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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017 THULHIJJA 21, 1438 AH www.kuwaittimes.net

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KRCS kicks off fundraising campaign for Rohingyas

Solemn, personal ceremonies as US commemorates September 11

Sweet 16: Nadal beats Anderson for 3rd US Open, 16th major

North Korea warns US over sanctions push as UN votes

Zain Kuwait records over

70Gbps speed in 5G trialThe highest throughput speeds ever reached in the region

KUWAIT: Zain Group, the leading mobiletelecommunications provider in the MiddleEast and North Africa, announced that it hassuccessfully tested 5G technology achievingmaximum throughput speeds of over70GegaBit Per Second (Gbps) over 2GHzspectrum. This speed represents one of thehighest-ever recorded in the region, placingZain at the forefront of 5G innovation forthe benefit of its consumer and enterprisecustomers. The testing occurred at the ZainInnovation Center in Kuwait in the presenceof Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi, Zain Vice-Chairman and Group CEO, ScottGegenheimer, Zain Group CEO-Operations,Eaman Al Roudhan, CEO of Zain Kuwait andother senior management from the ranks ofthe company.

Bader Al-Kharafi, Zain Vice-Chairman andGroup CEO commented, “Today’s demon-stration marks a leap forward in the imple-mentation of 5G network capability andreflects our commitment to be an innovatoracross our operations. This ongoing testingprogram will enable Zain to accelerate itsmobile broadband network transformationto 5G, which will release the full potential ofdigitalization in society and enhance ICTindustry collaboration on multiple fronts. Webelieve 5G will be the catalyst for Zainachieving its transformation objectives andbecoming a leading regional digital lifestyleoperator, fulfilling our mission of enhancingthe lifestyles and business opportunities ofall of our customers.”

Al-Kharafi added, “5G technology will cre-ate enormous opportunities across all sec-tors, and not just ICT as it will make life easi-er for all our customers and create countlessefficiencies to businesses. It is our aim is toinspire all innovative entrepreneurs, busi-nesses and the app developer community tocollaborate with telecom providers, so thatjointly we have a positive impact on societyas a whole.”

Eaman Al Roudhan, CEO of Zain Kuwait,said, “As the leading operator in Kuwait, it isour intention to continue fulfilling the ever-increasing demand for quality high-speedservices and offer 5G technology to our cus-tomers as soon as it becomes technicallyavailable. In doing so, we will be in a primeposition to offer unique products and servic-

es, including many smart city and IoT(Internet of Things) initiatives. Essentially,our vision with 5G technology is to create asmarter and more productive future for ourindividual and enterprise customers, whereboth devices and people are connected toeach other.”

This proof-of-concept testing has beenimplemented by Zain in Kuwait with a viewto boosting existing 4.5G LTE networkthroughputs across several key Zain opera-tions, leading to the provision of superiorcustomer experience and unprecedentednetwork speeds.

What 5G will achieveWidespread 5G connectivity will elimi-

nate information islands, boost the prosper-ity of a digitalized sharing economy, pro-mote changes to existing production meth-ods and lifestyles, and finally improve peo-ple’s quality of life. 5G can drive the process

of full digitalization through the integrationof wireless connections, mobility, Internet ofThings (IoT), cloud computing, and big data.Based on a 5G infrastructure platform, theMobile Broadband network will facilitatethe transformation of diverse industries. TheInternational Telecommunication Union(ITU) has revolutionized 4G capability by 10times capability by defining 5G to reach 20Gbps per cell coverage, to connect 1 millionconnections per Km2, and to provide 1 msultra-latency services. An example of suchspeeds is that a 1GB movie can be down-loaded in seconds.

5G and Augmented Reality (AR)5G is designed to cater the rapid develop-

ment of Mobile internet traffic regeneratedby the increase popularity of smart devices,and by the usage of mobile broadbandinternet and video traffic. There is also atrend to more immersive services based on

new Virtual and Augmented Reality head-sets, and consumers will want to experiencethese services wherever they are, so theymust be capable of being used wirelessly. 5Gcan supply immersive experience enablingpeople to watch movies and live sports pro-grams, play games, shop online and workremotely anytime and anywhere with con-venience, freedom and efficiency. Such serv-ices also enhance cooperation and interac-tion in fields like education, training, con-struction, city planning and oilfield explo-ration.

Automotive safetyAdvanced vehicle technologies will

enable the introduction of new safety andefficiency systems, and ultimately, driverlesscars. These future generations of automobilewill require sophisticated wireless telecomscapability accomplished through 5G in orderto communicate with one another, with

local traffic control systems, with manufac-turers and with third-party service providers.The Internet of Vehicle ‘IoV’ and smart driv-ing will eventually rely on 5G applicationscenarios.

Revolutionizing manufacturing5G will drive manufacturing transforma-

tion by enabling interconnecting the entiremanufacturing supply chain. Data will beshared between different locations aboutkey business aspects such as design, manu-facturing and distribution; informationabout equipment and products; and evendata about customers and suppliers so thatoperations in all these areas can beimproved. Products will become channels,sharing data about, and enabling subse-quent sales to, customers. Data market-places will emerge to take advantage of thenew insights available. The factories them-selves will be populated with more capablemanufacturing robots, and denselyequipped with sensors and automated sys-tems. On-demand manufacturing willincrease. Production flexibility and efficiencywill improve.

Monitoring and tracking data5G enables industries to provide new

models of cutting costs, increasing efficiencyof processes, and improving populationhealth. Meanwhile, it can offer to consumersan increasing array of commercial wirelessmonitoring or tracking services.

New business opportunitiesWith the combination of diverse wireless

connectivity, mobility, IoT, cloud computingand big data innovative technologies, 5Goffers a more comprehensive set of capabili-ties than other communication technolo-gies. The 5G communication infrastructurewill become a platform that realizes the tar-get of enabling multiple industries with asingle network. By taking advantage of therapid and reliable communication capabili-ties of 5G networks, as well as the enormousnumber of connections, 5G will enable oper-ators to better serve customers in all indus-tries. Telecom operators will be able to posi-tion themselves as the ‘best enablers’ forindustry applications.

KUWAIT: Zain Vice-Chairman and Group CEO Bader Al-Kharafi (center right), Zain Vice-Chairman and Group CEO Scott Gegenheimer (centerleft), CEO of Zain Kuwait Eaman Al Roudhan (right) and a Zain management staff pose for a photo after Zain Group announced that it hassuccessfully tested 5G technology - achieving maximum throughput speeds of over 70GegaBit Per Second (Gbps) over 2GHz spectrum.

FLORIDA: People tend to a car that flipped over on Cape Coral Parkway during Hurricane Irma in Cape Coral,Florida. — AP

TAMPA: Downgraded from a hurricane to a tropicalstorm, Irma flooded several northern Florida cities withheavy rain and high storm surge yesterday as it headedout of the state after cutting power to millions and rip-ping roofs off homes. Irma, once ranked as one of themost powerful hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic, hit awide swath of Florida over the past day, first makinglandfall on the Florida Keys archipelago and then comingashore south of Naples and heading up the west coast.

Irma, now a tropical storm with sustained winds of upto 70 miles per hour, was located about 35 miles west ofGainesville and headed up the Gulf Coast, the NationalHurricane Center said at 8 am. The Cuban governmentreported yesterday that 10 people had been killed afterIrma battered the island’s north coast with ferociouswinds and 36-foot waves over the weekend. This raised

the overall death toll from Irma’s powerful rampagethrough the Caribbean to 38.

The sheriff’s office in Jacksonville, on Florida’s north-east coast, reported that it was making a rescue fromwaist-deep water yesterday morning and urged peopleto stay off unsafe roads. The National Weather Serviceissued a flash flood warning for the city, with nearby StAugustine also seeing flooding. “Stay inside. Go up. Notout,” Jacksonville’s website warned residents. “There isflooding throughout the city and more rain is expected.”

After what she called a terrifying night bunkered in herhouse in St Petersburg, on Florida’s Gulf Coast, with her chil-dren and extended family, Julie Hally emerged with reliefyesterday. The winds had toppled some large tree branchesand part of a fence, but her house was undamaged.

Continued on Page 11

Irma wreaks havoc in Florida

Cuba reports 10 killed; Miami airport closed ISMAILIA: At least 18 Egyptian policemen were killedand three injured yesterday in an attack claimed byIslamic State on a security convoy in the SinaiPeninsula, which is gripped by an insurgency. Securityand medical sources said the attack took place nearArish, the capital of North Sinai province, and that twoof those killed were officers. The injured included abrigadier general who lost a leg in the blast.

Militants detonated an improvised explosivedevice and managed to destroy three armored vehi-cles and a signal-jamming vehicle. The attack laterturned into a gunfight and the militants also shot atambulance workers, injuring four. Islamic Stateclaimed responsibility for the attack in a statementposted by its news agency Amaq. The Sunni militants

are waging an insurgency in the rugged, thinly popu-lated Sinai. They have killed hundreds of soldiers andpolice since 2013, when the military ousted Egypt’sIslamist president Mohamed Morsi after massprotests against his rule.

At least 23 Egyptian soldiers were killed when sui-cide car bombs tore through two military check-points in North Sinai in July, in one of the bloodiestassaults on security forces in years. There was noimmediate comment from the Interior Ministry onyesterday’s attack. State news agency MENA quoteda high ranking ministry official confirming the attacktook place. Security forces were exchanging fire withmilitants near the explosion site and managed to killseveral of them, MENA said. — Reuters

Blast kills 18 Egyptian policemen

GENEVA: Qatar’s Foreign Minister yesterday accused the“illegal” blockade against his country for trying to force itinto a “state of trusteeship”. Speaking before the UNHuman Rights Council in Geneva, Sheikh Mohammedbin Abdulrahman Al-Thani decried the “illegal siegewhich clearly violates international laws.” Qatar has beenhit by a land and air embargo imposed by Saudi Arabiaand its allies, who cut ties with Doha on June 5 accusingit of backing extremists.

But Al-Thani insisted that “it is no secret that the realmotives behind the siege and the severing of diplomaticrelations with the state of Qatar were not aimed at fight-ing terrorism.” “But rather an attempt to force Qatar intoa state of trusteeship to interfere in its foreign policy, toundermine its sovereignty and to interfere in its domes-tic policy.” Qatar “cannot tolerate this situation,” he said.His comments came after Saudi Arabia vowed Sunday tokeep pressuring Qatar until demands by the bloc of Arabstates had been met, dampening hopes for a US-mediat-ed resolution to their diplomatic crisis.

The bloc’s 13 demands include Doha ending itsalleged support for Islamist extremist groups, closing a

Turkish military base in the emirate and downgradingdiplomatic ties with Tehran. The Saudi move came justtwo days after US President Donald Trump spoke withthe leaders of Saudi Arabia and Qatar in a bid to medi-ate. Trump said he believed the dispute betweenRiyadh and Doha, both key US allies, could be solved“fairly easily”. The Saudi and Qatari rulers spoke byphone on Saturday, raising hope for talks. But Riyadhlater suspended the dialogue, accusing Doha of distort-ing facts by wrongly implying that Saudi Arabia had ini-tiated the outreach.

Yesterday, the Qatari foreign minister said his countrywas taken aback when Saudi Arabia disputed a readoutof the “positive” call. “Unfortunately, we have seen—halfan hour later—a retaliation from their side by issuing astatement that what we have issued is a lie,” Al-Thani toldreporters on the sidelines of the rights council. He how-ever stressed his country’s “readiness for dialogue to endthis crisis. “We are willing to talk to them, we are ready toengage if it is based on principles which are not violat-ing the international law and respect the sovereignty ofeach country.” — AFP

Blockade attempt to force

Qatar into a ‘trusteeship’

L O C A LTUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

By Faten Omar

KUWAIT: The International Organization forMigration (IOM) honored Kuwait’s Minister of SocialAffairs Hind Al-Sabeeh in recognition of her role inpromoting human and labor rights, on Sunday, atthe UNDP Kuwait office in Mishref. In his speech,Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and ActingMinister of Information Sheikh MohammadAbdullah Al-Sabah praised Minister Al-Sabeeh’s roletowards strengthening the principles and laws ofhuman rights in Kuwait. He pointed out that theIOM Executive Board will consider Kuwait’s bid tojoin the organization as an observer in its meetingin November officially.

Minister Al-Sabeeh stressed on Kuwait’s keen-ness to strengthen the long lasting 25-year human-itarian partnership with humanitarian organiza-tions, with the International Organization forMigration (IOM) in particular, which represents therole played by the Organization through the provi-sion of many development programs and humani-tarian assistance. She also praised the two sides’keenness to upgrade the partnership by setting upmore than eight courses and workshops in thefields of human trafficking and referral mecha-nisms, supporting the HAC staff and implementingthree impact studies. This partnership has con-tributed to the development of programs for futuredecision-makers.

‘Future decision-makers’ “This partnership has contributed towards the

development of programs for future decision-mak-ers based on evidence as well as their contributionto the social networks on the labor market and theKuwaiti economy. Also for developing the workenvironment within the General Authority for LaborForce and raising its capabilities,” she said. IOMDirector General William Lacy Swing said that Al-Sabeeh is a pioneering figure in her domain and herwise leadership is clear in development projects. Hecongratulated the State of Kuwait for the achieve-ments it has made in the humanitarian field.

Swing expressed United Nations’ appreciationfor the great role played by His Highness the Amirin spreading humanitarian awareness aboutrefugees and his efforts to solve the Gulf crisis. He

added that he was delighted that his current andsixth visit to Kuwait coincides on the thirdanniversary of the UN honoring and proclaimingHis Highness the Amir as a “humanitarian leader.”

Regarding the situation in Myanmar, IOMDirector said that they have been working toaddress the human needs of people in Mynamarand those in Bangladesh.

“We have added more staff and researchersthere to support those who need shelter, food, orother requirements and are working with otherorganization to make sure that they get the sup-port they need,” he noted. Swing pointed out thatthe latest statistic shows that Bangladesh expelledat least 290 members of the Rohingya Muslimcommunity where thousands were waiting tocross into the neighboring country and numberscontinue to grow.

Regarding the Syrian refugees, he said “Around200 Syrian staff members are working inside Syria

with the UN, government and NGOs trying to helpmore than one and half million Syrian refugees inLebanon, similar number in Jordan and 2.5 millionin Turkey, we are trying to address the basic needsand the government is working hard as they can.”

He affirmed that the IOM provided 700 thou-sands shelter to Syrian refugees. “We are now turn-ing our efforts towards the return program. I wasvery pleased to hear that the Amir plans to hold amajor reconstruction conference in January and Ihope to attend it. It is a very important initiativethat has our full support.”

Kuwait’s UN Resident Coordinator and UNDPResident Representative Zineb Touimi-Benjellouncongratulated Minister Al-Sabeeh on the honor-ing and praised her for her significant role inimplementing the State’s development plans aswell as her efforts in achieving sustainable devel-opment and materializing Kuwait’s 2035 develop-ment vision.

KUWAIT: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his previous visit at a receptionheld by His Highness the Premier Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

ANKARA: A number of prominentTurkish figures said yesterday that theprospective visit to Turkey by HisHighness the Premier Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah tomorrowis of great significance and Turkish offi-cials pin great hopes on outcomes ofsuch visit on bilateral relations. Turkishresearcher for regional affairs, IbrahimAbak stressed the importance of the offi-cial visit by His Highness the PrimeMinister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah to Turkey fromSeptember 13 to 16. In an interview withKUNA, Abak said that Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdogan described Kuwaitas one of the most stable, safest andprosperous countries in the region,stressing the strong and solid relationsbetween the two nations.

He added that Turkey needs to havesuch friendly countries in the region inorder to establish security, stability, andrelations based on common interestswithout conflicts, especially in the lasttwo decades when the region became ascene of conflicts and wars. He pointedto the visit of His Highness the AmirSheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to Turkey last March and the visitof the Turkish President to Kuwait in Mayand July, which confirmed that the twocountries have great potential to devel-op their relations in various fields.

Abak also recalled the visit of Kuwait’sDeputy Prime Minister and Minister ofDefense Sheikh Mohammed Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah to Turkey in August, con-firming the high-level talks and strongties. He highlighted the political relationsbetween the two countries, which derivetheir power from shared history, cultureand values are at an exemplary level. Hepointed out that Turkey voiced full sup-port to Kuwaiti mediation efforts todefuse the Gulf crisis, stressing thatTurkey’s efforts is complementary to HisHighness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s efforts.

Friendship and goodwill He said that Kuwait International

Airport’s new main passenger terminal isthe largest tender secured by a Turkishcompany, Limak Holding, abroad in a sin-gle package; it is a new symbol of thefriendship and goodwill between Turkeyand Kuwait, he added. Secretary General

of the Turkish-Arab Dialogue ForumErshad Hurmuzlu said Kuwait has beenthe center of relations and interests ofthe Turkish state and people. He stressedthat His Highness the Amir’s visit to theUnited States and meeting US PresidentDonald Trump last Thursday attests tothe depth of Kuwaiti efforts to defusetensions in numerous regions.

Moreover, Chairman of the Turkish-Kuwaiti Friendship Committee MekaelArsalan on his part stressed the impor-tance of the official visit by His Highnessthe Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah to Turkeyfrom September 13 to 16.

Arslan said in an interview withKuwait News Agency that the Turkish-Kuwaiti friendship relations were ancientand date back to early years of Kuwaitindependence, pointing out that therecent period witnessed an exchange ofmany visits between senior officials ofthe two countries. He added that the visitof His Highness the Premier to Turkeywhich starts next Wednesday falls withinthe framework of both countries’ eager-ness to foster their bilateral relations,recalling the many high-level visitsbetween both countries’ senior officials.

He praised Kuwait’s efforts in humani-tarian work, especially those pertinent tosheltering Syrian refugees in Turkey andthe establishment of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Village aimed at protectingSyrian refugees in the southern part ofthe country which included 1,248 hous-es. He also pointed to the HumanitarianLeader Village in Van city eastern Turkeythat was erected to be a safe haven forthe victims of the earthquake that struckin 2011 which included 64 units.

In this regard, Arslan pointed out thatTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoganbestowed upon His Highness the AmirSheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah with the highest Medal in recogni-tion of his great role in pushing forwardthe bilateral relations and to his out-standing humanitarian contributions. Hepointed out that the relations betweenAnkara and Kuwait witnessed a remark-able development in many fields, espe-cially economic ones, pointing out thatthere are 280 companies funded byKuwaiti capital operating in Turkey,whereas seven Turkish companies arenow operating in Kuwait. — KUNA

Turkey pins hopes

on Premier’s visit

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah yesterday received the credentials of the newly-appointedNigerian Ambassador to Kuwait, Garba Gajam Mohammad. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled also received the credentials of the newly-appointed Jordanian Ambassador to Kuwait,Saqr Abu Shattal. The meeting was attended by a number of senior Foreign Ministry officials. The First Deputy Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister had also received theSpecial Envoy of the French President Ambassador Bertrand Besancenot on the occasion of his visit to the country. — KUNA

Kuwait’s FM receives foreign ambassadors

KUWAIT: The Chairman ofKuwait Society for TrafficSafety and member of theSupreme Traffic Council, DrBader Al-Matar stressed theimportance of setting a spe-cial plan to limit traffic con-gestions due to the begin-ning of the new school yearcommencement of the alarm-ing increase in the number ofvehicles on the roads. Al-Matar stressedthat traffic police need to have full controlover various roads and intersections.

He also urged both citi-zens and expats to respecttraffic laws, regulations andgeneral safety manners onthe road. Furthermore, Al-Matar underlined that theproblem would not besolved unless mass transportmeans were used for bothstudents and other passen-gers. He also urged public

transport companies to increase the levelof comfort and recreation on their busesto encourage more citizens to use them.

Alarming increase in cars,

traffic as schools reopen

Dr Bader Al-Matar

IOM honors Kuwait’s

Social Affairs Minister

KUWAIT: IOM Director General William Lacy Swing and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs andActing Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah honoring Minister ofSocial Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

By Faten Omar

KUWAIT: The Ministry of State for Youth Affairsannounced the launch of youth media forum,which aims to encourage and inform the youth. Theforum is to run from September 13 to 15, 2017, atKIPCO tower in Kuwait City. The three-day forumfocuses on encouraging young people to introducecreative and innovative ideas at the level of youthwork in general and the media in particular, andopen new horizons for Kuwaiti and Arab youth, saidNasser Al-Arfaj, Public relations and media directorat the ministry of youth.

During his speech, Arfaj said that 17 countries willparticipate in the forum where media experts willhold seven workshops supported by KuwaitJournalists Association. “The workshop will be frommorning till 5 pm. In the evening there will be an

open discussion for youth in Arraya and JW Marriothotels.” “We are going to focus on social media topicsand put action plans where we aim to develop theright media idea for youth. The social media influ-encers are affecting young people in a negative way,sometimes encouraging extremist thoughts,” he said.

Arfaj announced that Ali Jaber, TV personality andgroup director of MBC channel will attend the forumalong with famous YouTubers from Arab countries.Adding that 80 young people will participate in theforum and workshops and 5 out of 7 workshops arealready booked. Abeer Al-Omar, Group CSR Directorof KIPCO said, “KIPCO is participating as a strategicpartner and is focusing on supporting the youth ofKuwait.” She thanked the Ministry of Youth for theireffort in investing in human resources. Omar added,“We see this forum as an opportunity to deliver theright message to the youth who are affected by

social media.” She expressed her happiness towardsthe cooperation between private and public sectorto benefit Kuwait. Mijbil Al-Ayoub, DirectorCorporate Communications of Ooredoo, said thatOoredoo believes in youth’s power that it will shinein the forum.

Adding, “Ooredoo has announced its strategicpartnership in the regional initiative KuwaitCapital of Arab Youth 2017, which has theendorsement of the Arab League. Ooredoo’s com-mitment to enriching youth and supporting theirpassions where supporting youth is deep-rootedwithin the core values of Ooredoo. We hope to seemore success in the future, and we look forward tobigger achievements.” Ayoub revealed thatOoredoo is not only supporting the event but alsoparticipating in one of the workshops conductedby a social media expert.

Ministry of State for Youth Affairs

launches youth media forum

KUWAIT: (From left to right) Director Corporate Communications ofOoredoo Nasser Al-Arfaj, Abeer Al-Omar, Group CSR Director of KIPCOand Mijbil Al-Ayoub, , public relations and media director at the min-istry of youth at the press conference. —Photos by Joseph Shagra

L O C A L

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

By Attorney Fajer Ahmed

Recently Kuwait was voted one of the worst places forexpats to live in by an international survey. Now I have noidea how accurate these surveys or international firms are,

and what is their agenda but unfortunately it seems to be arepetitive topic. Although it is painful to see such statics, I thinkit is important for us to address the issues in order for Kuwait toimprove as a country.

Many of my readers think that we have received such a lowrating because of the recent actions and laws that may seem likethey are against expats. I personally think that Kuwaiti laws andregulations have for the most part been fair to all parties and upto international standards. Yet some bylaws are not stable andconstantly changing or maybe simply not clear to non-speakingexpats who live in Kuwait.

Another issue that I think is important to address the lack ofease of doing some governmental procedures. I hope this particu-lar topic is addressed in the new future, as we have seen alreadyKuwait has improved immensely in the last year, and I hope theimprovement is replicated in all sectors in Kuwait. It is fair to men-tion as well, as I have previously mentioned on multiple occasions,the importance of a diverse workforce in Kuwait, and how foreignpeople or non-nationals have a positive impact on our society andshould be integrated fully.

Q: Where do I go if I need to find information about a gov-ernmental procedure?

A: A great place to start, that is extremely useful is the KuwaitGovernment webpage https://www.e.gov.kw/sites/kgoEnglish/Pages/HomePage.aspx that is available in English and there is alsoa hotline at 164 that you can try calling. There is a directory onthere as well with links for many procedures that you can doonline. For example, you will find the different types of visas andthe documents required, fees etc (a topic that many of my readersask about). The webpage for the most part is user friendly andfunctional, so please do not hesitate to give it a try!

Q: Although Kuwait has been great to us, do you have anyadvice how do I protect myself and what should I be aware of?

A: Always get someone you trust to translate any official docu-ments for you in Arabic before signing. It might seem obvious butdo not sign anything in a language you cannot understand, unlessthe translation is alongside or on the same page that you are signingas well, and the English clearly says that there is an Arabic version.

Kuwait is for the most part very safe and family friendly, but it isimportant that you be aware of local laws, regulations, traditions,and important numbers/places. I hope the above has been helpfuland I am very proud for all the change that has happened in therecent year.

Legalese

Ask@FajerTheLawyer.com

Governmental

procedures By Salman Al-Mutawa

Some KuwaitTimes read-ers may

already know that Iam currentlystudying my mas-ter ’s degree inFlorida, and yes, Iam still here dur-ing Hurricane Irma.

I thought it would be best to break off thestudying abroad routine and give a first-hand account of the hurricane. It is hap-pening right outside my window as I amwriting this editorial.

Four days before the hurricane, the cityof Miami received notice that Irma will be acategory 5 hurricane. My roommate and Idecided to leave Miami and head toOrlando, where we will have a couple ofmore days to see where the hurricane isheaded. I am currently in an Orlando resortthat it fully prepped for the hurricane. Ireceived many phone calls from theembassy of Kuwait and worried individualsoffering their aid, and I would like to thankeveryone who has reached out. I would alsolike to describe the reality of the situation.

Hurricane Irma is a large, category 5hurricane capable of mass destruction. It iscurrently leaving Miami after flooding thedowntown area and Brickell. It is now mak-ing its way towards northern Florida withthe eye aimed at Tampa. It will flood thebeaches and leave empty batches of dryland in the middle of the sea as a result ofa phenomenon called “Storm Surge”. This iswhen the strong winds from the hurricaneliterally push the water from inside theocean onto the land.

This is the most dangerous side effectof a hurricane, and it is what caused thebulk of the deaths during hurricaneKatrina. The second most dangerous sideeffect is not the winds, it is the items thatthe winds carry and fling into the air. Smallrocks can become speeding bullets andtrees can fly like birds in the sky.

Electric wires can be torn off their postsand fall into puddles formed by the hurri-cane in its aftermath. Stepping in thesepuddles can be dangerous and is i l l

advised. This is the reality of the situation.HOWEVER, al l of this being said,

national TV does overhype the situationfor two main reasons: ratings and safety. Itis in the best interest of the state ofFlorida to evacuate as many individuals aspossible. For those who are more stub-born, it is better to try and scare theminto leaving. After Hurricane Andrew in1992, the city of Miami and state ofFlorida had a painful reminder of whatweak infrastructure could result in. Post1992, most buildings in Miami were builtto be hurricane-proof. National news doesnot touch on this aspect but the localnews does. I have watched both nationaland local news channels report on thehurricane. Local news projects a calm, car-ing effect, releasing information that willkeep the inhabitants of the area safe andsecure. National news however, hasdecided to mix the aforementioned tacticwith fear-mongering.

Buildings in Miami and major Floridacities are generally up to hurricane-proofstandards. Florida governor Rick Scott andthe Florida government have released andcontinue to release the best guidelines forstaying safe during the hurricane and havebeen very effective in communicatingthese guidelines. Hurricane Irma usuallyspends around 12-15 hours on top of a cityuntil it moves on. Currently, the majority ofpeople who were harmed by the hurricaneare people who are acting stupid- walkingoutside to take pictures or even going intothe beach for a swim. All others in danger-ous areas have been evacuated and arecurrently in shelters. Evacuees have plentyof food and water and are mostly enjoyingwatching the weather outside their hurri-cane-proof windows because the electricgrids have been shut off for safety.

I would not go as far as to say that thereis no reason to worry, but I would like tocommunicate that all the precautions havebeen implemented and all Kuwaiti stu-dents have evacuated or are in safe securebuildings. All in all, this is a wonderful- anddangerous- learning experience for all ofus. It is also a not-so-friendly reminder ofour fragility and our need to remain calmand humble during this age of deadlyweather forecasts.

A Kuwaiti student

in the eye of Irma

BAGHDAD: Kuwait’s Ambassador to Iraqinaugurated a new school yesterday, the lastout of a string of 23 facilities all financed bythe Kuwait Fund for Arab EconomicDevelopment. “The opening of this schoolcaps off the construction of 23 schoolsacross Iraq,” Salem Al-Zamanan told KUNA,saying the project typifies his country’s cor-dial relationship with its Gulf neighbor.Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti envoy said that hewas sanguine that the new schools, all ofwhich are fully equipped, would help propup Baghdad’s ailing education sector. Hepointed out that Kuwait has built numerousmakeshift schools in Iraq over the years,especially in areas hardest hit by war.Meanwhile, Hussein Malaa, an Iraqi educa-tion official, revealed that the new facility

stretches over 6,000 square meters at a costof USD 2.9 million, thanking Kuwait for theaid he said Baghdad was in dire need of.

The Kuwait Fund for EconomicDevelopment had also launched severalurgent healthcare assistance programs inIraq as part of a USD 100 million grant to thecountry. These include some USD 15 millionset to be handed out on Thursday for proj-ects across eight Iraqi provinces, the fund’srepresentative Nawaf Al-Mohammad, who iscurrently on a visit to the country, said. Asagreed with the Iraqi government, the pro-grams will target rebuilding destroyedhealth centers and providing these centerswith medical equipment and medicine inpreparation for the arrival home of dis-placed families. — KUNA

KUWAIT: A four-day fundraising campaignfor Myanmar’s “Rohingyas” who are suffer-ing from difficult humanitarian conditionskicked off at the Kuwait Red CrescentSociety (KRCS) yesterday. KRCS’ PresidentDr Hilal Al-Sayer told Kuwait News Agency(KUNA) that the campaign stems fromKuwait’s concern for needy people aroundthe globe regardless of race or belief andwithout discrimination. He added that thecampaign also contributes to the relief ofthe fleeing Rohingya Muslims, estimated atnearly 300,000 Muslims who have alreadyfled violence in Rakhine State.

Al-Sayer said that the United NationsHigh Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)has announced that some 300,000Rohingya Muslims have fled Rakhine Statein Myanmar in the past 15 days of the out-break of violence and more are expected toflee as well. He pointed out that the vio-

lence in Burma has led to the displacementof thousands of Rohingyas to Bangladesh.This constitutes a new “humanitarian disas-ter”, explaining that women, children andfamilies are forced to flee their homes toescape violence and walk aimlessly insearch of safety. He said that donations willbe accepted at the KRCS building in themorning and evening through KNET pay-ment, adding that donations can also beaccepted through KRCS’ website.

He unveiled that a field team wouldhead to Bangladesh in the coming days todistribute aid to the fleeing Rohingyas whoare in dire need for assistance. For his part,Assistant Undersecretary of the SocialDevelopment Sector at the Ministry ofSocial Affairs Hassan Kathem lauded theefforts of the Kuwait Red Crescent Societythrough its organization of this donationcampaign. — KUNA

KRCS kicks off fundraising

campaign for Rohingyas

KRCS’ President Dr Hilal Al-Sayer

BAGHDAD: Kuwait’s Ambassador to Iraq Salem Al-Zamanan during the schoolsinauguration ceremony.

The 23rd Kuwait-funded

school opens in Baghdad

BAGHDAD: One of the 23 facilities financed by the Kuwait Fund for Arab EconomicDevelopment.

L O C A LTUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

Photo of the day

KUWAIT: The beautiful and green Al Shaheed Park seen from Al-Hamra Tower in Sharq. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Story and photos by Athoob Al-Shuaibi

KUWAIT: There’s not much new on thestreets of Kuwait except becoming jammedin traffic as schools reopen. Children sleep-ing in cars to catch every ounce of sleepthey can get before reaching school will berepeated until they fix their sleeping hoursafter the holiday - this is another commonsight in traffic. Despite repeated attemptsby parents each year to depart early toavoid the crazy traffic, something alwayshappen at home in the last minute to post-pone leaving. These situations range fromforgotten wallets or a pair of school socksthat suddenly vanished. Whoever takes hisor her children to school must also takeinto account the traffic jams in the sur-rounding streets of the school area, so thatthe youngsters can reach the classroombefore the bell rings.

Do not worry because school adminis-trators understand the hassles of the firstday of students returning to school.Therefore, they will not be reprimanded orheld accountable for delays beyond theircontrol. On narrow streets where someschools are located, some deploy membersof the Ministry of the Interior, representedby the traffic police to coordinate the trafficwith the help of school staff to ensure safepassage of students and avoid unnecessarytraffic jams. Unfortunately, this does notapply to all schools. There are some schoolsattempting to perform this task by using

school guards to regulate the traffic anddirect cars to designated dropping points.However, some drivers will disrespectfullyignore their existence and will refuse tocooperate.

Ordinary school guards trying to organ-ize such chaotic traffic is an almost impossi-ble task. In residential areas especially, thecontinuous flow of parents’ vehicles andschool buses are obstructed by the resi-dents’ cars of the neighboring buildings.This usually leads to a cacophony of carhorns, angry parents, sleepy kids and over-whelmed school guards.

We understand parents’ keenness toreach their kid’s schools and their ownplaces of work on time. But the stress of thesituation can get to anyone and some par-ents deal with the street with a culture ofsavagery rather than a culture of respect.What matters to them is victory, withoutany heed to the consequent delay or thesafety of other drivers. So how can schoolssolve the crisis of traffic jams? Certainly thesolution lies in the cooperation of every-one, from the school, to the parents andgovernment authorities concerned.

Even though our young students are notquite happy to come back to the routine ofdoing homework, and exams, they aredelighted to finally meet their friends andtalk about their holidays! I sincerely wish forthe best for all our students this year, andgood luck to all the parents driving theirkids to school.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: A team from the Relations andSecurity Information at the InteriorMinistry, in cooperation with the EducationMinistry distributed awareness leaflets and

gifts to students in various schools on theoccasion of the start of school year. Thecampaign concentrates on Kindergartenand elementary school students to instillcorrect traffic principles and information onroad safety and awareness.

The back to school jams

MOI provides safety

Leaflets at schools

KRCS hands out 3,000 school

backpacks to needy children KUWAIT: Kuwait Red Crescent Society(KRCS) distributed yesterday 3,000schoolbags to impoverished children inKuwait, just as the new school year getsunderway. The backpacks are completewith an array of school utensils, MariamAl-Adsani, a KRCS official in charge oflocal aid, told KUNA. She pointed outthat education is an inalienable right ofall children, which explains the purposebehind this initiative. Al-Adsani hailedKRCS’s altruistic endeavors, saying theKuwaiti charity has always sought tocome to the aid of those less fortunate.The KRCS official added that she wasgrateful to everyone who participated orcontributed in any way towards the char-ity’s projects. — KUNA

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

L O C A L

Irecently saw a video on YouTube which was filmed inEurope of a man dressed in a GCC outfit and fake beardthrowing a bag on strangers who panicked and ran

away assuming the bag had explosives in it. Though Ibelieve that the actor’s Arabic Islamic outfit had nothing todo with the element of surprise, and that people wouldnaturally panic and run away when strangers throw some-thing at them regardless of their attire, the idea of dressingup in Arabic clothes developed in the director’s mind as aresult of the stereotype images of Arabs.

For the west, ignorance, wealth and lust have alwaysbeen stereotype characteristics of Arabs and they recentlyadded ‘violence’ to this impression after the crimes com-mitted by terrorist groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda. I donot think that the west is wrong in describing us as violentpeople. It is rather a tangible fact in our societies as wepractice violence on daily basis in all our practices,debates, terminology, the way we bring up our childrenand even in times of sadness or joy.

Many of us find joy in firing gunshots during weddings.Violence also prevails amongst motorists on Arab streets.Our songs are filled with sadness, desertion and partingwhile we rarely find a song with lyrics or a joyful relationbetween two lovers. Touchiness, impatience and beingjumpy are the characteristics of an emotional characterabundantly found in our societies.

Such traits do not exist in the Japanese who are knownto be placid or the British who are cold-tempered. It is alsonotable that Arab culture has been and is still promotingviolence in various epic and historical movies with scenesof war such ‘Al-Nasser Saladdin’ and ‘Khaled Ibn Al-Waleed’,which might have been the natural result of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Notably, ‘Historic movies’ here refers toIslamic ones whereas pre-Islam period was portrayed onscreen through movies about Antar Ib Shaddad, who wasa trouble-maker, fighter and a bullying thug.

Antar, the

bulling thug

By Salah Al-Sayer

Al-Anbaa

CrimeR e p o r t

Big fight outside

Amiri hospital

KUWAIT: A fight involving three citizens in Shaab devel-oped into a larger one involving eight people outside theAmiri hospital, said security sources explaining that twopeople had initially assaulted a third one who was rushed tohospital for treatment. However, the assaulters and theinjured called their friends at the hospital yard to settle thematter. Security sources said that the eight ended up injuredand received medical treatment before they were detainedpending further investigations.

Smuggling weed from Thailand A female citizen was arrested on arrival from Thailand atKuwait airport for the possession of a bottle of whiskey anda bag of marijuana hidden in her luggage, said securitysources noting that the girl was referred to minors police forfurther investigations.

Caught with liquor An Asian was arrested for selling home-made liquor in a penyard in Khaitan, said security sources noting that the suspectwas arrested with the possession of 250 bottles of liquor.

Bank robbers caught A gang of five including citizens, GCC nationals and non-Kuwaitis was arrested for armed robbery, said securitysources noting that the suspects had been bullyingexpats around Jahra streets using knives and stealingtheir possessions.

Absconding in Farwaniya Farwaniya detectives raided Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh,Farwaniya and Ardhiya where they arrested 25absconding people including 15 women, said securitysources.

Drinking and fighting Four citizens were arrested in Maidan Hawally for drink-ing and fighting, said security sources. Case papers indi-cate that the two couples were drinking when one ofthe guys tried flirting with the girl who rejected hisattempts with insulting words. He then slapped her andthe others joined in taking the fight out to the street,where passersby and neighbors called the police.

Stolen wallet A citizen reported that KD 900 had been withdrawnfrom his bank account, after he lost his wallet. On track-ing the money, detectives found out that the citizen’sfriend had stolen his wallet justifying the theft by hisneed for money and had asked an Asian to transfer theamount into his account for KD 20.

Couple fight A citizen and his wife were arrested for fighting at AbolHasaniya beach, said security sources noting that thehusband justified his actions by being tipped off thathis wife was on a cruise though she was only meeting afriend of hers. On arriving at the beach, his wife wascoming ashore on a Jet Ski, which confirmed the tip.The wife denied the story and insisted that she hadbeen sun-bathing at the beach. A case was filed and fur-ther investigations are in progress. — Al-Rai/ Al-Anbaa

CBK celebrates

graduation

of LOYAC training

students

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK) recentlycelebrated the graduation of a number of students whohad enrolled in LOYAC’s Summer Training Coursesdesigned for youth aging 16-27 at the bank. In thisregard, CBK human resources director, Mona Al-AbdulRaziq said that CBK had received a number of LOYAC stu-dents and enrolled them in banking training courses invarious CBK branches during the summer.

Farwaniya

inspection

campaign By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: Farwaniya Municipality emergency teamlaunched a campaign on shops and cafes in occupa-tional Ardhiya area. Head of the team Ahmad Al-Shareeka said the campaign resulted in inspecting 15cafes and issue of 8 citations for unlicensed signs.

Bloggers beware By A Saleh

KUWAIT: Well-informed sources at the foreign ministrystressed that legal action will be taken against bloggersand media figures who have slandered HH the Amir andKuwait’s reputation. Sources explained that Kuwait will notallow any of its citizens to insult a friendly or brotherlycountry and, at the same time, will never tolerate slanderor insults against HH the Amir or the State of Kuwait. Thesources added that the foreign ministry has alreadyinformed Kuwait ambassadors in a number of countries toprepare the list.

Al-Jarida

United Nations warnsof ‘ethnic cleansing’ ofMyanmar’s Muslims

Page 9

US commemorates 9/11 at ground zeroPage 8

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

SOUTH KOREA: In this photo provided by South Korea Defense Ministry, South Korea’s Hyunmoo II ballistic missile is fired during an exercise at an undisclosed location in South Korea.— AP

SEOUL: North Korea warned the United States yesterdaythat it would pay a “due price” for spearheading efforts forfresh sanctions on the regime following its latest nucleartest, which diplomats say the UN Security Council will voteon later in the day. But a US-drafted resolution originallycalling for an oil embargo on the North, a halt to its keyexports of textiles and subjecting leader Kim Jong Un to afinancial and travel ban appears to have been watereddown to placate Russia and China, which both have vetopowers, diplomats said.

It no longer proposes blacklisting Kim and relaxes sanc-tions earlier proposed on oil and gas, a draft reviewed byReuters shows. It still proposes a ban on textile exports.North Korea was condemned globally for conducting itssixth nuclear test on Sept 3, which it said was of anadvanced hydrogen bomb. NATO head Jens Stoltenbergsaid at the weekend that North Korea’s “reckless behavior”,pursuing nuclear and missile programs, was a global threatand required a global response.

The tensions have weighed on global markets, but yes-terday there was some relief among investors that NorthKorea did not conduct a further missile test this weekendwhen it celebrated its founding anniversary. Still, NorthKorea denounced efforts by Washington to impose newUN-backed sanctions against the country. The North’sForeign Ministry spokesman said the United States was“going frantic” to manipulate the Security Council overPyongyang’s nuclear test, which it said was part of “legiti-

mate self-defensive measures.”“In case the US eventually does rig up the illegal and

unlawful ‘resolution’ on harsher sanctions, the DPRK shallmake absolutely sure that the US pays due price,” thespokesman said in a statement carried by the official KCNAnews agency. DPRK stands for the North’s formal name, theDemocratic People’s Republic of Korea. “The world will wit-ness how the DPRK tames the US gangsters by taking aseries of actions tougher than they have ever envisaged,”the unnamed spokesman said.

“The DPRK has developed and perfected the super-powerful thermo-nuclear weapon as a means to deter theever-increasing hostile moves and nuclear threat of the USand defuse the danger of nuclear war looming over theKorean peninsula and the region.” South Korean PresidentMoon Jae-in said last week during a visit to Russia thatshutting off North Korea’s supply of oil was inevitable thistime to bring Pyongyang to talks and he called for RussianPresident Vladimir Putin’s support.

Putin has remained firm however that such sanctions onoil would have negative humanitarian effects on NorthKoreans. China, the North’s lone major ally, may be mostcritical though in deciding if oil sanctions go aheadbecause it controls an oil pipeline that industry sources sayprovides about 520,000 tons of crude a year to the North. ASecurity Council resolution needs nine votes in favor andno vetoes by permanent members the United States,Britain, France, Russia or China to pass.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuangstressed the need for consensus and maintaining peace. “Ihave said before that China agrees that the UN SecurityCouncil should make a further response and necessary actionswith respect to North Korea’s sixth nuclear test,” he toldreporters. “We hope Security Council members on the basis ofsufficient consultations reach consensus and project a unitedvoice. The response and actions the Security Council makesshould be conducive to the denuclearisation of the peninsula,conducive to safeguarding the peace and stability of thepeninsula, and conducive to push forward the use of peacefuland political means to resolve the peninsula nuclear issue.”

