted to an incredible vic-tory in the 200m in 19.71sec, just 0.03 slow-er than his own world leading time. “It feltgreat. Me and my coach Denis Mitchellhave been working this year to put togeth-er a good race pattern and I knew rightfrom the start of the season that I could run9.7 or even better,” he said. “We just neededfavorable conditions and tonight was prob-ably the most perfect night I’ve had all year.It was a very special night for me and myfamily. “To be able to run 19.71 and 9.77 inalmost an hour apart or less... we work veryhard all year long, so I don’t see why notgive myself to the fans.

“I wanted to test my toughness, to seewhat I can do under pressure.” Gatlin saidForrest Gump, the lead character of the1993 Oscar-winning film of the same namewho sets out on a three-year coast-to-coastUS marathon after a spurned marriage pro-posal, continues to play a role in his prepa-rations. “One of the movies I watch before Igo out and run is Forrest Gump because all

he does is: when he runs he goes. I thinkthat’s my mentality when I go out on thetrack: just go,” he said. “Why am I going tooverthink, over analyse my race, who’s nextto me, what someone’s run this year? I’mtalented enough.”

Gatlin insisted that his goal next seasonwas to be a rival who pushed double worldrecord holder Bolt. “It’s not just one lane onthe track when it comes to the 100m or anyother event,” he said. “As competitors weare obligated to show our best perform-ance. “I’m not going to lay down whenUsain Bolts takes the stage and shows theworld who he is. “I definitely want to go outthere and put on a good show. If he goesout there and runs one of the world’sfastest times, I want to feel like I’m pushinghim to it, or I’m going to go out there andtry and beat him.

“The world wants to see a good rivalry. Iwant to go home, work very hard andhopefully produce a good rivalry for theyears to come.” Asked what time it wouldtake to beat Bolt, who has run 9.58sec forthe 100m and 19.19 for the 200m, Gatlinchuckled: “The same time I need to beathim any day, in any race. “In a good fantasyworld, if both of us are injury free and we’relined up (in the 100m), we can take it backdown to low 9.6s or faster. I think it wouldbe a great, spectacular race.

“I have respect for Bolt, he’s a great com-petitor, one of the best competitors I’veever been up against and he knows how toshow up. That keeps me on my ‘A’ game. “Iwant to be able to be one of those guys forhim, so he knows he needs to bring his ‘A’game.” Gatlin also insisted that age was nota problem.

“In track and field a lot of people writeyou off as you get older,” he said. “I want tobe able, looking at guys like my coach andFrankie Fredericks who stood the test oftime and had great races later on in theircareer, to model myself after them. “When Iwas growing up I thought I could fly, soshort story, until this day I never put a limiton me.” — AFP

Run Forrest, run! Gatlin eyes Bolt rivalry

BRUSSELS: US athlete Justin Gatlin competes to win the Men’s 100m event of the Memorial Van Damme athletics Diamond League meeting inBrussels, on September 5, 2014. — AFP

NEW YORK: Serena Williams is steaming at fullspeed toward a sixth US Open triumph, butCaroline Wozniacki isn’t conceding anything inher quest for a first Grand Slam crown. The twofriends meet today in the championship match ofthe last Grand Slam of the year. World numberone Williams is vying to become the first womanto win three straight titles at Flushing Meadowssince Chris Evert won four on the trot in the1970s. With a win she’ll join Evert and MartinaNavratilova on 18 career Grand Slam titles-a pur-suit that has been stalled as she failed to make itpast the fourth round in any other major this year.

Her third-round singles exit at Wimbledonwas followed by a bizarre departure from dou-bles, Williams looking weak and woozy beforesister and playing partner Venus led her from thecourt mid-match. Following on from her second-round French Open exit, it sparked immediatespeculation not only as to the state of her gamebut also her psyche. “There’s always skeptics,”said Williams, who says she was suffering from avirus in London. “I worked really hard forWimbledon. I was disappointed and sad-andshocked-that I wasn’t able to win. “I workedhours, more than I worked before. Maybe it’s justpaying off now.” Maybe it is.

Williams hasn’t dropped a set en route to thefinal, dispatching 17th-seeded semi-final oppo-nent Ekaterina Makarova 6-1, 6-3 in an hour inher latest show of strength. She’s a prohibitivefavorite over Wozniacki, far removed from herdays at number one back in 2010 and back in aGrand Slam final for the first time since her 2009US Open runner-up finish to Kim Clijsters. That’sfine with Wozniacki. “I always believe in myselfwhen I go out to play,” Wozniacki said after secur-ing her finals berth when China’s Peng Shuai dra-matically retired with heat illness while trailing intheir semi-final. “I definitely believe that no mat-ter who stands on the other side of the net I canwin the match.” Williams has won eight of theirnine encounters, but Wozniacki is encouragedthat in recent meetings in Montreal andCincinnati she pushed her good friend to threesets. “When she’s on fire, she’s hard to beat,”Wozniacki said. “But I have had two tough match-es against her the last few weeks. I was reallyclose. Hopefully for me that would be third time’sthe charm. “It’s going to be exciting.” Williams isexpecting another close match. “She knows mygame well and she knows how to play,” Williamssaid. “She’s so consistent, that’s one of the thingsthat makes her really tough.” The key in the faceof that Wozniacki persistence, Williams said, “Juststay calm, just be able to relax and be happy.”

Going to be differentWozniacki-who toppled five-time Grand Slam

winner Maria Sharapova in the fourth round-believes she’ll benefit from the experience of herfirst US Open final, when she was 19. “I didn’tknow what to expect from my nerves,” she said

of that match against Clijsters. “She had beenout there before. So this time it’s going to be dif-ferent. “I have definitely learned a lot in thoseyears. I have learned more about myself,” saidWozniacki, who has come on strong this seasonsince the painful and public end of her engage-

ment to star golfer Rory McIlroy. “It would meanso much to me,” added Wozniacki, once knockedas a number one who hadn’t won a major. “Itwould definitely have the media stop talkingabout my lack of a Grand Slam, so that would benice.” — AFP

Friendly fire as Wozniacki, Serena eye US Open title

NEW YORK: Serena Williams of the United States celebrates after defeating EkaterinaMakarova of Russia during their women’s singles semifinal match on Day Twelve of the 2014US Open. — AFP

SEVILLE: Lithuania’s NBA stars DonatasMotiejunas and Jonas Valanciunas have beenworking magic for the national team at the2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The duo ledthe Baltic state to a first place finish in Group Dwith a 4-1 record and a last 16 showdown withNew Zealand today. Motiejunas is Lithuania’ssecond-leading scorer at 10.4 points per gameand is second in rebounding at 3.8 reboundsper a game, making him one of Lithuania’smost consistent players at just 23 years ofage.”It depends on my teammates, I rely onthem. I play the game and try to score somepoints,” said Motiejunas, who plays with theHouston Rockets in the NBA.

Motiejunas has been starting games with aplayer he grew up competing against - 22-year-old Toronto Raptors center Valanciunas. InSpain, Motiejunas is starting at power forwardand Valanciunas at center for the first timetogether in the national team. And their chem-

istry continues to improve game by game.When asked about how the young duo aregrowing together on the court, Motiejunassaid: “It’s basketball. Smart basketball playerspass the ball. We share the ball with oneanother and we play for each other.” The emer-gence of Motiejunas has started to change theLithuanian team. With Motiejunas andValanciunas starting games, a new generationof players is beginning to have a bigger impacton the national side.

The team is starting to come together andMotiejunas continues to feel more comfort-able as his game improves. “We are a goodgroup of guys. We are fighting for each other.We are young and inexperienced a little bit butwe will keep on fighting and that is the key togetting a win.” Motiejunas and Valanciunas arenot the only young players getting a chancefor Lithuania. National team captain and start-ing point guard Mantas Kalnietis suffered a

collarbone injury just a week before the WorldCup started forcing less experienced pointguards Sarunas Vasiliauskas and AdasJuskevicius to take much bigger roles with theteam.

“It’s a great experience and I think it’s thebiggest chance they will ever get in their lives.I mean, if they will not take it now, there mightnot be another one. If you don’t take yourchance, you might never have it again,”Motiejunas said. The FIBA World Cup has beena turning point for Motiejunas, who averagedless than five points a game last summer atEuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia. Motiejunas hadtrouble playing in limited minutes and was aninconsistent performer. But in Spain he hasdone everything his coaches ask of him andknows now that he will play better when hisfocus is on the team. “Win as a team, that isthe most important thing,” concludedMotiejunas. — AFP

BASKETBALL

ATHLETICS

Star duo work magic for the new-look Lithuania

BRUSSELS: Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim competes and wins the Men’s High Jump duringthe Memorial Van Damme athletics Diamond League meeting in Brussels, onSeptember 5, 2014. — AFP

BRUSSELS: Mutaz Essa Barshim is a rarity inhigh-class Qatari athletics: not an incomerfrom Nigeria or Kenya but a real homegrowntalent who is within a whisper of breakingone of track and field’s most legendaryrecords. The last Qatari to shine on the worldstage was Saif Saaed Shaheen, formerlyknown as Kenyan Stephen Cherono.Ironically, it was at the same Brussels stadiumthat Shaheen set the 3000m steeplechaseworld record in 2004 that Barshim took centrestage on Friday, becoming the second high-est man of all time after clearing 2.43 metersin the men’s high jump in a thrilling display.

The 23-year-old Barshim was locked in abattle royal with Ukraine’s BohdanBondarenko, both attempting 2.46m, 1cmhigher than Cuban Javier Sotomayor’s 21-year-old high jump record, in a nail-biting cli-max to the Diamond League final. The recordremained intact, but Barshim is confident itwill be broken given the increase in highjumps. There have now been 16 jumps over2.40m in 2014. Before this year, never had twohigh jumpers cleared 2.40m in the same com-petition-it has now happened four times. “Ithink it’s possible to break the record. It’sbeen done by a human, we’re all human, soit’s possible,” the Doha native said.

“I gave it my best and am happy with 2.43,it’s the second best ever” after Sotomayor,

with Bondarenko and Sweden’s Patrik Sjobergtied at 2.42m. “It was a clear jump (at 2.43m). Ihad a good feeling and knew I could be ableto jump 2.46 if I make the same jump, but Iwas so empty, so tired after that jump.”Barshim’s 2.43m was not only a world-leadingmark, but it also broke his own Asian recordas well as the IAAF Diamond League record.“In a competition like today, you don’t havethe world record on your mind,” said theworld indoor champion. “The competition isso intense, you just want to win, you want tobeat your opponents, you don’t mentionwhat the height is.

“Jumping 2.43m is a huge thing. I didn’trealise it but now after the competition, Ithought that’s high! “It means Javier is the kingand now you’re the prince. You might takeover at any time, so that’s really big for me andreally good motivation.” Asked what he need-ed to do to improve and have a real shot atSotomayor’s record, Barshim said: “Mostly it’stime: I need experience, there’s no shortcut forexperience. I need time to get stronger. “I’veonly tried for the world record two or threetimes. I need big competitions, to be fighting.“It’s a world record and you need everything tobe perfect, the weather, the crowd, you needto feel good physically and mentally. “When allthat comes together, I think it’s possible tobeat Sotomayor’s record.” — AFP

Prince Barshim ready to supplant King Sotomayor

NEW YORK: Suffering from heat illness andcramps, a brave Peng Shuai ignored doc-tor’s advice and returned to a baking courtdetermined to complete her US Opensemi-final on Friday - only to have hergrand slam dream end in agony. WithCaroline Wozniacki leading 7-6(1) 4-3 andclosing in on victory when Peng suddenlyclutched at her thighs and stumbled to theback wall of Arthur Ashe Stadium courtwith severe cramping. In obvious distress, the Chinese doublesspecialist was eventually helped off thecourt and disappeared into the lockerrooms where she received treatment. Avaliant Peng, playing in her first careergrand slam singles semi-final, refused tothrow in the towel, and returned 11 min-utes later determined to continue.

But after six points, Peng was left curled

up in pain on the baseline, and the tearful28-year-old lifted into a wheelchair andtaken to an onsite medical facility. “Thedoctor, she said to me, ‘You are not ablereally go out to fight, compete, becauseyour look is not really well,” Peng toldreporters after recovering from her ordeal.“I said, ‘No, no, no, I don’t want to give up. Iwant to try one more time.’ “Then I comeback. I know I’m not going to stay maybetoo long but I just want to try. “I just want-ed to challenge her one more time.”

Peng said she knew the moment shereturned to the court there was no chanceto complete the match.

Clearly suffering the effects of the heat,a disorientated Peng was not sure if shetold the chair umpire she was defaulting orif doctors finally intervened to end theordeal. —Reuters

Brave Peng ignores doctors to chase grand slam dream

S P O RT SSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

LONDON: Kevin Pietersen has slammed Englandcaptain Alastair Cook as “selfish” for playing down histeam’s chances of winning next year’s World Cup.Cook’s side beat India by 41 runs on Friday to sal-vage some pride after an emphatic defeat in theone-day series, but former England batsmanPietersen is still frustrated by what he sees as a nega-tive attitude in the national team hierarchy.

He believes Cook is keen to take a low-keyapproach to the World Cup in Australia and NewZealand to avoid heaping further pressure onto hisown shoulders after his poor one-day displays,

which prompted several ex-England stars to call forhim to step down as limited overs skipper. “I think itis selfish that the captain is not talking positivelyabout winning the World Cup,” Pietersen wrote in hisDaily Telegraph column yesterday. “In Alastair Cook’sown words it is ‘far fetched’ to believe we can winthe tournament. I just do not buy that. It is also non-sense to think we do not have time to make changesthat could transform England’s chances.”

Pietersen revealed that the lack of positivity goinginto next year’s tournament is especially galling afterthe Ashes schedule was amended to improve

England’s chances. The controversial batsman wasaxed after that dismal Ashes campaign after fallingout with several members of Cook’s team. “There is atheory the England and Wales Cricket Board arereluctant to remove Cook as captain of the one-dayteam because it might destabilize the camp ahead ofnext year’s Ashes,” he added. “That is hard to swallowfor those of us who endured back-to-back Ashescampaigns just so this winter could be dedicated toone-day cricket in the lead-up to the World Cup.”Although Cook came through similar doubts abouthis suitability to lead the Test side earlier in the sea-

son, Pietersen believes his style fundamentally doesnot fit in with what is required in the shorter form ofthe game. The 34-year-old, who also suggestedEnglish stars should spend time in the IPL to honetheir limited overs skills, has joined Graeme Swannand Michael Vaughan in suggesting Cook should justfocus on the Tests. “This is not a witch-hunt againstCook. But he would gain a lot of respect if he admit-ted he is not the right man to open the batting andcaptain the one-day team, and decided he was goingto concentrate all his efforts on winning back theAshes,” Pietersen added. — AFP

Pietersen slams ‘selfish’ Cook

NAPIER: Argentina’s scrumhalf Martin Landajo (left) has a kick charged down by New Zealand All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick during their rugbyunion match at McLean Park yesterday. — AFP

NAPIER: Winger Julian Savea scored two tries asNew Zealand again struggled to put Argentinaaway before they eventually ground out a 28-9win in their tightly contested RugbyChampionship clash at McLean Park in Napieryesterday. Liam Messam and Aaron Smith alsoscored tries for the All Blacks to secure a vitalfour-try bonus point, though the home side hada poor game with the boot. Beauden Barrett,making his first start at flyhalf, kicked a penaltybut missed four other kicks, before he wasreplaced by Colin Slade, who kicked a penaltyand a conversion, though he also missed apenalty.

Flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez slotted three penal-ties for the Pumas, who were also unlucky tohave a try to Leonardo Senatore inexplicablyruled out by referee Pascal Gauzere, who saidthe number eight’s charge down of a clearingkick was a knock on. “There are things that hap-pen on the game, unfortunately the referee did-n’t see it, but that’s all,” Argentina captainAgustin Creevy told reporters, before adding itcould have changed their momentum. “But wehad an excellent first half then we made someeasy mistakes with the tries they scored off thefirst phase. “We didn’t take advantage of the situ-ation when we did score. That would’ve beenthe difference and we could have been closer onthe scoreboard.”

Tight struggleThe All Blacks have struggled to put

Argentina away in recent games in New Zealandand the pattern continued on Saturday as theheavy rain that had threatened to influence thegame duly arrived in the late afternoon anddropped balls and a tough forward battle werethe predominant features of the match. “Veryhappy with the final result,” All Blacks’ coachSteve Hansen said. “We have played these guysthree years in a row in not great conditions andthis is the first time we have got a bonus pointso fairly happy to have picked that up.” Barrettand Sanchez traded penalties midway throughthe first half before the All Blacks managed tobreak down the Pumas’ defensive line with

clever tactical kicking that Savea pounced uponto score the first try.

Sanchez reduced the scoreline to 8-6 with hissecond penalty before the All Blacks gave them-selves a massive confidence boost after the half-time hooter when they secured a tighthead fromthe Pumas’ scrum. Barrett broke the line andbeat the cover defenders and fed to Messam toextend the advantage to 13-6, a critical lead thatgave them momentum heading into the secondhalf. Barrett then created Savea’s second tryshortly after the break when he took the ball tothe defensive line and popped a no-look pass tohis Wellington Hurricanes’ team mate to stormonto the ball and cross.

The match then descended into another armwrestle before the decision that effectively killedoff the Puma’s chances. While trailling just 18-9they were putting pressure on the All Blacksdeep in their own half, Senatore then chargeddown Ma’a Nonu’s clearing kick and raced away

for a try, only for Gauzere to call him back, to thesurprise of many in the near sell-out crowd of21,329. The All Blacks then shut the game downin the final 20 minutes when Slade kicked apenalty and number eight Kieran Read brokefrom an attacking scrum to feed scrumhalf Smithfor the bonus point try under the posts with lessthan 10 minutes remaining.

“Once you get four tries in conditions like thisyou’re going to be happy,” All Blacks’ captainRichie McCaw said. “It was always going to bescrappy and there were patches there where wedidn’t look after the ball but they stuck at it. “Wehad an Argentina side who certainly came toplay and they put real pressure on us at the con-tact area, but we expected that. “There was awee patch in the second half where we didn’tget much luck at scrum time but I’m proud ofthe ways the guys came back and won a coupleof big scrums that resulted in tries and that wassatisfying.” — Reuters

Savea brace for All Blacksin tight win over Pumas

NAPIER: Argentina’s lock Mariano Galarza (top) takes the line-out ball against the New ZealandAll Blacks during their rugby union match at McLean Park in Napier yesterday. — AFP

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE: Sergio Garcia’sspot on Ryder Cup was so secure. was allbut certain of getting to the TourChampionship. It was the perfect time forhim to take a week off and make sure hehad plenty of energy for a big September.He looked better than ever at the BMWChampionship. Garcia holed a bunkershot for birdie, holed a short wedge foreagle and made a pair of big putts at theend for a 6-under 64. It gave him a one-shot lead over Ryan Palmer going intothe weekend at Cherry Hills, with RoryMcIlroy not far behind.

“I know myself after 15 years of run-ning around,” Garcia said. “I would love toplay all four tournaments on the FedExCup, but I knew that it wasn’t going to begood for me to start with - I was going to

get tired of it. It wasn’t going to be goodcoming into the Ryder Cup. So if theRyder Cup wasn’t there I would haveprobably made an effort, but I didn’t feellike that was the right thing for me to do.”So he went to the Hamptons, played golf,went to the beach and had a good time.”

Two days at Cherry Hills haven’t beenall that bad, either. The only nuisancehappened on the sixth green, and it hadnothing to do with his golf. Garcia heardwhat he described as a series of beeps inhis ear, and then a pop. “It’s happenedbefore, but usually I kind of blow it and itgets back,” he said. “But for some reason itjust didn’t feel quite the same. And it stilldoesn’t, but it’s definitely better. It wasuncomfortable probably for five or six

holes, and then it got a little bit better.” Itdidn’t affect his golf He holed out theshort wedge for eagle on the next hole.Garcia was at 8-under 132.

Barring a charge that would makeeven Arnold Palmer proud, Phil Mickelsonis playing his last PGA Tour event of theseason. He twice hit into the water - mak-ing a triple bogey on the par-3 12th and abogey on the 17th - and shot a 76.Mickelson, who needs to finish aboutfourth to qualify for the TourChampionship, was 14 shots behind andin a tie for 63rd in the 68-man field. JasonDay withdrew on the ninth hole with aback injury and said he would try to beready for the Tour Championship.

Garcia had one of several great finish-es - birdie-par-birdie, though it felt like hepicked up shots on every shot. First, hemade a 20-foot birdie on the 16th. Hewent for the green in two on the 17thand came up well short. With the tough18th ahead of him, it looked as though hewould lose his lead and perhaps evenmore ground. But he hit wedge to tap-inrange for his par, and then made one ofonly six birdies on the closing hole atCherry Hills. “It’s only Friday, so we stillhave two days to go,” he said. “But it defi-nitely helped my frame of mind goinginto the 18th tee, which today was play-ing quite hard. So it was nice to be able toget that up-and-down and then play 18really well.” Palmer has been showing upon leaderboards over the last month -share of the first-round lead at the PGAChampionship and an opening 63 lastweek in Boston. He thought the greensmight be softer because of the rain, andhe was right. Palmer saw a few approachshots on No 1 and told his caddie thecourse would be there for the taking. Hewaited until the end to grab it with fourbirdies in his last five holes. “It was a greatway to finish,” he said. “I was glad I wasone of the ones that shot low.” McIlroyalso made a late surge after starting withone birdie, one bogey and 12 pars. Hebegan to turn it around with a 30-footbirdie putt on the 15th, a 35-foot birdieputt on the 16th and a long two-puttbirdie at the 17th.

He shot the same score and felt entire-ly different - finishing with two latebogeys one day, three late birdies thenext. “I feel much better coming off thegolf course because I birdied three of thelast four holes,” McIlroy said. “I sort ofstruggled to get anything going today. Itwas a little cooler, so the ball wasn’tgoing quite as far, a little bit of wind ...even though the course was softer, it stillplayed pretty tough.” Hideki Matsuyamaof Japan had a 67 and was among thosefour shots behind in a tie for fifth.Matsuyama is at No 30 in the FedEx Cup.The top 30 after this week advance to theTour Championship for a shot at the $10million bonus. — AP

LEEDS: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni saidhis side’s pacemen would need to hone theirskills bowling in the ‘slog-overs’ if the worldchampions were to defend their title in Australiaand New Zealand early next year. Dhoni’s mensuffered a 41-run defeat by England in the fifthand final one-day international at Headingley onFriday but still took the series 3-1 after a trio ofcrushing wins. India repeatedly exploitedEngland’s longstanding weakness against spinbowling and might well have done so again onFriday but for Joe Root’s 113 on his Yorkshirehome ground.

For once India’s batsmen proved unequal tothe chase, despite a fine fifty from AmbatiRayudu and a dashing 87 from Ravindra Jadedja.“Three hundred was par score today, and wegave away quite a few soft wickets in the middleorder,” Dhoni said. “We lost too many wickets and

were not in position to chase the runs, so thosedismissals really cost us the game.” The likes ofpacemen Bhuvneshwar Kumar and MohammedShami were able to take early wickets and thenlet the spinners take over for much of the series.It was a tactic that worked well until Friday, whenEngland belatedly made use of the batting pow-erplay by scoring 55 runs for no wickets in thedesignated five overs.

However, pitches and overhead conditionsare likely to be very different ‘Down Under’ whenthe World Cup starts in February, although Indiawill first have the benefit of a tri-series inAustralia also featuring England. “I think slogbowling is something which I would like toimprove as a team because the conditions inAustralia and New Zealand will be very different,”Dhoni said. “In New Zealand, there are not manygames (for India) but the grounds are not very

big. “So we cannot use spinners too much afterthe 40th over. “To some extent it will put extrapressure on the fast bowlers to stand up and takemore responsibility.

“It’s really important for them to use the com-ing games well but at the same time, the nextfive (ODIs at home) against the West Indies, wewill get a fair amount of dew so they might find ittough to execute their yorkers or may not findtheir reverse swing-it won’t be exactly what wemay face later in Australia and New Zealand.” Buthaving seen Shami take two for 52 in 10 overs atHeadingley, Dhoni indicated he had the disci-pline he was seeking from his pacemen. “His exe-cution was great, which I feel is lacking in someof our other fast bowlers. “But definitely hebowled really well with his yorkers. “Whenever Ineeded him or asked him he really bowled well,”Dhoni added. — AFP

Dhoni wants India attack ready for World Cup slog

BMW GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

RUGBYU

A week of rest - and a 36-hole lead for Garcia

PERTH: Wing Rob Horne scored athrilling try in the dying minutes asAustralia overhauled front-runners SouthAfrica 24-23 for their first win of this year’sRugby Championship yesterday. Hornestepped off the wing and inside the lastdefender as he finished off a backlinemove with two minutes left, beforeBernard Foley landed the crucial conver-sion to seal victory by a point. Australiaprofited from the controversial late sin-binning of South Africa’s Bryan Habana inhis 100th Test as they climbed off the bot-tom of the southern hemisphere tourna-ment’s table. The decisive try came justseconds before Habana was due back onthe field following his yellow card for ahigh tackle on Adam Ashley-Cooper,which replays showed was unlucky. Theresult was a surprise after the unbeatenSpringboks won 38-12 on their last awaygame against Australia, who were com-ing off a 51-20 hiding in Auckland.

However, in eight games between thetwo sides at the Perth venue, it was theeighth settled by less than seven points.“You’ve got to be happy to see your wingfinish the game by scoring in the corner-lovely,” said Australia captain MichaelHooper, who also praised Foley’s ice-coolconversion. “It’s his show, it’s his moment,he loves it. He had an outstanding gameat 10, controlled the boys well and getsthe icing on the cake at the end.” TheSpringboks defense led 23-14 whenHabana was penalized and they defiedAustralia for most of the period that theyplayed a man short, holding off three

powerful attacks on the line.It looked like the Wallabies would have

to settle for just three points, from a Foleypenalty, for their efforts during their peri-od of advantage. But the inclusion ofKurtley Beale in the 73rd minute lifted theWallabies. “The coaches have been big onreserves coming on and making animpact, and they did,” Hooper said. “Wethought it was in our control-too manypenalties in the first half and they pun-ished us.

Morney (fly-half Morne Steyn) can con-vert them from everywhere.” TheWallabies needing a good start after theirdemoralizing loss to the All Blacks atEden Park in Auckland two weeks ago.And they got it when Foley and MattToomua linked up to open up the SouthAfrican defense for Israel Folau to spearthrough for his 15th Test try. But theSpringboks stuck to their game plan ofkicking the ball whenever they could andcaused the Wallabies plenty of headachesthat resulted in penalties. The six convert-ed penalty goals by Steyn were almostenough for a third straight win for the vis-itors after they opened their campaignwith two victories against Argentina. “Ithought we played pretty well in stages,but they played well right to the end andscored the try,” said South Africa captainJean De Villiers. “It was a bit tough todefend with 14 players and a few mis-takes cost us. “I thought we did well in thefirst-half to play the conditions well, butwe made a few bad errors in the secondhalf.” — AFP

Wallabies floor Springboks

COLORADO: Sergio Garcia of Spain linesup a putt on the 15th hole during thesecond round of the BMW Championshipat the Cherry Hills Country Club onSeptember 5, 2014 in Cherry HillsVillage. — AFP

S P O RT SSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

Photo of the day

Mohammad Al Attar performs at the Red Bull Parkour Project 2014 in Rampur. —www.redbull.com

BUENOS AIRES: Angel Di Maria has claimed hisformer club Real Madrid put pressure onArgentina not to play him in the World Cup finalin another bitter chapter in his departure fromthe Spanish giants. Di Maria joined ManchesterUnited from Real last month for a British recordfee of 59.7 million pounds ($97.45 million) withthe Spanish club’s president Florentino Perez say-ing the winger’s demands for a new contractwere too steep.

“There was a letter from Madrid that arrived at11 in the morning of the match day, we were dueto play at 4 in the afternoon... was putting ice onmy leg to be in the final,” Di Maria told Argentineradio station America on Friday, suggesting theclub did not want him to aggravate a leg injury. “Itore up the letter as soon as it was given to meand didn’t take any notice of it, I didn’t care whatmight happen, but it was (coach) Alejandro’s(Sabella) decision,” he said. “I didn’t want to makeany demands of him but I also didn’t want toleave the team a man short five minutes from avery important match.”

Di Maria, whose goal gave Argentina a 1-0 winover Switzerland in the last 16, suffered a legmuscle injury during the 1-0 quarter-final winover Belgium and took no further part in thetournament. Argentina lost the final 1-0 afterextra time to Germany at the Maracana in Rio deJaneiro on July 13. “I suffered a lot that morning,it was the worst thing that’s happened to me inmy life in footballing (terms) because reachinganother final is very difficult, not to say impossi-ble,” Di Maria said. “The letter was handed to (lateArgentine FA president) Julio (Grondona) and hesaid if I wanted to play I should do so anyway.From what I understand it had something to dowith insurance.” Later on Friday, Julio Grondona Jraccused Perez of wanting to intimidate the AFAinto not fielding Di Maria, who was man of thematch in Real’s Champions league victory in thefinal against Atletico Madrid in May. “We receivedthe letter signed by Florentino Perez saying hedid not allow Di Maria to play... We called DiMaria and together agreed to tear it up,” saidGrondona’s son, president of Argentine first divi-sion club Arsenal which was founded by hisfather, and a member of Argentina’s World Cupdelegation.

“We were pressured”Di Maria, outstanding in Argentina’s 4-2

friendly win over Germany in Duesseldorf onWednesday, denied ever wanting to leave Realand once again praised former team mateCristiano Ronaldo for backing him to stay at theclub. “I never wanted to leave Madrid, Cristianoalways supported me to stay. Selling me was verygood for Madrid to recover all they had spent (inthe transfer market),” he said. — Reuters

Another bitter chapter inDi Maria Real’s departure

Real put ‘pressure’ on Argentina during WCup

Argentina’s midfielder Angel Di Maria

JOHANNESBURG: Mame Biram Diouf setSenegal on their way to an impressive 2-0home victory over record winners Egypt atthe start of the group stages of the AfricanNations Cup qualifiers on Friday. Guineabeat Togo 2-1 in Casablanca, having beenordered to play at a neutral venue becauseof fears over the Ebola virus, while SouthAfrica put aside a dismal four years sincethey hosted the World Cup to beat Sudan 3-0 away in Khartoum.

The remainder of the first round of quali-fying matches across seven groups playedyesterday. Senegal’s pacey forward Dioufopened the scoring against Egypt in GroupG when he ran onto a superb throughballfrom team mate Dame Ndoye and squeezedit past goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy in the 17thminute.

