Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

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By B Izzak KUWAIT: MP Nabil Al-Fadhl yesterday called on the government to deport people after stripping them of their cit- izenship especially for reasons of threatening national security or having obtained their nationality on false information. The lawmaker submitted a proposal to amend the Nationality Law of 1959 to make it mandatory on authorities to deport such people, say- ing that they should not be allowed to stay in the country after committing such crimes. In his amendment, Fadhl proposed adding a new item to Article 13 of Nationality Law to make deporting people after revoking their citizenship an obligation rather than a choice. Article 13 deals with revoking citizen- ship of naturalized citizens for obtain- ing the citizenship on the basis of false information or cheating and for threat- ening national security and national economy by spreading harmful infor- mation and news. The Council of Ministers invoked this article to withdraw the citizenship of a number of opposition figures including former MP Abdullah Al-Barghash and owner of the Al-Youm television and Alam Al-Youm newspaper Ahmad Jabr Al-Shemmari and others. Fadhl howev- er did not say how will the state deport people who are stateless and to which destination because people in a for- eign country can be deported to their home countries or to a third country of their choice and which accepts to take them. In another development, head of the National Assembly budgets com- mittee MP Adnan Abdulsamad warned yesterday that Kuwait’s budget surplus will drop sharply at the end of the cur- rent fiscal year if oil prices remain at the current level. During the past 15 fiscal years, Kuwait posted a budget surplus and the windfall was massive over the past three years. Continued on Page 13 SUBSCRIPTION 7 Tunisia election offers post-Arab Spring hope 17 Pistorius starts 5-year jail term for killing lover WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014 THULHIJA 28, 1435 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure Max 30º Min 16º High Tide 11:01 & 23:14 Low Tide 05:03 & 17:16 40 PAGES NO: 16320 150 FILS Shutdown of joint field brings back old disputes News i n b r i e f Twitter ‘source of all evil’: Top Saudi cleric RIYADH: The microblogging site Twitter popular among both men and women in ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia is nothing more than “a source of lies” and evil, the kingdom’s top Muslim cleric said. “If it were used correctly, it could be of real benefit, but unfortunately it’s exploited for trivial matters,” Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh said on his Fatwa tel- evision show broadcast late Monday. Twitter is “the source of all evil and devastation,” the mufti said. “People are rush- ing to it thinking it’s a source of credible information but it’s a source of lies and falsehood.” Saudi Arabia adopts a strict version of Sunni Islam, including a segregation of the sexes, that influences all aspects of life in the Gulf kingdom. Iraq approves $278 m deal with Halliburton BAGHDAD: Iraq’s cabinet has approved a $278.5 mil- lion drilling deal with US oil service company Halliburton for the southern West Qurna- 1 oilfield, according to a government statement. Under the 30- month contract, Halliburton is to drill 30 oil wells in the 8.7-billion-barrel West Qurna Phase One field, operated by US major ExxonMobil, the statement said. Oil production at the West Qurna-1 field is run- ning at a rate of 360,000 barrels per day due to prob- lems with low levels of water injection, which is need- ed to boost production, officials said. Iraq has award- ed lucrative oilfield development contracts to majors such as Royal Dutch Shell, BP and Exxon Mobil with the ambitious target of expanding its oil production capacity to 8.5-9 million bpd by 2017. Increasing export capacity is a cornerstone of Iraq’s ambitious plans to revive its oil industry after years of war, eco- nomic sanctions and neglect. Iraq wants to jump into the top ranks of global oil producers and exporters. Sudan’s president seeks re-election KHARTOUM: Sudan’s ruling party chose President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir yesterday as its candidate for next year’s presidential vote, making it almost certain that he will not step aside but extend his rule after 25 years in power. The 70-year-old Bashir, wanted on charges of genocide and war crimes by the International Criminal Court, had previously indicated he would not run for another term in elections sched- uled for April 2015. He had also pledged to hold a national dialogue before the vote but the few active opposition movements in Sudan seem to have already lost hope of any change in the political climate. One of the main opposition parties, the Popular Congress Party, announced last week it would boycott the elec- tions, saying they would not be credible because of a lack of democracy. In another case, senior opposition figure Sadiq Al-Mahdi left Sudan for Cairo this year after a short stay in jail, having been arrested on charges that could have led to the death penalty. With no clear chal- lengers from outside the party, the National Congress Party’s executive council quickly narrowed down its potential candidates from five to one, signaling that Bashir had no intention of ceding power. DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s closure of an offshore oilfield it shares with Kuwait has revived speculation of renewed tensions between the two, and put Chevron’s role in the shared Neutral Zone in focus. Crude output from their jointly-run offshore Khai oilfield has been halted tem- porarily to comply with environmental rules. “Little things lead to big things, it’s an accumulation of the past. Each party says a different story,” said Kamel Al- Harami, an independent Kuwaiti analyst. The loss of Khai’s 280,000 barrels per day of Arabian Heavy crude will be felt more in Kuwait, which has far less spare output than its neighbor, the world’s top oil exporter. Oil prices rose briefly to over $86 a barrel on Monday on the news. Any differences between the two OPEC allies are watched closely by oil majors getting ready to return to Kuwait after years of fruitless talks and fierce political opposition to foreign firms taking a role in production in the past. Diplomatic and industry sources said that Kuwait has been placing restrictions on the Saudi unit of US oil major Chevron which operates another jointly run Neutral Zone field, Wafra, as a result of various disputes. The curbs have affected oil output from the Neutral Zone, which dates back to 1920s treaties to establish regional borders. Output capacity from the Zone has been around 600,000 bpd until last year, according to the US Department of Energy. But industry sources say it has been in decline in recent months even before the Khai shutdown. A Chevron spokesman said the company complies with the laws and regulations of the countries where it operates, and does not comment on discus- sions it has with governments about its business opera- tions. The Saudi’s 60-year concession with Chevron was first granted to the US Getty Oil Company in 1949. Continued on Page 13 KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah visited Fasial Bander Watban Al- Duwiesh at Farwaniya Hospital yesterday. Amir wished Al-Duwiesh a speedy recovery. — KUNA Man, woman stoned to death for adultery BEIRUT: A man and a woman have been stoned to death for adultery in separate executions in jihadist-controlled areas of Syria, a monitoring group reported yesterday. The man was executed in Idlib province in an area controlled by Islamist groups including the Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda’s official affiliate in Syria, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks violence on all sides of Syria’s civil war. It is the first documented case of a man being stoned to death for adultery since Syria descended into civ- il war in 2011 and hardline Islamic groups emerged as powerful players in areas that slipped from government control, the Observatory said. The woman was executed in Hama province in an area controlled by Islamic State, an Al- Qaeda offshoot that has seized swathes of Syria and Iraq and is being targeted by US-led air strikes, the Observatory said. A video posted online appeared to show her execu- tion. A bearded fighter is shown passing down the sen- tence in the presence of other gunmen and her father, who appears to approve of her execution. Her hands and feet are then tied with a rope and she is forced to kneel in a pit. Covered head to toe, she begins to pray out loud as large rocks are seen striking her body. The video shows the logo of Islamic State. ‘Deport after revoking citizenship’ President Omar Al-Bashir MP Abdulsamad warns of deficit due to oil price slide TIKRIT: A Rafale fighter jet equipped with 4 laser guided bombs GBU-12 flies over Iraq on a reconnaissance mission after taking off from the Al-Dhafra base in the United Arab Emirates. French jets carried out an air strike against two trucks in the region of Tikrit, successfully destroying their target using 3 laser-guided bombs GBU-12, as part of the ‘Chammal’ operation. — AFP BEIRUT: Islamic State group fighters seized at least one cache of weapons air- dropped by US-led coalition forces that were meant to supply Kurdish militia- men battling the extremist group in a border town, activists said yesterday. The cache of weapons included hand grenades, ammunition and rocket-pro- pelled grenade launchers, according to a video uploaded by a media group loyal to the Islamic State group. The video appeared authentic and corresponded to The Associated Press’ reporting of the event. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which bases its information on a net- work of activists on the ground, said the militants had seized at least one cache. The caches were airdropped early Monday to Kurds in the embattled Syrian town of Kobani that lies near the Turkish border. The militant group has been trying to seize the town for over a month now, causing the exodus of some 200,000 people from the area into Turkey. While Kurds are battling on the ground, a US-led coalition is also target- ing the militants from the air. Yesterday, IS loyalists on social media posted sar- castic thank you notes to the United States, including one image that said “Team USA.” But the lost weapons drop was more an embarrassment than a great strategic loss. The Islamic State mil- itants already possess millions of dollars- worth of US weaponry that they cap- tured from fleeing Iraqi soldiers when the group seized swaths of Iraq in a sud- den sweep in June. Meanwhile, Kurdish defenders of the strategic Syrian border town of Kobane weathered another onslaught by Islamic State jihadists. Fighting appeared to have diminished after a fierce attack late Monday by IS fighters, including suicide bombers, witnesses and monitors said. IS forces in the east of the town were exchanging fire with Kurdish militia in the west and there were reports of an explosion, probably a car bomb, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. Continued on Page 13 IS seizes arms airdropped by US-led coalition forces BRUSSELS: The European Union imposed sanctions yesterday on 12 Syrian government ministers, two senior military figures and a United Arab Emirates company it accused of helping supply oil to Syria. The moves were part of a gradual tightening of EU sanctions against the government of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, who has clung to power despite a three-year-old civil war in which close to 200,000 people have been killed. The EU said the 12 ministers, appointed by Assad in a cabinet reshuffle in August, shared “responsibility for the regime’s violent repres- sion against the civilian population”, and would be subjected to asset freezes and trav- el bans. They included the minister of econo- my and foreign trade, Humam Al-Jazaeri, and the minister of communications and technol- ogy, Mohammad Ghazi Al-Jalali. The EU imposed similar sanctions on Colonel Mohammed Bilal, a senior officer in the Air Force Intelligence Service of Syria, and Major-General Ghassan Ahmed Ghannan, commander of the 155 Missile Brigade, who it said was “responsible for firing at least 25 Scud missiles at various civilian sites between January and March 2013.” The 28-nation bloc followed the United States in freezing the assets of Pangates International Corp Ltd, based in Sharjah in the UAE, saying it “acts as an intermediary in the supply of oil to the Syrian regime.” “Therefore, it is providing support to, and benefiting from, the Syrian regime,” the EU’s Official Journal said, listing the new sanctions which take effect yesterday. Pangates declined to comment. The EU also froze the assets of its parent company, Damascus-based Abdulkarim Group. Also placed on the EU sanctions list were Mohamed Farahat, vice-president of finance at Tri-Ocean Energy, an Egyptian oil trading firm, and Abdelhamid Khamis Abdullah, chairman of Beirut-based Overseas Petroleum Trading Co, another oil trader. Both companies were added to the list in July, accused of organizing covert oil ship- ments to Syria. Yesterday’s decision brings the total of people on the EU’s Syria sanc- tions list to 211 and the number of compa- nies or other organizations to 63. EU govern- ments agreed on Monday to ban the export of jet fuel to Syria because it is being used for air attacks on civilians, but that decision will not take effect until legal texts have been drawn up. — Reuters EU targets UAE firm and Syria ministers

Transcript of Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

Page 1: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

By B Izzak

KUWAIT: MP Nabil Al-Fadhl yesterdaycalled on the government to deportpeople after stripping them of their cit-izenship especial ly for reasons ofthreatening national security or havingobtained their nationality on falseinformation. The lawmaker submitted aproposal to amend the Nationality Lawof 1959 to make i t mandator y onauthorities to deport such people, say-ing that they should not be allowed tostay in the country after committingsuch crimes.

In his amendment, Fadhl proposedadding a new item to Ar ticle 13 ofNationality Law to make deportingpeople after revoking their citizenshipan obligation rather than a choice.Article 13 deals with revoking citizen-ship of naturalized citizens for obtain-ing the citizenship on the basis of falseinformation or cheating and for threat-ening national security and nationaleconomy by spreading harmful infor-

mation and news.The Council of Ministers invoked this

article to withdraw the citizenship of anumber of opposition figures includingformer MP Abdullah Al-Barghash andowner of the Al-Youm television andAlam Al-Youm newspaper Ahmad JabrAl-Shemmari and others. Fadhl howev-er did not say how will the state deportpeople who are stateless and to whichdestination because people in a for-eign country can be deported to theirhome countries or to a third country oftheir choice and which accepts to takethem.

In another development, head ofthe National Assembly budgets com-mittee MP Adnan Abdulsamad warnedyesterday that Kuwait’s budget surpluswill drop sharply at the end of the cur-rent fiscal year if oil prices remain atthe current level. During the past 15fiscal years, Kuwait posted a budgetsurplus and the windfall was massiveover the past three years.

Continued on Page 13

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Pistorius starts 5-year jail term for killing lover

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Saudi, Kuwait price warunderlies oilfield closure

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Shutdown of joint field brings back old disputes

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Twitter ‘source of all evil’: Top Saudi cleric

RIYADH: The microblogging site Twitter popular amongboth men and women in ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia isnothing more than “a source of lies” and evil, the kingdom’stop Muslim cleric said. “If it were used correctly, it could beof real benefit, but unfortunately it’s exploited for trivialmatters,” Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh said on his Fatwa tel-evision show broadcast late Monday. Twitter is “the sourceof all evil and devastation,” the mufti said. “People are rush-ing to it thinking it’s a source of credible information butit’s a source of lies and falsehood.” Saudi Arabia adopts astrict version of Sunni Islam, including a segregation of thesexes, that influences all aspects of life in the Gulf kingdom.

Iraq approves $278 m deal with Halliburton

BAGHDAD: Iraq’s cabinet has approved a $278.5 mil-lion drilling deal with US oil service companyHalliburton for the southern West Qurna- 1 oilfield,according to a government statement. Under the 30-month contract, Halliburton is to drill 30 oil wells inthe 8.7-billion-barrel West Qurna Phase One field,operated by US major ExxonMobil, the statementsaid. Oil production at the West Qurna-1 field is run-ning at a rate of 360,000 barrels per day due to prob-lems with low levels of water injection, which is need-ed to boost production, officials said. Iraq has award-ed lucrative oilfield development contracts to majorssuch as Royal Dutch Shell, BP and Exxon Mobil withthe ambitious target of expanding its oil productioncapacity to 8.5-9 million bpd by 2017. Increasingexport capacity is a cornerstone of Iraq’s ambitiousplans to revive its oil industry after years of war, eco-nomic sanctions and neglect. Iraq wants to jump intothe top ranks of global oil producers and exporters.

Sudan’s presidentseeks re-election

KHARTOUM: Sudan’s ruling party chose PresidentOmar Hassan Al-Bashir yesterday as its candidate fornext year’s presidential vote, making it almost certainthat he will not step aside but extend his rule after 25years in power. The 70-year-old Bashir, wanted oncharges of genocide and war crimes by theInternational Criminal Court, had previously indicatedhe would not run for another term in elections sched-uled for April 2015. He had also pledged to hold anational dialogue before the vote but the few activeopposition movements in Sudan seem to have alreadylost hope of any change in the political climate. One ofthe main opposition parties, the Popular CongressParty, announced last week it would boycott the elec-tions, saying they would not be credible because of alack of democracy. In another case, senior oppositionfigure Sadiq Al-Mahdi left Sudan for Cairo this year aftera short stay in jail, having been arrested on charges thatcould have led to the death penalty. With no clear chal-lengers from outside the party, the National CongressParty’s executive council quickly narrowed down itspotential candidates from five to one, signaling thatBashir had no intention of ceding power.

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s closure of an offshore oilfield itshares with Kuwait has revived speculation of renewedtensions between the two, and put Chevron’s role in theshared Neutral Zone in focus. Crude output from theirjointly-run offshore Khafji oilfield has been halted tem-porarily to comply with environmental rules. “Littlethings lead to big things, it’s an accumulation of thepast. Each party says a different story,” said Kamel Al-Harami, an independent Kuwaiti analyst.

The loss of Khafji’s 280,000 barrels per day of ArabianHeavy crude will be felt more in Kuwait, which has farless spare output than its neighbor, the world’s top oilexporter. Oil prices rose briefly to over $86 a barrel onMonday on the news. Any differences between the twoOPEC allies are watched closely by oil majors gettingready to return to Kuwait after years of fruitless talksand fierce political opposition to foreign firms taking arole in production in the past.

Diplomatic and industry sources said that Kuwait hasbeen placing restrictions on the Saudi unit of US oilmajor Chevron which operates another jointly runNeutral Zone field, Wafra, as a result of various disputes.The curbs have affected oil output from the NeutralZone, which dates back to 1920s treaties to establishregional borders.

Output capacity from the Zone has been around600,000 bpd until last year, according to the USDepartment of Energy. But industry sources say it hasbeen in decline in recent months even before the Khafjishutdown. A Chevron spokesman said the companycomplies with the laws and regulations of the countrieswhere it operates, and does not comment on discus-sions it has with governments about its business opera-tions. The Saudi’s 60-year concession with Chevron wasfirst granted to the US Getty Oil Company in 1949.

Continued on Page 13KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah visited Fasial Bander Watban Al-Duwiesh at Farwaniya Hospital yesterday. Amir wished Al-Duwiesh a speedy recovery. — KUNA

Man, woman stoned to death for adultery

BEIRUT: A man and a woman have been stoned to deathfor adultery in separate executions in jihadist-controlledareas of Syria, a monitoring group reported yesterday. Theman was executed in Idlib province in an area controlledby Islamist groups including the Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda’sofficial affiliate in Syria, said the Syrian Observatory forHuman Rights, which tracks violence on all sides of Syria’scivil war. It is the first documented case of a man beingstoned to death for adultery since Syria descended into civ-il war in 2011 and hardline Islamic groups emerged aspowerful players in areas that slipped from governmentcontrol, the Observatory said. The woman was executed inHama province in an area controlled by Islamic State, an Al-Qaeda offshoot that has seized swathes of Syria and Iraqand is being targeted by US-led air strikes, the Observatorysaid. A video posted online appeared to show her execu-tion. A bearded fighter is shown passing down the sen-tence in the presence of other gunmen and her father, whoappears to approve of her execution. Her hands and feetare then tied with a rope and she is forced to kneel in a pit.Covered head to toe, she begins to pray out loud as largerocks are seen striking her body. The video shows the logoof Islamic State.

‘Deport after revoking citizenship’

President Omar Al-Bashir

MP Abdulsamad warns of deficit due to oil price slide

TIKRIT: A Rafale fighter jet equipped with 4 laser guided bombs GBU-12 fliesover Iraq on a reconnaissance mission after taking off from the Al-Dhafrabase in the United Arab Emirates. French jets carried out an air strike againsttwo trucks in the region of Tikrit, successfully destroying their target using 3laser-guided bombs GBU-12, as part of the ‘Chammal’ operation. — AFP

BEIRUT: Islamic State group fightersseized at least one cache of weapons air-dropped by US-led coalition forces thatwere meant to supply Kurdish militia-men battling the extremist group in aborder town, activists said yesterday.The cache of weapons included handgrenades, ammunition and rocket-pro-pelled grenade launchers, according to avideo uploaded by a media group loyalto the Islamic State group.

The video appeared authentic andcorresponded to The Associated Press’reporting of the event. The Britain-basedSyrian Observatory for Human Rights,which bases its information on a net-work of activists on the ground, said themilitants had seized at least one cache.The caches were airdropped earlyMonday to Kurds in the embattledSyrian town of Kobani that lies near theTurkish border. The militant group hasbeen trying to seize the town for over amonth now, causing the exodus of some200,000 people from the area intoTurkey.

While Kurds are battling on the

ground, a US-led coalition is also target-ing the militants from the air. Yesterday,IS loyalists on social media posted sar-castic thank you notes to the UnitedStates, including one image that said“Team USA.” But the lost weapons dropwas more an embarrassment than agreat strategic loss. The Islamic State mil-itants already possess millions of dollars-worth of US weaponry that they cap-tured from fleeing Iraqi soldiers whenthe group seized swaths of Iraq in a sud-den sweep in June.

Meanwhile, Kurdish defenders of thestrategic Syrian border town of Kobaneweathered another onslaught by IslamicState jihadists. Fighting appeared tohave diminished after a fierce attack lateMonday by IS fighters, including suicidebombers, witnesses and monitors said.IS forces in the east of the town wereexchanging fire with Kurdish militia inthe west and there were reports of anexplosion, probably a car bomb, theSyrian Observatory for Human Rightsmonitoring group said.

Continued on Page 13

IS seizes arms airdropped by US-led coalition forces

BRUSSELS: The European Union imposedsanctions yesterday on 12 Syrian governmentministers, two senior military figures and aUnited Arab Emirates company it accused ofhelping supply oil to Syria. The moves werepart of a gradual tightening of EU sanctionsagainst the government of Syrian PresidentBashar Al-Assad, who has clung to powerdespite a three-year-old civil war in whichclose to 200,000 people have been killed.

The EU said the 12 ministers, appointed byAssad in a cabinet reshuffle in August, shared“responsibility for the regime’s violent repres-sion against the civilian population”, andwould be subjected to asset freezes and trav-el bans. They included the minister of econo-my and foreign trade, Humam Al-Jazaeri, andthe minister of communications and technol-ogy, Mohammad Ghazi Al-Jalali.

The EU imposed similar sanctions onColonel Mohammed Bilal, a senior officer inthe Air Force Intelligence Service of Syria, andMajor-General Ghassan Ahmed Ghannan,commander of the 155 Missile Brigade, who itsaid was “responsible for firing at least 25Scud missiles at various civilian sites betweenJanuary and March 2013.”

The 28-nation bloc followed the United

States in freezing the assets of PangatesInternational Corp Ltd, based in Sharjah inthe UAE, saying it “acts as an intermediary inthe supply of oil to the Syrian regime.”“Therefore, it is providing support to, andbenefiting from, the Syrian regime,” the EU’sOfficial Journal said, listing the new sanctionswhich take effect yesterday. Pangatesdeclined to comment.

The EU also froze the assets of its parentcompany, Damascus-based AbdulkarimGroup. Also placed on the EU sanctions listwere Mohamed Farahat, vice-president offinance at Tri-Ocean Energy, an Egyptian oiltrading firm, and Abdelhamid KhamisAbdullah, chairman of Beirut-based OverseasPetroleum Trading Co, another oil trader.

Both companies were added to the list inJuly, accused of organizing covert oil ship-ments to Syria. Yesterday’s decision bringsthe total of people on the EU’s Syria sanc-tions list to 211 and the number of compa-nies or other organizations to 63. EU govern-ments agreed on Monday to ban the exportof jet fuel to Syria because it is being used forair attacks on civilians, but that decision willnot take effect until legal texts have beendrawn up. — Reuters

EU targets UAE firm and Syria ministers

Page 2: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

L O C A LWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh SabahAl-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at BayanPalace yesterday Sheikh Nasser Al-MohammadAl-Ahmad Al-Sabah. Also yesterday, HH theCrown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-JaberAl-Sabah received Sheikh Nasser Al-MohammadAl-Sabah at Bayan Palace.

Meanwhile, HH the Amir also received offi-cials participating in the 23rd GCC education

ministers meeting, which concludes today inKuwait.

Furthermore, HH Sheikh Sabah receivedDeputy Prime Minister, Minister of Commerceand Industry, and Minister of Education andActing Minister of Higher EducationAbdulmehsen Al-Medej, GCC Secretary GeneralDr Abdulatif Al-Zayani, and other officials.

His Highness welcomed the GCC ministers

and called on them to look into measures to fur-ther develop education in the region.

Saudi Minister of Education Prince Khaled Al-Faisal stressed during the reception the impor-tance of following up guidelines set by GCCleaders, saying that by doing so, the Gulf coun-tries could seek more progress in the future. Themeeting was attended by Deputy Minister ofAmiri Diwan Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah. — KUNA

HH the Amir during his meeting with the GCC education ministers.

Amir receives SheikhNasser, GCC ministers

KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah with SheikhNasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah. — KUNA

HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah with SheikhNasser.

By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: The United States is still the ënum-ber one destinationí for Kuwaiti students saidEvan Ryan, the US Assistant Secretary of Statefor Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA) as shemet local media yesterday. Ryan met withvarious members of the Ministry of Education- including the Director of ScholarshipDepartment Wafah Al-Saraf, on her arrival

from Oman. Ryan commended the Kuwaitigovernment for its efforts in increasing thenumber of Kuwaitis studying in the US. ìI metwith Wafa Al-Saraf at the Ministry ofEducation and she mentioned several posi-tive experiences of their students in theUnited States,î she said. ìI assured her of oursupport and we would love to furtherstrengthen the programs which we are work-ing on. We would like to hear anything with

regards to our exchange programs and theirpositive experiences. So far, Iíve got onlygood report,î she mentioned. Ryan who over-sees a wide range of academic, cultural andsports exchanges in the US also thanked theKuwaiti government for their support andrelentless commitment to their young peo-ple.

ìIíd like to thank Kuwait for their strongsupport and commitment. We are glad tohave Kuwait as partners. It helped strengthenour bonds,î she added. Her work in the ECAinclude exchange programs which engagesyouth, students, educators, artists, athletes,and emerging leaders in more than 160 coun-tries. ECA has over one million participants tothis date, which include about 4000 Kuwaitis.

ìKuwait is a good friend of the UnitedStates,î she said. Ryan is in a brief visit toKuwait from a tour to Ramallah (Palestine), TelAviv (Israel) and Muscat (Oman). She also vis-ited London (United Kingdom) and fromKuwait, sheíll be touring Spain for the samepurpose. Ryan was introduced to media atRadisson Blu Hotel by Lisa Heilbronn,Councilor for Public Affairs in the US Embassyand Sarah King, Chief of Staff to AssistantSecretary Ryan.

Prior to the conference, Ryan also visitedthe English Access Microscholarship Programclassroom, including local sites related to cul-tural heritage and art education, and metwith exchange program participants andalumni, including those focusing on disabilityadvocacy and youth entrepreneurship andemployment. The US official also talked abouthow she was proud of the English AccessMicroscholarship Program which provides afoundation of English language and leader-ship skills. The program is offered to 13-15years old students through afterschool class-es and intensive summer learning activities.

US still No 1 destination for Kuwaiti students

Ryan commends Kuwaiti government

Evan Ryan

KUWAIT: His Highness the Crown PrinceSheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabahand HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah visited FaisalBander Watban Al-Duwiesh at FarwaniyaHospital yesterday. HH the Crown Princeand HH the Premier wished Al-Duwiesh aspeedy recovery.

Meanwhile, Minister of Amiri DiwanSheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabahand his Deputy Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabahvisited Faisal Bander Watban Al-Duwiesh atthe Farwaniya Hospital, and conveyed best

wishes of His Highness the Amir SheikhSabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for aspeedy recovery.

Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanimalso visited Duwiesh to inquire about hishealth condition.

The head of Al Mutair tribe in Kuwaitwas allegedly stabbed by his son threetimes during a dispute at the Al DuwieshMosque in Sabah Al Nasser Area onMonday. He was rushed to Farwaniya hos-pital after the incident. The son’s motivehas not been made public. — KUNA

Crown Prince, officials visit stabbed tribal chief

KUWAIT: Iraqi parliament speaker SalimAl-Jabouri arrived on an official visit toKuwait yesterday at the invitation of hisKuwaiti counterpart Marzouq Al-Ghanim.

He was welcomed at the airport byGhanim, deputy speaker Mubarak Al-Khurainij, Kuwaiti Ambassador in IraqGhassan Al-Zawawi and IraqiAmbassador in Kuwait Mohammad

Bahar Al-Oloum.The Iraqi parliament speaker is

expected to meet today with HisHighness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the CrownPrince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-JaberAl-Sabah and HH the Prime MinisterSheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. — KUNA

Iraqi speakerarrives in Kuwait

KUWAIT: Marzouq Al-Ghanim with his Iraqi counterpart. — KUNA

KUWAIT: His Highness the Crown Prince SheikhNawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah chaired yester-day the first meeting of the National SecurityCouncil, with its new line-up, to discuss the region-al and international developments and its impacton Kuwait’s security and stability.

The meeting was held at Bayan Palace with thepresence of Deputy Commander of National GuardSheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah andHH Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

Also present at the meeting were First DeputyPrime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh SabahAl-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah; Deputy PrimeMinister, Interior Minister, and Acting Minister ofAwqaf and Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah; Deputy Prime Ministerand Defense Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah; Minister of Information and Minister ofState for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah; Minister of State forCabinet Affairs and Acting Minister of JusticeSheikh Mohmmad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah; Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh; Minister ofCommunications and Minister of State forMunicipal Affairs Essa Al-Kandari; Head of HisHighness the Crown Prince Diwan Sheikh MubarakAl-Faisal Al-Saud Al-Sabah; and National SecurityApparatus Chief Sheikh Thamer Ali Sabah Al-SalemAl-Sabah.

Critical stageAt the advent of the meeting, HH the Crown

Prince underscored that the region is undergoing acritical stage that requires vigorous and organizedaction, national unity, and strong the domesticfront to overcome the dangers threatening thestate security and safety.

HH the Crown Prince conveyed to the NationalSecurity Council, the highest security body in thestate, instructions from HH the Amir Sheikh SabahAl-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to take all requiredmeasures to counter the threats facing the statesecurity, safety and stability.

“We have to clearly understand the seriousnessof this critical stage, its developments and reper-

cussions to be able to address it with requiredsteps and measures to protect us from its evils,destructive fallouts and grave consequences onour present and future,” HH Sheikh Nawaf said. “Therapid developments in the region and its danger-ous aftermaths oblige us to be aware about thedanger of this critical stage, to be vigilant and totake precautions against its repercussions andimpacts,” he said.

“As we feel deeply sorry for the tragic reality ofour brothers in these (conflict-ravaged) countries,we also feel the huge dangers and challengesthreatening security and stability of our homeland.”HH Sheikh Nawaf hailed the great role played byArmy, Police, National Guard personnel in preserv-ing homeland sovereignty and security. “We greatlyapplaud the outstanding role and sincere efforts ofour brave Army, Police, National Guard to maintainthe state sovereignty and security. But, the currentstage necessitates more efforts and better organi-zation,” HH the Crown Prince stressed.

“It also requires from all government and non-government organizations and individuals toshoulder their national responsibility to raise posi-tive awareness and enhance national unity.”

He warned that the tragic reality and the rapid

changes in the region indicate that the dangersand threats are growing and that “there is no timeor space for leniency.”

It rather “obliges vigorous and organized action,embodiment of our national unity, strengtheningof our domestic front in face of the real dangersthreatening the state security and safety,” he said.

HH the Crown Prince cautioned against therecently-emerged deviant behaviors and “import-ed” wrong ideas that contradict the true Islamicteachings and Kuwaiti traditions.

“This places more burdens on the back of reli-gious, educational, media and other institutions toaddress these dangerous deviations and to protectour children from its evils,” he said.

He also underscored that the concept of nation-al security “cannot be separated from the rule oflaw and the firm enforcement of it on everyonewithout any exception.”

HH the Crown Prince urged the NationalSecurity Council to do all in power and to takenecessary measures to ensure the state securi-ty. He expressed confidence in the Councilmembers’ eagerness and ability to undertakethis great responsibility and to succeed in theirmission. — KUNA

Crown Prince chairs NationalSecurity Council meeting

KUWAIT: HH the Crown Prince chairs the meeting yesterday. — KUNA

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime MinisterSheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah met with Chinese Ambassador toKuwait Cui Jianchun at Bayan Palace yes-terday. The Chinese Ambassador wasaccompanied by Deputy Chairman of theBoard and Rotating CEO of HuaweiCompany Guo Ping.

Also yesterday, HH the Premier metGulf Cooperation Council (GCC) SecretaryGeneral Dr Abdulatif Al-Zayani, ministersand heads of delegations participating inthe 23rd GCC education ministers confer-ence, currently being held in Kuwait.Deputy Prime Minister, Minister ofCommerce and Industry, and Minister ofEducation and Acting Minister of HigherEducation Abdulmohsen Al-Mudej wasat the meeting.

The meetings were attended byundersecretary for local affairs depart-ment at the Premier’s Diwan SheikhKhaled Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah. — KUNA

PM meets Chinese envoy, GCC officials

KUWAIT: HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak receives a present fromChinese Ambassador Cui Jianchun and CEO of Huawei CompanyGuo Ping. — KUNA

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L O C A LWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Amir attends KFASawards ceremony

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is to patronize and attendKuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences(KFAS) awards ceremony for 2013 today. The ceremonywill be held at 10:30 am in Bayan Palace. — KUNA

HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah

KUWAIT: Ooredoo Kuwait announced yesterday the conclu-sion of I WANT campaign, which was launched back in May tointroduce the brand name “Ooredoo.” The closing ceremony ofthe campaign took place at Ooredoo Head Office in KuwaitCity in an organized press conference and an awarding cere-mony for the winners.

Ooredoo Kuwait General Manager and CEO SheikhMohammed bin Abdullah Al Thani stated: “We started thiscampaign in May to introduce Ooredoo to communities withinKuwait. We wanted people to get to know us better as part ofan international telecom group that is community-focused.Our vision is to enrich people’s lives and help them grow asindividuals, families and communities. Launching I Want cameto emphasize on the meaning of our values: Caring,Connecting and Challenging.”

The campaign was launched last May to introduce the audi-ence to the values of Ooredoo through a website and boothsset up in different malls across Kuwait. The aim of this cam-paign was to introduce Ooredoo’s core values, which focus on

enriching people’s lives and stimulating growth through thelatest telecommunication services. The company’s vision focus-es on enabling youth and helping them reach their potential,empowering women, and being a catalyst for entrepreneursand small businesses.

Al Thani added “We were happy to receive the submissionsof people on the campaign and happier to fulfill their desires.We will continue to be innovative and challenging.”

The selected people were chosen based on a fixed criterionwhich was set by a committee of managers. The criterion wascarefully set to be fair to all applicants. Thousands of replieswere received to the question Ooredoo which asked people ofKuwait, What do you want? People of different age, nationali-ties, cultures and backgrounds joined this campaign and sub-mitted answers.

Ooredoo Kuwait announced that selected people gaveanswers that fall into different categories such as educationand learning, volunteering, assistance in being entrepreneurs,traveling, requests for devices, cars, phones and more.

Participants who asked for valuable items like Mini Cooper,GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Silverado, Ford Mustang, YamahaGrizzly, and more were given what they asked for. They werecontacted and told that their desire will be fulfilled and wereinvited to the event. Other participants who wantedPlayStation 4, Xbox, phone devices and traveling to watch soc-cer games in Europe were also given their wants.

Ooredoo concludes I WANTpromotional campaign

Emphasizing on company’s values of Caring, Connecting and Challenging

By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: Mariam Chakroun from Fawzia SultanInternational School was named the winner for thefirst Distinguished Teachers Award organized by theKuwaiti Association for Learning Differences (KALD)Monday night. The ceremony was held at SheikhaSalwa Al-Sabah Hall, Marina Crescent under thepatronage of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and in the presence of Dr Hind Al-Subaih, Minister of Social Affairs & Labor and Ministerof State for Planning and Development.

Chakroun bested other contenders from variousspecial needs schools in Kuwait. Chakroun has been aspecial education teacher for children with specialneeds for the past 22 years. She holds BA in EnglishLanguage and Literature from University of Beirut. Thefirst-runner-up went to Helen Al-Rahi - one of the Pre-K-teachers at Manarat School-Kuwait. Helen has theexcellent leadership, a beautiful and helpful hearttowards her students. Valerie Wagnar bagged the sec-ond runner-up having been described by her col-leagues as a very compassionate and well-committedperson. The awards were distributed by Dr Hind Al-Subaih along with KALD Chairperson Amaal Al-Sayer.

The three teachers were honored for religiouslyexemplifying the highest standards in teaching stu-dents with ‘Learning Difficulties and Attention DeficitHyperactivity Disorder.’ The ceremony came after theend of the competition and participating teacherswere judged by a committee of educators. It is basedon international standards used in the field of educa-tion and in accordance with the standards of interna-tional awards. The award is the first of its kind in theArab World - aimed at spreading the culture of perfor-mance’s self-evaluation for teachers and enhancingtheir professional development.

At the ceremony, A-Sayer said that the‘Distinguished Teachers Award’ is a recognition andappreciation for the skills of teachers who work withstudents with learning difficulties and AttentionDeficit Hyperactivity Disorder in private schools inKuwait”. “We aim - through this award to praise theteachers who have made great efforts to developthemselves in order to help their students to learn andsucceed in their lives”, she added. Al-Sayer noted thatKALD plans its activities around three fronts; the stu-dent, the family and the school. “The belief in the dif-ference teachers can make in the lives of their stu-dents is behind the idea of launching KALDDistinguished Teachers Award”, said Al-Sayer.

“We have introduced this award to highlight theimportance of the role played by the special educa-tion teachers at schools in various aspects of student’slife; the academic, the psychological and the social. Westrongly believe that these educators make a strongand long-term positive impact on children and thelaunch of the KALD Distinguished Awards is a smalltoken of appreciation to these individuals whodeserve recognition and praise for their unique andinvaluable work... And honoring the teachers leads tohonoring the schools who gave them the opportunityto get awarded for their hard work” Al-Sayer stated.

Al-Sayer told attendees that the ceremonywouldn’t have been possible without the support oftheir sponsors including; Masharaee Al Khair andKuwait Projects Company (Holding), ZainTelecommunications, and Goodhealth Arabia maga-zine. In his short speech, Dr James Mural laudedKALD’s work and their invaluable commitment andeffort to the Kuwaiti society. “KALD played a centralrole in meeting the challenges of the society byundertaking awareness campaigns for the public andprofessional training for teachers,” he said.

Before distributing the award, a documentary film

about KALD achievements was showed, followed by aparagraph art of drawing on the sand. Plaque ofAppreciation was also given to Dr Hind Al-Subaih,Omar Saud Omar, Zain Telecommunications CEO,Shaikha Al Bahar, CEO of National Bank of Kuwait, andSheikha Intisar Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, Chairperson ofAl-Nuwair Initiative and Managing Director of DarLulwah for publishing. KALD Board Members werealso honored by Amaal Al-Sayer, Dr Hind Al-Subaihand Omar Al-Omar, they include; Dr Fatima Al AwadiVice Chairwoman Consultant DevelopmentalPediatrician/Fatima Clinic; Dr Badria Al Hajji AssistantProfessor - The College of Basic Education/The PublicAuthority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET);Hana’a Al Duaij Board Secretary Arabic LanguageSupervisor/Ministry of Education; Nabila Al MidlijEnglish Language Teacher-The College of BasicEducation-The Public Authority for Applied Educationand Training; and Wafa’a Nusaibeh Supervisor -Inspection of Private Schools Department/Ministry ofEducation. KALD is a non-profit organization and wasestablished in 2007 in Kuwait with the aim of support-ing students with Learning Difficulties and/orAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Ooredoo Kuwait officials answer questions at the press conference.

A group photo with the winners

By A Saleh

KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works, Abdul Aziz Al-Ibrahimsaid that Kuwait Airport bidding offers would bereviewed on the 2nd November, 2014. Speaking toreporters during a tour at Hawalli Educational ZoneProject, the minister said that the project has cost KD7million and that it would be concluded and handed overto MOE soon.

MOE to distribute 81,000 laptops MOE’s Assistant Undersecretary for Public Education

Khaled Al-Rasheed said that the Ministry of Educationwould distribute 81,000 laptops to secondary schoolstudents and teachers by the beginning of the secondsemester this year. He added that the three-year con-tract would be signed next week with estimated cost ofKD26 million.

MP Duwaisan slams govt MP Faisal Al-Duwaisan has urged the government to

apply rationalization policies on itself first before applyingthem on citizens. “If the government really thinks that ourfinancial status is in jeopardy, it should start reducing min-isters’ expenses and cancel privileges given to senior offi-cials”, he stressed, underlining his total rejection to anyincreases of public services’ fees. “They must be discussedand approved in parliament first”, he added.

Gulf Bank offersexclusive discounts

at BlendsKUWAIT: Gulf Bank announced that it is offeringholders of selected credit and debit cards exclusivediscounts when dining at Blends Company restau-rants.

Customers using their Gulf Bank credit cards orred(tm) ATM cards at The Spice Club, Casper &Gambini’s, Waterlemon, Living Colors, Zahr El-Laymoun and Falafel Nadia will get up to 20% dis-count off their bill. This promotion is valid until 31December 2014.

Gulf Bank is committed to providing customerswith new, exciting promotions in addition to itsexceptional range of financial products and bankingservices. Customers just need to use any Gulf Bankcredit card or red(tm) ATM cards when paying fortheir meal to take advantage of this latest exclusiveoffer.

To find out more about Gulf Bank’s promotionsand offers, visit one of Gulf Bank’s 58 branches, con-tact the Customer Contact Center on 1805805, or logon to the Bank’s bilingual website at www.e-gulf-bank.com.

Kuwait Airportbidding to be

reviewed Nov 2

KALD recognizes teachers Mariam Chakroun wins ‘Distinguished Teachers Award’

CAIRO: The Federation of Arab Journalists (FAJ) celebrated its 50th anniversary in a ceremonyheld under the patronage of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, and attendance ofEgyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb. Ahmad Behbehani, President of FAJ and the KuwaitJournalists Association (KSA), Adnan Al-Rashid, KAC Treasurer, Fatima Hussein, KJA memberand prominent journalists from the Arab World attended the event. — KUNA

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L O C A LWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

CrimeR e p o r t

No Ebola inRumaithiya

KUWAIT: Three Africa prisoners in Rumaithiyapolice station became sick with flu-like symptomssimilar to Ebola, creating a panic in the police sta-tion. Doctors were summoned and the men werequarantined and determined to be free from thehemorrhagic fever. The Health Ministry refutedsocial media comments that Ebola had come toKuwait. The three prisoners, all illegal, are allreceiving medical attention and will be deportedfollowing procedures. Twenty five additional pris-oners exposed to the three sick prisoners remainin detention but have shown no symptoms.

Iqama fraudA citizen told iqama detectives that several Indianexpatriates were registered under her sponsorshipwithout her knowledge, and she learned about itwhen she applied for a servant’s visa. A securitysource said detectives extracted the transactionsinformation and arrested an Indian suspect whotold them that a Kuwaiti processed the iqamas forhim in exchange for KD 700. Investigationsrevealed the citizen is the Kuwaiti woman’s ex-hus-band.

Car theftDetectives are on the lookout for two thieves whostole a car from an Indian expat after beating himup and dragging him from his car. The menescaped. An Indian who works as a driver for acontracting company told Fahaheel police that hewas robbed by two unknown persons, who gothim out of the car, beat him then drove off withthe car.

Stabbing in Abu HalifaAhmadi detectives are on the hunt for a 4x4 vehi-cle driver who stabbed to young men then dam-aged a police patrol when police attempted tostop him. The incident took place in Abu Halifaarea when two bleeding youths sought the helpof a police patrol near a famous mall in the area.The two said that a man driving a 4x4 stabbedthem when they had a fight, so the patrol combedthe area and spotted the suspect car so theyapproached it and asked the driver to pull over,but he did not and hit the patrol car before escap-ing.

Doctor arrested over infant’s deathAl-Andalus Police station ordered the arrest of adoctor in Farwaniya hospital, following thecomplaint of a citizen that the doctor causedthe death of his infant. The 40 year old citizentold police that he got a report from the coro-ner that indicated that a doctor in the maternitydepartment of Farwaniya hospital made a tech-nical error that caused the death of his son.

Old man beaten upAn elderly man was beaten by threeunknown Asians who attempted to steal hissheep and other items from his jakhoor(sheep pen) in Mina Abdullah, as they weresurprised by finding him sleeping there, andattempted to keep them from carrying outthe theft. A security source said the elderlyman told Mina Abdullah police that he suf-fered several grazes on his body when theAsians, who were surprised by his presence,attacked him. They left without stealing any-thing.

Son hurt during football gameA parent accused a physical educationteacher of causing a fracture to his son dur-ing a football match which he forced him toplay though he was aware of the son’s osteo-porosis. The parent told police that his 14years old son suffers from osteoporosis andhas reports that recommend that he beafforded special treatment. The parent saidthat during the physical education class theteacher insisted that his son play as a goal-keeper during a football match, then afterthe first shot he fell to the ground and brokehis hand, but the teacher insisted that hecontinue playing. The parent said that his sontold his grandmother about what happened,so she took him to hospital, then went toauthorities.

Syrians arrested for fraud, theftHawally immigration arrested a Syrian expatfor attempting to transfer information froman old passport to new one without payingfines accumulated during the expired periodof the old passport. An employee noticedthat the Syrian did not mention the expira-tion date in the form in a clear attempt toavoid the fine. He was sent to Iqama AffairsDetectives. In another incident, a Syrian manwas arrested while attempting to steal a carfrom a dealership in Ahmadi. He was caughtwith tools he was using during his attempt.The dealership’s guard was making aninspection tour when he saw a man trying toopen the door of a car, so he caught him andcalled police.

CrimeR e p o r t

Syrian, Egyptianarrested for

selling sick sheepBy Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: A Syrian and an Egyptian have been arrested forselling sick sheep, security sources said. Police detectivesreceived a tip-off concerning the suspects’ activity. Theywere later arrested with the 16 sheep heads in their posses-sion which they claimed they bought from an Asian forKD16 each. The suspects also had fake stamps resemblingthe ones used in the state’s official slaughterhouse. A casewas filed and the Asian vendor has been summoned forfurther investigations.

Jet Ski users knocked offAffected by the thick dust storm that struck Kuwaiton Monday, two Jet Ski users were knocked off onMonday by the strong wind and were reported miss-ing, said security source, noting that rescue forceswere immediately deployed to rescue them. In viewof the very low visibility, the search operation tookabout an hour before the two skiers were locatedand handed over to paramedics at Souq Sharq.

KUWAIT: The IPO (Initial Public Offering) for a company that willbuild hospitals to provide healthcare to expatriates under insur-ance will take place on November 1, 2014 through the KuwaitClearing Company, a local daily reported yesterday. Minister ofCommerce and Industry Dr Abdulmohsen Al-Mudej had issueda decree last month to establish the health insurance hospitalscompany as a Kuwaiti shareholding company with a KD230 mil-lion capital.

The government will pay the IPO’s expenses on citizens’behalf, Al-Anba reported. The IPO will be held for 50 percent ofthe company’s shares. Twenty four percent of the shares will beowned by the government - represented by the KuwaitInvestment Authority (KIA), while 26 percent belong to ArabiGroup which won the strategic investor’s stake last year. Thecompany has a total of 1.15 billion shares, with a nominal valueof 100 fils per share.

The company’s constituent assembly is scheduled forJanuary 2015. Meanwhile, the KIA is set to reclaim the funds itpaid into the company’s capital when citizens pay their duesafter the founding procedures conclude. The payment methodwill take place through an electronic mechanism connectedwith citizens’ bank accounts according to the report. The com-pany’s activity will cover 19 purposes - including; building, man-aging, and developing hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and labs.The firm also provides home medical services, and sells health

insurance documents inside and outside Kuwait.

Healthcare for expatriatesThe company’s main objective though, is to build three

50,000 square meter hospitals in different places around Kuwaitto provide healthcare for expatriates covered by a governmenthealth insurance program. The mega project calls for finishingthe hospitals with a capacity of 200 beds each within three tofour years.

The hospitals will offer integrated medical services coveredthrough a government-sponsored medical insurance programin which insurance companies will handle payments for med-ical services at the hospital. The hospitals would provide fullmedical services to both Kuwaitis and expatriates covered bythe government’s insurance program. But reports in the pasthave indicated that the hospitals will serve as exclusive medicaloutlets for the country’s expatriate community as the statelooks to reduce pressure on currently overcrowded public med-ical facilities. Putting the project into effect would ultimatelyrequire increasing the annual health insurance money thatexpatriates pay, up to KD150 according to early estimations.Currently, a foreigner is required to pay KD50 health insurancemoney for every year of their visa’s duration, in addition toentrance fees at hospitals and polyclinics, whereas the majorityof health services there are offered free of charge.

Health insurance IPO set for Nov 1Government handles payments on citizens’ behalf

DUBAI: Salaries across the GCC are on the rise, accordingto the latest pay forecast data from global managementconsultancy, Hay Group. The data, based on the forecastsof over 1,600 organizations representing 1 million employ-ees in the GCC countries, shows an average budgetedincrease of 5 per cent.

Employees in all GCC countries will receive pay risesahead of inflation in 2015 meaning a real increase in pur-chasing power. Hay Group reports that salary movementshave been steady for the last five years and predicts thetrend will continue in 2015.

CountryBasic salarymovement

2014

Forecast basic salary

movement 2015

Forecastinflation

Bahrain 3.47% 4.00% 2.90%

Oman 4.45% 5.00% 2.20%

Kuwait 2.90% 5.00% 3.50%

Qatar 5.40% 5.00% 3.20%

KSA 3.40% 5.00% 2.90%

UAE 5.70% 5.00% 3.10%

GCC salaries - what pay increases mean

Hay Group’s Wendell D’Cunha commented on the latestsurvey findings: “Pay rises will remain stable in 2015 withminor differences between the GCC countries. Within thesefigures there are of course variances such as a differencebetween the pay of nationals and non-nationals as well asvariance by industry and seniority.”

He continued: “One of the major challenges faced byour clients is how to maintain internal equity with so manyfactors at play. Clients are trying to balance market dynam-ics with global best practice and government policy andthis is a difficult task.”

Hay Group’s report shows that nationality based differ-ences in pay exist primarily at the lower levels of organiza-tions and the gap tends to narrow as roles become moresenior. The gap is largest at the entry level where competi-tion for non-graduates for operations or administrationroles is fierce.

D’Cunha commenting on the pay differential said:“Nationality becomes less of an influencer as roles becomemore senior. As employees move up the ladder in theircareers they find pay is based more and more on experi-ence, skills, competencies and market demand, and lessweighted on demographic factors.

Hay Group has been collecting data in the region for 15years and one third of the consultancy’s data is based onGCC nationals.

Reducing government subsidies ‘inevitable’

KUWAIT: High-ranking financial sources said that reducinggovernment subsidies on gasoline, electricity and waterwere inevitable and that it would be passed by the first halfof 2015 at the most. The sources added that this stepreflects the Cabinet and the Supreme Planning Council’swish to gradually lift government subsidies for all goods -hydrocarbons or others. Furthermore, the sources addedthat increasing electricity consumption prices might bereconsidered in order to avoid overburdening the middleclass consumers and that prices would be categorized witha possibility to increase the consumption limit for the firstcategory from the suggested 3000 kilowatts to 4000-5000kilowatts. “Though it is not an urgent priority at themoment, lifting subsidies for citizens’ supplies will surelytake place”, added the sources pointing out that the pricesof diesel sold to national companies and factories wouldbe decreased. — Al-Qabas

Minister urgescaring for youth

KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister ofCommerce and Industry and Acting Minister ofEducation and Higher Education AbdulmohsenAl-Mudej called yesterday for caring for theyouth, protecting them against deviant thoughtsand in the meantime inculcating values ofnational loyalty in their minds.

Opening the 23rd ministerial conference ofthe Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ArabEducation Office here today, Mudej urged col-laboration of efforts to overcome the hard condi-tions the region is going through to maintainstability.

The two-day conference brings togetherMinisters of Education from the member statesin the GCC Arab Education Office.

The office has been seeking development ofeducation policies through 18 programs thatcover fields like education systems, concepts ofquality, financing education, assessment of edu-cation administration and organizing trainingcourses and research contests, the Minister said.

Mudej emphasized the importance of pro-moting Arabic, saying that 11 programs weredevoted to developing policies for teaching thelanguage and qualifying instructors, as well asreinforcing the Arab dimension in education.

He recalled the decision by the UN Education,Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inOctober 2012, setting December 18 every yearas “Arabic Language Day.”

Prominent achievements in education andhigher education in the GCC and Yemen aresource of pride, GCC Secretary-GeneralAbdullatif Al-Zayani told the gathering.

He stressed that the participant countriesstrongly believe in the importance of educationfor sustainable development. Zayahi noted thatthey are looking for more education achieve-ments, referring to the challenges facing theregion on the political, security, economic andsocial levels.

The conference is held amid complicatedpolitical and security conditions in the MiddleEast, as some countries in the region are experi-encing escalating violence and chaos, he said. Itis sorrowful and regrettable that the victim ofthe extremist and terrorist thoughts is the youthwho are regarded as the tool for the aspireddevelopment and leaders of the future, headded. — KUNA

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LO C A LWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

KUWAIT: EQUATE Petrochemical Company,Kuwait’s first private sector petrochemicalcompany, said that during 2012, the totalvalue of the global petrochemical andchemical production was over $3.8 trillionand more than 10% of that production wasfrom Gulf nations.

EQUATE President and CEO MohammadHusain said, “During 2012, the Gulf ’s pro-duction capacity of petrochemicals andchemicals, excluding pharmaceuticals,exceeded 129 milliontons, making these sec-tors the second mainsource of income afterpetroleum. Among otherelements, such a valuemakes our overall sus-tainability a must.”

Husain’s statementscame on EQUATE’s spon-sorship of the 2nd GulfPetrochemicals andChemicals Association(GPCA) SustainabilityConference 2014 inDubai, the UAE, during October 21-23.

Husain added, “Having such significance,the matter is not limited to manufacturingand making profits. It is a comprehensiveframework of sustainability through humaninnovation to ensure addressing all relevantfunctions, such as the environment, health,safety, technology, production, communi-cation, marketing, supply chain, humanresources, sales and business development.For that, throughout the years, EQUATE has

launched several critical initiatives, such asthe Middle East’s First Plant Water RecyclingProject and Kuwait’s First CO2 Recoveryproject, all thanks to its distinguishedhuman resources.”

The 2nd GPCA Sustainability Conference2014 will include the attendance of over190 industrial leaders, experts and profes-sionals from around the world to discussseveral matters regarding the petrochemi-

cal and chemical sec-tors.