The falloutThe latest draft of the resolution reflects the challenge

in imposing tough sanctions on the North by curbing itsenergy supply and singling out its leader for a financial andtravel ban, a symbolic measure at best but one that is cer-tain to rile Pyongyang. It will also be a disappointment toSouth Korea, which has sought tough new sanctions thatwould be harder for Pyongyang to ignore, as it said dia-logue remained on the table.

“We have been in consultations that oil has to be part ofthe final sanctions,” South Korean Foreign Minister KangKyung-wha told a news conference, saying Pyongyang wason a “reckless path”. “I do believe that whatever makes itinto the final text and is adopted by consensus hopefullywill have significant consequences on the economic pres-

sure against North Korea.” There was no independent veri-fication of the North’s claim to have conducted a hydrogenbomb test, but some experts said there was enough strongevidence to suggest Pyongyang had either developed ahydrogen bomb or was getting close. KCNA said onSunday that Kim threw a banquet to celebrate the scien-tists and top military and party officials who contributed tothe nuclear bomb test, topped with an art performanceand a photo session with the leader himself.

The standoff is also spilling over into the business rela-tionship between South Korea and China. South Korea’sLotte Shopping is considering selling its supermarkets inChina and other options should political tensions betweenSeoul and Beijing continue next year, an official at theretailer said. China has pressured South Korean businessesvia boycotts and bans since Seoul decided last year todeploy a US-made missile defense system as a deterrent toNorth Korea. Beijing says the system’s radar can penetratefar into its territory.

South Korea deployed four additional units of theTerminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system onThursday after the North’s latest nuclear test. The height-ened tension could have a substantial impact on SouthKorea’s economy and could also disrupt trade between theUnited States and China, ratings agency Fitch said yester-day. Outright military conflict on the Korean peninsula isunlikely but prolonged tension could undermine businessand consumer sentiment, Fitch said. — Reuters

North Korea warns US over sanctions push

Pyongyang threatens to make sure US pays ‘due price’

HAVANA: View of damages after the passage of Hurricane Irma, in Cojimar neighborhood in Havana. — AFP

MARIGOT: “For pity’s sake, do something,” Estelle Kalton begsthe police. “They’re looting the shops.” A crime wave on theFranco-Dutch Caribbean holiday island of St Martin, five daysafter hurricane Irma ripped through, has everyone on edge. Itis only by making a scene on the steps of a makeshift securitycentre set up in Marigot, the main town on the French side ofthe island, that Kalton is able to confront officials. She gets anangry response to her charges of looting. “We know,” a policeofficer replies.

Minutes earlier, France’s Minister for Overseas TerritoriesAnnick Girardin had walked down the same steps after assuringreporters that “there is now security” on the island. But officialsand people in the streets seem to have different definitions of“security” and criticism of the state’s response to the disaster ismounting on the island and in Paris. “Police saw people trying toloot our store,” says Kalton’s 57-year-old husband Philippe.

“Sometimes they’re just 50 meters away, but they don’t doanything. “They told me that people’s security is the priority andthat the rest is only material, that it’s not important.” The shop-keeper moved to St Martin seven years ago. Before Irma, he andhis wife enjoyed a sun-soaked life in a villa by the turquoisewaters of Nettle Bay. What remains of their house, meters fromthe beach, is visible from the steps of the security centre. Likethe others, it is a wreck. Now, the two clothing shops the couple

ran on Liberty Street are “all we have left”.Exhausted and angry, the Kaltons are watching over their

shops as much as they can, and have asked a neighbor to do thesame. During the most recent break-in attempt, the neighborscared away the looters with a machete. “They said to him, ‘If youstay here we’ll come back, we’ll shoot you and take what wewant,” Philippe Kalton says, grim-faced. Regional police chiefJean-Marc Descoux said some 500-600 local delinquents werelikely responsible for most of the looting, taking advantage ofthe devastation for personal profit.

“But it is also people who are desperate, who are panickingand who have nothing left but misery,” he told the broadcasterFrance Info. Paris is battling accusations that it was underpre-pared for the devastation in its Caribbean territories, with oppo-sition leftwinger Jean-Luc Melenchon demanding a parliamen-tary inquiry into whether enough security forces were sent.Fourteen people have been killed on the island, 10 on theFrench side and four on the Dutch, and many homes destroyed.

Along with some 85 tons of food, one million liters of waterand 2,200 kilos of medicine, some 1,500 rescue workers, troopsand security forces are on the ground on St Martin, a number setto rise shortly to 2,000. But for many residents, it is not enough.On the Dutch side of the island, too, there are complaints of loot-ing and criticism of the official response. — AFP

After Irma, fear, looting

grip tense St Martin

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

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

BAGHDAD, Iraq: Worsening clashes amongtribes and a political void is threateningsecurity at oil installations in Iraq’s mainsouthern oil producing region, officials andsecurity sources said. Iraq has concentratedsecurity forces in the north and west of theOPEC oil producer in the biggest campaignsince the US-led invasion in 2003 to retaketerritory lost to the Sunni extremist groupIslamic State in 2014.

That has created a void in the south,home to Iraq’s biggest oilfields, where fight-ing between rival Shi’ite Muslim tribes overfarmland, state construction contracts andland ownership has worsened in the pastfew weeks. The surge in violence risks under-mining government plans to lure newinvestment to the oil and gas sector it needsto revive an economy hit by a surge in secu-rity spending and destruction by IslamicState. Stability in Basra, the main southerncity at the edge of the Gulf, is of vital impor-

tance as a hub for oil exports accounting forover 95 percent of government revenues.Officials said tribal clashes had not affectedoil output yet. But this could change asrecent fighting with mortars and machineguns had come close to the key West Qurnaoil phase 1, West Qurna phase 2 andMajnoon oilfields north of Basra city.

“Tribal feuds have been exacerbatingrecently and such a negative developmentcould threaten the operations of the foreignenergy companies,” said Ali Shaddad, headof the oil and gas committee in Basra’sprovincial council. State-run South Oil Co.(SOC) said the violence had started scaringoil workers and foreign contractors who insome cases had refused to move drilling rigsover security concerns.

“Tribal fighting near oilfields sites is defi-nitely affecting the energy operations andsending a negative message to foreign oilfirms,” Abdullah al-Faris, a media manager at

SOC, said. Iraq’s government has dispatchedthousands of soldiers and policemen intoBasra which had been like the rest of themainly Shi’ite south relatively peaceful since2003. Security force have tried to disarmtribesmen, which had seized large caches oflight and heavy weapons from SaddamHussein’s army in the chaos following the2003 invasion.

But security officials said forces werestretched as troops were preparing anotheroffensive against Islamic State, or Daesh, inthe north to retake Hawija town.Strategically located east of the road fromBaghdad to Mosul and near the Kurdish-held oil region of Kirkuk, Hawija fell toIslamic State in 2014. “We need larger forcesto control rural areas and restrain lawlesstribes in the south,” said Army LieutenantColonel Salah Kareem who serves in abrigade that was based in Basra beforebeing moved to Mosul. “This is a difficult job

for now as most troops are busy with fight-ing Daesh,” he said.

Top officials quitThe security challenges have been wors-

ened by a political void after top local officialsquit over graft charges. Basra’s governor Majidal-Nasrawi stepped down last month and leftfor Iran after Iraq’s anti-corruption body beganinvestigating graft allegations against him. InJuly the head of the provincial council, Sabahal-Bazoni, was arrested and sacked after thewatchdog accused him of taking bribes andmisuse of power. Graft has been a major con-cern in Iraq but analysts say both men hadalso been caught in a political battle as partiesfrom the country’s Shi’ite majority were gear-ing up for national elections in April 2018.Basra is seen as the ultimate prize given its oilwealth and investment potential. Bazoni, whobelongs to former prime minister Nuri al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition, had been at

odds with Nasrawi from the Shi’ite IslamicSupreme Council of Iraq over managing theprovince and distributing contracts for basicservices and rebuilding infrastructure in Basra.Disagreements over how to award state con-tracts had escalated with each party publish-ing files alleging corruption against the otherrivals, two Basra politicians said on conditionof anonymity. “For some political parties hav-ing the upper hand in Basra is a key objectiveto expand their power,” said Baghdad-basedanalyst Jasim al-Bahadli, an expert on Shi’itearmed groups.

“Basra is forming the triangle of money, pow-er and influence,” he said. Two officials workingwith foreign oil companies operating in thesouth said the departure of top officials raisedworries that the tribal clashes could get worse.“We need to see security challenges addressedto avoid working in a difficult operating environ-ment,” said one official working at a foreign oilfirm in Basra, asking not to be named. — Reuters

Tribal clashes, political void threaten oil installations in Iraq’s south

Newsi n B r i e f

Militants attack convoy in Egypt’s Sinai, kill five police

EL-ARISH, Egypt: Suspected militants yesterdayambushed a police convoy in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula,killing five policemen and wounding three others, includ-ing a police brigadier general, according to security andmilitary officials. The police and military officials said theattack began with the detonation of roadside bombs thatdestroyed and set ablaze three armored vehicles and afourth one carrying signal jamming equipment. The gun-men later opened fire with machine guns and comman-deered a police pickup truck. The attack took place about30 kilometers west of el-Arish in northern Sinai. The offi-cials spoke on condition of anonymity because they werenot authorized to speak to the media.

Four Shiites shot dead in South west Pakistan

QUETTA, Pakistan: Gunmen killed four male mem-bers of a family belonging to a minority Shiite commu-nity in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, police said, inthe latest bout of sectarian violence to rock the restiveregion. The attack took place late Sunday in theKuchlak area on the highway between the provincialcapital Quetta and the border town of Chaman. Thevictims, including a 13-year-old boy, were travelling ina taxi from Afghanistan to Quetta when four gunmenriding motorcycles opened fire on them, local policeofficial Amin Jaffar said late Sunday.

Iran arrests sect members over death penalty protests

TEHRAN: Iran has arrested at least 13 members of a“deviant” spiritual movement after they protested thedeath sentence given to the founder of their group, localmedia reported yesterday. “Three activists and elements inthe anti-security activities of the Erfan Kayhani (“CosmicMysticism”) sect have been arrested by intelligence agentsin Tehran this morning,” the Tasnim news agency said. Tenother members of the group have been arrested in recentdays, it added. They were “organizing and leading demon-strations, sit-ins and other security actions to pressure thejudiciary” against the death sentence of their spiritualleader Mohammad Ali Taheri.

BEIRUT: Syria’s army sent massive reinforcements to territoryunder its control in Deir Ezzor yesterday ahead of a final push forthe Islamic State group-held half of the eastern city. The metropo-lis is the capital of the oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor,regarded as a strategic prize by both Russian-backed Syriantroops and US-backed fighters. Regime forces have scored majoradvances in recent days, breaking a pair of IS sieges on the cityand capturing territory around it.

They were now looking to make a push into the eastern IS-heldpart of the city, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatoryfor Human Rights monitor. “Huge military reinforcements, includingequipment, vehicles and fighters have arrived in Deir Ezzor aheadof an attack to push Daesh from the city’s eastern neighborhoods,”said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman, using an Arabicacronym for IS. “Russian and Syrian regime warplanes are striking ISpositions in the city and its outskirts,” he added.

Since 2014, IS has controlled most of Deir Ezzor city and thesurrounding province, which borders territory the jihadists hold inIraq. The remaining 40 percent of the city still held by the govern-ment-and home to around 100,000 civilians-was under cripplingIS siege. Backed by Russian air power, government troops havebreached IS’s sieges, captured the strategic Jabal Thardah regionand expanded their control to half of Deir Ezzor city, according tothe Observatory.

US-backed force advances Moscow intervened in Syria in September 2015 in support of

its ally President Bashar al-Assad. Russia’s defense ministry saidyesterday a demining unit comprising more than 40 experts andspecial equipment had been sent to Syria, adding that they willbe sent to Deir Ezzor “in the nearest future”. On Sunday, Russian airstrikes killed 34 civilians fleeing the violence in Deir Ezzor aboardferries along the Euphrates River, the Observatory said. The longriver cuts diagonally across Deir Ezzor province, slicing it in half.

Fighters from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces onSaturday announced a separate offensive to capture IS territoryeast of the river. By yesterday, the SDF’s Deir Ezzor Military Council(DEMC) had seized much of the province’s northeast and werejust a few kilometers away from the river. Abdel Rahman said theyhad advanced to six kilometers from its eastern banks, at a pointacross the river from Deir Ezzor city. The SDF, an alliance of Araband Kurdish fighters, is also battling IS in the jihadists’ de facto

capital Raqqa with backing from the US-led air coalition.Although the SDF had yet to reach Deir Ezzor city itself, tribal fig-ures affiliated with the alliance said they were laying the ground-work for governing the city after IS’s defeat. The statement, pub-lished by the SDF’s media council, announced the establishmentof “a preparatory committee that will discuss the basis and start-ing points for a civil council for Deir Ezzor”.

After liberationAccording to the statement, consultations would aim to reach

a “formulation that will express the aspirations of all our people inDeir Ezzor”. The Deir Ezzor Civil Council “will be responsible for

running the city immediately after its liberation”. It made no men-tion of regime forces and did not say whether the civil councilwould coordinate with, or rival, government authorities. The SDFhas said its assault in Deir Ezzor province is not in coordinationwith Russian or regime forces.

But the coalition, the SDF, Syria’s government and Russia haveagreed on a “de-confliction line” in northeastern Syria to preventthe two offensives from clashing. Syria’s conflict erupted in 2011with protests calling for Assad’s ouster, but it has since morphedinto a complex war drawing in world powers. More than 330,000people have been killed and millions have been forced to fleetheir homes. — AFP

Syria army readies push into

IS-held parts of Deir EzzorRussian, Syrian regime warplanes strike IS positions

DEIR EZZOR: Syrian pro-government forces flash the sign for victory in the back of vehicle on the outskirts of theeastern city of Deir Ezzor, as they continue to press forward with Russian air cover in the offensive against IslamicState group jihadists across the province. — AFP

ISTANBUL: The controversial trial of stafffrom Turkey’s main opposition newspaperresumed yesterday in a case seen as a testfor press freedom under President RecepTayyip Erdogan. The case, which opened inIstanbul in July, involves 17 current andformer writers, cartoonists and executivesfrom Cumhuriyet (“Republic”) who arebeing tried on “terror” charges in a movedenounced by supporters as absurd. Forgovernment critics, the case is emblematicof the erosion of freedom following lastyear’s failed coup when Ankara launched amassive crackdown targeting those withalleged links to the putschists as well asopponents.

The secular daily is one of the few voic-es in the Turk ish media to opposeErdogan, with its embarrassing scoopscausing anger in the halls of power. OnJuly 28, an Istanbul court freed seven ofthe newspaper ’s staff after 271 days,including respected cartoonist Musa Kartand Turhan Gunay, editor of the bookssupplement. But some of the paper ’smost prominent staff remain in custody,among them commentator Kadri Gursel,investigative journalist Ahmet Sik, editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu and chief execu-tive Akin Atalay.

Eight other suspects have also beencharged but are not being held in prison.Sik has been held behind bars for 255 dayswhile the other three have been jailed for316 days. If convicted, they face varyingterms of up to 43 years in jail. Sik is theauthor of an explosive 2011 book called“The Imam’s Army” which exposed howfollowers of influential Muslim preacher

Fethullah Gulen infiltrated the Turkishbureaucracy and built ties with the rulingparty which have since collapsed.

Once a close ally of Erdogan who isnow in self-imposed exile in the UnitedStates, Gulen is wanted on charges ofordering the failed coup, with Ankaraarresting more than 50,000 people on sus-picion of links to his movement. He deniesthe charges. The second session of hear-ings is taking place adjacent to the high-security Silivri prison on the outskirts ofIstanbul where the men are being held.

An asymmetric war Those on trial are charged with using

their position to support the KurdistanWorkers’ Party (PKK), the ultra-leftRevolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), and the Gulen movement.Ankara has branded all three terror organi-zations. Also on trial but in absentia is thepaper’s former editor-in-chief Can Dundar,who was last year sentenced to five yearsand 10 months in jail over a front-page sto-ry accusing the government of sendingweapons to Syria.Dundar has now fledTurkey for Germany.

In the indictment, the newspaper wasaccused of an “intense perception opera-tion” targeting both Turkey and Erdoganusing the tactics of an “asymmetric war”.The paper’s supporters claim the chargesamount to “punishment”, insistingCumhuriyet has always been stronglyopposed to the three groups. The daily’sfront page yesterday was headlined “Wewant justice” with images of those stillimprisoned. — AFP

ISTANBUL: A protester holds Cumhuriyet daily newspaper during a demonstra-tion before the controversial trial of staff from Turkey’s main opposition daily inthe Silivri district in Istanbul. — AFP

Trial of Turkey opposition

newspaper staff resumes

HERZLIYA, Israel: The Israeli intelligence minis-ter said yesterday that President Bashar al-Assadwas ready to permit Iran to set up military basesin Syria that would pose a long-term threat toneighboring Israel. While formally neutral on thesix-year-old Syrian civil war, Israel worries thatAssad’s recent gains have given his Iranian andLebanese Hezbollah allies a foothold on itsnorthern front.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuhas lobbied Russia, Assad’s most powerfulbacker, and the United States to curb the Iranianpresence in Syria-as well as hinting that Israelcould launch preemptive strikes against its arch-foe there. In July, Moscow ratified a deal underwhich Damascus allowed the Russian air base inSyria’s Latakia Province to remain for almost halfa century. Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katzsaid Iran could soon gain similar rights.

“In these very days, Assad and Iran are near-ing the signing of a long-term agreement thatwould anchor Iran’s military presence in Syria,resembling the agreement that was signedbetween Assad and the Russians,” Katz told asecurity conference hosted by IDC Herzliya, auniversity near Tel Aviv. “The significance interms of the danger and the threat against Israel- and not just against Israel, but also many coun-tries in the region - is of the utmost clarity.” Katz

did not elaborate on the source of his informa-tion or give any further details about the pur-ported negotiations.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry declined to com-ment and Syrian officials could not be reached.Katz said the plan was for an Iranian naval port,bases for Iran’s air and ground forces, and “tens

of thousands of Shiite militiamen being broughtin from various countries” to fight alongsidetheir Iranian and Hezbollah co-religionists inSyria. Iran’s presence in Syria, and efforts to bol-ster Hezbollah in Lebanon, are expected to fea-ture in Netanyahu’s address to the UnitedNations General Assembly on Sept 19.— Reuters

After Russia, Iran seeks deal

for long-term Syria garrison

AKRE, Iraq: Iraqi Kurds wave Kurdish flags and hold burning torches as they walk upa mountain during a gathering to show support for the upcoming independence ref-erendum and encourage people to vote in the town of Akra, some 500 kilometersnorth of Baghdad. — AFP

MOGADISHU: Somali government forces haveregained control of a town on the border withKenya after al Shabaab militants stormed an armybase there yesterday, causing heavy clashes inwhich at least 17 people died, the military said.Islamist insurgents attacked the base at BaladHawo early in the morning with a car suicidebombing before entering the compound, bothsides said. “We were awoken by a suicide car bombthis morning and then fierce battle followed,” MajorMohamed Abdullahi told Reuters from the town.

“We chased al Shabaab out of the town,” hesaid. Al Shabaab spokesman Abdiasis AbuMusab said the group’s fighters left the townafter releasing 35 prisoners from the local jail. At

least 30 soldiers were killed, he said. Accordingto the military official, at least 10 soldiers andseven al Shabaab militants were killed, thoughthe death toll on both sides could still rise.Formed in 2006, al Shabaab wants to topple theWestern-backed government and impose itsstrict interpretation of Islam.

Somalia has been at war since 1991 whenclan-based warlords overthrew dictator SiadBarre and then turned on each other. Al Shabaabcarry out frequent attacks on security and gov-ernment targets, but also on civilians. They alsotarget African Union peacekeeping troops.Residents confirmed fighting had ended andthat the militants had left the town. — Reuters

Somali army repels al Shabaab

after attack, at least 17 killed

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

NEW YORK: Holding photos and readingnames of loved ones lost 16 years ago,9/11 victims’ relatives marked theanniversary of the attacks at ground zeroyesterday with a solemn and personalceremony. About a thousand 9/11 familymembers, survivors, rescuers and offi-cials were gathered as the ceremony atthe World Trade Center began with amoment of silence and tolling bells. Thenrelatives began reading out the names ofthe nearly 3,000 people killed in thedeadliest terror attack on American soil.

“I know you’re looking down at mewith a big, big smile on your face,”Connor Murphy said through tears. Helost his father, Kevin James Murphy.Sixteen years later, the quiet rhythms ofcommemoration have become customs:a recitation of all the names of the dead,moments of silence and tolling bells, andtwo powerful light beams that shinethrough the night. Yet each ceremonyalso takes on personal touches.

Over the years, some name-readershave added messages ranging from theuniversal (“the things we think separate usreally don’t - we’re all part of this oneEarth”) to the personal (“I love you andmiss you. Go Packers!”). The victims diedwhen hijacked planes slammed into thetrade center, the Pentagon and a field near

Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 11,2001, hurling America into a new con-sciousness of the threat of global terrorism.

President Donald Trump, a nativeNew Yorker observing the anniversaryfor the first time as the nation’s leader,observed a moment of silence at theWhite House with first lady MelaniaTrump. The Trumps also planned to par-ticipate in a 9/11 observance at thePentagon. Defense Secretary Jim Mattisand Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman ofthe Joint Chiefs of Staff, are hosting a pri-vate observance for victims’ relativesthere at 9:11 am yesterday. After thenames are read at that ceremony, there’sa public observance, with a wreath-lay-ing and remarks.

Vice President Mike Pence and USSecretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke arescheduled to deliver remarks at theFlight 93 National Memorial nearShanksville. It’s on the rural field whereone of the airliners crashed after passen-gers and crew fought to wrest controlaway from the terrorists who’d hijacked itand were heading for Washington.Construction continues at theShanksville memorial, where ground wasbroken Sunday for a 93-foot tall Tower ofVoices to honor the 33 passengers andseven crew members who died.

The ceremony amid the waterfallpools and lines of trees on the NationalSept. 11 Memorial plaza strives to beapolitical: Politicians can attend, butsince 2011, they haven’t been allowed toread names or deliver remarks. Yet lastyear ’s 15th-anniversary ceremony

became entangled in the narrative of afractious presidential campaign whenDemocratic nominee Hillary Clinton leftabruptly, stumbled into a van and ulti-mately revealed she’d been diagnoseddays earlier with pneumonia.

The episode fed into questions that

then-Republican-nominee Trump hadrepeatedly raised about Clinton’s stami-na and transparency. She took three daysoff to recover, and Trump used footageof her stagger in a campaign ad. Trumphas often invoked his memories of 9/11to highlight his hometown’s resilienceand responders’ bravery. Some of his rec-ollections have raised eyebrows, particu-larly remarks while talking aboutMuslims that “thousands of people werecheering” in Jersey City, New Jersey, asthe towers fell. There is no evidence innews archives of mass celebrations byMuslims there.

Meanwhile, rebuilding and reimagin-ing continues at ground zero. The thirdof four planned office towers is set toopen next year; so is a Greek Orthodoxchurch, next to the trade center site,that was crushed by the South Tower’scollapse. Work toward a $250 millionperforming arts center continues after adesign was unveiled last fal l . Mostrecently, plans were announced thisspring to transform a grassy clearing onthe memorial plaza into a walkway andarea dedicated to 9/11 rescue andrecovery workers, including those whodied of i l lnesses years after beingexposed to smoke, dust and ash atground zero.—AP

US commemorates 9/11 at ground zero

LONDON: MPs hold their first vote yesterdayon a bill to end Britain’s membership of theEU, which ministers say will avoid a “chaotic”Brexit but has been condemned as anunprecedented power grab.

The legislation would repeal on Brexitday the 1972 law through which Britainjoined the bloc, transferring in bulk around12,000 existing EU regulations onto theBritish statute books. It is the next step inimplementing last year’s historic referendumvote to leave the EU, after Prime MinisterTheresa May formally notified Brussels ofBritain’s withdrawal in March.

“Businesses and individuals need reassur-ance that there will be no unexpectedchanges to our laws after exit day and that isexactly what the Repeal Bill provides,” BrexitSecretary David Davis said. He added: “A voteagainst this bill is a vote for a chaotic exitfrom the European Union.” May’s spokesmantold reporters on Monday: “We encourage allMPs to support it”. The main oppositionLabor party has vowed to try to defeat thebill, however, arguing that its provisions tosmooth the transfer of EU laws represent anunacceptable expansion of executive power.

Many EU regulations may need adjustingas they are transferred, and the bill proposesthe broad use of existing “Henry VIII powers”that allow ministers to amend legislationwithout full parliamentary scrutiny. LaborBrexit spokesman Keir Starmer said it was“fatally flawed” and an “affront to parlia-ment”. Some Labor MPs, particularly those inareas that voted strongly in favor of leavingthe EU in last year’s referendum, have how-ever said they will defy their party leadershipand vote in favor of the bill.

May’s minority Conservative governmentis expected to win Monday’s vote, whichcould come as late as midnight, thanks to itsalliance with the Northern Ireland’sDemocratic Unionist Party (DUP). ButConservative MPs have warned they couldseek to amend the bill as it comes under fur-ther scrutiny in the coming weeks, amid con-cerns about its constitutional implications.

Ministers who decide Britain remains divided over Brexit, and

on Saturday thousands of people marchedthrough London call ing for the wholeprocess to be abandoned. Most MPs haveaccepted it will happen, with Europhile for-mer Conservative finance minister KenClarke saying it was “hopeless” to thinkBritain would stay in the EU. But the shapeof Brexit remains unclear, and May hasbeen under pressure from all sides afterlosing her parliamentary majority in theJune snap election.

The government plans to leave Europe’ssingle market and customs union afterBrexit but is seeking a transitional deal thatwould replicate existing arrangements untilit agrees a new trade deal with the EU.Labor wants to remain in the single marketduring the interim period following Brexitday, currently set for March 29, 2019, whilea euroskeptic group of Conservatives ispressing May to make a clean break. Suchissues will need to be agreed with the EU,and the Repeal Bill does not propose anychanges in policy.

But it does give ministers the power toimplement the final Brexit deal without fullparliamentary debate. “It would be ministerswho decided our new trade arrangements,customs arrangements and immigrationrules, any deal on citizens’ rights and muchelse,” Starmer wrote in the Sunday Timesnewspaper. Labor and trade unions also fearministers may seek to change EU regulationson the environment and workers’ rights asthey transfer them into UK law.

“We are seriously concerned that thepower-grab embodied in the bill will endup with worker ’s rights being watereddown,” Frances O’Grady, head of the TradesUnion Congress umbrella body, told AFP.Davis denies this, saying the bill is a “prag-matic and sensible” way to deal with thehuge amount of EU legislation that must beincorporated into British law. “Without it,we would be approaching a cliff-edge ofuncertainty which is not in the interest ofanyone,” he said.—AFP

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump stand fora moment of silence to mark the anniversary of the Sept 11 terrorist attacks, onthe South Lawn of the White House in Washington.—AP

British MPs to vote on bill to avoid ‘chaotic’ BrexitConservative MPs warn to seek amendment of bill

JUCHIT¡N DE ZARAGOZA, Mexico:Sobbing Mexican families followed coffinsthrough the streets and picked nervouslyat the ruins of their homes Sunday as helptrickled in after a huge earthquake killed 90people. “I don’t know if I am crying fromsadness, from shock, or from fear of whatmight happen next, and how we will live,”said Refugio Portales, in the hard-hit townof Juchitan.

She followed the white coffin of a friendon the back of a truck to the shrill sound ofpipes. Mexican seismological authoritiesmeasured Thursday night’s quake at mag-nitude 8.2, under the Pacific off the coast ofChiapas state. That was bigger even thanthe 8.1 quake that killed 10,000 people inMexico City in 1985.

Fearing aftershocks People in Juchitan were afraid to return

to their homes, fearing the effects of hun-dreds of aftershocks-but camped withinsight of them to prevent looting. JuanaLuis, 40, spent the night with her familyunder a tree in the garden next to theirhouse, which was reduced to a pile of con-crete rubble, twisted metal and electricalcables. “It is very sad to live like this, onhammocks hung in the garden, under therain, with our belongings buried in thehouse,” she told AFP.

Luis secured some emergency foodhandouts, but food prices have soared inthe disaster zone. “We used to get a chick-

en for 70 pesos and now it costs 300. Thatmakes me really anxious, because howevermuch I want to buy something for my chil-dren when they ask me, I can’t afford to,”she said in tears.

No one has come As soldiers and mechanical diggers

worked to clear the ruins of the town hall,some picked cautiously through the rubbleto salvage household items. “We are afraid togo inside our houses to remove the rubble,but we have no other choice because no oneis coming to help us,” said Carlos VillalobosMartinez, a retired man of 58. He said heescaped “by a miracle” with his wife andthree children when their house collapsed.

On the square near the town’s MartesSanto church, a group of women campedin the rain, cooked eggs on a fire and pre-pared corn tortillas. “We still have no wateror electricity. We are sleeping with the chil-dren out here in the open,” said one ofthem, Maria de los Angeles Orozco. “No onehas come to help us.” Ivan Rodriguez, 40,echoed that sentiment, telling AFP “we’vereceived very little help.” “We’ve lost every-thing, truly: work-we can’t work-we don’tknow what to do,” the craftsman said.

Authorities counted all the fatalities inthe states of Chiapas, Oaxaca and Tabasco.On Sunday night, the federal governmentsaid it confirmed a report that 25 morepeople had been found dead in Oaxaca,bringing the overall toll to 90. — AFP

OSLO: Norwegians voted yesterday in an electionnail-biter in “the world’s happiest country” withthe outgoing rightwing coalition facing a strongchallenge from the centre-left opposition. Opinionpolls in the oil-rich Nordic state have predicted anextraordinarily close race between ConservativePrime Minister Erna Solberg’s team and the oppo-sition led by Labour’s Jonas Gahr Store. Severalsmall parties could end up as kingmakers.

“I’m ready for four more years,” the popular andexperienced 56-year-old Solberg said as she votedyesterday in a school in her hometown of Bergenon the west coast. “Let’s see if the Norwegian peo-ple are ready for four more years with me.”Everything is “set for the biggest election thriller inmany decades,” a political commentator for TV2television said after a final opinion poll publishedSaturday credited the right with the narrowestpossible majority, albeit within the margin of error.

In power since 2013, the coalition government,comprising Solberg’s Conservatives and the mildlypopulist anti-immigration Progress Party, has cam-paigned on a vow of continuity. The governmenthas successfully steered the wealthy country of 5.3million Western Europe’s biggest oil producer-through two crises: the oil industry’s slump afterthe drop in crude prices since 2014, and themigrant crisis in 2015.

Over the past four years, the right has focusedon kickstarting the economy and preparing thecountry for the post-oil era by reducing taxes. Theopposition and many economists have howevercriticized the government for dipping too gener-ously into the country’s massive sovereign wealthfund, worth almost $1 trillion. Meanwhile, Store, amillionaire, has vowed to raise taxes for the rich-est, in a bid to bolster Norwegians’ cherished wel-fare state and reduce inequalities in society.

“We need a change now because we are grow-ing apart from each other,” the 57-year-old Laborleader said after casting his ballot on Sunday, anoption offered in many municipalities. ElinFestoy, a 49-year-old media producer, said shewas voting for the right because employmentwas the key issue in her eyes. “I think we need toget young people into jobs, and the best way tointegrate refugees and immigrants is by job cre-ation,” she said.

Meanwhile, 28-year-old recruiter Kaja van derSchoor said she was voting for change. “I wouldsay, when it comes to refugees, that I think weneed some things to change,” she said. “I think it’sbeen fronted as a way to split society and sort ofscare Norway, that it’s a bad thing. But it’s some-thing we have to do. We have to help.”

Small parties key Norway is blessed with high living standards,

education and a comprehensive welfare state-qualities that helped it to be named the happiestcountry in the world in a respected UN study inMarch. The Conservatives and Labor agree onmany issues: continuing oil activities in the Arctic,a restricted immigration policy, and close ties withthe EU, of which Norway is not a member.

Yet Labor has criticized Solberg for her difficul-ty in taming her occasionally provocative juniorcoalition partner, the Progress Party, especiallyImmigration and Integration Minister SylviListhaug. Labor and the Conservatives are expect-ed to post lower election scores compared to fouryears ago. As a result, both will be dependent onthe support of smaller parties who have played anunusually large role in the campaign-and trickynegotiations to form a government seeminevitable. —AFP

GENEVA: The UN rights chief raised con-cern yesterday about Washington’s deci-sion to end an amnesty for hundreds ofthousands of people brought illegally tothe country as children, saying theyshould be granted “durable legal status”.US President Donald Trump last weekabrogated an order issued by his prede-cessor Barack Obama that protectedaround 800,000 young people by granti-ng them temporary legal status as part ofthe Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivalprogram (DACA).

The move gives the so-called“Dreamers”, many of them Hispanic whoare now in their twenties, somewherebetween six and 24 months before theybecome illegal and subject to potentialdeportation. “I am concerned by the gov-ernment’s decision to end the DeferredAction for Childhood Arrivals program,”UN rights chef Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein saidat the opening of the 36th session of theHuman Rights Council in Geneva.

He pointed to evidence of the pro-gram’s “positive impact on the lives ofhundreds of thousands of youngmigrants, and on the US economy andsociety,” and said he hoped Congresswould now act to provide former DACAbeneficiaries with “durable legal status”.

Frightened migrantsTrump’s move fulfilled a campaign

promise of zero tolerance toward illegalimmigrants. But the president insisted he

was showing compassion for theDreamers, many of whom know only theUnited States and speak only English, bygiving Congress six months to craft a last-ing legal solution. Zeid also voiced alarmat an “increase in detentions and depor-tations of well-established and law-abid-ing immigrants” in the United States. Hesaid the number of detentions ofmigrants with no criminal convictionswas 155 percent higher during the firstfive months of this year than during thesame period of 2016.

“Some migrants, including long-standing residents, are now so fright-ened of expedited deportation theyrefrain from accessing police protectionand courtrooms,” Zeid said. He saidreports of rape filed by Latina women inthe city of Houston fell by 43 percent inthe first three months of 2017. Zeid alsoreiterated his concerns over the anti-semitism and racism on display lastmonth in Charlottesville, Virginia, andalso “increasingly manifested online andin public debates”.

“Free speech is an invaluable andessential right, under both internationalstandards and US law, and it should notbe weaponised by calls for violence andhatred,” he said. Last month, the UN rightschief said Trump was largely to blame forthe deteriorating discourse in the coun-try, warning among other things that hisrelentless attacks on the media couldtrigger violence against journalists.—AFP

LONDON: Pro-EU demonstrators rally during the People’s March for Europe against Brexit inParliament Square in central London.—AFP

Norway votes in ‘election thriller’

OSLO: Rasmus Hansson, leader of Norway’s Green Party (Miljopartiet de Gronne), casts his ballotat a polling station in Bekkestua, Oslo, during general elections.—AFP

US should give Dreamers durable legal status: UN

MEXICO: View of a collapsed hotel in Juchitan de Zaragoza, state of Oaxaca followingthe 8.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Mexico’s Pacific Coast.—AFP

Mourners sob, sift wreckage of huge Mexico earthquake

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

India complains over offensiveAustralian lamb commercial

SYDNEY: India has lodged an official complaint over anAustralian advertisement that features the Hindu godGanesha and other religious icons endorsing lamb. In theTV commercial from industry group Meat and LivestockAustralia, a number of religious figures-including LordGanesha, Jesus, Buddha and Scientology founder L. RonHubbard-are seen sitting down together to a lamb-basedmeal and raising a glass to the meat. The image of ele-phant-headed Lord Ganesha, who is widely considered tobe vegetarian, was met with anger in Australia’s Indiancommunity. The Indian high commission (embassy) inCanberra said it had taken the issue up with the Australiangovernment.

Indian soldiers kill two Kashmiri rebels

SRINAGAR: Indian government forces killed two sus-pected rebels and captured one in Kashmir yesterdayduring a brief gun battle, sparking protests by localcivilians, police said. Soldiers and special counterinsur-gency police forces surrounded a neighborhood inKhudwani, a village in the south of Kashmir, after a tip-off about the presence of militants. “Two militants(were) killed in an encounter with police, army andCRPF (Central Reserve Police Force). One was arrested,”a police statement said.

India Nobel winner launches march for abused children

NEW DELHI: Indian Nobel peace laureate KailashSatyarthi yesterday started a cross-country marchaimed at forcing authorities to clamp down on thewidespread sexual abuse and trafficking of vulnerablechildren. Satyarthi and scores of supporters embarkedon the “India March” at Kanyakumari on the country’ssouthernmost tip. He hopes to get one million peopleinvolved in various stages of the march to New Delhi.The march will finish in New Delhi on October 16 afterhe and his supporters travel across all 29 states andseven union territories, covering 11,000 kilometers.

Christchurch’s quake-hit cathedral to be rebuilt

WELLINGTON: Heritage groups in New Zealand yes-terday welcomed a decision to rebuild Christchurch’sAnglican cathedral, six years after it was extensivelydamaged in a deadly earthquake. Much of the late19th Century neo-Gothic structure collapsed in the6.3-magnitude quake that leveled the South Islandcity’s downtown area in February 2011, killing 185people. A temporary cathedral made of cardboard wasbuilt in 2013 with the derelict one’s future hotly debat-ed ever since. The Anglican Church wanted to tear itdown and start anew, saying the restoration cost ofmore than NZ$100 million was prohibitive.

Newsi n b r i e f

TOKYO: Japan’s prime minister yester-day called for a boost to the country’sdefenses in the face of North Koreanthreats, warning that Tokyo needs to beable to protect itself. The call is a com-mon refrain from nationalist leaderShinzo Abe, who has long advocated astiffening of Japan’s military posture,despite its officially pacifist constitution.In a speech to senior officers of the Self-Defense Forces-Japan’s name for the mil-itary-Abe said: “No one else will protectyou if you don’t have the mindset of pro-tecting yourself.”

“We have to take all appropriate

measures against (incidents such as)North Korea’s missile launch over Japan,”added the premier, who said he hadasked his defense minister to draw up ablueprint for Japan’s medium-termdefense strategy. Abe, who movedquickly after the election of DonaldTrump to keep the mercurial US presi-dent close, said that “strengthening theJapan-US alliance is vital” to ensureregional stability.

“We have to deter North Korea’srepeated provocative acts,” he said, not-ing recent joint drills with the UnitedStates in the Sea of Japan and defense

cooperation with like-minded countriesincluding Australia.

Abe’s comments come as the USpushes for the United Nations SecurityCouncil to vote on harsher sanctions onNorth Korea. Diplomats said that a newdraft resolution circulated recently isslightly less tough than the original butincludes a “progressive” oil embargo onPyongyang.

Speaking at the same meeting,Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said hehoped to quickly introduce Aegis Ashore,a land-based version of the maritimeAegis missile-defense system.—AFP

Japan PM urges stronger defense amid N Korea worries

NEW ZEALAND: This file photo shows an earthquakedamaged church in Christchurch.—AFP

Spanish Red Cross physiotherapistkilled in northern Afghanistan city

MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan: A Spanish physiothera-pist working for the Red Cross in the northern Afghan cityof Mazar-i-Sharif was shot dead yesterday, apparently by ahospital patient, officials said. Police said that two arrestshad been made and an investigation was under way. TheInternational Committee of the Red Cross confirmed thatthe staff member had been killed in its orthopaedic centrein Mazar-i-Sharif. Sheer Jan Durani, a spokesman for thepolice chief in Balkh province, said two patients wereadmitted to hospital and one took out a pistol apparentlyconcealed in a wheel chair and shot the woman. Both menwere arrested, he said.

TOKYO: Japan Self-Defense Force honor guards make a line prior to a welcom-ing ceremony for Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Defense Ministry inTokyo.—AFP

COX’S BAZAR: The situation in Myanmar is a “textbookexample of ethnic cleansing”, the United Nations said yes-terday, as the number of Rohingya Muslims fleeingMyanmar for Bangladesh topped 300,000. The UN warningcame as it emerged the Dalai Lama had written to AungSan Suu Kyi urging Myanmar’s de facto civilian leader tofind a peaceful solution to the crisis in the mainly Buddhistcountry. The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority, havefaced decades of persecution in Myanmar where they areregarded as illegal immigrants.

But since the latest upsurge in violence on August 25,hundreds of thousands have flooded across the borderinto Bangladesh bringing stories of entire villages burnedto the ground by Buddhist mobs and Myanmar troops.Yesterday the UN human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Husseinaccused Myanmar of waging a “systematic attack” on theRohingya and warned that “ethnic cleansing” seemed to beunder way.

“Because Myanmar has refused access to human rightsinvestigators the current situation cannot yet be fullyassessed, but the situation seems a textbook example ofethnic cleansing,” he told the UN Human Rights Council.Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace laureate, has come in for stronginternational criticism over the military crackdown on theRohingya, which began when militants ambushed securityforces on August 25.

The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmarhas said the latest violence may have left more than 1,000dead, most of them Rohingya. A further 27,000 ethnicRakhine Buddhists as well as Hindus have also fled violencethat has gripped northern Rakhine, where international aidprograms in Rakhine have been severely curtailed.

Appalled Yesterday it emerged that the Dalai Lama had joined fel-

low Nobel peace laureates Malala Yousafzai andArchbishop Desmond Tutu in urging Suu Kyi to intervene.“Questions that are put to me suggest that many peoplehave difficulty reconciling what appears to be happeningto Muslims there with Myanmar’s reputation as a Buddhistcountry,” the Tibetan spiritual leader wrote in a letter to SuuKyi shortly after the latest fighting broke out.

“I appeal to you and your fellow leaders to reach out toall sections of society to try to restore friendly relationsthroughout the population in a spirit of peace and recon-ciliation.” The UN refugee agency says at least 313,000

Rohingya have now arrived in Bangladesh from Myanmar’sRakhine state since August 25, around a third of the totalpopulation of 1.1 million. The true figure could be evenhigher-the UN said many new arrivals are still on the moveand are therefore left out of the calculations.