The goal capped a superb week for theStoke City forward after he netted a brilliant

individual effort in the English PremierLeague against Manchester City lastSaturday. Sadio Mane, who joinedSouthampton last week, netted the secondin almost identical fashion in stoppage timeat the end of the first half, as Ndoye playedan even better defence-splitting pass.

Egypt, who have won seven Afr icanNations Cup titles, but failed to qualify forthe last two tournaments, looked toMohamed Salah for inspirat ion but hemissed a series of half-chances in the sec-ond half. In Group A, Sibusiso Vilakazi cameoff the bench at halftime to engineer a sur-prise away victory for the new-look SouthAfrica, who have Ephraim Mashaba back incharge and have undergone a major over-haul of their team with an emphasis onyouth. Vilakazi took advantage of a defen-sive mistake by Sudan to slip home theopener in the 55th minute and then blasted

home an angled right-footed shot for a sec-ond five minutes later.

Debutant Bongani Ndulula scored SouthAfrica’s third 11 minutes from time with aneasy tap-in and there were opportunities formore goals from Bafana Bafana, who hostedthe last Nations Cup finals, but failed to getpast the quarter-finals.

Guinea’s Seydouba Soumah scored earlyand Idrissa Sylla doubled the lead just afterhalf t ime, before Togo pulled one backtrough Jonathan Ayite in Group E. Togo’sEmmanuel Adebayor was mak ing h isreturn after 18 months out of the team, butthe v is i tors could not conjure up anequaliser. All five of the African countrieswho played at the World Cup in Brazi lbegan their qualifying campaigns yester-day, with Nigeria, Ghana and the Ivor yCoast at home and Algeria and Cameroonplaying away. — Reuters

South Africa crush Sudan 3-0

FOXBOROUGH: Many NFL teams are follow-ing the leads of other sports - dropping pricesfor less desirable games while jacking upcosts for the biggest matchups. “The reality isnot every game is created equal,” said JenniferFerron, senior vice president of marketingand brand development for the New EnglandPatriots. In cold-weather cities, games inDecember may be less attractive than thosein early fall. Weeknight games pose more of achallenge to fans who must work the nextmorning. It’s tougher to sell or re-sell ticketsto games between bad teams where no rival-ry is involved.

Variable pricing already is used in majorleague baseball, the NBA and NHL. After sev-eral years of study, half the NFL clubs aremaking the move this season, particularlywith preseason games. “The advantage to theleague is we have season ticket members thatare more satisfied with their NFL experience.That’s clearly our priority,” said Brian Lafemina,the NFL’s senior vice president for club busi-ness development. Seven teams use variablepricing for season tickets and single-gametickets - Arizona, Buffalo, Detroit, NewEngland, Pittsburgh, San Francisco andSeattle. Nine use it only for single-game tick-ets - Atlanta, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Miami,Minnesota, the New York Jets, St Louis, SanDiego, and Tennessee

How are they doing?“Anecdotally, it has certainly been seen as

a positive from season ticket members,”Lafemina said. “There really haven’t been anynegative implications yet and I don’t thinkthere will be.” The Green Bay Packers are oneof the teams looking into variable pricing andlikely will use it next season. “Over the evolu-tion of the game and the preseason, presea-son games are just a lot different than theywere 15-20 years ago,” Packers President MarkMurphy said. “Starters play fewer minutes.The feedback that I’ve gotten from fans is,with the face value as high as it is, for presea-son it’s hard for them to re-sell them. “I think ifwe lowered the price for preseason it wouldhelp fans.”

With NFL ticket buyers now exposed tothe plans, it could become easier for them tobe satisfied with future increases for games inone price tier while others remainunchanged. For now, “I don’t think you caninfer that any pricing increase was due tovariable pricing,” Lafemina said. The Patriots

charged $117 for each of 10 games for certainseats last season. Now those seats cost $57for each of two preseason games, $117 forfour regular-season games and $147 for theother four. The total cost, $1,170, isunchanged.

For the Chargers, “the varying of single-game prices provides an opportunity to moreclosely align face value and market value,which should improve sales,” chief executiveofficer AG Spanos said. The Bills have threeregular-season tiers for their most expensiveseats - $130 for the “gold” level against NewEngland and Miami, $112 for “silver” gamesagainst San Diego, Minnesota, the Jets andGreen Bay and $99 for “bronze” games againstCleveland and Kansas City. The top price forthose seats for each regular-season game lastyear was $102. “So far so good,” Bills chiefmarketing officer Marc Honan said. “We’reseeing the games we thought would moveare moving well.” In Miami, it costs $80 to$165 in section 430 in the upper deck towatch the season opener against the Patriots.If you wait to see the Chargers on Nov 2, thatcost would range from $41 to $71. TomGarfinkel took over as the Dolphins’ chiefexecutive officer last summer and made it apriority to increase attendance in a stadiumthat has had more than 10,000 empty seats inrecent years. The Packers don’t have troubleselling seats, with people waiting years to getseason tickets. The added challenge is thatthe team has a separate season package forMilwaukee-area residents, who make a two-hour trip north to get to games. They typicallyget the second and fifth games of the season,no matter the opponent. But in a variablepricing structure, the strength of an oppo-nent would have more weight.

Would that package cost more if the oppo-nents were the division-rival Bears andVikings? Would it cost less if the two oppo-nents were less desirable, non-conferenceteams? “A little bit of an issue somewhat withthe variable pricing is kind of accurately pre-dicting what games are worth more in termsof face value,” Murphy said. The Patriots havedone that analysis. They decided that watch-ing the rival Jets in mid-October this season isworth more than possibly driving on snowyroads for the last regular-season game againstBuffalo three days after Christmas. “We felt likewe had enough data to make some educateddecisions,” Ferron said. “We haven’t receivedany negative feedback.”— AP

NFL teams moving tovariable ticket pricing

LONDON: England midfielder JackWilshere has hit back at the ‘reckless’ crit-ics who claim the Arsenal star is failing tomake the most of his talent. Wilshere wastipped as England’s most promisingyoung players when he made his interna-tional debut four years, but he has strug-gled to live up to that billing. The 22-year-old has won just 21 caps due to aseries of injuries and loss of form at club

level, prompting criticism from formerEngland players such as Jamie Redknapp,Paul Scholes, Jamie Carragher. Redknapp,who played in midfield for Liverpool andTottenham, said “Jack Wilshere’s problemis Jack Wilshere” and that he had “noexcuses anymore”.

Those comments rankled withWilshere, who was disappointed by the

lack of understanding shown by a manwhose own career was curtailed by injuryat the age of 31. “I listen to the peoplewho I work closely with,” Wilshere saidahead of England’s opening Euro 2016qualifier in Switzerland tomorrow. “Withall due respect, if anything, I thinkRedknapp should have a little bit ofempathy. He was injured more than Iwas. “It’s easy for someone to go on tele-vision and say ‘he should be doing this,he should be doing that’ but if you lookback, he was injured just as much as Iwas. Maybe more than I was. “And he wasnever injured at my age as well and itdoes take a lot of mental strength tocome back.

“So to hear people go on TV and say‘he’s got to be doing this or that’ - I don’tneed that. “I listen to people like the bosshere, Gary Neville, people who talk a lotof sense and can help me with my game.”Wilshere accepts criticism comes withbeing a high-profile footballer, but themanner in which it is delivered some-times grates. “It doesn’t hurt me as much,”Wilshere said. “It probably disappointsme a little bit more. “It’s easy to go on TVand say ‘he’s got to do this or that,’ ‘if he’snot fit he’s not in the starting line-up’ and‘he’s got to get fitter’. That’s the easy wayout. “I know that’s part and parcel of foot-ball, but when it ’s just reckless andaggressive, I don’t listen.” — AFP

Wilshere blasts ‘reckless’ critics

England’s midfielder Jack Wilshere

Senegal blank Egypt 2-0

ADDIS ABABA: Goals from El ArabiSoudani and Yacine Brahimi ensuredAlgeria got off to a good start under newcoach Christian Gourcuff by beatingEthiopia 2-1 away in Group B of AfricanNations Cup qualifying yesterday. Soudaniscored 11 minutes before halftime forAlgeria, who had faced an early onslaughtfrom their hosts on a wet pitch. He misseda good chance soon after the intervalbefore Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez set upBrahimi for the second in the 79th minute.Ethiopia scored a consolation from thepenalty spot deep in stoppage timethrough Salaheddine Said. Gourcuff, whoreplaced Vahid Halilhodzic after the WorldCup, kept faith with most of the team thatreached the last 16 in Brazil, where theywere beaten by eventual winners Germanyafter extra time.

Cameroon return to success In another development, Cameroon put

a desperate World Cup behind them, kick-ing off their African Nations Cup campaignyesterday with goals from debutant ClintonNjie and lead striker Vincent Aboubakar ina 2-0 away victory over the DemocraticRepublic of Congo. Cameroon lost all threematches in Brazil, where the team wereembroiled in controversy over bonus pay-

ments and accused of match fixing andwhere players clashed on the pitch. Butwith four new caps, including teenagedgoalkeeper Fabrice Ondoua, the side madea winning start to their Group D qualifyingcampaign at the TP Mazembe Stadium.Njie, with just a handful of games atOlympique Lyonnaise to his name, wasamong the new players and capped astrong first-half performance when he beatadvancing goalkeeper Robert Kidiaba tothe ball to score just before the interval.

Aboubakar added the second eightminutes from time with a stinging shotafter cutting inside two defenders.Stephane Mbia, who played left back, pro-duced a captain’s performance in defensehaving taken the armband from SamuelEto’o, who announced his internationalretirement last month.

The win will come as a relief to coachVolker Finke, who had several players pullout before the match, was without sus-pended Alex Song, and took a gamble ingoal on 18-year-old Ondoua of Barcelona’sjunior team. The teenager made severalconfident stops to keep a clean sheet. IvoryCoast played Sierra Leone in Abidjan lateyesterday in the other group game.Cameroon host the Ivorians in Yaounde onWednesday. — Agencies

Algeria win awayunder new coach

S P O RT SSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

OOSTENDE: Belgium’s goalkeeper Jean-Francois Gillet makes a save during a training session of the Belgian national soccer team yesterday inOostende. — AFP

PARIS: Exactly eight weeks on fromGermany’s triumph over Argentina in the finalof the World Cup in Brazil, the road to the2016 European Championship begins today.The first round of matches in a qualifyingcampaign that will run until November nextyear will be spread over three nights, withEuropean football’s governing body UEFAeager to maximize television exposure for theleading nations. And yet there is unlikely tobe too much in terms of drama, with thefinals in France to be the first in the competi-tion’s history to comprise of 24 nations.

It is a far cry from the eight-nation eventwhen France last held the tournament in1984, and it means that of the 53 nationsinvolved in qualifying, close to half willadvance to a bloated finals along with thehosts. With the top two in each of the ninegroups progressing along with the best third-placed team - the remaining third-placedsides will play off for four more berths - thechances of seeing any major nations miss outseem virtually non-existent. That, coupledwith the number of matches against minornations, led England manager Roy Hodgsonto warn that a less-than-half-full Wembley, aswas the case for the midweek friendly againstNorway, may become a common sight.

“I think you’ll find we’ll find it hard to bringattendances back to very high levels becauseof the opponents we’re playing, they won’t beexciting the public,” admitted Hodgson,although his side, after their abject failure atthe World Cup, do face a genuine test in theiropening Group E qualifier against Switzerlandin Basel tomorrow. Germany could be forgiv-en for wanting to savor their World Cup suc-cess a little longer, but instead JoachimLoew’s side-without the retired Philipp Lahm,Miroslav Klose and Per Mertesacker or theinjured Mesut Ozil, Julian Draxler and MatsHummels — start their Euro campaignagainst Scotland in Dortmund in Group D onSunday. The Germans lost 4-2 in a World Cupfinal rematch against Argentina onWednesday, but Loew is hopeful a new-lookdefense in particular will come good againstthe Scots.

“I am not worried. We need patience andtime to get a settled defense. They are all

highly talented players (but) they lack experi-ence. We can’t expect them to be fully readyto replace the more seasoned players. Weneed to think about the long-term,” admittedLoew as Germany look to improve on a recordof just one defeat in their last 51 tournamentqualifiers.

Few doubt Germany will advance from thesection, but beneath them, Poland, Scotland,the Republic of Ireland and Georgia all appearto harbor genuine hopes of progressing too.“Germany will qualify. Then it is a mini-leaguefor the other two spots,” admitted GordonStrachan, who has revived an ailing Scotlandside since becoming coach. The added pres-ence of Gibraltar, appearing in a qualifyingcompetition for the very first time, adds evenmore intrigue to Group D and they will playtheir first qualifier against Poland in Faro onPortugal’s Algarve while they await construc-tion of a venue on the rock itself.

New era For other nations, the road to Euro 2016

marks the birth of a new era, in particular forSpain, who failed miserably in their defenseof the World Cup but remain the two-timedefending European champions. “In the pastwe had to manage our success, which wasalso difficult, and now we need to managethe fact that we are coming off a defeat, or wefailed to meet expectations,” said coachVicente del Bosque. “Let’s see if we get it rightas we have on other occasions.”

La Roja begin their bid to qualify from amodest Group C when they tackle Macedoniain Valencia tomorrow, and they will do sowithout the likes of Xavi Hernandez, XabiAlonso and David Villa, who have all retiredfrom international duty. Other countries haveappointed new coaches, such as Euro 2004winners Greece, who will be led by veteranItalian Claudio Ranieri as they start at hometo Romania in Group F, while the Netherlandsare now led by Guus Hiddink after Louis vanGaal took them to third place at the WorldCup. The Oranje are away to the CzechRepublic in Group A on Tuesday, whileAntonio Conte’s first competitive game asItaly coach will be in Norway in Group H thesame day. — AFP

Road to France begins in earnest for Europeans

MADRID: Coach Vicente del Bosque must copewith the absence of first-choice striker DiegoCosta and try to reverse Spain’s recent inability tofind the net when they host Macedonia in tomor-row’s opening Euro 2016 qualifier. Costa, whoplayed 66 minutes of Thursday’s 1-0 friendlydefeat to France, was forced to abandon theEuropean champions’ squad on Friday with athigh injury and Del Bosque sprung a surprise byreplacing the Chelsea forward with Barcelonateenager Munir el Haddadi.

An Under-21 international who turned 19 onMonday, Munir is of Moroccan origin and onlymade his debut for Barcelona in their opening LaLiga match at home to Elche last month, scoringin a 3-0 win. A skillful left-footer who has some-thing of the Lionel Messi about him and looks abit like Neymar, Munir’s call-up prompted claimsin the Spanish media that Del Bosque had select-ed him so he would be tied to Spain and cannotplay for Morocco. With Costa out, Del Bosque has

only three recognized forwards in Munir,Barcelona team mate Pedro and Paco Alcacer ofValencia, who won his first Spain cap as a substi-tute in the France game.

Spain failed to muster a shot on target at theStade de France, with local media reporting itwas the first time that had happened since 1990,and Del Bosque said after the game his tacticswould be more attacking against theMacedonians. “Next Monday we will focus moreon offence and we will try to get the threepoints,” he told a news conference. Spain, whowon consecutive European titles in 2008 and2012, are desperate to return to winning waysafter a woeful World Cup when their title defensefoundered in the group stage with defeats to theNetherlands and Chile.

For all the talk of a fresh start, there will be ahost of familiar faces in the team at Levante’sCiutat de Valencia stadium tomorrow. Midfieldstalwarts Xavi and Xabi Alonso may have gone,

retiring after the finals in Brazil, but the likes ofCesc Fabregas, Sergio Busquets, David Silva andSanti Cazorla are still an integral part of DelBosque’s plans. Captain Iker Casillas remains first-choice goalkeeper and is likely to have the famil-iar sight of Real Madrid team mate Sergio Ramosand Napoli’s Raul Albiol in front of him in centraldefence, with Jordi Alba and Cesar Azpilicuetaplaying and left and right back respectively.

Silva defended Spain’s possession-based play-ing style, saying it had worked well in the pastand there was no reason to change. “We havewon a lot playing in that way ... and many of usare used to it,” the Manchester City midfieldertold a news conference at Spain’s training base inMadrid yesterday. “I believe we should stick withit. Some very important players have left butthose of us here are important too and the newplayers will be as well.” Euro 2016 qualificationGroup C also includes Ukraine, Belarus, Slovakiaand Luxembourg.— Reuters

MADRID: While many international sides willtrudge back into qualifiers for the 2016 EuropeanChampionships still suffering from a World Cuphangover, Gibraltar’s players are preparing for thebiggest game of their careers to date. The tinyBritish Overseas Territory, home to just 30,000people, face a Poland side spearheaded byBayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski intheir first ever competitive international today.

Years of campaigning to become a UEFAmember was finally rewarded in May 2013 thanksto the Court of Arbitration for Sport despite com-plaints from neighbors Spain due to the ongoingpolitical row over the sovereignty of Gibraltar.Plans for an 8,000 capacity new stadium arealready in place, but for the meantime with thepossibility of games being played on Spanish soila political no-go, their adopted home for theimmediate qualification campaign will be theEstadio Algarve in Faro, Portugal. That was wherethey held the top-50 world ranked Slovakia 0-0 intheir first match since being welcomed into theUEFA structure in November. Since then coachAllen Bula has seen a mixture of results and per-formances from his mainly amateur squad.

A 4-1 defeat to the Faroe Islands in March wasa sign of how difficult they may find it to compete

in a group also comprising world championsGermany, Scotland, Republic of Ireland andGeorgia. However, they scored their first full inter-national win with a 1-0 success over Malta in theirlast outing in June. Preston North End’s ScottWiseman and Liam Walker, who plies his tradewith Israeli Premier League club Bnei Yehuda, arethe only full-time professionals left in Bula’s squadfollowing the retirement of former Stoke Citydefender Danny Higginbotham at the end of lastseason. Indeed 16 of the 21-man squad to facePoland play in the local Gibraltan league, whilemidfielder Aaron Payas and striker AnthonyHernandez are currently without a club. “I’m look-ing at the long-term. I need the right balance andthe right players to give us more professionalismon and off the field, and help our local playerswho have been there for quite a lot of years,” saidBula. However, despite their paucity of resources,Bula has high expectations that his men canshock some of the more established nations inthe group over the next year. “We want to have adignified run through the qualifiers, to give agood account of ourselves against Germany inparticular, and also perhaps try to finish fourth orfifth within the group. That would be a tremen-dous achievement.”— AFP

Gibraltar prepare for historic debut

DORTMUND: Germany’s goal keeper Manuel Neuer exercises during a training ses-sion at the stadium in Dortmund, prior the UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying soccer matchbetween Germany and Scotland. — AP

DORTMUND: Following a 4-2 defeat againstArgentina, Germany manager Joachim Loewexpects Jerome Boateng’s return to help theworld champions improve in their first EuropeanChampoinship qualifying match againstScotland today. In the absence of Boateng, theGerman back line was cut open regularly in thefriendly defeat by World Cup runners-upArgentina in Duesseldorf on Wednesday.

But Loew is hoping his team can put that set-back behind them when they host Scotland inDortmund in a Euro 2016 qualifier today.“Overall in the first half (against Argentina) weweren’t too badly organized,” Loew said yester-day. “There were some problems with concen-tration and you saw that if you make mistakeslike that against a top-class team you get pun-ished. “We can’t do that tomorrow. We have toclose the space down and we have to concen-trate for the full 90 minutes.

“Scotland had relatively few problems in thebuild up and they have nothing to lose playingagainst the world champions. “They’re verymotivated, they cover a lot of ground and

they’re physical in the tackle. “But for the lastfew months we’ve seen that they don’t play atypical British game. They’re trying to play morefootball.” Having lost record goalscorer MiroslavKlose to retirement after the World Cup,Germany started Fiorentina striker Mario Gomezup front on his own against Argentina. Gomezhad a difficult evening on his return from injury,though, missing three clear chances and beingbooed by the crowd when he was substituted inthe second half.

Loew would not confirm if the 29-year-oldwould start against Scotland but he did offer arobust defense of the former Bayern Munichplayer. “He’s done a lot for the German team inthe past and he’s scored a lot of goals,” Loewsaid. “He’s only played one competitive game forFiorentina after seven months out throughinjury. He needs games. “When Mario is in topform, he’s a world class player and one of thebest strikers around. “Booing any player isn’t fair.It doesn’t help the player and it doesn’t help ourteam. I think the Dortmund fans will standbehind our players.” — AFP

Germany wary of ‘motivated’ Scots

Misfiring Spain begin Eurodefense against Macedonia

LONDON: Wayne Rooney admits Englandcan’t afford a slow start to their Euro 2016qualifying campaign against Switzerlandtomorrow. Roy Hodgson’s team head to Baseldesperately in need of a strong performanceand result to erase the bitter taste of their mis-erable World Cup campaign. The road to theEuros in France starts with a potentially trickyclash with the Swiss, who are likely to beEngland’s only serious rivals to win Group E.

Switzerland-who only lost to an Angel diMaria goal for Argentina in the dying minutesof extra-time of their last 16 World Cup clash-are ranked ninth in the world and are thebookmakers favorites to win tomorrow’sencounter at St Jakob-Park against an Englandteam still suffering from a World Cup hang-

over. After a lacklustre 1-0 friendly win overNorway in midweek was greeted with criti-cism, England boss Hodgson cut a tetchy fig-ure as he swore at reporters who questionedhis team’s lack of shots on target.

Against that depressing backdrop, Englandcaptain Rooney knows his side can’t afford tolet the post-World Cup negativity linger anylonger. “It is important to start the qualifyingcampaign off with a good result,” Rooney said.“It is important to try and win the game, but Ithink not to get beat and give Switzerland theupper hand from the first game is vital.” TheEnglish public’s apathy in the wake of theWorld Cup was highlighted by the factWednesday’s friendly against Norway attract-ed Wembley’s lowest crowd for an internation-

al since the stadium’s opening in 2007. Tomake matters worse, the 40,181 that did turnup were hardly wowed as England’s displaylacked inspiration and quality.

However, Manchester United striker Rooneyis confident that good times are around thecorner, pointing to the spirit and excitementbrought by the performance in the World Cupopener against Italy, even if the game inManaus ended in defeat. “It’s exciting times,”he said. “The Italy and Uruguay games weredisappointing results, but I thought we didwell in both games. “It could have gone eitherway, but we lost and we’re out. We playedsome great attacking football. “The lads whowere at that tournament have gained vitalexperience from the tournament.” — AFP

England can’t afforda slow start: Rooney

BURTON-UPON-TRENT: England’s forward Wayne Rooney (2nd left) in action during a team training session at St George’s Park in centralEngland. — AFP

RIO DE JANEIRO: With Neymar back intheir ranks and scoring the only goal, Brazilgave Dunga a winning start in his secondspell in charge-although a 1-0 friendly suc-cess over Colombia left media unim-pressed. Fielding seven of the sidewhipped 7-1 by Germany in their WorldCup semi-final almost two months ago,Dunga could point to a win and a cleansheet as positives to take from Friday’sencounter in Miami, but observers backhome were critical. There was “little sambaor salsa,” with the match only remarkablefor “the same old song-the talent ofNeymar,” complained sports daily Lance.Rio daily O Dia was even blunter in itsassessment after a win over opponentsreduced to ten men following a red cardfor Juan Cuadrado just after the interval forfouling, inevitably, Neymar.

“Brazil remain the same-they only haveNeymar,” grumbled the paper, though itcould not fault the team’s effort and pin-pointed some periods of “good football.”Globo joined the chorus of underwhelmedobservers. “Little has changed - (they) suf-fered” to drag out the win. “Starting a newera under Dunga (sacked after a World Cupquarter-final loss against Holland in 2010before replacing Luiz Felipe Scolari sixweeks ago) there were few on-fieldimprovements as Brazil’s game plan stilllacks alternatives” to Neymar, Globo com-plained.

Neymar ’s absence through injuryagainst Germany derailed the side not justin terms of creativity but also psychologi-cally, the hosts falling apart in that gameas they suffered their worst ever World Cuploss. Neymar’s strike from a late freekick at

least ensured the Selecao pushed theirhorror show against the Germans a littledeeper into the distant memory file toedge out opponents whom they had alsobeaten in the World Cup quarter-finals.“ The Selecao is not just one player,”Neymar noted afterwards, though headded: “The important thing was to win.”

Having taken the captain’s armband onhis return he added: “I am very happy thecoach has this confidence in me” to leadthe squad. “But everyone has to rememberthis is a group.” Tasked with overhaulingthe five-times world champions, Dungapicked just 10 of the 23-man squad whichultimately disappointed at a home WorldCup. He said the result was secondary tothe performance, which he judged satis-factory. “We came out of the Cup a littlebruised and had to respond. “There were alot of positives.”

Neymar returned having made a fullrecovery from the back injury he sustainedin July’s victory over the Colombians, dur-ing which he was kneed in the back byJuan Camilo Zuniga. The pair embracedbefore Friday’s game as Neymar showedthere were no hard feelings. The Barcelonastar will also captain Brazil when they faceEcuador in a second friendly on Tuesday inNew Jersey. After facing Ecuador, theBrazilians will meet World Cup finalistsArgentina in November as Dunga, who asa player lifted the 1994 World Cup, chasesa winning blend for next year ’s CopaAmerica championship. Defender DavidLuiz insisted afterwards that the team hadlearned lessons from the World Cup andwas now ready to get to grips with “a newcycle.” — AFP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

1916Road to France begins in earnest for Europeans

Friendly fire as Wozniacki, Serena eye US Open title Page 16

Brave Peng ignores doctors to chase grand slam dream

Neymar stunnergives Brazil winover Colombia

MIAMI GARDENS: Neymar #10 of Brazil reacts to a tackle during an InternationalSoccer friendly against Colombia at Sun Life Stadium on September 5, 2014 in MiamiGardens, Florida. — AFP

NEW YORK: Kei Nishikori of Japan celebrates after defeating Novak Djokovic ofSerbia in their menís singles US Open semifinal match at the USTA Billie Jean KingNational Tennis Center yesterday in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens bor-ough. — AFP

NEW YORK: Japan’s Kei Nishikori became thefirst Asian man to reach a Grand Slam final whenhe swept past seven-time major winner NovakDjokovic in the US Open semifinals yesterday.The 10th seed braved on-court temperaturesnudging the 40-degree mark to clinch a famous6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 victory over the worldnumber one. Nishikori, the first Japanese mansince 1918 to reach the semi-finals in New York,goes on to face either 17-time Grand Slamchampion Roger Federer or Croatia’s Marin Cilicin Monday’s championship match.

His victory over Wimbledon championDjokovic will go down as one of the sport’sgreatest shocks. The 27-year-old Serb was the2011 champion in New York, was playing in hiseighth successive US Open semi-final and bid-ding for a sixth final, his 15th overall at themajors. The top seed was also looking to makehis third Grand Slam final of 2014. In contrast,prior to yesterday, the 24-year-old Nishikori’sbest effort had been a run to the quarter-finalsof the 2012 Australian Open.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” said a breath-less Nishikori. “I was a little bit tight especially asit was my first semifinal in a Grand Slam but it’sjust an amazing feeling to beat the number oneplayer. It was tough conditions, it was a littleheavy and humid but I guess I love to play longmatches.” Nishikori said that the key was to for-get about the one-sided second set. “He startedto play much better, very consistent and moreaggressive. I tried to forget about the second setand tried to concentrate again.”

Chang Influence The Florida-based star also praised the work

of coach Michael Chang, a Grand Slam winnerwith the French Open title in 1989. “He’s beenhelping me a lot. We’ve been working well sothat’s why I’m here.” He added: “I hope it’s bignews in Japan. Even though it’s 4 o’clock in themorning I hope everybody’s up watching.”Despite playing back-to-back five-setters overeight and half hours to get to the semi-final,

10th seed Nishikori showed no signs of fatigue,breaking for 2-1 in the opener.

The world number one retrieved it immedi-ately, but the Japanese star, pouncing on theDjokovic second serve, took the crucial nextbreak for 4-3. The set was wrapped up in 39 min-utes on an oddly subdued but sweltering ArthurAshe Stadium when the top seed netted a serv-ice return. Djokovic, however, shrugged off hislethargy, breaking in the fourth and sixth gameson his way to levelling the semi-final with a sixthace securing the second set. Nishikori, threaten-ing to wilt in the heat, had to save four breakpoints in an 11-minute third game of the thirdset which went to seven deuces.

He then conjured up a break for 5-3, courtesyof a backhand pass and a stylish forehand returnwinner off a 120mph first serve. But he crackedwhen trying to serve out the set, his second dou-ble fault handing the break straight back to theSerb. As the on-court temperatures shot up,Nishikori went 4/0 and 5/2 in the tiebreak andclaimed the set when Djokovic went limply widewith a weary forehand. Nishikori then turned thescrew, breaking for 1-0 in the fourth set and fend-ing off three break points in the next for 2-0. Andthat was almost that. Down and almost out,Djokovic was broken again in the ninth gamewhen he sent a forehand long, a shot which rock-eted Nishikori into the record books. — AFP

Nishikori shocks Djokovic

Djokovic wipes his face during a break in play against Nishikori. — AFP

BusinessSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

Tunisia ripe for recovery from revolt chaos: PM

Page 22

Dozens of Brazil lawmakers linked to graft scandal

Page 23Alibaba seeks to raiseover $21bn in recordUS tech IPO

Page 25Toyota and Lexus win highest honors

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THESSALONIKI: Teachers shout slogans as they protest as Greek Prime Minister gave a speech at the annual Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) in Thessaloniki yesterday. Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said that Greece wouldreturn to growth in the next quarter, after six years of recession, and it would get “in the coming months,” the “official validation” of the viability of its huge debt. — AFP (See Page 22)

ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras yesterdayannounced cuts to unpopular taxes introduced at theheight of the country’s debt crisis, in a bid to show thenation that over four years of austerity are finally nearingan end. The Greek premier, whose conservative party istrailing in opinion polls behind the anti-austerity, radicalleftist Syriza party, said a heating oil consumption taxwould be cut by 30 percent and a “solidarity tax” wouldalso be reduced.

“This is the year that Greece has started to stand on itsfeet. It is still wounded, yes, but standing,” Samaras said inhis annual state of the economy speech marking the endof the traditional summer break. “It is still wounded, yes.But its wounds are healing and it is looking to the future.”

Buoyed by improved investor confidence and signs ofeconomic stabilization, Samaras has pushed the country’sEU and IMF lenders to start rolling back austerity to kick-start growth and preserve the fragile political stability inGreece.

Greek officials brought up the issue of tax relief at talks

in Paris this week with the lenders as part of the country’slatest bailout review, but there has been no confirmationyet they have agreed to the package. Samaras said detailsof the tax cuts would be presented in the country’s draftbudget to be announced in October. He also said a newtaxation “roadmap” would be unveiled in the future, withthe maximum income tax cut to 32 percent from 42 per-cent and the corporate tax rate reduced to 15 percent from26 percent. A deeply unpopular property tax would also becut, he said without providing any details.