As a founding mem-ber of GPCA, EQUATEhas been a strong sup-porter of the variousactivities launched bythe association since itsinception in 2006 withina context of “Partners inSuccess.”

Established in 1995,EQUATE is an interna-tional joint venturebetween Petrochemical

Industries Company (PIC), The DowChemical Company (Dow), BoubyanPetrochemical Company (BPC) and QurainPetrochemical Industries Company (QPIC).Commencing production in 1997, EQUATEis the single operator of a fully integratedworld-scale manufacturing facility produc-ing over 5 million tons annually of high-quality petrochemical products which aremarketed throughout the Middle East, Asia,Africa and Europe.

‘Petrochemical industries’ value ofover $3 trillion needs sustainability

EQUATE sponsors sustainability conference

Mohammad Husain

DUBAI/KUWAIT CITY: Zain Group, a leadingmobile communications innovator in eightmarkets across the Middle East and NorthAfrica, announces the high-profile participationof CEO, Scott Gegenheimer, at the prestigiousGSMA-organized Mobile 360 - Middle Eastevent, which took place alongside GITEX 2014in Dubai last week.

Participating in a keynote interview,Gegenheimer confirmed that Zain was lookingto introduce 4G/LTE in Jordan by the first quar-ter of 2015, making it the fifth Zain market inwhich the high-speed technology has beenlaunched by the operator. He stated that Zain’senthusiasm to be a technology leader was driv-en by the company’s ambition to remain rele-vant and create value within the fast-evolvingtelecom eco-system.

Gegenheimer said, “One of the things wedon’t want to become is a dumb pipe. Can webe a smart pipe and add services on top of thedata services? You’ll see lots of adjacent mar-kets we’ll move into.” He continued, “In the nearfuture you are likely to see another large acqui-sition by Zain in the MENA region. We are con-sidering opportunities in our industry as well asin adjacencies to our own operations, and thismay take the form of an ISP, data center, or asmart city specialist, for example.”

Zain is also actively looking to diversify intothe enterprise and M2M markets, andGegenheimer said he saw the move into othervertical markets as an opportunity for the oper-ator to generate strong incremental revenuegrowth.

As part of its focus on driving up non-voicerevenues, Zain Group has been focusing onCustomer Experience Management, withGegenheimer confirming during his interviewthat the company had appointed a new Headof Customer Experience Management, to drive

the implementation of a customer-centric cul-ture across the Group’s operations.

Gegenheimer commented, “CustomerExperience Management is a pillar of ZainGroup’s strategy, and we have acquired toolsincluding NPS (Net Promoter Score), which is amanagement system used to chart customersatisfaction.”

Having experienced a 21 per cent increasein mobile data revenue over the past year,Gegenheimer said one of the secrets to thecompany’s success has been its ability toupgrade its networks and bring new technolo-gies to markets first.

Gegenheimer also noted that care needs tobe taken with mobile data pricing, particularlywhere data throughput is increasing at a fasterrate than the revenue generated. “We need tomake sure we’re growing the data profitably,”he said.

Overall, Gegenheimer said beyond its tradi-tional areas of voice and data services, Zain’sstrategic areas of interest include Smart Citiesand the Internet of Things, with the companypledging to continue driving technology lead-ership, with for example, the ongoing trials ofsuper-fast LTE-Advanced technology in Kuwait,Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.

Recently leading industry magazine GlobalTelecoms Business (GTB) ranked ScottGegenheimer in 55th position in its Top 100most influential telecom executives for 2014,up 16 places on his 2013 ranking. The impres-sive ranking published by the London basedmagazine is yet another indicator of Zain’s pio-neering influence in the Middle East telecomsector and further evidence of the company’sre-energized momentum. Gegenheimer waslisted among some genuinely influential namesin the global ICT sector, ranked the secondhighest executive from the Middle East.

Scott Gegenheimer speaks at the event.

CEO participation atGSMA event focuses onZain future direction

KUWAIT: Burgan Bank recently announcedFatemah Fadhel Eissa Bo Abbas as the thirdwinner of the new Youth Account draw thatentitles young customers to double their stu-dent allowances and win an additional KD 200every month after transferring their allowanceto the “Youth” account.

With the introduction of the Youth Accountdraw, customers transferring their studentallowances to the bank will be automaticallyenrolled into a draw, whereby for every KD 20in their Youth Account, customers will be givena chance to win a cash prize of KD 200 everymonth. Customers wishing to take part in thisdraw are advised to transfer their educationalallowance to Burgan Bank’s Youth account and

enjoy their multiple chances of winning.The bank’s Youth Account was launched for

young individuals, around the ages of 15 to 25,who seek to attain a successful future. There isno KD limit to open an account, and no mini-mum balance required to maintain it.Furthermore, account holders receive free pre-paid card and an ATM card which entitles themto discounts at selected merchants.

To find out more about Burgan Bank’s YouthAccount as well as the latest promotions, cus-tomers are required to visit their nearest BurganBank branch or contact the call center on1804080. For more information, customers canvisit the bank’s website on www.burgan.com.

Burgan Bank announces 3rd Youth Draw Winner

KUWAIT: The committee for His Highness SheikhSalem Al-Ali Al-Sabah’s informatics prizeannounced yesterday that it will honor the inven-tor of the digital camera Steven J Sasson.

A press release by the committee said thatSasson was chosen for his innovative devicewhich he created in 1975. The digital camerahelped in revolutionizing modern technologyfrom smart phones to laptops, and other devices.

Sasson’s invention had many applications withthe digital camera being used for education, sur-gery, space exploration and so on.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-AhmadAl-Jaber Al-Sabah will honor Sasson during anaward ceremony next December. — KUNA

Steven Sasson

Kuwait to honordigital camera inventor

Chairperson of theaward’s board oftrustees Sheikha AidaSalem Al-Ali Al-Sabah

Page 6: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

By Abdullah Buwair

[email protected]

Thank you, UAEIn my view

LO C A LWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

US-Israeli tensions spill over

kuwait digest

By Linda Gradstein

Iam becoming more convinced that someIslamists’ persistence on appointing the graduatesof the Sharia College as investigators and public

prosecutors is only meant to implant those groupswithin the judiciary body with an ultimate goal ofachieving certain interests, power and benefits forthem and their followers. What does the ShariaCollege have to do with judiciary work? Students inthis college do not study law at all - they only studysharia, jurisprudence, interpretation, sunnah and soon.

A closer look at the requirements of graduatingfrom this particular college with its various sectionsproves what I am saying, because investigations andthe judiciary require complete knowledge of thestate’s laws, their interpretations, roots, litigationrules, investigation and legal inference methods inaddition to other skills related to using the law’s judi-cial power and legal arguments, which are all inac-cessible and not taught to sharia students. And thisdisqualifies them in terms of working in various sec-tions of the judiciary.

It’s probably this gap in knowledge that has been

causing many people to complain about the per-formance of some investigators, namely those whorely on their own perceptions in conducting investi-gations or making decisions in some cases that havenothing to do with the law. Well, the blame here fallson both the Civil Services Commission and theJustice Ministry, who have been appointing shariagraduates in positions that require specializedknowledge of the law and that the fact that someloud voices had been demanding this does not spareeither of them.

Both lines are completely different and incom-parable in subjects studied or in job nature. If thegovernment sincerely wants to develop variousdegrees of investigations, it has to stop appointingsharia graduates in jobs that require law degrees,because they are not qualified for the job and onlybelong in mosques, awareness and fatwa centersor religious research centers that need them mostinstead of bringing people specialized in suchfields from other countries while the country is fullof them!

— Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Anbaa

Sharia graduates investigators?!kuwait digest

By Dr Mohammed Al-Qazweeni

Al-J

arid

a

kuwait digest

By Hanadi Al-Marzouq

Despite the atrocities committed by theIslamic State and its practice of all formsof violence and heinous terror against

humanity in general and women in particular - asthis organization allows kidnapping and severingthe heads of women who carry weapons againstit, sell them as slaves in markets and force themto have sex with or marry those who call them-selves jihadists - Western news reports point tohundreds of Western women join IS. Some ofwhom are even 14-15 years old who travel toSyria through Turkey to marry the armedjihadists, while some of them bear arms. This ter-rorist organization was able to attract 100 adoles-cent women from Europe and America to Riqqain Syria through social media.

The practice of violence and annihilation isnot limited to the Sunni organizations like Daeshand Nusra, but the terror against women extendsto Shiite forces and militias in Iraq as they prac-tice terror, murder and detention of men andwomen in addition to arresting men, women andchildren in Sunni towns and cities in Iraq. Reportsof Amnesty international confirmed and docu-mented the crimes and atrocities committed byShiite militias such as the Bader Brigade, Al-Khazali Brigade, Hezbollah and the Sadr militia.Christian women were the first victims of Shiitemilitias.

The question that puzzles us is why dowomen join IS despite the images of atrocitiescommitted by this organization against humani-ty and women. We do not know the reasons andmotives that make women run to those who suf-focate and kill them. The sure thing is that thisterrorist organization has modern methods todeceive the youth from all over the globe includ-ing Western minor and adolescent girls throughsocial media.

The organization promises dreaming girls ofgetting married and having the experience of liv-ing in the eastern Arab countries, promptingWestern adolescents to go to Syria. The Austrianadolescent girl Samara Keezneovitic (16) wasknown as the beauty queen of women fighters inIS. She called her family in Vienna and told themthat she is suffering the worst torture and rapemethods and that all fighters slept with her with-out mercy or sympathy. She revealed that theysleep with her even during her menstruationperiod.

We should be proud of Arab and Muslimwomen, particularly the heroic Kurdish womanwho proved in practice that she is able to defendher country and honor against IS terrorists, asthere are more than 500 women fighting withtheir Kurdish brothers in Kurdish areas on theSyrian-Turkish borders.

Finally, we find it strange for Arab womenorganizations, and particularly the Muslim ones,to remain silent towards IS’ crimes againstwomen in general and Christian and Yazidiwomen in particular, as some of them were soldas slaves or forced to have sex with jihadists. Isthe silence of Arab women towards IS’ crimesagainst women and minorities due to lack ofawareness or absence of humanitarian sense orboth? This is the tragedy.

— Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Watan

Women and IS terrorism

kuwait digest

By Dr Shamlan Y Al-Essa

If political and constitutional reform was impor-tant in the past, it is surely becoming moreimportant nowadays in view of the rapidly

changing and complicated political and economicchanges and in view of the new regional and inter-national challenges that cannot be seriously han-dled to reduce their negative impacts unless wehave a highly efficient political management withconsiderable public support to its powers and pub-lic decisions.

The whole region is currently on a hot tin roof inview of a severe international conflict to politicallyreshape it in a way that ensures the continuation ofprotecting the interests of capitalistic and monopo-listic countries that are experiencing a mightierrecession than that of 1929 that caused the world’seconomy to deteriorate. At the same time, thewhole Arab region is variably overwhelmed by vastpublic demands to build democratic regimes thatprotect liberties, observe human rights and providedecent living and social justice.

In addition, more economic problems aredoomed to develop in view of falling oil prices,which will surely lead to huge imbalances in states’budgets that have already been suffering becauseof mismanagement and social prejudices. This willalso lead to more sufferings, problems and increasein the cost of living for middle classes and thosewith limited incomes - hardships that cannot beundone by the political management that has creat-ed and failed to solve them in the first place.

Reforming the economy and the state budget ina way that achieves social justice requires makingpolitical and publically hard decisions because it ishard, or rather say impossible, that the current eco-nomic situation goes on any further. Nonethelessand first of all, making hard decisions requiresdeveloped political management adopting new cri-teria based on clear integrated projects to build amodern constitutional civil state. This cannot beachieved without comprehensive political and con-stitutional reform that results in activating constitu-tional bodies and increasing public participation indecision-making to bear the consequences no mat-ter how harsh they might be.

Political and constitutional reform is not a luxury- it is rather an urgent necessity if we seek sociopo-litical stability in our home country because thewhole Arab region is about to witness some majorand dangerous changes resulting from domesticand foreign factors. Taking into consideration theacute global economic crisis, the record drop in oilprices, the possibility that oil might run out in thecoming few decades or alternative energy sourcesmay be found, countries that are domestically divid-ed according to ethnicities, sects or regions or thosewith severe local political problems will not be ableto face them, especially since the financial abun-dance in oil producing countries, namely GCC ones,that had been often used to buy public political sat-isfaction, will not be available in the near future!

— Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Jarida

Political reform before

economic reform

kuwait digest

By Dr Bader Al-Daihani

Does this airport suit a country that has the sixthlargest sovereign investment funds in the world?One may think that I am talking about a crime

that took place at Kuwait airport, but in truth I wouldlike to dissect the body of the airport itself, which died along time ago, but we are still mutilating its body in abad way that degrades a state that owns the sixthlargest sovereign investment funds in the world!

I do not claim to be an airports expert, but I wouldlike to explain the bad management of this corpse withits various decayed sides, which the ordinary passengeris forced to use because he does not have a special VIPentrance or exit. And as the new airport is just a mythmade up by the government for us and adds to ourimagination before going to sleep, I discovered that it isbetter to concentrate on reality and leave out imagina-tion.

When the Al-Qidow cafe was removed not too longago from its outstanding location between the cars andplanes that are full of fuel, it was a good gesture thatindicates interest in the health of the poor passenger,who does not know the danger of walking a few metersin the presence of this time bomb. Yet the big surprisewas in replacing it with a fast food restaurant fromwhich frying odors emanate mixed with car exhaustemissions, which as soon as you make it alive through ityou will be faced with an artificial flower shop so thatyou can give a dead flower to the dead airport, followedby a men’s barber shop in case some passengers forgotto shave before takeoff, then to the stands of incenseand perfumes.

This is apart from the airport’s toilets that lack inter-national health standards in providing special contain-ers to get rid of things like diabetic syringes! As for theshiny floors, they will not protect you from slipping dueto cigarette butts thrown by smokers, as the so calledsmoking rooms have their doors always open for smoketo be inhaled by non-smokers.

If you return happy from your trip, the after-trip aurawill go as soon as you arrive, because arrival will be con-fusing until passport employees move into their boothswith earphones in their ears at all times, contrary to therest of the world where you will find them waiting foryou. Then after the passports, passengers line up inanother unique line of its kind in the world where apoliceman takes a paper the passport officer places inyour passport and throws it aside without even lookingat it! As for returning from hajj or from treatmentabroad, you may lose your life because of the candy thatis thrown on the floor and may make one slip on it!

I feel for my country Kuwait, and the airport is thecountry’s image, because no matter how many millionsit spends in aid and humanitarian action, it will not beable to change the impression of a simple passengerwho passes through this dead airport.

— Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Qabas

Dissection of Kuwaitairport cadaver

Iread a story in a local newspaper titled‘Humanitarian Leader Al-Sabah lights up UAEcapital’s sky’, which covered an operetta held in

Abu Dhabi recently to commemorate HH the AmirSheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah’s honoring bythe United Nations. The news itself was happy andsad at the same time.

It was great to see the festivals organized in theUnited Arab Emirates featuring cultural programswith participation from UAE poets, artists andbands. On the other hand, it was sad to see verylimited celebrations in Kuwait on this occasion.Doesn’t the UN’s unprecedented honoring of HHthe Amir deserve celebrations?

On this occasion, I would like to thank UAEPresident Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahayan,UAE Minister of Culture Sheikh Nahyan binMubarak Al-Nahayan, culture consultantMohammad Al-Marzouie and all organizers of theoperetta. The celebration organized in the UAE ofcourse reflects the sentiment felt all across theArabian Gulf region.

Last but not least, we are privileged by the factthat HH Sheikh Sabah became the first Arab leaderto be honored by the United Nations, and by thefact that Kuwait was named a humanitarian center.This is an honor for all Kuwaitis. Furthermore, thehonoring reflects the high status of Kuwait as acountry that is passing through a golden era ofhumanitarian work.

It all started when Secretary of State John Kerryexplained why Israeli-Palestinian peace was morenecessary than ever. He said that in every leader

in the Arab world had “spontaneously” raised theissue, and then came the sentence that blamed Israelfor the surge in recruitment for Islamic State (IS) andmade headlines in Israel.

“It was a cause of recruitment and of street angerand agitation that they felt they had to respond to,”Kerry said, with “it” being the lack of resolution of theIsraeli-Palestinian conflict. “People need to under-stand the connection of that. And it has somethingto do with humiliation and denial and absence ofdignity.”

Economy Minister Naftali Bennett was quick torespond, saying that “even a British Muslim beheadsa British Christian, there will always be those whoblame the Jews.” Bennet was referring, of course, toIslamic State’s recent beheadings of four Westernnationals.

The US State Department shot back that Bennetthad misunderstood or misinterpreted Kerry’sremarks. “Either this specific minister did not actuallyread what the secretary said, or someone is engag-ing in the politics of distortion here,” said StateDepartment spokeswoman Marie Harf. “He (Kerry)did not make a linkage between Israel and thegrowth of ISIL (another name for IS), period.”

Bennett fired off another message, which whileseemingly conciliatory, upped the ante yet again.“The US is indeed our great fired, and we are bolster-ing this friendship even more,” a statement fromBennet’s office said. “Nonetheless, the ministerstands by his remarks....There was an obligation toreact quickly in order to make sure that this compari-son is never repeated.”

Bennett also posted an angry Facebook message,saying that Kerry is perpetuating the mistakenassumption that all of the conflicts in the Middle Eaststem from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “Thenotion regarding the centrality of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not true and puts Israel at risk,”he wrote. “The 9/11 attacks had nothing to do withIsrael. Global Jihad has nothing to do with Israel. Al-Sisi’s revolution in Egypt had nothing to do withIsrael. The disintegration of Iraq has nothing to dowith Israel. The massacre of at least 150,000 people,including women and children, by Assad in Syria hasnothing to do with Israel.” The Prime Minister’s officewas conspicuously silent during the entire exchange.

Challenge for leadershipIsraeli analysts say that Bennett’s target was his

fellow Israelis, more than the Obama administration.“Naftali Bennett is challenging Netanyahu and(Foreign Minister) Lieberman for leadership of the

right wing in Israel,” Reuven Chazan, a professor ofpolitical science in Israel said. “Bennett is looking toenhance his support among a specific electorate inIsrael which does not like or trust the currentPalestinian leadership.”

Bennett’s Jewish Home party holds 12 seats in theIsraeli parliament, as compared to 19 for Netanyahu’sLikud, and 19 for Finance Minister Yair Lapid’s centristparty. Recent polls show Lapid’s support has plum-meted dramatically as Israelis see him as ineffectualagainst the high cost of living in Israel. Bennetthopes to gather some of those disaffected voters,and increase his support in the Israeli government.

“We really have three medium sized parties on theright in Israel,” Chazan said. “Bennett is representingthose who believe that the US is not watching ourback and Israel needs to stand up for itself. Hebelieves that Obama has tilted from being pro-Israelipast being an honest broker to understanding thePalestinians’ situation.”

The incident comes amid reports of US-Israeli ten-sions over several issues, primarily Netanyahu’srefusal to renew negotiations with the Palestiniansover a final peace deal. Netanyahu told the UN thathe wants to start a dialogue with Arab states on howto move forward with peace, yet given the otherpressing issues in the Middle East, US officials do nottake Netanyahu’s request seriously. They want to seehim restarting the direct dialogue with thePalestinians on the issue of the borders of a futurePalestinian state, and Israel’s needed securityarrangements.

Bennet’s mistakeIsraeli analysts said that Bennet’s mistake was not

in responding to Kerry’s comments, but in attackingthe Secretary of State personally. “Americans cancope with criticism, but when it comes to personalinsults there is often a strong reaction,” Eytan Gilboa,an expert on US-Israeli relations at Bar Ilan Universitysaid. “Kerry believes that he really does understandthe Middle East. Bennett is new to politics and hewas really infuriated by the statement.”

In contrast to Bennett, Israel’s Defense MinisterMoshe Ya’alon took a more moderate stance, per-haps because he is currently in the US holding secu-rity talks.

Gilboa says that the US does not want to be in aposition where they must veto a UN Security Councilresolution recognizing Palestine, and incur the wrathof much of the Arab world. “Kerry thinks that therenewal of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations wouldprevent that Palestinian move at the UN, and he isusing all kinds of arguments some of which makessense and others of which do not,” he said.

— The Media Line

Page 7: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

TUNIS: Tunisians vote Sunday to elect their first parliament sincethe country’s 2011 revolution, in a rare glimmer of hope for aregion torn apart by post-Arab Spring violence and repression.

After three weeks of largely low-key campaigning, more thanfive million voters are to elect 217 deputies in a ballot pitting theIslamist Ennahda movement-the country’s largest party-against ahost of secular groups.

Tunisia has enjoyed relative stability since the region’s 2011uprisings in contrast to the lawlessness of Libya and Yemen, themilitary takeover in Egypt and Syria’s bloody civil war.

But the country has flirted with disaster, particularly last yearwhen a rise in militant activity, the assassination of two opposi-tion lawmakers and an economy in the doldrums threatened todrag Tunisia down the same path.

Its political class, although often at loggerheads, caved in topressure from civil society groups in January to scheduleSunday’s vote and set presidential elections for November 23.

Tunisia’s model of coalition government-in which Ennahdashares power with two secular parties-was praised by the inter-national community.

That arrangement collapsed and was replaced in January by agovernment of independents tasked with holding fresh elec-tions.

“You just need to compare (Tunisia) with other Arab Spring

countries... from the point of view of the protection of freedomand democracy, we are considered a successful model,” saidEnnahda’s former prime minister, Ali Larayedh.

‘Sham democracy?’ Ennahda has positioned itself as the party of “consensus” and,

in the words of its leader Rached Ghannouchi, the only groupcapable of “establishing a democratic state”.

But its critics, led by the secular Nidaa Tounes party, paint agrim picture of the Islamists’ record on security and economicreform.

“We cannot hide the fact that the two governments led byEnnahda have contributed to the creation of social crises... andterrorism has grown,” party chief Beji Caid Essebsi told Le Tempsnewspaper.

Essebsi, an 87-year-old veteran who served in the formerregime of ousted dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, has accusedthe Islamists of having ulterior motives.

Main rivals Ennahda and Nidaa Tounes will fight it out with anumber of parties run by former Ben Ali stalwarts, as well as oth-er Islamist, secular and leftist organisations.

Ghannouchi has predicted Ennahda would improve on the 37percent of the vote it won three years ago in an election to a con-stituent assembly which drew up a post-Ben Ali constitution.

Interim president MoncefMarzouki, who belongs tocentre-left Ennahda ally theCongress for the Republic, in atelevised interview this week-end called the parliamentaryand presidential elections a“defining moment” for thecountry.

Although Tunisia hasavoided the kind of turmoilnow gripping several Arabstates, analysts say it is too ear-ly to call its transition todemocracy an outright suc-cess.

“It depends what we meanby success,” said Michael Ayari,senior Tunisia analyst at theInternational Crisis Groupthink tank.

“Is success a little shamdemocracy? Is Tunisia advanc-ing towards rule of law? If itcan and at the same timedevelop its growth and broad-en its middle classes withoutresorting to authoritarianism,that would be a success.”

‘Up against a wall’ In spite of the international

attention Sunday’s electionwill garner, many ordinaryTunisians say they will not bevoting.

Kamal Torkhani, 41, was anenthusiastic participant in the2011 revolution. But facedwith what he sees as a choicebetween Ben Ali’s lackeys anda self-serving ruling class, heplans to boycott Sunday’svote.

“When we have honestpoliticians who are concernedwith people’s problems, I willvote,” he said. “We are still liv-ing under pressure. We haveno dignity or justice.” — AFP

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Anger as US Marinein Philippine murder case snubs summons

Page 12

Bombings near Iraqi capital kill 19 peoplePage 8

TUNIS: Tunisian girls look at election posters put up on a street ahead of the parliamentary election in the Tunis suburb of Ariana yesterday. Tunisians vote on October 26, 2014 to elect their first parliament since the country’s 2011revolution, in a rare glimmer of hope for a region torn apart by post-Arab Spring violence and repression. — AFP

Tunisia vote offers post-Arab Spring hope

Page 8: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

I N T E R N AT I O N A LWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

ANKARA: The head of Iran’s top clericalbody has died after lying in a coma formonths, leaving a gap in the only insti-tution that has the authority to electand dismiss the country ’s SupremeLeader.

The death of 83-year-old AyatollahMohammad Reza Mahdavi Kani, report-ed by Iranian media, is unlikely to sparkany direct policy change or jockeyingfor power, officials and analysts said.

But with the health of SupremeLeader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei alsounder scrutiny after he underwentprostate surgery last month, anychanges in the body that will choose hissuccessor are sensitive and closely

watched. Under Iran’s constitution, incase of the death, resignation, or dis-missal of the leader, the Assembly ofExperts has to take steps “within theshortest possible time for the appoint-ment of the new leader”.

Created after the 1979 IslamicRevolution, the assembly has neverexercised its right to dismiss a leader,but it has turned into a potential arenafor competition between rival factionsin Iran’s complex power structure.

Some analysts believe that securing amajority in the assembly when it is nextelected in early 2016 would help rein-force the position of supporters ofPresident Hassan Rouhani, a pragmatist

who has steered Iran into delicate nego-tiations with the West over the country’sdisputed nuclear programme.

Iran is seeking the removal of inter-national sanctions designed to curb theprogramme and prevent it from devel-oping a nuclear bomb. It denies anysuch ambition, and says it needs atomicpower to generate electricity. “If prag-matists and moderates can secure amajority in the upcoming parliamentaryand the Assembly elections, surely theywill have an upper hand in Iran’s politi-cal arena,” said political analyst MansourMarvi. Parliamentary elections are alsodue in 2016.

In March, hardline cleric Ayatollah

Ahmad Jannati warned of “a plot to takeover the Assembly of Experts”, reflectingfears among the supreme leader’s loyal-ists that they could lose their grip onpower.

Such an outcome would upset thebalance of forces that Khamenei hassought to cultivate in the past 25 years.Since taking over in 1989 from AyatollahRuhollah Khomeini, founder of theIslamic Republic, he has sought toensure that no group, including amonghis own conservative all ies, gainsenough power to challenge his status.

Khamenei controls the judiciary, thesecurity forces and the Guardian Councilwhich vets laws and election candi-

dates, as well as public broadcasters andfoundations that own much of the econ-omy.

Analysts said that following thedeath of Kani, prominent clericAyatollah Mahmoud Hashemi-Shahroudi would continue as actingchairman of the Assembly of Experts,whose 86 clerics are elected by the peo-ple every eight years.

Along with the Assembly, Iran’s eliteRevolutionary Guards are also expectedto play a major role in selecting the nextSupreme Leader. The Guards, whoanswer directly to Khamenei, havebecome more assertive in politics inrecent years. —Reuters

Iranian cleric’s death leaves gap in key power body

TEHRAN: Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, center right, shakes hands with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, center left, at the SaadabadPalace. Tehran, Iran, yesterday. — AP

TEHRAN: Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadisaid yesterday his country was at war with “ter-rorists” threatening the region and intent ondividing Muslims, as he met top officials in keyally Iran.

As mainly Shiite neighbours, Iran and Iraqhave been close since the ouster of Sunni dicta-tor Saddam Hussein in the US-led invasion of2003, with Tehran’s role becoming increasinglyopen in recent years.

The relationship has deepened militarily afterthe rapid offensive by Islamic State (IS) fightersfrom Syria deep into Iraq this summer, whichcontinues to pose a major threat to Baghdad.

Abadi, from Iraq’s Shiite majority, met withPresident Hassan Rouhani and Vice PresidentEshaq Jahangiri during the one-day visit.

“Iraq is not fighting terrorism only. It is anextensive war with all these groups,” he said,alluding to IS and other extremist fighters suchas Al-Qaeda’s Syria affiliate Al-Nusra Front.

“It’s a threat to the region and these terroristgroups are trying to create a division betweenShiites and Sunnis,” the official IRNA newsagency quoted him as saying.

Before the visit Abadi ruled out a foreigntroop intervention against IS and appeared to

impose limits on Iran’s participation also, sayingin the holy Shiite city of Najaf on Monday that“no regional power will fight here.”

The lightning surge by IS fighters in June ledIran to send weapons to Kurdish forces in north-ern Iraq and the Islamic republic has also sentmilitary advisers across the border.

The visit was Abadi’s first to Tehran since tak-ing over after Nuri al-Maliki’s failed bid to win anew term after this summer ’s IS offensivebrought the country close to collapse.

Iran had resolutely backed Maliki since hetook office in Baghdad in 2006, but lost faith inhim after the capitulation of the Iraqi military inthe face of only a few thousand IS jihadists.

Abadi arrived in Tehran just before midnight.He was later greeted by Jahangiri at SaadabadPalace, a former residence of the Shah turnedgovernment office and museum.

CampaignThe military campaign against IS, which now

encompasses US and other foreign air strikes inIraq and neighbouring Syria, will dominate hisvisit to Iran, though economic matters were alsodiscussed during the meeting with Jahangiri,according to IRNA.

Iran has ruled out direct cooperation with theUS military in Iraq, but implicitly backed the airstrikes before later saying that they were notenough to stop an IS push that has reachedBaghdad’s outskirts.

Some Iraqi officials and Sunni tribal leaders inareas most affected by the unrest have arguedthat the world should step up its militaryinvolvement from air strikes to a ground inter-vention against IS.

However, Abadi said the Iraqi governmentwould not countenance such a plan.

“I am telling our brothers in Anbar andSalaheddin (Sunni majority provinces) whoasked for foreign ground troops that such anappeal should not be made,” he said in Najaf.

“We don’t need foreign combat troops. Andthere is no country in the world which would bewilling to fight here and give you back your landeven if they were asked to.”

The Iraqi prime minister had just met withGrand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a reclusive Iranian-born cleric who is the highest Shiite religiousauthority in the country.

Iraqi state television said it was the first timein four years that Sistani had met a high-rankingIraqi government official. — AFP

In Iran, Iraq PM says IS threatens region

Abadi visits Tehran after taking office

JERUSALEM: Dozens of ultra-OrthodoxJews hurled stones and slashed the tires ofbuses bearing ads promoting female wor-ship at a key Jerusalem holy site, Israelipolice said yesterday.

The attack, which happened on Mondaynight in Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox MeaShearim neighborhood, underscores thestill simmering tensions in Israel over reli-gious extremists who want to separate thesexes in public spaces.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld saidpolice units were dispatched to quell theviolence in Mea Shearim where about 50men slashed tires and pelted the buseswith stones.

The ads were posted by the groupWomen of the Wall, which seeks to achievegender equality at the Western Wall, theholiest place where Jews can pray. Theadvertisements showed girls and womenwearing prayer shawls and holding a Torahscroll - rituals seen by many Orthodox Jewsas reserved for men only.

Video footage on the YNet news siteshowed the words “end the obscene pic-tures” spray-painted on a bus. The adsaimed to promote Bat Mitzvah ceremoniesfor girls at the Western Wall. The coming-of-age ceremonies for girls are only allowed tobe held at a nearby prayer site, designatedfor worshippers who don’t follow theOrthodox tradition adhered to at the mainarea of the Western Wall.

For boys, Bar Mitzvah ceremonies areheld at the main Wall area. The Women ofthe Wall does not consider the nearby areaan appropriate worship site.

Immodest“This is only about gender roles and dis-

crimination against women and the image

of women,” said Shira Pruce, a spokes-woman for Women of the Wall. “If thosewere boys in the ads, this would not be anews story.”

Many ultra-Orthodox oppose theWomen of the Wall’s struggle for rights toequal worship at the Western Wall and viewthe group as provocative. The women haveendured arrest, heckling and legal battlesin their struggle to worship at the Wall asmen do.

The extremists have faced criticism inrecent years from Israel’s predominantlysecular society, which has complainedabout attempts to ban mixing of the sexeson buses, sidewalks and other publicspaces. Ultra-Orthodox have defacedposters and billboards bearing photos ofwomen, which they consider immodest.

A court last year decided that thewomen should be permitted to pray asthey choose but the Women of the Wallsays it is still prevented from worshippingwith a Torah scroll at the Wall. About half ofthe Women of the Wall ads, which have runon dozens of buses since the campaignbegan on Oct. 12, have been vandalized,Pruce said, citing the company that handlesthe advertisements. The ad campaign wasthe group’s first and it had no role in decid-ing what routes the ads would run, Prucesaid.

The religious practice at the Western Wallfollows Orthodox traditions, meaning wear-ing skullcaps and prayer shawls and readingfrom Torah scrolls is reserved exclusively formen. By contrast, the more liberal Reformand Conservative streams of Judaism, thelargest denominations in the United Stateswhich are marginal in Israel, allow women towear prayer shawls, be ordained as rabbis,lead services and read from the Torah. —AP

Ultra-Orthodox Jews attack Jerusalem buses over ad

CAIRO: As the new academic term beganin Egypt, riot police were standing guardat Cairo’s universities to quash any repeatof Islamist-led protests that turned cam-puses nationwide into battlefields. Theauthorities have tightened security at 12leading universities across the country-the last bastions of protests backing oust-ed Islamist president Mohamed Morsiafter a nationwide government crack-down crushed his supporters, leavinghundreds dead and thousands jailed.

About 16 students were killed in theacademic year that ended in April, as pro-Morsi students fought pitched battleswith security forces after the Islamist wasousted in July 2013 by then-army chiefand now President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.Universities echoed with slogans like “Sisiis a killer!” as pro-Morsi students threwrocks at tear-gas-firing policemen. Today,the newly painted buildings of the presti-gious Sunni Al-Azhar University and CairoUniversity are surrounded by tall metalfences, with private security guardschecking students’ identities as they passthrough metal detectors.

The new security measures ban all par-tisan activities on campuses and universi-ty officials are allowed to expel disruptivestudents. Several students AFPapproached at Al-Azhar refused to com-ment, while some at Cairo Universityoffered only brief remarks-clearly reflect-ing the tension on the two campuses.“Last year was a mess, with tear gas beingfired inside the university. But now thereare much fewer protests and it’s muchsafer,” said Noha Ezz Al-Arab, a third-yearEnglish literature student, as she waitedto pass through a metal detector at thegate of Cairo University.

Fear for freedoms“Last year we couldn’t sit for a minute.

We were always expecting something,” asecurity guard at Al-Azhar said, as policevehicles with wailing sirens circled theuniversity and masked police carryingbatons and tear gas grenade guns stoodinside the campus itself. Student leadersfear the new security measures couldaffect their overall campus activism. “Wehope the new regulations will not limitfreedoms and non-partisan political activ-ities on campuses,” said Ahmed Khalaf, amember of the Cairo University StudentUnion. Students also complained that thenew restrictions are curbing their move-ment on campuses. “They stopped mefrom entering, saying that engineeringstudents are not allowed” inside CairoUniversity’s main campus, said HossamKhalid, whose faculty is located outsidethe main university grounds. “They proba-

bly think we are terrorists.” There hasalready been some minor unrest. Theinterior ministry said five universities sawprotests a day after the new school yearstarted on October 11, including at Al-Azhar and Cairo University, where protest-ers destroyed metal detectors. At least110 students were also arrested at theirhomes, many of them in pre-dawn raidslast week, rights groups say. In some cas-es, Egyptian security forces are using“excessive force” in quelling protests,rights group Amnesty International saidin a recent statement. It said dozens ofprotesting students were injured lastweek when police swiftly crushed theirrally at Alexandria University.

New protests vowedStudents backing Morsi say they are

undeterred by the new security measures.“We were expecting these measures, butthey will not affect our movement and wewill take extra precautions,” said YoussefSalhen, spokesman for Students Againstthe Coup, a pro-Morsi group blamed formost of the campus violence last year. “Ifour protests are not more frequent thanlast year, they will definitely not be less.Protests can’t be stopped inside universi-ties because universities are meetinggrounds for youth, especially given theprotest law.”

Egypt’s authorities in November 2013adopted a law that bans all demonstra-tions except those authorized by thepolice. Dozens of secular activists havealso been arrested and jailed for holdingillegal rallies since its adoption. Officialssay the new security measures are alreadyshowing results. “The new private securityguards have done their job of maintainingsecurity at the gates... and from their firstday, they found many knives and fire-crackers that were being smuggledinside,” Cairo University chairman GaberNassar said.

Nassar, who blames Morsi’s IslamistMuslim Brotherhood for campus vio-lence, said if the new measures fail theconsequences would be serious. “It couldlead to suspending the school year oreven the return of police on CairoUniversity campus, which will jeopardizethe independence of the university,” hesaid. Student activists say new protestscannot be ruled out given the angeramong supporters of the Brotherhood.“Pro-Brotherhood students are angrythat their friends and colleagues areeither imprisoned, wanted by theauthorities or suspended from university.These students will continue to protest,”said Khalaf of the Cairo UniversityStudent Union.— AFP

BAGHDAD: Bombings in and near Baghdadkilled 19 people yesterday, the latest in near-dai-ly attacks targeting the Iraqi capital as the coun-try’s Shiite-led government grapples with a ram-pant Sunni insurgency by the Islamic Stategroup.

Police officials said the deadliest attack tookplace yesterday afternoon when a double carbomb attack hit Habaybina restaurant in theShiite-majority district of Talibiya in easternBaghdad, killing eight people and wounding 20others.

Earlier, a bomb struck at an out-door marketin the southern district of Abu Dashir, a mostly

Shiite neighborhood, killing four people andwounding nine, police officials said.

A little bit later, a bomb that went off near asmall restaurant in central Baghdad killed fivepeople and wounded 12, the officials said.Another bomb exploded at a commercial streetin the town of Madian, just south of Baghdad,killing two people and wounding four.

Medical officials confirmed the casualty fig-ures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymi-ty because they were not authorized to talk tomedia. No one immediately claimed responsibil-ity for the latest attacks but they bore the hall-marks of the Al-Qaida-breakaway Islamic State

group which has captured large chunks of terri-tory in western and northern Iraq, plunging thecountry into its worst crisis since U.S. troops leftat the end of 2011.

On Monday, militants unleashed a wave ofdeadly attacks on Iraq’s majority Shiite commu-nity, killing at least 43 people. In the Shiite holycity of Karbala - home to the tombs of tworevered Shiite imams and the site of year-roundpilgrimages - four separate car bombs went offsimultaneously, killing at least 26 people.

The attacks on the Shiites are likely calculatedby the Sunni extremists to sow fear among Iraqison both sides of the sectarian divide. — AP

Egypt clamps down oncampuses over unrest fears

BAGHDAD: Iraqis gather at the site of two car bombs explosions that hit the car park of a large restaurant yesterday in the Talbiyah Shiite area,northeast of Baghdad. Two blasts hit the car park, while another car bomb exploded near a police patrol which passed by later, killing at least19 people. — AFP

Bombings near Iraqi capital kill 19 people

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I N T E R N AT I O N A LWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

TELOLOAPAN: Two years ago, Manuelwas kidnapped by a drug gang in south-ern Mexico and held and beaten foreight weeks before reappearing inanother city, his clothes torn to rags.

He is one of the few survivors of thedisappearances that have becomealmost commonplace in the state ofGuerrero but are under increased scruti-ny since 43 students went missing fromthe city of Iguala on September 26.

Mexican authorities say police shot atthe students’ buses before detainingthem and handing them over to a druggang, a tale of violence and corruptionthat has outraged the country andsparked fiery protests.

But in Guerrero, which has the high-est homicide rate in Mexico — 63 per100,000 residents last year-such storieshave long been an open secret. Manuel

was kidnapped by drug traffickers whothought he was an informant for a rivalgang.

Abducted with 15 others, he was heldblindfolded with his hands tied andforced to sleep outside in the rain. “Thefirst week they beat us every day untilwe lost consciousness,” said Manuel, asolidly built middle-aged man whosename has been changed to protect him.

He told AFP he was set finally set freewhen his captors, satisfied that he wasnot an informant, saw his health was fail-ing. That was a stroke of rare good luckin Guerrero, where scores of people areofficially missing and more than 80 bod-ies have been found so far this year.

“I don’t understand why the govern-ment is suddenly afraid now with thecase of the students. We’ve already livedthrough a nightmare here,” said Manuel,

who is still reluctant to go out in thestreet. Maria Guadalupe Orosco’s sonwas less fortunate than Manuel. He was32 years old when he and five friendsdisappeared after a party in 2010.According to Orosco, witnesses say thearmy kidnapped the six victims.

She has been demanding the author-ities act ever since. “Is the pain supposedto stop just because it’s been a long timesince they disappeared?” she asked tear-fully. She grew angry when she spokeabout the government’s recent handlingof a mass grave with 28 bodies initiallythought to be those of the missing stu-dents. After DNA tests were carried out,Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karamsaid last week that there was no matchwith the students-but gave no furtherinformation on those buried. “Thosepeople had names and families, too,”

Orosco said bitterly.

Life in ‘hell’ Since Mexico launched a military

crackdown on drug trafficking in 2006,22,322 people have officially gone miss-ing. The real figure may be higher, sincestories of police colluding with druggangs deter some victims’ families fromspeaking out.

Their fears are not unfounded. Sincethe students went missing, the federalgovernment has stripped local police inIguala and 14 nearby towns of their gunsand taken them in for questioning oversuspected links to organized crime.

Thirty-six officers have been arrested,and federal security forces sent in to takeover policing. In Cocula, a small townwhose streets are empty by 8:00 pm, res-idents tell horror stories of struggling to

come up with ransoms of up to $15,000to free their loved ones.

“Whose hands are we in?” asked aman whose niece was kidnapped-acrime that was never reported. Residentswelcomed the federal police takeoverbut said the move came too late. “Theyshould have acted here years ago so wewouldn’t be mourning today,” saidCocula Mayor Cesar Penaloza, who sur-vived an assassination attempt last year.

Just up the road in Teloloapan, MayorIgnacio Valladares said much the same.“It’s great that they’re here and terriblethat it’s because of these deplorableevents in Iguala,” said Valladares, whohas 11 bodyguards around the clock.More than 10 murders have been report-ed in the past 15 days in the city of50,000 people, some of whose inhabi-tants have nicknamed it “Hell.” — AFP

Abduction, dirty cops are open secret in Mexico

MONTREAL: One of two Canadiansoldiers hit by a car in an apparent ter-rorist attack has died of his injuries.Quebec provincial police said he diedearly yesterday. The soldier’s namewas not released at the request of thefamily. The other soldier ’s injurieswere described as less serious.

The suspect was shot by police,and later died, after he struck the twomembers of the Canadian militarywith his car in a city near Montreal. Anofficial familiar with the case identi-fied the suspect as Martin CoutureRouleau, 25, of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, and said he wasinfluenced by radical Islamists. Theofficial spoke on condition ofanonymity because he was notauthorized to speak publicly aboutthe case.

Royal Canadian Mounted Policespokesman David Falls said Mondaythat the suspect “was known toFederal authorities” and “authoritieswere concerned that he had becomeradicalized.”

One neighbor told reporters thatRouleau stopped wearing jeans andstarted wearing a tunic and that hehad changed over the past year andwas alone a lot. Another neighbor

said Rouleau converted to Islam a lit-tle over a year ago.

A Quebec business databaseshows Rouleau started a water-pres-sure cleaning company in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu in 2012 with two other peo-ple. Police declined to provide details,citing the investigation.

Police chaseQuebec police shot the man after

two Canadian Forces members werestruck by the motorist on Monday in amall parking lot near Montreal. Thesuspect died a few hours after beingshot. Quebec provincial police Lt.Michel Brunet said earlier that policeended up shooting the man after acar chase in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu,about 26 miles (42 kilometers) south-east of Montreal. After the man hitthe two soldiers, he fled the scene inhis vehicle, triggering a police chasethat ended with the man losing con-trol and his car rolling over severaltimes.

Brunet said the man exited the carand was shot. Brunet said they founda knife on the ground but he couldnot say if the suspect had it in hishand when police fired their weapons.Television images showed a large

knife in the grass near the flipped-over car.

Brunet said he didn’t know if thesoldiers were wearing uniforms at thetime they were struck. Canadian PrimeMinister Stephen Harper was briefedabout the incident by the head ofCanada’s national police force, thehead of the military and his nationalsecurity adviser. Harper said earlierMonday in Parliament that he wasaware of the reports and called them“extremely troubling.”

“First and foremost our thoughtsand prayers are with the victims andtheir families; we’re closely monitor-ing the situation and obviously wewill make available all of the resourcesof the federal government,” Harpersaid.

The case is similar to one inLondon last year in which an al-Qaeda-inspired extremist and anotherman ran over a soldier with a carbefore hacking the off-duty soldier todeath. Images of Michael Adebolajo,29, holding a butcher knife andcleaver with bloodied hands in themoments after the May 2013 killing ofFusilier Lee Rigby shocked peoplearound the world and sparked fears ofIslamist terrorism in Britain.— AP

QUEBEC: Canadian Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney and Quebec Public Security Minister Lise Theriaultaddress reporters at a news conference in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, yesterday. One of two soldiers hit by acar on Monday in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebe, died of his injuries early yesterday, according to Quebecprovincial police. — AP

Canadian soldier in terror attack dead

Canadian PM briefed about the incident

ACAPULCO: Mexico’s governmentannounced Monday a $110,000reward for information in the disap-pearance of 43 students in a case ofalleged collusion between a druggang and police.

The reward was announced innational newspapers and featuredblack and white photos of the 43 stu-dents, who went missing three weeksago in the southern city of Iguala.

The reward applies to informationon the whereabouts of the studentsor for the identification of thoseresponsible for their disappearance.

Meanwhile, representatives of thestudents’ families expressed warinessover the government’s probe of thecase. The disappearances have trig-gered an uproar in this countrypainfully used to drug-related vio-lence. The representatives raised theirconcerns after meeting with InteriorMinister Miguel Angel Osorio Chongand Attorney General Jesus MurilloKaram. “We do not believe in theresults (of the investigation) so farbecause there is nothing that takes usclose to the truth,” said Felipe de laCruz, a relative of one of the missing.

“Today we tried to trust the federalgovernment but the results do notsatisfy us,” de la Cruz said. Authoritiessay Iguala’s police force shot at busescarrying the students on September26 and handed them over to officersin the neighboring town of Cocula,

who then delivered them to theGuerreros Unidos drug gang.

A total of 36 municipal officers inIguala have been arrested in the case,along with 17 Guerreros Unidos mem-bers and their boss.

The attorney general has saidinvestigators are still analyzing thecontents of three mass graves foundnear Iguala after declaring last weekthat 28 bodies found in one pit didnot belong to the students. —AFP

Suspect in USabduction charged

FAIRFAX: The suspect inthe disappearance of aBritish-born University ofVirginia student wascharged Monday withabducting and raping awoman in suburbanWashington in 2005.

The indictment againstJesse L. Matthew Jr. washanded up by a CircuitCourt grand jury in FairfaxCounty and includes acharge of attempted capitalmurder.

Matthew, 32, is beingheld in Charlottesville,Virginia, on a charge relatedto the Sept. 13 disappear-ance of Hannah Graham,18. She moved fromEngland to northernVirginia at age 5.

Law enforcement offi-cials who have been search-ing for Graham foundhuman remains over theweekend and they weretaken to the VirginiaMedical Examiner’s office inRichmond. A spokesman inthe office could not sayMonday when the results ofthe forensic examinationwould be completed.— AP

Mexico announces reward in hunt for missing students

MEXICO CITY: Migrant rights activist Father Alejandro Solalinde holds hissworn statement regarding his knowledge about the dissapeareance of the43 students, outside the Organized Crime Unit, headquarters in MexicoCity, Monday. — AP

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I N T E R N AT I O N A LWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

ISLAMABAD: An anti-government TVnews channel in Pakistan was taken offair for 15 days after a high court ruledthat the broadcaster was “maligning” thecountry’s judiciary, the country’s mediaregulation authority said.

The closure is apparently linked tothe infighting among Pakistan’s numer-ous media outlets over their coverageof the two-month-long anti-governmentprotests demanding Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif step down over allegedelection fraud.

Most of the media have firmlyaligned themselves either in support ofSharif ’s government or in favor of theopposition, providing plenty of fodderfor bitter reports and opinionated talkshow hosts. The Pakistan MediaRegulation Authority said yesterday thatit was forced to act on a court order andshut down the private ARY News chan-nel. PEMRA also said the court bannedone of the broadcaster ’s anchors,Mubashar Luqman, from appearing onany national T V. The ARY was also

ordered to pay a fine of 10 millionPakistani Rupees, or $97,000.

The high court in the eastern city ofLahore acted on its own in taking up thecase - what is known in legal terms assuo moto - and issued its ruling lastweek. The CEO of ARY, Ammad Yousuf,criticized the ruling and said the TVwould challenge PEMRA’s move.

“The decision has been taken in hastewithout giving us a hearing,” Yousuf toldThe Associated Press. ARY has been tak-ing a distinctly pro-opposition stance inits coverage of the protest rallies, whichare led by Pakistan’s famous cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and clericTahir-ul-Qadri.Luqman, the bannedanchor, was a prominent participant inthe rallies, sometimes appearing in pub-lic with Khan during the former cricketstar’s anti-government speeches outsidethe parliament. Hundreds of supportersof Khan and Qadri have been campedfor several weeks outside the Pakistaniparliament in Islamabad.

ARY is said to have earned top ratings

ever since it took up the popular anti-government narrative against its busi-ness rival Geo TV, which has long beenPakistan’s most popular TV channel.

In June, PEMRA also banned Geo TVfor 15 days after a spat between thebroadcaster and the military’s powerfulspy agency, the ISI.

The intelligence agency had filed asuit against Geo TV, seeking its closureafter it alleged that the spy agency chiefwas behind an assassination attemptagainst one of the station’s anchors,Hamid Mir.

Sharif ’s government backed Geo TVat the time, and the station later sidedwith Sharif in its coverage of the protestrallies. After decades of tight controlover the media, Pakistan now has avibrant journalism community withnumerous television channels andnewspapers that compete fiercely forreaders and viewers. The media havebeen especially focused on confronta-tions between Pakistan’s executivebranch, military and its judiciary. —AP

Pakistan pulls anti-government TV channel off air

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani journalists stage a protest against the PakistanElectronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) in Islamabad yesterday.Pakistan suspended a television channel ARY news supportive of anti-govern-ment protests being held by cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan and a pop-ulist cleric in the capital Islamabad. — AFP

MOSCOW: Russian and French experts were inves-tigating yesterday a plane crash at a Moscow air-port which killed the CEO of French oil giant Total,Christophe de Margerie, whose private jet struck asnowplough on takeoff.

Russian investigators said the driver of thesnow-clearing machine was drunk and that hisactions, along with “an error by air traffic con-trollers”, appeared to have led to the crash-a claimdisputed by the driver’s lawyer.

Total, one of the world’s biggest oil company,confirmed the death of its 63-year-old boss knownaffectionately as the “Big Moustache” because ofhis distinctive facial hair. The group said it wasready to deal with the tragic event which sent itsstocks sliding 2.0 percent briefly at the opening oftrade, as its executives were due to gather for anemergency meeting.

While admired by the industry for expandingTotal’s activities around the world, De Margerie wasalso often mired in controversy as he helmed Totalwhen it was embroiled in judicial woes includingthe UN “oil-for-food” scandal. Just hours before thecrash, De Margerie had met Russian Prime MinisterDmitry Medvedev at his country residence outsideMoscow to discuss foreign investment in Russia,the Vedomosti business daily reported, despiteWestern sanctions over Moscow’s role in theUkraine conflict. Even as relations between theWest and Russia sank to its lowest since the ColdWar, the oil boss had been vocal with his criticismof the sanctions, calling them “a dead-end” andurging “a constructive dialogue” instead.

Russian President Vladimir Putin described DeMargerie as “a true friend of our country, whom wewill remember with the greatest warmth”. InFrance, President Francois Hollande said he learntof De Margerie’s death with “shock and sadness”while Prime Minister Manuel Valls said France hadlost “a great captain of industry and a patriot”.

Fire on the tarmac Total said De Margerie “died just after 10 pm

(Paris time) (2000 GMT) on October 20 in a privateplane crash at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, follow-ing a collision with a snow removal machine.” “Fourpeople were found dead at the scene of the acci-dent, including three crew members andChristophe de Margerie.” Vnukovo airport said in astatement that the Falcon Dassault business avia-tion jet crashed as it prepared to take off for Paris.

Visibility was 350 metres (yards) at the time ofthe accident, the airport said, as Moscow saw itsfirst snowfall of the winter on Monday.

The airport said its rescue services were sent tothe scene and “immediately started extinguishing a

fire that had broken out”. The Interstate Aviation Committee, which inves-

tigates all Russian air accidents, said in a statementthat “it has been established that the driver of thesnowplough was in a drunken state”. It added thata primary preliminary theory was that “an error byair traffic controllers and the actions of the snow-plough driver” were to blame. The possible role of“bad weather and errors by pilots will also bechecked,” it said, as France dispatched threeexperts to join in the investigation.

Moscow transport investigators said in a state-ment they had opened a criminal probe intobreaches of aviation safety rules causing multipledeaths through negligence, which carries a maxi-mum jail term of seven years.

The snowplough driver has been detained, buthis lawyer disputed the investigators’ claim andsuggested that his client was being made a scape-goat. “My client has chronic heart disease, he does-n’t drink at all. His relatives and doctors can confirmthis,” lawyer Alexander Karabanov told Interfaxnews agency. “At the moment of the accident hewas sober.”

“We don’t want the responsibility for the acci-dent to be shifted to just another ordinary man,”

said the lawyer. The airport was closed temporarilyto clear up the scene of the accident but resumednormal operations at 1:30 am.

CEO since 2007 De Margerie had been chief executive of Total,

Europe’s third largest oil company after Shell andBP, since 2007 and spent his entire career there.

A descendant of a family of diplomats and busi-ness leaders, he was the grandson of PierreTaittinger, founder of the eponymous champagneand the luxury goods dynasty.

Married with three children and highly regard-ed within the oil industry, he was known for hisgood humour. De Margerie had taken over thehelm of Total at a time when the company wasembroiled in several legal woes.