Dhaka initially stepped up border controls after the vio-lence, stranding thousands of refugees at the Bangladeshifrontier, but in the last week has been allowing them toenter. Refugee camps and makeshift settlements near theborder with Myanmar, which already hosted hundreds ofthousands of Rohingya before the latest upsurge in vio-lence, are now completely overwhelmed. That has left tensof thousands of new arrivals with nowhere to shelter fromthe monsoon rains. Most have walked for days and the

United Nations says many are sick, exhausted and in des-perate need of shelter, food and water. The UN’s Zeid saidhe was “appalled” by reports that Myanmar security forceswere laying mines near the border to stop the Rohingyareturning. Three Rohingya are reported to have been killedby a mine, and at least two more have lost limbs. One ofthe victims was a young boy.

On Sunday the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA)militant group whose attacks sparked the latest crack-down, declared a unilateral ceasefire to allow aid to reachthe increasingly desperate refugees. There was no immedi-ate response from Myanmar’s military, but on Saturdayauthorities said they would set up three relief camps inRohingya-majority areas.—AFP

Maldives suspends 56 lawyers who cited violations by courts

COLOMBO: The Maldives’ judicial authorities have sus-pended 56 lawyers after they accused the country’s courtsand other institutions of not upholding the rule of law, alawyer said yesterday. The indefinite suspensions wereannounced Sunday night, hours after the lawyers submit-ted a petition to the attorney general complaining thatcourts were conducting cases in haste behind closeddoors, according to Husnu Suood, who heads the privateMaldives Lawyers’ Association. The petition cited court vio-lations especially in cases against opposition politicians.The same lawyers had earlier tried to bring these issues tothe Supreme Court, but their document was rejected,Suood said.

United Nations warns of ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Myanmar’s Muslims

Dalai Lama urges Suu Kyi to find peaceful solution to crisis

NEW DELHI: Indian activists hold placards during a protest against the government of Myanmar over the treat-ment of Rohingya Muslims in New Delhi.—AFP

SYDNEY: As Australia prepares for a con-tentious postal vote on legalizing gay mar-riage, fierce divisions have emerged withinthe church, with many Christians disregardingtraditional religious views as outdated.Although attitudes to same-sex marriage varyacross denominations and congregations-andeven between the pulpit and the pews-manyAustralians view the church as the greatestsource of resistance to such unions.

“I think it is really bad news for thechurch that it is seen as taking this exclu-sive, judgmental, unloving stance toward asignificant part of the Australian communi-ty,” Reverend Margaret Mayman, minister ofthe Pitt Street Uniting Church in Sydney,told AFP. “There is obviously a huge gapbetween the leadership of some denomina-tions and the people in the pews,” she said.

A recent survey commissioned by equal-ity advocates found two thirds of Catholicssupport gay marriage, as do 59 percent ofAnglican, Uniting Church and Church ofEngland followers. Ballots have been dis-patched to some 15 million Australians,with the voluntary poll due kick off Tuesdayand close on November 7, with the resultout later that month. If most Australians say“yes”, the government will hold a parliamen-tary vote on the issue, but no action will betaken in the event of a “no” outcome.

Fear-mongering Some of the country ’s most senior

Catholics have openly encouraged follow-ers to vote against gay marriage. “TheCatholic Church... teaches that marriage is anatural institution established by God to be

a permanent union between one man andone woman, intended towards the forma-tion of a family in which children are bornand nurtured,” Melbourne Archbishop DenisHart said in an open letter last month.

Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisherwarned that a move to legalize same-sexmarriage would threaten the religiousfreedoms of teachers and doctors inCatholic institutions who would be forcedto fall in line with views they did not hold.Other prominent figures have acknowl-edged a divide between the church andthe public. “There is almost total unanimityamongst the young in favor of same-sexmarriage, and arguments against it havealmost no impact on them,” Father ChrisMiddleton, rector of one of Australia’s mostprestigious Catholic schools, XavierCollege, wrote recently to teachers, par-ents and students.

Outspoken Anglican minister ReverendKeith Mascord said arguments that gaymarriage violated long-held doctrine orthreatened religious freedoms were irrele-vant. “The church has got a terrible, shame-ful legacy, which it’s adding to by fear-mon-gering and campaigning,” he said. On theopposing side, the Coalition of Marriage,backed by the Australian Christian Lobby,has become the face of the “no” drive.

Controversial advertisements from thegroup featuring mothers complainingabout schools encouraging boys to weardresses or about children being asked torole play same-sex unions have beenbranded offensive and scaremongering bygay rights advocates. —AFP

BEIJING: A Taiwanese democracy activistpleaded guilty yesterday to charges ofattempting to subvert Chinese govern-ment power during a trial in China thathis wife called a “political show” and fur-ther soured cross-strait ties. Lee Ming-cheh appeared alongside a Chinese co-defendant named Peng Yuhua at Yueyangintermediate people’s court in centralHunan province, according to videofootage posted on the court’s officialsocial media account.

A shaven-headed Lee appeared nerv-ous as he confessed to charges of “sub-verting state power”, stating that he hadwritten and distributed online articlesthat criticized China’s ruling CommunistParty and promoted democracy amongother topics. “I know that my behaviordefinitely violated Chinese law,” said Lee,an NGO worker who was arrested duringa trip to the Chinese mainland in March.“The television news I watched in prisonhas made me understand China’s devel-opment a little better. I know that my pastthinking and the information I receivedwas mistaken,” he said.

“This mistaken thinking led me to vio-late the law. I express my guilt andregrets.” The articles were written at thedirection of Peng, who he had becomeacquainted with online and had met sev-eral times on the Chinese mainland, Leesaid under questioning from a prosecutor.Taiwan’s presidential spokesman AlexHuang said Taipei was “highly concerned”about Lee, including “his health and therights he’s entitled to.”

“The government’s consistent stance isto ensure his personal safety and to makeevery effort we can to bring him homesafely, under the premise of safeguardingour nation’s dignity,” Huang said. The trialconcluded Monday afternoon, but it isunclear when a verdict will beannounced.

Big political show His wife and mother travelled to

Hunan for the trial and his supportersgathered outside the courthouse inYueyang city. Both women were accom-panied by officials from Taiwan’s semi-offi-cial Straits Exchange Foundation, whichhandles relations with the mainland. Afterthe trial, his wife, Lee Ching-yu, showedreporters permanent tattoos on both herforearms that read, “I am proud of you,Lee Ming-cheh.”

“I knew I wouldn’t be able to bring any-thing into the courtroom with me, exceptfor the expression in my eyes,” she said,her voice wavering. In a separate writtenstatement, she said she was allowed tosee her husband and that after “beinglovers for more than 20 years, I can tellwhether what he speaks is genuine ornot.” “The world and I today witnessed thisbig political show, and also witnessed thedifference between Taiwan’s core beliefsand values and that of China,” she said.

Lee has long supported civil societyorganizations and activists in China,according to Amnesty International. Hehad shared “Taiwan’s democratic experi-ences” with his Chinese friends online formany years and often mailed books tothem, said the Taiwan Association forHuman Rights. After Lee went missingChinese authorities confirmed he wasbeing investigated for suspected activities“endangering national security”.

The language the two co-defendantsused to confess their crimes soundedrehearsed, according to Patrick Poon, aChina researcher at Amnesty International.The “language they used was so much likethe Chinese government’s”, he said, callingit a “sham trial.” Frances Eve, researcher forthe charity Chinese Human RightsDefenders, said the trial’s “phony trans-parency” was an attempt to deflect atten-tion from the serious denial of Lee’s dueprocess rights. —AFP

SYDNEY: This picture shows demonstrators taking part in a same-sex marriage rallyin Sydney.—AFP

Australia gay marriage debate highlights church divisions

Taiwanese activist pleads guilty to Chinese

subversion charges

HUNAN: Lee Ching-yu, wife of Taiwaneseactivist Lee Ming-Che shows the tattoowords on her arms, which reads ‘LeeMing-Che, I’m proud of you’ to thereporters at a hotel room after attend-ing her husband’s trial at the YueyangIntermediate People’s Court in southChina’s Hunan province.—AP

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Hurricane Irma has weakened but continued a furiousclimb up the Florida coast, toppling cranes, swallowingstreets and leaving millions without power, after a mul-

ti-billion-dollar rampage through the Caribbean. At least 30people have been killed since last week. The storm was down-graded to a Category 1 hurricane yesterday, after striking theFlorida Keys island chain as a more powerful Category 4 onSunday. But warnings of hazardous storm surges remained ineffect through vast swaths of the Florida peninsula. Maximumsustained winds had decreased to 75 miles per hour as of 5:00am local time. While southwest Florida bore the deadly bruntof Irma, the eastern coastlines of Miami and the barrier islandof Miami Beach were heavily inundated by storm surges.

Toll from IrmaThe death toll is at least 30: 14 in the French island of St

Barts and the neighboring Dutch-French territory of St Martin;six in the British Caribbean islands; at least four in the US VirginIslands; at least two in Puerto Rico; and one in Barbuda. Threeother deaths occurred in Florida due to car accidents sparkedby strong winds and torrential rain. More than four million cus-tomers were without power throughout Florida, according tothe state’s Division of Emergency Management. More than sixmillion people had been ordered to flee their homes in one ofthe biggest evacuations in US history. The combined economiccost of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma could reach $290 billion,equivalent to 1.5 percent of the US gross domestic product, USforecaster AccuWeather said in a report.

BarbudaIrma first made landfall on the tiny Caribbean island of

Barbuda on Wednesday as a Category 5 hurricane, with windsof up to 295 kph. The island suffered “absolute devastation,”with up to 30 percent of properties demolished, Prime MinisterGaston Browne said. One person is known to have died on theisland of 1,600 residents, apparently a child whose family wastrying to get to safer ground.

St Martin, St Barts, Anguilla The holiday islands of St Martin and St Barts, also hit on

Wednesday, suffered the highest toll among Caribbean victimsof Irma. St Martin is divided between France and theNetherlands. France said 10 people had died on its side of theisland, while the Netherlands said the storm killed four on theDutch side, called Sint Maarten, where 70 percent of the infra-structure has been destroyed. France’s state-owned reinsurerCCR estimates damage on the two islands at 1.2 billion euros($1.4 billion). France and the Netherlands are rushing in logisti-cal support, as well as hundreds of extra police to clamp downon looting. French aid includes helicopters, engineering equip-ment, medical supplies and a million litres of water, as the threewater-treatment plants will be knocked out for months. FrenchPresident Emmanuel Macron will arrive in St Martin today.

Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico Five people were killed in the British Virgin Islands, accord-

ing to the local government. Just east of Puerto Rico, it is hometo roughly 28,000 people and includes British billionaireRichard Branson’s Necker Island. At least four people werekilled in the US Virgin Islands, officials said. At least two peoplewere killed in the US territory of Puerto Rico, and more thanhalf of its three million residents were without power afterrivers broke their banks in the centre and north of the island.

Dominican Republic, Haiti Some 20,000 people were evacuated and more than 2,000

homes affected by floods in the Dominican Republic, the east-ern part of the island of Hispaniola, which is also shared withHaiti. Irma brought flooding and caused injuries in Haiti, butpassed further north than had been forecast, sparing theimpoverished island the worst.

CubaTerrified Cubans who rode out Irma in coastal towns-after it

made landfall Friday on the Camaguey archipelago as a maxi-mum-strength Category 5 storm-reported “deafening” winds,uprooted trees and power lines, and rooftops blown off. Therewere no immediate reports of casualties in Cuba but it causedsignificant damage, and enormous waves lashed the Malecon,Havana’s emblematic seafront, with seawaters penetratingdeep into the capital. Residents in the old colonial city werewaist-deep in floodwaters after Irma cut power and forced theevacuation of more than a million people.

Irma: Where next?Forecasters expect Irma will become a tropical storm lat-

er, but warnings of hazardous storm surges persisted in sev-eral areas even after the worst of its ferocity had passed. Themassive storm’s center was forecast to move near the north-western coast of Florida before crossing into the state ofGeorgia later into Monday. The National Hurricane Centercautioned that tornadoes remained possible in northeastFlorida as well as southeast parts of Georgia and SouthCarolina into the evening.

A state of emergency has been declared in Georgia, SouthCarolina and Virginia, as well as in Florida. President DonaldTrump said on Sunday he would go to Florida “very soon” toassess relief efforts. — AFP

FOCUS

A N A L Y S I STUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

Hurricane Irma:

What we know

By Joe Dyke

Israel has suspended granting work visas for new foreigncharity workers arriving in the country, humanitarianssay, in a move that could impede aid to Palestinians.

Dozens of aid workers from major international NGOs havebeen unable to get work visas or faced delays in recentmonths, the humanitarians say. Israel says the matter is pro-cedural, but has not found a permanent solution to theissue in more than a year.

“This situation could escalate into crippled humanitarianoperations,” a senior aid worker said. Israeli officials stronglydenied that the delay was intentional, with the social affairsministry calling any such suggestion a “false accusation”.Palestinians are heavily dependent on aid, with more thantwo-thirds in the beleaguered Gaza Strip reliant upon it,according to the United Nations. Much of it is delivered byinternational charities, which usually operate through Israel.

Since June, however, no new aid workers have been ableto get a B1 work visa, the most common type for foreign NGOworkers in the country. This followed similar suspensionsfrom August to December 2016 and from March to April thisyear. Dozens of aid workers have been affected so far, thehumanitarians said, with a number stuck outside the countrywaiting for their visas to come through.

‘They can’t replace me’ Others are working illegally on tourist visas, but fear they

could be expelled. “A country director who is waiting outsidethe country for months means timely delivery of aid will beaffected,” the senior aid worker said.

Another aid worker who arrived in Israel in June told AFPshe waited two months to hear from the ministry of socialaffairs to no avail. In August, the aid worker travelled outsideIsrael and on her return she said authorities told her she hada month to sort out her situation or leave. She expects toleave Israel in the coming days. “They can’t replace me, as anyforeigner they bring in will have the same problem,” she toldAFP on condition of anonymity.

The head of the charity’s operations in the occupied WestBank is due to arrive in the coming weeks but is expected toface the same predicament. Around 300 international NGOstaff, including country heads, need B1 visas approved on ayearly basis, but to do so they need a letter of recommenda-tion from the ministry of social affairs. Without such lettersthe interior ministry will not issue the visa, but the ministryof social affairs has said it is no longer its responsibility. Andthe interior ministry has said it could not issue new visaswithout the letters.

‘Important work’ The ministry of social affairs said the delays were due to

“ongoing inter-ministerial considerations regarding the appli-cations approval procedure”.

“We believe the temporal delay will soon end, hope-fully with minimal effect on the important work done by

aid organizations and NGOs,” it said in a statement to AFP.Aid workers said, however, the problem began over ayear ago and some expressed concerns the Israeli gov-ernment is seeking to make their work harder. The min-istry of social affairs said they “absolutely and completelydeny this false accusation”.

Previous delays were resolved when the ministry tem-porarily returned to the practice of delivering the letters.Early this year, Israel passed a law allowing the interior min-istry to ban entry to supporters of a movement boycottingIsrael over its occupation of Palestinian territories. The senioraid worker suggested the ministry of social affairs could bewary of giving recommendation letters as it does not havethe ability to properly vet individuals. Israeli officials haveaccused a number of aid workers of being biased towards thePalestinians and of being manipulated by the Islamist move-ment Hamas.

The Gaza head of the international Christian charity WorldVision is on trial in Israel for allegedly providing support toHamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by Israel,the United States and the European Union. Rights groupsalso fear their work is being curtailed by the Israeli govern-ment, considered the most right-wing in the country’s histo-ry. In February, Israel refused a visa for the American countryhead of Human Rights Watch, accusing the group of being“fundamentally biased” towards the Palestinians. After inter-national condemnation, however, the Israeli governmentreversed position and granted the visa. — AFP

By Shoon Naing and Simon Lewis

Communal tensions appeared to be rising acrossMyanmar yesterday after two weeks of violence inRakhine state that have triggered an exodus of

about 300,000 Rohingya Muslims, prompting the govern-ment to tighten security at Buddhist pagodas. A mob ofabout 70 people armed with sticks and swords threatenedto attack a mosque in the central town of Taung Dwin Gyion Sunday evening, shouting “this is our country, this isour land”, according to the mosque’s imam, MuftiSunlaiman. “We shut down the lights in the mosque andsneaked out,” the mufti, who was in the mosque at thetime, told Reuters by phone.

The government said in a statement that the mob wasdispersed after police with riot shields fired rubber bullets.Rumors have spread on social media that Muslims, whorepresent about 4.3 percent of the Buddhist-majoritycountry’s population of 51.4 million, would stage attackson Sept. 11 to avenge violence against the Rohingya innorthern Rakhine. Attacks by Arakan Rohingya SalvationArmy (ARSA) militants on police posts and an army baseon Aug. 25 provoked a military counter-offensive and amass migration of villagers into the Cox’s Bazar region ofsouthern Bangladesh.

Myanmar says its security forces are carrying out clear-ance operations to defend against ARSA, which the gov-ernment has declared a terrorist organization. Humanrights monitors and fleeing Rohingya say the army andRakhine Buddhist vigilantes have mounted a campaign ofarson aimed at driving out the Rohingya, whose popula-tion is estimated at around 1.1 million. The governmentsaid on Saturday that it would take legal action againstanyone spreading rumours that could lead to religiousconflict. Security has been stepped up on Mandalay Hill, apeak overlooking the city of Mandalay studded with pago-das that is popular with Buddhist pilgrims, the MyanmarTimes reported.

In social media groups, Muslims have voiced fear thatother mosques will come under attack and proposedtighter security, according to posts seen by Reuters. Muslimelders have urged people to show restraint, the postsshowed. Tensions between Buddhists and Muslims havesimmered since scores were killed and tens of thousandsdisplaced in communal clashes accompanying the onset ofthe country’s democratic transition in 2012 and 2013.

But after ARSA attacks on police posts last October, ten-sions have risen. In Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city,Buddhist nationalists raided two madrassas in April andforced authorities to close them down on the grounds theydid not have a permit to operate as a place of worship. InMay, several nationalists led by the Patriotic Monks Union

raided flats in a Yangon district with a large Muslim popula-tion, igniting scuffles that were only broken up when policefired shots into the air.

Rohingya trapped Myanmar on Sunday rebuffed a ceasefire declared by

ARSA to enable the delivery of aid to thousands of dis-placed people in northern Rakhine, declaring simply that itdid not negotiate with terrorists. Thousands of Rohingya inthe north-western state have been left without shelter orfood, and many are still trying to cross mountains, densebush and rice fields to reach Bangladesh.

The estimate of new arrivals in Cox’s Bazar on Sundaywas 294,000 and UN officials working there said there werediscussions under way to revise up the prediction made lastweek that it would reach 300,000.

Thousands of Rohingya refugees are still stranded onthe Myanmar side of the River Naf, which separates the

two countries, with the biggest gathering south of theRakhine state town of Maungdaw, monitors and sources inthe area said. A Maungdaw resident told Reuters by phonethat about 500 houses south of the town were set on fireearly yesterday.

The people - many hungry and exhausted after a days-long march through the mountains and bushes in the mon-soon rain - have been unable to cross because of a crack-down on Bangladeshi boatmen charging 10,000 taka ($122)or more, sources said. The significant number of people inthe area raises fears of a further influx into Bangladesh,where humanitarian agencies and local communities arealready struggling. The Myanmar government hasannounced it will build camps for internally displaced peo-ple and provide humanitarian assistance. Details of theplans have not been spelled out and it is not clear that peo-ple would be willing to live in the camps rather than crossto Bangladesh. — Reuters

Rohingya crisis fans communal

tensions across Myanmar

Aid workers fear fallout from Israel visa suspension

TEKNAF: Local Bangladeshis help Rohingya Muslim refugees disembark from a boat on the Bangladeshi side of Naf rivernear the Bangladeshi town of Teknaf yesterday. The number of Rohingya who have fled violence in Myanmar’s Rakhinestate and entered Bangladesh since August 25 has reached 313,000, a UN spokesman said. — AFP

N E W STUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

Continued from Page 1

“My heart just pounded out of my chest the wholetime,” said Hally, 37. “You hear stuff hitting your roof. Ithonestly sounds like somebody is just whistling at yourwindow the whole night. It’s really scary.”

As officials and residents began to assess the damagearound the state, Governor Rick Scott said he would trav-el later on to the keys. Irma first came ashore at CudjoeKey as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of upto 130 mph. “I’ve heard there’s some significant damage,right where the eye of the storm hit,” Scott told NBC’s“Today” show. “We’ll find out.” A large military airbornerelief operation was being prepared to take help to theislands, which are linked by a dramatic series of bridgesand causeways from Key Largo almost 100 miles south-west to the city of Key West, Monroe County EmergencyDirector Martin Senterfitt told a teleconference.

The state’s largest city, Miami, was spared the brunt ofthe storm but was still battered. Utility crews werealready on the streets there clearing downed trees andutility lines. All causeways leading to Miami Beach wereclosed by police. Much of the state’s east and west coastsremained vulnerable yesterday to storm surges, whenhurricanes push ocean water dangerously over normallevels. That risk extended to the coast of Georgia andparts of South Carolina, the hurricane center said.

As it traveled through the center of the state early yes-terday, Irma brought gusts of up to 100 mph and torren-tial rain to areas around Orlando, one of the most popu-lar areas for tourism in Florida because of its cluster oftheme parks, the National Weather Service said. InDaytona Beach, on the east coast about 55 miles north-east of Orlando, city streets were flooded and emergencyauthorities carried out several water rescues, the DaytonaBeach Police Department said on Twitter.

Over the weekend, Irma claimed its first US fatality - aman found dead in a pickup truck that had crashed into atree in high winds in the town of Marathon, in the FloridaKeys, local officials said. During its passage through theCaribbean en route to Florida, Irma was ranked at therare top end of the scale of hurricane intensity, aCategory 5, for days. It carried maximum sustained windsof up to 185 mph when it crashed into the island ofBarbuda on Wednesday. Ahead of Irma’s arrival, some 6.5million people in southern Florida, about a third of thestate’s population, were ordered to evacuate their homes.Some 200,000 were housed in shelters during the storm,according to federal officials.

Damage estimatesThe storm did some $20 billion to $40 billion in dam-

age to insured property as it tore through Florida, catas-trophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide estimated. Highwinds snapped power lines and left about 5.8 millionFlorida homes and businesses without power, state datashowed. Miami International Airport, one of the busiestin the country, halted passenger flights yesterday.According to the FlightAware.com tracking site, a total of3,582 US flights were canceled yesterday, mostly as aresult of the storm.

Irma was forecast to cross the eastern FloridaPanhandle and move into southern Georgia later in theday, dumping as much as 16 inches of rain, governmentforecasters said. Police in Miami-Dade County said theyhad made 29 arrests for looting and burglary. Irma, whichhit just days after the Houston area was deluged byunprecedented flooding in Texas from Hurricane Harvey,was expected to cause billions of dollars in damage tothe third-most-populous US state. Investor relief overIrma’s weakening yesterday helped boost world shares toa record high. — Reuters

Irma wreaks havoc in Florida

MISANO: Tasca Racing team’s Belgian rider Xavier Simeon falls from his bike during the San Marino Moto2 Grand Prix race at the Marco Simoncelli Circuit in Misano yesterday. — AFP

BARCELONA: Thousands of Catalan separatists rallied yesterdayto demand their region break away from Spain, in a show ofstrength three weeks ahead of an independence referendumbanned by Madrid. Draped in red, yellow and blue separatistflags—with one banner reading “Goodbye Spain”—theymarched through central Barcelona in what many hope will bethe last protest before independence. “If there is huge mobiliza-tion, they can’t do anything in Madrid,” says Jordi Calatayud, a21-year-old economics student of the October 1 vote. “Catalanpeople will make independence possible, if there are a lot of us,they can’t stop us.”

Some 400,000 people had signed up to join the demonstra-tion in Barcelona, part of an escalating struggle between thewealthy northeastern province and Spain’s central government.The protest coincides with Catalonia’s national day, the “Diada”,which marks the fall of Barcelona in the War of the SpanishSuccession in 1714 and the region’s subsequent loss of institu-tions and freedoms. Since 2012 the holiday has been used byseparatists to press for an independent state. “There are 20days left (until the referendum) and the mobilization thatprompted this process remains intact,” Catalonia’s pro-indepen-dence president Carles Puigdemont told reporters.

One-sided Diada Those against independence complained that a day meant

for all Catalans had been hijacked by the separatists-and evenmore so this year ahead of the referendum. “The theme oftoday’s protest is ‘Diada of the Yes’,” Ines Arrimadas, the leader inCatalonia of the anti-independence Ciudadanos party, said onSpanish television. “That means that those of us who aren’t infavour of independence cannot participate,” she added. PrimeMinister Mariano Rajoy, whose conservative government isfiercely against the vote, wished Catalonia “a good day”, calling“for a Diada of freedom, cohabitation and respect for allCatalans”.

Demonstrators will take the shape of a giant “X” by gather-

ing on the Paseo de Gracia and Aragon avenues in centralBarcelona to represent the mark Catalans will make on their bal-lots during the referendum. If the “Yes” side wins the vote,Catalonia’s regional government has vowed to declare inde-pendence within 48 hours and set about building a sovereignstate. With Spain’s central government promising to block thereferendum, the pro-independence camp is keen to show thatit can rally its troops-especially after participation in the “Diada”declined last year.

Region divided Rajoy’s conservative government argues the vote violates

the constitution, which states that only central authorities cancall a referendum. Following a legal challenge from his govern-ment, Spain’s Constitutional Court suspended a referendum lawthat was fast-tracked through Catalonia’s regional parliamenton Wednesday. Police have searched a Catalan printing houseand a local weekly newspaper suspected of making ballots forthe referendum while Spain’s state prosecutor has launchedcriminal proceedings against Puigdemont and other Catalanofficials. Catalan society is deeply divided over independence.

In a survey by the Catalan Centre of Opinion Studies in July,41.1 percent backed independence while 49.9 percent rejectedit. Some 70 percent wanted a referendum, however, to settlethe question once and for all. Like the referendum held inBritain last year on the country’s membership in the EuropeanUnion, the issue in Catalonia pits rural areas-which are morepro-independence-against large urban centers like Barcelonathat are more in favor of remaining in Spain.

Catalonia, which is roughly the same size as Belgium andhas its own language and customs, already has significant pow-ers over matters such as education and healthcare. But Spain’seconomic problems, coupled with a perception that thewealthy northeastern region’s 7.5 million people pay more intaxes to Madrid than they get in return, have pushed the inde-pendence question to the centre stage. — AFP

‘Goodbye Spain’: Thousands rally for

Catalan independence before vote

S PORTSTUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

LONDON: Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne says beating theclub’s biggest rivals will be key to challenging for the Premier League titleafter Pep Guardiola’s side swept Liverpool aside in impressive style. City failedto sustain a title challenge last season and their recordagainst the other teams that finished in the top sevenproved a major shortfall. In games against Chelsea,Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United andEverton, City, who ended the campaign third and 15 pointsoff the top, collected just 11 points. But City demolishedLiverpool 5-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and arenow level with Manchester United at the top of the tableon 10 points. “The only thing we didn’t do last yearwas win the big games,” De Bruyne, who set upgoals for Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus, saidafter Saturday’s match. —AFP

PARIS: Dutch Superbike rider Michael van der Mark will stand in for injuredstar Valentino Rossi at the Aragon MotoGP later this month, Yamahaannounced yesterday. Nine-time world champion Rossi is recovering from a

broken leg sustained in a training accident last month.The 38-year-old missed Sunday’s race in San Marino, andwill be absent again in Aragon on September 24 with aforecast return to action in Japan in October. Van derMark, who has experience in the former 125cc class andin Moto2, will be making his MotoGP debut without anyprior testing. “I’ve never ridden a MotoGP bike before, so

this will be a completely new experience for me,” the 24-year-old said in a statement released by Yamaha.

Yamaha Motor Racing managing director LinJarvis commented: “It is never easy to step in toreplace another rider and even more difficultto replace Valentino Rossi. —AFP

WELLINGTON: Team New Zealand have chosen to defend theirAmerica’s Cup title using high performance monohulls rather than thefuturistic catamarans used in the past two editions of sailing’s blueriband. In a statement released yesterday the America’s Cup holdersexplained the thinking behind a return to a more conventional styleboat. “Emirates Team New Zealand have been consulting with a numberof potential challengers and there is an overall desire to have a spectac-ular monohull yacht that will be exciting to match race. “But also onethat the public and sailors can relate to as a sail boat that really chal-lenges a full crew of professional yachtsman around the race track,” thestatement read. The return to monohulls was championed by PatrizioBertelli, CEO of Italian fashion house Prada and team principal of Italy’sLuna Rossa. In their capacity as the official challenger of record, LunaRossa are able to negotiate the rules and conditions of the next regatta.Monohulls last featured in an America’s Cup in 2010, when the UnitedStates’ Oracle beat Swiss team Alinghi in Valencia, Spain. — AFP

Amazing monohulls make America’s Cup return

Van der Mark in for Rossi at Aragon

De Bruyne targets big games in title push

BASEBALL

RUGBY

OAKLAND: Matt Olson #28 of the Oakland Athletics tags out baserunner Marwin Gonzalez #9 of the Houston Astros at first base in the second inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on Sunday in Oakland, California. — AFP

WASHINGTON: Washington became the firstteam in the majors to clinch a playoff spot thisseason, winning the NL East as StephenStrasburg extended his scoreless streak to afranchise-record 34 innings. More than 90 min-utes after Washington finished off the Phillies,Nationals Park erupted again when LaneAdams hit a two-run, 11th-inning homer tolead Atlanta over second-place Miami, sealingthe division title for the fourth time in six years.Strasburg (13-4) threw two-hit ball for eightinnings and struck out 10. He hasn’t allowed arun since Aug. 19 at San Diego, his first startsince coming off the disabled list with anelbow nerve impingement. Ryan Madson gaveup Nick Williams’ bloop two-out, two-run sin-gle before retiring Rhys Hoskins on a grounderfor his second save this season and first sincethe Nationals acquired him from Oakland onJuly 16. Rookie Ben Lively (3-6) allowed six hitsand struck out seven in his first career com-plete game, the first for the Phillies this year.

INDIANS 3, ORIOLES 2The Cleveland Indians stretched their fran-

chise-record winning streak to 18 games, beat-ing the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 Sunday nightbehind homers from Francisco Lindor andRoberto Perez. Cleveland’s streak is the longestin the majors since Oakland won 20 straight in2002. The best run in baseball history belongsto the New York Giants, who had a 26-gamestreak in 1916, according to the Elias SportsBureau. The Giants’ streak included a tie, whichdoesn’t count as a game in baseball. The crowdof 21,259 roared in the ninth inning as CodyAllen recorded his 26th save. He struck out thefirst two hitters and retired Trey Mancini on aline drive to right field to end the game. Perezsnapped a 1-all tie in the sixth with a leadoffhomer. Lindor then broke two bats while run-ning the count to 3-2 before homering to right.Cleveland’s All-Star shortstop, using a battossed to him by teammate Abraham Almonte,

looked at the dugout and smiled as his 29thhomer of the season sailed into the seats.Trevor Bauer (16-8) allowed two runs in 6 1/3innings for Cleveland. Jeremy Hellickson (3-3)gave up three runs in six innings.

BRAVES 10, MARLINS 8Rio Ruiz had a tying, two-run single with

two outs in a three-run ninth inning and LaneAdams hit a two-run homer off Vance Worley(2-5) in the 11th. Dee Gordon broke an eighth-inning tie with his first career pinch-homer.Christian Yelich hit an RBI double in the ninthand scored on Justin Bour’s sacrifice fly toboost the lead to 8-5. Arodys Vizcaino (5-3)allowed two hits in two scoreless innings.

ROCKIES 8, DODGERS 1The NL West leaders lost their 10th straight

game for their worst skid in 25 years and havedropped 15 of 16 yet still have the best record inthe majors at 92-51. Mark Reynolds hit a grandslam, Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story alsohomered, and Tyler Chatwood (7-12) allowedfive hits in five scoreless innings. Rich Hill (9-8)gave up two runs and four hits in five innings.

ATHLETICS 10, ASTROS 2Astros ace Dallas Keuchel (12-4) walked in

two runs and forced in another by hittinganother during a shaky sixth inning asOakland completed a four-game sweep ofHouston, which entered tied with Clevelandfor the best record in the AL. Keuchel allowedfour runs over 5 2/3 innings. KendallGraveman (5-4) pitched five-hit ball over sixinnings and allowed one run.

BREWERS 3, CUBS 1Travis Shaw hit a two-run homer to back

Zach Davies (17-8) as Milwaukee complete athree-game sweep and closed within twogames of the NL Central-leading Cubs.Chicago entered the series with a five-game

division lead, a season high, but the defendingWorld Series champions totaled three runs inthe series. Milwaukee and St. Louis trailColorado by three games for the second NLwild card. Davies allowed one run and sevenhits in seven innings, and Corey Knebel gotthree outs for his 34th save. Kyle Hendricks (6-5)gave up three runs and four hits in six innings.

CARDINALS 7, PIRATES 0Yadier Molina hit a three-run homer and

tied a career high with five RBIs to backMichael Wacha (12-7), who gave up five hits ineight innings. St. Louis has won three in a rowand seven of eight. Pittsburgh dropped its fifthin a row and slumped to 10 games under .500for the first time since 2011. Ivan Nova (11-13)gave up five runs and five in hits five innings.

RAYS 4, RED SOX 1With Tampa Bay players’ thinking about

Hurricane Irma approaching home, they beatBoston to avoid a three-game sweep and dealreigning AL Cy Young Award winner RickPorcello his major league-leading 17th loss.Porcello (9-17) took a 1-0 lead into the fifth,when Wilson Ramos and Evan Longoria hit RBIsingles. Boston has scored two runs or fewer18 times in 30 starts while Porcello was in thegame. Ramos homered in the sixth offBrandon Workman, and Lucas Duda wentdeep in the seventh against Robby Scott.Tampa Bay stopped Boston’s four-game win-ning streak. Alex Cobb (11-9) allowed one runand four hits - all singles - and three walks infive innings. Alex Colome pitched a perfectninth to complete a five-hitter and earn hismajor-league leading 43rd save in 48 chances.

YANKEES 16, RANGERS 7Aaron Judge became the second major

league rookie with a 40 homer season, goingdeep twice as New York moved 31/2 gamesahead of Minnesota for the AL’s top wild card

and closed within 31/2 games of AL East-leading Boston. Texas trails the Twins by 21/2games. Gar y Sanchez also hit two solohomers for the Yankees, giving him 30 thisseason and 50 in his 161 games since his2015 debut. With Judge’s AL-best 40th homerin the fourth, the 25-year-old joined BabeRuth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and MickeyMantle as the only Yankees to hit 40 homersat age 25 or younger. Judge added No. 41two innings later, a drive that would havegone 463 feet unimpeded, according toMLB’s Statcast. Mark McGwire hit a league-high 49 homers as a rookie for Oakland in1987. Chad Green (4-0) struck out four in 21/3 innings. A.J. Griffin (6-6) gave up five runspitching into the fourth.

ROYALS 11, TWINS 3Jason Vargas (15-10) stopped his four-game

losing streak and set a career high for wins,giving up one run and four hits in five innings.Brandon Moss homered and drove in four runsas Kansas City (71-71) gained a four-game splitand moved within 2 1/2 games of Minnesota.Bartolo Colon (6-12) retired only five of 11 bat-ters in his shortest outing this year, allowingsix runs and six hits.

ANGELS 5, MARINERS 3Justin Upton had a tiebreaking, two-run

double in the eighth off Nick Vincent (3-2) tohelp Los Angeles avoid a sweep and close with-in one game of Minnesota for the second ALwild card spot. Mike Trout and Luis Valbuenahad solo homers. Cam Bedrosian (6-4) pitched ascoreless seventh, and Yusmeiro Petit closedwith a perfect ninth for his third save.

DIAMONDBACKS 3, PADRES 2Paul Goldschmidt homered on his 30th

birthday and J.D. Martinez went deep twice.Robbie Ray (13-5) won his fourth straight start,striking out 12 in six innings while allowing

two runs and four hits. Archie Bradley got thecall over closer Fernando Rodney in the ninthand earned his first save this season by strikingout the side. Arizona remained five gamesahead of second-place Colorado for the NL’stop wild card. Luis Perdomo (7-10) gave upthree runs and five hits in six innings.

REDS 10, METS 5Reds manager Bryan Price put his argu-

ment with a pair of umpires on pause for thesinging of “God Bless America,” then resumedthe argument. Cincinnati went on to winbehind Tucker Barnhart’s career-high five RBIs.The Reds rallied for three runs in the seventhto make it 5-all. Scooter Gennett was calledout on strikes by plate umpire ShaneLivensparger to end the inning, slammeddown his bat and helmet, and was ejected,setting off the confrontation. JacksonStephens (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.Raisel Iglesias got six outs for his 26th save.Jeurys Familia (1-2) was the loser.

BLUE JAYS 8, TIGERS 2Teoscar Hernandez hit his first two home

runs of the season and Darwin Barney hadfour hits. Detroit dropped to 60-82 with itseighth loss in 10 games this month. The Tigers’only other losing record since 2008 was 74-87two years ago. J.A. Happ (8-10) allowed tworuns - one earned - and five hits in six innings,and Luis Santos finished for his first save.Anibal Sanchez (3-4) gave up seven runs and aseason-high 12 hits in 4 2/3 innings.

WHITE SOX 8, GIANTS 1Jose Abreu homered twice, a day after hit-

ting for the cycle. Carson Fulmer (2-1) won hisfirst major league game as a starter, allowingone run and three hits in six innings. MadisonBumgarner (3-8) gave up six runs and 10 hitsin five innings - the most runs and hits he’sallowed this season. —AP

Nationals win NL East, clinch playoff spot

WELLINGTON: New Zealand are expecting avintage challenge from a resurgent South Africaside in their top-of-the-table RugbyChampionship encounter in Auckland nextweekend. All Blacks-Springboks clashes arealways among the highlights of the test seasonbut the rivalry lost some of its edge last yearafter the world champions won 41-13 at homeand 57-15 in Durban.

South Africa have rebounded from their mis-erable 2016, however, and go into Saturday’smatch at North Harbour stadium only threepoints behind the All Blacks after a 23-23 drawwith Australia at the weekend. “We all know theway the South Africans play,” All Blacks lockBrodie Retallick told local media yesterday.

“We’ve seen the last couple of weeks howphysical they’ve been, especially up front. As

always, they’re big boys and they like to come atyou. “Every test is special, but from what we’veseen so far in the Rugby Championship, they’vehad two great wins over Argentina and they’ll bea little bit frustrated with the draw againstAustralia in Perth.

“They’ll be coming here with a bit of anger,and with the skill and physicality they’re playingwith, I’m sure it’s going to be a good spectacle.”South Africa coach Allister Coetzee said at theweekend he was disappointed with the draw, ifproud of the way his side battled back from 10points down early in the second half to remainunbeaten in six tests this year.

He was also encouraged by the wayArgentina managed to put pressure on the AllBlacks in the first 60 minutes of their defeat lastweekend in New Plymouth. “I don’t see any

weaknesses in the All Black side,” Coetzee toldreporters in New Zealand yesterday.

“I think they are vulnerable but you still haveto be at your best to exploit that. “They haveobviously stepped up when they have neededto. You cannot afford to lose concentration orfocus. In the last 20 minutes they can easily score20 points.”

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has beenexperimenting with his side so it remains to beseen if the Springboks will have to contend withrookie flanker Vaea Fifita, who burned the Pumasdefence to score a try in his first test start lastSaturday.

“We’ve got some pretty quick loosies in thisteam, but that was just awesome to see him goout and take his opportunity like that,” said AllBlacks centre Ryan Crotty. —Reuters

All Blacks expecting huge test from resurgent Springboks

TOULON: RC Toulon’s New Zealander centre Ma’a Nonu (R) jumps for the ball duringthe French Top 14 rugby union match Toulon vs Toulouse at the Mayol Stadium onSunday in Toulon, southern France. — AFP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

s p o rt s

LONDON: Chris Froome was hailed in the Britishpress yesterday for completing a historic Tour deFrance-Vuelta a Espana double but coverage of hisfeat was relatively low-key. The 32-year-old joinsFrenchmen Jacques Anquetil (1963) and BernardHinault (1978) as the only riders to win the Tour andVuelta in the same year. But Froome is the first manto win both races since the Vuelta was moved toafter the Tour in the racing calendar in 1995.

The Times called it a “monumental achievement”and The Daily Mirror said he had pulled off “one ofthe most outstanding feats in British sporting histo-ry”. In the eyes of The Daily Telegraph, the four-timeTour de France champion now deserves to be con-sidered “one of the greats, not simply of cycling butof British sport”.

The Guardian emphasised the role played byTeam Sky and said Froome’s dominance of stageraces had “not been seen since Miguel Indurain’spurple patch between 1991 and 1995”. However,The Guardian was the only paper in whichFroome’s achievement was the leading sports sto-ry of the day, with football dominating elsewhere.Despite his phenomenal success, the quietly spo-ken Froome has never captured hearts in the sameway as his charismatic former Sky team-mateBradley Wiggins.

Explanations for his relative lack of popularityrange from the fact he was born in Kenya to the dop-ing suspicions that continue to swirl around his team.“Raised in Africa, resident in Monaco” was how TheTimes summed up how Froome is viewed in Britain.

British former cyclist David Millar, writing inThe Telegraph, said Froome “would probablyadmit deep down that he feels more African thanBritish”. In a piece entitled “So, why can’t wewarm to Froome?” The Mail’s chief sports writerMatt Lawton said doubts about Sky’s practicesand doping in cycling in general were also heldagainst the rider. Lawton said professional roadracing was still perceived to take place against a“backdrop of suspicion”.

He also highlighted revelations about Wiggins’suse of therapeutic use exemptions while racing forSky and the team’s failure to satisfactorily explain amysterious package that was sent to him during a2011 race. The Guardian’s Will Fotheringham wrote:“Team Sky have singularly failed to endear them-

selves to those with a romantic vision of cycling ordoubts over the sport’s ethical issues”.

After winning his third Tour de France lastyear, Froome was surprisingly left off the shortlistfor the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.The award, voted for by the general public,rewards the outstanding performer in Britishsport in each calendar year.

Millar said it would be “criminal” if Froomewere not shortlisted this year. Froome is current-ly the second favourite to win the award behindBritain’s world heavyweight boxing championAnthony Joshua.

When asked about his chances of winning thisyear’s award, Froome told British papers: “I am notgoing to hold my breath.” — AFP

Praise but little fanfare for double champ Froome

Shakib to sit out

of upcoming Tests

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan, the world’sleading all-rounder, will sit out of two Test matchesduring a tour of South Africa this month after ask-ing for a break from the longer format, selectorssaid yesterday. The 30-year-old has played everyTest for Bangladesh since missing two gamesagainst the West Indies in 2014, but earlier Mondayrequested a six-month sabbatical from the game“to refresh his body”.