The government on Saturday also confirmed thatGreece will show growth in the third quarter, its first quar-terly expansion since the start in 2008 of a crippling reces-sion that has wiped out nearly a quarter of the country’seconomy.

Back to growthGreece is expected to return to marginal growth this

year after the six-year recession that has left more than onein four jobless and reduced household incomes by nearly a

third. “The country has stabilized and is entering the pathof growth,” Samaras said. Greece has staged an abruptturnaround since nearly going bankrupt in 2012 andalmost bringing down the euro with it. The countryremains the euro zone’s most indebted nation with debtforecast to top 177 percent of the economy this year, but ithas largely managed to bring its finances back on trackand posted a budget surplus before interest payments lastyear.

In a sign of improved investor sentiment, Athens alsoreturned to bond markets successfully this year with twobond sales that raised a total of 4.5 billion euros. That isexpected to be followed by another bond sale before theend of the year.

Despite the reversal in fortunes, Athens still faces sever-al outstanding issues before it can fund itself unaided. Thecountry is expected to need more debt relief, talks onwhich are expected to start after the country’s latestbailout review and European bank stress tests in theautumn. Samaras said the country’s lenders would soon

certify that the country’s debt is viable. Athens also facesthe risk of a fresh bout of political instability ahead of presi-dential elections early next year. Samaras’s governmentmust secure the support of at least 180 lawmakers in the300-seat parliament to push through the appointment of anew president, failing which parliament must be dissolvedand new elections called.

The radical leftist Syriza party has vowed to block thenomination of a president, and Samaras has only the sup-port of 154 lawmakers in his coalition of Socialists and con-servatives.

Still, Samaras played down the prospect of early elec-tions saying there was growing support for his coalitionand warned that Greece would be tipped back into crisiswith elections.

“The time is approaching for the country to exit thebailout era once and for all and if an early pre-electioncampaign starts right now, we will risk losing everythingthat we have achieved,” he said.

“It would be political suicide for Greece.” — Reuters

Greek PM announces cuts to crisis-era taxes

FRANKFURT: The European Central Bank has charged tothe rescue of the euro-zone once again, but governments’foot-dragging on reform could undermine its efforts, ana-lysts said on Friday.

ECB chief Mario Draghi insisted that no deals had beenmade over radical action announced on Thursday to makemoney easily available, in exchange for tighter budget dis-cipline by euro-zone countries. But some observers sug-gested that the surprise rate cut and asset purchase pro-gram, which Draghi announced to ward off the threat ofdeflation, could be part of a wider game-plan to get theeuro-zone economy back on its feet.

If Germany turns a blind eye to so-called “deficit sinners”,France and Italy would speed up structural reforms of theireconomies, Brussels would launch new initiatives, and theECB would push down the value of the euro, it was sug-gested. The ECB moves did indeed send the euro downagainst the dollar: it fell below $1.30 on Thursday for thefirst time since July 2013. And stock markets rose.

But the ECB action, which is just what France had want-ed, could ultimately take pressure off governments, whohave been only too eager in the past to shy away fromunpopular reforms.

And Draghi, who insisted on Thursday that monetarypolicy can do only so much, could find himself fighting alone battle, analysts warned. France, where there is hostili-ty to the EU’s limits on budget deficits, has already indicat-ed that it will again struggle to meet the EU’s strict require-ments. Italy has also called for an easing of the fiscal aus-terity, widely seen as being imposed by Germany.

No grand bargain Draghi insisted that he was not calling for a relaxation of

Europe’s budget rules. “These discussions on flexibilityshould not be viewed (as if )... they would undermine theessence of the Stability and Growth Pact,” he said, referringto the budget rules. “One could do things that are growth-

friendly and also would contribute to budget consolida-tion.”

Draghi also denied there was any sort of “grand bar-gain”. “There is no ‘bargain’, no negotiating going on. Thiswould not be institutionally correct. We do monetary poli-cy and others do other policies,” Draghi said. He insistedthat monetary policy alone cannot steer the 18 countriesthat share the euro away from deflation-a climate of fallingprices which can cause economies to shrink.

“You need growth. You need to lower unemployment.You need fiscal policy. You need structural reforms first andforemost,” he said. “We can provide as much monetarystimulus as we want, as much availability of credit as wewant. But if the person who has planned to use this creditfor a new business has to wait eight months before he orshe can open this new business, and then once he does it,has to pay lots of taxes, this person will not apply for cred-it,” Draghi said, explaining why governments had to pursuereforms.

Responsibility Analysts said the governments would have to play their

part if the ECB measures are not to prove ineffective. “TheECB can only play the support act. A lack of dynamism inFrance and Italy and Russia’s aggression in Ukraine haveinterrupted the recovery,” said Berenberg Bank economistHolger Schmieding.

“These factors are outside the ECB’s control.” While theECB’s latest measures would help, they would not solve allproblems, Schmieding said. Tom Rogers at EY EurozoneForecast agreed. “Governments have a responsibility forimproving their own growth prospects as well as lookingto the ECB,” he said. RBS economist Richard Barwell wasalso adamant that the ECB was not letting governments offthe hook. “But the ECB is in favor of changing the fiscalmix, in particular squeezing government consumption tocreate scope for tax cuts,” he said. — AFP

ECB lifeline depends on reform by govts

Britain’s Red Arrows airplane display team performs during the second week-end of the AIR14 air show yesterdayin Payerne, western Switzerland.— AFP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

EXCHANGE RATES

Bahrain Exchange Company

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

ASIAN COUNTRIESJapanese Yen 2.723Indian Rupees 4.736Pakistani Rupees 2.797Srilankan Rupees 2.192Nepali Rupees 2.953Singapore Dollar 228.760Hongkong Dollar 36.897Bangladesh Taka 3.687Philippine Peso 6.545Thai Baht 8.929Irani Riyal transfer 0.271Irani Riyal cash 0.273

GCC COUNTRIESSaudi Riyal 76.284Qatari Riyal 78.601Omani Riyal 743.110Bahraini Dinar 759.800UAE Dirham 77.905

ARAB COUNTRIESEgyptian Pound - Cash 42.00Egyptian Pound - Transfer 39.908Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.335Tunisian Dinar 164.580Jordanian Dinar 403.970Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.919Syrian Lira 2.038Morocco Dirham 34.001

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIESUS Dollar Transfer 285.950Euro 377.740Sterling Pound 472.680Canadian dollar 262.820Turkish lira 131.770Swiss Franc 312.860Australian Dollar 266.650US Dollar Buying 284.750

GOLD20 Gram 245.00010 Gram 124.0005 Gram 64.000

COUNTRY SELL CASH SELLDRAFTEurope

Belgian Franc 0.007432 0.008432British Pound 0.466810 0.475810Czech Korune 0.005478 0.017478Danish Krone 0.046213 0.051213Euro 0.369080 0.377080Norwegian Krone 0.042036 0.047236Romanian Leu 0.085069 0.085069Slovakia 0.008236 0.018236Swedish Krona 0.036683 0.041683Swiss Franc 0.303790 0.313990Turkish Lira 0.131981 0.138981

AustralasiaAustralian Dollar 0.257057 0.268557New Zealand Dollar 0.232030 0.241530

AmericaCanadian Dollar 0.256584 0.265084US Dollars 0.281700 0.286400US Dollars Mint 0.282200 0.286400

AsiaBangladesh Taka 0.003306 0.003906Chinese Yuan 0.045009 0.048509Hong Kong Dollar 0.034786 0.037536Indian Rupee 0.004490 0.004891Indonesian Rupiah 0.000020 0.000026Japanese Yen 0.002640 0.002820Kenyan Shilling 0.003223 0.003223Korean Won 0.000270 0.000285Malaysian Ringgit 0.087378 0.093378Nepalese Rupee 0.002948 0.003118Pakistan Rupee 0.002721 0.003001

Philippine Peso 0.006429 0.006709Sierra Leone 0.000070 0.000076Singapore Dollar 0.224679 0.230679South African Rand 0.020618 0.029118Sri Lankan Rupee 0.001906 0.002486Taiwan 0.009421 0.009601Thai Baht 0.008616 0.009166

ArabBahraini Dinar 0.751633 0.759633Egyptian Pound 0.037849 0.040949Iranian Riyal 0.000079 0.000080Iraqi Dinar 0.000182 0.000242Jordanian Dinar 0.398987 0.406487Kuwaiti Dinar 1.000000 1.000000Lebanese Pound 0.000138 0.000238Moroccan Dirhams 0.023111 0.047111Nigerian Naira 0.001156 0.001791Omani Riyal 0.736308 0.741988Qatar Riyal 0.077792 0.079005Saudi Riyal 0.075577 0.076277Syrian Pound 0.001773 0.001993Tunisian Dinar 0.161142 0.169142Turkish Lira 0.131981 0.138981UAE Dirhams 0.076831 0.077980Yemeni Riyal 0.001289 0.001369

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

COUNTRY SELL DRAFT SELL CASH Australian Dollar 242.43 239.43Canadian Dollar 266.30 267.30Swiss Franc 316.40 314.40Euro 378.15 379.15US Dollar 285.20 288.20Sterling Pound 476.30 479.30Japanese Yen 2.77 2.79Bangladesh Taka 3.685 3.955Indian Rupee 4.724 5.024Sri Lankan Rupee 2.191 2.626Nepali Rupee 2.952 3.487Pakistani Rupee 2.798 2.790UAE Dirhams 77.572 78.18Bahraini Dinar 759.08 761.15Egyptian Pound 39.89 40.49Jordanian Dinar 405.90 411.55Omani Riyal 741.70 749.00Qatari Riyal 78.76 79.31Saudi Riyal 76.18 76.58

Rate for Transfer Selling RateUS Dollar 285.000Canadian Dollar 263.455Sterling Pound 473.415Euro 379.460Swiss Frank 312.305Bahrain Dinar 758.565UAE Dirhams 78.020Qatari Riyals 79.160Saudi Riyals 76.265Jordanian Dinar 402.555Egyptian Pound 39.805Sri Lankan Rupees 2.190Indian Rupees 4.718Pakistani Rupees 2.815Bangladesh Taka 3.678Philippines Pesso 6.511Cyprus pound 700.020Japanese Yen 3.740

Syrian Pound 2.860Nepalese Rupees 3.895Malaysian Ringgit 91.005Chinese Yuan Renminbi 46.750Thai Bhat 9.910Turkish Lira 131.285

Being sustainable isn’t a choice anymore, it’s a necessi-ty. In fact, 96 percent of respondents in the Bayt.com“Green Workplaces in the Middle East and North

Africa” poll, August 2014, say it is important for them to “gogreen” in their lifestyle. A further 80 percent say that envi-ronmental issues concern them to a large extent. This over-whelming attitude to going green must be followed up withappropriate action.

Luckily, all of us have the ability to live sustainably. Often,it’s the little, daily efforts that make all the difference. Sincewe spend most of our day at work, it’s the best place to startbeing eco-friendly. Here, the career experts at Bayt.com, theMiddle East’s #1 job site, suggest some tips to be eco-friend-ly at work:

1. Avoid unnecessary paper usage In the digital era, paper usage can be kept to a minimum.

Nowadays, computers, tablets, smartphones, etc. are medi-ums through which you can write down your thoughts,emails, documents, contracts, and everything else. You caneven take these tablets to client meetings, instead of print-ing out pages and pages of documents. If using paper is anabsolute must, then you can advise your management toinvest in a double sided-printer, with recyclable, eco-friendlycartridges. You could even recycle used paper like 66 per-cent of professionals in the MENA, as per the Bayt.com“Green Workplaces in the Middle East and North Africa” poll.

2. Try a greener commuteFour in 10 professionals drive to work daily. Driving cars

uses up our energy sources, and causes pollution and noise.There are few things I hate more than rush hour traffic! Whynot opt for an alternative travelling option? Examples arepublic transport, mini-bus services and car-pooling. You canread a book, meditate or just sleep while going to work, andthus reduce driving stress. If your workplace is not very faroff, and if weather permits, consider walking or cycling towork. This way you can stay fit and benefit the environment!When it comes to travelling abroad for meetings, you couldalways consider using video conferencing technologiesinstead.

3. Have an eco-friendly lunch at workFood is our fuel. It is our sustenance during a long day at

work. Therefore, we need to make the right choices towardsit. The best option is to pack lunch from home, using a re-usable container. This is eco-friendly, inexpensive andhealthy! If you don’t have time, get all your colleaguestogether and order lunch from one restaurant. This is athree-fold strategy; carbon emissions are reduced as there isonly one delivery, it is less expensive (delivery fee is split onmany), but also this way ensures that less packaging isinvolved.

4. Conserve energy, the simple wayConserving energy is really not that difficult. It just

requires being mindful. For starters, you could put yourcomputer on sleep mode when not in use, or shut it downbefore leaving office.58 percent of MENA professionals fol-low this strategy and it has helped their companies save onenergy. Another mental check is ensuring that all powerswitches are off when idle. During the day, let natural light in- both to get your daily dose of vitamin D and to reduceelectricity usage. Check with your management whetherthey use eco-friendly light bulbs, and if not, suggest thatthey do. According to the Bayt.com “Green Workplaces inthe Middle East and North Africa” poll, 71 percent of profes-sionals in the MENA say their company uses energy-efficientlighting in their office.

5. Discover ways to re-use items and advocate eco-friendly products

Certain items such as mugs, lunch boxes, card boardboxes, folders/files, paper, plastic bags, etc. can be used overand over again, so make sure that you don’t throw themaway. Check with your office admin if the cleaning productsused are eco-friendly. If not, do an internet search and advo-cate some eco-friendly brands. You could even take a smallplant to the office to keep at your desk. Plants cleanse the airand are nice to look at. 77 percent of MENA professionals re-use items at work either sometimes or all the time, as perthe Bayt.com “Green Workplaces in the Middle East andNorth Africa” poll, so don’t be the exception!

Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with morethan 40,000 employers and over 17,000,000 registered jobseekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and theglobe, representing all industries, nationalities and careerlevels. Post a job or find jobs on www.bayt.com today andaccess the leading resource for job seekers and employers inthe region.

Five tips to go green in MENA workplace

Bayt.com weekly report

Al Mulla Exchange

Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000)US Dollar 285.400Euro 377.250Pound Sterlng 472.050Canadian Dollar 263.350Indian Rupee 4.724Egyptian Pound 39.890Sri Lankan Rupee 2.190Bangladesh Taka 3.687Philippines Peso 6.535Pakistan Rupee 2.790Bahraini Dinar 759.550UAE Dirham 77.700Saudi Riyal 76.250*Rates are subject to change

THESSALONIKI: Teachers shout slogans as they protest as Greek Prime Minister gave a speech at the annual Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) inThessaloniki yesterday. —AFP

B U S I N E S S

TUNIS: Tunisia has stabilized from the fall-out of the 2011 revolution and is now ripefor investment in its battered economy,Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa said in aninterview. Speaking ahead of the “Invest inTunisia: Start-up democracy” conference tobe held tomorrow, Jomaa said Tunisia’s newgovernment was upbeat but realistic abouta recovery. “We expect a strong signal fromthe entire political, financial and businesscommunities to say that today there’s con-fidence in Tunisia’s future,” said the premier.

“We also expect our partners to spendand to actually invest in projects,” addedJomaa, who came to power in Januarytasked with leading Tunisia out of a politi-cal crisis and preparing fresh elections.

Thirty countries are to attend the con-ference aimed at showcasing investmentopportunities in Tunisia, where an uprisingagainst longtime president Zine El Abidine

Ben Ali triggered the Arab Spring.But Jomaa declined to declare his

expectations, noting that at “donor confer-ences, we have seen that it doesn’t work:they create hope but achieve little.” Thepurpose of the conference “is not to putforward figures, but rather to generateinterest” in projects that are to be present-ed tomorrow.

Sustainable Development Minister HediLarbi told a news conference Thursday thatTunisia would unveil 22 projects at an over-all cost of around 12 billion dinars (morethan five billion euros/$6.6 billion). Thecentral bank said this week Tunisia’s eco-nomic growth slowed to 2.0 percent in thesecond quarter of 2014 from 2.8 percent ayear earlier.

A recovery is all the more important forTunisia as poverty and unemploymentwere among the key issues that sparked

the 2011 uprising that toppled Ben Ali. Inthe wake of the uprising, Tunisia wasrocked by violence blamed on hardlineIslamists who were suppressed under theformer dictator, paralyzing the country’sinstitutions and its economy.

Jomaa heads an independent govern-ment tasked with leading Tunisia out of thefestering crisis fuelled by jihadist violenceand mistrust between the Islamist Ennahdaparty-the majority in the assembly-and itsopponents.

‘Confronting fears’ Jomaa gave assurances that Tunisia was

evolving “from a planned and politicallyoppressive state to one that is rather regula-tory.” “There are a few years of sacrifice thatwe must see out,” he said.

“We have worked on macroeconomicstabilization and on reducing the state

budget deficit, but the economy goesthrough long cycles: decisions are takentoday and the benefits are seen in two, threeyears.” Asked about the threat of jihadistsahead of elections for a new parliament onOctober 26 and president on November 23,Jomaa said measures were being taken tobolster security and avoid any more instabil-ity. “The risks exist but we are confrontingthese fears... We have a clear idea of the real-ity and don’t have any fears.

“What we are trying to build is in opposi-tion to the model that the terrorists andthose behind them are trying to impose.”The interior ministry has said it is aware thatmilitants are planning to launch attacksaimed at disrupting the elections. “They willnot to derail this process... We have faith, weare organized and vigilant. We can sufferblows but we will make progress,” saidJomaa. —AFP

Tunisia ripe for recovery from revolt chaos: PM

Investment conference opens in Tunis tomorrow

BRUSSELS: European Union governments are considering apan-European market where smaller companies can raise capi-tal, in an effort to revive the stagnating euro-zone economy,according to a document prepared for a meeting of financeministers next week in Italy.

The euro-zone’s faltering economic recovery will be at theforefront of discussions at the two-day meeting in Milan fromSept. 12. With interest rates already at record lows, ministersare seeking more radical measures to help growth.

One option is a capital-market union, building on the euro-zone’s banking union. The aim is to reduce companies’ relianceon banks by establishing the kind of funding offered by US

corporate bond markets. “A line of action could aim at devel-oping a common European framework for corporate bonds forissues of smaller amounts by unlisted firms,” said the docu-ment, which was obtained by Reuters.

“Giving visibility to these practices across national marketswould create a wider and more liquid market,” the documentsaid, outlining a potential new asset class for institutionalinvestors such as pension and mutual funds.

The document also considers “the development of aEuropean market for private placements” - the sale of securitiesto a small number of chosen institutional investors.

“Other forms of intermediation such as debt funds could

also be developed,” the document said, referring to funds thatinvest part of their assets in loans and bonds of unlisted com-panies.

‘Fragmentation’In the aftermath of the euro-zone debt crisis, small- and

medium-sized companies are competing for scarce funding.Banks are reducing riskier lending to build up capital buffers, aproblem in a continent where banks account for 80 percent ofcorporate loans. In the United States, the proportion is thereverse - up to 70 percent of funding for the economy comesfrom markets, the rest from banks. —Reuters

EU seeks European capital market for small firms

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

B U S I N E S S

FRANKFURT: The European Central Bankhas said it could use quantitative easing -the purchase of large amounts of financialassets such as bonds - as a way to boost thestruggling economic recovery in the 18-country euro-zone. Such a program hasbeen used in major economies like the US,Britain and Japan, but not in the euro-zone.

Here are questions and answers onquantitative easing, or QE for short.Q: What is QE?

A: Typically, it’s when a central bankbuys bonds from private-sector banks orother financial institutions such as insur-ance companies. The central bank pays forthe bonds by adding newly created moneyto the reserve accounts that the financialinstitutions are required to have with thecentral bank.

Q: How does that help?A: By purchasing bonds, the central

bank drives down market interest rates,making it cheaper for businesses and con-sumers to borrow. That’s because the pur-chases drive up bond prices, which movein the opposite direction of interest yields.So QE can make credit cheaper and moreabundant.Q: And that’s good because...?

A: Credit is a key factor in economicgrowth. Businesses borrow to expand pro-duction. Consumers borrow to buy hous-es or large items such as cars.Q: What else can QE do?

A: It can also increase inflation. Rightnow that’s a key goal for the ECB. Inflationin the euro-zone is way too low at anannual 0.3 percent. It’s a sign the economy

remains weak and makes it harder for gov-ernments to shrink their high public debt.Q: So why don’t central banks do QE allthe time?

A: Usually central banks steer the econ-omy using their benchmark interest rates.QE is something that’s done when interestrates are near zero. The ECB’s benchmarkrate is now 0.15 percent. There’s not muchleft to cut.Q: Can the central bank buy any kind ofbonds?

A: In the case of the US FederalReserve, it was government bonds -Treasurys - and bonds based on mort-gages. It’s not clear what kind of bondsthe ECB would buy: government or corpo-rate. Buying government bonds wouldopen the ECB to criticism that it is prop-

ping up the finances of governments andreducing pressure on them to reform.

The ECB has also talked about buyingbonds made up of bundles of bank loansto small businesses as a way to stimulatelending. That would be on a smaller scale.Q: Sometimes QE is called printingmoney. Why is that?

A: Actually no printing press isinvolved. The central bank uses its uniquepowers as the issuer of the currency. Themoney is created electronically, byincreasing the sum in the bank’s reserveaccount. That increases the amount ofmoney in the financial system. If bankslend those funds, that increases theamount of money in the economy.Q: Is QE effective - does it alwaysincrease growth?

A: The effect of QE is difficult to meas-ure. The United States, however, has seenfalling unemployment since launching QEin 2009, and Fed Chair Janet Yellen saysthe program helped. Michael Koetter, aprofessor at the Frankfurt School ofFinance and Management, says “the jury isstill out” on how much the US improve-ment can be credited to QE. That’sbecause no one knows what would havehappened without it.

“My verdict would be, it has at leastnot done any harm, but also has notcaused a big boost to the supply of cred-it,” Koetter said. The ECB has said QEwould be more effective if governmentsjoin in by spending more on investmentand cutting burdensome regulations onhiring and firing. —AP

What is quantitative easing, or QE?

HONG KONG: A woman reads on her mobile phone next to sculptures byartist Rosanna Li Wei-han outside an MTR station in Hong Kong yesterday.Hong Kong’s economy in 2014 is expected to expand at its fastest pace inthree years, according to government estimations, with a forecasted growthof between three and four percent, up from 2.9 percent in 2013. —AFP

RIO DE JANEIRO: A jailed formerdirector of Brazil’s Petrobras hasnamed dozens of lawmakers and agovernor said to have received kick-backs from the state-run oil firm, inrevelations which could damagePresident Dilma Rousseff as sheseeks re-election next month. Theallegations, detailed in majorBrazilian newspapers Saturday,come with Rousseff battling toregain the initiative from environ-mentalist Marina Silva, whom pollssee as winning an October 26 run-off vote. Neither Rousseff nor hermain rivals for the presidency com-mented on the case early yesterday.

Paulo Roberto Costa, the formerhead of Petrobras’ refining and sup-ply unit who was arrested as part ofa money-laundering investigation,gave the names of 49 deputies, 12senators and a state governor impli-cated in the scandal to federalpolice.

They come from three politicalparties of the congressional majori-ty-Rousseff’s Workers’ Party, or PT,the Brazilian Democratic MovementParty, or PMDB, and the ProgressiveParty, or PP-according to oppositionnewspaper Folha de Sao Paulo. TheEstado de Sao Paulo newspaper

spoke of at least 32 lawmakers and agovernor belonging to five unspeci-fied political parties.

“There was a politician knockingat my door every single day,” Costawas quoted as saying. Brazilianmedia did not give the names of thelawmakers implicated in a corrup-tion scandal worth a reported $4.5billion. Costa, who faces 30 years inprison, spoke to federal policeinvestigators at the start of theweek as part of a deal to reduce hissentence, reports said.

His deposition was sent to theSuperior Court of Justice, which willrule on whether to validate theagreement.

Three percent cut According to Costa, the lawmak-

ers received three percent commis-sions on the value of the contractssigned by Petrobras while he servedas director of refining and supply(2004-2012).

The contracts were signed with avariety of companies created withinPetrobras, across nearly all sectors,in an attempt to conceal the wrong-doing, he alleged. After long lead-ing opinion polls Rousseff has losther favorite status as Silva’s star has

soared since she replaced originalSocialist Party candidate EduardoCampos, her running mate, whowas killed in an August 13 planecrash.

Silva is promising a “new politics,”although she served as environ-ment minister under Rousseff ’sWorkers Party predecessor LuizInacio Lula da Silva. The corruptionissue comes as a fresh blow toRousseff, as she battles to regainpoll momentum having alreadybeen buffeted in the past year bypopular protests over the cost ofstaging the June-July World Cup.

More than a million people tookto the streets last year to demandmore cash for poor public servicesinstead of billions on World Cup-related projects such as football sta-diums.

Many Brazilians fear some stadi-ums will prove white elephants, andare outraged that a slew of plannedurban mobility projects scheduledto be completed for the footballextravaganza never saw the light ofday.

Fighting off scandals Rousseff’s party has also recently

been mired in an additional corrup-

tion case-the so-called ‘mensalao’ orvote-buying scandal dating back to2005 when Lula was in office.

A lawmaker unveiled to a nation-al newspaper how Rousseff’s partypaid thousands of dollars a monthto congressmen to secure theirvotes for legislation, the funds com-ing via state owned companies.Petrobras has itself endured otherscandals aside from the one whichhas just broken, following last year’srevelation that the firm, a cash cowfor state spending, massively over-paid to buy a refinery at Pasadena,Texas, in 2006 at a time whenRousseff herself chaired theBrazilian giant.

Petrobras has over the past fiveyears seen its market capitalizationvalue slump by hundreds of mil-lions of dollars, leaving it the world’smost-indebted major oil company.

The government has hamperedthe company’s performance byforcing the firm to sell fuel todomestic consumers at below mar-ket prices in order to keep risinginflation in check, slashing poten-tial revenue at a time when thecompany is in the early stages of anambitious expansion plan focusedon oil exploration. —AFP

Dozens of Brazil lawmakers linked to graft scandal

Revelations could cloud Rousseff’s re-election chances

French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron (center) gestures yesterday during the inauguration of the new production line ofthe Trimet Aluminium factory, in Saint-Jean de Maurienne, southeastern France. —AFP

LONDON: On the day that the outlook forthe European economy may have become alittle bit brighter thanks to a cease-fire ineastern Ukraine, a closely watched surveyshowed the extent to which the crisis in thecountry has weighed on business confi-dence across the continent.

In its monthly survey, financial informa-tion company Markit highlighted tensions inUkraine for a sharp fall in its gauge of busi-ness activity for the 18-country euro-zone.

Its purchasing managers’ index, whichcollates figures from the manufacturing andservices sectors, fell to 52.5 points in Augustfrom July’s 3-month high of 53.8. Though itremains above the 50 threshold that signalsgrowth, the indicator is at its lowest levelthis year and below the preliminary estimateof 52.8.

“Tensions in Ukraine are clearly having animpact on confidence, subduing businessspending and investment,” said ChrisWilliamson, Markit ’s chief economist.Separately, the European Union’s statisticsoffice, Eurostat, said euro-zone retail salesfell by a monthly 0.4 percent in July.

The figures echo a raft of recent findingsthat any momentum that the euro-zoneeconomy may have been showing earlier inthe year came to a halt through the summer.In the second quarter, the euro-zone econo-my posted flat growth, raising fears of anunprecedented triple-dip recession.

The hope in Europe will now be thatthose tensions which have been hobblingEurope’s economy will ebb followingWednesday’s apparent agreement byUkraine President Petro Poroshenko andRussian President Vladimir Putin to call a haltto the fighting in eastern Ukraine.

Though details of the cease-fire agree-ment are sketchy and there was no immedi-ate indication that the fighting would stop,investors around Europe have respondedpositively to the news. The Stoxx 50 index ofleading European shares was up 0.9 percent,while Germany’s DAX spiked 1.1 percent.Unsurprisingly, Russia’s RTS index was thestandout performer, trading 3.9 percenthigher.

Germany’s economy, Europe’s biggest,has been one of the most affected by theescalation in tensions over Ukraine this year.Germany has a big trading relationship withRussia that has been threatened by the tit-for-tat sanctions that have been exchangedbetween Moscow and the European Union.

It’s unclear whether the cease-fire agree-ment will have any bearing on Thursday’smonthly meeting of the European CentralBank. There are some expectations in themarkets that the ECB, headed by PresidentMario Draghi, may back further measures tostimulate the ailing euro-zone economy.There’s even been talk that it could back aFederal Reserve-style program to inject newmoney into the economy.

Markit’s Williamson said it’s “likely to betoo early” to see anything other thanstronger rhetoric from the ECB as far as astimulus is concerned, especially as thefirm’s survey is pointing to strong growth inIreland and Spain, two of the countries atthe forefront of the region’s debt crisis.

He said the impressive performances ofthe two will likely encourage Draghi to“stress that recoveries in other countries arebeing held back by the lack of successfulstructural reforms rather than a lack of cen-tral bank stimulus.” —AP

Ukrainian turmoil impactsEuropean business activity

OTTAWA: Canada’s unemployment rateremained at seven percent in August asthe country unexpectedly shed 11,000jobs last month, the government saidFriday. Analysts had expected a muchrosier economic picture, forecasting thecreation of 10,000 posts following the41,700 added in July.

Full-time jobs declined by 2,300 com-pared to the previous month while part-time positions dropped by 8,700,Statistics Canada said. Overall, the laborparticipation rate was 66 percent, down

0.1 percent from July. Year-on-year, how-ever, employment increased by 81,000 —or 0.5 percent-mostly in part-time posi-tions. Employment declined amongyoung people aged 15 to 24 in August, aswell as among women aged 25 to 54. Butmen aged 25 to 54 saw an uptick in jobs,edging that group’s unemployment ratedown by 0.2 percent. Fewer people wereemployed in wholesale and retail trade,transportation and warehousing butgains were seen in construction, servicesand public administration. —AFP

Canada unemployment steady at 7% in August

JALALABAD: Afghan livestock owners herd their animals to the market during sunrise on the outskirts of Jalalabad, Nangarharprovince yesterday. Afghanistan’s economy has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 largely because ofthe infusion of international assistance. Despite significant improvement in the last decade the country is still extremely poor andremains highly dependent on foreign aid. —AFP

Kuwait crude oil prices down 59 cents to $98.79

KUWAIT: Kuwait crude oil per barrel (pb)went down Friday 59 cents to USD 98.79compared to USD 99.38 the day before,according to oil prices announced byKuwait Petroleum Corporation yesterday.