Shortly after his nomination, he was handcuffedand taken into police custody for more than 24hours over corruption claims in deals with Iran. Healso had to defend Total against allegations of cor-ruption during the UN “oil-for-food” programme inIraq. De Margerie admitted the claims had takentheir toll on the company.”Most people, when theyspeak of Total do not know what it is, but know it isnot good,” he said in 2009. — AFP

CEO of French oil giant Total

killed in Moscow plane crash

Total executives gather for emergency meeting

File photo of CEO of French oil giant Total Christophe de Margerie who was killed when his cor-porate jet collided with a snow removal machine Monday night at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport,the company said. Total “confirms with deep regret and sadness” that Chairman and CEOChristophe de Margerie died in a private plane crash at the Moscow airport, the company saidin a press release dated yesterday and posted on its website. — AP

KABUK: Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers haul away a damaged military bus fol-lowing an explosion in western Kabul yesterday. At least four Afghan soldiers werekilled and around a dozen people including civilians wounded in a roadside bombblast in the Afghan capital, officials said. — AFP

KABUL: At least four Afghan soldiers werekilled and around a dozen people includingsix civilians wounded when a roadsidebomb planted by the Taleban exploded inthe Afghan capital yesterday, officials said.

The blast, caused by a remote-con-trolled bomb, targeted an Afghan army busin the western part of Kabul, the Ministry ofDefence said.

“In a remote-controlled bomb attackagainst an army bus at 6:45 am (0215 GMT)in Aqa Ali Shams in Kabul, four army per-sonnel were killed and 12 wounded, includ-ing six civilians,” the ministry said in a state-ment.

Broken glass and debris were strewnaround the site of the attack as securityofficials cordoned off the area. Jandad, agovernment employee who witnessed theblast and who goes by one name, told AFP:“We were waiting for our shuttle bus to goto the office when we heard a big bang.

“Later I saw a bus from which they wereremoving several Afghan army soldiers,most blood-soaked.” He added that thebomb appeared to have been placed in thedivider in the middle of the road that sepa-rates traffic.

The Taleban, who have this year steppedup their attacks against the Afghan securityforces, claimed responsibility via their offi-

cial Twitter account. It is the latest in asurge of attacks on local security forces asforeign combat troops withdraw fromAfghanistan by the end of the year.

Taleban militants killed six Afghanpolice last Tuesday in the Logar provincesouth of Kabul, a day after insurgentsambushed a convoy in the north and killed22 policemen.

The inauguration of new PresidentAshraf Ghani last month was also marredby a spate of suicide attacks on securityforces killing more than a dozen people.

Afghan casualties have rocketed overthe past two years, during which timeNATO has handed over most combat dutiesto the nation’s police and army.

The US military estimated this monththat 7,000-9,000 Afghan police or troopshad been killed or wounded so far this year.Ghani, who was sworn into office lastmonth following a lengthy electionprocess, has signed a long-delayed agree-ment allowing about 13,000 foreign troopsto stay on into 2015.

But the follow-up mission, which willtake over on January 1 — 9,800 US troopsand about 3,000 soldiers from Germany,Italy and other NATO members-will focusmainly on training local forces and counter-terrorism operations. — AFP

Taleban blast in Kabul

kills 4 Afghan soldiers

NEW DELHI: India warned Pakistan yes-terday of more “pain” if it continued to vio-late a ceasefire on their disputed border inKashmir and said it was up to Islamabad tocreate the conditions for a resumption ofpeace talks.

The two sides exchanged mortars andintense gunfire this month, killing at least20 civilians and wounding dozens in theworst violation to date of a 2003 ceasefire.While the f ir ing has abated, tensionremains high along a 200-km (125-mile)stretch of the border dividing the nuclear-armed rivals.

“Our conventional strength is far morethan theirs. So if they persist with this,they’ll feel the pain of this adventurism,”Indian Defence Minister Arun Jaitley toldNDTV in an interview.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’sgovernment came to power in May prom-ising a tough response to violence in theHimalayan territory. It accuses Pakistan ofhelping Islamist militants cross into itsside to keep alive a 25-year armed revoltin India’s only Muslim-majority state.

Mil itar y off icers on both sides sayIndian border commanders adopted amore aggressive stance in the clashes thismonth, firing 1,000 mortars on one daythis month. It was not clear what triggeredthe fighting. Pakistani army officials saidthe trouble began with India’s decision tobeef up border defences, in violation ofthe ceasefire pact. Indian army command-ers, for their part, were incensed by thekilling of a soldier on their side of the Lineof Control in Kashmir in a remote-con-trolled explosion that they blamed on mil-itants backed by Pakistani army regulars.

“When Pakistan used to fire, we alwayshad a shield in our hand. This time we alsohad a sword,” said Jaitley, a close associate

of Modi who is also finance minister.Modi invited his Pakistani counterpart,

Nawaz Sharif, to his inauguration as partof a push to rebuild trust with neighbours.But while relations with the smaller neigh-bours are improving, Pakistan hasremained a stumbling block.

In August, the Modi governmentabruptly called off talks between the twocountries’ top diplomats, objecting toPakistan’s ambassador to New Delhi hold-ing talks with Kashmiri separatists aheadof the meeting. Jaitley said it was up toPakistan to create the conditions for dia-logue.

“Of course we can talk to Pakistan, butit is up to Pakistan to create an atmos-phere for talks. Pakistan has to stop trig-gers which upset the environment inwhich talks are held,” he said.

Meanwhile, India wants to resolve itsborder row with China but will not com-promise on territory, the country’s newnational security advisor said yesterday,after a tense stand-off between troops onthe disputed border last month.

Hundreds of Chinese troops allegedlymoved into territory claimed by Indiaahead of a visit by China’s President XiJinping last month.

The troops eventually pulled back buttensions persist and last week Chinaexpressed concern over plans by India tobuild a highway along the border. “Weconsider China as a very important neigh-bour,” Ajit Doval said at an internationalsecurity conference in New Delhi. “Butwhile we would like to take every oppor-tunity to develop the relations to theirbest extent... we will never be able tomake any compromise at the cost of ournational security and territorial integri-ty.”— Agencies

India warns Pakistan of

pain in Kashmir fightingKATHMANDU: Nepalese rescuers ploughedahead yesterday with their search for survivors stillfeared trapped one week after a deadly Himalayansnowstorm, as the government pledged greaterreforms of the trekking industry. Rescue workershad been preparing to wind up their full-scalesearch, but returned to the mountains yesterdayon fresh information that trekkers may still bestranded on the popular Annapurna Circuit route.

“Rescue operations have been continuing... asthere has been some information that some peo-ple might be in affected areas with no communi-cation with the outside world,” the home ministry

said in a statement.The statement did not give details about the

nationalities or the number of those feared stillcaught in the snow. More than 500 people havenow been airlifted to safety since a snowstorm hitthe Annapurna region last Tuesday at the heightof the trekking season, triggering avalanches.

At least 41 trekkers, porters, guides and othershave either been confirmed dead or presumed tohave perished in the disaster, according to figuresreleased by the ministry.

Emergency workers have retrieved 33 bodiesso far, but eight others remain buried in Manang

district, home secretary Surya Prasad Silwal told apress briefing.

Silwal said the government would take steps toprovide more training to trekking guides andmaintain more accurate records of tourist num-bers in mountainous areas.

“This disaster has been a great lesson for us,” hesaid. “We have also realised the need to providemore training to trekking guides working withforeigners so risks can be minimised.”

Nepal’s prime minister has already pledged toset up a weather warning system after many ofthe hikers appeared to have been unaware of thesnowstorm as they headed to an exposed highmountain pass in Annapurna.

The 41 victims include 21 tourists-among themfive Indians, four Israelis, four Canadians, threePoles, two Slovakians, a Chinese and a Japanese.One tourist’s nationality could not be ascertained,the ministry statement said.

At least 20 Nepalese were also dead or pre-sumed dead, who were 17 guides and porters andthree yak herders.

Nepalese soldiers, air-dropped by choppers,camped out near an avalanche-hit site in Manangdistrict yesterday in an attempt to clear snowdriftsand retrieve the eight bodies, an official said.

“It has been very difficult to recover these eightbodies because of heavy snow (that’s) makingaccess to the site tough,” district official DevendraLamichanne told AFP.

The eight are four Canadians, an Indian andthree Nepalese. The Trekking Agencies’Association of Nepal (TAAN) earlier estimated thatfive people were still buried before correcting thefigure to eight. Thousands of people head to theAnnapurna region every October, when theweather is usually at its best for trekking.

The disaster follows Mount Everest’s deadliestever avalanche, which killed 16 guides in April andforced an unprecedented shutdown of the world’shighest peak. —AFP

Nepal resumes search for more trapped survivors

KATHMANDU: Nepalese Home Ministry Secretary Suraya Prasad Silwal (C) addresses journal-ists during a press conference in Kathmandu yesterday. Nepalese search efforts in theHimalayas would now focus on recovering eight bodies buried under heavy snowdrifts, offi-cials said yesterday, a week after a blizzard left at least 43 dead or presumed dead. — AFP

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I N T E R N AT ION A LWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

TOKYO: Japanese Prime MinisterShinzo Abe is facing increased pressurefrom a newly energised opposition overpotential scandals within his cabineteven though he swiftly jettisoned twoministers this week in a bid to calm thestorm.

Three other cabinet members -Defence Minister Akinori Eto,Agriculture Minister Koya Nishikawa andHealth Minister Yasuhisa Shiozaki - havealready publicly faced questions overalleged influence peddling, improperdonations or problems in reporting onpolitical funds. All three have deniedwrongdoing.

But the opposition, routed by Abe’sLiberal Democratic Party (LDP) in thelast national elections, is scenting blood.

“They see this as an opportunity toturn things around,” said a former oppo-sition Democratic Party lawmaker whodid not want to be identified. Domestic

media are also reminding readers thatAbe’s first 2006-2007 term as premierwas plagued by serial resignations thateroded his support, ending when hequit abruptly in the face of parliamen-tary deadlock and ill-health - althoughexperts are not at present predicting areplay of that scenario.

On Monday, Yuko Obuchi, thedaughter of a prime minister often men-tioned as a contender to be Japan’s firstfemale premier, quit as trade and indus-try minister after acknowledging doubtsover whether her support groups mis-used political funds.

Hours later, Midori Matsushimastepped down as justice minister overallegations, which she rejected, that shehanded out paper “uchiwa” fans to vot-ers, a violation of election law.

She said she had quit to avoid beinga “drag” on Abe’s administration.Matsushima’s alleged infraction was

minor, but she lacks political clout andAbe let her go to try to deprive theopposition of ammunition to snarl par-liament, analysts said.

Plums and crownsAbe’s popularity has already slipped

to just below 50 percent in a weekendKyodo news agency survey, at leastpartly due to the scandals. But whetherthe furore dies down or spirals into abigger problem depends largely onwhether fresh scandals gain traction,political experts and insiders said.

“I think Abe is handling it quite well,”said Gerry Curtis, a Columbia Universityprofessor. “Pulling the plug so fast wasexactly the right thing to do rather thanlet it fester.”

But he added: “If it cascades, it will bebig trouble.” However, the oppositionremains weak and the LDP lacks anobvious immediate challenger, so Abe is

not yet at serious risk of losing his job,political experts said.

That means the biggest potentialdamage could be to a planned rise inthe sales tax to 10 percent from October2015 that is needed to rein in Japan’shuge public debt but is unpopular withvoters.

Abe’s administration had been virtu-ally untouched by scandal since hereturned to office in December 2012,but that changed after he reshuffled hiscabinet in early September.

In recent weeks, Defence Minister Etocorrected his political funds report forwhat he called a “simple human error”,Agriculture Minister Nishikawa told par-liament he had returned donations froma failed livestock firm involved in aninvestment scam, and Health MinisterShiozaki denied using his influence onbehalf of a nursing home in his district.

In other possible headaches,

National Public Safety Commissionchairwoman Eriko Yamatani has deniedshe knew that people with whom shewas photographed in 2009 belonged toa right-wing group now known for “hatespeech” demonstrations.

Internal Affairs Minister SanaeTakaichi acknowledged she had beenphotographed with the head of a fringeNeo-Nazi party, but she said she wasunaware of his extremist views at thetime. The scandals have given new lifeto an old Japanese proverb.

“Don’t straighten your crown under aplum tree,” new trade minister YoichiMiyazawa said after he was chosen toreplace Obuchi, quoting a saying thatmeans even an innocent act could leadto suspicions of stealing fruit.

“One must resolutely uphold theethics that are required as a politician,”he said at his first full news conferenceyesterday. — Reuters

Japan PM’s woes may not end despite resignations of ministers

HONG KONG: Pro-democracy protesters watch live televised talks between Hong Kong government officials and students at an occupied areaoutside the government headquarters in Hong Kong’s Admiralty district, yesterday. Hong Kong officials and student leaders held talks to try toend pro-democracy protests that have gripped the southern Chinese city for more than three weeks, though chances of success are slim giventhe vast differences between the two sides. — AP

HK leader extends olive branch to protestersOffer still a long way from meeting demands

HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s embattled leaderyesterday said he was open to creating a moredemocratic election committee before electionsin 2017, extending a potential olive branch todemocracy protesters as crunch talks to end thedemonstrations got underway.

Parts of the Asian financial hub have beenparalysed by rallies calling for Chief ExecutiveLeung Chun-ying to resign and for China torevoke an August ruling that candidates for thecity’s next election be vetted by a pro-Beijingcommittee-something protesters have called a“fake democracy”.

In an interview yesterday afternoon with AFPand other newswires, Leung said that whileBeijing would not back down on vetting his suc-cessor, the committee tasked with selectingthose candidates could become “more demo-cratic”. “There is room for discussion there,there’s room to make the nominating committeemore democratic and this is one of the thingswe’d very much like to talk to not just the stu-dents but the community at large about,” hesaid. The offer is still a long way from meetingthe core demands of protesters who say any-thing other than public nomination of candi-dates is unacceptable.

But Leung’s comments are the first indicationof a potential negotiating point as talks gotunderway yesterday between senior govern-ment officials and students leaders at a nearby

medical college.A failure by both sides to reach some sort of

compromise could see weeks of further chaos ina city once renowned for stability and a resump-tion of violent confrontations between policeand protesters after two days of calm.

Leung is not attending the discussions afterstudents refused to talk to him, but he said hewould be watching them on a live link.

More representative Leung came to power in 2012 after winning

689 votes of a 1,200 strong committee made upof representatives from key Hong Kong sectorssuch as agriculture, religion, the legal professionand the city’s powerful business community.Members of that committee were themselvesvoted in by a panel of around 250,000 people.

Analysts have previously suggested that the1,200 member committee could be expanded tocreate a more representative body withoutupsetting Beijing and Leung.

Leung insisted his administration remains incharge of dealing with the ongoing protests,after repeated speculation Beijing was really call-ing the shots.

“We don’t have any instructions from Beijing,or suggestions, as to when or who we clear thestreets,” he said, adding he did not feel the needto speak to his political masters on the mainlandon a daily basis. He warned police could move

on the barricades at any time-even with talksgoing on-because patience among many localswas running out and some were “taking the lawinto their own hands”.

“While the police have exercised tolerance,patience and restraint we have concerns thatpeople may not,” he said.

Over the last three weeks, protester campshave occasionally been attacked by governmentloyalist thugs while some taxi and haulage asso-ciations have threatened to take their ownaction against protesters barricades if they con-tinue to block key intersections.

Previous attempts by police to remove barri-cades have sparked violent scuffles.

Leung also defended himself from allegationsthat he did not care about his city’s poor. In com-ments that drew widespread condemnation onMonday, Leung suggested granting full univer-sal suffrage would result in the poor dominatingthe electoral process.

Many protesters-particularly younger genera-tions-say ever present inequality and the politi-cal elite’s cosy relationship with the city’s power-ful tycoons has stifled opportunities and made itimpossible to get onto the housing ladder.

But Leung defended his administration’srecord, saying he had pushed to provide morehousing and had introduced policies to tacklepoverty, adding, “my government has beendescribed as a populist government”. —AFP

Anger as US Marine in Philippine murder case snubs summons

OLONGAPO: A US Marine accused of mur-dering a transgender person in thePhilippines snubbed a summons by prose-cutors yesterday, sparking outrage by thevictim’s family who said they feared hewould evade justice.

Private First Class Joseph ScottPemberton failed to appear at a prelimi-nary murder hearing to answer a Filipinopolice complaint naming him as the sus-pect in the killing in the northern port cityof Olongapo.

“We hope the Americans will bring himout. They’re coddling a worthless man,”Julita Laude, mother of the murder victim,told a news conference after the hearing.

Police said Pemberton was the last per-son seen with the victim, Jeffrey Laude,before he was found dead in a hotel bath-room on October 12 with his head in thetoilet and marks of strangulation on hisneck.

Pemberton was detained by his superi-ors aboard the helicopter carrier USSPeleliu off Olongapo. US Marines had tak-en part in joint military exercises and someUS soldiers then headed to Olangapo, awell-known red light district, to wind downon the night of Laude’s death.

Under the terms of a Visiting ForcesAgreement, the United States can retaincustody of US soldiers wanted for crimescommitted in the Philippines.

Philippine courts have jurisdiction insuch cases. But after Pemberton failed toappear before the hearing, Laude’s sisterexpressed concern over whether he would

be brought to justice. “Who will catch him?Who can we turn to make him pay?” MalouLaude said.

DisappointedPemberton’s Filipina lawyer, Rowena

Garcia Flores, told a panel of prosecutorsher client was still studying the police com-plaint and he did not have to appear yes-terday. “The subpoena did not require thepersonal appearance of Pemberton,” Floressaid. Flores did not say whetherPemberton had told her whether he wasinnocent or guilty. However the chief pros-ecutor, Fe de los Santos, said Pembertonwas required to attend and ordered him toshow up at the next hearing on October 27.

“The attendance of the Marine will serveas a very good assessment of the willing-ness of the US government to comply withthe provisions of the Visiting ForcesAgreement,” de los Santos said.

The death has placed defence tiesbetween the longtime allies under scrutiny.Philippine President Benigno Aquino onMonday said the killing should not sour tieswith the United States. But a foreign affairsdepartment spokesman yesterday reactedcoolly to Pemberton’s non-appearance.

“We are of course disappointed that therespondent did not appear on today’s pre-liminary investigation,” said spokesmanCharles Jose.

De los Santos said the state prosecutorshad up to 60 days to conduct preliminaryhearings and reach a decision on whetherto file charges in court. —AFP

OLONGAPO: Julita Laude (L), mother of murdered Filipino transgender personJeffrey Laude, also known as “Jennifer” and boyfriend German Marc Sueselbeck(2nd R) along with lawyers arrive for the preliminary hearing for the murdercase at the Hall of Justice at the northern Philippine city of Olongapo onOctober 10, 2014. —AFP

Former Australian PMGough Whitlam dead

SYDNEY: Former Australian prime ministerGough Whitlam, a towering figure who ledthe nation through a period of massivechange and remains the country’s only leaderto be sacked, died yesterday aged 98.

“A loving and generous father, he was asource of inspiration to us and our familiesand for millions of Australians,” said his chil-dren Antony, Nicholas, Stephen andCatherine in announcing his death.

Conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbottcalled the Labor stalwart “a giant of his time”,and instructed flags around the country to beflown at half mast while suspending normalparliament for the day as a mark of respect.

“Whitlam represented more than a newpolitics. He represented a new way of think-ing, about government, about our region,about our place in the world and aboutchange itself,” said Abbott.

Despite being in power for only three tur-bulent years, Whitlam launched sweepingreforms of the nation’s economic and culturalaffairs.

He stopped conscription, introduced freeuniversity education, recognised communistChina, pulled troops from Vietnam, abolishedthe death penalty for federal crimes andreduced the voting age to 18.

Under his leadership, the last traces ofthe White Austral ia policy designed toexclude non-white migrants were alsoremoved, and he became the first Australianleader to visit China, now the nation’sbiggest trading partner.

ReputationBut the flamboyant and driven Whitlam

was also divisive while in office, with an auto-

cratic reputation, falling out with ministerafter minister and earning enemies along theway. Ultimately he became Australia’s onlyprime minister to be sacked, a touchstonemoment in the nation’s political history.

He led Labor to its first victory in 23 yearsat the December 1972 election on the back ofthe famous “It’s Time” campaign, before beingsensationally fired in 1975 by Governor-General Sir John Kerr, the Queen’s representa-tive. His dismissal was prompted by a refusalby parliament’s upper house, where his LaborParty did not hold a majority, to pass a budg-et bill until the government agreed to call ageneral election.

To end the impasse, Kerr took theunprecedented step of sacking Whitlam andinstalling then opposition leader MalcolmFraser as caretaker prime minister.

“I don’t think Gough ... I never felt he boreme personal animosity. He regarded that aspolitics,” Fraser said Tuesday of that tumul-tuous time.

“He wasn’t the sort of person who boregrudges. He didn’t carry a bitterness into thefuture. He was a much larger man than that, amore generous man than that.”

Nation lost a legend -Abbott paid tribute to Whitlam’s lifetime

of service to his country, in the air force dur-ing World War II and as a politician andambassador. “In his own party, he inspired alegion of young people to get involved inpublic life,” said Abbott. “He established diplo-matic relations with China and was the firstAustralian Prime Minister to visit China. Chinais our largest trading partner. That is anenduring legacy.”—AFP

BANGKOK: A council selected byThailand’s ruling junta started workyesterday on reforms to close thenation’s festering political divide, atask critics dismiss as aimed at dilut-ing the influence of billionaire ex-pre-mier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who led a military coup in May,has said sweeping change to rid the

kingdom of corruption is necessarybefore new elections can take place.

“We have to... target reforms thatwill reduce gaps in politics and socie-ty for the people,” newly appointedNational Reform Council (NRC) presi-dent Thienchay Kiranandana told thechamber. The 250-strong NRC willrecommend initiatives including anew constitution, but opponents say

it is stacked with anti-Thaksin figuresseeking to erase his legacy ratherthan craft policies to end years ofpolitical turmoil.

Its ranks include supporters of thestreet movement which paralysedthe last elected government ofThaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra,as well as former senators renownedfor their opposition to the telecomsmagnate, who was toppled in a 2006coup. One of Yingluck’s lawyers leadsa handful of pro-Shinawatra mem-bers on the council, which alsoincludes civil society representativesand academics. A committee will beappointed next month to write a newconstitution.

That charter is expected toinclude clauses preventing thoseconvicted of corruption from politics,a move which appears to targetThaksin who fled Thailand in 2008 toavoid jail for a graft conviction whichhe contends was politically motivat-ed. Analysts expect the new constitu-tion will target Thaksin’s political net-work as well as his enduring popular-ity in the north by either redrawingconstitutional boundaries, culling thenumber of lawmakers in parliamentor part-appointing the lower house.

‘Psuedo-democracy’ A constitutional law expert said

the make-up of the NRC indicates it isprimed to construct a “psuedo-democracy” that will fail to bridgeThailand’s political schism. “The elimi-nation of Thaksin’s influence is part ofthe moralistic mission and it is notdifficult to incorporate into the (new)constitution,” Khemthong Tonsakulrungruang of ChulalongkornUniversity told AFP. “The objective ofthe new system is not to recruit themost popular man to power, but a‘virtuous’ one,” Khemthong added.

Prayut seized power from anelected government in a bloodlesscoup on May 22, shortly afterYingluck was dismissed as prime min-ister in a controversial court ruling.Months of anti-government protestsin Bangkok had crippled her adminis-tration. From the start, the leaders ofthe mass demonstrations called for areform council to “re-set” Thailandbefore returning to elections.

Prayut has denied the coup waschoreographed with the anti-Thaksinprotesters, saying he was forced tograb power after violence during theprotests left nearly 30 people deadand hundreds wounded.—AFP

Thailand’s ruling junta starts work on reforms

BANGKOK: Members of the National Reform Council (NRC) attend thefirst meeting at Parliament in Bangkok yesterday. A council selected byThailand’s ruling junta started work on reforms to close the nation’sfestering political divide, a task critics dismiss as aimed at diluting theinfluence of billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. — AFP

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N E W SWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Continued from Page 1

Texaco acquired Getty Oil in 1984, and Chevron took overTexaco in 2001.

A senior Kuwaiti official dismissed any political implica-tions and said the Kuwaiti side was informed of the Khafjishutdown. Recently, Kuwait’s oil marketers have been chal-lenging their Saudi counterparts in an increasingly competi-tive battle for market share, selling oil to buyers in Asia at thewidest discount to a comparable Saudi grade in 10 years.

Kuwait’s objectionsThe sources say Kuwait was angry because it was not

consulted when the Chevron concession to operate Wafrawas renewed by Riyadh in 2009 until 2039. But the rowgoes back even further, to 2007, when a land disputebetween Kuwait and Saudi led to a delay in Kuwait’s plansto build an oil refinery. Chevron has had a lease on some ofthe land on Kuwait’s side which was earmarked for the newrefinery.

In recent months, Kuwait has been making it more diffi-cult for Chevron to acquire work permits to operate in theZone, because of legal misinterpretation of the agreement,the sources said. “Kuwait has been giving Chevron a hardtime,” one diplomatic source said. Chevron is leading a full-field steam injection project in the onshore Wafra field to

boost output of heavy oil there by more than 80,000 bpd.Last year, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait shelved a project todevelop another venture in the Neutral Zone, the Dorra off-shore gas field, after disagreeing over how to share the gasback on land.

Kuwait blames Riyadh for ending that project despite itsdesperate need for gas for power generation. “These issuesbetween the two countries have started several years ago.Relations soured when Saudi stopped the Dorra projectfrom proceeding,” said another Kuwaiti official. He addedthere have been also disagreements over the distribution ofinvestments costs with the Saudi side. Dorra has long beena bone of contention between Kuwait and Iran, which alsolays claim to part of the field.

Kuwait agreed with Riyadh in 2000 to jointly develop thefield they desperately need to satisfy their growing gasneed. More than a decade on, little progress has been madeand it has now been shelved indefinitely. The Neutral Zoneis the only place in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where foreignoil firms have equity in fields, which are otherwise ownedand operated by state oil companies. Crude output is divid-ed equally between the two countries. It survived thenationalization of the Saudi oil industry in the 1970s. Sincethen, Saudi reserves of 264 billion barrels - around a fifth ofthe world’s proven oil reserves - have been off limits tointernational oil companies. — Reuters

Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield...

Continued from Page 1

Kobane has become a crucial symbolic battle-ground in the war against IS, which is fighting toextend areas under its control in Iraq and Syria whereit has declared an Is lamic “cal iphate”. Ank araannounced Monday that it would help Kurdish forcesfrom Iraq to relieve Kobane’s beleaguered defenders,in a major shift of policy that was swiftly welcomed byWashington. Iraqi Kurdish officials have said they willprovide the training, although any forces sent will beSyrian Kurds.

A local Kurdish official, Idris Nassen said Kobanewas relatively calm yesterday, adding that no rein-forcements had yet arrived and they did not have “anyidea” when they would. Turkish Foreign MinisterMevlut Cavusoglu confirmed that Kurdish fighters hadyet to cross from Turkey to Kobane, telling NTV televi-sion “the issue is still being discussed”. The US admin-istration has stepped up its commitment to Kobane inrecent days, with Secretary of State John Kerry sayingit would be “irresponsible” and “morally very difficult”not to help.

Further strikesA US-led coalition has carried out more than 140

air strikes against IS targets around Kobane, but it wasthe first time it had delivered arms to the town’sdefenders. US Central Command said one of the 27bundles had gone astray but that American warplanesbombed it to prevent it being snatched by IS. It alsosaid American warplanes carried out four strikes nearKobane yesterday, while coalition aircraft conductedanother three in Iraq. Despite the Kobane operation,US commanders said the top priority remains Iraq,where IS swept through much of the Sunni Arabheartland north and west of Baghdad in June, withboth government and Kurdish forces under pressure.

The jihadists attacked the Kurdish-controlled townof Qara Tapah on Monday, killing at least 10 peopleand prompting half of its 9,000 residents to flee. “Weare afraid IS will encircle us and turn this town into asecond Amerli,” said one resident, referring to a mainly

Shiite Turkmen town further north besieged by IS fortwo months over the summer. Since last week,Baghdad also seen a rise in the number of bombings,several of which have been claimed by IS. Two carbombs exploded yesterday in a Shiite area of the capi-tal, killing at least 12. The violence has raised fears ISwill attack large gatherings of Shiite worshippers dur-ing the upcoming Ashura commemorations, the tar-get of devastating bombings in past years.

Iraq PM in TehranMeanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi, in

Iran for talks with his Shiite ally, described IS as “athreat to the entire region.” IS holds towns just a fewmiles from the Iranian border, and Tehran has been akey backer of Baghdad’s efforts to hold them back.According to a senior Iraqi Kurdish official, Iran hasdeployed troops on the Iraqi side of the border in theKhanaqin area northeast of Baghdad.

Iranian forces also played a role in breaking thesiege of Amerli, another senior Kurdish official said.But Abadi has ruled out any foreign ground interven-tion to assist government forces in retaking territorylost to jihadists. After meeting Abadi, Iranian supremeleader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he believed Iraqand its government “have the capacity to overcomethe terrorists and establish security. There is no needfor foreign presence.” He added that “we stand besideyou and will seriously defend your government likethe previous government.”

In Syria, IS posted a video on YouTube appearingto show a Syrian man taking part in stoning hisdaughter to death for a l leged adulter y. TheObservatory said the execution took place in Augustor September in an IS-controlled rural area in the eastof the central province of Hama. It was the latest in aspate of videotaped executions that the jihadistshave posted on social media as they impose theirextreme version of Islamic sharia law on areas undertheir control. Elsewhere in Syria, regime air raidskilled at least 15 people yesterday in rebel-heldNassib, on the Jordanian border, the Britain-basedObservatory said. — Agecnies

IS seizes arms airdropped by US-led...Continued from Page 1

Last fiscal year, Kuwait posted a budget surplus ofKD12.9 billion even after deducting 25 percent of rev-enues in favor of the future generations fund ratherthan 10 percent. But Abdulsamad said that if oil pricestays at $82 a barrel, Kuwait will incur a deficit of KD5.3billion in the second half of the year which will shrinkthe overall surplus to just KD900 million. The lawmakerhoped that OPEC countries will be able to find a solu-tion to sliding oil prices as soon as possible.

In the meantime, opposition leader Mussallam Al-Barrak was involved yesterday in a confrontation withdefense lawyer for the former Prime Minister Emad Al-Saif. Saif has been accompanying former premierSheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to the

Public Prosecution which has been questioning SheikhNasser over a number of accusations including a coupplot and money laundering. Sheikh Nasser has alreadyappeared three times and is due to appear more. Hehas not spoken to the press but his lawyer did.

Saif was cited as saying Monday night that his clienthas given all the authorities to the Public Prosecutionto do what is needful regarding the investigation.Barrak strongly lashed out at Saif for saying that hisclient gave the authority to the Public Prosecution,considering the statement as a sign of disrespect to thejudiciary. But Saif responded by ridiculing Barrak fornot knowing the legal terms used by lawyers and saidthat Barrak is the last person to show any respect to thejudiciary after he accused them of bribery among otheraccusations.

‘Deport after revoking citizenship’

GOLAN HEIGHTS: A picture taken yesterday from the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights near the Quneitra border crossing with Israel shows smoke billowing from buildings in Syrian territory, followingfighting between forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad and rebel fighters. — AFP

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Istanbul University a battleground

“It was as if we were in the middle of a warzone,” said 22-year-old drama student AslihanCelebi as she described the scene of a violent

anti-jihadist protest at Istanbul University. The univer-sity has in the last few weeks been the centre of vio-lent clashes between leftist students denouncing thebrutality of Islamic State (IS) jihadists and the group’ssympathizers. The clashes erupted as social tensionsmount in Turkey over the advance of IS, with at least34 people killed this month in protests over the lackof action by the government against the Islamistextremists. IS jihadists are currently battling Kurdishfighters for the Syrian town of Kobane just over theTurkish border. But so far the Turkish military has justlooked on.

The first clash at the university erupted in lateSeptember when Islamist students tried to forciblyprevent left-wingers from holding an anti-IS rally. Anumber of students were attacked by IS sympathizerswearing black masks and armed with clubs, meatcleavers and knives, said Aslihan, a member of FKF,the socialist group which organized the anti-ISprotests. “It was a violent raid, to attack... not just theleftists, but other students too,” she said. “They startedto sing an IS anthem, chanted ‘Allahu akbar’ (God isgreatest) and attacked us indiscriminately. They evenbeat up the cafeteria’s waiter.” The Islamists tore downa banner that read “We won’t remain a bystander to ISmassacres,” before both sides clashed, hurling glassbottles.

‘Hotbed of tension’ The university has continued to operate, despite

having been raided by police several times followingnew clashes that saw dozens of students detainedand scores injured. Riot police still hold positions out-side the university, with armored vehicles and watercannon trucks. Anil Orun, a 22-year old history major,was rounded up by police for his involvement in asimilar clash in October, during which more than 40students were detained, among them eight IS sup-porters, according to Turkish media. “The police wentinto each classroom, looking for leftist students. Thiswas when I was detained. They swore at us, pointedtheir guns at us, threatening to fire rubber bullets andeven shoot us if we dare resist,” he said. “ Theyknocked some of the detainees on the ground, kickedour heads with their boots and paraded us in themain hall as if we were prisoners.” The clashes werereminiscent of violent political free-for-alls that shookthe university in the late 1970s before the 1980 coupwhich featured bloody conflicts between leftists andfar-right extremists.

The influence of leftists remains largely intact atthe university, where police often use tear gas to dis-perse protests. “Our university has long been ahotbed of left-wing right-wing tensions. But this isthe first confrontation pitting leftists against IS sup-porters,” said another student, 20-year-old Ugur Diner.He blamed the police, the university administrationand ruling Islamic-rooted Justice and DevelopmentParty (AKP) for protecting IS. The authorities havevehemently denied reports that the IS group hasbeen tacitly allowed to maintain a presence onIstanbul including an office in the conservative Fatihdistrict.

‘Don’t hijack our education’Aslihan said some IS supporters did not belong at

the university, but came from other universities toprovoke the leftist students. “Some of them were noteven students. The police just let them in,” Aslihansaid. “They target female students. They called us‘bitches’ and ‘whores’ to our face, ripped off a friend’sT-shirt and grabbed another one by the hair.” “Sittingnext to a male friend is enough for them to attack.”

The atmosphere at the university is fraught withuncertainty and anxiety, said Elif Ogut, a 20-year-oldstudent wearing an Islamic headscarf. “I fear that theclashes could break out any given time. They (pro-ISstudents) don’t represent us. Their ideology is notsupported by the majority.” she said. AlicanYesilcimen, a 23-year-old history major, said there is“no peace at the university anymore”. “They don’thave a right to hijack our education,” he said. “Turkeyhas suffered a lot from both Islamist radicalism andKurdish separatism. Why do I want their supporters atmy university?”— AFP

Issues

By Dilay Gundogan

ANALYSISWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

By Dan Levine and Kristina Cooke

It was the week of Chinese New Year, and Jian Zhen Huangwas climbing her sister’s doorstep in Brooklyn with cupsand other supplies for the celebration inside. Suddenly, a

young man grabbed her, punched her in the face severaltimes, knocked her down to the pavement and stole herphone. The housewife spent that February 2013 night at a hos-pital and left with her head wrapped in gauze, staples in herscalp and black circles around her eyes - “like a panda,” her hus-band said in an affidavit. Headaches and sleepless nights per-sisted for months.

Reporting the crime to the police carried a potential risk:Huang had entered the country using someone else’s passport14 years ago. But after she left the hospital, Huang gave theNew York Police Department a description of her attacker. Herhusband, an undocumented cook, called the police to providetracking information for the phone. While they waited to hearback from the NYPD, Huang learned from her sister about avisa the federal government grants to undocumented immi-grants who are victims of violent crime and who help lawenforcement try to catch the perpetrators. The so-called U visa,which allows the recipient to live and work in the US for fouryears, would remove the threat of deportation and startHuang and her husband on the road to citizenship.

Huang hired a lawyer to help with her application. On oneof the forms, an NYPD sergeant attested to Huang’s help. ThenHuang hit a snag: Police headquarters must officially verify hercooperation before her application can be submitted toUnited States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and it has-n’t done so. According to Chunyu Jean Wang, Huang’s lawyer,the NYPD hasn’t responded to her repeated inquiries formonths. “We’re lucky if anyone picks up the phone,” Wang said.

The U visa program was created by Congress to help policeand prosecutors build trust with immigrant communities. Butnational data analyzed by Reuters, along with dozens of inter-views with police, prosecutors, lawyers and immigrants acrossthe country, show that for undocumented immigrants likeHuang who seek a U visa by helping the police, the chances ofgaining a legal toehold in the United States are largely a matterof geography.

Telling numbersIn some cities, police and prosecutors readily verify that an

undocumented crime victim cooperated; in others, theystonewall. From 2009 through May 2014, law enforcement inNew York City verified 1,151 crime victims, according to figuresprovided by federal immigration authorities in response topublic records requests by Reuters. Meanwhile, police andprosecutors verified 4,585 crime victims in Los Angeles, a citywith less than half of New York’s population. Oakland,California, has less than 5 percent of New York’s population, yetlaw enforcement there verified 2,992 immigrants during thesame period - more than twice as many. Sacramento,California, has a slightly higher population than Oakland, butverified just 300 crime victims.

The federal data do not include the number of immigrantswhose requests for verification are ignored or denied by thepolice. Nor is it possible to determine how many of thosewould have ultimately been rejected anyway because theapplicant would not qualify under the program. Victims of mis-demeanor assault, for instance, do not qualify. But wide varia-tions in the numbers of certifications among jurisdictions ofsimilar size suggest that thousands of victims of violent crimeswho have embraced the offer of a U visa haven’t got one.

“There is a significant portion of the country where lawenforcement is not providing certifications,” said GailPendleton, co-founder of ASISTA, which helps lawyers whowork with immigrant survivors of domestic violence and sexu-al assault. “That means that you have tens of thousands of vic-tims of crimes like domestic violence and rape that are just notgetting help, and their perpetrators are not being heldaccountable.” In a nationwide survey of advocates and attor-neys in 2013, researchers at the University of North CarolinaSchool of Law found that the U visa program “is kind of likegeography roulette,” said Deborah Weissman, a UNC law pro-fessor. NYPD Deputy Commissioner Susan Herman said thedepartment has revamped its U visa policies since a new cityadministration took over earlier this year. “The problems were alack of transparency and a lack of understanding about whatthe process was, a lack of speed, and a sense that people didn’thave any recourse if they were denied and they felt they werewrongly denied,” Herman said. “We’ve tried to address all threeof those problems.” Herman declined to comment on specificcases like Huang’s. She said the NYPD views U visas as “veryhelpful” for law enforcement. “It’s appropriate that if someoneis involved in an investigation, that they have this protection.”

Uneven applicationDemocrat Senator Ted Kennedy and Republican Senator

Spencer Abraham worked together in 2000 to create the Uvisa, part of the Violence Against Women Act. Congress limitedthe number to 10,000 a year, and the program is heavily over-subscribed. In fiscal 2012, Citizenship and ImmigrationServices received 24,768 applications from crime victims certi-fied by local law enforcement. If the agency determines animmigrant is eligible for the visa but the yearly cap has beenreached, that person can still obtain protection against depor-tation - and work authorization - while joining the U visaqueue.

To guard against potential fraud, lawmakers required thatlocal law enforcement verify applicants so “someone whoseday job it was to decide who is telling truth” could vet them,said Leslye Orloff, director of the National Immigrant Women’sAdvocacy Project at American University, who has lobbied onthe legislation over the years. Interviews with attorneys acrossthe country reveal wide disparities in approaches to lawenforcement certification. Some agencies will only certify foropen cases, others only for cases that are closed. Others putfurther limits on the type of crime or rule out victims whoseinjuries aren’t deemed severe enough.

UNC’s Weissman said that in many instances, local lawenforcement is, in essence, usurping Citizenship andImmigration Services’ authority to decide whether to grantsomeone a visa or not. Citizenship and Immigration Servicesdeclined to answer questions about the program. In a state-ment, it said it was “committed to the integrity of the immigra-tion systems and administers this program based on the lawand the information provided by both the applicant and lawenforcement agencies.”

In some jurisdictions, law enforcement is split: Police mayrefuse to certify crime victims, while prosecutors will sign off,meaning that only those victims whose cases result in arrestand prosecution can apply for the visa, though that is not arequirement under the law. That’s been the case inAlbuquerque, New Mexico. In all, law enforcement there hascertified 225 U visa hopefuls since 2009, the federal data show.By comparison, Fresno, California, with about 50,000 fewerpeople and a lower violent crime rate, certified 492 peopleduring the same period. Albuquerque’s number includes somecertifications by the district attorney’s office. And over half ofthem - at least 140 cases from 2008 to 2013 - were certified byQuintin McShan.

‘A culture thing’In 2008, McShan, a New Mexico state police captain, started

certifying crime victims in cases investigated not by his ownagency, but by the Albuquerque Police Department. “I stronglybelieve it is the right thing to do,” McShan said. “How can youtell people, ‘I have the power to help you, but I won’t use it?”When he first started interviewing victims in APD cases,McShan considered it a stop-gap measure until the depart-ment put its own policy in place.

He said he soon realized he was the only officer inAlbuquerque tasked with signing off on U visa certifications.“It’s a culture thing in that agency,” said McShan, who retiredlast year. “They didn’t think it was their job.” APD spokeswomanJanet Blair said that in most cases, prosecutors, not police, canbest determine whether a victim should be certified. She saidthat “within weeks,” the city will finish revised guidelines for vic-tims whose police reports do not result in an arrest. After that,she said, the city will agree to review applications that werepreviously denied.

McShan recalled a woman who made four separate policereports about her abusive boyfriend, saying he broke her wristand threatened her with a steak knife. In the last incident, heshoved her head into a wall and threatened to have herdeported if she testified against him. She remained willing totestify, and McShan certified her in 2010. Hugo Reyes was notso lucky. In 2012, the 28-year-old had just been to HomeDepot when he stopped off at his Albuquerque home to usethe bathroom before taking his children to get a hamburger.On his doorstep, a man stopped and spoke to him, and thenstabbed him. “I had no idea what he had done to me� Therewas just a hole in my stomach,” Reyes said. “I wasn’t bleeding,but within three minutes I was unconscious.”

Reyes walked across the border from Mexico with a groupof about 30 people when he was 16. Following the attack,Reyes spoke to the police multiple times, giving them adescription, as best he could, of the man who stabbed him.The man was never caught, which meant Reyes isn’t eligiblefor a cooperation signature from the DA’s office. And McShanretired before Reyes applied. APD did not respond to specificquestions about Reyes’s case. Recently, the only work Reyes

has been able to get is in construction. His doctor told him thatto avoid complicating his injury, he should try not to do anyheavy lifting. On the construction site, he wears a supportivebelt. If he got a U visa, he said, he would look for work thatdoesn’t require constantly lifting heavy things. “My neighborworks at Wal-Mart and says that they pay well.”

AmbassadorsResponding to concerns that some local agencies weren’t

certifying crime victims, Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy pro-posed a change to the law in 2011: If a crime victim seekingverification from local police is stonewalled, he or she couldthen submit evidence directly to Citizenship and ImmigrationServices. That language drew opposition from other senators,including the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee,Charles Grassley. Leahy dropped the provision. “It would haveundermined the entire program,” Grassley said at a 2012 hear-ing. His spokeswoman recently told Reuters that the commit-tee had not been presented with any evidence that lawenforcement was not properly certifying U visa applicants.

The Oakland Police Department developed its U visa proce-dures in 2008, and faulty requests to verify cooperation havebeen rare: Between 2009 and 2013, the department rejectedjust 57, said Lieutenant Kevin Wiley, supervisor of the specialvictims section. Wiley recently turned away an applicant whowas in prison for participating in the very crime of which heclaimed to be a victim. Wiley said he believes crime reportinghas gone up in immigrant neighborhoods because of the Uvisa. “We’d rather give an applicant the benefit of the doubt atthis level,” he said.

Oakland verifies more undocumented crime victims thanany city besides Los Angeles, though it has little more than atenth of the population of Los Angeles. Both the OaklandPolice Department and the Alameda County district attorney’soffice have coordinators who work with undocumented crimevictims. “They’re our ambassadors” for law enforcement inimmigrant communities, said Kim Hunter, an Alameda Countysenior deputy district attorney. The system worked forZurisadai Cortez. A few weeks after he graduated from highschool in 2007, he was hanging out with buddies in SanLeandro, adjacent to Oakland, about to head for a pickup soc-cer game. A couple of guys walked up to them, made smalltalk, and walked a few paces. Then one of them opened fire onCortez and his friends.

“I heard the ‘ch ch,’ and him just turn around, and we all justhit the ground,” Cortez said. No one was hurt, and the policecame right away. “They seemed to believe we were good kidsright off the bat,” he said. Later that night, he accompanied thecops to identify a suspect. Cortez testified for the governmentin court, and the shooter was sentenced to 12 years in prison.Afterward, Cortez heard about the U visa from a family mem-ber whose husband had been shot. An Alameda County pros-ecutor certified Cortez’s cooperation form, and Citizenship andImmigration Services approved his application. Cortez, whowalked across the desert with his family as a child to enter theUS, graduated from college last year. “It’s just crazy how thatpiece of plastic gives you a sigh of relief, just such empower-ment,” he said.

‘Massive logjams’Allegations of police dragging their feet on certifications

have arisen in New York, with one of the largest populations ofundocumented people in the United States. Huang’s attorneyfiled a lawsuit against the city on behalf of Huang and six otherimmigrants, alleging that the NYPD abused its discretionunder New York law because it wouldn’t allow anyone to verifycooperation besides the commissioner. That has created “mas-sive logjams” and “leaves many crime victims with no alterna-tive for obtaining certification,” according to the lawsuit filedearlier this year in New York state court.

NYPD Deputy Commissioner Herman said two additionalpolice officials can now verify undocumented immigrants whocooperate with law enforcement. “That has sped up the appli-cation process, and that’s a good thing,” Herman said, addingthat most crime victims shouldn’t be waiting more than twomonths. The lawsuit is pending. Huang, meanwhile, saidthrough an interpreter that the lack of certification is an obsta-cle to realizing her dream of opening a restaurant with herhusband. Now living in Fairbanks, Alaska, all she can do is waitfor the required signature. “I’m living an afraid life,” she said.

Another New York crime victim, Omar Merabet, entered thecountry illegally on a ship from Algeria in 1994. Three yearsago, he was badly beaten while out delivering Little Debbiesnacks on Rockaway Boulevard in Queens. A driver in anothercar scraped his parked van and blamed him for the collision.He broke nine bones in Merabet’s face, which is now heldtogether by a metal plate.—Reuters

US visa program for crimevictims is hit-or-miss prospect

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LAS VEGAS: Two fledgling professional fighters in Las Vegas are suingFloyd Mayweather Jr. and producers of a cable TV show, alleging theynever consented to be part of a promotional training bout depicted as a“dog house” fight that was supposed to last until someone quit.

Hashim Rahman Jr. and younger brother Sharif Rahman accuseShowtime Networks and Mayweather of profiting at their

expense. The civil lawsuit filed Thursday in Nevada state court

seeks unspecified monetary damages more than$10,000 from the New York-based network and

Mayweather, who goes by the nickname “Money.”Mayweather attorney Mark Tratos declined to com-ment.

Showtime officials didn’t immediately respondto a message. The lawsuit also accusesMayweather of lying Sept. 23 in testimony before

the Nevada State Athletic Commission aboutthe “All Access” show at his gym. —AP

NEW DELHI: India field hockey coach Terry Walsh resigned yester-day citing administrative hurdles in his job, within three weeks ofguiding the team to the Asian Games gold medal.

“I am finding considerable difficulty adjusting to the decision-making style of the sporting bureaucracy in India which I believe,in the long term, is not in the best interests of Indian hockey or it’splayers,” Walsh wrote in his resignation letter to the SportsAuthority of India.

The renowned coach, who represented Australia in four WorldCups and three Olympics, took over India last year and raisedhopes. Under him, India repeated as a Commonwealth Gamesfinalist in August, and won the Asian Games for the first time in 16years, qualifying for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. “In addi-tion to my difficulties with not being able to professionally oper-ate within these bureaucratic confines, I am not willing to contin-ue with the constant time away from my family in Australia. Mycurrent commitment places too much stress on my personal life,”the 60-year-old added.

Hockey India president Narinder Batra, who shared the con-tents of the resignation letter with the media, said in a separateemail that all foreign members of the support staff were unhappywith a tax issue relating to their contracts which he hoped wouldbe worked out soon. —AP

India’s hockey coach quitsSYDNEY: World Cup-winning former Australia flyhalf Stephen Larkham has turned downthe chance of working under the new Wallabies coach on the upcoming tour of Europe tofocus on his job at the ACT Brumbies.

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) is expected to name New South Wales Waratahscoach Michael Cheika as replacement for Ewen McKenzie, who quit suddenly last Saturday,before the squad departs on Friday. Larkham, who played 102 times for his country, hadbeen touted as a possible backs coach to work under Cheika but hasdecided it is not the right time for him. “While I was honored to beconsidered, I felt like taking five weeks out of my first solo prepara-tion for a Super Rugby season wouldn’t be fair on the Brumbies,the local community or my family,” Larkham said in a newsrelease.

“I am passionate about the success of Australian rugby, but atthis point in time I think I can best serve the Wallabies by remainingfocused on the Brumbies, who I hope will make up the backbone ofthe squad leading into the World Cup. “Our own programme is aboutto kick off here in Canberra and it would be difficult for me to deliverthe outcomes expected of me if I’m not on the ground from day one.”The Brumbies lost in the semi-finals to the Waratahs last season underthe joint guidance of Larkham and veteran Laurie Fisher, whohas since departed for English club Gloucester. Australia willplay the Barbarians and tests against Wales, France, Ireland

Larkham turns down roleBoxers suing Mayweather over Vegas cable TV bout

PITTSBURGH: Ben Roethlisberger passed fortwo touchdowns and wide receiver AntonioBrown added another during a frantic stretchlate in the first half, helping the PittsburghSteelers rally for a 30-23 win over the mistake-prone Houston Texans on Monday night.

Pittsburgh (4-3) needed just over a minute toturn a 10-point deficit into an 11-point lead asthe Texans self-destructed while losing theirthird game in a row.

“You stand on the sidelines long enough, youwill see explosions such as that,” Steelers coachMike Tomlin said. “It was good to be on the goodside of it.” Roethlisberger finished with 265 yardspassing. Le’Veon Bell racked up 145 yards oftotal offense and rookie wide receiver MartavisBryant caught a momentum-swinging touch-down pass in his first NFL start. Arian Foster ranfor 102 yards for Houston (3-4), but just 29 overthe final three quarters. Ryan Fitzpatrick was 21of 32 for 262 yards with two touchdowns and aninterception but the Texans were undone bythree turnovers.

Watt recovered a fumble and picked up histhird sack of the season but was neutralized formost of the second half. By then, the Steelerswere on their way to the win.

Pittsburgh was listless for the first 25 minutes,letting Foster and Fitzpatrick do whatever theywanted as the Texans raced to a 13-0 lead thatseemed larger. A 44-yard Shaun Suisham fieldgoal with 3:08 left in the half gave the Steelers aminor boost. A strike from Roethlisberger to Bellprovided a much larger one shortly after the 2-minute warning. Roethlisberger hit the versatileback for a 43-yard gain - Pittsburgh’s longestpass play of the season - to move the ball to theHouston 35.

Roethlisberger then hit Bryant, who strug-gled staying healthy in the preseason and spentthe first six weeks on the inactive list, with a rain-bow pass that Bryant caught at the back of the

end zone to make it 13-10 with 1:27 left.The Steelers were just getting started. Foster

fumbled deep in Houston territory two playsafter Bryant’s score and the Steelers recovered.Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Todd Haley,who has faced heavy criticism for his play-call-ing, went deep into his options to help theSteelers take the lead.

On first-and-goal, Roethlisberger flipped theball to Brown, who was coming in motion. ThePro Bowl wide receiver then spun back aroundto his left and fired a strike to Lance Moore in theend zone. Houston’s issues escalated on the nextsnap when Fitzpatrick’s throw over the middle

was deflected into the arms of Pittsburgh defen-sive end Brett Keisel. The 36-year-old took thesecond pick of his career to the Houston 8.

Roethlisberger found Brown for a 6-yard gainand then hit Bell - who was uncovered aftergoing in motion - for a touchdown.

The Steelers methodically added on in thesecond half, extending the lead to 14 points on apair of Suisham field goals before a late scoringpass from Fitzpatrick to Foster.

“We had a terrible second quarter,” Houstoncoach Bill O’Brien said. “We couldn’t come backfrom it. Just too many turnovers. We just had ahard time overcoming all those things.” — AP

Steelers pound Texans

American Football ConferenceAFC East

W L T OTL PF PA PCT New England 5 2 0 0 187 154 .714 Buffalo 4 3 0 0 135 142 .571 Miami 3 3 0 0 147 138 .500 NY Jets 1 6 0 0 121 185 .143

AFC NorthBaltimore 5 2 0 0 193 104 .714 Cincinnati 3 2 1 0 134 140 .583 Pittsburgh 4 3 0 0 154 162 .571 Cleveland 3 3 0 0 140 139 .500

AFC SouthIndianapolis 5 2 0 0 216 136 .714 Houston 3 4 0 1 155 150 .429 Tennessee 2 5 0 0 121 172 .286 Jacksonville 1 6 0 0 105 191 .143

AFC WestDenver 5 1 0 1 189 121 .833 San Diego 5 2 0 0 184 114 .714 Kansas City 3 3 0 0 142 121 .500 Oakland 0 6 0 0 92 158 0

National Football ConferenceNFC East

Dallas 6 1 0 0 196 147 .857 Philadelphia 5 1 0 0 183 132 .833 NY Giants 3 4 0 0 154 169 .429 Washington 2 5 0 0 151 183 .286

NFC NorthDetroit 5 2 0 0 140 105 .714 Green Bay 5 2 0 0 199 147 .714 Chicago 3 4 0 1 157 171 .429 Minnesota 2 5 0 0 120 160 .286

NFC SouthCarolina 3 3 1 0 158 195 .500 New Orleans 2 4 0 1 155 165 .333 Atlanta 2 5 0 0 171 199 .286 Tampa Bay 1 5 0 1 120 204 .167

NFC WestArizona 5 1 0 0 140 119 .833 San Francisco 4 3 0 0 158 165 .571 Seattle 3 3 0 0 159 141 .500 St. Louis 2 4 0 0 129 176 .333

KANSAS CITY: Alex Gordon took a big rip at abatting-practice fastball, fouled it off badly intothe cage, and ducked when the carom nearly hithim in the head.