Bangladesh will also play three one-day interna-tionals and two Twenty20 games in South Africa dur-ing their first tour to the country since 2008. Shakibearlier said he would be available for other formats.

But the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s decision toaccept the request means Shakib will also miss thetwo-Test series against Sri Lanka at home inDecember-January.

“We still cannot think of a team without Shakib.But he wanted a break and it was granted,” said chiefselector Minhajul Abedin while announcing the teamat a press conference in Dhaka. “He was playing for along time in all formats. So he needed a rest. Ofcourse, without him we will be on the back foot, stillwe have to manage it.”

He added that Shakib would be welcome back intothe team whenever he wished. The news comes amidconcerns over player fatigue, as well as criticism thatplayers are prioritising earning money over represent-ing their countries.

In Shakib’s absence, Bangladesh selectors recalledbatsman Mahmudullah, who missed the recent homeseries against Australia due to poor form. “We includ-ed Mahmudullah because he can do well abroad,where the ball comes first on to the bat. He is a seniorbatsman and an experienced batsman,” Abedin said.

Pace bowler Rubel Hossain and Subashis Roy alsoreturned to the side while the selectors dropped bats-man Nasir Hossain. The first Test will be held atSenwes Park, Potchefstroom from September 28 toOctober 2 while Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein willhost the second Test from October 6-10.

Squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Tamim Iqbal,Soumya Sarkar , Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Mahmudullah,Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Shafiul Islam, TaijulIslam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, RubelHossain, Subashis Roy, Mominul Haque. — AFP

GREEN BAY: Green Bay defensive lineman Mike Daniels’ stripsack of Russell Wilson deep in Seattle territory in the thirdquarter set up Ty Montgomery’s 6-yard touchdown run onthe next play to spark the Packers’ 17-9 win on Sunday.Aaron Rodgers was 28 of 42 for 311 yards and added a 32-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson to make it an eight-point game late in the third quarter. Rodgers’ regular-seasonstreak of passes without an interception ended at a career-high 251. The Seahawks’ defense reinforced by the return ofsafety Earl Thomas bottled up receivers from making manybig plays and put plenty of pressure on Rodgers. But thePackers started denting Seattle with runs or quick passes toNelson, Randall Cobb and Montgomery in the second half,chewing up clock in the process. A 12-play, 53-yard drivethat took up more than five minutes ended with MasonCrosby’s 40-yard field goal to make it a two-score game.Green Bay’s defense had an even better debut. Seattle man-aged just three field goals. Wilson was held to 14 of 27 for158 yards. The Packers held decisive edges in total yardage(370-225) and first downs (26-12). Green Bay held the ball for39 minutes.

COWBOYS 19, GIANTS 3Jason Witten scored the only touchdown while breaking

the franchise record for yards receiving and the Dallasdefense shackled a New York offense missing OdellBeckham Jr. Ezekiel Elliott had a rugged 104 yards rushingand another 36 receiving two days after a judge halted hissix-game suspension over a domestic violence case,although last year’s NFL rushing leader had already beencleared to play the opener. Dak Prescott was turnover-freewhile throwing for 268 yards as the Cowboys dominated theNFC East rival that swept them during a 13-3 season that

topped the NFC. Dan Bailey kicked four field goals. EliManning didn’t have Beckham in his 200th straight startafter his dynamic top target sprained his ankle in a presea-son game. The Giants were outgained in the first half 265-49while falling behind 16-0. Manning was 28 of 37 for 211yards with an interception and connected with new receiverBrandon Marshall just once, late on a desperation drive withthe outcome already settled. Witten scored the Cowboys’touchdown on a 12-yard catch and finished with sevencatches for 59, breaking Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin’sclub record of 11,904 yards. Witten, already the franchiseleader in catches, now has 1,096 receptions for 11,947 yards.

RAMS 46, COLTS 9Jared Goff passed for a career-high 306 yards and a

touchdown in his first victory as an NFL starter, and theRams routed the Colts in Sean McVay’s impressive debut asthe youngest head coach in modern league history. ToddGurley had 40 yards rushing and 56 yards receiving whilethe Rams roared to a 37-3 lead in the third quarter. LosAngeles snapped a six-game skid at the Coliseum with itsmost impressive performance since returning home from St.Louis last year. Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree celebrated thewin with a Gatorade shower for McVay on the sideline in thefinal minutes. Los Angeles’ defense also excelled against fill-in Colts quarterback Scott Tolzien. Trumaine Johnson inter-cepted Tolzien’s first pass and returned it 39 yards for atouchdown, while Lamarcus Joyner returned another pick29 yards for another score in the third quarter. Tolzienpassed for 128 yards in his fourth career NFL start in place ofAndrew Luck, who wasn’t ready to return from a right shoul-der injury.

FALCONS 23, BEARS 17Matt Ryan threw an 88-yard touchdown to Austin Hooper

and led two fourth-quarter scoring drives as the NFC cham-pions held on. The butt of jokes following their epic Super

Bowl collapse against New England, the Falcons survived asthe Bears had a first down at the Atlanta 5 in the closingminute. Mike Glennon’s pass to a lunging Josh Bellamy onfirst down hit off the receiver’s hands, and Jordan Howardthen dropped a simple catch at the 1. After another incom-pletion on third down, Glennon got sacked by Brooks Reed.Atlanta was clinging to a 13-10 lead early in the fourth whena scrambling Ryan fired to a wide-open Hooper near mid-field. The second-year tight end from Stanford raced up theright side and stiff-armed Quintin Demps on the way to theend zone. The Bears then went 75 yards, with Glennon hit-ting rookie Tarik Cohen for a 19-yard TD midway through thefourth to cut it to 20-17. Atlanta’s Matt Bryant answered witha 37-yard field goal, making it 23-17. Coming off an MVP sea-son, Ryan was 21 of 30 for 321 yards and a touchdown.Hooper had two catches for 128 yards.

PANTHERS 23, 49ERS 3Cam Newton threw a pair of touchdown passes following

San Francisco turnovers and the Carolina defense shut downKyle Shanahan’s offense in his coaching debut. Newtonthrew a 40-yard touchdown pass to Russell Shepard in thefirst half following a fumble by Brian Hoyer, then a 9-yardtouchdown to Jonathan Stewart in the third quarter afterLuke Kuechly intercepted Hoyer. That helped the Panthersget off to a good start in the season opener following lastyear’s disappointing 6-10 finish. Despite the touchdowns,Newton did not look particularly sharp after playing just oneseries in the preseason as he recovered from surgery torepair a partially torn rotator cuff. Newton was off-target onnumerous throws, including missing a wide-open EdDickson in the end zone in the first half. Carolina had to set-tle for a field goal on that drive. Newton finished 14 for 25

for 171 yards. Those mistakes didn’t matter against a Ninersteam that didn’t look much improved from last year’s outfitthat tied a franchise worst with 14 losses. That led to the fir-ing of coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke.Shanahan and new GM John Lynch each got six-year con-tracts to oversee a massive rebuilding job.

JAGUARS 29, TEXANS 7Leonard Fournette ran for 100 yards and a touchdown in

his NFL debut, and Jacksonville had 10 sacks and forcedfour turnovers to help the Jaguars. The Texans hoped toprovide a boost to the area ravaged by Hurricane Harveywith a win. Instead, Tom Savage struggled behind a porousline and was benched in favor of rookie Deshaun Watson athalftime with Houston down 19-0. Blake Bortles threw for125 yards and a touchdown, Calais Campbell had four sacksand Dante Fowler returned a fumble 53 yards for a score asthe Jaguars snapped a six-game skid against Houston. J.J.Watt returned after missing 13 games last season after backsurgery, but injured his finger in the first half and finishedwith just one tackle. The Texans punted on their first fourpossessions, and the fifth one ended when Savage fumbledon a sack by Yannick Ngakoue and the Jaguars recoveredthe ball. Fournette, the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft,added his 1-yard touchdown after that. Savage was sackedsix times in the first half, playing behind a line without vet-eran left tackle Duane Brown, who is holding out. Houstonlinebacker Brian Cushing, tight ends Ryan Griffin and C.J.Fiedorowicz and receiver Bruce Ellington all left the gamewith concussions. Jaguars receiver Allen Robinson injuredhis left knee in the first quarter and didn’t return.

STEELERS 21, BROWNS 18Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes to

tight end Jesse James as the Steelers, with minimal helpfrom Le’Veon Bell, opened the season by holding off theBrowns. Roethlisberger improved to 21-2 against the

Browns, who gave their rivals all they could handle - a posi-tive sign for coach Hue Jackson and Cleveland fans after ahorrid 1-15 season. But the Browns couldn’t stop All-Prowide receiver Antonio Brown, who made a leaping catch intraffic for 38 yards with 2:26 left to seal Pittsburgh’s win.Brown finished with 11 receptions for 182 yards. Brownsrookie quarterback DeShone Kizer had pulled the Brownswithin three on a 3-yard TD pass to Corey Coleman followedby a 2-point conversion. The Browns have lost 13 straightopeners. Cleveland’s defense played well despite not hav-ing top overall pick Myles Garrett, who injured his ankle ear-lier this week. Bell, who skipped training camp in a contractdispute, ran tentatively and gained just 32 yards on 10 car-ries. He rejoined his teammates last week and signed his$12.1 million franchise tag, far less than he feels hedeserves.

RAIDERS 26, TITANS 16Derek Carr threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns,

and Carr won his third straight against Marcus Mariota andthe Titans in as many years. Amari Cooper caught a TD passas the Raiders made the Titans pay for opening the seasonwith an onside kick they couldn’t recover. Marshawn Lynchalso looked very refreshed after his year away from football.Lynch finished with 18 carries for 76 yards. GiorgioTavecchio kicked field goals of 20, 52, 52 and 43 yards in hisNFL debut. He was signed Friday to fill in for the Raiders’ all-time leading scorer and 18-year veteran SebastianJanikowski, who’s on injured reserve with a bad back.Tavecchio has spent time in training camp with the Raidersthe past four seasons but had never kicked in a regular-sea-son game. Both Carr and Mariota broke their right leg hoursapart on Christmas Eve for season-ending injuries. Mariotaalso looked healthy in running for a 10-yard TD and threwfor 191 yards.

EAGLES 30, REDSKINS 17Carson Wentz threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns

as the second-year quarterback guided the Eagles in a slop-py, mistake-filled season opener. Wentz was 26 of 39 andthrew an interception that Ryan Kerrigan returned for atouchdown. But Wentz made fewer errors thanWashington’s Kirk Cousins, who was picked off at the goalline and fumbled twice. Cousins’ second fumble was forcedby Brandon Graham and returned 20 yards for a touchdownby Fletcher Cox in the final minutes, putting the game away.Cousins finished 23 of 40 for 240 yards with a TD pass tothird-down back Chris Thompson. He was under duress allday because and was sacked four times. Wentz wasn’t per-fect, though his evading a sack and throw to Nelson Agholorfor a 58-yard touchdown set the stage for his big day. TheEagles lost cornerback Ronald Darby to what looked like aserious right ankle injury early in the second quarter.

LIONS 35, CARDINALS 23Matthew Stafford threw two of his four touchdown pass-

es to rookie Kenny Golladay in the fourth quarter. The Lionspicked off three of Carson Palmer’s passes, returning one fora score. They also knocked David Johnson out of the gameafter forcing him to fumble in the third quarter Sunday.Detroit set an NFL record last year by rallying to win eightgames after trailing in the final quarter and opened this sea-son with another comeback. The Cardinals scored the first10 points of the game and led 17-9 late in the third quarterbefore giving up 26 straight points. Stafford’s first pass wasreturned 82 yards for a touchdown by Justin Bethel, but theplayer with the richest contract in the NFL bounced back. Hewas 29 for 41 yards for 292 yards and threw 45- and 10-yardTD passes to Golladay , along with short passes to TheoRiddick and Marvin Jones for scores. Johnson, who led theleague with 2,118 yards from scrimmage and 20 touch-downs last season, was limited to 23 yards rushing on 11 car-ries and had six receptions for 68 yards.

RAVENS 20, BENGALS 0Baltimore’s rebuilt defense picked off Andy Dalton four

times and forced him to fumble, making it easy for JoeFlacco in his return from a back injury. The Ravens ended afive-game losing streak in Cincinnati by pressuring Daltoninto matching his career high for interceptions, three ofthem in the first half. The Ravens got a pair of touchdowns24 seconds apart late in the half to take control, withJeremy Maclin scoring on a 48-yard run-and-catch. Theoverriding question was how Flacco would hold up aftermissing all of camp and the preseason with a bad back.Baltimore’s defense made sure he didn’t have to do much.Flacco was 9 of 17 for 121 yards with an interceptionagainst a defense missing suspended linebacker VontazeBurfict and cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones. The Bengalshad breakdowns everywhere as they were shut out in a sea-son opener for the first time since 1979.

BILLS 21, JETS 12Tyrod Taylor threw two touchdown passes and the new-

look Bills won in Sean McDermott’s debut as Buffalo’scoach. Mike Tolbert also scored on a 1-yard run, whileBuffalo’s defense had three interceptions, including line-backer Ramon Humber picking off Josh McCown’s pass tothwart a 2-point conversion in the third quarter. SafetyMicah Hyde, a free agent offseason addition, sealed the vic-tory by intercepting McCown at Buffalo’s 41 to end the Jets’final series. Taylor was 16 of 28 for 224 yards and an inter-ception. The victory came in McDermott’s first game sincethe former Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator tookover in January after Rex Ryan was fired in the final week oflast season. The Jets looked much like a team in the midst ofa makeover after making numerous offseason moves topurge veteran talent. — AFP

Packers beat Seahawks 17-9 to

take NFC heavyweight match

NFL

Dallas 19, NY Giants 3; Green Bay 17, Seattle 9; Carolina23, San Francisco 3; La Rams 46, Indianapolis 9; Buffalo 21,NY Jets 12; Philadelphia 30, Washington 17; Oakland 26,Tennessee 16; Jacksonville 29, Houston 7; Detroit 35,Arizona 23; Atlanta 23, Chicago 17; Baltimore 20,Cincinnati 0; Pittsburgh 21, Cleveland 18.

American Football ConferenceAFC EAST

W L T OTL PF PA PCT Buffalo 1 0 0 0 21 12 1.000 Miami 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 New England 0 1 0 0 27 42 0 NY Jets 0 1 0 0 12 21 0

AFC NorthPittsburgh 1 0 0 0 21 18 1.000 Baltimore 1 0 0 0 20 0 1.000 Cleveland 0 1 0 0 18 21 0 Cincinnati 0 1 0 0 0 20 0

AFC SouthJacksonville 1 0 0 0 29 7 1.000 Tennessee 0 1 0 0 16 26 0 Indianapolis 0 1 0 0 9 46 0 Houston 0 1 0 0 7 29 0

AFC WestOakland 1 0 0 0 26 16 1.000 Kansas City 1 0 0 0 42 27 1.000 LA Chargers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Denver 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

National Football ConferenceNFC East

Philadelphia 1 0 0 0 30 17 1.000 Dallas 1 0 0 0 19 3 1.000 Washington 0 1 0 0 17 30 0 NY Giants 0 1 0 0 3 19 0

NFC NorthGreen Bay 1 0 0 0 17 9 1.000 Detroit 1 0 0 0 35 23 1.000 Minnesota 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Chicago 0 1 0 0 17 23 0

NFC SouthCarolina 1 0 0 0 23 3 1.000 Atlanta 1 0 0 0 23 17 1.000 Tampa Bay 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 New Orleans 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NFC WestLA Rams 1 0 0 0 46 9 1.000 Seattle 0 1 0 0 9 17 0 San Francisco 0 1 0 0 3 23 0 Arizona 0 1 0 0 23 35 0

NFL results/standings

SANTA CLARA: Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid (35) dur-ing the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday. — AP

S P O RT STUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

HONG KONG: Iran coach Carlos Queiroz has urged thecountry’s authorities to commit more funding to thepreparations for next year’s World Cup finals or riskelimination in the group stages yet again.

Queiroz’s side became the first team from Asia tobook their ticket for Russia in June and next summer’stournament will be the fifth time Iran have appeared atthe World Cup finals.

In 1978, 1998, 2006 and 2014, the three-times Asianchampions failed to advance to the knockout phase ofthe competition and Queiroz fears a similar outcomenext year if funding issues are not addressed immedi-ately. “The situation basically is the same as in the past,”Queiroz told Reuters. “We have the federation trying todo their best. But unfortunately in Iran, and I think allover the world, when you struggle with financial sup-

port it’s always very difficult to implement a pro-gramme. “We qualified three months ago and at thismoment there is no reason for us not to have a clearplan and a consistent budget in order to make deci-sions. “If you copy the preparations of the last fourWorld Cups, you don’t go anywhere. It’s a simple con-clusion,” he added. Queiroz’s comments echo a recentstatement issued by seven Iran players on Instagram,in which they called on the authorities to emulateSouth Korea in mobilising the country “from top tobottom” for the World Cup campaign.

The Portuguese coach presented his preparationplans to the Iran’s football federation soon after theyqualified but only two friendlies have been arrangedso far. Iran will play Togo on Sept 29 before taking onWorld Cup hosts Russia six days later.

Queiroz believes it is crucial that his team plays morematches against top quality opposition ahead of thefinals, something that will only happen if the purse-strings are loosened. “Based on my personal connec-tions I was able to bring this friendly game againstRussia,” said Queiroz. “Russia are the host nation andhave accepted to play against Iran and this is huge interms of international impact and reputation, but wecannot rely on my personal contacts and relationships.

“If you want to play good friendly games, moneytalks in football. You cannot ignore this situation.”Queiroz has stressed the Iranians need to take a moreprofessional approach to their preparations or riskmore disappointment on the game’s biggest stage anda widening of the gap with the top footballing nations.

“My short term target is to be sure we have an out-

standing, unique and challenging World Cup prepara-tion and I will try my best to be different,” said Queiroz.

“How many World Cups have Iran participated in?Four. This is the fifth World Cup. What did the fourWorld Cups teach us? “If you want to be in the secondstage you must be different. Different in your prepara-tion, ambitious, creative, use your imagination to seehow you can in 10 months make this team improve.

“In order to be different I need to put all of my ener-gy into this first goal. “How can we convince the feder-ation and the people who have the responsibility tosupport us that we must be different? We cannot belike Portugal because they started 45 years ago.

“We cannot be like Germany, they started 55 yearsago, France 55 years ago. How can we in 10 monthsreduce this gap? That’s my first job.” — Reuters

Iran must invest to avoid World Cup disappointment: Queiroz

LONDON: Frustrated by his past failures inthe Champions League, Chelsea managerAntonio Conte has set his sights on a mis-sion of redemption as he returns to thecompetition after a four-year absence.Conte still bears the scars from a snowynight in Istanbul in 2013 when Juventussuffered a shock defeat against Galatasaraythat sent the Italian giants crashing out ofEurope’s elite club competition.

That embarrassing exit remains Conte’slast experience of the Champions League,but he will end that wait today whenChelsea host Azerbaijan minnows Qarabagin their Group C opener.

Having led Chelsea to the PremierLeague title last season, the 48-year-oldwould dearly love to bring the London clubtheir second Champions League crown. Butbitter experience will remind Conte to takenothing for granted. In his first ChampionsLeague campaign in 2012-13, Juventuswere pitted against Conte’s future employ-ers Chelsea, as well as Shakhtar Donetskand Nordsjaelland.

Conte’s team won the group with anunbeaten run of three wins and threedraws, including a 3-0 rout of holdersChelsea in Italy and a 2-2 draw at StamfordBridge. The Bianconeri cruised past Celtic inthe last 16, with 3-0 and 2-0 victories dis-patching the over-matched Scottish club.

But in the quarter-finals, Juventus foundthemselves in deep water against BayernMunich. Although Conte’s well-drilled sidewere peerless in Serie A-where they wonthe title by nine points, Bayern taught thema lesson in Europe.

Bayern won 2-0 at home and eased intothe semi-finals with another victory by thesame score in Turin. The following season,Conte led Juventus to the Serie A for a thirdsuccessive season as the Turin giantsamassed a record total of 102 points.

Conte had created a potent mix byadding Argentine forward Carlos Tevez andSpanish striker Fernando Llorente to ateam bolstered by the emergence of Paul

Pogba. They won 33 of 38 league matchesand finished 17 points clear of secondplaced Roma. But it was a far different sto-ry in the Champions League, where whatshould have been a fairly undemandedgroup turned into a four-month horror sto-ry for Conte.

HUMILIATING Draws against Copenhagen and

Galatasaray in the first two matches putJuve in trouble ahead of back to backmeetings with Real Madrid.

A Cristiano Ronaldo brace condemnedJuventus to a 2-1 defeat in Spain, while thereturn in Turin produced a 2-2 draw that leftConte on the brink of a humiliating earlyexit. Arturo Vidal’s hat-trick inspired a 3-1win over Copenhagen that set up a do or dietrip to Galatasaray, where a point would beenough for Juve to advance. However, fateconspired against Conte as the tie was at theAli Sami Yen Stadium was halted in the firsthalf with the score 0-0 as heavy snowfallmade playing conditions impossible.

Forced to play the rest of the match 24hours later despite the poor condition ofthe snow-damaged pitch, Juventus werefrozen out in the most miserable finale.

Just five minutes from achieving thepoint they needed, Conte was plunged intodespair as Wesley Sneijer slotted in theGalatasaray winner. Attempting to salvagesome pride in the Europa League-the sec-ond tier competition they were consignedto after that early exit, once again Conte’smen underachieved.

They got past Trabzonspor, Fiorentinaand Lyon, but a semi-final defeat againstBenfica, 2-1 on aggregate, came with theadded sting of denying them a place in thefinal which was to be played at their ownTurin stadium.

With Chelsea in good form in thePremier League and key playmaker EdenHazard back from injury, Conte is keepinghis fingers crossed that Europe is kinder tohim this time. — AFP

LENNOXTOWN: Celtic’s Croatian defender Jozo Simunovic (C) takes part in a training session at their training centre in Lennoxtown, north ofGlasgow, yesterday on the eve of the UEFA Champions League group B football match between Celtic and Paris Saint-Germain. — AFP

Champions League returns with

Real Madrid the team to beat

SOCCER

Haunted by Euro woes,

Conte eyes redemption

MADRID: The Champions League group stagestarts this week with Real Madrid looking to winEurope’s top club competition for a third straightyear, a feat not achieved since Bayern Munich inthe 1970s.

Here’s a look at the eight groups:

GROUP A (BENFICA, MANCHESTER UNITED, BASEL, CSKA MOSCOW)

Jose Mourinho can be happy with howManchester United’s return after a one-yearabsence is shaping up, along with his own questto be the first person to coach three differentclubs to European glory. Benfica is a consistentperformer in the second tier of Europe’s elite;Basel has been weakened by persistent sales oftop players since eliminating United in the 2011groups; and CSKA Moscow finished last in itsgroup in each of the last four seasons - includingone that contained United in 2015. After start-ing the English Premier League with 10 pointsfrom a possible 12, the three-time Europeanchampion will begin as group favorite.

GROUP B (BAYERN MUNICH, PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN, ANDERLECHT, CELTIC)Neymar made it his big goal to win the

Champions League with Paris Saint-Germainafter securing his world-record transfer fromBarcelona for 222 million euros ($262 million) inJuly. Advancing to the knockout stage should bea formality for his new team, which also includesteenage striker Kylian Mbappe in a new-look andexciting forward line. Neymar’s first Europeancampaign with PSG will take him to five-timechampion Bayern, whose coach Carlo Ancelottiused to manage the French club. Celtic is neveran easy team to visit, but the Scottish champi-ons are likely to be fighting it out withAnderlecht for third place.

GROUP C (CHELSEA, ATLETICO MADRID, ROMA, QARABAG)

Qarabag is the first Azerbaijani team to reachthis stage and its reward is one of the most com-

petitive groups. Atletico Madrid has reached thefinal twice in the past three years, losing bothtimes to Real Madrid, while Chelsea - the 2012European champion - is the current Englishchampion and has recovered after an uncom-fortable start to the Premier League. Chelsea andAtletico could be in negotiations over the nextfew months regarding the sale of Diego Costa,the Chelsea striker who has been estranged inhis native Brazil for much of the summer andwants to join former club Atletico.

GROUP D (JUVENTUS, BARCELONA,OLYMPIAKOS, SPORTING)

It will be a major surprise if Juventus andBarcelona, European champions a combinedseven times, fail to qualify from the group. Theymet in the 2015 final, with Barca’s prolific frontthree of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarezinspiring a 3-1 win in Berlin. Neymar, of course, isno longer around for Barca, with new signingOusmane Dembele replacing him. Juventus lostlast season’s final to Real Madrid and hasn’t wonthe Champions League since 1996. Olympiakosand Sporting are regular qualifiers but rarelyadvance, with Sporting weakened by the recentsale of midfielder Adrien Silva to Leicester.

GROUP E (SPARTAK MOSCOW, SEVILLA, LIVERPOOL, MARIBOR)

Five-time European champion Liverpoolcame through the playoffs and gets a chance toavenge its loss to Sevilla in the 2016 EuropaLeague final, which denied the English team aplace in last season’s Champions League.Spartak, which won the Russian Premier League,is in the group stage for the first time since 2012-13, while Slovenian team Maribor is the big out-sider in its third attempt to reach the knockoutstage. This will likely be considered the weakestof the eight groups.

GROUP F (SHAKHTAR DONETSK, MANCHESTER CITY, NAPOLI, FEYENOORD)Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City avoided

tougher options by being drawn into top-seed-ed Shakhtar’s group. The Ukrainian champion isalways fighting against the disadvantage of notplaying a real home game in three years due tothe conflict involving pro-Russian separatistsaround its home city.

Still, Napoli was one of the more difficultopponents for City from the third-seededteams and eased past Nice in the playoffsround. Feyenoord returns to the group stageafter a 15-year absence and is likely to face asteep learning curve.

GROUP G (MONACO, PORTO, BESIKTAS, LEIPZIG)

Monaco, last season’s surprise semifinalist, isthe top seed but has been hurt by the departureof key players like Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silvaand Benjamin Mendy this summer. The Frenchteam comes up against Porto in a rematch of the2004 final won by the Portuguese team. Leipzigdidn’t even exist then - the club was created in2009 - and is a newcomer at this level. But theBundesliga runner-up was the team from thefourth seeds that most of the continent’s heavy-weights wanted to avoid. Monaco won its groupas a fourth-seeded team last season.

GROUP H (REAL MADRID, BORUSSIA DORTMUND, TOTTENHAM, APOEL)

Real Madrid has won the Champions Leaguethree times in the past four years, and is lookingto become the first team since Bayern Munich(1974-76) to be European champion in threestraight years. Madrid’s path to the knockoutstage may have been smoothed by its fiercerival Barcelona, which weakened BorussiaDortmund by signing Ousmane Dembele.Tottenham will be hoping for better results at itstemporary home of Wembley Stadium, wherethe English team lost two of its three groupgames last season and hasn’t won either of itsPremier League games there this season. APOELfamously reached the quarterfinals in 2012against the odds. — AP

LONDON: Chelsea’s Italian head coach Antonio Conte (R), listens as Chelsea’s Head ofCommunications Steve Atkins answers a question relating to Chelsea fan, during apress conference at Chelsea’s Cobham training facility in Stoke D’Abernon, south-west of London, yesterday, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League Group C foot-ball match against FQ Qarabag. — AFP

SHANGHAI: Luiz Felipe Scolari’s GuangzhouEvergrande must perform an AFC ChampionsLeague miracle today if they are to overhaul a4-0 deficit in their quarter-final home clashwith Shanghai SIPG. Evergrande are streakingaway from their domestic rivals in the ChineseSuper League (CSL) but were embarrassed inShanghai three weeks ago when Andre Villas-Boas’s side was rampant in the first leg.

Hulk scored from the spot and was a men-ace throughout as the bustling Brazilian strik-er made it seven goals in Asia’s premier club

competition this season. Wu Lei also hit aquickfire brace against a Guangzhou side thatScolari admitted afterwards had badly missedkey midfielder Paulinho, who swapped Chinafor Barcelona last month for 40 million euros($48 million). Muriqui, the Evergrande for-ward who recently returned to the clubwhere he was a Champions League winner in2013, said they need to believe they can pulloff the improbable.

“It will be hard to turn this match around,but it is not impossible,” the 31-year-oldBrazilian was quoted as saying by the AsianFootball Confederation (AFC) website. “CoachScolari asked us to focus right from kick-offuntil the final whistle and avoid repeating ourfirst-leg mistakes. If we do so, we still have achance.” Shanghai trail reigning championsGuangzhou by eight points in the CSL, butVillas-Boas appears to have worked out a wayto get the better of the seasoned Scolari incup competitions. Shanghai lead Evergrande2-1 from the semi-final first leg in the Chinesecup, with the return in southern China laterthis month. But Villas-Boas warned his playersagainst complacency. “We have to be carefulbecause we are in an advantage in both legsin both cups,” said the Portuguese, who likeScolari is a former Chelsea manager, followinglast month’s first-leg Champions League rout.“But we will have two difficult games inGuangzhou and Evergrande are a winningteam (two-time AFC Champions League win-ners) so we will have to be at our best to getthrough both competitions.”

The winners of the all-Chinese tie will playeither Urawa Reds or Kawasaki Frontale in thesemi-finals. The Japanese sides play tomor-row with Kawasaki 3-1 up from the first leg athome. — AFP

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kanesays the club are ready for another Premier Leaguetitle push after some quality late additions to thesquad. The London side had an underwhelmingstart to the season, losing to Chelsea and drawingagainst Burnley at their temporary Wembley home,but they bounced back with an emphatic 3-0 winagainst Everton at the weekend.

Tottenham’s quiet summer in the transfer mar-ket was held against them by some but withDavinson Sanchez, Serge Aurier and FernandoLlorente arriving late, Kane feels they are back inthe hunt. “People might not talk about us but thatsuits us. We will just get on with our job and we willkeep producing performances like this,” Kane saidafter scoring twice at Goodison Park on Saturday.

“I wouldn’t say it’s disrespectful. What you havehad is teams spending money, buying big playersand big names. We have left it late in the transfermarket but we have got the players that we want-ed and now we have got a good squad, a bulkysquad. “We play good football and we have been inthe title race for the last couple of years. Come thebusiness end in the second half of the season, weare normally thereabouts fighting for the title.”

Kane, whose first goal against Everton was his100th for Spurs, has won back-to-back golden bootsbut is still waiting to lift his first trophy. — AFP

Scolari’s Evergrande chase

Champions League miracle

GUANGZHOU: This file picture taken onMay 23, 2017 shows head coach of China’sGuangzhou Evergrande Luiz Felipe Scolarigesturing during the AFC ChampionsLeague round of 16 football match againstJapan’s Kashima Antlers in Guangzhou, inChina’s Guangdong province. — AFP

Kane says quality signings

can fire Spurs title bid

LISBON: Benfica’s Brazilian forward Gabriel Gonzaga (3L) chats with countryman midfielderFilipe Augusto (2L) during a training session the club’s training ground in Seixal, outskirts ofLisbon, yesterday, on the eve of the UEFA Champions League footbal match SL Benfica vsCSKA Moscow. — AFP

S P O RT STUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain kick off their latest bid forChampions League glory at Celtic today bolstered bythe big-money signings of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.The French giants will be hoping that their lavish close-season spending can help finally achieve their Qatariowners’ dream of lifting the European Cup.

PSG responded to last season’s disappointments oflosing the Ligue 1 title to Monaco and their stunningChampions League last-16 defeat at Barcelona, bysmashing the world record transfer fee with the 222 mil-lion-euro ($267m) signing of Neymar from Barca.

While Qatar’s billions produced four consecutiveFrench titles from 2013-2016, that form has yet to trans-late to European competition. PSG’s last, and only,Champions League semi-final appearance was in 1995,with four straight last-eight exits followed by the har-rowing 6-1 second-leg loss at the Camp Nou earlier this

year, having beaten Barca 4-0 in the first game.But with the additions of Neymar and Mbappe,

hopes are high that Unai Emery’s men can put their con-tinental troubles to bed. “We are more than ready for theChampions League,” said defender Thomas Meunierafter a 5-1 thrashing of Metz on Friday. “We are a verygood group, we can see that on the bench today with allthe options we have.

“Every footballer plays for the Champions League,and with the team we have this year, we must show theworld that we want to go further than in previous years.”Teenage sensation Mbappe joined from Monaco ondeadline day on a season-long loan, with an option tobuy for a fee that could reach a staggering 180 millioneuros. “It’s too early to say (how far we can go), wehaven’t even played yet,” said Mbappe, who scored onhis debut against Metz. “We have a good team and a lot

of confidence, but we know that there’s still a lot of workto do. We’ll go to Glasgow to win and to start well.

“I’ve always said that the Champions League is a spe-cial competition, it is the competition for the big playersand where we see the big players.”

‘SPECIAL NIGHT’ IN STORE PSG will have their European credentials tested by

what promises to be a spine-tingling atmosphere atParkhead, as Celtic look to cause an upset in Group B afteran underwhelming return to the Champions Leaguegroup stages last season. Brendan Rodgers’ men havegone from strength to strength since the turn of the year,and are unbeaten in their last 54 domestic matches.

“What we’ve learned from our first game of theChampions League last year is that we’re not going tobe as passive,” said Rodgers. “They’re (PSG) a world away

from where we’re at in terms of finances but it’s going tobe an incredible night. “It ’s the first game of theChampions League against one of the great teams nowof the competition, it will be another special night atCeltic Park. “We’ll look forward to the challenge and we’llrecover well and prepare well for it.”

PSG’s fellow wannabee members of the Europeanelite, Manchester City, came unstuck with a 3-3 draw atCeltic Park last season, and the Scottish champions stillhave the potential to be a danger on home turf.

While Celtic won the 1967 European Cup with a15-man squad made purely of players born within 30miles of their stadium, Paris have flung an expensivenet far and wide in an attempt to emulate the likes ofthe ‘Lisbon Lions’. Over 50 years since Celtic’s finesthour, PSG are fed up of waiting to dine at football’stop table. — AFP

PSG ready to finally make Champions League mark

CARRINGTON: Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, right, looks at his players during a training session in Carrington, Manchester,England yesterday. United are preparing for their Champions League group stage soccer match against Basel today. — AP

MANCHESTER: He has twice stunned OldTrafford into silence on Champions Leaguenights, but as Manchester United make theircompetition return, Jose Mourinho’s obligationis to make the old stadium roar. In 2004 his Portoside sensationally eliminated United in theChampions League last 16 and in 2013 hereturned with Real Madrid to bring the curtaindown on Alex Ferguson’s European exploits inthe Old Trafford dug-out.

The Champions League has always been thecompetition in which Mourinho has definedhimself and he has already been talking up hischances of surpassing Ferguson’s record as thecompetition’s most experienced manager. “Iknow that I am in the top five or six. I’m quite far,especially from the top one, but I will fight hardto go for that record,” said Mourinho, who hasoverseen 133 Champions League games toFerguson’s 194. “Last season I lost a season inthe chase for this record (as United won theEuropa League), but Manchester United is whereManchester United has to be and I’m really hap-py with that.

“The Champions League night is a uniqueexperience for everyone. I have some playerswithout that great experience. “I think it will befabulous for them and the fans to be back in theChampions League and to have the initial three

matches to be played at Old Trafford, I think isfantastic.” The Old Trafford crowd’s first encounterwith their current manager in March 2004exposed them to the full force of Mourinho theprovocateur. He raced down the touchline, coat-tails flapping behind him, when Costinha’s lategoal took Porto through at United’s expense,before witheringly proclaiming that Ferguson’sside “should be doing a lot better”. Nine years lat-er, the Mourinho who took his seat in the dugoutwas an altogether more conciliatory figure.

He later claimed he already knew aboutFerguson’s impending retirement at that pointand his unusually diplomatic comments beforeand after the game suggested a desire to ingrati-ate himself with United’s fans and board.

SCORE TO SETTLE “The best team lost,” Mourinho said after a 2-1

win for Real Madrid in the last 16 that hinged ona contentious red card shown to United wingerNani for catching Alvaro Arbeloa with a highboot. But rather than Mourinho leading Unitedinto the next campaign, it was the hapless DavidMoyes, who managed to steer the club to theChampions League quarter-finals even as thewheels fell off domestically. United’s toils underMoyes and then Louis van Gaal mean OldTrafford has not staged a Champions League

knockout game since April 2014. They rediscov-ered the winning feeling in Europe underMourinho last season by triumphing in theEuropa League, but it is the Champions Leaguewhere both he and United feel they belong.

Mourinho, 54, dreams of becoming only thethird manager to win three European Cups, afterBob Paisley and Carlo Ancelotti, and the first todo so with three different clubs. But his stock inthe competition has dipped since his secondsuccess with Inter Milan in 2010, the Portuguesehaving failed to go beyond the semi-finals in histhree years at Madrid and two-and-a-half-yearsecond stint at Chelsea. Both he and United alsohave reason to be wary of their first Group Aopponents Basel, who visit Old Trafford today.

Four years ago, the first Champions Leaguegame of Mourinho’s second Chelsea tenure cul-minated in a surprise 2-1 home defeat by theSwiss club. Chelsea, like United now, were thedefending Europa League champions. Two yearspreviously, United crashed out of the ChampionsLeague in the group phase after a 2-1 defeat atBasel’s St Jakob-Park stadium that was com-pounded by a gruesome knee injury sustainedby captain Nemanja Vidic. With Basel havingavoided defeat on their two previous visits toOld Trafford in 2003 and 2011, Mourinho alreadyhas a score to settle. — AFP

SOCCER

Mourinho and Man United

seek return of old magic

BARCELONA: A 5-0 derby win, an assist for 105million euro ($126 million) purchase OusmaneDembele on his debut and a four-point La Liga leadover Real Madrid ought to have brought somesemblance of relief to Barcelona’s beleagueredboard. Yet, no sooner had the celebrations dieddown from Luis Suarez’s finish from Dembele’scross in the final minute of Saturday’s thrashing ofEspanyol, than cries for president Josep MariaBartomeu to resign rang around the Camp Nou.

In the eyes of the fans, Bartomeu and hiscohorts deserve no reflected glory for the players’performances as they have been in open conflictwith the dressing room during a chaotic summerprecipitated by Neymar’s departure for Paris Saint-Germain. Juventus’ visit in the Champions Leaguetoday (1845GMT) could have offered the chance ofa new start and for revenge for last season’s quar-ter-final defeat by the Italian champions. Instead,the battle for control of the club between fans,players and president rages on.

Even after Saturday’s rout, supporters formedlarge queues to sign a vote of no confidence peti-tion launched by a former presidential candidateAgusti Benedito. For all Barca’s off-field problems,on the pitch they can still rely on Lionel Messi toiron out most difficulties. The five-time WorldPlayer of the Year’s hat-trick at the weekend tookhis tally for the season already to six. However,Bartomeu’s handling of Messi’s future has becomeanother stick with which to beat the club’s board.

Barca announced an agreement with Messi,whose current contract expires at the end of theseason, to extend his deal to 2021 back on July 5.Yet, he has stil l to put pen to paper despiteBartomeu’s insistence the wait for Messi’s signatureis merely a matter of time.

INIESTA IRKED The club claim the case of captain Andres

Iniesta, whose deal also runs out next year, is the

same. Bartomeu told Catalan daily MundoDeportivo last week there was an agreement inprinciple for the 33-year-old to renew, only for themild-mannered Iniesta to flatly refute that claimless than 24 hours later.

The board’s decision to repeatedly attack andeven sue Neymar for breach of contract has alsobackfired. The ink on a club statement outliningtheir reasons for taking the Brazilian to court hadn’tdried by the time a number of Barca’s leading play-ers including Messi and Suarez posted picturesonline of them embracing their old teammate.

“This president is a joke,” Neymar replied onsocial media site Instagram last week. The open

conflict between the players and board was mostclearly evidenced when Gerard Pique revealed theplayers knew of Neymar’s intentions to leave as farback as Messi’s wedding on June 30.

Senior board members claim to have not beeninformed until days before Neymar’s departure onAugust 2. Neymar’s world record 222 million euromove sparked a wild goose chase in the final fewweeks of the transfer window at Barca.

Dozens of targets came and went with onlyDembele and Brazilian international Paulinho arriv-ing for grossly inflated fees. A 5-1 Spanish SuperCup aggregate thrashing by Real Madrid piledmore pressure on Bartomeu. — AFP

Battle for control of Barcelona

overshadows Juventus reunion

VINOVO: Juventus’ midfielder Miralem Pjanic of Bosnia-Herzegovina (C) takes part in a trainingsession on the eve of the UEFA Champions League football match Barcelona vs Juventus yes-terday in Vinovo, near Turin. — AFP

BERLIN: Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has fired back atRobert Lewandowski after the Poland hot-shot criticised the Bavarian giants’ spend-ing policy. Bayern crashed to a shock 2-0defeat at Hoffenheim on Saturday whichleft them sixth in the German league table-their worst position after the first threegames since 2010/11.

The mood ahead of Tuesday ’s firstChampions League match at home toAnderlecht was not helped byLewandowski telling magazine Der Spiegelthat Bayern should spend big to attractmore world-class players.

They set a new Bundesliga record inJune by signing France midfielder CorentinTolisso from Lyon for 41.5 million euros($49.9m), but Lewandowski feels Bayernrisk being left behind by Europe’s top clubs.

Bayern’s president Uli Hoeness hadalready described the 222 million eurosParis Saint-Germain paid for Neymar, andthe signing of Kylian Mbappe in a dealwhich could reach 180m euros, as “mad-ness”. So Rummenigge has takenLewandowski’s words as a thinly-veiledattack on the club. “Apparently, Robert wasirritated by the Paris transfers,”Rummenigge told German daily Bild. “He isemployed by us as a footballer, he earns alot of money and I regret his statements.”

Lewandowski is under contract until 2021and Rummenigge has accused his agentMaik Barthel of meddling in Bayern’s busi-ness. When Pierre-Emerick Aubameyangeclipsed Lewandowski to become theBundesliga’s top-scorer on the final day oflast season, Barthel accused Bayern’s coachCarlo Ancelotti and players of not doingenough to help him score.

HARMING COMMENTS “Unfortunately his adviser, Mr Barthel, is

often the ‘Spiritus Rector’ (guiding spirit)and this was again the case,” saidRummenigge. “The interview was deliber-ately organised by FC Bayern and his owncomments harm Robert.”

Lewandowski said Bayern must spendbig if they are realistic about winning theChampions League for the first time since2013, but Rummenigge sees nothingwrong with their spending policy.

“Robert does not need to worry, wehave a very good squad again this season,”said Rummenigge. “We have a long-stand-ing, serious and successful philosophy andhave achieved great success. “We have wonall national and international titles possibleover the past five years. “Let’s see if Parisnow wins the Champions League.