Meanwhile, in the international oil mar-ket, the prices of future Brent mix oil con-

tract went down to its lowest in 16 monthsbecause of the slow demand on crude oil InEurope and China markets. American crudeoil prices also went down to their lowest inseven months because of the US dollarexchange rate going up and due to theabundant supplies. —KUNA

B U S I N E S SSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT

WALL STREET WEEKLY REPORT

KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last weekin the green zone. The Price Index closed at 7,453.75points, up by 0.67 percent from the week before clos-ing, the Weighted Index increased by 0.28 percent afterclosing at 492.38 points, whereas the KSX-15 Indexclosed 1,201.91 points up by 0.39 percent. Furthermore,last week’s average daily turnover increased by 2.95 per-cent, compared to the preceding week, reaching KD22.35 million, whereas trading volume average was224.85 million shares, recording a decrease of 7.18 per-cent.

The stock market was able to continue its positive per-formance that it has been witnessing this period support-ed by the purchasing power on many stocks, in additionto the active speculative operations that concentrated ona number of small-cap stocks, which contributed inenhancing the gains of the three market indicators torealize good gains for this week, especially the Price Indexthat was close to restore the 7,500 point level which it lostfew months ago.

On the contrary, the selling pressures were not absenton influencing last week’s trading activity, which raisedslight fluctuations on the market indicators during somesessions, whereas the stock market witnessed quick prof-it collection operations included many stocks andfocused on the large-cap ones, which limited the indicesgains on one hand, and dropped some of it on the otherhand; and however that such operations were expectedafter the big increases in prices that realized by manystocks during the last period, it did not succeed in pullingthe stock market indices into the red zone on the weeklylevel.

On the other hand, Kuwait Stock Market announcedduring last week that the Capital Markets Authorityapproved listing the Kuwaiti Telecommunications

Company’s stocks (VIVA) in the official market during thecurrent year, which spread an optimism feeling amongthe traders in the market, especially that this step mayopen the door for listing new companies in the stockmarket, and contribute to enhancing the financial liquidi-ty pumped into it.

For the annual performance, the price index endedlast week recording 1.27 percent annual loss comparedto its closing in 2013, while the weighted index increasedby 8.73 percent, and the KSX-15 12.49 percent growth.

Sectors’ indicesTen of KSE’s sectors ended last week in the green zone,

while the other two recorded declines. Last week’s high-est gainer was the Technology sector, achieving 3.76 per-cent growth rate as its index closed at 1,027.29 points.Whereas, in the second place, the Basic Materials sector’sindex closed at 1,277.45 points recording 2.49 percentincrease. The Consumer Goods sector came in third as itsindex achieved 1.16 percent growth, ending the week at1,358.29 points. The Telecommunications sector was theleast growing as its index closed at 770.48 points with a0.24 percent increase.

On the other hand, the Oil & Gas sector headed thelosers list as its index declined by 1.35 percent to end theweek’s activity at 1,255.58 points. The Banking sector wassecond on the losers’ list, which index declined by 0.89percent, closing at 1,107.25 points.

Sectors’ activityThe Financial services sector dominated total trade

volume during last week with 585.27 million shareschanging hands, representing 52.06 percent of the totalmarket trading volume. The Real Estate sector was sec-ond in terms of trading volume as the sector’s traded

Kuwait equities remain buoyant

shares were 25 percent of last week’s total trading vol-ume, with a total of 281.09 million shares.

On the other hand, the Financials Services sector’sstocks were the highest traded in terms of value; with aturnover of KD 37.21 million or 33.30 percent of last

week’s total market trading value. The Real Estate sectortook the second place as the sector’s last week turnoverwas KD 26.06 million represented 23.31 percent of thetotal market trading value. —Prepared by the Studies &Research Department, Bayan Investment Co.

NEW YORK: A Wall Street sign in front of the New York Stock Exchange. Stockswere mixed in early trading on Friday after the government reported that USemployers added fewer jobs than forecast in August. — AP

NEW YORK: Wall Street stocks continued theirupward push this week amid signs of progressin the US economy and confidence that glob-al easy-money policies would persist. For thesecond time in a row, the broad-based S&P500 closed the week at record levels, thisweek adding 4.34 points (0.22 percent) to2,007.71. The Dow Jones Industrial Averagetacked on 38.91 (0.23 percent) to 17,137.36,just shy of a record, while the tech-richNasdaq Composite Index edged up 2.63 (0.06percent) to 4,582.90.

Analysts welcomed another week of gainsfollowing a torrid August that lifted both theDow and S&P 500 by four percent. “It says theuptrend is still intact,” said Michael James,managing director of equity trading atWedbush Securities. “The market remainsextremely resilient.” On Friday, stocks initiallyfell after the Department of Labor said the USeconomy added only 142,000 net new jobs inAugust, well below the 223,000 markets wereexpecting.

But the market quickly shrugged off itsdoubts, finishing the trading session with sol-id gains that left US stocks in the black for theweek. Investors seemed to take the weak jobsgrowth with a grain of salt in light of other

strong data. Reports from the Institute for Supply

Management showed August activity in themanufacturing sector reached its best levelsince August 2011, while activity in the servic-es sector pushed to its highest level sinceJanuary 2008. “It’s slow and steady with theeconomic recovery,” said David Levy, portfoliomanager at Kenjol Capital Management.

More easy money seen Analysts also viewed Friday’s jobs report as

likely to discourage the Fed from raisingbenchmark interest rates quickly. “A disap-pointing employment report for August givesUS policymakers more food for thought aboutwhen the economy might be capable of with-standing higher interest rates,” said economistChris Williamson at Markit.

“The slowdown in hiring certainly vindi-cates the Fed’s cautious approach to tighten-ing policy.” The European Central Bank’smoves Thursday also bolstered confidencethat liquidity would remain high on a globallevel. Amid worries that the euro-zone singlecurrency area is threatened by stagnantgrowth and deflation, the ECB cut its main“refi” refinancing rate to 0.05 percent from0.15 percent.

The bank also lowered its deposit rate andmarginal lending rate and said it wouldundertake purchases of securities on a largescale to inject cash into the economy.

“If global rates continue to remain low, thatshould provide the impetus for higher stockprices,” Levy said. Investors continued to mon-itor developments in Ukraine, where govern-ment forces and pro-Kremlin rebels signed atruce Friday even as US President BarackObama and others expressed skepticism overthe agreement.

Major corporate stories for the week includ-ed the latest twists in a takeover battle for dis-count retailer Family Dollar, which Fridayrejected a sweetened offer from DollarGeneral, while again endorsing a deal withDollar Tree. However, Dollar General hinted ata possible hostile campaign, saying that it“remains committed to acquiring Family Dollarand is currently evaluating its next steps.”

Oil giant BP took a big hit, when US FederalJudge Carl Barbier concluded the massive2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill was the result ofthe company’s “gross negligence.” The deci-sion could expose BP to as much as $18 bil-lion in additional federal penalties.

Questions swirled around home-improve-

US stocks push higher; S&P 500 at record

ment retailer Home Depot after it said itwas investigating a possible attempt tohack its computer systems that may havetargeted customer data.

Next week’s calendar includes an

Apple event in California on September9 that is expected to launch new modelsof the iPhone. The week’s economicreleases include the August retail salesreport. — AFP

B U S I N E S SSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

BUENOS AIRES: Argentina’s Senate passed a bill spon-sored by President Cristina Kirchner that would empow-er her government to regulate prices and production tocombat high inflation, drawing sharp objections fromthe private sector. The Senate voted 38 to 27 to pass thebill, which must still be passed by the lower house tobecome law. The Chamber of Deputies, whereKirchner’s supporters also hold the majority, wasexpected to take up the measure in two weeks.

The bill empowers the government to set “profitmargins, reference prices as well as maximum and mini-mum prices for the provision of indispensable goodsand services.” It targets large producers, exempting

small and medium-size enterprises that “do not have adominant position in the market place.” Product short-ages and unjustified price increases could draw sanc-tions and fines under the bill, although the governmentmust get court approval for prohibitions or temporaryclosures.

Representatives of Argentina’s private sector saidthey would challenge the measure as unconstitutionalif it is approved. “We regard it as unconstitutionalbecause it delegates extraordinary power to the execu-tive, and is not in line with the free exercise of industryand commerce,” Jose Urtubey, vice president of theArgentina Industrial Union, said in a radio interview.

The government is seeking the additional powers asit grapples with annual inflation of over 30 percent, andan economy on the brink of recession. Adding to theeconomic uncertainties, Argentina is currently locked ina legal impasse in the United States over debt paymentsthat has forced it into default for the second time since2001. The Senate passed a separate bill early Thursdaydesigned to enable Argentina to circumvent a US courtorder blocking payments on its restructured, heavilydiscounted 2001 debt unless it also pays hold-out credi-tors in full. The bill would authorize making those pay-ments from Buenos Aires or Paris, instead of New York.The holdouts have vowed to fight the move legally, sug-

gesting they would seek to have creditors who take thepayments declared in contempt of the US court. “It’s in ablatant violation of the court orders. The court orderprohibits the change of the payment mechanism on theexchanged bonds without court approval,” RobertCohen, lawyer for NML Capital, told AFP. “It looks likeArgentina has chosen to ignore that and we will be tak-ing appropriate steps to do whatever is available to usin the US courts to be sure that that plan will not beimplemented and that any third party who thinks itmight be appropriate to participate in that exchangerealizes that they may well be held in contempt of courtdoing so.” — AFP

Argentina moves to impose price, production controls

NEW YORK: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd seeksto raise more than $21 billion in an IPO thatwill value the Chinese e-commerce giant atup to $163 billion and rank as the largest-evertechnology debut in the United States.

Alibaba expects to price its initial publicoffering between $60 and $66 per AmericanDepository Share, valuing the company atabout $162.69 billion at the top end of therange and raising a maximum of $21.1 billion.The company founded by former Englishschoolteacher Jack Ma will decide on its finalprice after a globe-spanning roadshow thatwill kick off in New York on Monday, and isexpected to stop in cities from Hong Kong toSan Francisco.

If all goes well, Alibaba may ring the open-ing bell on the New York Stock Exchange in aslittle as two weeks. Industry analysts hadexpected Alibaba to try for a valuation inexcess of $200 billion, ranking the Chinesecompany among the 20 largest publicly trad-ed companies in the United States. It mayeventually price above the initial range,should it deem investor demand sufficient.

Many investors are eager to buy a piece ofa Chinese company that handles more e-com-merce than Amazon.com Inc and eBay com-bined. “This number may seem enormous, butwhen you look at the value compared withthe company’s fundamentals, it’s not as rich aswe might expect,” said Brian Hamilton, chair-man of private company analysis firmSageworks.

Caution now But some investors remain cautious about

the potential conflicts of interest betweenMa’s role as a steward of the company, and hisinvestment interests elsewhere. The companyhas also attracted its share of controversy inthe past, as when it hived off lucrative pay-ments unit Alipay, triggering objections frommajor shareholders Yahoo and Softbank.

The company said in its latest prospectusthat it has racked up almost $16 million inIPO-related legal fees, unusually high for anIPO and an indication of the effort thatAlibaba and its advisers have undertaken to

prepare a complicated prospectus. “When anInternet company of our scale that originatedfrom China enters the global scene, youshould expect that it will encounter skepti-cism from different directions due to differ-ences in cultural perspectives, values andeven geopolitical positioning,” Ma said in a let-ter to investors reminiscent of the “founder’sletters” that accompanied the debuts ofFacebook and Google.

“While it may be difficult for a publicAlibaba to side-step controversy, we hopethat controversies generate constructivedebate and add fresh perspectives to the dia-logue on globalization.” Some investors saythe company’s fundamentals outweigh therisk of investing in a company with an unfa-miliar governance structure. Alibaba accountsfor about 80 percent of all online retail sales inChina, where rising Internet usage and anexpanding middle-class helped the companygenerate gross merchandise volume of $296billion in the 12 months ended June 30. TheChinese e-commerce giant’s revenue acceler-ated in the April-to-June quarter on stronggains in its mobile business, providinginvestors with what may be the final glimpseof the company’s financials before its expect-ed landmark market debut. Revenue in the

June quarter increased 46 percent year-on-year to $2.54 billion, a faster pace than the38.7 percent growth in the previous quarter.Alibaba is selling 123.1 million of the 320.1million ADSs slated for the IPO. Shareholdersincluding Yahoo, Ma and executive vice chair-man Joe Tsai are offering the remainder.

CitiGroup has been appointed to thedepositary receipt role for Alibaba, whichmeans it will hold the underlying shares andissue ADRs to shareholders, according to asource familiar with the matter.

In other key banking roles, Morgan Stanleyand Credit Suisse will manage the so-called“lockup” agreement that dictates when pre-IPO shareholders will be able to sell once thestock starts trading, a person familiar with thematter told Reuters. Goldman Sachs will act asthe “stabilization agent,” overseeing thestock’s early trading. Credit Suisse will alsooversee the “friends and family program,” for-mally known as a directed share program, theperson familiar with the matter said. “Listen,it’s a very successful company. The marketneeds a company like this,” said Akram Yosri at3i Capital Group. “As an institutional, I wouldhave liked to see around $135 billion. It’s upto the syndicate now, I hope they exerciseprudence.” — Reuters

Alibaba seeks to raise over$21bn in record US tech IPO

HUDSON: An employment application form on a table during a job fair at Columbia-Greene Community College in Hudson, NY. Payroll processor ADP said that privateemployers added 204,000 jobs in August, down from 212,000 in July, which wasrevised slightly lower.—AP

WASHINGTON: The US economy pumpedout far fewer jobs than expected in August,dimming the picture for overall growth andeasing pressure on the Federal Reserve toquickly raise interest rates.

The Labor Department’s report Friday ofonly 142,000 net new jobs in August com-pared to the 223,000 markets were expect-ing-broke a six-month streak of more than200,000 a month that had cheered policy-makers and job-seekers.

The department also lowered by 28,000the number of new jobs reported for thetwo previous months, leaving the impres-sion of a jobs market significantly weakerthan understood over the past half-year.Analysts were quick to note that Augustdata is frequently volatile and possibly outof line with trends due to seasonal shifts.

And though other data has been mixed,the broader picture is of steady economicgrowth. Even so, August’s jobs numbersreinforced the view that the economy isnot picking up steam, and that there is littleupward pressure on wages and prices thatwould cause a burst of inflationary.

“A disappointing employment report forAugust gives US policymakers more foodfor thought about when the economymight be capable of withstanding higherinterest rates,” said economist ChrisWilliamson at Markit.

“The slowdown in hiring certainly vindi-cates the Fed’s cautious approach to tight-ening policy.” Despite the lower job cre-ation number, the jobless rate fell a tick to6.1 percent, helped by a slight decline inthe size of the labor force, and a 268,000jump in the number of those not in thelabor force.

All three data points come from the sur-vey of households, much more volatile andinconsistent month-to-month than theestablishment survey which provides thejob creation numbers.

Even so, the household survey under-scored the continued softness. The laborforce participation rate was 62.8 percent,still very weak and virtually unchangedsince April. The total number of unem-ployed remained about 9.6 million and thenumber of people forced to work part-timebecause they couldn’t find full-time jobswas also only slightly lower at 7.3 million.

And nearly three million peopleremained in the long-term unemployedranks, jobless for more than 27 weeks. Theestablishment survey showed another keysign of slack, that workers’ situations werenot changing much in terms of earnings.The average workweek remained at 34.5hours and earnings were rising at a verymodest 2.1 percent year-on-year pace.

The Federal Reserve has its ultra-lowinterest rate policy focused on reducingslack in the labor market. Fed policymakershave forecast a likely first rise in its bench-mark fed funds rate from the current zerolevel only in the second half of next year,when they expect the unemployment to bebelow the six percent mark.

But a growing minority of economistsand policymakers, the inflation hawks, havewarned that not moving earlier risksunleashing inflation that could becomehard to control. One of the Fed’s doves, EricRosengren, head of the Boston FederalReserve branch, called the jobs data “some-what disappointing,” and said it providesproof that a rate hike should not be rushed.

“Significant slack remains, and thusmonetary policy needs to be patient inremoving stimulus,” he said in a speech.Most analysts said they anticipate arebound in the jobs market in the comingmonths.

“We expect that payroll gains will soonreturn to their previous trend of 220,000 to230,000, with some possible overshootingin the short-term,” said Harm Bandholz atUniCredit. But Dean Baker of the Center forEconomic and Policy Research said theweakness in the August jobs report wastelling. “The stronger rate in the first half ofthis year really was not consistent with therate of GDP growth that we have seenrecently or is generally forecast for the nearfuture,” he said. US Treasury yields fell onthe news, but later rebounded and endedhigher, with the 10 year bond moving to2.46 percent.

Stocks also sank into losses after theannouncement and then rebounded to anew record for the S&P 500, as investorstook the news as a signal of continued lowrates. The S&P 500 finished up 0.5 percentwhile the Dow Jones Industrial Averagerose 0.4 percent. — AFP

RENO, Nevada: Nevada Assembly SpeakerMarilyn Kirkpatrick says it’s too early to saywhether a huge package of tax breaks andincentives needed to land Tesla Motors Inc.’slithium battery factory will have smooth sailingat a special legislative session next week.

The North Las Vegas Democrat said on Fridaythat she and her colleagues must scrutinizedetails of the legislation before voting on stateincentives that could total $1.3 billion in costsover 20 years.

Kirkpatrick’s comments came a day after TeslaCEO Elon Musk declared Nevada the winner of ahigh-stakes battle with California and three oth-er states for the $5 billion “gigafactory,” whichwill mass-produce cheaper batteries for its nextline of more-affordable electric cars.

The deal has prompted concerns from bothconservative and liberal groups in the SilverState. “I have had many conversations with legis-lators. They need enough time to look at it to gettheir questions answered,” Kirkpatrick told TheAssociated Press.

“Everybody is open-minded about looking atthe legislation and excited to have it on the fore-front. But we have to do due diligence to makesure the things we want are in there.” Democrats,who control both houses of the Legislature,want to ensure Nevada workers get first crack atjobs as well as “decent” wages and health carecoverage, Kirkpatrick said. They also want toensure Tesla is held accountable if it fails to meetits goals.

“Accountability is everything,” she said. “Wedon’t mind incentives. But if they don’t meetrequirements, we need to get a return on ourinvestment.”

Legislative leaders are gearing up to start thespecial session Wednesday, she said, and itslength will depend on questions raised by thelegislation. The public will be given a chance totestify during the session.

“The hope is the special session will last oneday. But I think it’s important to have as muchinput from the public as possible because this isa big deal,” Kirkpatrick said. “I don’t want to rushthe thing. I want to spend as much time to goover it so legislators have a chance to make athoughtful decision.” Senate Majority Leader MoDenis, D-Las Vegas, and Republican legislativeleaders did not immediately respond to mes-sages for comment Friday.

New jobsState Sen. Tick Segerblom, D-Las Vegas, said

he supports the deal. “It’s a lot of money, but all-in-all, it’s positive for the state,” he said, addingTesla employees used to high-quality schools inSilicon Valley could push low-ranking Nevada

schools to improve.Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval, in announc-

ing the deal Thursday, asserted the factory eastof Reno would create more than 22,000 newjobs and pump $100 billion into the state’s econ-omy over the next 20 years.

But Bob Fulkerson, director of the ProgressiveLeadership Alliance of Nevada, said he wasincredulous of the economic studies cited in theannouncement, noting project promoters havean incentive to cite rosy numbers.

“They talked about an 80-to-1 ripple effect tothis,” he said. “There’s no way there can be thatkind of a ripple effect. What are the assumptionsbehind that?”

Fulkerson said he hoped citizens could vetthe plan and wondered whether there would betime for an independent analysis of the econom-ic claims. “We’re supposed to be taxpayers onthis, not observers of a deal that was alreadymade,” he said. Representatives of the NevadaPolicy Research Institute, a conservative thinktank, said they’re carefully screening the plan.“It’s really important that lawmakers don’t getcaught up in the euphoria of this and ram it

through,” said Andy Matthews, the institute’spresident. “They need to make sure it’s going tobe good for the state of Nevada.”

“It’s an opportunity for real discussion aboutwhether it makes sense to give so much away toa single company,” Matthews added. “If you’vebeen here for decades, you’re paying taxes,you’re saying, ‘Why them and not me?’ “

The partnership between Nevada and Tesla is“a bold move” that could be a model for futuredeals if it succeeds, said Joe Harpaz, a tax analystwith Thomson Reuters. The $1.3 billion taxincentive under the deal would be the 11thlargest nationwide, he added.

“While history is littered with examples ofgovernment incentives for private companiesthat failed - Solyndra is probably the best recentexample - we’ve also seen countless successeswith well-executed tax incentive programs,”Harpaz said, pointing to BMW, Honda, Hyundaiand Mercedes factories that have revitalized themanufacturing sector in the South. “ TheNevada/Tesla program is a classic example of riskand reward: the bigger the risk, the bigger thepotential upside . and downside.” — AP

Lawmaker: Colleagues to scrutinize Tesla deal

TOKYO: Money traders of a foreign exchange company work in front of a an electric monitordisplaying the current exchange rate of Japanese yen against US dollar in Tokyo, Friday. The USdollar rose to around 105.70 yen, the highest since October 2008, on Friday morning. —AP

US job creation slows, eases pressure for interest rate hike

Picture of overall growth dims

WASHINGTON: The US economy is grow-ing steadily with little sign of change ofpace, but businesses are generally moreoptimistic about the future, according tothe Federal Reserve’s newest Beige Bookreport. The survey of regional economiesreiterated the “modest to moderate”description of activity of the past half-year,but noted that in a number of regions, thereare some signs of tightening in the labormarket, with companies having trouble fill-ing skilled positions. The report, which isused by the Federal Open MarketCommittee to help shape monetary policy,was cautiously upbeat, as has been the casesince the end of the first quarter, whenextremely harsh winter weather forced theeconomy to contract. The rebound sincethen has been firm but its strength remainsin question, with the survey, covering lateJuly and August, noting only “slight to mod-erate” gains in consumer spending and realestate and construction weakness in half ofthe Fed’s 12 districts.

It said that the service industry, exclud-ing banks, reported improving business, butmanufacturing was more mixed. However,the report noted that “among districtsreporting on their firms’ near-term expecta-tions, the manufacturing outlook remainedgenerally upbeat.”

The report underscored that, even withthe pace of activity largely unchanged,

there were rising expectations for the nexthalf-year.

Five districts reported that contacts“generally remained optimistic about futuregrowth; most of the other districts cited var-ious examples of ongoing optimism fromspecific sectors.”

Among key indicators of activity, autosales in some areas were hot but in otherswere beginning to fall from recent peaks;tourism was widely improved with higherhotel occupancy rates ; and bank lendingwas on the rise, though mainly for car andtruck purchases.

On the other hand, home loan demandhad fallen off, and home sales and construc-tion was also largely flat. And though anumber of districts reported shortages ofworkers with specific skills-informationtechnology workers, truck drivers, energysector workers and construction workers-wages were mostly unchanged, suggestingsome slack remains in the jobs market.

Likewise, the Beige Book said, inflationwas tame: “Overall, price pressuresremained largely unchanged.” Fed ChairJanet Yellen has repeatedly cited continuedslack in employment, and little inflationarypressure, to justify the FOMC holding itsbenchmark federal funds interest rate at thezero level to support the economy. TheFOMC next meets to review monetary poli-cy on September 16-17. — AFP

Fed Beige Book: US growth steady, business optimistic

B U S I N E S SSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

Toyota and Lexus brands emerged winnersand were chosen as Best Brands of the2014 Kelley Blue Book Best (KBB) Resale

Value Awards. The awards are results of the bestresearch and analysis process in the industry andrecognize automakers’ outstanding achieve-ments in producing vehicles that best retaintheir value over the first five years (60 months) ofnew-vehicle ownership. The winners deserverecognition and fame, because of the most pro-found belief that each of them will stand the testof time, providing good value year after yearafter year.

Every year KBB gives special recognition inthe form of the Best Brand and Best LuxuryBrand awards for overall combined resale-valueportfolio performance. To win one of theseawards, an automaker must offer great vehiclesacross its entire model line and keep high pro-duction standards matching market require-ments. Kelley Blue Book’s Best Brand and BestLuxury Brand awards are the pinnacle of whatevery car company on the planet wants to berecognized as: An undisputed icon of long-termvalue.

Best Brand: ToyotaFor the third year in a row, Japan’s biggest

automaker has earned podium-topping statureas the brand to buy if you want to see more ofyour money come back when you sell your vehi-cle. Toyota has consistently accomplished suc-cess in the resale value arena through makingquality products that improves people’s lives,maintaining affordable price, and reassuring thatthe comfort, reliability, and enjoyment last foryears. The 2014 Best Resale Value Award for BestBrand was secured by Toyota amidst aggressivecompetition in the automotive industry.

Best Luxury Brand: LexusOver the past three years, Lexus has won the

Best Resale Value Awards as the Best LuxuryBrand in America. Lexus insist on high level ofquality and mechanical craftsmanship and mostimportantly, building vehicles that earn theemotional trust of your customers.

Lexus cars are sought after because they offerpremium ownership experience presented in aluxurious and attractive package. Lexus hasemerged as the king of luxury brand value. Asgood as the cars, owners also to admire the

treatment they receive from their Lexus dealers.Lexus vehicles also offer the most technological-ly advanced hybrid cars among any luxuryautomaker.

Lexus brand holds the record for the best reli-ability and dependability in the industry, whichis the main reason why buyers keep comingback to Lexus and why the brand has been cho-sen the Most Trusted Luxury Brand two years ina row. Meanwhile Lexus also claimed top brandtitle in KBB 5-Year Cost to Own Awards for thesecond year in a row.

Toyota and Lexus win highest honorsToyota the best resale value brand for third year in a row

KUWAIT: Mohamed Naser Al-Sayer &Sons Co, one of the Al-Sayer GroupHolding Companies, held the secondelectronic draw to pick the winners forToyota Genuine Spare Parts promotion atthe Ministry premises, on the 3rd ofSeptember 2014.

Toyota Genuine Spare Parts promo-tion commenced on the 1st of July andwill run for 3 months ending on 30th

September 2014. During the promotionperiod with every KD 5 spent on ToyotaGenuine Spare Parts at any Al-Sayer spareparts or service outlet, customers will geta chance to enter one of the 3 draws for achance to win fabulous gold coins.

Toyota Genuine Parts are made to thesame exacting standards as the Toyotavehicles, and are designed specifically foreach model. Which means each part willfit perfectly and meet the high quality

standards of your Toyota vehicle. 35 gold coins were distributed among

20 winners in the second raffle draw. Listof 20 winners of the second draw are:

1. Ahmed Qassim2. Mehdi Reshedi3. Nader Mubarak4. Daher Al Azmi5. Mouhammed Hussain6. Khalaf7. Salah Abduh8. Ahmed Lebbe9. Eibrahim Abdullah10. Hamad Ahmed11. Stephen Kutti12. Abdel Salam Khaled13. Rashid Ali14. Mahadevan15. Nourah Abdulhadi16. Shaji17. Talal Abdulah18. Srinivas modem19. Swaid Braidan20. Radi Khaled Falah

In addition to the last draw, there willbe a grand draw to offer all the customerswho participated in the promotion achance to win a brand new Toyota Camry2014.

20 winners picked fromsecond electronic raffle draw

Toyota genuine spare parts promotion

BERLIN: Microsoft announced the Lumia 830,Lumia 735 and Lumia 730 smartphones runningthe latest Windows Phone 8.1 Operating System,bringing industry-leading imaging technology tomore affordable price levels. Microsoft alsoannounced two new accessories that provideinnovative ways for people to interact with theirphone, plus the Lumia Denim update, whichbrings extra features and enhancements to exist-ing Lumia smartphones.

* With a slim design, the Lumia 830 is anaffordable flagship that delivers high-end innova-tions such as optical image stabilization andPureView imaging to more people.

* Offering a wide-angle front-facing camera,attractive price tag, and slim, compact style, theLumia 730 and Lumia 735 are built for Skype callsand selfies.

* Existing Lumia smartphones continue to geteven better with the Lumia Denim update, whichcombines great new features from the latestWindows Phone 8.1 Update 1with exclusiveenhancements such as Lumia Camera, whichbrings highest quality images at the fastestspeeds.

Chris Weber, corporate vice president ofMobile Devices Sales at Microsoft, commented onthe launches: “Our strategy is to help people domore with stunning products that unite andshowcase the best of Microsoft’s digital work andlife experiences. The Lumia 830, Lumia 735andLumia 730 combine popular Microsoft serviceslike Skype, Microsoft Office and OneDrive, withamazing Lumia innovations in design and imag-ingto bring experiences that people value, atprices they can afford.”

Lumia 830: the affordable flagshipThe Lumia 830offersthe best of Lumia and the

latest from Microsoft, in a pocket-friendly designand price.

* The Lumia 830 captures high-quality imagesand videos, day or night, with a 10-megapixelPureView camera with ZEISS optics, RichRecording and the world’s thinnest optical imagestabilization system.

* It delivers the best of Microsoft with the pre-loaded Microsoft Office; the latest version ofWindows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim; andOneDrive with 15GB of free storage, allowing con-tent to be synced and shared securely and easily.

* It comes with flagship Lumia innovationssuch as integrated wireless charging in a sleekand light aluminum and polycarbonate design.

Lumia 830 will begin rolling out globally thismonth, priced around EUR 330 before taxes andsubsidies.

Lumia 730 and Lumia 735: built for Skype andselfies With a wide-angle front-facing camera anda slim, pocketable style, the Lumia 730 and Lumia735 let people easily capture and share more:

* The front-facing, wide-angle5-megapixelcamera is great for Skype video calls, letting peo-ple share more of the world around them, orbring more family and friends into a call.

* With a free three-month Skype Worldwide

Unlimited subscription, it’s easier than ever tohave an international voice call with friends andfamily on their mobile and landline phones, rightfrom the Lumia 730 or Lumia 735.

* Plus, with the integration of one-tap Skypevideo call access during voice calls, people haveeven more ways to share their stories, no matterwhere they are.

Lumia 730 and Lumia 735 will also beginrolling out globally this month, featuring a 2220

mAh battery, 8GB of internal stor-age and 15GB of free One Drivestorage. Lumia 730 with 3G DualSIM will be priced around EUR 199before taxes and subsidies, whilethe Lumia 735 withLTE/4G andwireless charging support will bepriced around EUR 219 beforetaxes and subsidies.

New Microsoft Lumia smartphones bring high-end imaging capabilities

DUBAI: Canon Europe, leader in digi-tal imaging solutions, yesterdayannounced that its parent companyCanon Inc is commemorating the80th anniversary of Canon’s firstcamera, the Kwanon. MarkingJapan’s first 35mm focal-plane-shut-ter camera, the Kwanon was pro-duced in prototype form in 1934, theculmination of the dreams of engi-neers who wanted to catch up withEurope, the leading presence in thecamera industry at the time.