Gordon let out a huge laugh, and so did abunch of his Kansas City Royals teammateswatching Monday’s workout. “I can’t believe thatjust happened, dude,” pitcher James Shieldsrazzed. It’ll be more frustrating than funny ifthose are the same awkward swings the Royalsand San Francisco Giants take once the WorldSeries begins.

Going into Game 1 lastday night at KauffmanStadium, both teams will deal would a familiarissue this deep in the postseason: Does anextended layoff translate into rest or rust? BusterPosey and the Giants zipped through the play-offs, and now will try for their third title in fiveyears. Lorenzo Cain and the Royals zoomedalong, reaching the Series for the first time since1985. And then, they all got some time off.Almost an eternity, by October standards.

The Royals went 8-0 in the AL playoffs, givingthem five idle days before Shields starts theopener. San Francisco went 8-2 on the NL sideand had four days to relax before MadisonBumgarner pitches.

“It’s definitely different because we haveplayed so many games over the last 7 1/2, eightmonths. But you just understand it’s one of those

things,” Posey said. As recent history has shown,hitters can be very vulnerable when they get outof rhythm.

“It affects a bit with your timing, especiallywhen trying to adjust to pitchers,” Kansas Citysecond baseman Omar Infante said. “It’s hard torecover that groove you have.”

The slightly favored Giants and Royals heldpractices, studied video and checked out scout-ing reports. But as several teams that stumbledin the World Series after long breaks discovered,nothing can duplicate playing a real game.

Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera andDetroit got nearly a week off in 2012, then theTigers hit a combined .159 and totaled six runs ingetting swept by the Giants.

Troy Tulowitzki and the Colorado Rockiesrushed into the 2007 World Series, waited a weekand got outscored 29-10 in Boston’s sweep. Ayear earlier, Magglio Ordonez and the Tigerslooked so powerful in the playoffs, but fell aparta week later and hit only .199 in a five-game lossto St. Louis.

Infante played on both of those Detroit teamsthat got wiped out. He actually excelled in 2012,hitting .333. “It’s a short series, you need someluck. We lost four in a row and they were comingfrom playing seven. In this series, I think bothteams are even,” he said.

Royals reserve Raul Ibanez, who’s enjoyed

postseason success in the past, said “determina-tion and will” carry players in the fall. Yet the tim-ing and confidence that lifts them for so long canbe lost in a hurry. All of a sudden, a ball thatmight’ve been a solid double becomes a soft fly.

A line drive up the middle turns into a foul ballstraight back. A big hit winds up a great catch.

Just like that, a magical touch is missing, andcan’t be recaptured until it’s too late. Royalscatcher Salvador Perez hooted at himself after a

popup and an easy grounder in BP on Monday,and changed bats for his next round. He home-red on his final swing.

“When you’ve been playing for seven or eightmonths, it’s nice to have an off day every nowand then. But when you do have those workoutdays where you just go in and hit BP and takegrounders and stuff, you try to keep it as muchlike game day as possible,” Giants first basemanBrandon Belt said. Royals designated hitter BillyButler said he didn’t see the five-day break beinga detriment.

“Hey, they’ve had four days off. That’s the wayyou look at it. They played one day later than wehave - they’ve had a layoff, too,” he said. “I don’tknow if it’ll play any factor. It definitely won’t bethe reason if we go out there and don’t wintomorrow,” Butler said.

Shields and Bumgarner seemed uncon-cerned. This will be Shields’ first start since Oct.10 in the AL Championship Series opener againstBaltimore. “I think this late in the year almost toomuch throwing is too much,” he said. “So I’ve justkind of rested my body up for tomorrow.”

Bumgarner has already thrown 249 inningsthis year, including four postseason outings. Hewas the NLCS MVP, and started last Thursdaywhen the Giants closed out St. Louis. “Honestly, Ifeel the best I’ve felt all year for the last probablytwo months,” the lefty said. — AP

PITTSBURGH: Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) is tackled by Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Arthur Moats (55)in thefirst half of the NFL football game. — AP

GLENDALE: Matt Hendricks No. 23 of the Edmonton Oilers shoots the puck in this filephoto. —AFP

EDMONTON: Taylor Hall scored on a penal-ty shot and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scoredthe winner in the final minutes to liftEdmonton to a 3-2 victory over the TampaBay Lightning on Monday, giving the Oilerstheir first win of the season.

Justin Schultz also scored for the Oilers,who had matched the team’s worst start.Edmonton was the final team in theWestern Conference to earn a victory.

Brian Boyle and Brett Connolly scoredfor the Lightning. Boyle gave Tampa Bay a1-0 lead in the second period, butEdmonton took the lead before the periodwas over. Nugent-Hopkins made it 3-2 with3:52 left in the game. The Oilers nearly tooka 1-0 lead seven minutes in when JeffPetry ’s point blast eluded goalie BenBishop but hit the post. Tampa Bay thenalmost scored four minutes later when itappeared that Connolly had scored on BenScrivens. However, the goal was waved offbecause Boyle interfered with Scrivens infront. The Lightning went ahead 1-0 on a

fluke goal 1:22 into the second when Boylehooked a shot out front from behind thegoal line that hit Schultz’s knee and rolledin past a surprised Scrivens.

Schultz tied it three minutes later, takinga give-and-go from the point, swooping inand beating Bishop on the backhand.Edmonton made it 2-1 lead with five min-utes left in the second after Hall was takendown by Matthew Carle during a break-away. Hall was awarded a penalty shot andscored between Bishop’s legs for his fourthgoal. Tampa Bay levelled it 2-2 with six min-utes left in the third period as TylerJohnson found Connolly in the slot for ashot past Scrivens.

However, Edmonton went ahead forgood when Jordan Eberle picked off a passin the Tampa Bay zone and fed the puck toNugent-Hopkins, who beat a screenedBishop with a perfect shot to the top cor-ner. The Lightning have not won inEdmonton since March 7, 2007. It was theonly NHL game Monday. — AP

Oilers scrapepast Lightning

Western ConferencePacific Division

W L OTL GF GAPTSAnaheim 5 1 0 21 13 10 Los Angeles 4 1 1 15 10 9 San Jose 4 1 1 20 15 9 Calgary 4 3 0 19 17 8 Vancouver 3 1 0 13 10 6 Arizona 2 2 0 13 18 4 Edmonton 1 4 1 14 27 3

Central DivisionNashville 3 0 2 12 8 8 Chicago 3 0 1 12 7 7 Dallas 2 1 2 15 17 6 St. Louis 2 2 1 12 9 5 Minnesota 2 2 0 10 4 4 Colorado 1 4 1 9 20 3 Winnipeg 1 4 0 8 15 2

Eastern ConferenceAtlantic Division

Montreal 5 1 0 20 20 10 Ottawa 4 1 0 14 10 8 Detroit 3 1 1 11 8 7 Tampa Bay 3 2 1 19 13 7 Boston 3 4 0 15 17 6 Toronto 2 3 1 15 19 5 Florida 1 2 2 5 11 4 Buffalo 1 5 0 8 22 2

Metropolitan DivisionNY Islanders 4 1 0 20 15 8 Washington 3 0 2 18 11 8 Pittsburgh 3 1 0 16 10 6 Columbus 3 2 0 15 12 6 New Jersey 3 2 0 17 16 6 NY Rangers 3 3 0 17 20 6 Philadelphia 1 2 2 17 21 4 Carolina 0 2 2 10 15 2 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth onepoint in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

NHL standings

NFL standings

Rest or rust? Royals and Giants set for World Series

OAKLAND: At left, in an Aug. 3, 2014, file photo, Kansas City Royals’ James Shields worksagainst the Oakland Athletics in the first inning of a baseball game. At right, also in anAug. 3, 2014, file photo, San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner deliversin the first inning of a baseball game. — AP

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S P O RT SWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

NEW ZEALAND: South Africa cruised to a six-wicket win over New Zealand in the first one-day international at Mount Maunganui yester-day, guided home by a captain’s knock fromAB de Villiers.

The Proteas ended their run chase at 236-4in 48.1 overs, easily overhauling the 231 tar-get New Zealand set after losing the toss andbeing sent in to bat.

De Villiers top-scored for South Africa with89, ably supported by JP Duminy (58), whocombined with his skipper for a 139-run part-nership when the Proteas were looking wob-bly at 97-4. Wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi’s gritty99 was the standout performance for theBlack Caps but he had little support apartfrom unlikely strike partner Trent Boult, withwhom he set a New Zealand record 10th-wicket stand of 74.

The three-match series is essentially aWorld Cup warm-up for both sides as NewZealand prepares to co-host the tournamentnext year.

However, South Africa could also overtakeAustralia as the world’s top ranked ODI team ifthey complete a 3-0 whitewash over the BlackCaps, who are ranked seventh.

De Villiers said he was pleased with theside’s performance, aside from his bowlers’failure to snuff out the dogged resistance ofRonchi and Boult. “We’ve got to finish biggames of cricket, especially big games ofcricket coming up, I’m thinking of World Cupsand must wins,” he said. “In the World Cup, ifyou get teams to nine down you have to fin-ish them off.”

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullumsaid he was pleased at his side’s fightbackafter losing early wickets and the return ofveteran all rounder Dan Vettori after 15months on the sidelines.

“There were some fighting qualities therebut unfortunately the class of AB and JPtowards the end meant we couldn’t win,” hesaid.

New Zealand, in their first ODI sinceJanuary, looked rusty at the crease. Theyopened cautiously after losing the toss andbeing sent in to bat, with Jimmy Neeshamwaiting until the third over to score the firstboundary.

The hosts slumped to 68-5 before Ronchiand Tom Latham (29) set about rebuilding theinnings, only for their 67-run partnership toend when wicketkeeper Quinton de Kockstumped Latham after he strayed from hiscrease pursuing a shot. Ronchi continued torun out of partners and New Zealandslumped to 156-9, with not much expectedwhen Boult arrived at the crease boasting aprevious ODI high score of five.

The paceman dug in, even managing a sixoff Morne Morkel, before the innings endedwith South African bowlers Vernon Philander,Morkel, Imran Tahir and Ryan McLaren all tak-

ing two wickets apiece.South Africa received a minor scare when

Boult dismissed de Kock and Faf du Plessischeaply but the rest of the attack struggledfor wickets as New Zealand attempted todefend a modest total. Renee Roussouw (26)and Hashim Amla (38) kept the runs ticking

over but failed to capitalise after making goodstarts. De Villiers then lived up to his rankingas the number one ODI batsman in the world,combining with Duminy to comfortably sealthe victory. The next match on Friday is also inMount Maunganui, with the series wrappingup in Hamilton on October 27. — AFP

South Africa cruise to win over New Zealand

TAURANGA: New Zealand batsman Luke Ronchi (right) plays a shot before he lost his wicketfor 99 during the ODI cricket match against South Africa at Mt Maunganui yesterday. — AP

New ZealandMartin Guptill c de Kock b Philander 5Jimmy Neesham c de Kock b Philander 16Dean Brownlie c de Kock b Tahir 24 Brendon McCullum c Tahir b Morkel 16Tom Latham st de Kock b Duminy 29Corey Anderson b Morkel 0Luke Ronchi c de Kock b Steyn 99Dan Vettori lbw Tahir 0Nathan McCullum c de Kock b McLaren 6Kyle Mills c Philander b McLaren 1Trent Boult not out 21Extras (lb7, w5, nb1) 13Total (all out, 45.1 overs) 230Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Neesham), 2-35 (Guptill),3-68 (Brownlie), 4-68 (B.McCullum), 5-68(Anderson), 6-133 (Latham), 7-134 (Vettori), 8-145 (N.McCullum), 9-156 (Mills), 10-230(Ronchi)

Bowling: Steyn 7.1-1-28-1, Philander 7-1-38-2,Morkel 8-1-39-2, Tahir 10-1-37-2, McLaren 8-0-59-2, Duminy 5-0-22-1.

South AfricaQuinton de Kock c Latham b Boult 9Hashim Amla b Mills 38Faf du Plessis c Ronchi b Boult 8Rilee Rossouw c Brownlie b Anderson 26AB de Villiers not out 89JP Duminy not out 58Extras (lb3, w4, nb1) 8Total (4 wickets; 48.1 overs) 236Fall of wickets: 1-11 (de Kock), 2-30 (duPlessis), 3-73 (Roussouw), 4-97 (Amla)Bowling: Mills 8.1-0-47-1, Boult 10-2-40-2,Vettori 10-0-43-0, N.McCullum 10-0-45-0,Anderson 6-0-31-1, Neesham 4-0-27-0.

SCOREBOARD

NEW ZEALAND: Final scoreboard in the first one-day international between New Zealand andSouth Africa at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui yesterday:

Misbah ul-Haq

DUBAI: Skippers Michael Clarke andMisbah-ul Haq yesterday agreed spin willplay a major role in the first of two Testsbetween Australia and Pakistan starting inDubai from today.

Australia have practiced on a speciallyprepared spin pitch at Brisbane in the leadup and hired world record Sri Lankan spin-ner Muttiah Muralitharan to learn how tobowl and play spin.

Despite ace spinner Saeed Ajmal beingsuspended due to an illegal bowling action,Pakistan will rely on uncapped leg-spinnerYasir Shah and left-armer Zulfiqar Babar toexpose Australia on a Dubai stadium pitch,known for taking spin from the outset.Australian captain Michael Clarke agreedspin will be in focus. “I think spin will defi-nitely play a major role in this series. Howyou bowl it, how you face it and I thinkthat’s probably the plan for Pakistan,” Clarkesaid yesterday.

“I think they’ll rely heavily on reverseswing and their spin bowling, and we willneed to do the same,” said Clarke, who hint-ed Australia could also play both NathanLyon and Steve O’Keefe in the match.

“It’s definitely a possibility. I don’t knowwhat the eleven is yet but I certainly thinkit’s a huge possibility on the wicket I sawyesterday.” Clarke, who has recovered from ahamstring injury sustained on the tour ofZimbabwe two months ago, admitted helacked match practice.

“I wouldn’t say lack of form. The last timeI played I made 68 not out, that was in a

one-day series against Zimbabwe. The timebefore that I got a golden duck, the timebefore that I got 161 not out. So in my lastthree bats I think I’m doing okay.”

Clarke missed out on big scores in thefour-day game against Pakistan ‘A’, manag-ing just ten and five in the 153-run defeat inSharjah. If Australia win the series 2-0, thesecond starting in Abu Dhabi from October30, they will regain the number one rank-ings in Tests. But Clarke denied it was on hismind. “I don’t think that’s our focus. Ourfocus is playing really good consistent crick-et. We certainly know we have to continueto perform away from home. “The greatteams that I’ve seen and been lucky enoughto play with, they seem to have consistencyat home and away.”

Misbah, also under pressure to scoreruns after managing just 67 in the 2-0defeat in Sri Lanka in August, said spinnersmust exploit Australia’s frailties.

“Everybody knows that,” said Misbahwhen asked of Australia’s weakness. “Butthey have already proven that in the one-days they can be a really tough side so youcannot say that their record is poor so wecan just go through them, you have to real-ly play well, fight hard against them,” saidMisbah. Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herathtook 22 wickets in the two-match seriesagainst Pakistan. “I think we have worked alot on how to play spin, it’s not out of ourminds and everyone knows that spin willplay a major part in this series, especially inDubai.” —AFP

Clarke, Misbah ready for spin challenge

BASEL: Life couldn’t be better — ormore surprising — for Roger Federer asthe 33-year-old takes aim at multiplemajor goals starting with a sixth title athis home Swiss Indoors.

The top seed admitted yesterday thathis current positive situation even hashim surprised, with Switzerland playinga Davis Cup final in France next month.

Federer also has a decent shot atregaining the world number one rank-ing, given the right circumstances.Federer has been training on clay for theDavis Cup showdown but is now back tototal concentration on the slow indoorhardcourt at the St Jakobshalle, wherehe has figured in the last eight finals atthe stadium where he got his start inthe game as a ballboy.

“It’s a nice feeling being back in anarena that I know so well and have hadso much success,” said the 17-timeGrand Slam winner who opens onWednesday in the first round againstLuxembourg’s Gilles Muller. “There is nopanic about the tournament any more,like there was maybe five, 10, 15 yearsago when it all started for me.

“It feels great right now, I’m happyI’m playing so well since the (spring)birth of (twin sons) Leo and Lenny,” saidthe recent Shanghai champion. “I’mhappy Switzerland made the Davis Cupfinals. We’ve put ourselves in an excitingposition. An away tie in France is cool.

“And the fact that I’ve gotten so closeto the number one ranking is a bit of asurprise for me. I’ve not won a Slam thisyear but I was extremely close at

Wimbledon (fifth set against NovakDjokovic.) “But I’ve played very consis-tently or I would not be in this position.It’s a very different year end for me. ButIf I don’t win a few more titles numberone won’t happen. “Right now, it’s all toplay for, I want to start it well here inBasel.” In addition to all of those objec-tives, Federer has the eight-man WorldTour Finals in London to concentrate onthe week prior to the Davis final.

With his crowded schedule, Federersaid that he almost opted not to playShanghai, where he won that Masters1000 title for the first time less than afortnight ago over Frenchman GillesSimon. “I had considered not playingShanghai and then playing Vienna. Butat the end, I decided to go to Shanghai.If that had not gone well, I might haveeven skipped Paris (next week) to trainon clay. “But in the current situation, I’mfeeling good. I had two weeks of vaca-tion after the (September) Davis Cupsemi-finals. There was even the possibili-ty of not playing her for safety in case Ihad felt tired or injured after Shanghai.

“ The team discussed everything:what was the best for energy, what wasmy passion, what to do.”I’m happy Idecided to play here. I’ll take it fromhere but it’s likely I’ll also play Paris.”

Federer heads a field where secondseed Rafael Nadal is playing for the firsttime in a decade. The Spaniard won hisopener on Monday, beating SimoneBolelli. In first-round play yesterday,Kenny De Schepper beat ArgentineFederico Delbonis 7-6 (7/3), 7-5. — AFP

NEW DELHI: West Indies cricket was plungedinto a major crisis yesterday after India, theworld’s richest board, suspended all future tourswith them following the Caribbean team’sabrupt withdrawal from a series in India lastweek. The mighty BCCI also decided to take legalaction against the West Indies Cricket Board(WICB) after the tourists abandoned the serieson Friday over a protracted payment disputebetween the players and their board.

They still had a one-dayer, a Twenty20 inter-national and three test matches left to play.“BCCI will initiate legal proceedings against WestIndies Cricket Board (WICB) due to the abruptcancellation of this tour,” Indian cricket boardsecretary Sanjay Patel said in a statement.

“All bilateral tours between BCCI and WICBstand suspended,” he added after the board’sworking committee meeting in Hyderabad yes-terday. To fill the void, the BCCI swiftly arrangeda five-match one-day series with Sri Lanka nextmonth but was not ready to take the estimated$65 million loss lying down even though WICBapologised for the team’s sudden withdrawal.

“The members appreciated the gesture of theSri Lankan Cricket Board for having accepted our

request...at such a short notice,” Patel said.For the sponsorship and TV revenue it gener-

ates, a series against India represents a jackpotfor financially weaker boards like the WICB andIndia were expected to make four trips to theWest Indies in the next eight years.

The WICB has convened an emergency boardmeeting in Barbados later on Tuesday to discussthe issue. The BCCI secretary told Reuters onSaturday they would also seek intervention ofthe International Cricket Committee (ICC) head-ed by Indian industrialist NarayanaswamiSrinivasan- into the matter. “We have sufferedhuge losses and the ICC is our parent body andwe are going to ask them to ensure that thisnever happens in the future,” Patel had said,adding India was set to scrap the tour of WestIndies for three tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20match early in 2016. “Whatever the dispute, theyshould have honoured the bilateral agreement,”Patel said.

FRESH BLOWThe dispute, however, would not affect the

West Indies players’ contracts with the franchisesof the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20

tournament, the BCCI official has said.India’s decision is a fresh blow for the WICB

which has already been grappling with a rum-bling pay dispute. The WICB and the West IndiesPlayers’ Association signed a new agreement lastmonth covering pay and conditions but it wasrejected by the senior players, including one-daycaptain Dwayne Bravo who said they were keptin the dark.

The players subsequently issued a strikethreat ahead of the India tour and, according toBCCI officials, needed much cajoling to continueuntil the fourth one-dayer in Dharamsala.

The player-board disconnect was evidentwhen WICB initially denied reports of a pulloutbefore confirming the players had indeed with-drawn their service.

The beleaguered WICB apologised to itsIndian counterpart and also to the broadcastersand hoped the incident would not harm the cor-dial relationship between the boards.

“The WICB wishes the BCCI every success withthe proposed alternative arrangements andlooks forward to the continuation of the strongand longstanding relationship between the twoboards,” it said in a statement. — Reuters

Federer flirts with perfection

West Indies in trouble asIndia suspend future tours

PORTUGAL: Hawaian surfer John John Florence in action during the Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal at Supertubos Beach. — AFP

Roger Federer

Page 17: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

S P O RT SWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Photo of the day

Hannes Arch flies at Red Bull Air Race Media Day at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. — www.redbull.com

KUWAIT: The Kuwait National Team returned homewith memories of a lifetime after competing in the25th annual MercedesTrophy World Finals held inStuttgart, Germany last month. The three-manteam, which comprised the top three players (alsoMercedes-Benz Customers) from the KuwaitNational Finals held earlier this year at the SaharaGolf & Country Club, was hosted by Abdul RahmanAlbisher & Zaid Alkazemi Company, the exclusivegeneral distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Kuwait.

The Team Kuwait comprised two nationals -Qatami Al Qatami and Wael Abdul Rahman Alwlayti- and Francisco Gracias, and were led by captainSanjay Kaul. They were one of 33 teams from allover the world to compete in the prestigious annu-al event in Stuttgart and finished with an overallscore of 158 points ahead of teams from Canada,Czech Republic, Egypt, France, I taly and NewZealand. While all Kuwaiti team members showedgreat skill and sportsmanship, Wael Alwelayti pro-duced particularly pleasing results, finishing equalfourth overall in singles net in the Class-C Handicap.

Commenting on the Kuwait team’s participation,Michael Ruehle, CEO Abdul Rahman Albisher & ZaidAlkazemi Company said: “Abdul Rahman Albisher &Zaid Alkazemi Co. is proud to have taken part in thisworld-class event for the 17th consecutive year. Ourgoal is to support amateur golfers in Kuwait andenable them to compete on an international scale.This is a highly prestigious annual competition andcreates sporting memories that last a lifetime.”

In 1989 when the first MercedesTrophy was held,six European countries took part. Some 25 years lat-er, the MercedesTrophy is a global invitation-onlytournament series for amateurs, and is staged inover 60 countries. There are now over 60,000 partic-ipants every year - and over the years nearly a mil-lion customers and fans of the brand have teed offat the MercedesTrophy.

The Nations Cup at the 2014 anniversary eventwas won by the team from Latina with second andthird places going to the United Kingdom andChina Teams respectively. The Team Spirit Award,the winner of which is chosen by the participants,was presented to the team from Australia.

Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador MartinKaymer, the face of the MercedesTrophy, came toStuttgart directly from the Ryder Cup to present thetrophies at the award ceremony. Brand ambassa-dors Bernhard Langer and Louis Oosthuizen alsoattended the World Final, taking part in special“Beat the pro” challenges against the participantsand chatting with them in a series of “Meet & Greet”sessions.

Alongside their sporting activities, the partici-pants were able to experience the brand and itsproducts at close hand with guided tours of theMercedes-Benz Museum, the Sindelfingen plantand Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach, as well as testdrives in the latest models. The highlight vehicle ofthis year’s MercedesTrophy World Final was the newS-Class S 63 AMG CoupÈ, which was presented onthe last evening by Ola K‰llenius, Head of Salesand Marketing for the Mercedes-Benz Cars businessunit.

Those participating in the MercedesTrophyWorld Final also got a chance to participate in thisyear’s special competition “Drive to the Major”.

Team Kuwait returns home withprestigious MercedesTrophy

Golf World Finals in Germany

Team Kuwait - Francisco Gracias, Qatami Al Qatami, Wael Alwelayti, Sanjay KaulTeam Kuwait - Qatami Al Qatami, WaelAlwelayti, Francisco Gracias

Team Kuwait with Mercedes-Benz Golf Brand ambassador Bernhard Langer

Team Kuwait - Sanjay Kaul, Francisco Gracias, Qatami Al Qatami, Wael Alwelayti.

Everyone who takes part in the MercedesTrophyworldwide also get a chance through theirNational Finals to win a place in this event.

Contestants can win a place in the qualificationtournament for the “Monday After Event” in the“Straightest Drive” competition. As the officialpatron of the oldest golf tournament in the world,Mercedes-Benz is able to offer the chance to tee offon the course where, just a day before, the profes-sional golfers were vying for victory. Furthermore,the winners get to experience the OpenChampionship as Mercedes-Benz VIP guests.

All MercedesTrophy tournaments held this yearalso conducted donation drives for the LaureusSport for Good Foundation. During the World Final

there was also a special ranking for the “LaureusLongest Drive”.

Mercedes-Benz is a founder member of thefoundation, which tackles social challenges world-wide using funds raised through sport. It currentlysponsors more than 150 social projects world-wide, primarily aimed at helping children andyoung people affected by poverty, homelessness,war, violence, drug misuse, discrimination andAIDS. “There is no doubt our National team had afantastic experience both on the course and off.MercedesTrophy is an exceptional event and weare excited to begin preparations for next year’sKuwait National Finals, to be held in March 2015,”added Ruehle.

PRETORIA: Olympic and Paralympic sprinterOscar Pistorius started his five-year jail sen-tence yesterday for killing his girlfriend ReevaSteenkamp, marking the end of a trial thathas gripped South Africa and millions aroundthe world. His uncle, Arnold Pistorius, indicat-ed he would not appeal. As judge ThokozileMasipa gave her decision on the 27-year-old’s culpable homicide conviction, Pistorius,whose downfall has been likened to that ofAmerican football star O.J. Simpson, stoodresolutely in the dock.

His only reaction was to wipe his eyesbefore two police officers led him to theholding cells beneath the High Court in theheart of the South African capital.

Ninety minutes later, an armored policevehicle carrying Pistorius — still dressed indark suit, white shirt and black tie — left thebuilding through a throng of reporterstowards Pretoria Central Prison, where he isexpected to serve his time. Once the execu-tion site for opponents of South Africa’s for-mer white-minority government, the jail isnow home to the country’s most hardenedcriminals, including the man known as “PrimeEvil”, apartheid death squad leader Eugenede Kock. Prisons officials said Pistorius, whoselower legs were amputated when he was ababy, would be housed in a separate andsecure hospital wing of the massive complex.

“ONE LAW FOR ALL”In delivering her decision, 67-year-old

Masipa stressed the difficulty of arriving at adecision that was “fair and just to society andto the accused”. She also rebuffed sugges-tions that Pistorius - a wealthy and influentialwhite man - might be able to secure prefer-ential justice despite the “equality before law”guarantee enshrined in the post-apartheid1996 constitution.

“It would be a sad day for this country ifan impression were created that there is onelaw for the poor and disadvantaged, and onelaw for the rich and famous,” she said.

Steenkamp, a 29-year-old law graduateand model, died almost instantly onValentine’s Day last year when Pistorius shother through a locked toilet door at his luxuryPretoria home. Prosecutors pushed for a mur-der conviction, but the athlete maintained hefired in the mistaken belief an intruder washiding behind the door, a defence that struckhome in a country with one of the world’shighest rates of violent crime. The rulingAfrican National Congress’ Women’s League,which is at the forefront of political efforts totackle violence against South Africanwomen, yesterday called for an appeal by thestate against the Sept. 12 culpable homicideconviction.

But Steenkamp’s family said it was satis-fied with the sentence. “Justice was served,”family lawyer Dup De Bruyn told reportersoutside the court. The judge had given “theright sentence”, he said. With no minimumsentence for culpable homicide, South

Africa’s equivalent of manslaughter, Pistoriuscould have been punished with a few yearsof house arrest combined with communityservice. Before the decision, protesters pick-eted outside the court, a sign of the angerthat might have ensued and the damagethat might have been done to an often-criti-cised judicial system if the sentence wereseen as too light.

“Why are certain offenders more equalthan others before the law?” said protesterGolden Miles Bhudu, dressed in orangeprison garb and wrapped in chains as heridiculed Pistorius’ retching and crying duringthe seven-month trial, the first in South Africato be broadcast live throughout. “He screamslike a girl, he cries like a baby but he shootslike a soldier,” Bhudu said.

However, Masipa pointed to the moraland philosophical changes South Africa hasundergone since the end of white rule andthe 1994 election of Nelson Mandela, sayingthe courts were no longer about mob justiceand an “eye-for-an-eye”.

“As a country we have moved on from thedark ages,” she said. “Society cannot alwaysget what they want because courts do notexist to win popularity contests.”

Many ordinary South Africans were unim-pressed, especially after Pistorius’ defencelawyer, Barry Roux, said he expected the ath-lete to serve only 10 months of the five-yearsentence behind bars, and the remainderunder house arrest.

“They are only scaring him with this sen-tence. It shows our society hasn’t trans-formed,” said Johannes Mbatha, a 38-year-oldminibus taxi driver waiting at aJohannesburg bus station. “If it was a blackman he would have never received such alight sentence. But that’s how things are inSouth Africa.” In Steenkamp’s home town ofPort Elizabeth, a handful of family friends at abar owned by her parents raised their handsin recognition of the five-year sentence. “Ithought he would walk,” said 50-year-oldMartin Cohen, who worked as a race horsetrainer with Steenkamp’s father, Barry, whosuffered a stroke shortly after his daughter’skilling. The state prosecuting authority, whichhas two weeks to decide whether to launchan appeal against the verdict, said Pistoriuswas likely to serve at least a third of his sen-tence in prison or 20 months. On a separateconviction for firing a handgun in a packedJohannesburg restaurant, Pistorius was givena three-year suspended sentence.

Even if he is freed early, Pistorius will notbe able to resume his athletics career untilhis full term is served, the InternationalParalympic Committee said, ruling out anyappearance at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Knownas “Blade Runner” because of his carbon-fibreprosthetics, Pistorius became one of thebiggest names in world athletics at theLondon 2012 Olympics when he reached thesemi-finals of the 400m race against able-bodied athletes. — Reuters

Pistorius starts five-year term for killing girlfriend

PRETORIA: Oscar Pistorius (right) prepares to be led out of court in Pretoria, SouthAfrica yesterday. — AP

HAVANA: In a wrestling suit the colors ofthe US flag, 8-year-old Yodimiler Ariasgrapples with a classmate in the scorch-ing heat of a Havana afternoon.

About 20 children are learning towrestle in the park in Old Havana. Whenasked why they chose wrestling in base-ball-loving Cuba, they shout in unison:“To be like Mijain Lopez!”

Lopez has won two Olympic goldmedals in Greco-Roman wrestling, as

well as five world championships, and isone of Cuba’s most heralded and popularathletes. Under the watchful eye of theirteacher, former wrestler Michael Guerra,the children run, do squats and practicepins and other moves. Some are barefootwhile others wear sandals or tennisshoes. “Have fun, play,” Guerra, 27, tells

the children so they don’t get bored andcome back each day after school formore training.

The Kid Chocolate hall - named afterCuba’s first world boxing champion -where they normally train is closed forrepairs, so Guerra moved the classes to anearby park with flamboyan trees.Because he wanted the children to prac-tice on mats, he also asked the neighbor-hood sports director about using thelocal indoor gym and was given permis-sion to do so for two days.

In the park, the children’s laughtermixes with the honking of car horns andthe conversations of passersby. Parentslook on, afterward helping clean up, car-ry supplies or collect money for trans-portation. Maibel Arias doesn’t miss anyof her son Yodimiler’s classes. “He likes itand I want to help him with his passion,”she said.

She said the American flag wrestlingsuit was sent by her cousin in the UnitedStates. Salvador Frometa, 7, has a suit giv-en to him by his grandmother in Spain,but saves it for competitions. His mother,Daylebis Chapi, says she suffers a bitwatching her child in combat but comesevery day nonetheless. “It helps him tobe disciplined, I am happy that this is hispassion.”

The children are candidates to enterthe Sports Initiation School, the firststage of sports training in Cuba, and spe-cialize in wrestling. Brian Rojas, 11, andYeney Pedroso, 14, know what they wantfrom wrestling. They say they want “to besomeone in life and travel the world” liketheir hero. — AP

Kids learn wrestling

CUBA: In this Oct. 18, 2014 photo,young wrestlers practice during atraining session in an auxiliary gym, inOld Havana, Cuba. — AP

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S P O RT SWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

LIVERPOOL: Brendan Rodgers has challengedhis Liverpool players to rise to the occasion whenthey face holders Real Madrid in a crucialChampions League showdown at Anfield today.

Rodgers’ side can’t afford to lose any moreground in the race to qualify for the knockoutstages after a shock loss against Basel in theirprevious Group B match.

The Reds have been well below their best ofmuch of the season and there were more worry-ing signs for Rodgers on Sunday when QPR, thePremier League’s bottom club, out-playedLiverpool for long periods of an chaoticencounter.

Liverpool eventually won 3-2 despite twicesquandering the lead in the final minutes. GivenLiverpool’s defenders had huge trouble withQPR’s willing but limited strike partnership ofBobby Zamora and Charlie Austin, it would be nosurprise if Rodgers had suffered a few sleeplessnights contemplating how his creaky defencewill deal with Real’s breathtaking array of attack-ing talent. Even if Wales winger Gareth Bale issidelined by a buttock muscle injury, Madrid bossCarlo Ancelotti has Cristiano Ronaldo in arguablythe best form of his majestic career, while thelikes of Karim Benzema, James Rodriguez, ToniKroos and Luka Modric comprise a formidablesupport act for the spotlight-hogging Portugalstar. Ronaldo has broken a 71-year La Liga recordby scoring 15 goals in the first eight matches ofthe season and is also just two short of Real leg-end Raul’s Champions League record of 71 goals.

With a trip to Madrid next up in a fortnight,Rodgers knows a defeat today would leaveLiverpool in severe danger of bowing out of thecompetition at the first hurdle.

Yet European nights at Anfield, when theclub’s supporters routinely pump up the decibelcount to ear-splitting levels, remain a uniqueexperience that can unnerve even the most sea-soned performers.

Rodgers hopes the do-or-die nature of the tie,combined with the Anfield atmosphere, will lifthis team out of their current malaise.

“Whenever you play in the big games thegreat competitors come out and I have no doubtwith my players as their mentality is very strong,”Rodgers said.

“It is a really exciting game today. The work weput in over the last season or so means this is our

reward but it is a game we want to go and win.“Anfield is a special place for a ChampionsLeague football game and we are really lookingforward to it. “But you have to be careful - theyare the best counter-attacking team in the worldwith the speed they have.”

IMPERIOUS FORMIn contrast to Liverpool’s lethargic perform-

ances of late, Madrid arrive on Merseyside inimperious form. Ancelotti’s side have won theirlast seven matches in all competitions, scoring 32goals in the process after routing Levante 5-0 onSaturday. “I think we are arriving well into thisweek,” Ancelotti said. “We have time to recoverand then think about the game on Wednesday.”

With six points already secured from theiropening two Champions League games, Real are

well on course for the last 16 and could be forgiv-en for having an eye on the first El Clasico of theseason at home to Barcelona on Saturday.

Bale was an unused substitute at Levante andAncelotti insisted he wouldn’t take any risks withthe Welshman ahead of Barcelona’s visit to theBernabeu, while defender Sergio Ramos hasbeen struggling with a calf strain and could alsobe sidelined at Anfield.

If Bale does miss out, Ronaldo will shouldermore of the creative burden and Real’s AlvaroArbeloa, a former Liverpool defender, expects hissupremely confident team-mate to have noproblems taking the leading role.

“There’s no doubt that Cristiano is the bestplayer in the world at the moment,” Arbeloa said.“No-one can imagine what he does. It’s a privi-lege to have Cristiano with us.”— AFP

Rodgers calls on Reds to rise to Real challenge

LONDON: Liverpool’s Adam Lallana (center) trains with teammates at Anfield Stadium.Liverpool will play Real Madrid in a Champion’s League Group B soccer match today. — AP

MADRID: Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turandoes not care what people think about their foot-ball so long as they are successful, he said ahead oftoday’s Champions League clash at home to Malmo.The La Liga winners and last season’s ChampionsLeague finalists have a game plan based around asolid defence and hard work which Turan believes isthe best way with the resources available to them.

“I’m sorry that people may be critical. Our foot-ball may not be pretty but it’s winning football,”Turan told FIFA.com. “Sometimes the teams playingthe nicest football don’t win games or titles.Certainly there are times when we would like tohave more of the ball but we don’t have CristianoRonaldo or Lionel Messi in our side so we have to bea real team and work hard.

“We need to defend more than Madrid orBarcelona but that style has made us champions. Irespect everyone’s right to an opinion and I tooenjoy the football played by the likes of Barca orBayern Munich. However, I prefer our own style.”

Atletico have found it difficult to maintain theirconsistency this season but go into the match aftera 2-0 victory over Espanyol at the weekend. Theyhave lost important players from the last campaignlike Diego Costa and Filipe Luis while the new facesare still finding their feet. Diego Simeone’s side con-ceded three goals in defeat away to Olympiakos intheir opening group A game although they fol-lowed that up with a 1-0 victory at home toJuventus. Turan said that it was the arrival ofSimeone that gave the players the belief that theycould beat the biggest clubs.

SIMEONE EFFECT“When Simeone came in the first thing he said to

us was: ‘If we stop the opposition from scoring andget a goal ourselves then we’ll win.’ The key was notto concede goals,” he explained.

“Our recipe is work and more work. Each game islike a final and we have to focus on every opponent.Barca and Madrid have more money and more qual-ity than us but with our mentality of taking it gameby game and playing for each other we can com-pete with them.” Atletico face a Malmo side that lostaway to Juventus but then beat Olympiakos. “We

will need to take care against Malmo and we have alot of respect for them,” said Turan. “At home theyplay very well and, remember, they went in 0-0 athalftime away to Juve.

This is the Champions League and if we’re care-less or adopt an attitude that we are the big teamthen we will be eliminated very quickly.” Atleticomidfielder Tiago is set to miss the match at the

Vicente Calderon through injury which could meana chance for unsettled Mario Suarez to prove his val-ue to the team. Suarez came on for Tiago againstEspanyol and scored the second goal. “I have tomake the most of the minutes that I get,” he toldreporters. “Now we are focused on Malmo and pick-ing up the points which is the only thing I am think-ing about.” — Reuters

Turan shrugs off criticism of Atletico style of play

LEVERKUSEN: Bayer Leverkusen’s South Koreastriker Son Heung-Min says his team must forgettheir stumble in Stuttgart when they host ZenitSt Petersburg in the Champions League today.

Son scored two goals in the opening nineminutes at Stuttgart on Saturday as his side fin-ished 3-0 up at half-time, only to concede threegoals and throw away two valuable leaguepoints.

There is all to play for against the Russians atthe BayArena with just a point separating jointGroup C leaders Zenit, who are level withMonaco, and third-placed Leverkusen.

Having lost their opening European match 1-0 at Monaco, Leverkusen bounced back with a 3-1 win at home to Benfica on October 1 with Son,Stefan Kiessling and Hakan Calhanoglu gettingon the scoresheet. Son says Bayer must concen-trate on the positives from their Benfica win andforget the second-half in Stuttgart when theyrun out against Zenit.

“We need to play with the same confidencewe showed against Benfica, take the positivesfrom that and analyse what went wrong againstStuttgart,” said Son, who was only denied a hat-trick by the crossbar in Stuttgart.

Former Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas

has said his Zenit St Petersburg side need to bewary of their trip to Leverkusen despite theirstrong recent record in Germany.

Zenit’s 2-1 win at Borussia Dortmund in lastseason’s round of 16 was their third victory intheir last five visits to Germany, but a 4-2 homedefeat against Dortmund in the first-leg meantthey exited the competition on aggregate.

“Leverkusen are a very, very good team whowill require a lot of us,” Villa-Boas told SID, an AFPsubsidiary, in a conference call. The 37-year-oldsays his team will need a disciplined perform-ance against Roger Schmidt’s side to take any-thing from Leverkusen as they look to defendtheir status at the top of the group. “That’s obvi-ously our goal, then we’ll be in a really goodposition after three games,” said Villas-Boas.

In Leverkusen, the Zenit coach will have theservices of Belgian international Axel Witsel whoplayed 25 minutes of their Russian PremierLeague draw with FK Krasnodar after an ankleinjury. “I am fully fit again, said the 25-year-old,who said Zenit need to watch out forLeverkusen’s potent strike-force including Sonand Germany’s Karim Bellarabi. “If we produceour best performance, we’ll be able to hold ourown in Leverkusen.” — AFP

Leverkusen seek to overcome stumble

SPAIN: Malmo’s players exercise during a training session in Madrid. Malmo will play Atletico de Madrid today in a Group A Champions League match. — AP

LONDON: Arsenal’s English striker Danny Welbeck (center) attends training at theirLondon Colney facility in Hertfordshire, ahead of the UEFA Champions League GroupD football match against RSC Anderlecht. — AFP

BRUSSELS: If Anderlecht are to have anyrealistic chance of prolonging their involve-ment in the Champions League beyond thegroup stage, a home win over Arsenaltoday is paramount.

The Belgium side are joint bottom ofGroup D with one point from their openingtwo games, two points behind Arsenal andfive behind leaders Borussia Dortmund.

Arsenal are not firing on all cylinders,however, and Saturday’s 2-2 home drawwith Hull City left Arsene Wenger’s side 11points off the pace in the Premier League.

The London club are still formidableopponents, but if ever there was a goodtime to face the Gunners it might be whenthey are stretched with record signingMesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud and MathieuDebuchy injured and first-choice keeperWojciech Szczesny suspended after his redcard against Galatasaray.

Theo Walcott is on the verge of a returnafter a long-standing knee injury whileAaron Ramsey (hamstring) and JackWilshere (knee) are slight doubts butshould be available.

Reserve keeper David Ospina is alsoinjured so third-choice Emiliano Martinez isexpected to start for Arsenal. Despite theinjuries, midfielder Mathieu Flamini saysthere are no excuses for a moderate start tothe season.

“We’re having injuries but we don’t wantto hide behind any excuses,” said Flamini.“We’re facing the truth - we didn’t win on

Saturday and we’ll try to find a solution forthe next games.”

MASSIVE ACHIEVEMENTWhile failure to reach the knockout

rounds for the 12th consecutive seasonwould represent failure for Arsenal, gettingthere would be a massive achievement forAnderlecht. Since 2000-01 when theyreached the now defunct second groupstage, they have finished bottom of theirgroup seven times, including last seasonwhen they managed a solitary point.

They also have failed to win any of theirlast 10 Champions League matches andwere held 1-1 at Mechelen on Sunday, theirfifth draw in 11 Belgium league matchesthis season. Arsenal have also drawn five oftheir opening eight in the Premier Leagueand Wenger was in a tetchy mood after twomore points were dropped against Hull atthe weekend. Anderlecht manager BesnikHasi believes both sides find themselves ina similar position. “We find it difficult to win,and that worries me,” Hasi told Sporza web-site. “Wednesday against Arsenal expecta-tions are high. They are doing the same asus but hopefully we can boost our level abit.” Steven Defour will be Anderlecht’s mainattacking threat while the Belgian leagueleaders will hope that international defend-er Anthony Vanden Borre may be able toplay some part after playing an hour forBelgium’s under-21s last week, having beensidelined with a calf injury. — Reuters

Arsenal’s injuries offer hope to Anderlecht

ISTANBUL: Borussia Dortmund are look-ing to brush off their nightmarishBundesliga form when the Group D lead-ers protect their perfect ChampionsLeague record at Turkish giantsGalatasaray today.

Dortmund coach Jurgen Kloppdescribed his side’s 3-0 win at Anderlechtearlier this month as “perfect”, but thingsare far from rosy now for Borussia afterthree straight Bundesliga defeats.

With just a point from their first twoEuropean games, Galatasaray are third inthe group and face Dortmund with theGermans low on confidence despite top-ping the Champions League group.

The 2013 Champions League finalistshave plummeted to 14th in the

Bundesliga table-their worst league startfor 27 years. Klopp admitted to feeling“helpless” in the wake of Saturday’s 2-1defeat at Cologne, their firSt defeat in thecity for more than a decade, to leavethem with just a point from their last fiveleague games.

“We have to correct our mistakes now,not tomorrow or the day after,” fumedKlopp. “We need to get ourselves out ofthis rut and no one will do it for us.”

Having beaten Arsenal 2-0 in theiropening game, Klopp’s side have yet toconcede a goal in the competition andhave been boosted by the return to fit-ness of three key players.

They have Germany midfielders MarcoReus and Ilkay Gundogan, as well asArmenia’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan back afterinjuries. Reus managed more shots ongoal than the entire Cologne team com-bined and finishing is a factor forDortmund in Turkey.

There was more bad news for Kloppfrom Cologne as defender Erik Durm,who was injured in the warm-up, alsomisses the trip to Istanbul with a thighstrain and his place at left-back is likely togo to Kevin Grosskreutz.

Galatasaray lost 4-1 at Arsenal threeweeks ago and need a result at homeagainst Dortmund to keep their knock-out stage hopes alive.

With Didier Drogba now back atChelsea, Galatasaray ’s top name isWesley Sneijder and the Dutch midfield-er scored two late goals as CesarePrandelli’s side beat ten-man Fenerbahce2-1 on Saturday in the Istanbul derby“Sneijder is a quality footballer whoshowed up well in the last 20 minutesand gave us two very nice goals,” saidPrandelli. — AFP

Dortmund out to brush off horror form at Galatasaray

UEFA Champions League

Olympiacos v Juventus 21:45beIN SPORTS 3 HDAtletico v Malmo 21:45 beIN SPORTS 6 HDLiverpool v Real Madrid 21:45beIN SPORTS 2 HDMonaco v Benfica 21:45beIN SPORTS 5 HDBayer v Zenit 21:45beIN SPORTS 8 HDAnderlecht v Arsenal 21:45beIN SPORTS 4 HDGalatasaray v Borussia 21:45beIN SPORTS 1 HDLudogorets v FC Basel 21:45beIN SPORTS 12 HD

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

ISTANBUL: Dortmund players ahead of the UEFA Champions League Group D foot-ball match against Turkish giants Galatasaray today. — AP

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S P O RT SWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

ROME: Bayern’s Thomas Mueller shoots a penalty to score his side’s fifth goal during the Group E Champions League soccer match. — AP

ROME: Five-time European champions BayernMunich took a huge step towards qualifica-tion for the last 16 of the Champions Leaguewith a remarkable 7-1 rout of Roma at astunned Stadio Olimpico yesterday. PepGuardiola’s Bundesliga leaders travelled to theEternal City looking to draw first blood in thefirst of two consecutive encounters betweenthe Group E rivals-they meet in Munich in afortnight. Instead the German champions,who won their last Champions League title in2013, cemented their credentials as potentialwinners of this campaign.

Rudi Garcia’s men were a pale shadow ofthe side that had beaten CSKA Moscow 5-1 athome and battled to a 1-1 draw withManchester City.

But even Bayern seemed astonished athow easily the Serie A high-flyers crumbledduring a spectacular first half that saw the vis-itors take a 5-0 lead. Dutch playmaker ArjenRobben opened the scoring with a sublimechip towards the far post of Morgan DeSanctis’s net.

Further strikes from Mario Goetze, RobertLewandowski, a second from Robben and aThomas Mueller penalty left Garcia’s men witha mountain to climb.

The first 45 minutes must have struck achord with Garcia, whose Lille side suffered a5-0 first-half rout by Bayern during a 6-1group stage defeat in 2012 in Munich whenthe German side went on to lift the trophy. Bythe final whistle, Roma were sorely remindedof their 7-1 defeat to Manchester United atOld Trafford in 2007.

Although Roma came fighting back in amore positive second half that saw Gervinhoreduce the arrears on 66 minutes, the damagehad already been done.

Guardiola on Monday had waxed lyricalabout the “passion and longevity” of 38-year-old Roma captain Francesco Totti, with whomhe played during a brief spell with the Serie Aclub. But even Totti, who superceded RyanGiggs as the competition’s oldest scorer whenhe levelled at Manchester City, could not leadthe fightback. The Bayern rout began in theninth minute, Robben finding himself in spaceto the right of goal-with veteran English full-back Ashley Cole outpaced-and firing adelightful left-foot shot past De Sanctis. Romahit back, Gervinho just failing to make contactwith a searching ball from Vasilis Torosidis andmoments later seeing his strike from justinside the area blocked by a superb ManuelNeuer. Bayern doubled their lead on 23 min-

utes when Goetze ran in to fire Mueller ’scheeky flick past the wrong-footed De Sanctis.It was the German World Cup hero’s sixth goalin the last five games for Bayern. Roma’sheads dropped, and moments later JuanBernat’s cross found Lewandowski unmarkedto nod in from six yards. Cole then once againstruggled to match the pace of Robben, wholatched on to a simple pass to run down andbeat De Sanctis for his second of the match.

Bayern had their fifth six minutes laterwhen Kostas Manolas handled when he slid into challenge and Mueller stepped up to beatDe Sanctis from the spot. Garcia replaced Tottiwith Alessandro Florenzi with Jose Holebascoming on in place of Cole at the half-timeinterval. Within eight minutes Roma got theOlimpico roaring again but Gervinho couldonly hit the post while under pressure from

Jerome Boateng and moments later Florenzisaw his angled strike well-saved by Neuerafter being sent through.

Neuer blocked expertly on the hour markwhen Gervinho, who had been bundled tothe ground, got his foot to Pjanic’s deep freekick towards the back post.

Gervinho finally found the net when heheaded past Neuer from close range afterRadja Nainggolan’s inch-perfect deliveryfrom the left following Juan Iturbe’s searingrun. Franck Ribery replaced Lewandowskiin the 68th minute and 10 minutes laterstruck Bayern’s s ix th . Xherdan Shaqir irubbed salt into Roma’s wounds when hegrabbed Bayern’s seventh af ter beingallowed to collect a rebound from a DeSanctis spill to fire into the roof of the net10 minutes from time. — AFP

Bayern massacre Roma

City in trouble after draw

MINSK: Brazilian striker Luiz Adriano struck fivetimes, becoming the first player in ChampionsLeague history to score four goals in the open-ing half, as Shakhtar Donetsk trounced BATEBorisov 7-0 in Group H yesterday. On a record-breaking night, Luiz Adriano joined Barcelona’sLionel Messi as the only players to hit five goalsin a Champions League game.

Shakhtar’s 6-0 halftime lead also set a newrecord for Europe’s elite club competition. TheUkrainians are now second in the group onfive points, two behind leaders Porto whobeat Athletic Bilbao 2-1. BATE are third withthree points from three matches while Athletichave one.

The beleaguered Belarussians, unbeaten athome for more than a year, went behind in the11th minute when Taison stole the ball in mid-field and freed Alex Teixeira who rounded keep-er Sergei Chernik to score. Teixeira also had ahand in the second goal after 28 minutes whenhe was brought down by Chernik and LuizAdriano converted the spot kick.

Taison played a part in Douglas Costa’s thirdfrom close range before Luiz Adriano producedan angled drive to make it 4-0. The 27-year-oldBrazilian marksman then completed the fastesthat-trick in the competition with another neatfinish in the 40th minute. There was still timebefore the interval for Luiz Adriano to add toBATE’s misery with a sixth goal for Shakhtarbefore he completed the rout with a penalty inthe 82nd minute. — Reuters

Records tumble as Adriano hits five in Shakhtar romp

BELARUS: BATE’s Maksim Volodko (center) tries to score against Shakhtar Donetsk during theirChampions League Group Stage in Group H soccer match. — AP

PORTUGAL: Porto’s Cristian Tello (left) controls the ball as Bilbao’s Iker Muniainztries to stop him during the Champions League Group H soccer match. — AP

PORTO: A 75th-minute blunder by goal-keeper Gorka Iraizoz handed Porto a 2-1victory over Athletic Bilbao yesterday thathelped the 1987 and 2004 winners main-tain a vice-like grip on Champions LeagueGroup H. Three minutes after coming on asa substitute, Ricardo Quaresma’s right-footshot from the edge of the area wentstraight at Iraizoz but the Spaniard some-how let the ball squirm under his body.Porto had gone in front on the stroke ofhalftime when Mexican Hector Herrera pro-duced an emphatic right-foot finish follow-ing a neat pass from Juan Quintero.

Bilbao equalised 13 minutes after thebreak when Guillermo Fernandez neatlysidestepped two defenders before expertlysliding the ball beyond Brazilian keeper

Fabiano. Several players squared up in aminor ker fuffle immediately afterGuillermo’s goal, with Porto’s Danilo andMarkel Susaeta of Bilbao being booked. Itwas a quiet night for Porto striker JacksonMartinez who was unable to add to thethree goals he scored in his side’s openingtwo games.