“They must at least now. Other peoplehave tried in vain to buy titles.”Rummenigge says Bayern’s director ofsport Hasan Salihamidzic has talked toLewandowski about the interview, butdrew the line when asked if the striker willbe dropped for his comments.

“The coach must decide that, but I knowhow to get players to see reason,” repliedRummenigge. “If you publicly criticise thecoach, the club or the other players, youwill get stress with me personally.

“I am a fan of democracy and freedomof opinion, but we are currently too smartto yap on instead of focusing on football. “Itmust not be harmful to the club. We needto be more efficient and serious again.”

“It’s September, and I do not want tohear anything from big games in April.“Arrogance is not appropriate, the leaguetitle is not in our lap.” — AFP

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUEBenfica v CSKA Moscow 21:45beIN SPORTS HD 8beIN SPORTS MAX 9 FR

Bayern Munich v RSC Anderlecht 21:45beIN SPORTS HD 5beIN SPORTS MAX 5 FR

FC Barcelona v Juventus FC 21:145beIN SPORTS HD 1beIN SPORTS 3 FR

Chelsea FC v Qarabag Agdam FK21:45beIN SPORTS HD 6beIN SPORTS MAX 7 FR

Olympiacos CFP v Sporting CP 21:45beIN SPORTS HD 7beIN SPORTS MAX 8 FR

Man United v FC Basel 1893 21:45beIN SPORTS HD 3beIN SPORTS MAX 6 FR

Celtic v Paris Saint 21:45beIN SPORTS HD 2beIN SPORTS HD 1 FR

AS Roma v Atletico de Madrid 21:45beIN SPORTS HD 4beIN SPORTS MAX 4 FR

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

MUNICH: From left, Bayern’s Javi Martinez, Thiago, James Rodriguez and RobertLewandowski attend a training session in Munich, Germany, yesterday. Munich will faceRSC Anderlecht today for a Champions League group B first leg soccer match. — AP

Bayern boss fires

back at Lewandowski

ROME: A whole new challenge awaits formerAS Roma legend Francesco Totti as the Serie Aclub return to the Champions League groupstage today against Atletico Madrid. The 40-year-old former player will swap his Romashirt for a suit as he assumes the mantle of adirector of the Serie A club.

As a player Totti helped Roma to aScudetto, won a World Cup with Italy andwon a European Golden Shoe. Totti played786 matches for his hometown club afterjoining as a schoolboy in 1989, scoring a club-record 307 goals, and won the 2006 WorldCup with Italy.

He retired from international football afterGermany 2006 to devote all his energies tohis beloved club. After retiring as a club play-er in May he stepped into a role as technicaldirector. “The first part (of my life) — being afootballer-is over and now another, equally

important one as a director begins, and Ihope that I will be able to do what I did onthe field,” Totti told Roma’s website at thetime. “Football is my passion; it’s everything.It’s friendship, scoring goals, knowing newpeople. It’s something which touched everyimportant part of my body.”

As Totti prepares for his new career heconcedes it is still difficult for him to accepthis playing days are now behind him. The for-mer attacking midfielder played his finalgame after 24 years amid emotional sceneswith the capital-city side in a 3-2 win againstGenoa in May. “The football field has given mea lot and I tried to give a lot to these people,who showed me so much love day after day. “Istart over again, on a new adventure.”

“I expect a rosy, beautiful future. I’ll picka perfect role so that I am able to make thisa great team and a great club.” — AFP

New challenge awaits for

former Roma legend Totti

13Packers beatSeahawks 17-9 to take NFC heavyweight match

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

15Battle for control of Barca overshadowsJuventus reunion

Champions League returns with Real Madrid the team to beat Page 14

NEW YORK: Kevin Anderson of South Africa and Rafael Nadal of Spain pose with USTA President Katrina Adams during the trophy ceremony after their Men’s Singles Finals match on Day Fourteen of the 2017 US Open at theUSTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Sunday in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. — AFP

NEW YORK: Rafael Nadal against Kevin Anderson in theUS Open final shaped up as quite a mismatch - andthat’s exactly what it was. His game at a high level at theend of an unusually easy path through a Grand Slamfield, Nadal overwhelmed first-time major finalistAnderson 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday to win his third cham-pionship at Flushing Meadows.

It is the No. 1-ranked Nadal’s second Grand Slam titleof the year and 16th overall. Among men, only RogerFederer has more, with 19. Each of those two longtimerivals won two of the four majors in 2017, marking areturn of both to the heights of their sport.

Not only didn’t an injury-hampered Nadal win aGrand Slam tournament in 2015 or 2016 - his first suchshutouts since 2004, when he was still a teenager - buthe didn’t even make it to a final in that span. Seems safeto say that, at age 31, he is once again the Nadal of old.

“Personally, it’s just unbelievable what happened thisyear,” Nadal said, “after a couple of years with some trou-bles, injuries, some moments playing not good.” At No.32, Anderson was the lowest-ranked US Open men’sfinalist since the ATP computer rankings began in 1973.The 31-year-old South African never had been past thequarterfinals at any major tournament in 33 previous

appearances, so when he won his semifinal on Friday,he climbed into the stands to celebrate.

There would be no such joy for him on this day.Nadal simply dominated every facet of the 21/2-hourfinal. “I know we’re the same age, but I feel like I’ve beenwatching you my whole life,” said Anderson, who is lessthan a month older than Nadal. “You really have beenan idol of mine. And it’s tough playing you. You provedit again tonight.”

Nadal added to his US Open triumphs in 2010 and2013 and improved to 16-7 in Grand Slam finals. For thefirst time since 2013, he appeared in three in a singleseason, losing to Federer at the Australian Open inJanuary, then beating Stan Wawrinka for his record 10thFrench Open trophy in June.

BIG VICTORIESNadal’s career haul also includes two trophies from

Wimbledon and one from the Australian Open. All of hisbig victories have come while being coached by hisuncle, Toni, who is now stepping aside. The US Openwas the last Grand Slam event of their partnership.

Not since Pete Sampras at Wimbledon in 2000 had aman won a Slam tournament without facing any oppo-

nents ranked in the top 20. In New York this time, thebracket was weakened by the injury withdrawals ofthree of the top five men: past champions Andy Murray,Novak Djokovic and Wawrinka.

Plus, Nadal did not need to deal with Federer: Thepotential for a semifinal, which would have been theirfirst US Open meeting, was dashed when Juan Martindel Potro eliminated Federer in the quarterfinals. Nadalthen beat del Potro , the 2009 champion but nowranked 28th, in the semis.

Much like Nadal’s 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 win against Wawrinkaat Roland Garros, the only beauty of this match was notin its competitiveness - not by a long shot - but in anappreciation for one participant’s absolute superiority.Forehands whipped up the line. Two-handed back-hands ripped cross-court with ferocity. The spinning,back-to-the-net returns of serves that darted in at himat more than 130 mph (210 kph) and helped him breakAnderson four times.

He even came up with some terrific volleys, winningthe point on all 16 of his trips to the net. Anderson,meanwhile, finished 16 for 34 in that category. Anotherdifference-maker: Nadal never faced a break point,although that was more a reflection of his talent once

the ball was in play than any particularly dominant serv-ing. With Nadal standing way back to receive serves,nearly backing into the line judges, he neutralizedAnderson’s most effective skill. Anderson came in hav-ing won 103 of 108 service games across six matches,but Nadal accumulated break points at will from theget-go - two in a six-deuce game at 1-all, another two ina five-deuce game at 2-all.

Anderson began trying to end points quickly with avolley. Two problems with that: Anderson is not usuallya serve-and-volleyer and so is no expert at that tactic;Nadal is superb at summoning passing shots at extremespeeds and angles, especially when facing the sort oftarget provided by the 6-foot-8 (2.03-meter) Anderson,the tallest Grand Slam finalist in history.

It was only a matter of time until Nadal capitalized ona chance. Anderson let him do just that at 3-all, 30-all,double-faulting to offer up Nadal’s fifth break point ofthe match, then badly pushing a cross-court forehandwide. That only made the score 4-3 , but the statisticswere telling: Anderson had 21 unforced errors, Nadaljust four. A pattern had been established. When Nadalbroke to lead 4-2 in the second set , that was prettymuch that. — AP

Nadal wins US Open for 16th major title

LONDON: The impatience and short-term thinkingin modern-day soccer was highlighted yesterday-when Frank de Boer was fired by Crystal Palaceonly four Premier League games into his task ofchanging the ingrained playing style of the Englishteam.

Hours after Palace chairman Steve Parish calledfor “some sense” regarding the speculation sur-rounding De Boer’s position, the club’s boarddecided to end the Dutchman’s 77-day stint incharge and thanked him for his “dedication andhard work.”

Palace has lost all four of its league matchesunder De Boer, without even scoring a goal.

The last team to make such a start in England’stop flight was Preston in 1924. Still, it was undeni-able that De Boer needed time to implement amore expansive and entertaining style of playrequested by the club’s hierarchy, which is a giantleap from the pragmatism, directness and counter-attacking favored by two of Palace’s three mostrecent managers - Sam Allardyce and Tony Pulis.

In terms of games played, De Boer’s tenure isthe shortest of any permanent manager in PremierLeague history.

Palace lost to Huddersfield, Liverpool andSwansea before the international break, and then1-0 to Burnley on Sunday despite an improved dis-play at Turf Moor which showed that De Boer’smethods might be starting to take effect. De Boerspoke after the game of having “hope for the

future,” but he won’t be part of it. British mediareported that former England coach Roy Hodgson,who is 70, was in line to take over at a club wherehe was a youth-team player in the 1960s.

While De Boer was gaining plenty of sympathyfor his plight, critics of the decision to fire himplaced the blame on those who hired him in thefirst place. Why ask a manager to implement a newplaying approach and not give him a decentopportunity to see the change through, especiallyafter only one transfer window when De Boer wasunable to bring in the kind of attacking players tosuit the new style?

“You try to ask a bit of time for your work,”Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said yesterday,when asked about Palace’s decision. “To finish thisexperience after only four games, I’m sorry for him.”De Boer was in charge of Inter Milan in his previousjob for just 84 days before being fired early last sea-son. He didn’t even last that long in his first forayinto English soccer.

As a former player and coach at Ajax and also aformer Barcelona player, De Boer is wedded to aphilosophy of possession and fluidity generallyfavored by the Dutch. It got results at Ajax - he wonfour straight league titles - but he has found it diffi-cult to transfer that abroad.

Facing yet another fight to avoid relegationfrom the world’s richest league, Palace seems des-tined to lurch back to survival mode. That likelymeans regressing to the style of play that Allardyce

and Pulis developed, namely being more obdurateat the back and hitting teams on the break.

The well-travelled Hodgson does not have adefinitive preferred playing style, although his timewith England from 2012-16 was marred by dulland cautious performances at major tournaments.He hasn’t coached since leaving the England jobafter the country’s elimination by Iceland at lastyear’s European Championship, and his last job asa club manager was at West Bromwich Albion from2011-12. — AP

Frank de Boer

De Boer fired by impatient

Palace after only 4 gamesLONDON: Britain’s Anthony Joshua saidyesterday he is looking forward to show-casing the lessons he learned from hisstunning win over Wladimir Klitschkowhen he puts his world heavyweighttitle on the line.

Joshua, 27, will face his IBF mandato-ry challenger Kubrat Pulev of Bulgariaunder a closed roof at Cardiff ’sPrincipality Stadium on October 28 afterhis hopes of a Las Vegas rematch withKlitschko were ended by the Ukrainian’sretirement.

Joshua won the brutal Wembley clashin April by an 11th-round stoppage afterbeing knocked down earlier in the fight.He has won all of his 19 bouts to datebut he still intends to draw on that mem-orable contest as he builds towards anexpected US debut next year.

“What I went through in my last fightwas a new experience,” he told reportersin Cardiff. “I want to show what I havelearned from that. “It is about finesse andoutclassing your opponents but if I needto go to war, I will go to war.”

“I’m prepared to go into the trenches,”he added. “But sometimes I can be smartand wise and take an opponent out

without taking too much punishment.”Pulev, 36, lost his only previous worldtitle fight to Klitschko inside five roundsin November 2014.

Joshua, who is also the WBA heavy-weight champion, says he is takingnothing for granted ahead of thefourth defence of his IBF title. “Ilearned that sometimes you can watcha million videos of your opponent andprepare for something,” Joshua said atthe first press conference to promotethe Pulev fight.

“But it is always different when youstep into the ring. I always prepare foran improved fighter from what I haveseen on video.” Pulev (25-1) saidJoshua should be wary of streetfight-ing skills he learned in his native Sofia.

“It is not just the ring where I amexperienced,” Pulev said. “I have experi-ence on the streets as well, which isanother advantage.” Asked if they werefrightening experiences, Pulev replied:“Maybe for my opponents, yes, it wasvery scary, but for me it was OK.“Personally, as a man, I love challenges.That’s what makes me very happy. Itmakes me alive.” — AFP

Hardened Joshua ready

for Pulev challenge

BusinessTUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

NBK only Kuwaiti bank among world’s 50 safest banks in 2017

Page 18

Global markets rally asIrma, N Korea fears ease

Page 20

Apple may test the bounds of iPhone love with $1,000 model

Page 22Kuwait invests to raise long-term growth prospects

Page 21

SEOUL: IMF managing director Christine Lagarde (center) leaves after a press conference as she wraps up her trip to South Korea in Seoul yesterday. The IMF chief warned that ageing populations in key Asian economies will drag on theirgrowth, urging policymakers to step up their response to shifting demographics. — AFP

MADRID: Spain’s data protectionwatchdog said yesterday it hasslapped Facebook with a fine of 1.2million euros ($1.44 million) for failingto prevent its users’ data beingaccessed by advertisers. Facebook hascollected personal data from its usersin Spain without obtaining their“unequivocal consent” and withoutinforming them how such informationwould be used, the Spanish DataProtection Agency said in a statement.“Facebook collects data on ideology,sex, religious beliefs, personal tastes ornavigation without clearly informingabout the use and purpose that it willgive them,” the statement said.

The watchdog said Facebook’s pri-vacy policy “contains generic andunclear terms” and it “does not ade-quately collect the consent of either itsusers or nonusers, which constitutes aserious infringement” of data protec-tion rules.

The agency said Facebook did notremove the personal data which it col-lects from its data base even when auser requests this. It said it fined thecompany 600,000 euros for a very seri-ous violation of the country’s data pro-

tection rules and 300,000 euros eachfor two serious violations.

The 1.2-million-euro fine is small inthe context of the company whichposted advertising revenues of $9.2billion in the second quarter, mainlyfrom mobile video ad sales. Facebooksaid in a statement that it “respectful-ly” disagreed with the watchdog’s rul-ing, which it intended to appeal. “Aswe made clear to the data protectionagency, users choose which informa-tion they want to add to their profileand share with others, such as theirreligion. However, we do not use thisinformation to target adverts to peo-ple,” it said.

This is the latest in a series of legalproblems that have beset the socialnetworking giant in Europe in recentyears. France’s data protection agencyin May fined Facebook 150,000 eurosfor failing to prevent its users’ databeing accessed by advertisers follow-ing a two-year investigation.

It said at the time that Facebookhad built up “a massive compilation ofpersonal data of internet users in orderto display targeted advertising”. Lastyear France’s data watchdog had given

Facebook a deadline last year to stoptracking non-users’ web activity with-out their consent and ordered thesocial network to cease some transfersof personal data to the United States.

Belgian, German, and Dutch gov-ernments are also looking into howFacebook holds and uses data pertain-ing to their citizens, according toSpain’s data protection agency. TheEuropean Commission in May finedFacebook 110 million euros for provid-ing incorrect and misleading informa-tion during a vetting of its deal toacquire messaging service WhatsAppin 2014.

Facebook’s social network, nowwith 2.01 billion monthly active users,is steadily driving sales at a faster pacethan other technology giants. Thecompany said it was working with theIrish data protection authority inDublin, where its European headquar-ters are located, to prepare for theentry into force of a new EuropeanUnion data protection law.

Under this law companies couldbe fined up to 4.0 percent of theirglobal turnover if they fall foul ofthe regulations — AFP

Facebook fined $1.44m by Spanish watchdog

Networking giant’s privacy policy ‘contains generic and unclear terms’

This file photo shows a computer screen displaying the Facebook webpage with the new “Reactions” options as anextension of the “like” button, to give people more ways to easily signal how they feel. Facebook was fined 1.2 millioneuros yesterday by a Spanish data watchdog. — AFP

KUWAIT: The officials of Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects and NBK Capital during the signingceremony. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects(KAPP) said NBK Capital would manage a 50 percent offer-ing of Shamal Azzour Al-Oula’s shares to the public,expected in first quarter of 2018. Shamal Azzour Al-Oula,Kuwait’s first and only independent power and waterplant, is planning to list on Boursa Kuwait exchange oncethe shares have been distributed, a statement by KAPPsaid yesterday.

It is the first company to be launched in the frameworkof Kuwait’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Law, whichrequires the state to offer 50 percent of total ownership toKuwaiti nationals via an Initial Public Offering (IPO). ThePPP Law is part of a government policy to help Kuwaitinationals to benefit from mega projects and to give theprivate sector a larger role in contributing to the growth of

the national non-oil economy.In addition to the 50 percent stake in the company held

by Kuwaiti nationals, the government currently owns 10percent. The remaining 40 percent is held by the operatorsof the plant, a private consortium comprising ENGIE (for-merly GDF SUEZ), Sumitomo Corporation, and AH Al-Sagarand Brothers. The plant commenced full commercial oper-ation in November 2016 and currently constitutes some10 percent of Kuwait’s power output and around 20 per-cent of its desalinated water capacity. KAPP DirectorGeneral Mutlaq Al-Sane’a described the project as a “testa-ment to the government’s will to create real investmentopportunities for Kuwaiti citizens.” He also noted its signifi-cance to “empowering (the) private sector to lead thegrowth of the economy.” — KUNA

Shamal Azzour shares

available in Q1 2018

B U S I N E S STUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

EXCHANGE RATES

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

ASIAN COUNTRIESJapanese Yen 2.798Indian Rupees 4.731Pakistani Rupees 2.864Srilankan Rupees 1.973Nepali Rupees 2.958Singapore Dollar 226.030Hongkong Dollar 38.563Bangladesh Taka 3.720Philippine Peso 5.948Thai Baht 9.133

GCC COUNTRIESSaudi Riyal 80.520Qatari Riyal 82.933Omani Riyal 784.174Bahraini Dinar 801.780UAE Dirham 82.210

ARAB COUNTRIESEgyptian Pound - Cash 20.300Egyptian Pound - Transfer 17.021Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.212Tunisian Dinar 126.260Jordanian Dinar 426.080Lebanese Lira/for 1000 2.012Syrian Lira 0.000Morocco Dirham 32.942

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIESUS Dollar Transfer 301.750Euro 365.570Sterling Pound 400.720Canadian dollar 250.310Turkish lira 89.140Swiss Franc 321.700Australian Dollar 245.930US Dollar Buying 300.550

GOLD20 Gram 249.07010 Gram 127.4505 Gram 64.570

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

Rate for Transfr Selling RateUS Dollar 301.850Canadian Dollar 242.005Sterling Pound 391.785Euro 362.965Swiss Frank 290.125Bahrain Dinar 801.135UAE Dirhams 82.575Qatari Riyals 83.395Saudi Riyals 81.350Jordanian Dinar 427.020Egyptian Pound 17.104Sri Lankan Rupees 1.975Indian Rupees 4.723Pakistani Rupees 2.870Bangladesh Taka 3.736Philippines Pesso 5.901Cyprus pound 17.963Japanese Yen 3.745Syrian Pound 1.585Nepalese Rupees 2.957Malaysian Ringgit 71.600Chinese Yuan Renminbi 46.315Thai Bhat 10.075Turkish Lira 87.880Turkish Lira 87.880

Swiss Franc 0.311119 0.322119

AustralasiaAustralian Dollar 0.234466 0.246466New Zealand Dollar 0.212219 0.221719

AmericaCanadian Dollar 0.242993 0.251993US Dollars 0.297800 0.302220US Dollars Mint 0.298300 0.302220

AsiaBangladesh Taka 0.003235 0.003819Chinese Yuan 0.044946 0.048446Hong Kong Dollar 0.036715 0.039465Indian Rupee 0.004223 0.004911Indonesian Rupiah 0.000018 0.000024Japanese Yen 0.002706 0.002886Korean Won 0.000258 0.000271Malaysian Ringgit 0.068230 0.074230Nepalese Rupee 0.003012 0.003182Pakistan Rupee 0.002714 0.003004Philippine Peso 0.005839 0.006139Singapore Dollar 0.219692 0.229692Sri Lankan Rupee 0.001621 0.002201Taiwan 0.009974 0.010154Thai Baht 0.008779 0.009329

ArabBahraini Dinar 0.793910 0.802410Egyptian Pound 0.014607 0.020515Iranian Riyal 0.000084 0.000085Iraqi Dinar 0.000192 0.000252Jordanian Dinar 0.421198 0.430198Kuwaiti Dinar 1.000000 1.000000Lebanese Pound 0.000155 0.000255Moroccan Dirhams 0.020918 0.044918Omani Riyal 0.777736 0.783416Qatar Riyal 0.078635 0.083575Saudi Riyal 0.079420 0.080720Syrian Pound 0.001279 0.001499Tunisian Dinar 0.121555 0.129555Turkish Lira 0.083444 0.093744UAE Dirhams 0.080771 0.082471Yemeni Riyal 0.000981 0.001061

CURRENCY BUY SELLEurope

British Pound 0.390831 0.400831Czech Korune 0.005897 0.017897Danish Krone 0.044724 0.049724Euro 0. 356771 0.365771Georgian Lari 0.134464 0.134464Norwegian Krone 0.0.34926 0.040126Romanian Leu 0.081405 0.081405Russian ruble 0.005275 0.005275Slovakia 0.008983 0.018983Swedish Krona 0.033958 0.038958

KUWAIT: Marmore MENA Intelligence, asubsidiary of Kuwait Financial Centre“Markaz”, recently released a report titled‘Demographics & Kuwait Banking’, analyz-ing the impact of evolving demographicson Kuwait Banking.

The report stated that it is always achallenge to link a slow moving big factorlike demographics to the fortune of a par-ticular industry. However, if there is onesector that will be visibly impacted in themedium to long-term, it is the bankingsector. Mega trends like demographicswill affect product ideas and uptake. Theobjective of this report is to highlightsome of the prominent demographic fac-tors that are at play in Kuwait and how itimpacts the Banking industry. This reportalso discusses how the banking industrycan use these evolving demographics forthe development of the products, servic-

es and marketing channels. Age, income,ethnicity, gender, level of education, etc,are all valuable pieces of information for abank to consider when developing newproducts, creating marketing campaignsor deciding on the distribution channel.Banking penetration levels, gender-wiseexposure to the system, type of employ-ment are other key data points that arecovered in the report which provideinsights into the sector.

Based on the demographic character-istics of different age groups, it is evidentthat the financial priorities, usage of tech-nology and factors influencing the finan-cial decision vary across the generation.

Banks would need to tailor their bankingproducts and the communication chan-nels to meet these varied requirements.

Kuwait’s banking infrastructure is welldeveloped compared to most of itsregional peers. However, there are severalavenues, such as credit cards, mortgageand fewer women being part of thefinancial system compared to men whichwould require banks’ focus. Banks shouldalso develop attractive savings andinvestment products aimed at the largeexpat population which form a majorpart of the workforce.

With the ongoing debate of imposingadditional taxes on expatriates, it isimperative that banks foster attractiveproducts, which would encourage themto invest or save their money withinKuwait rather than sending them to theirhome country.

Decoding the changeApart from the influence of the demo-

graphics, decoding the change in bankingbehavior in response to the critical vari-ables - oil price, interest rate & geopoliticalrisks are important. These variables largelyinfluence the savings, credit and invest-ments behavior of the consumers. Thereport analyses potential scenarios and theproducts that could necessitate the open-ing up of new opportunities for the sector.

Along with the changing demograph-ics, the banking industry is also facing afast-paced evolution in the technology andcustomer behavior, making its current oper-ating business models less effective. Newbanking business models will be needed toserve both the aging, and increasingly techsavvy youth demographic. The emergenceof the Fintech companies cannot be under-mined and do-nothing response would be

self-destructive to the banks. The tech-savvymillennials are likely to prefer these alterna-tive-banking options to the conventionalones. Banks can look to synergize with theFintech players, or develop similar in-housealternatives or acquire Fintech players inorder to avoid the loss of business.Additionally, since digital banking is goingto be the way forward, the banks also needto prepare themselves for the cyber assaultthreats. It is without doubt that a thoroughdemographic analysis on banking cus-tomers could provide strategic ideas for thefuture of banking industry.

Established in 2010, Marmore is aresearch subsidiary of Markaz, anInvestment Bank and Asset ManagementCompany with more than 40 years of expe-rience. Marmore caters to the growingresearch and information needs of organ-izations in the MENA region.

Impact of evolving demographics on Kuwait banking

LONDON: Germany’s benchmark 10-yearbond yield pulled further away fromrecent 2-1/2 month lows yesterday, asunease about an unwinding of ECB stim-ulus and relief that North Korea did notconduct another missile test at the week-end hurt safe-haven assets.

European Central Bank policy willremain accommodative for longer than inprevious cases of demand shock, likelylimiting the negative impact of the euro’sappreciation, ECB Executive Board mem-ber Benoit Coeure said yesterday. Thosecomments briefly pushed bond yieldsacross the bloc lower but the impactproved fleeting.

Analysts said Friday’s report fromReuters that ECB officials generally agreetheir next move would be to cut bondpurchases, and have discussed fouroptions, highlighted that a tapering ofstimulus is on the way and tempereddemand for bonds. “On Thursday therewas a lot of relief that the ECB would stickto its expansionary stance, but latestcomments suggest there is an ongoingdiscussion and that there are severalcouncil members in favour of a lessexpansionary stance,” said DZ Bankstrategist Daniel Lenz, referring to lastweek’s ECB meeting.

“We learnt the buying volume couldbe lower than previous market expecta-tions.” Options being considered, accord-ing to Friday’s report, include cutting

monthly asset purchases from the current60 billion euros to 20 or 40 billion fromthe start of 2018, with the scheme run-ning for another six or nine months.

Germany’s Bund yield rose 1.5 basispoints to 0.33 percent, up 4 bps from 2-1/2 month lows hit on Friday. It briefly hitsession lows around 0.32 percent afterCoeure’s comments. Two-year Germanbond yields also pulled back from lastweek’s 4-1/2 month lows to trade a tadhigher at minus 0.78 percent.

“The bond market has now got to acertain level where it needs new informa-tion before acting,” said Orlando Green,European fixed income strategist atCredit Agricole. “There wasn’t anythingreally new in Coeure’s comments.”Demand for safe-haven assets generallyalso took a knock as the weekend passedwith no further missile tests from NorthKorea when it celebrated its foundinganniversary and powerful storm Irmaweakened.

Irma has caused a number of deathsand knocked out electricity to 3 millionhomes and businesses on its way up theFlorida coast, raising concerns aboutimpact on the US economy. SouthernEuropean bonds markets drew somecomfort from a pickup in risk appetiteglobally.

Portuguese and Italian bond yieldswere down about 1.5 bps each, havingrisen sharply on Friday. — Reuters

German bond yields back away from recent lows as ECB unease lingers

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) main-tained its listing in The World’s 50 Safest Bankslist by Global Finance for the 12th consecutivetime; topping international financial heavy-weights. NBK is the only Kuwaiti bank in GlobalFinance’s list.

According to the new ranking, NBK hasmoved up 8 positions ranking 41st on GlobalFinance’s list of the World’s 50 Safest Banks for2017 and placed 2nd in the Middle East regionallist. This recognition demonstrates NBK’s excep-tionally strong ratings, successful strategy, highstandards and rigorous risk management disci-pline and governance.

Global Finance rankings are based on collec-tive long-term credit ratings from Moody’s,Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings in additionto the total assets of the 500 largest banksworldwide. Global Finance’s listings have beenwell-recognized and trusted standards for thecreditworthiness of financial institutions formore than 20 years.

“The Safest Banks ranking for 2017 demon-

strate the ongoing effects of global politicaluncertainty and the ripple effects that country-level shakeups can have more broadly on theirregions-and even, in the case of larger, globalbanks, across the world. While national leaderswrestle with country-first politics and relationswith their neighbors and trading partners, ourranking provides a consistent metric by whichclients can compare the stability and security ofbanks wherever they do business in the world,”said Global Finance in its press release.

NBK continues to enjoy one of the highestcredit ratings in the MENA region and interna-tionally, with ratings of Aa3 from Moody’s, A+

from Standard & Poor’s and AA- from Fitch, allratings carry a stable outlook. The Bank’s ratingsare supported by NBK’s conservative strategy,strong capitalization & asset quality, prudentlending policies, wise risk management and ahighly stable management team.

NBK enjoys the widest banking presencewith an international presence spans many ofthe world’s leading financial centers includingLondon, Paris, Geneva, New York andSingapore, as well as China (Shanghai) .Meanwhile, regional coverage extends toLebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Bahrain, SaudiArabia, the UAE and Turkey.

BAHRAIN EXCHANGE COMPANY WLL

NBK only Kuwaiti bank among world’s 50 safest banks in 2017

Bank moves up 8 positions to rank 41st in list

BEIJING: China should reconsider itsdecision to suspend imports of sometypes of cheese, the European UnionChamber of Commerce in China said yes-terday. “European cheese has beenimported into China for decades withoutany safety issues resulting,” the chambersaid in a statement. Chinese customsofficials have moved in recent weeks toban various mould-ripened cheesesincluding Camembert, Brie andRoquefort.

These types contain cultures that aretraditionally used in cheese productionin Europe. The chamber said efforts hadalready been underway to revise theNational Food Safety Standard regardingcheese. “(We) have been working closelywith the relevant Chinese authorities onthe revision of these standards for morethan two years,” it said. It is unclear whythe ban was put into place before newstandards were announced.

“While it adjusts its regulatory frame-work for cultures in the long run, in theshort term we hope that China’s compe-tent authorities will allow the continuedimport of European cheese,” the state-ment quoted Dr. Lin Huipeng, chair ofthe cheese industry desk at theEuropean chamber, as saying.

China has seen a series of scandalsover food safety but Western productsare widely seen as made to higher stan-dards. Dairy products are not a typicalpart of a Chinese diet, but in recent yearscheeses such as mozzarella havebecome popular as more Chinese hankerafter Western dishes such as pizza.

Strongly flavored mould-ripenedcheese is usually only available at restau-rants and markets that cater to foreign-ers. Foreign business owners in Beijingtold AFP they have not been able to getcheese orders through customs for sev-eral weeks. —AFP

BANGALORE: An Indian laborer unloads bags of produce at a wholesale shop at the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Marketin Bangalore yesterday. India’s Union finance ministry has said grains sold under non-registered or non-trademarked brands will not be subjectto a five percent levy under the country’s new general sales tax. — AFP

EU union chamber urges China to lift cheese ban

BU S INE S STUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

NEW YORK: Wall Street was sharply higher yes-terday morning in a broad rally led by technolo-gy and financial stocks, especially insurers, onrelief that Irma weakened to a tropical storm andNorth Korea did not conduct a nuclear test asfeared. Irma pounded heavily populated areas ofcentral Florida over the weekend, but graduallylost strength and was downgraded to a tropicalstorm in the morning.

Irma had started off a category 5 hurricaneand was once ranked as one of the most power-ful recorded in the Atlantic. It came on the heelsof Hurricane Harvey, whose devastations econo-mists said would dent third-quarter economicgrowth. Also boosting risk appetite was North

Korea holding a massive celebration on itsfounding day on Saturday, instead of anotherlong-range missile launch as the United Statesand its allies were bracing for. With the tensionseasing, world stocks climbed to a record high,while the dollar edged higher and gold retreat-ed from Friday’s 13-month high.

“For now, we’re seeing a bit of a relief rally. Itdoes appear that the worst-case scenario forFlorida has been evaded,” said Peter Cardillo,chief market economist at First StandardFinancial in New York.

At 9:37 am ET (1337 GMT), the Dow JonesIndustrial Average was up 172.84 points, or 0.79percent, at 21,970.63 and the S&P 500 was up

17.64 points, or 0.72 percent, at 2,479.07.The Nasdaq Composite was up 63.32 points,

or 1 percent, at 6,423.51. “However, a big ques-tion remains on the sanctions from the UnitedNations ... you just have to wait and see the reac-tion from North Korea,” Cardillo said.

The UN Security Council is set to vote yester-day on a watered-down US-drafted resolution toimpose new sanctions on North Korea over itslatest nuclear test, diplomats said. All the 11major S&P indexes were higher, with the tech-nology and the financial sectors’ more than 1percent rise leading the gainers.

Shares of insurers, which had been underpressure after the back-to-back natural disasters,

gained. Allstate and Chubb were up about3 percent. Travelers jumped about 3.5 per-cent, leading the Dow higher. Florida insur-ers gained more. Universal InsuranceHoldings , Heritage Insurance and HCIGroup all surged about 15 percent. Applerose 1.5 percent to $161.07, giving thebiggest boost to the S&P and the Nasdaq, aday ahead of the expected launch of itsnew iPhone.

A host of biotech stocks were also high-er after reporting positive news on theirdrug developments. Among them, MarinusPharma surged about 56 percent and IderaPharma gained about 16 percent. Alsoboosting pharma stocks was Teva, whichjumped 13 percent after naming a newchief executive. Advancing issues outnum-bered decliners on the NYSE by 2,212 to385. On the Nasdaq, 1,956 issues rose and496 fell.

“Markets have started the week in a pos-itive fashion, with risk assets firmly in thedriving seat at the expense of the com-monly perceived havens such as gold,treasuries (US government bonds), and theyen,” said Joshua Mahony, market analystat IG traders.

Asian stock markets pushed higher astraders breathed a sigh of relief thatPyongyang did not fire another missile onSaturday, choosing instead to mark itsfoundation day with a parade.

“Stock markets are strong... as thegeopolitical and environmental issueshaven’t turned out to be as bad as traderspreviously predicted,” said David Madden,analyst at CMC Markets UK.

Both Paris and Frankfurt were up 1.1percent in afternoon trading, whileLondon stocks trailed with a 0.2 percent

gain. Wall Street opened higher, with theDow climbing 0.8 percent in the firstminute of trading.

‘Solidly higher’ In foreign exchange, the European sin-

gle currency was trading down at $1.1978compared with $1.2030 late in New Yorkon Friday. The euro on Friday reached$1.2092, the highest level since January2015 as traders bet on the EuropeanCentral Bank winding in its huge stimulusprogram.

The pound meanwhile steadied yester-day awaiting British MPs first vote on a billto end Britain’s membership of the EU. Thefocus was now also on the UN SecurityCouncil, where Washington is pushing for avote yesterday on tough fresh sanctionsagainst Pyongyang, despite resistance fromChina and Russia. The greenback had comein for a pounding in recent weeks on wan-ing expectations for further FederalReserve interest rate rises and doubtsabout US President Donald Trump’schances of pushing through his market-friendly economic policies. However, itbounced back yesterday, surging above108 yen from Friday’s 10-month lows. Onoil markets, US prices fell further after tak-ing a beating Friday caused by HurricaneIrma threatening crude supplies.

Key US oil contract West TexasIntermediate sank 3.3 percent Friday whileEuropean benchmark Brent North Seacrude slid 1.3 percent in value. Irma, whichhas toppled cranes, swallowed streets andleft millions without power, was starting toweaken yesterday while still pummelingparts of Florida on its destructive marchnorth. — Agencies

Global markets rally as Irma, N Korea fears ease

B U S I N E S STUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

KUWAIT: Kuwait is set to implement an expansiveinvestment program over 2017-19, much of whichfocuses on upgrading the country’s refineries and hardinfrastructure. Infrastructure investment this year shouldsee growth in the non-hydrocarbon sector rise to 3.7percent from 2.5 percent in 2016. Kuwait’s currentinvestment program complements the country’s longer-term Kuwait Vision 2035 which seeks totransform the nation into a regionalfinancial and cultural hub. However, in2017, the boost in non-hydrocarbongrowth will be overshadowed by a contraction in thehydrocarbon sector as a result of OPEC-agreed oil pro-duction cuts. Nonetheless, by 2019, once OPEC caps areremoved, both the non-hydrocarbon and hydrocarbonsectors should see robust growth. As a result, we expectheadline growth to be negative in 2017, at 1.4 percent,and accelerate to 5.4 percent in 2019.

Over 2017-19, the government will be undertakingan investment drive to develop Kuwait’s infrastructure

with signature projects, including the addition of a new$4 billion terminal to the airport that will increase capaci-ty to 25 million passengers. Construction on the airport’srunway and main building began earlier this year. Otherlandmark projects that have already been awarded inprevious years and are well underway are the upgradesand expansions of Kuwait’s refineries, including a new

greenfield refinery to replace a previ-ously decommissioned facility. Capitalspending on these projects is outlinedat $18 billion.

Despite the boost in infrastructure spending, head-line growth will likely be negative in 2017, draggeddown by a contraction in the hydrocarbon sector.Kuwait’s average crude oil production is expected to fallto 2.71m b/d in 2017, from 2.85m b/d in 2016. As such,we expect the hydrocarbon sector to contract by 4.9percent in 2017, bringing headline growth to 1.4 per-cent. We expect Kuwait to ramp up production to pre-agreement levels once the OPEC cuts come to end,

increasing production to 2.85 million b/d by 2019 andallowing headline growth to rise to 5.4 percent.

From project award to estimated completion

Kuwait’s investment drive is part of a larger vision totransform the economy into a cultural, commercial andfinancial leader in the region by 2035 as described in thecountry’s national development plan, “New Kuwait.” Thedevelopment plan is centred around seven pillars: globalstanding, infrastructure, human capital, public administra-tion, healthcare, the economy and living environment.Each pillar is associated with various outcomes. For exam-ple, on the economy, the aim is to increase the number ofsmall business by 3,500 and for human capital, to increasecapacity at colleges to accommodate an additional 40kstudents. Effective investments made today to increaseskills, technology and the productive capacity of the econ-omy can help Kuwait boost its level of competitivenessand raise longer-term growth rates.

Kuwait invests to raise long-term growth prospects

QNB Economic Commentary

DUBAI: Eltizam Asset Management Group, oneof the UAE’s leading asset management compa-nies, will showcase new projects at CityscapeGlobal 2017 exhibition, which is scheduled toopen on September 11, at the Dubai WorldTrade Centre.

The Group continues its growth journey in2017, both in the UAE and Oman with overallrevenues maintaining a 50 percent year-on-yeargrowth. Offering holistic services for clientsthrough its operating subsidiaries Three60Communities and Tafawuq Facility Management,Eltizam manages more than 100 properties intotal, covering 2 master communities, 84 towers,and 20,000 units of which 5,900 are within AbuDhabi, including City of Lights and MarinaSquare on Reem Island.

“Eltizam Asset Management Group continuesboth its commercial and geographical growthwith the award of significant new and renewedprojects in the UAE and Oman, mobilixing over15 new contracts in the first and second quartersof this year. Our business has been growing con-sistently and steadily in recent years and we areconfident that our growth will continue as wehave pride ourselves with the best asset man-agement team in the market that provide quali-ty services to our customers.” says Chris Roberts,Chief Executive Officer, Eltizam AssetManagement Group.

Eltizam’s subsidiary Three60Communities; which is the largestprivately owned community man-agement company in the UAE, hasincreased its scope of servicesthrough the extension of its com-munity management services con-tract with ‘Al Mouj, Muscat ’ inOman. The contract extension atthe prominent mixed-use mastercommunity development hascoincided with the newly formedjoint venture with Al MahmoodInternational Company LLC, sup-porting Eltizam’s regional expansion into Oman.Eltizamis expecting additional major projects inthe next year following its participation in anumber of tenders across the country.

Tafawuq Facilities Management, another sub-sidiary of Eltizam Asset Management Group, hassigned a three-year total facilities managementcontract with Select Group at the ’Pacific’ devel-opmenton Al Marjan Island - Ras Al Khaimah.Tafawuq will provide its services to ‘Pacific’ forsupporting handover from the contractor, post-construction cleaning, mobilization and steadystate operations. Eltizam Asset ManagementGroup aims to position itself as the market leaderin its sector within the UAE by 2021. Through acustomer focused, quality driven, and sustain-

able business model, Eltizam hascreated its ‘Vision 21’ program.

“The aim of ‘Vision 21’ is to takeour customers’ satisfaction to thenext level by delivering a moreefficient and innovative approachto our services. This is beingachieved through implementing acontinuously improving culture byfocusing on our clients’ true expe-rience, tailored training programsfor our staff, and innovation in ourworking methods.” says Roberts.

He adds: “The ‘Vision 21’ pro-gram will result in a change in culture throughoutthe group, which will encourage 360-degree feed-back from our clients, employees, supply chainpartners, and our internal departments.” In orderto achieve the goals and targets set for the ‘Vision21’, Eltizam has developed a specialist team tohelp establish and implement the program in itstrue spirit with the aim to roll it out at the group’sfirst master community by the end of 2017.

At Cityscape Global, Three60 Real Estate willbe showcasing a variety of developments whichthey are leasing and selling on behalf of majordevelopers both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Thedevelopments at the property exhibition includeHorizon Towers in Reem Island, Abu Dhabi, andAG Tower in Dubai.

Eltizam Asset Management

Group unveils new projects

Cityscape Global 2017 in Dubai

Chris Roberts

KUWAIT: OSN, the region’s leading enter-tainment network, has been recognized asthe ‘Media & Marketing Company’ of theyear at the Gulf Business Awards 2017, reaf-firming its leadership position in theMiddle East and North Africa’s (MENA)entertainment industry.

The awards recognize companies andbusiness leaders across nine industriesincluding banking, real estate, aviation andtransport, tourism and hospitality, technol-ogy, energy, retail, healthcare and mediaand marketing. Martin Stewart, CEO ofOSN, said: “It is a privilege to be honoredwith this remarkable distinction fromindustry leaders as the Media & MarketingCompany of the year.

This is a true testament to the passionand dedication of the OSN team to deliver-

ing premium content in MENA and in lever-aging the power of digital technology toengage with our customers.”

He added: “The Award further underpinsthe success of our new customer outreachstrategy defined by the new OSN to bringmore entertainment to more peoplethrough more platforms at competitiveprices. We have positioned ourselves fur-ther as a customer-first organization andare focused on creating exceptional valuefor our subscribers.”

Stewart said the recognition will furtherdrive OSN’s strategy to enhance customerexperience in all the markets that it serves.“We will continue to invest in exclusive andpremium content, innovative technologyand our fight against piracy, as we expandour reach across the MENA region.”