The engineers who created thecamera decided to name it Kwannonand the camera’s lens is calledKasyapa. Additionally, the top por-tion of the camera body featured anengraving depicting the thousand-armed Kwannon.

In 1936, two years after the birthof the Kwanon and following muchtrial and error, Canon launched theHansa Canon,1 its first commercial35mm focal-plane-shutter camera,

thus embarking on the Company’shistory as a camera manufacturer.

In 1959, Canon introduced its firstsingle-lens reflex (SLR) camera, theCanonflex, followed in 1961 by theCanonet, an immensely popularrangefinder camera that took the

market by storm, selling out anentire week’s worth of inventory in amere two hours. Following thesesuccesses, the Company continuedto lead the industry with a range ofpopular camera models, such as theF-1, a top-of-the-line 35mm SLRcamera introduced in 1971, and the

AE-1, introduced in 1976, which wasthe world’s first SLR cameraequipped with a built-in microcom-puter.

In 1987, following continuedtechnological innovation, Canonlaunched EOS, the world’s first AF

(autofocus) SLR camera to employ afully electronic mount system. In1995, EOS marked its entry into thedigital era and the line-up continuesevolving today. In 2012, theCompany released the Cinema EOSSystem, a line-up of professional dig-ital cinematography cameras and

lenses realized through the culmina-tion of various technological innova-tions centred on optical technolo-gies developed since the Company’sfounding. Since its introduction, theCinema EOS System has contributedto expanding the horizons of visualexpression. Masaya Maeda,Managing Director and ChiefExecutive, Image CommunicationProducts Operations at Canon Inc.,comments: “Over the 80 years sincethe birth of the Kwanon camera pro-totype, Canon has continuouslyinnovated to fulfil the Company’snever-ending ambition to create theworld’s finest cameras. Leveragingthe technologies and know-how ithas acquired over its history, Canonwill continue contributing to thedevelopment of the photographicand video imaging culture throughits technologies and productsdesigned to satisfy the expectationsof our customers.”

Canon celebrates 80th anniversaryof Kwanon, company’s first camera

KUWAIT: To commemorate the festivitiesof Eid Al-Adha, Joyalukkas Exchange, hasannounced a mega winning opportunityagainst every transaction across its mon-ey exchange branches in Kuwait. Thecampaign titled ‘Festival of Fortune’ willoffer Joyalukkas Exchange customers thechance to win mega prize of 50gms Goldplus many other exciting prizes like TVs,Smartphones, Air Tickets, 5 gms Goldcoins, cameras and many more. Festivalof Fortune’ at Joyalukkas Exchange willcommence on 4th September and willcarry on up to 12th October, 2014.

“We are now operating 7 moneyexchange centers across Kuwait and have

been very well accepted by customershere. Our mega promotion ‘Festival ofFortune’ is tailored to make the Eid AlAdha celebrations of our valued cus-tomers here special with a variety ofattractive prizes to make the celebrationsextra special,” said Antony Jos, Director,Joyalukkas Exchange.

Joyalukkas Exchange is renownedacross the GCC for offering the best rates,professional service and innovative finan-cial solutions that make money exchangeand related services more convenient forconsumers. Other than Kuwait,Joyalukkas Exchange has presence inUAE, Oman & India.

Joyalukkas Exchange launches ‘Festival of Fortune’ to mark

upcoming Eid festival

KUWAIT: Gulf Bank held its Al-Danah dailydraws on August 31, 2014, announcing thenames of its winners for the week of August24 to August 28. The Al-Danah daily drawsinclude draws each working day for twoprizes of KD1000 per winner.

The winners were: (Sunday 24/08): Layla Ali Hussain

Boabbas, Hussain Ibrahim Mohammed(Monday 25/08): Ahmed Hamad Ahmed

Al-Haddad, Saad Khalifa MohammedJoumaa

(Tuesday 26/08): Fatemah Jaber Helal Al-Shammari, Hashem Mohammed SayedAbbas Al-Mahri

(Wednesday 27/08): Khaleel Rayyes AliKamal, Nouf Mehsen Awad Al-Harbi

(Thursday 28/08): Abdulaziz Nazzal SaudAl-Dhafeeri, Jassem Mohammed Hussain Al-Muhanna

Gulf Bank’s Al-Danah 2014 draw lineupincludes daily draws (2 winners per workingday each receive KD1000). Gulf Bank advisesall its Al-Danah customers to maintain theirbalances in their accounts to enhance theirchances of winning one of the major cashprizes of KD 25,000, KD 125,000, and KD500,000 in the third Al-Danah quarterlyprize draw for 2014 in September.

Al-Danah allows customers to win cashprizes and simultaneously encourages themto save. Each KD100 gives the customer 1chance daily which accumulates day by day.The more money saved and the longer it isin the account, the more chances individu-als stand to win. Every Al-Danah prize drawswill automatically be deposited into thewinner’s account within two working days.Al-Danah also offers a number of uniqueservices including the Al-Danah DepositOnly ATM card which helps account holdersdeposit their money at their convenience;as well as the Al-Danah calculator to helpcustomers calculate their chances ofbecoming an Al-Danah winner.

Gulf Bank’s Al-Danah account is open toKuwaitis and all residents of Kuwait.Customers who open an account and/ ordeposit more will enter the draw within twodays. To be part of the Al-Danah draws, cus-tomers can visit one of Gulf Bank’s 58branches, transfer on line, or call theCustomer Contact Center on 1805805 forassistance and guidance. Customers canalso log on to

www.e-gulfbank.com/aldanahwinners,to find out more about Al-Danah and whothe winners are.

Gulf Bank announces winners of Al-Danah daily draws

BRASILIA: With the country battling recessionand inflation a month away from a presiden-tial election, Brazil’s central bank kept its keyinterest rate on hold at 11 percent. Tradersand analysts had forecast no change and thecentral bank’s monetary policy commission(Copom) duly elected to leave well alone fol-lowing its monthly two-day meeting.

“Taking into account the macroeconomicclimate and inflation outlook, Copom decidedunanimously to maintain the Selic rate at 11percent,” the bank said in a statement.

After Latin America’s largest economy slidinto recession last week, analysts had citedthe need to rein in inflation which in July creptabove an official 6.5 percent ceiling, seeing lit-

tle scope for a cut. Brazil is in a fourth year ofanemic growth and the 2014 forecast is forjust a 0.52 percent rise in GDP.

The benchmark rate has not budged sincea quarter point rise in April in what was theninth straight monthly increase as Brazilfought against inflationary pressures. Thedecision came with a new Ibope opinion pollshowing environmentalist Marina Silva as stillon course to oust incumbent Dilma Rousseffin an October 26 run off.

The poll showed Workers Party (PT) can-didate Rousseff with 37 percent of voterintentions for the first round on October 5with Socialist Party (PSB) candidate Silvaon 33. —AFP

Brazil keeps rates on hold

t e c hnolo g ySUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

WASHINGTON: Hollywood star Robin Williams,who died August 11 and was a devoted videogame fan, has made a subtle cameo in “Worldof Warcraft ,” as promised by gamemakerBlizzard Entertainment. In a test version of“Warlords of Draenor,” a futuristic characternamed Robin emerges from a lamp to quotetwo lines from Disney’s “Aladdin” genie, whowas voiced by Williams. It was a game devotee

who announced the find on fan site Wowhead.The fan also gave details of other apparenttributes to Williams: a character in suspenderslike Williams’ Mork from the sitcom “Mork &Mindy” as well as a woman who resembles MrsDoubtfire, from the 1993 movie in whichWilliams cross-dressed as an elderly nanny.

According to specialist website The Verge,other tributes may appear in the final version

of the game, which comes out November 13.Blizzard Entertainment did not immediatelyrespond to a request for comment. But threedays after the actor’s death by apparent sui-cide, Blizzard had said it would memorializethe beloved actor in the game. “.@robin-williams Thank you. You gave us so much joy inour lives, and we hope you enjoyed your timein our world. We’ll see you in-game,” they wrote

on the @Warcraft account. The actor’s love of video games was evident

in the choice of his daughter’s name: Zelda, inreference to the Nintendo classic “The Legendof Zelda.” The death of Wil l iams, one ofHollywood’s brightest stars, sparked world-wide mourning. He suffered from severedepression and early signs of Parkinson’s dis-ease. — AFP

World of Warcraft pays tribute to Robin Williams

SAN FRANCISCO: With its highly awaited prod-uct launch next week, Apple is aiming for a new“big thing” as the iconic gadget-maker findsitself under pressure over a celebrity photo theftscandal. Apple has been customarily tight-lipped ahead of its Tuesday event at a perform-ing arts center where late Apple co-founderSteve Jobs introduced the Macintosh computer30 years ago. But those who follow Apple areexpecting bigger versions of the iPhone andperhaps more significantly-an entry into wear-ables with an “iWatch” at the event led by Applechief Tim Cook.

The choice of venue has fueled talk thatApple will crash the wearable computing partywith a health-themed smartwatch, in a bid todominate the segment the same way it ruledsmartphones, tablets and MP3 players withiPhones, iPads and iPods.”This is probably thelast major thing that Steve personally will giveus,” Creative Strategies president Tim Bajarinsaid. “It is Tim Cook’s design, but the genesisbegan with Steve’s journey through healthissues.”

Bigger than music Bajarin says the impetus for a wearable Apple

device came from Jobs and his frustration withthe health care system while battling the illnessthat took his life in late 2011. Apple could use itsservices such as online data storage lockeriCloud to aggregate health information and actas a mediator with the health care industry. “Youcould see this being bigger for Apple than themusic industry,” Bajarin said, referring to thecompany’s prosperous iTunes store. “Moneyspent on health care makes the money spent inthe music industry look like peanuts.”

Cook has stated that wearable computingmakes more sense on the wrist than in eyewearsuch as Google Glass. Apple is fine-tuning a newmobile operating system that could allow formobile payments and includes a health plat-form, which could mesh nicely with an “iWatch”for tracking activity, sleep, pulse and more andconnecting to an iPhone or iPad.

While Apple is not the first to dive into thebusiness of building brains into wearabledevices, the company is likely to set its offeringapart with a trademark blend of style and inno-vation. “Apple did not introduce the MP3 player,they made it better; they didn’t invent the smart-phone, they made it better; they didn’t inventthe tablet, they made it better,” Bajarin said.“They will put their design genius and back-endcontent networks into a wearable.”

Apple is likely to unveil the iWatch form and

design to entice software developers to tailorapplications for hardware that won’t be availablefor months. “I believe it will be another historicproduct for Apple,” Bajarin said.

iPhone goes phablet Confidence is high, and timing is right, for

Apple to introduce new-generation iPhone 6models with screen sizes stretched to tap intolove for “phablets” combining features of smart-phones and tablets. “Frankly that’s one of thethings they need to do to improve their standingin the market,” Forrester analyst Frank Gillett saidof iPhones getting bigger. “Much of the marketpopularity of smartphones has been driven bylarge screens.” Apple has seen sales growth foriPhones, but slower than its rivals like Samsung.The iPhone has a leading share in the US marketof some 40 percent, but its worldwide share ofthe smartphone market is less than 12 percent,according to surveys. Gartner analyst Van Bakerpredicts Apple will unveil an iPhone 6 with ascreen increased to 4.7 inches, and that odds arestrong for a 5.5-inch version. New iPhones arealso expected to feature near-field communica-tion chips that will let them be used as mobilewallets, challenging services such as Square or

Google Wallet.

Black eye for Apple Apple would be asking people to trust it with

health and more financial data after taking abruising over the release of nude photos ofcelebrities including Oscar winner JenniferLawrence from its cloud. Apple says there wasno breach of its iCloud and that the celebritieshad their accounts hacked by using easy-to-guess passwords, or by giving up their personaldata to cybercriminals posing as Apple.

Cook told the Wall Street Journal that Applewould step up its iCloud security by sendingalerts when attempts are made to change pass-words or access iCloud data on new devices.Jack Gold, analyst with J Gold Associates, arguesthat “this will go away, unless it happens again inthe near term. But it is certainly a black eye forApple.”

If Apple delivers on expectations Tuesday, itcould regain some of the shine rubbed off bythe celebrity photo hacking. “Once the marketunderstands what Apple is doing here, and theultimate potential, they will realize that Applehas another blockbuster on its hands,” Bajarinsaid.— AFP

Apple eyes old magic with latest products

Apple likely to unveil the iWatch

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple Inc has invitedtop fashion editors and bloggers inunprecedented numbers to its Tuesdaylaunch gala, further evidence that theiPhone maker is preparing to take thewraps off a smartwatch. Apple is forgingcloser ties to the fashion world as it plotsits foray into the fertile field of wearabletechnology, trying to win over a criticalcrowd that may prove crucial to the suc-cess of consumer gadgets worn aroundthe body.

A smartwatch would represent ChiefExecutive Officer Tim Cook’s first real newproduct since taking the baton fromSteve Jobs. Several fashion media editorstold Reuters they received invitations forthe first time to an annual Septemberproduct-launch, which they took as con-firmation of a wristwatch in the wings. “Iassume it’s because they are unveiling awearable,” said Lea Goldman, featuresand special projects director for MarieClaire magazine, a first-time invitee. “Thissuggests Apple is serious about tappinginto the fashion world, which often sitson the sidelines.” Apple declined to com-ment.

The iPhone maker, known for its sleekaesthetic, has made overtures to thefashion press in the past. It typically optsto host a separate event in New Yorkwhere editors meet the team and reviewproducts, two fashion editors say. Thatcourtship has grown more aggressive.Last month, the company hosted what itcalled a “first-of-its-kind event” at anApple Store in New York to showcasefashion and retail apps to a group of

style editors, according to an invitationseen by Reuters.

Fashion site Refinery29’s health andscience director Kelly Bourdet said thedecision to include fashion editors onthe invite-list is a “nod to the fashioncrowd.” Apple seems poised to networkwith the who’s who of the industry. Inthe past year or two, it has hired PatrickPruniaux, former vice president of TagHeuer’s global sales and retail; AngelaAhrendts, former chief executive ofBurberry Inc; and former Yves SaintLaurent CEO Paul Deneve joined as vicepresident of special projects.

It is not just Apple. From Google Inc toLG Electronics Inc and Intel Corp, tech-nology companies are beginning toforge fashion ties. On Friday, Intelannounced a tie-up with Fossil Group onwearable technology. Sonny Vu, chiefexecutive of Misfit Wearables, expectsmore tie-ups as tech companies ramp upthe fashion quotient in smartwatches,given that the current crop of watcheshas received mixed reviews.

The challenge for technology compa-nies is to make something “fashionableoff the bat” that is not clunky, said EricWilson, fashion news director for InStyleMagazine. He and other editors said theyharbored high hopes for Apple andplanned to monitor Tuesday’s event. “Itconfirms that they have a play in wear-ables and that they want to appeal to thefashion world, and not just technologyconsumers,” said Lauren Indvik, editor inchief for Fashionista and another first-time invitee. — Reuters

Apple courtsfashionistas

This photo shows a scene from the video game, “Republique.” — AP

SEATTLE: For many of the game designersshowing off their latest creations at the recentPenny Arcade video game expo in Seattle, thepush to feature more mature storytelling hasbeen one of their most significant challenges.“We are changing as a medium,” said RichardDansky, a writer who has worked on several“Tom Clancy” games, in a talk called “You’re SoMature! Is Storytelling in Games Coming ofAge?” While recognizing there have been seri-ous-minded games going back to the days of1980s text-based adventures, Dansky said anunstoppable evolution is afoot in the industry -an evolution that has sparked recent onlinefeuding between fans, bloggers and developers.

“We are throwing open new doors andexploring new territory in ways that are advanc-ing faster and obviously making some peopleunhappy,” he said. “We can’t just say, ‘They haveto deal with it.’ They’re letting us know they’reunhappy in ways that are reprehensible. It’s upto us to keep reinforcing and pushing forchange.” Over the past 50 years, the interactivemedium once considered merely child’s play hasgained both financial and cultural significance,but a disparity persists, as evidenced on the floorof the Seattle expo, known as PAX Prime. There,the likes of the kid-friendly, cartoony “Pokemon”icon Pikachu loomed over gamers firing virtualguns and slashing virtual throats in “Far Cry 4”and “Assassin’s Creed.”

Indie games “I think it’s important not to lose track that

games tackling serious subjects have beenwoven into the DNA of the industry since thebeginning,” said Dansky. “We’ve always had peo-ple who’ve attempted to use this medium formore than just ‘shoot ‘em in the face.’ I thinkwhat’s happening now is unprecedented accessto consumers and the awareness the Internetallows us.” Ryan Payton, the head of game studioCamouflaj who previously worked on the “MetalGear Solid” and “Halo” series, said he had to bal-ance the financial rigors of game developmentwith his personal desire to explore a mature top-ic while crafting the mobile game “Republique,”which casts players as a hacker guiding awoman through a dystopia where individualityis banned.

“My end goal is to not only make enoughmoney to keep the business going and our 25employees well fed,” said Payton. “It’s also that Iknow, through our game, we could touch mil-lions - if not possibly tens of millions - of peoplein all parts of the world and get them to thinkseriously about surveillance infrastructures,whether they’re corporate or governmental.”While indie games have long been the biggestsector of the industry to tackle sociopoliticaltopics like diversity, personal freedom, mentalhealth and sexual identity, developers at PAXPrime said that line of thinking has come tomany mainstream games in recent years, point-ing to “The Last of Us” and “The Walking Dead:The Game” as examples of titles that took suchrisks.

Toiya Kristen Finley, a writer who recentlyworked on a mobile game called “Fat Chicken,”which light-heartedly looks at the issue of facto-ry farming, said the most difficult topic for gamedesigners to confront has been sexual abuse.She chastised the PlayStation 3 game “Beyond:Two Souls” for limiting interactivity during ascene that dealt with a sexual assault at a bar.

Storytelling in games“I’m not saying you can’t have that content,

but I think it’s a problem when it’s shortcut char-acter development,” said Finely. “It’s often used totoughen a character up, but it just doesn’t workthat way. When you experience trauma, it cantake years of healing. It’s a long process. It’s disre-specting to the character and players who’vebeen through that, as well.”

Ultimately, designers like Qais Fulton, whohas worked on such games as “Crimson Dragon”and “Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death,”believes there’s room in the cloud and on harddrives for all types of titles. Fulton is among thegame developers who hope to bridge the dividebetween not-so-serious and more thoughtfulgames. “I think the resistance to mature story-telling in games is coming from a place of con-cern,” said Fulton. “It doesn’t mean mature gamespreclude juvenile games. Fart jokes are nevergoing away. We will always love them, so justbecause we enjoy those doesn’t mean we can’talso appreciate a heartfelt, insightful andpoignant experience that has no fart jokes.” — AP

Game creators seek mature storytelling

Germany Gadget Show

SAN FRANCISCO: The Apple logo is seen in file photo at the Yerba Buena Center for Arts in SanFrancisco. — AFP

BERLIN: A woman passes an installation with curved screens displayed by Samsung. — AP photos

BERLIN: The Smart Tennis Sensor linking a tennis racket to a smart-phone is displayed at the booth of Japanese giant Sony.

BERLIN: A woman shows a prototype of the Mota Smart Ring. The smartring is designed to notify users about incoming messages and phone calls.

H E A LT H & S C I E NC ESUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

MONROVIA/DAKAR: When a starving Ebolapatient escaped from a treatment centre inMonrovia and staggered through a crowdedmarket in search of food, bystanders who scat-tered in his path voiced their anger not at himbut at Liberia’s president. To many in this impov-erished West African country, President EllenJohnson Sirleaf ’s government has not doneenough to protect them from the deadly virus.Ebola has killed more than 1,000 people inLiberia since its arrival six months ago. AcrossWest Africa, the death toll from the world’s worstEbola outbreak has surpassed 1,900.

Panicked residents said the patient was thefifth to escape in recent weeks from the under-staffed ELWA hospital. Dozens watched anxious-ly as workers in protective clothes bundled thestruggling patient into a truck and drove himback. “The patients are hungry, they are starving.No food, no water,” said one terrified woman inthe crowd. “The government need to do more.Let Ellen Johnson Sirleaf do more!”

A Noble Peace Prize winner for her work onwomen’s rights, Johnson Sirleaf had made grad-ual progress before the epidemic in rebuildingLiberia after a 1989-2003 civil war. She nowseems destined, however, to spend the last twoyears of her presidency dealing with the falloutfrom Ebola. Feted internationally since shebecame Africa’s first female head of state nineyears ago, Johnson Sirleaf’s reputation at homehas been dogged by a slow improvement in liv-ing standards. Some critics saying she is out oftouch with poor Liberians.

Food shortagesThe 75-year-old former World Bank official

now faces mounting anger over her handling ofEbola. Her government has been denounced forcausing food shortages by imposing quarantineon affected communities, while healthcareworkers have walked out on strike after severalof their colleagues died. The president has alsofaced criticism for sending troops to quellprotests in the ocean-front West Point slum ofMonrovia. A 15-year-old boy was fatally shotafter soldiers opened fire on a crowd trying tobreak out of a quarantine there.

Opponents have called for Johnson Sirleaf toresign, but her government has said it is doingeverything possible, given the scant resources atits disposal. “Care and attention should be given

to helping people who need it the most and wecan get into the politics later,” InformationMinister Lewis Brown told Reuters. “We’re in abetter position than we were several weeks agoin this fight.”

Johnson Sirleaf has taken bold steps.Declaring a state of national emergency lastmonth, she closed schools to prevent thembecoming breeding grounds for infection, andsent home all non-essential government staff.But the disease is far outpacing efforts to controlit. Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres(MSF) said this week a further 800 Ebola bedswere needed in Monrovia alone, and it called forforeign military teams to be deployed. “Localisedunrest and public criticism of government fail-ures look set to increase as the health situationworsens and the authorities fail to find adequateresponses,” warned Roddy Barclay of consultan-cy Control Risks.

No clear strategyTom Frieden, head of the US Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), warnedthis week after a visit to the region that the out-break was gathering pace and threatened thestability of fragile West African nations.Although the epidemic was detected deep inthe forests of neighboring Guinea in March,Liberia now accounts for more than half the1,900 people who have died from the virus,which has also struck Sierra Leone, Senegal andNigeria. “The government was not clear on howto engage the outbreak,” said Francis Colee, anenvironmentalist living in Monrovia, who saidLiberia had reacted poorly compared with itsneighbors. “The government’s response mecha-nism has been very disappointing.”

Liberia is not the only government to facecriticism as health systems have buckled. InSierra Leone, struggling to recover from its own1991-2001 civil war, frustration has mounted atthe government’s handling of the crisis. Afterstrikes by healthcare workers, President ErnestBai Koroma dismissed his health minister lastmonth. Johnson Sirleaf similarly sought to quellcriticism by dismissing senior officials who failedto report for work.

For Barclay of Control Risk, recognition thatthe opposition cannot offer better alternativesdue to Liberia’s weak institutions, meant popularanger was unlikely to bubble over. “Despite

causing significant turbulence, such trends areunlikely to destabilize government or funda-mentally alter the balance of power,” he said.

Messages and awareness campaignA major challenge has been informing a

poorly educated population about a diseasewhich had never before struck in West Africa.Burial traditions of washing the dead by handhave fuelled the spread of the highly contagiousdisease but with many citizens unable to read,education campaigns have been slow to reachtheir mark. “People are still not aware of how thevirus can spread,” Emmanuel Geayon, a universi-ty student. “The Ebola messages and awarenesscampaign are not in the vernacular.”

Campaigns have also been dogged by deeplyengrained mistrust of the political elite. Rumorshad circulated early in the outbreak that Ebolawas a myth and politicians were poisoning wellsin Monrovia to win access to more aid money.On the muddy streets of rain-soaked Monrovia,billboards now proclaim “Ebola is Real”. On theradio, songs describe the symptoms of the dis-ease and how to avoid infection.

The World Health Organization has warnedthat up to 20,000 people may be affected beforethe outbreak ends. It has laid out a $490 millionroadmap for tackling the outbreak but supportfrom foreign donors has been slow to arrive. “Ina way, we feel saddened by the response,”Johnson Sirleaf told CNN in an interview. Thepresident has admitted that Liberia - which hadonly 50 doctors for its 4.5 million people on theeve of the outbreak - does not have theresources to cope.

Even in hospitals in Monrovia, a scarcity ofgloves and protective clothing has put doctorsat risk when treating patients - and in ruralclinics resources are even scarcer. Several topemergency doctors have died in their duties.Johnson Sirleaf apologized last month for thehigh death toll among healthcare workers, andpledged more money for ambulances and newtreatment centers. But the suspension offlights by international airlines and the closureof borders by neighboring states has compli-cated efforts to respond. “How do we get inthe kinds of supplies that we need? How do weget experts to come to our country? Is thatAfrican solidarity?” Information Minister Brownasked. — Reuters

DIALADIANG: A dozen Guineans awaitdeportation at a Senegalese frontier policepost, stopped in their tracks by the foot sol-diers of an informal battalion of villagers atthe forefront of a fight to keep Ebola out.These new vigilante “border guards” arebecoming an increasingly common sightsince a Guinean student brought the dead-ly epidemic raging across west Africa intoSenegal just before the border closed onAugust 21.

He remains the only case in the country,in part, say these villagers, because of thevigilance they have shown. “They were try-ing to cross the border. We arrested themwith the help of the villagers. We are wait-ing for the order to send them back,” said apoliceman in Dialadiang, one of the lasttowns before the frontier. “Last week wesent back a Cameroonian and two SierraLeoneans. Villagers arrested them for us tosend them back,” the officer added at thetown’s decrepit police post.

After Dialadiang, a last military postleads into Guinea, on a deserted road trav-elled by oxen, goats and plump sheep whotake advantage of the thick carpet of grasson either side. Alongside the potholed,iron-rich waterlogged track runs a denseforest which gives way to fields of peanuts,corn and cotton, dotted with thatchedhuts.

In the nearby village of Faroumba,under a light rain falling on vast greenfields, vigilante groups keep guard. “Westop Guineans every day to turn them backto the border. We do not want them tointroduce the disease into our country,”said Seniba Camara, an official of the townof a few hundred people. “All the surround-ing villages are kept informed. Residentsregularly call to say they have arrestedGuineans to deport,” he added.

‘Solidarity yes, contagion no’ In the village of Linkering, near the

Niokolo-Badiar country park which strad-dles the border, teacher Ousmane Balde

told AFP he has been monitoring themovements of Guineans in order to reportthem to the security forces. “Night time is aproblem. We cannot do anything then. Wejust hear the sound of motorcycles pass-ing,” he said, sitting on the edge of the roadamong a group of young people who listento him speak.

The Ebola virus, passed on through con-tact with infected bodily fluids, has killedmore than 2,000 in Guinea, Sierra Leoneand Liberia. Nigeria became the fourthcountry caught up in the epidemic, report-ing seven deaths before Senegal registeredits first case. In the capital Dakar, some 600kilometers (370 miles) away, the fear ofEbola is palpable.

A mob tried to get into a Dakar hospitalto attack the young Guinean Ebola patientlast week but were repelled by securityforces, according to Health Minister AwaMarie Coll Seck. President Macky Sall calledfor calm on Wednesday, asking theSenegalese people to “avoid stigma, whileshowing solidarity with neighboring coun-tries”. Seniba Camara, the official inFaroumba, thinks of Guineans as “the fami-ly of the Senegalese”.

“But solidarity doesn’t mean gettingtheir contagion,” he told AFP. “The govern-ment of Senegal has closed the borderwith Guinea. Whoever illegally enters thecountry must be sent home,” SambouNiabali, a fellow resident , told AFP. Anotherof the villagers, Ousmane Balde, sees thecommunities nearest to Guinea as the bul-wark, preventing Ebola’s spread.

“We want to protect our family in theinterior of Senegal,” he said. But not every-one agrees with shutting Senegal to itsneighbors. “We call for open borders withcontrols at specific points where peoplepassing through can wash their hands andhave their temperatures taken and bloodsampled,” said Amadou Ba, a lorry driver inDiaobe, a town that hosts a weekly marketonce frequented by many west Africans,but now deserted. — AFP

PHILADELPHIA: Four-year-old African lion mother Tajiri licks one of her cubs during their debut at the Philadelphia Zoo. — AP

Ebola stirs anger in LiberiaPressure growing on Liberian govt over response

Vigilante ‘border guards’ keep Ebola out of Senegal

SYDNEY: An undated photo shows a black-flanked rock wallaby. — AFP

SYDNEY: Australia’s big kangaroos are thriv-ing, but wildlife campaigners hold fears fortheir smaller cousins, including the little-known bettong and the rock wallaby, WWFAustralia has warned.”The kangaroo is prob-ably the most recognizable Australian animalof all,” WWF-Australia spokesperson DarrenGrover told AFP ahead of national threat-ened species day today.

“But part of that larger kangaroo and wal-laby family are all these almost unknown lit-tle animals; the bettongs and potoroos androck wallabies that people haven’t necessari-ly heard of. “Many of them are really strug-gling.” Grover said the overwhelming risk tothese smaller marsupials were feral cats andintroduced foxes, along with a loss of shelterdue to habitat loss and changed fire prac-tices.

He said exact numbers of the smallerspecies were difficult to calculate, but somewere only surviving on offshore islandswhile in other cases mainland populationswere under threat. The northern bettong,

which was once found along the north-eastern coast, is now only found in foursmall, isolated populations in tropical northQueensland, WWF said. And the black-flanked rock-wallaby is only seen in a fewisolated groups in remote areas as theirnumbers have been threatened by foxesand feral cats. Grover said the kangarooitself was not at risk, with some of thelargest species probably at historically highnumbers due to land clearing providinggrass and dams a good water supply.

But he said the fear was that the ‘roo’s lit-tle cousins would disappear before manypeople even realized they existed. “Theseare animals that not a lot of people haveever heard of but they are just as an impor-tant part of Australia’s biodiversity as thoselarger kangaroos and wallabies,” he said.Australia’s National Threatened Species Dayis held each September 7 to commemoratethe date the last known thylacine, orTasmanian tiger, died in captivity in HobartZoo in 1936. — AFP

SAN FRANCISCO: Emerging data on lastmonth’s 6.0 magnitude earthquakeshows it directed most of its force northtoward Napa and the Napa Valley, hit-ting hard enough to move one side ofthe West Napa Fault north by 18 inches,the head of the US Geological Survey’sEarthquake Science Center saidThursday.

Scientists’ ongoing study of the quakeis helping explain why the city of Napasuffered so much of the damage in theAug 24 quake even though the epicen-ter was about 5 miles to the south, saidTom Brocher, head of EarthquakeScience Center. Older buildings in down-town Napa that had been only partiallyreinforced against earthquakes, or notreinforced at all, incurred much of thedamage, including some old chimneysand building facades that tumbled tothe ground. “The energy really pointedright on Napa,” Brocher said.Additionally, vineyard-rich Napa Valleylies on soil and other, softer geologicaldeposits, that shake harder and longerthan bedrock, Brocher said.