The Portuguese team, who are secondin their domestic championship, have sev-en points from three games and leadGroup H by two points from ShakhtarDonetsk who romped to a 7-0 win at BATEBorisov thanks to five goals from LuizAdriano. Struggling Bilbao are languishingfourth from bottom in La Liga and arepropping up the rest with one point inGroup H, two behind BATE. — Reuters

Bilbao keeper’s blunder hands Porto 2-1 victory

NICOSIA: Edinson Cavani rescued Paris Saint-Germain yesterday as his solo strike with threeminutes remaining was enough to defeatAPOEL Nicosia 1-0 after the Cypriots dominat-ed for large periods of the match. TheUruguayan marksman claimed his second goalin PSG’s Champions League Group F campaignand his sixth of the season when he latchedonto a loose ball in the box and, despite fallingto the ground, was able to hook it home withhis right boot for a victory that rarely lookedon the cards. APOEL will consider themselvesunlucky not to have claimed at least a drawand should have taken the lead on severaloccasions in a match that slipped from theirgrasp and puts their qualification chances injeopardy.

PSG remain top of the section with sevenpoints, a point clear of Barcelona, who beatAjax 3-1 at the Camp Nou on Tuesday, whileAPOEL prop up the group with just one point.The Cypriot champions, who became the firstteam from the island to reach the quarter-finals of Europe’s biggest club competition in2012, outworked and outmuscled their moreillustrious visitors in a tight game of fewchances.

On a night when PSG coach Laurent Blancwas able to field his captain Thiago Silva in thecentre of defence after nine weeks on the side-lines, it was Silva’s Brazilian compatriot DavidLuiz who cleared off the line twice in a secondhalf largely controlled by APOEL.

The closest the match came to a goal untilCavani’s strike was in the 56th minute when aglancing header from Tiago Gomes beat PSG‘keeper Salvatore Sirugu but was miraculouslyheaded off the line by David Luiz. Minutes laterthe former Chelsea player scrambled the ballclear when Sirigu was again left wanting andat full-time Blanc could feel very lucky to bereturning to the French capital with threepoints. Twenty-one first-half goals flew in dur-ing the opening 45 minutes of the other sevenmatches taking place on Tuesday but therewas no threat of a breakthrough in the Cypriotcapital as the game proved a slow burner.

The best first-half chance fell to APOEL’slanky Irish centre-forward Cillian Sheridan injust the second minute, as he clipped a volleytowards the bottom corner only to be stoppedby the reflexes of Sirigu who dived to his rightand tipped the ball behind. PSG looked themore polished side on the ball and dominatedpossession but the hosts set up a resilientdefensive wall that the visitors failed to breach.

Marshalled by Brazilian veteran Carlao, whospent six seasons in Ligue 1 with Sochaux,APOEL dealt comfortably with Cavani whileJavier Pastore and Lucas on the flanks werealso stifled. After the break, APOEL, whose 1-0loss at Barcelona last month was their onlydefeat this season coming into this game,went on the attack and took the game to PSGbefore Cavani popped up with three minutesleft to snatch the points. — AFP

Cavani rescues PSG

MOSCOW: Manchester City face a massivetask to qualify from Champions League GroupE after letting slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2with CSKA Moscow yesterday.

The Premier League champions desperate-ly needed a win in Moscow after an openingdefeat to Bayern Munich and a draw with ASRoma, and they were coasting to victory withfirst-half goals from Sergio Aguero and JamesMilner. But CSKA got one back after the breakvia substitute Seydou Doumbia, with BebrasNatcho equalising with a spot-kick with fourminutes remaining. “Of course we’re very dis-appointed,” Manchester City manager ManuelPellegrini said. “We were leading 2-0 butallowed CSKA to come back into the gameafter the break and to pull the scores level.

“We should have kept ourselves motivateduntil the end of the game. We were reallygood in the first half but the game lasts for 95minutes.” The Chilean put a brave face on thestalemate, suggesting his side could still qual-ify. “We’ve lost two very important points butwe have nine points more to play for and Ibelieve we still have enough chances to reachthe knockout stage.”

The game was played out in sub-zero tem-peratures in an eerily empty Arena Khimkiwith CSKA serving a stadium ban as punish-ment for various offences including racistchanting. Frank Lampard was ruled out forCity after injuring his thigh in the win againstTottenham Hotspur on Saturday, one of fivechanges made by manager Manuel Pellegrini.

IRREPRESSIBLE AGUERO CSKA tested England goalkeeper Joe Hart

with two early shots from forward AhmedMusa and Zoran Tosic, with Vincent Kompanyblocking Georgi Milanov’s effort. But it wasCity who deservedly took refuge from thefreezing temperatures at the break two goalsto the good.

As the snow began to fall tentatively, theirrepressible Aguero-scorer of all four goals in

the 4-1 defeat of Tottenham-put the visitorsinto a 29th-minute lead.

Edin Dzeko ran onto David Silva’s pass andcharged at CSKA ‘keeper Igor Akinfeev beforeunselfishly squaring to Aguero on his right forthe Argentine striker to slot home and settleCity’s nerves. Nine minutes later Yaya Tourefloated a pass over the CSKA defence to PabloZabaleta who nodded the ball back toAguero.

For once City’s all-time Premier league topscorer failed to find the target, but Milner wason hand at the far post to slide the ball overAfinkeev’s line.

City could have had a third seconds laterwhen Milner hit the post and then had apenalty shout turned down by referee IstvanVad after being clattered by a CSKA player.After the restart CSKA went close to reducingthe deficit when Roman Eremenko’s 25-yardeffort got the better of Hart but landed on theroof of the net.

In the 65th minute a finely-worked movedid put them firmly back in the match, Musadriving the ball across Hart ’s goal forDoumbia to pounce. In a bid to regain the ini-tiative, Pellegrini replaced Dzeko with JesusNavas with 20 minutes remaining, but in ahugely disappointing finish for City, theRussians levelled from the spot afterAleksandar Kolarov brought down Doumbia,with Natcho converting the penalty. City, whoregarded the penalty decision as unfair, areleft struggling on two points in third behindRoma and Bayern, who were due to meet lat-er on Tuesday.

CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky was more thanhappy with his side’s comeback. “We experi-enced serious personnel problems ahead ofthis match,” he said. “Our main forwardSeydou Doumbia could only play for 45 min-utes, even less. “After the break we changedour playing system and it worked perfectly.I’m really happy that we managed to comeback into the match and save the day.” — AFP

MOSCOW: CSKA Moscow’s defender Georgy Schennikov (right) heads the ball withManchester City’s Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure during the UEFA Champions LeagueGroup E football match. — AFP

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18Rodgers calls onReds to rise to Real challenge

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 201419City in troubleafter draw

West Indies in trouble as India suspend future tours Page 16

LONDON: Chelsea’s Didier Drogba (top) leaps over Maribor’s goalkeeper Jasmin Handanovic (second left) during the Champions League Group G soccer match at Stamford Bridge stadium in London. — AP

LONDON: Didier Drogba scored his first goal since returning toChelsea as Jose Mourinho’s side took control of ChampionsLeague Group G with a crushing 6-0 victory over Maribor atStamford Bridge yesterday.

Drogba’s last goal for the Blues was the decisive penalty thatsaw Bayern Munich beaten in the 2012 Champions League final.

And, having returned to west London during the last trans-fer window, the Ivory Coast striker again scored from the spotto put his side 2-0 up after Loic Remy had opened the scoring inthe 13th minute.

John Terry put Jose Mourinho’s team in control with a 31stminute effort and a second-half own goal from Mitja Viler fol-lowed by two goals from Eden Hazard, one a penalty, con-firmed a win that extended Chelsea’s outstanding start to theseason.

The only blow suffered by Premier League leaders Chelseawas an injury to Remy that could make him a doubt to faceManchester United on Sunday.

Mourinho had insisted before this game he would notallow the upcoming trip to Old Trafford to influence his teamselection.

And the Portuguese manager was good to his word, nam-ing a strong side that showed just two changes from the teamthat started in Saturday’s victory at Crystal Palace.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech made only his second start of theseason and Kurt Zouma, the teenage centre-back, came in forhis Champions League debut in place of Gary Cahill.

With Diego Costa still injured after suffering a hamstringinjury on international duty with Spain, Remy was again hand-ed the responsibility of leading the attack.

It was another opportunity for the France international todemonstrate Chelsea have the resources to cope with the lossof Costa and Mourinho will have drawn satisfaction with theway Remy broke the deadlock.

Picked out by an excellent through ball by Terry, Remyadvanced from 30 yards, cutting in from the right before

drilling a low, left foot shot inside the far post for his secondgoal since arriving from Queens Park Rangers on transferdeadline day.

That, though, was the forward’s last meaningful contribu-tion with Remy pulling up immediately holding his groin,prompting the introduction of substitute Drogba.

LIGHTNING BREAK Mourinho had warned Drogba was unable to complete 90

minutes after the 37-year-old had struggled to make animpact in Chelsea’s opening Champions League group gameagainst Schalke.

On this occasion, however, it took the striker just sevenminutes to register his presence.

Maribor midfielder Ales Mertelj conceded a penalty afterusing his hand to block Willian’s attempted pass and Drogbafinished emphatically. That left Maribor facing a daunting taskand worse was to come for the Slovenian side. Terry added a

third goal after a lightning break following a Maribor corner.Hazard picked up a long clearance and broke into the Mariborhalf before laying the ball off to Cesc Fabregas whose lowcross was met inside the six-yard box by Terry, who had racedthe length of the pitch to join the attack.

Having reached half-time in total control, the only questionwas whether Chelsea would maintain the tempo after thebreak. They were helped when Viler turned the ball into hisown net from Hazard’s cross in the 54th minute.

Maribor were presented with the chance to reduce thedeficit when Nemanja Matic clumsily barged into Ibraimi toconcede a penalty but the Maribor striker struck the post withhis effort from 12 yards.

Chelsea’s dominance was confirmed when Hazard convert-ed the third penalty of the evening after Branislav Ivanovichad been tripped by Zeljko Filipovic in the 77th minute beforewrapping things up with a fine individual effort in the closingseconds. — AFP

Drogba on target in Chelsea rout

BARCELONA: Barcelona warmed up fortheir clash with Real Madrid on Saturdayin fine fashion as goals from Neymar,Lionel Messi and Sandro Ramirez hand-ed them a 3-1 Champions League winover Ajax yesterday. Neymar grabbedthe opener in the Group F clash at theCamp Nou after just seven minuteswhen he collected Messi’s pass to curlthe ball into the far corner before Messiput Barca firmly in command when heslotted home 14 minutes later.

Barca coach Luis Enrique then with-drew Neymar, Messi and Andres Iniestain the second half to keep them fresh forthe weekend.

Ajax briefly threatened a comebackwhen Anwar El Ghazi halved the deficittwo minutes from time, but Sandrodrove home a third in stoppage time to

secure a deserved victory for theCatalans.

Edinson Cavani’s late winner for ParisSaint-Germain away to APOEL Nicosiameans Barca remain a point behind theFrench champions at the top of Group F,but extend their advantage over third-placed Ajax to four points.

Messi and Neymar have now com-bined for 19 of their side’s 28 goals thisseason and the lethal duo combined toopen the scoring as Messi sucked in theAjax defence before releasing Neymar tocurl home his 10th goal in as manygames.

Moments later it was Messi who hada good chance to double the hosts’advantage, but he fired over from justinside the area.

The Argentine did get on the score-

sheet midway through the first halfwhen he collected a lovely pass fromAndres Iniesta and, despite JasperCillessen’s best efforts, Messi’s low shottrickled over the line. Messi was theprovider once more as Barca came with-in inches of a third when PedroRodriguez smacked the post. And only afine save from Cillessen preventedIniesta from sealing a wonderful individ-ual run with a goal six minutes beforehalf-time after he ghosted past threeAjax defenders.

Messi’s goal had brought the four-time World Player of the Year level withCristiano Ronaldo on 69 ChampionsLeague goals, two behind Raul’s all-timerecord of 71.

However, his attempts to inch closerto the record were frustrated after the

break as he had a goal rightly ruled outfor offside before firing into the side-net-ting from a narrow angle.

Neymar, Messi and Iniesta were allthen withdrawn with the upcoming tripto the Bernabeu in mind, and with themajor threat to their goal removed, Ajaxbegan to create chances of their own.

Davy Klaassen blazed over whenwell-positioned inside the area 15 min-utes from time, and Frank de Boer’s mendid ensure there were a nervy final fewminutes for Barca when substitute ElGhazi bundled the ball home from closerange two minutes from time.

However, Sandro sealed the threepoints with a fine low finish into the farcorner at the end of a flowing counter-attack in the fourth minute of stoppagetime. — AFP

Neymar, Messi strike to ease Barca past Ajax

GERMANY: A stoppage-time penal-ty from Schalke 04’s Er ic MaximChoupo-Moting snatched a 4-3 winagainst Sporting in the ChampionsLeague yesterday for their first victo-ry and a winning return to the com-petition for new coach Roberto DiMatteo.

In a rollercoaster game, Schalkesquandered a two-goal lead aftercoming from a goal down whenAdrien Silva struck twice in the sec-ond half. But Choupo-Moting kepthis cool to win the game for Schalkedeep in stoppage time.

Portugal winger Nani, on loanfrom Manchester United this season,had put the visitors ahead on 14minutes before Schalke levelledthrough Nigerian Chinedu Obasiwith the Portuguese down to 10men after the dismissal of Mauricioin the 33rd.

It looked all over when second-half goals from Klaas-Jan Huntelaarand captain Benedikt Hoewedes putthe hosts two goals ahead.

But two goals from Silva, a spotkick and a header with 12 minutesremaining, looked to have turnedthe game around before Chuopo-Moting’s last-gasp penalty. Schalkeare second in Group G on f ivepoints, two behind leaders Chelsea,who crushed Slovenia’s Maribor 6-0.Sporting are on one.

Spor ting coach Marco Si lvanamed an unchanged line-up to theone that beat Por to 3-1 in thePortuguese Cup on Saturday andthey got off to a good start with

Algerian Islam Slimani going closeearly on. With the roof closed overthe Auf Schalke Arena on a rainyRuhr valley evening, Nani openedthe scoring when he was left com-pletely unmarked, rifling in a cleverJoao Mario cutback from a corner inthe 16th minute.

The hosts, however, were dealt adouble blow a l i tt le later withSlimani, a constant threat up front,forced off with an injur y beforeBrazil ian Mauricio clattered intoMarco Hoeger for a second bookingand a red card in the 33rd minute.

Schalke made the extra mancount seconds later when NigerianChinedu Obasi headed in his firstChampions League goal with theball dribbling over the line afterkeeper Rui Patricio had failed tohold on to it. Sporting, who havenever won in Germany, found them-selves with a mountain to climbagainst the aggressive hosts in thesecond half and Huntelaar neededonly six minutes after the restart tonet his third goal of the campaign inas many games. Hoewedes, makinghis first appearance in the competi-t ion after recovering from a hipinjur y in September, headed inSchalke’s third goal on the hour.

But far from giving up, Sportingbattled on and Silva cut the deficitwith a well-taken spot kick threeminutes later, before heading hissecond goal at the far post for whatwould have been an unlikely drawbefore Choupo-Moting’s latedecider. — Reuters

Schalke defeat Sporting 4-3 with stoppage-time penalty

SPAIN: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (centre) dribbles the ball through the Ajax defense during the Champions League Group F soccer match at the Camp Nou stadium. — AP

Page 21: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

BusinessWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Egypt Exchange may okaylistings of 10 firms in 2014

Page 22

Kuwait experiencing a periodof renewed growth: Expert

Page 25NBK named ‘Best Bankin Kuwait 2014’

Page 23Ooredoo call to help bring the next billion online

Page 26

KUWAIT: Ahli United Bank (Kuwait) report-ed net profits of KD 38.7 million at the endof the third quarter of 2014, ie an increase of9.9 percent compared with the correspon-ding period of the previous year.

These profits were the outcome of oper-ating revenues amounted to KD 78.3 millionfrom the core business of the bank, and theearning per share reached 30.0 files against27.3 files for the corresponding period ofthe previous year. This reflects the strengthof the financial position of the bank andcapability of the bank to realize operatingprofits gained from the banking activity.

Returns on depositsOn this occasion, Dr Al-Mudhaf,

Chairman of Ahli United Bank (Kuwait) com-mented that, “With the grace of Allah, ourbank has achieved high ratios in most of thefinancial indicators during the first 9 months2014, whereby the outcome of the bankbusiness showed that total assets rose to KD3,620 million as of 30 September 2014, com-pared to KD 3,165 million as of 31December 2013 and customer deposits roseby 21.5 percent to reach KD 2,544 million asof 30 September 2014 , compared to KD2,093 million as of 31 December 2013.Bank’s average return on shareholders’equity (ROE) and the average return on totalassets (ROA) has reached 16.6 percent and1.5 percent respectively, along with the sat-isfactory ratio of capital adequacy of 16.3percent as of 30 September 2014 as perBasel-II accord. Dr Al-Mudhaf stressed thatthese positive results are the outgrowth ofthe prudent management policies andunwearied efforts exerted by the board ofdirectors and staff members who succeed-ed to maintain success and stability of the

bank.Dr Al-Mudhaf added that the returns

realized by Ahli United Bank (Kuwait) in theinvestment deposits during the period of2014 surpassed their peers in the marketand represented one of the highest returnsin Kuwait, whereby the bank businessresults for the first nine months of 2014showed that profit distribution rates on KDannual investment deposits reached 1.86percent pa, return on KD investmentdeposits for the six-month reached 1.62 per-cent p.a. andreturn on KD saving invest-ment accounts reached 1.43 percent p.a.Ahli United Bank (Kuwait) avails an advan-tage to depositors as profit is distributed onquarterly basis, thereby depositors maintaintheir rights in the profits realized for eachquarter independently, in accordance withthe bank results announced for those peri-ods.

Dr Al-Mudhaf further said that theincrease in net profits during the period wasattributable to the collaborated efforts ofthe bank management targeting prominentperformance in various activities such asrendering distinguished service and inte-grated solutions to the customers, enhanc-ing the presence of the bank in retail bank-ing, corporate financing and treasury servic-es in marketplace, focusing on diversifica-tion of revenue sources, risk diversificationand understanding rising demands of cus-tomers with respect to type, volume andquality of business. This enhances the cul-ture of interaction within the bank andleads to continues development of thebank, considering that these results reflect abalanced approach between realizing highprofit ratios on the one hand and prudentcredit policy on the other hand, within the

framework of overall corporate governancestandards.

Dr Al-Mudhaf affirmed that managementof Ahli United Bank (Kuwait) succeeded toplace the bank among the best Islamicbanks, not only on the local levels but alsoon the regional arenas. The bank manage-ment continues its endeavors to accomplishachievements and enhanced success withprudence and perseverance in view of theconfidence accorded to the bank by its cus-tomers, the board of directors and share-holders. This confirms the right-track fol-lowed by the bank for conversion intoIslamic banking in April 2010.

Dr Al-Mudhaf stressed that the bankassured its continued success and eminent

position in the Islamic banking business bywinning award for the best Islamic bank inKuwait in 2014 for the second consecutiveyear from “The Banker Magazine”, the mostworld reputed and pioneer magazine in thefield of banking industry, which confirmsthe eligibility of the exquisite position bankdeserves in rendering distinctive bankingservices and products.

Ratings upgradeFurthermore, the bank attained new high

ratings by the world largest rating agencies,of which Fitch Rating Agency upgradedbank’s credit strength on the long term andshort term to A+ and F1 respectively with astable future outlook. Fitch upgraded bankrating for its capability to continue and thesoundness of its positions owing to thestrength of its financial position, rising prof-itability, the quality assets, and the strengthof its liquidity position and its capital ade-quacy, as well as the strength of adequacyof its major shareholders and their supportto the bank. The World Rating AgencyMoody’s affirmed AUBK ratings (which werepreviously upgraded) with a stable futureoutlook, whereby the local currency wasrated at “A2” The World Capital Intelligenceaffirmed the AUBK ratings (which were pre-viously rated), whereas the long term for-eign currency was rated at “A” and the shortterm foreign currency was rated at “A2” andthese ratings indicated the quality of thebank assets which exceeds the average inthe banking sector and pinpoints thestrength of the capital adequacy, the qualityof liquidity positions and improvement inlevel of operating and net profits.

Dr Al-Mudhaf expected that theimprovement in the bank performance will

continue, whereby the bank is anticipatedto realize further achievements during theyear, notwithstanding the heated competi-tion in the Islamic banking market. The bankmanagement is well aware of these condi-tions and consider these challenges as adriving force to improve all banking servicesand the continued development of integrat-ed services and products and financial solu-tions, to cope up with the acceleratingchanges in the banking business in generaland Islamic banking in particular and toobserve the new rules and instructionsissued by the Central Bank of Kuwait.Undoubtedly, the well performance fore-casts and maintenance of appropriategrowth ratios in the banks operational activ-ities falls within the implementation of anoverall strategy and in the framework ofintensive efforts exerted for protection ofthe position held by the bank, being one ofthe best Islamic banks and to benefit frombeing one of the most significant entitywithin an integrated banking group thatattains regional expansion and has pro-found banking history.

In concluding his statement, Dr Al-Mudhaf extended his thanks and apprecia-tion to the bank customers, shareholders,management and staffs for the confidenceand support they conferred upon the bankwhich enabled the bank to realize thesesuccessive achievements and maintain itspioneer position in the Kuwaiti banking sec-tor, confirming that the bank is proud toserve its customers and will endeavor tofind out the best approaches for satisfactionof their financial and banking requirementsand enhancement of their relations with thebank and our dedication to render integrat-ed package of banking service.

AUB Kuwait profits jump to KD38.7mBank’s net profits rise 9.9% at end of Q3 2014

Ahli United Bank, Kuwait Chairman DrAl-Mudhaf

KUWAIT: Revenue at Kuwait-listed logistics companyAgility is expected to resume growing next year as emerg-ing markets business expands and the company developsnew sectors, chief executive Tarek Sultan said.

With more than 20,000 employees and over 500 officesin more than 100 countries, Agility is one of Kuwait’s cor-porate success stories and a play on the Gulf’s rapidlyexpanding trade links with the rest of the world, especiallyemerging markets in Asia and Africa.

Its logistics and freight forwarding businesses, whichaccount for most of its revenue, have been hit by instabilityin the global economy over the last few years. Total rev-enue sank 7 percent to KD656 million ($2.28 billion) in thefirst half of this year, after a 3 percent drop in 2013.

Agility has been able to keep its profit growing by con-trolling costs; salaries and employee benefits were essen-tially flat in the first half as net income climbed 11 percentto KD24.1 million.

“Globally, revenues have been affected by conditionsthat have challenged the freight forwarding industry,”Sultan said in an interview for the Reuters Middle EastInvestment Summit, adding that Agility had thereforebeen focusing on how it could boost productivity.

But he said revenues were now expected to resume ris-ing in 2015, aided by emerging market business in placesincluding Africa and India. Meanwhile new activities -developing industrial parks, ground handling and thelogistics of handling fuels - were growing rapidly, Sultansaid. “Taking a granular view of our businesses, they areshowing improvement across the board.”

StrategyThe stock market has begun to anticipate a turnaround;

Agility’s shares have risen 86 percent since the end of 2012,compared to a 24 percent gain for Kuwait’s main stockmarket index.

Sultan, who took over leadership of Agility in 1997when the company was privatized, said a big focus for thecompany next year would be supporting supply chains forthe oil and gas industry in Africa, in countries such asAngola and Ghana. In the past, the company has spenthundreds of millions of dollars around the world on strate-gic acquisitions of other firms. A series of purchases in2005 and 2006 supported its expansion into the UnitedStates and Europe.

Sultan declined to discuss in detail whether acquisitionsmight be on the cards in Africa, beyond saying Agility hadalways focused on organic growth but “we are continuous-ly assessing any business opportunities that might beaccretive in value for our shareholders.”

However, he said the company was prepared to investheavily in its business of providing industrial warehousinginfrastructure; it intends to launch five industrial park proj-ects in Africa next year.

It is hard to put a value on next year’s investment inthese projects because Agility rolls them out based onneed - it acquires real estate, then develops it and offersfacilities in response to growth in demand, Sultan said. Butin coming years, the company may spend “hundreds ofmillions of dollars” on such projects in Africa, he said. Onemajor uncertainty for Agility is the outcome of settlementtalks with the US government over allegations, which thefirm has denied, that it overcharged the US army in supplycontracts. In August, Agility said the US Department ofJustice was seeking “substantial damages” and that itremained suspended from bidding for new US govern-ment contracts.

The dispute has not prevented Agility from winningother military-related business. Earlier this month the com-pany said a wholly owned unit had won an $82.5 millioncontract from Britain’s Ministry of Defense to managehousehold moves for ministry and armed forces personnelthrough April 2016. — Reuters

Kuwait’s Agility sees revenue rebound on emerging markets

KUWAIT: Governor of the CentralBank of Kuwait (CBK) Mohammad YAl-Hashel announced yesterdaythat CBK’s Board of Directors hasapproved the instructions forimplementing the Leverage RatioStandards to Kuwaiti banks, bothconventional and Islamic.

As per the new instructions,Banks’ leverage ratio should notexceed three percent, Al-Hashelsaid in a press statement, addingthat the new instruction would beeffective as of 31 December 2014.

He stated that the implementa-tion of the Leverage RatioStandards comes within the frame-work of the CBK’s measures to fullyapply the International regulatoryframework for banks (Basel III)reforms and guidelines. It also aimsto keep abreast of the develop-

ments in field of banks control, hesaid.

The leverage ratio is the propor-tion of debts that a bank has com-pared to its equity/capital. TheGovernor pointed out that the CBK,through the new instructions,seeks to curb the accumulation ofleverage ratio in the banking sec-tor which could put pressures onthe financial system or the wholeeconomy. It also aims to boost cap-ital adequacy requirements.

Al-Hashel reiterated that theCBK is firmly committed to com-plete implementing Basel I I Ireforms and guidelines. The CBK ismoving forward toward accom-plishing the other standards ofBasel III set of reforms, liquidityratios standards, according to awell-planned schedule and taking

into consideration the comprehen-sive quantitative impact study(QIS) outcomes, he said.

The governor said that finalBasel III Leverage ratio standardinstructions are now published onthe CBK website for those interest-ed in the banking and financialbusiness. “Basel III” is a comprehen-sive set of reform measures, devel-oped by the Basel Committee onBanking Supervision, to strengthenthe regulation, supervision and riskmanagement of the banking sec-tor. These measures aim to:improve the banking sector’s abili-ty to absorb shocks arising fromfinancial and economic stress,whatever the source; improve riskmanagement and governance;strengthen banks’ transparencyand disclosures. — KUNA

CBK approves instructions for banks’ leverage ratio standards

Page 22: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

EXCHANGE RATES

Bahrain Exchange Company

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

Japanese Yen 2.723Indian Rupees 4.725Pakistani Rupees 2.811Srilankan Rupees 2.211Nepali Rupees 2.956Singapore Dollar 228.630Hongkong Dollar 37.310Bangladesh Taka 3.735Philippine Peso 6.467Thai Baht 8.989Irani Riyal transfer 1174.350Irani Riyal cash 142.270

GCC COUNTRIESSaudi Riyal 77.259Qatari Riyal 79.607Omani Riyal 752.500Bahraini Dinar 769.300UAE Dirham 78.891

ARAB COUNTRIESEgyptian Pound - Cash 41.471Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.397Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.351Tunisian Dinar 162.520Jordanian Dinar 2.485Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.943Syrian Lira 2.064Morocco Dirham 33.854

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIESUS Dollar Transfer 289.450Euro 372.670Sterling Pound 469.630Canadian dollar 257.750Turkish lira 129.140Swiss Franc 308.900Australian Dollar 255.870US Dollar Buying 288.250

GOLDTola 1 142.270Tola 2 279.080Tola 5 693.525

CURRENCY BUY SELLEurope

Belgian Franc 0.007533 0.008533British Pound 0.461255 0.470255Czech Korune 0.005429 0.017429Danish Krone 0.045718 0.050718Euro 0.365264 0.373264Norwegian Krone 0.040111 0.045311Romanian Leu 0.083679 0.083679Slovakia 0.008405 0.018405Swedish Krona 0.036285 0.041285Swiss Franc 0.300822 0.311022Turkish Lira 0.127275 0.134275

AustralasiaAustralian Dollar 0.246591 0.258091New Zealand Dollar 0.224942 0.234442

AmericaCanadian Dollar 0.251279 0.259779US Dollars 0.285350 0.290050US Dollars Mint 0.285850 0.290050

AsiaBangladesh Taka 0.003326 0.003926Chinese Yuan 0.045720 0.049220Hong Kong Dollar 0.035219 0.037969Indian Rupee 0.004479 0.004880Indonesian Rupiah 0.000020 0.000026Japanese Yen 0.002635 0.002815Kenyan Shilling 0.003239 0.003239Korean Won 0.000264 0.000279Malaysian Ringgit 0.085396 0.091396Nepalese Rupee 0.002957 0.003127Pakistan Rupee 0.002787 0.003067

Philippine Peso 0.006340 0.006620Sierra Leone 0.000063 0.000069Singapore Dollar 0.224488 0.230488South African Rand 0.020213 0.028713Sri Lankan Rupee 0.001896 0.002476Taiwan 0.009406 0.009586Thai Baht 0.008631 0.009181

ArabBahraini Dinar 0.761314 0.769314Egyptian Pound 0.038797 0.041887Iranian Riyal 0.000080 0.000081Iraqi Dinar 0.000187 0.000247Jordanian Dinar 0.404159 0.411659Kuwaiti Dinar 1.000000 1.000000Lebanese Pound 0.000141 0.000241Moroccan Dirhams 0.023560 0.047560Nigerian Naira 0.001148 0.001783Omani Riyal 0.745792 0.751472Qatar Riyal 0.078794 0.080007Saudi Riyal 0.076550 0.077250Syrian Pound 0.001715 0.001935Tunisian Dinar 0.158136 0.166136Turkish Lira 0.127275 0.134275UAE Dirhams 0.077825 0.078974Yemeni Riyal 0.001306 0.001386

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

COUNTRY SELL DRAFT SELL CASH Australian Dollar 235.87 232.87Canadian Dollar 260.81 261.81Swiss Franc 312.13 310.13Euro 374.07 375.07US Dollar 289.65 292.65Sterling Pound 471.10 474.10Japanese Yen 2.76 2.78Bangladesh Taka 3.732 4.002Indian Rupee 4.723 5.023Sri Lankan Rupee 2.210 2.645Nepali Rupee 2.954 3.489Pakistani Rupee 2.812 2.790UAE Dirhams 78.71 79.18Bahraini Dinar 768.79 770.86Egyptian Pound 40.40 41.00Jordanian Dinar 411.09 416.74Omani Riyal 751.18 758.48Qatari Riyal 79.76 80.31Saudi Riyal 77.16 77.56

Rate for Transfer Selling RateUS Dollar 289.300Canadian Dollar 259.550Sterling Pound 466.260Euro 370.735Swiss Frank 306.160Bahrain Dinar 770.030UAE Dirhams 78.745Qatari Riyals 80.345Saudi Riyals 77.405Jordanian Dinar 408.625Egyptian Pound 40.407Sri Lankan Rupees 2.214Indian Rupees 4.723Pakistani Rupees 2.813Bangladesh Taka 3.736Philippines Pesso 6.457Cyprus pound 710.585Japanese Yen 3.705

Syrian Pound 2.780Nepalese Rupees 3.920Malaysian Ringgit 89.210Chinese Yuan Renminbi 47.635Thai Bhat 9.915Turkish Lira 128.830

Al Mulla Exchange

Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000)US Dollar 288.850Euro 372.850Pound Sterlng 469.750Canadian Dollar 259.000Indian Rupee 4.720Egyptian Pound 40.385Sri Lankan Rupee 2.208Bangladesh Taka 3.728Philippines Peso 6.452Pakistan Rupee 2.811Bahraini Dinar 769.200UAE Dirham 78.700Saudi Riyal 77.150*Rates are subject to change

B U S I N E S S

Newsi n b r i e f

Doha Bank 9-month net profit gains 10%

DOHA: Doha Bank, Qatar’s fifth-largest lender by assets,reported yesterday a 10 percent increase in its net profit forthe first nine months of the year. The lender made 1.1 billionriyals in the year-to-September 30, compared to 1 billionriyals in the year earlier period, a bourse statement said. It didnot provide a breakdown for the third quarter. Analysts hadforecast, on average, the bank would make a net profit of365.7 million riyals for the period in a Reuters poll.

Oman Oil in talks with Oxy to buy stake in local assets

MUSCAT: Oman Oil Co is in talks with Occidental PetroleumCorp to buy a minority stake in its assets in the Gulf Arabsultanate, the Omani firm’s chief executive said yesterday.“We are now in negotiations with Occidental to buy theirassets here in the sultanate,” CEO Isam Al-Zadjali toldreporters on the sidelines of an energy conference inMuscat. “Now we are waiting for them to specify whatexactly do they want from this deal. We are ready to buy theassets.” Zadjali later said that Oman Oil is “looking to buy aminority shares in Oxy’s assets in Oman, not the wholeassets.” Occidental’s planned sale fits a trend of U.S. oil com-panies disposing of assets elsewhere in the world in order totilt strategy towards the shale gas boom in North America.ConocoPhillips COP.N is offloading assets in Kazakhstan,Algeria and Nigeria in deals generating around $9 billion intotal. Occidental had said in October last year that itplanned to sell a minority stake in its Middle East and NorthAfrican operations as part of a restructuring program to liftits valuation. Reuters had reported last year that three state-owned Gulf firms, Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Development Co,Qatar Petroleum and Oman Oil, were considering a joint bidfor the unit, in a deal that could be worth between $8 billionand $10 billion.

Qatar Insurance to list subsidiary

DUBAI: Qatar Insurance Company (QIC) said yesterday itsboard had approved a move to list the firm’s internationalsubsidiary on Qatar’s bourse, paving the way for a secondinitial public offering (IPO) in the Gulf state after a longdrought. QIC provided no details of the planned flotationof QIC International and said only that the subsidiary wasincorporated under Qatar Financial Centre. According toQIC’s website, QIC International includes units operating inOman, Kuwait and Malta. The plans follow the FebruaryIPO of Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding Co, Qatar’s firststock market listing since 2010, which attracted strongdemand.

IILM adds Barwa Bank as sukuk primary dealer

LONDON: The Malaysia-based International IslamicLiquidity Management Corp (IILM) has added Qatar’sBarwa Bank as the tenth primary dealer handling itsIslamic bond program, the organization said yester-day. The IILM, a consortium of central banks fromAsia, the Middle East and Africa, launched the pro-gram last year to meet a shortage of investment-grade financial instruments which Islamic banks canuse for their short-term funding needs. Barwa joinsAbu Dhabi Islamic Bank, AlBaraka Turk, CIMB IslamicBank Bhd, Luxembourg’s KBL Private Bankers, KuwaitFinance House, Maybank Islamic Bhd, National Bankof Abu Dhabi, Qatar National Bank and StandardChartered Bank as IILM primary dealers. The IILM auc-tioned $860 million worth of three-month sukuk car-rying a profit rate of 0.51075 percent, attracting acombined $1.2 billion from 11 bids, a regulatory filingshowed. The program periodically reissues expiringsukuk; in August, the IILM increased its total sukukoutstanding to $1.65 billion.

Waha Capital gets nod for share buyback

DUBAI: Abu Dhabi-listed investment firm WahaCapital has secured regulatory approval to buy backup to 10 percent of its outstanding shares, the com-pany said in a bourse filing yesterday without disclos-ing the price it would offer. Waha said last month theprogram would allow it to repurchase up to 194 mil-lion shares. The stock closed at 2.68 dirhams in thelast session, putting the buy-back’s potential cost ataround 520 million dirham ($142 million). The firmhas also said the buyback will be carried out within12 months of approval by the Securities andCommodities Authority.

CAIRO: The Egyptian Exchange expects to have approvedthe listings of 10 companies by the end of this year as confi-dence in the local economy grows, the exchange’s chairmanMohamed Omran said.

The stock market was hit hard by the political and eco-nomic instability which followed the overthrow of HosniMubarak in early 2011, but many investors now feel stabilityis returning. The main stock index and trading volumes haveboth rebounded above the levels seen in 2010. ArabianCement Co listed in Cairo in May this year after raising $110million in its initial public offer, the first major one on thebourse for about three years.

Omran, in an interview for the Reuters Middle EastInvestment Summit, said the exchange had approved thelisting of four companies so far this year and expected thatnumber to rise to ten by the end of 2014. Growing activity inthe stock market “is a very positive indicator that theEgyptian economy has started to recover,” he said.

“Companies are able to acquire, expand and invest to agreater extent in order to achieve profitability and growth.This will reflect on per-share earnings and in turn on prices

in the market. The exchange and the economy can never beseparated.” He added: “We have an economy that hungersfor investments. The major economic projects that Egypt iscurrently working on will lift the dust off its economy.”

Regulatory reformsStock prices have tumbled in the past two weeks as glob-

al markets have been hit by concern about economicgrowth; the Egyptian index is down about 13 percent fromlast month’s six-year peak. Omran said the pull-back was notrelated to fundamental conditions in Egypt. “The nature ofglobal markets is to rise and fall. These are normal circum-stances that do not worry me, especially as the correctionoccurred within the framework of global markets in generaland not the Egyptian market only.

“What worries me is any diminishing of liquidity and themarket’s inability to fund companies’ capital increases.” Tomake it easier for companies to raise capital, Omran said theexchange would reassess listing rules with a view towardsimplementing changes by the end of this year.

Listing rules will not be totally rewritten, but there are

five sections “that practical application has shown need tobe changed”, he said. One such section covers the freezingof 65 percent of key shareholders’ stakes during publicoffers; that may be reduced to 51 percent, Omran said.While 10 percent of major shareholders’ stakes are current-ly counted as part of free floats, that percentage may bereduced.

Another article stipulates a company must have 300shareholders at the time of listing; that may be adjusted assome companies have found it difficult to comply. Also,companies may be allowed to list without having completedcertain administrative requirements such as annual generalmeetings, as long as they commit to completing them. InApril, the exchange granted Beltone Financial the country’sfirst license for exchange traded funds (ETF), a step towardsdeepening trade in the stock market.

Omran said he had expected ETF certificates to beoffered earlier this year but the project was still on track.“Now I can confirm that this will be completed before theend of the year. There are some administrative procedures.Beltone has not yet finalized its offering circular.” — Reuters

Egypt Exchange may okaylistings of 10 firms in 2014

Growing market activity shows growing economy

JALALABAD: An Afghan child uses a donkey to transport grass on the outskirts of Jalalabad. Despite significantimprovement in the last decade the country is still extremely poor and remains highly dependent on foreign aid. — AFP

Saudi Fransi Capitalsays three big

IPOs in pipelineRIYADH: Investment bank Saudi Fransi Capital has three big initialpublic offers of shares in the pipeline as the Saudi Arabian equitymarket booms and firms become keener to list, the company’schief executive said. The kingdom’s $550 billion stock market, byfar the largest in the Arab world, saw just five IPOs in 2013 worth atotal of around $506 million, down in both volume and value fromthe previous year.

But volume and value are both set to rise this year as the secu-rities regulator encourages listings of companies which it believescontribute to economic growth. Although the main equity indexhas pulled back in the last two weeks because of sliding oil pricesand concern about global economic growth, it is still up 16 per-cent year-to-date and up 45 percent since the end of 2012. In areform designed to increase the long-term efficiency of the Saudieconomy and stimulate private sector growth, the Capital MarketAuthority announced in July that it would open the stock marketto direct foreign investment in the first half of next year.

“We have an excellent deals pipeline...We think we will see oneIPO every quarter from Saudi Fransi Capital for the coming fivequarters,” Yasir Al-Rumayyan said in an interview at the ReutersMiddle East Investment Summit. Each of the three big IPOs cur-rently in Saudi Fransi’s pipeline is larger than 1 billion riyals ($267million), Rumayyan said: Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Group, one ofthe largest private providers of healthcare in the region; water andpower project developer ACWA Power; and Petromin, a lubricantsproducer.

“I have a bigger list than this one...We have another IPO in thesteel sector, and one in building materials,” said Rumayyan, whosecompany is an arm of Saudi Arabia’s fourth-largest listed lender,Banque Saudi Fransi. Saudi Arabia’s National Commercial Bank iscurrently conducting a $6 billion IPO, the largest ever launched inthe Arab world.

Asset managementThe deepening of the Saudi stock market through IPOs and its

opening to foreign investors are expected to support growth forasset managers in the kingdom. “Our assets under management(AUM) is about 10 billion riyals, but this number is growingtremendously, as it was less than 5 billion in 2010,” Rumayyan said.

“We want to grow like 15 to 25 percent on an annual basis, andwe think it is doable because we have been doing it in the pastthree or four years.” Rumayyan said his company would open anoffice in Dubai to cater to international investors in the brokerageand asset management sectors. In the past, Saudi banks haverarely opened overseas offices, preferring to focus on their domes-tic market.

The opening of the Saudi stock market to foreign institutionalinvestors will eventually bring between $30 billion and $60 billionof funds into the bourse, especially if the market is ultimatelyadmitted to the MSCI emerging markets index, Rumayyan esti-mated. The fund inflows would spur trading volume and revenuesat Saudi brokerages. “If you look at the Saudi market currently, weare ranked number 15 worldwide in terms of the daily volume -definitely if we have the international investors coming in to themarket, I think we will see a minimum 15 to 20 percent increase indaily volumes.”—Reuters

RABAT: Morocco’s BMCE Bank is preparing to launch an Islamicsubsidiary as a joint venture with a major Islamic financial institu-tion from the Middle East, the bank’s managing director said. Theplan illustrates how the international expansion of Islamic financemay help to strengthen business ties between the wealthy Gulfand other Arab countries. In the past, many Arab governmentsoutside the Gulf neglected or even discouraged Islamic finance,partly for ideological reasons. That has changed in many countriessince the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011 pushed governments toseek new sources of economic growth.

The Moroccan parliament is now discussing a bill that wouldregulate Islamic banks and sukuk issues; approval is expectedbefore the end of this year. Tunisia is gearing up for its first sover-eign sukuk issue, and in July, regulators in Jordan introduced rulesfor sukuk. For countries running large budget and current accountdeficits, like Morcco, the economic advantage of sukuk markets isthat they can tap into huge pools of sharia-compliant money inthe Gulf. Banks from Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United ArabEmirates have expressed interest in entering Morocco when itsIslamic finance bill comes into force. Moroccan authorities areexpected to guide the foreign banks towards partnering withlocal banks rather than establishing fully owned Islamic sub-sidiaries, local bankers believe. “Our subsidiary will take our part-ner’s name,” BMCE managing director Brahim Benjelloun-Touimi

said in an interview at the Reuters Middle East InvestmentSummit. He declined to reveal the partner’s identity, saying thatcould only happen after the bill was passed and the central bankapproved the deal. Other major Moroccan banks, includingBanque Centrale Populaire and Attijariwafa Bank, have discussedlaunching Islamic offshoots with foreign Islamic banks, industrysources said.

Bad loans BMCE posted a 51 percent rise in first-half net profit attributa-

ble to shareholders to 902 million dirhams ($103.3 million), butlike other Moroccan banks, it still faces a rise in bad loans in itsdomestic market and in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is a biginvestor. The bank had 6.8 billion dirhams in bad debt at the endof June, up from 6.3 billion dirhams at end-2013, and declaredover 1 billion dirhams of additional provisions. However, it alsowrote back 509 million dirhams of provisions set aside in recentyears, so its provisions now total 3.6 billion dirhams. Benjelloun-Touimi said the bank had launched a structural plan to counterrisks and improve controls. “Around 15 percent of our bad loanscame from shipping and sea transport, and real estate develop-ment. Without those two sectors, we would have seen a drop inthe non-performing loan ratio to 4.75 percent from 6.3 percent inthe first half of 2014.”—Reuters

Morocco’s BMCE gears to launch Islamic unit

Page 23: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

BRUSSELS: Small European banks, includingGermany’s powerful regional lenders, will con-tribute considerably less to a new euro-zonerescue fund than the big banking groups thatdominate the industry, European Commissionplans showed yesterday.

To prevent a repeat of the financial crisis, theEuropean Union earlier this year agreed a land-mark Single Resolution Mechanism (SRM), thekey component of a new regulatory systemdesigned to spare the taxpayer the huge andpotentially catastrophic costs of dealing withan imploding bank.

At the height of the crisis, European taxpay-ers forked out billions of euros to prop up trou-bled lenders such as Commerzbank inGermany, Bankia in Spain or Dexia in Belgium.The member states struggled bitterly, but even-tually agreed to create a Single Resolution Fundto cover the costs of winding down banks. Theplans constitute the Commission’s proposal onhow the 55 billion euros ($64 billion) in contri-butions paid in over an eight year period would

be shared across the bloc’s highly diversifiedbanking sector.

The plans clearly place an extra burden onmultinational giants over small banks. But thescheme, which still requires final approval bymember states, is sure to face considerablenational opposition and the Commissionrefused to reveal how much each bank wouldend up paying.

“The approach chosen is fair as each bankwill contribute in proportion to its size and riskprofile,” said Michel Barnier, the EU InternalMarket Commissioner. In the plan, to be imple-mented by national authorities, size will be themain factor in determining how much a giveninstitution will pay.

However, in an effort to reward financial pru-dence and leaner operations, the amount ofrisk incurred will weigh heavily in the balance.

In the scheme, “small banks ... will contributethe least,” a European official said, with lenderswith assets of less than one billion obliged topay a tiny amount. According to Barnier’s pro-

posal, the EU’s biggest banks holding 85 per-cent of the banking sector’s total assets willcontribute about 90 percent of the new fund.

Analysts believe the strategy is a major con-cession to Germany, the EU’s most powerfulcountry and its biggest economy.

Influential Finance Minister WolfgangSchaeuble has argued repeatedly that thecountry’s regional savings banks, well connect-ed politically and flush with deposits, be sparedfrom banking union commitments. The fullbanking union system is a major post-crisisinstitutional breakthrough at the EU.

Banking union-the name given to the newoverall regulatory system-is based on a com-mon rule book policed by a Single SupervisoryMechanism (SSM), which will become opera-tional after the release of highly anticipatedstress test results from EU lenders this week-end.

If the SSM determines that a bank is failingand needs to be either closed or restructured, itturns it over to the SRM for a decision. — AFP

B U S I N E S SWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Bayt.com weekly report

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK)has been named the Best Bank in Kuwait2014 for the fifth consecutive year by theinternational financial publication GlobalFinance. The award was presented toGeorge Richani, Head of InternationalBanking Group at NBK, at an award cere-mony held on the occasion of theInternational Monetar y Fund Annualmeeting held in Washington.

In i ts 21st annual sur vey, GlobalFinance selected the best banks in 150countries and eight regions of the world.NBK was chosen the Best Bank in Kuwaitbased on input from industry analysts,corporate executives and banking con-sultants. Criteria for choosing the winnersincluded growth in assets, profitability,

strategic relationships, customer service,competitive pricing, and innovative prod-ucts.

“We have selected the winners basedon performance over the past year, as wellas subjective criteria, including reputationand management excellence,” said GlobalFinance.

“The winners are not necessarily thebiggest banks but, rather, the best banks-those with the qualities corporationsshould look for when choosing a bank”noted Global Finance. “These banks offerthe most-effective risk-management sys-tems, the best products and outstandingcustomer service.”

NBK was also recently named amongthe ‘World’s 50 Safest Banks’ for the ninth

consecutive time, illustrating the successof the bank’s conservative strategy, pru-dent risk management dedication excel-lent customer service.

NBK enjoys the highest credit ratingsamong all the banks in the Middle Eastand North Africa region by internationalrat ing agencies Moody ’s, Standard &Poor’s, and Fitch Ratings.

NBK enjoys the widest banking pres-ence with an international network. NBK’sinternational presence spans many of theworld’s leading financial centers includingLondon, Paris, Geneva, New York andSingapore, as well as China (Shanghai).Meanwhile, regional coverage extends toLebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Bahrain,Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Turkey.

NBK named ‘Best Bank in Kuwait 2014’Bank bags Global Finance honor for the fifth consecutive year

George Richani, Head of International Banking Group at NBK receiving the award fromGlobal finance.

Small changes that can help you succeed at work

Success won’t just fall into your lap. You haveto earn it though hard work, dedication, and agreat attitude. In order to succeed in yourcareer, you’ll also need to develop the rightset of habits and make a few changes in yourlife. Here, the career experts at Bayt.com - theMiddle East’s #1 job site - suggest 5 smallchanges that can make all the difference andhelp you be more successful at work:

1. ListenYes, just take the time to be silent and lis-

ten to a team member or client or boss andreally understand what they are saying andtheir point of view. You may or may not agreebut always assuming you know it all and haveall the right answers is a surefire recipe forcareer failure. According to the Bayt.com‘Work Satisfaction in the Middle East andNorth Africa’ poll, November 2012, 70 percentof professionals in the Middle East agree thatthey have open communication channels attheir workplace. Remember, active listening isnot about dozing off; it is about actively tun-ing in and hearing all the nuances, under-tones and direct or not so direct inflections ofa conversation.

2. Be more punctualChronic lateness and disregard for appoint-

ment timings sends a signal of lack of person-al discipline and disrespect for self and oth-ers. Every professional has a unique bodyclock but if you know you are aggravatingeveryone by you permanent lateness this isthe time to set the alarm clock an hour earli-er and start respecting everyone’s time andpriorities. Similarly if you are taking longerlunch breaks, more sick leaves, more holi-days, and leaving earlier than everyone else,rest assured this type of behavior is neverunnoticed and is very rarely respected oradmired.

3. Organize your dayVisualization helps a lot here both in the

day-to-day milestone setting as well as thelong-term career planning. Visualize what asuccessful year will look like and scale backto the vision of a successful month, and thenapply this visualization technique on a dailybasis. Ask yourself what you need to accom-plish each day and what will put a smile onyour lips and a skip in your gait and a trophyin your heart by the end of the day thenwork hard all day long to achieve it. WithoutSMART short and long term goals, yourcareer will be out of your control and willspin in directions that may be far from favor-able or desirable for you.

4. Treat your body wellWe all know a healthy mind is in a healthy

body, but how much do you really invest ineating right, sleeping right, exercising regu-larly, and getting enough sunlight for opti-mal vitamin absorption? 80 percent ofpolled professionals in the region said theycan squeeze some exercise time into theirbusy schedules, as per the Bayt.com ‘MENAProfessionals’ Health and Eating Habits’ poll,April 2012. Beside the immediate adrenalinrush you will get from a proper diet and reg-ular exercise routine, you will invariably lookbetter, feel better and be more productive ifyou feel fit, healthy and energetic.

5. Make new friendsNever underestimate the power of

human contact to lift, educate and inspire.Get out and network regularly, if not tomake new friends then to expand your pro-fessional contacts. Who knows you mayeven meet a soul mate or learn somethingnew. You can meet and interact with profes-sional peers online through professionalnetwork ing sites such as Bayt.comSpecialties, or physically at industry events,conferences, exhibitions, workshops, cours-es, and career fairs.

TOKYO: US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker speaks to US and Japanese execu-tives at an American Chamber of Commerce luncheon yesterday in Tokyo. Pritzkerhas urged Japan to be bolder in opening its markets to help reach a deal on a pan-Pacific trade agreement. — AP

GENEVA: World Trade Organization chiefRoberto Azevedo will begin consultingwith WTO ambassadors today to try towork out how to pick up the pieces afterglobal trade negotiations appeared to suf-fer a final defeat yesterday.

“Whether, and how, we make progresswill be in your hands,” Azevedo told theenvoys at a meeting of the WTO GeneralCouncil. Some diplomats had said themeeting was the final deadline for India tostop blocking a global agreement or theymight give up negotiating and split off intosmaller groups instead. That would under-mine the role of the WTO, which is basedon global rules accepted by all its mem-bers.

India plunged the WTO back into stale-mate in July, just months after the 160-member trade body appeared to havestruck the first global deal in its 19-year his-tory.

Although the agreement was a modestsuccess, streamlining and standardisingcustoms rules around the world, diplomatshad high hopes that it would be a spring-board to new talks.

But India has resisted pressure to giveway, insisting that its demand to beallowed to stockpile subsidized food be

approved in parallel with the new customsrules. Senior officials at the Indian TradeMinistry have said that New Delhi remainscommitted to its stance. WTO spokesmanKeith Rockwell said he had never seen asimilar situation at the agency, which hasbeen dogged by “impasse” in multilateraltrade negotiations for a decade.

“(There have been) some pretty horrificsituations but this is a unique one in itsuncertainty and complexity,” he said afterthe General Council meeting, one of theshortest on record. Azevedo said lastThursday that “a continuation of the cur-rent paralysis would serve only to degradethe institution” and he saw little hope of abreakthrough. Since then, none of the WTOmembers are known to have contactedAzevedo to report any progress.

“He’s not warning members about animpending crisis, he said we’re in the middleof it now,” Rockwell said. After a week of con-sultations with WTO members, Azevedo willconvene their ambassadors next Thursdayto give an update on progress. Trade expertssay that the WTO still has an important roleas a forum for settling commercial disputes,but that role will be degraded and increas-ingly obsolete if its two-decade-old traderules do not evolve. —Reuters

Azevedo asks for ideas as WTO hits a brick wall

COPENHAGEN: (Left to right) Yvo de Boer, Director-General, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Felipe Calderon, Chair of the GlobalCommission on the Economy and Climate, Suma Chakrabarti, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD),Bindu N Lohani, Vice-President of Asian Development Bank (ADB), Torben Moeger Pedersen, CEO of Pension Denmark, Naoko Ishii, CEO andChairperson of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Atiur Rahman, Governor of Central Bank of Bangladesh, Daniel Wiener, President of theBoard, Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation, Suma Chakrabarti, President of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)attend the Global Green Green Growth Forum in Copenhagen yesterday. — AFP

EU hits big banks for bailout war chest

New SRM designed to ease tax-payers’ burden

DUBAI: The Saudi riyal fell sharply against theUS dollar in the forwards market yesterday toits lowest level since March 2011, when theArab Spring uprisings briefly shook confidencein the political and economic stability of theGulf. Traders said the riyal’s peg of 3.75 to thedollar was not under serious pressure, and thatthe currency’s drop did not indicate major con-cern about Saudi Arabia’s economy.