Martin Stewart

OSN recognized as ‘Media &

Marketing Company’ of year

Gulf Business Awards 2017

KUWAIT: Honda Alghanim, the exclusivedistributor of Honda cars, motorcyclesand marine equipment in Kuwait, yester-day launched its “Back to School” cam-paign, offering customers unbeatableprices and competitive payments facili-ties when buying one of its renownAccord, Civic, Odyssey J or Pilot cars.

When purchasing the Civic orOdyssey J cars, customers can takeadvantage of the 0 percent profit for fiveyears and without giving a down pay-ment. Customers who opt for the Pilotreceive their first three months free ofinstallments. As for the Accord 2D and4D, Honda Alghanim offers unbeatableprices to own Honda’s legacy cars

Known to suit the lifestyle of everysegment of customers whether the car ispurchased for Family use or Bachelor,Honda Alghanim ensures great value,strong performance, and an unrivaledafter-sale service for all its customers.

Accord 2D and 4D carsThe 2017 Accord has just been

named one of Card and Driver’s 10 bestfor the 31st time. The signature Hondavehicle upholds a legacy that Hondastarted in 1976. With further designrefinements and even more efficientperformance, the Accord 2017 is avail-able as either a two-door coupe or afour-door sedan, and continues to offerfour- and six-cylinder engine choices.

CivicThe iconic Honda Civic has set an all-

new standard in compact car style andperformance with its sleek, sporty linesand improved power-to-weight ratiothat has proven to be every driver’s dailydelight. While the spacious, dual-zoneautomatic climate control and premium-grade cabin is loaded with premium fea-tures for class-above comfort and con-venience, the exterior features boast col-or-coordinated power side mirrors.Convenience was a key factor in theredesigned Honda Civic; from the cap-less fuel system, electric parking brake

and aerodynamic wing spoiler to theSmart Entry engine start and stop but-ton and 7-inch touchscreen audio dis-play, the Honda Civic is truly the ideal carfor the youth who yearn for a smoothand comfortably stylish drive thatreflects their lifestyle.

Odyssey JAlso ranked among the best family

cars for 2017, the Odyssey J is known forits safety, value, reputation, driving man-ners, comfort and convenience, cargoversatility, technology, and fit of variousrear-facing and forward-facing childsafety car seats when choosing the vehi-cles that best meet the needs of today’sfamilies.

Pilot The Pilot was designed to be stylish,

useful and trouble-free when driving,with its sporty and refined designredefining the modern family SUV. ThePilot is built for comfort with seating foras many as eight persons, not compro-mising on the premium featuresthroughout the interior and exterior ofthe vehicle.

Honda Alghanim also offers a largecarline range catering to the differentneeds of audiences that can be viewedat the Honda Alghanim showrooms.

Customers can take any of these carson a test drive by visiting one of the twoHonda Alghanim showrooms located inAl-Rai and Shuwaikh. The HondaAlghanim showroom in Al-Rai area oper-ates from 9:00am to 10:00pm, Saturdayto Thursday, and from 9:30am to10:00pm on Fridays. The Shuwaikhshowroom operates from 9:00am to10:00pm every day.

The cars service center waiting loungeoffers entertainment and comfort for cus-tomers, digital satellite TV, free wirelessinternet and relaxing massage chairs. Theservice center operates from Saturday toWednesday from 7:30am to 8:30pm, from7:30am to 6:30pm on Thursdays, andfrom 2:00pm to 7:00pm on Fridays.

KUWAIT: Honda Alghanim, the exclusive dis-tributor of Honda cars, motorcycles and marineequipment in Kuwait, is giving customers theopportunity to trade-in their existing motor-bikes with Honda’s latest motorbikes. The offer,launched in partnership with Warba Bank, alsoenables customers to receive up to KD 1500cash back upon purchase, with HondaAlghanim covering installments for the firstthree months. Honda bikes are known to com-bine dynamic performance, comfort, style,power, smoothness and reliability. The mostpopular range of Honda bikes include theGoldwing, Integra, CBR600RR, and CRF1000L.

For over four decades, the Goldwing has setthe standards for the perfect touring bike.Starting with its superior engineering, smooth-ness and ultimate powerful performance, themotorbikes sport a shaft final drive and a chas-sis designed for day long comfort, full-cover-age bodywork and integrated luggage to tack-

le any ride in style and comfort. The HondaGoldwing offers power, performance, handlingand touring comfort in three option packages,each optimizing your riding experience withexclusive features.

The all-new 2017 CBR1000RR is lighter, morepowerful and faster than any CBR1000RR we’veever produced. Trackdays your specialty?Racetrack riding puts special demands on anymachine, and you’ll find Honda’s newCBR1000RR SP is up to that challenge. Availablein limited numbers, it has all the features of ournew 2017 CBR1000RR, but adds premiumohlins electronic suspension, Brembo brakes, atitanium muffler, and more. In addition to theSP, Honda is offering an even more exoticCBR1000RR SP2 in extremely limited numbersfor the most serious enthusiasts and profession-al racers. The CBR1000RR SP2 incorporates allthe special features of the CBR1000RR SP, andadds bigger intake and exhaust valves and

lighter forged Marchesini wheels. For somepeople, a globe or a map isn’t some route-find-ing device. It’s a menu. Of all the places theycan go, the things to see, the adventures tosavor. But unless you plan on walking, you needa way to get there. And that’s why we build theAfrica Twin(r). The perfect travelling companionfor the explorer in you, whether it’s a weekend,a month, or a lifetime. Where will it take you?Let’s look at that map

Honda Alghanim also offers a large range ofmotorbikes and vehicles catering to the differ-ent needs of audiences at the Honda Alghanimshowrooms. Customers can take any of thesebikes on a test drive by visiting one of the twoHonda Alghanim showrooms located in Al-Raiand Shuwaikh. The Honda Alghanim showroomin Al-Rai area operates from 9:00am to 10:00pm,Saturday to Thursday, and from 9:30am to10:00pm on Fridays. The Shuwaikh showroomoperates from 9:00am to 10:00pm every day.

Honda Alghanim

launches best offers yet

for ‘Back to School’

Honda Alghanim launches exclusive

trade-in offer on its famed motorbikes

ROME: Italy’s main opposition parties are replac-ing their calls to leave the euro with apparentlyless radical proposals to flank it with a new cur-rency they say can boost growth and jobs.

Yet if any of their schemes are adopted withsuccess they may convince many Italians that theeconomy can function without the euro, andmake an eventual euro exit more likely. It is a bigif: previous such plans have been tried aroundthe world with mixed results and it would take apolitical shift for new ones to be introduced inItaly, but not everyone is ruling it out.

“It can be done, technically and politically it isperfectly possible,” said Roberto Perotti, econom-ics professor at Milan’s Bocconi University. Threeof Italy’s four largest parties - the anti-establish-ment 5-Star Movement, the right-wing NorthernLeague and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia - pro-pose introducing a parallel currency after anelection due early next year.

They have settled on the dual currency pro-posal as a way of continuing to tap into wide-spread anti-euro sentiment in Italy while avoid-ing - at least for now - the huge upheaval andmarket turmoil that outright euro exit may trig-ger. Opinion polls currently point to a hung par-liament in which they could get a majority ofseats but would be unlikely to form a govern-ment due to divisions on other issues.

Some Northern League and 5-Star lawmakerssay their primary goal is to persuade Brussels andItaly’s partners to change European fiscal rules toallow them to spend more and cut taxes. Thethreat of a parallel currency, which is opposed bythe European Commission, can help themachieve this, they say.

However, many of the strongest supporters ofthe scheme are anti-euro and they admit one ofits main aims would be to prepare the ground fora euro exit when the time comes.

“With a parallel currency in place, if we wantto leave the euro our economy will still be able tooperate even if the European Central Bank triesto crush us by shutting off liquidity in euros,” saidthe Northern League’s economics spokesmanClaudio Borghi.

Italians were strongly pro-euro when the sin-gle currency was launched in 1999, but sincethen Italy has been the most sluggish eurozoneeconomy and many blame the euro for theirfalling living standards and high unemployment.A poll by the Winpoll agency in March showedonly around half of Italians back the euro and anEU-wide survey in July by the GermanBertelsmann Stiftung think tank showed just 17percent of Italians said they were satisfied withthe direction the EU, half the EU-average.

Nervous marketsThe European Commission is concerned by

the dual currency talk, and so are financial mar-kets. Investors sold off Italian government bondslast month after Berlusconi said he was in favorof printing a “new lira” for domestic use, to pumpmoney into the economy. Under his plan euroswould still be used for all international transac-tions and by tourists. The four-times prime minis-ter had made the proposal before, but marketsare now particularly edgy ahead of an electionwhere only the ruling Democratic Party (PD) doesnot propose to tinker with the current euro set-up. The PD is running neck-and-neck with 5-Star,with rightist allies the Northern League and ForzaItalia in third and fourth place.

Asked to comment for this article, theEuropean Commission said there could be onlyone legal tender in the euro zone. Yet many dualcurrency proponents say that is no obstacle.

They argue that “legal tender” is defined as acurrency that sellers are obliged to accept. If

there is no obligation, a dual currency does notinfringe any EU treaties, they say.

Daniel Gros, head of the Brussels-basedCentre for European Policy Studies, agreed. “Ifthere is no obligation there is no legal problem,”he said. However, he doubted the proposalswould ever be adopted, describing them as pos-turing that distracted attention from the realproblem of Italy’s economy, which was a lack ofproductivity growth.

“Ready for euro collapse”Dual currency supporters in Italy point to the

success of employer-provided meal vouchers, nowused by millions of Italians to buy groceries as wellas lunches. Parallel currencies have numerous his-torical precedents. Berlusconi often cites the AM-lira, introduced by the allies in Italy during andafter World War Two. One of the most successful isthe Swiss WIR franc, launched in 1934 for use bybusinesses, which still helps them obtain cheapcredit during downturns. Marine Le Pen, leader ofFrance’s anti-EU National Front, proposed the rein-troduction of the franc in parallel with the euroduring this year’s election campaign.

The Northern League’s Borghi said Italy “has tobe ready for the euro’s collapse,” which he sees asonly a matter of time. He is the architect of theparty’s proposal - which Berlusconi has also hint-ed he would support - called “mini-BOTs”, namedafter Italy’s short-term Treasury bills. Borghi saysinitially some 70 billion euros of these smalldenomination, interest-free bonds would beissued by the Treasury to firms and individualsowed money by the state as payment for servicesor as tax rebates. They could then be used asmoney to pay taxes and buy any services orgoods provided by the state, including, for exam-ple, petrol at stations run by state-controlled oilcompany ENI. — Reuters

Italy’s dual currency schemes

may be long road to euro exit

KUWAIT: Samsung Gulf Electronics introduced themuch anticipated Galaxy Note8 in Kuwait. The nextlevel Galaxy Note8 empowers consumers with a big-ger Infinity display that fits comfortably in one hand,an S Pen to communicate in more personal ways, andSamsung’s best-ever smartphone camera to capturestunning photos. “The Galaxy Note8 is designed for theway consumers lead their lives and lean on technologytoday. We appreciate the great passion of our Noteusers. Hence, we came up with an innovation for thosedoers who want to think big and do big,” said TarekSabbagh, Head of IT & Mobile (IM) Division at SamsungGulf Electronics. “With the latest features including theInfinity Display to the enhanced S Pen and a powerfulDual Camera, the Galaxy Note8 lets people do thingsthat they never thought was possible!”

In addition to its incredible features, the new GalaxyNote8 also enables users through “Samsung Members”- a preloaded app offering experiences linked to Gulfconsumers’ passion points, through a new partnershipwith Marriott International Middle East & Africa andCleartrip. Consumers who purchase the Galaxy Note8in the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain will enjoyexclusive “Samsung Members” offers from Marriotthotel, restaurants and spas and Cleartrip.

The notable features of the Galaxy Note8Enjoy and Do More on the Infinity Display - The

Galaxy Note8 has the biggest screen ever on a Notedevice, yet its narrow body makes it comfortable tohold in one hand. The 6.3-inch Quad HD+ SuperAMOLED Infinity Display lets you see more and scrollless. The Galaxy Note8 also gives you more room towatch, read and draw-making it the ultimate multi-tasking smartphone and the new App Pair lets yousimultaneously launch two apps with ease.

A New Way to Communicate with the S Pen - Oneof the Note’s defining features the enhanced S Penunlocks entirely new ways to write, draw, and inter-act with the phone and communicate with friendson the Galaxy Note8. It has a finer tip, improved pres-sure sensitivity, and features that enable users toexpress themselves in ways that no other stylus orsmartphone ever has. For overseas travels or whenyou come across a website in a foreign language, theimproved S Pen Translate feature lets you hover over

text to quickly translate, and instantly convert unitsand foreign currencies.

Better Pictures with Galaxy Note8’s Best-in-ClassCamera - The Galaxy Note8 is the first smartphonewith two 12MP rear cameras with Optical ImageStabilization (OIS) on both, the wide-angle and tele-photo lenses. For more advanced photo-taking, theGalaxy Note8’s Live Focus feature lets you control thedepth of field by allowing you to adjust the bokeheffect in preview mode and after you take the photo.The wide-angle lens has a Dual Pixel sensor with rap-id Auto Focus, so you can capture sharper, clearershots even in low-light environments. The GalaxyNote8 is also equipped with an industry-leading 8MPSmart Auto Focus front-facing camera for sharp self-ies and video chats.

A New Way to Innovative Mobile Experiences:Samsung DeX enables a desktop experience, pow-ered by your phone. You can keep your files on yourdevice, conduct work on the go, and use SamsungDeX when you need an even bigger screen. TheGalaxy Note8 includes Bixby, a smarter way to useyour phone; it learns from you, improves over time,and helps you get more done. The Galaxy Note8 willbe available across all major retailers in Kuwait start-ing 22nd September 2017 at KD 285 in three distinctcolors; Midnight Black, Orchid Gray and Maple Gold.

t e c h n o l o g yTUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

Samsung launches much-awaited Galaxy Note8 in Kuwait

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple is expected to sell itsfanciest iPhone yet for $1,000, testing howmuch consumers are willing to pay for adevice that’s become an indispensable part ofmodern life. Apple hasn’t confirm that it willbe introducing a new iPhone, although afinancial forecast issued last monthtelegraphed something significant in thepipeline.

An expensive new iPhone would set a newprice threshold for other devices intended toappeal to a mass market. Various leaks have

indicated the new phone wil l feature asharper display that will extend from edge toedge of the device, thus eliminating the sur-rounding gap, or “bezel,” that ’s on mostphone screens. I t may also boast facialrecognition technology for unlocking thephone and wireless charging. A better cam-era is a safe bet, too.

In addition to several new features, asouped-up “anniversary” iPhone - coming adecade after Apple’s late co-founder SteveJobs unveiled the first version - could also

The Galaxy Note8 turns thinking into doing - helping you achieve more in work and life

Display 6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super

AMOLED, 2960x1440 (521ppi)● Screen measured diagonally

as a full rectangle without account-ing for the rounded corners

● Default resolution is FullHD+ and can be changed toQuad HD+ (WQHD+) in Settings

CameraRear: Dual Camera with Dual

OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)* Wide-angle: 12MP Dual Pixel

AF, F1.7, OIS ● Telephoto: 12MP AF, F2.4,

OIS 2X optical zoom, up to 10Xdigital zoom Front: 8MP AF, F1.7

Body162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6mm, 195g,

IP68 (S Pen: 5.8 x 4.2 x 108.3mm,2.8g, IP68)

● Carrying an IP68 dust andwater resistance rating. Based ontest conditions of submersion inup to 1.5 meters of fresh waterfor up to 30 minutes

APOcta core (2.3GHz Quad +

1.7GHz Quad), 64bit, 10nmprocessor Octa core (2.35GHzQuad + 1.9GHz Quad), 64bit,10nm processor

● May differ by market andmobile operator

Memory6GB RAM (LPDDR4), 64GB● May differ by market and

mobile operator

● User memory is less thanthe total memory due to storageof the operating system and soft-ware used to operate the devicefeatures. Actual user memorywill vary depending on the oper-ator and may change after soft-ware upgrades are performed.

SIM CardSingle: one Nano SIM and

one MicroSD slot (up to 256GB)Hybrid: one Nano SIM and

one Nano SIM or one MicroSDslot (up to 256GB)

● May differ by market andmobile operator

Battery3,300mAh Wireless Charging

compatible with WPC and PMAFast Charging compatible withQC 2.0

OSAndroid 7.1.1

NetworkLTE Cat. 16 ● May differ by market and

mobile operator

ConnectivityWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

(2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO,1024QAM, Bluetooth v 5.0 (LE upto 2Mbps), ANT+, USB Type-C,NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo*,Glonass, BeiDou)

● Galileo and BeiDou cover-age may be limited.

PaymentNFC, MSTSensorsAccelerometer, Barometer,

Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor,Geomagnetic Sensor, HallSensor, Heart Rate Sensor,Proximity Sensor, RGB LightSensor, Ir is Sensor, PressureSensor

AuthenticationLock Type: Pattern, Pin,

PasswordBiometric Lock Types: Iris

Scanner, Fingerprint Scanner,Facial Recognition

AudioMP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG,

OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB,FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF,IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, DSF, DFF,APE

VideoMP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV,

ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM●All functionality, features,

specifications and other prod-uct information provided in thisdocument including, but notlimited to, the benefits, design,pricing, components, perform-ance, availability, and capabili-ties of the product are subjectto change without notice orobligation.

Samsung Galaxy Note8 Product Specification

FRANKFURT: Scandals. Recalls. Threats ofbans. The diesel engine is a public enemyfor many environmental activists and politi-cians. And yet, when the world’s biggestautomakers unveil new models at this year’sauto show in Frankfurt, among the newelectric vehicles and digitally-enhancedprototypes there will also be diesel cars.

The carmakers at the show, mainlyGermany’s big manufacturers, are hopingto modify diesel engines to make themcleaner rather than throw them out alto-gether. It’s a bid for stability in an industryroiled by change. Here’s a quick look at themajor themes and vehicles expected at theFrankfurt International Motor Show, whichopens for journalists today and tomorrowand to the general public from Saturdaythrough Sept 24.

Diesel dilemmaGerman carmakers, which have relied

heavily on diesel, have been bruised bycontroversy over the technology sinceVolkswagen’s scandal, in which the compa-ny admitted to illegally rigging cars to turnoff diesel emission controls when not ontest stands. Subsequent investigationfound that many diesels by other manufac-turers met official test standards but emit-ted far more pollution during every daydriving, often by exploiting legal loopholesthat permitted them to turn off controls atcertain temperatures. German carmakersare recalling some 5 million older dieselvehicles to tweak their engine control soft-ware in hopes of warding off pressure fordiesel bans in some cities.

So expect a lot of emphasis on emis-sions-free technology such as battery-pow-ered cars. Daimler will show off a fully elec-tric, compact car under its EQ brand, whichrepresents the company’s push into areas ithas bundled under the acronym CASE: con-nected, autonomous, shared and services,and electric. I t also will unveil theMercedes-Benz GLC F-Cell, a fuel-cell andbattery plug-in hybrid that emits onlywater vapor. Fuel cell-powered cars are notyet a practical option for consumers, withonly 33 hydrogen fuel stations in Germany,but it’s one possibility for the future inwhich government regulation will increas-ingly require low-emission vehicles.

Diesel despite thatBut diesel remains in the mix -with what

automakers say are better emissions con-trols to meet European Union standards inwhich cars will be tested under real-worlddriving conditions, as well as on test stands.Diesels get better mileage - a big consumer

issue in Europe, where fuel taxes makegasoline painfully expensive. A liter ofgasoline costs 1.31 euros in Frankfurt, or$5.97 a gallon. And diesels emit less carbondioxide, meaning they help meet regulato-ry limits on the greenhouse gas believed tocontribute to global warming. The new T-Roc small SUV from Volkswagen, forinstance, will come with three possiblegasoline engines to choose from - andthree diesels. Automakers “won’t be shout-ing about it, but diesels will be part of theirlineup,” says Ian Fletcher, principal analystat IHS Market.

IHS estimates diesel’s market share willfall from 49.7 percent in Europe to 46.9 per-cent this year, and to 32.8 percent by 2025.Mercedes-Benz spent 3 billion euros todevelop new diesels, which are alreadybeing used in its E-Class sedans.

The home teamIncreasingly, carmakers are finding other

ways to unveil new models than autoshows and that has become even more evi-dent ahead of this year ’s show.Volkswagen’s Porsche brand showed off itsnew Cayenne SUV at an extravagant eventAug. 29 with the Bohemian SymphonyOrchestra Prague and dancers livestreamedfrom its home base in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. Automakers skipping theshow this year include Fiat Chrysler’s name-sake Fiat and its Jeep and Alfa Romeobrands, Peugeot and its DS luxury division,plus Nissan, Infiniti and Volvo.

Yet the Frankfurt show remains a verybig deal for the home team: Daimler AG’sMercedes-Benz luxury brand, Munich-based BMW AG, and Volkswagen, all ofwhich will have giant display stands.Some 1,000 exhibitors will show off 300premieres on 200,000 square meters ofspace. Chinese brands WEY and Cherywill exhibit for the first time. Automakerswill be eager to show off technologiesthat can help people get around withoutowning a car. That could include order-ing rides through an app, sharing some-one else’s car for a price, andautonomous vehicles.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, willspeak at the opening ceremony, whileGoogle is a sponsor for the media night.Computer security company KasperskyLabs and AVL Software and FunctionsGmbH are showing off a product to pro-tect cars from hackers. Daimlerannounced Wednesday it was investing inpeer-to-peer car sharing company Turoand said it plans to fold its own car shar-ing pilot project, Munich-based Croove,ahead of Turo’s entrance into the Germanmarket in 2018. —AP

Apple may test the bounds of iPhone love with $1,000 model

An expensive iPhone could set a new price threshold for devices

FRANKFURT: The image provided by Daimler shows smart vision EQ fort. The self-dri-ving concept car will be presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, whichopens for journalists today and tomorrow and to the general public from Saturdaythrough Sept 24, 2017. —AP

Diesels on display in Frankfurt auto show despite scandal

LUXEMBOURG: Google yesterday launched alegal challenge to a record 2.4-billion euro fineimposed by European anti-trust authorities forfavoring its own shopping service, lodging anappeal at the EU court in Luxembourg.

The move sets up a court battle betweenBrussels and the internet giant that could takeyears to resolve and make already tense rela-tions between Europe and the US tech gianteven more fraught.

The EU hit Google with the record fine inJune for illegally favoring its shopping service insearch results, giving the company 90 days tocomply or face further fines.

A spokesman for the Court of Justice of theEuropean Union confirmed to AFP that theappeal had been submitted. Lodging theappeal does not suspend the fine, meaningGoogle is still obliged to pay up, though it canput the money in a blocked account until thedecision is reached.

Concurrent to the appeal, Google last weekalso notified to the EU that it would attempt tomeet the demands of the EU decision. In aninterview with AFP, Europe’s anti-trust chiefMargrethe Vestager last week said some of thatproposal “pointed in the very right direction”,but could only be judged once in effect.

This had raised hopes that Google may bechoosing a more conciliatory road with the EU,but the appeal risks embittering matters stillfurther. A spokesman for Google confirmed yes-terday they had filed the appeal but said thecompany had no further comment to make. Thelegal battle extends the already seven-year tus-sle with the EU, including a failed effort to settle,that could affect crucial parts of Google’s busi-ness model.

The fine over Google Shopping broke theprevious European Union record for a monop-oly case against US chipmaker Intel of 1.06 bil-lion euros in 2009 and made the EU the globalleader in regulating Sil icon Valley giants.Brussels accuses Google of giving its own serv-ice too much priority in search results to thedetriment of other price comparison services,such as TripAdvisor and Expedia.

The verdict came less than a year afterVestager shocked Washington and the worldwith an order that iPhone manufacturer Applerepay 13 billion euros in back taxes in Ireland-against Dublin’s wishes.

The EU is also expected to soon decideanother case against Google over abusing itsdominance of internet search to impose itsAndroid mobile operating system. —AFP

debut at an attention-getting $999 price tag,twice what the original iPhone cost. It wouldset a new price threshold for any smartphoneintended to appeal to a mass market.

What a thousand bucks will buy Various leaks have indicated the new

phone will feature a sharper display, a so-called OLED screen that will extend fromedge to edge of the device, thus eliminatingthe exterior gap, or “bezel,” that currentlysurrounds most phone screens.

It may also boast facial recognition tech-nology for unlocking the phone and wirelesscharging. A better camera is a safe bet, too. Allthose features have been available on othersmartphones that sold for less than $1,000,but Apple’s sense of design and marketingflair has a way of making them seem irre-sistible - and worth the extra expense.

“Apple always seems to take what othershave done and do it even better,” saidCarolina Milanesi, an analyst with CreativeStrategies.

Why phones cost more, not lessApple isn’t the only company driving up

smartphone prices. Market leader SamsungElectronics just rolled out its Galaxy Note 8with a starting price of $930. The trend reflectsthe increasing sophistication of smartphones,which have been evolving into status symbolsakin to automobiles. In both cases, many con-sumers appear willing to pay a premium pricefor luxury models that take them where theywant to go in style.

“Calling it a smartphone doesn’t comeclose to how people use it , view it andembrace it in their lives,” said Debby Ruth,senior vice president of the consumerresearch firm Magid. “It’s an extension ofthemselves, it’s their entry into the world, it’stheir connection to their friends.”

From that perspective, it’s easy to under-stand why some smartphones now cost morethan many kinds of laptop computers, saidtechnology analyst Patrick Moorhead. “Peoplenow value their phones more than any otherdevice and, in some cases, even more thanfood and sex,” Moorhead said.

The luxury-good changeLongtime Apple expert Gene Munster, now

managing partner at research and venturecapital firm Loup Ventures, predicts 20 per-cent of the iPhones sold during the next yearwill be the new $1,000 model.

Wireless carriers eager to connect withApple’s generally affluent clientele are likelyto either sell the iPhone at a discount or offerappealing subsidies that spread the cost ofthe device over two to three years to minimizethe sticker shock, said analyst Jan Dawson ofJackdaw Research.

Even Munster’s sales forecast holds true,it still shows most people either can’t affordor aren’t interested in paying that much fora smartphone. That’s one reason Apple alsois expected to announce minor upgrades tothe iPhone 7 and iPhone 7. That will make iteasier for Apple to create several differentpricing tiers, with the oldest model possiblybecoming available for free with a wirelesscontract.

But the deluxe model virtually assuresthat the average price of the iPhone - now at$606 versus $561 three years ago - will keepclimbing. That runs counter to the usual techtrajectory in which the price of electronics,whether televisions or computers, falls overtime. “The iPhone has always had a way ofdefying the law of physics,” Munster said, “andI think it will do it in spades with this higherpriced one.” —AP

SAN FRANCISCO: In this Sept 7, 2016, file photo, Apple CEO Tim Cook announces the newiPhone 7 during an event to announce new products, in San Francisco.— AP

Google challenges 2.4-bn euro EU fine in court

H E A LT H & S C I E N C ETUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

GENEVA: Swallow deeply, pinch the noseand repeat the mantra: “Tastes like beef,tastes likes beef.” Then bite into the burg-er of rice, chopped vegetables, spices andmealworm larvae. The Swiss supermarketchain Coop, to a bit of domestic hoopla,has begun selling burgers and balls madefrom insects. It’s being billed as a legalfirst in Europe, a continent more accus-tomed to steak, sausage, poultry and fishas a source of protein. The goal is to con-vince leery consumers to try a nutritious,if unusual food that “preserves the plan-et’s resources,” Coop says.

About one-third of the burger is meal-worm larvae. A burger weighing 100grams (3.5 ounces) has about 10 grams ofprotein in it - about the same amountfound in a child’s-size beef burger. Fornow, only seven of Coop’s nearly 2,500stores in Switzerland are serving up thecritters concocted by the Zurich-basedfood startup Essento. The chain says theinsect products have been flying offshelves during their limited rollout in theAlpine nation and a broader launch isplanned by year’s end.

Insect promoters say Switzerland isn’tthe first European country to allow retailsales, just the first to have those sales soclearly authorized. A change in Swiss lawin May allows the sale of three types ofinsects: mealworm larvae, house cricketsand migratory locusts. “It’s the first timethat a state has authorized human con-sumption of insects in such a firm, explic-it way in Europe,” said Christophe Derrien,chief of the International Platform ofInsects for Food and Feed.

Insects can be found on the shelves in

Belgium, Britain, Denmark and theNetherlands, but that’s due to a “legalvoid” in European Union rules, he said.New legislation taking effect in Januarywill smooth the way for bug burgers toturn up on picnic plates across the EU,however. The chain says it has a policy ofnot releasing sales numbers, but spokes-woman Andrea Bergmann said the insectburgers and balls “have been very suc-cessful from day one and have been soldout quickly everywhere.”

The burger itself has little whitespecks of rice inside with traces of car-rot, paprika, chili powder and pepper.After a hesitant bite, the main flavorsthat come out are the spices. The tex-ture is curious, a bit like a meaty falafelwith a crunch. An aftertaste lingered -but maybe that was just my subcon-scious playing tricks. The insect burg-ers, like the meat variety, can be accom-panied by buns, tomatoes and lettuce.The insect balls - a mixture of meal-worms with cilantro, onions and chick-peas - seem to fit best in pita bread, per-haps with a spoonful of yogurt.

The UN’s Food and AgriculturalOrganization has promoted insects as asource of human food, saying they arehealthy and high in protein and miner-als. The agency says many types ofinsects produce less greenhouse gasesand ammonia than most livestock - suchas methane -spewing catt le - andrequire less land and money to culti-vate. Still, there’s no telling how long atrue conversion in consumer tastes frombeef to bug burgers might take - if ithappens at all. — AP

Yuck or yum? Swiss offer insect burgers of mealworm larvae

LUGANO: An employee of a Coop supermarket shows a packet of insect balls inLugano, Switzerland. Swiss supermarket chain Coop, to a bit of hoopla, beganselling “burgers” and “balls” made from insects. — AP

MADRID: Cancer doctors are widening the netfor immunotherapy, a hot new class of drugsthat enlist the body’s defenses in the fightagainst tumors. The latest research shared with23,000 experts at Europe’s top oncology meet-ing shows how medicines that have alreadydelivered durable benefits in metastatic diseasecan also work well at an earlier stage. The find-ings promise to expand the market for estab-lished immuno-oncology (I-O) drugs from com-panies like Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb andRoche, while opening up a window for relativelatecomers such as AstraZeneca.

AstraZeneca stole much of the limelight atthe European Society for Medical Oncology(ESMO) congress in Madrid after clinical trialresults showed its I-O drug Imfinzi helped lungcancer patients with mid-stage disease. Bristol-Myers, meanwhile, proved that Opdivo, which isalready used widely in advanced cancer, can pre-vent relapses in melanoma patients if givenstraight after surgery. This earlier setting isknown as adjuvant therapy. The data on bothdrugs highlight how so-called PD-1 and PD-L1drugs are moving down the treatment curve toearlier-stage disease.

“The aim is to help more and more patients inearlier phases of the disease, like in adjuvanttherapy,” ESMO President Fortunato Ciardiellosaid. “I think this will be a trend that will increaseover the next few years, though we have to cau-tious because we have to do the proper clinicaltrials to prove this in each case.” I-O drugs arenow being investigated in the adjuvant settingin a range of cancers, including lung, kidney andbladder - and some trials are even underway inthe neoadjuvant or pre-surgery setting in thecase of breast and head and neck cancers.

Brakes offBy taking the brakes off the immune system

and allowing the body’s natural killer cells tohome in on tumors, immunotherapy offers a dif-ferent approach to toxic chemotherapy, whichcauses collateral damage to healthy tissue. It isnot without side effects, some of which can beserious, but it is generally a kinder option - espe-cially when PD-1 and PD-L1 drugs are given ontheir own. “There is now a potential to useimmunotherapy to change the course of earlydisease. I think that is one of the most importantpieces of news for patients at this ESMO meet-

ing,” said Fouad Namouni, Bristol-Myers’s head ofmedical oncology development.

By giving immunotherapy earlier, whenimmune systems are healthier, the hope is thatmore patients will be lifted into long-term remis-sion. “Earlier treatment does seem to producehigher responses, although I’m not sure that isgoing to be true all of the time,” said Roy Baynes,who heads clinical development at Merck. Someanalysts forecast potential sales of immunother-apy drugs at as much as $50 billion a year.However, significant challenges remain, includ-ing deciding which patients will benefit mostfrom infused medicines with typical list prices ofnear $150,000 a year.

The possibility of early intervention also rais-es questions about screening to spot cancerearly on - something that becomes more rele-vant once potentially curative options are avail-able. AstraZeneca’s chief executive, PascalSoriot, who expects multibillion-dollar sales ofImfinzi in non-metastatic stage III lung cancer,is hopeful screening will pick up in future. “Ifyou have a good early treatment then theincentive for screening is massive,” he said in aninterview. — Reuters

SHANGHAI: China is gearing up to banpetrol and diesel cars, a move that wouldboost electric vehicles and shake up theauto industry in the world’s biggest butpollution-plagued market. The planwould follow decisions by France andBritain to outlaw the sale of such cars andvans from 2040 to clamp down on harm-ful emissions. While the government didnot give a date for the ban, theannouncement drove up the shares ofChinese automakers, with domestic elec-tric car leader BYD soaring by as much as7.39 percent.

Xin Guobin, vice minister of industryand information technology, told a week-end forum in the northern city of Tianjinthat his ministry has started “relevantresearch” and is working on a timetablefor China. “These measures will promoteprofound changes in the environmentand give momentum to China’s autoindustry development,” Xin said inremarks broadcast by CCTV state televi-sion. “Enterprises should strive toimprove the level of energy-saving fortraditional cars, and vigorously developnew-energy vehicles according to assess-ment requirements,” he said.

Long road ahead While Xin did not give a deadline, the

head of the National Passenger CarAssociation, a Chinese auto industrygroup, said it would be “a long process”.“It will be hard to stop producing tradi-tional fuel-powered vehicles for the nextdecade or two decades,” the association’ssecretary general, Cui Dongshu, told AFP.“We may make significant headway inpassenger cars in 2040 or even earlier,but for other products like the heavy-duty trucks it would be difficult.”

Automakers “have not really triedhard in this sector” and consumers arenot so familiar with new-energy vehi-cles, Cui said, though he predicted thatthe “impact will be big” when Chinadecides to ban petrol vehicles. Chinaproduced and sold more than 28 millionvehicles last year, according to the

International Organization of MotorVehicle Manufacturers.

The sale of new-energy vehiclestopped 500,000 in the world’s secondlargest economy in 2016, over 50 percentmore than the previous year, accordingto national industry figures. The govern-ment in June introduced draft regula-tions compelling automakers to producemore electrically-powered vehicles by2020 through a complex quota system.Xin said the policy would be implement-ed “in the near future”, according to theofficial Xinhua news agency.

Race for green cars As the measure looms, foreign

automakers have announced plans toboost the production of electric cars inChina. Volvo will introduce its first 100-percent electric car in China in 2019,while Ford will market its first hybridvehicle in early 2018. It envisages that 70percent of all Ford cars available in Chinawill have electric options by 2025. Marketleader Volkswagen sold four million carsin China in 2016 but only a few hundredwere “green”.

The German manufacturer plans tobegin making an electric car in Chinanext year, in a joint venture with Chinesegroup JAC. Jochem Heizmann, CEO ofVolkswagen China, said in April that VWexpects to sell around 400,000 new-ener-gy vehicles in China in 2020.

French carmaker Renault, which start-ed producing cars in China last year, willroll out two new-energy vehicles in thecountry-a sedan and small SUV in 2018and 2019, said Florence de Golfiem, itscommunications vice president for China.Renault entered the Chinese marketknowing that it was moving towardselectric cars, she said, so the companyhas been co-developing such vehiclesthrough a joint venture from the begin-ning. “We already have a very advancedtechnology,” she said. “We do co-develop-ment in China with Chinese standardsand batteries, adapted to Chinese elec-tric (car) norms.”—AFP

SYDNEY: Researchers say a combination of new treat-ments can stop the world’s deadliest form of skin cancer- melanoma - in its tracks and halt its spread to otherorgans. Results from two international drug trials con-ducted by the Sydney-based Melanoma InstituteAustralia have proved successful in preventing the dis-ease spreading in stage three patients whose tumorshad been surgically removed. Until now, these patientswere at a high risk (40 to 70 percent) of the diseasebecoming advanced and fatal.

“Results from these clinical trials suggest we can stopthe disease in its tracks-effectively preventing it fromspreading and saving lives,” the institute’s medical direc-tor Georgina Long said in research published in the NewEngland Journal of Medicine Monday. “Our ultimate goalof making melanoma a chronic rather than a terminal ill-ness is now so much closer to being achieved.” One inevery three cancers diagnosed is a skin cancer, accord-ing to the World Health Organization, with Australia hav-ing among the highest incidences of melanoma in theworld. One Australian dies from it every five hours.

While 90 percent of people can be cured by havingthe primary cancer removed through surgery, it spreadsin the other 10 percent because it is detected too late.“These results will change the way we treat melanomapatients as well as their quality of life,” added Long. “Untilnow, Stage III melanoma patients who have had theirtumors surgically removed have simply had to play thewaiting game, to see if their melanoma would metasta-sise or spread. “Living with such fear severely affectedthem and their loved ones.” The researchers conductedtwo 12-month trials, one immunotherapy-based and theother with targeted therapies. Both proved successful inpreventing the disease spreading. In one of them, target-ed therapies (dabrafenib and trametinib) blocked theaction of a particular gene, BRAF, which is a driver formelanoma. It not only stopped stage three melanomafrom recurring in those with tumours removed, butincreased overall survival, the research showed.

The other trial treated patients with the immunother-apy nivolumab or ipilimumab-designed to reboot theimmune system to attack melanoma cells. Resultsshowed nivolumab decreased the chance of relapse.“These clinical trials show we now have ammunition toprevent melanoma spreading and progressing, whichuntil now was a critical area of disease behavior wherewe had no control,” said Long. “This will change howmelanoma is treated around the world, as we no longerhave to passively wait to see if the melanoma spreads.”The clinical trial results are due to be presented to theEuropean Society for Medical Oncology’s annual con-gress in Spain this week.— AFP

Cancer immunotherapy proves itself in earlier-stage disease

Immuno-oncology moving beyond metastatic cancer

ZURICH: Insect burgers are presented in Zurich, Switzerland. Swiss supermarket chainCoop, to a bit of hoopla, began selling “burgers” and “balls” made from insects. —AP

China mulls petrol car ban, boosting electric vehicles

Australian researchers say they can stop

melanoma spreading

W H AT ’S O N

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

Happy Birthday to Alex, may yourday be filled with happiness andlove. May all of your wishes anddreams come true on your specialday. Best wishes from daddy, mom-my, Aliya, Sean, family and friends.

As part of the festive season, leadingUAE- based business group, Regency,launched the 46th branch of its flagship

store, Grand Hypermarket in Farwaniya at Al-Arbeed Gallery, Habib Munawar Street onSeptember 7, 2017.

Regency Group Managing Director Dr.Anvar Ameen and prominent businessmanAdil Al-Arbeed jointly inaugurated the branch

at a ceremony attended by top-level govern-ment officials, leading business figures, inaddition to Jassim Mohammed Khamis Al-Sharah (Chariman Grand Hypermarket,Kuwait), Aboobacker Mohammed (RegencyGroup Executive Director), Ayyoob Kachery(Regional Director), Dr. Abdul Fathah(Director), Mohammed Suneer (CEO),Thahseer Ali (General Manager), Sanin Wasim

(Manager- Marketing), and other manage-ment representatives.

As part of the inaugural offer, the new out-let has announced huge discounts, in additionto the special offers that have been planned atall the other outlets during the festive season.The inaugural event saw a huge turnout ofguests, who dared unfriendly weather toattend it. Grand Hypermarket has a strong rep-

utation in the market for providing a widerange of products including food stuffs, world-class electronic appliances, home appliances,foot wear, health and beauty products foraffordable prices. Perishable goods areshipped by air on a daily basis to ensure theyare available fresh to the end users.

Dr Anvar Ameen stated that GrandHypermarket differentiates itself by providing

consumers with high-quality products,uniquely selected to suit their tastes and pricesensitivities. “This way we make sure the con-sumers enjoy a complete shopping experi-ence,” he added. As part of its regional expan-sion plans, the Regency group will be launch-ing branches of Grand Hyper, GrandSupermarket and Grand Fresh in UAE, Omanand Qatar.