He spoke by phone after a USGS sem-inar Tuesday for seismic experts to sharedata on the quake, the hardest to hit

Northern California in 25 years. Officialdamage estimates still are being tallied.Counts so far range from the hundredsof millions of dollars to more than $1 bil-lion. More than 100 people sufferedinjuries serious enough to seek medicaltreatment, although no one died.

Beyond the immediate shock thatmoved the west side of the West NapaFault 18 inches, afterslips - slips on afault after an earthquake- have shiftedit another few inches, Brocher said.Scientists found cracks in the groundover a 10-mile distance. Earthquakeexperts have called the quake a suc-cessful test of an early-quake warningsystem, ShakeAlert, which the USGS istesting in conjunction with universi-t ies. ShakeAler t monitors in SanFrancisco picked up the first waves ofthe Napa quake eight seconds beforethe main force of the shock reachedSan Francisco, scientists at Thursday’sbriefing said. In the case of a longer,bigger quake along the San Andreasfault , for example, seismic exper tsbelieve the warning system could pro-vide up to a minute of warning beforethe main shock hit San Francisco,Brocher said. — AP

Quake directed its main force at Napa

NAPA: In this file photo, a cracked section of roadway isshown in the Carneros district of Napa, Calif followingan earthquake. — AP

LIMA: US citizen and tattoo celebrity Matt Gone participates in an internationaltattoo encounter in Lima, on September 5, 2014. Gone and scores of other tat-too culture masters, male and female, met for three days to share it with Limaresidents. — AFP

Kangaroos abound but fears for smaller cousins: WWF

H E A LT H & S C I E NC ESUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

NEW YORK: Researchers studying the remains of an enor-mous dinosaur - a creature that was bigger than seven bullelephants - have given it an equally colossal name:Dreadnoughtus, or “fearing nothing.” Scientists hope itsunusually well-preserved bones will help reveal secretsabout some of the largest animals ever to walk the Earth.The four-legged beast, with a long neck and powerful 29-foot (8.8-meter) tail, stretched about 85 feet (25.9 meters)long and weighed about 65 tons. That’s more than seventimes the weight of even a plus-size male African elephant.

Kenneth Lacovara of Drexel University in Philadelphia,who found the specimen in Argentina’s southernPatagonia in 2005, said he can’t claim it was the mostmassive dinosaur known, because the remains of compa-rably sized beasts are too fragmentary to allow a directcomparison. But it’s the heaviest land animal whoseweight during life can be calculated directly with a stan-

dard technique that analyzes bones of the upper limbs,he said. And its bones indicate it was still growing when itdied.

Lacovara and colleagues describe the plant-eatingbehemoth in a study released Thursday by the journalScientific Reports. He said the bones were probablyaround 75 million to 77 million years old. The creature gotsome media attention in 2009 when its excavatedremains arrived in a large shipping container at a pier inPhiladelphia. Since then, Lacorvara and colleagues havecreated computerized 3D reconstruction of the bones,and have started making miniaturized physical models ofparts of the skeleton to investigate how the animalmoved.

The bones will be returned next year to Argentina,where they will be housed permanently at a museum,researchers said. In the new paper, the researchers named

the beast Dreadnoughtus schrani; the second name refersto an American entrepreneur who supported theresearch. It belongs to a poorly understood group ofdinosaurs called titanosaurs.

Experts not connected with the study said the remainswere remarkably complete and well-preserved for atitanosaur. While no complete skull was found, theremains reveal more than 70 percent of the rest of theskeleton. “We’re getting a more complete picture of thisgiant animal than we have for any of the other bigtitanosaurs that are out there,” said paleontologist KristiCurry Rogers of Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.The bounty of anatomical data should help scientistslearn about variation in titanosaurs and their evolution,she said.

“This is pretty big news,” Rogers said. Jeff Wilson of theUniversity of Michigan called the finding “a really great

specimen.” Among the questions it can help scientistsinvestigate, he said, is what kind of anatomical featureswere needed to let a dinosaur grow so huge.

Last May, other scientists announced that anotherhuge dinosaur was being excavated in Patagonia. Wilson,who has seen some of its bones, said its size is compara-ble to Dreadnoughtus. He said he hopes scientists candetermine whether the two beasts are closely related, orwhether each came by its huge size independently.

Paul Upchurch of University College London said hethinks the recently announced dinosaur and anotherspecies, Argentinosaurus, were more massive thanDreadnoughtus. But he called Dreadnoughtus valuablefor its combination of huge size and the completeness ofits skeleton. “If you’re interested in super gigantic animals,this is probably the one you want to work on” to studyhow such beasts walked around, Upchurch said. — AP

LOS ANGELES: A monocled cobra thatroamed a California neighborhood for dayscould have given a potentially deadly bite, asnake expert said Friday. “There’s no indica-tion that it’s had its venom glands removed,”said Ian Recchio, curator of reptiles andamphibians at the Los Angeles Zoo. Thesnake, about 3 feet long, was captured onThursday in a neighborhood in ThousandOaks, where it had been slithering aroundsince at least Monday. Reports that it hadbitten a dog that evening raised concerns,and authorities warned people to watchtheir children and keep their pets indoors.

A veterinarian later said it appeared thedog was simply injured while trying to getaway from the snake. Still, authorities werewary because the bite of a monocled cobracan kill a person within hours if untreated.The snake was taken to the Los Angeles ZooThursday evening and was transferredFriday to the San Diego Zoo, which has asupply of antivenom for Asian cobras. Amonocled cobra gets its name from thering-like mark on the back of its hood, butthe cobra found in California lacked themark because it is nearly pure white. Theblue-eyed snake lacks pigment, a conditionknown as leucism, Recchio said. The snakeprobably was raised in captivity because its

color would make it an easy dinner for pred-ators in the wild, Recchio said.

The snake is an adult and could be any-where from 5 years to 20 years old, Recchioestimated. Monocled cobras can grow to 5or 6 feet and live two decades, he added.Recchio said the snake appears to behealthy and probably chowed down on ratsand mice while it was loose. “It looks prettyfat,” he said. The zoo didn’t try to determineits sex. “We don’t have the antivenom hereso putting your hands on it wouldn’t be inthe cards,” he explained. Cobras are illegal inCalifornia without a permit to keep one forscientific or educational purposes.Authorities are searching for the owner.

There is a thriving black-market tradearound the world in dangerous and exoticwildlife, but Recchio said he couldn’t under-stand the motivation of the owner. “I can’tget into the person’s head who would puttheir neighbors and their family at risk,” hesaid. Snakes aren’t aggressive but will bite ifthey are cornered, so it’s a good thing thatthe cobra will have a new home at the SanDiego Zoo, said Recchio. “I’m looking at ananimal that’s over-the-top, nervous, justwants to get away from you and settledown,” he said. “So I’m happy it’s going to bein a place... where it’ll be safe.” — AP

Argentine dinosaur may shed light on huge beasts

THOUSAND OAKS: This photo shows the monocled cobra that has been in quaran-tine since Thursday afternoon after being caught by Los Angeles County AnimalControl officers in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

This undated artist rendering shows the Dreadnoughtus. — AP photos PHILADELPHIA: This photo shows a humerus bone (right) and a tibia bone from aDreadnaughtus schrani in a lab at Drexel University.

Captured cobra had intact venom glands

Nepal doctorsremove metal

rods from ‘possessed’ shaman

KATHMANDU: Nepalese surgeons removed fourmetal rods measuring up to 15 centimeters (sixinches) from a shaman, or traditional healer, whohad swallowed them during a trance, doctorssaid yesterday. The shaman, Janak Bahadur Shahi,47, was brought to a hospital in mountainousJumla district, 350 kilometers (220 miles) north-west of the capital Kathmandu, on Thursday suf-fering from stomach pains, fever and vomiting,doctor Naresh Thapa told AFP.

“We pulled out four rods of 12-15 centimeters(4.7-6.0 inches) in length that had punctured theintestine, causing internal bleeding,” Thapa said.Doctors said he was now out of danger. Theshaman, who claims to have swallowed morethan 300 metal rods in his lifetime, had ingestedthe four rods two months ago when he was “pos-sessed” by a form of the Hindu god Lord Shiva,Thapa said. When the shaman’s pain worsened,his family brought him to hospital, carrying himfor four hours on foot, Thapa said. Shaman heal-ers and mystics are common in Nepal, especiallyin remote villages. — AFP

W H AT ’ S ONSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

Lu&Lu Hypermarket, the market leader inregional retailing, is holding an 11-dayOnam special promotion at all its outlets

from 3rd to 13th of September. In sponsorshipwith leading food brands, Nirapara and DoubleHorse, the celebrations include special Onampromotions and offers on food items and gar-

ments at all of its outlets. Onam, the harvest festival in Kerala, which

also marks the start of the New Year in the Keralacalendar, is the biggest and most important fes-tival of the state. The celebrations were inaugu-rated at the Al-Rai outlet on 4 September byMohamed Haris, Regional Director of Lu&Lu

Hypermarket. As a part of their celebration mark-ing Onam, Lu&Lu Hypermarket held several cul-tural shows on the 4th and 6th of September attheir Al-Rai outlet, which included numerous tra-ditional and non-traditional dances and otherexciting events.

An hour-long special children’s drawing com-

petition was also held on 4th September at 6pm.The Onam celebrations gathered pace in theevening hours with traditional and non-tradi-tional dance shows. Various attractive prizeswere offered to all the stage performance partic-ipants. The Onam promotion through their cul-tural programs also incorporated the popular

and authentic Onam Floral Carpet competitionon 6th September, which started from 10am. Giftvouchers of KD100, KD75 and KD50 were givenaway as prizes to the first, second and third placewinners of the floral competition. Consolationprizes were also given to all the participants inthe competition.

Lu&Lu Hypermarket celebrates Onam 2014

Guided Tour: Grand Mosque 13 Sep 2014, 9:15 a.m. For a rewarding, spiritual & informative

experience. This is a 11/2 tour of one ofKuwait’s most famous landmarks. Ladies arerequired to cover - long sleeves and longankle length skirt, otherwise the mosque willprovide a cloak. If you have your own scarfyou’re welcome to bring it. Cameras areallowed. Children are welcome. This tourmeets directly at the Grand Mosque

Guided Tour: House Of Mirrors 15 Sep 2014, 5 pm. The House of Mirrors is home to the fami-

ly of the late renowned artist, Khalifa Al-Qattan. His wife has spent vast amounts oftime creating scenes on the walls, the floors& even the ceilings to showcase what can bedone with broken pieces of mirror & glasswhen accompanied by an artists’ touch.Enjoy a cup of tea, an artful snack & a guidedtour to view the splendors of this ‘bedazzled’home. Cameras are welcome.

Fee: KD 3 per person. This is an adult onlytour for 8 participants.

Advance reservations are required atjoumana@aware.com.kw

Diwaniya: Places to Visit in Kuwait 16 Sep 2014, 7 pm. Kuwait’s only good for shopping malls

and restaurants, right? Some people saythere’s nothing to do here! However, may bethere are places of interest to visit that youdon’t know of. Therefore, come along toAWARE’s Diwaniya to discover known andhidden places of interests that you could visitafter which you could send an Instagrampostcard to friends & family saying, “FromKuwait with love.

Guided Tour: Arab OrganizationHeadquarters

27 Sep 2014, 9:30 am. This tour is a marvel of innovative archi-

tecture displaying modern technology com-bined with traditional artisan craftsmanshipfrom Tunisia, Syria, Morocco, Egypt & contri-butions from Kuwaiti designers. This tourmeets directly at the Arab Organization

Headquarters. Cameras are welcome. LimitedSeats. Advance reservations are required atjoumana@aware.com.kw RegistrationDeadline: Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Guided Tour: Bait Al Othman Museum 29 Sep 2014, 5 pm. Inaugurated by the Amir of Kuwait, His

Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-JaberAl-Sabah, on April 8, 2013, this Museumhosts rare historical items & antiques for oldKuwaiti houses. Decorating the walls of its

Art Gallery are paintings & belongings ofKuwaiti Artists. There are also the crafts &Kuwaiti dhow models on display. Fee: KD 2per person. Children below 14 years & Petsare not allowed. Limited Seats. Advancereservations required atjoumana@aware.com.kw

Aware Short Lecture and Documentary 30 Sep 2014, 7 pm. Hajj is an international pilgrimage to Mecca

that attracts up to three million Muslims annually.The speaker will discuss its historical significance,describe the major rites that comprise the pil-grimage, and share some of the sentiments thatMuslims experience in this trip of a lifetime. This30-minute PowerPoint presentation will be fol-lowed by National Geographic’s 45-minute docu-mentary film entitled, “Inside Mecca” which pres-ents an intimate look at the annual pilgrimage byfollowing three pilgrims from very different back-grounds as they embark on a spiritual journeythat is both deeply personal and widely universal.

Aware Eid Al-Adha Festival 09 Oct 2014, 5 pm. The AWARE Center would like to invite

Westerners in Kuwait to our Eid Open HouseFestival which is will be held at our premises inSurra on Thursday, October 9 from 5:00p.m. Thisevent is free of charge and will be followed by adinner buffet. This Festival provides an opportuni-ty for the Western Guests to experience Eid inKuwait through various activities like: CultureClothes, Cultural Paintings & Items for Sale,Henna, Hajj Documentary, Arabic Calligraphy.Your RSVP is kindly requested atjoumana@aware.com.kw. Address: Surra, Block 3,Hamad Al Roomi Street, Villa 84. E-mail :info@aware.com.kw

W H AT ’ S ONSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

Pravasi Bhartiya Divas

The Government of India has decided to hold the next Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD-2015) at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, Gujarat in January 2015. The effort wouldbe to have more meaningful and interactive sessions that would address the issues

and concerns of the overseas Indian community effectively. Since 2015 marks the hun-dredth anniversary of the return of the greatest “Pravasi”of all, Mahatma Gandhi fromSouth Africa, it is desired that PBD-2015 would be celebrated in a grand way.

The detailed programe of PBD-2015 is being prepared and will be uploaded on theEmbassy’s Website in due course.

More detailed information on Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD-2015) can be accessed atthe Ministry of Overseas India Affairs’ website (http://www.moia.gov.in).

Embassy of Cuba

The visa to the Republic of Cuba is only for purposes of tourism (Tourist visa)issued for Kuwaiti citizens and foreign residents in Kuwait. It is valid for onesingle entrance into national territory for a 30-days trip and can be extend it for

an additional 30 days at the office in the hotel where you have accommodations or atthe immigration authority. Children must have their own Tourist Visa even if they aretravelling under their parents’ passport(s).

To obtain this visa in person at the Consulate, these documents are needed: Validpassport, return air ticket, accommodation in Cuba, payment required, travel insur-ance, one photo. Fill application form. The Embassy is located in Rawda, Block 3, AbuHayan Al-Tawhedy St., House No. 74, opening hours from 8:30 am to 2 pm fromSunday till Thursday.

Second annual Military Logistics

Kuwait summit

Moving, maintaining and sustaining naval, airand ground forces officially supported by theKuwait Armed Forces, represented by the

Logistics & Supply Authority (J4), the 2nd annualMilitary Logistics Kuwait summit will take place on 23and 24 September 2014 at the Radisson Blu, Salwa.

Summer Festival on at EC untilSeptember 13

Within the activities of the summer festival cur-rently going on at the Entertainment City, theTouristic Enterprises Co. (TEC)’s PR and media

department manager, Sager Al-Bader stressed that out ofTEC’s keenness on providing various recreational servicesand that the special summer offers on admission ticketswould go on until September 13. Al-Bader reminded thissummer festival offers one free ticket with every threetickets of any category and three free tickets with eachfive. He also noted that the city would receive visitors onits regular summer working hours from 5:00 pm to 1:00am and that Mondays are allocated for ladies only.

Aware Center - Sept calendar of events

All photos submitted for What’s Onshould be minimum 200dpi.Articles must be in plain text andshould include name and phonenumbers. Articles and photos thatfail to meet these requirements willnot be published.

Please send them tonews@kuwaittimes.net

What’s On - Submission Guidelines

Major Archbishop Cardinal Cleemis visits ICSKMajor Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis visited Indian Communist School (Senior), Salmiya. During his visit the Major Archbishop held an interactive session with the students.

Cardinal Cleemis, who is also the president of Catholic Bishop Conference of India (CBCI), was received by Chairman of the ICSK board of Trustees Ashok Kalra, Secretary Vijay Karayil, Vice Chairman Bobby Mathew, Principal Dr V Binumon,other board members and Parent Advisory Council (PAC) members on his arrival. In his interaction with ICSK students, the Major Archbishop urged them that in today’s world people need to have two essential qualities. They are: Faith in

God Almighty and love for humanity, he said.

Indian Embassy holiday

The Embassy of India will remain closed on September7, 2014 on account of Onam. However, needed/emer-gency services relating to Consular, Visa and Labor

wings would be available to the visiting service seekers.

Seva Darshan Kuwait is com-pleting 10 years of its selflessservice in Kuwait. On this

occasion, the organizationannounced its project for the year2015 at a general body meetingheld in Farwaniya. The well-attend-ed meeting was addressed by SevaDarshan President Ajayakumar T K.

Unlike the previous ventures ofproviding building for schools,hostels and training centers, thenew project is to launch

‘Viswakarma Institute of Training’to be set up and run by SevaDarshan Kuwait.

The Viswakarma Institute ofTraining will be established atChalakuddy in the Trissur districtof Kerala. The Institute will be runby the Jagad Guru Educational,Charitable and Cultural Trust,Chalakuddy, Kerala. As part of thegovernment initiative to promoteskill development across thenation, the VIOT will provide train-

ing and education to childrenaccordingly. Under privileged anddeserving students will be provid-ed with free education. A megaevent named ‘ Seva Dasakam’ willbe showcased on 25th of Februaryto initiate support for the projectall across Kuwait by Seva Darshanand its members. A committeewas formed with RajajrajanGanesan as the convener andMohankumar and Pratap Pillai asjoint conveners.

Seva Darshan Kuwait completing 10 years of selfless service in Kuwait

T V PR O G R A M SSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

TAKEN 2 ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

MIAMI VICE ON OSN MOVIES HD ACTION

04:00 Asterix And Obelix-PG1506:00 G.I. Joe: Retaliation-PG1508:00 Arthur 3: And The War OfTwo Worlds-PG10:00 The 7:39-PG1512:00 All In Good Time-PG1514:00 Three Investigators And TheSecret Of Terror...-PG16:00 Arthur 3: And The War OfTwo Worlds-PG18:00 You Will Meet A Tall DarkStranger-PG1520:00 The Worricker: Turks &Caicos-PG1522:00 The Worricker: Salting TheBattlefield-PG15

07:00 Golfing World08:00 European senior tour high-lights09:00 ITU world Triathlon Series11:30 top 14 highlights12:00 Live NRL premiership14:00 Live WEB.COM Tour16:00 Live Shampions tour

00:00 The Baytown Outlaws02:00 Hansel & Gretel: WitchHunters04:00 Special Forces06:00 Jurassic Park08:00 F/X10:00 Taken 212:00 Rewind13:45 Jurassic Park16:00 Chinese Zodiac18:15 The Philly Kid20:00 Taken 222:00 Daylight

03:00 American Idol04:00 American Idol06:00 Good Morning America07:00 Emmerdale07:30 Coronation Street09:00 Covert Affairs10:00 Emmerdale10:30 Coronation Street12:00 Perception13:00 Witches Of East End14:00 Live Good Morning America16:00 Covert Affairs17:00 Perception18:00 Witches Of East End19:00 Franklin & Bash20:00 Perception21:00 Witches Of East End22:00 Dracula23:00 Sons Of Anarchy

04:30 Barbie Of Swan Lake06:00 Tony Hawk: Boom BoomSabotage08:00 The Legend Of Sasquatch09:45 Dino Time11:15 Home Alone: The HolidayHeist12:45 The Apple & The Worm14:15 Titan A.E.16:00 Blue Elephant 218:00 Dino Time20:00 Barbie Presents: Thumbelina22:00 Titan A.E.23:45 Blue Elephant 2

00:00 England v India ODIHighlights01:00 England v India ODIHighlights02:00 ICC Cricket 36002:30 Caribbean Premier LeaueHighlights03:30 Natwest T20 Blast Highlights04:30 ICC Cricket 36005:00 England Women v SouthAfrican Women T20I Highlights06:00 England Women v SouthAfrican Women T20I Highlights07:00 ICC Cricket 36007:30 Caribbean Premier LeaueHighlights08:30 Natwest T20 Blast Highlights09:30 ICC Cricket 36010:00 England Women v SouthAfrican Women T20I Highlights11:00 England Women v SouthAfrican Women T20I Highlights12:00 ICC Cricket 36012:30 Live England Women v SouthAfrican Women T20I

03:15 The Last Lion Of Liuwa04:05 Animal Kingdom04:30 Animal Kingdom04:55 Animal Cops Philadelphia05:45 Treehouse Masters06:35 Wildlife SOS07:00 Meerkat Manor07:25 Gator Boys08:15 Gator Boys09:10 Too Cute!10:05 My Pet’s Gone Viral10:35 My Pet’s Gone Viral11:00 Animal Precinct11:55 Meerkat Manor12:20 Animal Airport12:50 Tanked13:45 Treehouse Masters14:40 Wild Africa Rescue15:05 Wild Africa Rescue15:30 From Pound Pups To DogStars16:00 From Pound Pups To DogStars16:30 Cats 10117:25 Project Puppy17:55 Project Puppy18:20 Call Of The Wildman18:45 Call Of The Wildman19:15 Too Cute!20:10 My Cat From Hell21:05 How Sharks Hunt22:00 Too Cute!22:55 My Cat From Hell23:50 Voodoo Shark

03:00 The Killing04:00 Sleepy Hollow05:00 Rake06:00 The Blacklist07:00 Grey’s Anatomy08:00 Revenge10:00 Rake11:00 Sleepy Hollow

00:10 Sex Sent Me To The ER01:00 Body Bizarre01:50 Here Comes Honey Boo Boo02:40 Long Island Medium03:05 Long Island Medium03:30 Long Island Medium03:55 Long Island Medium04:20 What Not To Wear05:10 What Not To Wear06:00 Super Soul Sunday07:00 What Not To Wear07:50 Your Style In His Hands08:40 The Next Great Baker09:30 Toddlers & Tiaras10:20 Say Yes To The Dress10:45 Say Yes To The Dress11:10 Cake Boss11:35 17 Kids And Counting12:00 Little People, Big World12:25 Super Soul Sunday13:15 Here Comes Honey Boo Boo14:05 Hoarding: Buried Alive14:55 Brides Of Beverly Hills15:20 Cake Boss15:45 What Not To Wear16:35 Toddlers & Tiaras17:25 Say Yes To The Dress17:50 Say Yes To The Dress18:15 17 Kids And Counting18:40 Little People, Big World19:10 Super Soul Sunday20:05 Brides Of Beverly Hills20:30 Cake Boss21:00 The Next Great Baker22:20 Ballroom Blitz23:15 Sex Sent Me To The ER

03:00 The Intouchables-PG1505:00 The Chateau Meroux-PG1507:00 Straight A’s-PG15

03:20 Spooks04:15 The Weakest Link05:00 Show Me Show Me05:25 Gigglebiz05:40 The Green Balloon Club06:05 Little Human Planet06:10 Show Me Show Me06:35 Gigglebiz06:50 The Green Balloon Club07:15 The Weakest Link08:00 After You’ve Gone08:30 My Family09:00 Keeping Up Appearances09:30 Doctors10:00 Casualty10:50 King George & Queen Mary11:45 The Weakest Link12:35 After You’ve Gone13:05 Keeping Up Appearances13:35 Doctors14:05 Casualty14:55 My Family15:25 Orang-Utan Diary15:55 After You’ve Gone16:25 The Weakest Link17:10 Eastenders17:40 Doctors18:10 Hustle19:00 Roger & Val Have Just Got In19:30 The Stephen K Amos Show20:00 Spooks20:55 Silent Witness21:45 A Young Doctor’s Notebook22:10 Call The Midwife23:00 The Weakest Link23:45 Spooks

03:00 I, Anna-PG1505:00 The Glass Man-PG1507:00 Crazy / Beautiful-PG1509:00 Blue Lagoon: TheAwakening-PG1510:30 Quiet Flows The Don-PG1513:30 Buck-PG1515:00 Amour-PG1517:15 Blue Lagoon: TheAwakening-PG1519:00 Citizen Gangster-PG1521:00 Mud-PG1523:15 Drive-18

03:00 Love And Honor-PG1505:00 Mirror Mirror-PG1507:00 All Is Lost-PG1509:00 Midnight In Paris-PG1511:00 Quartet-PG1513:00 All Is Lost-PG1515:00 Zambezia-PG17:00 Midnight In Paris-PG1519:00 Bachelorette-PG1521:00 The Mortal Instruments: CityOf Bones-PG1523:15 The Haunting In Connecticut2: Ghosts Of Georgia-18

03:40 Rods N’ Wheels04:30 How It’s Made05:00 Dynamo: MagicianImpossible06:00 Dual Survival06:50 Survive That!07:40 Fast N’ Loud08:30 Storage Hunters08:55 Auction Hunters09:20 The Liquidator09:45 How It’s Made10:10 How Do They Do It?10:35 Classic Car Rescue11:25 Fifth Gear12:15 Rods N’ Wheels13:05 Storage Hunters13:30 Auction Hunters13:55 The Liquidator14:20 Survive That!15:10 World’s Top 516:00 Fast N’ Loud16:50 How It’s Made17:15 How Do They Do It?17:40 Gold Divers18:30 Deadliest Catch19:20 Outback Truckers20:10 Lost And Sold20:35 The Liquidator21:00 Deadliest Catch21:50 Outback Truckers22:40 Alaska: The Last Frontier23:30 Deadliest Catch

03:00 Nordic Wild04:00 Wild Yellowstone: She Wolf05:00 90s Greatest: FootballMoments06:00 90s Greatest: Tragedies07:00 None of the Above07:30 None of the Above08:00 The Mayan Apocalypse09:00 Megastructures10:00 Is It Real? 11:00 Wild Yellowstone: She Wolf12:00 Blowdown13:00 Mega Factories14:00 One Ocean15:00 Dangerous Encounters16:00 Wild Case Files17:00 Apocalypse World War I18:00 Ultimate Survival Alaska19:00 Dangerous Encounters20:00 Wild Case Files21:00 Apocalypse World War I22:00 Ultimate Survival Alaska23:00 Wild Yellowstone: She Wolf

06:30 This Is PAG Tour Canada07:00 Trans World Sport08:00 FEI Equestrian 08:30 Top 14 Highlights09:00 PGA Tour 201414:30 Futbol Mundial15:00 Trans World Sport16:00 NRL Premiership18:00 PGA European TourHighlights19:00 WWE Experience20:00 WWE Afterburn21:00 WWE This Week21:30 AFL Premiership Highlights22:30 PGA European TourHighlights23:30 WEE Experience

03:25 Masterchef: The Professionals04:15 Nigellissima04:45 Extreme Makeover: HomeEdition05:25 Extreme Makeover: HomeEdition06:05 Antiques Roadshow07:00 Come Dine With Me: SouthAfrica

03:15 The Hive03:20 Art Attack03:45 Art Attack04:10 Jungle Junction04:20 Jungle Junction04:35 Jungle Junction04:50 Jungle Junction05:00 Art Attack05:25 Art Attack05:50 Mouk06:00 Jessie06:25 Hannah Montana06:45 Disney Sing-Along07:10 I Didn’t Do It07:35 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch07:55 Win, Lose Or Draw08:20 I Didn’t Do It08:45 I Didn’t Do It09:05 Liv And Maddie09:30 Liv And Maddie

03:15 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills03:40 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills04:10 E! Investigates05:05 THS06:00 THS07:50 Style Star08:20 E! News09:15 Giuliana & Bill10:15 Giuliana & Bill11:10 E!ES12:05 E! News13:05 Extreme Close-Up13:35 E!ES14:30 Style Star15:00 Keeping Up With TheKardashians16:00 Kourtney & Kim Take NewYork17:00 The Drama Queen18:00 E! News19:00 E!ES20:00 Keeping Up With TheKardashians21:00 Eric And Jessie: Game On21:30 Eric And Jessie: Game On22:00 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills22:30 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills23:00 A-List Listings23:30 A-List Listings

03:25 Billy Connolly: To The EdgeOf The World04:20 James Nesbitt’s Ireland05:15 The Chase06:10 Four Weddings UK07:05 Come Dine With Me Ireland07:30 Billy Connolly: To The EdgeOf The World08:25 James Nesbitt’s Ireland09:20 Brendan’s Magical MysteryTour09:45 Come Dine With Me Ireland10:15 The Jeremy Kyle Show USA11:10 Emmerdale12:00 Coronation Street12:30 The Hungry Sailors13:25 Four Weddings UK14:20 Coach Trip14:45 The Chase15:35 Trevor Mcdonald’s Queen &

03:00 The Neighbors03:30 The Michael J. Fox Show04:30 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon05:30 Community06:00 My Name Is Earl07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers08:30 Community09:00 The Neighbors09:30 How I Met Your Mother10:00 Raising Hope11:00 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon12:00 My Name Is Earl13:00 Community14:00 The Michael J. Fox Show14:30 How I Met Your Mother15:00 Raising Hope15:30 The Daily Show With JonStewart16:00 The Colbert Report16:30 My Name Is Earl17:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers18:00 The Neighbors18:30 The Goodwin Games19:00 How I Met Your Mother19:30 Enlisted20:00 That Mitchell And WebbLook20:30 Wilfred21:00 The Daily Show With JonStewart21:30 Last Week Tonight With JohnOliver22:00 Eastbound & Down22:30 Hello Ladies23:00 It ’s Always Sunny InPhiladelphia23:30 That Mitchell And WebbLook

07:50 Bargain Hunt08:35 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent09:25 Nigellissima09:50 Come Dine With Me: SouthAfrica10:40 Come Dine With Me: SouthAfrica11:35 Come Dine With Me: SouthAfrica12:25 Bargain Hunt13:10 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent14:00 Nigellissima14:30 Come Dine With Me: SouthAfrica15:20 Come Dine With Me: SouthAfrica16:10 Come Dine With Me: SouthAfrica17:05 The Hairy Bikers Ride Again17:30 Bargain Hunt18:15 Homes Under The Hammer19:10 Nigel Slater’s Dish Of The Day19:35 Come Dine With Me20:25 Antiques Roadshow21:15 Antiques Roadshow22:15 Bargain Hunt23:00 Homes Under The Hammer23:50 Nigel Slater’s Dish Of The Day

09:55 Jessie10:15 Jessie10:40 The Aristocats11:55 Austin & Ally12:15 Austin & Ally12:35 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch13:00 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch13:25 Jessie13:45 Jessie14:10 Austin & Ally14:35 Win, Lose Or Draw15:00 Mako Mermaids15:25 Hannah Montana15:50 Disney Sing-Along16:10 Violetta17:00 High School Musical18:30 Hannah Montana18:55 Disney Sing-Along19:20 Violetta20:05 Mako Mermaids20:30 Mako Mermaids20:50 Mako Mermaids21:15 Mako Mermaids21:40 Mako Mermaids22:00 Good Luck Charlie22:25 A.N.T. Farm22:50 Shake It Up23:10 Wolfblood23:35 Wolfblood

Country16:30 The Queen’s Sister18:20 Four Weddings UK19:10 Coronation Street19:35 Trevor Mcdonald’s Queen &Country20:30 The Queen’s Sister22:20 Coronation Street22:50 Emmerdale23:45 The Chase

12:00 Emmerdale12:30 Coronation Street13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show14:00 Revenge15:00 The Blacklist16:00 Emmerdale16:30 Coronation Street17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show18:00 Revenge19:00 Perception20:00 Top Gear (UK)21:00 Resurrection22:00 Boardwalk Empire23:00 The Killing

00:00 Hansel & Gretel: WitchHunters-PG1502:00 Special Forces-PG1504:00 Jurassic Park-PG1506:00 F/X-PG1508:00 Taken 2-PG1510:00 Rewind-PG1511:45 Jurassic Park-PG1514:00 Chinese Zodiac-PG1516:15 The Philly Kid-PG1518:00 Taken 2-PG1520:00 Daylight-PG1522:00 Miami Vice-18

09:00 Snow Flower And The SecretFan-PG1511:00 The Chateau Meroux-PG1513:00 Straight A’s-PG1515:00 Heavy Duty-PG1517:00 Snow Flower And The SecretFan-PG1519:00 The Tall Man-PG1521:00 50/50-PG1523:00 4:44 Last Day On Earth-18

18:00 This is PGA tour18:30 Live PGA Tour

16:00 England v Sri Lanka T20IHighlights17:00 Live England v India T20I20:30 Caribbean Premier LeaueHighlights21:30 Caribbean Premier LeaueHighlights22:30 Caribbean Premier LeaueHighlights23:30 England Women v SouthAfrican Women

Broadwayoutshines

Hollywood VENICE: The age-old rivalry between Broadwayand Hollywood took central stage at this year’sVenice film festival, which winded up yesterday,with a host of theatre-based tales and starsdenouncing a declining Silver Screen industry.“Hollywood’s gone in the wrong direction,” masterof screwball comedy Peter Bogdanovich said aheadof the premier of his delicious theatre-based come-dy “She’s Funny That Way”, starring Owen Wilsonand Jennifer Aniston.