Nevertheless, the move suggested thatafter a long period of strength, financial mar-kets in the Gulf are becoming more volatile inresponse to the plunge of oil prices to four-year lows in the last few weeks. Oil providesmost state revenues and export earnings forSaudi Arabia and other Gulf nations. One-yeardollar/Saudi riyal forwards jumped to 90.0points, their highest level since a peak of 91.50points hit in March 2011. The forwards hadclosed Monday at 69.0 points and ended lastFriday at 36.33 points. They are used by someinternational investors as a proxy for risk in theGulf, and to hedge against market movements.The United Arab Emirates dirham also fell inthe forwards market yesterday, although to alesser extent.

Saudi riyal forwards moved in response to asurge of demand for dollars in the spot foreignexchange market, which may be linked to theplunge of oil prices as well as a sharp fall of theSaudi stock market in the past two weeks,traders said.

They said banks were not panicking, butsome were buying forwards because the dollardemand had pushed the riyal’s spot rateunusually far beyond its peg of 3.75 againstthe dollar. The spot rate, which has beencreeping up in the last few weeks, was tradingat 3.7518 yesterday; over the previous severalyears, it had never risen above 3.7510. TheSaudi central bank supplies dollars as neces-sary to keep the riyal close to its peg. “The lasttime SAR spot traded this high for this longwas at the unwind of the revaluation specula-tion trades back in 2008. Before that, it wasprobably in the early 90s,” said Ehsan Ahmed,

head of foreign exchange, rates and credittrading for the region at Standard CharteredBank. “It seems likely that we have seen a largeoutflow of capital from the kingdom. This out-flow of SAR into USD has exceeded theamount of USD which has been supplied bythe Saudi central bank facility, and the inter-bank market has not been able to absorb this.”

Option trade One trader at a regional bank in the Gulf,

declining to be named under briefing rules,said the markets were reacting to trade in two-and three-year riyal options by US hedgefunds. “It is important to watch out for thisevening because we do not know if the orderis finished or not,” the trader said, referring toNew York trading hours yesterday. He said theforward market’s move had been magnified byits lack of liquidity. “My personal feeling is, youmight see for a couple of days spreads goingto the right, but then it will all come back.”

With Brent crude oil now at about $85 abarrel, Saudi Arabia’s state finances may fallinto deficit next year, economists believe. TheInternational Monetary Fund has estimatedthe government will have a break-even oilprice of $90.70 in its budget for 2015.

But given Saudi Arabia’s huge fiscalreserves which could be used to keep statespending high for years, low debt that wouldmake borrowing from the markets easy, andstrong growth in its private non-oil sector, ana-lysts do not think the oil price drop is a majorthreat to the Saudi economy.

The Saudi Arabian central bank’s net for-eign assets rose to a record $737 billion inAugust, according to the latest data, so it doesnot risk running out of dollars. Five-year SaudiArabian credit default swaps used to insureagainst any sovereign debt default, have risenonly marginally in the last few weeks and arewell below levels hit in 2011 and 2012. TheSaudi stock index was up 2.4 percent yesterdayafternoon, rebounding for a third day from thismonth’s low. — Reuters

Saudi riyal falls sharply; spot market pressured

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B U S I N E S SWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

LONDON: Brent crude oil held near $86 a barrelyesterday on news of robust Chinese oil demand,although gains were capped by oversupply andconcerns over the health of the rest of the globaleconomy. Implied oil demand in the world’slargest energy consumer jumped 6.2 percent inSeptember from August to 10.3 million barrelsper day, the highest since February.

China’s factory output also beat expectations,rising 8 percent in September from a year earlierand boosting hopes of a strengthening recovery.

Data yesterday showed China’s economyexpanded by 7.3 percent in the third quarter,above forecasts but its slowest pace since theglobal financial crisis. “Oil is up in reaction to theChinese demand figures,” said Tamas Varga, ana-lyst at London brokerage PVM Oil Associates.

“But this is a rally that should be sold into,”Varga said. “The rise in implied Chinese oildemand may have more to do with filling stock-piles. Chinese companies have been buyingcrude oil because it has been cheap.” Brent wasup 55 cents a barrel at $85.95 by 1018 GMT, wellabove a near four-year low reached last week, butstill down more than a quarter since June.

US crude was also up 55 cents at $83.26. “TheChinese data was not as dire as was expected,”said Christopher Bellew, a trader with JefferiesBache. “But looking forward, I think we’ll see morepressure to the downside. These lower prices willtake a while to have any impact on supply.”

The gradual slide in Chinese growth added toworries about the economic outlook which haveled the International Energy Agency to slash its

world oil demand growth forecast for next year.Citi cut its price forecasts for Brent and US

crudes to $92 and $83, respectively, for the fourthquarter of this year. This follows downward revi-sions by BNP Paribas and Bank of America MerrillLynch last week. Some members of theOrganization of the Petroleum ExportingCountries (OPEC) have indicated that the group isunlikely to ease the oil supply glut by cutting out-put ahead of its Nov. 27 meeting. Others arepreparing 2015 budgets with lower oil prices.

While Libya supports an output cut, otherAfrican members seem less keen. The oil priceslump could also affect US shale production.About one third of production would be uneco-nomical at oil prices below $80 per barrel, ana-lysts at Bernstein Research said. — Reuters

LONDON: European stock markets rallied yes-terday after surprisingly good Chinese econom-ic growth data boosted optimism over the glob-al economic outlook, dealers said. Equitiesswung higher following the upbeat news, instark contrast to the wild swings of last weekwhich were fuelled by fears over the state of theworld economy.

In midday deals, London’s benchmark FTSE100 index of top companies rose 0.75 percentto 6,314.78 points compared with Monday’sclosing level. Frankfurt’s DAX 30 index leapt 1.48percent to 8,847.20 points, while the CAC 40 inParis jumped 1.68 percent to stand at 4,058.14.

Shares in French oil and gas giant Totalmeanwhile rebounded by more than two per-cent, having dived by two percent in earlierdeals following news of the accidental death ofits chief executive Christophe de Margerie. Totalshares later stood 1.90 percent higher at 43.76euros. “Helping drive indices higher ... is the bet-ter than expected growth figures from China,which despite experiencing the slowest rate ofgrowth in six years in the third quarter, exceed-ed market expectations,” said analyst CraigErlam at trading firm Alpari in London.

“As always, there’s a couple of ways to look atthis data but clearly investors are focusing moreon the positives once again.”

Rumors of ECB action In Paris, IG France analyst Alexandre Baradez

said: “The market has accelerated on reportsthat the European Central Bank could buybonds issued by companies, but there has beenno official confirmation of this.” He said:“Currently, central banks hold sway on the mar-kets and any sign concerning the purchase ofassets is likely to move the indices.”

Asian markets traded mixed yesterday, how-ever, as data showing China’s economy growingat its slowest pace in five years offset anotherpositive lead from Wall Street.

The Chinese economy grew by 7.3 percentyear-on-year in July-September, official datashowed yesterday. That was lower than the 7.5percent expansion in the previous threemonths and the slowest since the 6.6 percent inthe first quarter of 2009.

However, the reading exceeded the medianforecast of 7.2 percent in an AFP survey of 17economists. “The general consensus to the GDPdata is that it will encourage the Chinese gov-ernment to introduce more stimulus measuresto help rebalance the Chinese economy,” addedanalyst Jameel Ahmad at traders FXTM.

“Investors are looking at this positively,” headded. Europe’s mining and resources sectorforged higher on the back of the data, becauseAsian powerhouse China is a key consumer ofmetals. The biggest gainer in Paris was globalsteelmaking giant ArcelorMittal, whose shareprice rose 4.04 percent to 9.985 euros.

In Frankfurt, Thyssenkrupp gained 3.52 per-cent to 18.375 euros. On the downside inLondon, shares in Reckitt Benckiser sank 1.74percent to 5,025.98 pence after the Britishhousehold goods firm warned annual saleswould be towards the lower end of forecasts,after a weaker-than-expected third-quarter. Inforeign exchange trading, the euro firmed to$1.2808, compared with $1.2800 late in NewYork on Monday. The European single currencyrose to 79.24 British pence from 79.17 pence.The pound was worth $1.6165, up from $1.6163on Monday. On the London Bullion Market, theprice of gold dipped to $1,252.96 an ouncefrom $1,253.91. — AFP

Oil prices hold near $86 on China demand rise European marketsrally on China data

Page 25: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

B U S I N E S SWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

By Sajeev K Peter

KUWAIT: Buoyed by surging oil rev-enues, strong public finances and agrowing young population, Kuwaitis now experiencing a period ofrenewed growth after a strongrebound from the global financialcrisis, said Deep Marwaha, GroupDirector for Informa Exhibitions.

“Culminating in 2035, the NationalDevelopment Plan of Kuwait willinclude five successive five-year plansthat aim to diversify the economybeyond petroleum. It is expected torevitalize the private sector, promotehuman capital development, trans-form the country into a regional trans-port and business centre and encour-age real estate development,”Marwaha said in an interview with theKuwait Times.

The Group Director for InformaExhibitions, Marwaha oversees aportfolio of business-to-businessexhibitions in the Middle East andAsia as well as managing the confer-ence production division. TheCityscape brand of events repre-sents the majority of the portfolio.

“Cityscape Kuwait will look tosupport these strong economic andreal estate fundamentals by provid-ing a platform for real estate devel-opers, architects, finance compa-nies, investors and other stakehold-ers to meet, network and do busi-ness in a vibrant business environ-ment,” he said.

InnovationKT: Can you give me an overview

of business-to-business exhibitionsbeing organized under your guid-ance as the Group Director ofInforma Exhibitions?

A: I oversee the organization ofmuch of the Cityscape brand of

events, the world’s largest portfolioof real estate investment and devel-opment events. The cornerstone ofthe Cityscape brand has alwaysbeen our major annual events thatrun in various emerging marketsaround the world. These events actas a yearly meeting place for theglobal real estate industry encourag-ing and supporting real estategrowth by highlighting innovativearchitecture, showcasing importantdevelopments and providing accessto unique investment opportunities.Cityscape has and does run exhibi-tions and conferences in many placesaround the world including theMiddle East, Asia, US, Africa and LatinAmerica.

KT: What is your role in over-seeing the Cityscape brand ofevents?

A: As Group Director, I manage ateam of event professionals, eachwith experience in a variety of fields,so to organize our annual events tothe standard that Cityscape exhibi-tions are renowned for around theworld. The Cityscape brand is syn-onymous with quality, and we deliv-er our products under a set of clearguiding principles: Encourage trans-parency, share knowledge, learning,networking and best practice. AsGroup Director, part of my role is tobe a forthright custodian of theCityscape brand, and keeping thestatus of the brand at the high levelspeople have come to expect, is partof my role I take very seriously.

KT: Can you elaborateInforma’s critical role as one of thelargest business-to-business mediagroups in the world?

A: Informa provides academics,businesses and individuals withunparalleled knowledge, up-to-theminute information and highly spe-

cialist skills and services. With over6,000 employees working in over100 offices in 25 countries, ourglobal reach and breadth of offer isunique. In all our businesses,whether it is academic publishing,business intelligence, or globalevents, we have the technology todeliver dynamic, multi-platformsolutions tailored to our customers’needs, we have many leading prod-uct brands in the various marketswe work in and, due to our focus onoperational efficiency and excellentmanagement, we are highlyrespected by shareholders and thefinancial markets.

NetworkingKT: As a specialist in the area,

you would have organized a num-ber of conferences and expos in theMiddle East and Kuwait. How doyou look at the regional markets incomparison with the rest of theworld?

A: Informa Middle East is one ofthe best performing offices globallyfor our Global Events division. Wehold a number of high profile exhi-bitions and conferences in theregion that are market-leadingincluding Cityscape, Arab Health,Middle East Electricity and HRSummit. There are a multiple of rea-sons for the success of our events inthe region; geographically theregion attracts trade visitors anddelegates from many global mar-kets, many of the countries in thisregion represent some of the mostdynamic economies in the world,and the business culture in theMiddle East leans itself to network-ing and sharing knowledge.

KT: You may be observing theemerging trends in the regional realestate sector with the prices ofproperties skyrocketing often caus-ing fears of a possible bust after theboom, at least in some markets.Your opinion.

A: The global financial crisis in2008/2009 was felt throughout theworld including many regional realestate markets. This economic crisiswas the largest of our life time andwas fueled by some irresponsibleactivities in mostly developed mar-kets. Many of the regional real estatemarkets saw significant downturnsand it has taken 3 - 5 years for thesemarkets to recover, but recover theydid. The local recovery has illustrat-ed the underplayed robustness ofregional markets, and withenhanced regulatory reform whichwe have seen recently, any fluctua-tions in property pricing should bemanageable and reflective of regu-lar cyclical activity.

KT: Can you elaborateInforma’s operations in Kuwait?

A: Informa has run some confer-ence and training events in Kuwaitin the past, but Cityscape Kuwait isby far the largest event we have runin the country. Buoyed by surgingoil revenues, strong public finances,and a growing young population,Kuwait is now experiencing a periodof renewed growth after a strongrebound from the global financialcrisis. Culminating in 2035, theNational Development Plan includesfive successive five-year plans thataim to diversify the economybeyond petroleum, revitalize the pri-vate sector, promote human capitaldevelopment, transform the countryinto a regional transport and busi-ness centre, and encourage realestate development.

Cityscape Kuwait will look tosupporting these strong economicand real estate fundamentals byproviding a platform for real estatedevelopers, architects, finance com-panies, investors and other stake-holders to meet, network and dobusiness in a vibrant business envi-ronment.

The event features the largestreal estate exhibition ever held inthe country, a set of real estate con-ferences, other networking opportu-nities, and a marketing campaigndesigned to attract local, regionaland international investors.

• Informa PLC is one of thelargest business-to-business mediagroups in the world with an annualturnover in excess of $4 billion whileCityscape is the largest portfolio ofreal estate events worldwide. Withover 8 years experience in eventorganizing, Deep has organized avariety of conferences and exhibi-tions throughout the region includ-ing UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,and Malaysia, and in June 2009Deep spearheaded the launch ofInforma and Cityscape operationswithin Saudi Arabia.

Deep Marwaha, Group Directorfor Informa Exhibitions.

An executive explains to delegates during a real estate exhibitionorganized by Cityscape.

Executives at a business-to-business exhibition organized by Cityscape Kuwait.

Kuwait experiencing a period

of renewed growth: Expert

Cityscape Kuwait will support real estate fundamentals: MarwahaFRANKFURT: Lufthansa pilots, on strikesince Monday, extended their industrialaction to include long-haul flights yester-day, grounding almost all inbound and out-bound services at Germany’s usually busyFrankfurt airport. In the ninth walkout byits pilots since April, the German airline saidit has cancelled 1,511 flights over the twodays of the stoppage, with some 166,000passengers affected.

Nevertheless, the situation in Frankfurt,Germany’s busiest airport, was relativelycalm because around 90,000 passengershad been informed in advance via email ortext message, a Lufthansa spokesman said.

The strike started on Monday at 1100GMT, initially on short and medium-haulservices, but was extended to include long-

haul flights at 0400 GMT yesterday. Thewalkout was scheduled to end at 2159 GMTyesterday night. The pilots are striking overplans by management to raise the age atwhich pilots are able to take early retire-ment. At present, pilots are allowed to retireat 55 and receive up to 60 percent of theirpay until they reach the statutory retire-ment age. Travellers in Germany alreadyfaced separate strikes by train drivers at theweekend. In an interview with the mass-cir-culation daily Bild, transport ministerAlexander Dobrindt complained that therepeated strikes were “killing” the economy.“Our transport axes are our country’s centralnervous system... a long-lasting blockadewill cause a great deal of damage to theeconomy,” the minister said. — AFP

Lufthansa pilots extend

strike to long-haul services

Malaysian pension fund barred

from voting in bank merger

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian state pension fundEmployees Provident Fund (EPF) will not beallowed by the nation’s bourse to vote in theproposed merger of CIMB Group Holdings Bhdand two rivals as it is a major shareholder in all ofthe banks. The move may open the way forDubai-based Aabar Investments, a shareholderin one of the lenders - RHB Capital Bhd - to havea bigger say in shaping the creation of Malaysia’sbiggest bank which financial sources have saidcould have a market value of $22 billion.

Aabar and OSK Holding Bhd, the second andthird largest shareholders in RHB, would seetheir combined voting power in the lenderincrease to 53 percent from 31 percent if the EPFis barred from voting. There has been marketspeculation that Aabar will seek terms morefavorable to itself. Aabar has repeatedly declinedto comment on the merger. Officials for OSK did

not immediately respond to requests for com-ment.

The EPF, which bankers have said is in favor ofthe deal, had asked the nation’s bourse for awaiver to rules which state that it should notvote, arguing that the interests of its 14 millionmembers are at stake. The fund owns about 14.5percent of CIMB, 41 percent of RHB and 65 per-cent of the third bank Malaysia Building SocietyBhd.

“There are no adequate justifications that thepotential conflict of interests involving EPF hasbeen eliminated or sufficiently mitigated,” aMalaysia Building Society statement quoted thebourse as saying. Shares in all three banks weresuspended on Tuesday pending a materialannouncement. Trade will resume on Thursdayas Wednesday is a public holiday.

The bourse was also quoted as saying that

the EPF had had prior knowledge of the dealtalks before they were disclosed. The EPF said inSeptember that it had not been part of any ofthe discussions about the proposed merger. Athree-way combination would give birth to abanking group with assets totalling around $190billion, surpassing Malayan Banking Bhd(Maybank) and making it Southeast Asia’sfourth-biggest bank.

Under a complicated deal structure submit-ted to the central bank for approval, RHB Capitalwill issue shares to acquire the much larger CIMBbut CIMB shareholders will own 70 percent ofthe merged entity. Under Malaysian listing rules,RHB only needs to gain the approval of 50 per-cent of its shareholders if it is the acquiror. IfCIMB bought RHB, then it would need to gainapproval from 75 percent of the seller’s share-holders. —Reuters

India’s Modi moves to reform

problem-plagued coal industry

NEW DELHI: India’s government haspledged to open up the coal mining indus-try to private players in the energy-starvedcountry as Prime Minister Narendra Modisteps up promised reforms to revive the ail-ing economy. Modi’s right-wing govern-ment approved an ordinance late Mondayto allow auctions of coal mines to privatecompanies for their own use, as well as per-mitting commercial mining at some pointin the future.

The decree comes after the SupremeCourt in September cancelled more than200 permits for coal mines, after declaringthe process of awarding them illegal,throwing the sector into turmoil.

“It was decided to issue an ordinance inthe cabinet,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitleytold reporters at a briefing on the issue.“The entire coal sector was lying idle, it isan attempt to bring it to life once again,”Jaitley said after the cabinet meeting.

The ordinance-or executive order-takesinitial steps towards ending a four-decademonopoly on mining and selling coal afterthe industry was nationalized in 1972 creat-ing Coal India, one of the world’s biggestminers. The sector, plagued by inefficien-cies, poor infrastructure and governmentred-tape, has long struggled to increaseproduction to meet electricity needs ofIndia’s 1.25 billion population.

Modi stormed to victory in May elec-tions on a pledge to revive the falteringeconomy, but some experts have been dis-appointed by a lack of early big-bang andmuch-needed reforms.

His government has introduced severalinitiatives in recent days and is likely to bespurred further after his party’s thumpingweekend victory at two state elections. Itannounced Saturday it was freeing dieselprices from government control andincreasing natural gas prices, in a bid toattract foreign investment and cut its sub-sidy bill.

Power blackouts frequent India sits on some of the world’s biggest

coal reserves, yet its power stations arestarved of the fuel, with some idle and oth-ers running dangerously low on supplies.

Coal provides nearly 60 percent ofIndia’s electricity generating needs, but thepower sector relies heavily on imports ofthe fuel. Blackouts are common acrossIndia, especially during peak summermonths, amid surging demand includingfrom a fast-rising middle class.

Economist D.K. Joshi welcomed themove, saying the power sector has longbeen operating at below capacity becauseof uncertainty over coal supplies.

“It (the government) is beginning toaddress the conditions holding back theeconomy and inefficiency of the sector wasat the top of the heap,” Joshi, chief econo-mist at local ratings agency Crisil, told AFP.

“It’s not a big-bang reform but it’s agood first start.”

Coal India accounts for more than 80percent of the country’s total productionbut has missed its output targets in recentyears. Some private cement, power andsteel companies are currently allowed tomine coal for their own use, but the ordi-nance includes a provision for firms to selltheir coal at an unspecified time in thefuture.

Coal minister Piyush Goyal said legisla-tion would need to amended to allow forsuch commercial mining, adding “this isonly for the future”. “This process would notin any way impact the structure of CoalIndia,” Goyal added Monday, according tothe Press Trust of India news agency.

The ordinance’s new auction systemreplaces the policy of allocating coal blocksbased on recommendations from a panelof bureaucrats, that the court deemed wasfaulty.

The ordinance takes immediate effectbut must eventually be passed as a bill byparliament or it will lapse. Stocks for privatefirms already mining were trading higheron Tuesday, with Jindal Steel and Powersurging 6.28 percent and HindalcoIndustries up 3.08 percent. —AFP

A miner slowly carries a heavy load of wet coal on a basket hundreds of feet up onwooden slats that brace the sides of a deep coal mine shaft near Rymbay village inthe Indian northeastern state of Meghalaya.— AFP

WASHINGTON: US existing-home salesrebounded in September from a dip inAugust to their highest pace of theyear, the National Association ofRealtors said yesterday. Sales of usedsingle-family homes increased 2.4 per-cent to an annual rate of 5.17 millionunits in September, up from 5.05 mil-lion the prior month, the NAR said.

Though September sales were at thepeak rate yet of 2014, compared with ayear ago they were down 1.7 percent.“Low interest rates and price gainsholding steady led to September ’shealthy increase, even with investoractivity remaining on par with lastmonth’s marked decline,” said LawrenceYun, NAR chief economist, in a state-ment.

Sales of single-family homes rose 2.0percent, while condominium and co-opsales leaped 5.2 percent.

The median sales price for all typesof existing homes was $209,700, up 5.6percent from September 2013 and the31st straight month of year-over-yeargains. Total inventory of homes on themarket at the end of September fell 1.3percent to 2.30 million, equivalent to a

5.3-month supply at the current salespace.

Properties for sale were on the mar-ket in September longer, typically 56days, than last month’s 53 days and ayear ago, 50 days. “Traditional buyersare entering a less competitive marketwith fewer investors searching for avail-able homes, but may also face a slightdecline in choices due to the fact thatinventory generally falls heading intothe winter,” Yun said.

The average 30-year mortgage inter-est rate rose slightly, to 4.16 percent inSeptember from 4.12 percent inAugust, but remained well below the4.49 percent rate a year ago, NAR said,citing data from mortgage-financegiant Freddie Mac.

Jennifer Lee of BMO Economics saidthe NAR report showed the US housingmarket was still improving.

“Overall, this is a positive report andwe should continue to see housingreceiving suppor t from steady jobgrowth, and reportedly easier creditrequirements from Fannie and Freddie,even as higher borrowing costs are onthe horizon,” she said. — AFP

US existing-home sales

bounce back in September

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B U S I N E S SWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

DOHA: Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed BinSaud Al-Thani, Chairman, Ooredoo Group hasurged governments and industry peers toaddress the infrastructure challenges in bring-ing the next billion people online.

Some 2.3 billion people around the worldnow have access to the Internet, according tothe UN Broadband commission, but that stillleaves a huge number of people - including adisproportionate amount of women and peoplein the developing world - unable to access thelife-enriching benefits of the online world.Ooredoo has launched a series of initiativesaimed at connecting people across its marketsin Southeast Asia and the MENA region, andcalled on industry peers to help remove the bar-riers that prevent people from getting online.

“We are passionate about bringing the nextbillion people online. However, the vast majori-ty of people around the globe remain discon-nected due to the substantial obstaclesproviders are facing,” said Sheikh Abdullah BinMohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani, Chairman,Ooredoo Group.

“While telecom providers are undertaking agreat challenge by building infrastructureswhere none currently exist, these costs are sig-nificant and excessive sector-specific taxation isan impediment to growth. It is important formobile operators to have a level playing field.As the voice of emerging markets consumers,

Ooredoo urges governments and industry peersto become more involved, recognize the bene-fits they will realize from the networks we arebuilding, and help defray the costs so growthand innovation can continue,” he added.

His comments were made after the UNBroadband Commission released new country-by-country data on state of broadband accessworldwide in its 2014 “State of Broadband”report.

According to the report, Qatar has secondhighest level of household broadband penetra-tion (96.4 percent) of any developing countryafter Korea. However, other Ooredoo marketshave a significant way to go - both Tunisia andIraq currently have less than 50 percent of thepopulation online. Ooredoo’s newest market,Myanmar, had just 1.2 percent of its populationonline at the time that the survey was conduct-ed.

The UN Broadband Commission reports thatthere are over 200 million fewer women onlinethan men globally, underlining the significantdisparity in access between men and women.

Ooredoo recently announced a number ofmajor new initiatives at the 2014 Clinton GlobalInitiative (CGI) Annual Meeting in New Yorkaimed at closing this gap. These initiativesinclude The Connected Women Program withGSMA and partners, and She Works programwith IFC and nine other companies.

With the GSMA Connected Women Program,the GSMAwill undertake studies that will offercritical insights into the socio-economic bene-fits of greater inclusion of women in thetelecommunications sector. The findings will beused by partners - including Ooredoo - to devel-op initiatives and services for female consumersand employees.

In line with this commitment, Ooredoolaunched Myanmar’s first maternal health infor-mation app, called ‘May May’ (or ‘mother’ inMyanmar’s language) last month. In addition,Ooredoo’s Indosat will draw on the studies tolaunch new services designed for women inIndonesia. Indosat will launch a new start-upcalled ‘Wobe’, targeting lower to middle incomeIndonesian women with voice, data and inter-net services.

Ooredoo has also committed to enhance tal-ent development across its operations, as partof a private sector partnership launched by IFC,a member of the World Bank Group, which willimprove employment opportunities for morethan 300,000 women over the next two years.The partnerships, called She Works, bringstogether 10 leading companies that will imple-ment measures to enhance women’s employ-ment opportunities - such as mentorship pro-grams, flexible working arrangements, and lead-ership training to increase diversity in manage-ment.

Ooredoo urges govt, industry peers to help bring the next billion onlineOoredoo progresses on its initiatives to close gender online gap

KUWAIT: Hino is the largest manufacturer ofheavy and medium-duty trucks in Japan, andthe maker of growing number of light-dutytrucks, having large market share inSoutheast Asia and Australia and global oper-ations serving to meet the growing range ofcustomers in the Americas and in otherregions. Hino envisions trucks and buses forcarrying goods and people into the future-afuture of safe, efficient logistics and transportin harmony with the natural environment andputs their vision onto the road today throughindustry-leading environmental technologies.

Embodying philosophy of the ToyotaGroup for trucks and buses in the global mar-ket, Hino adopts Toyota Production System toachieve optimal productivity and qualitythroughout the operations. Hino has adaptedthat system to the model line to offer cus-tomers the best-possible products at compet-itive prices. Meanwhile the operations are

growing globally in step with the globaliza-tion of the Toyota Group. One of the largestHino plants outside Japan is a manufacturingfacility in Thailand established in 1964 cater-ing to needs of South east Asia and Oceania.

Trucks from Hino are robust and reliable,in transporting essentials for our day-to-daylives, as well as other materials that enrich ourlives. Buses, meanwhile, are a valuable meansof transporting people comfortably and effi-ciently. The brand is progressing towards rec-ognized as leading entity with a strong globalstature, in terms of addressing global expec-tations to harmonizing motor transport withthe environment, maximizing safety, and rais-ing fuel efficiency. Hino is committed to serv-ing customers worldwide with new and com-pelling kinds of value in trucks and buses andhence redoubling the efforts in R&D, in manu-facturing, and in sales and service.

Owners of Hino around the world cite

service as a Hino hallmark. The team of expertengineers and skilled technicians at Hinostrive in design and development to makeour vehicles as easy as possible for users anddealers to service. Hino complements thatemphasis with conscientious supportthrough extensive service networks. That sup-port ensures reliable inspections, mainte-nance, and repairs for all Hino customers.

In Japan, Hino grew by accompanying effi-cient, high quality manufacturing with metic-ulous, round-the-clock service through anextensive support network. A similarapproach underlies Hino’s growing opera-tions in other nations.

Hino aims to deliver solutions suited tospecific use such as heavy-duty trucks formining as well as light-duty trucks to fulfil thedemands of emerging markets and establishsupply structures to accommodate theincreasing overseas requirement. The globally

growing brand of trucks and buses is explor-ing innovative ways of development, produc-tion, and service structure to provide prod-ucts and services that meet customer expec-tation.

SHARJAH: Air Arabia, the Middle East andNorth Africa’s first and largest low-cost carri-er, yesterday announced the launch of non-stop service to Al-Jouf, one of the compellingtourist destinations in the Kingdom of SaudiArabia defined by a diverse natural environ-ment, cultural landmarks and historic sites.Al-Jouf is the 11th destination of Air Arabia inthe Kingdom. The scheduled flights willoperate weekly on Wednesdays and Sundaysfrom October 26, 2014. The flights will departfrom Sharjah International Airport at 14.50PM (UAE time) and arrive in Al Jouf (AJF) at16.50 pm (KSA time). The return flight formAl-Jouf is at 17.30 pm (KSA time), arriving inSharjah at 20.50 pm (UAE time).

Adel Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer ofAir Arabia, said: “Saudi Arabia is one of ourfastest growing markets led by both tourismand business travellers, along with thetremendous value-for-money services weprovide to our passengers. Al-Jouf is a spec-tacular getaway that connects visitors withthe bounty of nature as well as the uniquecharm of traditional architecture and a richcultural heritage. With the non-stop connec-tivity offered by Air Arabia, cultural touristsand nature lovers will now have another fas-

cinating destination to explore convenientlyand cost-effectively. The new route will alsocontribute to enhanced trade and culturalrelations between the UAE and SaudiArabia.”

Air Arabia currently connects to 10 otherdestinations in the Kingdom directly. Theseinclude: Abha, Dammam, Gassim, Hail, Hofuf,Jeddah, Medinah, Riyadh, Taif and Yanbu.Over 100 weekly non-stop flights of AirArabia operate to Saudi Arabia from the car-riers hubs in Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah andAlexandria.

Located in the north of Saudi Arabia, Al-Jouf is renowned for its olive gardens andcultural landmarks. The historic Ze’bel Fort,Omar bin Al-Khattab Mosque with a high-rise minaret and Kaf Village are popular sitesin addition to Sakaka City, the administrativecentre, which is regarded as the ‘northerngate of Saudi Arabia.’ Visitors can also explorethe golden dunes of the Nufud Desert or thecaptivating beauty of the countryside. TheHurrat Al Hurrah Reserve is home to a rangeof migratory birds which gather here as theyfly from the north to the south. Food-loverswill relish the truffles that are indigenous tothe region.

Air Arabia launches 11th route in Saudi Arabia to Al-Jouf

MSC announcesDiego Aponte aspresident, CEO

GENEVA: MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company SA is pleased to announce the appointment ofDiego Aponte as President and CEO.

“It is important that we keep looking forwardand that we prepare the company for the future,”said Gianluigi Aponte, founder of MSC.

“The Board and I firmly believe that Diego, sup-ported by his senior management, will deliver con-tinued success for MSC and its customers. Wealready have a number of projects underway whichwill help improve our overall service offering toclients, whilst improving our efficiencies. It is anexciting time for MSC.”

Since joining MSC in 1997, Diego has worked invarious functions across the business including LineManagement where he managed all aspects of thetrade. In recent years, Diego has taken more respon-sibility in the wider running of the company, serv-ing as Vice President. As Chairman of TIL, TerminalInvestment Limited, Diego has also overseen thegrowth and strategic direction of MSC’s PortDivision.

MSC also announces that Gianluigi Aponte, pre-viously President of MSC, would assume a new roleas Group Executive Chairman. Mr. Aponte will con-tinue to oversee all group related activities as wellas supporting Diego in shaping the future of MSC.

“MSC has a proud heritage,” said Diego, “over thepast 40 years my father founded and led MSC froma one-ship operator to become the second largestcontainer shipping line in the world. He has createdan influential global brand; MSC inspires passion,dedication and entrepreneurism wherever you look.The management team, together with the familyboard, will continue to work hard to keep MSC asspecial today as it was in 1970.”

Hino Motors, Japan, internationally recognized brand of trucks and buses

NEW DELHI: Falling crude oil prices have helpedIndian lawyer Pratik Mehra get off the bus and backbehind the wheel of his car, cutting his travel time towork by a third. In China, a short hop across theHimalayas, slumping consumer demand has sparkedfears of deflation as it wrestles with flagging globaleconomic growth.

But in India, lower prices are allowing consumerslike Mehra who drive much of the economy to opentheir wallets after years of fierce inflation. It is a wel-come change for the 41-year-old father of two, whodisliked using the crowded and erratic bus service toget to work in Gurgaon, a business city near NewDelhi. Until a few months ago, rising petrol priceshad left him with no choice.

“While cars were becoming cheaper, petrol priceswere skyrocketing,” he said as he refuelled his car indowntown New Delhi. “We would joke that banksshould also start offering loans to buy petrol.”

As well as making the lives of millions of middleclass Indians easier, the sharp drop in Brent crudeprices s ince June is a boon for Pr ime M inisterNarendra Modi in his fight to revive an economygrowing at its slowest rate since the 1980s. Signs of astrong pickup in hiring by companies are adding to

the rosier outlook for Indian households.The biggest external vulnerability the Indian

economy has is its exposure to fluctuations in oilprices, given that it imports more than 70 percent ofits crude needs. Falling prices have quickly cooledinflation and boosted foreign reserves.

Cheaper oil allowed Modi to end governmentprice caps on diesel without it hurting consumers. Infact, the decision on Saturday led to an immediate5.7 percent fall in pump prices for the fuel that drivesrural tractors and urban SUVs.

The move was aimed at cutting subsidy costs andattracting energy investment, and it is expected tobring down road and rail freight costs at a time whenthe summer harvest is arriving into markets, helpingfurther cool price pressures.

India is also among the world’s biggest importersof coal and gold, both of which have become cheap-er this year. “Overall, lower commodity prices furthersupport our view that India is entering a ‘goldilocksperiod’ of lower inflation and higher growth,” saidSonal Varma, an economist at Nomura.

Consumers like Mehra seem to agree, as they packout India’s shops and malls during the festival seasonof Diwali, a time for buying new cars, jewellery and

electronic goods.A poll published in the Hindustan Times newspa-

per yesterday said 61 percent of urban middle-classconsumers felt they had more money than last year,and 50 percent planned to spend more.

That’s good for Asia’s third-largest economy: pri-vate spending accounts for 60 percent of grossdomestic product, so getting consumers to spendmore is essential to end its longest spell of sub-5percent growth in a quarter of a century.

ExportsNot every aspect of the global economy bodes

well for India. Weak growth among many of theworld’s largest economies is bad news for Indianexporters, who contribute less to the economy thanin China, for example, but are nonetheless an impor-tant pillar of growth.

That, said an editorial in the Business Standardnewspaper on Monday, makes it all the more urgentthat Modi uses the opportunity offered by lowercommodity prices to take further steps such as end-ing subsidies on fertilizer. After a cautious first fewmonths in office, Modi has used a new injection ofpolitical capital flowing from two state election vic-

tories for his Bharatiya Janata Party at the weekendto push forward with reforms, tinkering with stiflinglabor rules and signalling an imminent opening upof the state-run coal monopoly. For now, the upsideappears to offset damage done to exports by weakerglobal demand.

The oil rout has strengthened the outlook for thecountry’s current account and fiscal balances, augur-ing well for the rupee at a time when speculationabout US interest rates has triggered volatility inmany emerging currencies. Every $10 fall in the priceof a barrel of oil is estimated to narrow India’s cur-rent account gap by 0.5 percent of GDP and improvethe fiscal deficit by 0.1 percent, making it easier totrim the spending gap to a seven-year low this fiscalyear.

“This should go a long way to help insulate Indiaagainst swings in external conditions,” said HSBCeconomist Frederic Neumann. A crucial test of Modi’swillpower will come if crude prices recover.

Consumer and wholesale price inflation droppedto a multi-year low in September on softer food andfuel prices. A return to high oil prices could quicklyreverse the scenario and tempt the government tofiddle with diesel and petrol prices again. — Reuters

Falling global crude prices bolster India’s outlook

CGI Ooredoo Group Chairman, Chelsea Clinton and Lawrence Yanovitch.

Global lineup of Hino vehicles

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t e c hnolo g yWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

DUBAI: Internet access in east Africa isstill relatively slow and costly but aDjibouti-based technology start-upcompany has ambitions to help changethat. Djibouti Data Center (DDC), set upby a group of local and internationalinvestors 18 months ago, is the first datacentre and Internet exchange in eastAfrica connected to eight fibre opticcables that are part of the main Internetroute from Europe to Asia.

The Internet route travels throughthe Mediterranean, Red Sea and into theIndian Ocean, passing by tiny Djibouti,which is sandwiched between Eritrea,Somalia and Ethiopia.

African Internet users have typicallyenjoyed little benefit from these cablespassing along its coast because connec-tivity to them has been limited, some-thing DDC aims to correct as it plans toexpand from its home base into Kenya,Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Somalia,which are all at varying stages of

Internet development.“The Djibouti market itself may be

small, but the DDC serves as a uniquegateway hub to the many millions ofcustomers in these neighboring eastAfrica countries,” said AnthonyVoscarides, chief executive of DjiboutiData Center. The company launchedservices in March 2013 in partnershipwith Djibouti Telecom and will connectto at least three more cables on theEurope/Asia route next year.

“Africa has historically been chal-lenged by high Internet costs,”Voscarides, an Australian former tele-coms industry executive, said.

According to The Internet Society,15.7 percent of Kenya’s average GDP percapita is required for broadband access,compared to 6.1 percent in South Africaand less than 2 percent in most ofEurope.

In Ethiopia the figure rises to 60.4percent while in Uganda it is 31 percent

in Uganda and 7.4 percent in Sudan.Less than 2 percent of Ethiopia’s 97 mil-lion population use the Internet. ButSydney-based consultants BuddeComm,in a report published last month, saidthe country’s “broadband market is setfor a boom following massive improve-ments in international bandwidth,national fibre backbone infrastructureand 3G mobile broadband services.”

Kenya is the biggest market in theregion with Internet penetration of 39percent, the fourth-highest in Africa,according to the International Telecom-munications Union.

In terms of median download speeds,however, Kenya is ranked 105th globally,while Ethiopia is 94th, Sudan 154th andSouth Africa is 116th, according to theInternet Society. Madagascar is the high-est ranked African country at 61.

Faster connectivity DDC’s goal is to expand into neigh-

boring east African countries with smalldata centres which would then allowtelecom operators, cable companies andothers in those countries to access thesubmarine cables off Djibouti via itsmain data centre.

Access to more cables should spreadthe load, reduce the impact of cable cutsor other problems in those countriesand also increase capacity as Internetpenetration and usage rise.

“The results are reduced latency,faster connectivity, and lower costs fornetwork operators and Internet users inEast Africa,” said Voscarides. Latency isthe time it takes for Internet data to trav-el from source to destination: the closertogether these two points are together,the lower the latency. Voscarides did notgive estimates of how much connectivi-ty could be improved or cost reduced.

DDC’s customers include MTN,Belgacom International Carrier Services(BICS) and Telkom South Africa, who can

house data at DDC in Djibouti, whichconnects to the cables running northtowards Europe and East towards Asia.Voscarides said DDC had been “designedto not only reduce costs for operators,but to also add significant value bybeing a tool for carriers, contentproviders and other service providers toimprove the efficiency, resilience andperformance of their networks.”

Government regulatory policies andthe deployment of new technologiescould affect the timing of the compa-ny’s expansion plans, he said. He didnot give a timeframe for the expansioninto new markets. DDC’s customers,which also include so-called contentdelivery networks (CDN), do not payhigh impor t taxes for equipmenthoused at the facility or need specialimport permits, he said. CDNs are thel ikes of Google , Microsoft andAmazon, although DDC has not con-firmed if they are customers. —Reuters

Djibouti Net start-up aims to boost broadband speeds across E Africa

SAN FRANCISCO: Even as Microsoft ramped upInternet “cloud” offerings for businesses, its chiefcontinued to be dogged by a comment thatwomen should not ask for pay raises.

Satya Nadella hosted a press gatheringMonday in San Francisco, where the US softwaretitan detailed its strategy and latest moves forhelping businesses tap into the power of colos-sal online data centers as needed. Nadella foundhimself fielding questions about a gaffe that hasbeen hounding him since early this month whenhe contended that women should forego askingfor pay raises, and instead trust that good karmawill result in just rewards at work.

“The last week and a half or so have been ahumbling and learning experience for me,”Nadella said at the cloud computing presenta-tion. “The audience wanted to see that a CEOlike myself understood the challenges of womenin the work force.”

He admitted he erred by not seeing the issueas one of equal pay for equal work, and that acheck had determined Microsoft is “in goodshape” in that regard but, like other technologyfirms, could use more women in its engineeringranks.

Nadella was speaking during an on-stage dis-cussion at the Grace Hopper Celebration ofWomen in Computing conference in Arizona,when he provoked a fierce debate on equaltreatment for women in tech industry jobs.Asked about advice for women interested inadvancing careers but uncomfortable asking forpay increases, Nadella reasoned that they shouldjust trust “that the system will actually give youthe right raises as you go along.”

He reportedly went on to contend thatwomen who don’t ask for pay raises have a“superpower” in the form of “good karma, that’llcome back.” Studies have consistently shownwomen get paid less than men doing the samejobs.

‘Insensitive’ reply Nadella has apologized for his remarks. “I was

wrong in the way I answered that one question,which was insensitive,” Nadella said on Monday.

Microsoft’s event on Monday was held tospotlight how the company is playing on itsstrengths with software used by businesses tocapitalize on a trend toward renting computingpower, storage, or software as services hosted atdata-centers in the Internet cloud.

“The Microsoft cloud is the most completecloud offering that empowers every businessacross every industry in every geography,”Nadella boasted. Microsoft in on track to bring in$4.4 billion this year from cloud services, but isspending about $4.5 billion annually on majorinvestments such as huge data centers packedwith computing equipment, executives said atthe briefing.

Microsoft sees its main rivals in the cloudcomputing space as Google and Amazon WebServices. “Obviously, the cloud market is red hotright now,” said Scott Guthrie, executive vicepresident of Microsoft’s cloud and enterprisegroup. Microsoft has cloud data centers in 19regions around the world, and some of the facili-ties are large enough to hold a pair of jumbojets, according to Guthrie. He announcedenhancements to Microsoft’s “cloud” that willhandle demanding computing loads for busi-nesses and let them better extract valuableinsights from their data, along with “public”cloud power augment “private” in-house sys-tems.

Trust in ‘karma’Nadella, whose gaffe advising women to trust

“karma” for pay raises sparked a firestorm,earned $84.3 million this year, according to anSEC filing Monday.

That amount, for the 2013-2014 fiscal yearincluded a base salary of $919,000, along with abonus of $3.6 million, as well as stock optionsworth $79.8 million-though he can’t exercisethose options until 2019, the filing reported.Nadella, 47, who took over from Steve Ballmer inFebruary at the head of the US software giant,has been at the center of a controversy sinceearly October over his comments at a confer-ence in Arizona.

At the conference, on women in computing,Nadella stunned the audience when heanswered a question by saying that women,instead of asking for a raise, should just trust“that the system will actually give you the rightraises as you go along.” He reportedly went on tocontend that women who don’t ask for pay rais-es have a “superpower” in the form of “good kar-ma, that’ll come back.” —Agencies

Women’s pay remark trails

Microsoft chief to the cloud

Nadella earned $84 million in 2014

HAMBURG: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (second right), German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel (left) and Timotheus Hoettges (secondleft), chairman of German telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom AG, listen to Infineon chairman Reinhard Ploss (right) talking aboutsecure communication networks during the so-called national IT-summit, yesterday in Hamburg, northern Germany. The national IT-summit is aplatform to convene politics, business and science aiming to boost Germany as a location for information technology. —AFP

BOSTON/BEIJING: Apple Inc’s iCloud stor-age and backup service in China wasattacked by hackers trying to steal user cre-dentials, a Chinese web monitoring groupsaid, adding that it believes the country’sgovernment is behind the campaign. Usinga method called a “man-in-the-middle”(MITM) attack, unknown hackers inter-posed their own website between usersand Apple’s iCloud server, intercepting dataand potentially gaining access to pass-words, iMessages, photos and contacts,Greatfire.org wrote in its blog post.

Greatfire.org, a group that conductsresearch on Chinese Internet censorship,alleged government involvement in theattack, saying it resembled previous attackson Google Inc , Yahoo Inc and MicrosoftCorp’s Hotmail. Two independent securityexperts contacted by Reuters saidGreatfire’s report appeared credible.

“All the evidence I’ve seen would sup-port that this is a real attack,” said MikkoHypponnen, chief research officer at securi-ty software developer F-Secure. “ TheChinese government is directly attackingChinese users of Apple’s products.” TheChinese foreign ministry did not immedi-ately respond to a request for comment.The attack comes several weeks after Applesaid it would begin storing iCloud data forChinese users on China Telecom servers. Italso coincided with the start of iPhone 6sales in China, which began Friday after

weeks of talks between China and Appleover what the government said werecybersecurity concerns.

Greatfire.org said the attack most likelycould not have been staged without theknowledge of Internet providers like ChinaTelecom, given they appeared to originatefrom “deep within the Chinese domesticInternet backbone”.

But the group said the attack may notbe linked to Apple’s recent decision to storeuser data on China Telecom servers. “Theprevious MITM attacks all showed the samecharacteristics as this one,” Greatfire.org co-founder Charlie Smith said by email. “Appledid not need to be doing anything withChina Telecom for this attack to happen, iethe authorities did not need that relation-ship to stage an attack like this one.” It wasunclear if the hackers were still active.Apple did not have an immediate com-ment when contacted.

A China Telecom spokesman said: “Theaccusation is untrue and unfounded.” Applesaid at the time the move to China Telecomwas made to improve the speed of servicefor Chinese servers and flatly denied thepossibility that it would expose user data.The United States and Western companieshave accused Chinese-backed hackers ofinfiltrating government and corporatewebsites and services. But Beijing hasrepeatedly denied its involvement in suchattacks. —Reuters

NEW YORK: The magic of Apple Pay comes to Disney Store. A guest makes a purchaseat the Disney Store in Times Square using Apple Pay, which brings an easy, secureand private way to make payments. Apple Pay rolled out to Disney Store locationsnationwide on Monday with the launch of Apple’s iOS 8.1 software update. —AP

China-backed hackers may have

infiltrated Apple’s iCloud

SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella discusses Microsoft’s platform forbusinesses to tap into the US software titan’s computing platform in the Internet “cloud” at aMicrosoft press briefing in San Francisco, California. — AFP

Facebook sues lawyers over

‘scam’ lawsuit for stake

NEW YORK: Facebook Monday sued lawyerswho represented a man claiming he was enti-tled to a stake in the huge social network,saying they should have known he was ascam artist. The lawsuit by Facebook andfounder Mark Zuckerberg seeks damagesfrom members of big law firms DLA Piper andMilberg LLP, as well as other lawyers partici-pating in the case, saying they “conspired tofile a fraudulent lawsuit” on behalf of PaulCeglia. Ceglia filed his complaint in 2010,claiming that he signed a contract withZuckerberg in April 2003 to design the web-site called “The Face Book” or “The Page Book.”

Ceglia’s suit claiming he was entitled to a50 percent stake was later dismissed, afterFacebook lawyers successfully argued thatthe case was based on a “doctored contractand fabricated evidence,” and Ceglia wascharged with fraud. The new lawsuit con-tends that Ceglia’s lawyers “knew or shouldhave known that the lawsuit was a fraud,(because) it was brought by a convicted felonwith a history of fraudulent scams” and reliedon “an implausible story and obviously forgeddocuments.” The latest complaint said Cegliaknew Zuckerberg because in 2003 he hadasked the Harvard student to do websitedesign for a company called Street Fax, wellbefore the Facebook idea was born.

According to the complaint, Ceglia paidonly a portion of the agreed amount.Zuckerberg and Facebook are seekingunspecified damages, including legal fees,from the lawyers and firms for harm to theirbusiness and “frivolous” litigation. DLA Piper,a global law firm which according to theFacebook suit placed a “central” role in thecase, said it would fight the allegations.

“We will defend this meritless litigationaggressively and we will prevail,” said PeterPantaleo, DLA Piper general counsel, in astatement. “This is an entirely baseless lawsuit

that has been filed as a tactic to intimidatelawyers from bringing litigation againstFacebook.”Japan court orders Facebook toreveal revenge porn IP addresses

Meanwhile, a Tokyo court has orderedFacebook to disclose the IP addresses used byfake accounts that were posting revengeporn, a lawyer said yesterday, in the first suchcase in Japan. In response to the order theUS-based social networking site revealed IPaddresses-a string of numbers identifying thecomputer being used-connected to twoaccounts that were uploading personal infor-mation and private pictures, lawyer YoheiShimizu said.

“The posts included photos that could beconsidered to be revenge porn,” Shimizu toldAFP. “Even though my client could guess whowas behind it, she had no proof.”

Shimizu said the court order was made inthe middle of August over two accounts thatwere being, falsely, managed in his client’sname, and that Facebook had complied withthe judge’s ruling 10 days later.

Identifying a person who is masqueradingas someone else online is not an easy task,Shimizu said. But when armed with the fakeaccount’s IP address, his client had been ableto approach the Internet provider.

He said it was the first such case in Japaninvolving the world’s largest social network,but added Tokyo District Court had issued asimilar order in a separate case involvingdefamation in August.

Earlier this month a Japanese courtordered Google to delete search results link-ing the claimant to a crime he did not com-mit, the latest in a series of rulings around theworld on what search engines should tellusers. Britain’s government has proposed cre-ating a new criminal offence of posting“revenge porn”, punishable by a maximum jailterm of two years. —Agencies

Amazon, Simon & Schuster sign book retail deal

NEW YORK: Amazon has reached a deal withAmerican book publisher Simon & Schuster, thecompanies said, though the e-commerce giantremains at loggerheads with France’s Hachetteover e-book pricing.The multi-year deal withSimon & Schuster, expected to come into effectin early January, allows print and electronic edi-tions from the American publisher to be market-ed and retailed by Amazon. The books “will becontinuously available for sale at this majorretailer through this year’s holiday book buyingseason and well beyond,” a source close to thedeal told AFP.

The same source said Simon & Schuster will

retain most control over the retail prices of itsbooks. The deal comes amid on ongoing feudbetween Amazon and French publisherHachette over e-book retailing. Amazon haspushed for lower retail prices for e-books, towhich Hachette objects. In order to pressure theeditor, Amazon has reduced its Hachette stockand stopped taking pre-orders for the authors itedits. Simon & Schuster CEO Carolyn Reidy saidshe was “very happy” with her company’s agree-ment with Amazon, according to a letter.

“We are very happy with this agreement as itis economically advantageous for both Simon &Schuster and its authors,” Reidy said in the letter

addressed to the company’s writers. She said the deal “maintains the author’s

share of income generated from e-book sales. Itaddresses our mutual concerns about preserv-ing the value of our intellectual property in themarketplace.” Amazon said it was “happy” withthe agreement, and said it will span severalyears, though it did not specify a timeline. “Itallows us to grow our business with Simon &Schuster and help their authors reach an ever-wider audience,” a spokesperson said. “Theagreement specifically creates a financial incen-tive for Simon & Schuster to deliver lower pricesfor readers.”—AFP

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H E A LT H & S C I E NC EWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

PARIS: A new device similar to a simple pregnancyhome-test could allow doctors to diagnose apatient with suspected Ebola in under 15 minutes,its French developers said yesterday. Trials at a high-security lab have validated the technique and pro-totype kits should be available in Ebola-hit coun-tries by the end of October for a clinical trial,France’s Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) said in astatement. The diagnostic tool, not yet approved byregulators, works by monoclonal antibodies react-ing to the presence of virus in a tiny sample, whichcan be a drop of blood, plasma or urine, it said.

A European pharma company Vedalab is turningit into a user-friendly kit called Ebola eZYSCREEN.Similar to a DIY pregnancy test, a positive resultsees a small stripe showing up in a results windowon the hand-held device. The kit is simple to use inthe field without any additional equipment, saidthe CEA, which also does non-nuclear research witha possible military or security application. “It cangive a result in less than 15 minutes for anyoneshowing symptoms of the disease,” it said.

“Current tests, which are based on geneticdetection of the virus, are highly sensitive but need

special equipment, take between two and a quarterand two and a half hours and can only be carriedout in a lab,” the CEA explained. Scientists at theagency began working on the diagnostic tool inmid-August, when the epidemic in Guinea, Liberiaand Sierra Leone worsened. The test is for the so-called Zaire ebolavirus, the strain now circulating inWest Africa.