Grand Hypermarket

opens its 46th branch in Farwaniya

Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

T V PR O G R A M STUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

01:15 Rivers Nine 02:50 Judge Dredd 04:25 Independents’ Day 06:00 The Tower 08:00 Dark Was The Night 09:40 Larceny 11:10 Judge Dredd 12:50 The Tower 14:55 Dark Was The Night 16:35 Harlock: Space Pirate 18:30 In The Heart Of The Sea 20:35 In Time 22:25 X-Men: First Class

00:45 Treehouse Masters 01:40 Bad Dog 02:35 Snake Sheila 03:00 Snake Sheila 03:25 Expedition Mungo 04:15 Shark After Dark 05:02 Wildest India 05:49 Untamed & Uncut 06:36 Going Ape 07:00 Going Ape 07:25 Snake Sheila 07:50 Snake Sheila 08:15 Treehouse Masters 09:10 Bad Dog 10:05 Wildest India 11:00 Snake Sheila 11:28 Snake Sheila 11:55 Expedition Mungo 12:50 Shark After Dark 13:45 Bad Dog 14:40 Wildest India 15:35 Untamed & Uncut 16:30 Treehouse Masters 17:25 Project Grizzly 18:20 After The Attack 19:15 Bad Dog 20:10 Snake Sheila 20:38 Snake Sheila 21:05 Project Grizzly 22:00 I Survived An Animal Attack 22:55 Bahama Blue 23:50 Untamed & Uncut

00:30 Ripper Street 01:25 Doctor Foster 02:25 Sherlock 04:05 Death In Paradise 05:00 Death In Paradise 06:00 The Detectorists 06:30 Holby City 07:20 Death In Paradise 08:15 Doctor Who 09:05 Stella 09:50 New Tricks 10:45 Death In Paradise 11:45 Doctor Who 12:35 Stella 13:20 Holby City 14:15 The Detectorists 14:45 Death In Paradise 15:40 Doctor Who 16:35 Stella 17:20 New Tricks 18:15 Holby City 19:10 Death In Paradise 20:00 Line Of Duty 21:00 Line Of Duty 22:00 Silent Witness 23:00 Doctor Foster 23:55 Holby City

00:00 Crimes That Shook Australia 01:00 It Takes A Killer 01:30 It Takes A Killer 02:00 Cold Case Files 03:00 Crimes That Shook Britain 04:00 Crimes That Shook Australia 05:00 It Takes A Killer 05:30 It Takes A Killer 06:00 Cold Case Files 07:00 Cold Case Files 08:00 It Takes A Killer 08:30 It Takes A Killer 09:00 Homicide Hunter 10:00 Crime Stories 11:00 Crime Stories 12:00 Crime Stories 13:00 Crime Stories 14:00 It Takes A Killer 14:30 It Takes A Killer 15:00 Cold Case Files 16:00 Crimes That Shook Britain 17:00 Nightmare In Suburbia 18:00 Crime Stories 19:00 It Takes A Killer 19:30 It Takes A Killer 20:00 Homicide Hunter 21:00 Cold Case Files 22:00 Killers: Behind The Myth 23:00 Evil Up Close

00:05 Tosh.0 00:30 Lip Sync Battle 00:55 Show Me The Funny 01:45 Broad City 02:10 Broad City 02:35 Tosh.0 03:00 The Daily Show With Trevor Noah 03:25 Disorderly Conduct: Video OnPatrol 04:15 Lip Sync Battle 04:40 Ridiculousness 05:05 Disaster Date 05:30 Catch A Contractor 06:20 Bondi Ink. 07:15 Disorderly Conduct: Video OnPatrol 08:05 Disaster Date 08:30 Impractical Jokers 08:55 Ridiculousness 09:20 Key And Peele 09:45 Lip Sync Battle 10:10 Ridiculousness 10:35 Disaster Date 11:00 Coaching Bad 11:50 Disaster Date 12:15 Catch A Contractor 13:05 Disorderly Conduct: Video OnPatrol 13:55 Frankenfood 14:20 Frankenfood 14:45 Lip Sync Battle 15:10 Lip Sync Battle 15:35 Ridiculousness Arabia 16:00 Impractical Jokers 16:30 Disaster Date 16:55 Disaster Date 17:20 Ridiculousness 17:45 Ridiculousness 18:10 Impractical Jokers 18:35 Key And Peele 18:59 The Jim Gaffigan Show 19:22 Brotherhood 19:46 Ridiculousness Arabia 20:09 Key And Peele 20:32 Ridiculousness Arabia 21:00 The Daily Show With Trevor Noah

21:30 Inside Amy Schumer 22:00 Inside Amy Schumer 22:25 Broad City 22:50 Broad City 23:15 Idiotsitter 23:40 The Daily Show With Trevor Noah

00:05 Destroyed In Seconds 00:30 Alaska Gold Diggers 01:20 Life On A Wire 02:10 Dirty Jobs 03:00 Finding Bigfoot 03:50 Destroyed In Seconds 04:15 Destroyed In Seconds 04:40 How It’s Made 05:05 How It’s Made 05:30 Alaska Gold Diggers 06:20 Mythbusters 07:00 Awesome Adventures 07:25 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 07:50 K9 Cops 08:40 How It’s Made 09:05 How It’s Made 09:30 Nextworld 10:20 Mythbusters 11:10 K9 Cops 12:00 Finding Bigfoot 12:50 How It’s Made 13:15 How It’s Made 13:40 Alaska Gold Diggers 14:30 Awesome Adventures 14:55 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 15:20 Destroyed In Seconds 15:45 Destroyed In Seconds 16:10 Nextworld 17:00 Driving Me Crazy 17:50 World’s Top 5 18:40 Mythbusters 19:30 How It’s Made 19:55 How It’s Made 20:20 Destroyed In Seconds 20:45 Destroyed In Seconds 21:10 Driving Me Crazy 22:00 World’s Top 5 22:50 Finding Bigfoot 23:40 Destroyed In Seconds

00:35 The Perfect Murder 01:22 Sin City Justice 02:10 Sexual Assault In College: TamronHall... 03:00 I Am Homicide 03:48 Disappeared 04:36 Grave Secrets 05:24 Swamp Murders 06:12 I’d Kill For You 07:00 Disappeared 07:50 Grave Secrets 08:40 Swamp Murders 09:30 Deadly Affairs 10:20 Blood Relatives 11:10 Betrayed 12:00 Disappeared 12:50 Grave Secrets 13:40 Swamp Murders 14:30 I’d Kill For You 15:20 Blood Relatives 16:10 Disappeared 17:00 Disappeared 17:50 Grave Secrets 18:40 Swamp Murders 19:30 I’d Kill For You 20:20 Blood Relatives 21:10 Unravelled 22:00 Who Killed Angie Dodge: KeithMorrison... 22:50 Your Worst Nightmare 23:40 Forbidden: Dying For Love

00:00 Hank Zipzer 00:25 Alex & Co. 00:45 The Hive 00:50 Evermoor Chronicles 01:15 Sabrina Secrets Of A TeenageWitch 01:40 Sabrina Secrets Of A TeenageWitch 02:05 Binny And The Ghost 02:30 Binny And The Ghost 02:55 Hank Zipzer 03:15 The Hive 03:20 Hank Zipzer 03:45 Alex & Co. 04:10 Alex & Co. 04:35 Sabrina Secrets Of A TeenageWitch 05:00 Sabrina Secrets Of A TeenageWitch 05:25 Binny And The Ghost 05:45 The Hive 05:50 Rolling With The Ronks 06:00 Jessie 06:25 Liv And Maddie 06:50 Tsum Tsum Shorts 06:55 Lolirock 07:20 Elena Of Avalor 07:45 Bunk’d 08:10 Stuck In The Middle 08:35 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug AndCat Noir 09:00 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug AndCat Noir 09:25 Lolirock 09:50 Lolirock 10:15 Sabrina Secrets Of A TeenageWitch 10:40 Sabrina Secrets Of A TeenageWitch 11:05 Hank Zipzer 11:30 Alex & Co. 11:55 Disney Mickey Mouse 12:00 Rolling With The Ronks 12:15 Lolirock 12:40 Lolirock 13:05 Star Darlings 13:10 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug AndCat Noir 13:35 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug AndCat Noir 14:00 Jessie 14:25 Lolirock 14:50 The Zhuzhus 15:15 Elena Of Avalor 15:40 Stuck In The Middle 16:05 Liv And Maddie 16:30 Whisker Haven Tales With ThePalace Pets 16:35 Bunk’d 17:00 K.C. Undercover 17:25 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug AndCat Noir 17:50 Girl Meets World 18:15 Disney Mickey Mouse 18:20 Bizaardvark 18:45 Best Friends Whenever 19:10 Tsum Tsum Shorts 19:15 Liv And Maddie 19:40 Elena Of Avalor 20:05 Jessie 20:30 Cracke 20:35 K.C. Undercover 21:00 Austin & Ally 21:25 Stuck In The Middle 21:50 Sunny Bunnies 21:55 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug AndCat Noir 22:20 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug AndCat Noir 22:45 Lolirock

23:05 Disney Mickey Mouse 23:10 Sabrina Secrets Of A TeenageWitch 23:35 Binny And The Ghost

00:00 Henry Hugglemonster 00:15 Calimero 00:30 Art Attack 00:55 Zou 01:05 Loopdidoo 01:20 Henry Hugglemonster 01:35 Calimero 01:50 Zou 02:05 Art Attack 02:30 Henry Hugglemonster 02:40 Loopdidoo 02:55 Henry Hugglemonster 03:10 Art Attack 03:35 Loopdidoo 03:50 Calimero 04:05 Art Attack 04:30 Henry Hugglemonster 04:45 Zou 05:00 Art Attack 05:30 Henry Hugglemonster 05:45 Loopdidoo 06:00 Zou 06:15 Calimero 06:30 Loopdidoo 06:45 Henry Hugglemonster 07:00 Sofia The First 07:30 The Lion Guard 08:00 Mickey And The Roadster Racers 08:30 Doc McStuffins 09:00 PJ Masks 09:30 Miles From Tomorrow 10:00 Jake And The Never Land Pirates 10:30 Mickey And The Roadster Racers 11:00 PJ Masks 11:30 My Friends Tigger & Pooh 12:00 Goldie & Bear 12:30 Sofia The First 13:00 Jake And The Never Land Pirates 13:30 PJ Masks 14:00 My Friends Tigger & Pooh 14:30 The Lion Guard 15:00 Sheriff Callie’s Wild West 15:30 Mickey And The Roadster Racers 16:00 Sofia The First 16:25 Miles From Tomorrow 16:50 Doc McStuffins 17:15 The Lion Guard 17:45 Sofia The First 18:15 Goldie & Bear 18:45 Mickey And The Roadster Racers 19:15 Little Mermaid 19:45 PJ Masks 20:15 The Lion Guard 20:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 21:15 Goldie & Bear 21:45 Doc McStuffins 22:15 Little Mermaid 22:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 23:15 PJ Masks 23:45 Loopdidoo

00:20 Wheeler Dealers 01:05 Cooper’s Treasure 01:50 Deadliest Catch 02:35 Devil’s Canyon 03:20 Fast N’ Loud 04:05 The Island With Bear Grylls 04:50 Alaska: The Last Frontier 05:35 How Do They Do It? 06:00 Deadliest Catch 06:45 Wheeler Dealers 07:30 Fast N’ Loud 08:15 The Island With Bear Grylls 09:00 Storage Wars Canada 09:25 How Do They Do It? 09:47 How Do They Do It? 10:10 Cooper’s Treasure 10:55 Deadliest Catch 11:40 Devil’s Canyon 12:25 How Do They Do It? 12:47 Storage Wars Canada 13:10 Alaska: The Last Frontier 13:55 The Island With Bear Grylls 14:40 Deadliest Catch 15:25 Fast N’ Loud 16:10 Wheeler Dealers 17:00 How Do They Do It? 17:25 How Do They Do It? 17:50 Storage Wars Canada 18:20 Storage Wars Canada 18:50 The Island With Bear Grylls 19:40 How Do They Do It? 20:10 How Do They Do It? 20:35 How Do They Do It? 21:00 The Island With Bear Grylls 21:50 Treasure Quest: Snake Island 22:40 Legend Of Croc Gold 23:30 Fast N’ Loud

06:00 Penn Zero: Part Time Hero 06:25 Disney11 06:50 Gravity Falls 07:15 Right Now Kapow 07:40 Mech-X4 08:05 Marvel’s Rocket And Groot 08:10 K.C. Undercover 08:35 Milo Murphy’s Law 09:00 Star vs The Forces Of Evil 09:25 Supa Strikas 09:50 Supa Strikas 10:20 Kickin’ It 10:45 Kickin’ It 11:10 Mighty Med 11:35 Mighty Med 12:00 Lab Rats 12:30 Lab Rats 12:55 K.C. Undercover 13:20 K.C. Undercover 13:45 Gamer’s Guide To Pretty... 14:10 Disney Mickey Mouse 14:15 Kirby Buckets Warped 14:40 Lab Rats: Bionic Island 15:05 Milo Murphy’s Law 15:30 Walk The Prank 15:55 Right Now Kapow 16:25 Supa Strikas 16:50 Disney11 17:15 Mech-X4 17:40 Gravity Falls 18:05 Milo Murphy’s Law 18:30 Marvel’s Ant-Man 18:35 Lab Rats 19:00 Kirby Buckets 19:25 Walk The Prank 19:50 Marvel’s Rocket And Groot 19:55 Right Now Kapow 20:20 Mech-X4 20:45 Disney11 21:10 K.C. Undercover 21:35 Marvel’s Ant-Man 21:40 Disney Mickey Mouse 21:45 Lab Rats 22:10 Lab Rats 22:35 Phineas And Ferb 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am KSA

00:10 Life Of Kylie 00:35 Life Of Kylie 01:05 Revenge Body With Khloe

Kardashian 01:55 Revenge Body With KhloeKardashian 02:50 Celebrity Style Story 03:20 Celebrity Style Story 03:50 So Cosmo 04:40 So Cosmo 05:30 Celebrity Style Story 06:00 Hollywood Medium With TylerHenry 06:55 E! News 07:10 Hollywood Medium With TylerHenry 08:10 E! News: Daily Pop 09:10 Life Of Kylie 09:40 Life Of Kylie 10:10 Second Wives Club 11:05 Second Wives Club 12:00 E! News 12:15 Botched By Nature 13:10 Botched By Nature 14:05 Botched By Nature 15:00 E! News 15:15 E! News: Daily Pop 16:15 Revenge Body With KhloeKardashian 17:05 Revenge Body With KhloeKardashian 18:00 Revenge Body With KhloeKardashian 19:00 E! News 20:00 Botched 21:00 Botched 22:00 Famously Single 23:00 E! News 23:15 WAGs Miami

00:00 Restaurant Stakeout 01:00 Mystery Diners 01:30 Mystery Diners 02:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 02:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 03:00 Man Fire Food 03:30 Man Fire Food 04:00 Chopped 05:00 Guy’s Grocery Games 06:00 Barefoot Contessa: Back To Basics 06:25 Barefoot Contessa: Back To Basics 06:50 Anna Olson: Fresh 07:15 The Kitchen 08:05 The Pioneer Woman 08:30 The Pioneer Woman 08:55 Siba’s Table 09:25 Siba’s Table 09:55 Cooking For Real 10:25 Cooking For Real 10:55 The Kitchen 11:45 Bake With Anna Olson 12:10 The Pioneer Woman 12:35 The Pioneer Woman 13:00 Siba’s Table 13:30 Siba’s Table 14:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 14:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 15:00 Chopped 16:00 The Kitchen 17:00 Cooking For Real 17:30 Cooking For Real 18:00 Chopped 19:00 Guy’s Grocery Games 20:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 20:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 21:00 Man Fire Food 21:30 Man Fire Food 22:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 22:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 23:00 Chopped

00:10 Don’t Tell The Bride 01:00 Emmerdale 01:30 Coronation Street 02:00 Coronation Street 02:30 The Chase: Celebrity Specials 03:25 Victoria 04:15 Queen Victoria’s Letters: AMonarch Unveiled 05:15 Couples Come Dine With Me 06:10 Don’t Tell The Bride 07:05 The Chase: Celebrity Specials 08:00 Victoria 09:00 Queen Victoria’s Letters: AMonarch Unveiled 10:00 Couples Come Dine With Me 10:55 Don’t Tell The Bride 11:50 The Chase: Celebrity Specials 12:45 Emmerdale 13:15 Coronation Street 13:45 Coronation Street 14:15 Don’t Tell The Bride 15:10 The Chase: Celebrity Specials 16:00 Diana: The Day The World Cried 16:55 The Jonathan Ross Show 17:50 Couples Come Dine With Me 18:45 Emmerdale 19:15 Coronation Street 19:45 Coronation Street 20:10 The Chase: Celebrity Specials 21:00 Diana: The Day The World Cried 21:55 The Jonathan Ross Show 22:50 Emmerdale 23:15 Coronation Street 23:40 Coronation Street

00:00 America: The Story Of The U.S. 01:00 15 Septembers Later 02:50 Ancient Aliens 03:40 Hangar 1: The UFO Files 04:30 Engineering Disasters 05:20 America: The Story Of The U.S. 06:10 The Universe 07:00 Clash Of Warriors 08:00 America’s Book Of Secrets 09:00 Ancient Aliens 10:00 How 2 Win 11:00 Engineering Disasters 12:00 America: The Story Of The U.S. 13:00 Clash Of Warriors 14:00 America’s Book Of Secrets 15:00 Ancient Aliens 16:00 How 2 Win 17:00 The Universe 18:00 America: The Story Of The U.S. 19:00 Clash Of Warriors 20:00 America’s Book Of Secrets 21:00 Ancient Aliens 22:00 Ancient Aliens 23:00 Engineering Disasters

00:20 American Ripper In London 01:10 JFK Declassified: Hunting Oswald 02:00 JFK Declassified: Hunting Oswald 02:50 Storage Wars 03:15 American Pickers 04:05 Pawn Stars 04:30 Pawn Stars 05:00 Mountain Men 06:00 Ultimate Wheels 06:50 Duck Dynasty 07:15 Duck Dynasty 07:40 Counting Cars 08:05 Counting Cars 08:30 Pawn Stars 08:55 Pawn Stars 09:20 Storage Wars 09:45 Storage Wars

10:10 American Pickers 11:00 Time Team 11:50 Duck Dynasty 12:15 Duck Dynasty 12:40 Counting Cars 13:05 Counting Cars 13:30 Aussie Pickers 14:20 Mountain Men 15:10 Ultimate Wheels 16:00 Storage Wars 16:25 Storage Wars 16:50 Pawn Stars 17:15 Pawn Stars 17:40 Ultimate Soldier Challenge 18:30 Aussie Pickers 19:20 Mountain Men 20:10 American Pickers 21:00 Mountain Men 21:50 Alone: Lost And Found 22:40 Swamp People 23:30 American Pickers

00:15 David Rocco’s Dolce India 00:45 Chasing The Sun 01:10 Places We Go 01:40 City Chase Marrakech 02:35 World’s Greatest Food Markets 03:30 Fish Of The Day 03:55 Street Food Around The World 04:25 David Rocco’s Dolce India 04:50 Places We Go 05:20 Warrior Road Trip 06:15 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 06:40 Poh & Co. 07:10 City Chase Marrakech 08:05 World’s Greatest Food Markets 09:00 Fish Of The Day 09:25 Street Food Around The World 09:55 David Rocco’s Dolce India 10:20 Places We Go 10:50 Warrior Road Trip 11:45 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 12:10 Poh & Co. 12:40 City Chase Rome 13:35 World’s Greatest Food Markets 14:30 Fish Of The Day 14:55 Top Chef Top Table: Seoul 15:25 David Rocco’s Dolce India 15:50 Places We Go 16:20 Places We Go 16:45 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 17:15 Warrior Road Trip 18:10 Andy And Ben Eat Australia 18:35 Andy And Ben Eat Australia 19:05 David Rocco’s Dolce India 19:30 Places We Go 20:00 Places We Go 20:30 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 21:00 Warrior Road Trip 22:00 Andy And Ben Eat Australia 22:25 Andy And Ben Eat Australia 22:55 City Chase Rome 23:50 World’s Greatest Food Markets

00:10 Airport Security: Colombia 01:00 Highway Thru Hell 02:00 Big Fix Alaska 03:00 Best Of Hard Time 04:00 Airport Security: Colombia 05:00 4 Babies A Second 06:00 Brain Games 06:30 Brain Games 07:00 Hooked 08:00 Surgery Ship 09:00 4 Babies A Second 10:00 Alaska Fish Wars: Season On TheEdge 11:00 Wicked Tuna 12:00 Air Crash Investigation 13:00 Rare 14:00 Brain Games 14:30 Brain Games 15:00 Hooked 16:00 Big Fish, Texas 17:00 Wicked Tuna 18:00 Air Crash Investigation 19:00 Hooked 20:00 Big Fish, Texas 20:50 Wicked Tuna 21:40 Air Crash Investigation 22:30 Hooked 23:20 Brain Games 23:45 Brain Games

00:20 Revenge Of The Lioness 01:10 Ultimate Animal Countdown 02:00 Venom Island 02:50 Monster Fish 03:45 Ultimate Predators GPU 04:40 Snakes In The City 05:35 Venom Island 06:30 Monster Fish 07:25 Ultimate Predators GPU 08:20 Snakes In The City 09:15 Secret Life Of Predators 10:10 Predator Patrol 11:05 Secrets Of The Wild 12:00 Malaysia From Below 12:55 Venom Island 13:50 Monster Fish 14:45 Ultimate Predators GPU 15:40 Snakes In The City 16:35 Secret Life Of Predators 17:30 Predator Patrol 18:25 Secrets Of The Wild 19:20 Ultimate Predators GPU 20:10 Snakes In The City 21:00 Secret Life Of Predators 21:50 Predator Patrol 22:40 Secrets Of The Wild 23:30 Malaysia From Below

00:12 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 00:36 Rabbids Invasion 01:00 Rabbids Invasion 01:24 Sanjay And Craig 01:48 Sanjay And Craig 02:12 Winx Club 02:36 Winx Club 03:00 Harvey Beaks 03:24 Harvey Beaks 03:48 The Loud House 04:12 The Loud House 04:36 Breadwinners 05:00 Breadwinners 05:24 Get Blake 05:48 SpongeBob SquarePants 06:12 SpongeBob SquarePants 06:36 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 07:00 The Loud House 07:24 Rabbids Invasion 07:48 Get Blake 08:12 Harvey Beaks 08:36 Sanjay And Craig 09:00 Rank The Prank 09:24 Henry Danger 09:48 100 Things To Do Before HighSchool 10:12 Game Shakers 10:36 Regal Academy 11:00 Winx Club 11:24 SpongeBob SquarePants 11:48 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

12:12 The Loud House 12:36 Rabbids Invasion 13:00 Breadwinners 13:24 Sanjay And Craig 13:48 100 Things To Do Before HighSchool 14:12 School Of Rock 14:36 The Thundermans 15:00 Henry Danger 15:24 The Loud House 15:48 SpongeBob SquarePants 16:12 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 16:36 The Loud House 17:00 Regal Academy 17:24 Winx Club 17:48 Hunter Street 18:12 Henry Danger 18:36 Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn 19:00 School Of Rock 19:24 Game Shakers 19:48 The Thundermans 20:12 SpongeBob SquarePants 20:36 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 21:00 The Loud House 21:24 Sanjay And Craig 21:48 Rabbids Invasion 22:12 Breadwinners 22:36 Harvey Beaks 23:00 SpongeBob SquarePants 23:24 SpongeBob SquarePants 23:48 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

00:04 Max & Ruby 00:27 Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom 00:38 Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom 00:48 The Day Henry Met 00:53 The Day Henry Met 00:58 Blaze And The Monster Machines 01:21 Blaze And The Monster Machines 01:43 Zack & Quack 02:03 Shimmer And Shine 02:25 Olive The Ostrich 02:31 Olive The Ostrich 02:36 Paw Patrol 02:59 Little Charmers 03:11 Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom 03:22 Dora The Explorer 03:45 Max & Ruby 04:07 The Day Henry Met 04:13 Nella The Princess Knight 04:36 Shimmer And Shine 04:59 Dora And Friends 05:21 Zack & Quack 05:32 The Day Henry Met 05:38 Blaze And The Monster Machines 06:00 Rusty Rivets 06:12 Paw Patrol 06:37 Dora The Explorer 07:00 Zack & Quack 07:21 Bubble Guppies 07:45 Blaze And The Monster Machines 08:08 Paw Patrol 08:32 Shimmer And Shine 08:54 Nella The Princess Knight 09:16 The Day Henry Met 09:22 Paw Patrol 09:45 Rusty Rivets 09:57 Bubble Guppies 10:21 Fresh Beat Band Of Spies 10:43 Zack & Quack 10:54 Team Umizoomi 11:17 Shimmer And Shine 11:41 Shimmer And Shine 12:03 Max & Ruby 12:26 Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom 12:37 Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom 12:47 The Day Henry Met 12:52 The Day Henry Met 12:58 Blaze And The Monster Machines 13:21 Blaze And The Monster Machines 13:44 Zack & Quack 14:04 Shimmer And Shine 14:26 Olive The Ostrich 14:32 Olive The Ostrich 14:37 Paw Patrol 15:00 Little Charmers 15:12 Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom 15:23 Dora The Explorer 15:46 Max & Ruby 16:08 The Day Henry Met 16:14 Nella The Princess Knight 16:37 Shimmer And Shine 17:00 Dora And Friends 17:22 Zack & Quack 17:33 The Day Henry Met 17:38 Blaze And The Monster Machines 18:00 Rusty Rivets 18:12 Paw Patrol 18:37 Dora The Explorer 19:00 Zack & Quack 19:21 Bubble Guppies 19:45 Blaze And The Monster Machines 20:08 Paw Patrol 20:32 Shimmer And Shine 20:54 Nella The Princess Knight 21:16 The Day Henry Met 21:22 Paw Patrol 21:45 Rusty Rivets 21:57 Bubble Guppies 22:21 Fresh Beat Band Of Spies 22:43 Zack & Quack 22:54 Team Umizoomi 23:17 Shimmer And Shine 23:40 Shimmer And Shine

00:15 Herbie Fully Loaded 02:00 Frankenweenie 03:30 Ratatouille 05:25 The Emperor’s New Groove 06:50 Herbie Fully Loaded 08:35 Frankenweenie 10:10 Oliver & Company 11:35 Ratatouille 13:35 Kronk’s New Groove 15:00 Atlantis: The Lost Empire 16:40 The Parent Trap 18:50 K-9 Adventures: Legend Of TheLost Gold 20:25 Return To Oz 22:15 Kronk’s New Groove 23:35 Atlantis: The Lost Empire

00:05 Mean Machine 01:50 Break Point 03:25 After The Ball 05:10 Father Of The Bride Part II 07:00 A Thousand Words 08:35 After The Ball 10:20 Father Of The Bride Part II 12:10 A Thousand Words 13:50 Bill 15:25 Three Men And A Little Lady 17:15 Oscar 19:10 Big 21:00 Jeff, Who Lives At Home 22:30 Stung

02:10 A Late Quartet 04:00 5 Flights Up 05:35 Goal! 07:35 A Country Called Home 09:10 Swing Kids 11:10 Goal!

13:10 5 Flights Up 14:50 Healing 16:50 Pele: Birth Of A Legend 18:40 Eyes Of An Angel 20:20 Operation Avalanche 22:00 The Zero Theorem

01:20 Micropolis 02:55 Frog Kingdom 04:30 Rainbow Valley Heroes 06:10 Mickey’s Twice Upon A Christmas 07:40 A Town Called Panic 09:05 Mia And The Migoo 10:45 Dragon Hill 12:05 Ploddy Police Car On The Case 13:25 Frog Kingdom 15:00 Rainbow Valley Heroes 16:40 Hotel For Dogs 18:25 Dragon Hill 19:45 Memory Loss 21:10 Big Baby 22:40 Hotel For Dogs

01:10 Creed 03:30 Little Man Tate 05:15 The Finest Hours 07:20 Ghostbusters 09:10 The Blind Side 11:20 Creed 13:35 The Guardian 16:00 Ghostbusters II 17:55 Inception 20:25 Sahara 22:30 Pushing Tin

00:30 How Do They Do It? 00:55 Food Factory 01:20 NASA’s Unexplained Files 02:10 NASA’s Unexplained Files 03:00 The Big Brain Theory 03:48 Mythbusters 04:36 How Do They Do It? 05:00 Food Factory 05:24 NASA’s Unexplained Files 06:12 NASA’s Unexplained Files 07:00 How Do They Do It? 07:26 The Big Brain Theory 08:14 Mythbusters 09:02 NASA’s Unexplained Files 09:50 How Do They Do It? 10:14 Food Factory 10:38 NASA’s Unexplained Files 11:26 The Big Brain Theory 12:14 Mythbusters 13:02 How Do They Do It? 13:26 Food Factory 13:50 NASA’s Unexplained Files 14:38 The Big Brain Theory 15:26 NASA’s Unexplained Files 16:14 Mythbusters 17:02 NASA’s Unexplained Files 17:50 Dangerman 18:40 Mythbusters 19:30 Secrets Of The Underground 20:20 How Do They Do It? 20:45 Food Factory 21:10 NASA’s Unexplained Files 22:00 Secrets Of The Underground 22:50 Dangerman 23:40 Mythbusters

01:00 Unthinkable 02:30 Rob Zombie’s Halloween 04:15 Kill Bill: Vol. 2 06:30 Arthur Newman 08:15 Good Will Hunting 10:20 The Ladykillers 12:00 The English Patient 14:45 Unthinkable 16:15 Kill Bill: Vol. 1 18:15 Rob Zombie’s Halloween 20:00 Loosies 21:45 My Boss’s Daughter 23:30 Beneath The Blue

00:00 Married At First Sight 01:00 Married At First Sight 02:00 Three 03:00 Three 04:00 Three 05:00 The Fashion Fund 06:00 Fit For Fashion 07:00 Fit For Fashion 08:00 Married At First Sight 09:00 Married At First Sight 10:00 Three 11:00 Three 12:00 Three 13:00 The Fashion Fund 14:00 Fit For Fashion 15:00 Fit For Fashion 16:00 Married At First Sight 17:00 Married At First Sight 18:00 Making Mr. Right 19:00 Making Mr. Right 20:00 Making Mr. Right 21:00 The Fashion Fund 22:00 Fit For Fashion 23:00 Fit For Fashion

00:20 7 Little Johnstons 01:05 Little And Looking For Love 01:50 Return To Amish 02:35 Say Yes To The Dress: Canada 02:57 Say Yes To The Dress: Canada 03:20 Sister Wives 04:05 Toddlers & Tiaras 04:50 Dare To Wear 05:35 Say Yes To The Dress:Bridesmaids 06:00 Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners 06:45 Say Yes To The Dress: Canada 07:07 Say Yes To The Dress: Canada 07:30 Say Yes To The Dress UK 07:52 Say Yes To The Dress UK 08:15 Sister Wives 09:00 Cake Boss 09:25 Toddlers & Tiaras 10:10 Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners 10:55 Too Ugly For Love? 11:40 Say Yes To The Dress: Canada 12:02 Say Yes To The Dress: Canada 12:25 Outdaughtered: Busby Quints 13:10 7 Little Johnstons 13:55 Toddlers & Tiaras 14:40 Sister Wives 15:25 Too Ugly For Love? 16:10 Love, Lust Or Run 16:35 Cake Boss 17:00 The Undateables 17:50 Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners 18:50 Dare To Wear 19:40 Say Yes To The Dress:Bridesmaids 20:10 Cake Boss 20:35 Cake Boss

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

Job and family may take up most of your time now. You may find thatfriends and many personal interests fall by the wayside. Perhaps there is a

new member of the family in your household at this time. This marks a time when youlook for a new career direction. You may want to enter a request when it comes time foran employee review. If you see that you would do better in public relations, or in someother department, start a project that would help you show off your talents. When high-er-ups recognize your potential, you may begin to realize some moves up the successladder, perhaps a move to a different environment. You are motivated to even higherachievements. Financial security may assume a high priority now.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

STAR TRACK

Discipline is no problem, but you may be too assertive during this time. Youare involved in a day that requires intense mental effort on your part. However, you havea lot of energy to pour into career decisions. Later this afternoon others will find you justplain witty and the ideas roll off your tongue. This is a real time for communication—byphone, by letter or in person. The mind is clear and you can be most persuasive with oth-ers. The situation is a natural for self-expression and creates an opportunity to developyour professional goals. Make it a point to take your breaks and be aware of your ener-gies during your breaks—relax! Exercise or take in a massage this afternoon. A good con-versation with loved ones is enjoyed tonight, lots of laughter.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Taking care of business is a major theme where your emotional orientationis concerned this workday. There is intellectual creativity—expressing yourself wellcomes to mean more. Beating the odds through cleverness is appealing and this maylead to an interest in all kinds of financial speculation. A conference with a friend or rela-tive may find you making decisions along these lines. You may be able to help a lovedone advance his or her own financial security now; teaching budget techniques is wise.Young people may involve you in their activities after work. There is a chance to under-stand those around you and to have a special time with someone you love. A sense ofsupport and harmony makes this a happy time.

You got it . . . Another high-cycle day! You could come up with new solu-tions or inventions. If something doesn’t work, you seem to know just who to call that willbe able to fix, change or update equipment or projects or most any other thing. You see avalue on the way you make choices and you usually take care when making decisionsconcerning finances. You will be teaching through example, the art of making choicesregarding expenditures. You may even find that your way of economizing will help youachieve a better position in the workplace. Your transportation home this afternoon maybe a little different in that someone needs a ride and you are not inclined to say no. Thisride may be a fun opportunity to get to know a co-worker better.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

This is a rewarding day—any reasonable investment, project or activitywill prove quite successful. Your superiors at work are in a position to help you get aheador give you advice on the best ways to handle a business situation. Do not hesitate to usethem when you need them. Your life is fast paced, and planning some ways to relieve thestress is a very important part of maintaining good health. Perhaps a couple of yourfriends or a family member will meet you after work at a health spa or a gym for an hourof exercise this afternoon. This is one good way to bring family members or a loved oneinto parts of your life outside your work world. A good workout can bring about somewonderful conversations and inspiring moments..

You have a lot of energy to pour into practical decisions. You may appearassertive. Right now, the key to career moves involves attending to nagging details—whatever you have neglected and put aside. Attention to matters of health and efficien-cy is also important. Good fortune and plain old luck surround you. It is easy for you tomake correct decisions, find the right path and move forward where career and successare concerned. Life’s problems seem manageable. There is a feeling that anything is pos-sible if you set your sights high enough. There are optimism, faith and a tendency to takechances at the deepest emotional levels. You are a good mentor. New and deeper pow-ers and abilities are being awakened in you—pay attention.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

You seem to shine above all others today as matters keep coming up thatgive you opportunities to show off your creative abilities. You have suggestions andmethods that will cut cost and time—superiors are listening. You have an easy way withsuperiors or those in authority and can usually manage to get the most out of any skill orability you have. You like work and career. You communicate with complete skill and oth-ers will understand just what you mean. Your high degree of mental concentration helpsyou to excel in speaking, writing and all types of communication skills. Your ambitions gohand in hand with communication and using the mind—the two should never be farapart. Make the time this evening to enjoy your friends—relax!

Libra (September 23-October 22)

It’s a time of refinement and tact, of an urge to please others that is sostrong it may make it hard to decide or act for fear of offending someone. You will quicklylearn to balance this out, or you will discover that there is no peace in compromise—andthis can be tough on close relationships—work or home. The trick is to find the win-winsolution and if anyone is ever up to it, you are at this time. You may benefit from otherpeople’s money—perhaps through a loan or through some investment. This is certainly atime to reassess your investments. It would be well worth your time to think about somesort of travel or volunteer service that would enhance your understanding of humanexperiences. This will have a strong effect on your life and career.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

An important relationship, maybe with a person who is older or in authori-ty, may come into focus today. There could be some tension or sense of

opposition requiring compromise or negotiation on your part. There is an opportunity forunderstanding and even growth. Competition seems to spur you into achieving thingsyou never thought you could accomplish. This afternoon you will continue the competi-tive edge through some sort of sports. Perhaps you are part of a team—expect the high-est achievements. An early dinner this evening will give you plenty of time to attend aspecial meeting or join a group. This evening, you are able to give examples of some ideasand help to bring a group together. This could include a favorite hobby or a book review.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

Independence, as well as anything unusual or different, is valued today.Information that you have been questioning will begin to take shape and prove useful.This next period is one of action and embarking on new projects. You may have a ten-dency to take refuge in duties and responsibilities rather than face issues that might putyou through some changes, but today is different. Puzzling questions are present, andthere could be a feeling of being tested. If you are never puzzled or challenged, you maynever discover the extent of your intelligence. Perhaps this puzzle or challenge is greatenough to encourage you into further education or a special class in some particular skill

you want to learn. Dinner away from home can be enjoyed this evening.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

There is a relentless drive to achieve the essentials that make your senseof practical vision deep. You have a sense of how to manipulate sensitive

areas of the public mind. Perhaps you work for a group that is involved in the study of sta-tistical matters. You may have come upon some answers lately that may be very impor-tant to a particular project. Research and statistics and writing your findings could bevery important at this time. This could be a mentally stressful day for you as there is muchbusywork. If you look at the far-reaching advantages you have encountered today, youwill want to record your studies. There is an emphasis on close relationships and ideas offairness and harmony concerning young people this evening.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Organizing a business conference or part of a business conference may beon your shoulders today. After you have the plans in order you could ask for one or twopeople to help in this process. There could be printing, technical equipment, memos, etc.You will be glad to have some help. Your social connections will bring in a large crowd tohear the main speaker. This afternoon you may be chosen to look at both sides of anissue to figure out resolutions to opposing views. You find it easy to work with sensitivematerial, touching upon the more vulnerable areas of the mind or self. You are able tohandle these delicate matters without ever breaking stride as emotional and tenderareas of the human psyche do not disturb you.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

CROSSWORD 1708

ACROSS1. A hazy or indistinct representation.5. A children's game played with little balls made

of a hard substance (as glass).12. Standard time in the 8th time zone west of

Greenwich, reckoned at the 120th meridianwest.

15. Not widely known.16. A member of the Siouan people formerly

inhabiting the Black Hills of western SouthDakota.

17. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part ofan organism.

18. According to the Old Testament he was apagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel(9th century BC).

19. Elk or moose.20. Relating to or applicable to or concerned with

the administration of a city or town or districtrather than a larger area.

22. A Russian prison camp for political prisoners.24. An unfledged or nestling hawk.25. An anti-TNF compound (trade name Arava)

that is given orally.26. The ermine in its brown summer coat with

black-tipped tail.28. A river of southwestern Africa that rises in cen-

tral Angola and flows east and then north(forming part of the border between Angolaand Congo) and continuing northwestthrough Congo to empty into the CongoRiver on the border between Congo andRepublic of the Congo.

30. A state in northwestern North America.32. A doctor's degree in education.34. Pertaining to or resembling amoebae.38. Nocturnal mouselike mammal with forelimbs

modified to form membranous wings andanatomical adaptations for echolocation bywhich they navigate.

43. A company emblem or device.44. (Babylonian) A demigod or first man.46. An indehiscent fruit derived from a single

ovary having one or many seeds within afleshy wall or pericarp.

47. An acute inflammatory disease occurring inthe intestines of premature infants.

48. Mediterranean germander having small hairyleaves and reddish purple flowers.

49. Essential oil or perfume obtained from flow-ers.

51. A meson produced as the result of high-ener-gy particle collision.

53. Tall feather palm of northern Brazil with hard-shelled nuts yielding valuable oil and a kindof vegetable ivory.

55. English classical scholar noted for his transla-tions of Plato and Aristotle (1817-1893).

59. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of theOld World.

60. A large fleet.63. Pertaining to or concerned with the humani-

ties.66. 100 thebe equal 1 pula.67. (Greek mythology) God of love.68. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.72. Vietnamese New Year.73. A port city in northeastern Greece on an inlet

of the Aegean Sea.77. Someone who is morally reprehensible.78. Being one more than two.79. A cut of pork ribs with much of the meat

trimmed off.80. A master's degree in fine arts.

81. The portion of the vertebrate nervous systemconsisting of the brain and spinal cord.

82. Woody climbers of tropical Asia to Australia.83. The sense organ for hearing and equilibrium.

DOWN1. (informal) Exceptionally good.2. A Loloish language.3. A mountain range in western Russia extending

from the arctic to the Caspian Sea.4. A refund of some fraction of the amount paid.5. Extinct flightless bird of New Zealand.6. Metal or plastic sheath over the end of a

shoelace or ribbon.7. Full of zest or vigor.8. Offering little or no hope.9. The sacred city of Lamaism.10. Angular distance above the horizon (especial-

ly of a celestial object).11. A deep bow.12. Large burrowing rodent of South and Central

America.13. Speaking a Slavic language.14. The basic unit of money in Western Samoa.21. A projecting bay window corbeled or can-

tilevered out from a wall.23. Expletives used informally as intensifiers.27. A public promotion of some product or serv-

ice.29. The world's largest desert (3,500,000 square

miles) in North Africa.31. A family of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in

southeastern Asia.33. A sharp blow.35. Ruffed grouse.36. Discrimination against middle-aged and eld-

erly people.37. Type genus of the Noctuidae.39. Edible starchy tuberous root of taro plants.40. Lower in esteem.41. A legal document codifying the result of

deliberations of a committee or society orlegislative body.