“They’re making prequels and sequels and car-toons. The great days of Hollywood aren’t with usanymore, we’re in a period of decadence,” he said.This summer Hollywood faced its worst block-buster season since 1997, with X-Men, Transformersand even Spiderman failing to hit the spot andsummer sales hitting just $4.05 billion (3.08 billioneuros), down 15 percent from the previous year,according to movie sales-tracker Rentrak. Broadwayrevenue and attendance figures meanwhile wereon the up-with box offices reporting a record totalgross of $1.27 billion, up 11 percent from the previ-ous season. It’s a dynamic reflected in the repeatedodes to Broadway in the Venice line-up and thered-carpet sentiment that Hollywood has lost itsway.

‘Awards for cartoons’Among the most acclaimed turns at the 71st

edition of the festival were performances from AlPacino and Michael Keaton, both playing actorsfacing existential crises that haunt them in dressingroom mirrors and spill over on to the Broadwaystage, while Owen Wilson offered a gleeful appear-ance as a theatre director.

In Barry Levinson’s “The Humbling”, Pacino’scharacter Simon Axler battles with his innerdemons in a staging of Shakespeare’s “As You LikeIt”, while Keaton’s character suffers a similar crisis offaith in Mexican Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s“Birdman”, in which he struggles to step away froma blockbuster franchise by putting on a Broadwayplay.

Keaton may have Tim Burton’s “Batman” to thankfor his stellar rise in real life, but Inarritu has thespiteful New York Times critic in “Birdman” deridehis character as representing a world in which“young spoilt children give each other awards forcartoons and porn.” Pacino, in Venice for both “TheHumbling” and in-competition flick “Manglehorn”,told journalists that “in the old days, the peoplewho started Hollywood exchanged ideas.”

“Now it’s changed, they can’t afford to do any ofthe movies we do anymore, the smaller movies.Billions have to be spent,” said “The Godfather” star.Unlike last year, when the festival opened with 3Dspace giant “Gravity”, starring George Clooney andSandra Bullock, this year there has been barely anod to special effects. Swedish director RoyAndersson pared his film “A Pigeon Sat on a BranchReflecting on Existence” down even further thanmost, presenting a series of sketches in which fur-niture is minimal and props limited to the oddbriefcase.

Alongside its homage to theatre, the world’s old-est festival also spotlighted the growing market forhigh-quality television mini-series, screening thepremier of HBO’s “Olive Kitteridge” starring FrancesMcDormand, a long-time collaborator with theCoen brothers. The series’ director Lisa Cholodenkosaid that while “there’s an inherent restriction in big-buck cinema because it has to appeal to the biggestaudience possible,” television is living “a golden age,changing every minute.” “Every season there aremore and more channels-Sundance, Netflix,Amazon moving into production, it’s kind of theWild West. You can be as adventurous or subversiveas you want to be,” she said. — AFP

00:00 Undercover Brother-PG1502:00 3 Times A Charm-PG1504:00 Romy And Michelle’s HighSchool Reunion-PG1506:00 The Sisterhood Of TheTraveling Pants-PG1508:00 Teen Wolf Too-PG1510:00 The House Bunny-PG1512:00 Romy And Michelle’s HighSchool Reunion-PG1514:00 Down Periscope-PG1516:00 Pitch Perfect-PG1518:00 Cops And Robbersons-PG20:00 The Campaign-1822:00 Here Comes The Boom-PG15

ClassifiedsSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

No: 16278

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FORCIVIL INFORMATIONAutomated enquiry about the Civil ID card is

1889988

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Arrival Flights on Sunday 7/9/2014Airlines Flt Route TimeQTR 1084 Doha 00:05JZR 239 Amman 00:20JZR 267 Beirut 00:25JZR 539 Cairo 00:30PGT 858 Istanbul 01:25THY 764 Istanbul 01:40RJA 642 Amman 01:45ETH 620 Addis Ababa 01:45GFA 211 Bahrain 02:00MEA 408 Beirut 02:10KKK 6700 Istanbul 02:20UAE 853 Dubai 02:25MSC 403 Sohag 02:30JAI 576 Kochi/Abu Dhabi 02:35ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 02:45THY 768 Istanbul 02:50FDB 067 Dubai 03:05RJA 644 Amman 03:10MSR 612 Cairo 03:15QTR 1076 Doha 03:30MSC 401 Alexandria 04:00KAC 544 Cairo 04:10JZR 555 Alexandria 04:10FDB 077 Dubai 04:15THY 770 Istanbul 04:35DHX 170 Bahrain 05:10QTR 8632 Doha 05:55KAC 412 Manila/Bangkok 06:15BAW 157 London 06:35JZR 563 Sohag 06:35JZR 1541 Cairo 06:40KAC 382 Delhi 07:30FDB 053 Dubai 07:45KAC 288 Dhaka 07:45KAC 206 Islamabad 07:50KAC 302 Mumbai 07:50QTR 1086 Doha 07:55SVA 512 Riyadh 07:55KAC 332 Trivandrum 08:00KAC 352 Kochi 08:05UAE 855 Dubai 08:25KAC 362 Colombo 08:45ABY 125 Sharjah 08:50IRA 665 Shiraz 09:25ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 09:30FDB 055 Dubai 09:40QTR 1070 Doha 10:00GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40MEA 404 Beirut 10:55MSC 405 Sohag 11:20FDB 8051 Dubai 11:45FDB 065 Dubai 11:55JZR 561 Sohag 12:00SYR 341 Latakia 12:20FDB 071 Dubai 12:35JZR 241 Amman 12:40UAE 871 Dubai 12:45IRC 528 Ahwaz 12:50MSR 610 Cairo 13:00THY 766 Istanbul 13:10KAC 742 Dammam 13:30KAC 672 Dubai 13:40FDB 057 Dubai 13:45QTR 1078 Doha 13:45GFA 221 Bahrain 14:20SVA 500 Jeddah 14:30KNE 472 Jeddah 14:40FDB 081 Dubai 14:55

KAC 788 Jeddah 15:00ABY 127 Sharjah 15:35RJA 640 Amman 15:55KAC 802 Cairo 16:00JZR 535 Cairo 16:05QTR 1072 Doha 16:15JZR 787 Riyadh 16:15NIA 251 Alexandria 16:20FDB 051 Dubai 16:25JZR 257 Beirut 16:30ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 16:45UAE 857 Dubai 16:45FDB 073 Dubai 16:55IRC 6507 Shiraz 17:00SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15UAL 982 IAD 17:25GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30FDB 075 Dubai 17:45JZR 777 Jeddah 17:50KAC 542 Cairo 18:15RBG 553 Alexandria 18:20QTR 1080 Doha 18:25KAC 785 Jeddah 18:30JZR 483 Istanbul 18:35KAC 166 Paris/Rome 18:40FDB 063 Dubai 18:45AXB 393 Kozhikode 18:55ABY 129 Sharjah 19:00GFA 217 Bahrain 19:00KAC 618 Doha 19:00UAE 875 Dubai 19:05SYR 1419 Damascus 19:05KAC 774 Riyadh 19:15KAC 502 Beirut 19:20KAC 674 Dubai 19:25MSR 606 Luxor 19:30JAI 572 Mumbai 19:35KAC 102 New York/London 19:35OMA 647 Muscat 19:55KAC 562 Amman 20:00FDB 061 Dubai 20:05AFG 415 Kabul 20:10DLH 636 Frankfurt 20:15MEA 402 Beirut 20:15JZR 189 Dubai 20:25DHX 173 EBL 20:50KAC 514 Tehran 20:50KLM 417 Amsterdam 21:05FDB 079 Dubai 21:05FDB 069 Dubai 21:10ALK 229 Colombo 21:10UAE 859 Dubai 21:15SYR 441 Damascus 21:15KAC 172 Frankfurt/Vienna 21:15ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:30QTR 1074 Doha 21:30GFA 219 Bahrain 21:45JZR 135 Bahrain 21:45FDB 059 Dubai 22:10ETD 309 Abu Dhabi 22:15AIC 981 Chennai/Hyderabad/Ahmedabad 22:25UAL 981 Bahrain 22:40JZR 185 Dubai 22:55BBC 043 Dhaka 23:10JAV 621 Amman 23:15JAI 574 Mumbai 23:20NIA 255 Alexandria 23:20MSR 614 Cairo 23:30FDB 8055 Dubai 23:30THY 772 Istanbul 23:45PIA 205 Lahore 23:50

Departure Flights on Sunday 7/9/2014Airlines Flt Route TimeAIC 976 Goa/Chennai 00:05MEA 407 Beirut 00:05JZR 562 Sohag 00:10AGY 681 Alexandria 00:15JAI 573 Mumbai 00:20UAL 981 IAD 00:25MSR 615 Cairo 00:30DLH 635 Frankfurt 01:35THY 773 Istanbul 02:20ETH 621 Addis Ababa 02:45PGT 859 Istanbul 02:55MEA 409 Beirut 03:10KKK 6701 Istanbul 03:10MSC 404 Sohag 03:30FDB 070 Dubai 03:40THY 769 Istanbul 03:40UAE 854 Dubai 03:45RJA 645 Amman 03:55FDB 068 Dubai 04:05ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:10MSR 613 Cairo 04:15QTR 1077 Doha 04:25MSC 406 Sohag 05:00FDB 078 Dubai 05:00QTR 1085 Doha 05:20JZR 560 Sohag 05:35THY 765 Istanbul 06:00RJA 643 Amman 06:05DHX 172 EBL 06:10JAI 575 Abu Dhabi/Kochi 06:30THY 771 Istanbul 06:50GFA 212 Bahrain 07:00JZR 240 Amman 07:05KAC 171 Vienna/Frankfurt 07:15QTR 8632 Lahore 07:25BAW 156 London 08:25FDB 054 Dubai 08:25SVA 513 Riyadh 08:55QTR 1087 Doha 08:55KAC 801 Cairo 09:05JZR 256 Beirut 09:05JZR 534 Cairo 09:15KAC 671 Dubai 09:25JZR 482 Istanbul 09:25ABY 126 Sharjah 09:30KAC 787 Jeddah 09:35UAE 856 Dubai 09:50KAC 117 New York 10:00ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:15FDB 056 Dubai 10:20IRA 664 Shiraz 10:25KAC 741 Dammam 10:30QTR 1071 Doha 11:00KAC 541 Cairo 11:30GFA 214 Bahrain 11:35KAC 501 Beirut 11:40MEA 405 Beirut 11:55BON 101 Sarajevo 12:05JZR 776 Jeddah 12:15MSC 402 Alexandria 12:20FDB 8052 Dubai 12:30KAC 103 London 12:30FDB 066 Dubai 12:40JZR 786 Riyadh 12:50KAC 785 Jeddah 13:00FDB 072 Dubai 13:15SYR 342 Latakia 13:20IRC 529 Ahwaz 13:50

MSR 611 Cairo 14:00THY 767 Istanbul 14:10UAE 872 Dubai 14:15FDB 058 Dubai 14:25KAC 561 Amman 14:45QTR 1079 Doha 14:55KAC 673 Dubai 15:05GFA 222 Bahrain 15:05KAC 617 Doha 15:15KNE 473 Jeddah 15:35FDB 082 Dubai 15:35SVA 503 Madinah/Jeddah 15:45JZR 188 Dubai 15:50KAC 773 Riyadh 15:50ABY 128 Sharjah 16:15KAC 513 Tehran 16:20RJA 641 Amman 16:55JZR 266 Beirut 17:05FDB 052 Dubai 17:10QTR 1073 Doha 17:20NIA 252 Alexandria 17:20FDB 074 Dubai 17:35JZR 538 Cairo 17:40ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 17:45IRC 6508 Shiraz 17:50SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15JZR 184 Dubai 18:20GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20UAE 858 Dubai 18:25FDB 076 Dubai 18:25UAL 982 Bahrain 18:40JZR 134 Bahrain 18:50RBG 554 Alexandria 19:00JZR 238 Amman 19:25QTR 1081 Doha 19:25FDB 064 Dubai 19:25ABY 120 Sharjah 19:40GFA 218 Bahrain 19:45AXB 394 Kozhikode 19:55SYR 1420 Damascus 20:05KAC 283 Dhaka 20:30MSR 619 Alexandria 20:30UAE 876 Dubai 20:35JAI 571 Mumbai 20:35FDB 062 Dubai 20:45KAC 361 Colombo 20:50OMA 648 Muscat 20:55DLH 636 Dammam 21:00AFG 415 Jeddah 21:10JZR 554 Alexandria 21:15MEA 403 Beirut 21:15DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50FDB 080 Dubai 21:50KLM 417 Dammam/Amsterdam 22:05SYR 442 MOW/Damascus 22:15ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:15ALK 230 Colombo 22:20UAE 860 Dubai 22:25KAC 343 Chennai 22:30QTR 1075 Doha 22:40KAC 301 Mumbai 22:40GFA 220 Bahrain 22:45FDB 060 Dubai 22:50KAC 351 Kochi 23:00ETD 310 Abu Dhabi 23:00KAC 205 Islamabad 23:35KAC 411 Bangkok/Manila 23:40KAC 415 Kuala Lumpur/Jakarta 23:50JZR 1540 Cairo 23:50

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

Helping others to make a positive difference in their lives and finding newways to make money are where your mind-set is focused now. A quick

chance to show your talent at a flea market or community bazaar will help you bring insome spending money. Obtaining and exchanging information takes on a great deal ofimportance when a foreign visitor takes a liking to your professional skills. You are able tostep up and take care of this visitor’s needs. While you may not want to make writing a liv-ing, you could consider some of your writing is worthy of being published. Think aboutwriting a review of an activity, city or accommodations while traveling or vacationing in thenear future. Being paid for your literary expertise can be a lot of fun.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

STAR TRACK

You may find that this is just not the best time for exercise, chores andupkeep of home and self but since those things are important, you might be able to getsome family member to help-perhaps in exchange for some favor. Pay close attention to anolder person in your family today as this person may give you guidance in an unexpectedway. You are able to penetrate and get to the very heart of things and you find positiveresults to most any situation. Self-sacrifice and an understanding attitude could have far-reaching effects on your family members and friends during this time. Involving yourselfwith a hobby this evening will help you to relax. You could include others in your fun activi-ty. A young person may want to join you. Whistle a happy tune!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

This may be a good time for study-you have a real appreciation for old waysof thinking. You may find yourself enjoying a long conversation, writing a let-

ter, or making a special phone call. Your own requirements may appear to limit or separateyou from where the rest of the gang is headed. Perhaps you have decided to brush up onsome computer skills-at any rate you will be able to join the group activities again soon.Unconventional approaches to philosophy, religion, law and politics play a bigger role inyour life. Developments in these fields can have a big impact on you. Higher education,publishing, broadcasting or advertising could also play an unexpected role in setting newdirections for you now. Keep a good balance.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Getting personal with you is a mistake-it always manages to plunge you intoturmoil. You resent probing questions, but you are fascinated by any so-called secret infor-mation. You may prefer not to think about anything below the surface, but even this is not aconstant and this inner conflict produces more than its share of tension. Think aboutadding to your list of friends-these relationships are the ones that will help you grow in pos-itive, healthy ways. After all, it is through our friends that we truly learn about ourselves. Youcan demonstrate great understanding of the needs of others just now and are in a goodposition to communicate concerning groups and society in general. You involve yourself in

helping with community improvements.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

You may appear very much at ease today. Everything seems to be workingtogether and you will find yourself expressive. Characterized by high energy, you tend to berestless and always eager for new experiences. The experience itself is what is foremost inyour mind, not so much what you can get out of it. You seek contact, involvement and arenot much concerned about matters of personal privacy. You will find yourself enjoying aspecial impromptu gathering of friends this afternoon; perhaps a special movie is in townthat everyone wants to see. This is a great way to be with friends and visiting after a showcan be quite fun. You are a unique individual and many people enjoy your company. Thereare not many people with your fine character.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Not much time to sleep late today and you like it that way. Faces to kiss andbodies to hug and then you are off to your next adventure. Picnics, parties

and entertaining bring money your way and are all the things you do well. No matter howmany jobs you have scheduled for today, you will want to stop sometime today as otherswant to celebrate you! Continued planning may be in the works for a winter vacation andthose that are coming along may want to help you plan. Thank goodness there are twodays in a weekend; you will need tomorrow to rest up from today. You have chores andjobs and many things to keep you busy. Nothing slows your progress and by the end of theday you may decide to rest by working a puzzle. Happy birthday!

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

Your personality hangs on your mind; mental activity and the world of com-munication open up for you now. This is the keystone that binds the rest of you together.Ideas, mental things, information exchange and the interrelating of all these are central toyour outer makeup. Communication is the interface that holds the rest of you together.Communication is where the fun part of this day happens. Visiting with acquaintances con-tinues this afternoon-a leisure meal or an ice cream party may develop as a celebration ofthe end of the summer season. You love a good story and a sense of the mystical pervadesevery one you tell. You are at home in the world of myths and dreams and may find thatyou enjoy the company of others, all day long.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

Sunny days are not over. You may find yourself gardening and being creativethrough the design you give your garden. Perhaps a pool of water and a little waterfall willbe nearby. Whatever the case, you enjoy the planning and developing stages. Your persua-sive ways will win over any disputes that occur today, but not without much deliberation.The idea of what-you-see-is-what-you-get is not enough for you. You want more thanappearances and are willing to dig down to get at the heart of things. You work through allthat is superficial, no matter what kind of personal sacrifice is required. You draw emotionalsustenance and a sense of security from ideals, friends and social involvement this after-noon. Ideas for a vacation may surface tonight.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

You have an incredible drive to accomplish and achieve these days. Yourambitions are backed up by the will to get things done. Be aware of your

tendency for aggressiveness-you can be very emotional when involved in personal goals.You try hard and you always push on toward whatever you want to accomplish. You havean ability to work with the imagination, reaching beyond the mundane. Consider the fieldof teaching, even on a part-time basis. You could be an excellent teacher in the areas of artand creative matters. Your sense of the unity behind things spiritual and psychological is feltby those around you. You are at home in the world of dreams and may find the television,movie or scriptwriting industry quite tempting.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

You and an old friend may get together today and talk about old times.Fondness and appreciation for the past and for your roots in life take on

greater importance now. You may yearn for family harmony. Mothering, or being nurtured,sympathy and a yearning to put down roots create a fondness for things that have stoodthe test of time. These are some of the hallmarks of the phase that now begins in your life.Romantic and social experiences, as well as artistic tastes, will show evidence of these fac-tors. Family and security are things that rattle your chain more than ever. These are areaswhere you make beginnings and bold moves-things you are willing to fight for and thingsabout which it pays to be careful. Real estate brings gain.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

You may have to work part of this day-but the afternoon is yours! Othersmay find you especially witty and eccentric just now. There are insights with

regard to your living situation or life circumstances. Others value you for your independ-ence and unique qualities. You may have some added responsibility today but this justseems to spur you forward. When it comes to spending the money you may decide a trip ismore important than a new hairstyle-some may consider this frugal or unnecessarily a bitmuch. You may be just as fond of simplicity as much as others are of abundance. You putgreat value on organization and planning. Watching your finances grow brings a great dealof satisfaction. You may plot out some new investments.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

A garage sale is on your mind and loved ones as well as neighbors may offerto pitch in and help-making it a neighborhood effort. Circumstances may urge you to greateffort and hard work today. Things are working with rather than against you however, so donot hold back. There may be some real monetary benefits for your efforts. However, do nottry to do everything yourself-others want to help. Let things take their natural course. Thismay be one of the last few comfortable weekends to enjoy your time out-of-doors.Consider celebrating this evening with a barbecue bash. You may find yourself seriouslythinking about your next vacation-many of your friends and neighbors are talking abouttheir travel experiences from this summer.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

CROSSWORD 660

ACROSS1. (computer science) The smallest discrete com-ponent of an image or picture on a CRT screen(usually a colored dot).4. A sailor's heavy woolen double-breasted jack-et.11. (dialect) A short straight stick of wood.15. Being two more than fifty.16. New Guinea echidnas.17. A round shape formed by a series of concen-tric circles.18. (Greek mythology) One of the mountainnymphs.20. Type genus of the Ardeidae.21. A river in north central Switzerland that runsnortheast into the Rhine.22. United States physicist (born in Austria) whoproposed the exclusion principle (thus provid-ing a theoretical basis for the periodic table)(1900-1958).23. Top part of an apron.24. City in northern Austria on the Danube.25. Aircraft landing in bad weather in which thepilot is talked down by ground control usingprecision approach radar.27. An implement used to propel or steer a boat.29. American political cartoonist (1840-1902).30. A deep bow.33. (South African) A camp defended by a circu-lar formation of wagons.35. A loose sleeveless outer garment made fromaba cloth.38. A Hindu prince or king in India.41. Unpleasantly cool and humid.44. A digital display that uses liquid crystal cellsthat change reflectivity in an applied electricfield.46. Angular distance above the horizon (espe-cially of a celestial object).47. Minute sedentary marine invertebrate hav-ing a saclike body with siphons through whichwater enters and leaves.49. A family of birds coextensive with the orderRheiformes.51. Being of the age 13 through 19.52. The blood group whose red cells carry boththe A and B antigens.53. A colorless odorless gaseous element thatgive a red glow in a vacuum tube.54. God of fire.58. A province in north-central China.61. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized bybehavioral and learning disorders.62. A software system that facilitates the cre-ation and maintenance and use of an electronicdatabase.65. Seed again or anew.68. Any of various deciduous or evergreen orna-mental shrubs of the genus Abelia having oppo-site simple leaves and cymes of small white orpink or purplish flowers.70. A constellation in the southern hemispherenear Telescopium and Norma.71. Leaf fibers of the raffia palm tree.74. Italian violin maker in Cremona.75. Being one more than two.76. An advocate of rural living.78. Goddess of fate.79. Having leadership guidance.80. Trees or shrubs of the families Ebenaceae orSapotaceae or Styracaceae or Symplocaceae.81. A beverage made by steeping tea leaves inwater.

DOWN1. The noise of a rounded object dropping into aliquid without a splash adv.2. A genus of Mustelidae.

3. The function or position properly or customar-ily occupied or served by another.4. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).5. An international organization of Europeancountries formed after World War II to reducetrade barriers and increase cooperation amongits members.6. According to the Old Testament he was apagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9thcentury BC).7. Candlewood of Mexico and southwesternCalifornia having tall columnar stems and bear-ing honey-scented creamy yellow flowers.8. A person with an unusual or odd personality.9. Used of a single unit or thing.10. An official language of the Republic of SouthAfrica.11. Someone who scans verse to determine thenumber and prosodic value of the syllables.12. Only extant member of the orderRhynchocephalia of large spiny lizard-like diap-sid reptiles of coastal islands off New Zealand.13. German iris having large white flowers withlavender-tinged falls and a fragrant rhizome.14. The sound of sheep or goats (or any soundresembling this) v 1.19. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainlyaquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stemsand roots and leaves.26. Before noon.28. Line that is the commercial organizationresponsible for operating a railway system.31. Lower in esteem.32. A long pointed rod used as a weapon.34. United States writer (born in Poland) whowrote in Yiddish (1880-1957).36. Oil palms.37. A circular segment of a curve.39. Close-fitting pants of heavy denim for casualwear (usually in the plural).40. On or toward the lee.42. An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of aproenzyme to an active enzyme.43. Used of the language of the deaf.45. Lacking or deprive of the sense of hearingwholly or in part.48. French inventor of the first practical photo-graphic process, the daguerreotype (1789-1851).50. In the same place (used when citing a refer-ence).55. A strong paper or thin cardboard with asmooth light brown finish made from e.g.Manila hemp.56. A federal agency established to regulate therelease of new foods and health-related prod-ucts.57. A vowel whose quality or length is changedto indicate linguistic distinctions (such as singsang sung song).59. The lofty nest of a bird of prey (such as ahawk or eagle).60. An anti-inflammatory drug that does notcontain steroids.63. A liturgical headdress worn by bishops onformal occasions.64. The main city of ancient Phoenicia.66. Material used to daub walls.67. A branch of the Tai languages.69. Informal or slang terms for mentally irregular.72. (prefix) Coming before or being preliminaryor preparatory.73. Aromatic bulb used as seasoning.77. A toxic nonmetallic element related to sulfurand tellurium.

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

Ahmadi Sama Safwan Fahaeel Makka St 23915883Abu Halaifa Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd 23715414Danat Al-Sultan Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd 23726558

Jahra Modern Jahra Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 24575518Madina Munawara Jahra-Block 92 24566622

Capital Ahlam Fahad Al-Salem St 22436184Khaldiya Coop Khaldiya Coop 24833967

Farwaniya New Shifa Farwaniya Block 40 24734000Ferdous Coop Ferdous Coop 24881201Modern Safwan Old Kheitan Block 11 24726638

Hawally Tariq Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25726265Hana Salmiya-Amman St 25647075Ikhlas Hawally-Beirut St 22625999Hawally & Rawdha Hawally & Rawdha Coop 22564549Ghadeer Jabriya-Block 1A 25340559Kindy Jabriya-Block 3B 25326554Ibn Al-Nafis Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25721264Mishrif Coop Mishrif Coop 25380581Salwa Coop Salwa Coop 25628241

OphthalmologistsDr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426

General PractitionersDr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501

UrologistsDr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427

For labor-related inquiries and complaints:

Call MSAL hotline 128

Sabah Hospital 24812000

Amiri Hospital 22450005

Maternity Hospital 24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital 25312700

Chest Hospital 24849400

Farwaniya Hospital 24892010

Adan Hospital 23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital 24840300

Al-Razi Hospital 24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital 24874330/9

Kaizen center 25716707

Rawda 22517733

Adaliya 22517144

Khaldiya 24848075

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

GOVERNORATE PHARMACY ADDRESS PHONE

Plastic Surgeons

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf 22547272

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari 22617700

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

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan 22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami 25343406

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly 25739272

Dr. Salem soso 22618787

General Surgeons

Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer 22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher 25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart

Dr. Adnan Ebil 22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada 22666300

Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra 25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub 24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani 25654300/3

Paediatricians

Dr. Khaled Hamadi 25665898

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard 25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar 22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof 25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare 23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew 24334282

Dermatology

Dr. Mohammed Salam Bern University 23845955

Dentists

Dr Anil Thomas 3729596/3729581

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar 22641071/2

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed 22562226

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

Neurologists

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

Endocrinologist

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman 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 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 25339667

Consultant Cardiologist

Dr. Farida Al-Habib 2611555-2622555 MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

Soor CenterTel: 2290-1677Fax: 2290 1688

info@soorcenter.comwww.soorcenter.com

Psychologists/Psychotherapists

PRIVATE CLINICS

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Kaizen center25716707

Noor Clinic23845955

INTERNATIONALCALLS

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Australia 0061

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Cyprus (Northern) 0090392

Czech Republic 00420

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England (UK) 0044

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North Korea 00850

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San Marino 00378

Sao Tone 00239

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Scotland (UK) 0044

Senegal 00221

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Sierra Leone 00232

Singapore 0065

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Solomon Islands 00677

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South Africa 0027

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Suriname 00597

Swaziland 00268

Sweden 0046

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Syria 00963

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Taiwan 00886

Tanzania 00255

Thailand 0066

Toga 00228

Tonga 00676

Tokelau 00690

Trinidad 001868

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USA 001

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Virgin Islands UK 001284

Virgin Islands US 001340

Wales (UK) 0044

Yemen 00967

Yugoslavia 00381

Zambia 00260

Zimbabwe 00263

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

l if e s t y l eG o s s i p

The 44-year-old singer has been living apart from herhusband since June and has reportedly “started thedivorce process”. A source told The Daily Mirror: “Nick

and Mariah have the paperwork in place for the break-up.Both will not have to give away their fortunes, and will splitvery easily in legal terms. “The one clause that is a problemis that he must not speak about Mariah or kiss and tell. Ifhe does Mariah can come after him legally. “Mariah hasalways been controlled about her personal life. Nick is amuch more open book and could face troubles if he letsslip.” Mariah and Nick - who have three-year-old twins,Moroccan and Monroe, together - married in 2008.Recently, the ‘America’s Got Talent’ host took to Twitter to

defend the mother of his children. He wrote: “What infuri-ates me most is to hear people slander @MariahCarey . Iwill forever be in debted to her for blessing me with ourchildren... “I will always love her unconditionally for thisand so much more. @MariahCarey is an amazing Motherand I trust her wholeheartedly... [sic]” He added: “So to seefalse reports in the media stating otherwise is absurd!While I would like to remain silent I can no longer allowthis to happen. “I love @MariahCarey and that will neverchange!!! “For the record I NEVER have, nor will I make astatement regarding my marriage. [sic].”