The achievement builds on previous Ebolaresearch funded in part by the French defense min-istry as part of its anti-bioterrorism program. Thisresearch had “saved more than a year” in develop-

ment time of the diagnostic test, the CEA said. Morethan 4,500 people have been killed by Ebola sincethe start of the year, almost all of them in westAfrica. The epidemic has thrown the spotlight onpoor infrastructure in the three hardest-hit nationsbut also the lack of weapons to tackle a disease thatuntil now had been extremely rare and claimed rel-atively few lives. Other pharmaceutical teams arealso working on fast diagnostic tools for Ebola. Theyinclude Primerdesign, a spinoff company of Britain’sUniversity of Southampton, and Corgenix MedicalCorp of the United States. — AFP

French scientists devise fast-track test for Ebola

PARIS: Screening air travelers on departure fromEbola-hit countries is far smarter than monitor-ing them when they arrive abroad, experts saidyesterday. Instead of relying on a shield at theirown borders, countries should help Liberia,Guinea and Sierra Leone boost capacity to spotEbola cases, they said. “The best approach tominimize risks to the global community is tocontrol the epidemic at its source,” said KamranKhan of St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada.“While screening travelers arriving at airportsoutside of West Africa may offer a sense of secu-rity, this would have at best marginal benefits,and could draw valuable resources away frommore effective public health interventions.”

The analysis, published in The Lancet, saidscreening on exit would entail monitoring in justthree international airports-in Conakry,Monrovia and Freetown. But screening on arrivalrequired far greater resources to be similarlyeffective. Sixteen airports in 15 countries receivedirect international flights from Liberia, Guineaand Sierra Leone, the study found. These, inturn, provide connecting flights that serve 1,238cities, where only one in 2,500 passengers wouldbe from the three west African countries.

The team looked at 2014 flight schedules andpatterns of passenger movement in 2013 to pre-dict the risk of the virus hitching a ride in a pas-senger. Statistically, without exit screening, threeEbola-infected travelers would depart on aninternational flight from the affected area everymonth. The experts did not quantify the likelyimpact of exit screening measures, but saidgains from additional testing on arrival would be“negligible”. “Ideally, we would assume that allsymptomatic travelers would be identifiedthrough exit screening,” Marisa Creatore of the LiKa Shing Knowledge Institute of St Michael’sHospital in Toronto told AFP.

“However... because Ebola virus has a longincubation period where people are not ill anddo not display symptoms (average 8-10 days, upto 21 days), most infected travelers will not besymptomatic and possibly not even know theyare infected. “If they are not showing symptoms,then they will not be detectable with thermalimaging or other interventions either at exit orat entry.” European health ministers agreed lastweek to launch a review of exit screening meas-ures in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. Justover half of passengers from the three affected

countries travel to just five destinations: Accra inGhana (17.5 percent), Dakar in Senegal (14.4percent), London (7.7 percent), Banjul in Gambia(6.8 percent) and Paris (six percent), the newstudy said. New York was 21st on the list with 0.5percent.

Spread risk More than 60 percent of people leaving the

three countries travelled to low- or low-middleincome countries, where entry screening maynot be up to scratch. “Given that these countrieshave limited medical and public healthresources, they may have difficulty quickly iden-tifying and effectively responding to importedEbola cases,” said Khan.

“Risks to the global community would furtherincrease if Ebola virus were to spread to andwithin other countries with weak public healthsystems.” The Ebola outbreak has claimed morethan 4,500 lives in West Africa since the begin-ning of the year. Many countries further afieldhave sharpened their own border controls, withfear spreading since three cases of domesticinfection of nurses caring for Ebola patients-twoin the United States and one in Spain. — AFP

CZECH REPUBLIC: Airport doctors demonstrate how medical staff will check the body temperature of a passenger arriving from Ebola infectedzones yesterday at the Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague. — AFP

NEW YORK: In this Sept 3, 2014 file photo, an inflatable cigarette and ashtray are displayed to announce the CVSHealth’s decision to stop selling cigarettes at its stores.—AP

Screen travelers on exit, not entry

WASHINGTON: With no new Ebola cases infive days, US authorities were cautious buthopeful Monday that the virus has beencontained in the United States after aflawed response revealed shortcomings inthe system. The fiancee of a Liberian manwho died of Ebola earlier this month inDallas, Texas, was among nearly 50 peoplewho emerged from three weeks of quaran-tine without any signs of illness from expo-sure to the virus that has killed more than4,500 in West Africa since the beginning ofthis year. About 100 more people, most ofthem health care workers, are beingtracked in Texas after coming in contactwith the first patient diagnosed in theUnited States in late September.

Still, officials said it was reassuring thatno new infections had emerged in recentdays. “We are breathing a little bit easier,but we are still holding our breath,” saidDallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. Those who areno longer in danger include a group ofhealth care workers and community mem-bers who may have had contact withLiberian Thomas Eric Duncan betweenSeptember 24, when he began showingsymptoms, and September 28 when hewas isolated in a Dallas hospital.

“This is a crucial milestone for the city ofDallas and for concerned persons acrossthe United States,” said Mark Rupp, aninfectious disease specialist at NebraskaMedical Center, which has treated two USEbola patients after they were infected inLiberia this year. “I hope this reinforces themessage that the public is safe and thatEbola is not very infectious in its earlystages.”

Two nurses Two nurses in the intensive care unit at

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallaswere infected during the care of Duncan,who died October 8. Nina Pham’s infectionwas announced October 12, and her col-league Amber Vinson’s was three days later.Ebola is spread though close contact withvomit, blood, diarrhea or other bodily flu-ids. Most people get sick within eight to 10days of exposure, and health care workersare particularly at risk. Word of the nurses’infections sowed panic across the UnitedStates, leading to a rash of suspected casesthat turned out to be nothing more than

common illnesses.“In the United States, two people have

gotten infected with Ebola. Two. Both ofthem were taking care of a desperately illpatient in a risky situation,” said AnthonyFauci, head of the National Institute ofAllergy and Infectious Diseases, during aforum at Washington’s Newseum. “Youhave to distinguish the two nurses... fromthe risk to the general public who aren’tanywhere near an Ebola patient, much lessa very sick Ebola patient.” Pham is in faircondition at a specialized government hos-pital near the US capital, and Faucideclined to speculate on whether shewould make a full recovery.

“She still is a bit knocked out,” Fauci said.“When you get an infection as serious asEbola it is very, very draining on you.”Vinson’s family said in a statement Sundaythey “remain intensely prayerful and opti-mistic about Amber’s condition and of thetreatment she is currently receiving” atEmory University Healthcare, in AtlantaGeorgia, but gave no details on the state ofher health. Another US man, who has kepthis identity secret after being infected withEbola in West Africa in September, hasrecovered and was released from the samehospital over the weekend, it was con-firmed Monday.

Mistakes made The Dallas hospital which initially sent

Duncan away when he sought care for painand a fever, apologized Sunday for its han-dling of the case. “As an institution, wemade mistakes in handling this very diffi-cult challenge,” Texas Health CEO BarclayBerdan said in a statement. JesseGoodman, a doctor and public healthexpert at Georgetown University, said theUnited States was learning from the initial-ly flawed response. “I do think events indi-cate how important it is to probably beover cautious rather than over confident,”said Goodman at the Newseum event.Fauci added that the epidemic was far fromending in West Africa, and said all nationsneed to pour resources into ending thespread of the disease there. “Right now Idon’t think we can predict when this epi-demic is going to be over. When you lookat it, it is still escalating rather than declin-ing.”— AFP

US cautiously optimistic after no new Ebola in 5 days

PARIS: Women exposed to high levels of traffic pollutionduring the second trimester of pregnancy are at higher riskof giving birth to a child with weak lungs, researchers saidMonday. In a long-term study, investigators in Barcelonaenrolled 1,295 pregnant women who attended pre-natalclinics in Sabadell, in Catalonia, and at Gipuzkoa in thenorthwestern Basque region. They measured two trafficpollutants-benzene and nitrous dioxide-in the women’sresidential neighborhoods at different times during theirpregnancy.

They used this data to draw up a model of exposure forthe women, and also for their offspring during their firstyear of life. The model took account of differences in geog-raphy, climate, population density and time of year. Whenthe children reached four and a half years of age, a nursemeasured their lung capacity with an inflation gadgetcalled a spirometer. A total 620 pre-schoolers were tested-many others were unable to blow properly into the device.

The children of women exposed to higher benzene lev-els during their fourth to sixth months of pregnancy were22 percent more likely to have impaired lung function thanthose from less polluted areas, the study found. For nitrousoxide, the risk was 30 percent higher. The link was strongeramong children with allergies, or those from a lower socialclass. But exposure levels to traffic pollution in the first yearof life made no difference to lung strength, the inquiry

found. The results “suggest that exposure to traffic-related air

pollutants during the prenatal period could adverselyimpact the developing lung,” the authors reported in thejournal Thorax. “Substantial health benefits” could accruefrom curbing traffic pollution, they added. The team led byEva Morales at Barcelona’s Centre for Research inEnvironmental Epidemiology (CREAL), believe they are thefirst to give a long-term view of how air pollution duringpregnancy can affect a child’s lungs.

The study did consider whether either or both of achild’s parents smoked before or during pregnancy. But itdid not examine whether the mothers had been exposedto gas, dust or fumes in their jobs while pregnant.

Nor was it powered to measure exposure to particulatematter, another notorious traffic pollutant. In an independ-ent comment, Seif Shaheen, a professor of respiratory epi-demiology at Barts and the London School of Medicineand Dentistry, said a clearer picture may have emerged ifpollution levels were monitored directly in the volunteers’homes rather than their neighborhoods. Even so, “the find-ings should be taken very seriously by policymakers,”Britain’s Science Media Centre quoted Shaheen as saying.“The results suggest that more needs to be done to reduceair pollution in order to improve public health, and in par-ticular the lung health of the next generation.”— AFP

NEW YORK: First, CVS Health pulled tobacco from its storeshelves. Now, it plans to make some customers think twiceabout filling prescriptions at other stores that still sellsmokes. The nation’s second-largest drugstore chain is devel-oping a new tobacco-free pharmacy network for clients of itsCaremark pharmacy benefits management business. Thenetwork would slap an extra co-payment on patients who filltheir prescriptions at stores that still sell tobacco. That pay-ment won’t apply to prescriptions filled in the tobacco-freenetwork, which would include CVS and Target locationsnationally, as well as other pharmacies that abstain. TargetCorp gave up tobacco sales in 1996.

Rival national drugstore chains Walgreen Co and Rite AidCorp still sell tobacco. Pharmacy benefits managers, or PBMs,run prescription drug plans for employers, insurers and othercustomers. They process mail-order prescriptions and handlebills for prescriptions filled at retail pharmacies. CVS spokes-woman Carolyn Castel said her company developed the newnetwork after several PBM customers asked for it. The tobac-co-free network will only be used by the PBM customers thatchoose it. It is unclear yet how many PBM clients wouldchoose such a plan.

“It’s not across the board,” she said, adding that the size ofthe extra co-payment would vary according to client. The

new network will start next year, and customers will receive alist of participating pharmacies before any network changetakes place. CVS announced in February that it wouldremove tobacco products from its more than 7,700 drug-stores nationally to help sharpen its focus on health. It com-pleted that task in September, when it also announced that itwould change its name to CVS Health from CVS Caremark.

Drugstore chains, grocers and big retailers like Target havedelved deeper into customer health in recent years, in part toserve the aging baby boom generation and the millions ofuninsured people who are expected to gain coverage underthe federal health care overhaul. They’ve been adding walk-in clinics to their stores, expanding the care they provide, andputting more health care products on their shelves. CVS hassaid it might lose about $2 billion in revenue annually afterremoving tobacco, but company leaders expect to counterthat loss at least partially by expanding the company’s healthcare business.

Wall Street has yet to express misgivings about the lostrevenue. Shares of CVS Health climbed 11 cents to $81.60after markets opened Tuesday and have advanced about 23percent since the company announced its split with tobacco.That more than doubles the rise of the Standard & Poor’s 500index over the same span. — AP

CVS tacks tobacco payment to prescription network

Pollution linked to lung damage in child

MANILA: Philippine medical workers help a colleague put on a protective suit during a press conference byhealth officials on the countryís preparedness against Ebola, at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine(RITM) facilities in Alabang town yesterday, as international experts expected next week to train medicalworkers on handling Ebola patients. The Philippines has rebuffed a US request to dispatch medical workersto Ebola-hit regions, with the health ministry saying boosting the country.s defenses against any local out-breaks was the priority. — AFP

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H E A LT H & S C I E NC EWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

LONDON: A paralyzed Bulgarian man can walk again afterreceiving revolutionary treatment in Poland in a breakthroughhailed by one of the British scientists responsible as “moreimpressive than a man walking on the Moon”. Darek Fidykawas paralyzed from the chest down following a knife attack in2010, but can now walk using a frame after nerve cells fromhis nose were transplanted into his severed spinal column,according to research published in the journal CellTransplantation on Tuesday.

“When there’s nothing, you can’t feel almost half of yourbody. You’re helpless, lost,” the patient, who is now recoveringat the Akron Neuro-Rehabilitation Center in Wroclaw, told theBBC’s Panorama program. “When it begins to come back, youfeel you’ve started your life all over again, as if you are reborn,”the 40-year-old said. It’s an incredible feeling, difficult todescribe.”

Specialist olfactory unsheathing cells (OECs), which formpart of the sense of smell, were used in the treatment as theyare pathway cells, enabling nearby nerve fibers to be continu-ally regenerated. Pawel Tabakow, consultant neurosurgeon atWroclaw University, led a team of surgeons in removing oneof the patient’s olfactory bulbs before transplanting culturedcells into the spinal cord in the treatment’s two crucial opera-tions.

‘Paralysis can be reversed’ The scientists involved think that the cells, implanted

above and below the injury, enabled damaged fibers toreconnect, although other researchers have reacted moreskeptically. “What we’ve done is establish a principle, nervefibers can grow back and restore function, provided we givethem a bridge,” said Geoff Raisman, chair of neural regenera-tion at University College London’s Institute of Neurology,who led the British research team working on the joint proj-ect.

“To me, this is more impressive than a man walking onthe Moon. I believe this is the moment when paralysis can bereversed.” Tabakow said it was “amazing to see how regener-ation of the spinal cord, something that was thought impos-sible for many years, is becoming a reality”. But other scien-tists were more cautious, saying it was important to awaitthe results of clinical testing with more cases. “We have to bevery prudent,” said Alain Privat from France’s health andmedical research institute Inserm. Privat said it was not yetclear whether it was really the transplant itself that allowedthe spinal cord to function again or whether this was abyproduct of the operations. “Only a real (clinical) trial wouldshow this,” he said.

‘Door will open in life’ For two years after sustaining the injury, Fidyka showed

no sign of recovery despite intensive five-hour physiothera-py sessions. The first signs of improvement came threemonths after the surgery, when his left thigh began putting

on muscle. Three months later, Fidyka was able to take hisfirst steps with the aid of parallel bars and leg braces. He cannow walk outside using a frame and has also recoveredsome feeling in his bladder and bowel.

“I think it’s realistic that one day I will become independ-ent,” he said. “What I have learned is that you must never giveup but keep fighting, because some door will open in life.”The research was funded by the UK Stem Cell Foundationand the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation (NSIF), set up bychef David Nicholls after his son Daniel was paralyzed in a2003 swimming accident. NSIF has given £1 million ($1.6 mil-lion, 1.26 million euros) to researchers in London and£240,000 to the team in Poland. Both camps say they will notseek to profit from the research.

“It would be my proudest boast if I could say that nopatient had had to pay one penny for any of the informa-tion we have found,” said Raisman. NSIF said it wouldacquire any patents and make them freely available. “WhenDan had his accident I made him a promise that, one day,he would walk again,” Nicholls told the BBC. “The resultswith Darek show we are making significant progresstowards that goal.” The UK Stem Cell Foundation said theteam was now searching for the best source of olfactoryunsheathing cells and developing prototype nanofibre bio-materials on which transplanted OECs could grow. Theyhope to raise enough money to hold clinical trials on 10patients in Britain and Poland. — AFP

POLAND: In an undated handout picture released by the BritishBroadcasting Corporation (BBC) Professor Wagih El-Masri, a surgeon andfounder of spinal injury charity SPIRIT, watches as Bulgarian man DarekFidyka walks with the aid of leg-braces and parallel bars at the Akron Neuro-Rehabilitation Center in Wroclaw.

POLAND: Bulgarian man Darek Fidyka, who suffered a severed spinal column that renderedhim paralyzed from the chest down, talks with Polish neurosurgeon Pawel Tabakow andGeoff Raisman (left), chair of neural regeneration at University College London’s Institute ofNeurology.— AFP photos

Antibiotics mayhelp animals

spread salmonellaWASHINGTON: Giving animals antibiotics maymake them sicker and could lead some to spreadeven more salmonella than they would haveotherwise, US researchers experimenting onmice said Monday. The findings in theProceedings of the National Academy ofSciences could point to a new concern overfeeding healthy livestock low doses of antibioticsto help them grow and stave off common illness-es, a practice that critics say may fuel drug-resis-tant superbugs.

Researchers at Stanford University School ofMedicine gave oral antibiotics to mice infectedwith Salmonella typhimurium, a bacteria whichcan cause food poisoning. A small minority,known as “superspreaders” because they hadbeen shedding high amounts of salmonella intheir feces for weeks, remained healthy. Itappears neither the antibiotic or the illness hadmuch effect on them. “The rest of the mice gotsicker instead of better and, oddly, started shed-ding like superspreaders,” the university said in astatement describing the research.

A previous Stanford study found that givingnon-superspreader mice an oral antibiotic led toa rapid increase in salmonella shed in their feces.This study showed that giving streptomycin, anantibiotic, to salmonella-infected mice, led mostof them to begin shedding high levels of thepathogen in both their gut and their feces. Mostof the treated mice also appeared sicker after theantibiotics. “They lost weight, had ruffled fur andhunched up the in corners of their cages,” saidDenise Monack, associate professor of microbiol-ogy and immunology and the study’s seniorauthor.

“They also began to shed much larger quanti-ties of bacteria.” The same thing happened whenthe mice were given another antibiotic, neomycin,suggesting that the medicine had the opposite ofits intended effect. “If this holds true for livestockas well-and I think it will-it would have obviouspublic health implications,” Monack said. “Weneed to think about the possibility that we’re notonly selecting for antibiotic-resistant microbes,but also impairing the health of our livestock andincreasing the spread of contagious pathogensamong them and us.” — AFP

Paralyzed man walks againafter breakthrough treatment

‘To me, this is more impressive than a man walking on the Moon’

TOKYO: Are you worried that you’rejust not chewing enough to keepyour mind and body in tip-top con-dition? Then never fear: Japan hasinvented something to help youcount your bites. A small-scaleJapanese study last year, among oth-ers, suggested there was a connec-tion between chomping and cogni-tive function, and the belief in a linkbetween chewing and health iswidely held in Japan. Now a Tokyo-based gum-maker has created ear-phones that record the number oftimes you move your jaw, along withthe speed and strength of each bite.

“Chewing, unless you make a con-scious effort, can be seen as a bit of apain,” Katsumi Kawai, chief market-ing officer of Lotte said, adding thefirm has noticed some people con-sider chewing gum to be somethingof a hassle. “As a gum maker, this is agreat concern,” he said. Lotte’s“Rhythmi-Kamu”-a pun on theEnglish word “rhythmical” and

“kamu” (“to chew” in Japanese) —uses sensors mounted inside earpieces to carefully measure eachbite.

It bleeps and flashes as it sendsthe data to a smartphone app, whichcan be used to track exactly howmuch chewing a user has done inany given period, should that needever arise. The technology can alsobe used to switch on or off music onphone by chewing in a certain pat-tern, Lotte says, while admittingmastering the skill takes a bit ofpractice.

Hiroshima City University engi-neer Kazuhiro Taniguchi, whose ear-switch technology was used in thedevice said he was pleased with howit had turned out, adding that thegadget had “satisfying functions”.Lotte has no plans to commercializethe Rhythmi-Kamu, but would like topersuade research institutions to useit to advance studies on humanchewing. — AFP

JAPAN: A model shows off Lotte’s prototype ‘Rhythmi-Kamu’, ear phones that count and record the number oftimes you chew during its press preview.

Chewing too much hassle? Japan’s got just the thing

JAPAN : Members of HKT48, a girls pop group, (from left) Natsumi Matsuoka, Sakura Miyawaki,Haruka Kodama, Rino Sashihara, Mio Tomonaga and Madoka Moriyasu, pose in a photo ses-sion to promote Lotte’s prototype ‘Rhythmi-Kamu’, ear phones that count and record the num-ber of times you chew during its press preview in Tokyo yesterday. —AFP photos

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W H AT ’ S ONWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Greetings

Wishing you a day that is as spe-cial in every way as you are. Loveyou Ammu, Achaa, Amma & Malu.

The Avenues have set another milestoneachievement this year in receiving bothtrophies for the 2014 MECSC/ICSC Gold

Award in Cause Related Marketing Excellencefor “Weight of Love” initiative as well as the2014 MECSC/ICSC Silver Award in Sales &Promotions Events Marketing Excellence for“Prestige Luxury Museum” Exhibition. Bothawards have been honored during the MENAShopping Center and Retailer Awards 2014 inDubai and organized by the Middle EastCouncil of Shopping Centres (MECSC) and theInternational Council of Shopping Centres(ICSC).

The awards ceremony is to honor all com-peting shopping centres in the Middle East fortheir excellence in organizing activities, cam-paigns and events throughout this year, whichin return, benchmarked a monumental impacttowards their communities due to the shop-ping centre’s social cause and its effect onsociety.

The Gold Award in Cause Related forMarketing Excellence is honored to the“Weight of Love” initiative, which was recentlylaunched by The Avenues during the HolyMonth of Ramadan and in collaboration withKuwait Red Crescent Society. The initiativeaimed towards engaging all visitors theopportunity to contribute and donate to all

needy children in Kuwait with an array of giftsand toys inside a conspicuous drop box situat-ed at Grand Avenue.

Upon its conclusion, the “Weight of Love”initiative box was emptied from all its donatedgifts and toys contents and directly distributedthrough Kuwait Red Crescent Society to allneedy children right after Eid Al Adha, whichin return, drawn more smiles their faces as wellas reaching its utmost success towards thecommunity.

The Avenues management was pleasedwith the public’s admiration and supportexpressed through their contributions anddonations to the “Weight of Love” initiative,which was also considered as a giving plat-form to the needy as well as community out-reach stemming from The Avenues sheerreflection to corporate social responsibilityduring the Holy Month of Ramadan. And inrecognition of needy children, the “Weight ofLove” initiative triggered all society membersto give and keep on giving all valuable thingsto include dolls and toys.

Moreover, the Silver Award in Sales &Promotions Events for Marketing Excellencewas also honored to “Prestige Luxury Museum”Exhibition, the first ever launched exhibitionby The Avenues in collaboration with a groupof international high-end store participants

housed at the luxurious Prestige district sincelate November for a period of 2 weeks.

Inspired by the legacies of trendy interna-tional designers, the “Prestige Luxury Museum”exhibits a series of premier brands in vintagecollectable sand exotic masterpieces in fash-ion, leather goods, precious jewelries andvaluable accessories; all showcased with adescription of their historical significance sincethey were worn by royalty, high class socialitesand internationally renowned celebrities.

The “Prestige Luxury Museum” also aims atstimulating shoppers culturally while givingthem a new reason to visit the luxurious“Prestige” district, home to 48 internationalhigh-end brands and exotic culinary experi-ences to include 12 of the biggest flagshipstores in the Middle East.

The Avenues management added that“Prestige Luxury Museum” is yet anotherthemed-attracted exhibition aimed at bring-ing the traditional museum atmosphere intothe luxurious “Prestige” district by premieringthe utmost collectables of high-end piecesworn by notably public and historical figuresthroughout the designer’s brand name mile-stone. The Avenues won the Gold Award for‘Best Shopping Center 2013’ in the expansionand design category for the MENA region. TheAvenues was awarded this prize by the Middle

East and International Shopping CenterCouncils, after excelling over other shoppingmalls. The Avenues has a significant record ofachievement awards that was honored fortheir excellence and recognition in setting

new standards for both classical and contem-porary inspired architecture, repositioning itas one of the largest and trendiest shoppingand leisure destination in the region.

The Avenues receives 2014 Gold Award for ‘Weight

of Love’ and ‘Prestige Luxury Museum’ exhibition

Under the patronage of the ThaiAmbassador SurasakChuasukonthip, the Silk Road

restaurant at The Regency Hotel inKuwait launched “Thailand Returns”.The opening night on October 20thwas attended by delegates from theThai Embassy in Kuwait as well asmembers of the press, who were wel-comed by The Regency’s GeneralManager Aurelio Giraudo and the mar-keting team as well as guest chefPinyo Daomasratasamee fromBangkok.

“Thailand Returns” will be runningfor 10 nights until October 30th, 2014at 7 pm with Chef Pinyo who this yearcelebrated 25 years in the culinaryfield both in Thailand and a number ofother Asian countries. His menuincludes a delicious variety of Thaidishes starting with Thord Mun Pla -Deep fried fish cake with sweet chilisauce as well as Som Tam Salad withThai Papaya. As for main dishes, a Cheffavorite is Gang Kiew Wan Gai - Greencurry chicken with eggplant and Thaibasil and from the dessert menu

guests sampled Khao Knew Mamung -Fresh mango with sticky rice andmany more exotic delicious.

Silk Road Restaurant at TheRegency with its luxurious panoramicview of the swimming pool andArabian Gulf is considered to be oneof the finest restaurants in Kuwait thatserves a wide and rich variety of foodsprepared by a group of professionalchefs from all over the world.

The Regency Hotel launches ‘Thailand Returns’ at Silk Road

Page 31: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

W H AT ’ S ONWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Within the efforts of achieving HH theAmir’s wish to turn Kuwait into aninternational commercial and finan-

cial hub and the attempts to attract majorinternational companies to operate inKuwaiti market, Cornerstone GlobalInvestment Group (CGIG), Kuwait branchrecently organized an open symposium onreal estate investment property and the legalrule followed in the UK.

The symposium held last Tuesday atJumeirah Messilah Hotel and Resort with theattendance of a representative from the Britishembassy to Kuwait, current and formerKuwaiti lawmakers, Kuwaiti dignitaries and

investors reviewed the promising real estateinvestment opportunities in UK and the legalregulation to be considered when purchasingproperty in Britain. In addition, the symposiumwas also attended by CGIG’s Kuwait branchmanager, Tiernan Dillion, chief operating offi-cer, Joe McCormack, the international attor-ney, Joseph Durkin and the company’s busi-ness development advisor, Salem Al-Enezi.

Speaking on the symposium, Delonereviewed investment opportunities in UK ingeneral and CGIG projects in London in addi-tion to investment opportunities it offers therethat would deliver good steady return forinvestors. He also spoke about the company’s

future projects in Kuwait and attracting clientsto invest in real estate in Britain where the realestate market is stable and promising forKuwaiti investors.

On his part, chief operating officer,McCormack stressed that importance of legal-izing investments in the UK and pointed outthe need to observe British tax laws and otherregulations concerning ownership periods,legality and usage in addition to legal pay-ment methods starting with registering thepurchase of real estate units and all the way toselling them through legal channels. “TheBritish law organizes each and every step ofthe process”, he stressed.

CGIG local partner in Kuwait, Ali Adnan Al-Kazemi stressed that CGIG is a leading realestate development company with offices inIreland, Britain, Dubai and West Africa and thatit has over ten years experience in real estatemanagement. “It is a new company in Kuwait”,he underlined pointing out that the companyhas executives well-experienced in managinglarge private portfolios and investors’ property.He added that the company had also executedmany residential and commercial real estateprojects in the UK and Western Europe.

On his part, CGIG’s business developmentadvisor, Salem Al-Enezi said that the companyspecializes in providing high performing and

secure investment opportunities that wouldachieve long term steady income. He addedthat the company also provides outstandingafter-sale services and works jointly with localteams to ensure the best property manage-ment and improve clients returns.

Al-Enezi also s3tressed that CGIG providespromising investment opportunities in thefinest and most modern spots in Manchester,the students accommodation in Leicester andin London’s most modern financial center; theRoyal Dockside center for attractive prices andas long as ten year security periods.

Cornerstone Global holds symposium on

Real Estate Investment opportunities in UK

IDP Education, one of the world’slargest student placementorganisations, launched the ‘IDP

Middle East Study AbroadRoadshow’ in Kuwait this October.The event provided students andtheir parents in Kuwait with all theinformation required for studying ina foreign university of their choice.This event brought 20 Universitiesfrom Australia, UK, US and Canada.The event was in Kuwait (yesterday)October 21 at Sheraton KuwaitHotel. The event was inauguratedby Dr Ahmed Alathari - DirectorGeneral at PAAET (The PublicAuthority for Applied Educationand Training), and Jack Hajjar -Commercial Counsellor AustralianEmbassy in Kuwait.

IDP has been present in theregion since 2000 and is operatingin the region through a network ofover 12 offices acrossKuwait, Oman,Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Egypt inaddition to Turkey and Azerbaijan.

In 2012-2013 students fromKuwait have preferred to opt forengineering, natural and physicalsciences, pharmacy while studyingin Australia. English study, manage-ment, medicine, dentistry and phar-macology, computer science andinformation technology were thestreams chosen by the studentswhile studying in the UK and US.Approximately 55% of students opt-ed for undergraduate courses whileopting for UK Universities.

“Over 550 students were placedin the US and more than 60 stu-dents from Middle East were placedin Canada from the Middle Eastsince 2012. Furthermore over 450students were placed in the UKfrom Middle East during 2012 and2013 with students opting for in-demand courses like BusinessManagement, Engineering,Computer Science and IT. IDPEducation has a rich history span-

ning over four decades. Since 1969IDP Education has been an industryleader in facilitating and promotinginternational education. We haveplaced over 2000 students fromMiddle East in AustralianUniversities over the last threeyears,” said Sujata Vora, CountryManager, IDP Kuwait.

There are seven universities fromthe UK at the roadshow includingtop ranked institutions; Universityof Birmingham, University of Sussexand University of St. Andrews.Australia is well represented in theevent with top universities like TheUniversity of News Castle, CurtinUniversity and University ofWestern Sydney. Six otherAustralian institutions are also takepart in the roadshow. There arethree Universities from the USA andone from Canada.

“This roadshow is a great plat-form for Kuwaiti students who wishto study abroad. It’s an end-to-endprocess where the students andparents are educated and informedabout choices they can make tosecure a bright career. Our counsel-lors assist these students with theirgoal of studying overseas. We helpinternational students gain admis-sion to educational institutions inthe main English-speaking coun-tries. We also provide personalisedcourse advice, course applicationsubmission and pre-departureguidance,” said Mrs Vora.

IDP Education is also the co-own-er of IELTS (International EnglishLanguage Testing System). IELTS isjointly owned by British Council,IDP: IELTS Australia and CambridgeEnglish Language Assessment.

IDP education brings

20 global universities

for Kuwaiti students

The Oman Ministry of Tourism organized aroad show and workshops in Kuwait, incooperation with its trade partners from

Oman. The move aimed at reinforcing the jointventure between the Ministry and Oman Air andpromoting the Sultanate as the region’s leadingtourist destination. Aside from presentations byboth parties that were designed to give a deeperinsight about tourism infrastructure and facilitiesalong with attractive offers, several agreementswith Kuwait-based hotels and travel agencieswere signed during the event. The event compli-mented Oman’s tourism sector which is aimingto record one of the strongest global growthrate in the coming year.

The road show and workshops came in linewith the recent industry reports indicating agrowth in regional tourism in Oman. Accordingto the figures released by the National Centre forStatistics and Information, over 1,004,837 inter-national tourists visited the country until June2014 of which 387,103 were from the GCC—thehighest number of tourists from the region todate, registering a growth of 10.8 per cent incomparison to the same period for 2013. Thegovernment of Oman has undertaken proactivemeasures to ensure growth of travel and tourismsector with plans to increase number of interna-tional airports along with regional and interna-tional chains of hotels and resorts in addition tothe development of road, rail and maritime sec-tors.

Salim Al Mamari, Director General of tourismpromotion, Oman Ministry of Tourism, said:“Because of its diverse geographical features,Oman is an all-year-round tourism destination,making it perfect for GCC tourists to take short-break vacations. Aside from excellent tourisminfrastructure and exceptional hospitality sector,the country boasts of world-class airports offer-ing swift connectivity to several cities in theregion. We organized the road show and work-shops in Kuwait aiming to reach out to the maxi-mum number of people to further promoteOman as a popular tourist destination forKuwaitis. Aside from offering attractive travelpackage with our partner Oman Air, we alsosigned agreements with local travel agents toprovide cost-effective yet wholesome tourist

packages to potential visitors.” Oman Air, the national airlines of Oman, was

present as the official airline for the Sultanate ofOman. Underlining the airline’s commitment toservice excellence, Oman Air’s Business Classseat on board its A330 fleet has been voted bySkytrax as the Best Business Class Seat in the

world for two years in a row, in 2011 and 2012.Oman Air passengers can now experience awhole new level of on-ground service withOman Air’s premium front-end check-in facilityexclusively for First Class and Business Classguests, besides Oman Air’s Premium Loungeslocated at Muscat International Airport.

Oman Ministry of Tourism, Oman Air to

reveal tie-ups during roadshow in Kuwait

McDonald’s supports active and

balanced’ lifestyle in Kuwait

As part of its commitment to supportingan active and balanced, lifestyleamongst the youth and adults in

Kuwait, McDonald’s is sponsoring the 4th edi-tion of the Flying Start Triathlon. TheMcDonald’s Flying Start Triathlon will takeplace on the 25th of October, 2014 at Khiran;with the race kicking off at 7 am.

The McDonald’s Flying Start Triathlon isopen to all participants who can enter individ-ually or in teams of three covering swimming,cycling, and running. The triathlon is organisedto high international standards - using state-of-the-art equipment as well and professionalmanagement of the race itself. On the raceday, participants will be tracked using a mag-netic chip that measures distance and speed toensure fair results. The winners of the triathlonwill receive cash prizes valued at KWD 500from McDonald’s Kuwait.

“McDonald’s is firmly committed to promot-ing a healthy lifestyle and encouraging adultsand youth alike to lead an active life. Sportshas always been part of our culture, therefore,the sponsorship of the McDonald’s Flying StartTriathlon is the perfect fit for our brand values.

We strongly believe in raising awareness of theimportance of sports in our day to day lives,”commented Sherif Coutry, Marketing Directorat McDonald’s Kuwait

Coutry further commented: “We are veryexcited that Ronald McDonald will be com-mencing the run with the participants, and wewish all of the competitors great success andhope that they enjoy the race day.”

McDonald’s Kuwait continuously supportslocal youth sports programs and major sports

competitions within the country. McDonald’shas been a proud supporter of the OlympicMovement for the past 40 years and is an offi-cial partner of the FIFA World Cup since the1994 tournament in the United States.

To date, 400 participants have registered forthe race. For more information on theMcDonald’s Flying Start Triathlon or to register,please visit: http://www.theflyingstart.com/

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T V PR O G R A M SWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

IRON MAN 3 ON OSN MOVIES HD ACTION

BEAUTIFUL CREATURES ON OSN MOVIES HD

00:45 Absolute Fear-PG1502:30 Phantom-PG1504:15 Vantage Point-PG1506:00 Arthur 3: And The War OfTwo Worlds-PG08:00 The Greatest Movie EverSold-PG1510:00 Blades Of Glory-PG1512:00 Phantom-PG1514:00 Death Clique-PG1516:00 The Greatest Movie EverSold-PG1518:00 Skyline-PG1520:00 Escape Plan-PG1522:00 2 Guns-18

00:00 Futbol Mundial00:30 PGA European TourHighlights01:30 Champions Tour Highlights02:30 PGA Tour Highlights03:30 PGA European TourHighlights06:00 World Match Racing Tour07:00 Golfing World08:00 Volvo Ocean Race10:00 PGA Tour Highlights11:00 PGA European TourHighlights12:00 Darts World Grand Prix14:00 NRL Full time 14:30 Challenge Series GolfHighlights15:00 PGA Tour Highlights16:00 PGA European TourHighlights17:00 Champions Tour Highlights18:00 Golfing World19:00 Trans World Sport20:00 Inside The PGA Tour20:30 European Tour Weekly21:00 NRL Full time 21:30 PGA Tour Highlights22:30 PGA European TourHighlights

00:00 Sleepy Hollow01:00 Good Morning America03:00 Justified04:00 Nip/Tuck05:00 Good Morning America07:00 Emmerdale07:30 Coronation Street09:00 Switched At Birth10:00 Emmerdale10:30 Coronation Street12:00 Helix13:00 Sleepy Hollow14:00 Live Good Morning America16:00 Switched At Birth17:00 Helix18:00 Sleepy Hollow19:00 Switched At Birth20:00 Helix21:00 Rake22:00 Justified23:00 Nip/Tuck

01:00 The Fosters02:00 Downton Abbey08:00 Castle12:00 Emmerdale12:30 Coronation Street14:00 Castle16:00 Emmerdale16:30 Coronation Street17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show18:00 Castle19:00 The Fosters20:00 Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.21:00 The Voice22:00 Mistresses

00:45 Hoarding: Buried Alive01:35 My Strange Addiction02:00 My Strange Addiction02:25 I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant02:50 Mob Wives03:40 Long Island Medium04:05 Say Yes To The Dress04:30 Say Yes To The Dress05:00 Toddlers & Tiaras06:00 Something Borrowed,Something New06:25 Oprah: Behind The Scenes07:15 What Not To Wear08:05 Ask Oprah’s All-Stars08:55 Oprah’s Next Chapter09:45 Cake Boss10:10 Jon & Kate Plus 810:35 Little People, Big World11:00 Toddlers & Tiaras11:50 Say Yes To The Dress12:15 Say Yes To The Dress12:40 Oprah: Behind The Scenes13:30 Six Little Mcghees13:55 Six Little Mcghees14:20 Say Yes To The Dress15:10 Something Borrowed,Something New15:35 Cake Boss16:00 What Not To Wear16:50 Jon & Kate Plus 817:15 Little People, Big World17:40 Toddlers & Tiaras18:30 Something Borrowed,Something New18:55 Say Yes To The Dress19:20 Say Yes To The Dress19:45 Oprah: Behind The Scenes20:35 Cake Boss21:00 My Five Wives21:50 Secret Eaters22:40 Long Island Medium23:05 Mob Wives

01:30 Someday This Pain Will BeUseful To You-PG1503:15 There Be Dragons-PG1505:15 Dream House-PG1507:00 Reviving Ophelia-PG1509:00 The Twilight Saga: BreakingDawn Pt. 2-PG1511:00 Dream House-PG1513:00 There Be Dragons-PG1515:00 The Lady-PG1517:15 The Twilight Saga: BreakingDawn Pt. 2-PG1519:15 Faces In The Crowd-PG1521:00 Love And Honor-PG1523:00 The Frozen Ground-18

00:15 Eastenders00:45 Doctors01:15 New Tricks02:10 The Paradise03:00 One Foot In The Grave03:30 Stella04:15 The Weakest Link05:00 Me Too!05:20 Mr Bloom’s Nursery05:40 Show Me Show Me06:00 Nina And The Neurons: InThe Lab06:15 Me Too!06:35 Mr Bloom’s Nursery06:55 Show Me Show Me07:10 The Weakest Link07:55 Last Of The Summer Wine08:25 One Foot In The Grave08:55 Eastenders09:25 Doctors09:55 New Tricks10:50 The Paradise11:40 Last Of The Summer Wine12:10 One Foot In The Grave12:40 2 Point 4 Children13:10 Eastenders13:40 Doctors14:10 New Tricks15:00 The Paradise15:55 Last Of The Summer Wine16:25 The Weakest Link17:10 Eastenders17:40 Doctors18:10 New Tricks19:00 Me & Mrs Jones19:30 The Omid Djalili Show20:00 Rock & Chips: Special: Easter201120:50 Afterlife21:40 Absolutely Fabulous22:10 Whitechapel23:00 Going For Gold - The ‘48Games

01:45 Jagged Edge-1803:30 Switchback-PG1505:30 Ray-PG1508:00 Strictly Sinatra-PG1510:00 Cheerful Weather For TheWedding-PG1511:30 Deadly Spa-PG1513:00 Strictly Sinatra-PG1515:00 Beasts Of The Southern Wild17:00 Cheerful Weather For TheWedding-PG1519:00 Argo-PG1521:00 Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy23:15 Beyond Borders-18

01:00 The Company You Keep03:00 Frozen-PG05:00 Standing Ovation-PG1506:45 The Next Three Days-PG1509:00 Beautiful Creatures-PG1511:00 The Company You Keep13:00 The Chateau Meroux-PG1514:45 Salmon Fishing In TheYemen-PG1516:45 Beautiful Creatures-PG1518:45 The Mortal Instruments: CityOf Bones-PG1521:00 Haunter-1823:00 Seven Psychopaths-18

00:20 Tethered01:10 Dual Survival02:00 Fast N’ Loud02:50 Storage Hunters03:15 Savage Family Diggers03:40 Baggage Battles04:05 How It’s Made04:30 How Do They Do It?05:00 Gold Divers06:00 Classic Car Rescue06:50 Alaska: The Last Frontier07:40 Fast N’ Loud08:30 Storage Hunters08:55 Savage Family Diggers09:20 Baggage Battles09:45 How It’s Made10:10 How Do They Do It?10:35 Marooned With Ed Stafford11:25 Tethered12:15 Dual Survival13:05 Storage Hunters13:30 Savage Family Diggers13:55 Baggage Battles14:20 Alaska: The Last Frontier15:10 Idris Elba: King Of Speed16:00 Fast N’ Loud16:50 How It’s Made17:15 How Do They Do It?17:40 Gold Divers18:30 You Have Been Warned19:20 Mind Control Freaks19:45 Mind Control Freaks20:10 Savage Family Diggers20:35 Baggage Battles21:00 You Have Been Warned21:50 Mind Control Freaks22:15 Mind Control Freaks22:40 Dynamo: MagicianImpossible23:30 You Have Been Warned

00:00 World’s Toughest Fixes01:00 Animal Intervention02:00 Wild Russia03:00 Crimes Against Nature04:00 The Border05:00 Breakout06:00 Alaska Wing Men07:00 Inside08:00 World’s Toughest Fixes09:00 Animal Intervention10:00 Wild Russia11:00 Inside World War II12:00 Cosmos: A SpacetimeOdyssey13:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest14:00 Somewhere In China15:00 World’s Toughest Fixes16:00 Doomsday Preppers17:00 Street Genius17:30 Street Genius18:00 Brave New World 19:00 World’s Toughest Fixes20:00 Doomsday Preppers21:00 Street Genius21:30 Street Genius22:00 Brave New World 23:00 Inside World War II

03:30 F1 H2O WC Highlights04:00 World AquabikeChampionship Highlights05:00 Currie Cup 07:00 International Rugby Union201409:00 Currie Cup 11:00 World Match Racing Tour12:00 Golfing World 13:00 Futbol Mundial13:30 Challenge Series GolfHighlights14:00 Currie Cup 18:00 WWE Afterburn19:00 WWE Vintage20:00 WWE Experience21:00 Golfing World 22:00 WWE Vintage

00:00 Violetta00:45 The Hive00:50 Art Attack01:15 Art Attack01:40 Jungle Junction01:55 Jungle Junction02:05 Jungle Junction02:30 Violetta03:15 The Hive03:20 Art Attack03:45 Art Attack04:10 Jungle Junction04:20 Jungle Junction05:00 Art Attack05:25 Art Attack05:50 Mouk06:00 Jessie06:25 Liv And Maddie06:50 Hannah Montana07:15 Hannah Montana07:40 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch08:05 Win, Lose Or Draw08:30 Good Luck Charlie08:55 Good Luck Charlie09:20 Sonny With A Chance09:45 Sonny With A Chance10:10 Suite Life On Deck10:35 Suite Life On Deck11:00 That’s So Raven11:25 That’s So Raven11:50 A.N.T. Farm12:15 A.N.T. Farm12:40 Good Luck Charlie13:05 Good Luck Charlie13:30 Jessie14:00 Hannah Montana14:20 Hannah Montana14:55 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch15:20 Gravity Falls15:45 Dog With A Blog16:10 Violetta17:00 Girl vs Monster18:30 Wolfblood19:00 Gravity Falls19:30 Violetta20:20 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch21:35 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch22:00 Good Luck Charlie22:25 A.N.T. Farm22:50 Shake It Up23:10 Wolfblood23:35 Wolfblood

00:30 Escape Club01:25 Keeping Up With TheKardashians02:20 Fashion Police03:15 Eric And Jessie: Game On04:10 THS05:05 E!ES06:00 THS07:50 Style Star08:20 Fashion Police08:45 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills09:15 Giuliana & Bill10:15 Giuliana & Bill11:10 The Drama Queen12:05 Fashion Police12:35 Fashion Police13:05 Extreme Close-Up13:35 E!ES14:30 Style Star15:00 Keeping Up With TheKardashians16:00 Keeping Up With TheKardashians17:00 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills17:30 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills18:00 E! News19:00 Giuliana & Bill20:00 Giuliana & Bill

00:05 Chopped00:55 Marion’s Thailand01:20 Recipes That Rock01:45 Reza’s African Kitchen02:10 Reza’s African Kitchen02:35 Unique Eats03:00 Unique Eats03:25 Charly’s Cake Angels03:50 Chopped04:40 All You Can Meat05:05 Roadtrip With G. Garvin05:30 Reza’s African Kitchen05:50 Siba’s Table06:10 Sweet Genius07:00 Roadtrip With G. Garvin07:25 Roadtrip With G. Garvin07:50 Guy’s Big Bite08:15 Chopped09:05 Barefoot Contessa - Back ToBasics09:30 Chopped Canada10:20 Recipes That Rock10:45 All You Can Meat11:10 Roadtrip With G. Garvin11:35 Grandma’s Secret Cookbook12:00 Chopped12:50 Siba’s Table13:15 Jenny Morris Cooks TheRiviera13:40 Sandwich King14:05 Chopped Canada14:55 Roadtrip With G. Garvin15:20 Guy’s Big Bite15:45 Chopped16:35 Chopped17:25 Jenny Morris Cooks TheRiviera17:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives18:15 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives18:40 Siba’s Table19:05 Grandma’s Secret Cookbook19:30 Sandwich King19:55 Roadtrip With G. Garvin20:20 Chopped Canada21:10 Chopped22:00 Chopped SA22:50 Roadtrip With G. Garvin23:15 Roadtrip With G. Garvin23:40 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon

Stewart01:00 The Colbert Report01:30 Legit02:00 South Park02:30 Web Therapy03:30 Baby Daddy04:00 Til Death04:30 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon05:30 Seinfeld07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers08:00 Til Death08:30 Seinfeld09:30 Young & Hungry10:00 Brooklyn Nine-Nine11:00 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon12:30 Til Death13:00 Seinfeld13:30 Seinfeld14:00 Baby Daddy14:30 Young & Hungry15:00 Brooklyn Nine-Nine15:30 The Daily Show With JonStewart16:00 The Colbert Report17:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers18:00 Parks And Recreation18:30 Baby Daddy19:00 Melissa & Joey19:30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine20:00 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon

00:00 Iron Man 3-PG1502:15 Hellboy: Sword Of Storms-PG04:00 Terminal Velocity-PG1506:00 Iron Man 3-PG1508:15 Terminal Velocity-PG15

00:00 Free Samples-PG1502:00 Along Came Polly-PG1504:00 Men At Work-PG1506:00 Look Who’s Talking-PG1508:00 3 Times A Charm-PG1510:00 Sabrina-PG12:15 Along Came Polly-PG1514:00 Look Who’s Talking Too-PG1516:00 3 Times A Charm-PG1518:00 Loser-PG1520:00 Why Stop Now-PG1522:00 You, Me And Dupree-18

21:00 Eric And Jessie: Game On21:30 Keeping Up With TheKardashians22:30 E! News23:30 THS

00:10 Street Food Around theWorld00:35 Top Tables, Top Cities01:00 Cesar Millan: Love My Pit Bull01:50 Street Food Around TheWorld02:40 Valentine Warner’s Wild Table03:05 East Bites West with ChefWan03:30 My Sri Lanka With PeterKuruvita03:55 Cesar to the Rescue Asia04:45 Dream Cruises05:35 Top Tables, Top Cities06:00 Eat Street06:50 Cesar Millan: Love My Pit Bull07:40 Street Food Around TheWorld08:30 Valentine Warner’s Wild Table08:55 East Bites West with ChefWan09:20 My Sri Lanka With PeterKuruvita09:45 Cesar to the Rescue Asia10:35 Dream Cruises11:25 Top Tables, Top Cities11:50 Eat Street12:40 Dog Whisperer13:35 Street Food Around theWorld14:30 Valentine Warner’s Wild Table14:55 East Bites West with ChefWan15:25 My Sri Lanka With PeterKuruvita16:00 Cesar to the Rescue Asia16:50 Dream Cruises17:40 Top Tables, Top Cities18:10 Eat Street18:35 Eat Street19:05 East Bites West with ChefWan19:30 My Sri Lanka With PeterKuruvita20:00 Cesar to the Rescue Asia20:50 Dream Cruises21:40 Top Tables, Top Cities22:05 Eat Street22:55 Dog Whisperer23:45 Street Food Around theWorld

00:20 The Dark Side of Hippos01:10 Man v. Monster02:00 Killer Dragons02:50 Animals Gone Wild03:45 World’s Deadliest GPU04:40 Saved By The Lioness05:35 Killer Dragons06:30 Animals Gone Wild07:25 World’s Deadliest GPU08:20 Caught In The Act GPUReversions09:15 Asia’s Deadliest Snakes10:10 Hunter Hunted11:05 72 Dangerous AnimalsAustralia12:00 Global Whale Shark Mystery12:55 Africa’s Deadliest13:50 Animals Gone Wild14:45 World’s Deadliest GPU15:40 Caught In The Act GPUReversions16:35 Secrets Of The King Cobra17:30 Hunter Hunted18:25 72 Dangerous AnimalsAustralia19:20 World’s Deadliest GPU20:10 Caught In The Act GPUReversions21:00 Secrets Of The King Cobra21:50 Hunter Hunted22:40 72 Dangerous AnimalsAustralia

00:15 Legendary02:00 Gone In Sixty Seconds04:00 The Perfect Boss05:30 Elvis Has Left The Building07:15 Hollow Man09:00 The Perfect Boss10:30 People Like Us12:30 Double Team14:00 Legendary15:45 Elvis Has Left The Building17:30 The Perfect Boss19:00 Gone In Sixty Seconds21:00 Tristan + Isolde23:00 The Muppets

10:00 The Cold Light Of Day-PG1512:00 Into The Blue-PG1514:00 Iron Man 3-PG1516:15 Summoned-PG1518:00 The Cold Light Of Day-PG1520:00 Knockout-PG1522:00 Lockout-PG15

01:00 The Swan Princess: A RoyalFamily Tale02:45 A Cat In Paris04:30 Barbie In The 12 DancingPrincesses06:00 Tristan And Isolde08:00 Tony Hawk: Boom BoomSabotage10:00 Barbie As Rapunzel11:30 The Apple & The Worm13:00 A Cat In Paris

14:30 Zambezia16:00 Renart The Fox18:00 Barbie As Rapunzel20:00 The Happy Cricket22:00 Zambezia23:30 Renart The Fox 00:00 Cougar Town

00:30 Desperate Housewives01:30 MasterChef Australia02:30 Switched At Birth03:30 Scrubs03:55 Scrubs04:30 Greek05:30 Lost06:30 Desperate Housewives07:30 Scrubs07:55 Scrubs08:30 Greek09:30 Switched At Birth10:30 Lost11:30 According To Jim11:55 According To Jim12:30 Cougar Town13:00 Greek14:00 Private Practice15:00 According To Jim15:25 According To Jim16:00 Lost17:00 Greek18:00 Desperate Housewives19:00 MasterChef Australia20:00 Bones21:00 How I Met Your Mother21:25 How I Met Your Mother22:00 Greek23:00 Lost

‘My Little Pony’ movie inthe works at Hasbro Studios

Hasbro Studios has given the greenlight to a “MyLittle Pony” movie, with plans to release the ani-mated film in 2017. The film will join “Jem and

the Holograms” as the first to be produced throughAllspark Pictures, a new label through which the com-pany will self-finance or pair up with other companiesto co-finance a slate of film projects. Jason Blum’sBlumhouse Prods already is co-producing the liveaction “Jem,” with Universal Pictures co-financing themovie’s budget. The studio has dated the film forrelease on Oct 23, 2015.

Hasbro Studios will takethe reigns of “My LittlePony,” producing andfinancing it in-house. It is indiscussion with studios torelease the film “on thebroadest possible numberof screens,” said StephenDavis, president of HasbroStudios and global enter-tainment and licensing forHasbro Inc. “We’ve veryexcited about the potentialof that movie.” Joe Ballarini, who wrote Fox’s “Ice Age:Continental Drift” is penning the script for the “Pony”pic, while Megan McCarthy, who produces and haswritten for the series “My Little Pony: Friendship IsMagic,” and straight-to-homevideo “My Little Pony:Equestria Girls” films, will serve as co-executive produc-er on the theatrical movie.