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

45. A historical region on northwestern India andnorthern Pakistan.

50. Glazed yeast-raised doughnut-shaped rollwith hard crust.

52. A group of African language in the Niger-Congo group spoken from the Ivory Coasteast to Nigeria.

54. A decree that prohibits something.56. A port city of south central Ukraine on an arm

of the Black Sea.57. A well-substantiated explanation of some

aspect of the natural world.58. United States slave and insurrectionist who in

1831 led a rebellion of slaves in Virginia.61. A major European river carrying more traffic

than any other river in the world.62. (Canadian) A half-breed of white and Indian

parentage.64. Of silk fabric.65. (computer science) American Standard Code

for Information Interchange.69. The highest level or degree attainable.70. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake

Chad.71. The sixth month of the civil year.74. The month following March and preceding

May.75. The act of slowing down or falling behind.76. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from

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DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 12/9/2017Airlines Flt Route TimeJAI 574 Mumbai 00:05THY 772 Istanbul 00:10KAC 102 London 00:15SVA 502 Jeddah 00:20SVA 514 Riyadh 00:25KAC 786 Jeddah 00:30JZR 267 Beirut 00:35KAC 504 Beirut 00:45DLH 635 Doha 01:00PGT 858 Istanbul 01:15JZR 539 Cairo 01:20SAI 441 Lahore 01:30UAE 853 Dubai 01:40RJA 642 Amman 01:45THY 1464 Istanbul 01:50KKK 6506 Istanbul 01:55AXB 395 Kozhikode 02:00KLM 446 Bahrain 02:05PGT 830 Istanbul 02:10QTR 1086 Doha 02:10GFA 211 Bahrain 02:15THY 768 Istanbul 02:35KAC 418 Manila 02:50OMA 643 Muscat 03:05MSR 606 Luxor 03:05ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 03:10MSR 612 Cairo 03:15FDB 069 Dubai 03:15KAC 382 Delhi 03:15QTR 1076 Doha 03:45KAC 1544 Cairo 03:50LMU 510 Cairo 04:00QTR 1090 Doha 04:05JZR 555 Alexandria 04:05UAE 873 Dubai 04:15KAC 358 Kochi 04:50FEG 931 Alexandria 05:00KAC 784 Jeddah 05:00THY 1414 TZX 05:05DHX 170 Bahrain 05:10THY 770 Istanbul 05:25KAC 344 Chennai 05:30JZR 529 Asyut 05:35KAC 362 Colombo 05:50BAW 157 London 06:05KAC 204 Lahore 06:20KAC 678 Dubai 06:25QTR 8511 Doha 06:35KAC 284 Dhaka 06:35KAC 206 Islamabad 06:40KAC 302 Mumbai 06:55KAC 156 Istanbul 07:05JZR 1541 Cairo 07:10JZR 503 Luxor 07:25FDB 053 Dubai 07:50KAC 354 Bangalore 07:50KAC 384 Delhi 08:00KAC 332 Trivandrum 08:05UAE 855 Dubai 08:25IRA 673 Ahwaz 08:35ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 08:55ABY 125 Sharjah 09:00IRA 667 Esfahan 09:05QTR 1070 Doha 09:25FDB 055 Dubai 09:40SVA 512 Riyadh 10:00FDK 803 Damascus 10:00JZR 561 Sohag 10:10AHY 5101 GYD 10:15GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40KAC 774 Riyadh 10:45MEA 404 Beirut 10:55QTR 1074 Doha 11:00PAL 668 Manila 11:00SYR 341 Damascus 11:00MSC 403 Asyut 11:15KAC 614 Bahrain 11:15RBG 553 Alexandria 11:30JZR 165 Dubai 11:50JZR 239 Amman 12:25SAW 709 Latakia 12:30UAE 871 Dubai 12:45THY 766 Istanbul 12:50

FEG 933 Sohag 12:55MSR 610 Cairo 13:00AXB 393 Kzhikode 13:10KAC 514 Tehran 13:10KAC 792 Madinah 13:55KAC 672 Dubai 13:55KNE 231 Riyadh 14:10QTR 1078 Doha 14:10GFA 221 Bahrain 14:15SVA 500 Jeddah 14:15FDB 059 Dubai 14:20KAC 352 Kochi 14:20KAC 618 Doha 14:20JZR 779 Jeddah 14:25KAC 788 Jeddah 14:55KAC 304 Mumbai 14:55KAC 692 Muscat 14:55ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 15:05OMA 645 Muscat 15:10KAC 562 Amman 15:10FDB 8053 Dubai 15:25KAC 502 Beirut 15:25ABY 127 Sharjah 15:35UAE 857 Dubai 15:45SAW 705 Damascus 15:50RJA 640 Amman 16:00FDB 051 Dubai 16:15QTR 1072 Doha 16:15JZR 535 Cairo 16:20JZR 257 Beirut 16:20KAC 118 New York 16:25JZR 903 GYD 16:25KNE 531 Jeddah 16:35JZR 787 Riyadh 16:35NIA 361 Alexandria 16:50KAC 542 Cairo 17:05SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30JZR 177 Dubai 17:45THY 1282 TZX 17:50QTR 1080 Doha 18:10MSR 620 Cairo 18:30JZR 483 Istanbul 18:30UAE 875 Dubai 19:05GFA 217 Bahrain 19:05KAC 744 Dammam 19:05FDB 063 Dubai 19:10NIA 161 Cairo 19:15ABY 123 Sharjah 19:20KAC 174 Munich 19:25KAC 154 Istanbul 19:30KAC 616 Bahrain 19:40KAC 674 Dubai 19:40KAC 776 Riyadh 19:45KAC 178 Vienna 19:45FDB 057 Dubai 19:50OMA 647 Muscat 20:05KAC 620 Doha 20:05KNE 381 Taif 20:10DLH 634 Frankfurt 20:15MEA 402 Beirut 20:15KAC 662 Abu Dhabi 20:20JZR 189 Dubai 20:25QTR 1088 Doha 20:40KAC 564 Amman 21:00KAC 168 Paris 21:05ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:10KLM 445 Amsterdam 21:15ALK 229 Colombo 21:15UAE 859 Dubai 21:15THY 764 Istanbul 21:30KAC 676 Dubai 21:35GFA 219 Bahrain 21:50QTR 1082 Doha 22:05ETD 309 Abu Dhabi 22:10JZR 125 Bahrain 22:15AIC 981 Chennai/Ahmedabad 22:25JZR 241 Amman 22:55JAI 574 Mumbai 23:00JZR 185 Dubai 23:00MSC 405 Sohag 23:30MSR 2614 Cairo 23:30FDB 071 Dubai 23:35

Departure Flights on Tuesday 12/9/2017Airlines Flt Route TimeAIC 976 Goa/Chennai 00:05RBG 556 Alexandria 00:05BBC 044 Dhaka 00:10JZR 1540 Cairo 00:20FDB 072 Dubai 00:30MSR 2615 Cairo 00:30PIA 240 Sialkot 00:40JZR 502 Luxor 01:15SVA 503 Jeddah 01:20JAI 573 Mumbai 01:25SVA 515 Riyadh 01:25THY 773 Istanbul 01:40KAC 677 Dubai 01:45DLH 635 Frankfurt 02:00PGT 859 Istanbul 02:15SAI 442 Lahore 02:30THY 765 Istanbul 02:50KKK 6505 Istanbul 02:55AXB 396 Kozhikode 02:55KAC 351 Kochi 03:05UAE 854 Dubai 03:30KLM 446 Amsterdam 03:30THY 769 Istanbul 03:30JZR 560 Sohag 03:45MSR 607 Luxor 04:05OMA 644 Muscat 04:05QTR 1087 Doha 04:10ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:10MSR 613 Cairo 04:15PGT 831 Istanbul 04:20KAC 417 Manila 04:20LMU 511 Cairo 05:00QTR 1091 Doha 05:05QTR 1077 Doha 05:30KAC 303 Mumbai 05:50FEG 934 Sohag 05:55THY 1465 Istanbul 06:00UAE 874 Dubai 06:15RJA 643 Amman 06:25THY 771 Istanbul 06:25KAC 773 Riyadh 06:35GFA 212 Bahrain 06:50KAC 173 Munich 06:55JZR 238 Amman 07:00FDB 070 Dubai 07:05JZR 164 Dubai 07:15KAC 167 Paris 07:15KAC 501 Beirut 07:50KAC 613 Bahrain 07:55QTR 8512 Doha 08:05WAN 953 GYD 08:15BAW 156 London 08:20KAC 177 Vienna 08:25FDB 054 Dubai 08:30KAC 791 Madinah 08:35KAC 513 Tehran 08:45JZR 778 Jeddah 08:50JZR 256 Beirut 09:00KAC 671 Dubai 09:15KAC 787 Jeddah 09:15KAC 117 New York 09:15JZR 534 Cairo 09:30KAC 561 Amman 09:30KAC 691 Muscat 09:30IRA 672 Ahwaz 09:35JZR 482 Istanbul 09:40ABY 126 Sharjah 09:40KAC 101 London 09:45UAE 856 Dubai 09:50KAC 541 Cairo 10:00ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:00IRA 668 Mashhad 10:05KAC 617 Doha 10:15KAC 153 Istanbul 10:30VIZ 205 IQA 10:30QTR 1071 Doha 10:35FDB 056 Dubai 10:35JZR 902 GYD 11:00FDK 804 Damascus 11:00SVA 513 Riyadh 11:00AHY 5102 GYD 11:15GFA 214 Bahrain 11:35MEA 405 Beirut 11:55

SYR 342 Damascus 12:00QTR 1075 Doha 12:10RBG 554 Alexandria 12:10MSC 404 Asyut 12:15JZR 176 Dubai 13:10JZR 786 Riyadh 13:10PAL 669 Manila 13:10SAW 702 Damascus 13:30THY 767 Istanbul 13:45FEG 932 Alexandria 13:55MSR 611 Cairo 14:00KAC 413 Bangkok 14:05AXB 394 Kozhikode 14:10UAE 872 Dubai 14:15KNE 382 Taif 15:00GFA 222 Bahrain 15:00KAC 673 Dubai 15:00FDB 060 Dubai 15:05QTR 1079 Doha 15:15KAC 563 Amman 15:40SVA 501 Jeddah 15:45JZR 188 Dubai 15:50KAC 775 Riyadh 15:50KAC 661 Abu Dhabi 15:55KAC 743 Dammam 16:00KAC 619 Doha 16:00FDB 8054 Dubai 16:05OMA 646 Muscat 16:10ABY 128 Sharjah 16:15ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 16:20KAC 615 Bahrain 16:30SAW 706 Damascus 16:50RJA 641 Amman 16:55KAC 675 Dubai 17:00FDB 052 Dubai 17:05JZR 266 Beirut 17:15KAC 503 Beirut 17:15QTR 1073 Doha 17:25KNE 532 Jeddah 17:25JZR 240 Amman 17:30KAC 357 Kochi 17:40UAE 858 Dubai 17:40KAC 381 Delhi 17:50NIA 362 Alexandria 17:50JZR 512 Sharm el-Sheikh 18:00KAC 343 Chennai 18:00KAC 283 Dhaka 18:00SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20JZR 184 Dubai 18:25JZR 538 Cairo 18:30KAC 785 Jeddah 18:45THY 1283 TZX 19:05QTR 1081 Doha 19:15JZR 124 Bahrain 19:20KAC 345 Ahmedabad 19:20MSR 621 Cairo 19:30GFA 218 Bahrain 19:50FDB 064 Dubai 19:50ABY 124 Sharjah 20:00NIA 162 Cairo 20:15FDB 058 Dubai 20:30UAE 876 Dubai 20:35KAC 353 Bangalore 20:55KAC 1543 Cairo 21:00DLH 634 Doha 21:00OMA 648 Muscat 21:05KNE 232 Riyadh 21:10JZR 554 Alexandria 21:15MEA 403 Beirut 21:15KAC 301 Mumbai 21:40KAC 203 Lahore 21:45DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50QTR 1089 Doha 21:50ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:00KAC 155 Istanbul 22:15ALK 230 Colombo 22:20KLM 445 Bahrain 22:25THY 1401 ADB 22:25KAC 383 Delhi 22:35UAE 860 Dubai 22:35GFA 220 Bahrain 22:50ETD 310 Abu Dhabi 23:00KAC 783 Jeddah 23:10QTR 1083 Doha 23:20KAC 1801 Cairo 23:55

American Airlines 22087425

22087426

Kuwait Airways 171

Jazeera Airways 177

Jet Airways 22924455

FlyDubai 22414400

Qatar Airways 22423888

KLM 22425747

Air Slovakia 22434940

Olympic Airways 22420002/9

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22418064/5/6

Reservation 22433388

British Airways 22425635

Air France 22430224

Emirates 22921555

Air India 22438184

Sri Lanka Airlines 22424444

Egypt Air 22421578

Swiss Air 22421516

Saudia 22426306

Middle East Airlines 22423073

Lufthansa 22422493

PIA 22421044

Alitalia 22414427

Balkan Airlines 22416474

Bangladesh Airlines 22452977/8

Czech Airlines 22417901/

2433141

Indian Airlines 22456700

Oman Air 22958787

Turkish Airlines 22453820/1

Aeroflot 22404838/9 112

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

l if e s t y l e

F A S H I O N

On the fifth day of New York Fashion Week, Tracy Reesegave voice to her models - literally. Victoria Beckhampresented a light-hearted collection that relied on col-

ors inspired by playdough and ice cream. And the PublicSchool label offered a pointed message on immigration.

Giving women a voice, at Tracy ReeseEntering the Tracy Reese presentation on Sunday after-

noon, you immediately noticed something unusual about themodels standing on the stage: They were speaking. “They’resaying something about themselves, why they’re doing this,what their hopes and dreams are, the women they admire intheir lives,” Reese explained. “Often when you come to these,people don’t look at the women, they’re looking at theclothes, and that why we’re doing this. I wanted people to seethe woman in the clothing, and hear something about whoshe is.” The remarks were unscripted, and very personal. Onemodel was speaking in Spanish, saying that her mother wasthe person she admired most in the world. Another, in English,was saying: “A woman is strong, a woman is love, a woman isbeauty.” Still another was saying, “I am strength, I am grace, Iam a woman.”

Attending the show was Whoopi Goldberg, who notedthat Reese, who’s known for being one of Michelle Obama’sfavorite designers, is “especially good at recognizing thatwomen’s bodies are different. And they’re big and small andwide and thin and that’s who she creates for. So there is some-thing for every person on the planet in Tracy’s collections, andI love that.” Reese has long offered up a runway that is diversenot only ethnically but in terms of size and shape. She alsooften combines professional and non-professional models inher shows - a rarity. Diversity on the runway is something oth-er designers have slowly caught up to, Goldberg noted.

“It’s what you kind of have to do now,” the actress and TVhost said. “If you want to sell the clothes. She’s alwaysknown and she now can design for everybody - as you seehere, there are black women, white women, Hispanicwomen, Asian women ... this is the world stage. So I am soproud.” Often, designers are asked who their “muse” waswhen designing a specific collection. Reese said her musewas simply “every woman who wants to look and feel beau-tiful in clothing. I thought, ‘Let’s highlight the women thatare wearing the clothes.’” “I love that they’re getting to sharewho they are,” she said.

A playful vibe at BeckhamVictoria Beckham has a 6-year-old daughter, which proba-

bly explains some of her color inspirations this season: play-dough and ice cream. “It’s not too sickly sweet, but it feelsfresh and happy,” Beckham said of shades like a bright pista-chio that appeared on her runway. “I used to wear so muchblack, and now I really enjoy wearing color.” After a night oftwo glitzy shows - Alexander Wang’s outdoor event on a dead-end street in Brooklyn, and Philipp Plein’s extravaganza thatincluded a striptease in a giant martini glass - Beckham’sSunday morning show felt like a peaceful trip to a tea salon.And in fact, tall glasses of ginger iced tea were offered toguests as they entered.

With husband David and son Brooklyn looking on, the for-mer Spice Girl, who launched her label nine years ago, servedup a collection that featured light, summery fabrics and evena little glitter on the shoes and on the ankles, in the form ofsparkly ankle bracelets. “I love the sparkly shoes,” she said.“And the little anklets. They are just so cute. It’s like a fresh wayof wearing jewelry.” Her main goal, she said, was to createclothes that are easy to wear. “For me, that’s how I want todress,” she said. “You know I didn’t want to create a collectionof showpieces. These are clothes that you can wear, and that’simportant. Yes, fashion is fantasy - but you can really wearthese clothes.” She also wanted to stress that light doesn’t nec-essarily mean weak. “I wanted to show how delicate can bestrong,” she said.

Celebrating immigrants, at public schoolFor their runway show in lower Manhattan, Dao-Yi Chow

and Maxwell Osborne of Public School chose a spot with sig-nificance to the history of immigration in New York: the 19th-century Five Points neighborhood, occupied by waves ofimmigrants from different origins. Asked if the design duobeen thinking about the current political situation, Chow sim-ply pointed to his cap: “DACA Dreamers,” it said, expressingsolidarity with the young immigrants who came to the UnitedStates as children and are living in the country illegally. “It wassymbolic that we meet here to celebrate the immigrant expe-

rience in New York,” he said, “and their contributions, whatthey bring to New York and to the world.”

How was that reflected in the duo’s designs, which weredisplayed on a runway in a long, narrow alleyway? Throughthe depiction of everyday items that are often tossed aside,Chow explained after the show. “The plastic bag, for example,”he noted, “(is) something that people may discard or overlook.When you think about immigrants and their contribution,they’re overlooked.” A succession of plaid garments - shorts,shirt dresses, skirts - resembled those ubiquitous square plas-tic laundry bags with zippers. A number of garments werecovered with loose-fitting translucent tops - trenches, jackets -resembling clear plastic bags. There were “shopping bag” tops,and orange garments that looked exactly like the plastic bagssent out as the invitation to the show. Also on display: thedesign team’s knee-covering sneaker boot, a collaborationwith Jordan that was released on Sunday at a pop-up shopoutside the runway show. — AP

Fashion Week: Tracy Reese

gives a voice to her models

Models present the Tracy Reese Spring 2018 collection during New York Fashion Week. — AP/AFP photos

Actress and TV personality Whoopi Goldberg appears atthe Tracy Reese Spring 2018 collection.

Models walk the runway for the Victoria Beckham SS18 show during New York Fashion Week.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

F A S H I O N

l if e s t y l e

For years, images of impossibly slim, gor-geous, blemish-free women have filled fash-ion magazines, billboards and television

screens. Now, 26-year-old British model IskraLawrence is waging war on unattainable beautystandards in the fashion world, flexing her mighton a social media fueling diversity. She is amonga growing number of plus-size models findingfame and calling themselves body activists, pro-moting health and wellbeing. She also refuses toallow clients to photoshop any of her images.

“The whole concept of Photoshop is an illu-sion,” Lawrence tells AFP during a rare spot ofdowntime before jetting off on her latest shoot,this time to a windswept beach in Iceland.“They’re not flaws. They’re part of your body. Wewere just convinced by society and the mediathat there was something wrong with them.” InBritain, around 57 percent of women have anabove average body mass index. In the UnitedStates, that figure rises to 62 percent, and theaverage American woman is a size 14-16.

Lawrence averages a US size 10 to 12, yet foryears was told she was too fat to model. A samplesize on the runway can be as small as zero. Butchange is afoot. Ashley Graham, who last yearbecame the first “curve” model on the cover of theannual “Swimsuit Issue” of magazine “SportsIllustrated” is on the cusp of becoming a house-hold name.

‘Don’t need to be perfect’ In February, she became the first curve model

to walk for Michael Kors at Fashion Week. Thisseason, she hosted a fashion awards night andSunday night walked again for Prabal Gurung in ashow with Gigi Hadid. It ’s not just models.

Popular culture is suddenly full of strong womenproud of their curves from singers Adele andBeyonce to comedians Amy Schumer and MelissaMcCarthy, and tennis star Serena Williams.Following repeated scandals about anorexia,French holding companies LVMH and Kering,which own dozens of top labels from ChristianDior to Saint Laurent, just days ago pledged toban size zero models from their advertising andcatwalk shows.

Now based in New York, Lawrence jumps on aplane multiple times a week, has starred in cam-paigns for American Eagle and its Aerie lingerieline, and has close to four million followers onInstagram. Six years ago, she says a London book-er laughed in her face and told her she’d never

get to New York to work. “That hurt,” she remem-bers. Since then, she was signed by JAG Models,an agency set up in 2013 to represent largermodels, walked in New York Fashion Week andhad a unretouched billboard in Times Square.“Seeing those images raw and real really helpspeople understand they don’t need to be perfectand they’re good enough as they are,” she says.

Lawrence has also taken her message toschools in Britain and US colleges to promotegood physical, emotional and mental health. Atleast 30 million people of all ages and genderssuffer from an eating disorder in the UnitedStates, according to The National Association ofAnorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.

‘Definite transformation’ “Every day on social media, I get these DMs

from girls saying I’ve saved their lives from eatingdisorders or suicidal thoughts. It’s a wonderful,positive movement,” Lawrence says. Yet if seeingcurvier models is more common, it is still relative-ly rare-particularly in high fashion, where few ofthe most prestigious labels adequately cater tothe plus-size market. “There’s still such a long wayto go. A lot of people don’t want a ‘fat girl’ in theshow,” says Jaclyn Sarka, who co-founded JAGModels in 2013, recognizing a need to representbeautiful women of all sizes. They now representaround 65 girls, the largest of whom is a size 20.

“That’s just horrible. I’m having a daughterpretty soon and... I don’t want my daughter tolook up to people who aren’t attainable.” LynneWebber, managing director of Marina Rinaldi, aleader in the luxury plus-size market and part ofthe Max Mara Fashion Group, agreed. “I thinkthere is a definite transformation process,” shesays. “I think in great part that is also due to thegrowth of social media, so it’s a far more demo-cratic channel of communication and that hasgiven a lot more visibility for a lot more types ofwomen.” But the label, sold in more than 50countries, would welcome a bit more competi-tion. “As champions, let’s say, of female issues, wefeel it’s rather sad that premium brands feel theydon’t want to address that community ofwomen,” says Webber. — AFP

Fashion on upward curve: Bigger is beautiful

Model Ashley Grahamattends the FENTY PUMA byRihanna runway show at the

Park Avenue Armory onSunday in New York. — AP

Photo showsBritish model Iskra

Lawrence.—AFP

Designer Vivienne Tam and Wuba walk the runway for Vivienne Tam fashion show. David Beckham and his son Brooklyn Beckham attend the Victoria Beckham SS18 show. Victoria Beckham walks the runway at the end of herSS18 show.

Models walk the runway for Vivienne Tam’s fashion show during New York Fashion Week: The Shows at Gallery 1, at Skylight Clarkson Square.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

l if e s t y l e

F A S H I O N

Rihanna didn’t walk into New York FashionWeek. She rode through it. Literally. The popstar and fashionista kicked off her Fenty

Puma 2018 spring-summer collection Sunday withmotocross bicycles flying high in the air, ascending

above a dreamy display of powder pink mountainsand sand - as the audience watched in awe.Rihanna rode on the back of a bike - in true rockstar form with one hand displaying the sign of thehorns and her tongue sticking out - after the mod-els strutted around the race car-like catwalk at thePark Avenue Armory. She wore a fitted, long-sleevearmy green shirt with a plunging neckline, a brightgreen jacket wrapped around her waist, thigh-highboots, and sunglasses. She was confident and cool,and her collection delivered a similar vibe.

The clothes were a mix of fitted and loosepieces, ranging from oversized jackets to tightdresses to shiny swimsuits. Most of the itemspaired two colors: the navy blue pieces featuredhot pink embellishments, while orange and blackmade up the various athletic suits. While theclothes, worn mostly by women and some men,could be used at the gym for working out or evengym-selfies for Instagram, some were for thebeach. There was a cropped top hoodie, low-waist-ed, knee-length shorts and fashion-forward one-piece bathing suits. One model even wore a towelover his head.

Rihanna’s audience Sunday included membersof the fashion world, but also some of her musicpeers, such as rappers Big Sean, Fabolous, Yo Gotti,Dave East and Cardi B., whose song “Bodak Yellow(Money Moves)” is currently No. 3 on the popcharts. Diplo, the Grammy-winning producer whohas worked with Beyonce, Justin Bieber and others,said he took a helicopter from a gig to make it toRihanna’s fashion show. “I think music and fashion

are so coincided together, and with (Rihanna), sheis like equal parts a music beast and a fashionbeast. And everybody has a little bit of it, they mixit up, but she’s been doing it since she started,”Diplo said of Rihanna, who released her first albumin 2005. “Like, she’s always been on both sides. Soshe’s a veteran in that world. So it’s amazing to behere for her show.”

Last week, Rihanna - born Robyn Rihanna Fentyin Barbados - launched Fenty Beauty, which fea-tures makeup designed for all skin colors. The 29-year-old said she wanted to be sure all women, nomatter their complexion, could use her products.“She’s a great businesswoman,” R&B singer JheneAiko said of Rihanna at the show. “She’s definitely agreat role model for young girls, especially girls ofcolor, to look up to and see all that she’s doing.”While Rihanna debuted 50 different looks at theshow, the overall highlight? A black dress revealingsome of the waist, paired with a baggy army greenjacket to give it the Rihanna edge. And if there’sone thing Rihanna is, it is risk-taker: She didn’t evenwear a helmet when she rode on the bike. — AP

Rihanna rides into New YorkFashion Week like a rock star

Singer Rihanna attends the launchof her beauty brand ‘Fenty Beauty

by Rihanna’ at Duggal GreenhouseBrooklyn, NY. — AP/AFP photos

Rihanna rides on a motorcycle after showing her fashion collection from FentyPuma by Rihanna during Fashion Week.

Models wear fashion from Fenty Puma by Rihanna during Fashion Week in New York.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

l if e s t y l e

M U S I C & M O V I E S

Lebanese film director Ziad Doueiri ,detained briefly for previous visits to Israel,blasted yesterday people who accused him

of normalization with the Jewish state saying hiswork is for the good of Lebanon and thePalestinian cause. It was not clear why the Paris-based Doueiri, director of the award-winning civ-il war film “West Beirut,” was detained Sundaynight, as he has visited Lebanon several timessince traveling to Israel. Lebanon and Israel are ina state of war and Beirut bans its citizens fromvisiting Israel or having business dealings withIsraelis.

Doueiri told reporters after three hours ofquestioning at a military court in Beirut yesterdaythat authorities found that he has “no criminalintentions against the Palestinian cause.” Doueiri’slatest film, “The Insult,” opens in Lebanon thisweek, after winning the best actor award at theVenice Film Festival earlier this month. Doueirisaid that Kamel El Basha, the Palestinian awardedbest actor at the Venice Film Festival, spent twoyears in Israeli jails. He said some journalists aretrying to undermine him ahead of the film show-ing in Beirut, which begins on Thursday.

Doueiri’s previous film, “The Attack,” wasbanned in Lebanon and most Arab countries. Themovie is about a Palestinian surgeon living in TelAviv who discovers that a suicide attack in thecity that killed 17 people was carried out by hiswife. The movie was filmed in Israel and featuredseveral Israeli actors. Lebanese journalist Pierre

Abi Saab, who is opposed to any dealings withIsrael, wrote a column in the daily Al-Akhbar lastweek titled “Ziad Doeiri, apologize for your Israelislip.” He said that Doueiri spent months in Israel tofilm “The Attack,” spending money there andspeaking to Israeli media defending his movieamid criticism in Lebanon.

“Today, Ziad Doueiri is coming on a whitehorse from Venice with a new movie expecting us

to carry him on our shoulders and welcome himas a conqueror,” Abi Saab wrote. “We will notaccept that the crime be covered,” he wrote, refer-ring to Doueiri’s visits to Israel. Speaking toreporters outside the military court, Doueiri saidhe was well treated by Lebanese security agen-cies during his brief detention but blasted jour-nalists he refused to name “that are fabricatingthings to block the new movie.” He said they used

“dirty words against some people and accusedthem of being Zionists.”

A great Lebanese director“My mother breastfed me Palestinian milk and

the Palestinian cause. Members of my family werekilled while fighting with the Palestinians,” Doueirisaid. When a journalist asked him a questionabout normalization of relations with Israel

through art, Doueiri responded angrily “I strug-gled for the Palestinian cause before you wereborn.” He then told the journalist that he will notrespond to his questions. Joelle Touma, Doueiri’sex-wife and co-writer of “ The Insult,” toldreporters there that he had come to Beirut for thefilm’s opening. She said he was stopped at the air-port, where he was questioned for about 90 min-utes before authorities confiscated his Lebaneseand French passports. He was allowed to leave onthe condition that he appears before a militarycourt the following day for further questioning,she said.

Culture Minister Ghattas Khoury tweeted inArabic that “Ziad Doueiri is a great Lebanese direc-tor who has been honored around the world.Respecting and honoring him is a must #Lebanon.”Doueiri’s lawyer, Njaib Lyan, told reporters thatafter three hours at the military court his client wasreleased without any charges. He said some peo-ple envy Doueiri’s international fame. He addedthat inside the court Doueiri was told that he visit-ed Israel without permission from Lebaneseauthorities. Lyan said Doueiri had told authoritiesat the time that he planned to visit Israel for amovie he is working on but never got a response.“The Insult is the pride of Lebanon’s industry. We inLebanon do Hummus and Shawerma well, and wedo very good movies as well,” Doueiri said referringto national dishes. — AP

Lebanese film director briefly detained over Israel visit

Lebanese film director Ziad Doueiri, holds up his Lebanese and FrenchPassports as he speaks to journalists after being released by a militarycourt, in Beirut, Lebanon yesterday. — AP photos

In this Dec 8, 2012 file photo, Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri poses forphotographers after receiving The Golden Star award, for his film “TheAttack” during the 12th Marrakech International Film Festival inMarrakech, Morocco.

Anew Russian film aimed at a youth audiencereinvents classic novelist Nikolai Gogol as agothic-style detective who battles dark

supernatural forces to solve a series of ritual mur-ders. Critics have queried the lashings of eyeliner,plumped-up lips and lack of historical rigour, whilethe makers say the film will breathe new life intothe 19th-century writer’s works for today’s schoolpupils. Mist swirls, black horses gallop through

dark forests and naked witches leap over bonfiresin the first film in a planned series of four, called“Gogol. The Start,” which opened in cinemas onAugust 31 and will also be shown in an eight-episode television version.

The film is based partly on the author’s real life,with references to his epileptic fits and a brief jobas a clerk for the tsarist political police-as well as tohis fear of being buried alive. In the film, Gogolworks alongside a famed tsarist investigator, who issent to rural Ukraine to probe a series of murders ofyoung women. The plot references Gogol’s works,especially the spooky tales of peasant life collectedin “Evenings on a Farm Near Dykanka.” Gogol-

whose most famous work was the novel “DeadSouls” published in 1842 — grew up in today’sUkraine and was inspired by its folk traditions.

Compulsory reading “We made up the possible circumstances in

which Gogol wrote ‘Evenings on a Farm NearDykanka’,” said producer Alexander Tsekalo. “Welinked up all the scary incidents into a sequence

and gave them a single perpetrator, a serial killer,you could say,” Tsekalo said at a press conference.“Gogol, as he awaits a new investigator, is forced toinvestigate these crimes himself.” “All the rest isGogol, and even the fact that he worked as a scribein the Third Department (political police), andcame to Dykanka in this job-all that happened inreal life.” Gogol’s works are compulsory reading inRussian schools. One of the film’s scenaristsNatalya Merkulova praised the film as “a giant stepforward” for giving Gogol “new life”.

He and other classic writers “hang in class-rooms in big dusty portraits-and everyone is sickto the back teeth of them,” she claimed. The film is

being released in two versions, one with a 16+certificate and another more graphic one with an18+ age limit.

Silicone lips Played in the f i lm by 28-year-old actor

Alexander Petrov, Gogol is pale and broodingwith dark-rimmed eyes. He periodically falls intoepileptic fits, waking up with the latest clue to themurders. “You see what other people can’t see!”says one of the characters. He also enjoys lustyencounters with beautiful young women, some ofwhom have suspiciously plumped-up lips. “I don’tthink they brought silicone to Dykanka in Gogol’sday. I also don’t think Gogol wore eye makeup,”complained a reviewer in Vokrug TV entertain-ment website. Inter fax news agency in turnslammed the dialogue as lacking in historic accu-racy, saying characters “talk like salespeople in amobile phone store.”

But the makers stress the film isn’t meant to betaken too seriously. At a presentation of the film inMoscow, they wore T-shirts with the slogan “SorryGogol”. A promotional clip for the film shows anactor playing a flustered school teacher, wholaments: “I never in my life expected to see NikolaiVasilyevich Gogol without his trousers on.” “Theslight trashiness is intentional,” director YegorBaranov told Momenty, a regional entertainmentsite. The film’s poster shows Gogol holding a blood-stained quill, with the cutline: “The darkest hourcomes before dawn.”

Although the film’s playing fast and loose withthe classics outraged some, critics generally saidthe film worked on its own terms. The reviewerfor Vokrug TV concedes that if the series contin-ues on the same level “young people could get anice locally made horror flick.” “As a horror B-movie, it’s not bad,” wrote Rossiiskaya Gazetagovernment newspaper, citing the “nudity anddisembowelling.” — AFP

Russian film turns classicauthor into sexy supersleuth

A man walks past posters of the “Gogol. The Start” film as he enters a cinema in Moscow.—AFP

Benedict Cumberbatch interacts with fans as he attends “The Current War” premiere.

(from left) Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, MichaelShannon, Nicholas Hoult and executive producer Michael Mitnick attend ‘The CurrentWar’ press conference during the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival at TIFF BellLightbox on September 10, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. — AFP photos

Oscar nominees Benedict Cumberbatchand Michael Shannon electrified audi-ences at the Toronto film festival

Sunday with their portrayals of Thomas Edisonand his rival in the race for marketable elec-tricity, George Westinghouse. “The CurrentWar” was directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon,who described Edison as someone “who camefrom a world of spontaneous invention with-out really seeing the purpose for it at first, andcreated a purpose for something.” In contrast,he said, “Westinghouse could immediatelycontextualize something and see how it couldbe greater for society.” “The rivalry betweenthem was interesting,” Gomez-Rejon said,because of “what it said about the world andhow we can, through invention and technolo-gy, leave it better than how we found it.”

Edison and his team conducted the firstincandescent lightbulb tests in 1879 and a fewyears later began broad distribution of elec-tricity using a direct current. Westinghouse,whose interests in gas distribution and tele-phone switching led him to look into electricalpower distribution, saw that Edison’s use oflow-voltage DC had a limited range. Afterreading about European AC systems, he setout to develop and market AC power systemsthat could distribute electricity over long dis-tances to dispersed US populations. He wasalso able to achieve greater economies ofscale with the use of centralized power gener-ation, allowing him to sell electricity at cheap-er rates. The movie also stars Nicholas Hoult asinventor and futurist Nikola Tesla.

Conflicted historical record Cumberbatch said he knew very little

about Edison before taking on the role. “I real-ly was in the dark,” he quipped. His portrayalof the American icon is alternately sympathet-ic, and not. Various Edison biographies, henoted, offer a “varied understanding andappreciation of the man.” Cumberbatch’s owninterpretation of him, he said, is that of “a man

who had achieved a great deal from humblebeginnings, who felt assailed in the world. Idon’t think that ever left him.”

Edison, he said, was “someone who chosereally not to hear repeated truth... and thatcorrupted him.” “It’s an ugly truth, but it’sformed out of something that’s very human. Ithink there’s some degree of salvation in thesense that he (eventually) admitted that hewas wrong.” To prepare for the role,Cumberbatch said he read an extract fromEdison’s diary in which the inventor talkedfrankly about his dreams, “his diet and bowelmovements, or lack thereof,” literature, “hisfantasy world” and how he once “got into amess in New York because he asked a conduc-tor on a tram which stop to get off at and hecouldn’t hear him.”

Edison had suffered from partial hearingloss since childhood. “He was very funny, veryself-deprecating,” Cumberbatch commented.Shannon had a wholly different challenge inpreparing for the role because Westinghousedestroyed all his personal papers before hisdeath, wanting posterity to judge him only forhis deeds. “My goal wasn’t to try and create anexact replication of George Westinghouse-it’sjust not possible-so I more considered hispoint of view, his way of being in the worldand dealing with people,” said Shannon.

“Nobody’s gonna come along and say youmessed that up, because nobody knows.”Before the start of filming, Gomez-Rejon hadfound a rare and very old leather-bound bookabout Westinghouse, and shared it with him.“It was almost a tribute to GeorgeWestinghouse. It was written by someonewho had a great deal of respect for him, talkedabout what a great man he was and all of hisaccomplishments,” Shannon recalled. “By thetime I finished reading it, it really done a num-ber on me, so that was the foundation of mywork on the film,” he said. — AFP

Edison, Westinghouse row

electrifies Toronto film fest

Mariah Carey’s many collaborationswith rap artists will be celebrated atthe 2017 VH1 Hip Hop Honors. VH1

said yesterday the singer will be honored atthe Sept 17 taping, dubbed “Hip Hop Honors:The 90’s Game Changers,” at ParamountStudios in Hollywood, California. It will airSept 18. Carey, who has launched countlesspop hits, has been known for her collabora-tions and remixes with rappers, including JayZ, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Busta Rhymes, Ol’

Dirty Bastard, Nas, Snoop Dogg and Diddy.The event will be hosted by actress Regina

Hall and will also honor actor MartinLawrence. Missy Elliott will perform. VH1 saidthe TV special honoring hip-hop’s foray intopop culture will also “recognize the victims ofthe hurricanes and provide viewers with waysto take action to help.” — AP

From Brazilian gospel to Puerto Rican reggae-ton and Dutch hip-hop, music streaming com-pany Deezer is scouring the globe for gaps in

the market where it can survive and thrive againstSpotify and Apple. The French firm has little hope ofsuccess going toe-to-toe with its far bigger rivals inthe mass-market realms inhabited by the likes ofTaylor Swift and Ed Sheeran. Instead it is focusing onlocal music genres in fast-growing, often non-English language markets, areas where it believes itcan steal a march. It is targeting local listeners whilealso looking to position itself for a global audienceas a “cool”, non-mainstream alternative.

As part of this strategy, launched this year andcalled Deezer Next, it is dispatching local teams of“editors” to identify talent in niche genres and createoriginal content, Netflix-style. The aim is not only todifferentiate its catalogue but also to reduce itsreliance on the record labels that take the lion’sshare of streaming services’ revenue. It has 40 edi-tors globally, and is looking to recruit more.

Deezer Chief Executive Hans-Holger Albrechtsaid he would target selected markets in LatinAmerica, Asia and Africa where Spotify was notalready predominant. They include Guatemala,Bolivia, Paraguay, Colombia, Nigeria, Senegal andSouth Africa. “I strongly believe in the localisation ofcontent,” he told Reuters. “While Spotify is mainlyplaylist-focused, we are betting on local differentia-tion, and this has helped us become number one ingospel in Brazil.”

But finding a path to profit represents a formida-ble task for the loss-making company. It has a simi-lar “freemium” to market leader Spotify, whereby itattracts users by offering advert-supported freeaccess and charges a monthly fee of about $10 forthe full service. However it has only 12 million activeusers - about 9 million paying - compared withSpotify’s 60 million paying subscribers, and brings injust a tenth of the Swedish firm’s $3 billion annualrevenue.

Deezer, controlled by billionaire investor Len

Blavatnik, is nonetheless sinking tens of millions ofeuros into this local music drive. Its strategy is basedon a bet that music streaming will continue to growrapidly to eventually eclipse all other forms of musiclistening. The paid streaming market is expected togrow 16 percent to $28 billion by 2030 in terms ofannual revenue, according toGoldman Sachs“Streaming is a very young market, with just about10 percent penetration globally, so there is a lot ofpotential still,” said Albrecht.

Spotify is also loss-making but is neverthelessvalued at $13 billion because of this market poten-tial, as well as investor expectations that its fast-growing user base will allow it to negotiate increas-ingly lower royalty payments to labels.

The company, a millennial megabrand, is eyinga stock market listing this year or next, and Albrechtsaid Deezer could also consider going public shouldthat flotation prove successful. — Reuters

Carey’s rap collaborations

to be honored at VH1 event

In this file photo, Mariah Carey arrives at the Kids’ ChoiceAwards at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. — AP

David v Goliath: Deezer seeks musical edge on Spotify

31TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

Lebanese film director briefly detained over Israel visit

A giant land art painting entitled ‘A story of the future’ by French artist Saype, depicting a young girl reading a book, is pictured on a hillside in Les Rochers-de-Naye, in Veytaux above Montreux, Switzerland, yesterday. The artworkcovering approximately 6000 square meters (1.5 acres) was produced with over 600 liters of biodegradable paint made from natural pigments, water and a milk protein and is part of the celebration for the 125th birthday of theGlion Rochers-de-Naye train line. — AP

Penniless and subsisting only on water for three weeks,Tokyo street-dweller Tokuchika Nishi thought he hadcome to the end of his life. “My money ran out and I

thought it would be fine to just die a dog’s death,” said Nishi,38, who had spent two years homeless in Japan after goinginto debt. Then his life changed with the discovery of dancegroup Newcomer “H” Sokerissa! that includes homeless peo-ple, and some who have made it off the streets. “Many ofthe limitations I used to put on myself are gone,” said Nishi,who joined the group in July. “I’m more excited about whatI’m capable of and how far I can go. I want to express all thatswells up inside me through dance.”

Dancer and choreographer Yuuki Aoki, who founded thegroup ten years ago, says he was intrigued by the weather-battered bodies of the homeless men, and the kind of artis-tic expression they might produce. In 2004, Aoki saw acrowd gathered around a street performance in Tokyo. Aman slept nearby, his buttocks exposed to passers-by whopassed him without a second glance, recalls Aoki. He won-dered what would happen if the man were to become theperformer.

People initially warned Aoki his project would fail if itwere known the dancers were homeless, but the group nowperforms everywhere across Japan, from parks to museums.

Aoki and two troupe members travelled to Rio de Janeiro toperform with homeless people before the 2016 summerOlympics. Their dances are not choreographed. Aoki said hestopped trying to teach specific moves to avoid restrictingthe men’s self-expression. Instead, he gives each a string ofexpressions - such as “swallowing the sun” or “exposing themeat to the wind” - to serve as a guide.

Despite being new to dance, Aoki said, the performersseek to use it to uncover what lies at the root of humanexpression, and think in new ways of what it means to behuman. The “H” in the name stands for human, hope andhomeless. Sokerissa has become a way of life for some.

Masayoshi Koiso, 69, said he had spent his life runningaway from family and work. “I started thinking thatmaybe the only place left for me to run away to is death,”Koiso, who has been homeless for nine years, recallsthinking around the time he joined up five years ago. “Ifthat’s the case, I wanted to fully use up the body I haveuntil then - then maybe, I’ll have a good end.” MasatoYokouchi, who has been dancing for nine years, said thegroup sustains him. “I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’thave Sokerissa.” — Reuters

Swapping his office garb for driving gear, businessman VuMinh Hung readies for Vietnam’s largest amateur off-roadrace, a mud-soaked adventure in the staid communist

nation where professional auto sport is non-existent. He wasone of some 80 competitors at last weekend’s race on a hillytrack outside Hanoi, the ninth year of a competition that hasballooned in popularity among adrenalin junkies. “There aren’tmany thrilling sports in Vietnam. We want to play thrillingsports but there are no opportunities for us. So this is exactlywhat I’m looking for,” Hung told AFP, speaking after his leg ofthe race at the mud-slicked course.

But the exhilaration comes with a steep price tag. Hung hasspent $14,000 souping up his $32,000 Ford Ranger, now coveredin colorful racing stickers, despite protests from his family. “Mywife and relatives tried to stop me because they said it’s a danger-ous and costly hobby. But compared to other men’s addictions Ithink my hobby is pretty nice,” Hung said. The sport has taken offin Vietnam, where driving addicts like Hung say they can get asafe rush-unlike drug users, alcoholics or gambling addicts. But it’sstill far from mainstream in a country better known for its rowdyfootball fans than for gold-medal athletes.

Like all other road hobbies, off-road racing is not recognizedas an official sport and therefore does not receive any govern-

ment funding. Instead, drivers pay out of their own pockets tocompete and bring their own 4x4s and SUVs to races. “We wishVietnam could have an official sports car federation,” said KhuatViet Hung, deputy head of the national traffic safety committee.Improving the sport’s profile would help novice drivers to com-pete in neighboring Malaysia or Thailand, where it is betterestablished and receives more funding, according to race organ-izer Nguyen Manh Thang.

He also hopes the race will sharpen car-driving skills in acountry where motorbikes rule the roads, and where 30 peopledie daily in traffic accidents. “Because traffic in Vietnam is chaot-ic, many people leave their homes and never return. We wantsafe driving in Vietnam,” Thang said. For competitor Pham VietThanh, competing for the second time, the race is about morethan just skillful driving. “It’s a passion. It’s in my blood and brain.Anyone who wants to be manly should be involved in at leastone sport and I consider this a sport,” said the governmentemployee, standing amid thousands of cheering fans at the race.The secret to his success? An unlikely mistress. “This cute littlegirl is with me all the time,” he says of his purple SUV. “Whenshe’s broken, I have to be gentle with her, fix her properly. I con-sider this car my second wife.” — AFP

Circle of life: Japan’s homeless banish despair through dance

Mud and glory: Vietnam revsup for biggest off-road race

A competitor taking part in the Vietnam Offroad2017 race.

A competitor taking part in the Vietnam Offroad2017 race.

An improvised bridge being constructed to help transporta vehicle during the Vietnam Offroad 2017 race.

Spectators looking at a vehicle that fell on its side whiletaking part in the Vietnam Offroad 2017 race.

This picture shows competitors using a winch to get theirvehicle out of the mud while taking part in the VietnamOffroad 2017 race on the outskirts of Hanoi. — AFP photos

Vehicles taking part in the Vietnam Offroad 2017 race.