Mariah Carey bansNick Cannon from discussing their split

The ‘Hunger Games’ actor admits henever tells his 24-year-old co-star -who plays Katniss Everdeen in the

film franchise - he thinks about her whenhe is asleep he has when he wakes up.Explaining his most recent dream, the 50-year-old singer-and-actor said: “It soundsreally ridiculous, but I was somewhere withJennifer Lawrence. We were hanging outwith a bunch of people, and she was stand-ing next to me. I texted her when I wokeup. But I didn’t tell her about the dream.”The singer is very grateful for his success inlife and admits he surrounds himself withhappy, positive people. He said: “I’m arounda lot of funny, interesting people, and I

laugh out loud every day. That’s essential.Mostly at myself. Like right now I’m inrehearsals with my band, and things getreally funny and I just crack up.” Lenny sayshe can be very emotional and cried at hisbirthday party in May. He added to PEOPLEmagazine: “So many people were there,people that really matter to me. My daugh-ter [Zoe] and her mom [Lisa Bonet] and allmy good friends and cousins and family.Just people who really matter to me. Theyshowed me a lot of love.”

Lenny Kravitz dreams about Jennifer LawrenceAdam Levine lovescalling Behati

Prinsloo his wife

The Maroon 5 frontman, who married the Namibianmodel in Mexico in July, says he uses the wordinstead of her name as often as possible. The 35-year-

old star told an upcoming episode of ‘The Ellen DeGeneresShow’: “I use that word right now a lot. I say it for no rea-son. I say it a lot. Wife, wife, wife. I love it.” He added: “I evenchanged her number in my phone to wife.” The ‘One MoreNight’ hitmaker - who dated a string of models in the past -admits he is smitten with the 25-year-old beauty and issurprised by how much he loves being a married man. Hesaid: “I never really thought I would (adore it). It’s so trippy.I’m a child. How did this happen?” The ‘Voice’ USA mentorrecently confessed being married makes him feel moremasculine. He said: “I think it does change, but in a greatway. You feel like a man or something, it’s weird. “The rela-tionship doesn’t change, but you feel slightly more mascu-line. I feel like from a man’s perspective ... at the end of theday, if you’re with the right person, the guy is supposed tofeel like, I think, a little bit more of a man.” Adam also saidhe wants to have 100 kids with Behati in the future. Hesaid: “We’re definitely going to do it. I want to have 100kids. I want to have more kids than would be sociallyresponsible. I don’t know when we’re going to do it. Wecan’t do it right now. I think it’s absolutely in the works forsome future date.”

The 30-year-old reality TV star,who embarked on a gruelingfitness regime and lost 30

pounds after splitting fromestranged husband Lamar Odomin December amid rumors hecheated on her and was addictedto cocaine, is determined to getback in shape after “slacking off”while filming her upcoming E!series, ‘Kourtney & Khloe Take TheHamptons’ over the summer. Thebrunette beauty shared herweight-loss plans on Twitter, writ-ing: “Started working out again thisweek after slacking for a fewmonths while taping in theHamptons.” Khloe has teamed upwith her longtime personal trainer,Gunnar Peterson, again, but alsoasked her followers to recommendother ways to workout. She tweet-ed: “Mentally, I feel great already.My body will follow shortly. What rsome of ur fav workouts?!? I lovetrying new things so I don’t get

bored (sic)” After a fan commentedthat she doesn’t look like she hasgained any weight, the ‘KeepingUp with the Kardashians’ starreplied: “I def gained about 10 lbsor even more. Oye! Focused now(sic)” She later posted a video ofherself working hard in the gym.Earlier this year, Khloe, who is dat-ing French Montana, claimed sheloved working out. She said: “I’vedefinitely become obsessed withworking out! It’s funny, because myweight has always fluctuated-butrecently so many people havebeen saying “you look so good,you’ve lost all this weight.” It’s actu-ally been about a year and a halfthat I’ve been making a lifestylechange. There’s no quick fix, Iwould say.”

Khloe Kardashianhas gained more than 10 pounds

The ‘Shrek’ star, who split fromMelanie Griffith in June after 18years of marriage, has already

moved on and is reportedly smittenwith Nicole Kempel, whom he wasfirst spotted with in St Tropez, Francelast month. A source told Spain’sHola! magazine that the blondebeauty had nothing to do with the54-year-old actor’s split from hisestranged wife, saying: “Nicole has inno way fuelled or been the cause of

the split between the

actor and Melanie Griffith.” The cou-ple met after Antonio’s separation.Melanie recently admitted she ishappy to be “completely free” follow-ing her split from Antonio. The 57-year-old star, who has 18-year-olddaughter Stella with the actor, said:“Over the last years, I’ve devotedmyself to my family, and that was it.But now, I’m completely free. So I’mdeterminate to do only what I wantfrom now on, and none is going tostop me.” Asked about her plans forthe future, she said: “I’m going to doa lot of things. I ’m going to do

‘Pippin’ on Broadway in January.”But she added: “It’s not about

my career now. It’s just aboutfinding great work and hav-ing a good time. My kids are

almost grown. I’m gettingdivorced. I’m just happy.I’m really joyful. Life is

good.” — Bangshowbiz

Antonio Banderas is dating a

Dutch investment consultant

The German supermodel, who has two daughters,Leni, 10, and Lou, four, and two sons, Henry, eight,Johan, seven, with ex-husband Seal, gets them to

assist her in the kitchen, as she thinks it’s very importantthat they see how nutritious meals are made. The ‘ProjectRunway’ host, who also volunteers with the organizationGod’s Love We Deliver, which provides meals for peoplewho are too sick to cook for themselves, toldUsMagazine.com: “[My kids] cook everything with me. Theybarbecue with me, they chop with me. The little one wash-es. Everyone has their part to do, because I think it’s impor-tant they see how food is made, how a dish is made.” Sheadded: “A lot of younger people nowadays don’t know howto cook. No one taught them. So I think it’s important toteach that to them.” The blonde beauty, 41, admits she isvery strict about table manners and was furious whenHenry recently damaged her dining table. She said: “Myson Henry carved his name into the dining room table. Isaid, ‘What’s your favorite sports car?’ He said, ‘A Ferrari.’ So Isaid, ‘Well, imagine you had a Ferrari and I took a knife andwrote Heidi all over the hood.’ I’m like, ‘Think of all thepieces of furniture in the house as little Ferraris, okay?’

Heidi Klum is teaching her children to cook

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

l if e s t y l e

The Doha Film Institute is forging aheadwith its postponed Qumra Doha FilmFestival, which is on track to have its first

edition in 2015, acting CEO Fatma Al-Remaihiconfirmed in an interview from Toronto wheresix films supported by the DFI are screening,including Salma Hayek-produced “TheProphet.” “The Prophet,” an animation portman-teau pic based on works by Lebanese poetKahlil Gibran which world preems today inToronto, will be the closer of the DFI’s upcom-ing Dec 1-6 Aiyal Youth Festival, now at its sec-ond edition.

Both Aiyal and Qumra fests wereannounced in 2013 after the DFI severed tieswith Tribeca Enterprises, with which it ran foureditions of the Doha Tribeca Film Festivalbetween 2009 and 2012. But while Aiyal,which is modeled on Italy’s Giffoni kiddie fest,materialized, Qumra, announced as being dedi-cated to first and second works, has yet to gel.Al-Remaihi said Palestinian auteur EliaSuleiman is still on board as the artistic advisorof Qumra Doha, the exact format for which isstill being decided.

“It will concentrate on mentorship, educa-tion, and progress,” said Al-Remaihi, adding thatthe idea remains to “fill the gap out there” onthe Middle East film festival circuit which lacksa high-profile event dedicated to feature filmsfrom newcomers which could help foster amore vibrant film industry and culture in theregion.

Meanwhile, the DFI’s Head of FilmProgramming Ludmila Cvikova has recently left“to pursue other opportunities,” said Al-Remaihi. Former DFI CEO Abdulaziz Al-Khateralso left last month. Besides “The Prophet,” oth-er DFI-supported films screening in Torontoinclude Naji Abu Nowar’s Bedouin Western“Theeb” and Ghassan Salhab’s “The Valley,” bothrecipients of funding from the institute’s grantsprogram. The DFI’s five-year $100 millionrevolving fund announced in 2013 remains inplace, though no titles have yet beenannounced. — Reuters

Doha Film Institute

forges ahead withplanned new fest

Performers entertain the crowds during City Day celebrations in central Moscow yesterday. — AFP

By Sajeev K Peter

Al Mulla International Exchange served a sumptuous musi-cal feast to their Indian customers when it presented adazzling musical show by the illustrious Indian singer K S

Chithra and her troupe on the occasion of Onam festival. Thethree-hour-long musical odyssey through the past and the pres-ent led by the Little Nightingale of South India enthralled theaudience in the packed auditorium of the AmericanInternational School, Maidan Hawally on Friday and yesterday.

The name K S Chithra is one that has been deeplyentrenched in the Malayali psyche. Her ‘manjal prasadavum’ or‘kaarmugil varnante’ are songs that perfectly capture theessence and flavor of this Malayali spirit. Spanning a career ofover three decades, the versatile singer continues to regale audi-ences worldwide.

Chithra opened with one of her favorite songs‘Keshadipadam’ as a dedication to her mentor and the legendarysinger S Janaki. Before foraying into Tamil and a few Hindi num-bers, she rendered a few of her Malayalam masterpieces like‘manjal prasadavum’ ‘maaleyam maarodananju’ ‘chentharmizhi’etc, setting the tone for the rest of the concert.

Chithra began her early lessons in music under the tutelageof her father, the late Krishnan Nair, who encouraged the singerto pursue her dreams. Her gurus in Carnatic music include Dr KOmanakutty who has been a pioneering influence in her singingcareer. She ventured into the field of playback singing at the ten-der age of 16 when she sang for M G Radhakrishnan in 1979.Since then, Chithra has sung easily over 20,000 songs in all majorIndian languages.

Dexterous voiceThe ‘chinna kuyil,’ who is the recipient of six Indian national

awards, the highest number of awards for any female singer, alsosang a few Tamil and Hindi film songs, some of them which

brought her national and state awards as best playback singer. Chithra is the recipient of the Padmashri Award and 31 differ-

ent state awards. Her dexterous voice and unique ability to ren-der classical, folk, devotional, or fast numbers with effortlessease makes her a favorite among both music directors and audi-ences alike. Incidentally she is also the only female artist to haveworked on the maximum number of songs for A R Rahman.

The audience received her songs ‘padaraiye, padippariye’composed by Ilayaraja and ‘Kannalane’ by Rahman with thun-derous applause. She also sang the song ‘piya basanti re’ fromher blockbuster album followed by a few Hindi film songs. Aftersinging some of her most sought after numbers like ‘karmukil

varnante’ from the Malayalam film ‘Nandanam’ and ‘rajaham-same’, she rendered a few songs on demand from the audience.

The singer is also involved in several philanthropic endeavorslike the Sneha Nandana, an effort to lend a helping hand to thefinancially challenged musicians of yesteryears. Sneha Nandanawas launched at an event called Chitra Pournami, a star -stud-ded event to commemorate the singer’s 30 glorious years in themusic industry.

Three upcoming playback singers-Nishad, Teenu Tellenceand Thomas, also accompanied Chithra on stage presenting awide range of compositions from different music directors.Nishad sang evergreen songs such as ‘harimuraleeravam’, ‘oru

pushpam mathram’, ‘oru madhura kinavin lahariyil’, etc, Teenurendered contemporary hits like ‘koottile mainaye,’ ‘vijanathayilpaathivazhiyil’ and ‘olanjaali kuruvi’ etc while Thomas sang, ‘Tamilnumbers such as ‘engeyum, eppozhum’ and ‘Guruvayoorappa’etc in addition to a few Kishore Kumar hits.

TributeThe singers also paid a rich tribute to the legendary com-

posers of Indian film industry such as Devarajan,Dakshinamoorthy Swamy, Naushad, Bombay Ravi, Baburaj, KRaghavan, Shyam, Raveendran, Johnson and Kannoor Rajan bysinging a medley of their evergreen compositions.

Versatile musician Anoop with his refined harmonic style ledthe orchestra with his keyboard while flute and saxophone wereplayed by Biju. Shaji played bass guitar and Sumendru playedlead guitar while Malaimari Sasi provided rhythm pad support.Tabla and mridangam accompaniments were given byGaneshkumar and Harikrishnamoorthy respectively.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Rajesh Gairola, DivisionalGeneral Manager, Exchanges, Al Mulla Group Holding Company,said, “Onam is one festival that binds us all together as it conveysthe message of unity. The spirit of Onam is such that it tran-scends all religious barriers and reminds us all that we all arehuman beings,” he said.

He said, “This musical show ‘Onam celebration with K SChithra’ is the 84th event Al Mulla Exchange is organizing in thelast three-and-half years in our efforts to get closer to our cus-tomers.” Chief guest Binu in his speech said, “Al Mulla Exchangein the only exchange company in Kuwait that organizes culturalshows for their customers.” He said Al Mulla Exchange has 54branches across Kuwait offering the best rates in town.

K S Chithra’s musical odyssey through past and presentAl Mulla Exchange serves a musical feast on Onam

Renowned Indian singer K S Chithra and her troupe members perform at the American International School, MaidanHawally. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

The audience at AIS auditorium cheers as Chithra’s troupe performs. Al Mulla Group Holding’s Divisional General Manager Rajesh Gairola and Al Mulla Exchange Country Head JohnSimon pose for a photograph with Chithra and her troupe.

Robert Plant has come home to England from Texas. TheLed Zeppelin frontman has been pining for his roots-familiar landscapes, the distinctive “Black Country”

accent of where he grew up and people who call him “Planty”.And the legendary singer-songwriter, 66, considered by manyone of the greatest rock vocalists of all time, is back in creativemood. He wrote nine of the tracks on his latest album “lullabyand... The Ceaseless Roar”, due to be released on Monday, hisfirst original compositions since the “Mighty ReArranger” in2005.

When Plant performed in Britain in August 2013, around 50percent of his set was drawn from the Led Zeppelin back cata-logue. A year on, he says his return home and a reunion withhis “Mighty ReArranger” collaborators-his backing group theSensational Space Shifters has fostered an atmosphere inwhich he’s been able to “experiment a lot more”.

Together over the past two years they played in NewZealand, Australia, Britain and Europe and the process helpedinspire him to create original music again. “We were alwaysmoving but using all the songs (old and new) and it was natu-ral that we would take a break and start writing new stuffwhich was representative of 2014,” he told AFP by telephonefrom his home in England. “There’s nothing to gain from justplaying stuff from the past so we had to create for the presentand future,” he said.

‘Ultimate song’ In the mid-1970s, Led Zeppelin was the biggest band in

the world, filling vast stadiums and selling millions of records.The eight-minute single “Stairway to Heaven” is regarded bymany as one of the greatest rock songs of all time. But thegroup, which was formed in 1968, has played only a handfulof concerts together since the death of drummer JohnBonham in 1980.Like Plant, Bonham was also fromWorcestershire in western England, close to the former indus-trial area called the Black Country. The pair used to drive hometogether to see their families after Led Zeppelin concerts. In2008, Plant definitively ruled out a reunion tour with guitaristJimmy Page and bassist and keyboard player John Paul Jones,saying he was too old and wanted to concentrate on newprojects.

The same year he began a tour of the US and Europe withbluegrass artist Alison Krauss. The duo’s “Raising Sand” collab-oration won the 2009 best album Grammy. Plant calls his lat-est work a “mÈlange”. “A lot of melodies arrived early in theprocess (of writing). We were just creating moods... all workingfor the same thing, and that is the ultimate song,” he said.Reviews have been favorable. One critic, Daniel Paton ofonline music magazine OMH, called it “outstanding... a seriouswork reflecting on landscape, memory, regret and the pull ofour roots”.

‘Crazy life’ Plant is now happily installed back home-once again

among familiar people and places. His recent return fromAustin, he said, had nothing to do with the end of his relation-ship in 2013 with US folk singer Patty Griffin. Instead, it wasmore to do with a natural end to some of his US collabora-tions and a dose of plain old homesickness. One track on thealbum, “Turn It Up”, speaks of being “lost in America” and “turn-ing into someone else”.

In the end, he said recently, he felt he had to return inorder to “find out just how much I valued what I’d left behind”.“It’s a big, big homecoming so I’m stimulated and pleased,” hetold AFP. “I never really ran away. I just spent more time away...I came and went, and came and went and I have done thatsince I was 17-years-old... (But) I found that I was missing myhome too much. My culture...,” the singer told AFP. “This isabout lifestyle much more than about music... I’m in a positionwhere nobody really treats me particularly in a special waywhere I live because I always lived here,” said Plant, who has agrown-up daughter and two sons-another son died as a child.“My kids said, ‘hey come back’, so I thought it was the rewardfor a crazy life.” — AFP

Goodbye Texas: Zeppelin’s Robert Plant comes home to England

This file photo shows Led Zeppelin’s former frontman,British singer Robert Plant, performing on stage at theEurockeennes music festival in the eastern French city ofBelfort. — AFP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

l if e s t y l e

New York Fashion Week kicked into high gear on its sec-ond day, with celebrities dotting audiences at theLincoln Center tents and elsewhere in Manhattan.

There was whimsy at Peter Som’s Spring-Summer 2015 show,and a night earlier, spectacle and celebrity at Gareth Pugh’sdance-fashion happening. Among the highlights:

JASON WUJason Wu says he was inspired by strong women for his

Spring 2015 collection, and he had two in particular in mind:Actresses Charlotte Rampling and Diane Kruger. “They haveimpeccable style,” Wu says of the actresses. “I imagined themin every single piece.” Wu presented what he called a glam-orous take on American sportswear - casual looks in rich fab-rics. He used silk organza, suede, leather and what he calls “silkcanvas.” A suit that looked like denim was actually made of silktweed. In dressier looks, Wu’s fabrics took on a shiny, sparklyveneer. “The idea of reflection has always been an importantelement in my shows,” explained the designer, famous fordesigning not one, but both of Michelle Obama’s inauguralgowns. “For this collection I wanted to concentrate on beauty.I wanted to celebrate women.” In honor of German actressKruger, 38, described by the fashion house as Wu’s “perennialmuse,” the designer introduced what he calls his “Diane Bag” -a shoulder bag made of calf leather, exotic python and croco-dile. And as for Rampling, the 68-year-old British actressinspired a “Charlotte Tote” - a leather bag featuring origamifolds.

PETER SOMA favorite of first lady Michelle Obama, Peter Som ramped

up the fun early Friday, with olive green in broad stripes andbold florals on his New York Fashion Week runway. Som tran-sitioned from easy living dresses, flouncy short skirts and stur-dy jackets and coats for day to a series of gold lame looks forevening, offering a youthful flourish with flowery appliqueson numerous outfits.

Fourteen-year-old Willow Shields, who plays PrimroseEverdeen in the “Hunger Games,” counted the three-dimen-sional applique among her favorite things from Som as sheattended her first-ever fashion show - in grown-up heels! “I’mgetting better in heels, but they still hurt,” she laughed. Theplayful mood of Som’s collection continued with colorfulaprons wrapped around floral-print shirtdresses, a sleevelesstop in with a fluttery, oversized back ruffle, and roomy T-shirtsin snake prints in light pink and white. Som turned toChristian Louboutin and his signature red soles for comfort-able leather flat sandals in white, black and silver. Shields,wearing a black Som outfit, explained how she likes the waythe designer “mixes different things,” like leather and thesewn-on flowers. “That gives it a bit of a grungy look, but thenthere’s flowers and that gives it a girly look,” she said.“Balancing that is fun.”

REBECCA MINKOFFHow’s this for a young fashionista’s dream accessory: A

studded bracelet that also serves as a phone charger? Thatwas just many of the millennial-friendly concepts introducedFriday at Rebecca Minkoff’s Fashion Week show, always anevent that draws a posse of young starlets. This year, atten-dees included Zosia Mamet of HBOs “Girls,” along with actress-es AnnaSophia Robb and Victoria Justice. Justice happily tooka selfie or two with her 3D glasses, provided to all by Minkoffso they could inspect the final five looks on her runway. Thelooks featured what the designer calls a 3D print, whichchanged when examined with the glasses (the effect workedbetter in close-up backstage than on the fast-moving run-way.) The crowd was also treated to sparkly black iPhone cas-es, and live music from a young rock band. Backstage beforethe show, in black jeans and sneakers, Minkoff said her collec-tion was inspired by the late fashion photographer DeborahTurbeville, known for transforming the art form into some-thing more moody and avant-garde. The collection, aimedchiefly at younger women, featured breezy looks, many withlace or ruffled hems or broad stripes. As for shoes - every mil-lennial fashionista’s best friend - Minkoff’s were covered withstuds. “Not too feminine,” she said. “Something with an edge.”As for that phone-charger bracelet, it wasn’t shown on therunway, but Minkoff described it backstage as part of hermove into wearable technology, an emerging theme thisFashion Week.

GARETH PUGHThere are fashion shows that focus purely on the clothes to

be sold. Then there are the shows that lean more toward con-cept, toward image, toward performance. And then there areshows like Gareth Pugh’s splashy happening Thursday nightat New York Fashion Week, a so-called “live immersive fashionexperience” held in a cavernous space on the East River that

normally houses seven gleaming basketball courts. Pugh, theavant-garde British designer who usually shows in Paris,shrouded the premises in darkness and fog (billowing fromstrategically placed machines.) Giant video projections dis-played everything from clouds and tornadoes to exoticallyclad figures. And there were dancers - live ones - writhing andchurning, and wearing very little. Their moves were choreo-graphed by prominent British contemporary choreographerWayne McGregor. The only thing missing: Clothes, as in, whatis Pugh suggesting that we wear next spring? It was hard tospot a single garment that might be actually, like, for sale oneday. As attendees - including celebrity guests like MaggieGyllenhaal, Sarah Jessica Parker, Adrian Grenier and modelCoco Rocha - entered the premises of Basketball City, animpressive sports facility housed in a giant warehouse on theriver, waiters were at the ready with glasses of white wine andwild mushroom hors d’oeuvres. There were two large openbars. The huge space had been transformed into a dark club -no wooden basketball floors or hoops to be seen. Once theshow began, three performance spaces had the crowd rush-ing from one to the other. Will Pugh, 32, who has dressedcelebrities like Lady Gaga, become more of a presence in NewYork? Not clear, but his splashy, foggy show certainly had peo-ple buzzing as Fashion Week got underway in earnest. — AP

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Models walk the runway at the Jason Wu fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2015 at SpringStudios on September 5, 2014 in New York City. — AFP/AP photos

Peter Som Rebecca Minkoff

Fun, spectacle at New YorkFashion Week on Day 2

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

l if e s t y l e

Designer Gareth Pugh presents his Spring 2015 collection with dancers and video displays.

Maggie Gyllenhaal Alexis Stoudemire Coco Rocha Sarah Jessica Parker attends the Lexus Design Disrupted:Gareth Pugh fashion show.

Lady Gaga sings

jazz songs at

Fashion Week party

If Lady Gaga’s performing onstage, you better listen.And if you don’t, she’ll stop singing. When a loudcrowd still chatted at the Plaza Hotel where Gaga was

performing jazz tunes Friday night, she stopped in themiddle of her second song because of the noise. “Willyou (expletive) shut up? We’re playing some jazz,” shetold the crowd of a few hundred in New York City.“Goddamn rich people.”

Gaga sang at the New York Fashion Week party byHarper’s Bazaar, where attendees included DonatellaVersace, Liberty Ross, Brooke Shields and R&B singersMaxwell and Miguel. The 28-year-old pop star sangsongs from her collaborative jazz album with TonyBennett called “Cheek to Cheek,” to be released Sept 23.She shut up the crowd at moments when she hit impres-sive high notes.

Gaga sported short blond hair and a black leatherdress she said her sister created for her. The New York-born performer dedicated a cover of Cole Porter’s “Ev’ryTime We Say Goodbye” to her family and boyfriend,“Chicago Fire” actor Taylor Kinney. “So, if you all keep itdown while I sing my boyfriend a song, I’d appreciate it,”she told the audience at the black-tie event.

The Friday event honored women in fashion, includ-ing Linda Evangelista, Shields and Gaga. “An icon, Ibelieve, is somebody that has a strong message behindtheir beauty and I think all of the women that are heretonight have that,” Gaga said on the red carpet. “I’m notsure that I have it, but I am pretty happy to be on the listwith all these super models, so thank you.” — AP

Designers usually wait to show their faces after themodels hit the runway. Not Pharrell. The pop starled a dozen models Friday during New York Fashion

Week for his RAW for the Oceans spring-summer collec-tion. He sported his signature hat and denim was a staplefor the line, a collaboration with G-Star and Bionic Yarn,which produces fabrics made by fibers collected from recy-cled plastic bottles. “It’s very easy to forget we live on thisplanet,” Pharrell told the crowd. “We don’t want to just talkabout it, but we actually wanted to put it in practice.” Thelarge room at 23 Wall Street was smoky and gloomy aslights beamed and ceiling featured a projection of artsy

white spots. Frank Ocean and Jay Z’s “Water” played in thebackground. Pharrell, who has had huge success as asinger, rapper and producer, says he’s always been interest-ed in fashion. “I have been given opportunities by reallygreat companies, and I’ve been given opportunities byreally great people,” he said in an interview. “I wanted tolearn more about what’s out there creatively and how Icould further find new ways to express myself.” — AP

PHARRELL IS ECO-FRIENDLY AT

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

Pharrell Williams reveals the Raw for the Oceans Spring/Summer 2015 collection presented by G-Star RAW and Bionic during Fashion Week. — AP photos

Adrian Grenier(left) and Pharrell

William

Lady Gaga attends a Tony Bennett and Lady Gagaconcert taping in New York. — AP

38Fun, spectacle at

New York Fashion Week on Day 2

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

“I’m completely heartbroken by the loss of my belovedJoan. Not only was she my boss, she was and will alwaysbe my teacher, therapist, closest friend, inspiration and

the only grandmother I ever knew. She was family and I will nev-er forget her. Laughter will be difficult for a while but when I’msad, lonely or upset all I will have to do is think of Joan and asmile will cross my face. ... I will miss you deeply and will alwayshear your voice in my head saying, ‘My darling get out there andbe you!’” - Rivers’ fellow “Fashion Police” panelist Kelly Osbournein a statement.

“Here’s a woman, a real pioneer for other women looking forcareers in stand-up comedy. And talk about guts - she wouldcome out here and sit in this chair and say some things thatwere unbelievable, just where you would have to swallow prettyhard . But it was hilarious... The force of her comedy was over-powering.” - Host David Letterman from the taping of Thursday’s“Late Show.”

“Our dear Joan is gone. Knowing her, working with her andenjoying the fun times of life with her was special. She willalways be in our hearts... Joan we will miss you.” - Comedian DonRickles in a statement. “A legend, a friend, a mentor, an icon, andwildly funny. One of a kind. RIP...” - Comedian Kathy Griffin in atweet. “I never saw someone attack a stage with so much ener-gy. She was a controlled lightning bolt. She was a prolific andunpredictable, joyful joke writer. She loved comedy. She lovedthe audience. She was a great actress and should have donethat more. She loved living and working. She was kind. She wasreal. She was brave. She was funny and you just wanted to bearound her. I looked up to her. I learned from her. I loved her. Iliked her. And I already miss her very much.” - Comedian-actor-writer Louis CK in a statement.

“What a full life. Every woman in comedy is indebted to her.She was there at the beginning and funny to the end. RIPJoan” - Comedian-actress-writer Amy Poehler in a statement.

“No one loved life, laughter, and a good time morethan Joan. We would have dinner and laugh and gossipand I always left the table smiling. She was a brassy,often outrageous, and hilarious performer who mademillions laugh. In private, she was the picture of eleganceand class. I will miss her.” - Newswoman Barbara Walters in astatement.

“My heart is torn in half. She wasn’t done.” - Comedian SarahSilverman in a tweet. “Joan Rivers was a pioneer in the entertain-ment industry. Fearless, tireless and brilliantly funny. I will foreverlook up to Joan. She was a true friend.” - Talk-show host KellyRipa in a statement.

“She was one of the best comedy guests Johnny (Carson)ever had.” - Comedian-director David Steinberg in a statement.

“Joan Rivers will always be a pioneer. She paved the way for alot of comedians. I’m very sad she’s gone.” - Comedian-host Ellen

DeGeneres in a tweet. “First Robin (Williams). Now Joan. Theworld just became a less funny place. RIP Joan Rivers.” -Comedian Gilbert Gottfried in a tweet.

“RIP GODDESS: Hail Hail, a GENIUS has vacated this realm:Joan Rivers has died.” - Comedian Roseanne Barr in a tweet.

“We lost a great one in Joan Rivers - she was funny all the wayto the end.” - Talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel in a tweet.

“Watching Joan Rivers do standup at age 81 was incredible:athletic, jaw-dropping, terrifying, essential. It never stopped.Neither will she.” - Actress-director-writer Lena Dunham in atweet. “I was lucky enough to have Joan rivers critique my style! Iwill miss seeing and most importantly hearing her humor onTV!” - Auto-racing star Danica Patrick in a tweet.

“Goodbye my friend Joan Rivers. You were a huge part of myprofessional life and you brightened up the horizon with yourChutzpah! Sad!” - Musician Boy George in a tweet.

“She was trailblazing. Hysterical. Thoughtful. We’ll miss youimmensely Joan.” - Host-produc-

er Ryan Seacrest in atweet. — AP

Celebrities reflect on

Joan Rivers’ death

In this file photo, comedians Kathy Griffin (right)and Joan Rivers arrive at the “Comedy CentralRoast of Joan Rivers” in Los Angeles.

Flowers surround Joan Rivers’ star on the Hollywood Walkof Fame in Los Angeles. — AP/AFP photos

In this May 16, 1987 file photo shows entertainer Joan Rivers (center) with herhusband Edger Rosenberg (left) and daughter Melissa, at Fox BroadcastingStudios in Los Angeles.

Flowers are placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Star for Joan Rivers in Hollywood, California.

This photo shows US television personalities Joan(right) and Melissa Rivers (left) posing for a photowith the USC marching band on the red carpetbefore the start of the 62nd annual Golden GlobeAwards show in Beverly Hills.

In this file photo, Television personalities JoanRivers (left) and daughter Melissa Rivers attend the2013 Matrix New York.