First introduced in 1983, and developed by BonnieZacherle, Charles Muenchinger and Steve D’Aguanno,the “My Little Pony” characters have colorful bodies,manes and distinguishing “cutie marks” on their flanks.The property has launched four animated series andbeen revamped over the years, enjoying strong salesin the 1980s and then again in 2010, with its popularitydriven by well-received shows. —Reuters

00:00 India v West Indies ODIHighlights01:00 ICC Cricket 36001:30 Champions LeagueTwenty20 Highlights02:30 England v India T20IHighlights03:30 ICC Cricket 36004:00 Royal London One-Day CupHighlights07:00 ICC Cricket 36007:30 Champions LeagueTwenty20 Highlights10:30 ICC Cricket 36011:00 India v West Indies ODIHighlights

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ClassifiedsWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)Arrival Flights on Wednesday 22/10/2014

Airlines Flt Route TimeQTR 1084 Doha 00:05JZR 267 Beirut 00:25DLH 637 Dammam 00:35JZR 239 Amman 01:00PGT 858 Istanbul 01:25JZR 539 Cairo 01:30THY 764 Istanbul 01:40RJA 642 Amman 01:45ETH 620 Addis Ababa 01:45GFA 211 Bahrain 02:00UAE 9767 Dubai 02:20KKK 6700 Istanbul 02:20UAE 853 Dubai 02:25MSC 403 Sohag 02:30JAI 576 Kochi/Abu Dhabi 02:35ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 02:45FDB 067 Dubai 03:05CEB 7694 Manila 03:10MSR 612 Cairo 03:15TMA 213 Beirut 03:20OMA 643 Muscat 03:20QTR 1076 Doha 03:25MSC 401 Alexandria 04:00FDB 077 Dubai 04:15THY 770 Istanbul 04:35DHX 170 Bahrain 05:10RBG 555 Alexandria 05:25KAC 412 Manila/Bangkok 06:15JZR 563 Sohag 06:35BAW 157 London 06:35KAC 382 Delhi 07:30KAC 204 Lahore 07:35FDB 053 Dubai 07:45KAC 206 Islamabad 07:50KAC 302 Mumbai 07:50QTR 1086 Doha 07:55KAC 352 Kochi 08:05KAC 344 Chennai 08:20UAE 855 Dubai 08:25KAC 362 Colombo 08:45ABY 125 Sharjah 08:50KAC 284 Dhaka 08:55IRM 1186 Tehran 09:10IRA 665 Shiraz 09:25ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 09:30FDB 055 Dubai 09:40QTR 1070 Doha 10:00GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40MEA 404 Beirut 10:55IAW 157 Baghdad/Al Najaf 11:00MSC 405 Sohag 11:20FDB 8051 Dubai 11:45JZR 165 Dubai 11:50IRM 1188 Mashhad 11:50FDB 065 Dubai 11:55JZR 561 Sohag 12:00SYR 341 Damascus 12:05FDB 071 Dubai 12:35UAE 871 Dubai 12:45MSR 610 Cairo 13:00MRJ4 815 Mashhad 13:00THY 766 Istanbul 13:10CLX 792 Luxembourg 13:15IYE 826 Sanaa/Mukalla 13:30KAC 672 Dubai 13:40FDB 057 Dubai 13:45QTR 1078 Doha 13:45IRC 526 Mashhad 14:10KAC 546 Alexandria 14:15MSR 575 Sharm el-Sheikh 14:15MSC 407 HRG 14:20GFA 221 Bahrain 14:20SVA 500 Jeddah 14:30FDB 081 Dubai 14:55FDB 8053 Dubai 14:55KAC 788 Jeddah 15:00ABY 127 Sharjah 15:35IRM 1180 Mashhad 15:45AGY 680 Alexandria 15:50RJA 640 Amman 15:55KNE 460 Riyadh 15:55JZR 535 Cairo 16:05JZR 787 Riyadh 16:15QTR 1072 Doha 16:15NIA 251 Alexandria 16:20

FDB 051 Dubai 16:25ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 16:45UAE 857 Dubai 16:45KAC 562 Amman 16:50FDB 073 Dubai 16:55SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15JZR 357 Mashhad 17:30GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30YYY 6060 SKS 17:35FDB 075 Dubai 17:45JZR 177 Dubai 17:45JZR 777 Jeddah 17:50KAC 542 Cairo 18:15RBG 553 Alexandria 18:20QTR 1080 Doha 18:25KAC 786 Jeddah 18:30JZR 483 Istanbul 18:35KAC 166 Paris/Rome 18:40FDB 063 Dubai 18:45GFA 217 Bahrain 19:00GFA 217 Bahrain 19:00ABY 129 Sharjah 19:00UAE 875 Dubai 19:05KAC 774 Riyadh 19:15KAC 674 Dubai 19:25MSR 606 Luxor 19:30JAI 572 Mumbai 19:35KAC 102 New York/London 19:35OMA 647 Muscat 19:55FDB 061 Dubai 20:05MEA 402 Beirut 20:15DLH 636 Frankfurt 20:15ETD 919 Abu Dhabi 20:25KAC 514 Tehran 20:50DHX 173 EBL 20:50FDB 079 Dubai 21:05ALK 229 Colombo 21:10FDB 069 Dubai 21:10UAE 859 Dubai 21:15ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:30QTR 1074 Doha 21:30JZR 135 Bahrain 21:45GFA 219 Bahrain 21:45FDB 059 Dubai 22:10AIC 975 Chennai/Goa 22:25AGY 682 Sharm el-Sheikh 22:45JZR 185 Dubai 22:55BBC 043 Dhaka 23:10JAV 621 Amman 23:15JAI 574 Mumbai 23:20NIA 263 Luxor 23:20MSR 614 Cairo 23:30KLM 411 Amsterdam/Dammam 23:40THY 772 Istanbul 23:45

Departure Flights on Wednesday 22/10/2014Airlines Flt Route TimeAIC 982 Ahmedabad/Hyderabad /Chennai 00:05JZR 562 Sohag 00:10JAI 573 Mumbai 00:20UAL 981 IAD 00:25DLH 637 Frankfurt 01:35THY 773 Istanbul 02:20ETH 621 Addis Ababa 02:45PGT 859 Istanbul 02:55KKK 6701 Istanbul 03:10MSC 404 Sohag 03:30FDB 070 Dubai 03:40UAE 854 Dubai 03:45UAE 9767 LOS 03:50FDB 068 Dubai 04:05ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:10MSR 613 Cairo 04:15OMA 644 Muscat 04:20QTR 1077 Doha 04:25TMA 223 Dubai/Chittagong 04:30CEB 7695 Manila 04:40MSC 406 Sohag 05:00FDB 078 Dubai 05:00QTR 1085 Doha 05:20JZR 560 Sohag 05:35THY 765 Istanbul 06:00RBG 556 Alexandria 06:05DHX 172 EBL 06:10JAI 575 Abu Dhabi/Kochi 06:30RJA 643 Amman 06:35THY 771 Istanbul 06:50

GFA 212 Bahrain 07:00JZR 164 Dubai 07:15KAC 545 Alexandria 07:20BAW 156 London 08:25FDB 054 Dubai 08:25QTR 1087 Doha 08:55JZR 534 Cairo 09:15KAC 671 Dubai 09:25ABY 126 Sharjah 09:30KAC 787 Jeddah 09:35JZR 482 Istanbul 09:35UAE 856 Dubai 09:50KAC 117 New York 10:00ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:15IRM 1181 Mashhad 10:20FDB 056 Dubai 10:20IRA 664 Shiraz 10:25QTR 1071 Doha 11:00KAC 561 Amman 11:25KAC 541 Cairo 11:30GFA 214 Bahrain 11:35JZR 356 Mashhad 11:40MEA 405 Beirut 11:55IAW 158 Al Najaf/Baghdad 12:00KAC 175 Frankfurt/Geneva 12:10JZR 776 Jeddah 12:15MSC 402 Alexandria 12:20FDB 8052 Dubai 12:30KAC 103 London 12:30FDB 066 Dubai 12:40JZR 786 Riyadh 12:50KAC 785 Jeddah 13:00SYR 342 Damascus 13:05JZR 176 Dubai 13:10IRM 1189 Mashhad 13:15FDB 072 Dubai 13:15MSR 611 Cairo 14:00THY 767 Istanbul 14:10UAE 872 Dubai 14:15MRJ 4814 Mashhad 14:15FDB 058 Dubai 14:25CLX 792 Hanoi 14:30IYE 827 Mukalla/Sanaa 14:30QTR 1079 Doha 14:55MSR 576 Sharm el-Sheikh 15:00GFA 222 Bahrain 15:05KAC 673 Dubai 15:05IRC 527 Mashhad 15:10MSC 408 HRG 15:15KAC 617 Doha 15:30FDB 8054 Dubai 15:35FDB 082 Dubai 15:35SVA 503 Madinah/Jeddah 15:45KAC 773 Riyadh 15:50ABY 128 Sharjah 16:15KAC 513 Tehran 16:20KNE 461 Riyadh 16:45AGY 683 Sharm el-Sheikh 16:50RJA 641 Amman 16:55IRM 1187 Tehran 17:00JZR 266 Beirut 17:05FDB 052 Dubai 17:10QTR 1073 Doha 17:20NIA 262 Luxor 17:20FDB 074 Dubai 17:35JZR 538 Cairo 17:40ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 17:45SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20JZR 184 Dubai 18:20UAE 858 Dubai 18:25FDB 076 Dubai 18:25JZR 134 Bahrain 18:50RBG 554 Alexandria 19:00QTR 1081 Doha 19:25FDB 064 Dubai 19:25JZR 238 Amman 19:25ABY 120 Sharjah 19:40GFA 218 Bahrain 19:45MSR 619 Alexandria 20:30KAC 283 Dhaka 20:30UAE 876 Dubai 20:35JAI 571 Mumbai 20:35FDB 062 Dubai 20:45KAC 331 Trivandrum 20:50KAC 361 Colombo 20:50OMA 648 Muscat 20:55

DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

112

ACCOMMODATION

CHANGE OF NAME

Sharing accommodationnear Salmiya City Center,Gadeer clinic building,Bahrain street, Salmiya. Tel:66792392, 50505384.(C 4787)20-10-2014

Sharing accommodationnear Salmiya City Center,Gadeer clinic building,Bahrain street, Salmiya. Tel:66792392, 50505384. (C 4787)19-10-2014

The public is hereby noti-fied that BABY GIRL JACK-IELOU BELARMINO ESCON-DO II, has filed with thePhilippine Embassy in theState of Kuwait a MigrantPetition for Petition forCorrection on Clerical Errorin the date of marriage andfirst name of wife in theReport of Marriagebetween Baby GirlJackielou BelarminoEscondo and PeterConstantine ConventoCatibog. The date of mar-riage should be written as28 March 2012, which isthe true and correct date ofmarriage. The first name ofwife should be Baby GirlJackielou II, which is thetrue and correct first nameof wife. Any person havingknowledge and/or claim-ing interest or may beadversely affected by saidPetition may file his or herwritten opposition withthe Philippine Embassy inthe State of Kuwait withinten (10) working days.(C 4788)

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

A business trip appeals to you because you can also visit an exciting placeand have a bit of a vacation. An important relationship, perhaps with a

young person or with someone in your near environment, may come into focus today.There could be an emotional overtone to all of this that may require understanding andflexibility on your part. Sympathy and understanding are emotional qualities that take ongreater importance now. It’s wisdom, not knowledge, that counts most. Everything pointsto your taking the initiative at this time. You could feel great support from those aroundyou for whatever decisions you make. You may enjoy taking advantage of some socialopportunities later this evening. You feel healthy and natural.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

STAR TRACK

The power of organization on a social scale business, politics and suchseems to take on a larger than life aura. It’s as if ambition and authority are answers inthemselves, rather than only a means to an ideal objective. You will be able to assuage anytendency to be deceptive. Careful, you head could be turned to the ambitious schemesthat tend to become lost along the way. You will benefit from logical insights, getting tothe heart of things. You attract money today. Making money can take on an almost spiritu-al kind of power. It is as if making money is the reason for living. As soul-stirring as thismay be, money can be disillusioning if you do not keep your wits about you. Sweet con-versation and an easy-fix dinner may be in order this evening.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Rewarding days make up for all the stress that comes with the challengingdays. Sometimes the stress is good because you may find perhaps, more pos-

itive directions. This particular day is a rewarding one; you can enjoy the attention or bene-fits. You are willing to take risks and dare to be a little unusual. You will prosper throughnew insights, inventions and an independent point of view. Your career could open up bytaking new approaches. Others value you for your ability to make practical decisions andtoday may be the time to dive into group issues. There are good fortune and plain old luckavailable now. There are plenty of opportunities to achieve your goals and you find yourselfable to do almost everything, particularly when there is no time limit.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

This is a rewarding and challenging day. You will enjoy the rewards of yourhard work, even though it may only be the good feeling that comes when

you do your best. Yes, this is a rewarding day-new and unexpected events may figure inyour living situation or surroundings this afternoon. There is positive insight about yoursupport system: mother, father, etc. You may enjoy being taken into confidence by a youngperson today; you want to teach and be helpful. There is the possibility of new visions orsudden insights that will help this person move into adulthood and to have a good self-esteem. This is also a great time to help you and others to gain insight through historical orfamily research: genealogy.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Leo (July 23-August 22)

You may come face to face today with someone who has very different val-ues than you do. You could find yourself cast in an opposing position and this mightrequire compromise and understanding on your part. There may be some legitimate ten-sion today-particularly since you are very focused on your career and your finances. Thedividend for your ability to compromise and find an understanding is most rewarding. Thisis a good time to be creative and secure the positive. The negative you might be experienc-ing is probably from outside forces; however, by maintaining a positive attitude, you willreally tune into the solution. Keep a positive attitude and you will keep moving in the rightdirection. A family member wants your attention this evening.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

With an eye for fine furniture and knowledge of good antiques, you maydecide to purchase some item that you can refurbish and then resell for a

profit. Your work and your hobby benefit from your clever, creative mind. You are good insports and may join a group of friends after work this afternoon in some team sports gameor in the case of bad weather, a group of you may gather for a little bowling competition.When you love, you love fully and later today may be a wonderful time to show your lovewith a massage or by running errands for your loved one. If you are giving a massage tosomeone in a group, you will probably find several people in line to benefit from your gift-ed hands. You are celebrated today. Happy birthday!

Libra (September 23-October 22)

If a loan is needed, today and tomorrow are the best times to put in yourrequest. Difficulties, blocks and all manner of hot spots may have easy

answers at this time-a little unusual, but inspiring. This is a very lucky day for making plansor decisions and finding your way through just about any problem you may discover. Youfeel successful and able to solve problems. Good advice from a guide is appreciated. Realinsight into your own inner workings or psychology could surface in a manageable form.You may be in the mood for deep and penetrating conversations or thoughts this evening.Family members have a lot to say and it is all positive. The influence of one planet just nowwill help define the area of your life direction.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

If you need professional advice, the next few days are the best times to seekthat help. Secrets, conspiracies and hidden links that unite all things take on

a greater importance now. Digging into the past for hints about the present and futureuncovers a lot of answers to the questions that do not seem to go away. Instant gratifica-tion is one of the temptations to which you are subject now: you want things and you wantthem quickly. Learning what really counts is an important lesson that may be learned thehard way. A feeling that anything is possible if you set your sights high enough character-izes the cycle you have just begun. You teach positive thinking and enjoy being a mentor.Your optimism makes you a good mentor.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

Work and career should be a primary focus at this time. There are opportuni-ties to make good decisions-the clear choice is yours. You are at your most

practical and what happens now may have a lasting effect on your life direction. Break themold and try what is extraordinary, but with real passion or persistence. You may be relent-less in your quest to discover new insights-trying new and different things. You may decideto begin a course of study this fall. Things are happening and your career or path dependsupon your own drive, which is strong now. This is a real time to buckle down and consoli-date your career. Your sense of responsibility will be what guides you and proves success-ful. Cash is coming your way.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Everything is run through your checkpoint to see if it holds up and can passthe test. You can be a stickler with details. Sometime today you may find that

higher-ups decide you would be the best person to be put in charge of research. This mayallow you to leave the workplace and talk to people or utilize the city library or the internetfor confirmation on a story or dates. Whatever you are assigned to report, double-checkyour numbers or facts. Some time to yourself without the usual interruptions of the work-place comes with responsibility but you are pleased to make the change in your routinetoday. After a stimulating day, you may be ready to relax this evening but it would be betterfor your body if you put in some time to exercise.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

CROSSWORD 702

ACROSS1. (astronomy) A measure of time defined byEarth's orbital motion.4. Music composed for dancing the saraband.12. A guided missile fired from shipboardagainst an airborne target.15. A period marked by distinctive character orreckoned from a fixed point or event.16. An Old World reptile family of Sauria.17. In favor of (an action or proposal etc.).18. Japanese ornamental tree with fragrantwhite or pink blossoms and small yellow fruits.19. Sweetened beverage of diluted lemonjuice.20. The sense organ for hearing and equilibri-um.21. The 3 goddesses of fate or destiny.23. Automatic data processing by electronicmeans without the use of tabulating cards orpunched tapes.24. An Indian tree of the family Combretaceaethat is a source of timber and gum.26. A member of the Siouan people formerlyliving in the Missouri river valley in NENebraska.28. A class of proteins produced in lymph tis-sue in vertebrates and that function as anti-bodies in the immune response.30. (informal) Being satisfactory or in satisfacto-ry condition.31. Before noon.32. In a faddish manner.34. (botany) Of or relating to the axil.37. A white metallic element that burns with abrilliant light.38. The biblical name for ancient Syria.42. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on askewer usually with vegetables.43. A wired or starched collar of intricate lace.47. A loose sleeveless outer garment madefrom aba cloth.48. Title for a civil or military leader (especiallyin Turkey).50. The residue that remains when somethingis burned.51. The posterior part of the mandible that ismore or less vertical.53. Serving as or forming a base.55. A river in north central Switzerland thatruns northeast into the Rhine.57. Genus of widely distributed agarics thathave white spores and are poisonous with fewexceptions.59. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug(trademarks Aleve and Anaprox and Aflaxen).61. A heavy odorless colorless gas formed dur-ing respiration and by the decomposition oforganic substances.62. An emblem (a small piece of plastic or clothor metal) that signifies your status (rank ormembership or affiliation etc.).63. A radioactive element of the actinide series.64. Antibacterial drug (trade name Nydrazid)used to treat tuberculosis.68. Any of a number of fishes of the familyCarangidae.72. Relating to or containing the azo radical.74. A island in the Netherlands Antilles that isthe top of an extinct volcano.76. A chain of connected ideas or passages orobjects so arranged that each member is close-ly related to the preceding and followingmembers (especially a series of patristic com-ments elucidating Christian dogma).80. A reproach for some lapse or misdeed.81. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike partof an organism.82. Acting according to certain accepted stan-dards.84. Goddess of criminal rashness and its pun-ishment.85. The rate at which heat is produced by anindividual in a resting state.86. Impressive in appearance.87. A piece of furniture that provides a place tosleep.

DOWN1. (music) The speed at which a composition isto be played.2. A series of mental images and emotionsoccurring during sleep.3. Long-tailed arboreal mustelid of Central andSouth America.4. A deep bow.5. American novelist (1909-1955).6. The most common computer memory whichcan be used by programs to perform necessarytasks while the computer is on.7. Naked freshwater or marine or parasitic pro-tozoa that form temporary pseudopods forfeeding and locomotion.8. Something that hinders as if with bonds v 1.9. Extinct small mostly diurnal lower primatesthat fed on leaves and fruit.10. A coenzyme derived from the B vitaminnicotinic acid.11. A notable achievement.12. Express in speech.13. An anti-TNF compound (trade name Arava)that is given orally.14. Family of brightly colored voracious eels ofwarm coastal waters.22. Green algae common in freshwater lakes oflimestone districts.25. Any plant of the genus Hoya having fleshyleaves and usually nectariferous flowers.27. (old-fashioned) At or from or to a great dis-tance.29. Something acquired without compensa-tion.33. United States labor organizer who ran forPresident as a socialist (1855-1926).35. Established by or founded upon law or offi-cial or accepted rules.36. Lower in esteem.39. Tall perennial herb of tropical Asia withdark green leaves.40. Lie adjacent to another.41. An independent group of closely relatedChadic languages spoken in the area betweenthe Biu-Mandara and East Chadic languages.44. American professional baseball player whohit more home runs than Babe Ruth (born in1934).45. According to the Old Testament he was apagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel(9th century BC).46. Toward the mouth or oral region.49. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.52. (Irish) God of love and beauty.54. Avoid or try to avoid, as of duties, questionsand issues.56. Harsh or corrosive in tone.58. The largest of the Balearic Islands.60. An international organization of Europeancountries formed after World War II to reducetrade barriers and increase cooperation amongits members.65. The official of a synagogue who conductsthe liturgical part of the service and sings orchants the prayers intended to be performedas solos.66. Make less active or intense.67. Secured or held in place by tape.69. Not agitated.70. Essential oil or perfume obtained fromflowers.71. A small cake leavened with yeast.73. A member of the Pueblo people living inwestern New Mexico.75. An Arabic speaking person who lives inArabia or North Africa.77. Tag the base runner to get him out.78. A rapid bustling commotion.79. The fatty flesh of eel.83. A heavy brittle metallic element of the plat-inum group.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

34s t a r s

Daily SuDoku

Wordsearch Puzzle

Someone at work is determined that you are going to do as he or she says.This may go against what you think should be done. You will get through this by realizingwhere you are in the chain of command. Someday you will be wearing the other shoe, soto speak. Business projects can be easily completed with your new obedience. You beginto feel support from those around you. You feel good! Discussions about religious, culturalor philosophical controversies have a way of stirring your blood. You watch for the oppor-tunities to speak up. Travel and adventure are compelling temptations as you dare to testyour mettle and stretch your horizons. As you relax this evening, you may be quite pleasedat how the whole day has progressed.

Dieting may be a sour word for you so . . . Spit it out! Try putting on a new cre-ative, heart-healthy frame of mind. This is the time where the energies will be

working in your favor to make any nutritional changes that are necessary-listen to yourbody. You have a lot of emotional energy now and with it there is self-confidence in howyou express yourself. You demonstrate understanding and sensitivity about the needs ofothers and today you are in a good position to communicate concerning groups and socie-ty in general. You could be under considerable mental tension or feel hemmed in by a tooconservative mental atmosphere. You may feel compelled to change your mind. Buckingother people’s ideas may be in order, but do it gently.

Yesterday’s Solution

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inf or m at ionWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Ahmadi Sama Safwan Fahaeel Makka St 23915883Abu Halaifa Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd 23715414Danat Al-Sultan Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd 23726558

Jahra Modern Jahra Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 24575518Madina Munawara Jahra-Block 92 24566622

Capital Ahlam Fahad Al-Salem St 22436184Khaldiya Coop Khaldiya Coop 24833967

Farwaniya New Shifa Farwaniya Block 40 24734000Ferdous Coop Ferdous Coop 24881201Modern Safwan Old Kheitan Block 11 24726638

Hawally Tariq Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25726265Hana Salmiya-Amman St 25647075Ikhlas Hawally-Beirut St 22625999Hawally & Rawdha Hawally & Rawdha Coop 22564549Ghadeer Jabriya-Block 1A 25340559Kindy Jabriya-Block 3B 25326554Ibn Al-Nafis Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25721264Mishrif Coop Mishrif Coop 25380581Salwa Coop Salwa Coop 25628241

OphthalmologistsDr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426

General PractitionersDr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501

UrologistsDr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427

For labor-related inquiries and complaints:

Call MSAL hotline 128

Sabah Hospital 24812000

Amiri Hospital 22450005

Maternity Hospital 24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital 25312700

Chest Hospital 24849400

Farwaniya Hospital 24892010

Adan Hospital 23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital 24840300

Al-Razi Hospital 24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital 24874330/9

Kaizen center 25716707

Rawda 22517733

Adaliya 22517144

Khaldiya 24848075

Kaifan 24849807

Shamiya 24848913

Shuwaikh 24814507

Abdullah Salem 22549134

Nuzha 22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh 24814764

Qadsiya 22515088

Dasmah 22532265

Bneid Al-Gar 22531908

Shaab 22518752

Qibla 22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla 22451082

Mirqab 22456536

Sharq 22465401

Salmiya 25746401

Jabriya 25316254

Maidan Hawally 25623444

Bayan 25388462

Mishref 25381200

W Hawally 22630786

Sabah 24810221

Jahra 24770319

New Jahra 24575755

West Jahra 24772608

South Jahra 24775066

North Jahra 24775992

North Jleeb 24311795

Ardhiya 24884079

Firdous 24892674

Omariya 24719048

N Khaitan 24710044

Fintas 23900322

GOVERNORATE PHARMACY ADDRESS PHONE

Plastic Surgeons

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf 22547272

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari 22617700

Dr. Abdel Quttainah 25625030/60

Family Doctor

Dr Divya Damodar 23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists

Dr. Esam Al-Ansari 22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan 22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians

DrAdrian arbe 23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin 2572-6666 ext 8321

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan 22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami 25343406

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly 25739272

Dr. Salem soso 22618787

General Surgeons

Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer 22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher 25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart

Dr. Adnan Ebil 22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada 22666300

Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra 25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub 24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani 25654300/3

Paediatricians

Dr. Khaled Hamadi 25665898

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard 25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar 22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof 25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare 23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew 24334282

Dermatology

Dr. Mohammed Salam Bern University 23845955

Dentists

Dr Anil Thomas 3729596/3729581

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar 22641071/2

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed 22562226

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer 22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan 22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash 22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan 25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari 25620111

Neurologists

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri 25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan 25345875

Gastrologists

Dr. Sami Aman 22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly 25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali 22633135

Endocrinologist

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman 25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888

Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924

Physiotherapists & VD

Dr. Deyaa Shehab 25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees 22666288

Rheumatologists:

Dr. Adel Al-Awadi 25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah 25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart

DR.Mohammes Akkad 24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital 25339667

Consultant Cardiologist

Dr. Farida Al-Habib 2611555-2622555 MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

Soor CenterTel: 2290-1677Fax: 2290 1688

[email protected]

Psychologists/Psychotherapists

PRIVATE CLINICS

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Kaizen center25716707

Noor Clinic23845955

INTERNATIONALCALLS

PRAYER TIMESFajr

SunriseZuhrAsr

SunsetIsha

STATION

4 DAYS FORECAST

DAY DATE WEATHERTemperatures

Wind Direction Wind SpeedMAX. MIN.

Expected Weather for the Next 24 Hours

RECORDED YESTERDAY AT KUWAIT AIRPORTMAX. Temp. MIN. Temp. MAX. RH MIN. RH

MAX. WindTOTAL RAINFALL IN 24 HR.

°C°C%%km/hmm

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

DAY:

WARNING

UTC

Issue Time

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

F e a t u r e s

l if e s t y l e

Google’s music-subscription service will try to anticipateits listeners’ mood swings as it amplifies its competitionwith Pandora, Spotify and other popular services that

play tunes over the Internet. Starting from today, the $10-a-month All Access service will make music suggestions based oneducated guesses about each subscriber’s mood and likelyactivities at certain points in the day or week.

For instance, a subscriber who opens the service on a smart-phone on a Monday morning might be offered a playlist suitedfor commuting, going to the gym or getting motivated forwork. Opening the app on Monday evening, though, mightgenerate songs appropriate for eating dinner, studying orunwinding. Six different music mixes created for different emo-tions and activities - with such labels as “Jumping Out of Bed” or“In The Lonely Hour” - will be automatically displayed for AllAccess subscribers in the US and Canada. The mixes won’t beplayed unless the subscriber selects one.

The feature won’t be immediately available in the other 43countries where All Access is sold. The mood music also will betailored to each listener’s tastes, so a subscriber who already hassignaled a preference for rock and an aversion for countrymusic would be more likely to hear the Rolling Stones perform“Monkey Man” than “Dead Flowers” in their mixes. Subscribersalso will be able to request playlists designed for specific activi-ties such as napping or housecleaning. Google’s attempt tocater to people’s moods reflects the growing importance of

delivering soundtracks that suit listeners’ discrete tastes andlifestyles. Making the right recommendation is becoming morecrucial now that Google, Pandora and Spotify have secured thelicensing rights to most of the same music.

30 million titles“The content is roughly the same, so the main thing you can

do for a user now is to have the right context,” said BrandonBilinski, product manager for Google Play Music, which runs AllAccess. “We want to get our listeners to the right music to fit themood and make them feel good.” Google Inc. picked up themood-melding technology in its July purchase of Songza, a freemusic service with about 5 million listeners. Google’s All Accessservice launch just 17 months ago, leaving the company thatruns the Internet’s dominant search engine and other leadingdigital services in the unfamiliar position of trying to catch up.

Pandora Media Inc’s free Internet radio station boasts 76 mil-lion monthly listeners, while Spotify has 40 million listeners,including more than 10 million subscribers to its $10-per-month service. Google hasn’t disclosed how many people sub-scribe to its All Access service, which offers a music library span-ning 30 million titles.

Selecting songs based on listener’s shifting moods is similarto what a smart music player called Aether Cone does. Thatplayer draws upon the music from another subscription servicecalled Rdio Unlimited, which also charges $10 per month.

Computer’s analytical powersPandora, Spotify and other services all strive to lead their

audiences to mixes and genres that will please them, thoughthe others tend to depend on computer algorithms that ana-lyze each person’s preferences and listening histories.Combining human knowledge with a computer’s analyticalpowers is similar to what Beat Electronics was doing with itsown music-streaming service before Apple Inc. bought it for $3billion earlier this year. Apple has said Beats’ recommendationsystem eventually might be blended into its own music-stream-ing service, though that hasn’t happened yet.

Google’s new feature includes several thousand playlistsassembled by Songza music aficionados that include DJs, per-formers and critics. Songza’s hand-picked playlists will be slightlyadjusted by algorithms programmed to learn more about eachlistener’s tastes and habits. As time goes on, Google hopes toprovide even more nuanced playlists that acknowledge a per-son’s mood is likely to be much different while driving to workon a Friday morning than a Monday morning. For now, though,the Mountain View, California, company will depend on cuesfrom each subscriber. “We can be smart about a lot of things, butit’s really hard to tell a person’s mood,” Bilinski said. — AP

Top 10 songs, albums on the iTunes Store

Top Songs1. Out Of The Woods, Taylor Swift2. Shake It Off, Taylor Swift3. All About That Bass, Meghan Trainor4. Animals, Maroon 55. Bang Bang, Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj6. Habits (Stay High), Tove Lo7. Trumpets, Jason Derulo8. Don’t Tell ‘Em (feat. YG), Jeremih9. Cool Kids, Echosmith10. Black Widow (feat. Rita Ora), Iggy Azalea

Top Albums1. Anything Goes, Florida Georgia Line2. 1989, Taylor Swift3. rose ave., You+Me4. Old Boots, New Dirt, Jason Aldean5. In the Lonely Hour, Sam Smith6. Hozier, Hozier7. Blood Moon: Year of the Wolf (..., Game)8. FOUR (Deluxe Version), One Direction9. Sweet Talker, Jessie J10. Sonic Highways, Foo Fighters — AP

Google’s streaming music service adds mood to mix

These product images provided by Google show the mood music feature on the web version of Google Play. — AP photos

Shmulik Freireich, an Israel Antiquities Authority conservationist works on a commemorative inscription in stone dedicated to the Emperor Hadrian that was found outsideJerusalem’s Old City, at the Rockefeller museum in Jerusalem. — AP photos

Israeli archaeologists yesterday unveiled a 2,000-year-oldcommemorative stone inscription dedicated to RomanEmperor Hadrian, which researchers say sheds light on the

Jewish revolt against the ancient empire. The stone, whichmeasures a meter by a meter-and-a-half (three feet by fivefeet) and weighs a ton, was found near the Damascus Gateentrance to Jerusalem’s Old City, with Israel’s AntiquityAuthority (IAA) calling it “one of the most important Latininscriptions” discovered in the Holy City.

The six lines in Latin, engraved in the hard white limestone,are a dedication from the Roman army honoring EmperorHadrian, who visited the city in 130 AD and whose many

building projects included the wall named after him in Britainto demarcate a border of the Roman Empire. The IAA said thestone may have originally been set into a gateway.

It was found on top of a deep cistern, with a semi-circle cutthrough the lower part of the inscription to allow access tothe water. “We have testimony in a new medium - stone - anda remnant of an original monument,” said Rina Avner, who ledthe IAA excavation along with Roie Greenwald. The eventmentioned in the inscription took place before the so-calledBar Kokhba revolt (132-136 AD) against the Roman Empire,she told AFP. She said historians remained divided overwhether the revolt was a result of harsh measures taken

against Jews by Hadrian, who rebuilt the city with pagan tem-ples and named it Aelia Capitolina, or if the decrees were pun-ishment for the rebellion.

The latest finding is proof of “public official Roman buildingin the city” of Jerusalem in that year, she said. While theinscription did not change the way history would be written, itwas “another significant piece of the puzzle we’ve been tryingto solve for a while,” Avner said. — AFP

Rare Roman inscription unearthed in Jerusalem

Italy’s singing Nun

picks ‘Like a Virgin’

as her first single

Italy’s singing nun, Sister Cristina Scuccia, who won “TheVoice of Italy” in June, has released a cover of Madonna’s“Like a Virgin” as her first single, ahead of a forthcoming

album. The 26-year-old Sicilian sister’s rather restrainedcover of “Virgin,” softly sung against picturesque religion-themed Italian backdrops, while wearing her nun’s habit,crucifix around her neck, and plain black shoes, is bound toprovoke some polemics, especially in Italy. And is clearlycalculated to generate boffo sales.

In an interview with Italian catholic daily Avvenire,Scuccia said she “chose it with no intention to provoke orscandalize.” “Reading the text, without being influenced byprevious interpretations, you discover that it is a songabout the power of love to renew people, to rescue themfrom their past,” she professed. “We have transformed thissong from the pop-dance piece which it was, into a roman-tic ballad, a bit like the ones by Amos Lee. Something moresimilar to a lay prayer, than to a pop piece,” Scuccia wenton.

Scuccia reportedly took her vows in 2010 after a rebel-lious adolescence. She has been training as a singer foryears and before appearing on “The Voice” had previouslyauditioned for several other TV talent shows, including “X-Factor” in Italy. Scuccia become a global sensation startingin March when her rendition of Alicia Keys’ “No One” on a“The Voice” blind audition in Italy got more than 50 millionhits on YouTube and appreciative Tweets from Keys herselfand Whoopi Goldberg. Sister Cristina’s debut album willbe out Nov 11 on Republic Records. It will also includecovers of Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know,” Jessie J’s“Price Tag,” Coldplay’s “Fix You,” Cyndi Lauper’s “TrueColors,” and Duran Duran’s “Ordinary World,” as well as twonew original tracks. — Reuters

Turkish people keen on learning Arabic language

The Turkish people are very keen on learning the Arabiclanguage to enable them to better understand the HolyQuran and Islamic values, said Turkish academic here

yesterday. Speaking to KUNA, Head of the Arabic LanguageDepartment at the University of Gazi in Ankara, ProfessorMusa Yildiz said that historically, the Turkish people startedlearning the Arabic language during the era of Islamic con-quests when the Turks began to have contact with ArabMuslims.

Sharing common social values and ethics, the Turkishpeople assimilated into the Islamic world and began tobecome vanguards of the Muslim nation, said the academic,noting that Islam played an integral role in the social transfor-mation of the Turkish people. Yildiz said that Arabic had agreat impact on the Turkish language with the Turks adoptingthe Arab letters in writing for a long period of time beforeswitching to Latin alphabets in 1928.

In regards to modern teaching of the Arabic language,Yildiz affirmed that the Arabic language was taught in allschool levels before University as a selective subject, but itwas compulsory for those willing to become Imams andscholars in the 1,001 religious schools in Turkey. On the levelof university and high learning institutions, Yildiz said thatthere were 2,500 university student learning Arabic whilethere were around 52,000 counterparts studying at higherSharia (religious law) institutes. —KUNA

Goldwelloffers intelligent technology that gives unmistak-ably beautiful hair color and extends 100% accuracy inmixing coupled with bright finish Al Jothen Co, one of

the leading distributors of internationally reputed professionalbeauty brands across the entire Middle East, has reinforced thatGoldwell, the world’s top hair care brand, has taken hair colour-ing to a totally new level in Kuwait.

Goldwell, is a complete professional brand portfolio repre-sented by TopChic - the world’s leading permanent hair colorand a wide range of hair treatments such as Kerasilk (The firstone of its kind hair treatment which practically rocks the marketwith its unique technology), and DualSenses (the ultimate solu-tion for all hair problems), and many more products that arebrought to the market from the biggest research and develop-ment laboratories in the world of hair care industry located inGermany.

Hair colouring is one of the fastest growing industries, espe-cially in hair care sector, with customers always on the lookoutfor the latest trends in hair colour from across the globe, andGoldwell has always taken centre stage with its revolutionarycoloring solutions. Sixty patents and more than 40 years of con-tinual innovation have made Goldwell Hair Color the most intel-

ligent color system for professionals. TopChic, the permanenthair color from Goldwell offers a mix of 125 shades, comes withthe unique Depot Can system - a major breakthrough in colouroxidation and a distinct advantage compared to other haircolour brands available in the tube technology.

“The world-class Goldwell hair colour is designed to suit var-ious hair coloring needs in Kuwait. Al Jothen, is renowned to

bring world-class innovation to the region, and this launch ispart of the efforts to cap the success with a truly innovativeproduct,” said Abdul Majid Madi, CEO of Al Jothen Group. Madiadded: “The launch of Goldwell in Kuwait is part of Al Jothen’scommitment to bring world-class brands to its clientele in theregion. The move also reinforces Goldwell’s reputation as thebest hair care brand and colour solution in the market offeringexcellence and innovation.”

Innovative technologies and tools that support profession-als prepare and condition the hair with TopChic depot candeliver optimal color results every time, for each unique style. Itoffers 100% accuracy in the mixing ratio between the colourand lotion (Peroxide), as opposed to 80%-90% accuracy withtubes. As a result of this, TopChicis simple to use and five timesquicker than the tube in terms of color application. TopChicLotion (peroxide), with its patented formula, has a unique tech-nology too and its IntraLipid technology sustainability replen-ishes lipids inside the hair which improves hair structure, keepsit protected and ensures perfect hair coloring results and long-lasting shine.

World-leading professional hair color brand Goldwell ushers in new era in coloring

Page 37: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

l if e s t y l e

M u s i c & M o v i e s

Actors often complain about shortrehearsal times, but some of entertain-ment’s biggest names - including

Melanie Griffith, Amanda Seyfried, UzoAduba, Peter Dinklage, Nina Dobrev andPablo Schreiber - are about to have virtuallynone. They’ll be appearing next month in the14th annual benefit “The 24 Hour Plays onBroadway,” which asks over a dozen actors, sixwriters and six directors to come up with sixoriginal short plays over the course of a day.

Rosie Perez, a veteran of the 24-hour plays,had this advice for participants: “Anything youcan do outside of being reckless and takingillegal substances do it! You’re going to needeverything.” Other stars who have signed upinclude Billy Crudup, Rachel Dratch, SethGreen, Aasif Mandvi, Jay Pharoah, Julia Stilesand Tracie Thoms. — AP

Michael Keaton, on the awards circuit for “Birdman,” willbe honored at the Santa Barbara Film Festival onJanuary 31 with the Modern Master Award. The 30th

edition of the festival runs January 27-February 7. The highesthonor presented by the festival, it has previously been award-ed to figures including Ben Affleck, Christopher Nolan, JodieFoster, Diane Keaton, George Clooney, Will Smith, ClintEastwood and James Cameron.

“There is no actor more befitting of the Modern MasterAward than the legendary Michael Keaton. His performance in‘Birdman’ is tremendous, showing the range of decade’s longexperience,” exec director Roger Durling said in a statement.Keaton, who has a ranch in Santa Barbara, also recentlyappeared in “Penthouse North,” “Robocop” and “Need forSpeed.”— Reuters

Michael Keaton honored bySanta Barbara Film Festival

Michael Keaton

File photo shows actress Amanda Seyfried poses for photographs on the red carpet forthe new movie “While We’re Young” during the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival inToronto. — AP photos

Griffith, Seyfried to star onstage

The Abu Dhabi Film Festival will fete prolificUS producer Edward Pressman andFrench/Algerian director Rachid

Bouchareb with lifetime achievement awardsduring its opening ceremony tomorrow. Also, aspreviously reported, Jordanian director Naji AbuNowar will be presented with the Variety ArabFilmmaker of the Year Award. That ceremonywill take place on October 27. Born in Oxfordand educated in Jordan and the UK, Nowar’s firstfeature “Theeb” is an intimate epic with Westernovertones set in a Bedouin community with realBebouins as actors. “Theeb” recently scoopedthe director nod in the Venice Film Festival’sHorizons section. Pic, which will launch into theMiddle East from Abu Dhabi, has been support-ed by Abu Dhabi’s Sanad fund in developmentand post.

Ed Pressman has produced more than fiftyfilms in the US, including “City Hall,” “Wall Street”and “Bad Lieutenant.” Pressmman has alsoworked with international directors outside the

US such as Wolfgang Petersen, the Taviani broth-ers, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Zhang Yimou andWerner Herzog. Abu Dhabi Film Festival directorAli Al Jabri praised the venerable veteran pro-ducer in a statement “for fostering the careers ofthe young and inspired.”

Bouchareb’s latest film, New Mexico-set “TwoMen in Town” (pictured) about a Muslim ex-con(Forest Whitaker) who befriends his parole offi-cer (Brenda Blethyn) is expected to have specialresonance in Abu Dhabi, where it will screen inthe ADFF Showcase section, after bowing inBerlin. The script, written with Algerian authorMohammed Moulessehoul, is “about the Arabworld and what makes a man become a terror-ist,” Abu Dhabi chief programmer Teresa Cavinasaid in a recent interview with Variety.—Reuters

‘Magician: The astonishing life and

work of Orson Welles’

Chuck Workman’s latest bouquet to cinematic history,“Magician,” provides a solid overview of Orson Welles’life and output. While little here will be news to

cineastes, the mix of interviews and archival footage-partic-ularly high-quality clips from the subject’s directorial fea-tures-should engage fans while providing a fine introduc-tion for those whose knowledge doesn’t stretch beyondrecognizing the words “Citizen Kane.” More a natural forancillary formats (it’ll be a film-studies classroom perennial)than theatrical exposure, the documentary plans a theatri-cal launch on Dec 12.

A straightforward, chronological approach in chapteredform starts with “1915-1941: The Boy Wonder,” chartingWelles’ eccentric, transient childhood, and the thirst forartistic expression that led to adventuresome stage tri-umphs (like the all-black “Voodoo Macbeth”) in his early20s. He also became a highly popular radio actor (notablyas voice of “The Shadow” on that mystery serial), and it wasin that medium that he became infamous via the 1938Halloween broadcast of H.G. Welles’ Martian-invasion fanta-sy “The War of the Worlds.” Dramatized in fake-newscastform, it panicked some gullible listeners (though someargue the extent of that reaction was greatly exaggerated).

Such notoriety brought Hollywood offers; Welles heldout until RKO’s terms gave him virtual carte blanche.Though his initial plan to adapt Conrad’s “Heart ofDarkness” was scuttled as too expensive and risky, “Kane”was scarcely less so-not least for being so blatantly inspiredby the life of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst,who used his considerable might to thwart its success.(Though, as one observer points out here, the film was justas much a critical self-portrait for Welles.) As a result, RKOwas all too happy to seize the post-production reins on“The Magnificent Ambersons” when Welles blithelydecamped to South America for the abortive “It’s All True.”The sadly compromised if still brilliant result proved anoth-er box office failure, ending his cinematic honeymoon.

Embarrassing careerThus began decades alternating lucrative (if often trivial)

acting gigs with erratic directorial work, the latter oftenplagued by budgetary woes or front-office interference.Even his moneymaking 1946 thriller, “The Stranger,”couldn’t shake his rep for extravagance, unreliability andinconsistency with popular taste. Spending most of thenext decade in Europe, Welles made “Othello,” the first ofseveral projects that were shot piecemeal whenever fund-ing became available. He considered two late masterpieces,“The Trial” and “Chimes at Midnight,” his personal best-butthey also flopped. Several other projects (“Don Quixote,”“The Merchant of Venice,” the improvised “The Other Side ofthe Wind”) never neared completion.

(Some have been or will be released in posthumouslyconstructed form; it’s noted that several titles, including“Chimes at Midnight,” remain in legal contention.)Meanwhile, his slightly embarrassing career as a public bonvivant flourished, represented via clips from “I Love Lucy,”“The Muppet Show,” myriad talkshows and commercials,etc. Welles’ consistent stylistic innovation is amply high-lighted via great-looking excerpts from projects bothfamous and subterranean. (He’s heard saying that “CitizenKane’s” technical daring was largely born from “the confi-dence of ignorance.”) A segment contrasting the originalstudio-tampered release version of the incredible openingsequence of “Touch of Evil” with its much later restored ver-sion (reworked per his original editorial notes) underlinethe brilliance of his instincts, as well as the tin ears theyoften fell on.—Reuters

“Game of Thrones” actress Natalie Dormer will starin supernatural thriller “The Forest” from LavaBear Films and David S Goyer’s Phantom Four.

David Linde’s Lava Bear and Goyer-the screenwriter of the“Dark Knight” trilogy-tapped Jason Zada last year to direct“The Forest,” set in Japan. Nick Acosta and Sarah Cornwellare re-writing the script. Focus Features plans to releasethe film on January 8, 2016. Good Universe has partneredwith Lava Bear to handle international sales on the film.

Linde, Goyer and Phantom Four’s Nellie Reed are theproducers. The movie is set in a forest called Aokigahara, areal location in Japan where people go to end their lives,where a young American woman comes in search of hertwin sister who has mysteriously disappeared-only to beconfronted by the angry souls of the dead who have per-ished in the forest. Dormer stars as Margaery Tyrell onHBO’s “Game of Thrones” and as Cressida in next month’s“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1.” She will soonbegin production on Screen Gems’ “Patient Zero.” ToryMetzger, president of Lava Bear, is overseeing the produc-tion of the film. Dormer is represented by UTA, UntitledEntertainment, United Agents in the UK and attorney KarlAusten. — Reuters

New Line has moved back its“Conjuring” sequel to 2016 andreplaced it with an untitled horror

film for a pre-Halloween release on Oct 23,2015. The Warner Bros. division hadannounced in February that it had dated“The Conjuring 2” for the 2015 openingwith Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmigareturning to star. The sequel does not havea director yet and hasn’t been set for aspecific release date in 2006. New Linescored a massive surprise hit last year with

James Wan’s supernatural thriller “TheConjuring,” which amassed about $320million in worldwide box office on a $20million budget. New Line topper TobyEmmerich told Variety last year that“Conjuring 2” would tap a similar vein asthe first film, which largely avoided con-ventional horror film ploy while exploringdemonic possession. — Reuters

Abu Dhabi Film Fest to honor

Pressman, Bouchareb

‘The Conjuring’ sequel

pushed back to 2016

Natalie Dormer joins

supernatural thriller

‘The Forest’

Natalie Dormer

(From left) Directors Israel Cardenas and Lauria Amelia Guzman, writer Jean-Noel Pancrazi and actress Geraldine Chaplin pose during a photo call for the movie ‘SandDollars’ at the 9th edition of the Rome Film Festival in Rome, yesterday. — AP

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

l if e s t y l eT R A V E L

By Yasser Al-Zayyat

Upon an invitation from the culturalcenter at the Embassy of theIslamic Republic of Iran in Kuwait, a

delegation from Kuwait news papers andsatellite TV channels recently visited themost important touristic sites in Iran. The16-member media delegation visited thegovernorates of Mazendaran and Gilan,where they met the governor and othertop officials. They visited the touristic sites- the woods and waterfalls in the gover-norates. The delegation was also briefedon the facilities offered to visitors. In thosetwo governorates located along theCaspian Sea, visitors can see the jungles,waterfalls and rivers with indescribablebeauty. They can also enjoy deliciousIranian cuisine, the famous Iranian pista-chio and the beautiful Persian carpets.

Kuwait mediadelegation explore Photo shows snow

covering Al-BorzMountain in

Kelardasht, Iran. —Photos by

Yasser Al-Zayyat

A photo shows an aerial view for the dam water.

Photo shows some rockmountains on the way toTehran from Kelardasht.

An aerial view takenfrom a plane showsclouds moving throughthe snow-covered peaksof the Alborz mountainsin Northern Iran.

Colorful trees coversthe mountains.

Photo shows aTelefrik in

Lahijan city.

Photo shows snowcovering Al-Borz

Mountain inKelardasht, Iran.

Photo shows aview of green treesand mountains inNorth Iran.

Page 39: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

l if e s t y l eT R A V E L

Photo shows Rabih Falah the Mazandaran Governor during a meeting with the Kuwaiti delegation. A group photo of the members of the media delegation.

Photo shows Al-Borz dam water.

A man training and playing with a sea lion in Namak Abrood. Photo shows a man selling Kebab on the street.Young girls greeting the Kuwait’s press delegation with flowers at Ramsar,Mazandaran.

Photo shows one of the many streams in North Iran.

Photo shows Al-Borz dam water.

Lahijan City in Jelan governorate.

An aerial view of Kelardasht city.

Page 40: Saudi, Kuwait price war underlies oilfield closure

37Griffith, Seyfried to staronstage

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

In this June 3, 2014 file photo, former US Secretary ofState Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, listens as Oscar de laRenta speaks on stage at the 2013 CFDA Fashion Awardsat Alice Tully Hall in New York.

In this Tuesday, Sept 9,2014, file photo,

designer Oscar de laRenta takes a bow with

models Karlie Kloss,left, and Daria Strokous,

right, after his Spring2015 collection is

modeled duringFashion Week in New

York. — AP/AFP photos

Legendary fashion designer Oscar de la Renta,whose beautiful clothes defined American ele-gance for generations and were beloved by

first ladies and Hollywood stars, died Monday. Hewas 82. As condolences poured in from the fashionworld, his company website bore only his trademarksignature in white against a navy blue background.US media reported his death at his home in Kent,Connecticut, quoting family members. He was diag-nosed with cancer in 2006.

Earlier this month, his luxury brand announcedthat British-born designer Peter Copping would takeover as creative director although that he wouldwork closely with de la Renta on designing the nextcollection. Twitter lit up with messages of condo-lence and praise for de la Renta. “Oscar created awhole world of luxury, style, and elegance all hisown,” wrote designer Vera Wang.

“The ‘King of Evening’ will be forever remem-bered,” Vogue Magazine added. Schooled in themastery of European couture, de la Renta workeduntil the end of his life, most recently designing thewedding dress for human rights lawyer AmalAlamuddin, who wed Hollywood heart throbGeorge Clooney in Venice last month.

One of the world’s most eminent designers, hisfrocks were worn by American first ladies fromJacqueline Kennedy and Nancy Reagan to HillaryClinton and Laura Bush, as well as film stars such asSarah Jessica Parker. Tributes also poured in fromfriends, celebrities and younger designers whomourned the loss of one of America’s most eminentdesigners. Former first lady Bush said she and herhusband, George W. Bush, were “deeply saddened”by his death, saying he had designed the favoriteclothes of her and her twin daughters. “We will missOscar’s generous and warm personality, his charm,and his wonderful talents,” she said in a statement.“Saddened to hear the news about Oscar de laRenta. Thank you for bringing so much beauty intothe world #RIP,” wrote designer Rebecca Minkoff.

Career spanning five decades“Truly saddened by the loss of one of the greatest

fashion icons of all time,” wrote designer and busi-nesswoman Ivanka Trump. Born on July 22, 1932 inthe Dominican Republic, de la Renta left home tostudy in Madrid and work as an apprentice toCristobal Balenciaga. In 1960 he moved to France tobecome an assistant at Lanvin in Paris, where heembedded himself in the world of haute couture,before moving to the United States to work forElizabeth Arden.

He created his eponymous label in 1965 and overthe decades became one of the most lauded design-ers in New York. He created clothes of timeless ele-gance, regal glamour and sophistication beloved bygenerations of women. He was twice president ofthe Council of Fashion Designers of America andhonored with a string of awards. In a career thatspanned five decades, de la Renta saw his companygrow into a multi-million-dollar empire that includ-ed ready to wear, fragrances, a home line and abridal collection, which he launched in 2006.

He married twice, first in 1967 to Francoise deLanglade, an editor at French Vogue and in 1989, sixyears after her death, he married American publish-er Annette Reed. Popular and charming, de la Renta

built close rapports with fellow designers such asKarl Lagerfeld and John Galliano, whom he invitedto spend time in his workshop after his career col-lapsed over an anti-Semitic rant. “Everyone in lifedeserves a second chance,” said de la Renta at thetime. “I think that life is about forgiving and helpingpeople.”

He entertained generously with his wives, keep-ing a Rolodex of famous friends, including theClintons, Henry Kissinger and the late writer TrumanCapote. In an interview with New York Magazinepublished last year, de la Renta looked back on hislong career and the changes in the fashion world.“It’s unbelievably extraordinary to remember thatwhen I came to New York, it was a time whenwomen couldn’t wear a pair of pants to a restaurant.“What women have achieved in the last 50 years, Iwish men would have achieved in the last 100. I’msorry to say it, but we’re really stupid.” In his nativeDominican Republic, the Culture ministry tweeted,“Maestro .. your prints remain.” — AFP

American fashion designer

Oscar de la Rentadies at 82

In this Feb 27, 2005, file photo, Spanish actressPenelope Cruz, in Oscar de la Renta, arrives forthe 77th Academy Awards in Los Angeles.

This May 2, 2011 file photo shows designer Oscar de la Renta andactress Penelope Cruz attending the ‘Alexander McQueen: SavageBeauty’ Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Artin New York.

In this Jan 20, 2005, file photo, President Bush and first lady LauraBush wave to the crowd after dancing at the Constitution Ball at theWashington Hilton Hotel during the 55th Presidential Inaugural cel-ebration in Washington, DC.

In this Sept 11, 2012 file photo, fashion designer Oscarde la Renta watches as the final model walks the runway.

In this Sept 11, 2012,file photo, a modelwalks the runwayduring the presentation of theOscar de la RentaSpring 2013 collection at FashionWeek in New York.

In this May 3, 2010 filephoto, Oprah Winfrey,right, and Oscar de laRenta arrive at theMetropolitan Museum ofArt Costume Institutegala, in New York.

In this Feb 16, 2011, filephoto, a model pauses onthe runway at the Oscarde la Renta Fall 2011show during FashionWeek in New York.

In this May 5,2014, file photo,Sarah JessicaParker attendsTheMetropolitanMuseum of Art’sCostumeInstitute benefitgala celebrating“Charles James:Beyond Fashion”in New York.


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